#mirabel centre

[hurt-comfort-lover]

Mirabel AU / Mirabel Angst / Mama Mirabel / Part Ten

“Ah! Sorry- sorry I didn’t mean to- uh-” He stops not knowing what to say. Mirabel was so surprised that she stopped shaking and her breathing slowed. 

“Tio Bruno…? What are you doing here?”

“Well- um, I kind of live here? Unless you mean like- like in this area which is because I heard someone in the passageways, and then I saw my vision and you know uh, yeah.”

“Oh.. um, what do you mean live here? How?”

“It’s a bit hard to explain, it might be easier for me to just show you.” He says offering his hand, Mirabel takes it, pulling herself up. He takes her through the passageways to his “room.” Mirabel walks by and sees cracks that are covered in cement.

“Are you patching up the cracks?”

“Oh! No no no no no, I don’t go near those. All the patching is done by Hernando.”

“Who is Hernan-” Bruno puts up his cape and says,

“I’m Hernando and I’m afraid of nothing!” he pauses, “It’s actually me, I say my real gift was ‘acting,’ haha.” Mirabel looks at him and she can’t decide whether to find it funny, charming or concerning.

“I’m Jorge, I make the spackle,” Bruno says. Mirabel decides she should probably be concerned. They make it into Bruno's room. It’s filled with rats messing with his stuff, and his room is small and covered in small things he’d collected over the years. 

“You never left?”

“Well, I left my tower- a lot of stairs you know. It’s kitchen adjacent, and-” He goes over to the television, “free entertainment! Telenovelas!” He says as he flips through different cutouts for the rats. He sits down on his red chair.

“Their love could never be.”

“I don’t understand, why did you leave, but not actually leave?”

“Well, free food, and uh ya know.” He just shrugs. Mirabel looks through a hole in the wall to see the dining table, and then looks at a small table that’s labeled with his name, showing that he uses it to pretend like he’s still a part of the family. Bruno stands up and walks behind her.

“Yeah, my gift wasn’t really helping the family, but, I love my family, ya know?” Bruno says. Mirabel nods and looks at the vision in her arms.

“Nobody was ever meant to see that vision.”

“Why- why did you take the vision?”

“Well, after you didn’t get your gift Abuela was worried about the magic and asked me to take a vision. When I saw the vision I knew how it was going to look, because I’m Bruno and everyone always assumes the worst, so.. So I left.”

“You left… for me?”

“I mean not just that, but yeah I guess. You are my niece after all.” Mirabel smiled sadly, just happy that he cared that much.

“Thank you, Tio.”

“Ah- no don’t- I uh, you don’t need to,” he stumbled.

“I feel like I should though. I messed up Isabella’s proposal and now I’m hiding in here instead of facing Abuela. I know I don’t have a gift but I love my family and I just want to help.”

“You are helping.”

“You don’t know that.”

“I do know sobrina. I still know a little about what goes on in the Casita. You’re doing fine. Whatever is happening with Isabella, it’ll be ok.”

“Gracias Tio,” Mirabel says as she hugs him. He awkwardly hugs back,

“Anytime, kid.” 

“I think I know what I need to do. I need to apologize to Isabella.” She says as she goes to leave but Bruno stops her.

“Wait, before you go, if you save the miracle, could you visit sometime?”

“When I save the miracle, I’m bringing you home,” Mirabel says confidently. Bruno smiles and then knocks on a bunch of wood as Mirabel leaves. 

Mirabel walks up to Isabella’s door, and a lot of emotions run through her, debating if this was the right decision. She goes into the room anyway to see an angry Isabella.

“What are you doing here?!” She says irritated.

“I came to apologize.”

“I’m listening.”

“I’m sorry for ruining your proposal, I’m going to talk to Mariano and try to fix this.”

“Don’t bother.”

“Why?”

“It’s not like he’ll change his mind.”

“You don’t know that- Do you… want to marry Mariano?” Isabella looks surprised at the question and thinks.

“I- I mean yeah. It’s good for the Ecanto, and Abuela-”

“I’m not asking about that, I’m asking if you want to marry Mariano.”

“I don’t know. I mean, I thought I was fine with it, but now- now that I have a chance out… I don’t know.”

“Why would you marry someone you don’t love?” Mirabel asks.

“Well, I don’t really want to get married, but Abuela just seemed so happy when Mariano and I started getting along. When she suggested getting engaged, I-”

“-Wanted to make her proud?”

“Yeah. I don’t know why I’m even telling you this. You know Abuela is livid right now? Mami and Papi were arguing with her and everyone’s looking for you.”

“Oh… well, I’m sorry. For all of this. I hope that you can get the ending that you want. I think I need to talk to Abuela,” Mirabel says. Isabella nods,

“It’s fine I guess. You kind of gave me a chance out, so thank you.” Isabella says. Mirabel walks out of the room and goes to talk to her Abuela, though she runs into her mami first.

“Mirabel! There you are!” she says as she pulls her youngest daughter into a hug.

“Hola mami.”

“I don’t know what’s going on. Your Abuela is being unreasonable and there are cracks littered around the house. I don’t understand.”

“I think it’s the miracle mami. I’m not sure what I’m going to do yet, but I need to talk to Abuela,” Mirabel asserts. Julietta just nods and lets her youngest go. Mirabel goes to the living room to see Abuela talking with Senora Guzman. She goes up to both of them, and Senora Guzman sees her first.

“Mirabel,” she says. Abuela turns around to see her youngest granddaughter, anger written all over her face.

“You need to fix this,” Abuela says.

“Lo siento Abuela. I won’t. Isabella-”

“What?! Don’t disrespect me.”

“I didn’t mean-”

“No, you listen to me. I don’t know why you weren’t given a gift but it is not an excuse to hurt this family.” Abuela says with venom. To Mirabel, it feels like a stab in her heart. Senora Guzman looks shocked. Her Papi comes to see what’s going on while Dolores and Camilo were sitting on the couch nearby. Tia Pepa and Felix were near the kitchen.

“I will never be good enough for you… will I? No matter how I try- No matter how hard everyone tries! Luisa will never be strong enough! Isabella will never be perfect enough! Tio Bruno left because you always saw the worst in him!”

“Bruno did not care about this family!” Cracks begin to form on the walls and ceiling.

“He loves this family, I love this family, we all love this family! You’re the one that doesn’t care.”

“Don’t you ever-!”

“The Miracle is dying because of you!” As Mirabel finishes her sentence the house begins to fall apart. Mirabel runs straight for the candle, while Casita tries to help her while also pushing everyone out of the house. Everyone is yelling at her to stop, telling her it’s not worth it. She continues though. As she goes up she sees her Tio Bruno escape the house with a bucket on his head, and she smiles slightly to herself. She makes it to the candle but the house is too far gone. Casita’s last efforts are covering Mirabel with furniture to protect her. The Casita was gone, all that was left was the rubble of what it once was. Mirabel holds the unlit candle as her Mami runs over to her.

“Mirabel! What were you thinking?! Are you hurt?” Julieta says while checking her, Mirabel is despondent, still looking at the candle. Julietta looks at her daughter, who had dropped the candle on the ground, and then back out hearing her hermana call her. 

“I’ll be right back- don’t move,” Julietta says as she runs towards her hermana. 

When most of the fog clears and most of the familia is together, they realize that Mirabel is gone. They call out to her but there’s no response. Everyone goes looking for her, including Abuela. After hours of searching it just so happens that Abuela ended up finding her, she found her holding her knees to her chest while crying next to a lake she knew too well. She walks up to Mirabel and sits beside her.

“I’m sorry, I- I just wanted to help. Instead, all I ended up doing was hurting us.” Mirabel says as she cries into her knees.

“No, it’s not you. Mirabel, this is on me. You are a child, I’m an adult. Ever since we got our miracle I’ve tried so hard to give back to the world. Why out of all people did I deserve a miracle? Instead, I’ve been so focused on the miracle that, now that it’s gone, I can see clearly. Mi familia, they are the most important thing. Not the candle, mi familia. So truly, I’m so sorry Mirabel. I don’t deserve forgiveness yet, but I’ll do my best.” Abuela says as her hand glides against the current. Mirabel looks over to Abuela and pulls her into a hug.

“I could never stay mad at you, of course, I forgive you. You’re mi Abuela, you’re one of the bravest women I’ve ever met.”

“Gracias Mirabel, you’re too kind.” They break from the hug as Bruno jumps through the bushes with a horse, and jumps off.

“Don’t blame her! I gave her a vision-” he says before his mami pulls him into a hug.

“Oh mi Brunito, I missed you. I’m so sorry I pushed you away.” She says as she squeezes him tightly. He wheezes, 

“I think I missed something.” He smiles sheepishly as all three of them jump on the horse.

“Mirabel! Mija I was so worried!” Julietta exclaimed as she pulled Mirabel into a tight hug. 

“Lo siento Mami,” Mirabel says while muffled by her mother’s arms. The familia gathers, happy that Mirabel was found and the entire familia was together. After Mirabel was released from Julietta’s death grip, Antonio jumped on her, Mirabel caught him and hugged him as well. From behind the horse came both Abuela and Bruno. Julietta and Pepa both look to see their brother, Pepa goes up to him first and slaps him in the face, and then pulls him into a hug.

“Don’t you ever do that again pendejo,” she says. Bruno awkwardly hugs her back.

“Lo siento hermana..” he says, not sure if she’s happy he’s back or angry he left. Pepa let him go and then Julietta hugged him as well.

“Welcome back hermano,” Julietta says.When the familia was reunited they realized they needed to figure out a plan as to where they were staying, and how they were going to rebuild their home. Despite earlier events, the townspeople all came to help including the Guzmans. Multiple people had guestrooms for the family to stay, Senora Gabriela had two guestrooms that Mirabel and Bruno took, the Garcias had a guest room that Julietta and Agustin stayed in, the Lopeses had one spare bedroom with two beds that both Isabella and Luisa too, the Guzmans had two extra guest rooms, which Pepa and Felix shared one, while Antonio took the other, Lastly the Gomezes had two extra bedrooms that Dolores and Camilo stayed in. The family was really grateful to all the townspeople, but they insisted because the Madrigals had helped them so much over the years. Plans were made for the next day of clearing the rubble from the area, while also planning out the blueprints for the Casita. That night though, the Madrigals got some much-needed sleep, at least most of them. Mirabel couldn’t sleep no matter how hard she tried, despite the apology from her Abuela, which she was elated about, her negative thoughts still flooded her brain. It was almost as if they got worse. Did she deserve to be apologized to? Does she deserve forgiveness? The more she lay in a bed that was not her own, the louder the thoughts became.

[camillasgirl]

Queen Camilla’s Patronages

Mirabel Centre

Managed by Partnership for Justice, the Mirabel Centre is Nigeria’s first Sexual Assault Referral Centre; with a mandate to provide holistic medical and psychosocial support to survivors of rape and sexual violence. In 9 years of operation as a non-governmental organization, the Mirabel Centre has provided direct free medical care and psychosocial support o over 7500+ survivors of rape and sexual violence (including men, women, and children). The youngest survivor was a 3 month old baby and the oldest, an 80 year old woman. Apart from offering free forensic medical examination and providing psychosocial support to survivors, the Mirabel Centre helps survivors get access to other support services they need. The Centre works closely with the police and provides medical reports which the police use for further investigation and prosecution of rape cases. In addition, the Centre consistently provides actionable information on prevention and response to rape and other forms of sexual and gender-based violence directly to its 20,000+ audience across social media and indirectly to over 300,000 people on a monthly basis. Itoro Eze-Anaba founded the Mirabel Centre when working on domestic violence issues as a lawyer. While campaigning for the Domestic Violence Bill, which she drafted, she discovered how little support rape survivors were getting in Nigeria. Her mission is to continue to provide free professional care and support to survivors of rape and sexual violence irrespective of when the incident happened.

[jacarandaaaas]

I’m going to need people to STOP comparing the badly written king from wish to alma😭

[miracles-and-butterflies]

*sighs* Tumblr. Go get a normal food.

Do Centre Madrigals have any visible physical changes? (Like scars etc)

Aside from the obvious Mirabel and Luisa, no.

The others were never treated as harsh or punished a different way that prevented them getting scars.

I think I’ve covered Mirabel already. She obviously has the most physical changes, as she lost her pigment. But she has a few scars as well.

Luisa has a load of scars and permanent marks from her injuries either from punishments or experiments. Mainly on her back, arms and thighs. She picks at them (as a nervous habit) and they’ve never healed quite right, so unintentionally has probably given herself infections.

