#sophie hatmaker

[zetsubobu]

The Hat Extravaganza

🎩🎩🎩🎩🎩🎩🎩

What it is about:

8 Students from night raven college were invited to the hat extravaganza, an annual event in the queendom of roses in which several school representatives design a hat in honor of the mad hatter and present it to the judges.

The representatives from night raven college, chosen by a (totally) random lottery, are:

Trey Clover, Riddle Rosehearts, Ruggie Bucchi, Leona Kingscholar, Jade Leech, Kalim Al-Asim, Rook Hunt and Malleus Draconia

They get accompanied by Divus Crewel as they adventure through town, come up with a design for a spectacular hat and peak into new places!

Yuu's role in all of this:

Due to grim's excitement and insistance, crowley allowed yuu and grim to come along in order to help crewel oversee the chosen students and their hatmaking process!

Rules for the event:

Anyone can participate! Feel free to draw your twst oc in it, write fics or create edits!

use the hashtag #the hat extravaganza and make sure to tag me! I would love to see what you come up with!

nsfw is not allowed for this event

The outfit aesthetic:

the aesthetic for the event is 1920s fashion! What is important is to incorperate a special hat design! Every character has to wear an extravagant hat!

Background:

Canon characters entry's:

Trey - Rook - Malleus - Leona - Riddle - Jade - Ruggie - Kalim

Oc entry's:

Yuya Florence - @cheerleaderman

Iyad Aubert - @the-rini-rush

Kalmia von Viradin (groovy) - @skriblee-ksk

Sophie - @gl00myb3arz

Moira Thea - @obsoleteozymandias

Yuuna Perla - @crystallizsch

Lottie Hatterson - @cheerleaderman

Rosienne Minuit - @offorestsongs

Reese Kingbit - @kickasscentral

..........................................................................................

This event is inspired from the glimmering soirée event by @starry-night-rose ! Make sure to check it out, it's really incredible!

also a big thank you to @esmerulia-chantelle who helped me a lot with the details of this event!

[thewickedblackcat]

Lautski Howl's Moving Castle AU!

I have had this idea for a while now and I know someone else had mention this idea as well a couple weeks back. (I forget who it was exactly though, sorry.) While this would mostly be close to the movie, this AU would not be a detail for detail as the movie. Somethings would be change in an attempt to fit with the characters. (Whether or not it's a good attempt is another story.)

Peter as Sophie Steph as Howl

(I don’t own anything.) Sources: 1 2 or 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

(Click on the "Keep Reading" to hear the main details about this AU)

Peter

Pete works in town as a hatmaker. He often tries to keep to himself in an attempt to keep from not getting bullied but that doesn't work. It doesn't help that he's not originally from here as he and his parents moved into town a few years back after his older brother, Ted, disappeared. It was supposedly to have a fresh start (but may had also been to keep Pete safe from whatever or who happened to Ted.) Between the bullying and not having many friends in a place that doesn’t feel like home, Pete has low self confidence.

Pete is saved from his bullies one day by a mystery girl with magic. Pete has never seen her before but she seemed to match the description of Stephanie Lauter, a witch with a reputation of mischief and trouble. After getting rid of Pete's bullies, the two have a run-in with a colorful bunch who seem to be after Steph. Pete and Steph are able to escape and Steph seems to drop Pete off at a safe area.

When Pete returns to the shop at night, he is approached by a strange man dressed all in yellow. (Man may not be the right word as he seemed to have goat horns and eyes.) At first, Pete tries to politely escort the man out of the shop. Until the man drops out how Pete may appear as a behaved boy, he's just a b*stard like his brother. As Pete realize who this man is, he tries to move away but the man quickly pulls out a small yellow box that instantly flashes a bright yellow light. Pete is immediately hit with the light and falls to the ground. When he opens his eyes again, the man is gone and the shop is back to what it was before. However, as Pete starts to get up, he notices he feels soar and slower. It isn't until he looks in to a nearby mirror that he realize why. He has been transformed into an old man. As he is horrified by this realization, he can hear the man's voice in his head. Say hi to Step-an-ie for me. Tick-tock, Petey, Tick-tock.

The next morning, after realizing it's not a dream, Pete travels out of town to find a cure for his curse. On his journey, he runs into a middle age homeless man. The homeless man seems to stare him, almost like he has seen Pete before. While first frightened by the homeless man, Pete does give him some change as he feels pity for him, being in a similar situation. In appreciation, the homeless man tells Pete to look for "the moving steel beast" in the hills for help with magic. Even though he is confused by this, Pete does head for the hills as it's his only lead so far. When he reaches the hills, he finds Steph's moving castle. He goes in as night falls even though he is unsure if he should see Steph again.

