#mater from cars costume

[naildesigns24]

70 Lightning McQueen Halloween Costumes for 2024: Fun & Creative Ideas!

Lightning McQueen Halloween Costume ideas for 2024 are here! Discover a variety of Lightning McQueen costumes, including options for adults and kids. Explore fun and creative Mater Halloween costumes, including adult Mater and Tow Mater costumes. Find the perfect Lightning McQueen and Mater costumes for a family-themed Halloween. Dive into our collection for sexy Lightning McQueen and Mater…

[marcmarcmomarc]

Kingdom Hearts IV predictions: Radiator Springs/Dinoco Rust-eze Racing Center/Fireball Beach/Thunder Hollow/Thomasville/Florida International Speedway (Cars)

Takes place after Cars 3.

Is visited by Sora, who enters the world as a 2017 Nissan 370Z before visits to Luigi’s Casa Della Tires and Ramone’s House of Body Art end with him modified into a next-gen race car sponsored by Dinoco (with Tex’s blessing) and with Cruz’s number.

It isn’t combat based. Missions include keeping up with McQueen’s top speed by racing down Radiator Springs’ main street, learning how to turn right to go left at Willy’s Butte, driving backwards with Mater, keeping up with Cruz’s top speed on Fireball Beach, avoiding pushy competitors with the Thunder Hollow challengers, and practicing with Cruz at Thomasville, culminating in the Piston Cup race at Florida International Speedway, where the objective is to win against Jackson Storm.

It’s set during Cruz’s first Piston Cup racing season, so McQueen still has Doc’s colors and spends the Florida race as Sora’s crew chief. Also, Ramone wears his “Saludos Amigos” body paint from the epilogue of Cars 3.

As Sora finishes his story, Mater is certainly unhappy with Xehanort’s actions forcing Sora’s hand. “That dad-gum Xehanort”, he says angrily. Extra points if Sora doesn’t get to the part where Xehanort is dead, then Sarge gets in his face and demands him to teach Xehanort a lesson when he gets back in a militaristic manner. “Is that understood,” Sarge yells. Then Sora tries to correct him, but gets cut off and asked again, “Is that understood,” and has to respond, “Sir, yes, sir!”

Of course, during the top speed races, Luigi is the one to signal the race to begin. In the Radiator Springs race, Sora’s top speed is tracked by Sheriff’s speed radar, and on Fireball Beach, it’s via Cruz’s personal assistant, Hamilton.

If you fail the “Turn Right to go Left” mission, Sora goes flying into the bed of cacti, and Mater fishes him out.

“I don’t like to toot my own horn, but…” (HONKS TWICE) “Toot my own horn. That’s funny right there.” - Sir Tow Mater, beginning his backwards driving lesson, 2017

Cars 2 elements will be here. Heck, maybe Mater can’t be present most for the training because he’s busy with Finn and Holley. After all, does he still owe Holley a first date?

I wanted the player character in this world to be Kairi just so Storm can feel the embarrassment of losing to not one, but two “costume girls”.

The Piston Cup race is announced as a 500-lap race, but no game developer is that malicious to force the player to race 500 laps around an oval, so they’d take after the first Cars game and make it twelve laps with the sun slowly lowering throughout the race.

Starring the voices of:

Lightning McQueen: Keith Ferguson

Cruz Ramirez: Cristela Alonzo

Tow Mater: Larry the Cable Guy

Smokey: Chris Cooper

Sally Carrera: Bonnie Hunt

Luigi: Tony Shalhoub

Guido: Guido Quaroni

Mack: John Ratzenberger

Fillmore: Lloyd Sherr

Sarge: Paul Dooley

Ramone: Cheech Marin

Flo: Jenifer Lewis

Sheriff: Michael Wallis

Lizzie: Laraine Newman

Red: Jerome Ranft

Jackson Storm: A.J. Hamilton

Natalie Certain: Kerry Washington

Finn McMissile: Martin Jarvis

Holley Shiftwell: Emily Mortimer

Sterling: Nathan Fillion

Louise “Barnstormer” Nash: Wendie Malick

River Scott: Kevin Michael Richardson

Junior “Midnight” Moon: Jason Douglas

Mater’s Computer: Teresa Gallagher

Chick Hicks: Bob Peterson

Miss Fritter: Lea DeLaria

Tex Dinoco: Humpy Wheeler

Hamilton: Lewis Hamilton

Bob Cutlass: Bob Costas

Darrell Cartrip: Darrell Waltrip

Strip “The King” Weathers: Richard Petty

Ray Reverham: Ray Evernham

Maddy McGear: Madeleine McGraw

Shannon Spokes: Shannon Spake

Cal Weathers: Kyle Petty

Doc Hudson: Corey Burton & Paul Newman

McQueen’s Biggest Fan: A.J. Riebli III

Tractors: Steve Purcell

Millie: Lori Alan

Tomber: Michel Michelis

Siddeley: Jason Isaacs

The Queen: Vanessa Redgrave

Stephenson: Joe MacDonald

Prince Wheeliam: Christopher Sabat

Sweet Tea: Andra Day

Bobby Swift: Angel Oquendo

Brick Yardley: Will Collyer

Crazy Eight Commentator: John DeMita

Arvy Motorhome: Jeremy Maxwell

Dr. Damage: Bob Peterson

Roscoe: Will Collyer

Mr. Drippy: Peter Sohn

Taco: Patrick Rodriguez

Jimbo: Anthony Sardinha

T-Bone: Andrew Stanton

APB: Jessie James Grelle

Blind Spot: Jessica Nigri

Pushover: Kaiji Tang

Tailgate: Jen Taylor

Cigalert: Barbara Dunkelman

Fishtail: Dustin Matthews

Broadside: Kyle Phillips

Patty: Maggie Tominey

Bill: Tyler Coe

Pileup: Brendan Blaber

High Impact: Lindsay Jones

Faregame: Jason Pace

Airborne: Tiana Camacho

Superfly: Django Craig

Jambalaya Chimichanga: Jen Brown

Liability: Samantha Ireland

Hit: Gus Sorola

Run: Christopher Guerrero

Todd: Alex Mai

Danny Swervez: Daniel Suárez

Ryan “Inside” Laney: Ryan Blaney

Bubba Wheelhouse: Bubba Wallace

Chase Racelott: Chase Elliott

Tim Treadless: Kerry Shawcross

Rich Mixon: Corey Krueger

Cam Spinner: Zeno Robinson

H.J. Hollis: Alejandro Saab

Ed Truncan: Adam Ellis

Herb Curbler: Burnie Burns

Aaron Clocker: Miles Luna

Harvey Rodcap: Garrett Hunter

J.D. McPillar: Michael Jones

Flip Dover: Yuri Lowenthal

Barry DePedal: Kyle Taylor

Steve LaPage: Blaine Gibson

Conrad Camber: Aaron Marquis

Sheldon Shifter: Gavin Free

Paul Conrev: Flynt Flossy

Michael Rotor: Travis Willingham

Richie Gunzit: Ben Schwartz

Eric Braker: Nick Landis

Spikey Fillups: Neath Oum

Chris Roamin’: Connor Pickens

Dan Carcia: Clifford Chapin

Jonas Carvers: Scott Frerichs

Jim Reverick: Howard Wang

George New-Win: Dustin Matthews

Noah Gocek: Eric Baudour

Will Rusch: Aaron Dismuke

M Fast Fong: Todd Womack

Nick Shift: Mick Lauer

J.P. Drive: Richard Norman

Tom W.: Christopher Wehkamp

Sudeep: Aaron Dismuke

Krzysztof: Grant George

Shriram: Bryce Papenbrook

Kurt: Django Craig

Ronald: Alec Willows

Junyi: Todd Haberkorn

Gabriel: Levi Nuñez

Aiden: Angel Oquendo

Jae: Michael Malconian

Ernesto: Robbie Daymond

Melissa Bernabrake: Cia Court

Pat Traxson: Jason Rose

Laura Spinwell: Kara Eberle

Gale Beaufort: Anairis Quiñones

[microwavedfishsticks]

ITS A DAY LATE BUT IM DOING IT ANYWAYS!!! HALLOWEEN CARS CHARACTER HEADCANNONS

(I was originally going to include Bob and Darrell but it got so lengthy I decided against it)

I've done essentially most the main characters of all the Cars movies(including the lemons from Cars 2)

Lightning: spends his time getting dressed up in silly non-scary costumes, trying to spook people by jumping out infront of them and going "boo!!", and getting others into the spirit of it. He really likes Halloween and 100% jokingly teases people about being scared of him jumping infront of them or being scared of movies, ultimately to scream/shout every time it happens to him

Mater: He loves Halloween and he's a bit of a lowkey adrenaline junkie/extremist. Everytime he gets scared he shouts and then immediately starts laughing. Don't scare him yourself though, unless you're prepared to start a scare-off war, and he won't leave you alone until he gets you scared at least once! Probably convinces everyone to try and take turns telling scary stories in a big blanket fort or out in the middle of nowhere camping at some point.

Strip: He's the most neutral about it. Probably buys a bunch of people's favorite candy and passes it out to them. He's the person that says "I'm dressed up as myself" and wears his racing suit. If you try scaring him he'll just chuckle to himself and say it was a good try

Chick: Waits until it's completely dark outside and proceeds to binge watch the most horrificly racid movies that someone with an iron stomach couldn't even stand and he holds a completely straight face while doing it. He's completely unfazed by anything. If you somehow manage to get the smallest spook out of him and make him jump his natural reflex is shoving someone into the ground.

Francesco: He just overall likes celebrations, he gets overly hyped and excited, probably drags a few people into throwing some sort of Halloween party. He quickly burns himself out though and just wants to rest and relax. Very jumpy though and you will have to sit through a very long lecture, even if you accidently scare him!

Finn: Eats a bunch of super sour candy with a straight face and convinces other people that "its not that sour" and watches it all unfold. That's about where his terror ends. Don't ask him to hide anywhere because he will never be found. He'll disappear off the face of the Earth for three days for a game of hide-and-seek. Nearly impossible to scare him unless you like actually threaten him or someone he cares about, but he'll return the favor of scaring you with a surprise Grim Reaper meeting.

Leland: Unironically enjoys all the pumpkin flavored stuff. He's just there for the aesthetic, he hates being scared and will never admit he has a slight grudge against Halloween because of it. He will decorate things without your permission. He does it for every event. If you try and scare him be prepared to have some sort of cold coffee or hot chocolate splashed onto you(whether accidental or not is up to interpretation).

Rod: Probably doesn't even know that it's Halloween. Accepts some candy that some of his friends gave him. Key word is "Accepts" because he will out right refuse any candy from anyone else, or any gifts for any occasion of that matter. If you ask him about any plans or thoughts on Halloween all you're getting from him is an unacknowledged "Mm". He's going to ignore scare attempts that you'll probably begin to be convinced you've turned into a ghost.

Axlerod: He's not very Halloweeny. Mostly anything he gets for celebrating Halloween is because I asked him to. He has his own personal problems with Halloween so he's not very fond of it. Will absolutely pull a gun out on someone for scaring him(slightly out of reflex)((dont ask why he carries a gun on Halloween)). It's a 50/50 if you get the gun or a very harsh glare.

Acer: Absolutely loves Halloween for nearly the reason Axlerod hates it. He can just..be himself and no one will say anything, they'll just assume it's all for Halloween. Acer is like the embodiment of when the Ninja Turtles celebrate Halloween and get excited cause they don't have to hide themselves and won't get called freaks. Also the candy. Acer needs someone to supervise him eating candy. He'll probably grab you by the shoulders and shake you for scaring him or tackle you to the ground. Depending on how well you know him depends on whether he pretends to raise his fist like he'll hit you(the closer you are to him the more punching threats you get).