[alldancersaretalented]

Dancers attending P21 Intensive

??

Olivia Elise Victoria Nikolovva

AM Dance

Aurora Monroe

Ale Mancillas Dance Studio

Balbina Cueva

Allegro Performing Arts Academy

Arina Bryzgunova Bella Verbera-Hernandez

Aspirations Dance Company

Lola Nelms

Avanti Dance Company

Hayden Goren Eva Graziano Mia Menji Kaylee Randeniya Rosie Zahoul Sans Blair Tennant

Capitol Dance Company

Malia ?

Center Stage Performing Arts

Tommie Milazzo

Club Dance Studio

Brooklyn Besch Emma Kleve Claire Pistor

Dance Alliance of Camarillo

Shiloh Lark Farrah ?

Dance Dimensions Performic Arts Center

Victoria Safahi Serena Wilcox

DanceDynamicsLV

Lyla Haider

Dance Collective DC

Janelle Liu

Dance Edge Studios

Antonia Zanin

Dance Magic Performic Company

Savannah Lee

Dance Makers of Atlanta

Nola Paulina

Danceology

Ella Bustillos Hudson Hensley Ella Nani Knight Ella Koehnen Soleil Lynch Aria McCrea Cheyenne Ringerman Sydney Swinehart

Dance Republic

Graisyn Clare

Dansé Escuela de Danza

Alexa Ahumada Marielisa Portillo Isabella Trabucco

DC Dance Factory

Pay Lynch

Dolce Dance Studio

Brixtyn Cappo

École de dance Louise

Léonie Macorig

Edge Studios

Sienna ? Aria Giusti

Encore ELite

Leona Zariel

Epic Motion Dance Studio

Maria Sofia Rodríguez Mia Sofia Covarrubias Tinoco

Essence of Dance

Ava Killam Makena Killam Briar ?

Eternal Dance Company

Maddie Kronenberg

Evoke Dance Movement

Emmy Claire

Evolution Dance

Scarlett O'Neil

Evolve Dance Center

Maria Belen Salido

Evolve Dance Centre

Izabella Modarresi

Excel Performing Arts

Emma Sheff

Fusion Dance Omaha

Gigi Murray

Glass House Dance

Eden Cui

Groove Studios WA

Kaiden Koths Abby Mae

Hart Academy of Dance

Lydon Thach

Havilah Dance Company

Caitlyn Marie Malea Jade Moore

Inferno Dance Co

Maizie Smith

Instyle Dance Company

Jacilynn Mar

Janet Dunstans Dance Academy

Adeline Glenn

K2 Studios

Neriah Karmann Lennon Reign Jessica Sutton

Larkin Dance Studio

Matinly Conrad Palmer Petier

Legacy Dance Productions

Sophie Boonstra Paisley Clarke

Legacy Studio of Performing Arts

Brynne Smith

McKinley School of Dance

Teodora Narancic

Murrieta Dance Project

Khloe Cabrera Gracie Gilroy

N10 Dance Studio

Claire Avonne Kingston Madison Ng

No Limits Dance Academy

Ayanna Voulgaris

Nor Cal Dance Arts

Aria Davi Aubrey Paz Olyvia Reza

North Calgary Dance Centre

Ellie Blakley Georgia Blakley

OCPAA

Libby Haye

Onstage Dance Center - Los Alamitos

Adalyn Nicole

Pave San Diego

Eleanor Bullock Aryanna La Fontaine Cooper

Pave School of the Arts

Sofia Cuevas Stella Fisk Livi Matson

Perception Dance

Mabel James

Project 21

Ellie Anbarden Olivia Armstrong Lilly Barajas Sienna Carlston Kami Couch Katie Couch Kenzie Couch Airi Dela Cruz Stella Eberts Gracyn French Regan Gerena Richie Granese Mady Kim Brooklyn Ladia Leilani Lawlor Chloe Mirabel Savanna Musman Madelyn Nasu Avery Reyes Berkeley Scifres Bristyn Scifres Sara Von Rotz Leighton Werner

Project 520 Dance Studio

Adelynn ? Karli Heim Sasha Muratalieva

Queen City Dance

Annabel Speck

Seattle Storm Dance Troupe

Claire Clark

Shooting Stars Dance Studio

Karsyn Hernandez Malani Maliya

Stars Dance Studio

Hannah Burak Catherine Clayton Fabiana Pierleoni Elie Rabin

Starstruck Performing Arts Center KS

Kinley Winn

Steps Dance Center

Emmie Pitt

Studio Fusion

Harley Gross Juliet Anne Wydo

The Collaborative

Addison Cullather

The Company Space

Piper Perusse Stella Marcordes Vivian Marcordes

TheCREW

Isabella Tamayo

The Dance Collective DC

Eva Rogachevsky Quincy Thomas

The Dance Collective MD

Lyla Urban

The Dance Company of Los Gatos

Scarlett Blu Chloe Rose

The Vision Dance Alliance

Emily Polis

Utah Ballet Festival

Ruby Taylor

West Coast Dance Complex

Mila Barnett

Xtreme Dance Studio

Jocelyn Longroy

YYC Dance Project

Kinsley Oykhman

[tell-me-a-tale-that-tells]

THINGS I LOVE ABOUT YOU

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Summary:

Bruno found himself panicking and crying due to some mean comment on his persona, you showed him how wrong they were.

Notes:

I hope you'll like this one.

I watched Encanto and immediately fell in love with the sweet Bruno, I had this fic around in my head for days!

I was thinking about writing a second chapter/sequel (maybe very slightly NSFW, I don't know) but only if you liked the first part and ask for more.

Enjoy!

┗━━━━━━༻❁༺━━━━━━┛

Chapter 1

It was a bright day, ten months after la Casita was rebuilt, the chatting of the people in the village could be heard from inside the house, no needs to be Dolores.

It was always like that on the market day, men and women buying food and clothes, children playing in the plaza.

Bruno was still not used to walking among people, first thing because some of them give him strange looks and last because living for 10 years in the walls of his own house, made him a bit rusty.

Noticing that he wanted to help the familia somehow, you sent him to buy some vegetables and fruits for lunch, Julieta handed him a list and a basket and you walked him through the main door of la Casita and when you noticed his hesitation you placed both of your hands on his face, stroking lovingly at his cheeks with your thumbs.

"You can do it, mi Vida" you whispered.

Moving through the marked he replayed that moment in his mind continuously, trying to remain calm when he noticed that some folks changed their path to walk far from him.

He took several deep breaths but he lost it when he hears a group of women gossiping at his back.

"What Y/N found in that man it's such a mystery to me."

"Look at his clothes! And let's talk about his hair, how many years without a proper cut?"

"Y/N can get a better man, isn't he too old for her?"

He started hyperventilating but tried to focus on his list to distract himself, he needed to buy those things, he needed to prove to you he was able to!

He glanced at the selling stalls but his vision started to blur, he was gasping and he was not even aware of it.

The villagers around stop to look at Bruno, someone with a concerning look and others eyeing him from head to toe with apathy, a young boy asked if he needed help but the man flew away, sprinting through the market and heading home as fast as he could.

Bruno was agile and could be a master in stealth if he wanted to, he whispered at Casita to alert no one that he returned, only a floor tile moved in approval and he slipped into your room.

You moved in just a month ago and Bruno was hesitant to let you see his room, knowing that behind his door was not as cosy and comfortable as his sisters' room or cute and tidy as Mirabel's.

His face dropped when he realized that Casita redesigned his room as soon as you entered, the interminable stairs were gone, the same for all that sand everywhere and the creepy stone statues.

The room was way smaller, with a cavern on the left as a bedroom, with a soft king-size bed and a fireplace, there were even some alcoves with candles and small bowls. On the right, a larger space with a doomed roof similar to one of his older rooms, the sands for Bruno to use for his visions was neatly stored in glass jars on wooden shelves and a green crystal-like chandelier hanging from the centre of the doom.

He was so happy that day, unlike that moment, when crying at the lowest volume possible, Bruno laid himself on the bed, curling like a cat.

In the kitchen with Julieta, you wondered how Bruno was doing in the village, while your friend and "almost sister in law" like she liked to call herself around you, was humming and cooking.

You felt that something was off, glancing at Dolores who was making a face your suspects took form.

"Dolores, sweetie, is Bruno home?" You asked her.

The young woman tilted her head on the left and looking in the opposite direction she made a sad expression.

"He is, Y/N...he's in your room, I can hear sobs and the sounds of his tears falling." She whispered.

In a matter of seconds, you were already on the first floor, knocking on Bruno's door and entering without waiting for a reply.

You noticed immediately the empty basket was tossed randomly in the middle of the room, only the crumpled list inside it.

A sound of rustling fabric made you look towards your shared bed and you approach it, Bruno was there sniffing a wiping his eyes.

"Bruno, what happened?" You asked softly, placing a hand on his shoulder.

He went rigid immediately and peaked at you with a half-closed eye, his face mostly covered by his long curly hair.

"I'm so sorry Y/N, so sorry," he said before starting to sob again.

It shattered your heart to see him that way, your lovely and kind man was a trembling mess.

You took both his hands in yours and pulled him up in a sitting position, his legs hanging from the side of your bed, facing you.

"Tell me what's wrong, mi Amor" trying to make him look at you, you placed your fingers under his chin but he cast his eyes down on the floor.

He took a deep breath and cleared his voice

"I lost control, those women at the t-the market, they were right about me, about us...you should-"

You narrowed your eyebrows trying to understand and he continued

"They said that I'm...not the right man for you, I'm older and way too uglier than every man you can have, you d-deserve so much better..." He starter to sob again "Why do you stay with me?"

"Oh Bruno, my beloved and wonderful Bruno. I stay with you because I love you for who you are, you're kind and funny, sweet and loving, you care for your family and protect them at all costs...and your appearance is surely a bonus."

He snapped his eyes on you, incredulous.

"My...appearance?"

"Of course, quieres saber por qué?" You cooed and he nodded uncertainty looking at you with wide eyes when you crouched down at his feet.

"Let's start then...from the bottom,mh?" You kept your voice low and calm, trying to make him relax.

"What about your legs? Your lean and agile legs, I saw you running around and climbing when you and your familia rebuilt Casita" touching and massaging his calves, you rise to his tighs, feeling the muscles beginning to loosen up.

"Your hips, you know I love them...the way you swing them while dancing or even just walking" at that point you were straddling his thigs, Bruno shifted a bit to accommodate you.

When you placed your hands on his belly you felt him tense, that was like hitting a nerve, he know he's underweight and still struggling to recover, after 10 years of only eating leftovers he could find around.

So you moved up to his arms and chest when a strong and fast-beating loving heart was pounding.

"I like your arms because you give the warmest hugs...and your chest, it's not board but has the most precious gem inside it, your heart. I can feel it beating fast...oh! Even faster now." You whispered in his ear and Bruno hid his face in your neck out of embarrassment, but the right kind.

"I like your hair, every soft curl and greying strand, it frames your sweet face and I adore burying my fingers in it" and you did just so.

Making him face you again and staring lovingly at his big brown eyes you saw the same thing reflected.

Bruno was a trembling mess for all other reasons at that point, he felt like putty in your hands.

"Y/N" he whispered, his voice shaking, but you shush him with a finger on his lips.

"I haven't finished yet, mi Hermoso amor...I was going to talk about your mouth, with which you sing the sweetest songs to me and say your impeccable visions, the mouth I can't get enough of while kissing you"

You removed your finger from his lips while being only a millimetre apart, letting Bruno decide if he wanted to close the gap, which he did.

The kiss was sugar sweet and irradiated pure love and adoration, he hooked his arms around your waist to pull you closer, his hands roaming on your back and slipping under your blouse.

You both came up for air hearing Mirabel's cheerful voice from downstairs, calling everyone for lunch.

"Do you...r-really think those things about me, Y/N?" Bruno asked with his big puppy eyes shining on you.

"Oh, I have a lot more to tell you, but that would implicate skipping lunch and we don't want that for sure" you replied with a wide grin.

Bruno reddened from head to toes and shook his head, curls shifting with the rapid movements.

You raise from his lap and offer a hand to him to stand up.

"How about...you tell me the rest later? He suggested.

"I think I could, mi Vida" you confirmed, opening the door and heading together in the kitchen with the rest of your familia.