When he goes into the castle, he meets a small white spider by the fire place, who introduces herself as Webby. She seems to know that Pete is under a powerful curse and offers to break his curse under one condition: he helps Steph. After some debating, Pete agrees to the deal and starts to work at the castle as a cleaner.

Steph

Stephanie Lauter has never been strong with magic, despite come from a strong line of witches and wizards. She is often viewed as a disappointment by her father, the Head Sorcerer of the Kingdom, Solomon. Things changes when she is twelve. She overhears her father making a deal with the Lords in Black to heighten tensions between the fellow kingdom of Clivesdale to the point of a war. For Solomon, it’s to remain in power and to have the reputation of taking down Clivesdale. However, the Lords in Black to suck all of the magic out of both sides (soldier and civilian alike) so that they regain power and take over both kingdoms. After hearing this, Steph runs away.

After she escaped, Steph meets Webby in the woods. Webby, being low on power right now, offers to connect with Steph so that they both could stop Solomon and the Lords. However, she warns that since Steph isn’t a full magic user, Webby’s magic would over power and corrupt her. Steph, wanting to stop her father, takes the deal.

At first, Steph is able to slow down Solomon’s plan. But as the years go by, the Lords become more powerful and Steph is finding it harder to control her power. As Steph is starting to lose hope in herself, she runs away more. It doesn’t help at all that more damage from Solomon and the Lords, the more helpless she feels.

Fearing that Steph will lose herself to the magic soon, Webby decides that they need to find help to stop the Lords and free Steph from the magic.

Other Details to Know (In No Order)

Richie and Ruth would both be in at the castle as Steph’s apprentices/assistants. Richie always had an interest for magic and had asked (more like begged) Steph to be her apprentice. After seeing what his life was like, Steph decided to him up on his request. Webby questioned with Steph related to Richie’s life, while Steph said it was just stop his begging. Ruth was a different story though. Ruth was once a witch but Solomon had her magic drained out of her. He would claim it was because she selfishly used her magic. All she wanted to do was be an actress. Steph took her in out of guilt.

Steph would transform into a large spider, not a raven like in the movie.

Like in the movie, Pete can’t say anything about the curse.

As it’s pretty easy to tell, Ted/the Homeless Man is Turnip Head, popping in every so often. Spoilers: after the Lords are taken down in the end, Ted does somewhat get better. (A kind of happy ending for Ted!? What’s that?)

The rumors about Steph would mostly be Solomon’s creation to make people trust Steph less. Though, some of them were created by Steph because why not.

Steph wouldn't have a tantrum like in the movie. Instead, it would be a panic attack. Pete, being there before, helps her out of it. As Pete hold Steph to comfort her, Richie and Ruth swear for a brief moment, they see a young man holding Steph.

A running gag in the story is the group would state that they’re stopping the war to just save their kingdom, but not for Clivesdale. Because f-Clivesdale.

(Thank you for coming to my TED Talk.)

[madamhatter]

can't spell seamstress without stress

Between the faint candlelit glow and the seeping moonlight from the window against her face, Sophie's gaze almost seems glossy and absent. The hatmaker reclines against her workshop table with her elbow and eyes fixated towards the side. A deep breath fills her lungs, held momentarily before escaping through her parted lips in a slow exhale.

In the periphery of her vision, Sophie notices a collection of small papers strewn about, remnants from a previous "game" she had played with the neighborhood children. Furrowing her brows, curiosity bleeding through her hazy mind.

With delicate fingertips, she plucks one from the corner of the table, carefully unfurling it. Despite a lethargic mind, a spark of amusement shines in her eyes, causing her nostrils to flare and a hinted smile at the corner of her lips.

"An ironic thing, isn't it?"

[translationandbetrayals]