Grem: Is normally busy supervising Acer. He wouldn't let Acer in a different room by himself, nonetheless on Halloween. Probably gets some candy, drinks, popcorn and watches about half of a movie before getting bored. He has a very lazy Halloween and the closest he gets to a costume is the little plastic devil horns that Acer puts on his head. He doesn't like being scared and is probably one of the few that will actually tell you not to scare him after the first time it happens. If you keep doing it he'll go from a forced chuckle to eventually you mattress is missing from you bedroom, actually, the entire bed is missing and the only thing left is a bunch of pinestraw and pinecones with a couple inconspicuous bugs crawling around.

Jackson: He can be convinced to put on a half-assed Halloween costume but only if it's 'cool'. Probably covers his social media with Halloween stuff and makes it seem like he's going out somewhere and then proceeds to spend the entire night doing all the video game Halloween events. He'll smack you upside the head if you try to scare him at all. And he'll poor cold water on you while you're asleep if he ever spots you asleep, regardless of how long ago the incident was.

Cruz: She loves festive stuff and celebrations, she decorates her entire house and yard in Halloween stuff on the last day of Septemeber and does a bunch of Halloween stuff throughout the month. She learns everyone's favorite candies just for this day! She doesn't like being scared cause its..well, scary, but she absolutely enjoys playing along and will scare you back and watch scary movies even if it means she won't sleep that night. She also celebrates 'Halloween-weekend' and says the first three days of Novemeber still count as Halloween

[idiotik-star]

based on this prompt.

word count- 1,095

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While pulling into the parking lot Lola started gathering her thoughts running through the important things she needed to remind herself. Unknowingly she started mumbling her thoughts out loud. “It doesn’t mater if his eyes look just like emeralds or if he smells wood or if he decides to roll the sleeves of his costume…” Nearly crashing into her cast mate entering in her rush, she’s greeted by Him.

Jeremy, the man she’s been trying to not think about. When they were first cast as Sally, and Clifford, they were good friends but as time went on Lola started to have a little crush on him. It was a subtle growth, it started with looking forward to seeing Jeremy at rehearsal, then she started wishing she’d run into him outside of rehearsal so they didn’t have to talk about the show. Then next thing she realized she found herself thinking about his emerald eyes at the grocery store, and noticing she had favorite things he did.

“Hey, what’s the rush?” He said. “Oh I was just thinking about getting into costume…” Lola trailed off. “You know we don’t need to do that right? It’s just an Intimacy rehearsal.” Lola froze. “I know, I just feel more in character when I’m costume.” Without waiting for him to respond she ran into the dressing room to get charged.

Once Lola was finished changing she rushed to the stage, when arriving she noticed that Jeremy also got into costume. Walking closer to him she whispered, “You put on your costume?” “I didn’t want you to be the only one.” was all he said.

“Alright, it’s time to get this started. I want to get in and get out since we had to reschedule this 30 minute rehearsal.” Elliot, their director, yelled announcing his arrival. “We’re just working on the kiss, currently I have no care if it’s just a peck or if you both want to go all in so it’s really up to you.” He continued while taking a seat in the audience.

Turning to Jeremy, Lola started to ask, “How do yo—“ “How about we just do a peck right now to get the first one over and done with? To get all the possible awkwardness out before we take this seriously.” Jeremy cut her off. “Oh that, that’s actually perfect.”

Lola rushes over and pushing up on her tip toes kisses him quickly. “Okay we got that out of the way so how about we get something in character” Elliot yelled the his seat. Jeremy turned to Lola; placing a hand on her cheek he leaned down and pressed his lips to hers. “What if we tried the peck again but we held it?” Lola thought out loud. “That might work.” They both took a few steps to each other meeting at the center with a lingering kiss.

Once they separated Lola stared at Jeremy for a moment. “Personally I think that works perfect, If you wanted to try some others we can but that one has my vote.” Jeremy told Lola. “No I think you’re right it really carries the emotion of the scene.” Lola Mumbled.

“We have our kiss! I’m glad we all agreed that one works best for this scene. Go ahead and change and then head out, I wanna work on the playbill a little bit.” Elliot said. “Okay if you want me to stay and help I can, I’m more than willing to help,” Lola started. “No no, go home I’ve got this but if I need help I’ll text you okay?” Elliot stated while ushering the two off the stage.

The pair both went into their respective dressing rooms, emerging back in the clothes they arrived in. “Lola, you wanna get lunch? Just so we have a buffer of hanging out after all that kissing.” Jeremy asked. “Ugh, I totally would but I’ve been leaving work early for rehearsals so I have an article to finish.” She returned, while walking out of the building.

Lola got into her car and started to drive off thinking about her article. Funny enough she got the text from her editor saying she wanted Lola to write an article about the local theater troupes production of Cabaret right after Lola took two days off to audition for the production.

As Lola arrived at her apartment she pulled out her phone to call her best friend. “Atlas, hey I have a teeny tiny favor to ask. Do you mind watching the local theater troupes production of Cabaret for me?” “Now why would I do that Lola? You know I have my own articles to write.” He retorted. “Well how am I supposed to watch a musical that I’m in. I tried to tell Mary I shouldn’t have this article but she insisted it had to be mine because I did theater in college. I’ll pay for your ticket, and venmo for any snacks you buy, from the theater or a store.” She explained. “Okay fine, but you have to go on that double date with me, I don’t care what you have to say about him.” ‘Who said I was gonna say anything.” “You always say something, and I know you don’t like him but if I wanna go out with his roommate he has to come too.” Atlas said before he hung up.

Lola pulled out her computer to start on her article. “I may not be capable of watching the show, but I has behind the scenes involvement so lets get that started.” She murmured to herself.

After hours of writing and rewriting Lola finally decided to call it quits for the night. After she closed her computer and was getting ready to go to bed. She went into her closet and picked out clothes to sleep in but before she could change she heard a knock on her apartment door.

As Lola walked to the front door she checked the time on her phone, it read 11:21 pm. Being cautious because of the time she looked through her peephole to see Jeremy. Confused she opened the door. “Jeremy what are you doi—” Lola Started. “Lola, I,” He cuts himself off. “Jeremy, spit it out. You’re starting to scare me.”

“I can’t stop thinking about kissing you.” He choked out. Lola froze, everything in her body begged for this moment but her brain couldn’t comprehend if it was. Seeming to have made up her mind on whether she was dreaming or not, she said, “What are you going to do about that?”

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first piece of writing (for myself) i’ve written in an embarrassingly long time. now that the first one is done it should be a lot easier to crank these out. anyways i hope y’all enjoyed this as much as i enjoyed writing it

[jlacca]

Movie Chronicles (Interview below)

Lion King

From ages 3-9, the movie that most resonates with me is the Lion King. In 1994 the Walt Disney Animation was instantly my brother and I’s favorite movie when we were kids. When we were younger, we loved animals and our favorite happened to be the lion. My father put the movie on for my brother and I and thought we would like it. Little did he know we were going to love this movie and its upcoming movies. 

Directed by Roger Aller’s and Rob Minkoff, and great voice actors such as James Earl Jones as Mufasa, and Jeremy Irons as his brother Scar, the movie reached great success. The box office earned the Lion King making them $78.5 million. Lion King earned Gross value of $968.5 Million dollars. 

Cars

From ages 10-13 my brother was getting started into Disney and watching all their films. One night he put the Pixar film Cars on our television. This movie influenced my life of how I talked and dressed. I had cars pajamas, books, Halloween costumes and more. I would walk around my house saying Ka-chow, from Lightning Mcqueen and quoting one of my favorites, Tow mater. 

Lightning Mcqueen voiced by Owen Wilson, and Tow Mater voiced by Larry the Cable guy paired up to be a great duo in the movie series as it progressed. Cars brought in $19 million on its first day and in total earned over $1.7 billion. Cars is still a staple of my life and hopefully I get to play that for my kids. 

Grown Ups

In my mid teen years from ages 14-17, Grown-Ups 2 was a movie that I saw with my friends in the movie theatre. My friend Andrew got us dropped off and we saw this movie. It was one of the funniest movies I have seen at the time. Adam Sandler is the greatest comedic actor of all time in my opinion. 

On day one this movie made about $14 million and grossed up to $272 million. With actors like Adam Sandler, Salma Hayek, Kevin James, David Spade, and Chris Rock, many viewers knew this film was must see. This movie reaches 4.5 out of 5 stars on many reviewing websites which tells how great of a comedy movie it is. 

Hustle

From ages 18-25 my favorite movie has been Hustle. Another movie starring Adam Sandler. I found out about this movie through ads on television watching my favorite team the Philadelphia 76ers in a basketball game.  This movie takes place in Philadelphia and has some similarities to it such as the Rocky films. 

Hustle is a movie all about basketball. Adam Sandler playing Stanley Beren, and Juancho Hernangomez (NBA player) playing Bo Cruz. This movie made $3 million on its first day and $35 million grossly. This movie featured many basketball players and celebrities. I have recommended this movie to others and have gotten great feedback. Although the movie does not get as many viewers as a film like Cars and Lion King, this movie has a 4.8 out of 5 star reviews on many reviewing websites.

Interview

For this assignment I chose to interview my brother. He was there with me watching majority of the movies I have watched in my life. Majority of our favorite movies are Made by Disney. We enjoy all the storylines and songs that Disney places in their films. His list consisted of, 3-9, Lion King, 10-13, Frozen, 14-17, Star Wars: the Force Awakens, and 18-25, Hustle.

From age 3-9, Lion King was our favorite movie growing up. We both had the same favorite animal which was the lion. He guessed correctly when saying during this age group, my favorite movie was the Lion King.When interviewing my brother about our favorite movies we often thought of the great times and memories created by watching these films. We both loved every bit of that movie. Watching Simba grow up and make friends like Timone and Pumba. Simbas adventure was our favorite part. I remember us absolutely hating Scar and the hyenas. We watched this movie so many times, we began to sing all the songs in sync. We both agreed the best song on the film would be the circle of life.  We would both rank this movie as Disney’s greatest animated film. 

From age 10-13 he guessed my favorite movie was Frozen. We enjoyed watching this movie together. This is another movie by Disney that has an amazing soundtrack. I remember singing the songs with my cousins and brother. I will always remember this time period when frozen came out and the hype around the movie was once in a lifetime. It does not happen often when a movie recieves that amount of great expectations.

From 14-17, Star Wars was an amazing guess. I am a huge Star Wars Fan but I enjoyed Adam Sandler a little more. Additionally, I did watch all the Star Wars films with my brother. As a movie series it Is definitely one of my favorites. We both loved the soundtracks and while watching paid very close attention. My brother said, "For the both of us, this movie we paid very close attention to, unlike others." We went to all the Star Wars Premiers together, ones that we were alive for.

Now at age 18-25 My brother guessed correctly again with his choice of Hustle. He knows I love basketball and Philadelphia sports. This movie Hustle, by Adam Sandler checks both of those boxes perfectly. Many of my favorite athletes and actors were in this movie. This film had many similarities to rocky and other many other Philadelphia icons. I would recommend this movie to many.

[mcqueencrocs]

Can Lightning McQueen Crocs be worn as part of a Halloween costume?

Halloween is a time for creativity and fun, where people of all ages get to dress up in costumes and embrace their favorite characters. When it comes to incorporating footwear into Halloween outfits, Lightning McQueen Crocs offer a unique and playful option. In this article, we will explore whether Lightning McQueen Crocs can be worn as part of a Halloween costume and discuss how they can add a touch of Disney magic to your Halloween ensemble.

Embracing the Disney spirit

Lightning McQueen Crocs, with their vibrant colors and iconic design inspired by the beloved character from the "Cars" franchise, can be an excellent choice for incorporating into Halloween costumes. They allow individuals to embrace the Disney spirit and add an element of fun and playfulness to their Halloween look.

