#petition to get more cats into wonderland

[lovelyyandereaddictionpoint]

A Village Raising (1) | Yandere Platonic Twisted Wonderland

“(Y/n) do you know why I called you in here today?”

“...no.”

You knew why you were here that’s why you wouldn’t look up from your sparkly loafers Vil had gifted you. You knew after that look Deuce gave you when Grim told him your secret that you’d get in trouble. 

Crowley rubbed at his chin in frustration, debating if he should summon the entire staff for a manner such as this. Or perhaps enlist the assistance of the fae in Diasomnia but that came with its own problems. Particularly the problem of their recurring petition for guardianship; saying that they were more fit guardians for you. 

“(Y/n), do you remember the fire faeries that keep the school warm in the winter?”

A smile spread on your face as you recalled giving the sticks to the warm faeries.

“Mmmmh!”

“Well there are many other types of faeries that like to live near the school. Like forest faeries, water faeries…princess faeries.”

He watched as your chubby hands wrung together behind your back. Rocking on your feet while looking side to side.

“...Yeah?”

“Yes. And did you know that the faeries will get really upset if their princess is stolen?”

An obviously guilty pout made its way to your face as you sucked on the inside of your cheek. 

“...I didn’t know that…”

“Yes…they cry and then they’ll start attacking students…so if you do see the princess fairy you’ll bring her to me first okay?”

“...But shouldn’t I give her to the faeries? Why you?”

“Just bring her to me, okay (Y/n)?”

“O-okay.”

“You can leave now.”

He cringed at your immediate departure, not oblivious to the hug he would have usually gotten. Resigning to sadly watch as you trotting out of the office on little legs to your monster companion. 

“That kid’s going to be the death of me.”

___________________________________________

“So how’d it go mini-henchman?”

You crossed your arms and puffed your cheeks.

“Horrible! And it's all your fault!”

“Nyeh?! How’s it my fault that you’re keeping-”

Grim was stopped by your pudgy hands on his snout as you looked suspiciously around the courtyard.

“Shhhh don’t tell anyone else! Meeeek!” 

You pulled your hand away wiping the slobber on your uniform as the monster cat stepped away. Pouting with his head away from you, he flicked his tail disapprovingly.

“Nyah! Release me!”

Glaring at him, you turned your head away as you marched to Ramshackle. Grim let his eye follow you before scampering to meet your steps, looking apologetic as you continued to ignore him. 

“Y-you’re not going to keep it are you?”

Continuing to ignore him you dramatically turned your head away, blindly walking until you bumped into somebody’s legs. Wobbling a little a pair of hands kept you steady to look up at your obstacle. Towering and, for many, intimidating was Malleus Draconia or to you and Yuuka: 

“Tsuno-taro?”

“Horns? Here? In the daytime? That’s awfully weird for you.”

“Hello, little one. For your information, Grim, I do exist outside of the night. I am no vampire.”

“Nyeh!? Coulda fooled me.”

“Tsuno-taro!  You have to let me go I have something to do!” 

Emerald eyes glinted with amusement as he lifted you up into his embrace. 

“Oh, you do now?”

“Yes. So you have to let me go.”

“How about I walk you there, I doubt you’ll feel comfortable walking in those.”

“Mmmm okay.” 

Leaning into his hold you relaxed against his shoulder, yawning as quietly as you could. Noticing, the dragon couldn’t help chuckling to himself.

“Are you perhaps tired little one?”

Snapping up you gave him a stern look, scrunching your face up. 

“No.”

“No? Not even a little bit?”

“Not even a little bit!”

“Ah, I see. Then it won’t mean anything if I–”

The prince brought a finger up to the bridge of your little nose bringing it down slowly, repeating the action a few times. Entranced by the way you leaned into his touch and closed your eyes in tandem, he fought the urge to keep tease you more. He only stopped when your hands swatted at him and slapped your own cheeks.

“No! No! I am’nt tired!”

Malleus let out a rumbling laugh which had you puffing your cheeks once more. 

“I am not. If I was tired I wouldn’t be going to play right now.”

“You are? What will you play?”

“It’s w-ah uh a secret! Yeah, it's a secret so I can’t tell you.”

“Oh?”

“Nope. So don’t bother asking me! Oh or uh-Grim either.”

The monster snorted running ahead to no doubt raid the fridge while Yuu was distracted with their guest. Malleus on the other hand was reluctantly setting you down, further intrigued by this secret of yours.

“Are you sure this secret is safe to play with all by yourself?” 

“Yup! I promised Yuu I wouldn’t interrupt your date this time.”

“Date? I was under the impression this was just ‘a hang out’.” You gave a sly smile as you put your hand on your hips. 

“Mmmh-mmmh that’s what you say now. But on the wedding day, I’ll say this is it.” 

Without another word you skipped into the forest, giggling to yourself as you imagined how cool you’d look on their wedding day. Malleus watched you leave turning to Yuu who was wrestling the cat-monster near the open door. 

“Be back before dinner!”

“Okay!” 

Malleus turned sending another glance over his shoulder. Perhaps you’d need someone to watch over you. Someone so innocent and small couldn’t possibly be expected not to attract unwanted attention. 

___________________________________________

 An orange hue decorated the leaves around you as you crawled into your special place. Going deeper into the dark cave you went into the darkness knowing full-well of the light emitted at the end of it.

“Hello, Sparkle-Fairy!” 

Just as you left her the princess fairy you had dubbed Sparkle-fairy was reclining on the makeshift abode you had made. With only the clear glass bowl you borrowed from Trey completing your ensemble. 

You kneeled down, scooting close as rested your head on your arms no doubt caked with mud and dirt. You tilted your head watching as the fairy did the same before turning away from you. Crowley’s words rang in your head and you did what Yuu had told you to do when you messed up. 

“I sorry for keeping you like this…” The fairy perked up. “I just wanted to be friends.”

You removed the glass from around the makeshift enclosure expecting to see the glowing creature fly right away. But instead, the fairy hovered moving closer to your face. The tinkling sound of the fairy’s native tongue rang in your ears, keeping your attention from the other tinkling voices entering the cave. 

“I don’t know what you’re saying…but I’d love to see your home!”

The princess fairy twinkled happily before blowing a glittery dust in your face. You sneezed and rubbed your nose before involuntarily yawning again. 

Of course with as small and as young as you are it’d take a small amount of fairy dust to put you to sleep. Making you perfectly pliable for what the fairies planned to do. Already snoozing, the fairies would have no trouble carrying off on their princess’ orders. That is if it weren’t for Malleus’ trusted guardian. 

“Now now where are you running off to with our little pup?”

Meat Cleaver in hand the retired general was smiling without reaching his eyes. He hoped that with his weapon unsheathed the fairies would have released you in an instant but it seems the princess was insistent on taking you. Who could blame them? A kiddie as sweet as you would have been a lovely find but he wouldn’t let his pup be taken from him.

Some chopped wings should be a good warning. 

He did just that and they settled you on the ground before his feet, twinkling apologizes all the while. In an instant, they were on their way carrying their injured companion along with them. Lilia smiled at your sleeping form cradling you despite your dirt-covered state, he couldn’t help but smirk at the distant glow of green. 

Young fae nowadays don’t seem to know not to mess with a dragon’s treasure. Let alone Night Raven’s as a whole.

“Yahoo, guess who fell fast asleep while making mud pies?”

“Aww thank goodness. It got so dark out I was so worried if it weren’t for you guys—”

“All in a day's work, prefect.”

“Yes, it was no trouble.”

Ah, Malleus has returned. And so soon. He figured he must have been merciful. Or maybe unusually giving.

_______________________________________

“So these are the fairies who tried to take them?”

“Master Malleus said so! You dare doubt him?!”

“Of course not I just figured the lizard would be so worked up he wouldn’t leave any for the rest of us.”

“You were lucky his mood has been immaculate since he’s fulfilling an invitation from the Ramshackle Prefect.”

“Whatever. Now should we pluck their wings or break their legs.”

“Only this once I’ll be following your lead.”

“Hmm alright then, Eyebrows. Let’s get to work.”

[robo-milky]

[More Info]

Nicknames:

Henchman (Grim) | Claws (Ace) | Clochey Wochey (Cater) | House Cat (Leona)

Shrimpy (Floyd) | Trickster -> La Petite Clochette (Rook) | City Kitty (Epel) | Kit -> Honorary Human (Sebek)

Kit of Beasts -> Heart of Man (Malleus)

In Return:

Master _____ (Everyone except for faculty)

Uncle (Ramshackle Ghosts)

Bio:

An emotionally distant girl who thinks with her brains more than her heart. Her words may come off as insensitive, but it’s always said in a neutral tone. Prefers to state the facts and look for the most efficient way out, than tackling more abstract concepts like emotions. Despite this outlook on life, she is a skeptical, worst-case scenario planner. Cloche will go the extra mile if it means security and success is guaranteed. When it comes anything, be it a task/person/subject, Cloche is the type of person who would want to know anything and everything about it to be prepared. When push comes to shove, Cloche will take on the role of leadership and make all the hard decision no one else wants to make. Cloche is a very “the ends justify the means” kind of person.

Core Values -> Competency + Freedom

Background:

A cosplayer from Earth who, after exiting from a con, took a wrong turn to get home and was swept away by the NRC horse carriage.

“I did not put so much effort into studying and making the right friends just for it all to go into smoke! …What’s the point anymore?”

Ghost Camera: “I’m pretty sure Headmaster Crowley gave this to me as binding to keep me here.”

Snow Hand Cream: “Master Rook could tell this cream is from Neige’s line just by the smell! Isn’t that impressive?”

Bandaids: “I originally bought these for myself, but I end up giving them to others…”

Advils: “Would you like one? Binding Bells told me you were getting headaches, so…”

Handkerchief: “Here, let me wipe that up for you, Master.”

Hair ties: “Master Epel gave them to me during a joint P.E. class. The day after, I overheard Master Vil complaining about his missing hair ties.”

Pencil Case: “If you wish to borrow a pencil, I expect you to give me something back as collateral— so I know you’ll return it back to me.”

Lollipops: “The lollipops in Twisted Wonderland are great and all, but they can’t beat the taste of Chupachups.”

Thread and Needle: “Oh, you’re missing a button.”

Lactaid: “You don’t need one… do you?”

Scrapbook: “Do NOT touch.”

Textbook: “I’m so close annotating the whole book. Just a couple pages left…”

Spiral bound notebook: “Master Rook complimented the calligraphy title in my notes! …Maybe I should do the same thing for futures ones.”

Phone: “Master Grim, please stop playing games…”

Sketchbook: “Master Epel complained about me drawing him too ‘girly’, but I only drew what I saw.”

Notable Thoughts: Cloche’s

“Headmaster Crowley must be busy running such a prestigious school like this… So busy, I wonder if he’d have time looking for a way I can go back to my world.”

“Master Grim’s orders aren’t as bad you think. All he really does is make me do his share of the chores. The simplicity of his orders are a blessing compared to other students’…”

“Master Riddle is accomplished, but he throws tantrums too easily at the drop of a pin.”

“Master Ace may be annoying, but he can be a surprisingly reliable when needed.”

“Although Master Deuce has a good attitude, I don’t think I’m patient enough to wait for him to catch up.”

“I do like Master Jack’s work ethic, but his moral compass is suffocating.”

“I can relate to Master Ruggie’s pragmatism to some degree, though I personally disagree with his disregard of fine arts.”

“If Master Azul ever asks about my whereabouts, no he did not.”

“Is it bad I felt no sympathy for Master Kalim when Master Jamil overblotted?”

“I feel like I’ve been seeing Epel more and more since he stayed over at Ramshackle for the VDC. I get that it’s probably convenient for him to go with me, if we’re going to head back to the same destination anyways, but he doesn’t have to accompany during short breaks.”

“I think Master Rook is very admirable! He’s intelligent, athletic, and creative! …I wish more people could give him a chance and see him for who he really is— but… he probably wouldn’t like that… After all, half the things I know about him, he’s never told me in person.”

“I have deep respect for Master Vil, I really do. Although I have some qualms with the lyrics he wrote for ‘Absolutely Beautiful’.”

“Before asking Master Idia for homework help, Master Grim and I always play a game of rock-paper-scissors. …Why? Because neither of us want to be the bargaining chip.”

“I don’t see why I should fawn over the prince of a foreign land— let alone, from another world. Master Malleus will not be my king, nor will I be his subject. Sage Island is out of his jurisdiction, anyways.”

“…Some of my acting was genuine. A part of me was so desperate to rid myself of the curse, that I was fine with fooling myself. I’ll admit, if Master Rook didn’t come first, then I’m sure he would have... ahem— Capable, composed… it’s almost scary.”

Notable Thoughts: Others’

“Cloche could’a been the perfect henchman if he didn’t have to call other people ‘Master’!” - Grim

“With Cloche around, Heartslabyul doesn’t have to resort to using a cat beastman to play the violin, but an actual cat. That way, we can follow rule 529 without any loopholes.” - Riddle

“Me, friends with that stick in the mud? Pfft—! As if!” - Ace

“Even in a sticky situation, I’ve never seen Cloche lose his cool before. I wonder how he does it…” - Deuce

“For a beastman, Cloche really doesn’t like noise. I get that too, since our ears are more sensitive than humans… but shouldn’t he have already gotten used to it, by now?” - Jack

“I can’t have Leona ordering Cloche around, cause he’ll steal my job!” - Ruggie

“It’s such a shame Cloche refused my offer for him to work at the Monstro Lounge. …We could have made good money and attracted more customers if we used his cat form to promote on our Magicam…” - Azul

“Cloche is really nice! He’s kind of like Jamil, helpful and a bit stern. …But I also feel like there’s a darkness… Ah— Nahaha! N-Nevermind! I want to know more about him too.” - Kalim

“Cloche is surprisingly weak. He could barely lift up a crate of apples when I called him over for help the other day. I ought to be annoyed he couldn’t help, but I’m also kind of glad?” - Epel

“I thought I could feel the claws of a wild beast, but there’s a beauty to reservation too. Perhaps I’ll need to lure it out.” - Rook

“Honestly… All the work I put into reviving Cloche’ natural curls has gone to waste, since he left Pomefiore.” - Vil

“‘Master Hornton’, an amusing nickname, indeed. I was under the impression Cloche had known my identity, but it seems my expectations had been subverted.” - Malleus

“Tch. Cloche can play the victim when needed, I’ll give him that. Manipulating his curse to his advantage makes him no better than those Night Raven College miscreants he claimed to have disassociated with.” - ???