[nichenarratives]

CHARACTER DISSECTION

MORDECAI HELLER of LACKADAISY

For those unfamiliar with the Lackadaisy comic created and illustrated by Tracy J Butler, the pilot animation developed by Tracy and her team, or the upcoming five-episode series crowdfunded by fans, I highly recommend heading over to check those out before consuming this Niche Narrative. 

St Louis, Missouri

America is deep in the throes of prohibition. Missouri proudly presents its alcohol-drained bars to the rest of America as a shining example of true patriotism in the dark shadows of the First World War. All across America, this same constitutional change forces citizens to surrender their right to free will, inciting dissent even as governments touted the benefits; working harder, earning more, stable family dynamics. The American Dream.

Many loyal Americans were not so convinced and so, they took their needs underground. An entrepreneur in possession of the Daisy Cafe, which was conveniently situated above a vast network of natural caves, Atlas May utilised both his wit and charisma - as well as the charms of his attractive wife, Mitzi - transformed the damp corridors into a vivacious playground even a most pedantic officer would overlook for a measure of fine whiskey.

The Lackadaisy Speakeasy was born, and she flourished for half a decade.

Though Atlas was not naive; he knew market exclusivity was limited and as such, the businessman quite wisely surrounded himself with the formidable associates one would expect from a smuggling operation; Viktor, a former Slovakian soldier built like a bearcat and Mordecai, a sharpshooting jack of all trades known for cooking books and cracking safes on the side. With those sour faces punctuated by a smattering of colourful characters to form the band and run errands, the Lackadaisy Speakeasy flourished in the bowels of St Louis, mostly undisturbed, through much of the twenties.

Mordecai (left) with Mitzi and Atlas May (centre), celebrating the New year in 1926 with Lackadaisy staff months before Atlas’ death

Until tragedy struck; Atlas met a gruesome end at the hands of an unknown assassin. Yet what was already a crippling blow to the Lackadaisy crew would only fester and rot in the months to come. Rumours would flow of Mitzi May’s involvement in Atlas’ death, tarnishing her reputation and seeing clients peel away from the establishment with concerning velocity. In the wake of financial struggle, bills mount up and hopes turn sour, until even an employee abandons the establishment for their main competitor, leaving the Lackadaisy corpse little more than brittle bones and dust.

This deserter, who abandoned his mistress in her time of need, going so far as to disable a former friend and comrade in the process? He is Mordecai Heller, a stray Atlas saved from past repercussions and trusted.

What remains to be explained is simple. Why? A secretive, astute man with impeccable posture, little patience for anything superfluous and a sour expression permanently affixed to his features, Mordecai is not someone most would approach for a conversation, but an unwillingness - or perhaps an inability - to conform to societal norms and blatant treachery are not mutually exclusive. 

In this Niche Narrative, we’re going down the Mordecai Heller rabbit hole. Using every official Lackadaisy edition, mini strip, the Lackawiki plus my own research, we’re going to unravel the motives to explain how he became the Mordecai Heller portrayed in the comic series, why he decided to commit atrocities for both Atlas and the Mirabel Hotel and finally, if he could ever redeem himself in the eyes of former comrades, based on the information currently available.

Make some tea, grab a snack and get comfortable. We’re about to dissect Mordecai Heller, the principal antagonist of Lackadaisy.

Humble Beginnings

According to the Lackadaisy Wiki, Mordecai Heller was born on the 28th of March in 1899 in New York City. Not much is known about his parents beyond their first names - Issaac and Tzipporah - and that they are first generation German-Jewish immigrants. The eldest of four children and their only son, Mordecai would become the man of the house at the tender age of eleven after his father suffered a stroke and never recovered. His youngest sibling would also die in infancy, leaving three children and their mother living in abject poverty.

We don’t know if Mordecai was close with his father, but by how seriously he took his role as provider, we can extrapolate that he cared far more for his family than his adult persona leads most to believe him capable of. Utilising an inborn penchant for order and an efficacy with numbers, Mordecai became a bookie soon after his father’s passing, scraping together enough money to keep his family afloat while his mother assumedly raised him and his sisters.

Left to right; Esther (9), Rose (5), and a severe-faced Mordecai (11) pose with their Mother, holding his infant sibling, on the steps to their home.

Years later, Mordecai would realise there's more money to be made in the city. The exact trigger for this escalation is unclear, but we can guarantee it wasn't greed after many years of remaining loyal to his mother and sisters. Most likely, increasing demands on his meagre earnings caused shortages, and with the conviction he's already proven to possess, the young cat made a questionable decision; to murder an employer's underling and take his place in the hierarchy in 1916.

While tenuous and arguably shortsighted, this new position gave Mordecai intimate access to his boss' accounts, and the tuxedo cat didn't hesitate to embezzle funds into savings for his family. It reeks of naive desperation an adult Mordecai would likely scoff at, but for a kitten trying to support his family, it was a lifeline. 

As expected, Mordecai's deception is swiftly uncovered. He's next seen riding the train south sometime between 1917 and 1920 with just the clothes on his back and a bloody nose, desperately attempting to scribble a letter to his mother. Detailing the location of the money he's stashed, as well as urging her and his sisters to move to better housing, it's hastily stamped and postage requested by a stranger, though Tracy has confirmed this edition of his final letter didn't make it to the mail; he drafted a cleaner one at a later date.

Watching the young man scramble to send this final goodbye is heart wrenching, showing just how much affection he carried for his family. He practically condemned himself to death to procure those funds and at just seventeen, he leaves behind not only his family, but the only city he's ever known. It seems Mordecai might perish on the train that night too, given the unsavoury characters in the carriage.

That is until divine intervention - or perhaps a spirit of old - swoops in at the last moment, changing the course of Mordecai's life forever. Taking the proffered olive branch, the young feline would enter an underworld even darker than the one chasing his coat tails, and that is where his story truly begins.

Appearance

Mordecai Heller cuts a fine figure in a tailored, black three piece suit with a blood red tie slicing his otherwise monochromatic profile from neck to chest, an iconic pair of pince-nez adding to his glare. He often wears a broad brim hat and a black trench coat, often concealing a shoulder holster equipped with his weapon of choice; the cold efficiency of a handgun.

Standard attire, including a Marigold pin.

Despite his status as a sharpshooter, Mordecai has congenital myopia and has worn glasses since entering education. Given myopia causes long-sightedness, it's assumed he is somewhat effective in his profession without them, but they are a fixture in his everyday attire likely due to his fondness for reading, accountancy and of course, simple habit. 

While not physically gifted, Mordecai's intellect is well above average, a childhood of reading in solitude affording him a diverse vocabulary that leads to verbose, complicated responses to simple inquiries.

Having grown up impoverished, Mordecai takes great pride in his appearance as an adult and, regardless of circumstance, is usually seen in a three piece suit. He has few occasions to dress informally due to his lifestyle, though there are a few interactions that suggest he would not be caught dead in casual attire regardless:

Tracy once discovered Mordecai dressed up to use an electric iron, because he felt such an occasion deserved respect.

Serafine recently carved a Voodou glyph into Mordecai's chest against his will. It can be seen to stain his collared shirt for some time after, even while conducting private investigations into Atlas' death.

Having used them in the past, 'Mordecai Heller' is assumed to be an alias, though no real name has been shared. This was likely a calculated move to protect his family from the backlash his questionable practices may incur. His only other known alias was Elijah Metzger - 'Butcher' - a fitting name given his hatchet-wielding future.

Relationships of Note

For a man who actively chose not to interact with most people, Mordecai developed quite a list of close relationships during his time at the Lackadaisy Speakeasy. Not yet the dignified feline of the web comic, these relationships - particularly early ones - helped shape Mordecai into the man he was when Atlas May was murdered. 

Let's break down the most influential, starting with the obvious.

Atlas May

It would be impossible to reflect on the man we know as Mordecai Heller without exploring his relationship with the man that saved his life on that train ride. A quiet man with an expressive brow, Atlas possesses the life experience to recognise a young man in need of assistance and the skill to offer it without a word. With just a glance, a heartbeat, and a firearm left within a discarded newspaper, Atlas May provided Mordecai with the tool needed to break free of fate and seize control of his destiny.

Atlas May (right) with Mordecai Heller soon after his recruitment

There's little information regarding the four years between their first interaction on a train in the late 1910s and the Lackadaisy Speakeasy opening in 1920. Before becoming an entrepreneur of illicit substances, Atlas is known as a restauranteur, already owning the Little Daisy Cafe above the caves that would eventually disguise the true nature of his business when prohibition law came into full force in 1920. 

With his affinity for bookkeeping, it's feasible Mordecai was kept on to manage the accounts at the Little Daisy Cafe, though his history with embezzlement and bookkeepers lends itself to illicit trading. Mordecai is hardly recruited in the traditional way either, which only convinces me further that there was something going on beforehand. Sadly, we have no definitive evidence of either his or Atlas' dealings beyond together until 1920.

Regardless of the goods involved or seemingly the job required, Mordecai was devoted to his service until his untimely death in 1926. 

A young man in a new city and emancipated from his family for their protection, Atlas May becomes a veritable anchor. Under his service and guided deeper into the roaring underbelly of the city, Mordecai can be seen to fully take shape into the character we know, actively adopting a disinterested, flat tone and permanent scowl likely modelled off Atlas' own business appearance.

It's possible Atlas became a surrogate father figure to Mordecai, whose own father passed away when he was just a kitten. Additionally, little contact with his family since he fled New York places those at the Lackadaisy not only as the young man's found family, but Atlas as his role model, especially as he's newly introduced to the St Louis underworld.

There's limited resources in regard to both his personal and professional relationship with Atlas May, but what can be heavily inferred is a deep respect extending beyond simple loyalty. It's suggested Atlas helped Mordecai deal with some of his past pursuers, potentially indebting his life to the entrepreneur once more. 

Even after abandoning Lackadaisy for greener pastures, Mordecai actively conducts private enquiries while working for Mirabel Hotel, going so far as to conceal an intended target of Asa Sweet to question him further.

Whilst conducting these enquiries, Mordecai is seen in his least composed state; he lacks his waistcoat and suit jacket, his shirt is stained with blood where his chest still bleeds and he looks generally dishevelled. He agrees with the notion his new position may consist of tying up the loose ends of Atlas' death, and it troubles Mordecai greatly this could be true.

Taking this obsession into account, he seems to carry some level of guilt alluding to the snippet of information yet to be revealed he and Mitzi discussed. Atlas May was, and remains, one of the prominent influences in Mordecai Heller's actualisation as a career criminal, even after his death.

Mitzi May

From references, Mordecai's entire relationship with Mitzi is deeply intertwined in his association with Atlas. As the man's wife and confidante, Mitzi was a fixture at the Daisy Cafe and now owns the Lackadaisy Speakeasy, making her Mordecai's boss when he defected to the Marigolds for unknown reasons. Besides this affiliation though, their interactions are often a joke at Mordecai’s expense.

Mitzi and Mordecai were never friends - nor did he ever view her as family - as from the outset, she did not respect his boundaries. An early interaction showcases this as Mitzi takes photos of him as he tries to work, for no other reason than she wanted Mordecai to do something other than scowl. She achieves this by teasing him, stating how his oversized shirt makes his arms look disproportionately short.

She can also be seen teasing him for a lack of social skills, inviting young ladies to persevere in engaging him to dance, despite his lack of interest. Needless to say, it did not go well, and such arguably petulant behaviour likely bred resentment against Mitzi that soured after her husband's death.

Any remnants of a personal relationship were shattered when Mordecai betrayed Mitzi's trust in spectacular fashion. Not only did he empty the armoury on his way out, but shot out the knee of former friend and remaining sharp shooter, Viktor Vasco. She has no reservations bringing it up when forced to face Mordecai at a luncheon with Asa Sweet and as a testament to their sour relationship, refers to Mordecai's presence as 'salt in the wound.' Mordecai ultimately excuses himself early.

A rare candid photograph of Mordecai, checking the length of his arms. (credit: Mitzi May)

Perhaps their only shared interest was Atlas. Though for entirely different reasons, the pair both idolised him in life and remain fixated on his untimely demise. 

We learn a lot about Atlas' death during a terse, private exchange in Mitzi's car after the forced luncheon. It's revealed they possess information regarding Atlas' death neither has shared with their respective associates. Additionally, Mordecai can't quite explain why Marigold is acting so aggressively when there is almost no competition in St Louis and most interestingly, and a flashback frame shows them exchanging a firearm in the rain, though the circumstances are unclear.