1. Disney character costumes

For those looking to dress up as Lightning McQueen or any other character from the "Cars" movies, Lightning McQueen Crocs can be a perfect footwear choice. Whether you're portraying Lightning McQueen himself or a supporting character like Mater or Sally, these Crocs can complement your costume and help you fully embody the character.

2. Creative costume combinations

Lightning McQueen Crocs can also be incorporated into creative costume combinations. Since Lightning McQueen is a race car, you can pair the Crocs with a racing-themed costume, such as a checkered flag shirt, racing helmet, and a racing jacket. The vibrant colors of the Crocs will add a striking visual element to your costume, making it more dynamic and eye-catching.

3. Disney-themed group costumes

Lightning McQueen Crocs can be a great choice for Disney-themed group costumes as well. If you're part of a group planning to dress up as various Disney characters or a specific Disney movie cast, Lightning McQueen Crocs can serve as a unifying element. They can be worn by individuals portraying characters from the "Cars" franchise or simply to showcase your love for Disney in general.

4. Casual costume accessory

Even if you're not planning a full-blown costume, Lightning McQueen Crocs can still be incorporated into your Halloween attire as a casual costume accessory. They can add a touch of whimsy and playfulness to any outfit, whether you're wearing a Halloween-themed t-shirt or a simple pair of jeans. The Crocs act as a conversation starter and allow you to showcase your Halloween spirit in a comfortable and effortless way.

Conclusion

Lightning McQueen Crocs can indeed be worn as part of a Halloween costume, offering a unique and playful footwear option. Whether you're dressing up as Lightning McQueen himself, incorporating the Crocs into a creative costume combination, joining a Disney-themed group costume, or simply using them as a casual costume accessory, Lightning McQueen Crocs add a touch of Disney magic to your Halloween ensemble. To explore a range of Lightning McQueen Crocs and find the perfect pair for your Halloween costume, visit Crocs Bazaar, where you can find the footwear that combines style, comfort, and a dash of Halloween fun.

[marcmarcmomarc]

And then he gets turned into a next-gen race car, with Luigi and Guido applying the tires and Ramone giving him the race car modifications. After, of course, he tells the Radiator Springs gang at Flo’s V8 Café how he ended up here. “That dad-gum Xehanort,” Mater says (extra points if Sora doesn’t get to the part where Xehanort’s dead, so Sarge gets in his face and orders him to teach Xehanort a lesson when he gets back, and Sora’s attempt to correct him is ignored, and he just gives in when Sarge asks him again, “Is that clear?!” “Sir! Yes, sir,” he says).

The context: he’s temporarily taking Cruz’s place during the 2017 Piston Cup racing season (hence why McQueen still has Doc’s colors from the Cars 3 epilogue), and needs to train to do so. From matching McQueen’s top speed by racing down Radiator Springs’ main street (signaled by Luigi and tracked with Sheriff’s radar), to learning how to turn right to go left at Willy’s Butte, to keeping up with Cruz’s top speed on Fireball Beach (again signaled by Luigi and tracked by Hamilton), to avoiding pushy competitors at Thunder Hollow, and practicing with Cruz at Thomasville. This culminates in the Piston Cup race at Florida International Speedway, where the objective is to win against Jackson Storm.

Fun fact: I, for a while, wanted the player character to be Kairi because, imagine this. “I lost to one costume girl, but I’m not gonna lose to two,” Storm says before he loses to Kairi, another “costume girl”.

concept worlds for kingdom hearts 4

hocus pocus

owl house, this is where sora and riku kiss

high school musical

sofia the first

american dragon: jake long

robin hood: furry edition

cars. people who know the breeds of cars what car would sora be

diary of a wimpy kid

dinosaur. @patema-introverted​ what dinos would sora donald and goofy become

or the good dinosaur. sora is still human but donald and goofy transform and he thinks it’s very funny how big they are

home on the range would also be really really funny

phineas & ferb

they go to neverland again but this time they get turned into fairies and we do one of the tinkerbell movies/books

then they turn into toys again and they’re like “oh we’re in the toybox??” and then doc mcstuffins walks in

quadratum turns out to literally be the enchanted world

donald takes the gang to duckburg and webby kicks sora in the face cause she doesn’t know what a human is

lilo & stitch and kairi adopts one of the experiments

the haunted mansion come on where is it

mysterious benedict society. somehow

amphibia but during season one, anne starts crying because “finally another fucking human” while goofy and hop pop spiderman point at each other

the rescuers but it’s them having to save sora’s ass

the moon, della is there

they end up in storybrooke with new names and identities and xion “probably immune to amnesia at this point” has to travel down to fucking maine and slap some sense into them

percy fucking jackson

jungle book and sora is like “for some reason mowgli sounds a lil bit like me that’s kinda fucked up”

tangled the series, cassandra summons a keyblade

mira: royal detective

club penguin

kairi ends up in the princess protection program

this one is technically a legit suggestion but like. i NEED them to go into raya and be like “yea we’re looking for a princess of heart” “you mean raya??” “…no?” “she’s the only princess of hea– namaari? do you want her gf??” “what is happening”

song of the south and mickey is literally forcing everyone out of the live-action segments “LET’S GO ON SPLASH MOUNTAIN INSTEAD HUH”

teen beach movie

figment ride

wander over yonder

the black cauldron but the characters look and act more like their book counterparts which confuses legions of adults

disney decides to assert its dominance over 20th century fox by putting anastasia in here, confusing legions of more children

lion king 2

[ssadumba55]

Spending Halloween with Disney Characters!!!

Request: there was none. I figured I'd thank you all for 900+ followers and also just give you a sweet Halloween treat! Happy Halloween everybody! Stay safe to all of you heading out and all of you staying in, enjoy your night.

Woody, Buzz + Jessie (Toy Story)

While Andy is out trick or treating, the toys will play!

And by play, of course I mean sit inside Andy's room and watch one of the many Halloween themed kids movies Andy and Molly have

Stealing Woody's hat to wear on your own head. When he asks for it back, explaining that you can't give it back because you're being a cowboy for Halloween

Scaring Rex, Hamm and Mr. Potato Head (they're really easy to scare and Jessie loves pulling Halloween pranks with you!)

Mission with Buzz to steal some of the Halloween candy mom bought for the trick or treaters downstairs

Sitting on the windowsill with Woody, watching the neighborhood children go door to door

And yeah, you fall asleep way before Andy gets home

And yeah, Woody steals his hat back

Halloween well spent though, you think

Lilo & Stitch

Halloween is one of Lilo and Stitch's favourite holidays

Their love of the holiday inspires you to love it just as much

The three of you do all the classic Halloween traditions

Carving pumpkins, trick or treating, dressing up in costume, watching horror movies (or the child equivalent because Nani won't let you watch actual horror movies)

Every house you go to praises Stitch's costume, you're not exactly sure if they're referencing his actual costume or just the fact that he's an alien

Either way, you all get a really good haul and at the end of the day, you split it all evenly. You and Lilo pick out your favourites and Stitch gets all the rest.

And yeah, you're all bouncing off the walls for months after that but it's a lot of fun!

Miguel Rivera (Coco)

Halloween isn't really a huge thing in Mexico, but children still celebrate it nonetheless

Miguel often gets stuck being in charge of his younger family members while his parents, uncles and aunts hang out

So, the two of you have to go really slow for trick or treating

But you don't mind, it's actually one of your favourite times of the year for that reason

Sometimes, Miguel will bring his guitar and strum a bit while the two of you walk

Somehow, the night always ends with the two of you siting together laughing

Costumes aren't really your guys' thing, you guys don't really collect candy anyway. That's more for the younger kids. It's just an excuse for the two of you to hang out without any worries for a night and be a kid.

Nick Wilde + Judy Hopps (Zootopia)

You can't tell me Nick and Judy wouldn't be an absolute delight to spend Halloween night with!

They would definitely be the type of people to take you to a costume party, they just seem like they really enjoy the vibes of a good party

The three of you would totally match costumes too, it would be Judy's idea, Nick would just go along to make her happy, you would love it just as much

And yeah the three of you would have a blast, dancing together

But you'd all definitely leave the party early and pick up some candy from the local grocery store

And you'd definitely sit on the couch for the rest of the night, in your costumes watching horror movies

Nick loves them, Judy would rather watch something else but since Nick gave into her costume idea she wouldn't say a word

You'd just be happy to be spending time with them

(Nick would totally try and scare you and Judy sometime during the night as well. Sly fox.)

Lightning McQueen + Mater (Cars)

These two would be so much fun to hang around on Halloween because they literally would just love scaring people

Seriously, there would be so many laughs in Radiator Springs that night

A lot of masks and hiding behind walls/buildings to scare the other townfolk

Sally scolds the three of you several times during the night, telling you to stop with the shenanigans and do something else

Luigi and Guido join in at some point during the night

Fillmore and Sarge watch you guys from Flo's, you're not sure if they're disappointed or amused

Sheriff and Lizzie both nearly lose it when you scare them but they think it's funny afterwards

Ramone and Flo stay in all night, which is disappointing to your scaring gang

Doc doesn't even flinch. You're all literally just a pain in his behind while he's trying to do more important things.

Red is the only person you actually manage to upset but it's okay! You all apologize!

(Bonus: if Lightning is at a race for Halloween, then the three of you scare the other racers and Mack instead)

Goofy + Max (A Goofy Movie)

The last time you tried to go trick or treating with the Goof family, Goofy ended up in the ER

(it's a long story, but really that person shouldn't have left their garden gnome out in the centre of the dimly lit walkway)

So this year, you and Max decide to stay in instead

You make popcorn and set up a movie to watch

Goofy promises he won't join and ruin your teenage fun, but that doesn't last very long. By the time you're halfway through the second movie, he's joined in

And it's a lot of fun sitting there watching movies, occasionally getting up to hand out treats to some of the trick or treaters

Max actually finds he doesn't mind his father being there as much as he thought he would

The three of you have a really pleasant evening and yeah, you fall asleep on the couch but it's well deserved after a long fun filled night

The Duck/McDuck Family (DuckTales 2017)

McDuck Manor is the best place to spend Halloween

The children all go out for Halloween, so does Scrooge, which leaves the manor in the capable hands of Donald, Della and Launchpad (who still doesn't have a firm grasp on this whole thing but he's trying)

Oh and Launchpad's boyfriend, Drake Mallard, because Dewey invited Gosalyn to trick or treat with them

Donald hands out candy, because he loves seeing the smiling faces on the children as he adds to their sugary loot for the night

Della tries (and mostly fails) to scare the kids, kids aren't as easily scared nowadays as they were before she ended up on the moon. Stupid internet.

You, Drake and Launchpad spend most of the night with your feet propped up watching Darkwing Duck reruns and tossing candy halfheartedly at each other from across the room

Things get a tad bit more interesting when Gyro and Fenton join the group to wait for Boyd to come back from trick or treating with the kids

And by interesting, of course, I mean, the group of you decide to play Halloween charades but it just turns into a one sided showing up contest on Drake's part

Either way, fun night and you hope you can spend time at the manor for holidays more often

[artist-fan146]

Hey if you were anything like me, I’ll have you know I was calling @fishstickfeind for about 2 hours on discord, and exactly in order talked about:

Warning there are minor spoilers for Cars on the Road So if you don’t want to look, please don’t tap on this post!

(Images to make post longer):

How was Matt’s drawing of Lightning’s Cars 2 design going?

Me basically forcing Matt to watch A Goofy Movie

Catching up on our lives

How did Mater and Mato get stuck in a tree?

How did Cruz start a racing school, started a charity for snow tires for the lightly treaded, is learning French, became a certified coach during the off season, dabble in family therapy and is a certified wedding officiant?!?! THATS SO COOL I LOVE CRUZ!!!

How do cars play Janga?!?!

For about the first Half Hour of our call I was rambling about the start to the rise and fall of Disneytoon Studios

We don’t understand why people tend to hate on experimental eras of different animation studios

I don’t like how people consider Pixar during 2011-2017 as Pixar’s Dark Age, I consider it more of an experimental era for Pixar!

