#so for glinda’s bracelet:

[frenchhoneybee]

made charm bracelets to rep two of my favorite tragic sapphics 🩷💚

[shire-ivy]

Finally saw Wicked live in Broadway this week and let me say that something has changed within me, something is not the same

[alrawabi-imagines]

welcome back

pairing: Glinda x Reader

Slot: lingerie reunion

Glinda had been gone for about two weeks,you missed her and she sent you letters everyday about how much she missed you. You planned a surprise for her,a lingerie set in her favorite color pink with fabric roses and some silver detailing. You kept it hidden under your clothes as you waited for her to come back. It was clear when she came back,the loud sound of the carriage and the servants rushing out to get her belongings made you look through the window. You made your way downstairs to see her. She was walking towards the entrance door and saw you. 

“Darling!” She said loudly as she saw you, she picked up her pace and ran towards you. “I missed you so much!”

"I missed you too,so much" you picked her up in a hug and twirled her a little bit. She laughed loudly, her arms wrapping around your shoulders to stay steady.

“I have something for you” she said as she planted a kiss on your cheek to which you placed various kisses all over her face. She giggled as you placed many kisses on her face, she missed this more than anything. After a moment she pulled back. “I have a surprise for you, follow me” she repeated as she grabbed your hand leading you to your shared bedroom. You wondered what she had in mind. Once in the shared bedroom she pulled out a small wrapped box and turned back to you,she placed it into your hands gently. “I got this for you darling” Inside the box was a small charm bracelet,in the middle there was a heart shaped charm that said love in cursive on it. The other parts of the bracelet were all charms on a theme. “i was looking for something special but then i found that and thought of you,i hope you like it”

"I love it,Glinda" you kissed her, "it's beautiful" She smiled happily at you,glancing down and playing with a strand of her curled hair. 

“Glad you’re happy darling,and I have something else I want to give you” she said,her voice softer than usual.

"You spoil me Glinda" She laughed softly at your comment,moving closer to you and sitting on your lap. 

“You deserve to be spoiled darling” she said as she wrapped her arms around your neck. You leaned down and kissed her,your hands moving hers under your top to let her feel the intricate details of the lingerie. “Darling, is that what I think it is?” She froze for a moment pulling back and tilting her head.

"Just a little thing I got,it reminded me of you" Her hand began to sneak up the top of the fabric roses,touching the soft skin under them. You could see her eyes screaming to take them off. Quickly pulling your top off and tossing it somewhere. "At least enjoy it a little before you take it off of me" you chuckled. Her eyes slowly go over your body in front of her, taking in every little detail.

“You're such a tease darling”

"No,you're just impatient" She let out a small whine at that.

“You can’t blame me darling,I just missed you so much. I spent the whole trip thinking about you and i missed being with you”

"I know,I got your letters. About the pretty pink surprise you were bringing,the pink thick one."

“Yes I brought that pink surprise,i bought it so i could please my darling once i came back” She said as she pulled back from your neck and looked up at you.

"I think you should go get it while I get ready for you" you said seductively. She stood up and headed towards the dresser where she stashed the surprise. When she found the time? you weren’t too sure. While she did that you stripped yourself of the rest of your clothes and climbed into bed waiting for her. As she made her way back to the bed she began removing her own clothes,slowly revealing your favorite parts of her. "I could watch you strip all day"

“I’m glad you like the show darling” when she was finished she began to climb into the bed and crawl over you.  You kissed her,your hand gently resting against her neck,brushing her hair back.

"What position did you have in mind?" You smirk.

“I'm thinking that you could lie down and let me have my way,” she said,her smirk growing wider. “what say you darling?”

"Fine by me" she slowly took off everything of you until she had you where she wanted. Her hands moved along your body gently. Slowly one moved in between your legs and began rubbing your clit,while the other stretched you out for her.

“I'm going to make sure you're going to remember this love” she whispered into your ear before nipping at the shell of it. Pulling her fingers out when you were stretched open enough and licked them clean,each finger dripping wet. “My you're already so wet darling,and all just for me” She said as her hand moved over to the strap on and grabbed it,her other hand pushed your thigh to spread them more for her. Her fingers glided over the dildo and began coating it with what was left on her fingers. The strap,glistening from you slick as she slowly pushed it inside. “You're so much wetter than I thought you would be darling,though I you’d be” She was surprised and very excited by how wet you were just from a little bit of touch from her. “my your already wet from so little,i’m glad that you're enjoying this so

"G-Glinda slow down" you moaned "this is r-really big" She slowed down at your request,rubbing her hand soothingly up your thigh. 

“Is that better love?” she asked,her voice softer.

"Yeah,I know you said it's big but god" She chuckled a little at your comment. 

“I’m sorry darling,I just really can’t wait to make you feel amazing but I will slow down if it’s too much for now” she said as she continued rubbing her hand up your thigh as a soothing gesture. She slowly pushed it inside until it was fully gone and your skin touched the base. “Is that okay love?” she asked,her eyes never leaving you.

"Yes,it's soo good"

“And I assume I'm alright to start moving again?” she said,her head tilting to the side in a gesture of curiosity.

"Just start slow. I can feel it here" there was a visible bulge in your stomach from it. When she was sure you were ready she began slowly moving her hips,her hands went to either side of your hips.

“Just let me know if it’s too much and I’ll stop,I don’t want to go too fast and hurt you at all love” she said as she looked down at you,her eyes watching your face for any sign of discomfort. Slowly she moved, picking up some speed,until she was moving at her usual speed. Moaning her name with each thrust. “Please darling,be loud for me” she said in a breathy voice. “I want the whole castle to know how good you're feeling right now, let me hear you for me” she said as she adjusted herself so her actions got a different angle in you,her hands gripping a little tighter. You knew she loved hearing you call out her name,part of you thought she had a secret pleasure for making you moan as loud as possible.

"G-Glinda!" You felt her thrust harder the louder you got.

“Yes darling,good girl” she said in response to you saying her name, her movements picking up their pace. “Keep moaning my name like that please” she said breathlessly,her focus never leaving you.

"Glinda I-I I'm gonna" It was intense and you couldn't take it anymore. 

“You're going to what darling?”

"Glinda I'm gonna come" She moved down now and was inches from your face before saying 

“Go on darling,I want to see you let go for me” You arched your back as you let go and she didn't stop moving,letting you ride out your high. She didn’t stop her movements until you let out a sign that told her it was getting too much. Once she pulled back she leaned her body down beside you and held herself up above you. “Oh my love,did you enjoy it?” she asked,a smile on her face as she glanced down at you.

"I'm was amazing,Glinda"

“i’m glad you enjoyed it love,i hope you forgive me for being gone for two weeks”

"Well if you keep coming back like that I don't mind"

[13thfairytale]

“You should’ve seen my face when Crowley said I was coming! Oh well, overtime’s overtime!”

A card for Mim for @starry-night-rose ‘s fanevent Glimmering Soirée! Voicelines, full outfit, and trivia under the cut!!

Groovification: [LOCKED]

Set to Home Screen: Let’s get goin’! You got everything you need?

Home Transition 1: Hey, you seen Grim around? Little… guy ran off. Swear, I take my eyes off him ONE second…

Home Transition 2: Everyone looks so nice here, it’s fun getting to dress up formally!

Home Transition 3: Jesuuu—heyyyy! You need something? … Why do I have all these desserts…? Mind your business!

Home, after login: I’m not really sure about this whole “belle of the ball” thing, but the students sure seem excited! Hmm, maybe I should put down a bet…

Home transition Groovification: Usually, I’m not that big a fan of parties, but this isn’t so bad! Doesn’t hurt that I got a really nice dress out of it, though, hah!

Tap Home 1: I’m not used to wearing heels, but these aren’t so bad! Though it helps that they’re really pretty, haha.

Tap Home 2: This dress is so much fun to dance in, it moves really well, especially when it spins! Hey, watch!

Tap Home 3: Where I’m from, celebrities would go to big parties like this, but wouldn’t be able to dress on theme for something like this to save their life! This is a nice change.

Tap Home 4: Y’know, when I asked Crewel for advice on how to dress for this, he lit up—swear I’ve never seen him so excited before! Almost spooky, but in a fun way!

Tap Home 5: You wanna see my bracelet? Sure, here you go, no need keep tugging on it, haha!

Tap Home Groovification: [LOCKED]

Full outfit

Trivia

Lots of inspo taken from Glinda’s bubble dress from the Wicked musical!! I got to see it live a little while ago, and loved the way it looked and moved! Also a little bit from Cinderella’s ballgown, both from the animated and live action versions!!

[theroguequeenaniki]

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Linda (@kimicka13)

💚🩷Dancing through life! Down at the Ozdust! If only because dust is what we come tooo! Nothing matters but knowing nothing matters it's just LIFE so keep dancing through!!!💚🩷

I SAW THE WICKED MOVIE!! (part 1 lol)

Oh my god that was so good!! It was so wonderful and fun and fantabulously fabulous and thrillifying in all of it’s Oziness!! And Ariana and Cynthia were PERFECT! And Jonathan Bailey was PERFECT (and Swoon-worthy lol)! They're perfect together! Born to be forever-(Dancing Through Life has been stuck in my head since we left the theater lol) and and and it was so GOOD!!

I went with my sister (she bought the tickets lol), and we actually spent the afternoon at the mall since that's where the AMC was! So I also got some rings & bracelets from Miss A! And the bracelet's packaging had my name on them so of course I had to get them! Lol (Obviously I wouldn't have gotten them if I didn't like them though lol)

And we looked at all the Wicked merch in all the stores, but we didn't get anything, and then we got to the theater and they scanned our tickets (on her phone) and they gave us Wicked Lego! Lol. We didn't get the collectible Wicked buckets or cups, but we did get the regular large popcorn bc it's got the Wicked branding on it. Lol (We also got ICEEs, but I don't have a picture of them lol. Also our straws broke towards the end of the movie lol)

But, it was so so good! Blew all of my expectations and reservations out of the water!!

Gratitutions to my sister making for this happen it was so fun!