Mordecai gets nothing useful from Mitzi, and the conversation culminates in two important things to note; reminders that Mordecai considers her complicit in Atlas' death and to stay under the Marigold's radar, as he won't hesitate to truly ruin all that remains of Lackadaisy if tasked. It's safe to say their only connection has always been Atlas May. Even after his murder is solved, there's almost no space for reconciliation, nor is Mordecai likely to return to Lackadaisy if the establishment survives. 

Viktor Vasko

If Mordecai were to call anyone a friend, Viktor Vasko would be the most likely name on his lips. While the word has likely never been spoken, there's an arsenal of evidence to support the hypothesis, both while working and at rest, but let's explore their history before we get into the intricacies of their current tumultuous state.

After receiving help from Atlas May for his court case and freshly missing an eye, Viktor Vasko joined the Lackadaisy crew in 1920. Mordecai had been associated with Atlas for four years before this date and was an established part of the company at the Little Daisy Cafe above. It's during this time, guided by Atlas' smuggling ventures, their partnership took shape.

From left to right; Mordecai, Atlas May and Viktor Vasko

One of their earliest misadventures can be seen here, at the climax of what is aptly titled the Massacre. We might assume soon after Viktor's recruitment, as it's a rare glimpse of Mordecai seemingly trying to understand how someone else thinks and functions, all while Viktor pulls a litany of confused expressions, the pair covered in their victims' blood.

It suggests he somewhat admired or felt kinship with the older feline and was attempting to be funny, though Mordecai's sense of humour is… lacking, at the best of times. Viktor just doesn't seem sure what to make of it, but evidently isn't opposed to the idea, as there's evidence of a more personal relationships later.

A flashback within the comic itself shows their choreographed teamwork on assignment, early in their partnership. Although Atlas is pictured alongside Viktor and Mordecai in the aftermath, it's obvious the devilish duo deal with the dirty work themselves, assassinating operatives and burning their rival operation to the ground.

Mordecai also makes missteps, falling from the second storey during a shootout and losing his pince nez, then asserting that had been his intention the entire time to a brawling Viktor. In an early show of comoradare, after setting the place alight, Viktor retrieves the lost spectacles and returns them to their owner.

While it's rumoured a piece of shrapnel could be responsible for Mordecai's social shortcomings, he's been remarkably oblivious to social cues since childhood, which reflects in his own lack of expressions. While Mitzi has given offered him guidance (and set him up for failure) in the past, it's Viktor giving constructive criticism of his interpretations that shows how close they were, even if it results in a minor argument and a terrifying display for the poor recipient.

As they become more comfortable, they express their personalities more openly, leading to this gem while driving an ill-fated third feline to their doom. Mordecai doesn't beat around the bush this time with expectations, both for Viktor and their passenger. It causes quite a scene and the car barrels down into a cornfield, but this also provides a quick-fix opportunity to dump their cargo there and peace is restored.

Frequently tasked with the less glamorous jobs smuggling entailed, Mordecai and Viktor spent a lot of time in each other's company cleaning up for Atlas. This culminates in a number of almost farcical anecdotes much like this or the snippet below, where their shared disdain for a yapping chihuahua results in the dog digging itself an early grave.

A dog, having offended both Mordecai and Viktor, being forced to dig its own grave

With Atlas' death, everything changed. There's not much information beforehand, but we know how Mordecal left the Lackadaisy Speakeasy; by emptying the armoury and kneecapping Viktor. He claimed this to convince the veteran to retire when Mitzi brought it up bitterly at luncheon, stating: "that's how one reasons with Viktor."

At first glance the move seems calculated and cold, especially considering the state Lackadaisy fell into with accusations of Mitzi's involvement in her husband's death. If there's any truth in his assertions however - and Mordecai isn't one to lie or mislead - he likely believed it the only way to keep Viktor from being a future target while he worked with the Mirabel Hotel.

It's confirmed that emptying the armoury was ordered by Asa Sweet during Luncheon, which crippled the Lackadaisy's ability to retaliate. Along with attempting to retire Viktor and warning Mitzi to lay low for the foreseeable future, this undermines his often cold exterior and belies affections he used to afford to family… and perhaps, that is what they are, even if he despises having those loyalties.

Regardless of his motives, Mordecai has backed himself into a corner with Viktor. The veteran is a formidable foe even with one working knee. Should their paths cross again, I doubt it will be resolved as amicably as previous altercations, and likely hinges on the contents of their last interaction as tentative friends.

Asa Sweet

A pompous, self centred man in charge of the Mirabel Hotel, Asa Sweet isn't the usual kind Mordecai is used to keeping company with. In fact, they seem to despise each other in every scene they're forced to interact, with Ada's clear mockery of his character breeding irritation in Mordecai on a daily basis. Unfortunately, as the tuxedo cat's direct boss, they converse often and almost exclusively to Mordecai's detriment.

Asa Sweet mocking Modecai’s capacity for emotional breadth

The Marigold Room was already well established by the time Atlas began his own ventures, the entrepreneur visiting its halls and even pilfering Mitzi and her band from their lineup. Practices that could breed a bloody resentment when in the smuggling and bootleg trades. 

Mordecai is previously pictured in the Marigold Room with Atlas and Mitzi, assumedly not at his request given his disdain for idle socialisation. He could have been there to accompany Atlas to deal with Asa if we employ conjecture. There's another photo of Asa Sweet and Atlas May sat at the bar, seeming to smoke cigars and talk amicably, so they were likely friends.

This friendship extends to business, established at the luncheon with mention of suppliers the other would not touch. It should be noted it's also stated these agreements were with Atlas, not Mitzi, and Asa shows no remorse for trading with previously protected Lackadaisy sources after her husband's death. 

Incidentally, Asa claims he warned Atlas about bad blood beforehand. Mordecai tries to draw more information about this from his new employer but ultimately fails, leading him to begin private investigations that utilise one of Asa Sweet's intended targets, Gracie Grombach, to get the name of a potentially involved parole officer he's yet to meet.

Despite Asa Sweet's stature, Mordecai makes no attempt to pander to his new boss when they converse. Most likely because they usually end in a joke at Mordecai's expense; constant jabs at facial expression, apparent lack of empathy, social inadequacies and even the hatchet joke are but the tip of the iceberg, amounting almost to a vendetta against the pilfered sharpshooter.

There's no respect or loyalty to Asa. Known for not suffering fools lightly and being ruthless in his management of others, Mordecai probably has few motives for accepting employment with the Marigold Room, only one of which makes sense with the information at hand: he's certain that Asa or an associate of the Mirabel Hotel has more information regarding Atlas' death, which he intends to bleed out of whoever necessary.

I feel it can be said with confidence that, even with an inadequate motive, Mordecai wouldn't hesitate to put a bullet between Ada's eyes. 

Allegedly.

Nicodeme and Serafine Savoy

Being relatively new to the comic, there’s little information to analyse between the tuxedo cat and the Nicodeme or Serafine. Regardless, these interactions showcase Mordecai’s apparent contempt for the pair and how they operate, especially the loud manner in which they manage dealing with the Lackadaisy crew in the show’s pilot. His serious, logical nature clashes with their spirit beliefs and even their characters frequently.

An example of Mordecai’s general reaction to either of the Savoy siblings, Nicodeme pictured

While Mordecai expresses a desire to know more about Nico and Serafine, it is for his own knowledge and not an attempt to make friends. He does not seem to fear them, nor does he respect them, a sentiment that extends both ways. The siblings often make jokes at his expense, or criticise his inability to have fun on the job, which only ever causes Mordecai to scowl. 

Nicodeme is a few years older than his sister Serafine, though they both speak with a lazy drawl with a heavy Cajun accent that is almost identical. It’s established that the siblings were orphaned young and ended up at a segregated home, whereupon they decided to run away rather than be separated. It’s here they claim to have been led by Maitre Carrefour - a swamp spirit the siblings believe to be ever-present in their lives - to safety with Voodoo practitioners in the swamps.

It’s noted in the Lackawiki that Serfaine has become somewhat of a Voodoo priestess in her own right, skewing or rewriting established superstitions to form her own sect of Voodoo beliefs and practices. Of the two, Nicodeme is relaxed and laid back, while Serafine has arguably the strongest character and possesses some ambition, though what those ambitions will ultimately lead to have yet to be established.

Headhunted from a rival bootlegging operation by Asa Sweet, the Cajun siblings are assigned to Mordecai to assist with his current work, which has yet to be confirmed. Mordecai suspects he may be cleaning up loose ends in regard to Atlas’ murder or perhaps a wider conspiracy, but has not shared this with Serafine and Nicodeme. He does not trust them, nor does he like them, and willingly conducts work alone when he’s able to shake the pair for a while.

On one of their earliest engagements together, Serafine and Nicodeme convince the stoic feline to strip down to his underwear and create a veritable mess with a hatchet to murder Asa’s newest targets. It’s later disclosed that this was a joke, but once he complied neither of them wanted to stop him. Asa Sweet can be heard in the Lackadaisy pilot episode referring to Mordecai as the ‘infamous hatchet man’, proving the siblings did not keep this joke to themselves.

Imagery of Maitre Carrefour over Mordecai as he nurses his ‘gift’, while Nico and Serafine watch on

Despite his lack of interest in their beliefs and lifestyle, Serafine and Nicodeme were not so disenchanted. They see within Mordecai something akin to themselves, a lost soul led to salvation, truly believing Maitre Carrefour altered the tuxedo cat’s course through life so he would interact with theirs. Either for Mordecai’s future success or a loyalty to the spirit, they trick Mordecai into joining a celebration in His name and share their history with Maitre Carrefour, implying the dozen others in attendance have all been saved at some point in their lives, then invite Mordecai to join them.

Mordecai refuses, sceptical of their claims and not inclined to befriend the siblings. He actively objects multiple times and even attempts to leave, however finds himself outnumbered and ultimately forced to comply, receiving a painful souvenir of the party; Maitre Carrefour’s protection glyph, carved into the flesh over his heart. 

Core Personality

At his core, Mordecai is intelligent and clinical, able to evaluate large volumes of data within a short space of time and react swiftly to protect both himself and those who possess his respect, though it is not easily earned. Should you be privileged enough to possess his respect, you'll find the frosty feline loyal almost to a fault.

Friendliness doesn't come naturally to Mordecai, but with his respect comes an undying loyalty. This can be seen in his continued investigations into Atlas' death, focused entirely on the man he respected and not the widow he disliked. He has no loyalty to Lackadaisy as a whole, only to the man he respected while alive.

Affection is difficult for Mordecai. His expression of it is usually through thoughtful gifts or action, such as a gifted tie or unquestioningly following orders. He has little sentimentality for things or gifts himself, keeping very few belongings other than clothing, nor bothers to invoke sentiments in others. They simply make him uncomfortable.

Mordecai prides himself in clean effectiveness in all aspects of his life. He does not like to be idle, choosing to trade stocks to boost his earnings and keep his mind busy. Gossip and needless socialisation bore him, as do parties, meetings and luncheons that don't achieve a purpose.

A focused individual, Mordecai despises mess or idleness, preferring to keep busy between jobs by trading stocks and keeping meticulous books for his own benefit. He possesses little patience for wasting resources and has a very dry sense of humour, often misunderstanding social cues and remaining oblivious of the true meaning.

Despite all of this, he can be distracted by his own unique preferences for order or symmetry, becomes so obsessive over Atlas May's death he actively undermines what Lackadaisy has left to get a shoe in with a competitor, and is often construed as rude or insulting in conversation.

Motives: Lackadaisy to Marigold Employee

While it's not exactly mentioned, it's possible he left Lackadaisy for financial reasons as well as to pursue his own investigation of Atlas' death. With swirling rumours of Mitzi being involved and their smuggling routes being muscled into by competitors, the Lackadaisy Speakeasy was on the verge of bankruptcy, leaving Mitzi unable to pay any wages when Mordecai left.

Emptying the armoury wasn't his own decision, but an order by his new boss, one he would need to complete to earn trust and wages at his new job. While it would further condemn his old establishment to closure, Mordecai's loyalty died with Atlas, leaving few conflicts of interest for the feline sharpshooter to consider.

It's possible he left solely to investigate Atlas' death more thoroughly and suspecting Sweet of involvement, agreed to a deal when offered the job transfer. In this possibility, he's using both his former and current employers to further his own ends, regardless of the consequences, but we have yet to have this clarified.

Mordecai Heller: Man or Monster?

Mordecai Heller is a product of past decisions, opportunities and active influences. He did what he had to to survive, afforded any who assisted him lifelong friendship and offered no apologies for atrocities committed, even against those he used to call accomplices, or even friends.