Extras/Trivia:

- Birthday: May 12

- ISTJ-T/6w5

- “She/Her” is only used in a meta/narration sense, otherwise— she uses ��he/him”

- Prefers voice > looks

- When Cloche is in her cat form, she has no conscious thoughts and move as if she’s on autopilot, like a normal cat.

- Cloche has no distinct handwriting. It varies depending on what she’s writing and who it’s for— yet even then, no two letters look the same. (Unless forging)

- Cloche has no inner fur in her ears. It’s to signify that the cat ears are unnatural— fake.

- Has a habit of either covering her mouth with her hand/sleeve or turning away whenever she breaks into a genuine smile. Can smile on command for a camera (cosplayer intuition).

- Goes to the school forest to calm down whenever she feels emotional or if she has an inkling that her feral side will come out

- Cloche has germaphobic tendencies.

- Has a habit of biting her index finger or thumb to suppress pain/excessive laughter.

- School ghosts and paintings are fond of Cloche for always being respectful and fixing their frames, the Ramshackle ghosts, especially.

- Feral! Cloche represents Id

Gallery:

Cards:

Groovy!! [SR Tsumsitter]

Groovy!! [SSR Union/Birthday Jacket]

[SR Luxe Couture]

[SSR Birthday Bloom]

[SSR Glorious Masquerade]

[medievalanchoress]

tagged by my darling @sea-wolfe to answer 15 questions & tag 15 people

1. Are you named after anyone? the Adriatic Sea

2. When was the last time you cried? today in therapy talking about how much i long to be stable, married, and settled in a career

3. Do you have kids? NO

4. What sports do you play/have you played? as a young tomboy, i played soccer and field hockey, and also did horseback riding but my body image was so poor in high school that i stopped

5. Do you use sarcasm? YES

6. What’s the first thing you notice about someone? how they carry themselves, their eyes—not color so much as if they’re alert or warm—and (sorry to be a Taurus) what they’re wearing

7. Eye color? dark brown ("doe-eyes of a strange girl with brownish hair"-S.P.)

8. Scary movies or happy endings? i hate scary movies. my life has been scary enough..

9. Any talents? writing, i think

10. Where were you born? east coast of the United States 

11. Hobbies? i’m a simple creature and my primary joys are 1) reading (preferably in bed), 2) taking long bike rides, and 3) eating fresh fruit (preferably outside on my balcony) 

12. Any pets? two stray cats from the same litter, a tuxedo named Giotto & a tabby named Artemisia (as in Gentileschi) 

13. Height? 5’8’’ (172 cm). petite mutuals i will pick u up or get things off the high shelf for u. 

14. Favorite school subject? i liked English best; my teacher used to call me Alice in Wonderland and write me notes to skip PE

15. Dream job? in my dreams: a Gilded Age heiress who founds a museum from her art collection. more practically, a teacher. i just want to do something meaningful that i’m competent at. 🤞

i'm tagging @nachtwandeling, @silkfaun, @hoursofreading, @winedark, @futuresabove, @santa-lukia, @rosehaunt, @lasvegasmotel, @avanelle, @hairtusk, @felicitypdf, @mercurieux, @fawnaura, @limerencehearted1997, @missduskie, @rottingpetal, @athinginmotion, @imprayingforcourage, @californiaquail, and @cealtrachs but no pressure<3

[stultxneko]

Treats and Tricks

@miraculousprotector liked for a starter

Emotion Roulette: INTEREST

It was both a blessing and a curse to have the heightened senses of a cat. Kyo was able to see at night, which helped for his late shifts and training sessions. However, something that he could have easily done without was the ability to smell everything. Terrible odors, pleasant aromas. Every little thing caught his attention and it was god awful terrible.

Today his curiosity got the best of him. Something smelled sweet and it smelled fresh. And another thing about being inhabited by the spirit of a cat: curiosity often got the best of you. 

So here Kyo was, following his nose as he walked into a shop. The boy wasn’t paying much attention as he wandered around Belinia, so that may have been his first mistake. But as he walked in, he immediately froze when he realized this wasn’t a sweet shop and a common place to find something sweet. “Uh...”

[magicpumpkin3]

Twisted wonderland with a really short maybe 4”9 Mc but their mom is lady Dimitrescu, like they have the same abilities just not the height

Note: Oh the contrast! Tbh I have a friend that is really short but could def dropkick me any moment.

Note№2: Since you did not specify what twst character you'd like to see and is it a scenario or a headcanons (+ I have a character limit), I'm just going to make it dorm leaders addition.

Note№3: Please, I beg you, read rules first before you request, or next time I won't even bother to write.

Riddle Rosehearts

Riddle, as one of the shortest people in NRC gets it. He understands how others can judge by the cover, especially if the cover is a short person. He's ego still gets stroked when you're near, he's taller then you and it has him a bit at ease.

Not to mention, when it comes to strength, you both are quite powerful. So, if anyone of the suicidal students dares to somehow insult you, well... let's just say he gets clapped. Though Riddle gets it, he is still quite surprised by your abilities

After he finds out who is your mother and after you explain who exactly she is, boy-. Riddle might have a small war flashback about his mother due to the way you describe your mom, but don't worry! He knows that your mothers are nothing alike.

Leona Kingscholar

When I tell you, he knew it the first time he smelled saw you, I mean it. Call it a 6th sense or a cat thing but he could tell that even if you looked harmless, you possessed quite the power. Still, he's surprised.

That doesn't mean he won't tease you about your hight. He's gotten maintain his jerk reputation you know. That would include him, putting things on shelves you won't reach, making short jokes and etc.

Leona glocks the while bucket of respect women juice daily. So after hearing what's your mother is capable of and who's she exactly, he doubled the effort. Ngl if he met her at some point he would definitely be intimidated... like visible intimidated-

Azul Ashengrotto

Did someone say "stonks"? Well Azul is here anyway! Azul is practical man if anything so after he found out what you were capable of he immediately offered bunch contractors, coupons and bunch of other things to be on your good side...And possible recruit you as one of his business partners-

Yeah, he was fooled a bit by your short and seemingly nonthreatening appearance, he is not hiding that. He finds you cute and adorable! You're just so small! And it kinda makes him feel better since he's constantly surrounded with giant twins...

Yeah, after hearing about your mother, he trys to be on his best behaviour Eve more. Like...man is terrified for his life, if anything happens, he'll lose his head... literally and verbally-

Kalim Al Asim

Someone said ray of sunshine does not get it? Yeah, pretty much Kalim thought and still thinks that you're adorable! Yeah, your powers might be mildly disturbing and terrifying but you're still adorable!

You're his unofficial protector Jamil is still sus towards you though. Unless you are similarly naive, then RIP Viper Ig... Still, it kind of creates balance of chaos, if you have at least a tiny bit more sense of self awareness.

When Kalim finds out about your mother, boy has a new level of respect for you family! Kalim is very much fascinated, he would love to meet her!

Vil Schoenheit

Vill knows not to judge by the cover, he doesn't underestimates you. Vil is used to others thinking that he's just a pretty boy, while in reality he's way more then that, so he's kind of in the same boat with you here.

He is quite impressed with your powers though. You kind of remind him of Epel, the unmannered potato, looking petite while being wild, if you have the same character as Epel...well...RIP Vil I suppose-

After hearing about your mother, well... He's intimidated and would love to meet her.

Idia Shroud

He kind of called it. You see, in anime, when a person looks cute and almost harmless, it probably means that, that mf is one of the badass characters you'll ever see in the show. So Idia, as a certified otaku called it. But that doesn't mean, that he's not intimidated when he finds out-

Trust me, the man is thrown in constant conflict, it's eather to be terrified by you or attracted to you *insert that meme with scared and horny* You're powers don't make it easier for him, he's impressed and triffid. He also might ask you to cosplay someone-

When it comes to your mother... well...Imma be fair, he's terrified, shirtlessly. Idia is not ready to meet lady D.

Malleus Draconia

Malleus is that kind of person that doesn't give a freak how you look like, as long as you talk and be friends with him. Even so, he found your hight cute, yet uncomfortable size difference who? But eather way, he didn't really care.

Now, upon finding out the truth, ye was quite surprised. I mean, it's not every day your bestie turns out to be a fucking vampire lord thing. Anyway, he's impressed and interested. Malleus, wants to learn more about your powers, ups and downs that come with them, cu cute Mal.

When it comes to your mother, Malleus consider her to be like he's grandmother at some point: strong, fearsome, leader and etc. Eather way, he would be very pleased to meet her in person.

[lovelyllamasblog]

Thronecoming at NRC Part 2!

For @sayuricorner​‘s EAH x TW AU!

A continuation of my previous Thronecoming post! This time with the new transfers and Heritage Hall! This takes place after the dance is announced and before the dance starts.

(It’s SUPER long so it’s under the cut. Enjoy!)

Heritage Hall (I forgot about it in Part 1, so I decided to include it here in Part 2)

After Heritage Hall appears in the Silent Woods by the school campus, Baba Yaga and the other former EAH teachers all petition Crowley to let them take the transfers to the Hall, as it is an important part of the Land of Ever After’s history. 

Crowley allows them to hold a field trip to the Hall so that the NRC students can learn more about Ever After. He even allows the students at RSA and other former EAH students to come and claim their heirlooms.

When they arrive at the Hall, all the students are immediately taken in by the grandeur of the building and what’s inside. The EAH transfers approach their prospective heirlooms and happily show them off to their classmates:

Maddie’s is a new tea hat

Lizzie receives a new set of playing cards, with herself as the Queen of Hearts

Bunny’s dad gifts her a new pocket watch that will always return to her no matter what

Alice gifts Alistair a set of books about Twisted Wonderland’s adventurers and explorers

Kitty gets a cat shaped locket from her mom (which surprises her, as she thought her mother would leave her a prank. Her mom left her the locket after Alice disappeared so that Kitty would never forget her if they were ever separated.)

Ginger gets an enchanted cooking/baking set from her mother

Cerise’s is a electronic picnic basket with a mirror lock

Ramona’s is a new faux fur shawl from her parents

Jillian gets a pair of hiking spikes for whenever she goes climbing

Holly and Poppy both receive enchanted hair brushes

Coral also doesn’t receive one because she was going to enter EAH when she came of age. To her, the coral crown and pearls that Azul’s mother gave her is her Thronecoming gift.

Blondie gets a new pair of running shoes

Hunter gets a new polishing/abrasive stone for his axe

Ashlynn receives glass polish for her glass slippers

Raven gets the magic wand that her mother left her

Cedar receives the Revealer Rays from her dad

Cupid’s gift is a new bow and arrow that will only recognize her fingerprints (Her dad got her this after the whole love arrow incident with Hunter)

Rosabella’s parents gift her a magic hand mirror that will always show her home, the Beast’s Castle

Briar’s is a super-soft neck supporting pillow (she’s not thrilled about it)

Faybelle’s mother gave her an enchanted silver crown of thorns (The thorns are enchanted so that they won’t harm the wearer.)

Melody’s dad gives her a recording of a lullaby that her mom used to sing to her when she was little (She’s not dead! I promise!)

Duchess receives a music box from her grandmother

Daring and Dexter both receive new swords with enchanted shields from their father

Darling receives a new set of silver jewelry from their mother (Her brothers thought she would be upset about it, but Darling wasn’t since their mom put a lot of thought into her gift.)

Prudence and Charlotte both receive enchanted hand fans that will change color to match their outfits/dresses

Apple is unsure whether or not she should accept hers, since she is now estranged from her mother. Raven encourages her to open it, but she decides not to open it and just takes the box back with her.

Nina gets a small pair of wings made from flower petals (Inspired by the Barbie: Thumbelina)

Justine receives a new pair of dance shoes that will never wear out

Promposals (These are just my ideas/couplings. Writers can write about different couples if they so choose. Same with the previous post.)

Ginger, along with the rest of the cooking club, are asked to make some food for the dance, to which they agree to do. Trey also volunteers to help with the food preparation so that they can have an extra set of hands in the kitchen.

One night at the Heartslabyul dorm, Trey and Ginger are going over what they should make and they both decide to ask the other to dance at the same time. They both blurt it out at once and Ginger ends up fumbling. After calming down, Trey takes the chance to properly ask her to the dance and she accepts.

Meanwhile, Alistair and Bunny both want to ask the other to the dance too. One day, while hanging out in the school’s main courtyard, Alistair and Bunny ask each other out at the same time and fumble for a bit before both accepting each other's promposals.

If this takes place after Way Too Wonderland, it’s up to the writer who Courtly and Chase go with.

It’s also up to the writer who Kitty goes with.

Jillian could go with Cerise and the group or with another classmate.

If this takes place after Epic Winter, then Daring could plan to ask Rosabella to Thronecoming in the only way he knows how, in a very exuberant and over the top Daring Charming manner. 

Rosabella actually beats him to the punch and asks him to the dance with a red rose that she got from the greenhouse while taking a walk through there earlier that day. Daring accepts the rose with an equally red face and wears it on his tuxedo when he goes to pick up Rosabella from the Pomefiore dorm.

Whoever Cedar goes with is up to the writer.

Prudence and Charlotte are unsure whether or not they should go, since they don’t have dresses. Ashlynn steps up and offers them two dresses that she had previously made when they were still at Ever After (see the webisode Ashlynn’s Fashion Frolic, the purple and pink dresses in the beginning).

The sisters are unsure whether or not they should accept, since it would look like they are still following their destiny and forcing her, but after some encouragement from Cupid, they accept.

