#stripes and dreamer are so bright

[squidkid15]

more from the doodle session with hawk, daydreams MK!

[virgo-dream]

More of the LGBTQ+ club au? When dream goes the next day and the students work to get them to confess and start being a couple?

@aquilathefighter, @btw-it-also-travels-in-time, @acanthoscurria

hi!!! 1st of all, I'm sorry for taking so long to finish this! When I thought my computer was broken for good it really drained me of any will to write, then New Years happened and I was drained of any energy at all. I'm getting back to all my fics slowly though, and this is the first one i've finished, so here you go!! part two :)

read part one here! you can also read the whole fic on ao3 ✨

One of Their Own (pt. 2)

Dream stood outside the New Inn, hands tucked safely inside the pockets of his coat jacket. He watched as groups of young adults arrived, greeting each other cheerfully. The hair colours and outfits reminded him of his sister, Delirium, but they all seemed to be more in line with her previous self; delighted to be there, happy to meet their friends. A flag danced in the light summer breeze on a pole next to the window, the stripes of colours brightening up the already lively scene. A rainbow, Hob had told him the day before, was the most recognizable symbol of the queer community. It now was accompanied by stripes of light pink and blue, white, black and brown. Dream enjoyed good symbolism, and he could feel the meaning of those colours to all who were present from their daydreams alone. 

He, however, still felt like an outsider. Like he wasn't really meant to be there, save for Hob's generous invite. Dream was not defined by the same standards humanity aligned itself with; in fact, he wasn't defined by anything at all. He was not an individual, but the safe arms in which those dreamers rested every night, the common thread in their hopes, in their restful slumber. It would be silly to think that he'd need to identify as one thing or another, really. He was there for Hob. Because Hob invited him. Because he wanted to know more about the everyday life of his dearest friend. Because he wanted to hear him talk, see him inspire others with his tales, wanted to hear the sound of his voice, the gentle way in which he made people feel welcome, cared for, loved, he wanted–

Dream thought it best to wait it out, at least until most people had already arrived, until he had an idea of just how many young, hopeful minds would be in the vicinity. After escaping the Burgess Manor, Dream was faced with a considerable raise in the amount of dreamers under his care. He would not admit it to anyone but himself, but at times, it became too much even for him to bear. The idea of willingly walking into a space with so many people was daunting, to say the least.  So he waited, watched as the New Inn became packed with dreamers, feeling his palms dampen inside the pockets of his coat.

Taking the first step towards the door was difficult. Pushing it open was even harder. Dream stepped in, careful not to bump into anyone or to even get too close. The sound of the little bell that was supposed to announce his arrival had no effect, as it was overtaken by the sound of chatter inside the Inn. It was better that way, Dream thought. Not having Hob rush to greet him. That way he could take a moment to adjust to his surroundings, maybe even blend in, become invisible. In hindsight, his usual choice of attire did anything but blend in there. He was a dark little cloud in a sky full of bright colours, like a multi-coloured sunset on a tropical beach. And of course, every sunset had its monarch, shining brightly, commanding the attention. That, of course, was Hob.

"Hello there, kids! Glad to see most of you could make it!" The cheerful, gentle register of Hob's voice filled the room, filtered by the small but potent speaker he'd rented just for the occasion. Dream could hear his voice clearly, and it helped him tune out everything else that wasn't his beloved friend. "This is the first of hopefully many meetings of our beloved Queer Clubs here at my beloved New Inn. I want you all to know this is a safe space for you all no matter what part of the gender and sexuality spectrums you fall on. The only things I won't accept here are discrimination of any kind, and anyone that thinks Lawrence Cheney shouldn't have won season 2 of Drag Race UK. Are we clear on that one?"

Laughter filled the room, and Dream couldn't help but allow his lips a small smile. Hob truly was a marvel. How anyone could shine so brightly was beyond even the dream lord's knowledge, but he was glad to be able to bask in that glow from time to time. He wished he could do it more often.

Hob was saying other things, Dream thought. Instructions on seating arrangements, subjects to be discussed, discounts on food and drinks. All Dream could do was watch as Hob did more than just make everyone feel welcome, but inspired them with hope and joy, a gentle breeze of acceptance, the embrace of a parent, the empathy of an equal. There was much to work with here, much to inspire new dreams. Dreams of comfort and love, of community and pride. 

"Dream? You in there, love?" 

Hob's voice broke the spell he himself had cast over Dream, who could now see his friend's palm waving in front of his eyes. He'd become lost in thought, it seemed. Dream's nose scrunched up at the interruption, looking at Hob with his usual look of curiosity. There was still much he needed to catch up on when it came to non verbal communication. "Aye. I'm here. Have I not fully manifested my presence?" 

Hob chuckled, and his eyes wrinkled at the corners. "Oh, yes. Physically, at least." Dream's brows furrowed in worry, and he was glad Hob was quick enough to notice when something had gone over his head. "Just a joke– hey, I'm glad you could make it. The kids will love meeting you."

"Meeting me? There are far too many people here for you to make introductions. Besides, I know them all, and they all know me. They just do not remember it during waking hours." 

This felt like a plausible enough explanation to keep Hob from actually introducing him to everyone in attendance. But Hob was far too optimistic to be dissuaded so easily. "I'm not talking about introducing them to Morpheus. I'd like them to meet my friend, Dream."

"I do not see the difference." He shouldn't say why he couldn't bear the idea of being introduced to so many people. Shouldn't burden Hob with his problems, that wouldn't exist had he just not been captured in the first place. Dream had been good at hiding his discomfort so far, and he'd continue to do so.

…well, maybe he was not so good at it. Not when Hob's eyes so clearly conveyed the worry that had just settled in his heart. It was difficult to deny Hob the truth when his warm, calloused hands took Dream's into his own so carefully, squeezing gently, as if saying you can trust me. I've got you. "It's okay if you'd rather not. I know it can be overwhelming sometimes."

"...thank you." Dream replied with a murmur. Hob gifted him with a smile. It seemed a lot could be said with just the eyes.

–––

Even if Dream didn't intend on actually joining in on the conversations being held, he was glad to follow Hob along and listen to the discussions. It was amazing seeing just how bright the kids really were: they spoke of justice and equality, of inclusivity, of respect and love, of family and religion and sex and responsibility. It was a wider range of topics than he'd expected, an awareness of self he didn't think humans would ever possess, and now, he was glad to be proven wrong. He listened to their shared experiences, to the kindness in their eyes as they lifted each other up, the melody of their laughter and the bravery in their voices as they spoke of injustices they'd lived. It was fascinating, really.

What Dream was truly surprised to find was that people had, after all, an understanding of self that went beyond just physical. Hob brought him closer to a group of kids who were in a long discussion on gender identity. Some of them felt comfortable with the gender they'd been "assigned with at birth", others did not feel any affinity for it. Some of them had changed their bodies to fit with how they felt on the inside, and Dream couldn't help but feel enormous empathy for them, for the way they had to fight to exist in a body that didn't feel like a trap. It was something Dream always took for granted, until he himself felt the horror of having no agency over himself. The pain they went through to guarantee they'd have the right to live authentically. Dream's body had never been limited to an exclusive physical manifestation; he was as he felt like. Fluid, as one of the bright colour haired people had pointed out while explaining their own experience. They reminded Dream of his own sibling, Desire. Someone else brought up how they didn't particularly feel like they had a gender, and that the language surrounding it didn't particularly bother them. Agender, the girl said proudly. Dream wondered if there was any right or wrong way to declare oneself fluid or agender. Then he realised the tightness in his chest when the thought occurred to him.

"Are you alright?" Once again, Hob's voice brought him back to the Waking. Dream could now feel Hob's hand on his own again, but he wasn't sure what exactly had warranted it. 

"Your hands were shaking."

Once again, Dream's physical form betrayed him. It was also clear how the conversation surrounding them had gone quiet, and more eyes than he would have liked had landed on their linked hands. He didn't like being watched. Like that.

"Oh, Mr. G, is this your boyfriend?" one of them asked, teasingly. "Would have never guessed you had a thing for goths!"

"Marissa, stop!" someone else said, poking the girl on the shoulder apprehensively. The next thing they said was soft as a whisper.  "They are clearly not feeling well."

They. 

Dream had never considered himself as they. But this person, whoever they were, preferred "not to assume" his gender. And the empathy displayed for his discomfort was something he wasn't expecting either. Hob seemed to be about to say something, but Dream was quicker.

"There is no need to worry for my well-being, but I thank you for your kindness." Dream allowed himself to smile once again. These children were going places, he knew it. "You may address me as he, if necessary. I would not oppose her or them either." It felt liberating to say it, and Dream didn't really know why. He did know, however, that he suddenly felt brave. "I am not Professor Gadlen's boyfriend, but I am honoured to call him my dearest, most cherished friend."

Dream looked at Hob, who seemed to be awestruck by his words. It was amusing to see him like that, and it lit something else inside him. This meeting was making Dream experience a range of feelings he'd forgotten about. He showed Hob a smile, and Hob smiled back at him, warm and gentle as ever. Their hands were still linked together. Dream had no intention of letting go. "Ah, yes. This little prick here is indeed my dearest, oldest friend. I did want them to meet you guys. I'm glad I was right about it."

When Hob said it, it made Dream's heart sing. 

"...so you're fuckbuddies?"

"Marissa!"

–––

After a few hours and many, many rounds of different conversations, Hob gathered the group once again, thanking them for coming and congratulating everyone on the success of their first meeting. Dream couldn't help but notice how Hob seemed unable to stop smiling. He could feel the pride and relief radiating off of his tanned skin and kind eyes. Dream wished he could have it all directed at himself, that gentleness. 

Hob's boyfriend. Now that would be something.

Dream sat on the booth table behind the bar where he and Hob usually held their meetings and waited for everyone to leave. He wanted some time alone with Hob, even if just to hear what his beloved friend had to say about what he thought of the meeting, just to hear Hob's voice, the only music suited for Dream's ears. 

He also had so many new feelings inside himself to explore. Those he could tend to later.

"Hey there, handsome stranger." Hob said as he sat across from Dream on the table, taking Dream's hand in his as if it was just the way they always did things. Maybe it could be. It wouldn't hurt (too much) to hope, would it?  "Come here often?"

"Only when I'm in search of an epiphany." Dream couldn't bother to hide the fondness in his own voice, nor the relief he felt to have Hob's hand cradling his own again. "I am impressed, Professor Gadlen. You have gathered a group of exceptionally bright minds. It gives me hope for a better future for humanity."

"Wow Dream, that is… that is really high praise, especially coming from you." Hob seemed flushed, and Dream wondered what else he could do to cause that reaction, to see Hob shy and pretty like that again and again. "I learned a long time ago that I have to build the future I want to live in. But in all honesty… I'm more interested in the present right now."

"Oh, is that so?" Hob's optimism was infectious, it seemed. Dream too could only focus on the present moment. "I am glad to be able to share it with you."

There was a short silence shared between them after that. It was as if neither of them were ready to say whatever it was they clearly needed. Dream tried to take comfort in the feeling of Hob's hand in his, rubbing the back of Hob's hand with his thumb. 

His mistake was looking up to meet Hob's eyes. 

"There is much I have learned today." Dream decided he'd be the one to break the silence. He'd be the one to take the leap, because he knew Hob had made sure he'd make a safe landing. He knew that no matter what happened, no matter how much he could get hurt, he was safe. He could trust Hob with his heart, even if there was a chance that he would break it. "I often make the mistake of thinking there is nothing more to my existence than what I have already discovered. I contain all conscious minds throughout the universe, their lives, hopes and dreams. Yet, I forget that the tales of others cannot substitute one's own experience, only enlighten it."

Hob listened to Dream's words attentively. He looked anxious, but would not interrupt. Dream knew he wouldn't. He knew how much Hob cherished the moments where Dream felt ready to share something new. "Today, you have once more shown me there is much I have to learn. For that, I am grateful, Hob Gadling."

How could Dream not fall in love with someone that treated him like he was the moon? How could the moon not love the sun? 

"I'm grateful for you too, you know. The kids loved you. I'm sure I'll be getting asked about you for the rest of the semester. Maybe even longer." Hob's eyes were so fond it made Dream want to cry. 

"And how would you like to answer their inquiries?"

"What do you mean?"

"Would you like to tell them of your dearest, oldest friend…" Dream leaned in, bringing Hob's hand to his own cheek. He pressed a soft kiss to Hob's palm, and watched as Hob's eyes followed his every move. There was no turning back from this. "...or would you prefer to tell them about your lover, Hob?"

For a moment, time stopped. Their eyes met, and before Dream could get anxious or regret his words, Hob was already standing and leaning over the table, locking their lips together. 

Dream thought he'd heard the sound of people cheering outside one of the windows of the New Inn. Hob would certainly be getting many questions from his students come next monday.

[soleilequinoxstories]

Storytime Precure Volume 1

╔═══*.·:·.☽✧    ✦    ✧☾.·:·.*═══╗

Volume 1: A New Story Starts, Cure Joyful Is Born!

╚═══*.·:·.☽✧    ✦    ✧☾.·:·.*═══╝

The night was as dark as a crow's feathers, but little nightlights shone above. A small house rested atop a hill, with the second-story window shining brightly. A young girl was winding down for the night, by reading a story.

As soon as the enchantress finished casting her curse, the masked knight burst through the window and threw the enchantress off her balance!

“Yes! Give her a piece of her own medicine, Blue Star!"

As usual, the maiden sat in her bed, nose buried in her book. She’d always loved to read fairytales, the lessons learned are what shaped her today. Her soft dark chocolate hair rested over her shoulder as she flipped through the pages.

"Through a long and painful battle, the enchantress was slain by the masked knight. The spell wore off and soon the prince woke up from his eternal slumber. The masked knight soon revealed herself to be the handmaiden who served him since childhood. They embraced passionately and left the castle to return home. The end."

After shutting the book, she sighed and fell into a swoon. Staring at the ceiling, with a bright smile on her face 

"That story never gets old! I mean, who comes up with the idea that a simple handmaiden is a KNIGHT?! That's incredible! More people need to know about the tale of Blue Star. I mean, she's a strong and incredible fighter and such a role model for others. Y’know, that’s my goal in life, to be a role model. Not just for my school, but for millions! I want to be someone who can make people happy with what I do. Small steps, Rina. Small steps."

Rina turned off her nightlight and soon ventured down to the land of dreams. Her eyes fluttered open and she found herself lying on top of a mushroom house! As strange as it seemed, her pajamas had been replaced by a cute blue dress tied together with an apron. Her feet were covered up with striped socks and black Mary Janes. Her hair was tied in buns and resting on her head was a cute black headband.

'So...Alice in Wonderland for tonight. Works for me! Hold on...what's that sound?'

She overheard a fanfare-like noise in the distance. She stood up and saw a castle surrounded by colorful balloons, and fireworks bursting all around. She just had to investigate the noise, what could it be? so she began hopping over the mushroom houses, admiring the scenery around her. Bread and Butterflies flew over her head and animals walked along a checkered path towards the palace. She continued to hop along until she spotted a familiar boy. He donned an all-green suit accompanied by a matching hat with a red feather. His messy red hair and chocolate eyes gave away who he was.

‘Peter Pan? What’s he doing here, this is Wonderland!’

“Peter! Hey!”

He saw who was calling him and flew to meet the maiden’s eyes, wearing a mischievous grin.

“Little Dreamer! You’ve come back!”

“I have, now answer this for me. What’re you doing in Wonderland, and on that note. How do you know where Wonderland is?” Rina asked.

“Don’t worry about those small details, this is your dream after all!”

‘That still doesn’t answer my question…’

“But you came at the perfect moment! The Queen’s about to host an event at the palace and all are invited!”

“Everyone?”

“Everyone! Now, take my hand. We’ll be there in a jiffy!”

He extended his hand out to the maiden and she happily accepted. In a flash, she felt her feet leave the mushroom and sway in the air. It felt so refreshing to fly in the sky, the cool gentle breeze in her face, the clear and happy sky was hers to explore. And what’s more, is that she’s flying with Peter Pan himself! This dream is getting better and better by the second! The castle was becoming clearer the farther they flew.

“Well, we’re getting close...now’s my cue to let you off the pixie dust train. Thanks for riding, passenger! Enjoy the celebrations” The boy chuckled.

“W-Wait, hold on! Peter don’t-” 

She reached out desperately.

It was too late, Peter had already let go and flew off towards the plaza.

“Peter you didn’t teach me how to LAND!” She hollered. 