I can't wait for part 2!!! 💚🩷

Wicked #WickedMovie #WickedPart1 #AMCTheaters #AMC #ElphabaThropp #Elphaba #GlindaUpland #GalindaUpland #Glinda #ArianaGrande #CynthiaErivo #shopmissa #rings #bracelets #LindaNewYork #me #myface #selfie #selca #lego #legos

[not-an-average-fangirl]

Heartstopper Headcanons

Nick Nelson

Is a really big swiftie but mostly hides it from everyone

His favorite Taylor Swift album is 1989 (Taylor's Version)

He forced Charlie to go to the Eras Tour with him and he made hundreds of friendship bracelets

Scrolls TikTok watching edits of Marvel characters

Reads Marvel fan fiction (specifically Spider Man, Captain America, and Bucky)

Loves watching romantic comedies

Owns quite a few hair products (he's very serious about making sure his hair looks good)

Listens to music when he takes a shower

Has an Instagram account for his dogs Nellie and Henry

His entire Instagram feed is filled with dog videos

Charlie Spring

Listens to music when he's sad (specifically Tom Odell, Conan Gray, Gracie Abrams, Harry Styles and Phoebe Bridgers)

Owns a lot of cardigans

Has multiple pairs of converse but only wears one pair (the most worn out pair)

Hates the cold because he's always cold (always dresses in layers)

Has a childhood stuffed animal that he still sleeps with

Really wants to get a cat

Scrolls through TikTok watching edits of Jonathan Bailey

Follows a lot of dog and cat Instagram accounts

Tori Spring

Has a Tumblr page that she posts on constantly

Does not have a TikTok account

Only has an Instagram account so she can look other people up

Owns multiple pairs of Doc Martens

Is very much a night owl (that's when she does all her homework)

Hates getting up in the morning

Has spent an entire day alone in her room

Imogen Heaney

Her entire camera roll is full of selfies

Posts GRWMs on TikTok and gets all of her beauty advice from there

Thinks of herself as a beauty influencer

Owns a lot of expensive makeup and skincare

Has way too many pairs of shoes (they don't fit in her closet)

Also owns an extra clothes rack because not all of her clothes fit in her closet

Obsessed with Christmas

Loves Taylor Swift and her favorite album is Lover

Also listens to Chappell Roan and Renee Rapp

Obsessed with Wicked and plans to dress up as Glinda for Halloween

Elle Argent

Shops at thrift stores and upcycles clothes

Has a journal that she writes in frequently

Draws on her hands when she's bored in class and has an entire notebook dedicated to doodles

Loves Chappell Roan

Posts silly dance videos with Tao on TikTok

Has a crystal collection and owns tarot cards

Gets all of her jewelry off of Etsy

Tao Xu

Takes funny pictures of people when they aren't looking

Has a Youtube channel dedicated to all his films

Only listens to small indie artists

Sends the Paris squad group chat movie recommendations that they will never watch

Has a notebook full of movie ideas

Keeps a running list of his favorite movies in his notes app

Darcy Olsson

Sends the Paris squad group chat random memes and TikToks

Has a spam Instagram account where they post memes

They are never wearing matching socks

Doesn't know how to cook very well (they can only make cereal and toast)

Listens to Chappell Roan, Billie Eilish and Baby Queen

Cuts the sleeves off t-shirts and flannel shirts

Sahar Zahid

Has an insane amount of listening time on Spotify

Listens to almost all genres of music

Has an Instagram account for her band

Is a really big advocate for women's rights and LGTBQ+ rights

Does not listen to Taylor Swift but has a lot of respect for her

Has song lyrics in her Instagram bio

Tara Jones

Loves Taylor Swift and her favorite album is Speak Now

Went to the Eras Tour with Nick and had a blast

She made so many friendship bracelets with Nick

Bakes as a form of therapy

Reads a lot of self care books and shares what she learns with her friends

Meditates to relieve stress

Posts self care quotes and reminders on her Instagram story

[agerefandom]

Regressors!Glinda and Elphaba Headcanons

it took a while for them to warm up to each other as adults, but once they’re comfortable enough to regress together, they’re absolutely inseparable as regressors 

Glinda is the big sister, regressing to an undefined age that can range from toddler all the way to preteen depending on the day

Elphaba is a very young regressor, also doesn’t put a number on her age but tends towards baby regression with rare toddler days 

having a younger regressor around is good for Glinda: it makes her slow down a little more, and she can be very clumsy when she’s regressing and cause some accidents 

they’re both just so excited to have someone to share this side of themselves with, it’s something they’ve both felt very isolated in

Glinda usually has a big agenda for regressing: they’re going to play this game and then she’s going to do a big dance recital and then they’re going to watch this cartoon and then- 

she usually makes it through a few activities before getting tired and flopping down to take a nap with Elphaba 

Elphaba likes watching Glinda run around, and her favourite thing is when Glinda sets up a big show with all the stuffed animals and Elphaba in the audience and then she performs a whole story with costume changes and dance breaks and audience participation if Elphaba is feeling old enough for it 

Elphaba is very good at reading, even as a baby: Glinda thinks that it takes too long, but will play with dolls while Elphaba reads to herself quietly 

Glinda likes pacifiers but doesn’t use them, so she’s always buying new ones for Elphaba, who has far too many by now 

Elphaba doesn’t talk much when she regresses, but she laughs a lot more, and sings along to music 

Glinda makes friendship bracelets when she’s preteen regressing and Elphaba doesn’t take them off when she ages up, so she’s building up a real collection of them on her wrists 

both of them experience occasional involuntary regression, and the other acts as a caregiver during that time: they only regress together when they have a playdate planned 

[godblooded]

What does one buy a godking for Christmas?

Nothing, really. Oh, the standard fare of bubble bath bottles and boxes of chocolate and all of the other generic items that people secretly look forward to receiving in bulk once a year.

But Char has been working on something. A project, secret, spurred on by an ad for possibly the most ridiculous pair of hockey gloves that she'd ever seen, but it had stuck with her. Fingertips and the back of the hand covered, held in place by velcro at the wrist with palms exposed to the air. She'd ordered half a dozen pairs to take apart and figure out the construction before transferring it into leather.

She isn't sure of the magick of course; had done her best, pouring over every book she could get her hands on while Kitty was busy being King, first to try and figure out the magick that went into her current gloves and then to try and gentle it. They might not even work. It's not as though Char is a proficient magick user. But even the possibility of being able to give Kitty the chance to interact with the world that little bit more? She thinks that's more than worth the effort.

diplomacy is her son’s bread and butter. arix is patient and thoughtful — he exudes a sense of aristocratic air inherited from glinda and glinda alone. she tells him he reminds her so much of his mother and he smiles like a secret thing, like a flower that blooms only in winter. her son is everything to her. he regards her with his identical gaze, mossy underdark green, unreadable save for the normal rounding of his pupils, a total divorce from his mother’s strange oval of a thing. sometimes it’s an unhurt mirror, a memory of her that doesn’t seem clapped in irons. he reminds her of her, but on him it doesn’t make her itch.

he speaks better than she, as it isn’t an uncommon understanding the king prefers not to speak at all. she isn’t good at discussion, and it takes everything in her power to not stutter and stumble over her words to begin with. she often prefers to scribble with a pen, arix’s watchful gaze capable of translating nothing but a glance.

and she’s done being a godking for the afternoon. mostly. and besides, it’s the eve of a christmas, it is, it is! she could cheer for it. she’s shown char everything she can and strung up garland herself, dangling from the upper windows and stringing it in glittering verdant strands.

she hasn’t expected gloves. gloves? her own come away when she clamps her teeth down at a fingertip on her left, then her right, tugging the tight things free. they come away and three inch claws glimmer hard as opal, as diamond, hooked ever so at the tips. her palms are webbed with scarring, old, rough bracelets of keloid tissue encircling both wrists as the specter of manacles. she flexes her fingertips and holds a glove carefully, quite fascinated.

“innut bad. ‘t’awll. good, act’lly.”

she turns it over and over with a low hum that roughly grates across damaged vocal cords. a fanged smile emerges.

“ye charrrrrmed thees.” a hand raises, a palm flat, fingers coaxing some gentle touch like pulling a strand free. the air around the gift vibrates, a muted shade of her familiar electric blue echoing through the air. “nat’ral.”

her grin widens.

“ta-lent.”

she needs few words with char. she can intuit any and all words kitty speaks and does not.

[cynthiaerxvo]

To my Fiyero and Glinda, || @jonsbailey & @ariianaz I've given you every piece of my mind over the past two years (and more recently, the past two months) so I know that anything I could put in a card would be coming up repetitive at best. But my love for you knows no bounds and I couldn't have picked someone better to go on this insane journey with. Thank you for seeing me, loving me, and taking care of me at every turn. It feels like we've lived many lifetimes together, and i'm so happy to send this off to you and then hopefully see you both soon. Happy Christmas, Happy New Year, happy everything from your Elphie. xx Cynthia

gifts include:

light pink and green floral arrangement

for jon: la fleur 4-diamond rows square bracelet

for ari: la fleur forever pink diamond stationed necklace

[blushedfawn]

i made these wicked bracelets today and they came out SO CUTE.

I ALSO GOT THE GLINDA CUP😫✋🏾🩷🫧

wicked was EVERYTHING i wanted it to be, and MORE.

I cried like a baby through the entire film. it was beautiful, it was magical, it was hilarious.

there isn't a time I've missed Wicked the Musical coming to my city, i grew up with this muscial, and this movie was all of my heart about this play put into one.

be still my ever beating heart ✨️💚🩷🫧

[sweetums0kitty]

If you get this, answer w three random facts about yourself and send it to the last seven blogs in your notifs! Anon or not, doesn’t matter, let’s get to know the person behind the blog :)

Hey sorry for taking so long with this! I am a mess right now!

I'm cousins with a kinda known actor! His name is Bill Smitrovich he was the general in the first iron man movie and was in the reboot of Dynasty! First time I met him he gave me a really cool petrified wood bracelet

I can pick stuff up with my toes! It's kinda useless but not always

I'm a Virgo Sun, Aquarius Moon and Aries rising

I played Glinda in the wizard of Oz when I was younger, The girl who read for Glinda when we first started was gone for a long time and then came back. She asked me to give up my part I told her no and she slammed a folding chair on my foot. I was still Glinda!

I have a twin brother, we are like night and day. He's in this music video the skinny brown haired guy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pslnCHKWlY

I worked in Disney World for like four months, it was not good! But I got into the parks for free. Fuck the Disney College Program tho! You get to pay Disney the money you earned to live in their trendy company town

I can't drive!