Who they go with is up to the writer.

Thronecoming Outfits (made with the Fairy Tale High dress up game (I downloaded it off of the Google Play Store.)) (I obviously couldn’t get exactly what I imagined from the game, but I tried my best.)

Courtly Jester

Bunny Blanc

Ginger Breadhouse

Jillian Beanstalk

Ramona Badwolf

Coral Witch

Rosabella Beauty

Charlotte and Prudence Step

Darling Charming

(Aw, I see you made it to the end! Thanks for reading this. I was really surprised by how long it came out to be this time 😅 Spread the love for sayuri’s AU okay? Like and send the love her way too! She’s the one who inspired this madness.)

[twistedtavern]

Lock your doors and turn off the lights,

It's horror time!

It's summer camp slasher season, and that means blood, guts, and gratuitous violence all around! Yanderes and other similar horrors take priority this time around.

~🔪⚰️🩸💀🩸⚰️🔪~

Ask requests can be as simple or as complex as you want, GO CRAZY >:D! No smut, no character x character, and no romance with Staff/Lilia/Ortho/Dwarves. Horror and scary yandere requests are obviously prioritized, but you can request soft yandere as well. You can put more than one prompt in a request!

~🔪⚰️🩸Prompts🩸⚰️🔪~

😍 Mine, Mine, MINE!!!: First and foremost, we have our yanderes! Be sure to specify what kind of yandere you want, though. But, if you want headcanons for how I would make them work as a yandere or want to be surprised, I'll be happy to do it!

👁️👁️ No Peeking: No need to watch your back, somebody's already got that covered. This is separate from the yandere prompt because it doesn't necessarily have to be yandere in nature! Who's stalking you? Why are they doing it? Do they get caught? That's all up to you! You can make it yandere if you want, just send this if you want to focus on the stalking aspect.

💔 Snap: What would happen if you pushed someone to their breaking point? Let's find out! It can be before, during, after the snap, or all of the above. Got an idea for what would make them snap? Put it in! Feel free to go crazy, because THEY sure are.

🩸 Crime Scene: Uh oh, you just walked in on a room splattered wall to wall with blood and body bits! Who did it? Whose is it? Why?

💀 No Data: Use this if you ever want to keep your chosen character a mystery, either permanently or up until a chosen point. If you want a surprise reveal, label yourself in the original request and send another ask after with the same label and your character so I know who to make it about if you want to keep it a twist. Have fun!

⭕ Hunted: Wild chases through the woods or a silent stalker around every corner, you choose how you're being tracked down and what for. Will you be killed? Kidnapped? Something worse? Will you run or will you hide? It's your call, herbivore. Or would you rather be called le petite lapin?

🙀 Black Cat: Somebody has been very unlucky today, and something terrible has happened.

🤪 Fakeout: If you want to lighten the tone up at the end and reveal that nobody was ever in any real danger (or maybe make an inciting incident for Snap? 😳) just add this to your request. It's just a prank, bro! Or maybe a prank gone horribly, horribly wrong?

📖 Black Magic: Some sort of curse or spell gone wrong is wreaking havoc! What kind of spell, and for how long?

🌟 Free Space: Suggest something! Maybe you have an idea of your own, I'd be more than happy to hear it!

~🔪⚰️🩸 Characters🩸⚰️🔪~

Anyone from the Twisted Wonderland cast and all the different versions of them from aus I've written is fair game (as long as you abide by the relationship rules posted above)! The self aware au, A Wonderland So Twisted, the reverse au, Shining Wonderland, all are welcome! I can take multiple characters in one ask with my limit being 5 (not counting the dwarves as separate characters).

[imamotherfuckingstar-lord]

What We Did, pt. 26

Summary:  After finding out you were pregnant, Bucky agrees to help you leave the hero life. The two of you go to Seattle, and hamper down for six months until you start dreaming of a certain someone. Convinced the dreams are a sign, you and Bucky go back to New York. Will everyone be happy to see the pair of you? What questions will they have? And will the lie Bucky and you made up finally resurface?  

A/N: This chapter is dedicated to my main bitch @childishhoebinoo again. THIS IS A BIT SHORT, SORRY!

Warnings: //cheating//pregnancy//ADULT STUFF//

masterlist

Chapter Twenty-Six: Cutthroat 

The driveway was empty; you feel cold and guilty and everything in between.  You had seen it in Clint’s eye – your words had gotten to him and you were afraid you had made things even worse. There was nothing left to do but go inside and wait for Bucky to get home. You walked inside and felt an odd urge to pick up the phone and call Natasha. But it seems like forever since the last time you had seen her and told her not to come around – another regretful notch for your bed post.

You walked into the living room and sat down, fidgeting with the remote and pretending everything was okay until your cell rang. The caller ID flashed Tony’s name, grateful for the distraction, you picked it up and greeted the man with a false uplifting tone. Of course, he saw right through that and called you out on it.

“Did you install cameras in my house?”

“No.”  He laughed but it faded as soon as it arrived. You asked what was going on and he cleared his throat. “I got some bad news, kid. Clint’s lawyers called mine.”

“He was literally just here….”

“He showed up announced.” Tony repeated but it wasn’t directed to you – someone else was with him. “I’m going to put Pepper on the call, okay?”

Agreeing, you greeted her when she said hello. “How are you feeling?”

“Good,” you answered. “I’m due in less than 10 days, so all this drama is doing wonders for my stress level.”

Pepper sighed. “That’s exactly what we don’t want to happen, so the lawyers and I came up with a solution, but I have to tell you – it’s a difficult one.”

What could be more difficult than being confronted by the wife of your unborn child’s father? Or losing your best friend because of your adultery? Or having a screaming match with Clint in front of the whole neighborhood? Knowing you could not do anything to change any of it and all at once, not wanting to change it.

“I’m a big girl,” you finally said, feeling prepared for whatever the options the lawyers and Pepper had come up with. “I’ll do anything to have some quiet for as long as I can get it.”

“Shit,” Tony groaned. “Rhodey is hounding my cell; I’ll leave you two to it.”

He hung up his end and Pepper exhaled. “He won’t tell you this but this whole situation has gotten to him. He loves you and wants the best, and he will fight on your side but….”

“…. this situation has already divided the team.”

She paused before saying yes but quickly adding that it was not your concern. “That can all be dealt with eventually, right now we want to make sure you’ll have some peace when the baby arrives.”

Willing away tears, you asked what needed to be done and she explained it all; you were going to contest the paternity of the baby. Maybe you slept with someone else around the same time as the affair with Clint, you will tell the court you are not sure and that you would like a paternity test to make sure. Since your due date is around the corner, the lawyers will petition for a DNA a week after the baby is born.

“It will allow the lawyers time to draft up a solid custody agreement and build a case if Clint wants to take things to court.”

“A custody fight?” The words came out of your mouth in a jumbled whisper and Pepper assured you that everything would be fine, especially in your case.

“Courts tend to favor the mother and your situation is ideal.” You asked what she meant by that and she explained that Bucky and you had created a stable home for your child. “Clint is still an Avenger, you two hung up the capes months ago to raise the baby. He will not be granted full custody if he can’t stay home for more than a few weeks at a time.”

It was true; Clint had more reason than the rest of the team to retire and he had not. He kept his family secret for a long time and even after everyone found out, he still was out avenging with the rest of us. You felt like you were betraying him, but you need for security was hungrier than the need to do the right thing. A maternal feeling had rushed over you and you would do anything to make sure your son would be in your arms and home with you. Clint had his family; you were fighting for yours. Speaking of, you resisted mentioning that Bucky and you had eloped. With everything that was going on, you weren’t sure adding that information right now would be best. It wasn’t like you were hiding it but the thought of hurting Pepper and Tony, especially Steve, with the news was too much for you. You knew those three specifically would have wanted to come – even Natasha, but you couldn’t think of that or her right now.  

“I’ll do it,” you breathed out, desperate to make it all go away. “I’ll do it, do I need to go out there to sign papers?”

“Not necessary; I’ll fly out an assistant with all the paperwork tomorrow. They will come by and everything will be done in minutes. The lawyers will submit it to the courts and have it expedited – courtesy of one Tony Stark.”

“It pays to know the guy, doesn’t it?”

Pepper laughed, it was sharp but light and it lifted the tension from the air. “Try being married to him.”

“I’ll pray for you,” you joked.

“Please,” she plead. “Oh, also, you can’t have connected with Clint. We are adding a no contact order, he cannot be showing up at the house like he did today. You are nine months pregnant; it is dangerous to have you so stressed out. The lawyers can use that against him – if he truly is the father, why would he risk putting you into early labor like that? I can have them document that if you want?”

It was terrifying to hear Pepper so direct and cutthroat, but you suppose that was why she was the CEO of Stark Industries and not Tony. You were glad to have her on your team and you were starting to think the two Starks were in first place for god parenthood.

“No, don’t, it’s fine.” It felt like the least you could do, considering Clint was going to be taking another blow to the groin. “Thank you, Pepper, sincerely.”

“Anything for you, kid.”

“Tony tell you to say that?”

She groaned. “He did.”

Sharing a laugh, the two of you said goodbye and hung up. Tossing the cell down onto the sofa cushion, you leaned back and rubbed a hand over your stomach. It was going to be tough to ignore Clint’s calls, which most likely would be coming soon. It was a bit nerve wrecking knowing he was still in the city unbeknownst to what had just occurred but then you glanced down at the ring on your finger and thought of Bucky. With that, it was all gone; the guilt and worry, because in the end, even if everything went up in flames, you’d still have him.

....

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[nightwingvixen23]

Pairing : DamiJon fanfic in their later teens

Little Vixen Side Note : Wrote this piece a few nights ago when I couldn't sleep and came across the dark version of Cant Help Falling In Love; which is what I wrote it to

Cheeecckkk ittttt ouuutttt

A speeding bullet of black, yellow and green. He blew ahead of me in a chase throughout the thick of winter. Skeletal remains of my heart began to drop, all signs of epic violence tittering around us in pursuance of the two malefactors we had just minutes prior unmasked who's carnage stained hands were laying hell into the legs of a screaming woman, in attempts at victimizing her to a two-sided brutality. And though be as it may, with her browbeaten crying, this ambushed petite woman of golden curls had torn like a vicious feline to free herself from the drooling lock jaws of famished wolves refusing to die in this wasted city. Then she'd stopped. She'd turned her head towards us. And it was with that act of final defeat, the deadlock of her blue eyes onto Damians, that had been a tethering of empathetic steel.

In that moment, I'd witnessed the city burn within his eyes. A revival of Pompeii, humans choking on ash; and it was by his hand that carried out was this biblical apocalypse. I mean, you can only stand to see so many weeds in your garden before getting tired of yanking them out by hand and simply just mowing over it all to start fresh.

I'd numbly watched Robin free the woman who'd scurried down the dark street (purse and shoe forgotten like a broken Cinderella) and analyzed where the rules of these unbidden streets lingered any longer ? A wasted land left starved of God's Love long ago, and so us as his children are outcasts in regards to just how mortality works. This is The Devils playground now where we've adapted into calling out Love, not by the blossoming virtue of a budding rose, but by the cut of it's petalless thorns; where the only splash of red comes at the blooming of our own blood. 

What else to do with pain than to make it our art form, our very own self worth. To turn it into a purpose and to make that purpose something beautiful.

⏳...⌛

A park.

Swings creaking with a glacial slow breeze as ghost children play games on the teeter totter. White fluff born from clouds shroud lost personal belongings from humans long past through, and will overnight, do it's best, to shroud the two bodies lay dead 'mid this park's jogging trail.

He stands between them; The Sympathizer, a crimson splattered god in which no Olympian can put a name to crowned in injustices and liberalizing duties.

Crows form a murder beneath these dark skies, dancing and entangling above our heads. Something cruel. Something elegant. Something in harmony with what I behold here and now; because somewhere off in Gotham City this man, that I've fallen in a surprise trust fall for, remarkably kept a young woman home-free tonight. Not from duty. But from instinct.

"Robin.."

He turns to me.

He sheaths his sword; and he smiles.

He smiles at me through tears.

He smiles at me through red blood.

He smiles at me through falling snow.

He smiles at me through the antagonism; and that has to be the most beautiful thing I think I've ever seen.

Regardless; i still wonder what chamber door, dusted with years of abandonment, had finally been gifted a hand to open it's rusted impasse come with what we'd witnessed tonight. What poisonous blend leaks out this door to flood his veins and pour fever into his eyes; clouding his vision against a better form of judgment on justice that has two miserable assed men, twice his size, laying slaughtered like pigs with him standing noble between them both ?

Even though the winter wonderland park is dead quiet, I've never in all my existence heard so much noise. So much all at once while staring at Damian, just now realizing that he'd removed his mask long ago: now raven's stare with deadly ink eyes in jealous passion at the too black fullness of that jet hair filled up in a shaven bun. Cat's whine in envy at the feline-like features of this clandestine face. Jade gems rust in sad defeat before such green eyes. He's the pristine vision of Talia al Ghul (nothing about him is Bruce anymore aside from the cut of his jaw) housing 9 lives amidst 100 secrets.

"I love you," like the many times I've voiced it before, it gushes from me all soft and rushed.

"You love me? You love me?? Don`t," and there is coldness in his stare. Floating all the while amongst the arctic, I've struck the iceberg. Sinking under. Cracked in two. And I've got to say, the embrace is haunting.

"Why."

"It is true that the lion coddled the lamb beneath its purring chin, bustling with a protective big paw. Be as it may, unbeknownst to the onlookers, once turned away; the lion gorged on the lamb. Feasted upon its frail body only to lick at its bloodied carcass and keep it close by. Not in memory, but as a trophy; for the lion`s former coddling of the lamb was nothing more than animalistic curiosity.

"Do you not realize Jon that we are all animals, you and I ? Instinct drives us, some however are more lethal, some run in packs, some run alone, and others...just….run." green devours me. Green tears through my flesh. Green swallows me whole. Perhaps I am but being gorged upon by the starving lion.