As if it was answering her prayers, her dress formed an umbrella-like shape and she floated down with relative ease. She landed right by the plaza entrance, how convenient! She walked past the gate and immediately saw so many classic faces. Puss n’ Boots was chatting with the Seven Dwarves, Rumpelstiltskin was selling golden fabrics to others and gingerbread men were being chased by baby wolves. Trumpets started to play and everyone’s attention shifted. A tall and elegant lady with golden hair and golden eyes walked out of the palace, her presence made everyone gaze in awe. She extended her hands as her voice rang out towards the plaza:

“My people, friends from all over the kingdom. Our land has been protected for more than 1,000 years under my protection but since the uprising of Pierrot, we had to take matters to the extreme. I had to send out my daughter to find aid, and she delivered marvelously. I will be forever grateful for those who sacrificed so much to help us when we were in need. Because of their bravery, we can live peacefully again. And with that, I am pleased to announce your heroes!”

She lifted her hands to the sky as 5 beams of light shone from the palace

Blue

Yellow

Pink

Red

Green

Then five girls flew from the palace and began to color the sky. Their movements were swift, yet synced up perfectly. At the end of the performance, they landed in front of the queen and posed for everyone. Applause erupted from the plaza, people whistled and shouted in joy for the five heroes. The young maiden was amazed, she had always envied them but in a positive way. They were what she wanted to be, a hero that everyone can recognize and trust, someone who can be seen as “special”, someone who’s recognized for what they stand for. Those are the goals the maiden wants to achieve.

“Everyone! Thank you so much for the warm welcome! It feels good to be standing here today!” The pink-haired leader exclaimed

Her enthusiasm ringing throughout the plaza

“We came out here today to commemorate your amazing work in rebuilding this kingdom after recent events. It’s incredible to see how all of you persisted and kept your heads up high and now, you’ve found the happy ending you’ve been looking for! It’s been quite a wild ride, but it was one we’ll never forget! Now, for the important stuff and I’ve never been all that good with words so, Beauty, you’re up!”

‘Important stuff? Wait, what does that mean? Did I miss something since the last time I came here?’ Rina pondered.

These questions continued to puzzle the poor maiden. Hopefully, the blue-haired hero, or Beauty could answer those questions.

“Thank you, as you all know we’ve defended your home from Pierrot and we’ve adored your progress in rebuilding your homes and helping each other out. But more specifically we want to shout on one specific individual who’s been the most persistent in these times.” Beauty stated

Murmuring and whispering arose from the crowd.

“Is it me?”

“No, it has to be ME! I’m the one who rebuilt those houses!”

“No no, I think they deserve the recognition.”

“WOAH! Hold your horses, everyone! Settle down!” The orange-haired hero exclaimed, causing a hush to instantly fall over the crowd.

“Much better! Anyway... We loved your community-building throughout this recovery process and you all deserve an equal amount of praise, but we wanted to shout out one person. They’ve probably been a part of this community for the longest time and you all probably know them well. They’ve shown nothing but kindness and are always willing to help everyone out. Our very own, Amano Rina!”

The five heroes all extended their hands towards Rina. She stood in shock, overwhelmed by the outrageous applause. Everyone was clapping for her, cheering her on! She decided to run towards where the heroes were as everyone was chanting her name.

“Rina! Rina! Rina! Rina!”

Voices merged into one, all Rina could hear was her name and the excitement! All of a sudden, she saw her mother? Ebony hair and hazel eyes, chanting along with everyone. The images of teddy bears, fairies, and the kingdom started to fade from her vision as her mother appeared in front of her.

“Rina! Rina, wake up!”

She slowly lifted from her bed and rubbed her eyes. Amano Fuka, Rina’s mother, was dressed in her yukata with her hair tied up in a bun.

“Mmm, morning Mom. What… what time is it?”

“I’ve been trying to wake you up for the past 5 minutes. It’s already 8:14, you’ll be late for school.”

“Huh? I thought it was 7?”

Rina glanced at her alarm clock and saw the time. It was exactly 8:14. Her eyes shot up in shock, making her jump from her bed.

“CRAP! I’M GOING TO BE LATE!”

╳°»｡ ∾･⁙･ ღ ➵ ⁘ ➵ ღ ･⁙･∾ ｡«°╳

“I’m heading out! Bye Momma, bye Dad!” Rina shouted

As Rina shut the door, she hoisted her satchel up to her shoulders and headed to school. The sun was shining bright, basking Nanairogaoka in its warmth (and getting into Rina’s eyes). Her dark chocolate hair was swaying in the wind and her smile was so big that it could blind millions.

‘Another day, another fun week of school ahead of me! I don’t think there’s much on the agenda, but student elections are coming up! Aoki-san did such a good job as student vice president, surely she’ll run for student body president! Oh, why am I getting distracted? Gotta get to school!’

She kept running until she saw the entrance of the school. Students were walking and chatting in small groups, just as how it’s always been. Rina stopped to catch her breath and didn’t notice the blonde walking towards her.

“Sometimes I don’t know how you manage to get that much energy, but I guess it paid off in the end. Nice to see you again, Rina”

Rina looked up from her position and saw her closest friend, Yoshimoto Haruhi. Her buttery blonde hair and sky blue eyes could instantly be recognized by anyone, from the tone of her voice to her natural beauty. Rina straightened and immediately hugged Haruhi, both being overjoyed to be reunited over the weekend.

“Good to see you two, Haruhi!”

The bell rang followed by the noises of students chatting and rushing to their classes. It felt surreal to be back in the school, so much could happen within the span of one weekend. The two friends were nearing their homeroom when a familiar voice called out to them.

“Yo! Rina, Haruhi!”

Both turned their heads and saw the hot-headed 3rd year, Hino Akane, energetic as ever. She made her way towards the two and tackle-hugged them. All 3 of them fell on the pavement laughing.

“Aki, it’s good to see you too!” Rina exclaimed, in mid laughter. 

Akane helped the two up while blushing over the nickname. It wasn’t particularly common for Rina to use nicknames, but it meant she deeply cared for them when she did. Akane offered to walk the girls to class since her homeroom was only a staircase away from theirs. Both agreed and they all headed to room 2-1. Haruhi was the one leading the conversation, talking about how there’ll be new transfer students in the school increasing the diversity. Rina strongly encouraged the idea, but soon shifted the conversation about clubs. The sign-up posters seemed to start their spread across the school, so it’s about time they picked one. After walking down the halls, passing the other 2nd years, they came face to face with their homeroom. It was time they said goodbye to Akane. They hugged each other and soon departed to class. The classroom was already divided into friend groups; the girls in one corner, the guys in another but by the class’s doorway was a dark-haired boy looking over notes. Haruhi knocked on his desk with a mischievous smile. He looked up with stern eyes, but his mouth formed a comforting smile.

“Haruhi, a pleasure to see you here.”

“Oh please, Ryuu, the pleasure’s all mine. But...you should start waving that white flag.”

Ryuu scoffs at her claim, closing his notebook and standing to meet Haruhi at eye-level.

“Why would I have to surrender to you? Besides, I have nothing to admit defeat to!”

“Remember our bet last week?”

Haruhi glanced at Rina, the latter enraptured by her book. She turned back to face Ryuu, a confident glint in her eyes.

“Rina made it to school before the bell, which means YOU owe me some chocolate from the convenience store downtown.”

Instead of looking defeated, his face remains the same. Calm and collected, but with a sense of wit. Those were the main aspects of the Oshita family. Both Ryu’s and Haruhi’s families were well known across Nanairogaoka, both for their business and ranking. Both families have high reputations, but their fights suggest otherwise...

“It doesn’t affect me as much. I had a hunch your friend would make it. So for now, I suppose that’s a win for the Yoshimoto’s. Congratulations” Ryuu said, extending his hand to Haruhi

She took his hand and both shook firmly. Even if they were junior-high schoolers, their families’ future’s rested on their shoulders. They soon let go of each other’s grasp and started discussing the details. Ryuu planned to go to the convenience store after class today, so he’ll give Haruhi the chocolate tomorrow. After settling on an agreement, both returned to their respective seats, waiting for their teacher. Soon, Ms. Anzai walked into the classroom followed by another student. Braided hair drooped over her left shoulder and she wore a pink lotus hair clip. Her hands clasped together behind her back.

“Good morning class. I’m sure that you heard about the new students. Well, I’m pleased to announce that one of them will be joining our class! Now let’s all give a warm welcome to Ramya Bakshi.”

Ramya walked in front of the teacher’s desk and faced her new classmates. She was a bit nervous, her right hand was messing with her braid. She took a deep breath in and spoke out:

“Pleasure to meet you. I hope that we can have a great school year, so it’s nice to meet you all!” Ramya meekly announced.

She bowed in front of everyone. Rina stood up from her seat and extended a greeting to the new student.

“It’s nice to meet you Ramya, my name is Rina and I’ll gladly give you a tour around the school! I hope for a great school year as well!”

“T-thank you, Rina”

“Yes, thank you, Rina. That’s very sweet of you. Ramya, you can sit next to Ryuu and we’ll get started with today’s lesson.”

“Y-Yes ma’am!”

Ramya took her seat next to Ryuu and class began.

╳°»｡ ∾･⁙･ ღ ➵ ⁘ ➵ ღ ･⁙･∾ ｡«°╳

Now it was lunch hour! A time to socialize and regroup. Everyone was meeting up with friends from other classes and the schoolyard was riddled with middle-school students. Rina, Haruhi, and Ramya made their way to the sports field, bento boxes in hand when a voice called out to them:

“Hey! Over here! Could you lend a few hands?”

All three of them turned to see third years Midorikawa Nao and Aoki Reika, walking towards them with hundreds of fliers in their hands. Some were sticking out from the stacks and you could barely see their faces! Nao was the one who called out to them, as she was both waving and balancing the stack of papers under her arm. Rina and Haruhi beamed when they saw them, but Ramya’s expression remained the same.

“Aoki-san! Midori-san! How’ve you guys been?” Haruhi asked

“Could be better, but hey! What more can you do when you have fliers to post around the campus? We could use some extra hands on deck.” Nao replied, gesturing to the stacks of fliers. 

Haruhi grabbed half of Nao’s stack, looking at them with a smile on her face.“I could help out! Speaking of which, what’re these fliers for anyway? I don’t think we have any major events going on, especially since we’re only two weeks into the new semester and all.”

“Well, a lot of clubs are starting up, so the Student Council has started making these fliers for sign-ups. There isn’t a  lot right now, but hopefully, more will open up” Reika answered, with a determined look on her face. She was aiming for being Student Body President, after all, so she had to set a good example for the juniors.

“D-do you mind if I lent a hand? I-I may not know too much about the clubs, but I wouldn’t mind! I do want to make a good impression here, s-so helping out could be a start for me” Ramya chimed.

She then glanced at Rina, unable to read her by expression. Rina gave her a thumbs up, comforting Ramya. She took half of Reika’s stack and gave a meek smile. The third years smiled back and started to share the plan:

“Alright, so Haruhi and I will take the third floor & Reika will take the new student down here. We’ll group back on the second floor and then we can have lunch in the student council clubroom, sounds good?”

“Sounds good!” The three exclaimed, the determination ringing in their voices.

“Alright, let’s split!”

Reika and Ramya started to make their way to the school’s east side while Haruhi and Nao headed west. Rina trailed behind Nao to have a quick chat with Haruhi.

“You sure you don’t mind this? I mean, it’s only the second week.”

“Rina, I’m sure I don’t mind. Helping others is practically in my nature and I honestly enjoy it... by the way, I owe you a trip downtown. I promised we’d go last week, but my parents needed me. So after school, we can head down to the new boba tea shop, my treat.”

“R-really? Sweet! Do you think we can do a quick snack run on the way? I want to grab myself some chocobars for myself”

Haruhi smiled. “Yes Rina, we can. Anyways, go have your lunch! I’ll see you in class!”

“See you in class!”

Rina sprinted towards the courtyard, bento box and book in arms, and dashed out the school building. The courtyard was huge for the small campus, with an open area for sports. The field was usually crowded with first-year students gawking at the male sports teams, but it’s barren with still freshly painted running tracks. In the middle of the courtyard was a gazebo with a maroon red roof. This spot was often called “The Compass Checkpoint” due to the 4 bridges connecting it. Rina crossed the west bridge and was immediately greeted with shade, perfect for reading. She placed her bento down by a nearby bench and sat down, opening her book to reread it. This has been a natural habit of Rina’s, reading the same story and revisiting the world she’s grown up with and always loved.

*crack*

A branch suddenly snapped, making Rina jolt. She closed her book to see who it was. Her expression changed upon seeing a familiar face.

Magenta hair tied in buns, yellow bows for accessories, and a bright smile spread across her face. Hoshizora Miyuki, her older cousin, and a fellow transfer student.

“Lovely day, isn’t it?”

Rina dropped her book and hugged Miyuki, spinning with joy and delight! These two have been inseparable, always talking to each other over the phone and sharing pictures. The feelings always remain just as exciting as when they first met, nearly 13 years ago. They stopped spinning and continued the embrace.

“Miyu! Oh my gosh, it felt like FOREVER! I missed you so much!”

“I missed you too, this weekend felt SO LONG!”, Rina laughed. 

“I know! Even after we last talked, I couldn’t stop thinking about you!”

“Same here! Guess we love each other that much, huh?”

Finally, they pulled away and sat down. They started talking about what they did over the weekend, any new stories they read, but eventually, the conversation shifted.

“I know this isn’t like me to ask, but how come I didn’t see you earlier today?”, Rina asked.

“I know being a third-year must be a lot since you’re supposed to set a good example for the juniors, but today you weren’t even by the gates like you usually are.”

“Oh, that? Yeah, this morning was especially long for me. Yayoi emailed me about helping with ideas for the Art Club, so I went to her house for breakfast. And after that, I had to help my teacher set up the class, which meant I could hang out in the class afterward.”

“So, you took a break before classes? That’s fair I suppose, besides it sounds like you worked up a storm!”

“Yep, that’s the life of a third-year! I’m 100% gonna take a nap after school, I deserve it!”

Miyuki began to stretch, which accidentally sent her bag tumbling to the ground. It fell with a loud thud and out flew a pink compact. It rolled by Rina’s feet and she picked it up.

“Uh, Miyu? You mind explaining why you have a compact in your bag?” Rina asked, pointing at the compact. As Rina was messing with the compact,  Miyuki immediately snatched it from her hands. Her face glowed bright red as she shoved it in her bag.

“Y-You didn’t know about my make-up addiction? This cute face isn’t natural! I thought I told you, whoops!”

The atmosphere quickly grew tense. Rina wasn’t used to seeing her cheerful cousin so embarrassed. Something seemed wrong, and Rina couldn’t ignore it: 

“Is everything ok? You know you can tell me anything, right? Besides, we’ve shared a bunch of weird secrets and I’ve never told a single soul, so you can trust me.” Rina said with a calm smile on her face. Miyuki took a deep breath but was still hesitant.

“Well, this is a compact and it’s funny that I brought it with me. But, it’s not for makeup. I...I don’t know how else to explain it, but...”

“Miyuki, it’s ok. I’ll understand, I promise.”

She held her cousin’s hands and met each other’s eye level,

“If you say so...well, I’m a magical girl”

There was a brief moment of silence between the two, Rina let go of Miyuki’s hands and stared blankly at her

“I’m sorry, what did you say?”

Miyuki sighed. “I said I’m a magical girl. Y’know those rumors going around, they’re true. All of them. And, I’m one of them, Cure Happy actually!”

“Cure...Ha- Wait, like THE Cure Happy everyone keeps talking about?! THAT CURE HAPPY?!” Rina exclaimed

Her face conformed from calm and collected to bug-eyed confusion. She sat up from the bench and stared in disbelief.

“Y-You’re joking. Y-you have to be! There’s NO way! IT’S NOT POSSIBLE! All this time that I’ve been collecting magical girl toys and now you’re telling me you are one?!”

She started pacing around the gazebo in utter confusion. Her words started to become indistinguishable... Miyuki tried her best to explain but Rina wasn’t paying attention. 

‘I knew this would be weird, but I wasn’t expecting this!’

“R-Rina! Calm down! People are gonna notice!”

Miyuki quickly stood up and held her cousin close. Rina started to calm down, as she accepted this embrace. Both locked eyes and smiled,

“Everything ok?”

“Y-yeah, I guess. But you have to clear things up for me, how come you didn’t tell me? I’m your cousin after all.”

Miyuki let go, yet kept her eyes locked with Rina’s,

“That’s the thing, I couldn’t tell you. I had to keep it a secret, which sucked, but it was to protect you and everyone I care about. If you knew, then you’d be in so much danger than you are now! ”

“I-I feel honored, really I do! But, this seems so sudden and I still have questions-”

“L-LOOK!” Miyuki shouted, pointing to the now moving book

Rina’s book began moving on its own and flew above them! Suddenly, a squirrel popped out and hit his head on the roof! It fell in between the two of them and landed with a loud thud, the book landing on top of its head. Rina screamed in horror. Miyuki was trying to calm her down but it was hopeless. The fairy slowly stood up, lifting the book from its head, and looked at the pair. Its eyes glistened when it saw Miyuki.