I though that if characters from both Planes movies at least showed up in Cars on the Road, it could’ve gave Disneytoon Studios its proper and long overdue spotlight back

What were our favorite pieces of the soundtrack from all 3 Cars movies?

What scenes from Cars 2, we related to the most?

HOW DOES CARS 2 HAVE A G RATING?!?!?!

PLANES ALSO HAD A G RATING WHILE PLANES FIRE AND RESCUE HAD A PG RATING?!??!?!??!

How is the first Cars the longest movie in the franchise while Cars 2 is the shortest movie?!

What were our favorite episodes of Cars on the Road?

Is it possible that both Mater and Lightning grew up living with high expectations in their lives? 🧐

I love Lighting’s Costume Design in B-Movie as Deputy Hazard!

Lighting’s new design feels a bit too simple…

I LOVE HOW RELATABLE MATER AND LIGHTING ARE!!!!

That one scriptwriter character from the show is such a mood

I LOVED THAT THEY ADDED MATER AND MATO PLAYING ROCK PAPER SCISSORS BUT IT WENT “1 2 3 Rock”!!

HOW DID THE CLOWN CARS GET IN AND OUT OF OTHER CLOWN CARS?!?!

ANGST!!

WE WERE ROBBED OF SPECIAL MOMENTS OF ANGST

FORGET WORLD BUILDING FROM CARS 2, CARS ON THE ROAD ARE SETTING THE REAL QUESTIONS

How is a show that is supposed to be slice of life raises so many questions?!?!?!

HOW DOES RELIGION WORK IN THE CARS UNIVERSE?!?

Is there actually a Hillbilly Hell for Hillbilliys?

How does Oil work in the Cars Universe?

We talked about much more stuff but I don’t remember the rest!

Extras:

- I made so many references to exposure therapy and Hillbilly Hell! 😂

[saltedsolenoid]

sydneysydneysyndeysydneysydney

...i cant think of a question. i just wanted to hear from you :3

tell me somthing interesting. it can be anythign

Greetings, Sumi!

Hmm... not much interesting going on in my life, especially considering I had to come home early from school today due to my Assorted Medical Conditions... However!

As I may have mentioned before, I'm part of my school's improv troupe, and the next show is a Halloween-styled show, meaning we're supposed to wear costumes. I, of course, was just going to wear one of my normal outfits, as it'd probably count as Halloween-y, you know: Red and black color pallet, way too much eyeliner, and likely some other accessories I could find in the Walmart Halloween Bin. I was going to just move on with this supposed 'costume,' until Nyx Depressed Shinnie texted me (he is also in that same improv troupe) and asked if I wanted to match costumes with him. To be honest, I was totally hyping myself up for that outfit, and didn't really want to change it, but I was convinced by my terrible social anxiety.

Nyx then brought up quite a lot of corny matching Halloween costumes, some of which being: -Mater and Lightning McQueen (Pixar's Cars) - 1960's Housewife and The Milkman -Lobsters -Mario and Luigi (this one was okay, as i'm taller than nyx, able to pass as luigi, however i have some Issues and can't stand up straight, therefore making it so that I could not be luigi... man...) -Toothpaste and Toothbrush?

but we eventually settled on being that blue monster and that green monster from Monsters Inc (pixar) (i think their names are mike and sully?) and now! Yippie! Costumes decided!

[fairykukla]

For Halloween this year, my nephew stole my idea.

I had a dream where I dressed him up as Lightning McQueen and myself as Mater from Pixar's Cars films.

The little stinker decided to be Mater himself.

Well, shucks.

So I asked him what I should wear to go trick or treating with him. It's his birthday on the 31st, so Birthday Kid gets to dictate Aunt Kukla's costume.

"Lightning! I want you to be Lightning McQueen, Aunt Kukla!!"

Kid, you have far too much faith in my abilities. I *am* an international award winning costumer who can create anything out of nothing, but I can't crap out a whole-ass car costume in the next three days when I'm booked solid.

So I opened negotiations.

"How about a witch? A kitty cat? A skeleton? A doggie?"

No, no, and no. Silly Aunt Kukla.

*sigh*

He loves Frozen. "I could be Anna, or Elsa?"

He brightened up. "You be Anna!"

"Or Sven?" I kind of want to be Sven. I like reindeer...

"NO! You be Anna. Mumma can be Sven."

Meanwhile I'm realizing that an Anna costume means a new wig or dying my hair again. I also have literally *none of those pieces in my wardrobe.

Wait. He LOVES Encanto.

"Or I could be Mirabel?"

He was tolerant of that idea. Here's the thing; I wear peasant blouses and tiered skirts a lot. My hind brain spent the last day shuffling through my wardrobe.

So on the way home I stopped at a wig store. I was able to treat myself to a brand new lace-front wig for less than a commercially produced adult costume.

So. What do you think?

This is without make up, shoes or correct foundation garments. I do have a leather pouch I can add, too.

The colors aren't perfect but close enough, I think. I can embroider some butterflies on the blouse (and I will like it a lot more when I do.)

I do still intend to make a screen accurate blouse. I've already digitized the black-work scallop pattern. I'm combing Zenni for a pair of round glasses, which I'm going to have to paint to get the right color. But for Halloween?

I'm waiting on a miracle.

[all-might-can-smash-me]

The Truth

Toshinori Yagi/All Might x Reader

Summary: you and the number one hero hit it off as you begin your new job as a nurse beside Recovery Girl...but the Kamino incident unveils the truth about your boyfriend

Sorry for typos

Masterlist

You could remember how nervous you were as you paced around your apartment. A fingernail was currently being crushed between your teeth, a slight shake throughout your whole body as you waited....and waited.....finally the sound of the mail slot clinking and the mail hitting the floor grabbed your attention, your body soon thrown to the ground, hands attack the envelope that held U.A. high school emblem on it, hands already ripping the paper envelope impatiently. Though as you were trying to unfold the letter within, a disc plopped down onto the ground, a hologram now displayed before you

“Hello! We are pleased to tell you that your request for a position as one of our nurses has been accepted! We look forward to you joining our U.A. family this semester.” Spoke out the calm voice of Principal Nezu, the hologram soon shutting off, leaving you to sit there, shock evident upon your face as you stared off into space, those words bouncing around within your skull until finally you let a happy squeal, hands unfolding the paper within your hands to read the information listed for you. This was really happening, your first job and at your Alma mater too. It was a dream come true as you ran to your fridge, a magnet already holding down the reminders for you on the reflective metal surface. The first day of work however only set your body in a mess of jitters as you looked to yourself in the mirror, adjusting your Hero costume as you looked at your reflection.

Your quirk was a healing quirk, your hands were like a clock, it could speed up the healing process of wounds and injuries, but your quirk only worked on broken bones, cuts, scrapes, and bruises. When it came to diseases and such, it was useless and if the injury you were trying to heal was too bad, sometimes they couldn’t heal all the way or heal at all. Your quirk was still valuable and U.A. was pleased to see you apply for a position, especially Recovery Girl.

With a quick sigh you seemed everything perfect as you grabbed your bag, rushing out of your apartment, door locked behind your with a quick twist of your keys before you rushed to the streets below, taking a bus to U.A. which fun enough, U.A. students were chatting and talking away on the bus around you. Though just as you thought your nerves were cooled off....they were awakened as you stood before the gates of U.A. taking in a nervous gulp before stepping through the huge entrance, making your way up those steps. It felt like you were once again a little fish in a big sea on your first day of high school, but you had to remind yourself that you were now a school nurse. You maneuvered your way through the familiar U.A. campus, finally entering the nurses office where you couldn’t help but let a grin crawl onto your face as your sight landed upon Recovery Girl.

“Look at you!” Came out her voice, you leaning down to except her hug she offered to you. “It seems like yesterday you could only heal a single scratch, but now? Oh how skilled you’ve become! You are going to be a good asset to this school.” She gushed out as she sat down upon a stool, you setting aside your things before sitting down yourself. Recovery Girl to you was like your campus mother, she guided you, instructed you, taught you everything you knew throughout your years at U.A. With her, you wouldn’t be sitting there with your dream job. Though your conversation was interrupted as a door opened.

“Recovery Girl, I have some papers for Midoriya...” All Might had begun to boom out, though his voice trailed off as his eyes landed on you who only stared back with silence. It had totally slipped your mind that the number 1 Hero was also a new member of this years faculty and staff. “Recovery Girl, who is this” he said as he closed the door, hands going to straighten out the penstripe suit he wore, that iconic grin upon his face. You probably would have been excited upon meeting him.....but you weren’t really the kind of ‘SMASH! PUNCH! POW!’ Hero lover, you know? Your idol was Recovery Girl growing up, that’s who you always aspired to be.

“This is my second in command around here.” She said with a little laugh as she glanced to you, giving a loving pat to your leg. “She was a former student here as well, now she’s here to help me heal all these kids that keep breaking their bones....” she said with a raised brow to All Might, but he was alright offering you a bow, you standing up to return it.

“Hello Miss! It is very nice to meet you! I hope to see you around campus this year!” He said with a laugh before turning around, beginning to head back to the door, but froze before rushing back, handing the papers he was originally there to hand over before exiting the nurses office, you now seated back down.

After that, you seemed to run into the number 1 Hero everywhere. In the hallways, the nurses office, the teachers lounge, the cafeteria, training grounds, everything. He would stop to talk to you, tell you corny jokes and try to make small talk, but you were always quick to leave because you were busy, you did however let him sit with you at the teacher’s area in the cafeteria to eat with you, but he was always quick to leave then though. Finally he asked for your phone number, which you gave him because why not? You did enjoy his company and little conversations. Well he always texted you good morning, always checked up on you, and always closed off the day with a goodnight. It was nice to wake up and go to sleep with those little meaningful text messages from him.

But then he asked you out on a date.....which you declined at first. It destroyed him, but you had pointed out that it would probably be hard to even have a normal dinner date because he was...well....All Might. So then he asked you again, but instead of going to a restaurant, he would cook something at his house, which then you accepted. After you accepted, thats when it set in. You, out all people, were going on a date with All Might. THE All Might, it was all exhilarating to think about, especially when after school on a Friday you were getting dressed for your little house dinner date with All Might. You slipped on a simple dress, but the bare minimum of makeup on and placed on a pair of heels before making way to his home, where you now stood at the door, giving a knock, but before you could hit your knuckle upon the door a second time, the door was flung open, revealing the massive hero before you. The date went well actually, his jokes making you laugh, stories told and shared, memories of high school.

The relationship continued on the down low, he would come to your house or you would go to his....but there was one issue. He never stayed for long. Heck! It had been months and he still hadn’t even hinted at wanting to stay the night....he always left quickly after a few hours. You didn’t mind though....it’s just....sometimes you just wanted him to lift you up and sweep you away to your room, the door to be closed shut to the outside world.

Then the Kamino incident happened. You were recruited along with Recovery Girl to be on the sidelines if one of the heroes got seriously injured and needed someone to patch them up quickly. You could vividly remember clutching onto Recovery Girl’s hand, another holding onto a handkerchief she had handed you to wipe away your worried tears as you watched All Might begin his fight with All for One, her hand comfortingly rubbing your lower back as she watched on with you, the media and civilians all in shock and screaming as the number one hero stepped in. Though suddenly....a man took All Might’s place. Tall and lanky, those eyes sucken in, the hero costume now huge and hanging off of his body. He continued on though, finally defeating his nemesis, the media pushing past you and Recovery Girl to get their shots, civilians cheering on All Might befor ehim, despite lacking his iconic appearance. You didn’t even get a chance to even get a better look of him before he was rushed off to the hospital, you and Recovery Girl being beckoned into a car to be brought there too to begin healing the injuries of the heroes that fought.