His lips curl into a sadistic sneer despite the tear tracks on his face and I'm all but floored by the fabric skin of this demon that everyone's tried to give a halo, "I will rip you apart, little lamb."

"Then by all means," I grab his hand to wrap it around my throat, it's cold but his grip is tight and his lips on mine are hot, "take my neck to slaughter."

Five fingers tremble in innocence against my throat; a golden token of humanity, honesty and clemeity. Making my wonder

just who really here is the lion and who is the lamb? Then he bares his teeth, rabid and wild. I bare my teeth back, standing ground in the middle of our Eden turned Jungle. Then our lips meet again. Our teeth clash. We fight to force the other into submission though neither backs down.

Maybe I was wrong. Maybe, he is but a lamb that learned to evolve amongst the lions. And could it be that I am but a lion having learned to secret himself amongst sheep? Maybe that's why him and I fight more than find common ground, for the foolish costumes we were taught to wear in order to cover up what rightful creatures God bore us as.

We are different and the same whether it be his purity or my hidden away corruption.

The volcanic eruption of his anger and soothing temperament of my ocean meet. 

They form an isle.

A match to an ignition causes an inevitable explosion. But, sometimes, that match plus ignition can give birth to fireworks rather than a bomb; we've just gotta be patient and count to 3. I count to 2 before seeing the spark. And right at 3 comes the crackle then pop, a raining shower of diabolical color transcending the stark black sky.

Who ever would of known that 4th of July in the middle of December would  look so much like Heaven waging war with Hell.

                                               ⌛...⏳

No one is home execpt for me to answer the chipper knock at the front door on the next sun smothered day, and the florist that greets me is happy to do so.

In my hands I'd received my gift of a crimson rose bouquet;

and while up in my room i'd read the card written on with an elegant gothic flourish:

                     My Little Lamb.

These three words made the wool wearing prey in me seek sanctuary, and yet, caused the dagger toothed predator in me to roar.

 *END

[tallestsilver]

Disneyland Modern AU

For @littlelonghairedoutlaw‘s PotO AU Fic Contest! Summary: While at Disneyland, Christine is determined to make Erik have fun and figure out his favorite ride.  Rating: PG or K+  Ship: Erik/Christine kinda. More friendly than romantic  AU: Modern

“Erik, please at least try to enjoy yourself.”

A noncommittal exhalation of breath, too light to be a grunt, was the response. The dour look on Erik’s face only worsened as more people lined up behind them, becoming more crowded. “The ‘Happiest Place on Earth’, indeed,” he monotoned. 

Christine sighed in exasperation and rummaged through her petite backpack as the line moved a step closer to the entrance to the park. “Look, I can’t think of anyone who doesn’t like at least one-” she held up her index finger to emphasize her point, “-one thing at Disneyland.” She withdrew a set of plain Minnie Ears, complete with a pink bow and situated it on top of her head. It barely peaked out from her massive amount of fluffy curls, but it remained steadfast. “You cannot be serious with that ridiculous thing.”

“When in Rome, do as the Romans do!” “I have been to Rome and they certainly do not care about the doings of tourists. They would rather-” “Erik, it’s just an expression,” Christine said with a roll of her eyes as he continued muttering about barbarians. Perhaps this was not the best idea she had come up with. She was determined to have fun with Erik in one of her favorite places, but he always had to make things more difficult. His rotten mood would not spoil her magical day, and she was focused on making his day magical as well.

“You said you wanted to go with me,” she reminded him as she passed her ticket along to the taker. A scant, a delightful tinkling of approval, and she passed through the turnstile. 

She waited on the other side, watching Erik fidget with his hands and recheck his prosthetic nose, complete with fake mustache. He was overly anxious, she realized, with a sinking feeling. He was denied his mask, for they were not allowed in the park, and so he settled on some makeup and a detachable nose. Despite his disguise, he wore dark shades to try and hide himself as much as possible. 

Erik held his breath and passed through the turnstile, as if he was going to be tackled by security and thrown out of the Magic Kingdom, and worse yet, be tossed into California Adventure, but he passed through without any protestations. He exhaled in relief. “Well, now we’re here so let’s get on with it,” he said. Christine grinned and grabbed his arm. “First stop, the Mad Hatter’s!”

“WHAT?” 

Walking at a determined pace, but walking nevertheless, Christine pulled Erik by the elbow straight down Mainstreet. They passed by window panels that depicted scenes of various Disney movies. “These were my favorite as a kid,” she told him, imitating a grinning Ariel rocking back and forth. “They would release the whole movie in these little scenes for whatever came out that year. They stopped doing that, though…” 

Erik leaned in and inspected the window next to hers. Cinderella was waltzing with Prince Charming, the clock tower looming behind them. 

“Let’s go!” And he was yoinked away. Christine inhaled the intoxicating aromas wafting throughout the street as they headed toward Sleeping Beauty’s Castle. Confections enticing her with their sweet promises nearly stopped her in her tracks, but she had one thought in mind that she dare not tell Erik until they arrived in Fantasyland. “ABSOLUTELY NOT,” he declared as she held up a simple black Mickey hat. “Everyone gets one, Erik!” Christine said joyously. Despite his black sunglasses, she could feel his piercing gaze. 

“Christine, you’re wasting your time and your money.” She handed over the money to the cashier, who was eyeing Erik with uncertainty. “Ma’am, we have other hats that-” “Just ignore him. He’ll grow to love it.” “Would you like that embroidered?” “NO HE WOULD NOT,” Erik interjected. “Yes please! Erik, if you wouldn’t mind. That’s E-R-I-K. No ‘C’.” “We will do that in one moment!”

“Wonderful! Thank you!” 

The embroidery machine whirred to life as Christine turned back to Erik with a grin to match the Cheshire Cat’s above her. 

“Fie, a pox on both your houses,” he glowered at her, but she just continued to smile without regard to his fuming. 

“Hate me all you want, but this will help you blend in with everyone else.” She was handed the Mickey Ears, smartly embroidered in swirling yellow letters with “Erik”. She stood on her tip toes and snugly placed it on top of Erik’s head, securing the elastic bad around his chin. “There! You can throw it away after today, but for now, you’ll have plenty of Disney fun with me!”

He slumped his shoulders in defeat. “If I must…” “You must!” Christine told him cheerfully, because damn it all, she was going to make sure this day was fun for him. Even if it killed her. 

Or even if it killed him. 

At Christine’s insistence, they hit Fantasyland first, “since we’re already here,” she explained, “although Adventureland is the best, by far.” His arms were tightly folded on the Mad Tea Party Teacups, as Christine dutifully spun them faster and faster, laughing all the while. His sour disposition never faltered through Peter Pan, Alice in Wonderland, or King Arthur’s Carousel. Christine could have sworn she saw the slightest crack of a smile on Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride upon their exit into Hell. But however quick it might have been, it vanished before she could have been certain. 

“Now I know this next one will be your favorite!” She cheered gleefully as they soared up and down through the air on Dumbo - 

“-a character who faced discrimination and torment on a daily basis until he had capital value,” Erik commented with a growl. 

Christine’s face fell as their Dumbo rose up into the air with the other elephants before making their descent. “You don’t have to put it like that…” she said softly. She shook her head, “no matter! Dumbo isn’t your favorite.”

As they exited the ride, she stuck her chin out defiantly and posed like Peter Pan. “We will find what you like today!”

Erik adjusted his dark glasses delicately, avoiding too much contact with his fake nose. “That’s highly unlikely.”

__________________________________________________________

By the afternoon’s end, Christine was in a slump. The cheer had been sapped from her, despite her earlier exuberance. She sat defeated on a bench in New Orleans Square, face cradled in her hands. Even her hair lost its usual fluffy bounce, and her curls were bedraggled. Erik approached her, holding two churros from the nearby cart. Christine made no acknowledgment of him. “Christine, I acquired the confection you demanded.”

She rotated her body away from him and focused on Tom Sawyer’s Island. She watched as the raft loaded with people and drifted away from them, toward the island.  

“Christine?”

She continued to ignore him and instead gazed at all the happy families, couples, and others enjoying their time in the park.

Erik stiffly sat beside her, his body rigid in a perfect posture, holding out the churros mechanically. He stared out alongside her, in the direction of her gaze.

“Christine, you are obviously upset, and it is highly likely that the variable that caused you to be upset is me.” He took an audible breath, and continued to stare straight ahead, but Christine shifted her gaze to him. “I cannot begin to rectify the situation and my behavior if all I can infer is that you are sullen.” 

Her mouth was set in a line, not willing to smile or frown. Yes, she was irritated with him, and this false way of apologizing without outright doing it grated on her nerves. At least he was trying to be a bit more considerate to her emotions.

“Yes, Erik, I’m ‘sullen.’ Any suggestion I have, you immediately turn it into something negative. I’m trying to show you something you’ll enjoy, but you keep nit-picking and draining all the fun out of it!” 

“That’s hardly the case-” Erik began to counter, but Christine cut him off. “-YES, it is!” She stuck out her hand and began counting on her fingers all the dismissals and critiques he had. “You hated Tomorrowland because you complained about all the outdated technology and how you could create better animatronics.”

“Why have a ride that is essentially recreating the traffic we experienced to even get to this park? It’s absurd!” “You didn’t like Space Mountain because you calculated the speed and scoffed at how slow it actually was.” “It’s all illusions, Christine. It’s only 28 miles per hour-” 

She shoved another finger in his face and she continued her infraction count, “- you were utterly disinterested in Big Thunder Mountain,” “-ain’t, Christine. Thar ain’t no way that would appeal to me. And the excavation of that Tyrannosaurus is completely ludicrous-” “-You were whining all throughout ‘Galaxy’s Edge’,” “I was just saying the Empire is a bunch of fascists and the Rebels are terrorists-” “IT’S STAR WARS, ERIK!!” Christine shouted, throwing her hands up in the air. “AND THEN when we went to Critter Country,” “-crawling with tiny children I might add-” “-you described the Winnie the Pooh ride as a fevered dream you had on opium once,” “-to be fair, it was a rather good dream-” “-and then you kept saying how exploitative Song of the South was and ruined Splash Mountain. HOW DID YOU MANAGE NOT TO GET WET? I’m STILL ringing out my hair and that was nearly an hour ago!” 

“One can take a measured approach to these things, my dear-”

“-AND you would not SHUT UP about how historically inaccurate Pirates of the Caribbean was!” “NO ONE,” Erik rose to his feet, “IN THE ENTIRE WORLD, HAS EVER WORN HATS THAT LOOK LIKE BUCKETS! THERE’S NO HISTORY HERE, CHRISTINE!”

Christine jumped to her feet and stood defiantly to Erik, despite him still looming over her, “IT’S A RIDE, ERIK! IT’S MAKE BELIEVE! PRETEND! IT’S SUPPOSED TO BE FUN!!”

“BUCKET-HATS!!”

As the two of them panted in their frustrations, a baby somewhere nearby began crying. Christine broke first and flopped back down on the bench with a groan. “I just wanted you to enjoy yourself.” She slowly removed her headband and traced her fingers over the Minnie Ears. “This place means so much to me… My Dad and I would-” her nose got that peculiar warm tickle that means tears were soon to follow. She shook her head to rid herself of that anguish. “Disneyland is just my happy place, and I wanted to share that with you, too.” Erik lowered himself down onto the ground, to look up at Christine as she fought her emotions. He removed his dark sunglasses to be more open with the woman sitting in front of him. “I have been having fun,” he told her softly. “Perhaps my enjoyment of things is more unconventional, but spending this day with you is more precious to me than anything else.” A half-smile appeared on her lips. “Crowds and all?” He offered her the churro as he rose from the ground to sit beside her. “Suffocating crowds and all.” 

Christine smiled into her churro, biting into it quietly as she and Erik sat in thought. She leaned against him, resting her head on his shoulder. His entire body tensed and grew rigid at the sudden intimacy, but he slowly relaxed. He hesitantly lifted his arm, and with taking pause, wrapped it around Christine’s shoulders. Christine had nearly finished half of her churro before Erik finally tasted his own. The crispy sweet crust pairing with the fluffy light middle delighted him. “Christine!” He exclaimed, “these are incredible!” “Yeah, Erik. Disneyland churros are amazing. I always need to have one. OH! And the beignets, too.” “I don’t think you fully comprehend the magnificence of this pastry! It’s entirely delightful!” He took another bite, “sweet, but not overpowering!” Another bite. “The delicate taste of cinnamon!” Another, “the exquisite crunch with the decadent exterior!” 

Christine covered her mouth with her hand, struggling to keep from laughing at Erik’s sudden enthusiasm. As he continued exclaiming his delight, probably with more gusto for Christine’s benefit, the adhesive on his prosthetic nose began to disintegrate. Her amusement quickly turned into concern, knowing how poorly he would react if it fell off. “Erik,” Christine cautioned him, suddenly serious, “Erik, maybe you shouldn’t-” And that’s precisely when his nose fell into his lap. 

Erik yelped several octaves higher than Christine thought he was physically able to, clamping his hands over his face instinctively. His mustache hung limply above his thin lips, exposing the jagged scar of his former cleft palate that ran up to his nose cavity.

The cry made several people look in their direction, certainly not aiding in Erik’s mortification. “The poor guy dropped his churro!” Christine explained, putting on her Stage Voice and gesturing to the fallen delicacy. 

That seemed to satisfy the onlookers as Erik curled up on himself, hiding his face as best he could. Christine rubbed his hunched back soothingly as he silently suffered. “Shh, shh... Erik it’s okay! There’s a bathroom nearby where you can apply it again. Although honestly,” she said with a shrug, “no one will care if you don’t reapply it. There are so many people who come here with all different backgrounds and abilities that-” “Christine, save me your princess fairy tales for the moment,” Erik hissed through gritted teeth. “I’m more Victor Hugo’s Hunchback than Walt Disney’s, and people aren’t kind no matter where or when we are. Or perhaps I should just kidnap a princess into being my prisoner like some kind of Beast. That will turn out well!” 