“Cure Happy! It really is you! The Queen wasn’t lying about your buns~chi.”

Rina looked at Miyuki with extreme concern.

“M-Miyu? Why is there a talking squirrel in front of us and HOW DOES IT KNOW YOU?!”

“I-I don’t know! I haven’t seen any fairies in a while.!”

The fairy spoke out to the pair, not shifting its field of vision

“Happy, there isn’t much time to explain. You have to come back to Märchenland, the queen needs to see you right away~chi!”

Miyuki quickly stopped the fairy, “W-wait! Why do I have to go back? Is there something wrong? Is Pierrot back?”

Questions began to flood Rina’s head. Why is there a talking fairy? What is Märchenland? Who is this Queen? What is happening? All she wanted was answers and she wanted them now!

“There’s isn’t much time~chi! Grab my hand! I’m taking you to the palace!”

“WAIT!”

All eyes were now on Rina. She rose and looked at both Miyuki and the fairy, her eyes showing worry and assertion. She grabbed hold of Miyuki’s hand and spoke with authority in her voice:

“You told me a secret I never learned and to just leave me behind? No way, I'm going with you. Besides, isn’t two better than 1?” Rina said confidently. 

‘Rina…’

“Right, let’s go!” Miyuki’s face returned to her normal cheerful grin. 

The fairy looked at Rina for a moment but returned its attention to the book. It tapped the book and the words started glowing. It looked at the girls and gave a small nod, grabbing Miyuki’s hand and leaping high in the air. The book sucked all three of them in, closing as soon as Rina’s shoe was sucked in. There it was, on the gazebo floor, leaving no evidence behind.

╳°»｡ ∾･⁙･ ღ ➵ ⁘ ➵ ღ ･⁙･∾ ｡«°╳

The three flew through a colorful tunnel, safely contained in a bubble. Bright lights flashed before their eyes, blinding them. The end of the tunnel was getting clearer the further they traveled. Outside was a tall castle with colorful balloons surrounding it. All seemed clear to Rina when she saw the palace.

‘Wait...that’s the castle from my dreams! Hold on, it’s real?!’ Rina pondered. None of this made any sense to her. 

The questions started to rack up in her brain like a witch’s cauldron. The bubble started picking up speed, as the ground got closer and closer.

“Hold on~chi! The bubble is gonna pop any second~chi!”

The fairy exclaimed, standing close to the girls. They reached the ground and the bubble popped, causing the trio to roll in front of the palace. They sat in a triangle shape, looking at each other in silence. Miyuki couldn’t help herself and started giggling, soon everyone caught them! Sure, it was for a dumb reason, but it was a funny one at most. As the laughter died down, Rina helped Miyuki up which incidentally made a gateway for the fairy. It started running, yelling at the two

“Hurry up~chi! The queen needs to see you!”

“H-HOLD ON! WAIT FOR US!” Miyuki grabbed Rina’s hand and followed the fairy to the palace. The place looked so vibrant and colorful, but Rina noticed someone by the castle. And then, they vanished.

‘Weird…’

The palace gates opened up. They were greeted by tall pillars draped in gold embroidery. A small child with bright blond hair and wearing a white dress came into view, gazing longingly at the stained glass windows. It loomed over the throne and seemed the size of two giraffes. The glass depicted five heroines grasping at a clock each donning colors of the rainbow.

Blue

Yellow

Pink

Red

Green

‘This has to be a joke, right? I mean, that stained glass has five heroes, my dream had five heroes. There’s NO way this is just a coincidence!’ Rina thought to herself. 

More puzzle pieces have fallen into place, yet she still couldn’t quite put this puzzle together.

“Your Majesty! I brought Cure Happy, just as you asked! She decided to bring someone with her, I hope that isn’t troublesome for you.” He shouted to the child.

The child turned and saw the trio and her eyes lit up with delight. She hopped off the throne and ran towards her old friend.

“MIIIIYUUUUUUKIIIIIIII!”

 She latched on to her, causing them both to tumble to the floor. As their eyes met, Miyuki’s face lit up. 

“Candy! It’s so nice to see you again!”

“I missed you so much~kuru! It’s been too long~kuru!”

Rina knelt beside Miyuki. Even if she had just learned about the secret, it was really cute to see her hugging a small child who she held dear. Miyuki lifted her back from the floor, Candy still hugging close, and introduced the two to each other.

“Rina, this is Candy. She’s the one who made me a magical girl and is the queen of Märchenland. Candy, this is my cousin Rina. A fellow story lover and one of my dearest friends.”

Candy looked at Rina and gave a bright smile.

“Rina. Welcome to Märchenland! It’s very nice to meet you~kuru!”

“It’s very nice to meet you too, your Majesty. Or is Candy better? Regardless, it’s very nice to meet a good friend of Miyu’s!”

Familiar voices rang throughout different corners of the halls, making it difficult to track each one down

“Man, has this place gotten bigger since our last visit here, or is it just me?”

“It might have. I don’t seem to recognize some things, but t-that could be my memory not serving me right.”

Out of the corner of Rina’s eye, she spotted several familiar faces.

Her seniors were exploring the palace and they were all together? Noticing them, Nao broke out into a run, the others trailing behind her. Miyuki saw them and broke into a smile.

“Everyone! You’re here! Boy, am I glad to see all of you!” 

“Guess the Smile team is back together! Wait... why’s Rina here?” Akane asked, a bit confused.

Miyuki explained what happened only moments earlier.“I-I hope you guys don’t mind! Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone!” Rina chimed in, looking slightly flustered. A question suddenly popped into Miyuki’s mind.

“Hold on, how did you guys get here? The last thing I remember is that you could only get here with a storybook. This isn’t making any sense…”

“That’s what we thought too, but I guess some rules changed since we last visited.” Nao exclaimed, sharing her story. She was looking at a recipe book before Home Economics class started, then she got sucked in and landed in the kitchen. One by one, everyone shared their tales.

Reika was looking over the student council schedule and landed in the conference room. Akane was studying and found herself in the Royal Library and Yayoi was drawing scenery and landed in the Royal Garden. None of this was making any sense! The logic seemed to be all over the place! Everyone started to talk over each other to try to make sense of it, but Candy spoke out.

“Hold on~kuru! Let me explain, please~kuru!”

Everyone stopped talking and turned their attention to the queen. Candy let go of Miyuki and stood to face everyone.

“After you defeated Pierrot and I became queen, we began making some changes- like unlocking parts of the Royal Library~kuru. No matter where I was, all the books here have a connection to Earth. So it made everything a lot easier! Everything has been normal, but recently Pop gave me a report from one of the villagers. He said that someone was trapped in some sort of dark jelly which can only be removed using light. We managed to free them, but there was a message left behind~kuru”

“What did that message say?”

Rina asked, invested in this new situation.

“Uh…’Darkness will shadow over Märchenland again, Pierrot will be reborn!’”

Everyone looked at each other with fear, Yayoi huddled close to Akane

“T-that’s s-scary!”

Akane began to rub her to help comfort the yellow-haired maiden. Candy nodded in agreement.

“It really is~kuru! So that’s why I had to take action and asked Pachi to head to Earth. I knew that the locks were unlocked, so that’s why everyone else landed in the palace~kuru.” 

“That makes sense, but that thing could still be out there! We gotta deal with this now!” Akane exclaimed, pounding her fist against her palm.

“But, where do we even start? We don’t seem to have enough evidence to track its behaviors” Reika asked.

“What we do know is that it’s just a blob of...something. All we gotta do is find the core, break it and the problem’s solved.” Nao suggested, putting her hand on Reika’s shoulders. All of a sudden, the ground started shaking. Everyone clung to each other for support, but as the shaking grew more violent, the balance was lost. A dark goo-like substance collided with the stained glass, cracking the center and shattering glass everywhere. It lunged towards the queen, morphing itself into a cage. The cage sprouted created wings and flew out of the palace. Tears rolled down the queen’s face, her hand reaching out to her friends.

“PRECURE!!!! SAVE MEEEEEEEE~KURUUUUUU!” Candy screamed.

Her voice growing softer as each moment passed. The palace was covered in shattered glass, the once beautiful windows were no more. Everyone quickly rose and followed behind the cage but it was far from their reach.

“CANDYYYYYYYY!!!!” Miyuki cried out, reaching towards the newly grey sky.

She let her hand drop as she looked at everyone with determination

“Everyone, we have to save Candy!”

“Right!”

Small balls of light formed and out popped their compacts. All five looked at each other and 5 rays of light shone in their positions. Rina and Pachi both shielded their eyes from the intense light. Their eyes fluttered open and saw the Smile team in place of the five third years. It felt so surreal...to think that those rumors were true! Happy looked over at Rina and smiled, which comforted her a bit. Then, all five heroes flew out of the palace and towards the cage.

“I’m sure the Precure will fix this, I know they will~chi!” Pachi told Rina.

“But, what if they need help? I’m not going to let my friends get hurt, not now!”

She raced towards the doors, but Pachi blocked her way out, “Are you crazy?! You could get hurt, this isn’t something to take lightly~chi! That’s the Precure’s job~chi!”

“But don’t you want to save the queen too?” Rina exclaimed.

Her words rang in Pachi’s heart. He’s always been loyal to the queen and his home, so why was this any different? Pachi eventually gave in and hopped into Rina’s arm. She looked at the fairy with a comforting smile and as they ran out of the palace. The goo had split into two entities, the cage holding Candy and a giant cat. It began swatting its paw at Peace and March, while Sunny, Happy, and Beauty were trying to unlock the cage. It was a disaster, Peace and March were knocked straight down, so Happy went down to defend them. Beauty closed her eyes and concentrated all her energy. A bow of ice formed in her hand as she aimed it at the lock.

“Precure! Beauty Blizzard Arrow!”

Sunny barely dodged the attack, but it seemed to do the trick. The young queen started falling towards the ground and the cage reformed back to a blob. Sunny caught Candy just before hitting the ground. She flew to where Rina and Pachi were and placed her down.

“Take care of her, we’ll settle this soon!” Sunny assured them, flying back into the battle. 

The trio ran behind the palace, as they were watching closely. The goo soon melted on the cat as it grew in size, its claws and teeth sharpening and its eyes glowed a vicious red. It seemed too powerful to the table.

“Everyone, it’s time for Princess Mode!”

The group nodded and they began to glow. The lights vanished and the heroes were in Princess Mode. All of them charged the behemoth cat with their attack

“Precure Royale Rainbow Burst!”

A bright phoenix targeted the cat but it shifted into a mirror, bouncing the attack back. The Cures flung backward, reverting to their original outfits, and hit the ground with loud thuds. The debris cleared and everyone was covered in dirt and bruises, Rina dashing towards the group.

“Rina~chi!” Pachi called out but to no avail. 

Rina was already on the battlefield in disarray. She went around nudging the fallen heroes, hoping they would wake up.

“Come on,...please, wake up! Please!” She meekly said.

The tears were building up in her eyes. When she got to Miyuki, she fell to her knees crying. It pained her to see her cousin and friends hurt and in this state. Her tears fell on Miyuki’s face, repeating herself.

“Please….wake up...please...I just want to help...please.”

Soon the goo began to advance towards the unaware Rina, shapeshifting into a raging horse. Her voice rose to a wail:

“JUST LET ME SAVE YOUUUU!”

A bright blue light shone from Rina’s position, blinding the giant horse. Pachi and Candy stared at the light in awe. Pachi looked at the young queen, unsure of what she thought, but she gave a reassuring nod. He gave a determined smile and ran straight to the light.

All Rina could see was light. She wasn’t sure where she was or how she got here. She was met face to face with Pachi, his face brimming with joy! She jumped when she saw him.

“P-PACHI?! H-how did you get here?! W-Where am I?!”

“She was right, the queen was right all along~chi!”

“What do mean Candy was right? I’m so confused!”

A small ball of light appeared between the two, revealing a small blue book and calligraphy pen. Rina grabbed the two items. 

“What are these things?”

“It’s your Storybook and MagiPen! You’re one of the legendary Precure~chi!”

“Wait, hold on! I’m still confused-”

“The queen will explain later! Now, just say ‘Precure! Story Start!’ and write ‘Once Upon a Time’ in the Storybook~chi!”

“I still don’t understand what’s happening, but if it’ll save everyone I’ll do it!”

╳°»｡ ∾･⁙･ ღ ➵ ⁘ ➵ ღ ･⁙･∾ ｡«°╳

The Storybook opened up and the decals glowed.

“Ready?”

“Precure! Story Start!”

“Go!”

The MagiPen started lighting up with power. It ejected from the book, Rina snatching it in midair and wrote:

“Once Upon a Time”

“Go go! Let’s go, Joyful!”

With the pen in her hand, Rina began to play around. Drawing hearts around her feet and arms, arm cuffs, pale blue garter thigh highs and white Mary Janes materialized. Waving her pen like a wand, her dress began to gradually materialize. A light blue checkered uniform with lap over sleeves and a golden winged emblem were created! Her hair began to glow, as it changed to a navy blue. It twisted around, creating 2 cute cat ear pigtails, the tips fading to a prominent blue. She tapped her hair, ears and neck creating a choker, winged earring and a frilly headband with a bow on her left. Finally, she drew a light blue streak across her bang, as her eyes also shifted to that similar hue. She placed the MagiPen back in its slot, as it appeared on her skirt seconds later

A shining light shone from above, as the now transformed Rina landed with such precision. Tiny blue flame spark were made when she met the ground

“The glowing ray of positivity! With a bright smile! Cure Joyful!”

She exclaimed, giving her final pose!

╳°»｡ ∾･⁙･ ღ ➵ ⁘ ➵ ღ ･⁙･∾ ｡«°╳

“Cure Joyful is here~chi! The Precure have returned to Märchenland~chi!”

Pachi was dancing happily, while Cure Joyful stared dumbfounded at her new form. She poked and messed with herself.

“W-what the?! W-what happened to my clothes?! Why is my hair-”

A loud neigh erupted, sending tremors through the ground. The giant horse charged at Joyful and Pachi. Without thinking, she grabbed Pachi and started running, except she was...in the...sky. It was a murky color like paint water. There weren’t any balloons in sight and no cheery melody playing in the distance. She started flailing around like a wild chicken, while Pachi was trying to calm her down

“I-I’M FLYING! THIS ISN’T NORMAL, THIS DEFINITELY ISN’T NORMAL!”

“C-CALM DOWN~CHI! YOU’RE ONLY GOING TO STAY HERE THE MOR-”

Gravity already wasn’t serving in Joyful’s favor, as she was falling from the murky sky. Pachi clung to her arm, falling with the frightened hero. Her body collided with the giant horse, creating a giant crater in the ground. Both were dizzy from the fall but the horse started to rise, causing both to slide off its back. Their faces met the ground as the horse prepared to smash them, but Joyful immediately rolled away. She grabbed Pachi and threw him back to the young queen, instructing him to stay. Joyful ventured back to the battlefield.

“Alright, time to saddle up!”

‘God, that was terrible. Never say that again.’

The horse began lunging towards Cure Joyful, to which she dodged gracefully. The vigorous wind in her face, her whole body dancing an unknown rhythm, this battle was her stage and she was the main act! The hooves increased their speed and power, but she spun in the air and charged straight for the incoming attack!

*crack*

The horse began to fall to the ground and shapeshifted into a griffin before impact. It increased in size as it charged Joyful into the sky. She was sent tumbling like a wingless fairy but soon regained her balance. A shiny gem appeared under her feet, which gave her enough momentum to sucker punch the griffin.

‘Not bad, me! Not bad at all!’

After the griffin regained its balance, it started viciously swiping at Joyful. She dodged with grace, giving her room to aim for its paw. Joyful looped around the griffin’s head, making it dizzy enough so she could charge-punch its paw. It roared in pain, its crying becoming more distorted as it reverted to a miserable blob of goo. Joyful was panting from how much energy she used. She couldn’t keep up fighting forever!

“There has to be some way to get rid of this thing. But, I don’t want to end up like my friends...”

She sent a barrage of punches to the blob, which either absorbed the attack or flung her back. It felt like a never-ending cycle, one she wanted to get out of quickly.

“Uh, Pachi? I could use some help right about now!”

Suddenly, she felt something. It was a shining red orb with cracks in it. Could this be the blob’s center?

‘No way…’

“Pachi! I found the core of this thing!”

Pachi started to jump with enthusiasm.

“That’s great! Now use your special to shatter it~chi!”

“Hold on, my what now?”

“Your special attack! You have to use your Storybook and MagiPen for that~chi!”