While he appears uncaring and detached, those who know Mordecai can tease the sentiments from his carefully devised actions. He does not enjoy killing or causing pain, doing so only in his own self interests - or the employer with the most generous wages.

He's lost his best friend, the family he found, all for his obsessive need to uncover the truth of Atlas' early demise. Deciphering the truth of the mystery that plagues his every waking moment and enacting revenge on the responsible parties might afford Mordecai peace, but it won't repair the bonds severed by leaving at such a crucial time in Lackadaisy's uncertain future.

I believe Mordecai has condemned himself to an emotional solitude he thinks will be tolerable if it means he solves his former employer's death. In reality it will likely drive him mad, but he and Rocky will have more to talk about at the next reunion.

Appendixes:

Lesser Influences:

While Rocky Rickaby has some documented history with Mordecai while he worked at Lackadaisy, the pair don't have much of a rapport otherwise. Rocky is eccentric, loud and a little unhinged, all things Mordecai tends to distance himself from. Rocky even has a nickname for him - ‘Old Serious Face’ - that is not affectionately reciprocated. It should be noted he’s willing to shoot Rocky in the pilot, but misses his chance.

Knowing that Ivy Pepper is Atlas’ goddaughter, it makes sense he has some affection for the girl, even if it’s not overtly expressed. They’re not seen to converse directly in the comic or the pilot, though Mordecai consciously decides not to shoot her as she, Rocky and Freckle are fleeing with bootleg liquor. He doesn’t disclose this to anyone after the fact, instead stating the mission simply went awry.

Author's Note

Some of this information was a real struggle to dig up and took about a week to compile, but writing this has been mostly fun. Mordecai has been an obsession since a good friend got me to watch the pilot about a month ago, but I felt his character needed more deciphering than the Wikipedia pages could give me, so this exists now. I hope this was an interesting read for someone, other than myself.

[yellowcry]

Cornplate

I heard about Encanto from one of my friends. Luckily, my local shop just had cheap copies

A crack fic because why not?

I remember it as if it happened yesterday. Probably because it happened yesterday.

I was shopping in our local cheap convenience store, when my eyes spotted something. A CD with Encanto. A Disney Movie my friend didn't stop talking about. I was somehow intrigued as she really praised it. Part of me was surprised. It was 2024, who the hell uses CD disks in that time?

Luckily, my parents hadn't update our PC since before my birth, so it wasn't a problem.

For my huge relief, it was at markdown. How could anyone miss a chance like this?

The first thing that made me feel uncomfortable happened when I unpacked the box at home. Some idiots decided that, apparently, putting two covers was a brilliant idea. They looked exactly the same, only that the second was black and white.... Okay, maybe it FAR from exactly the same. But anyway, it was cheap. There probably would be some defects.

So, as I had beaten up the computer system unit to make it run and inserted a disk, the image immediately floated. CRAP! It's a virus... PC is probably dest—

"Hola," I froze, staring at the screen. Seeing a young man in here. "You had found a true version of the movie. The one that Disney had tried to destroy." Okay, what the heck? "Please, spread this version, the world has to knpw the truth about my wife and descendants."

Okay, why does it sound like I'm in some cheap creepypasta story?

I had leaned back in my chair, opening a pack of snack. Well, I had to do the best comfort, right?

A corn growing in a pot appeared on the screen.

"Open your eyes." An old woman asked, holding a girl. The magic corn of the Madrigal family? What? What are stories are they doing these days...

The visual was showing a young old woman (not really old then) and a man that I had seen in the beginning standing in a burning field. The entire food was destroyed. But then a man dropped dead because why not and one last corn grew bright and created a huge field.

"When my children came of age, the corn had given them magic gifts to serve our fields!" I listened to the explanation, intrigued. I wonder what would a girl's gift be.

Time switched to a years later. Pacing through the routine where a Tía Pepa rains on the crops. Julieta cooks. Dolores listens to the parasites. Camilo shapeshifts to have better physical strength. Isabela grows corn and Luisa plows the land. Such a good strong family! Everyone has a... What do you mean Mirabel doesn't have a gift??

Apparently, her door had dissapeared! Poor girl, but at least her family does really good even so. Mirabel is really sweet! She's such a good prima to Tonito! And she had even make a plush corn for him!

Gladly, Antonio got a gift. I breathed out with relief, knowing that the family was good.

But then... The family took a picture with corn... They took it all and Mirabel hadn't get any! Really sad... I wish her all corn in the world!

WHAT?? THE CORN IS WITHERING?? Oh no! What if they'll be left without any food? But once Mirabel calls everyone, everything looks fine. But it was definitely wrong ten seconds ago?

Honestly, this family just couldn't't catch a break. Abuela confirmed that the corn is indeed in danger. And at the next morning Luisa acted really off.

Oh, I guess being forced to work all day wasn't fun. I thought she was happy being useful, but she is breaking from the weight of a plow on her shoulders. At least we now knew about a vision.

Bruno's room looked awful. So abandoned. You can't grow anything in here. And lots of stairs! Too many for it to be legal! And the vision has Mirabel. Of course, it's always the protagonist in the centre of everything.

Tía Pepa told how her brother ruined her wedding corn but making ber rain too hard. She ended up flooding it. And while Mirabel was bisy with a vision the family did... something. Either preparing for the dinner or crying because her gift and corn are withering.

Mirabel in a empty field. Crap, it so tense! I bit my finger, waiting for the outcome.

The dinner was disastrous. All corn is rotting! Everyone saw Mirabel in a vision. And rats grabbed it taking it into the walls! Whre a strange man lives. Honestly, if I was Mirabel, I would immediately move the hell outta here. I mean, sure, it's her Tío. But why the hell does house have an apartment inside its walls??

No, dude, I understand everything, but how tf did you manage to live in the freaking walls for ten years? Oh, well, I probably should had expected that.

They take another vision where Mirabel hugs Isabela. Honestly, Isa was pretty rude through most of the movie. But that's what siblings are for.

Their talk grows into another musical number where Isabela makes a corn that looks like somebody had injected drugs into it. Pretty normal, I'm seeing it every odd Tuesday.

The moment where Mirabel and Abuela are arguing are literally makes me cry. And the corn is all dead! NO, NO, MIRA, SWEETY, DON'T GO!

At the next morning we get to see Abuela's story. The loss of her husband made her too closed and protective. And feeling like thay have to deserve the food. I had never thought Abuela had suffered so much...

But, together the family can make a new field even without their gift! And, what's even better, the entire village goes to help. They wanted to pay back after all those years of food supply from the Madrigals.

In the end of the day, they are family. And they are in it together. This movie needs to stop being so damn sweet, or I'm gonna flood my floor with tears like I'm Pepa.

The magic returns? But, now, the Madrigals are imperfect! I hope they will get even better!

How could Disney lie about the true version? They so annoying! No, listen, guys, how about we sue them to make a true version of Encanto get the fame it deserves?

[girl-intrigued]

Just watched Encanto and oh my god oh my god the way everyone forgets to include mirabel in the family photo, the way everyone doesn't talk about Bruno but no one ever thinks why he went away or how he is doing, luisa must always be strong, isa must be perfect, everyone should have a gift, mirabel must not mess anything up,bruno gives up living with his family for mirabel, the way bruno sees his family through a crack and eats with them, bruno secretly filling up the cracks while abuela thinks he hurts the family, the embrace and reconciliation between Isabela and mirabel so fucking sweet, abuela and mirabel getting together, abuela's past her losing her husband and the suffering with it, mirabel being the gift herself, she doesn't need the gift because the gifts are for the people and people are not for the gifts, abuela hugging bruno, townspeople helping madrigals built their home,mirabel being the centre of the new family photo along with bruno and me crying as fuck

[superconductivebean]

#1383: nellie oggspire headcanons - 1?

Imelda Reyes: >>>1 || >>>2 (nsfw) || >>>3 || >>>4 || >>>5 || >>>6 || >>>7 Poppy Sweeting: >>>1 || >>>2 || >>>3 || >>>4 Sebastian Sallow: >>>1 Mirabel Garlick: >>>1

Once again raising my head from the Brainrot fog to share some character headcanons with the world. Brainrot is a fic I’m working on.

Has been a while since I posted any of this, hc request is of more than a month ago. Oops. So much have happened in just a month.

Anyway.

tags: @thriftstorebabayaga @celestial--sapphic @ozunafieldguide

A chaser for Gryffindor House team;

Sportsy, ever-eager, but can feel dumbfounded if a problem isn't of a sport kind. She's a good field thinker(? is that a word);

Has been to all Hogwarts towers' tops. Didn't mind the detentions but was concerned when became a centre of the controversy unfolded: which tower was the tallest. She had won Ravenclaws' sympathy after confirming their tower was the second tallest;

Brainrot: In a rivalry kind of relationship with Imelda;

Brainrot: It started in Charms class after Imelda failed to heed Ronen's advice about not overdo the spellwork. Given the nature of his class — lessons are gamified — Imelda naturally takes them as a challenge. Ronen thinks she's overly competitive, Nellie thinks she's obtuse at realising school should be fun. When she said that, Imelda imploded;

Brainrot: Their on-field rivalry is a lot more subtle, however, they're treating Quidditch serious enough to gain respect for their opponents;

Is good at practical magic and spacial awareness;

Is bad at reaction time hence the chaser position. Too slow for the seeker and keeper;

Doesn't really hide the fact she is able to walk on walls. She's faster this way but can't help but mention castle walls are a lot more windswept than the grounds every now and then;

Brainrot: The spell she uses for the wall-walking isn't of her own making but not many people can successfully cast it, let along put it on something. She's frequently asked to cast it on footwear of the construction workers with repair&maintenance jobs;

Brainrot: As some spells are harder to place on objects or clothes, able witches and wizards are always in-demand for their skill, and it grants them a steady flow of gigs. Implying that after their death the items of their casting become rare and more expensive; it may remain so after the re-emergence of the skill-bearer because two mages will likely charm and bewitch very differently.

[hurt-comfort-lover]

Mirabel AU / Mirabel Angst / Mama Mirabel / Part Nine

Back at the party, Tonito was having a fun time with his friends and his animal friends. He was so excited to have his own gift and his own room. The only sad part is that he wouldn’t share a room with Mirabel anymore. He looked around and realized he couldn’t find his Mira. He tugged on his mami’s dress.

“Mami, where’s Mira?”

“I don’t know Tonito, why don’t you ask your sister?”

“Ok, gracias.” He said as he ran off to find Dolores, he found her in the back dancing with Camilo. He tapped his sister gently, and she turned around and smiled at him. Though it faltered when she saw the look on his face.

“Do you know where Mira is? I can’t find Mira,” he said with tears in his eyes.

“It’s a bit loud but I should be able to find her,” Dolores said as she closed her eyes and listened. Camilo gently patted Antonio’s head.

“Until she finds her, you can hang out with your super cool older brother.”

“I want Mira,” he said. Camilo deflated a bit,

“Ouch, child’s honesty I guess.”

“Lo siento ‘milo, I just want to see her.”

“I know, no hard feelings,” Camilo said.

“I hear her in the nursery, she’s crying,” Dolores said nonchalantly. Camilo gave her a look.

“What?!” Antonio exclaimed. 

“What? I don’t know what you expect. This is the first ceremony since her failed one,” Dolores said. Antonio scrunched his eyebrows,

“I’m going to the nursery.” He said as he walked off. Camilo followed him, 

“Wait! Mami will kill me if we leave you alone.”

“Then you can come with me,” Antonio said. They walked to the nursery and Antonio knocked on the door. He could hear her sniffling from the outside.

“Please just… leave,” she said as she wiped the tears off her face. She didn’t want her Mami or Abuela to see her like this. 

“Mira, why are you crying?” Mirabel jumped, realizing it was Antonio. She quickly opened the door, her eyes were red from crying, and there were tear stains on her cheeks.

“Tonito? What are you doing here? You should be at your party.”

“I was sad 'cause you weren’t there. Why are you crying? Is it because I got my gift?”

“NO! Never Tonito. I’m so very happy you got your gift, I’m so proud of you. You need to go back though.”

“Why can’t you come?” He asked with pleading eyes.

“I would just ruin the mood,” she laughed pitifully, “I was just sad but now I’m ok, so you can have fun at your party all right?” Mirabel said.

“You wouldn’t ruin the mood,” Camilo added.

“Hola Camilo, and gracias but it’s ok. It’s better if I stay here.” Tears began to well into Antonio’s eyes and Mirabel bent down and gave him a hug.