Silenced by his sardonic words, Christine helped him to his feet, and hurried him along to the restrooms in New Orleans Square. They were mercifully close, and as Christine was just about to tell him as such, a small boy approached Erik. “Jack Skewwington!” He squealed gleefully, bouncing up and down, pointing at Erik and back at his shirt that displayed the character. 

Christine had to bite her lips to keep from laughing and making the situation worse as Erik blushed in fury. The mustache had vanished somewhere along their short walk, fully exposing Erik’s death-like face. 

The small boy hugged Erik’s spindly legs in his delight at finding the Pumpkin King. 

Erik’s jaw clenched, unsure of what to do. His hands flexed into fists at his side, wanting to throw the child off of him or pat him on the head awkwardly.

“Owen!!” Cried a nearby woman, running up to the boy. “I don’t think he likes that, honey,” She held out her hand to Owen and beckoned him back to her. “But Auntie Pwincess...” he whined taking her hand. She turned to Erik, “I’m sorry, your Disney-bound is really good. He thought you were Jack,” she said breathlessly, trying to excuse the young boy’s behavior. “It’s FINE!” Christine interjected before Erik could say anything, “he gets that all the time. You gotta keep the secret, okay?” She pressed her finger to her lips and winked at the boy. “Have a good Halloween!” She waved to the pair as Owen waved back. “Bye bye!”

Erik stood there in shock, unable to process what had happened. Christine handed him a tube of eyelash glue and his fallen nose. He took them mechanically and left to enter the restroom. After a few minutes, he returned, adjusting his sunglasses back on his face and lightly tapping his raw upper lip. A few flecks of glue remained, but only Christine would notice. “I suppose that’s what you get for wearing black pinstripes at Disneyland,” she laughed sheepishly, trying to make light of the situation.

“I’d rather not discuss it,” he said, with all of his curt authority, but there was a certain softness to his voice. “Where to next?” He asked Christine, offering his arm with jerking, stilted movements. She took it and smiled. “My favorite ride, but you have to promise not to criticize it!” Erik gave her a mock aghast look. “I would NEVER-!” “Erik. Promise me.” “Oh, all right, I promise. I’ll hold my tongue. Now which one is it?”

Christine lifted her arm to the towering manor before them. “The Haunted Mansion!”

“Haunted, hmmm? I should really leave my card if they want a proper Phantom…” Ignoring him, Christine giggled with excitement, bouncing not too unlike their little visitor from before, and dragged Erik along behind her. She was all but skipping through the Pet Cemetery and pointed out all the puns on the various tombstones and mausoleums.

“I. M. Mortal? The evidence proves the contrary, sir,” Erik said. Christine shot him a dirty look and he held up his hands in innocence. “It was a joke, Christine! They’re all deceased.” 

She narrowed her eyes at him and whipped her hair at him with a small, “hmpf!” She strolled quickly into the front doors of the mansion as a glassy eyed Castmember ushered them in with a deadpan, “look alive. Right this way.”

Erik squeezed his way past through the bodies of the crowd to get back to Christine’s side. She gazed up at the foyer in awe, excitement vibrating from her being. 

“When hinges creak in doorless chambers, and strange and frightening sounds echo through the halls.” Christine clasped her hands in giddiness, mouthing the words along with Paul Frees’s narration. “Whenever candlelights flicker where the air is deathly still — that is the time when ghosts are present, practicing their terror with ghoulish delight!” “... well I feel called out,” whispered Erik in Christine’s ear. Christine snorted in laughter.

“Welcome, foolish mortals, to the Haunted Mansion. I am your host, your Ghost Host. Kindly step all the way in please, and make room for everyone. There’s no turning back now.” One of the walls opened to reveal another room. The group shuffled their way in as another Castmember stated in the deepest voice he could muster, “Drag your bodies away from the walls and into the dead center of the room.”

“Are these puns going to continue throughout this journey?” “Yes, Erik!” Christine hissed at him in a whisper. “And if you don’t like it-” “Our tour begins here in this gallery, where you see paintings of some of our guests as they appeared in their corruptible, mortal state.”

“You misunderstand, I love it entirely.” Erik looked longingly at Christine, aching to make her happy. She inadvertently was standing similarly to the ballerina-tight rope walker portrait stretching just behind her.  

“Your cadaverous pallor betrays an aura of foreboding, almost as though you sense a disquieting metamorphosis. Is this haunted room actually stretching? Or is it your imagination — hmm?” 

“Oh. Well good!” The smile she gave him was dazzling. 

“And consider this dismaying observation: this chamber has no windows and no doors… which offers you this chilling challenge: to find a way out!” Christine echoed the laugh of the Ghost Host with chilling accuracy.  “Of course... there’s always my way-!”

Christine released a practiced blood curdling scream as lightning flashed and the hanged body of the host appeared above them. Erik jumped at her terrifying cry, but she was still smiling in delight. The lights flickered back on and a door slid open revealing another hallway in the labyrinthine manor. “Ohhh, I didn’t mean to frighten you prematurely,” Christine cooed along with the dialogue, smirking at Erik. “The real chills come later. Now, as they say, ‘look alive,’ and we’ll continue our little tour. And let’s all stay together, please.” “I was concerned about your safety,” he huffed, a slight blush rising to his sunken cheeks. He adjusted his Mickey Ears as they had skewed in his jump. “You were scared, just admit it!” Christine laughed as they walked through the hallway, where the curtained windows showed a thunderstorm raging outside the Mansion. To their right, more portraits flickered with the lightning, showing not all was as it seemed. 

“Christine,” Erik said sensibly, “a hanged body is something that does not frighten me.”

“I’m going to ignore that,” Christine told him, peering at the two busts whose faces turned to follow them down the line queue. 

“There are several prominent ghosts who have retired here from creepy old crypts all over the world. Actually, we have 999 happy haunts here — but there’s room for 1,000. Any volunteers?”

Christine nudged Erik with her elbow. “They’re looking for a new ghost. Need a new job?”

“If you insist on lagging behind, you may not need to volunteer.”

Erik tapped his finger against his lips in thought. “That’s not a bad notion…” “You’re not ACTUALLY considering it, are you Erik?” The two of them stepped onto the moving walkway and slid into their doom buggy carriage to whisk them off into the bowels of the mansion.

“Why not,” he mused. “Put my skills to the test, and so far, I am pleased with the traditional techniques they’ve been utilizing for their optical illusions.” The safety bar lowered on them, bumping against Erik’s gangling legs. “I find the older tricks are the most effective.” 

“We find it delightfully unlivable here in this ghostly retreat. Every room has wall-to-wall creeps, and hot and cold running chills. Shhh, listen!”

Their ghostly carriage rocked and swayed, providing them the direction where to look as they journeyed down the Corridor of Doors. A floating candelabra surrounded by a hall of mirrors that led to nowhere illuminated the scene to the right as groans from a moving casket cried out on their left. Leering eyes warped the wallpaper pattern into a frightful brocade as narration continued. 

Christine cooed in contentment as she leaned back in the Doom Buggy and watched the creeping horrors as they passed by. Several doors rattled and growled with threats of danger on the other side. 

“Ha! They used the effect revolutionized in ‘The Haunting,’” Erik hummed in his amusement as they passed by a particularly intimidating bulging door, the wood creaking with every ‘breath’ of movement.  “In fact,” he craned his neck around and tried to carefully observe the other doors, despite moving away from them, “this whole hallway is...a marvel...” Christine gave Erik her best vacant expression and told him, “the house is alive..!” He actually chuckled at her reference. Christine was pleased at his amusement. 

“It’s about time you found something you like-” But she was cut off by the seance Madame Leota was conducting as they swiveled into a pitch black room with instruments floating all around them. 

“OoooOooh, a medium,” Erik wiggled his spidery fingers in sarcastic spookiness, “how obnoxious,” he scoffed, but his smile remained. 

“Do not mock the great Madame Leota!” “Goblins and ghoulies from last Halloween, awaken the spirits with your tambourine!”

Their vehicle turned and face the Seer, to reveal she was not seated at her seance table in front of the crystal ball. Rather, she was a disembodied head inside the ball, floating above the table. The jingling beat of a tambourine was the response, as if the ghosts of the mansion were responding to her words. 

“Creepies and crawlies, toads in a pond, let there be music from regions beyond!” Music began to play as they were ushered from Leota’s chamber and into more darkness. Their Ghost Host whispered in their ears as they ventured deeper into the Mansion. “The happy haunts have received your sympathetic vibrations and are beginning to materialize. They’re assembling for a swinging wake, and they’ll be expecting me… I’ll see you all a little later.”

The organ music swelled around them with the melody of the mansion as ghostly apparitions began swirling in a waltz in a ballroom before them. Duelists stepped out of their portraits to fire, spirits were piling in from a crashed carriage, gathering around to feast on the rotten food on an elongated table. And a man in a top hat played the organ with great vigor, despite it being off-key. 

“The Pepper’s Ghost illusion, of course,” Erik whispered to himself.

“My favorite part!” Christine squealed in a hushed voice. “Yes,” he murmured, entranced as well, his eyes focused on the organ player, “I can see why…” Listening to the repeating music, his finger unconsciously swayed to it, as though he was conducting it and learning along. Christine hummed along, dancing in her seat as they turned away from the spectacle and into the attic, where the thudding of a heartbeat echoed in their heads. Scattered before them were portraits of various couples in their wedding attire. The woman, all the same in each one and smiling pleasantly, but every groom was different. Then, the swing of an axe, and the heads of the grooms vanished. A piano with only the shadow of a pianist played a discordant wedding march. At the end of the attic, was Constance Hatchaway, the bride herself, in her glowing ethereal splendor. “I do,” she whispered innocently, her bouquet revealing an axe, “...and I did,” she hissed, the axe shining with light. “Here comes the bride…”

“I know I’m desperate,” Erik remarked, “but I’m not that desperate for a bride.” 

Christine scoffed, “you sure about that? OH! HERE HE IS! THE HATBOX GHOST!”

Christine leaned forward as they left the attic and a ghost with skeletal features, not too unlike the man sitting next to her, appeared. He wore a magnificent top hat and a hatbox hung from his hand. His eyes looked suspiciously around before he laughed sinisterly. His face suddenly vanished from his body and reappeared inside his hatbox.

Their carriage tilted backward away from the mansion and into the backyard cemetery. Christine laughed and clapped her hands in delight.  

“What was so remarkable about him?” Erik puzzled. 

“The rumor of the Hatbox Ghost is amazing! He was put into the Mansion on the opening days, but then he vanished!” “The animatronic… vanished?” “Yes! They never saw it again! They just put him back in a couple of years ago. But can you imagine? Almost fifty years without Hattie and his image is all through the mansion! But now he’s back and better than ever!” The recurring music suddenly shifted from melancholy and dour to exuberant and lively. A raven cawed at them during their descent out of the main house and into the graveyard. They passed the terrified groundskeeper and his dog, both trembling in fear as the ghosts and corpses rose from their graves to have a frightening soiree.  

Christine bounced along to the music and sang along to the macabre choir, 

“When the crypt doors creak and the tombstones quake,

Spooks come out for a swinging wake.

Happy haunts materialize and begin to vocalize. 

Grim grinning ghosts come out to socialize!

Now, don’t close your eyes and don’t try to hide,

For a silly spook may sit by your side.

Shrouded in a daft disguise, they pretend to terrorize.

Grim grinning ghosts come out to socialize!

As the moon climbs high o’er the dead oak tree,

Spooks arrive for the midnight spree.

Creepy creeps with eerie eyes start to shriek and harmonize.

Grim grinning ghosts come out to socialize!

When you hear the knell of a requiem bell,

Weird glows gleam where spirits dwell.

Restless bones etherealize, rise as spooks of every size!

She cackled and continued right from the top again. Ghosts popped up from behind tombstones, a Mummy was having tea, four busts sang very expressively, and several opera singers belted out their tunes. 

Erik nudged his elbow against Christine and nodded to a large woman’s ghost with long Valkyrie braids, projecting out her notes. “I wasn’t aware Carlotta was employed here!”

Christine sputtered in laughter as they left the graveyard only to be accosted by three hitchhiking ghosts, thumbing their way out. 

“Ah, there you are!” The Ghost Host’s voice cooed, “and just in time… there’s a little matter I forgot to mention — beware of hitchhiking ghosts! They have selected you to fill our quota, and they’ll haunt you until you return! Now I will raise the safety bar, and a ghost will follow you home!”

Christine wiggled in her seat, eagerly peering in the mirrors displayed before them to see which ghost would select them. However, all that they saw were their own reflections, Erik doing everything he could to avoid looking at himself “That’s odd… it must be down… usually a ghost appears next to you…” She looked over at Erik, who shrugged in response. 

“...nevermind, a ghost is next to me,” she commented dryly. 

A lulling melody lured them out of their Doom Buggy as the bar lifted and they stepped out onto the moving platform. Christine looked back as her palm sought the handrail, carrying them back up to the world above. “Hurry baaaack… Hurry baaaack…” The small bride-like figure of Little Leota taunted them as they headed upward. Erik rested his hand on Christine’s shoulder. “Oh, we plan to.” Christine gasped in delight, her eyes sparkling with unmitigated joy. “Again?”

Erik nodded, “how else am I to construct a summer home?”

[the-jade-cross]

Spirit of Autumn - Chapter 9

The silence that followed was probably so thick that everyone’s ears began to ring. Jack’s eyes hastily scanned Bella and Jason’s faces, hoping that they believed him. Bella obviously did because her jaw was hanging open and her eyes about to pop out of her skull. Jason kept looking between Scarlett and Jack as if waiting for any sign of a bluff. Jack glanced down the hallway, having known that Bunny, Sandy, North and Tooth were standing in the doorway for most of the argument with all the guests trying to peer over their heads and failing. Cupid had somehow managed to walk underneath Bunny’s legs and was standing triumphantly in front with a pleased smirk on his face like the cat from Alice in Wonderland. If Bunny had been in Jack’s position, he would have said that Cupid looked like he was wetting his pants.