“Still a little lost, but let’s give it a shot!”

╳°»｡ ∾･⁙･ ღ ➵ ⁘ ➵ ღ ･⁙･∾ ｡«°╳

The MagiPen ejected out of the book, Joyful catching it with a swift motion. She drew the emblem in the Storybook, as a bright blue aura appeared in front of her. She placed the now non-lighted pen back in the slot and grabbed the aura with her hands

“Precure!”

As the energy was charging, her hair began to glow a bright blue. Locking her target, she pulled her arms back, ready to charge

“Joyful Raindance!!”

Joyful blasted the aura creating a meteor shower, striking the blob in every corner. The glass ball shattered into pieces, as the blob melted away, till nothing remained. Sparkles decorated the scene.

Cure Joyful looked back and winked exclaiming, 

“And that’s the end!”

╳°»｡ ∾･⁙･ ღ ➵ ⁘ ➵ ღ ･⁙･∾ ｡«°╳

The sky changed back to its bright blue hue, the clouds returned to a pearly white. The two fairies began happy-dancing as they chanted at Joyful’s success.

“She did it~kuru! She did it~kuru!”

“She really did~chi! I was rooting for her all the way~chi!”

Joyful slowly drifted down to the ground and landed on her knees. She needed a breather from that fighting.

“Who...who knew that...fighting could take up...all that energy...I’m taking a 5-hour nap after this! Mark my words!”

She fell onto the newly green grass and stared up to the sky. She did all of that, she fought a giant blob, in heels more or less, and saved a kingdom she dreamt about. Now that’s what we call a fresh start! She extended her hand out at the sky, trying to grab the soft and fluffy clouds but something fell in her hand.

‘Huh? What’s this?’

Joyful brought the object close to her face, it was a small blue and yellow lollipop with a ruby red ribbon on the base. She could feel the grooves of the thing in her thumb, it felt both relaxing and strange. Joyful got up and looked to the side, her friends were all ok, chatting with each other. She got up and ran towards them, brimming with joy. Without thinking, she jump-hugged her cousin, crying tears of joy that she was ok. Miyuki didn’t know who this new girl was or why she was hugging her but went along with it. Joyful let go and locked eyes with Miyuki, it was that moment when the pieces fell together. Those light blue eyes still held that childish youth, it couldn’t be...

“R-Rina?”

“Miyu! I’m so glad you’re all safe! Don’t scare me like that again!”

Joyful hugged Miyuki back, whilst the others giggled at them.

“Guess we have another Precure sister, huh?”

Yayoi exclaimed, looking at the two cousins

╳°»｡ ∾･⁙･ ღ ➵ ⁘ ➵ ღ ･⁙･∾ ｡«°╳

“So, these are Toppers? And they have the same function as a ‘Cure Decor’ if I’m even saying that right...”

Rina asked, holding the small item. Everyone was sitting in a circle talking about what happened and what’s to happen in the future. Candy started to explain everything that happened after the Pierrot incident

“Right~kuru. Pop and I made them together since we put the Cure Decors away~kuru. But, when I last checked they all vanished~kuru!”

“Bet that blob had something to do with it!” Akane exclaimed, she was already fuming even after the fight. Yayoi piped in with an idea: “I-I mean, it does seem possible. But, w-why would a blob serve as a distraction, if that meant that-”

“A new evil is coming!” Nao interjected, continuing the thought. Everyone looked at each other with dread in their eyes. Pachi soon cut the silence and changed the topic

“But that means that Apple is ‘the next generation’, in a sense~chi.”

“That’s right~kuru! But that means the other cures need to be found, so Rina has to play ‘Hide-N-Seek’ to find them and the rest of the Toppers. And it means training for you~kuru.”

“T-training? I thought this was it for me~chi?”

“Pachi, you need to think about this. I know you’ve been passionate about the Precure, so why not let you help the new team~kuru?”

“R-really? Y-you mean it? T-then I won’t let you down~chi!”

“That’s incredible! We can get started tomorrow. But, I need you to be more cautious. We don’t know what to expect with this new evil, but we need help and now~kuru!”

Rina looked at Candy with determination and swore a promise to her:

“Right, I promise I won’t let you down, Candy!”

Akane gave Rina a thumbs up with a bright smile.

“Welcome to the Precure life, sister!”

Everyone started to giggle and it soon turned to laughter. The tension and stress seemed to fade away, as everyone started smiling and thriving again.

╳°»｡ ∾･⁙･ ღ ➵ ⁘ ➵ ღ ･⁙･∾ ｡«°╳

Everyone was bidding farewells to Candy and Pachi. After, everyone entered a giant book, returning to Earth. Miyuki and Candy exchanged one last hug, before looking at Rina and taking her hand.

“Ready to head back?”

“Y-yeah! I’m ready”

Rina exclaimed, she quickly gave Pachi a small smile, comforting the fairy. Both fairies waved goodbye to the cousins before entering the book, returning home. The bright light cleared and the school bell rang in the distance. It was time for them to start their afternoon classes. The two started collecting their things and walked out of the gazebo, heading to their next classes. Rina took a moment and reached for the sky, thinking about what new challenges she’ll face along the way and what new adventures were in store

‘Even if I’m not exactly Blue Star, I’ll still fight for everyone’s happy endings! Mark the world of my words, cause here comes Storytime Precure!’

“M-Miyuki! Wait up!”

She ran towards Miyuki, catching up to her and sparking up a conversation. It was a brand new story that was about to begin. Starting today, another chapter opened in Rina’s life.

╳°»｡ ∾･⁙･ ღ ➵ ⁘ ➵ ღ ･⁙･∾ ｡«°╳

Preview of the next chapter: 

Who’s this new kid in school?

I don’t know, but he’s so dreamy!

Hold on, is that-

PACHI?!

Next time on Storytime! Precure: Sudden Heartthrob! Cure Royal Takes the Stage! 

We’ll soar high for a happy ending!

Art made by myself (@soleil.equinox), @squid.arts on Instagram and @JustAMelonPan (they don’t have any socials) respectively!

[practically-an-x-man]

Your ocs as birds

ooooh this is gonna make me think! thank you!!

gonna put these under the cut since I'll have pictures and explanations for each of these

Okay well obvious first: Kestrel is literally an American kestrel. Like, that's literally what I based their character on (both physically and in their characteristics), they're a shapeshifter and a kestrel is their main form, it's the whole point. I love these funky lil raptors

Next, her name might be Robin, but she's a canary. They're known for being able to sing two songs at once, which reminds me of her ability. Her story also makes me think of miner's canaries - fully ready to sacrifice herself to save others' lives... but some miners carried resuscitation devices to save the canaries because they got so attached to the birds :) Also, not all canaries are yellow!

I feel like Rae would be a mute swan. They're supposed to be a symbol of grace, but they're actually deceptively territorial and love to start fights. And they mate for life! If that's not Rae, I don't know what is.

Jasper is a mandarin duck! They're super bright and colorful, which I think suits Jasper well, and they're one of a few species of birds known to change sex from female to male. And while the Mandarin duck isn't known particularly to display same-sex mating tendencies, several other species of ducks are.

Ophelia is a cassowary for sure. They're big, strong, super fiesty, and they're a species of flightless bird (which in my eyes could represent Ophelia being a superhero without powers of her own, like a bird can't fly). Plus, one of her signature clothing pieces is a navy blue long coat, and the cassowary's feathers reminded me of that.

Indigo is an Iranian ground jay. For one thing, their coloration reminded me of her hair, especially with the white stripes on the wings. For another, jays are corvids, so they're very clever birds, but they're not often recognized as corvids since people usually associate the word with crows, ravens, and magpies (i.e. Indigo being very strong and smart of her own right, but rarely being noticed). And as a ground jay, she's "underfoot".

With all the focus on Ancient Egyptian culture and mythology, Katherine has to be an African sacred ibis. They represented Thoth, the god of knowledge and wisdom, and while Katherine herself is more connected to Bastet than Thoth, the connection to Egyptian mythology as a whole means this is absolutely her bird. (though an honorable mention to sun conures, since she keeps them as pets in the fic)

I know I said Prometheus is a phoenix in (Farewell) Wanderlust (and I still stick to the decision that the Corinthian is a barn owl), but I figured I'd pick a real-life bird here just for fun. This was a tough decision, but I went with a slender-billed crow. For one thing, there's a Lenape legend about Rainbow Crow bringing fire to humans and having his feathers burnt black, which reminded me of the legend of Prometheus and his fire in the Greek myths. Crows also form family groups and are even known to hold funerals for their loved ones, which made me think of Prometheus' endless care and compassion for their dreamers. Crows are also linked to Morpheus, and bonus... slender-billed crows are Passerine birds, and we both know Passerine is a total Prometheus song :)

I also struggled a bit with Quinn. On the one hand, I wanted to make her a loon, since they're excellent diving and swimming birds but are physically incapable of walking because of where their legs are positioned (great in their own element, but with disabilities outside it). On the other hand, I wanted to make them a mockingbird, partially for their sharp wit and partially because of their skill with disguises. But in the end, I decided to make her a flamingo: super bright and flashy, almost to the point of being a joke, but shockingly resilient to anything they come across (I mean, look it up, flamingos can survive all kinds of temperature, salinity, acidity, you name it. They're hot pink TANKS)

And finally, I know I've compared Madison to a goose in Smoke and Mirrors for her protective nature, and I debated making her a Major Mitchell's cockatoo for their coloration (thank you Odel), but I ended up settling on a red-chested goshawk. Goshawks are VERY protective birds - they can and will attack anyone or anything that gets too close to their young. They're strictly monogamous birds and actually put a lot of care into raising their young. They're strong hunters and are said to be adaptable to their habitat.

thank you for the ask!! this was a lot of fun to think about!

[spawnofthedivine]

this took 5ever but uhm agere & adjacent flags??/ theyre supposed to be themed after divinity but we have uhhh no color or visuals in the brain so it can be considered an ocean sunset theme if you dont think it looks very "divine"

templates used were by revenant-coining on deviantart ( now moved to daybreakthing ) . original download post linked here(link) . some of the ones we made with the template are edited to better fit the color palette.

flag term association in order of appearance : age dreamer, age regressor, pet dreamer, pet regressor, caregiver, guardian, babysitter, and flip.

no full image id, we are not skilled at describing complicated visual details. all of the flags have their own unique symbols. the color palette and order of colors stays consistent through each flag. the stripes are horizontal , and the colors from top to bottom are : a bright, reddish orange. a similar orange, but slightly lighter. a pale orangeish yellow. a pale blue. a warm, significantly darker blue. and a much darker, cool toned blue.

[acciowests]

Strawberry Pancakes and Unicorn Blankets

WORD COUNT: 1211

SUMMARY: Ash Blackbeak is three years old and needier than ever. With Elide only weeks from giving birth again, Manon takes it upon herself to look after their toddler and make sure her wife can relax.

"Mama, Mama, Mama!"

Manon turned, scooping up her daughter as she came bounding into the room. She had been getting ready for the morning, a pair of black, ripped jeans now pulled on and her white lace bra blending into the paleness of her skin as she lifted Ash onto her hip. The toddler was dressed in denim dungarees, a red and white striped top beneath and matching red socks, her chubby thighs on show as they wrapped around her mother. Her brown hair was back in pigtails, white scrunchies matching her shirt. Elide was her personal stylist and she took the job with pride.

"There you are!" Elide appeared in the doorway, her swollen stomach clinging to the tight material of the blue dress she had on as she waddled forward. Ash giggled, hiding in Manon's neck and gripping her platinum strands.

"You're not running away from Mommy are you?" Manon chuckled, tickling Ash's side as she wiggled around on her hip. She was getting far too heavy to be carried, but Manon obliged happily, pressing a kiss to her daughter's hair as she rocked her.

Ash lifted her head, cupping her hands as she whispered into Manon's ear, "She trying feed me fruit! Ashy no want fruit."

Elide sighed, moving to the bed as she rubbed at her stomach, "They're strawberries. For on top of pancakes. You love pancakes, Ash."

Ash shook her head, a gentle frown marking her brows, "Want strawberry sauce, not strawberries."

Manon couldn't help but smile, trying to hide her laugh. Ash was going through that stage where her food likes and dislikes changed extremely rapidly. They'd been eating strawberries and cream for dessert last week and now strawberries were the bane of existence to their stubborn baby girl. "We don't have sauce," started Manon, plopping Ash on the bed beside Elide as she reached for a shirt, "It's strawberries or plain pancakes, I'm afraid."

Ash folded her arms, something she'd copied from Manon and was now using frequently. Giving a huff, she slid from the bed, stomping out the room and to her bedroom across the hall. Elide laid back against the bed, letting her eyes flutter as Manon slipped on a grey band t-shirt. After slipping on some socks and brushing through her hair, she stood in front of her wife, offering her hands to pull her up. "C'mon love, she'll be back down in a minute and begging for pancakes. Meanwhile, how about I cook us some bacon?" she offered, watching as Elide opened a single eye to peer at her.

Raising her hands, she let Manon pull her into a sitting position. She could see how tired she was, and it didn't help that she was running around after a three-year-old while she was due to give birth again in a few weeks. Manon moved to the bed, one arm going around Elide's shoulders and her other hand resting on her bump, "Let me look after you both. You shouldn't be stressing out, remember? Yrene's orders."

Her shoulder's slumped as she lent against Manon, "How can I not be stressed? I love Ash with my whole heart, but I feel like I can never meet her needs. And Tarin is keeping me up all night. I can't even imagine trying to handle them both at once."

"Hey," Manon whispered, pressing a kiss to Elide's temple, "You're an amazing mom. Ash is... Well, she's Ash. She's difficult and grumpy and stubborn, but she's our baby. Trust me, I was even worse as a kid. We can do this, El. I'm going to be here. There's two of us and two of them. It's going to be okay."

Elide wiped at her eyes where tears had begun to pool, giving a little sniff as she nodded, "I love you so much. I really don't know what I'd do without you."

Before Manon could respond, Ash came back into the room, a pout on her lips as she walked over to her parents. "Hi, Mommy," she smiled, taking Elide's hand with a small smile.

"Hi, Ashy. You okay, baby?" Elide asked, sitting up properly and leaning away from Manon's warmth. Manon dropped her hand from her shoulders, rubbing circles on her back instead and keeping her hand on the round bump where their unborn daughter lived.

Ash nodded, pigtails bobbing as her eyes looked pleadingly up at her mother, "Can I have my pancakes now?"

Manon could hear the clear exhaustion in her wife's laugh as she went to stand, "Of course you can. Let me just—"

"No," Manon stood, holding a hand out for Elide to stay, "Mommy's not feeling very well, Ashy. Is it okay if Mama does them so Mommy can stay in bed and relax?"

Ash dropped Elide's hand, looking at her curiously before nodding and lifting her arms for Manon to pick her up. Manon lifted her happily, resting her on her hip again and pressing a kiss to her cheek, "We can get you your pancakes, Mama will make her and Mommy some breakfast and then we can all have some cuddles and watch a movie. How does that sound?"

Ash nodded with a grin, "And I get my unicorn blankey?"

"Why don't you go get it now and Mommy can put it on the bed ready?" Elide suggested, leant back on both hands as she watched. Before Manon even had chance to turn to her daughter, Ash was tapping her arm, begging to be put down. As soon as her feet met the floor, Ash was speeding off, her pigtails flying behind her as she disappeared.

Manon turned to Elide, a small smirk on her lips, "You didn't have to do that, you know."

She slid her hands into her back pockets, "I think I'm capable of making some breakfast. Besides, you deserve a day off, baby. Now, why don't you get into some comfy clothes while I take care of our little monster."

Chuckling, Elide stood, pushing a kiss to Manon's lips as she slipped a hand against her stomach, following the round curve of their baby. When she pulled away, Elide cupped her hand over Manon's. "Not long now," Manon whispered, resting her forehead against her wife's.

Elide's lips brushed hers again before pulling away completely, "Don't remind me."

Seconds later, Ash came rushing in, blanket in hand, "Here you go, Mommy!"

Reaching out, Elide took the blanket with a smile, hiding the clear pain in her back that Manon noticed as soon as she let out a small gasp, both hands immediately going to her back. "Thanks, bubba," she smiled, watching Ash's face light up as she wrapped it around her shoulders.

"Alright, princess," started Manon, walking toward the doorway, "Why don't we go get some breakfast so Mommy can get changed, okay?"

"Okay! C'mon, Mama," Ash grabbed Manon's hand, dragging her toward the hall. Manon waved goodbye to her wife, savouring Elide's laugh as she was pulled out of sight by their toddler. She loved her little family, her warrior princesses who made her world so incredibly bright. There were hard days, and there were going to be even harder days once Tarin was here. But, in the end, it was worth it.