You found yourself nervously standing before All Might’s hospital room door, hand shakily and hesitantly reaching for the door handle, but it was already being tugged open, an old man standing before you who had bandages wrapped around his head, you knew though that it was Gran Torino that stood before you.

“Oh uh.....you must be the girlfriend.” He said as he sucked in a breath through his teeth, casting a glance over his shoulder before looking back up to you. “Go easy on him alright? Or at least heal him first? Or I can give him an ass whooping for lying to you if you want, it’s Ok to tell me sweetheart.” He spoke out, you only giving a shy smile before nodding your head.

“No, that won’t be necessary, but I will admit that there is a lot we are going to have to....discuss...” you spoke out quietly as you stepped out of his way, he only giving a shake of his head as he stepped past you.

“Here’s my card, in case you change your mind.” He spoke before reaching a hand up to hand you the piece of card stock, which you only gave a soft laugh before grabbing it, shoving it into the pocket of your hero costume before finally stepping in, door being softly shut behind you. You couldn’t find the strength to look at him before grabbing the chart that was placed at the end of the hospital bed, fingers flipping through it and scanning over the information before placing it back.

“I....I’m sorry...” soon whispered out the voice of the man who sat on the bed, you finally looking up to him, tears already pricking at your eyes as tugged a chair of to the side of his bed, hands already hovering over a small area of his body, beginning to activate your quirk on the little injuries on his body. “I was afraid to tell you....I was afraid that you wouldn’t think of me the same, you know? To know that the symbol of peace is just some...guy” he said with a sigh as he finally looked up and to your face, though your face only scrunched you, twitching as you tried to hold back the tears that wanted to flow. You wanted to say something, anything, but the strength wasn’t there as you finally lifted your eyes to look into his. A pained look stretched upon his face upon seeing those tears well up in your eyes.

“So months of dating and me sharing everything about myself and pouring my heart and soul to you wasn’t enough to trust me?” You whispered out, a single blink finally letting those tears roll down your face as you brought your hands up to your face to wipe away your tears quickly. “And just some guy....you should really listen to yourself..” you said with a little shake of your head as you bit your lip. “To me your everything and I watched you fight in a situation where you could have died...you could have died without me even knowing the real you.” You pointed out, which he only guiltily looked away, a sigh escaping his mouth. Though you only took in a deep breath before getting up “Your right arm will need more time to heal on its own, but I managed to heal your other arm.” You whispered out, already turning to step out.

“My name is Toshinori Yagi.” Soon piped up his voice, hating the fact he couldn’t just reach out and grab you and pull you back. “I was originally quirkless but I received my quirk One for All” he continued on, you slowly turning around to look at him. “I always cooked those soups because well...my stomach is fucked.” He continued on, you now facing him with your arms crossed over your chest as you looked at him. “And I love you to the moon and back....I was such a dork in my puffed form trying to get you to like me and get your number....” he said as he let his face cringe at the memories. “I wanted to tell you but I just couldn’t bring myself to do it.” He whispered out as he look to the bandages around his arms, though you stepped to the side of his bed, sitting back down again. You hesitantly reached a hand to caress the side of his gaunt face, Toshinori letting a sigh as he leaned into your touch that he was all too familiar with....but it felt like for the first time he was actually feeling it. “I could never really....do much because I had a time limit on using my form...” he continued on as those blue eyes stared into yours, that guilty look still upon his facial features.

“Toshinori....it may sadden me that you felt like you couldn’t open up about this side of you to me, but know this...I am so relieved that you still here in front of me.” You whispered out as a few more tears rolled down your face as you leaned forward, a gentle kiss being pressed to his cheek. “Now get some rest...Toshinori Yagi...” you said, smiling at his real name rolling off your tongue for the first time “I’ll be right here if you need anything.....” and with that you leaned back into your chair, a soft smile now upon your face as you wiped away the stragglers of tears upon your face.

[opera-ghosts]

Adelina Patti's voice was one of moderate power, but great range and of wonderful flexibility. Her production was faultless, and she was, and is, undoubtedly, one of the greatest mistresses of vocalization of the century. As an actress, she could not com- pare with many other singers, and her greatest successes were gained in such operas as made the least demand upon the histrionic capabilities of the performer. Her repertoire included about thirty operas, mostly of the Italian school, though she also sang in the operas of Meyerbeer and Gounod, and others. She was one of the many " Carmens ; " but while her interpretation vocally was excellent, she was by no means equal dramatically to Mile. Hauk, and much less so to Calv6, the latest and by far the greatest interpreter of that role. One of the most notable events of Madame Patti's career occurred when, in 1868, at the funeral of Rossini, the com- poser, she sang with Madame Alboni the beautiful duet, " Quis est Homo," from Ros- sini's " Stabat Mater." On that occasion such an assembly of noted musicians and singers was gathered together to honor the great composer as probably never before met under the same roof. To hear that beautiful music, rendered by two such artists over the grave of the composer, was to feel in the truest sense the genius of Rossini, and the part that he played in the music of the nineteenth century.

The name of Patti has always been asso- ciated with high prices, and not without cause ; for, although other singers have received larger sums for isolated engagements, none have ever succeeded in maintaining such a uniformly high rate.

When she returned to America in 1881, after an absence of some twenty years, Patti held mistaken notions about the American people, and her early concerts were a bitter disappointment. High prices and hackneyed songs did not suit the public, and in order to make a success of the tour Madame Patti was obliged to throw over her French manager, and employ an American (Henry E. Abbey) who knew the public, and who immediately cut the prices down to one-half. Eventually the season was suc- cessful, both artistically and financially, her voice showing but little sign of wear, and her execution being as brilliant as ever. At Brooklyn the people took the horses out of her carriage, and dragged her home, one facetious writer remarking that he saw no reason for taking away her horses, and sub- stituting asses. The following clever rhyme, at the expense of her manager, taken from " Puck,' r voices the opinion of the public very neatly, in regard to Patti's tour, in 1881-2: Patti cake, Patti cake, Franchi man ! " So I do, messieurs, comme vite as I can." " Roulez et tournez et marquez ' with care,' Et posez au publique a ten dollars a chair."

Farinelli is said to have made $30,000 per annum, a very large sum for the times in which he lived. Catalani's profits ran almost to $100,000 a season. Malibran re- ceived $95,000 for eighty-five performances at La Scala. Jenny Lind, for ninety-five concerts, under Barnum's management, re- ceived $208,675, all good figures. But Rubini is said to have made $11,500 at one concert, and Tamagno is the highest-priced tenor of the present day.

Patti at one time made a contract for a series of performances at $4,400 a night, and later on her fee was $5,000 a night, paid in advance, but when she came to Boston in 1882, and sang in three performances given in a week, her share of the receipts was $20,895. The attendance at the Saturday matinee was 9,142 people, and her share of the receipts for that performance alone was $8,395.

Madame Patti always had the advantage of excellent management. Until her mar- riage with the Marquis de Caux she was under the management of her brother-in-law, Mau- rice Strakosch, and so assiduous was he in his protection of his young star from unnec- essary wear and tear that he became the subject of many jokes. It is said that he occasionally took her place at rehearsals, that when visitors called on her they saw him instead, and some people, with vivid imagination, declared that Strakosch sat for Patti' s photograph, and that he once offered to receive a declaration of love for her.

One is apt to doubt the necessity of all this management, for Patti seems to have been admirably adapted for self-defence, and even for aggression in financial matters. An amusing anecdote is told of her by Max Maretzek, who, one day, when she was a small child, in a moment of generosity prom- ised her a doll, or, as some accounts have it, some bon-bons as a reward for singing in a concert. It was to be her very first appear- ance. Patti did not forget the promise, and when it was nearly time for her to sing she asked for her doll. Maretzek had forgotten it, and promised that she should have it after the concert, or the next day. But no, she must have it first, or she would not go on and sing. The poor man was in despair. It was late and stores were all closed, but by some means he succeeded in getting the bribe, whether dolls or bon-bons, and, rushing back in breathless haste, he handed it to her. Then she became cheerful at once, and giving it to her mother to be taken care of, she went on and performed her part in the concert.

One of the most amusing of these anec- dotes was told by Colonel Mapleson, the well-known impresario, who says that no one ever approached Madame Patti in the art of obtaining from a manager the great- est possible sum that he could contrive by any possibility to pay. In 1882, owing to the competition of Henry Abbey, the Ameri- can impresario, Mapleson was obliged to raise Patti's salary from $1,000 per night to $4,000, and, finally, to $5,000 per night, a sum previously unheard-of in the annals of opera. The price, moreover, was to be paid at two o'clock of the day on which Patti was to sing.

On the second night of the engagement at Boston, Madame Patti was billed to sing in "Traviata." Expenses had been heavy and the funds were low, so that when Signor Franchi, Patti's agent, called at the theatre promptly at two o'clock, only $4,000 could be scraped together. Signor Franchi was indignant, and declared that the contract was broken, and that Madame Patti would not sing. He refused to take the $4,000, and went off to report the matter to the prima donna. At four o'clock, Signer Franchi returned to the theatre, and con- gratulated Colonel Mapleson on his facility for managing Madame Patti, saying that she would do for the colonel that which she would do for no other impresario. In short, Patti would take the $4,000 and dress for her part, all except her shoes. She would arrive at the theatre at the reg- ular time, and when the remaining paltry $1,000 was forthcoming she would put on her shoes and be ready to go on the stage.

Everything happened as Patti had prom- ised. She arrived at the theatre costumed as Violetta, but minus her shoes. Franchi called at the box-office, but only $800 was on hand. The genial Signer took the money and returned to Patti' s room. He soon ap- peared again to say that Madame Patti was all ready except one shoe, which she could not put on until the remaining $200 was paid. It was already time for the perform- ance to begin, but people were still coming in, and after some slight delay Signor Franchi was able to go in triumph to Madame Patti with the balance of the amount. Patti put on her other shoe and proceeded to the stage. She made her entrance at the proper time, her face radiant with smiles, and no one in the audience had any idea of the stirring events which had just taken place.

In later years, when Madame Patti in- vested some of her fortune in the beautiful castle at Craig-y-Nos, in Wales, the people employed to put the place into repair, know- ing of her reputed wealth and extravagance, sent in enormous bills. But Madame Patti was not to be imposed upon, and the result was that the amounts melted down consider- ably under the gentle influence of the law. The unkindest cut of all was, however, when a Belgian gentleman, who had amused him- self at Craig-y-Nos, who had fished, shot, and been entertained, but who always managed to be present during discussions on business, sent in a bill of ,3,000 for his services as agent.

Under the management of Colonel Maple- son, Patti travelled in most luxurious style. She had a special car which is said to have cost $65,000, and a whole retinue of ser- vants. At Cheyenne, the legislature and assembly adjourned and chartered a special car to meet the operatic train. A military band was at the station, and nearly the whole population turned out to witness the arrival. Tickets to the opera were ten dollars each, and there was an audience of 3,000 people.

California seems to have been considered doubtful territory, for Patti left the question undecided as to whether she would go so far. When she did arrive it was merely as a vis- itor, but her delight with the "heavenly place " was so great that she declared she must sing there. The necessary delay in- curred by sending to Chicago for numerous trunks containing her wardrobe, gave suffi- cient time for the excitement in San Fran- cisco to work up to fever heat. Tickets sold at unheard-of prices, and more or less damage to property was done in the scramble.

Adelina Patti made her first matrimonial venture in 1868, when she was united to the Marquis de Caux, an event which did not interfere with her operatic career, for she filled an engagement of six weeks at Paris, and then went on to St. Petersburg, where the town opened a subscription which amounted to 100,000 rubles, and presented her with a diamond necklace.