North’s eyes were so large they were about to touch his nose, Bunny’s jaw hanging open and his ears (which were still frozen) were sticking out horizontally. Tooth had her hand over her mouth and Sandy, who was standing there with a deadpan expression, looked like he wasn’t enjoying the groundhog practically sitting on his head as he tried to see what was going on.

“You’re bluffing,” Jason announced, placing his hands on his hips. “Why would you lie about something like that?”

Jack glared, releasing Scarlett from his embrace and taking a step forward as if to punch Jason. Scarlett reached out and placed her hand on his arm to stop him from doing just that, but Jack put his face close to Jason’s in a warning manner.

“You don’t think I’m serious?” Jack hissed.

“Jack,” Scarlett said in a soft but warning tone, “That’s enough.” Jack gave Jason one more glare before taking a step back, “Yeah you’re right…. it is enough.” Turning around and making sure to not hit Scarlett with his staff, he wrapped both arms around her and drawing her close to him, planting his lips on hers firmly.

There were quite a few gasps and choking sounds from the others down the hallway and Jack was quite sure that Bunny laid an egg for he heard a thud… or that might have been Sandy fainting.

Jack was hoping dearly that Scarlett was going to play along but he wasn’t prepared when one of her hands snaked around his wrist and the other going up to tangle in his white hair. Slowly he pulled back from her and as Scarlett’s eyes fluttered open, she gave him a look which said, ‘we will talk about this later.’

Jack turned around to give Jason a death glare, but he didn’t for Jason was seething, biting his lip to keep from doing something stupid. Bella was tugging at his arm, trying to get him away from the scene.

“You know,” North spoke up, snapping out of his daze (Bunny looked like he had frozen with his jaw open and his ears out, a glass of punch in one paw and a half-eaten carrot in the other). “I do not remember sending you two an invitation. Did I happen to send one by accident or did you pick off someone else’s invitation?”

Jason and Bella both looked like they were ready to be sick before Jason grabbed Bella’s hand and stormed down the hallway, bursting past the other guests. When they were gone, everyone let out relieved sighs and Jack managed to relax.

“Thanks North,” he breathed.

North shook his head before nodding toward Scarlett, “You did most of it. Though, I have a feeling ya two have something to discuss. We’ll leave you to it.” With that, the large man headed back to the others and began to shoo them back into the great hall where Cupid had turned on the music blaring high. Tooth scooped up Sandy who had indeed fainted and North had to smack Bunny across the nose a few times to snap him out of it before the rabbit followed him to go thaw out his ears by the fireplace. The moment that the door closed, Jack turned to Scarlett nervously, rubbing the back of his neck.

“Listen Scarlett… about…” The boy never finished for Scarlett had grabbed the front of his hoodie in both hands and dragging him down to her height, smashed her lips against his hard. Jack nearly jumped out of his hoodie in surprise. Sure, he and Scarlett had kissed before, but it had never been this passionate…. This desperate. Jack wasn’t even able to respond to the kiss before the girl drew back and looked at him with an earnest look, “That is an apology…. For what I said…”

Jack carefully leant his staff against the doorframe before cupping the girl’s face in his hands, turning her face up to look at him, “Hey, you had no way of knowing that I went through that. You were in pain and even the best of people lash out when they are hurting especially after being betrayed.”

Scarlett averted her eyes, but Jack kept a firm hold on her face. “So…what you told Jason…” “I meant it,” Jack whispered, causing the girl to look up at him in surprise only to find him smiling at her. “I know we aren’t girlfriend and boyfriend… but if you will have me… what I told Jason won’t be a lie….” Scarlett stared up at the boy with an unreadable expression and Jack was afraid that maybe his words weren’t to her liking. However, Scarlett slowly reached up and wrapped both her arms around Jack’s neck, standing on tiptoe so that she was a little more level with his tall height.

“About time you asked,” She breathed.

Jack let out a short gasp which was mixed with a laugh, a huge grin spreading across his face. Leaning down, he wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her up, so she was level with his head before gentle pressing his ice-cold lips to hers. He drew back but pressed his forehead against hers, brushing her nose with his.

“How come North always puts me on the naughty list?” he whispered. “I know how to make people happy.” Scarlett smirked, slipping her fingers into his white hair and pulling him closer so that he could feel her breath on his lips, “It’s because you make people wait centuries before you do.”

Jack chuckled before leaning forward to kiss her, but Scarlett drew back, placing her finger on his lips, “Ah, you need to give me a dance first.” Jack stuck out his bottom lip in a pout which caused Scarlett to giggle before pressing a kiss to her nose.

When Bunny finally managed to thaw out his ears, he saw that North had regained the microphone from Cupid and had turned the music down so no one lost their eardrums while Tooth had somehow managed to rouse the fainted Sandy. That was when Bunny noticed that Sandy’s hair was frozen stiff, and he knew that the kids were back.

He was just about to grab his boomerang and go teach Jack a lesson when he spied the white-haired boy on the dance floor. He paused, tilting his head to the side when he saw the familiar red head of Scarlett… the two of them dancing together. Bunny wasn’t much for mushy stuff, but he had to admit, they really looked good together. Jack was looking down at Scarlett who looked even more petite than usual since neither of them were flying. Jack’s face was shrouded by his white hair while Scarlett was staring intently at his chest clothed by his hoodie, too embarrassed to show Jack her blushing face.

Meanwhile, on the dance floor with the two lovebirds, Jack couldn’t get over how cute Scarlett looked, her cheeks tinted pink which brought out the freckles on her cheeks and her nose and from that angle, her lashes looked even longer than usual, and her pouty lips were all Jack could stare at.

“Could you stop staring at me for five seconds?” Scarlett whispered, not angrily but a little embarrassed.

Jack smiled, pressing a kiss to the top of her head and drawing her closer so her cheek rested on his chest, “I don’t want to.” Scarlett was sure her cheeks were turning ruby red but she smiled, pressing her cheek into Jack’s hoodie which was surprisingly warm, “Promise me that you will never leave…”

Jack chuckled and the laugh rumbled through his chest, causing the girl to look up at him. The boy’s cheeks were tinted blue and Scarlett found herself staring, wondering at how he could be so handsome and so darn cute at the same time.

“I think I could promise that…. If you do me a favor,” Jack said, leaning down to whisper the last part in her ear.

Scarlett shivered at his cold breath on her neck, “What?” Jack slowly drew his head back but only enough so he could glance into the girl’s eyes before gently pressing his lips to hers. Scarlett had to grip onto the shoulder of his hoodie to keep her knees from buckling as his cold hand splayed against the small of her back, his other hand coming to weave into the hair at the side of her face.

Just as Jack was pulling away hesitantly, he pressed the tip of his tongue to Scarlett’s lips and she shivered at the cold contact. Drawing back, he brushed her nose with his and smiled.

“That was the favor?” Scarlett breathed, suddenly finding herself too weak to form long sentences.

Jack pursed his lips together in thought before smirking, “That was the appetizer. I was actually going to have you go pin the bunny tail on Bunnymund…” “No can do,” Scarlett chuckled, poking his chest. “I intend to stay on the good list.” Jack smiled, ghosting his lips across Scarlett’s top lip, “Well, I don’t.”

Placing his lips firmly back on Scarlett’s, Jack began to slowly move about the room to make it seem like they were dancing. Scarlett gasped when Jack’s hand slipped dangerously close to the top of her pants and Jack took that as the chance to brush his lip across her mouth. What he wasn’t expecting was for Scarlett to part her lips and meet the kiss, weaving both her hands into his hair. Pulling back just slightly, Scarlett smirked at Jack’s surprised expression.

“You never were to begin with.”

[darkdoelette]

Coquette in Autumn

Hello everyone! I know that Summer has ended, and that means many people who enjoy the coquette aesthetic are sad because the season of crop tops and shorts, boardwalks, ice cream, swimming, and much much more is gone. Most of the fashion requires warm weather. Fear not, if you’re like me and live in a place where fall exists I have made a list of helping keep up the asethetic and lifestyle.

Clothing:

Sweaters

Sweater dresses

Thigh high socks

Thigh high knee boots

Gloves. Especially ones with skeleton hands or little bows on them.

Hoodies. Especially ones with animal ears/bat wings.

Tights and pantyhose.

Capes

Light jackets

Beret hat

Fuzzy socks

Plaid skirts

Mary Jane shoes

Ankle socks (especially with lace)

Mini backpacks

Cat bell chokers

Ribbon chokers

All kinds of chokers

Combat boots

Flannels

Label pins (especially on a jean jacket)

Black latex

Skull necklaces

Skull rings

Cosmetics:

Moisturizer

Body butter

Body sprays (especially those like candy corn, warm sugar, fall leaves)

Hand sanitizer. Especially ones that are Halloween themed.

Dark lip colors.

Red lip colors.

Natural lip colors.

Orange, red, purple, brown, and nude eye shadow colors.

Spiderweb false eyelashes.

Bath bombs. Especially with all the horror themed ones.

Shower steamers

Late night face masks

Black eyeliner.

Brown and black mascara.

Hair chalk.

Fawn makeup

Cat makeup

Black nails

Freckles

Lip scrub

Lip balm

Perfume

Hairstyles:

Natural

Pigtails

Pigtail braids

Any kinds of braids

Pony tails

Food/beverages:

Apple

Candy/caramel apples

Pumpkin spice

Cinnamon

Apple cider

Tea

Lollipops

Hot coco with whipped cream, marshmallows, and cinnamon sprinkled on top.

Halloween candy

Chocolate

Bread

Cherry pie

Apple pie

Pears

Acorn squash

Ginger

Cookies

Black charcoal anything

Activities:

Put together some cute back to school outfits. If you wear uniforms, but can have SOME level of individuality (such as makeup of accessories) find those.

Jump into fall leaves

Go trick or treating! If you feel you’re too old to do it for yourself do it for charity! There are plenty of kids who can’t get candy themselves, or who need money!

Go to a haunted house. Volunteer for a haunted house if you feel it suits you. Being petite can actually be an advantage. Creepy dolls, creepy children, being able to hide in small spaces can all be freaky!

Watch scary movies while sitting on the couch/bed while eating autumn food and wearing fuzzy socks and under a blanket. If you’re too scared by scary movies, watch Halloween specials.

Make/buy a cute/scary Halloween costume! Just make sure not to appropriate any cultures! There’s nothing cute about dressing up like someone else’s race.

Find things to be thankful for.

Volunteer at a local animal shelter. Nothing says Halloween like cats.

Go shopping at Halloween stores.

Decorate your house/apartment/room for Halloween.

Educate yourself on witchcraft and pay respects to those who made Halloween possible.

Pass out candy to trick or treaters (and if you want to, the single cuties chaperoning them).

Cover yourself in fake blood and take photos for Instagram. Just be careful! It stains clothing VERY easily.

Go on a walk through the walls.

Apple picking.

Pumpkin picking.

Carving a jack o lantern.

Reading. Especially with a cup of tea.

Try your hand at archery

Other Objects:

Candles

Mugs

Small pillows

Leaves

Pine cones

Blankets

Feathers

Chalk

Black roses

Animals:

Fawns

Deer

Cats (especially black ones)

Three headed dogs

Squirrels

Fox

Crows

Ravens

Hedgehogs

Movies/Tvshows/ tv specials:

Hard Candy (2005)

The babysitter (1995)

The crush (1993)

Sleep away camp (1983)

Scooby Doo (2002)

Jennifer’s Body (2009)

Orphan (2009)

Lollipop Monster (2011)

Mumsy, Sunny, Nanny, and Girly (1970)

Tales of the Crypt-(1989-1996)

The Addams Family Values (1993)

Poison Ivy (1992)

Heathers (1988)

Devil in The Flesh (1998)

The Horror Beach Party (1964)

The Love Witch (2016)

Supernatural (2006-2019)

American Horror Story (2011-)

Scream Queens(2015-2016)

68 Kill (2017)

Black Swan (2009)

Trick R’ Treat (2007)

Red Ink (Black Box Tv)

Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)

Scream (1996)

Books:

Look for me by moonlight-Mary downing Han

Dracula-Bram Stroker

The Picture of Dorian Gray-Oscar Wilde

The Vampire Chronicles-Anne Rice

Grimm’s fairy tales- The Grimm Brothers

The Twilight Saga-Stephanie Meyer

John Winchester’s Journal-Alex Irving

Tales from the Crypt (1950-1955)

The coloring book for goths-Tom Devonald

Scents:

Candy apples

Fall leaves

Face paint

Pumpkin spice

Cinnamon

Apple pie

Candy corn

BlackBerry

Candy

Burning wood

Games:

Lollipop Chainsaw

Light as a Feather, Still as a Board

Big fish games

Doki Doki Literature Club

Batman Arkham Asylum

Harley Quinn’s Revenge

Escape from Horrorland

Disney Guilty Party

Catherine

Yandare Simulator

Rollercoaster Tycoon 3

Truth or Dare

Songs:

It’s almost Halloween-Panic At the Disco

I’d Rather be Burned as a Witch-Eartha Kitt

I Wanna Be Evil-Eartha Kitt

Sweet but Psycho-Ava Max

Wonderland-Alice Chater

Dead Girl Walking-Heathers

Be a Light-ESMÉ

Waking on Air-Kerli

Black Magic-Little Mix

American Beauty/American Psycho-Fall Out Boy

Spooky Scary Skelton-Nyanners (cover)

Dracula-Bea Miller

Mz Hyde-Halestorm

Tear you Apart-She wants revenge

Eight in Nine-Slow train soul

Animals-Maroon 5

Bad guy-Billie Ellish

Other:

Check out this dark coquette playlist I made!

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLedzHMFLbf6ZaE_tL_AK_gpLC5P2zgM2d

Check out this music video I made for “Bad Guy” by Billie Ellish https://youtu.be/h6L5CKwiqoE

[recentanimenews]

Manga the Week of 12/`16/20

SEAN: As we get closer to the holidays, we get more and more books being published.

ASH: This turn of events pleases me.