* * *

if you want to be added to my tog taglist just send me a dm or an ask!

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[leporellian]

how i would rewrite warrior cats: into the wild

rewriting the entire series is a big Thing in the warrior cats fandom, and i don’t have the time to do that. however i have been having Ideas about what i would do if i rewrote the books, and the changes are... drastic, to say the least, so i figured i would write them down in a bullet-point style List Thing to see what happens.

- we open on henry, an old wise sage-type kittypet, telling two kittypet kits- rusty and smudge- about the forest cats and their legends, primarily that of how the clans were born

- there were always little groups of cats in the forest, and they were originally very hostile- except for a lush spot full of prey, herbs, just about anything needed for survival. this spot has had many names and is referred to by a different name for each clan but universally, it’s called fourtrees, because there are four grand oaks that guard the area. this spot was something of a truce area where all the groups could get along

- however tension slowly boiled throughout the forest until there was a massive war at fourtrees. lots of cats dead and even more wounded. their spirits joined together to form starclan, who told the cats to unite or die- and as punishment for breaking the fourtrees truce, they set the whole thing ablaze. it’s no longer the survival spot it was

- however, the spirits say, the four oaks will grow from their charred remains again, as will the rest of the area. everything will be as it once was in time. starclan themselves cannot last, and must be reborn every 600 moons (or some other large number) from the midst of celestial battle. however, every time this happens, the spirits say, the coming of the ‘end of the stars’ will always and only be heralded by a heroic cat in a flame-orange coat, as a nod to the fire that started the clans to begin with. so it’s kind of like an avatar thing

- anyway 6 moons later there’s a battle at sunningrocks that kills redtail and oakheart. bluestar and spottedleaf, while discussing who will replace redtail, see a comet across the sky

- every falling star means a warrior has faded in starclan, and it means they are to be reborn- and something wonderful is on the cusp of beginning, says spottedleaf. spottedleaf also notes that according to the calendar system kept by the medicine cats the ‘fire alone’ cat should have arrived about 6 months ago, so everyone’s worried about what’s going on w/ that, Where Are They. she does note however that a lot of cats think the calendar had a miscalculation at some point and that the ‘fire alone’ cat is shadowclan’s new leader

- anyway rusty, the kittypet, decides to enter the forest. the twoleg nests here are Not A Good Place for cats to live, bc there’s constant fighting between the kittypets and everyone has their own boundaries and it’s very chaotic. there is a group that tries to monitor it called the blood brothers, but they’re usually in the city so their guidance isn’t often There. so both rusty and smudge want to Get Out and join the clans

- like in the original books he meets graypaw, who’s always interested in outsiders, and then bluestar, lionheart, and tigerclaw. lionheart is graypaw’s mentor, bluestar is thunderclan’s leader, and tigerclaw is bluestar’s nephew who is kindly yet determined, and has become deputy after redtail’s demise. again like in the originals he’s accepted into thunderclan fast

- smudge feels Betrayed. for some reason the writing takes special note of the glimmer in his striped collar- it’s all kind of colors, purple, red, blue, yellow. it’s very distinctive...

- next morning, lionheart and tigerclaw lead rusty to the thunderclan camp. all is well and good until longpaw and sandpaw roll up

- longpaw and sandpaw are twins and look exactly alike. they’re also the children of redtail and are both very competitive with everyone and each other (although they are very close) because they want to be Like Their Dad. both are taking redtail’s death hard

- longpaw is like ‘i wanna beat him up’ and given these are two 10 year olds basically everyone’s like ‘well rusty can fight too so Bet.’ it’s an even fight, longpaw gets his ear torn and rusty gets his collar ripped off

- this fight proves rusty is capable of being in thunderclan, and he’s renamed firepaw, which is a nod to the ‘fire alone’ thing as a ‘hey isn’t it funny he came right after the clock lined up for a fire-cloaked savior? strange lol’

- anyway firepaw is introduced to some Other Characters besides everyone i’ve mentioned thus far: - ravenpaw, medicine cat apprentice. he was a loner kit found abandoned on the territory and he’s constantly nervous and jittery. he’s also kind of clingy and a tad annoying because he’s constantly worried of being abandoned again, but he Is endearing - graypaw and darkpaw, twins similar to longpaw and sandpaw (although unlike them they have an ‘opposite twins’ kinda thing). both are the sons of willowpelt and a shadowclan tom, but both deal with it differently: graypaw is a dreamer who constantly is interested in cats from outside thunderclan ‘like him’, and darkpaw wants to try and overcompensate for it by being nothing but loyal- especially to his mentor, tigerclaw, who’s a father figure to him. dark isn’t mean but he is very sardonic and sarcastic, and it’s also made increasingly obvious that he Knows Something and is very nervous about it. weird - (yes, longpaw and sandpaw are annoyed that they’re the only ‘fully clan’ cats in this batch of apprentices.) - spottedleaf, thunderclan medicine cat. kind of a ditzy aunt type, it’s joked that she acts like a stoner bc she’s inhaling all the Herb Scents all day. fully enables all of the kids to do Dumb Things - the elders, who dislike all these new apprentices bc besides long and sand none of them are fully clan-blooded. the most vocal about this is thistleclaw, an elder always trying to start shit, and tigerclaw’s father (altho tiger is embarrassed by thistle’s outbursts). - and finally, cinderkit, who always tags along w/ the apprentices although she isn’t supposed to. she is however very smart and the apprentices don’t mind her tagging along. she’s made an apprentice like 1/2 way through here

- anyway at the gathering windclan is MISSING and NOBODY seems to know what is going on, but both riverclan and shadowclan are acting shady about it. 

- also brokenstar, The New ShadowClan Leader, seems like a nice guy, a Poster Boy type. his fur is bright orange so everyone’s like, ‘yea he’s the fire that’ll herald feline gottdammerung’ but nobody wants to THINK about feline gottdammerung yet because like, That’s An Upsetting Thought! it’s also noted that he’s way young for a leader

- anyway the apprentices (and cinderkit) are like. ‘we gotta know what's happening and why windclan vanished’ and everyone is involved (although sand and long keep their distance). it’s a very ‘up at midnight at a slumber party’ kind of aesthetic. everyone in shadow and river also has a motive, and at points there’s even evidence that something caused windclan to die out. lots of red herrings

- eventually yellowfang comes into the picture like she does in canon and they figure out shadowclan drove windclan out and that windclan is Alive and Out There somewhere. the evidence is enough that spottedleaf and tigerclaw (who's like the Cool Resident Dad) agree about it and so a spy patrol is sent to sneak in on shadowclan

- anyway everyone discovers how fucked up shadowclan is behind the curtain (what with the elder abuse and child warfare) and is like ‘holy shit we gotta stop these guys’ so there’s a big fight like in the original book and brokenstar is dethroned like he is in canon and brought to thunderclan

- thunderclan saves the day, yellowfang joins spottedleaf in the med cat den, and the apprentices all get names (save ravenpaw who’s a med cat apprentice)- firepaw is fireheart, graypaw is graystripe, darkpaw is darkstripe, longpaw is longtail (in honor of redtail), and sandpaw is sandstorm. it’s noted darkstripe looks super uncomfortable when tigerclaw is mentioned to be deputy. long and sand have a humorous argument abt their names and who got the Cooler One 

- however everyone’s like ‘ok so brokenstar wasn’t the Fire Savior so who IS’ and fire is dismissed out of hand bc he’s a kittypet and all the past fire saviors was clanborn. ravenpaw however tells fireheart in private that he believes fireheart is the Fire Alone, and that Shit Is About To Go The Fuck Down

- meanwhile, darkstripe asks if he can see fireheart alone, and fireheart obliges. darkstripe sits down and, very quietly, says ‘i have to tell you about what happened to redtail.’

- and it ends there lol that’s book one.

[dancedance-resolution]

here's my design for goty 2022 (in an au where copyright isn't an issue)

FACTS

name: nia mahdi

age: 11

ethnicity: persian

religion: muslim

family: nia is an only child. she was born in charlottesville, va, after parents immigrated there from iran.

notes: nia is autistic and trans <3

DOLL

face mold: nia would get a new face mold that is designed based on ethnically persian features

skin tone: 25 ("tan skin with warm neutral undertones")

eye color: dark brown

freckles: yes

hair cut: wavy, very long (kanani length)

hair color: dark brown

meet outfit: a trans pride flag colored scrunchy for her hair, a light blue zip-up sweatshirt that says "i am proud to be autistic" on the back, this t-shirt (a light blue t-shirt with fan art of dreamer with a trans pride flag cape) beneath that sweatshirt, these shorts (pastel plaid knee-length shorts), lindsey's striped leggings beneath those shorts, and sperry shoes

meet accessories: bright purple ear defenders, an AAC tablet, a doll-sized version of the 2021 dc pride comic book, this pink kryptonite chewelry

BOOK 1

(these books would have three authors - me, an author who is muslim and a second generation immigrant, and an author who is a trans woman of color. the reason for three authors is so that we can tell nia's story authentically - i'm autistic and have autism gender like nia, the second author is muslim and an immigrant like nia, and the third author is specifically a trans woman of color like nia.)

in chapter 1 we'll briefly go over this background information:

nia came out to her parents as trans on the car ride home from the last day of first grade. she chose the name "nia" because she wanted to name herself after nia nal, a character on her favorite show (supergirl) because nia nal is trans like she is, nia nal is an alien (and nia mahdi oftentimes feels like an alien around other humans), and nia nal is a really cool superhero! (unspoken: nia nal is nia mahdi's special interest.)

it took nia mahdi's parents a little bit of time to wrap their heads around her truth, but soon, they fully accepted nia for who she is.

that summer, her parents informed nia's school of her correct name, pronouns, and gender. and nia started growing out her hair, and she's never cut it since! nia loves her long hair.

when nia started second grade, nia's classmates sometimes accidentally called her by the wrong name and pronouns, but they always apologized and corrected themselves when nia pointed out their mistake. a few kids were confused, but once nia explained that she knows she's a girl just as well as you know you're a boy/girl, they all understood and accepted her :)

now onto the real content of the first book, which takes place from september to december:

nia's just started sixth grade at a new middle school. it's really loud, big, and hard. but she has a friend, ender. ender doesn't speak english well (he moved to america from turkey just last year), but that's okay because nia has trouble speaking sometimes too.

one day, nia's parents take her to a doctor, and she has to answer a lot of questions and take a lot of tests.

a few weeks later, nia's parents sit her down and tell her that she has been diagnosed with autism.

nia researches autism and feels very relieved and validated. (unspoken: autism becomes one of nia's special interests.)

at school, nia gets some cool accomodations: she's allowed to wear ear defenders at lunch and in the hallways, she can keep a tablet in her backpack to use for AAC when necessary, and she can use the school's sensory break room when necessary.

one time, nia gets very upset after receiving a "bad grade" on a reading test. a few of the questions asked her to identify characters' emotions, motivations, etc., and nia wants to explain to her teacher that her autism makes "emotional reading between the lines" hard for her. but she's so upset that her mouth isn't working properly, so she uses her AAC to talk to the teacher.

after that, one of nia's classmates makes a rude comment about her AAC. speaking through her AAC, nia explains to him why she uses her AAC. she stands up for herself.

in her free time, nia keeps researching autism and disability justice advocacy. she begins to think that her friend ender might be autistic too - he has a lot of autistic traits, and she's never felt alien around him in the way she does around most people.

she tells ender about her theory. ender says he's not sure whether or not he thinks he's autistic. but he does know that the hallways are far too loud, and he would like to be able to wear ear defenders like nia. so nia lends ender her spare pair of ear defenders.

the next day at lunch, ender gives nia back her ear defenders and reveals that he got in trouble for wearing in the hallway. the teacher thought he was wearing headphones and listening to music (which isn't allowed), and ender couldn't remember the english words to explain to her that they were just to shield him from the noise.

nia wants to help ender be able to wear defenders. she schedules a meeting with the guidance counselor. together, she and ender explain to the guidance counselor that ender just wants to wear ear defenders in the loud hallways. the counselor says that ender can't do that since he doesn't have an official accommodations letter.

nia leaves the office very upset. she knows from her research that autism diagnoses are very expensive and hard to get. she wants to find a way to get ender this accommodation without an official letter.

so nia makes a plan: she and ender write a long essay explaining why ender should be allowed to wear ear defenders.

they present the essay to the counselor, and she's convinced by their arguement. ender is now allowed to wear ear defenders in the hallway :)

to celebrate their victory, nia buys ender bright purple ear defenders (the same type she has) so that they can match :)

and that's the end of book 1

BOOK 2

book 2 takes place from january to march

nia goes on puberty blockers. nia's glad that she won't have to go through male puberty, but she also feels weird about it. nia is very excited to start wearing a hijab, and her mom says that she can start wearing a hijab when she goes through puberty and transitions from being a girl to being a woman. so, if nia isn't going through puberty now, when will she get to start wearing a hijab?

nia talks to ender about her problem. ender suggests that she should talk to her mom about it.

nia talks to her mom about her concerns. nia's mom explains that the shift from girl to woman involves more than just her body changing: it involves growth, strength of spirit, and learning about oneself. nia's mom will be able to tell when she's ready to start wearing the hijab, even if nia isn't going through puberty. nia feels a lot better now.

the next day at lunch, nia tells ender the good news. he is very happy for her. he then tells nia that he's scared of puberty too. he asks nia how she knew she was a girl, and nia explains how it was this strong internal feeling. ender reveals that he feels like he's not a boy or a girl. he's afraid that that means he's weird or broken. nia explains that he's not weird or broken - some people are non-binary, which means that they're not fully a boy or fully a girl. ender really likes that word. nia also tells ender that some non-binary like to use the gender-neutral pronouns "they/them" and asks ender if he would like her to start using those pronouns for him. ender says that he's not sure. he likes he/him pronouns, he thinks, at least for now. nia smiles and tells him that she's proud of him.

the spring dance is in march. nia and her mom go shopping for an oufit. at first, nia drifts towards the pretty dresses. she loves how they look and feels great in them, but she wants to try on suits too. she feels a little bit insecure when she realizes that she loves how she looks in the suit too. (plus, this navy suit will go better with her purple ear defenders than the colorful dresses will.) she's scared that her classmates will think she's not a "real girl" if she comes to the dance in a suit, but then she remembers her conversation with ender - when ender asked her how she knew she's a girl, her answer was that it was just something she knew. her gender isn't defined by her clothing preferences - she's just as much of a real girl in this suit as in those dresses. so nia buys the suit, and she feels very happy and confident.

at the dance, she finds that ender is wearing a skirt (and a tuxedo shirt and blazer). she runs up to him, and they both happy stim. they have a lot of fun dancing and snacking on cheez its together.

BOOK 3

book 3 takes place from april to june

the main plot of book 3 is going to be nia's grandmother visiting from iran for three months. nia learns a lot of new information about her family culture.

in june, to celebrate the end of the school year, nia's school has a multi-cultural night.

ender signs up to bring in some traditional turkish food and share some of the poetry his dad has written in turkish. he encourages nia to sign up for multi-cultural night too!

so nia signs up.

together, nia and her grandmother cook a ton of traditional iranian food to share at the celebration. she and her grandmother also work together to sew a special kaftan for nia.

the night of the celebration, nia dresses up in her kaftan and grabs the containers of food. as she's getting ready to leave, her father asks her to stop so he can take a picture of her. her mother says, "wait! i have one other thing for the picture!" (but spoken in faarsi). she emerges with a hijab for nia. she helps nia put on the hijab and tells nia that she's seen how nia's grown into a woman this past school year (aka, over the course of these 3 books). nia is so happy that she cries.

at the multi-cultural night, everyone loves the food and nia's kaftan and hijab. when ender sees nia's hijab, he starts happy stimming, and nia starts happy stimming too.

that's all my plans for goty 2022!

[warriorsbutnotreally]

Hi. So, I have a few Dark Forest cats and was wandering if you could help me find some backstories? They're all just names, so everything would be appreciated.

The names are:

Birchdew, Rainpaw, Fireclaw, Mintnose, Lightfeather, Beefall, Feathersight, Brookstripe, and Birdfeather

okay, a lot at once, but I got this

Since you have just names, I'm going to suggest two appearances per cat, that way you have a bit of variety and choice in there!

I'm also going to do my best so that no cat has the same backstory ideas twice!

That being said, I hope you enjoy these little ideas and even if you don't use them, with any luck they point you in a direction you'd like to go.

I'll do my best not to gender these cats so that the choice is still up to you!

tw; mentions of child abuse, murder, and violence

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///Birchdew///

Possible Description 1; a scrawny silvery white cat with flecks of dark brown down their back, dark brown ears, and soft gray eyes.