In 1885 Madame Patti obtained a divorce from the Marquis de Caux, from whom she had separated in 1877, and the following year married Ernest Nicolini, the tenor singer. Nicolini was a man of fine stage presence, and, for a time, after the retire- ment of Mario, was considered the best tenor on the stage. His voice was of mod- erate power and of pleasing quality, but his tremolo was, to say the least, extensive. For some years Madame Patti declined every engagement in which Nicolini was not included, until the public indignation found vent in many protests. Signer Nicolini seems to have been a devoted and admiring husband, and to have entered heartily into the pleasures of the luxurious life of Craig-y-Nos. He died in January, 1898.

After some years of retirement from the operatic stage, during which she sang only in concerts, Patti made a reappearance at Covent Garden in 1895, and showed that her voice, notwithstanding nearly forty years of use, was wonderfully well preserved. Nev- ertheless it was a disappointment to those who had heard her in her prime. As a reason for its preservation she says that she never sings when she is tired, and never strains for high notes. Sir Morell Macken- zie, the great throat specialist, said that she had the most wonderful throat he ever saw. It was the only one in which the vocal cords were in absolutely perfect condition after many years of use. They were not strained, warped, or roughened in the slight- est degree, but absolutely perfect, and there was no reason why they should not remain so for ten or even twenty years longer. It was by her voice alone that she charmed and delighted her audiences, and she will doubt- less be recorded as the possessor of the most perfect voice of the nineteenth century. She witnessed the rise of many rivals, but none ever equalled her in popularity, though many excelled her in dramatic powers. Lucca, Sembrich, Nilsson, were all greater as ac- tresses, but of all the rivals of her prime only Sembrich and Albani remain, and sev- eral years must elapse before their careers will equal the length of Patti's.

Probably no other singer has succeeded in amassing so great a fortune as Madame Patti. Her earnings enabled her to purchase, in 1878, the beautiful estate in Wales, which she remodelled to suit her own ideas. Here she has lived in regal style and entertained lavishly many of the most noted people of the civilized world.

Her wealth is by no means confined to real estate, for she has a rare collection of jewels, said to be the largest and most bril- liant owned by any of the modern actresses and opera singers. One of her gowns, worn in the third act of " La Traviata," was cov- ered with precious stones to the value of $500,000.

Madame Patti's most popular r61es were Juliet and Aida, and though she created no new parts of importance, she has amply fulfilled the traditional role of prima donna in matters of caprice and exaction, and has even created some new precedents. In 1898 she was still before the public, singing in concerts in London and elsewhere.

via Famous singers of to-day and yesterday by Lahee, Henry Charles, 1856-1953.

[magicalforcesau]

Dancing with Ghosts in Your Garden ~ Chapter 1: Year 1- Summer

Ao3 link:

Summer came and went with the fleeting heat of a fever dream for young Anakin Skywalker. Aside from his general distaste for summer as a season with its blazing sun and sandy beaches, the overall course of the months seemed to elongate simply because for the first time in his entire life, he was excited to go to school.

He’d never belonged at school with the muggles. Not only did he constantly have to stress over hiding who he was, which frustrated him to no end, but he was somehow still painted as a freak. This would lead to Anakin getting into some form of a scuffle, which would result in accidental use of magic.

His repertoire of indiscretions included, but was not limited to:

Sending a student into a never-ending hole in the ground 

Floating up and away 

Causing a bully to only be able to breathe underwater 

Pantsing another bully in front of a pretty girl (okay, he didn’t use magic for that one)

Making a parent on the PTA turn mute

Transforming his entire class’s musical instruments into live snakes

Burping the alphabet, but with explosive fire (this was more of a result of spicy foods than confrontation)

Turning a teacher into a fat purple penguin 

And this meant he often hopped around schools like it was a playground game. He’d never had that many friends, and when he did, he understood that it was never meant to last. Honestly, none of the magical situations he got himself into were on purpose. They simply transpired from a raw energy within him, or so his mother always defended when the Ministry of Magic came calling.

This didn’t make the face she made every time he returned with an expulsion notice any easier. She insisted that she wasn’t mad and that she loved him regardless, but he knew that somewhere deep down she wished she had a child that didn’t force her to uproot her life so often.

It helped that she was also a wizard, but she’d given up that life in favor of the muggle world and sought to raise Anakin in it as well. She never used magic, save for the rare moments where she had to hastily put out a fire or turn a person back into their rightful form; always on the account of one of his accidental outbursts. It wasn’t that she detested it, but that Shmi Skywalker had an appreciation for those who did things with their own hands. She was hardworking that way and while Anakin saw her employment as a waitress to the pub below their apartment as borderline slavery, she seemed at peace with it.

He’d never even heard of Hogwarts until a man named Qui-Gon Jinn appeared on their humble doorstep with a huge stack of envelopes. He carried the airs of humility, wearing robes that looked much older than Anakin. His hair draped down his shoulders in a thick curtain that was fashioned half-up and half-down.

Anakin had to crane his head back to look him in the eyes, but he had a kind face that seemed easy to trust. Qui-Gon, he quickly discovered, was a professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and came to deliver Anakin’s invitation in person.

“That’s a bit peculiar, isn’t it?” Shmi said warily. “Professors don’t normally make house calls.”

Qui-Gon had a twinkle in his eye as he nodded to her respectively. “Not typically, but we have attempted to send out Anakin’s letter all summer, but to no response.”

“We moved.” Anakin said and gave his mum a curious look. “There’s school for people like us?”

Shmi never took her eyes away from Qui-Gon and the two seemed to be speaking in a silent language that Anakin could not understand. He didn’t try to, because he immediately started buzzing around the room as rapidly as possible. This wasn’t just good news. It was marvelous news. This meant he wouldn’t have to go to that awful boy’s preparatory school in the fall. He could be amongst other wizards and learn how to harness the power within him.

In the midst of his scurrying around the room, he’d gotten so excited that he started to levitate off the ground. Neither adult noticed, even when Anakin drifted well above the impressive height that was Qui-Gon Jinn.

He overheard his mother softly ask, “Will he be safer there?”

“The safest thing we can do for him is to train him.” Qui-Gon said. “I know how much he means to you, Shmi.”

“Uh, a little help here?” Anakin interrupted.

Qui-Gon looked up and smiled at him, “How’s the weather up there?”

“Unsteady, sir. I don’t know how you manage it.” Anakin said.

A deep and hearty laugh broke across the room as he whipped a wand from the pocket of his robe. With the flick of the wrist and an utterance of “Descendo”, Anakin was placed back on his two feet once again. A part of him always liked when he floated off. He enjoyed being in the air.

Qui-Gon ruffled a hand through Anakin’s hair and looked to Shmi. There was more of that secret and silent adult-speak happening, but when Shmi looked to Anakin, he tried his best to convey that he wanted nothing more than to be amongst his own kind for a change. His little outbursts have been occurring more frequently and he was not sure how much more disappointment he could take.

To his surprise, she relented. 

And so it was settled. Anakin was to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the fall- which was shockingly his mother’s alma mater. In his 11 years of living, she’d never mentioned it, just that she’d gone to school with other witches and wizards growing up and how she felt it was too isolated from the real world.

***

“Do I get a wand?”

“Yes, Ani.” She smiled lightly as they walked down the cobblestone streets of London. Cars and people buzzed throughout the town, each taking a slice of the rare sunny day. Normally, Anakin had zero interest in back to school shopping as it usually just included hand-me-downs from used outlets and the cheapest notebooks and pencils. Specifically, the kinds of pencils with erasers that didn’t function properly.

“Do you think I could have one like Qui-Gon’s?”

“The wand chooses the wizard.” She said, “Wands are unique. Just like people.”

He’d spent enough time in London to know for certain that there was not a wizard store at the market- not one that wasn’t mocking their culture with top hats and white rabbits. They passed familiar shops and boutiques until they made a turn onto Charing Cross Road and stopped in front of a charcoal pub with a faded sign hanging to the side. Anakin moved to continue walking as well, but Shmi was cemented to her position.

“Mum?”

She didn’t answer, only kept her eyes trained forward with a combination of knowing fear and unmovable determination. She took in a deep breath and reached for Anakin’s hand before leading him up to the large black door and pushing their way in.

It was equally unimpressive on the inside, resembling every other dive in England. Men and women huddled around their dimly lit booths and tables, trading barbs and sharing grub. He swore as they walked by a few, he heard his mother’s name leave their lips. Normally, a protective instinct would kick in, but his own beguilement was placed on halt. He was unsure what grabbing a beer was going to do for them, but then again, that was before the fabrics of reality opened before him.

His jaw dropped when a crummy hole-in-the-wall developed an actual hole in the wall and he suddenly stood on the bridge between parallel realities. There was the one at which he came from with its conformities, drab colors, and mundane days. What lay before him was anything but drab or mundane. While he’d never been here before, he automatically felt a singing rightness to it and found he could not bring himself to turn back- not even to express his sense of awe to his mother.

As if on a gravitational pull, he moved forward, his mother’s hand squeezing his own without a second thought. They drifted down the winding cobblestone street. It resembled the older paths in England with tight streets and turns as well as crowded rows of buildings. These, however, did not consist of standard row homes or shops, but an array of bright-roofed places of commerce. 

His eyes were pulled everywhere, unsure whether to fixate on the joke shop or the menagerie, which had its windows lined with an assortment of obscure pets ranging from rats to little colorful wisps of fluff that he could not name.

There was a shop explicitly for selling cauldrons as well as robes, which were written on the list Professor Qui-Gon Jinn had given them before taking leave. Anakin had memorized it backwards and forwards and still hadn’t fully grasped the act of actually buying this kind of stuff.

Adults and their children appeared out of nowhere in the middle of the road and nobody blinked a second thought. Afterwards, they tucked their wands into their boot or pocket and went about their business with a casual air that only came with experience. They were all dressed very different from him- wearing long and vibrant robes as well as mismatched hats. No two were the same and while some of the younger crowd was more modernly dressed, most appeared to be in costume for a stage play. Anakin tried his best not to gawk at the strangers, who paid his shock no mind. He was supposed to be one of them, but while the rational part of him was trying to stop staring at wizards openly performing magic in public, the bigger part of him could only revel in the joy that came with not being the odd man in the room. 

Various pleasant smells filled the open sky, which increased his sense of wonder. The street was lined with many different cafes and restaurants. The one that piqued his interest had a large light-up ice cream cone pinned on the roof. Just as his mouth began to water at the possibilities of how advanced magical ice cream could be, he was briefly tugged from his reverie by his mother, who took them aside and near the window of a different shop.

She knelt before him, a small and knowing smile playing at her lips, but also a bit of sadness that he could not understand. How could she ever want to leave this world? There was so much to explore and behold. What did their grubby flat above the old pub have that this place didn’t?

“Welcome to Diagon Alley. I know it’s a lot to take in.” She said and gave his shoulders a gentle squeeze. “And there will be time for that later.”

“And magical ice cream?” He tried. Though he wasn’t sure what was going to be so different about it. 

She chuckled. “One rite of passage at a time.”

And with that, she stood up and nodded towards the shop behind him. “In there, I think you’ll find what you’ve been anticipating most. I’ll meet you back here with your textbooks. Do not wander, Ani.”

He heeded her advice and swung the wooden door open to reveal a dimly lit storage room that was stacked from floor to ceiling with shelves of long, thin boxes. Singular orbs of fading light dangled from the high ceiling and cast a yellow glow onto each shelf, though nothing worth noting leapt out at Anakin. Juxtaposed to the rest of the marketplace, it resembled a cluttered library rather than anything enticing. He couldn’t see how this would be what his mother believed was the most exciting place.   

Well, aside from the gentleman positioned behind the desk, which sat next to a winding staircase leading to a closed door. At least, Anakin believed they were a gentleman, but it felt wrong to assume given they were clearly not human with a long snout, gray skin, and a very dinosaur-like shape. They wrote with a long feather in hand, clearly transfixed with whatever was being transcribed, and paid Anakin no mind. 

“Um, excuse me?” Anakin spoke after the silence felt like it might overwhelm him.