MELINDA: And me.

SEAN: Cross Infinite World has a new title, I Reincarnated As Evil Alice, So the Only Thing I’m Courting Is Death!. Our heroine dies and is reincarnated in an otome game, and she *is* the heroine this time… but the game is notorious for having almost all bad ends. Expect a lot of Alice in Wonderland vibes here as well.

No debuts for J-Novel Club, but a heaping helping of ongoing digital light novels. We get An Archdemon’s Dilemma 11, Arifureta 11, I Refuse to Be Your Enemy! 4, The Intrigue of Marielle Clarac (Book 5 in that series), Slayers 4, and The Sorcerer’s Receptionist 2. Phew!

Kodansha has some print. We get Drifting Dragons 7, Fairy Tail: 100 Years Quest 6, Gleipnir 8, the 2nd Magic Knight Rayearth manga box set, which will finish the series, and also has a bonus artbook. That Time I Got Reincarnated As a Slime 15 and UQ Holder 21 are also out.

ASH: I’ve really been enjoying Drifting Dragons. I’ve also somehow never actually read Magic Knight Rayearth yet.

SEAN: Digitally the debut is I Guess I Became the Mother of the Great Demon King’s 10 Children in Another World (Isekai de Saikyou Maou no Kodomo-tachi Juunin no Mama ni Nacchaimashita), which sounds like your standard isekai but is also by Ema Toyama, author of Missions of Love and other shoujo classics. This is not shoujo: it runs in Shonen Sirius. A girl whose mother has died plays the game the mother never finished… and finds herself in another world.

ASH: Ema Toyama, you say? That piques my interest a bit more than just the title alone.

MELINDA: I don’t read much digitally, but this intrigues me as well, almost entirely because of the author.

SEAN: There is also Dolly Kill Kill 9, Dr. Ramune -Mysterious Disease Specialist- 2, GE: Good Ending 12, Heroine for Hire 4 (the final volume), Kakushigoto 10, Orient 9, Shaman King: The Super Star 2, Shojo FIGHT! 14, and The Writer and His Housekeeper 3.

MICHELLE: I really, really need to get caught up on Shojo FIGHT!.

SEAN: One Peace has a 3rd manga volume for The Reprise of the Spear Hero.

Debuting from Seven Seas is Didn’t I Say to Make My Abilities Average in the Next Life?! Everyday Misadventures! (Watashi, Nichijou wa Heikinchi de tte Itta yo ne!), the 4-koma spinoff of Mile’s antics that everyone wanted. It runs in Comic Earth Star.

Also out from Seven Seas: Goodbye My Rose Garden 3 (the final volume) and Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear’s 4th novel (digital-first).

MICHELLE: I wouldn’t say Goodbye, My Rose Garden was an amazing series, but it was certainly good enough to read the third and final volume.

ASH: I still need to read the second volume (and now soon the third), but I found the first volume to be enjoyable.

SEAN: Sol Press, after what seems like 80,000 years, has the second Saving 80,000 Gold in Another World light novel.

Tokyopop has the 2nd and final volume of No Vampire, No Happy Ending.

Vertical gives us the 4th Katanagatari omnibus digitally (I will keep repeating this till it’s correct), Kino’s Journey 7, and With a Dog AND a Cat, Every Day is Fun 2.

MICHELLE: I really liked the first volume of With a Dog AND a Cat, Every Day is Fun and am eagerly anticipating the second.

MELINDA: Always here for Kino’s Journey, too.

SEAN: They also have Zoku-Owarimonogatari, the final, absolutely the last, no take backs, Monogatari Series novel. Unless they license the others that came after this.

Viz’s debut is Remina, another helping of Junji Ito just in time for winter. This is sci-fi, but still just as terrifying. It ran in Big Comic Spirits.

MICHELLE: I am down for this sci-fi/horror blend!

ASH: Yup! I’m here for this one, too.

MELINDA: Yes!

SEAN: Also from Viz: Blue Flag 5, Golden Kamuy 19, Levius/est 7, Maison Ikkoku Collector’s Edition 2, and No Guns Life 8.

ANNA: Glad that Maison Ikkoku is being rereleased and looking forward to Blue Flag.

MICHELLE: What Anna said.

ASH: I should actually read Maison Ikkoku now that it is readily available again.

MELINDA: I should be buying them, since I never managed to acquire a full collection of the original release!

SEAN: Yen On has a truly terrifying number of light novels coming out. The first debut is The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten (Otonari no Tenshi-sama ni Itsu no Ma ni ka Dame Ningen ni Sareteita Ken). We’ve seen a mini-rebirth of the non-fantasy romcom in recent licenses, and this falls into that category. A guy lends his neighbor his umbrella one day, she offers to help around his house in return, and a relationship blossoms.

The second debut is a spinoff, Goblin Slayer Side Story 2: Dai Katana. This apparently goes into the past of Sword Maiden.

There is also (deep breath): Accel World 23, The Alchemist Who Survived Now Dreams of a Quiet City Life 5, Baccano! 15, The Demon Sword Master of Excalibur Academy 2, The Devil Is a Part-Timer 18, The Genius Prince’s Guide to Raising a Nation Out of Debt (Hey, How About Treason?) 5, Suppose a Kid From the Dungeon Boonies Moved to a Starter Town 4, and Torture Princess 6.

ASH: That is a fair number of light novels!

SEAN: On the Yen Press side, there’s even more. Debut #1: 86, the manga adaptation of the grim military fantasy light novel series. It runs in Young Gangan.

Carole and Tuesday runs in Young Ace, and I believe is the rare case where the anime comes first and the manga follows. Girls who want to be musicians… on Mars!

ANNA: I watched half of the anime….

ASH: I do like musicians… and Mars…

MELINDA: I… kind of want it. Though I’m not sure how to interpret the fact that Anna only watched half of the anime.

SEAN: Not quite a debut, but we do see Overlord: The Complete Anime Artbook.

Strawberry Fields Once Again (Strawberry Fields wo Mou Ichido) is a yuri romance that seems to have a twist to it. It ran in Mediaworks’ @ vitamin.

And Wolf & Parchment is the manga adaptation of the sequel to Spice & Wolf.

Also from Yen: ACCA 13-Territory Inspection Department P.S. 2, The Devil Is a Part-Timer! 16, Goblin Slayer 9, King of Eden 2, KonoSuba 11, Lust Geass 2, No Matter How I Look at It, It’s You Guys’ Fault I’m Not Popular! 17, Plunderer 6, Rascal Does Not Dream of Petit Devil Kouhai (another omnibus), Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World-, Chapter 3: Truth of Zero 11 (the final volume of this arc), Reborn As a Polar Bear 4, The Saga of Tanya the Evil 12, A Witch’s Printing Office 4, and Yowamushi Pedal’s 16th omnibus.

MICHELLE: I am fixin’ to have a YowaPeda catch-up spree and am very happy about that.

ASH: Same! And I always look forward to reading Natsume Ono’s manga, so I plan on picking up the ACCA continuation as well.

SEAN: Any presents from this list you’re giving out?

By: Sean Gaffney

[pumpkinmutual]

Of Roses and Rabbit-Holes [4] [Hare and Hatter][Alice in Wonderland!AU]

“Alice?”

The name feels clunky in your mouth, foreign to your ears – after all, that isn’t your name. You frown at Yunho who’s still staring at you, trying to figure out why he’d call you that. The silence that’s settled is tight and uncomfortable as no one moves, and you swallow thickly.

“That’s—that’s not my name,” you begin awkwardly, “you must have me confused for someone else.”

“I never forget a name,” Yunho counters and though his attention shifts away from you to the cup and saucer in front of him, the uneasy feeling doesn’t fade. “Nor the face it belongs to. You’re Alice, sure as I’m a Hare.”

You frown. “But that’s not my name, it’s never been my name—” Your ears are beginning to ring, bringing with it a wave of nausea that has the world blurring at the edges. “It’s not—"

“Why’s a Raven like a writing desk?”

“My name—"

“Two days slow, please allow me—”

“Isn’t Alice—"

“—stark raving mad—”

Jongho’s hands are on your shoulders again and you’re vaguely aware of being coaxed into a chair, fighting to focus on something other than the dreadful ringing in your ears and the churning of your stomach as you close your eyes.

“She needs to eat something. Do you have anything?” Jongho speaks from somewhere to your left and though his voice is calm, you can hear that tail of his as it cuts through the air – how like a cat, thrashing tail betraying his annoyance.

“We have tea cakes—”

“That’ll work. Tea too, wouldn’t hurt to cover our bases.” There’s the clink of china and someone mumbling under their breath before there’s a hand on your shoulder again, shaking gently. “Open your eyes, slowly.”

It takes you a moment to register the request, and another to obey, especially with that dreadful noise in your ears – but you manage to open them enough to focus on the little petite four on the plate before you and the cup of tea beside it, steam curling off the top.

“Eat,” Jongho prompts, pushing the plate a little closer to you. “It’s safe, I promise.”

“You lie for a living,” you say, but the words feel strange in your mouth, as if someone else is saying them with you for a mouthpiece. “How can I trust you?”

A beat of silence. Then Jongho is crouching down beside your chair, hand on your cheek as he guides you in turning your head to look at him. “I’m not lying,” he says quietly, “please eat.”

You stare at him for a few seconds before he lets his hand drop, and your attention shifts back to the cake. Lifting the little fork beside the plate, you cut off a small chunk and hold it up, eyeing it curiously. It looks like normal cake, the kind you’d have at tea – and it doesn’t smell odd in any way, only the smell of sugar and vanilla reaching your nose. Bracing yourself, you pop it into your mouth.

Almost immediately, the ringing in your ears and disorienting nausea vanish, leaving you to savor the taste of the cake – an odd mix, somewhere between your favorite childhood sweets and something a little richer in flavor – and you finish it off quickly, picking up the tea cup and sipping carefully.

“Better?” Jongho’s smile is playful and more than a little relieved when you nod. “Good.” His attention shifts to the other two. “Mingi, Yunho, I know I should have sent word ahead that we were coming, but we had an unexpected guest.”

Mingi adjusts his hat. “A guest?”

“The Bandersnatch,” says Jongho grimly, and both men tense.

“Has the King been told?” Yunho asks and Jongho shakes his head.

“I’ve got to go inform him and figure out what he’s planning on doing. I’m not certain that Ace and his men are going to be able to solve this particular problem on their own.” He runs a hand through his hair before he clears his throat. “That’s why I wanted to stop here first, I have…a request.”

“What kind of request?” Yunho asks, and you notice the way his eyes flick to you before refocusing on Jongho. Jongho seems to notice as well as he straightens up from where he’s been crouched next to your chair, both hands settling on your shoulders.

“This is our other unexpected guest,” he begins, “though she’s far more pleasant to be around than the Bandersnatch. So far, anyways.”

“I take offense to that,” you say, and Mingi’s lips quirk.

“So this is the one Seonghwa went to fetch, hm?” He stands and approaches your chair, making an elaborate bow that nearly makes his hat topple from his head before he holds his hand out. You reach out cautiously, blinking as he takes your hand and brings it to his lips. “Pleased to meet you. I’m Mingi.”

You tell him your name as he releases your hand, and a deliberate throat clearing brings your attention to Yunho, who mimics Mingi with the bow. He doesn’t reach for your hand but gives you a soft, apologetic smile. “We got off on the wrong foot I’m afraid,” he says, “but I’m pleased to meet you just the same. I’m Yunho, Mingi’s partner in crime.”

You blink. “Crime?”

“Mischief,” Mingi corrects, “although I don’t think we’re near as much trouble as the twins are.”

You glance up at Jongho. “Twins?” At this point you’re more than a little confused, and the ache threatens to return to your head as you sip from the teacup.

“San and Wooyoung,” Jongho supplies helpfully. “You’ll meet them soon no doubt. Just be careful around those two.”

“Are they dangerous?”

The three share a look. “Not dangerous in the sense that you’re thinking of,” Mingi says, “they’re just very…playful, and they don’t always know when to stop. They’re friendly though, so I doubt that they wouldn’t take a shine to you.”

“That doesn’t exactly make me feel better,” you say, and look up again when Jongho calls your name.

“You’ll be fine,” he soothes, “I wouldn’t be leaving you with them if you weren’t going to be just fine.”

“You’re leaving me here?” Something in your tone must point to panic because Jongho crouches down again and takes your hand into his.

“I know I lie for a living,” he begins solemnly, “but I wouldn’t lie to you about something as important as your safety. These are my friends, and not only are they trusted by me, but they’re also trusted by the King. You’ll be safe here.”

“What about you? That thing, the Bandersnatch – it’s still out there isn’t it?”

“I’ll be fine,” Jongho says, squeezing your hand before he stands and thumps his chest with his other fist. “I’m tougher than I look. Besides,” he adds with a glimpse of his usual grin and a flash of something in his eyes, “I have my ways of getting out of trouble.”

You stare at him before you relent, ignoring the twinge in your chest when he lets go of your hand and turns his attention back to Yunho and Mingi. “You two will look after her until I get back, yeah?”

“Absolutely,” Mingi answers. “By the time you get back she may have joined our ranks as a trouble maker though.”

“I look forward to seeing that with my own two eyes considering this is little miss rebel,” Jongho says and you bristle.

“If that Rabbit hadn’t kidnapped me—”

Jongho holds his hands up. “I know, I know. But what’s done is done.” The amusement dims in his expression as he takes a step back and clears his throat. “I’ll be back as soon as I can manage, depending on what the King wants me to do. Don’t get too bored without me, hm?”

You stare. “You oversell yourself.”

Jongho laughs at that, throwing you an almost fond look before, with an over the top wink and little bow, he vanishes. You turn towards Mingi and gesture to where Jongho had just been. “How exactly does he do that?”

“He’s a Cheshire,” Mingi answers thoughtfully, “so I’m not exactly sure. Never thought about asking him.” He removes his hat for a moment to run a hand through his hair, and you note the multicolor shimmer to it and when Mingi catches your gaze, he smiles. “You like it?”