Possible Description 2; a tall, lean white cat with small patches of both black and gray in a calico-like pattern; bright blue eyes

.

Birchdew was always a calmer cat compared to their Clanmates. One that lives by the "good things come to those who wait" while also just kind of.. nudging things in the direction they want.

though name alone, they don't have the vibe of someone whose outwardly hostile or power-hungry, but perhaps is a cat close to someone like that. Birchdew is a loyal warrior, but even more loyal to this cat they admire.

so much so that they're willing to turn and pretend not to notice when things go wrong or someone is getting hurt.

however, this was their downfall, being called out for not stopping this friend / idol of theirs when [the friend / idol] got out of hand and tried to hurt someone important.

while Birchdew did well trying to defend themself, when their friend / idol was exiled, they followed along as well. in the end, they followed this cat no matter what, even when it lead them straight into the Dark Forest.

They died as a rogue but used to be a WindClan cat.

.

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///Rainpaw///

Possible Description 1; a small silver tabby with black stripes and smooth, sleek fur; amber eyes

Possible Description 2; a gray cat with almost black points, large ears, a pointed muzzle, and brilliant blue eyes

.

Rainpaw had it all. They were a promising apprentice from day one and the pride of their Clan [imagining either River or Thunder]. From a respected family, a fast learner, and a big dreamer, Rainpaw wouldn't let anyone get in their way.

And then a new cat appeared.

A young apprentice from another Clan who had been moved because their Clan rejected them due to being [either half River half Shadow or half Thunder half Shadow]

This apprentice also turns out to be Rainpaw's younger half sibling, revealing that their father had been disloyal to not only his mate, but their entire Clan

The admiration the Clan had faltered and nothing felt the same as Rainpaw watched this new cat, this half sibling, climb the ranks and push themself to prove themself to the Clan.

Bitter and resentful as the Clan watched this stranger with great interest, Rainpaw decided that they weren't going to take this.

During what was meant to be a hunting assessment, Rainpaw put their tracking skills to different use, trying to hunt down their half sibling. Letting their anger take over, Rainpaw attacked and tried to kill their fellow apprentice.

They would've succeeded, too, if not for a warrior pulling them away and the stunned Rainpaw running off in a fit of rage, only for a hungry fox to block their way.

Rainpaw's body was never found, but their Clanmates seem to know that they're not coming back.

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///Fireclaw///

Possible Description 1; a large bright ginger tabby with a flash of white on their nose and hazel eyes

Possible Description 2; a black, orange, and cream cat with long, powerful legs and sage-green eyes

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No one was surprised when Fireclaw became the deputy of ShadowClan. They were always a strong and noble warrior and being related to the previous leader - who was their grandmother - was a giant plus.

And of course, with their famous and their current leader having been an apprentice of hers.. Well the stars lined themselves for Fireclaw. And, to be fair, the Clan was excited to see the legacy of a great leader continue.

But what Fireclaw didn't understand was that their Clanmates were willing to wait.. Fireclaw was not.

The moment they were chosen, Fireclaw could see themself leading ShadowClan so proudly that no other leader could compare.

Not even their current one..

And every little mistake their current leader made felt like a personal slight against their grandmother's legacy.

So one night, after a gathering, they confronted the leader after part of ShadowClan was given to one of the other Clans during a treaty.

Outraged with the outcome, Fireclaw stated coldly that it was time for ShadowClan's true leader to take over.

But they'd never get the chance to lead, as the two both lost their lives in that fight.

Except.. Only Fireclaw woke up in the Dark Forest.. Their leader, the one they killed got to go to StarClan..

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///Mintnose///

Possible Description 1; a fluffy gray and white cat with a dark stripe down their back and blue eyes

Possible Description 2; a thick and long furred, dilute tortoiseshell tabby with thick, swirling stripes and a drop of white on their nose; copper eyes

.

Nothing ever went right for Mintnose.

Being in the shadow of their littermates, Mintnose never was the strongest or the fastest or the smartest. They barely even looked like they belonged to their family, their pelt was too thick to fit in with WindClan and their legs were much too short to be any good at running.

They weren't much of a digger, either, and the open fields made their head dizzy.

What didn't help was, right before her death [before her litter became apprentices], their mother would never look at them. She'd call them her kit, but it was clear their four siblings mattered more to her.

Mintnose figured they were lucky they didn't have to spend more time fighting for their late mother's affection, but it stung deeper than any claw marks and they refused to admit it.

Hollow and alone, Mintnose didn't want to spend time with anyone else, they didn't want to deal with any possible rejection.

Perhaps that's what led them to this strikingly familiar rogue, whose pelt ruffled the same way theirs did and stripes ran the same way as well.

He would talk to Mintnose, having them drop everything that kept them together and went as far to turn them against everything the Clans stood for.

They were their father's kit in the end.. Even down to their dark and bitter heart.

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///Lightfeather///

Possible Description 1; a large, fluffy white cat with a thick mane of fur and bright dandelion yellow eyes

Possible Description 2; a lean golden tabby with a pale belly, pale paws, a pale muzzle, and hazel-green eyes

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///disclaimer, this is not polyamory, but straight up just cheating///

Lightfeather knew they were special from the day they were born. Not that they had any outstanding kin or they were the most talented cat within the Clan [thinking RiverClan], but because they just knew.

Eyes on being the most beloved cat in the four Clans, one that anyone with half a mind would be padding after them like they even had a chance, the rules didn't matter to this soft-furred feline. After all, the rules were boring and kept them from what they wanted.

As a warrior they look a lover from each Clan, not telling any of them about the other and intentionally not attending gatherings to avoid any sort of confrontation.

These cats just wouldn't understand right away.

But when the time came, they'd learn that Lightfeather was just too wonderful for one cat to love.

Things started getting tense when their mate within their own Clan noticed Lightfeather leave the border after being way too cozy with someone from the rival Clan.

Not speaking, their mate waited til the gathering and confronted this other cat. When the two realized what was going on, they looked for any others.

That next night, Lightfeather and their in-Clan mate went out together, only to be confronted by Lightfeather's other mates.

They wanted answers.

Lightfeather becomes defensive, asking why it should matter when they [Light] has loved them [their soon to be ex mates] so easily for moons but suddenly, when they all know about each other, suddenly Light is the bad one?

This ends with all cats breaking up with Light and their secret being told to their leader.

Exiled and alone, Lightfeather spent the rest of their life bitter and resentful, believing that they had been in the right and their exes were in the wrong.

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///Beefall///

Possible Description 1; a small tortoiseshell cat with a white belly, white paws, and white patches on their back; blue-green eyes

Possible Description 2; a fluffy, plump, ginger tabby with thick stripes on their face, tail, and legs. They have a short tail and emerald green eyes.

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Beefall was never patient.

If things didn't happen right away, they'd either drop it completely or try to push forward and get things done faster.

Their mate didn't even have time to see the red flags before they were together. It all happened so fast and before either of them knew it, they had kits. Four healthy, wonderful kits.

Beefall didn't wait for the kits to become apprentices. The best warriors started training young, right?

So they'd sneak their kits out of camp after they were weaned and began showing them how to fight. Sometimes they'd come back with some scraps and scratches.

"That's normal for roughhousing kits"

Excuses covered up their want to have a powerful, respected family.

At five moons old, the first death happened.

Fighting got carried away and the smallest of the four ended up dead at the claws of one of the larger kits.

Lies were created, saying that a rogue had found the kits sneaking out of camp and killed one before Beefall got there. The kits defended this story, though not all of them were thrilled.

After being apprenticed, another one died under Beefall's training and things became more tense.

When the third one almost died, the last kit stepped forward, outing Beefall as a terrible parent. They admitted to the lies they were forced to tell and the Clan turned on Beefall.

Beefall ended up dying at the claws of their mate, having attempted to kill their two remaining kits after being exiled for the deaths of the first two.

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///Feathersight///

Possible Description 1; a large, thick-furred, feather-soft a blue-gray and cream tortoiseshell with tufted ears and dull yellow eyes

Possible Description 2; a long-furred, fluffy, plump, tricolor [gray, black, and white] cat with green eyes

.

Death had been a friend of Feathersight from a young age. With a father who died before they were born and a mother who died kitting, it was no stranger.

ShadowClan never sugarcoated anything for Feathersight. They knew for moons that their birth had been shrouded with misfortune and that didn't ever really bother them.

Not even when their foster mother died, being killed while out of camp while they were still in the nursery.

Death just happened.

Becoming a medicine cat apprentice - and later a medicine cat - Feathersight's relationship with death changed over time. Instead of being what just happened, it truly became a friend.

Those who only brought misery would be meeting the claws of their beloved death sooner or later.

And then they came to learn, messing around with herbs, that one could bring those deaths sooner.

Their faster father died at their paws that day, a tom they had never liked due to how they never let them feel at home. Despite being full ShadowClan, despite never having done anything, he looked to them with spite..

But he couldn't look anymore.

A servant to death, they would watch and listen, finding those most in need and death and taking it upon themself to poison and harm these cats until death herself took them away.

their mentor was the one who found out what they had been doing. An older cat, they didn't stand a chance.

But they couldn't defend themself enough for killing their mentor and their end brought a stressful time for ShadowClan, leaving them without a medicine cat and needing help from the other Clans.

.

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///Brookstripe///

Possible Description 1; a gorgeous, silver tabby with long, dark stripes, a thick, plumy tail, and brilliant blue eyes like pools of water

Possible Description 2; a long, sleek-furred gray and white tabby with dark stripes and streaks of white throughout their fur; hazel eyes

.

Brookstripe was supposed to be better than their father, who was once a terror to the Clans.

Born to rogues, Brookstripe joined ThunderClan after earning favor with the leader. Their father had been a merciless killer and many cats were cautious about Brookstripe at first. Could they be trusted?

But they were a charmer, unlike their father.

They could speak beautiful words and have cats swayed by their act.

And for a moment, Brookstripe would wonder if living in the Clan would be so bad

That is.. Until they remembered how the Clans treated rogues, how their father only started killing when a Clan cat had killed their father's siblings and blinded their [Brookstripe's] mother

And the hatred boiled back

For moons they tried corrupting ThunderClan, tearing the Clan apart from the inside. They manipulated the leader, who trusted her like a dear friend, and laid out traps for the other Clans to turn against ThunderClan.

Damage that would stay done, even long after their death, as their secret never came out.

No, instead they had been killed too early to finish their corruption. A battle at the border lead to them being killed by accident. Spiteful at their early death, they still like pulling strings behind the scenes.

.

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///Birdfeather///

Possible Description 1; a long legged, sleek black and white cat with dark orange eyes

Possible Description 2; a sturdy brown tabby with a pale belly and yellow-green eyes

.

Was it so wrong for Birdfeather to love a cat? Even before they knew of their mate's intentions, they were loyal to them no matter what.

Did knowing that their beloved killed some cats sting? Of course! But what were they supposed to do? They weren't going to turn their mate in, risk everything, just because some lesser cats died.

Love makes cats act a little silly, after all..

No, they never harmed anyone. They had no reason to.

So being banished alongside their mate was more than a little shocking. They never blamed their beloved, but they couldn't believe their Clan would just toss them to the side like crowfood.

They both had been such loyal cats.. The murders not withstanding. Were the weaker cats truly so much more important than two of the best?

Even after the exile, however, they would never kill another cat. Now, lading cats to the waiting claws of their mate? That was another story and they stand by that they technically never did anything wrong.

Eventually their crimes after the exile were discovered and both lovers were killed during the confrontation with their former Clanmates.

In the darkness of the forest, Birdfeather still feels nothing but love and loyalty to their dark-hearted mate.

.

.

I had to take time but I hope these ideas help, even if you don't use them dskjfha

I had fun working on these

[toasnearlynakedghost]

CoD Avatar Items

At the end of 2021 CoD had an end of the year sale with avatar items from 2021 events. I’ve been wanting to write my opinions on the avatar items so I’m going to take this as an opportunity to do so. This will not list all avatar items released in 2021 because there are avatar items that came out in draws that I don’t remember.

Items I like: Grape Off-the-Shoulder Top, Lavender Pink Tulle Skirt, Grape Necklace & Pumps, Sexy Amethyst Dress, Natural Pink Cheek, Natural Brown Brow, Flower Bag & Baby Blue Pumps, Navy Sailor Skirt, Coral Lip & Cheek, Ruby Heart Earrings, Buttoned-up Frock, Triple Rose Bouquet, Ruby Fur-Trimmed Bag, Claret Satchel, Shell & Pearl Jewelry, Pastel Star Earrings, Pastel Macaron Dress, Glittery Choker & Hair Charm, Country Charm Eyeshadow, Pink Ballerina Top, Pink Ballerina Skirt, Roy’s Tea Party Ensemble, Emerald Parasol & Pumps, Claret Pumps & Fan, Rose Hairband & Earrings, Komurasaki Butterfly, Luxurious Pearl Necklace, Black Lace Heels, Asymmetrical Purple Top, Layered Purple Skirt, Carnelian Drop Earrings, Fenn’s Butterfly Ensemble, Fenn’s Bejeweled Bracelet, Dreamy Bridal Gown, Dreamy Bridal Earrings, Dreamy Bridal Pumps, Dreamy Bridal Pearls, Dreamy Bridal Gloves, Translucent Camisole, Frilly Knickers & Garter, Lace Tall Socks, Black Rose Fan, Flowery Peignoir, Hoop Bracelets, Pink Pearl Flower Hairpins, Navy Camisole & Knickers, White & Gold Clutch, Crystal Tiara & Bouquet, Forest Flower Crown, Chained Mini Bag, Lilac Glitter Skirt, Mermaid Hairpin & Earrings, Black Rose Heels, Devilishly Cute Ensemble, White Rhinestone Frock, Hallowed Eve Cap & Boots, Floral Lace Gown, Rose Lace Cape, Pink & White Rose Bouquet, Rose Lace Dress, Black Lace Gloves, Jeweled Pin Heels, Glittery Lip, Dreamer’s Cage Heels, Garden Parasol & Gloves, Amber Earrings & Bracelet, Silver Ragwort & Reindeer Antlers, Fluffy Translucent Chiffon Skirt, Colorful Christmas Earrings, Gothic Excellence Boots, Gothic Excellence Gown, Starry Christmas Braids, Aquamarine Ribbon Earrings, Pearly Necklace & Pin Heels, Santa’s Adornments,

Items I’m okay with: Simple Shirt, Simple Slacks, Simple Pixie Cut, Amethyst Hat & Heels, Gauzy Steel Blue Skirt, Sailor Cap & Loafers, Half Pigtails, Ruby Lace Cuffs & Pumps, Amethyst Choker & Pumps, Pinned Chocolate Bob, Cookie Beret & Recipe Book, Basket of Treats, Ballet-Style Pumps, Pretzel Earrings, Cerulean Beige Tote Bag, Emerald Drop Purse, Leaf Barrettes & Pumps, Shimmery Mermaid Skirt, Golden Clutch, Breezy Bucolic Blouse, Ribbon Loafers, T Strap Pumps, Bucolic Flower Crown, Cerulean Gloves & Heels, Gold & Pearl Earrings, Fuschia Rose Hairpin, Magical Feather Duster, Voluminous Pinstripe Dress, Dreamy Bridal Fascinator, Pastel Frilly Cap & Pumps, Frosted Pink Lip, the six prince’s Kingdom Crest items, Iolite Gloves & Heels, White & Iolite Crown, Bright Heart Skirt, Frilly Sapphire Blouse, Red Academy Beret, Beat Chic Skirt, Frill-Trimmed Blouse, Emerald Earrings and Loafers, Flouncy Ribbon Belt, Rosy Earrings & Necklace, Lilac Glitter Top, Pink Glitter Lips, Mint-Blue Pumps & Tights, Nice Nurse Dress, Red Ribbon Hairband, Lace Gloves & Heart Earrings, Pompom Bunny Headband, White Tights and Pompom Pumps, Gold Studded Jacket, Tea Party Heels & Bunny, White Rose Pink Heels, Sweet Treats Skirt, Jeweled Rose Fascinator, Floral Jewel Necklace & Earrings, Jeweled Mermaid Tail Skirt, Jeweled Pear Earrings, Bucolic Flower Dress, Dreamer’s Cage Top, Feathery Hairpin & Necklace, Tights & Fluffy Reindeer Boots, Fluffy Pink Reindeer Top, Pink Striped Candy Cane, Rosy Black Veil, Dark Rosy Trunk, Dark Rosy Lip, Aquamarine Chain Purse,

Items I didn’t like: Brown Bell Skirt, Plaid Governess Dress, Navy Capelet, Simple Bob, Simple Shoes, Pretty Brows, Pin Heel Boots, Tied Gowns in all consort colors, Buttoned Pencil Skirt, Bejeweled Band, Classic Rustic Frock, Amethyst Baguette Bag, Gauzy White Blouse, Frilly Mermaid Top, Loose Blue Curls, Indigo Stitch Shirt, White Toe Shoes, Ivory Lace Gown, Monochrome Handbag, Ruby Eyes, Pink-Frilled Apron, Frilly Cap & Socks, Carnelian Chain Purse, Carnelian Loafers & Bangles, Ivory Summer Lace Dress, Ivory Frills Tank Top, Regal Star Choker, Black Gingham Top, Fluffy Monochrome Skirt, Gold & Gray Ankle Boots, Tasseled Brown Boots, Bright Heart Top, Beat Chic Bustier, Lawful Good Dress, Lawful Good Cap, Lilac Glitter Socks & Pumps, White Jeweled Headband, Nice Nurse Ensemble & Syringe, Pink Heart Halter Top, Flirty Layered Skirt, Black Cavalier Boots, Pink Pompom Bunny Dress, Poison Pink Dress, Black Ribbon Pumps, Buttons & Lace Corset, Sandals & Socks, Gold Tuxedo Dress, Jeweled Rose Blouse, Jeweled Party Clutch, Chocolaty Retro Swing Dress, Dreamer’s Cage Skirt, Champagne Ribbon Heels,

Items I missed that I wished I would have got: (Consort) Crystal Morning Suit, (Consort) White Tuxedo Ensemble, Sleeveless Pink Gown, Sundrops & Hydrangeas, Plaid Christmas Coat, Long Boots & Diamond Earrings, (Consort) Christmas Market Ensemble, (Consort) The Master’s Jacket, Long Crystal Gown, Ruby Ribbon Gown, This is mostly consort items.