[linapvpen]

LINA PAPEN: AN ABRIDGED UPDATED AND REVISED HISTORY

carolina papen and estelle renaldé went to manhattan’s most elite private school together. and then they went to juilliard together. and they went everywhere else together just as well. debutante balls, family vacations, weekend parties. same vip lists, same fashion show front rows. and they were always compared, though unfairly— only by proximity. lina the willowy blonde with a soft jaw, a hazy sweetheart, fed spoonfuls of attention as she desired them. pushed to success with delicate love and teacher’s praise. estelle had to claw her way up to the same standing, yanking pigtails and grabbing the crumbs of attention that they left behind. and she was the only person who didn’t treat lina as a precious figurine already perfect to display. 

she was competition through force of will, and the two picked the stage to expend their efforts on. they never looked back, the two were well suited and well funded all the time. it was all a heightened game, the only loss was to each other. the first and second best compared to no one at all. and it was a dizzying way to live, already on a high that couldn’t come down. or so she’d thought. 

they both tried out for anastasia. it was just another audition in the string of them that made up the start to every season, they both had to. estelle had said it herself:  never enough practice. with her bright colored cheeks and classic glamour wink, her dark eyes scanning for any wavering in the competition. but she’d said that before last season too. and lina had been the one to land glinda. estelle had landed on mean girl, broadway adjacent. but this would be just another season. and then the cast list for anastasia was announced. lina was anya. estelle had tried out for nothing else. 

she doesn’t remember the words of the argument that followed, harsh voices ringing off the marble of the papen penthouse foyer. angry, turned back to childhood girls who were just trying to figure out who was the leader. there was no such thing as even, though they spent every few years believing it could be the case. not this time. and before she could walk up to the door of estelle’s apartment and talk through an apology, estelle was gone. signed to prometheus. this season had not been a risky play, but a hail mary to her friend. it had been an all or nothing gamble, with california on the line. 

two months into rehearsals and  estelle was cancelled. they had been on the mend, somewhat. so she’d thought. in a long distance way of thinking. text messages exchanged, a few phone calls. there was nothing to apologize for, but that meant that there was nothing to say. they put on their charm bracelets again, they only talked about the restaurants in l.a. they talked about chanel and gucci, padded their lives with nonsense. they weren’t in competition any longer, what more was there?

only death it seemed. a sudden shocking turn, caught in the middle of some random indiscretion by a journalist no one had even heard of. and so there would be no reconciling this time. there was only lina standing center stage, the spotlight flickering on her, and everything shut off. how could she go on when it was her friend dead. her only competition gone. she’d won. she hated herself. 

it leaked out. it spilled over. she couldn’t get back on stage. she couldn’t make sense of anything in the universe. 

her parents were sure it was the system at work, just a fluke against estelle. nothing serious. they knew that there was no threat from prometheus. they didn’t understand that it might be her fault, that there might be something to the thought that estelle should be still alive. but they assured her los angeles would be a retreat. more of a vacation for a nervous breakdown than anything serious. 

and then she stayed through three seasons and there was nothing that had filled the void. there was only the fact that she had picked up a few draining addictions and a crippling sense of inability. watching people run around their sets, doing her job nearly as good as she had. nearly. 

it was, in fact, her few hollywood friends that convinced her of the next route. the irons family had two fairing well on the a-list, the winters all the same. why not tie in another well of a golden child with the means to continue her own productions. she had an illustrious career in both cities, it was an immediate yes from the contracting agents, if not their liaisons.

but that was the funny thing, that no one could have understood. if she was better than estelle after all, she would live— and there wasn’t a very chilling thought to pair with the other option. she was already dead.

[mryddinwilt]

Like Ships In The Night (you keep passing me by)

Enchanted Forest AU-Princess Emma does a reverse Cinderella and meets a Captain in a tavern instead of a Prince at a ball. It should have been a one-time thing but fate had other plans and they just keep meeting.

5k | T | FF.net | AO3 | Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5

It’s been almost 4 years but here is the thrilling conclusion... @spartanguard Happy very late birthday! It felt appropriate to finish this as a birthday gift but it took a little longer than expected! 

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

Chaos. The world was chaos. All around Killian his fellow monkeys flew, diving to attack the humans, dwarves, and fairies that were storming the castle. Screams and shouts reached him even from his place on top of the tower as those below prepared for the attack from above. All he could do was watch. Zelena had bid him to stay by her side and he was powerless to disobey. With her magic wrapped firmly around him he was merely her grotesque puppet.  

“Don’t worry, my pretty, they are no match for us,” Zelena said.

Killian wasn’t worried, he was filled with hope. It had been months since he had become one of the Witch’s flying minions but he still remembered Emma’s promise that she would find him and defeat Zelena. Surely this was their salvation from the Wicked Witch. He searched for blonde hair below.

There was a flash of bright light and several monkeys dropped to the ground, stunned. Killian cried out in triumph as he finally spotted Emma. 

“Silence!” 

Killian’s mouth snapped shut but he still felt the triumph bubbling inside him. 

“That spell is one of Glinda’s. The Savior has had training.” Venom dripped from every word. Another flash of magic and more monkeys fell. Zelena growled and mounted her broom. “She may have some battle magic but she is no match for me.” 

Killian wished he could tell Zelena how wrong she was. That he too had made the mistake of underestimating Princess Emma and learned just how strong and capable she really was. 

“Now you can make yourself useful. I will distract the Savior. When her attention is diverted you will capture her and bring her to the tower. Keep her occupied until I arrive.” 

Killian snarled his displeasure but could do nothing but obey. Zelena smiled sharp and dangerous before letting out a laugh as she flew away. As he spread his wings and sprang into the air dread settled over him. He watched as Zelena dove toward Emma.  Killian could hear nothing with the air rushing about his ears. Magic, white and green, flashed. There was a cry of anguish. Zelena laughed and, his strings pulled, Killian fell into a dive. As the ground rushed toward him, he prayed Emma would knock him out and then finish Zelena. 

When he got closer he saw that Emma was standing over a large, injured, werewolf. Tears were in her eyes as she screamed her rage at Zelena. The Princess didn’t see him coming. 

“Emma! Lookout!” Someone called, but it was too late. They collided, his legs wrapped around her torso, and he plucked her from the ground. 

As he pulled up from the dive she thrashed in his grip. Terrified she would fall to the ground and not wanting to gouge her with his claws, he wrapped his arms around her. 

 She stilled. 

“Killian?”

He shivered as her hand ran over his left arm caressing the place where a claw should be. His heart stuttered even as his wings beat steadily, taking them higher and higher. He wished he could fly them far away but he had his orders. He looped around the tower, slowing down for the landing. He unwrapped his legs and with the precision of practice settled them on the balcony. He folded his wings and released Emma. 

She didn’t run screaming or attack him. She merely turned around and stared into his blood red eyes as if she could see the real him underneath the fur and fangs. 

“Killian it is you isn’t it?” 

He nodded. 

She caught her breath and lifted her hand to his face. He flinched. How could she bear to touch him? Her hand fell away. 

“I found you,” she said, like it was the answer to a question. “I’m sorry I took so long. You remember the legend of the witch in the woods? Her name was Glinda. I found her and she helped me master my magic. You were right. It’s just a tool. ” 

He gave a low cry wishing he could tell her how brilliant she was and warn her that Zelena was coming. Slowly he raised his hand to her but when he saw the disgusting paw he dropped it. 

Emma pretended not to notice. “Glinda told me there was a prophecy. That my magic is special and that it’s the only kind that can truly destroy the Wicked Witch. That’s why Zelena didn’t attack my kingdom, she was afraid of me. And now that I know how to use my magic I can defeat her and fix you.” 

As if summoned a swirl of green smoke appeared behind Emma. The Princess whirled to face the Wicked Witch. 

“Hold her,” Zelena said. 

Killian obeyed. 

Before Emma could understand what was happening Zelena grabbed Emma’s wrist and slapped a leather cuff on it. Killian knew immediately what it was, he had seen the Wicked Witch use it on her enemies. His heart fell as Emma raised her hands as if to blast Zelena with magic. Nothing happened. 

Zelena cackled.

“Release her, my pretty.”

Killian let go of Emma and she stepped away. She stared in horror at her hands and then at him, betrayal on her face.

“What did you do?” Emma tried to pull off the bracelet. 

“Just a little cursed jewelry. You can’t take it off. Bit hard to defeat me with no magic.” 

“No.” 

Killian’s heart broke at the whispered word. 

“Oh yes, Savior. Don’t tell me you actually believed all of Glinda’s nonsense about prophecies? She had me convinced too, after all you did defeat Regina, but I’ve been watching you Princess and you are weak. Your power is nothing, nothing compared to me.” Zelena’s voice turned shrill.

“If it’s nothing then take this bracelet off and face me.” 

“Oh I think not. First I have to go and kill all those peasants you brought with you.” Zelena stepped to Killian. He wanted to rip her heart out but could do nothing but stand there. Zelena smiled as if she knew his inner thoughts. “My pet here will make sure you watch.” She gave him an affectionate stroke on his head.  

“Don’t touch him.” Emma snarled. 

Zelena turned to Emma but continued to run her hands down to his neck. “Oh that’s right you have a thing for my little broken toy. They say you stood up to the Dark One for him but I didn’t believe it. Is he the reason you attacked the castle? Him? How could a one-handed pirate be worth this suicide mission?” 

Killian snarled. Zelena truly didn’t understand. Emma and her army hadn’t come for him, they had come to destroy the Wicked Witch and even without Emma’s magic they were going to fight to their death. Even now he could hear the battle down below. 

“I said don’t touch him,” Emma snarled. 

Green fire sparked in Zelena’s hand. “You don’t give the orders here.” 

Killian could feel the heat building beside him and then the green streaked toward Emma. Killian cried out as she dodged and landed on the floor. Fire grew again in Zelena’s hand and Killian knew this time she wouldn’t miss. 

He couldn’t let it happen. Not Emma. He strained against the magical control, wanting to grab Zelena, rip her limb from limb. The puppet strings didn’t break but they stretched. As Zelena released the fire he threw his body in front of it. 

Pain exploded in his chest, his scream mingled with Zelena’s cry of outrage. He fell to the ground and through the agony he smelled burnt hair and flesh. The world became a muddle as he stared up at the ceiling. He heard Emma say his name and Zelena’s cursed laugh. 

Then Emma was hovering over him, tears in her eyes. He wanted to stroke her cheek and apologize for getting injured, for becoming Zelena’s puppet, and all the misunderstandings of their past. But trapped in a monkey body all he could do was look at her. 

“No, no, no, Killian.” Emma pleaded. Her hand cupped his fur covered cheek and he closed his eyes. His memory conjured Emma when he first met her, a princess dressed as a bar wench. A woman that had captivated him completely and made him realize, for the first time since Milah, that he might be capable of loving again. He wished he hadn’t been scared of those feelings, hadn’t been so hurt by her initial lies, that he hadn’t doubled down on his revenge and then betrayed her. So many things he would have done differently but at least he had done something right in the end. All things considered this wasn’t a bad way to die. 

Through the haze Killian felt Emma’s breath on his lips and then a different heat filled his body. Bright white light was everywhere, Killian waited for everything to go black but instead the light receded. The room came back into focus. He felt strangely light, though the pain was still there, narrowing his ability to comprehend what was happening. Emma’s face hovered over his, her eyes wide. 

“Impossible!” Zelena screeched in the background. Emma’s hand came to his face and this time he noticed the leather bracelet. If only he could remove it for her. 

His body obeyed his thought and his hand came round her wrist. He gasped when he saw that it wasn’t furry and clawed but a normal human hand. Killian couldn’t fathom how he had been changed but it didn’t matter he could free Emma now. He used his last ounce of strength to pull off the bracelet. 

He saw Emma start to smile as his vision faded and blissful unconsciousness took him. 