The wonderful and peculiar film of Studio Ghibli

The wonderful and peculiar film of Studio Ghibli (título) Originally a story written by the british author Diana Wynne Jones and adapted into a film by Studio Ghibli, a Japanese company considered by critics and audiences as one of the best animation studios. Their fourteenth film and one of the most renowned, "Howl no Ugoku Shiro: ハウルの動くの城"/ "Howl’s Moving Castle"/ El increíble castillo vagabundo, has become one of the most iconic adaptations. The movie centers on Sophie, a young hatmaker who crosses paths with the famous wizard Howl. Our antagonist, the Witch of the Waste, notices this encounter. Holding a strong grudge against the sorcerer, she deceives Sophie and curses her, turning her into an old woman. Sophie embarks on a journey to the desolate lands to find Howl’s Moving Castle, along the way meeting peculiar and original characters. Meanwhile, a war between her nation and the King's enemies unfolds, and Howl is bound to serve the King due to an oath he made at the Academy of Magic. With the soundtrack directed by conductor Joe Hisaishi, the OST was a complete success, setting the tone for the work. It strikes a perfect balance between not overshadowing the action but being present enough to enjoy. The sound of violins, harps, and pianos working together creates a magical feeling. In other scenes, the music turns eerie and unsettling, effectively conveying emotions to the viewer. Another point worth mentioning is the design. The sharpness of subtle details provides an enriching experience, to the extent that they are some of my most cherished childhood memories, from the characters' accessories to the town’s color palette, contrasting with the war scenes with their dark and somber tones. Personally, I’d like to highlight Howl’s room. The countless well-detailed objects create a mystical and chaotic atmosphere, perfectly representing the character’s free spirit. In conclusion, is this movie worth watching? Absolutely. It stands out for its unique details, and together with the animation, it immerses you in a dreamlike experience. Finally, we see it appeals to a versatile audience, and although it has a deeper message, it doesn’t stop younger viewers from enjoying it.

🐁Amanda Cerda

[adamwatchesmovies]

Howl's Moving Castle (2004)

Even among Hayao Miyazaki’s filmography, Howl’s Moving Castle is a standout. Filled with breathtaking visuals and sophisticated emotions, it’s so unconventional you need to watch it more than once to fully appreciate the film but what makes it good is so immediately obvious, it’s also a case of love at first sight.

On a way to visit her sister, hatmaker Sophie (voiced by Chieko Baisho) meets a wizard named Howl (Takuya Kimura). She finds him irresistible and although Sophie considers herself a mousy wallflower, she catches his eye. Her visit concluded, Sophie meets the Witch of the Waste (Akihiro Miwa) and is transformed into an old woman. Determined to make the best of her new situation, the now ninety-year-old Sophie enters Howl’s moving castle and “hires herself” as his cleaning lady.

This is a stunning film. From the character designs to the detailed backgrounds and the crisp animation, no detail has been spared to bring this world to life. In outdoor scenes, we can see strands of grass far behind the scene’s focus waving in the wind. The streets are filled to the brim with people going about their own thing. Only the most talented and determined animators could put that much detail in every scene. It’s easy to imagine what must happen to everyone beyond the borders of the frame, which leads us to the secondary plot taking place in the background: Sophie’s nation is caught up in a war with a neighboring kingdom. We regularly see flying machines taking off and heading to who-knows-where. What does it have to do with the main story? It isn’t apparent until we meet Howl. As a wizard, he’s being summoned to fight for the King. He doesn’t want to. Everyone, including his former teacher, Suliman (Haruko Kato), says it’s because he’s a coward. You’re not so sure.

We’ve gotten side-tracked. I was about to tell you about the titular castle: an unforgettable hodge-podge of rooms, pipes, gears and windows unlike anything you’ve ever seen. The ambulant home is as much a character as everyone else. It’s bizarre, kind of scary and wonderful all at once. Pieces are constantly shifting as its legs go up and down but on the inside, it’s a comfortable (though considerably filthy) place that evokes a sense of wonder. 

The second most memorable aspect of the film is Sophie. In any other picture, her quest to get rid of the curse that transformed her into a woman as old-timey and boring as she is on the inside would be the focus. The fact that she is dull and insecure means she instead focuses her time on 1) running away from her hat shop so her family doesn’t know what happened to her and 2) making the best of her situation. Weirdly, her acceptance of what’s happened is the key to breaking the curse. It’s very subtle - so much that it could’ve only been done through animation - but throughout the story, you’ll see her muster up her courage once in a while and stand up to Howl, the fire demon Calcipher (Tatsuya Gashiun) who powers his home, or to Howl’s young apprentice Markl (Ryūnosuke Kamiki). Suddenly, she seems a little less old, a bit more confident. She’s less hunched over; tougher. Once she’s shared her piece, however, her progress stops or even reverses. Isn’t that what growing up is really like? Not a sudden metamorphosis from a caterpillar to a butterfly, but constant steps forward and backward with the steps back always growing slightly smaller until - before you know it - you’ve made real headway.

At points, the film is wonderfully grotesque - bordering on frightening - and will then revert to being the stuff of dreams. Character-wise, so much of Howl's Moving Castle is subtle that when the big emotional moments arrive, they sneak up on you and seemingly come out of nowhere… but then, it makes perfect sense for them to arrive at that precise moment. You know it because you know the people involved so well. Despite this, the love plot can feel a little rushed. That’s really the only criticism I have.