[ocw-archive]

Bitter Sweet Dreamers - Los Angeles Magazine, December 2001

Bitter sweet dreamers: in their comedies Bottle Rocket, rushmore, and now The Royal Tenenbaums, Wes Anderson and his friends Owen and Luke Wilson skirt irony in favor of sincerity. They are the perfect funnymen for an unfunny world. By Amy Wallace YOU HAVE TO SEEK OUT VAHRAM. IF you need to know about Wes Anderson, if you really must understand, then you have to find Vahram. Vahram knows. Oh, you can read the impossibly detailed scripts Anderson writes. You can watch his funny, melancholy movies. You can talk to his best friend and writing partner, Owen Wilson, or Owen's actor brother, Luke. If you don't mind waiting--and waiting--you can sit down with the filmmaker himself and discuss why he was obsessed by limousines as a child or why Linus is his favorite Peanuts character. But to comprehend Wes Anderson, the 32-year-old writer-director who has been called the next Martin Scorsese by Martin Scorsese, you have to get into his head. And to get into his head, you have to get into his pants. That's where Vahram comes in. Vahram is Anderson's tailor. His name rhymes with arm, but Anderson calls him "Varn," which rhymes with barn. Vahram doesn't care. Vahram knows Anderson's inseam, where he wants to be suppressed and where he wants to stick out. Vahram has touched Anderson where few other men would dare. As much as anyone, Vahram has taken Anderson's measure. "I got a lot of customers with their own bugaboos," Vahram says. He is sitting in his Manhattan workshop, a narrow room stacked ceiling high with bolts of fabric. Most people, he says, want to be taller or thinner or broader in the shoulders. The six-foot-two-inch Anderson wants to be understood. "He wants to bring you into his world."

So far that world consists of three films: Bottle Rocket, Rush, more, and The Royal Tenenbaums, which comes to theaters December 14. Anderson's movies are comedies, but they are also sad, filled with messy emotions. Loss. Betrayal. Contrition. Regret. He finds laughs not in jokes but in juxtapositions. His movies aren't gross or mocking or savagely ironic. They are sincere, observant, nonjudgmental. Anderson likes to wear traditional suits in wacky colors--a wardrobe whose meaning I've had time to ponder. For weeks I have hounded his assistant, his agent, his producer, and a phalanx of publicists connected with the movie studio releasing his new film. Everyone says Anderson is on board, excited to be interviewed. Finally he summons me to New York for a lunch meeting. Then he cancels lunch. Vahram could be a character in one of Anderson's movies--wry, modest, very much his own man. His name, however you choose to say it, fits right in among the Dignans, the Royals, the Kumars, and the Pagodas who populate Anderson's films. His bearing, too, is Anderson-esque: He's a plain-talking guy who looks on the bright side and calls his father "Pop." When Vahram talks about clothes, it's as if he's run Anderson's psyche through his sewing machine. Anderson has figured out that he can use wardrobe to alter reality. Wear a white turtleneck under your rust-colored suit jacket, and you are professorial. You are rakish. You are Carl Sagan. Wear a purple turtleneck with that same rust-colored jacket, and you are Sagan-ish, Sagan-like, but with a twist. People receive you with trepidation, perhaps, but also with curiosity and a willingness to be surprised. In Anderson's hands, weirdness is a tool to make you lean closer, to make you listen. In Vahram's 5th Avenue shop, the tailor makes Anderson's seersucker and pin-striped suits. He cuts, tucks, and hems the cashmere herringbone suits and the fine-wale corduroy suits in royal blue, egg white, and burnt orange. "Not a lot of people are going to get this kind of color," Vahram says. That's why he has to order it special. Vahram's suits fit Anderson like the tiny pinafore on the overgrown Alice in Wonderland. The shoulders are too narrow. The pant legs are abbreviated so, as Vahram puts it, "Wes's whole sock is showing." The jackets button over Anderson's sternum, and the pockets hit him high, just under his rib cage, so when he jams his hands in--which he often does--his long arms form two sideways Vs, like he's dancing the funky chicken. "It's his own thing," Vahram says, pinching a swatch of corduroy between his thumb and forefinger. "He likes everything minimalist. I'm always screaming at him. He don't want to hear it. He knows what he wants in his head." IN WES ANDERSON'S HEAD, THE COLORS ARE brighter, the bookshelves are meticulously ordered, the bunk beds aren't just made--they look like you could bounce a silver dollar off them. In Anderson's head, a grown man would wear a blue gingham bow tie and a yellow gingham pocket square at the same time. In Anderson's head, Formica would come in only one color--that yellow-beige-with-fake-wood-grain that elementary school desks are topped with--and ideally it would have someone's name scratched into it. In Anderson's head, the string hanging from the lightbulb in the hall closet would have a green Monopoly house knotted to the grabbing end, not because any moviegoer could possibly see it on the screen but because a child would have tied it there, years ago, before everyone grew up and moved away. As much as any filmmaker working today, Anderson makes films that reflect a distinct sensibility. Some people think his love of detail is precious, but they're wrong. Anderson sees as a child sees--vividly, completely, as if for the first time. In Bottle Rocket and Rushmore, that focus helped him create a style that translates more as fable than as fiction. With a $25 million budget (more than twice that of Rushmore) and a large, big-name cast, The Royal Tenenbaums is his most ambitious and risky undertaking. It has a whimsical innocence that

will be familiar to Anderson fans, but it also peers intently into life's dark corners. Set in New York City, the film revolves around a family of troubled geniuses. Gene Hackman, the self-serving con man who is the Tenenbaum patriarch, yearns to reconnect with his oddball children. Hackman's estranged wife, an archaeologist played by Anjelica Huston, is falling for her clumsy, gingham-wearing accountant (Danny Glover). The three Tenenbaum siblings (Gwyneth Paltrow, Ben Stiller, and Luke Wilson) are over-the-hill prodigies whose relationships with friends (Owen Wilson) and lovers (Bill Murray) are overshadowed by past failures. They inhabit a world where bedroom doors have five deadbolts, the wallpaper sports galloping zebras, and the butler wears pink. It's like a hyperreality he's creating," says Stiller, who was so eager to work with Anderson that he committed to The Royal Tenenbaums before reading the script. "If all the colors and all the other atmosphere is more extreme," says Glover, "the connectedness between the characters seems to be heightened." "Wes is so specific about these details, and they're very personal to him," says Paltrow, who as Margot Tenenbaum wears the same mink coat and heavy black eyeliner in nearly every scene. "On set he's very much the boss. Very much in control. He's created a situation where he literally controls everything." Anderson grew up in Houston. His mom, a real estate agent, used to be an archaeologist. She and his dad, who runs an advertising agency, split up when he was in the fourth grade. About that time, a teacher discovered that the only way to get Anderson to behave in class was to let him produce his own plays. Later he wrote, directed, and shot his own Super 8 films, using cardboard boxes as sets and his two brothers as stars. Anderson continues to surround himself with intimates. For each of his films he has hired director of photography Robert Yeoman, production designer David Wasco, costume designer Karen Patch, and composer Mark Mothersbaugh. Then there's his younger brother, Eric, an illustrator. For The Royal Tenenbaums Anderson imagined the zigzag-patterned carpets and the rotary telephones and described them to Eric. Sometimes Eric would misunderstand. His brother would gently correct his sketches. "He'd say, `No, that shower curtain was supposed to be clear, not pink,'" says Eric. "The details give the movie a credibility. But they also create a sort of fantasy. It's almost more information than life has, in a way. It's both credible and, in a pleasant way, knowingly incredible." Vahram understands. "Almost all the jackets in the movie that were single-breasted, only the middle of the three buttons actually buttons," the tailor says of the costumes he made for the film. "But he wanted the buttonholes there for all three. You can't really see it on the screen. But he wanted it there. Because in his head, that's the jacket he wants." Anderson's closest collaborator is Owen Wilson. They met at the University of Texas--two intense, off-kilter guys who shared a love of classic literature, pulp westerns, and the Sunday funnies. They also shared a condo in Austin. Once, in order to keep the bigger bedroom, Anderson wrote a paper for Wilson about Edgar Allan Poe. The professor gave the paper an A and called it "magnificent and droll." Ten years later Wilson and Anderson still delight in calling things "magnificent and droll." They were the kind of down-on-their-luck dudes who would stage a break-in just to get their landlord to fix the windows. When the ruse was discovered, they would convince the landlord to let them shoot a documentary about him and his pet snake--at his expense. After college they made a short film starring Owen and his younger brother, Luke. Bottle Rocket screened at the Sundance Film Festival and eventually caught the eye of Polly Platt, the production designer who had worked with producer-director James L. Brooks on Terms of Endearment and other films. Platt showed the short to Brooks, who convinced Columbia Pictures to finance a

feature-length version. Brooks and Platt fought to keep the novice director, the first-time screenwriters, and the no-name cast on board. When the feature-length Bottle Rocket was released in 1996, few people got it. Mostly that was because Columbia, spooked by negative responses to test screenings, dumped the movie. But it was also because the world that Anderson and Wilson invented was so without precedent that many weren't sure what to make of it. The film follows three wanna-be criminals on a bungled heist. Owen Wilson plays Dignan, the trio's aspiring mastermind, who clings to the verbal swagger of a tough guy ("You're gonna see a side of Dignan that you haven't seen before. A sick, sadistic side!") even as he dons a yellow jumpsuit that evokes a trick-or-treater more than a hardened safecracker. Luke Wilson plays the gentle Anthony, a former mental patient who seems saner than anyone else. Bottle Rocket, which cost $7 million, tanked. Critics, however, not only raved, they sounded grateful. The Los Angeles Times's Kenneth Turan applauded the film's "exact sense of itself." Rushmore, which Anderson and Owen Wilson also cowrote, was re, leased by Disney in 1999. Platt recalls that Anderson, still bruised by how his first film was received, asked her, "I don't have another Bottle Rocket on my hands, do I?" He need not have worried. Rushmore's Max Fischer, a 15-year-old prep school student who excels at extracurriculars but is flunking out, is a classic Anderson-Wilson character. He has outsize ambitions that dwarf his ability to fulfill them. He appears to be the only one who sees the world precisely the way he does. The language he uses is elevated--partly borrowed from a bygone era, partly rooted in popular idiom. He is optimistic, even when there is no reason to be. He isn't cool, but neither is he a quitter. He spends half the movie decked out in a dark green velvet suit that no teenager would be caught dead in. Somehow that makes him more poignant, more heartbreakingly real. The film, which cost about $11 million to make, took in $17 million and put Anderson on the map. Platt says Anderson has a rare gift--a visual certainty. He knows how each frame should be com, posed. "Not many men are born with that," she says. "He's a natural-born moviemaker." Brooks agrees: "He's entirely original. Wes makes futility look good." Although Anderson cites many influences, from Roald Dahl to John Cassavetes to the Kinks, his films--unlike so many these days--do not come loaded with a predictable set of cultural reference points. He is difficult to describe in terms of what has come before. A few years ago The Guardian of London praised Anderson for nurturing a humanistic spirit "rather than denoting a lifetime spent watching the complete works of Scorsese." Yet last year, when Esquire asked Scorsese himself to identify the young filmmaker most likely to become "the next Scorsese," the master of grittiness chose the ungritty Anderson. "I love the scene in Bottle Rocket when Owen Wilson's character, Dignan, says, `They'll never catch me, man, `cause I'm fuckin' innocent," Scorsese wrote. "Then he runs off to save one of his partners in crime and gets captured by the police, over `2000 Man' by the Rolling Stones. He--and the music--are proclaiming who he really is: He's not innocent in the eyes of the law, but he's truly an innocent. For me, it's a transcendent moment. And transcendent moments are in short supply these days." Anderson is happy making relatively small movies, and he doesn't want to be a director for hire. So it's not as if he needs The Royal Tenenbaums to be a blockbuster. But everyone around him is hoping that this movie will reach more people than his previous two. A little advance press could, theoretically, help. I'm ready. I'm waiting. Anderson, however, is very, very busy. I'm told he wants to give me his full attention. Just not yet. THERE IS A BLACK and, white photograph of Wes Anderson and the Wilson brothers that says who they are--and who they're not. It was taken while they were making Bottle

Rocket. Anderson is typing on a computer, his back to the room. He's smiling, engaged. Owen Wilson is behind him, relaxing in a chair, mid chuckle. Luke Wilson sits nearby, his handsome face twisted into a goofy grimace. Both hands are clawing the air, as if he's being buried alive. The picture, taken by a professional photographer who happens to be the Wilsons' mother, does not say "movie stars," though some people predict that's what the Wilsons are destined to become. The picture does not say "auteur," though Anderson has since earned that label. The picture is a portrait of three buddies enjoying a funny story. James Brooks says the funny story is at the heart of the Anderson-Wilson collaboration. Their screenplays, he says, are "casually literary." If they ever stopped writing them, "nothing at all like those scripts would exist." How Anderson and Owen Wilson work, however, is a mystery. Barry Mendel, a producer on Rushmore and The Royal Tenenbaums, says, "Frankly, I have never seen them working together." Luke Wilson, who used to live with both of them in a big house in the Hancock Park section of Los Angeles, says, "They're like one of those couples that you wonder, `Are they really together?' It was kind of a closed-door affair sometimes. I get the feeling they both toss out names, ideas, fragments. But I couldn't tell you. And if I can't, I think probably nobody can." The Wilsons and Anderson now live in different time zones--the director in a Manhattan apartment, the actors in a pretty white house in Santa Monica that Owen just bought. Owen answers his front door barefoot. He's 5 foot 11 inches and wiry in khakis and a short-sleeved blue shirt with little red and green flowers on it. The shirt is buttoned up to his neck. One is struck by how many faces he has. Owen's agent, Jim Berkus, says he's more Jack Nicholson than Warren Beatty. The 33-year-old actor is not pretty, what with his boxer's nose and squinting eyes, but still, you can't take your eyes off him. There's mischief there, and a little vulnerability. Anderson compares Owen to Robert Redford, and at moments the label fits. Except that he can also look Like a doofus or a stoner, something Redford has never risked his image to perfect. Once we are settled in his whitewashed living room, Owen says there is no secret to how he and Anderson write. They always start with characters, creating bits of dialogue, passing them back and forth. Over time--a lot of time--a story will emerge. "It's sort of the cart leading the horse," Owen says, sinking into a huge armchair. "We don't know what it's gonna be. We're just talking, trying to get each other laughing." The Wilsons grew up in Dallas, but that alone doesn't account for Owen's distinctive voice, which is nasal with just a hint of twang. He speaks slowly, musingly, placing a lot of emphasis on favored syllables. "We just hole up together," he says. "And it always seems to disintegrate into us just going to the places we like to eat and both of us kind of telling stories to each other that we've both heard but that we still think are funny. Or getting on somebody we feel has wronged us in the past, like in college, and talking about that person for three days." He gets up to show me a framed photo, a gift from Anderson: a heroic portrait of a man who's about to die. "This is something I could see us making a movie out of," Owen says. The man's expression is caught between a scowl and a smirk. "We could spend a week talking about that guy. But the way it eventually would come out from us, the guy wouldn't be quite so heroic." He laughs. "Or he'd be heroic in the very end, but he would have a lot of very cowardly things that he had done." When Anderson and the Wilson brothers all lived together in Los Angeles, a Ping-Pong table dominated the living room. As Luke, now 30, recalls, they would "have rallies that only ended because we were laughing so hard." They'd be analyzing the way each game was going, and the awareness that everybody was so simultaneously aware broke them all up. "It'd be like,