 Killian awoke with a start, his hand going to his chest feeling for charred flesh but finding only smooth skin. Skin. He stared down in wonder, he was human again. Dressed in his usual black leather. The same clothes he had been wearing when he transformed. Even his hook had been restored, a comforting weight at the end of his left arm. 

How?  

The details were blurred and indistinct, the memory of pain wiping out any nuances after the fire hit him. Emma had been over him, smiling, there had been magic and… he reached but found nothing but a jumble of images and feelings. 

The tower room was empty, no sign of Emma or Zelena, just smashed furniture testifying to a fight. A fight that he was sure Emma had won. Otherwise he would be dead.

Killian chuckled as the feeling of victory flooded him. Emma had defeated the Wicked Witch. But if she had won where was she now? 

He got to his feet and staggered as he unconsciously tried to compensate for wings that were no longer there. He walked to the balcony and looked down. The courtyard was filled with the aftermath of the battle, the smoke of dying fires, wounded soldiers being tended, flashes of colors as fairies flew about, and cages filled with what looked like flying monkeys. Killian frowned. It was all over and they had apparently forgotten all about him. 

He felt adrift, unsure of his bearings. What should he do now? He wanted to find Emma. Discover what had happened and see if she needed his help. A dreaded thought stole into his mind. What if she was injured? What if she was dying? 

He spun from the balcony, determined to search the entire castle, to find her. He was halfway across the room when he noticed a dwarf in the doorway. It was the same one that had been his jailer in Emma’s castle.

“You’re awake,” the dwarf said flatly as he shifted his blood stained axe. 

“Aye. Where is Emma?” 

The dwarf glared at him. “Princess Emma is in a council meeting, busy cleaning up the mess that you got us into. She doesn’t have time for the likes of you, pirate.” 

The relief Killian felt at knowing Emma was safe warred with frustration at his jailer. Emma still didn’t trust him. 

“Am I a prisoner?” Killian asked. 

“If you want to run away to your ship I would be happy to see the back of you but no stealing on your way out.”

Killian furrowed his brow. Back to his ship? Did Emma expect him to return to his ship? Perhaps he should be thinking about his crew or ransacking the castle but all he wanted was to see Emma. The need overshadowed everything else. 

“Out of my way dwarf,” Killian commanded as he walked to the door. 

“I knew it,” the dwarf said as Killian passed. But he wasn’t interested in what the dwarf thought he knew and continued to the stairs with long strides. He knew where the council room was. 

Killian ignored the huffs and stamping of the dwarf as he followed him through the castle. On the way to the council room they passed the ballroom and Killian paused to look inside. Weary warriors were eating at long tables, sleeping in the corners, or chatting in low voices. It looked nothing like the glittering jewel of excess that Killian remembered. It seemed so long ago that the castle had belonged to Prince Walsh and Killian had come to steal the slippers. How shocked and angry he had been to discover the bar wench he couldn’t get out of his mind was a princess and engaged. He smiled remembering how even then he had thrown over his plans just for the chance to speak with her and had been willing to give up his own schemes when he realized Emma needed help. Of course she had pushed him away, kissed him, and left him unconscious in the garden but looking back he no longer blamed her. He only blamed himself for his later actions. Could Emma see past their history? He shook his head and continued on. 

They were steps away from the council room when the dwarf realized where they were going. 

“Hey nobody invited you to the council.” The dwarf picked up his speed to get in front of Killian. 

Killian shot him a deadly smile. “An oversight I am sure.” 

He increased his pace but Killian beat him to the door and pushed through with as much swagger as he could manage. 

All eyes at the table turned to him but he was only interested in Emma. Surprise and relief flashed over her face and then she frowned and looked away. Before Killian could begin to understand her reaction and his own rushing heartbeat the King spoke. 

“Your presence was not requested, pirate.” 

Killian turned to the King and gave him a patronizing smile. “And yet here I am.” 

The Queen laid a hand on her husband's arm. “We are happy to see you recovered, Captain. Please join us. Your personal knowledge of the Wicked Witch and her domain may prove helpful.” 

Killian gave a half-bow and grinned his victory as he made his way to an empty seat. His eyes flicked to Emma but she seemed to be focused on a piece of paper in her hands. 

Those at the table were vaguely familiar to him, dirty, tired versions of the people he had met at the last council meeting he had attended. Given that immediately after that meeting he had escaped the castle he couldn’t really fault them for their cold, dismissive manner. 

“As I was saying.” Emma put down the paper. “Prince Walsh has not been found in the castle. I think it’s possible Zelena killed him when she took over his kingdom.” 

There is a murmur around the table. Did they truly care that the double dealing prince was gone? The man had plotted against Emma, he had tried to trick her into marriage. Surely he deserved his punishment?

“Well that’s a problem.” The older lady beside Killian grumbled. 

Killian couldn’t help but wonder if these council members were the same ones that had urged Emma to marry the prince in the first place. Perhaps they still wanted that? Killian shook his head.

“What pirate?” The King asked. “Do you know what happened to Prince Walsh?” 

“Actually I do.” All eyes turned to Killian. “The same thing that happened to all Zelena’s enemies. He was turned into a flying monkey.” 

Though Killian had never communicated with the other monkeys he had spent enough time with Zelena and heard her use names on several occasions. She had taken particular delight in taunting Walsh and telling him that he was no longer her favorite. 

“All of them into flying monkeys?” The Queen asked. 

Killian shrugged. “It gave her an army and removed her enemies all at once. Zelena particularly liked the control the spell afforded her.”

“How does the spell work exactly?” The Blue Fairy asked from her place to chairs down. 

“I am no expert in magic. ” Killian said. 

“Any information will help. How did it affect you?” 

“Well, obviously, there is a physical transformation but your mind remains intact. You still reason and feel as a person but you have no free will. Zelena’s will is like a physical tether, you can’t help but obey. She might command a monkey to kill his own family and they wouldn’t be able to resist.” 

Killian met Emma’s gaze and hoped she understood that he had been forced to capture her. That he would never wish to hurt her.

“That is horrible.” The Queen reached for her husband's hand. “All those innocent people.” 

“Mother, we didn’t kill any of them.” Emma soothed. 

“Only because you insisted we not harm them. If we hadn’t listened to you…”

Killian wondered what conversations they had about the monkeys. Had Emma  guessed the monkeys were innocent or had she been worried about him getting killed in the battle? Had Emma explained about his transformation or told them anything about their time together in the woods? He had thought often of that night. Of Emma’s magic and her tending his wounds, of waking up with her body pressed to his and how he realized how much he had missed waking up with someone.

“It is a truly vile spell.” The Blue Fairy said. “But Princess Emma has already cured the Captain so there is hope I can learn how she did it and reproduce it.” 

Attention shifted to Emma and Killian found himself leaning forward. How had she cured him? He couldn’t remember anything but light and warmth. 

Emma looked down at the table. “I don’t think I can repeat what happened.” 

Killian frowned. Had Emma used some dangerous magic? All magic came with a price what would she have to pay on his behalf? 

“Now Princess I know much of your magic is instinct but if you could even describe what happened I believe that it would be helpful.” 

Emma took a deep breath and her eyes flashed to Killian before jumping back to the fairy. 

“Blue I have learned a lot in the last few months and I know more about magic than you think. So trust me, you can’t recreate it. 

“But if you–” 

Emma cut her off. “You need to be looking at counter curses.” 

The Blue Fairy opened and then closed her mouth. She looked between Emma and Killian and seemed to come to some kind of realization and pressed her lips together.

“Oh. Emma.” The Queen’s exclamation drew Killian’s attention. The Queen reached for Emma’s hand. Emma’s face was turning red even as her father’s drained to white. Killian knew he had missed something but didn’t know what. 

“Emma, what did you do?” Killian’s fear made the question came out more as an accusation.

 Emma jumped to her feet and her chair rocked back. “I need some air.”  She rushed from the room with all eyes following her. She didn’t look back. As the room erupted in murmurs Killian jumped to his feet and followed her. As far as he was concerned the meeting was over. 

Emma wasn’t in the hallway and Killian wondered if she had used magic to whisk herself away. With a sigh he began his search. Guessing that Emma would want to avoid people he headed for the gardens. His mind whirled as he tried to push down the worry that whatever Emma had done with her magic was dangerous. Could it be reversed? He would gladly go back to being a monkey if it would spare Emma.  His anxiety mounted until he found her standing in the very spot she had dosed him with poppy powder so long ago. 

 Her eyes were closed and she seemed lost in thought. Now that he had found her all his questions fled. She looked tired and he wanted to take her in his arms and soothe her worries not interrogate her. He took a step on the gravel and her eyes flew open. She didn’t seem pleased to see him. 

“You recovered quickly. I thought you would be asleep for a day at least.” 

“And miss all this fun?” He attempted a smirk.

“You have a strange idea of fun.” 

Killian shrugged. “It’s important to find the silver lining in life.” 

Emma snorted. 

“Emma you gained control of your magic, you defeated the Wicked Witch, you saved me from spending my life as a simian. But you act as if you have lost.” He met her eyes and took a step closer as he gathered his courage. “I am grateful for the rescue. Though I don’t remember everything I know I wouldn’t be here without you. But, Emma, if the magic came at a high cost to you…” 

“The cost? Killian I…” Emma shook her head “There was no cost, I made no bargains nor dabbled in any dark magic. Though perhaps that would have been easier than this mess.” 

He frowned. “Then why–?”

“What do you want Killian?” 

The question and the intensity in her voice caught him off guard. “I wanted to make sure you were alright.” 

“No. What do you want now that you are free?”

Killian cocked his head as he considered the question. He was free, freer than he had been for centuries. For so long revenge had been his cruel mistress, driving him to betray his own principles to strike at the Dark One. Until Emma had entered his life he hadn’t realized how far he had sunk under its control. Emma had shown him the cost of his villainy and that there was much more to life if only he was brave enough to change. The dwarf had assumed he would run off to his ship and sail away. Given their history, perhaps Emma thought the same. But Killian had no intention of leaving unless it was what Emma wanted.  Certainly she could never care for him the way he cared for her but would she accept him in her life?

He searched her eyes but knew the only way to get an answer was to ask.

“You once said that if I stopped living in the past I could be a part of something.” 

“I did and then you ran away.” 

“I was trying to help, but point taken.” Killian took a deep breath. “This time I would like to stay and try to be a part of something. I know the King and others don’t much care for me but I have some first rate qualities that could be of real use to your kingdom.”

“You would give up buckling swash on the high seas? Be on the council and help with taxation and road building and treaties?” Emma seemed skeptical. 

“Given my talents I hope you would give me more exciting duties but, yes. If you are amenable I would like to stay.” 

“And that’s all you want a position in my kingdom?” 

Her green eyes drew him closer and his heart beat wildly. He thought of the kiss they had shared in this spot, of all the kisses and almost kisses, of how she seemed to know the truth of him but hadn’t turned away. He wanted so much more than a seat on her council. 