Viewers will place Howl’s Moving Castle into one of two camps. It will either be an instant favorite, like a number 1 movie because it tells this emotional, character-driven story with all of these themes hidden in the background, or it will be the kind of movie that you don’t realize how much you love until later when you’re looking back at it fondly. Either way, it’s enchanting - regardless of how old you are. (Original Japanese with English subtitles, July 27, 2022)

[dailyrandomwriter]

Day 322

Every once in a while, I adapt my own writing, or someone else’s writing for a visual medium. Primarily comics, it was something I got into thanks to @wereah back when I was in university. The act of adapting something I’m familiar with into another medium often informs my views on adaptations.

That and Howl’s Moving Castle.

Both the book and the movie.

For those not familiar with the book (and I strongly recommend you read it, if you haven’t), Howl’s Moving Castle is a fantasy young adult book by Diana Wynne Jones. It’s actually part of a series, though I never got around to reading the rest of the books.

In all honesty, I didn’t even know this was originally a book. I had originally seen the movie and then was given as a gift by my sister as an adult. Which I treasure greatly because it’s such a bitch to buy books for me. Anyways, I loved the book, and loving the book never diminished my love for the movie. Both are excellent for very different reasons.

But the book made me appreciate the difficulty of adaptations from one media to the next. 

Without spoilers, the thing you have to understand about the world of Howl’s Moving Castle is that it is a world where the tropes of fairy tales are the way of the world. Sophie, who is the eldest, and as a result of fairy tale tropes, does not seek anything for herself beyond being a hatmaker at her father’s shop because the eldest always fails, while it is the youngest who goes on to have many magical and amazing adventures. 

From a story writing perspective, this book is wonderful in its storytelling and world building, because it describes the world and uses it to inform the reader what drives Sophie’s decisions. From an adaptation perspective, if you want to remain true to the book, it’s a goddamn nightmare.

One of the issues people do not talk about enough about adaptation is the unique ability that written narrative has over a visual medium like television and movies. Most writers write in third person omniscient, which is a narrative style that allows the reader to have a view of the character(s) thoughts and the world that the characters themselves may not have. 

This is also known as exposition.

There is a lot of exposition you can put into a narrative that would be clunky, awkward and create terrible pacing in another medium. In the case of Howl’s Moving Castle, as a movie, there’s no way you can let the audience know Sophie’s thought process about why she chose to be simply a hatter without adding an additional scene somehow, preferably not by having Sophie herself monologue her thought process. 

And that doesn’t even cover the fact movies are never enough run time to squeeze in all the ideas a full novel may have. I’m sure there are people who criticize the fact the movie had cut out Howl’s background and at least two story threads (turning two characters into one), but frankly you would not be able to fit this whole adventure into one hour and a half movie otherwise. The movie took the characters, a concept and the general plot and just ran with it, and that’s fine.

It was a very good movie after all.

But I think about Howl’s Moving Castle when I think about what it takes to adapt one work for another, and I appreciate the difficulty in doing so.

[bphguyen]

my interpretation of everyone’s favourite chaotic wizard and his darling hat-maker ✨

[c0smicjayy]

How dare you /lh

Anyway Howl's Moving Castle is about a wizard boy (Howl) who dislikes himself (he thinks he's ugly) and a hatmaker lady (Sophie) who dislikes herself (she thinks she's undesirable and she'll get nowhere) and accidentally curses herself to turn into an old lady bc she has magic she's unaware of.

The plot consists of them seeing how much the other loves them and learning to love themselves, and Sophie breaks her own curse. It's sweet and emotional and at times funny (Howl freaking out bc Sophie cleaned the bathroom and now his hair is dark again and he thinks he's ugly and Sophie's like "I think you look good" and he's like "really?" And proceeds to keep the dark hair through the rest of the movie.) There's magic and also a war involved.

There's also a little fire demon named Calcifer who is so funny. I love him.

I really love this movie lmao

I somehow only saw this now?? I'm so sorry!!

And that sounds super interesting and nice actually so I'll make sure to give it a watch! I've seen gifs of Howl with black hair vs blonde but I always thought it was two different movies tbh

[thatfoolsophie]

when howl and sophie get married, there’s not much fuss over what last name to use. neither of them like jenkins, and neither is too fond of hatter, either (sophie’s ready to put her hatmaking days behind her, and the only appeal a plain name like ‘hatter’ would hold to howl is that it was sophie’s (well, okay, and the potential for mad hatter jokes, but no one understands those in ingary, to howl's eternal chagrin)). next time he’s in wales, howl tells megan that he’s marrying a woman named sophie pendragon and he’s taking her last name, and then it’s settled in both worlds

[madamhatter]

As the sole employee at the hat shop, Sophie believed she would've already grown accustomed to acting as both a seamstress and salesperson. As much as her mother preferred her to be in the workshop, Fanny's daily disappearances in the marketplace meant great adjustability was needed. Though, it did infringe on already precious time on pending orders. 