Golden eyes lifted from the parchment to study him and Anakin swore he saw a thousand lifetimes in the span of seconds, but was also fairly certain he wasn’t under a spell. He couldn’t decide if they were kind or not- just all knowing yet totally unassuming.

“Yes, young man?” Their voice kept things ambiguous with a slight waver that gave away their age and a tone that was coated in gravel when they spoke. 

“Um,” Anakin desperately wished his mother came in with him now, because he wasn’t even sure what he was supposed to be asking for from this creature. Said creature looked at him with expectant and timeless eyes, which eventually narrowed after considering Anakin.

“You’re new.” They said and got up from behind the desk, but not without the help of a cane and patience.

“Yes, sir.” He internally cursed for slipping, because really, he did not need to offend anyone on his first day in the wizarding world. While Anakin didn’t normally mince words, he hadn’t yet learned how to truly defend himself from this ancient wizard if that was required. 

But, no rebuttal or offense came. Instead, this old man smiled and nodded before gesturing for Anakin to come closer. Despite previous anxieties, Anakin did as he was instructed.

“What a pleasure it is to share this moment with you.” He said and upon closer inspection, had many smile lines crinkled around the corners of his eyes. “What’s your name?”

“I’m Anakin Skywalker.”

“And what are you?”

“Uh, a person. What are you?”

This was hilarious to Tera Sinube, who laughed so hard that Anakin feared he was going to knock himself off balance somehow. He did not appear very physically stable as it was. 

“Well, I’m a Cosian, but I’m also a person.” He said. “I was referring to your blood lineage. This can help when trying to pair wands to wizards.”

Anakin’s eyes felt like they were going to bulge out of his head, which provided more comedic content for the older wizard, who quite literally slapped his own knee at the confusion on Anakin’s face.

“You’re a wandmaker?” Anakin gaped, not caring about sounding foolish.

“Must be muggle-born.” Sinube smiled knowingly.

“Muggle?”

“Human.” He corrected, “My apologies. It’s what non-magical humans are referred to by wizards.”

While the statement held no edge beyond what naturally came with the tones of his voice, Anakin could not help feeling slightly bristled by the confusion. 

“My mum’s a wizard, actually.” He said pointedly, “My father was a hum-muggle, though.”

He might as well get used to the verbiage.

Tera Sinube stared at him more carefully over his long snout and bit his lip in what appeared to be concentration. 

“Skywalker.” He rolled the name around in his mouth and then his eyes widened a little before settling back to normal. “11 inches, Pear, with unicorn hair.”

“Huh?” 

Sinube smiled and drifted to the back to pick up various packages from shelves. “That was your mother’s wand type. Your mother is Shmi Skywalker, right?”

“You know my mum?” Anakin asked.

“I’ve never forgotten a wand nor the wizard it chose.” He said with a firm nod.

“Wait, I don’t get to pick the one I want? Because I know this guy and his wand is super-”

“-The wand chooses the wizard, Mr. Skywalker.” Sinube said firmly. “If it were backwards, I’d be terrified of the outcome. People have a tendency of prioritizing what they want rather than accepting what they need. And from that, we devolve into chaos.”

He wanted to push the point, because while arguing with a seasoned wandmaker about wands seemed foolish, Anakin really did enjoy the sleek fashion of Qui-Gon’s burgundy wand and believed that would most suit him too. However, Sinube did not give him much room to talk and instead laid out an array of thin boxes on the desk.

“I’ve been doing this for a very long time. Longer than I’d care to admit, actually, and I swear to you I’ve never come up with inconclusive results.”

Even as he said it, it felt like condemnation.

Because after a series of almost-disasters including, but not limited to: setting the entire wooden office on fire, turning Sinube into a Cosian Kebab, dissolving the floor into a gaping black hole beneath them, and literally turning the wooden wand into an angry python- it was easy to feel discouraged. 

There were also wands that simply didn’t react to Anakin at all, which was even more disappointing. He had managed to let Sinube give him the opportunity to try Qui-Gon’s wand type on the off chance that his interests and needs coincided. 

However, the 13” larch with dragon heartstrings acted as little more than a fancy stick in Anakin’s hand, much to his dismay and attempt at making it work.

“Ah, larch is a much sought-after wood.” Sinube said. “However, it is amongst the hardest to appease in terms of partnership. Its matches are typically hidden artifacts, so to speak, with untapped and unnoticed potential until the pair meets. Qui-Gon Jinn certainly matched that description as a young boy.”

Anakin wanted to further protest, but chose against it in favor of sulking. At this point, he cared a great deal less about matching Qui-Gon as he did finding a wand that would actually work with him at all.

“Now, now. One must not give up so easily.” Sinube placed a large hand on his shoulder. “I will have you know that some of the greatest wizards that ever lived were difficult to match. I was not alive in Headmaster Yoda’s time as a young wizard, but it evidently took days to find his wand.”

Anakin sighed, “I’m just so new to all of this, but I’ve always dreamed of it, if that makes sense.”

“It does and this moment will be a fond one if you let it happen.”

He tried to do just that and humored Sinube’s every whim of attempts and even climbed the ladder along the bookcase to grab more wands for him. It wasn’t until knocking a loose box from its hold on top of the bookcase and onto the floor- successfully rolling the wand across the room- that Anakin felt the room change.

Upon picking it up, the atmosphere transformed into one bathed in angelic light with a potent wind that swept all around them and took loose strands of parchment into the air. Anakin’s hand that gripped the wand grew impossibly warm, but never hot, and a strength seemed to manifest deep in the core of his being. Anakin’s soul felt complete where he never knew it was missing a piece. 

Eventually, the lights dimmed and the heavens ceased singing and while he believed he’d been the only one doused in glory, it was clear from Sinube’s face that he’d bore witness to the whole spectacle. Perhaps, this was why he did what he did for so long.

“And there you have it.” The older wizard grinned. “An 11 ½” holly with dragon heartstrings. Known for handling well with the impetuous and the quick to anger as well as accompanying one with a large spiritual journey ahead of them.”

Anakin reverently ran his thumb across the surface of the hilt. How he could ever want anything else seemed ridiculous now. He finally tore his eyes away from his wand to acknowledge Sinube.

“Thank you, Mr. Sinube.” He said as he handed him the money his mother gave him- apparently it was the exact amount, “For being patient.”

“It was my pleasure, Mr. Skywalker. I just ask that you always extend yourself and others the same courtesy.”

“I will!” Though his rush to race out the door did not support the statement. 

After Anakin left, Sinube’s eyes drifted to the wand that had been previously turned into a snake.

“Curious…” He said as he picked it up. Just as suspected, it was an elm wand, which was heavily believed to only react to wizards of pure-blood. Sinube, who was not human in any sense beyond spirit, hardly listened in on the political rubbish surrounding blood lineage. Still, it was odd that the elm wand reacted so.

***

Anakin dashed out of Sinube’s in such excited haste that he ran square into a family of wizards which knocked his wand from his hand and had it rolling onto the street. An array of passing feet accidentally kicked it along in transit and Anakin found himself scrambling on the ground in an ill-willed attempt to recover the wand he’d just struggled to meet.

“Excuse me! Sorry! Coming through!” He pushed his way through the crowd, never once taking his eyes off the ground and failing to really keep track where he was going. 

Finally, his wand was spared from the stampede as it was all but launched into a darker passageway and down a series of steps. Anakin breathed out a sigh of relief and frustration as he descended to retrieve his wand. It wasn’t until he picked it up and determined that it was still usable did he realize he had absolutely no idea where he’d drifted.

Behind him, there was the pocket of light he’d come from while ahead only lay an oblique of shadows that extended deeper and deeper into a silent unknown. He could still feel the sunlight that shined bright on Diagon Alley at his back. However, he was inexplicably drawn forward as though he were being called. In fact, his feet seemed to move at their own accord, because despite his mind telling him otherwise, he followed the path of noir and gray stone until reaching a crossing.

Strange and unhappy creatures seemed to shuffle around one another without exchanging pleasantries or even acknowledging one another. Somehow, this part of town seemed even tighter than the rest of Diagon Alley. The shop owners were grim and threatened their patrons, though the patrons did not seem kind either. A few cast curious stares at Anakin as he walked by, but he did not want to be caught idle for too long and went the opposite direction, away from the quiet community of threatening onlookers. 

As he drifted further along a narrow opening and towards a glowing green light, he felt a resounding cold settle in his bones without warning. His thoughts were screaming in meaningless questions as to why he was even here, but he resisted the urge to turn away. If he did, sleeping that night would be more impossible than enduring the chill that traveled up his spine at every distant echo.

He found himself clutching his wand instinctually, though he had no indication on how to use it. He slowly treaded closer to the ambient green hue that reflected off the stone wall. The anxiety that coiled in the pit of his stomach resembled that of being the follower and the followed. He was not sure which he was more fearful of in the present. When he rounded the corner, he realized it appeared to be from a wizarding shop, no less. While this should have caused relief, Anakin remained on high alert, noting that this shop did not resemble the others.

It was well-buried in the shadows, for one thing, and did not seem to be sought after despite its claim to sell antiquities. There were three front windows with a green light emanating off of them and highlighting the clear prevalence of skeletons throughout the store. He tried not to think too hard about their origin.     

He squinted his eyes as he made out the sign on the front. 

“Borgin and Burkes.” He murmured to himself.

He kept his steps silent and his breaths minimal, particularly when he realized he was not alone. Quickly, he rushed into the store in an attempt to avoid being seen by a large figure all dressed in black. The storeowner was clearly gone for lunch or other dealings, because he was not questioned when he slipped behind the counter after realizing the large presence was (hopefully unknowingly) following him inside. 

There was a moment of silence beyond what Anakin could barely make out as the ignition of a flame. 

He closed his eyes and wondered what his mother thought of his absence for the first time. What if she didn’t let him go to Hogwarts for wandering off? Surely, the rule of avoiding dark alleys applied to the wizarding world just as much as it did the real world. He felt remorse and regret, but didn’t even know where to begin on how to leave.

“Are you sure, Master?” A deep, but hushed voice asked.

“Yes. It is time to act. He arrives at Hogwarts this year.” The second voice sounded like more of a hiss than actual speech and crackled alongside the fire.

“There is much to prepare, then.”

Anakin peered his head from around the desk in a feeble attempt to catch a glimpse. Anyone that entered an empty shop to have a secretive conversation could not have been up to any good. What he was supposed to do about it, he was unsure.

The figure that had followed him into the shop was huge in stature- even larger and more dominant in appearance than Qui-Gon. He was dressed from head-to-toe all in black robes that were pulled over his head and shrouded him like a phantom. 

The other man was not present in the physical sense, but judging from what Anakin could tell, was either in the fireplace or he was the fireplace. Green embers flicked in every direction, wild in abandon and enchantment as the phantom spoke down. Anakin wished he could get a better look, but thought better of it lest he reveal his presence.

“Just see to it that you are ready, Lord Tyranus. The Sith will rise once again if all goes according to plan.” 

The phantom man knelt before the fireplace, as if to swear an oath. “I will not fail you, my Master.”

There was a long enough pause where Anakin briefly thought the conversation had ended, but a maniacal laugh rippled through the shop and he had to suppress the urge to whimper. 

“Good.” He enunciated. “Until the darkest day at the darkest point.”

“Until then.” 

“And by the way, my apprentice. You are not alone.”

Anakin’s eyes shot open and he burst into a blind sprint towards and through the door, narrowly avoiding a green shock of lightning that ricocheted where he’d previously been sat. Flames blew up behind him, lighting the dark path before him. He mindlessly chose his fate and sprinted down the cobblestone path to where he’d originally entered through. Well, it was where he believed he’d entered, at least.

His knees were almost hitting his chest. He was running so hard and determined to carry his strides as far as his little legs could take him. It finally felt as though his mind had lined up with his body and that every sense in him was on fire because of it. He could still smell the singed wood from the desk and hear the hushed tones of that dark voice.