He stepped closer summoning what little swagger he could. 

 “Oh, aye, a position in your kingdom and a position in your heart.” 

Emma’s mouth opened in surprise. He chuckled as he bent his head and kissed her. It was a soft, teasing thing then Emma took control and transformed it into something much more passionate. 

When they pulled apart they touched foreheads and smiled. 

“What?” She asked. 

“Hmmm… I am just waiting for you to run away or incapacitate me.” 

Emma laughed. “I guess it is my turn since you ran away last time.” 

“Being turned into a flying monkey is hardly running away, love.” 

She pulled back and reverently ran her fingers over his hairline and down his cheek. He smiled at her concern. 

“I am sorry it took me so long. That she had you under her control for so long.” 

“Emma, you mastered your magic in mere months. It’s a marvel you came as soon as you did. I am the one who is sorry.”

“For what?” 

“For betraying you and stealing the urn. For running off and getting injured by flying monkeys because I didn’t trust you enough to share my plan.” 

“Killian without all that, without your encouragement and even your transformation, I never would have learned how to use my magic. I would have always been afraid of it. I should be thanking you.” 

 Killian’s heart swelled at the praise but he couldn’t help but argue. “You saved me, Emma.” He whispered and he was talking about much more than the events of the last day.

“You saved me too.” She replied before kissing him again. This time it was soft and sweet and full of promise. 

The kiss was interrupted by the loud clearing of a throat. Emma and Killian came apart. Killian let out a sigh and was composing a litany of curses for their intruder when he turned and realized it was Emma’s parents.  

The King looked like he would happily murder him while the Queen smiled blissfully. Emma pulled out of his embrace to face her parents. Killian kept his hand at her hip and it wasn’t just to annoy the King. 

“Mother, Father, Captain Jones has accepted the position of naval advisor.” 

Killian snickered at her words and the false dignity she gave them.

The King rolled his eyes. “Naval advisor? Really?” 

“David, now is not the time.” The Queen warned. 

“Now is exactly the time. I will not have this pirate toying with our daughters affections.” 

“Your daughter is right here and can make her own decisions.” Emma joined the argument. 

“Emma,” the king's voice softened, “I love you. But after Neal and Walsh you deserve someone better.” He looked at Killian and frowned. “You deserve an equal partner that doesn’t have ulterior motives. That won’t abandon you or betray you.” 

Killian bristled even as he agreed with the King's assessment. Emma deserved all that and more. He hoped he could be the one to give it to her. He locked eyes with the King.

“Listen, your Majesty, whatever Emma and I become is up to her but I would never betray or abandon her. I am in this for the long haul.” Killian pulled Emma closer.

“Honestly, David, you are being ridiculous.” 

“What? I am just looking out for our daughter. There is no proof the pirate and Zelena aren’t working together to trick Emma into thinking he is her True Love.” 

Killian frowned in confusion. “True what?” 

Nobody answered him. Emma had stepped away to confront her father. 

“No proof? Are you kidding me? Dad, you weren’t even there!” Emma’s hands seemed to spark with pent up magic as she gestured to Killian. “I was powerless. Zelena was going to kill me and everyone else. Killian was able to break through her control long enough to throw himself in front of a fireball.”

“That could have been faked, a trick to get you to believe him.” The King grumbled. 

“He was dying! I didn’t kiss him to break his curse. I kissed him because I thought it would be the last time.” 

Killian remembered the moment, the pain and looking into her desperate face wishing it wasn’t the end. She kissed him and it broke his curse. Realization dawned on him as Emma continued. 

“When we kissed there was the flash and it felt just like you and Mom always said. Then he was human. I didn’t imagine or suspect that he… It was real. I know it.” 

Killian knew more than most about the power of True Love’s Kiss. It had become a particular obsession of Rumplestilskin’s and so Killian had studied it. It was rare but could break any curse as true love was said to be the most powerful force in all the realms. Killian had been doubtful that such magic existed and had certainly thought it impossible he could share it with anyone after Milah’s death. But he had fallen in love again, though he had denied it, and even more wondrous she loved him back. Killian didn’t blame the King for being skeptical, Killian hardly believed it himself. His relationship with Emma had been unconventional to say the least but Killian would go through it all again if it led him to true love. 

The King was struggling to answer his daughter's declaration as the Queen looked smug. 

“Quite passionate, Emma.” Killian murmured. 

She turned to him and caught his wide grin.

“What?”

“You kissed a monkey.” Killian knew he looked a fool with his smile but he couldn’t help it. Emma rolled her eyes.

“A disgusting monster with fangs.” He continued as he pulled her into his arms. “At least I know you don’t love me for my looks.” 

“Can you be serious?” Emma said even as she returned his smile. Killian knew it was hardly the time with her parents looking on but he couldn’t hold it in any longer.

“I’m your True Love.” Killian tipped his head and bit his lip. 

“Shut up.” 

“Make me.” 

And she did. 

[magicalgirlagency]

hmmm i wonder, just how many other characters are in your magical girl story? it sounds cool!

The main team, the Red Star Agency, is a team of 16 (17, including Thor) Magis. I know it’s too much, but I went along with that number of members because I wanted to spite Magical Girl Raising Project for saying that 10+ Magical Girls in the world was a valid excuse to murder them all in battle royales.

Like fuck you, Asari Endo. Observe as my team is as big as a K-Pop group and no one dies and everyone lives happily ever after.

Honey Witch Vivi: The leader of the team, a B-Rank Magi. 22 years old, pansexual/genderfluid, brazilian, autistic. Passionate, smart, idealistic, and occasionally the Mom Friend™. Despite being a leader, she sees her teammates as equals and wants to see them succeed. Basically, my self-insert. Is in a polyamorous relationship with other two Magis. Transformation trinket is a heart-shaped locket, her powers are light-based, and her assigned gemstone is Citrine. Weapon of choice is a strawberry quartz wand that can transform into a parasol. Her mascot is a Squirtle named Bubbles (she’s the only one who can understand what her mascot says).

Cupid Harpy Sally: Was once Vivi’s first mascot and dearly beloved childhood toy but later graduates into a Magi herself, a A-Rank Magi. 20 years old (in human years), asexual, wondarian. She’s also Vivi’s adoptive sister. Spunky, sassy, energetic, and sometimes naughty. True to her Magi Title, she can shapeshift her arms into wings. Transformation trinket is a heart-shaped hairclip, her powers are fire-based, and her assigned gemstone is Cherry Quartz. Weapon of choice is a lance (which she calls “Lovely Lance”), and a infinite set of Cherry Bombs.

Star Navigator Amelia: Vivi’s girlfriend (and her childhood friend, as well), a B-Rank Magi. 22 years old, bisexual, brazilian. Loyal, adventurous, mature, and calm. Her design is basically Sayaka Miki (from PMMM) if she didn’t snapped. Was once as Magi dropout due her depression, but got back to magic business thanks to Vivi’s help. Transformation trinket is a golden star medallion, her powers are water-based, and her assigned gemstone is Larimar. Weapon of choice is a rapier/espada ropera.

Pink Soldier Kiki: Vivi’s other girlfriend, a S-Rank Magi. 20 years old, pansexual/gender-neutral, japanese/brazilian, autistic. Creative, brave, charismatic, and bright. Heavily inspired on Kirby (specially on Star Allies), and is able to transform into many disguises and personas. Transformation trinket is a pair of pink bead bracelets, her powers are love-based, and her assigned gemstone is Tourmaline. Weapon of choice is a twirling baton (which it also acts as a stimming toy for her). Her “mascot” is a broomstick named Glinda, that once belonged to Vivi.

Wisp Rider Winona: A Kamen Rider afficionado, a A-Rank Magi. 21 years old, lesbian/non-binary, australian. Athletic, optimistic, clever and a bit of a joker. She has a strong connection with the Wisps (from Sonic Colors), and can emulate their hyper-go-on energy by shapeshifting into them. Transformation trinket is a star-shaped belt buckle, her powers are alien-based, and her assigned gemstone is Emerald. Weapon of choice is a golden hoop (which she calls “Power Ring”).

Cheerful Doll Delilah: A revolutionary doll, a B-Rank Magi. 19 years old, lesbian, wondarian. Elegant, sweet, sensitive, and a bit dramatic. Was a circus ballerina before she became a Magi, and rebelled against her manipulative boss. Has a crush on Winona, and looks up to her. Transformation trinket is a pair of poofy scrunchies (that she uses as bracelets), her powers are music-based, and her assigned gemstone is Rose Quartz.. Weapon of choice is a pair of cheerleader pompoms.

Tech Witch Donovan: A young techie and a ninja, a B-Rank Magi. 21 years old, asexual/biromantic, asian-american. Brainy, dexterous, wise, and introverted. Has a passion for everything that combines magic with technology and can tame demons. Is actually the reincarnation of 2k12!Donatello, after April killed him in the 100th episode. Transformation trinket is a turtle-shaped brooch, his powers are ninja/tech-based, and his assigned gemstone is Spirit Quartz. Weapon of choice is a metal bo staff. His mascots are the spirits of his brothers from another timeline (basically, they are Leo, Mike and Raph that all fell into a spiral of insanity and commited seppuku after Don and Splinter were murdered).

Frost Rabbot Nia: A magical android, a S-Rank Magi. 20 years old (in human years), asexual, wondarian. Logical, curious, intelligent, and a tactical genius. She’s a wondarian project designed to be the perfect Magi. Looks up to Donovan, and thinks of him as a older brother. She consumes Earth’s sci-fi media in order to study their mistakes, and fix them. Transformation trinket is a star-shaped core in her chest, her powers are ice-based, and her assigned gemstone is Sapphire. She has no weapon of choice, because her body is a weapon (not in a creepy and de-humanizing way, I promise!)

Quirky Rebel Nova: A energetic outsider, a A-Rank Magi (later to be promoted to S-Rank due to her awesome violent ways to exterminate Incubators). 21 years old, asexual/panromantic, currently wondarian. Impulsive, persistent, captivating, and a go-getter. She is in reality Star Butterfly, but she ran away from Mewni without leaving a trace, after learning her life was a lie (in the third season episode, The Butterfly Effect); she changes her name to Nova (as in Supernova), and has traveled throughout the Multiverse, training herself to learn magic without a wand. Can transform herself without a transformation trinket, her powers are chaos/wildcard-based, and her assigned gemstone is Fluorite. Weapon of choice is a pair of magic gloves/gauntlets (after giving up her wand). Her mascot is a Sableye named Glitter.

Devilish Clover Perci: A skillful archer, a S-Rank Magi. 22 years old, pansexual/trans, british. Stylish, outspoken, dauntless, and very friendly. One of the most popular Magis, specially due to her control over dark magic. She adopts Nova as her sister, and their personalities clash quite nicely. Transformation trinket is a peridot brooch, her powers are darkness-based, and her assigned gemstone is Sugilite. Weapon of choice is a magic bow (that was previously Nova’s wand).