"Thank you kindly, miss," Sophie nods politely. "These hats take a great deal of time and care to make, but these hats last for a lifetime of derbies, picnics, and much more." 

"Custom orders? Of course, I am the hatmaker for this shop," her hands rest above her chest. "My name is Sophie Hatter, and it'll be a pleasure to work alongside you."

"Have you ever ordered anything custom before?"

@madamhatter​ liked for starter

“Oh, what beautiful hats you have! I have never seen such beauty before! May I order some hats from you?”

[madamhatter]

Literary glutton and the bookworm of the Hatter sisters, Sophe expended all of her time reading through books as a child at a voracious rate!

To those familiar with the novel, it is through Sophie's studious nature and reading that she discovers her lack of fortune to see as the eldest daughter, no less, the lack of future she has altogether.

Sophie was the most studious. She read a great deal, and very soon realized how little chance she had of an interesting future. It was a disappointment to her, but she was still happy enough, looking after her sisters and grooming Martha to seek her fortune when the time came. (Chapter 1, In Which Sophie Talks to Hats)

Sophie's tendency to create little fictive stories of potential customers to her creations often leads to the fact that her imagination is a great part of her escapism while working at the hat shop. This is not exclusive to her hats and her habit to talk to herself and create scenarios does bleed into other activities.

Reading is one of the biggest comforts for Sophie growing up. It continues to be a part of her routine throughout the other books, even if indirect mentions by other characters (i.e., Calcifier).

Before getting to the genres that Sophie would be into, it should be noted that the hatmaker tends to find herself reading subject matter that isn't 'typical' for young girls. One of the most outstanding happens to be the random reference to demonology:

It had a distinctly cunning look as it made this proposal. Everything she read showed the extreme danger of making a bargain with a demon. And there was no doubt that this one did look extraordinarily evil! (Chapter 3, In Which Sophie Enters Into A Castle and a Bargain)

For the genres she would be interested in reading, I take her to be essentially into mythic fiction, fantasy, and, mystery (she spent papers trying to solve a riddle-), detective/crime fiction (relating to the last prompt). As long as there is a medium to which she can exercise her imagination and feel further removed from her current situation, the more invested she will be into it.

[anime-of-the-day]

Anime of the day: Howl’s moving castle

Alt Title: Howl no Ugoku Shiro

Released: 2004

Sophie is the normal daughter of a hatmaker, and she is more than content with that life. However, she ends up in a little bit of a sticky situation and is rescued by a wizard, the mysterious Howl. Her encounter with this handsome hero Howl brings forth the wrath of the vile Witch of the Waste who turns Sophie into an old woman. Now with no other direction to take, Sophie sets out to find Howl’s moving castle.

[weaselishmcdiesel]

WAS JUST THINKING ABOUT HOWL GRIAN FOLLOWED WITH SOPHIE MUMBO, ALL GRIAN & MUMBO LIKERS' BRAINCELLS ARE CANONICALLY CONNECTED

AHAHA YESSSSSSS WE ALL HAVE THE SAME BASIC NEEDS AND IT'S THESE BOYS

i was brainstorming with my friend and instead of being a hatmaker mumbo makes clocks and other little mechanisms n has a little clock shop i need to think about this so much more yo studio ghibli au fr

[aniseandspearmint]

I really wish there was a clear way for a movie or tv series to say 'this was inspired by x book series, but went in a fairly different direction immediately so don't get your hopes up for a faithful adaptation'.

Because, like, I LOVE some of the movies and shows that spring out of a book series or a video game. Howls Moving Castle for instance! Great movie, nearly everyone who's seen it loves it! It is NOTHING like the books. It took the concept and ran in an entirely different direction. The characters have the same names but are in no way the same characters. They combined some characters and erased others completely.

I know some people that were very disappointed seeing the movie for the first time because they were hoping to see Howl the gradstudent from wales, and Markel his teenage apprentice who falls in love with one of Sophie's TWO sisters (who were using magic to secretly trade places bc they hated their own apprenticeships), and Sophie the redheaded hatmaker who talked to her hats as she made them and accidentally imbued them with magic (and THAT being why she got cursed).

[morethanaprincess-a]

tombstone for two.

A way to a princess’s heart was through the art of viscera, mystery, and dramatics. It was ever so accurate for the heiress apparent to the Novoselic crown, the nouveau horror connoisseur herself. 