There was so much he hadn’t gotten to do. He hadn’t seen Hogwarts or used his wand or made new friends. And for what? What did he have to say for drifting down strange roads that he had no place seeing? 

He didn’t dare look behind him at risk of seeing what was approaching him, ready to swallow him up whole and never allow him to see or feel light ever again.

His mother would never get to see him graduate, which he knew was something she’d always hoped for him. She likely hoped it would be at a regular school, but would grow to be proud of him anyways. At the very least, he had intended on proving himself worthy of her devotion, even if she claimed he did not need to do such things. He would start by avoiding the dark side of Diagon Alley.

If he could only make it out alive. 

He ran into a few angry and disgruntled characters, but none had the wits about them to stop him beyond shouting vulgar and threatening chants at him. He was numb to their words. He tried to listen for another presence running through them as well, but could only hear the steady pounding of his own heart and blood in his ears as well as the sound of his feet hitting the pavement. 

A kaleidoscope of white light exploded before him as he’d finally wandered his way back to the open world. In a bout of momentary blindness he continued to plow straight ahead, colliding nearly instantly into an unyielding force. He found himself sprawled on his back staring at the very blue sky before he had a moment to catch himself.

Surely, he was caught and about to die in broad daylight. His wand fell from his hand and tears streaked his face. He didn’t even know where to begin in begging for his life. He wasn’t sure why he even went down that stupid pathway- just that it had called him. He felt he knew more now, though,and that it scared him.

His breathing grew heavy and frantic, but two firm hands settled on his shoulders- not his neck. He mustered up the courage to look up at his probable attacker and make peace with the fact that he’d lived an okay life thus far.

“Are you alright?” A voice- very different from the one before- asked him and the face matched the voice in its concern. 

Instead of a hulking figure cloaked in black, there was a teenager- lean, medium-height, and light-skinned. Anakin would have thought he was an adult wizard by how he was dressed like a professor, in a pressed sweater-vest with a white button-up beneath, as well as ironed trousers and neatly combed auburn hair. However, his face was young and soft with caring blue-gray eyes. He held a certain air of authority and responsibility on him as though he’d been born shouldering the weight of the world.

Anakin sniffled and tried to come to terms with the fact that he was not about to die today and shrugged his shoulders in response. 

The older boy’s eyes looked from where Anakin had come from in horror. “Why in the blazes were you coming from Knockturn Alley?”

He ran an arm along his face to get rid of any tears or snot that might have gone rogue in his hysteria. 

“I-I got lost from my mum.” He said and hated how small he sounded, but he truly did not feel like explaining to a stranger why he’d decided to take a stroll into the ugly side of town. 

“In Knockturn Alley?” He furrowed his brow, unwilling to be shaken. Clearly, this place had a bad reputation and Anakin could understand why.

“Why is that place even there at all?” Anakin complained. “I… I thought it might be a shortcut and… it wasn’t.”

The older boy’s conflicted expression was traded for one of sympathy and he simply gathered Anakin’s wand for him as well as his own dropped belongings before helping Anakin to his feet.

“Well, no harm done, right?”

He wasn’t so sure, but he nodded all the same.

“Let’s get you back to your mum, okay? It can be dangerous around here for a first-timer and I’m sure she’s worried sick.”

He appreciated not being confused for a muggle this time, though this kid struck him as a seasoned member of the wizarding community. Even still, after what he’d just seen, he was happy to have the company. He didn’t miss the disgusted look he shot back to Knockturn Alley over Anakin’s shoulder.

“Do you go to Hogwarts?” Anakin asked.

“Why, most of everyone here either has been, will be, or is a student at Hogwarts.” He said and scanned the crowd. “I’m entering my fifth year.”

Anakin sighed, “It’ll be my first.” 

“I would have never guessed.” Though there was an obvious edge of sarcasm to his tone, which was a welcome surprise as he seemed regularly quite stiff. “I see you got your wand already.”

“From Tera Sinube’s. Just like everyone else, I’m guessing.” Anakin said, but did not miss the way his new companion flinched ever so slightly when he’d said that. There was a wand peeking out of his pocket, so it wasn’t that he simply didn’t possess one. He tried to think nothing of it and move on, taking notice instead of the button that sat atop the books that the older boy carried.

“Do all fifth years get badges that say they’re ‘perfect’ on them?” 

He chuckled. “It says ‘prefect’, actually. It’s a big honor at Hogwarts. I essentially was elected by the Headmaster and Head of House to uphold the code of ethics at the school.”

“So…” Anakin paused. “You’re a hall monitor.”

He thought about that for a moment. “Is that what muggles call it?”

“Yeah, mate. It’s a pretty geeky position actually. The hall monitor at my school got so many wedgies that they had to get his briefs surgically removed.”

He grimaced. “Yes, well, bullies are no strangers to Hogwarts either, but I’d like to think at least some of them heed to our words and authority. So, if you ever need anything, don’t hesitate to reach out.”

Anakin smiled. “Thanks. Trouble usually finds me pretty quick so I’ll need the connections.”

The Prefect smiled. “I can see that.”

***

By the time the Prefect had finally reunited Anakin with his mother, the sky above them began collecting orange and pink hues to resemble a mosaic painting. Anakin’s mood had brightened substantially since exiting the horrid Knockturn Alley and was all the more relieved to see that his mother didn’t appear too angry with him for disappearing.

Because he was still the kind of guy that liked hugging his mum, he ran to her all the same and enveloped her in a tight hug that she knelt to meet him for.

“I got lost.” He said, voice muffled by her shoulder.

“I know it’s all bright and new to you, but this place isn’t all rainbows and sunshine, Ani.” She sighed and stroked his hair. “You have to be mindful of your surroundings.”

Anakin understood what she meant more than he could say right now. For some reason, he felt he shouldn’t relay what had happened to his mother. Not only because it would upset her, but because thinking back on it sent a cold chill down his spine. He simply nodded in agreement and his mother finally acknowledged the young chaperone, who awkwardly stood off to the side.

“Thank you very much for seeing my son safely back to me. I hope he didn’t cause you any trouble.” She smiled warmly.

The older boy waved a hand of nonchalance, though his stiff posture didn’t quite sell the casual vibe he was going for. “Oh, no trouble at all. I was glad to be able to see Diagon Alley through the eyes of a newcomer.”

Anakin beamed. “He showed me all around! Mum, can I get an owl?”

Shmi chuckled. “Later. We must be getting home before it grows dark. I’ve got a late shift tonight at the pub.”

He slumped his shoulders a little bit. “You always have work.”

She sighed and gently pushed some hair out of his face. “I do what I must so we can have a nice life.”

Anakin wanted to say something along the lines of their lives not being so nice thus far, but he knew it would hurt his mother’s feelings and despite his disappointment, did not want to do that.

The Prefect smiled. “I better be off, myself. I’ll see you at school!”

He waved. “Yeah! I’ll see you then! Thank you!”

Shmi smiled down at him. “At least you’re already making friends. What was his name?”

Anakin blanked. “Oh… I don’t know! He’s a prefect though.”

“He saved you and you didn’t get his name?” She asked.

“He didn’t save me. I had it under control.” He puffed out his chest, even if deep inside he knew that was not correct. “But I was distracted. Hey, look at my wand!”

[nancypullen]

It’s Here

Welcome, September!  She arrived with a big, beautiful moon and it made me think that everything will be okay.  Maybe not fabulous and exciting, but okay. And there’s not a darn thing wrong with okay.  Tonight we’ll dream under the Full Corn Moon and in the morning we’ll leave for Maryland to visit with the kiddos.  This month is off to a lovely start, don’t you think? I don’t miss August.  It was just an extended July, more of the same - more heat, more humidity, more coronavirus, more bad news.  July was a lot like June.  None of it was much fun.  Maybe that’s why I’m excited to enter the “ber” months. Perhaps the pattern will break and things will start looking better and brighter.  I’m nothing if not an optimist.  September in the south is still hot, but change is afoot.  The late afternoon light starts to look a little more golden, less blinding and fierce.  Gardens start to wane.  Squirrels are busier than ever and I see them scampering to and fro, always carrying treasure in their mouths. Best of all, autumn starts to send little love notes. Just a sweet RSVP to let you know she’s coming.  Like this -

It’ll be many weeks before our trees are decked out in their autumn dresses, but there are little previews if you look hard enough.  I always look hard enough.  I start looking for signs of fall in late August, right after the fair.  They’re tiny and they’re subtle, but they’re always around.  It gives me hope!  This is when I breathe a sigh of relief that the worst of the heat is over, and it’s also when I look at the gardens and tell them I want to break up.  I’m done.  I plant, coax, weed, feed,and nurture from April through August - that’s my limit.  I still have a ton of green tomatoes that will ripen and end up on sandwiches and dinner plates.  But my babysitting days are over.  If the birds get to them first, so be it.  The early bird gets the ‘maters. This gardener is ready to rest. So yes, I’m embracing September with both arms and welcoming the last third of 2020 with glee.  It’s my birthday month which usually excites me, but I don’t think it’s fair that I have to add another year to my age since I hardly got to use 56. Maybe I’ll just be 56.5 or 56 to the second power.  We’ll see.  I don’t care much about the number, I just want to feel that I squeezed a lot of fun into the previous age.  Oh well, I’m about to squeeze a ton of fun into the coming week.  This Grancy is arriving loaded with books, fairy paraphernalia, dolls, costumes, and all sorts of other goodies.  She’s my one and only, I’ll spoil her if I want to.  That’s my job as Grancy.   Time to go throw some t-shirts in a suitcase and prep the kitties for the cat sitter.  The car is gassed up and the road snacks are ready.  We’ll hit the open road with our masks and disinfectant like a traveling HazMat circus.  Good times. Stay safe, stay well, and stir up some fun if you can.  XOXO, Nancy

[wanderfan2000]

Tonight, I had to say goodbye to a dear friend. While we were rearranging the garage today. My mom discovered loads of things in the attic that was completely covered in dust and debris since all of it was up there for a real long time. One of them was an old costume I wore but it wasn’t just any costume, no. I’m talking about my Tow Mater costume! 

Halloween 2013 was the year I wore this incredible costume that my dad created for me. This Mater costume was made from a bunch of boxes all glued and duct taped together to create the rusty tow truck we all know and love. it was painted in Mater’s colors, brown, green and blue it was all complete with his “Tow Mater Towing and Salvage of Radiator Springs” on both of his doors and he even had a sliver tow hook which was held by a yellow rope. 

Also, I even had a small light up lantern I placed on the back of Mater to look like he had the Ghostlight on his tail just like in the short, Mater and the Ghostlight. When the costume was finished, my family took pictures of me in this incredible costume and I was ready for action! 

Unfortunately, wearing a giant huge glued down cardboard box on you really kind of slows you down. So, I had to get out of the costume and spend the rest of the Halloween night wearing my brown suit that I had on to complete the look. But luckily, I still got a bunch of candy. 

After Halloween 2013 was over, my Mater costume was sitting in the garage getting completely covered with dust as it sat on a high shelf for knows how long until we decided to move it into the attic for storage and it stayed up there for a long, long time... 

Until today, when we finally got back to the old attic to go through a bunch of our old stuff that we didn’t need. My Mater costume was found once again and I never saw it like this. 

The costume was completely falling apart, the engine was destroyed entirely and you can even seeing the paint coming off of it along with the duct tape. My mom said she was going to dismantle it and throw it away. So before the great send off of Cardboard Mater, I had to take pictures so that all you can check out this amazing costume that my dad created for me. 

Halloween 2013 was a year I’ll never ever forget, it was the first Halloween I was a Pixar character and one of the main heroes from Disney Pixar’s Cars! 

Later, Mater! (Chuckles) “Later, Mater.” That’s funny right there! :’) 

2013-2020.