“Don’t be sad Tonito, if it’s what you want, I’ll come. It’s your birthday, remember?” she asked as she released him from the hug.

“So you will?” He pleaded.

“Si, but not for long.”

“Gracias Mira, I want you to meet my new animal friends!”

Antonio continued to chat with Mirabel, listing off all their names, and what species they were. Camilo was looking at Mirabel though. The sad empty look in her eyes, made his stomach turn. He could never imagine being in her place, as terrible as it sounded. Before they got back to the party Abuela stormed up to the three of them.

“Mirabel? Didn’t your Mami tell you to rest in your bedroom?”

“Si, bu-”

“And instead you take Antonio away from his party?”

“No-”

“Just…!” she sighed. “Go back to your room, I’ll take Tonito back to the party,” Abuela finished. Camilo was about to argue, but Antonio got to it first.

“I left the party, she didn’t take me.”

“Why Tonito? If there was something the matter you should’ve told me or your Mami.”

“I wanted Mira to be at the party with me.” He said as he held her hand tighter. 

“Si, Tonito. Mirabel, just don’t mess anything up por favor.”

“Si Abuela,” Mirabel said as Abuela walked away. Camilo was confused and almost angry for Mirabel. What did Abuela mean by “don’t mess anything up”? They got back to the party and Camilo was still thinking when Dolores flicked him on the forehead.

“OW! What was that for?!”

“What are you thinking about? You’re acting weird.” She said,

“You didn’t have to flick me to ask that.”

“I know.” She smirked, “Now what’s the matter with you?”

“Mirabel,” he said.

“What about her?”

“When Antonio brought Mirabel back with him Abuela accused her of taking Antonio away from the party, when she found out what happened she just told Mirabel to not ‘mess anything up,’ it doesn’t sit right with me.

“Abuela just doesn’t like Mirabel,” she said bluntly.

“That’s not fair though. What did she do?”

“Nothing. It’s not Mirabel’s fault, she couldn’t control it. Abuela just doesn’t like her. Probably thinks of Mirabel as a bad omen since she didn’t get a gift I guess. I’m not saying it’s right, but it’s the truth.”

“Can’t we do something?” Camilo asked.

“I’ve learned that in these kinds of situations, you shouldn’t get involved. It’s not our business so we shouldn’t interfere.”

After everyone had left and she had helped clean up, she went to go to bed, but before she could go Antonio asked her if he could stay with her until he fell asleep. So that’s what she did. She sat by his bed, next to his jaguar, waited until she heard his little snores, and went to the nursery. She grabbed out a notebook Senora Gabriela gave to her, and wrote down all the negative thoughts she had. She hoped that if she wrote it down, then maybe the thoughts would finally calm down. It only made her spiral more though, as she wrote down every negative thing that went through her head.

‘You’re not special’

‘Nobody likes you’

‘You’re a waste of space’

‘You don’t deserve the family you have’

‘You aren’t good enough’

‘You should just disappear’

She stopped, realizing that it was only getting worse. She shut the notebook and threw it in her closet. Then she went to sleep.

The next day she woke up by herself, she would have to get used to that. She did her daily routine, and breakfast began. She happened to sit next to Luisa, who looked off. Though she doesn’t spend much time with Luisa anymore, she was still her hermana, and she was worried for her. As breakfast ended, Mirabel decided to check on Luisa, and so before Luisa could run off, she stopped her.

“Hey Luisa, could I please talk to you?”

“I don’t know sis, I got a lot of work to do…”

“Por favor, just this once.” Luisa looked at her hermanita's pleading eyes and caved. They went off to the side, near where the donkey pen was. 

“So, what did you need to talk to me about?”

“Please be honest with me.”

“Of course, why wouldn’t I?”

“Are you feeling ok?”

“...” Luisa looked to the side anxiously, she didn’t want to lie but she didn’t want to respond.

“Luisa, I know we’re not as close as we used to be, but I still care about you. Just being able to talk about it will make you feel better, trust me.”

“Last night during the ceremony I felt… weak. I’m ok now, but what if it happens again? Then I’ll get behind on my chores and I’ll let everyone down.” Mirabel looked at her sister with sympathy,

“You are more than just your strength. You are beautiful, smart, kind, and ambitious. You always try to help everyone, but sometimes you need to help yourself before you help others.”

“I don’t have time, Abuela will get mad at me if I miss out on my chores…”

“Start off with something small, take a lunch break, and yes I do know that you skip lunch. You may be strong, but that doesn’t mean you don’t have limitations. I think you’re carrying way too much,” Mirabel said. Luisa squeezed her sister tight, thanking her for letting her vent. 

“Luisa, I’m sorry to ask but, if it is the magic that’s being affected, where should I look first?”

“Tio Bruno’s tower. I heard that he had a terrible vision before he disappeared. That’s all I got.”

“Gracias Luisa, take care of yourself.”

With that Mirabel was off to Tio Bruno’s tower. First the cracks, and now Luisa losing her gift temporarily? Something was going on, she needed to stop it before anyone got hurt. She snuck around while everyone was getting ready for Isabella’s proposal, and made it to Tio Bruno’s room. It was tall, really tall. By the time she got to the top, she was practically dragging herself. Then she found a gap between the cave and the stairs, so she took a deep breath and swung over it with a vine, just barely making it. She went through the cave until she came upon a room with green shattered glass scattered on the floor. She had found the vision and started putting the pieces in her bag. She sped up as sand started filling the room, she jumped out with all the pieces before the room flooded, and made it out of the tower.

She went to her room and saw Tia Pepa grabbing the rest of Antonio’s things. She said hi and told Mirabel to go help set up dinner for Isabella’s proposal. Mirabel obeyed and decided she would figure out the vision after the proposal. As she headed towards the dinner table, Abuela stopped her in her tracks.

“What did you tell Luisa?!”

“What do you mean?” Mirabel asks.

“I- I was trying to take a break as you said- but I got behind. So I stopped my break and I started picking up the donkeys and… THEY WERE HEAVY!” Luisa cries as she covers her face.

“Luisa-”

“Don’t. Mirabel do not talk to Luisa until I figure out what’s going on. Instead, help set the table for dinner, Luisa clean yourself up and get ready for dinner with the Guzmans.” Abuela says, before she leaves she looks at Mirabel.

“And whatever you’re trying to do- stop.” She finishes as she walks off.

Everyone sits at the table as dinner begins. Mirabel and Dolores do not know what the vision is, Mirabel has not put the pieces together yet, literally. Mirabel was mostly silent through the dinner, as Abuela and Isabella chatted with Senora Guzman and Mariano. Everything was going smoothly until Senora Guzman asked Luisa to pull the piano over so Mariano could play. Luisa sniffles and nods as she trots over to the piano, while Luisa left, Senora Guzman decided to say hi to Mirabel.

“Hola Mirabel, it’s nice to see you again.” Senora Guzman smiles at Mirabel, to which Isabella scrunches her eyebrows.

“You already know Mirabel?” Abuela asks.

“Who doesn’t know Mirabel? She’s always running around the village playing with the kids in the village, at Senora Gabriela’s Bouique, or she’s offering to help someone. Speaking of, thank you so much for mending Mariano’s suit jacket,” Senora Guzman says.

“Ah I see, that’s good,” Abuela says indifferently with a smile.

“Yeah, I never got the chance to thank you, Mirabel. It’s thanks to you that I had a suit jacket to wear today.” Mariano says with a smile.

“No need to thank me, it’s not that big of a deal,” Mirabel says bashfully as Isabella rolls her eyes. Luisa is struggling to pull the piano, she drags it with all her weight, and slowly but surely it’s moving.

“We should get back to talking about the proposal, Luisa what’s taking so long?” Abuela asks.

“I’m-” Luisa pants, “almost done,” Luisa says as she drags the piano towards them while crying, falling multiple times. Mirabel quickly gets up to help her.

“Luisa, it’s ok if you need some help. Let me grab this side and you can grab the other, si?”

“Ok…” she says sadly as she grabs one side. Together they both pick up the piano and put it down beside Mariano. Senora Guzman looks confused.

“Luisa, is everything alright?” she asks.

“Si, everything is fine! No need to worry.” Abuela answers for her as both granddaughters sit down. 

“Gracias Luisa and Mirabel,” Mariano says gratefully. Senora Guzman wasn’t too keen on letting that be the end of it, but she was interrupted before she could speak.

“Let’s get on to the proposal por favor,” Abuela says. As she talks, cracks form on the floor of the casita. Tia Pepa sees, causing a small cloud to form above her head as she whispers “clear skies” while messing with her hair.

“Are those cracks? Alma, what’s going on?” Mirabel looks at Abuela in frustration, because she told Abuela this was happening and she didn’t listen to her.

“Mirabel what did you do?!” Abuela yells as everyone else looks in shock.

“What?” Mirabel asks, shock evident on her face. 

“How is that fair? Mirabel wouldn’t do that,” Mariano says. Isabella crosses her arms and looks at Mirabel.

“Not on purpose. She always tries too hard and then messes everything up,” Isabella says with venom in her voice. Antonio’s face goes from shocked to offended on Mirabel’s behalf. 

“You shouldn’t say that, she’s your hermana,” Mariano says.

“What do you expect? She can’t really do much to help without a gift.”

“What is wrong with you? She’s not even the only one here without a gift. Your Abuela doesn’t have a gift, your papi doesn’t have a gift, my mami doesn’t have a gift, I don’t have a gift.”

“It’s different.”

“No, it’s you that’s a different person from the Isabella I thought I wanted to marry. I withdraw my proposal, this is over.” Mariano says sternly as Isabella’s face drops.

“Wait- Senora Guzman please tell your son to not make any rash decisions. Isabella didn’t mean that” Abuela says as more cracks form on the walls, and the clouds grow darker.

“I agree with my son, and I respect his decision. How could you just accuse your granddaughter like that? Then let her older sister say these terrible things about her? I’m sorry Alma, I don’t know what’s going on with your familia, but I don’t think we can make this commitment.” Senora Guzman says. Meanwhile, Mariano had tried to leave but Mirabel stopped him.

“Por favor, don’t be mad at Isabella.”

“Why? After what she said about you-”

“I don’t want to ruin her proposal. She may not be the best hermana mayor, but she’s still my hermana. I don’t want your relationship to end over a fight about me.” Mirabel says timidly.

“Lo siento Mirabel, really, I am. However, I believe in true loyalty, if she can’t be loyal to her own sister, what chance is there for me?” He asks.

“I understand, still please think about it. Isabella isn’t always like that, she can be kind and compassionate as well. She loves this familia as much as I do.”

“I’ll do it for you. Good luck.” Mariano says as he walks out with his Mami. Through all the chaos Mirabel is able to escape, she runs from the disaster that was the proposal dinner. She runs straight up the stairs near the doors and stops to take a breath. She hears a noise and looks to see it’s a rat climbing into a painting. Mirabel nudges the painting and finds a secret passageway, it’s dark and foggy. She sighs, relieved she found a place to hide, and sits down on the floor. She pulls out the pieces of the vision from her bag and slowly pieces them together. It reveals a picture of Mirabel behind Casita, flipping from being cracked and not cracked. Mirabel looks in shock as her heart falls into her stomach. Is… is she the reason Casita is cracking? Her hands begin to shake as her inner demons flood her head. Her breaths are small and shallow, and tears threaten to fall down her face. A figure is seen behind her and touches her shoulder, making her jump. She sees a man in a green cape pulls his hood off to reveal her Tio Bruno.

“Ah! Sorry- sorry I didn’t mean to- uh-” He stops not knowing what to say. Mirabel was so surprised that she stopped shaking and her breathing slowed.