How much of a better time than to preoccupy and challenge her mind than with a mystery? The enigma of an unknown sender and a collection of clues, of course! Yet the prominent inquiry remains, what exactly was what question did this solution answer. As well, who was the face behind such an elusive game? 

The Wednesday prior, a week or so already into autumn, and several raven-black framed ‘calling cards’ seemingly flew into the princess’s possessions and most popular locations - snugged underneath the foot of her chair, in her school bag right after breakfast and lunch period, and so on. Conniving bird has been making themself a fuss, leaving together only quotes from the likes of Stuart Merrill’s short stories and Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights. A stranger message asked if she enjoyed roses and cognac. Odd, odd, indeed! 

Several of her peers from Class 77-B and 77-A akin voiced intrigue and curiosity. A loud minority expressing jealousy, but the deathly stare from the unofficial janitor of the academy resolved that situation relatively quick. Record timing, indeed! 

Duties and obligations shan’t be ignored, of course, and the mystery conveniently paused - almost at the behest of Sonia’s busy schedule. Mindful mastermind resumes the clues as soon as the princess breathes and enters respite for how little it can stay. 

Nearing the witching hour, yet not close enough for specters and their ilk to make an entrance, October 12th was concluding. Tap, tap, tap. Quiet rasps at the door interrupt a hopefully productive study session for the blonde. 

Father Knox’s Decalogue dictates that the most successful crimes never allow the criminal to be elusive from the story - their presence is never accentuated by text but briefly regarded through several lines. 

Perhaps Father Knox hadn’t realized that meticulous planning and anxiety had a way of spoiling a mystery altogether, especially when the red-handed culprit stands at the doorway, hopeful not to awaken or alert neighbors. 

Gray hood is drawn up, a most unusual fashion choice for her, with copper braid replaced with high ponytail - a sure sign of her taking something seriously. Scarred hand presented, she hushes Sonia and beckons her to come with her after she dresses with appropriate wear. Any decision to go out otherwise meets heavy refusal and insistent push back into the room. 

Calloused hand in eager hand, both princess and hatmaker slip from their abode away from home — two stragglers in the night, eyes full of dazzling stars and city lights, bound for some seemingly great unknown.

A princess spirited away at midnight, a scandalous affair in the moonlight! How would the Queen Mother react to such unruly behavior? The beauty of a mystery is its book-ended nature - all self-contained within the confines of cover. Like all other writings, it was much its own world and a world that only those who opened the pages could find. 

Not another soul is aware of such transgressions, as it should be.

Slipping through alleyways and even offering her jacket to the sovereign-to-be, Sophie weaves them through unsuspecting nightlife. Past concrete and buildings, the scenery greener and distant from the modern world - now to a sizeable hedged wall surrounding an unknown location. 

The guiding hand offers itself once more, Sophie glancing at the barricade and back to Sonia before providing any needed assistance to climb over it. As if the princess would ever have trespassed before! Truly a spotless record that has never known a mark in its life, she never indeed never infringed or ever acted outside of proper conduct. Not at all! 

And over the garden wall they went successfully – sin Sophie’s assured and almost confident air humbled as she unceremoniously landed face first in a bush. Twigs and foliage were sticking out of her hair while she pulled herself up, spitting out a leaf. 

The two have managed themselves into a cemetery, where mortals lay to eternal peace, perpetual quietude. Offering her arm, Sophie tempts Sonia further with a leisure stroll through tombstones on numerous tiers. However, considering how obstinate the hatter was in returning to course - Sophie still encouraging Sonia to see what she liked and even pull her along as Sophie (admittedly) would obediently follow - there were intentions in her direction.

A conveniently large bush is nearby with an even more convenient empty plot - yet to be reserved and ground undisturbed by any construction. Sophie reluctantly removes herself from Sonia before dusting her hands together and beginning her maddening reveal. 

Almost instantaneously, and perhaps with inhuman speed, a large quilt is unfolded and spread across the ground with an assortment of recently prepared and homemade meals. Drinks, some aged well like a wine bottle or two (and a whiskey, mainly for Sophie), and some fresh from vending machines like several sodas lined up there too. A pink-and-silver wrapped box was awaiting at the center of the blanket too. 

“Ah…” Adrenaline has finally worn off as Sophie’s expectant countenance falters. Usual awkwardness returns to her with a soft clap of her hands before rubbing her hands together. Flighty attention springing guest of honor and to-be banquet, she takes a deep breath and turns entirely to acknowledge the blonde. 