Milky Angel Holly: A wild angel, a B-Rank Magi. 23 years old, pansexual, american. Unruly, rebellious, lively, and brutally honest at times. Was once one of the best Magis, but a certain happening in her life made her develop trust issues, and she became a delinquent. To get her attitude adjusted, she is assigned to the RSA. She’s designed after Panty Anarchy (from P&SwG), because I shamelessly liked her and I got salty about her sudden and out-of-the-blue “death”. Transformation trinket is a pair of golden hoop earrings, her powers are angel-based, and her assigned gemstone is Angel Aura Quartz. Weapon of choice is a light-molded musket and a halo that acts like a boomerang.

Pretty Punisher Aya: A recovering survivor, a C-Rank Magi. 19 years old, lesbian, japanese. Shy, gentle, soft-spoken, and always doing her best. She’s an alternative version of Asagiri Aya (from Mahou Shoujo Site) if she ever snapped at her bullies, abusive brother and neglective parents and actually have used her magic to kill them all. She becomes part of Wondaria’s rescuing and therapy program, that helps abused earthlings and offers them a chance in becoming Magis themselves. She is later assigned to the RSA to develop her powers better in a non-violent and zero percent toxic environment. She sees Holly as her upperclassman, and wishes to be as brave as her. Transformation trinket is not actually a trinket, but rather her heart tattoo on her left wrist, her powers are healing-based, and her assigned gemstone is Ruby. Weapon of choice is a heart-shaped pistol.

Demonic Witch Ace: A ruthless hero, a S-Rank Magi. 24 years old, pansexual, japanese. Strong, ill-tempered, fiery, but becomes a total dork once you know him better. Real name is Akira, Ace is just a nickname. He’s a half-Oni, cursed to be the successor of the Devilman name, and he has trust issues thanks to that. To everyone’s surprise, Vivi actually manages to break his shell and befriend him. Transformation trinket is a spiky bracelet, his powers are demon-based, and his assigned gemstone is Obsidian. Weapon of choice is a kanabo/iron mace. His mascot is a sizeshifting kitsune named Miki (while not a pokémon, he can understands what the little fox says).

Artsy Chameleon Enzo: A quirky street artist, a B-Rank Magi. 23 years old, pansexual/trans, italian. An artistic soul, always on the move, tricky, and unable to give fucks to anyone who dares to discriminate him. He was kicked out of his house after coming out to his parents, but later became a Magi so he could leave earth to live in Wondaria. He’s best friends with Perci, who’s also pan/trans. Transformation trinket is a leaf-shaped belt buckle, his powers are art/chameleon-based, and his assigned gemstone is Opal. Weapon of choice is a pink baseball bat.

Cursed Maestro Arthur: An anxious fortune-teller, a B-Rank Magi. 23 years old, asexual/polyromantic, filipino. Jittery, cautious, but hardworking and doing his best to become brave. He is the reincarnation of Arthur Kingsmen (from Mystery Skulls Animated), after Lewis killed him. He has the Hellbent Curse, where he becomes aware of how his past life came to an end. He has a crush on Ace, and wants to be as brave as him. Transfromation trinket is a orange bead bracelet, his powers are ghost/music-based, and his assigned gemstone is Japser. Weapon of choice is a conductor baton. His mascot is a Dedenne named Peanut and a scarf named Tempo.

Soul Genie Inka: A rebellious alien, a C-Rank Magi. Older than any human, asexual/non-binary, wondarian. Curious, smart, cheeky, and always eager to learn more about Earth culture. was previously a defective Incubator, who grew tired of stealing souls and spreading despair. Kiki was the only one who believed in them, and later became a Magi when things got tough for her. Transformation trinket is a drop-shaped garnet stone on their chest, their magic is genie/chaos-based, and their assigned gemstone is Pearl. Weapon of choice is their long ponytail.

Mighty Berserker Thor: A broken god, a S-Rank Magi. 24 years old (in human years), bisexual, wondarian (previously asgardian, but Asgard is no more). Approachable, a friend to all, awkward at times, and a tad bit salty (it comes with the trauma). Has yeeted himself of his world with the power of the Infinity Stones because he grew tired of being ridiculed and dealing with a constant streak of despair and death in his life. He was taken in by the RSA, and is treated with such care (which it scared him at first after spending five years in depression), but he eventually warms up to the team and finds once again a motivation to fight and protect. Transformation trinket is his prosthetic arm, his powers are lightning/weather-based, and his assigned gemstone is Sunstone. He has no weapon of choice (as originally intended!); he’s basically a giant living taser. His mascot is a pocket-sized imp that’s actually his brother Loki (he was punished due his past transgressions, and he HATES it).

…phew…! Here it is, the entire team assembled! It was hard, but I’ve had loads of fun with it honestly! It flatters me that you were interested in my dream plot, Anon!

[buildarocketboys]

Books read in 2018

It's been a pretty good year for reading for me, and I actually kept a list of all the books I read, so I thought I'd make a list and write a mini review about each one. I've read 22 (and a half) books this year in full - this doesn't include any that I just started, or have read bits of.

1. When The Moon Was Ours by Anna-Marie McLemore

Magical realism + gay and trans characters! Pretty great although I wouldn't necessarily read it again. Mostly read in lunchtimes at work.

2-4. LOTR trilogy by J R R Tolkien (started somewhere between 17 and 29 March) (first book finished 4 April) (finished 30 May)

Dates on this one as I spent most of the first half of the year reading the Lord of the Rings. The Fellowship of the Ring was almost certainly my favourite, got a bit bored towards end of Two Towers/start of Return of the King, and the long descriptions and battles (and long descriptions OF battles) are something I generally prefer to do without. But they're really good books with a lot of cool (and gay!) stuff in them, and though the films don't include everything from them, they're pretty damn good adaptations. (I only wish the films had kept Beregond).

5. The Inescapable Logic of My Life by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

By the author of Aristotle and Dante, I actually can't remember much of this book, I remember it being pretty good though. It may have made me cry?

6. Cloudbusting by Malorie Blackman (REREAD)

Easily the shortest book here, this book used to make me cry. It's a simple story told through different types of poetry, but it's so beautifully done. Didn't make me cry this time sadly, but still good. Read it sitting by the river taking a break from working on a job application.

7. Nation by Terry Pratchett (REREAD)

I reread this pretty much every year (I found myself a few weeks back wanting to reread it again) and it's brilliant every time, enough said. Think this is the only Pratchett novel I've read this year, which is a shame. Thoroughly recommend it though, even though it's not part of Discworld.

8. And The Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini

Bought this from a stall in Bristol, at the time it was the only one of his I hadn't read. It was one of those novels I just ploughed through, really quickly. Really good, really sad (and a gay character where you least expected it).

9. Wicked by Gregory Maguire

Borrowed this from my girlfriend after having seen the musical in May. The book is...really weird, but really good. A lot more of an obvious dystopia than the musical is, right from the get go pretty much and Elphaba is an icon - grumpy, traumatised, irritable, angry, hopeful, guilty, revolutionary. I love her. Oh, and her and Glinda are still really gay.

10. Harry and the Wrinklies by Alan Temperley (REREAD)

Now we come to the books I reread in August when I had some time off work. Harry gets orphaned and is sent to live with his elderly relatives and their elderly friends (hence the title). Little does he know, they're all ex-cons and pretty much modern day Robin Hoods. Also, badass. Still a great book, even if it's technically for kids. I need to reread the sequels sometime.

11. Maximum Ride by James Patterson (REREAD)

Edgy as fuck but I still kind of love it. Ngl the younger kids and Iggy are a lot more fun than Max and Fang though.

12. The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger (REREAD)

This one I reread every couple of years or so. One of my favourites, the way the non-chronological (by design and necessity) plots works so well, in both building and retaining suspense, the prose is beautiful (if a little pretentious at times), the characters are...mostly kind of dicks, but in a real, multifaceted kind of way. I kind of love all the references to various books/authors/bands, even if it is kind of pretentious. I discovered Rilke through this book. Jeder Engel ist schrecklich.

13. Simon vs The Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

Read this a little while after seeing the film. Obviously they changed a fair amount, but I love them both. Really easy to read in about a day.

14. Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli

Read this on the same weekend as Simon. Loved it a LOT. I relate to both Leah and Abby a whole lot and it just felt so real to the experience of being a (bi) teenage girl. Wish there'd been a bit more to the ending maybe? But maybe that's just me being greedy. Still trying to persuade @judasisgayriot to read it. This might well be my book of the year.

15. Vox by Christina Dalcher

After I finished Leah on the Offbeat I was looking for something else to read. Picked this up in Waterstones because it sounded like an interesting concept for a dystopia (women are only allowed to say 100 words a day - if they say more, they get electrocuted by a bracelet attached to their wrist). The main character is white, straight and middle class, so that's definitely the majority of the experience we get to see, but there is some examination of being gay and/or a poc in this dystopian culture. Overall an interesting examination on how language can be used as a weapon, and to control people. A Handmaid's Tale with a difference and (spoiler!) a happy ending.

16. The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli

I didn't get/read this one at the same time as Leah and Simon because I was put off by how het it sounded, lol. The main character is straight (afaik) but it's still a pretty great book and she's pretty relatable.

17. My Mum Tracy Beaker by Jacqueline Wilson

Tracy Beaker all grown up! As told through the eyes of her (much quieter and less troublesome) daughter. Pretty great and interesting to see Tracy all grown up but still very much Tracy. Lots of drama and Justine Littlewood ruining everything as usual. Complete with an implausible happy ending (but it's great anyway, and tbh we all need those sometimes). Also, Cam is a #confirmed lesbian.

18. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (REREAD)

I'm not sure how many times I've reread The Book Thief now, but it must have been at least ten. I reread it at least every year but often it's been more than that. Still amazing, obviously, but I dunno, I didn't feel as into it this time? I didn't cry (for the first time ever!) while reading it, although that might have been because I read it at work. Mostly I was reading it to prepare for Zusak's new book, which I got for Christmas.

19. Holes by Louis Sachar (REREAD)

First time I've reread this since high school, and it's still brilliant. 'Nuff said.

20. The Bi-ble: An Anthology of Personal Narratives and Essays about Bisexuality edited by Lauren Nickodemus and Ellen Desmond

Bought this from Gay's The Word when I was in London back in May, only got round to reading it in December. Some really good stuff in here, I related hard to a lot of it (and not so much to other parts). Recommended reading for anyone who's bi or wants to understand more about bisexuality.

21. Call of the Wild by Guy Grieve

I picked this up on a whim from my pile of unread books because I wanted something to read before I got new books for Christmas. (Unfortunately, despite my best efforts, I only finished it on Boxing Day). Really interesting, I'm so fascinated by life in very cold, harsh, unforgiving places (only partly because of the wolves) and this was a really interesting true story of how a guy (called Guy) from Scotland manages to build his own cabin and live out in the wild of the Alaskan Interior through the Winter.