[etherealcaprifandoms]

My OCs

Vanessa-Ophelia Ambrosia(Centre) Elizabeth-Zahara(Left) Elliott-Iṣkender(Right)

Lunaria(Left) Naomi(Centre) Dahlia(Right)

Gabriella II(Left) Sabrina(Right

Melodia

Stellar(Left) and Tallulah(Right)

Info about them

Full Names/Nicknames💙

Vanessa-Ophelia Ambrosia/Vee, Nessie, Nessa, Phee, 🩵

Elizabeth-Zahara Khalifa/Beth, Bethy, Eliza, Lizzy, Libby Lily, and Zara💜

Elliott-Iṣkender Khalifa-Ambrosia/Eil and Leo🩵

Naomi Helene Estrella/Nai, Mimi, Mia Hela, Ellie, and Esti💙

Dahlia Eden Estrella/Dali Dia Leah and Esther💚

Lunaria Astrid-Juniper Estrella-Gresley/Lu Luna Lunie Lou Ash Astra June, Juni and Star💙

Gabriella II Karoliina Laine/Gabs Gabby Bella Ella and Karrie🩵

Sabrina Kristiina Laine/Sab Sabby Brina Kris and Krissie💙

Melodia Ingrid-Wynter Hale/Mel Melody Mellie Lody Ingie and Winnie💜

Stellar and Tallulah Mirabelle Rosá/Stel Stella Ellie Elle Mira and Belle/Tilly, Tallie, Lula, Millie, and Belle💜💙

Birth Dates/Time/Place 💙

Vanessa-Ophelia: 25th September 1948/9 am/Kifisia, Athens, Greece🇬🇷🩵

Elizabeth-Zahara: 9th September 1971/3 pm/Kifisia, Athens, Greece🇬🇷💜

Elliott-Iṣkender: 23rd May 1982/2 pm/Kifisia, Athens, Greece🇬🇷🩵

Naomi: 19th October 1970/12 am/Östermalm, Stockholm, Sweden🇸🇪💙

Dahlia: 14th February 1973/11am/Östermalm, Stockholm, Sweden🇸🇪💚

Lunar: 9th December 1981/10 pm/Östermalm, Stockholm, Sweden🇸🇪💙

Gabriella: 19th February 1987/8 am/Eira, Helsinki, Finland🇫🇮🩵

Sabrina: 17th January 1997/11 pm/Eira, Helsinki, Finland🇫🇮💙

Melodia: 12th December 1999/7 pm/Bygdøy, Oslo, Norway🇧🇻💜

Stellar: 19th June 2008/11 pm/Palermo Hollywood, Buenos Aires, Argentina💜🇦🇷

Tallulah: 20th June 2008/9 am/Palermo Hollywood, Buenos Aires, Argentina🇦🇷🩵

Zodiac Sign/Elements/Planet Rulers

Vanessa-Ophelia: Virgo-Libra Cusp Of Beauty/Earth and Air/Mercury and Venus ♍️♎️🌎💨🩵

Elizabeth-Zahara: Virgo/Earth/Mercury♍️🌎💜

Elliott-Iṣkender: Taurus-Gemini Cusp Of Energy/Earth and Air/Venus and Mercury ♉️♊️🌎💨🩵

Naomi: Libra-Scorpio Cusp Of Drama and Criticism/Air and Water/Mercury and Pluto♎️♏️💨🚿💙

Lunar: Sagittarius/Fire/Pluto♐️🔥💙

Dahlia and Gabriella: Aquarius-Pisces Cusp Of Sensitivity/Water & Air/Uranus and Neptune ♒️♓️🌊💨💚🩵

Sabrina: Capricorn-Aquarius/Earth and Water/Saturn and Uranus♑️♒️🌎🌊

Melodia: Sagittarius/Fire/Pluto ♐️🔥💜

Stellar and Tallulah: Cusp Of Gemini-Cancer Cusp Of Magic/Air & Water/Mercury and Moon♊️♋️💨🚿💜🩵

Age

Vanessa-Ophelia: 75 years old🩵

Elizabeth-Zahara: 52 years old💜

Elliott-Iṣkender: 41 years old🩵

Naomi: 53 years old💙

Dahlia: 51 years old���

Lunar: 42 years old💙

Gabriella II: 37 years old🩵

Sabrina: 27 years old💙

Melodia: 25 years old💜

Stellar: 16 years old💜

Tallulah: 16 years old💙

Species

The Ambrosia Khalifa's: Human/SEK Class Ky Steam Locomotive🩵💜

The Estrella's/Human/VR Class Sk3 Steam Locomotive💙💚💙

The Laine’s: Human/VR Class Sk3 Steam Locomotive🩵💙

The Hales: Human/NSB Class XXII Steam Locomotive💜

The Rosa:/Human/Rhaetian Railway G ⅘💜💙

Nationality

The Ambrosia Khalifa's: Greek-Cypriots-Egyptian/Greek, Cypriots, Italian, Turkish, Egyptian, and Israeli🇬🇷🇨🇾🇮🇹🇹🇷🇪🇬🇮🇱

The Estrella's: Swedish-Finnish/Swedish, Finnish, Estonian, Norwegian, Danish, German, and Russian🇸🇪🇫🇮🇪🇪🇳🇴🇩🇰🇩🇪🇷🇺

The Laine's: Finnish-Estonian/Finnish, Estonian, Swedish, Norwegian, and Russian🇫🇮🇪🇪🇸🇪🇳🇴🇷🇺

The Hale's: Norwegian/Norwegian, Swedish, Finnish, Estonian, Latvian, Lithuanian, and Ukrainian🇳🇴🇸🇪🇫🇮🇪🇪🇱🇻🇱🇹🇺🇦

The Rosa/Argentina-Italian/Argentinian, Brazilian, Uruguayan, Chilean, Italian, Syrian, Lebanese, and Israeli🇦🇷🇧🇷🇺🇾🇨🇱🇮🇹🇸🇾🇱🇧🇮🇱

[yuki-boshi]

Kai no Kiseki - English Summary - Act 2 Van Route 3

Table of Contents

"Taking that first step was worth it"

The story picks back up with Jorda resting in bed at Montmart, having been taken care of. Jorda and Van chat, with Van mentioning that he plans to head to Anchorville in the morning and encouraging Jorda to get some rest. Jorda asks about Agnes's gift, and Van admits he hasn’t figured it out yet. Jorda corrects herself, saying it’s not that she doesn’t care for birthday gifts; rather, she’s never had one before and doesn’t really know what to expect.

Van finds Baselia and Eddy in Montmart, celebrating a successful business day. Baselia asks if she can visit Eddy’s mom, Brenda, and he agrees. Meanwhile, Paulette is on the phone, saying Maxim needs to win the race so Viktor will let him tell Yume that he’s, her father.

Outside, Van calls Agnes to inform her about the plan for tomorrow and asks if she has any ideas for a gift since they might not return to Edith for a while. Agnes has no idea but suggests that instead, they go on a night patrol together, just the two of them. After the call, Agnes happily wonders what Van's reaction was and gazes at the Genesis, reflecting that she has no hesitation but needs to confirm one last step.

As Van heads to pick up Agnes, he thinks about their journey together. When he arrives, he notices Agnes is in her school uniform. She explains that her regular clothes were dirty from their activities earlier and had to be washed. Agnes asks if it’s strange to be hanging out in her uniform at night, and Van reassures her, joking that if they get stopped, they can just say he’s her uncle. Agnes teases that they look nothing alike.

From a distance, Renne watches and wishes Agnes luck, thinking she might confess to Van tonight, but wonders why Agnes is in her school uniform too.

As Van drives, he ponders whether being with him alone is more meaningful to Agnes than a present. Agnes assures him that she just wants to make a good memory together. Van teases that he’ll give her a better date than any high school date.

Flustered, Agnes admits she’s never been on a date before. Surprised, Van offers to be her "practice date" so she'll know what a real one is like when the time comes. Agnes, still blushing, tells him not to tease her, saying that a date with him would be too unique to use as a reference for anyone else.

At Centre Marche, Van and Agnes explore together. Altina calls to inform Van that Grim Garten Door 5 is available, but noticing that Van is doing something different from his usual patrols, she leaves him to it. Agnes points out an angel statue near the fountain, sharing that she and her mom used to pass by it often. Van remarks that the statue resembles Agnes’s mother, to which Agnes somewhat agrees. Van then muses about the Claudel bloodline. As the conversation winds down, Agnes mentions how her mom used to tease her about a boy she liked, causing Van to ask who she currently likes. Agnes, flustered, changes the subject.

---

In Grim Garten Door 5, Zin and Rixia join the team. Judith comments that Rixia’s casual outfit is a bit too much for a rest area, Rixia says she doesn’t want to hear that coming from Judith. Judith asks for clarification and Aaron humorously remarks that Judith’s outfits are just as provocative, much to her embarrassment.

Other familiar faces like Thorndyke, Kasim, and Mirabel also join in, and Nadia secretly thinks to herself that she can relax now that fighters like Rixia and Zin are present. Kevin, reuniting with Zin, hopes they’ll work well together.

At the depths of the dungeon, Ulrica makes a grand entrance, hyping herself up. Harwood also appears, bringing Crow and Nadia under his control to assist in the upcoming boss battle. After Harwood is defeated, he admits he’s getting rusty, and Novartis crashes the scene, revealing that the original boss of this domain was supposed to be a monster, not Harwood. Harwood, knowing about Jorda’s incident, thanks the Spriggans for helping her before departing.

Ulrica introduces herself as a "word spirit veins" user, or in modern terms, an "Influencer," and humorously mentions Quatre’s crossdressing channel before disappearing.

At the Hub, Kevin chats with Renne, Zin, and Bergard, mentioning how long it's been since they last saw each other. Zin recalls their last meeting at Prince Olivert’s wedding, while Renne wonders how Ries is doing. Talking to Renne again, she muses that maybe she shouldn’t have brought up Ries, sensing something is amiss. Bergard expresses disappointment at missing the wedding, explaining that he was undergoing facial treatment. Zin mentions wanting to reunite with Kloe and Estelle soon.

Elsewhere, Elaine questions Thorndyke GM about Rosenberg joining forces with Marduk, but Thorndyke denies having solid information. Nadia whispers to Van that Elaine is unaware he helped move Rosenberg’s things closer to Marduk. Lapis jumps into the conversation, thanking Van, which leads to Elaine getting upset while Van tries to play it cool. Thorndyke attempts to calm things down by offering a free visit to Valis State.

When talking to Elaine, she becomes suspicious of Van and Agnes spending time alone together, creating awkward tension. She advises Van not to stay up too late with Agnes, hinting that it's questionable. Lapis, observing, senses a love quarrel between them.

When speaking with Rixia, Fie, Aaron, and Judith, Rixia’s workaholic tendencies are compared to Judith’s work on multiple movie projects. Aaron brings up Lloyd as the cop who's popular with the girls. Rixia declines to comment on who she wants to see in Crossbell, despite Judith’s prodding. Talking to Judith reveals her curiosity about Rixia's ties to Crossbell beyond Arc-en-Ciel, hinting at another Lloyd reference. Aaron expresses interest in seeing an Arc-en-Ciel performance, while Fie reflects on how long it's been since she visited Crossbell and wonders how the SSS is doing.

Speaking with Crow, Towa, Risette, and Mirabel reveals that Crow and the others from Thors have left Basel and won't be attending the MK meeting. Towa and Crow then question why Van and Agnes are spending time together. Risette and Mirabel mention Agnes’s birthday party, and Towa and Crow wonder if they'll be able to attend, considering everything happening.

Talking to Rufus, Feri, Kasim, and Swin, Swin praises Feri, but Kasim insists she still has room to improve, which frustrates Feri. Rufus mentions meeting several people who knew Van in Tharbad, including Marielle, the Dancing Sisters, Jack, and Hale. Swin asks how Albert is managing his role as the new Student Council President, taking over for Renne. Agnes shares that she and Odette have been helping him, and Swin grows nostalgic about his time at Aramis.

At the hot springs, Rean, Altina, and Quatre are relaxing. Quatre asks about their time in Basel, and they mention enjoying Hamilton’s Engadine cake. Altina expresses a desire to speak with Hamilton again, piquing Quatre’s curiosity. Altina mentions needing to investigate the EOS data, while Rean mutters to himself about the starry skies being fine and wonders if he should bring it up.

----

At a café, former President Rocksmith, Cody, Kaela, and Representative Ryan are talking. Cody and Kaela lament that they’ll soon have to leave Rocksmith’s side as the CID has mobilized everyone for the space project.

At the cinema, Ashen jokes about Van and Agnes being on a date, teasing them since Agnes is still in her school uniform. Van retorts by suggesting Ashen and Cao are the ones on a date, and they don’t deny it.

Agnes quietly supports Ashen’s bold approach to restarting things with Cao. Talking to Cao reveals that Gaulang is interested in facing the Gekka-styled Masked Apostle, though Cao is worried this unknown warrior could be tied to something related to Heiyue. Ashen mentions that this is the only time she and Cao can meet up before they part ways for a while. Talking to Cao again shows his gratitude to Ashen for inviting him, as he feels like it's the first time he's been able to truly relax in a while. Ashen, in turn, expresses her happiness about their time together before they have to go their separate ways.