“I understand how underwhelming this can be, compared to most everything you’d probably seen or had before,” she breathes out, struggling with a demure smile and a blush of roses overwhelming her freckled cheeks. “Grander, more luxurious, and more garish if Queen Regent demands it,” she couldn’t resist chaste laughter at the memory.

“Nevertheless, that’s not who you are. Never have been and never will be as stalwart as you are, as upfront with who you are too,” her words proud and genuine as she continues. “And, well, I wanted to do something–" 

Sophie lowers her head, groaning. Her marred hand rubs the back of her neck "Goodness,” she looks up to Sonia’s stormy grey eyes, “this sounds ridiculous and is even more embarrassing, isn’t it?" 

"I just wanted to surprise you, is all. Out of a whim, which you know how that can get with me sometimes." 

"Happy Birthday, Sonia,” she beams. “Would you care to enjoy this night with me?" 

*On top of scenic dinner and a possible chance to commune with spirits, the box’s contents are from Sophie’s hands herself! It is not limited to a small black laced fascinator, a rose-pink front-buttoned V-cut pinafore dress (with matching white and black georgette blouses), and two hard-covered copies of what appears to be great romantic classics..! 

___________________________________________________________

She did, in fact, enjoy both roses and cognac. It would be a challenge to call herself a proper Novosonian if she did not.

But what Sonia liked even more was a good intrigue. Particularly one that threatened to deploy her family’s security team as they possessed the belief that a week before the Princess of Novoselic’s birthday, someone had begun to threaten her.

Ominous black notes, materializing in places they shouldn’t. Classroom whispers. Concerned teachers and then concerned school administrators had gotten the word back to her homeland and it had been a flurry of calls, of meetings, of assurances that, despite her lacking security (compared to what she was accustomed to, anyway) on the Hope’s Peak campus, Sonia Nevermind was completely fine.

More than fine, actually.

She was goddamn twitterpated.

She hadn’t dared show anyone the exact content of the notes. That much privacy she’d been granted upon arriving as a normal student. But instead of threats against her life and her family, they were poetry. Quotes from gothic literature. All things she recognized, having read them over and over again when her own castle felt too confining, too full of rules and regulations but the likes of France and the English moors did not. They had pining, unrequited love, ancient family secrets and brooding. Plenty of brooding, as dark and murky as the English weather.

She loved them. And someone else knew it. That, in and of itself, was already exciting. The anticipation had ebbed a bit in her work to assure the staff that she was safe and secure within Hope’s Peak’s walls, but as midnight approached on October 13, Sonia had sat at her desk, laptop set aside, and all of the cards arranged in neat rows in its place. She was no Ultimate Detective, but certainly she could do her best Phryne Fisher impression and unravel the mystery. Even if it has handwriting she couldn’t recognize, there was no stamp to trace, not even a wax seal she’d needed to break and she lacked the forensic tools and know-how to try to find fingerprints. Her study session, that of the cards, was now wholly unproductive.

Thankfully, she was interrupted by soft knocking at her door. A knock from a hooded 'stranger’ who, under most circumstances, would have even given the princess cause for alarm (it hadn’t been the first time she’d been stalked or kidnapped, after all). But the scars that adorned one slender hand, with neat nails and calluses over the fingers, they were enough for her to identify who it belonged to. And they had directed her to wear something different than her pajamas: they were too delicate, too silky, too blue and far too skimpy if they were headed out of doors. "All right, I understand,” Sonia whispered after being shoved back once. Though casting the hooded figure a playful look of her own, she proceeded to peel off her camisole and shorts right in front of them, leaving her clad in her knickers alone until she donned a bra and the black top, trousers, socks, and boots of her military training attire.

She wanted to play a game, to lead her on, to tease her a bit.

Sonia could do that right back, and she’d do it with small scraps of lace instead of letters.

She soon placed her hand in hers and allowed Sophie to lead her away. Away from Hope’s Peak, away from royal responsibilities, down the proverbial rabbit hole and into the dark, serene nightlife. Their own wonderland, a prospect proven even more true the moment Sonia realized Sophie had led her to a cemetery: old and elegant and foreboding. Sonia had taken the wall in a running jump and hoist method, fluid and practiced in a way that years of mandatory military training afforded her. Sophie had not been so experienced, and Sonia bit her tongue to choke back a laugh. She took her arm instead, milling their way through the gravel paths. Greeted by mausoleums as quiet as…well, the grave, elaborate headstones, bouquets of flowers that had begun to wilt, brown, and crumble in the autumn weather, and everything adorned by leaves in autumn shades, they walked on softly, leisurely, before suddenly Sophie detangled herself from Sonia’s arm and bolted ahead with such speed that the princess was mostly used to seeing when she was pressed up against a deadline.