22. Combat Magicks by Steve Cole

A Doctor Who novel (the first of three I got for Christmas!) and the last book I read in its entirety in 2018. At the site of a battle between the Romans and the Huns (which is why I chose it first, sounded really cool), so-called "witches" manipulate everything both sides do. Surprise! They're aliens. The Doctor calls Yaz her bestie a lot and it's adorable. Ryan gets a girlfriend who stans the Doctor (she's basically part of Roman Torchwood and she's awesome). Graham has a bath with a witch (well, nearly).

Currently reading:

Eat Up! by Ruby Tandoh

I'm about half way through this, so it doesn't quite count as a book I read in 2018, but I thought I should include it. Anti-diet culture, embracing food for what it is, everything it is, while examining the different things (gender, race, class) that affect our relationship with food.

[lilacmoon83]

Finding You Always

Also on Fanfiction.net and A03

Chapter 186: Interlude

Snow hummed contently, as he kissed her deeply. She lay sated atop his bare chest, after a passionate bout of morning lovemaking. It had been a week since they returned to Storybrooke and it had been pure bliss. They had done everything they promised to do in that short week. They had picnics in the woods where they pretended to get lost for hours, made love on their picnic blanket down by the Toll Bridge, spent some much needed downtime with their children and family in the form of dinners at Granny's, barbecues in their backyard, and trips to the reserve.

They had also tended to business by telling their friends and family of their upcoming undertaking. The uniting of the realms. It took a bit for Granny, the Dwarves, and James and Aphrodite to get their heads around it, but when the Goddess revealed the all the realms had once been one, nearly three thousand years ago during and when the Crystal Kingdom had both existed and been in its prime, everyone easily got on board.

Next, in a Town Hall meeting, Snow revealed the idea to the residents of Storybrooke. She and David answered their concerns, which included things like crowding, increased crime, and just general fear of change. Snow assured them that a good curse, as she had coined it, would expand the land that Storybrooke occupied and the magic of the chalice would keep them concealed. Aphrodite described it as sort of a pocket dimension and Snow continued by assuring that all the Kingdoms or realms would still have clear borders and each would still have an independent leader responsible for governing their realm. Regina chimed in to assure they she and Snow would provide those leaders with guidance and support. Then came the question of security to which Snow answered that David would be hiring many more deputies and they would work in conjunction with other Kingdoms to train their Knights and peace keepers for a new type of policing. She had already appointed her husband as Supreme Sheriff, General of their police and Knights and essentially King to her Queen. David promised that Emma would take up the full mantle as Sheriff of Storybrooke as well and that James would have an integral role in training new Knights and deputies. Xander would join them as well and they would be hiring many more deputies, with the dwarves returning to their roles as Royal Guard.

For the most part, most seemed to accept this new undertaking, though it was not without scrutiny or even fear of the unknown. But that was to be expected. And now that they had rested for a few days and declared their intentions to their people, Snow and David prepared to begin their journey around the realms with their idea. They would be starting with Agrabah and then traveling to the other Kingdoms in the Enchanted Forest. They had enlisted Hyde to travel back to the Land of Untold Stories to inform any left behind that had not arrived with him aboard the dirigible years ago.

After they had visited the necessary Kingdoms in the Enchanted Forest, they would journey to Oz to speak to Glinda and the other witches, then Neverland to visit the Immortal Tribe. They decided they would enlist Whale to travel to the Land Without Color since so little was known about it to them and magic was a bit of a hard sell there.

Then Olympus would be the final visit and they would journey there with Aphrodite to speak to Zeus. They were a tad worried about that one, but Aphrodite assured them that even if Zeus was against it that they could count on her, Hermes, and Poseidon's support for sure. And she was certain Zeus could be convinced.

This was quite possibly the largest undertaking they had ever attempted, but they did not fear it, for they were going to do it as they did everything. Together.

She mewled and bit her bottom lip, as she felt her husband's lips skim her neck and his hands roam with passionate intent.

"We need to get up, my love. We have quite the journey ahead," she reminded. He sighed and pecked her on the lips.

"I suppose you're right...but how about you join me in the shower? We can save time that way," he prompted.

"How is that going to save time?" she asked skeptically.

"Uh...it's not. I just want shower sex with you," he admitted and she laughed, as he pulled her against him.

"Well, I guess it's a good thing we want the same thing," she responded. He grinned and pulled her out of bed and into the bathroom.

~*~

Seattle

2018

Major Donovan sat down across from Cecily Clayton and placed a tape recorder on the table.

"As you can imagine, I have many questions. But let's start first with your father," she said, as she put the file down in front of her. It was all the information the FBI had on him, complete with his mugshot from when Detective Rogers arrested him for what he did to the Nolans. But this was only the tip of the iceberg.

"And I haven't heard what I get in return for answering your questions," Cecily responded.

"You were caught on camera stealing highly valuable and priceless artifacts from an ancient civilization. There is no scenario in which you don't serve jail time for that. But if you tell me what you know...then I can make sure it's a nice prison," the Major offered.

"Nice try...but you want the information I know about what just happened in this city and you'll do anything to get it. I want to walk," she demanded.

"That's not going to happen," the Major argued.

"Then my lips are sealed and I want a lawyer," Cecily responded. The Major was silent for a moment.

"House arrest and an ankle bracelet. How long depends on what you have and you'd be required to work for us at every stage," Major Donovan offered.

"It better be a penthouse with all the amenities," Cecily bargained.

"Depends on the information. If it's good...you get a decent apartment without rats. If it's great...then maybe we'll upgrade from there," the Major stated, as she pointed to the file.

"Start talking...because if you think we don't have ways of getting information out of you, off the books, so to speak, then you're sadly mistaken, Ms. Clayton," the Major argued. Cecily smirked.

"Well...that didn't take long. Five minutes and you're already threatening torture," she quipped, as she looked at her father's picture.

"In this land, my father was an eccentric museum owner with a flare for rare and priceless artifacts. But to all the other realms, he was known as the Collector," she revealed. The Major raised an eyebrow.

"Other realms?" she questioned.

"You don't really think that this Earth is the be all end all of the Universe, do you?" Cecily questioned.

"Are you saying this is about extraterrestrials?" Donovan questions. Cecily laughed.

"No...nothing so pedestrian. I'm talking about humans for other lands and earths that are very different from this one. But that's just the tip of the iceberg," Cecily replied.

"And what did your father collect?" Major Donovan questioned.

"The same thing he collected here. Rare artifacts, priceless items...even magical people," she revealed.

"And how do you expect me to believe such things?" the Major asked.

"You saw magic right before your eyes and you're still denying it?" Cecily questioned in returned and snorted.

"Typical muggle," she goaded, as she glowered at the other woman.

"Fine...so tell us all about this magic and where the Nolans took all those people," she responded.

"Oh, that's a really long story and I don't like this room. It's cold and this chair is hard. I also need a good bottle of wine and maybe a lobster dinner. I miss the east coast fare," she replied. The Major picked up another file that had just been delivered.

"In 1983, thirty-five years ago, David Nolan was found on the side of the road in rural Maine with a stab wound to his side and his infant daughter in his arm," she said, as she showed her the file.

"Thirty-five years later, the same man is serving as a detective for the Hyperion Heights Police Department and has barely aged a day. Can you tell me that story?" she questioned. Cecily smirked.

"I can tell you everything if my demands are met," Cecily retorted.

"Fine...you'll get your cushy penthouse apartment in downtown Seattle, whatever food and wine you want, and you'll serve your time there for the next five years. I don't think I have to tell you how easy you're getting off considering the federal crimes you've committed," the Major offered.

"Does the ankle bracelet come in just basic black or can I get it diamond encrusted?" Cecily asked sarcastically, as the Major slammed her hand down on the desk.

"This is your last warning, Ms. Clayton. Talk or I'll get it beaten out of you," she growled. Cecily smirked.

"Deal accepted, but you might want to make that apartment in Boston, because you're on the wrong coast if you want to find the Nolans...or should I say, the Charmings?" she replied. The Major's eyes narrowed at her and she regained her composure, as she put her phone to her ear.

"Fuel the jet. We're relocating to Boston. Make the arrangements for our stay...and our co-berating witness," she said, before hanging up.

"Then Boston it is, Ms. Clayton. Then while you're gorging yourself on fine wine and lobster, I expect to hear everything," Major Donovan replied. Cecily smirked.

"Then you better order for yourself and your staff, because this is a very long, complicated, and sordid story that will change the way you think about your world. This story will blur the lines between reality and fiction and you'll learn that everything you thought you knew is wrong," Cecily said ominously in a way that actually made the Major believe her.

~*~

Rose and Fandral arrived at Hermes' temple on Mt. Olympus and the bubble around them disappeared. They followed the Goddess hand in hand to her viewing pool and she waved her hands over it.

"Are there any survivors at all? Of Asgard, I mean?" Fandral questioned. She turned to him and nodded.

"Yes...and it appears that will settle in a small country on Midgard...Earth. But I'm afraid that no one was spared the cataclysm of what just occurred. The disruption was so devastating that we even felt it here on Olympus," she responded.

"Does this have anything to do with that...that bastard that slaughtered Thor and my people?" Fandral questioned.

"Yes...but you must know that Thor managed to survive his battle with the Titan," she revealed.

"Thor is alive?" he asked hopefully.

"Yes...but half of all life in that nine realms has been wiped out," she responded.

"Half of all life? How is something like that possible? Even a war or natural disaster could not do damage like that," Rose surmised.

"No...but a person possessing the right power can," Hermes replied.

"I've known him to decimate planets and systems alike, but even for him, it takes time. Yet you make it sound like half of life was just wiped out in an instant," Fandral remarked.

"Because it was," she responded.

"That's not possible!" he refuted, but then Rose saw a haunted look enter her husband's eyes.

"Unless…" Fandral uttered, as he searched Goddess' eyes and she nodded.

"By the look on your face...I take it that you are familiar with the Infinity stones," Hermes surmised.

"All too well," he responded.

"The Infinity Stones? I remember those being mentioned when I was reading Asgardian history," Rose said, as he took her hands.

"Yes...the Infinity stones are elemental crystals of great power. Describing the scope of their power is...difficult or at least it was. After seeing what we saw in Seattle, they're not completely dissimilar to star gems, except greater in raw power and obviously are not tied to people like star gems are," he explained. Hermes nodded.

"Each stone controls an element of reality, but not meteorological elements like star gems. But rather things like reality, power, time, soul, space, and mind. And this being...this monster managed to acquire all six," Hermes explained.

"And that allowed him to cause this devastation?" Rose asked.

"With a literal snap of his fingers," she revealed.