“It’s…different,” you say hesitantly, and he laughs.

“I’ll take it,” he says, and you smile tentatively. “Ah, there we go, a smile! We’re off to a good start.”

Your smile widens further before you bring a hand to your mouth, stifling an abrupt yawn.

“Tired?” Asks Yunho and when you nod, he gives you a sympathetic look. “Wonderland is a bit much to take in all at once. I can show you to where you’ll be staying with us, if you’d like.”

Something in tugs in the back of your head, a nagging feeling of vague unease – but what is there to be uneasy about with Yunho? He’s done nothing to you to warrant this kind of suspicion – he’s nothing like Seonghwa, who the thought of has annoyance returning. The man hadn’t even apologized properly for doing what he did, and had the audacity to expect you to stay there –

You shake your head, dismissing your thoughts and locking eyes with Yunho. “Yes please,” you say as you stand from your chair and Yunho does the same, waiting until you’re side by side with him before he begins walking. “Have you always lived in Wonderland?”

“I have,” Yunho answers, “and I suppose I always will. No sense in moving if I like here so much, right?” You nod. “Seonghwa brought you here?”

“More like he kidnapped me against my will and expected me to stay put,” you answer, trying not to let your emotions get the better of you. “Honestly, the nerve—”

“He means well,” Yunho cuts in. “He may not go about it in the best ways, but he has good intentions. Of course, the road to hell is lined with them but…he’s a good person. Rabbit.” One of his ears twitches. “I’m not just saying that because he and I are technically kin, I—”

“It’s fine,” you say, waving a hand in dismissal and Yunho relaxes, slowing his pace as the two of you reach a modest looking cottage.

“We weren’t expecting a guest, but that spare room is always set up just in case the Doormouse decides that he wants to stay.” Yunho reaches into his pocket for a key, and your head tilts as he unlocks the door.

“Doormouse?”

“Yes, one of our friends. Not sure you’ll see much of him since Jongho’s been around, those two can’t stand each other.” You want to ask more questions, but exhaustion is getting the better of you as you blink drowsily and follow Yunho into the house.

He leads you down a narrow hallway and comes to a halt just outside a door on the left. “Here we are. If you need anything, Mingi or I will be more than happy to get it for you, just ask.”

“Thank-you,” you murmur, “you’re so polite.”

“I do my best,” Yunho says, and you step past him to open the door before you turn towards him.

“Goodnight, Yunho.”

He smiles, expression soft. “Goodnight my dear. Sleep well.” He waits until the door shuts and then he sighs, brushing hair out of his face. “I hope,” he mumbles to himself, “that Seonghwa knows what he’s doing bringing her here.”

[blogginginsimlish]

Thank you for the wonderful @softkii

Grab a cup of tea & read to get to know me

Rules: Tag ten followers you would like to know better or don’t  Name: Elodie  Gender: Female

Height : 5′7/5′8 idk

Have you ever had a crush on a teacher : nope

Where do you see yourself in 10 years - Hopefully in a steady relationship, engaged ideally. One other cat, a modest home with lots of land & chickens

if you could be anywhere right now, where would you be:

With my best friend who moved away :( 

your coolest halloween costume : I’ve had a lot of Halloween costumes that I love. Last years was okay but the makeup was really cool because I was a mermaid. The year before that I was frida kahlo so I got to spout random facts which was fun. I also loved being the most divine autumn fairy when I was 6. Effie Trinket was also really fun because I went thrifting and added shoulder pads, feathers, etc and I got a huge headpiece and wig, SO MUCH FUN. Vampire Queen when I was 8 was very fun again because I got to sew and add and stuff. When I was 5 I was Glenda from the Wizard of Oz and I turned my flower girl dress into a gorgeous costume that I still have somewhere lol. Sidenote I still have a lot of my costumes that I made. When I was 10 I was the black swan which I loved the makeup and when I went trick or treating one (1) middle aged woman knew who I was and that was it. Kinda happened again with Frida Kahlo but. I was cleopatra, Alice in wonderland, a purple fairy, petite pumpkin witch, Ariel, and other but they weren’t as fun because they were premade costumes. One of these days I really want to dress up as the Morton Salt Girl.

Favorite 90′s show : Maybe Sabrina the Teenage Witch? idk or the magic school bus? I just looked at a list and saw the ones I liked but I know there are a lot more. (does star trek count?) 

last kiss - my cat, kinda hairy

have u ever been stood up - not romantically, like date wise, but with “friends”  

favorite pair of shoes - Knockoff jeffrey campbell litas 

favorite fruit - Apples, plums, and Cantaloupe 

favorite movie - Too Many but ones that I remember are Brooklyn, Get Smart, Mirror Mirror, LadyBird, Mamma Mia, Ratatouille, Blended, Love Actually, and Now you see me

stupid thing - me

ps still on break but lurking 

I tag you because I’m tired & don’t wanna exclude anyone 

[laschatzi]

The Way These Stories Go

My contribution to this year’s Captain Swan Storybook is a throwback to the beginnings, a missing scene/behind the scenes of episode 2x05 (The Doctor).

title: The Way These Stories Go

summary: A glimpse into Killian’s thoughts and feelings during the walk from the ogre lawn to the beanstalk

rating: G and BP for brooding pirate

also available: ff.net, ao3 and the CSSB 2017.

Trudging through the forest, the four women let Hook lead the way, still in his fake blacksmith attire, hand and now hookless arm tied together in front of his body. They are following him right on his heels, the hostile warrior and the delicate, slightly gullible princess directly behind him while the short-haired and the blonde who bested him with her mysterious powers and her impressive knife bring up the rear. He can hear them whisper, probably about him. Well, they don't trust him an inch, and he doesn't blame them. Nobody seems to be interested in him any further at the moment or demanding from him to offer more explanations of where exactly they're headed and what will expect them when they get there, and he's glad about that. As much as he likes verbal sparring, a spirited conversation, wielding his words like a razor-sharp cutlass – right now he's thankful for the silence which gives him the chance to dwell on his own thoughts.

With a sense of disbelief, he's still trying to process what just went on in the last hour or so; there's no use in sugarcoating what happened – neither his nearly three hundred years of piracy nor the element of surprise, the advantage of knowing more than they did, had been enough to save him from being caught off guard and overmastered like a bloody amateur. Tied to a tree and almost fed to gruesome creatures without being able to move as much as a single muscle to fight... he can't remember the last time he found himself in such dire straits.

Oh, he was never really in danger, of course, because let's be real – he's Captain Hook, and Captain Hook always survives. But he has to reluctantly admit that things didn't go as he pleased, let alone as he planned. He thought the four women would be easy prey for him – not because they were women, mind you, but because Cora had described them as hero types to him; the kind of people who always did the right thing, made the moral choice. The kind of people who would take pity on a poor, mutilated and terrified craftsman they just snatched from the jaws of death, and not suspect any trickery.

Normally, he'd have played them like figures on a chess board, guiding them exactly where he – and Cora – wanted them to be. Normally. And it even seemed like he was on such a good way; they were all very sympathetic about the gruesome tale he spun. Then, all of a sudden, he found himself with a blade at his throat, and honestly, he still doesn't know how it happened, what gave him away. On the contrary: he's convinced, in fact, that he did nothing to betray himself. They should and would never have doubted his act if it weren't for the woman in the red leather jacket who looked so soft and sympathetic one moment and yanked his head back with a steely grip in his hair the next.

A lucky hit, he thought at first, still believing he could convince them of his good intentions if he only kept his nerves and stuck to his tale, surely his honest blue eyes would help, too. There was no way four heroes would risk the death of an innocent man, was there? And he knows that for a moment he had them, he almost had them. Well, the other three, that is. The delicate princess believed him, and also the warrior and the short-haired one were getting nervous when he kept insisting that he was just an innocent blacksmith.

But that fierce blonde, she's special. The moment he opened his mouth for the first time, she looked right through him, detecting every single one of his carefully woven lies, and he still can't figure out how she does it. But to his own surprise, he's almost amused, he can't help it, and he also can't help but admire her fierceness and cleverness. Being bested never felt as oddly... right as it does today. The thought comes out of nowhere and is slightly disturbing to him. He mentally shakes his head at himself and keeps walking, carefully minding his step, while he tries to analyze his situation and weigh his options.

It's pretty clear to him where his four companions stand. The warrior is certainly a force to be reckoned with; he knows she would kill him without batting an eyelid if she thought he would present any danger to them. The princess, to whom she seems to be particularly attached, appears to be the weakest link; he makes a mental note about that – it could turn out to be useful one day.

The petite ebony-haired one with the bow who instantly seemed to know who he was when he mentioned his moniker – she's a spitfire, too, and wouldn't hesitate to kill him either if she had to do it to protect her friends. It's obvious she doesn't trust him one bit; trying to fool her with his charms could be amusing, but in the end a waste of energy, and he admires her for it.

But the blonde... when she held that blasted dagger to his throat, twice, she wasn't simply distrustful and cautious, she knew. She just knew.

He should have guessed that there was something about her, she had to be special... she's the one who was destined to break the Evil Queen's curse, after all, and she obviously managed to do so. She's the one he spent twenty-eight years waiting for in Cora's safe bubble. She's not what he imagined her to be, he's not even sure what he imagined – some ethereal being perhaps, more fairy-like or fragile... certainly not a warrior in pants and a red leather jacket with a steely grip like that. The weird thing is... he can't even say he's displeased about it.

Knowing she's more than an equal match for him surely makes for a nice challenge, and he always loved a challenge. Even though their interaction, remarkable as it was, has been rather short, he believes to have seen something familiar in her eyes... as if she's hiding behind her fierceness, as if the tough act masks something else. A personality trait he knows all too well.

Aye, he has to admit it – she has definitely piqued his interest, and normally he'd go for a nice, refreshing sparring game of cat and mouse, just to see how far he could get to her in spite of her obvious seeing right through him. Normally. Alas, he has no time for such distraction, because his mind is set on one goal and one goal alone, has been so for more than two hundred years now. If there's one thing more precious than jewels, gold or the finest rum, almost as precious as love (and that is lost to him for all eternity), so precious that he'd even risk his worthless life for it... then it's revenge – and it's gonna be his. And the blonde warrior princess is only of interest for him, because she seems to be the key for him to finally get that revenge. It's almost as if meeting her was fate's design.

From the moment he dropped his act after realizing there would be no way to lie or charm his way out of this, he's changed his tactics completely. He has wasted no second thought on his former alliance with Cora – what he told the four women was the truth: he will side with whoever provides him with the best chance to get him to the land where The Crocodile is peacefully living now. And even if Cora has magic – dark, powerful magic – this somehow odd team of women seems not less resourceful. Not by possessing magic, but in other ways... first and foremost he senses a very strong determination in them, like they will not let anything or anyone get between them and their goal, and he likes that.

He has always been a ladies' man, in every way. Killian Jones likes women, and not only in the carnal sense, although he does highly appreciate the physical satiation that being with a willing woman can bring. But it's more than that. He likes their spirit, their strength and courage – all three of them usually outweigh a man by far, and he thinks he has found out why: normally, what drives a woman always roots in love in all its – sometimes tragic and painful – variations. Hurt love, lost love, defending love – all of that makes them powerful, and most men wouldn't be able to hold a candle to any woman he has known.

He doesn't know much about his new travel companions, only that they seem very determined in their respective goals, and all four of them are hellbent on getting the two women in the curious clothes back to their realm.

So, the odds are at least as much in their favor as they are in Cora's, and, frankly, the elder sorceress whom he met at first as the Queen of Hearts in Wonderland seems to be a rather unpredictable, dangerous ally. He isn't ashamed to admit that she scares the living daylights out of him – not because he's afraid of what she might do to him... it's been a long time since Killian Jones feared death or bodily harm. What he does fear though is that she might just use him to reach her own aim to get close to her daughter, and then simply abandon him and their pact, robbing him of his only chance to get his revenge, and he can't risk that. Plus, her absolute ruthlessness repulses him. He's no stranger to blood and death, has brought it to far more people than he can count on one hand, but the detached attitude of her when she kills, when she rips out hearts of innocent people and crushes them without batting an eyelid... it chills him to the bone.

No, his current travel mates are far safer company indeed. with them, he believes, he has the best chances to reach his destination... heroes don't betray or break promises, after all. For the first time in ages, he deems himself really close to his goal, and it makes him almost giddy.

He's briefly wondering – he doesn't know much about the realm they're headed to, Cora herself seemed to have only a vague idea about it. He only knows that it's a realm completely different from everything he knows. Not that it frightens him. There's just some sort of vague uneasiness whispering at the back of his head.

When he'll get to that strange, mysterious land... once all is said and done, once his revenge is fulfilled... what will remain? What kind of life will he even have, after his driving force will be deflated, his only and entire sense of living gone? He will be stranded in another place, another time, with no purpose, no home, and no living soul to know his name or care about him. He doesn't have illusions – he knows that skinning his crocodile is not his happy ending. It will be his end, period. After taking his revenge, there will be naught but a big void for him, as if he'd simply cease to exist – and there will be no one around to even notice, to miss him. But he can accept that, hasn't longed for anything else since he lost his love.

Unlike the four women he's traveling with. They are determined to get to a home, whether it's a place or a person or persons, he doesn't know, but he does know they expect to find their happy endings there. He can still hear them murmur while they approach the edge of the forest where their destination is, maybe talking about those they left behind and hope to get back to soon. Briefly and very vaguely, he remembers a time when he, too, was happy and hopeful; but these times are long gone, just like any real feelings from his old, blackened heart.

When he reaches the clearing, he stops and looks at the mighty plant in the distance, its top hidden in the clouds.

He feels her presence as the blonde steps up beside him. “Let me guess,” she says in a laconic voice, “The compass is up there.”

A happily ever after? Ridiculous. That's not the way these stories go.

But that doesn't mean he cannot have a bit of fun while marching towards his inevitable end.

A strangely eager anticipation he hasn't felt in a long time tingles his spine as he replies almost gleefully, “Oh yeah.”