At a Far Eastern restaurant, Nate and his girlfriend, who reconciled at the end of Kuro 2, are dining with Daswani. Daswani invited them out, concerned for Nate’s mental health. Nate’s girlfriend thanks them, aware that Nate will soon be busy again.

On the rooftop of the sweets shop, Van notes that Albert quit his part-time job and wonders if he and Agnes had a falling out since she avoids mentioning him. Agnes also shares that she and Odette are planning to travel to Liberl when she's around 19-20 and hints at Van joining them. Van initially hesitates, thinking Liberl is too rural for his truck, but admits he’s heard from Renne that it’s becoming more advanced.

Optional: Checking on Blacklight District / Darklight Town Van and Agnes visit the Blacklight District, offering to help Gin.

They meet Rahad, Alvis, and Regina, who appreciate the assistance as their Bracer status leaves the underworld reluctant to ask for help. Regina expresses concern for Anju, who was sent to Anchorville to take a break. Rahad wishes he could thank Jorda for her help tracking down the Remnants, though he can’t fully cooperate with Spriggans due to Guild policy. Reporter Nicole attempts to interview Gaulang, who tells her to back off.

In the Z1 area, Van tries to show Agnes a classic date spot. Agnes expects the Ferris wheel, but Van surprises her by suggesting they get Cream Cheese Frappe instead. Disappointed, Agnes accuses Van of pulling a fast one on her. Van then jokingly proposes rock climbing, frustrating Agnes, who questions how that counts as a romantic date night activity.

In the Ferris wheel, Van casually asks Agnes if they should ride, which causes her to hesitate. He internally notes it's been a year since his last Ferris wheel ride, prompting Agnes to yell and demand to know who he rode with. Van dodges the question and sits down, prompting Agnes to rush after him. Inside, Agnes inquires whether Van had ridden with Elaine back during their school days, but Van denies it, explaining the Ferris wheel hadn’t been built yet.

Agnes expresses disappointment, feeling Van should have gone with Elaine instead. Van insists that life is more complicated for adults, while Agnes accuses him of being sneaky and unfair.

Their banter continues until Van spots the Z1 racing and gets excited, with Agnes laughing at his childish enthusiasm.

Van also headpats Agnes and she wonders how could this be helpful for a date if Van is being a doting father figure instead.

Afterward, the two go to see night racing and sees Maxim losing to Aslan in a race, meaning he won’t be able to tell Yume he’s her dad and he beats himself up saying is his love that meager?

Near the entrance, Lucio and Graham have their car repaired and ready, but they need some help. Van offers to help them through advice.

Options:

Pick Option 2: Overtake

Pick Option 1: Wait for a chance

Pick Option 1: Get between them to cause confusion

Doing this will allow Lucio and Graham to win. The group celebrates with Van and Agnes.

At the Chardin District, Van wants to check something in the back alley where the adult stores are, but tells Agnes she can’t come along because she’s in her school uniform. Agnes offers to wait outside, but Van insists that’s not an option.

Just then, Judith calls, mentioning that she and Rixia were invited by Nina to attend the final rehearsal of the Gloria play. She asks if Van wants to join them, and Van agrees, asking if Agnes can tag along. Judith teases them, wondering if she’s interrupting their alone time, to which Agnes blushes and denies it.

The two head to the Chardin Theater where Nina is playing Sheena Dirke. Her performance captivates the audience, shaking the entire theater. Van and Agnes sit with Judith and Rixia, who comments that Nina reminds her of Ilya (from Crossbell), and is impressed that Nina is only 19 years old.

Van is amazed by how easily Rixia can switch between being "Yin" and "Rixia." Rixia replies that she’s gotten used to balancing both personas, adding that Judith, on the other hand, is terrible at switching gears. Judith calls it a backhanded compliment.

Back at the play, Sheena is begging Auguste not to kill the monarch prince, but Auguste insists that sacrifices are always necessary to usher in a new dawn (Totally NOT foreshadowing).

"Sheena" stands tall, planting her sword in the ground, and declares that they should walk a path where everyone can build the future together—not one paved with the blood of knights and royalty. She dreams of a future where commoners and nobles stand side by side, regardless of their skin color.

After the performance, Nina surprises everyone by putting the spotlight on Judith and Rixia. Van and Agnes try to sneak out, but Judith calls Van a heartless friend.

Later, at the nightclub, Agnes tells Van she’ll wait around while he enjoys himself, but Van assures her he’s not there for that today, despite "catching the smell." Agnes stares at him skeptically, teasing that he would be indulging if she weren’t there. Van insists she’s twisting his words and refuses to leave her alone in the red-light district, so he brings her into the club. Agnes removes her jacket, claiming she no longer looks like a student, but Van remarks that she still looks like a "JK"—a slang term for high school girls who get involved in questionable activities.

Inside the club, they talk to the bartender, who immediately notices Agnes, making it clear her disguise didn’t work. Van tries to comfort her, pointing out that it’s not illegal as long as she doesn’t try to drink.

They spot Bermotti, curious as to why he’s there instead of running his own bar. Bermotti says things are slow and thanks Agnes for involving the CID to assist at Dirke Memorial Park. He adds that it was thanks to Representative Ryan for giving him the CID's contact. Quietly, Bermotti warns Van that it’s not a good look to bring a model student like Agnes to the red-light district, noting that her uniform, even without the jacket, is clearly recognizable as Aramis High. Van defends himself, saying he’s just patrolling for his 4SPG.

Bermotti speculates about how the Masked Apostles are able to teleport, believing it must be some form of ancient magic, though the distance they cover seems impossible. Speaking to Bermotti again brings up Fabio, the fake Spriggan from Van 2, revealing that Fabio’s gun is a Zecht Arms prototype.

---

Connect Event: Rene Kincaid

Van meets with Rene Kincaid’s father to discuss what to do with Jeffrey after the A-D and Fabio case. They share a drink, and Van mentions Rene, suspecting he’s pushing people away for a reason. Kincaid’s father shares the story behind Rene’s name and reflects on how they’ve grown distant since Rene joined the CID. During their chat, Rene calls Van, unaware that his father is there. His father makes his presence known before leaving, asking Rene to take care of himself. Rene asks where they’re at, and Van invites him for a drink, but Rene declines.

---

Connect Event: Bergard

Another time sorry

---

At Old Town, Agnes and Van do a final sweep of the area. Eddy and Baselia are found with her butler, Rumsfield. Eddy apologizes for keeping Baselia out so late, but Rumsfield assures him it's not an issue, mentioning that it coincides with her father's return from work, giving Baselia a chance to talk with him for the first time in a while.

Meanwhile, Paulette is seen talking on the phone with Maxim, who is upset about losing the race. Viktor had been listening on the radio and called him pathetic, though he might give Maxim another chance when it comes to Yume.

After patrolling and heading to the rooftop, Van teases Agnes, saying the moon will be full in two days on her birthday. Agnes takes the moment to confess her feelings, admitting she likes Van that way and also loves him. Van accepts her feelings, acknowledging that Agnes is special to him too. He reflects on how she has brought new life into his world, which he had long accepted as bleak. Her presence helped him repair his relationships with Elaine and Rene Kincaid, and opened the door to new friendships.

However, Van tells Agnes he can't return her feelings. While he could use the excuse that she's a high schooler or his employee, he admits the simple truth is he doesn't see her as a romantic partner at the moment. Agnes asks if Elaine is the reason she has no chance, but Van clarifies that it's not about Elaine. He explains his answer to Agnes is separate from his unresolved feelings for Elaine, which he still struggles to address.

Agnes thanks Van for letting her take a step forward. Tearfully, she calls him an idiot, joking that he should secretly date Elaine, and while he's at it, date all the girls in their group so she might have a chance. Van laughs, asking what kind of lowlife she thinks he is.

After the playful exchange, Agnes encourages Van to take a step forward in his own life, just as she did. She then leaves to head home.

I actually subbed the entire exchange:

Nina arrives shortly after, revealing her eyes' ability to see the past and future. She warns Van that she can't see what will happen in Anchorville, likely due to the contradictions of the Remnants. She mentions they are strong but hollow, and that the Iscariots will soon be sending forces there.

The chapter concludes as Nina enters the limo and departs.

[miracles-and-butterflies]

What happened when the rest of the family returned home? (How long did Isabela explain the situation?)

Dolores waited to confront Isabela until they were alone after dinner - knowing it would be a lot for their mothers to handle and Camilo is better left uninvolved.

Isabela tried to deny it, but eventually couldn’t argue with Dolores once her cousin revealed she had actually gone down to the basement and saw Mirabel, and it wasn’t just her hearing a mouse or something. Which had been Isabela’s excuse previously.

Isabela admitted the truth that Mirabel had been the one to ruin the plan and the only guarantee they wouldn’t be stopped again was to take Mirabel with them. Of course, ideally Mirabel would have willingly gone and joined the family. But in reality, Mirabel probably wouldn’t want to join a family of criminals, hence Isabela using some force.

She wanted to tell the rest of the family but never found a good moment to do so and wasn’t actually sure she should tell them. “Hi guys, you remember Mirabel? Yeah, I kidnapped her and she’s in our basement.”

[incorrectly-correct-encanto]

Mirabel: Hey, let's do "Get Help".

Isabela: What?

Luisa: "Get Help".

Isabela: No.

Mirabel: It's great.

Luisa: It works every time.

Isabela: It's humiliating.

Luisa: Do you have a better plan?

Isabela: No.

Mirabel: We're doing it.

Isabela: We are not doing "Get Help".

~~~

Luisa, carrying Isabela: *runs into the town centre* GET HELP! PLEASE!

Mirabel: *runs up to them* Our sister, she's dying!

(Source: Thor: Ragnarok)

[swanseats]

The Big Nancy Roundup

Apologies for the delay in posting - I recently traveled to Nancy, France for work and hadn't had time to write up about the food experiences I'd had since my last blog entry. Here's a quick summary of what I've had recently to the best of my memory:

JD Wetherspoon, The Bank Statement (Swansea, Wales)

I had heard a lot about the Spoons breakfast from friends, but never got around to trying it - that was rectified in anticipation of my day out at the Big Queer Picnic in Cardiff. I found their breakfast muffin quite generous and filling considering how cheap it was, and it was very tasty. The unlimited hot chocolate that came with it was also delicious (and clearly made with milk and not water!). The breakfast is simple and no-frills, as you would expect with Spoons, but the value simply can't be beat here.

No Sign Wine Bar (Swansea, Wales)

My friends and I had dinner and drinks at the No Sign Wine Bar in the Swansea city centre, and I had the Summer Punch (a delightfully fruity cocktail with Midori and a blend of juices) as well as the chocolate-orange flavoured "alcochoc" (a hot chocolate with Grand Marnier). I'm personally not inclined to finish my dinner with a hot drink but really enjoyed the hot chocolate.

McDonald's (Nancy, France)

I only include my stop at McDonald's here to illustrate how paltry the UK McFlurry is in comparison to the McFlurry in France and America.

Le Capri (Nancy, France)

Without question the culinary highlight of my trip out to Nancy. I thoroughly enjoyed the Apple Sweet cocktail (vodka, raspberry liqueur, pineapple and apple juices, peach syrup, and lime), which was light and refreshing. The steak was very tender, with an interesting chimmichurri sauce as well. The most interesting part of my meal was the dessert - a mirabelle plum-flavoured sorbet. It's quite an unusual taste (at least from my perspective), not quite citrusy but slightly tart. The straight liqueur at the bottom was a surprise!

Brasserie L'Excelsior (Nancy, France)

This was interesting - the main was a grilled leg of lamb, paired with an aubergine topped with mozzarella and tomato. I'm not keen on aubergine, but the lamb was decent. Not my favourite meal from this trip, but I was pleased I got to try specifically-French cuisine. The dessert was excellent, though - Crepes Suzette, flambéed tableside. Very strong orange liqueur flavours, so not for those averse to alcoholic tastes, but a real treat to have.

Honey Coffee and Food (Nancy, France)

I had to cap off my trip to France with a sample of the French toast. Probably my least favourite meal, though, as it was far too sweet for my taste buds. The spiced hot chocolate was very sumptuous, however (and the signature on the foam was a nice touch).

Lefevre Limoine (Nancy, France)

A few souvenirs as well - the unexpected hit here is the Bergamottes de Nancy, a citrus-flavoured hard candy that originates from the region. My friend describes the taste as "perfumey", which is strangely apt. It's grown on me quite a bit.