"And that's why the story stopped?" she asked. Hermes opened the book, revealing that since then the story had resumed.

"A new author has picked up where the last one left off, but these realms have experienced such devastation that I fear their stories will have difficulty moving forward. Life cannot just resume after something like this. People will not just move on. Healing from this will take...generations, if at all," she said.

"What of him? What of the monster that did this?" Fandral questioned.

"He has done what he meant to do and has disappeared. I have no doubt that your friend and others like him will seek justice against him. But I fear that even making him pay for his crimes will be an empty victory and can never fill the void he created," Hermes said.

"We should go to him...to that Earth. Thor doesn't know you live and perhaps finding that he has one close friend that is not dead will help him," Rose suggested.

"There is nothing I can do to help Thor," he replied dejectedly.

"I disagree, but I understand that you don't wish to take Rose and the children into an unstable universe," Hermes stated.

"As long as that monster draws breath...it is a risk I cannot and will not take with my family," he said, as he took her hands in his own. She sighed, but did not argue further. However, this was one story she would be closely monitoring, for if the time came where this threat was gone, she was going to see to it that her husband connected to his roots again.

~*~

Breakfast at the Charming residence was lively, as usual, with David in the kitchen making a mountain of pancakes for his hungry family. Snow was still packing for their trip, while he took care of feeding them all. While the kids and everyone else were eating at the table, Xander moved into the kitchen and sat at the island. He sipped at his juice and was glad that his detox period was behind him. He didn't worry about slipping now that he had his memories back, but he was relieved that he had gone through proper treatment.

"David…" he started to say, as his son turned from the griddle, having finished the last of the food.

"Dad...you don't have to do that," he protested.

"I know...but I still think we need to talk," Xander insisted. David sighed and delivered the rest of the food to the table, before returning.

"It's not your fault...I don't blame you," David assured.

"And I'm grateful for that, but it doesn't change the fact that you spent two years pulling my drunk ass out of bars. It doesn't change the fact that I could see, even through my stupor, at how angry and disappointed you were," he replied, as his son sighed again. He and Emma were a lot alike in this way. Both of them liked to put up walls when it came to their emotions. They were more than ready to help others deal with their problems, but neither of them liked dealing with their own, as Snow had pointed out to him more than once over the years.

"It doesn't change the fact that you needed me...that Summer needed me for those two years when you thought your wife and the love of your life was dead. When Summer thought her mother was dead. When you thought your son was dead," he continued.

"Dad…" David protested.

"I broke my promise," Xander added.

"Not on purpose...I know that now," David insisted.

"I know, but it doesn't change the fact that it happened," Xander insisted in return.

"Clayton did that to you. If there was one thing that man knew...it was revenge," David replied, as he put a hand on his father's shoulder.

"But he's gone and this time, he's not coming back," he added. Xander nodded.

"Not gonna lie...I wish I could have seen him finally go down," he mentioned.

"Well, it was satisfying, especially since his arrogance caused his own demise," David said.

"Hung himself on accident...yeah I don't think I could have come up with anything more fitting than that," he agreed.

"So...we're okay?" Xander asked. David smiled.

"Better than okay," he agreed.

"But we won't be if we don't get over to the table for breakfast. Between Leo and Bobby, the food isn't going to last long," he joked. Xander chuckled.

"I get Bobby...he's going through another growing spurt. But what's Leo's excuse?" he joked back.

"Charming metabolism...your fault Gramps, not mine," Leo retorted.

"Suppose you have a point...now pass the pancakes," he agreed, just as Snow came down the stairs. David joined her and kissed her tenderly.

"We're all packed," she informed.

"Are you ready for this?" he asked. She nodded.

"I am," she replied, as he took her hand. They joined their children and ate breakfast with them. After their stomachs were filled and they cleaned up, David carried their backpacks full of clothes and other essentials. Since they did not foresee any danger in what essentially was a diplomatic visit, they gave Summer and Bobby the choice to either go with them or stay behind with Regina. The two had opted to go with their parents, while their three grown children would stay behind, as they had jobs they were eager to resume.

They journeyed out into the backyard, as their older children and Xander prepared to see them off. Hugs were exchanged, while Snow and David assured that they would be back in no time. With that, David tossed one of their many beans in their possession and a vertical portal opened. The four of them held hands and journeyed through the portal.

~*~

The Queen observed the stone palace, as they approached it and the guards at the entrance that wore masks in the likeness of jackals. She also heard an inhuman roaring, which was a bit startling.

"Don't worry...those are just the Horned King's army of undead soldiers," Mephisto assured.

"Zombies?" she asked, quirking an eyebrow. He chuckled.

"We prefer undead. They only eat mortal flesh when we tell them to and they don't create more undead with their bite," he corrected. She wrinkled her nose.

"Thanks for the distinction," she replied sarcastically.

"So...what exactly is a Horned King? And how does he make these undead soldiers?" she inquired.

"With some of the darkest magic in existence. It got him banished and would have got him executed, if they had the power to do it. He's possibly been here longer than any of us...roughly almost ten thousand years if the Pharaoh is to be believed," Mephisto explained.

"Pharaoh?" she questioned. He smirked.

"Essentially the supreme ruler of this place, not that there is much to rule. He too was banished here, by the Olympians. If the stories are true...he was worse than the all the titans put together," he stated.

"Now that is someone I'd be interested in meeting," Regina replied, as they went inside and she soon found herself in a circular room with a table that was likely some kind of war room.

"Who the hell is this?" a female voice asked. The Queen turned to find a willowy blonde woman dressed in a very tight green leather bodysuit, which accentuated her already pronounced curves.

"Easy Amora...she is a new arrival. Another cast out by those that call themselves heroes. The woman scoffed.

"Heroes...such an oxymoron. I've tempted many a supposed hero into my bed. They are not as virtuous as they claim," she responded.

"Normally, I'd agree with you, but the pair that constantly ousted me are sickeningly good and true love always wins the day for them," she spat distastefully.

"You're right...that's nauseating," Amora quipped.

"So...what do we call you?" she questioned. The Queen smirked.

"The Evil Queen is my well earned moniker...so you may refer to me as Your Majesty," she responded. Amora snorted derisively.

"Yeah...that's not happening here, Queenie," she retorted. The Queen regarded her for a beat and then nodded curtly.

"Regina will do then," she responded, as she noticed a huge figure in the corner. The man had to be over seven-feet tall and wore heavy armor, except for his arms. They were not covered, but one could not see the true skin, for his arms were stained in crimson. He had a red cape as part of his armor and his face was hidden behind a mask in the likeness of an antlered skull mask. He was probably the most terrifying thing she had ever seen and that was saying quite a lot.

"And I'm assuming this must be the Horned King?" she inquired.

"So I've been told," Amora responded.

"Does it speak?" Regina asked. The blonde woman shrugged.

"I've been told he can, but I've never heard it. He mostly just grunts and breathes heavily," she replied.

"Unnerving and a bit creepy," the Queen commented.

"Especially when one has no idea what's beneath that mask," Amora agreed.

"So...when do I get to meet this supposed Pharaoh?" the Queen questioned.

"You don't get to meet him. He'll decide if you can have an audience with him," another female voice interjected. Regina looked up to find a dark-haired, seemingly middle aged woman, as she swept into the room in a long, dark cloak.

"And who the hell are you?" the Queen inquired.

"Many things...including far more powerful than you, newcomer. But you can call me...Mim," she replied mysteriously…

~*~

When they returned from Olympus, only a mere hour later, Rose and Fandral retired for the night. But sleep didn't seem to be in the cards for Fandral on that night, so instead of keeping Rose awake with his tossing and turning, he elected to get up. He padded onto the veranda outside the royal chambers, shirtless and relished the gentle evening breeze on his bare skin. He knew what this was mostly. Survivor's guilt. While most of his people had not been so lucky, Hela nearly slaying him and his falling through that breach as Asgard collapsed had been the best thing that had ever happened to him.

He had found true love; something he didn't think was possible for a warrior like him. He had three beautiful children with the love of his life. He had gained everything, while his oldest friends had lost everything. It made him wonder what superior being had decided to smile on him, but not his friends. To him, he was no more deserving of happiness than they were.

He wasn't surprised when his brooding was interrupted by a pair of arms encircling his waist. He smiled, despite his mood, and pulled her into his arms, as he dropped a kiss on her ebony hair.

"I was hoping I wouldn't wake you," he said.

"I don't sleep well without the man I love by my side, holding me in his arms," she replied, as she kissed him tenderly.

"And I'm glad I did wake up, because I would never wish for more sleep when my husband needs me," she replied. He sighed.

"I know you are having a bout of survivor's guilt and after all that we learned, that's not surprising. In fact, it's very understandable," she reasoned.

"But I would never regret where my life has led...I just wish things had turned out so well for my friends," he replied.

"Of course you do. But do you really think your friends would begrudge you happiness?" she asked. He shook his head.

"No...I know they wouldn't," he agreed.

"Then honor their memory by being happy," she said.

"For my friends that have passed...I think I can do that. But Thor…" he replied.

"That's why I believe we should go. I think he deserves to know that he has not lost everyone. He has one friend that he doesn't even know is alive," she reasoned.

"I'm just not sure that it is a good idea," he answered.

"Because of this...mad titan?" she asked.

"That's part of it...I mean he did just commit genocide on half a universe," he answered.

"But it's more than that. What if seeing me makes Thor feel worse?" he questioned. Her brow furrowed.

"You do not think he will be happy to see that you are alive?" she asked in confusion.

"No...I think he will and I would love for you and the children to meet him finally. But...what if he looks at what I have gained and it only serves as a reminder to him of everything he has lost?" he asked. She put her arms around him and rested her head on his shoulder.

"I think you are focusing on the negative, my love. I think finding that you are alive and well could only bring happiness to one of your oldest friends," she told him. He looked at her, as she lifted her head and he gently caressed her beautiful face with his hand.

"You are as beautiful as you are persuasive, my Rose," he finally agreed. She smiled at him and took his hand.

"Then can I persuade you to come back to bed?" she tempted. He smirked.

"I'm not sure sleep will be easy, my angel," he replied, to which she gave him a sly smirk.

"Good...because sleep is not what I had in mind," she said. He smirked and she yelped, as he swept her into his arms.

"Well, in that case...our bed awaits," he replied, as he carried her back into their chambers.

~*~

A portal opened in the desert of Agrabah and deposited the four of them. Summer and Bobby looked around in wonder, as they had arrived on a cliff side overlooking an incredible, expansive city.

"Wow...so this is Agrabah?" Bobby asked. Snow and David smiled, as they joined hands.

"It is...and that's the palace," David replied, as he and Snow shared a smile at the wide eyes of their children, for they were seeing their beloved book that they had been raised with come to life before their eyes. Now, they would begin the journey of consulting all the Kingdoms and then bringing everyone in their nine realms of story together...