“Oh, it’s hardly underwhelming!” She assured her with a smile, bright and yet mostly hidden in the night. But Sophie could tell, of that Sonia was sure, as she approached the elaborate midnight picnic spread she’d arranged. “I’ve seen so much grandeur, and while don’t mention that it’s garish in front of my mother, I’m inclined to agree. But this, Sophie…this is perfect.”

A gentle tug of Sophie’s hand was Sonia’s answer: to have her join her on the blanket beneath the stars, surrounded by souls at peace and a quiet neither of them could seem to find elsewhere. They needed to be someone to everyone: a skilled tradeswoman, a princess, a daughter, the symbol of a family’s future success. They had the weight of the world on their shoulders, one pale and one freckled, for everyone…except each other.

For each other, they simply had to be Sonia and Sophie.

Two girls who liked to read.

Who liked pretty clothes.

Who liked baked goods and scotch and quips about the lives they led that few were clever enough to pick up on.

Who loved each other.

She’d cooked the meal herself, that much Sonia knew, and the wine and spirits and wrapped gift were certainly delectable. But Sophie enticed her even more, as she pulled her into her lap, pulling down the grey hood that covered her cheeks and replacing them with her own lips. Soft kisses, gentle caresses, that trailed to Sophie’s earlobe.

Sonia’s arms held her closer as she neared that soft spot of freckled skin, tickled by stray copper strands that had escaped her no-nonsense ponytail. Breathing deeply and taking in the scent of flour and cooked sugar, she smiled against Sophie’s skin. She was perfect to her.

“Whatever our souls are made of, yours and mine are the same,” She murmured before placing a kiss there. It paraphrased the quote some, but Sophie would recognize it. She’d understand. That after brooding and familial circumstances that threatened to tear them apart, they would not suffer Cathy and Heathcliff’s fate. Sonia wouldn’t let them, no matter what it took. “Thank you. While I love it, I love you even more.”

The world looked at her and saw a princess, one of the most eligible bachelorettes in the world. They saw grace, they saw refinement, they saw a young woman born and bred for a single purpose: to be the leader a nation needed.

But Sophie looked at her and saw Sonia Nevermind. And that made all the difference.

@madamhatter​

[likexstarlight]

⍣ ◦ º ◦ was that [ Myoui Mina ] i just saw? no, my mistake, it was [ Sophie Hatter] though they seem an awful lot like [ Sophie] from [ Howl’s Moving Castle ], don’t they? i heard they’re [ 27 ] and they like [Worn straw hats, flowers pressed between book pages, a half formed dream of something in life] and work at/as [ Hat maker at Hatter’s hats ].

Sophie was the eldest daughter to a hatmaker. It seemed from the beginning her path in life was decided by fate. She is the eldest so she would inherit the responsibilities, it seemed a simple fact to her. Especially after her mothers passing, she stepped up in an effort to help. So at a young age she started learning to make hats. Her father teaching her the trade, happy to see one of his daughters taking an interest. With practice Sophie became quite good at it, slowly she began spending more and more time at the store.

Her social life seemed to fall by the wayside as a result. Perhaps the only saving grace she had was her younger sister Lettie. The younger girl would often drag Sophie out, an attempt to give her a life outside the store. While Sophie went along with it, she quickly realized she wasn't very good at social interactions.Though that never stopped her sister from trying, only wanting the best for the older girl.  

  Eventually her father remarried a woman named Fannie, who adored both girls as much as they adored her. For a moment things were alright kind of okay. Sophie made hats, even if that was necessarily what she wanted to do with her life and her father ran the store with ease. Then her father suddenly passed and the store fell to her. Sophie didn’t even want to run the shop, let know how. Yet it was expected of her so how could she refuse, it didn't even seem like an option to her. It was simply her lot in life and she had to accept that. So she runs the shop, a little unhappily, everyday feeling as if she is growing just a little bit older by doing so.   

Headcannons:

Sophie has always loved flowers, her favorite being chrysanthemums. She collect them and have them pressed. She’s lost count of how many there are adorning her room.

The first hat she ever made was a straw hat that she still has to this day. It’s had to be patched up a few times over the years, but she isn’t keen on parting with it. 

Sophie is rather insecure, it takes time for her to truly open up to people. She finds it hard sometimes to believe people actually want to get to know her and aren’t simply being polite.

Surprisingly Sophie can actually be a little snarky and sarcastic, though it is a rare sight. Her sister is the only who has really seen that side of her and it only ever comes out when she is truly annoyed or angry, which isn’t too often. 

Wanted connections:

Friends 

Enemies

Customers at the store

I’m honestly open to anything