`Yeah, it's a good rally'"--Luke pauses a beat--"`I can't believe it's not ending!'"--another beat--"`We're in-cred-ible Ping-Pong players!' You start moving back farther and farther from the table. It's like a U.S. Open match, where you walk around the table, changing sides, without even speaking." That kind of sync is the foundation upon which the Anderson-Wilson alliance is built. Back in Texas they used to wander around bumping into people they thought were ludicrous or scary or askew, and they'd riff on what it was that struck them. Things are different now; that's what success does. Owen's asymmetrical face is suddenly everywhere on, screen: as a male model in Zoolander, as a born-again Christian in Meet the Parents, as a bumbling cowboy in Shanghai Noon. And there's more to come: Behind Enemy Lines with Gene Hackman, I Spy with Eddie Murphy, and the sequel Shanghai Knights with Jackie Chan. Owen and to a lesser extent Luke (who's been in the recent hits Legally Blonde and Charlie's Angels, among other films) might be thought of as the anti-Afflecks--rising young actors who work hard, steal the show, but don't seem much interested in celebrity. On a bookshelf behind Owen is another framed photo taken by their mother. Owen, 8, and Luke, 5, are sitting with two women--the oldest living twins in Massachusetts. A wide-eyed Owen is telling a story, his hands clasped awkwardly in his lap. He has Luke and the old ladies transfixed. "I'm sitting there on the side, with a kind of funny expression, watching Owen," says Luke. "It does seem like we're kind of little partners." When Owen looks at the photo, he focuses on the women's reaction. "Maybe that's our audience," he says. "Senior citizens!" In The Royal Tenenbaums, one of the first scenes Anderson and Owen Wilson wrote was for the character Eli Cash, a hot young novelist--a Cormac McCarthy knockoff played by Owen. The first we hear from him is when he reads an excerpt from his new novel, which is based on the supposition that General Custer survived Little Bighorn. Not that either Anderson or Wilson knew any of this at first. They were just writing for the joy of capturing Cash's faux-western voice. "The crickets and the rust beetles scuttled among the nettles of the sage thicket," Cash reads aloud. The script specifies that he wear a fringed white buckskin jacket and a short-brimmed Stetson. "`Vamanos, amigos,' he whispered, and threw the busted leather flintcraw over the loose weave of the saddlecock. And they rode on in the friscalating dusklight." "Friscalating," Owen whispers to me. "Wes made up that word. It's what you see on the horizon at sunset with the light kind of shimmering." Only after they'd written the scene, Owen admits, "did we try to figure out, Well, how can we get that in?" With language, as with clothes, these guys like to try things on to see whether they're ostentatious or genuine, full of braggadocio or yearning. They love how people express themselves as they fumble through life, because they're fumblers, too. Owen was expelled from prep school; both had average grades but fancied themselves Ivy League material. Anderson used to say he was going to transfer to Yale, and he even dressed the part, donning L.L. Bean duck boots. Owen purses his lips to express how sweltering a pair of rubber boots feels in the middle of a Texas summer. Then it's as if the talk of Anderson's wardrobe sobers him up. He doesn't want his friend's aesthetic flourishes to be misinterpreted as self-congratulatory pretension. The emotions are what matters in the movies, Owen says; the fabric they're draped in is just a way to keep them fresh. "Wes and I don't want to do something that's corny or sentimental. There aren't too many original emotions. So the world that Wes creates is a way to keep it original." Like everyone else, Owen frequently refers to Anderson's head. I ask him how he would describe what's inside. "It's a lot more recognizable," he says, "than people might think." Then he mentions Vahram: "The thing about all that stuff with--what's the guy's

name? Varn?--is that Wes has a sense of humor about it. He recognizes that it's funny. It's kind of like winking. You take away that stuff, that funny stuff, and Wes is, like, sensitive." WHEN WES ANDERSON talks, he thinks about what he's saying so keenly that sometimes the words just stop. There are long pauses; he's giving himself the time to get it right. After an advance press screening of The Royal Tenenbaums at the New York Film Festival, he takes questions from the standing-room-only crowd. As he grips the microphone in both hands and squints into the lights, he is asked if the film is about redemption. "So much of the story is about these people accepting that they're not what they once were," Anderson says. "And then they sort of have to struggle with that. And it causes so much pain." He goes silent. "It wasn't like I planned for that to happen in the story. It just sort of emerged. More and more it revealed itself. That there would be healing, sort of? Even though that's a word I'm reluctant to use, that sort of became the center of it." He looks out vaguely into the crowd to make sure everyone understands. "I think that's what the whole movie is about," he says mildly, as if he'd be open to other interpretations. He pauses again. "Did that answer that at all?" The next afternoon Barry Mendel, the producer, asks me to be on call between the hours of 3 and 8 p.m. At 8:05 the phone rings. Anderson is ready. Come, Mendel says, at once. I walk into a dimly lit sound-mixing studio in the Brill Building, and there Anderson is. He has misbehaving brown hair and round glasses with clear plastic rims. He wears a baby blue button, down shirt and seersucker trousers that grab his skinny frame way below the navel. Pale yellow socks are visible above his Nikes. The Royal Tenenbaums is to have its official festival premiere in two days, but Anderson and a team of mixers and editors are still tweaking the film's color timing and making sure the music doesn't overpower the dialogue. "I don't know if stubborn is the correct word," says director of photography Yeoman. "He's very persistent. He's tenacious. He does not want to compromise his film on any level." Before the script was written, for example, Anderson knew he wanted Gene Hackman to play Royal Tenenbaum. They met for tea at the Essex House, and Anderson told the actor he was writing a part for him. Hackman told him not to bother. He hadn't found most writers to be successful at tailoring parts for him. Anderson did it anyway and then cast the movie around him. At the last minute Hackman gave in. If he hadn't, Anderson says he might not have gone forward. When we sit down Anderson is at the end of what he calls "the eighth day of a three-day mix." "We're going to the wire," he says. He looks pale and exhausted. "All these movies are kind of confections," he continues. "They're this arrangement of things all put together. The whole souffle can fall--it doesn't have much genre to rely on--and there are definitely people who think it's precious. But the idea is to make this, like, self, contained world that is the right place for the characters to live in, a place where you can accept their behavior. "The last thing I want is for it to be thought of as quirky, because there's nothing we've done to try to make it weird, you know? Everything is in there to try to make it interesting or compelling or funny." He pauses. Weird for weird's sake, Anderson says--"that's the last thing it wants to be." The Royal Tenenbaums started with place, not plot; it was going to be a "New York movie." On a notepad, in no particular order, Anderson made a list of the things he thought should inspire it. There were titles of films (Louis Malle's The Fire Within, Orson Welles's The Magnificent Ambersons), short stories and novels (J.D. Salinger's "Franny and Zooey," F. Scott Fitzgerald's "Babylon Revisited" and "May Day," Edith Wharton's The Age of Innocence), and pieces of music (a Maurice Ravel string quartet and a few Velvet Underground cuts). We talk for a while about his ideas

for the soundtrack, which at that point includes the Beatles' "Hey Jude," Nico's "These Days," the Clash's "Rock the Casbah," and Elliot Smith's "Needle in the Hay." We talk about what he calls Luke Wilson's "soulful" portrayal of the failed tennis pro Richie Tenenbaum--an understated and startling performance that is the best acting of the younger Wilson's career. When I mention Anderson's girlfriend, who appears briefly in the film, he looks stricken. "Yeah, Jennifer," he says, sounding two decades younger than he is. "She's a New Yorker. But you know, I don't know. It's embarrassing." Anderson has a facility for tapping into what it feels like to be 12. By maintaining his connection to what slighted or thrilled us as kids, he has developed a more sophisticated grasp of what motivates us as grown-ups. He's not cute. He's not juvenile. It's just that suddenly childhood doesn't seem that long ago. When Anderson was a child he filled a sketchbook with drawings of fancy houses. "There was this certain phase I went through where I was really obsessed with being rich. So I was fairly interested in Rolls-Royces and mansions," he says. Has that obsession gone away? "Yeah--at least, hopefully, I have a lot more irony about it now." "Kids get embarrassed," he says, recalling how, for the longest time, he refused to accept that his parents had separated. "Somebody says, `Your parents are getting divorced,' and you're like, `No! No! Where did you hear that? That's so wrong. They're figuring some stuff out.'" I ask if he would ever direct a movie he didn't write. "I kind of feel like a children's book I could do, though I'd like to adapt the script myself," he says. "With a children's book you're sup, posed to make a separate reality. And I just feel like the details I would bring in would be better understood." Anderson needs sleep. Promising to meet again the next day, he prepares to say good night. Then I mention Peanuts, and he brightens. "The real thing I responded to is that Christmas special," he says, remembering the animated TV show in which the parents are always unseen and everyone wears the same outfit day after day. Anderson loved A Charlie Brown Christmas so much that he has put its tinkly music in both Rushmore and The Royal Tenenbaums. "It's very sad," he says admiringly. "And very funny." "We always had the books, growing up. I especially liked Linus, because he was kind of a genius, but he still carried a blanket and sucked his thumb," he says, straightening his wrinkled seersuckers. "I had this book that said Charles Schulz skipped a grade. Now I'm like, `Why were we so into the fact that in third grade Schulz got all As?' But at the time I was really interested in somebody who could skip grades. I was really hoping to skip a grade." He is quiet for a moment. Then, Linus-like: "I never skipped a grade." We share a cab uptown. Anderson notes that in the aftermath of the attacks on the World Trade Center, New York City sidewalks, even in Times Square, are strangely empty at night. He says the tragedy has only made him feel more loyal to his adopted city. It has occurred to him, he admits, that when The Royal Tenenbaums comes out, people may not be the least bit interested. But the opposite seems to be true. I remind Anderson about a man who approached him after seeing the movie at a screening earlier in the week. A third-generation New Yorker, he wanted to thank the director for creating such an idealized vision of his city. "I love your New York," the man said as Anderson shook his hand shyly. "I really appreciate it right now." Before the cab drops Anderson off, I compliment him on his royal blue blazer. "Varn made this," he says, pleased that I've noticed. He smooths the fabric lovingly, and for a moment he's somewhere else. He's inside the walkin closet that is his head--a place of stored memories where the clothes are less important than how they make you feel. "Corduroy is really great," he says, earnest. "It used to be what I wore to school every day. You know, it can be almost like velvet

sometimes.

[rocho-suave99]

Stripes And Spots Are So Hard To Change (11/8/20)

I am as I have always been:

A dreamer,

Consumed by doubts and fears,

But I have changed.

After all these years, I've slowly gotten better

About trying to find the sun's bright light

Shining through, no matter the weather.

Insecure and looking for love and belonging

In all the wrong places.

But trying to see the good, and trust

All the smiling faces.

From The Last Frontier,

To summers in the apple capital of the world,

Spending some time in the Emerald City,

And now in The Big Apple,

I'm still the same kid who would constantly grapple

With himself.

Maybe someday things will change,

But you know rewiring can feel strange.

So, for now, I'll just keep working

Towards the life I want to live,

Inching closer to the man I want to be.

And if we ever cross paths,

I hope it's pleasant for you to get to know me.

[kvngjoong]

she was a rainbow [two - lee felix]

→ felix lee x f!you, university!au, in which felix discovers that his feelings aren’t as easy to understand as he first may have thought → 5.4k+, pretty much all angst and unrequited love

part 2 of 3

“I actually met this guy?”

“This guy?” Felix repeats, unsure of what you mean. It sounded like a question you were posing to him, and Felix wasn’t entirely sure what you wanted in return.

Your blank stare means that the image of you with another guy beside you, hugging you, showing his love to you in every form, it’s pretty much on the right track. It wasn’t him who you’d met. It was a guy. “Yeah, you know. A guy.”

“Are you going to elaborate?” Felix’s irritation is clear through his properly enunciated syllables, each word clearly being presented to you. Luckily you don’t notice, likely because you’re thinking about whoever this guy is.

“Okay,” you reply with a wide smile. Felix feels bad for accidentally giving you permission to tell him about something he really doesn’t want to know about. He could listen to you talk for years, he could sit across from you and watch your pretty lips explain any topic picked out of a hat, though to tell him that the love he was feeling for you, even if he didn’t realise as of yet that it was love, that wasn’t something he could sit by. “We’re going on a date tomorrow.”

Felix has always wondered what the future may hold.

He doesn’t consider himself someone who struggled to keep his head out of the clouds, but he was a dreamer and didn’t care too much for it. If his head wasn’t in a book about other worldly activities, he was playing a video game that was fantasy based, or he was imagining it as he stared into the distance and imagined a world that was oh so different to the one he lived in.

Not because he hated the world he lived in, oh no, Felix Lee lived a very good life that he enjoyed very very much. He had a strange group of friends that he had grown to like over the years, he felt that he was everything he wanted to be, and most importantly he was enjoying himself. It had been that way for a while, since he moved to South Korea and made friends with an equally small boy named Seungmin.

The pair were pretty much inseparable through school and that continued all the way into university, since they were now living together and continuing life like they always wanted to. Except, now they had the addition of a guy that Seungmin met in one of his classes named Jeongin. The boy who Felix swore was a descendant of Inari Okami, blame Seungmin’s anime for that reference, was a pretty good addition to make their dorm bills cheaper and the pair a trio.

Yet, Felix found himself so lost in a fantasy world because something was missing.

He never understood what it was, but he could feel from the very bottom of his soul that there was a part of him which he didn’t understand; he couldn’t grasp like he was meant to. The key to unlocking it could be found somewhere but he was yet to find it.

“Um… Excuse me?” a voice behind Felix pulls him from the daze he’s in, staring at the board with some fliers stuck to it as he waits for his class to be called in. He takes one of the earbuds from his ear. “Is this class on employment law?”

Felix raises a brow at the girl in front of him. You’re not too different in height than him, you have messy hair and a bright coloured striped top which is brighter than anything he’s ever owned. He’s definitely never seen you in a lecture. “No, this is clinical psychology.”

“Oh.”

“Do you study psychology?”

You shake your head. “I study international business. I thought this was the room. That’s what one of the guys said downstairs.”

Felix feels some pity for you. You must be a new student, judging from how you were lost in the building which was the least easy to get lost in. He remembers when he was new and found out that Seungmin would not be with him when he had his classes he went into a slight panic mode because he had a tendency to get lost easily, too. So he decides to help you out, being the kind of guy he is.

“Where were you supposed to be?” Felix asks you.

“Uh…” You pause to look down at your phone and squint a little, despite your glasses. Maybe they were fake. “It says D2.8. That’s here, right?”

Felix offers a sympathetic smile. “You’re in the wrong building.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah, it’s not too far…” Felix waits for a moment, realising that he would be murdered by his parents for ditching someone who needed some help. “I can take you there, if you like?”

He’d miss his class for helping someone out, no one in there talked to him anyway. Felix was talkative if he had people to talk to, but no one even wanted to sit next to him in there. There was a bundle of things Felix could complain about, but now he was helping you.

“I’m Felix, by the way.” He sticks out his hand for your to shake, earning a curious look from you. “Bit of a strange way to meet, huh?”

You smile softly at his joke. “Terrible way to meet. Now I’m going to be late and I’m making you late too. It’s terrible karma. I’m (Y/N).”

Cute name. Felix doesn’t know if it means anything special, but he repeats it a few times in his head because it sounds cute. Felix was a fan of name collecting, he liked hearing people’s names because names are the most personal thing someone can tell you. He remembers what Seungmin has told him about demonology and fairies too.

“Did you just move here?”

“To Korea?” you ask. Felix raises an eyebrow, considering that your Korean is almost perfect, you must be from somewhere in Korea. He can’t work out your accent. “Yeah, I did actually. My parents moved around a lot when I was younger but I wanted to come to Korea for university. I figured it would be cool to see.”

Felix hums. “Yeah, I get you. I lived in Australia for a while before my parents told me to come back here to study. I kinda wanted to meet all the family I never got to before. Are you liking Korea?”

“It’s beautiful here. Literally, I find myself walking around a lot because of how much there is to see. Probably will get me in some trouble one day, walking around a late at night. I don’t know if it’s as safe here as it was where I was from.”

“Well, if you need someone to walk with I’m always free,” Felix tells you with a smile. He may have accidentally started to flirt but it was definitely an accident because Felix couldn’t intentionally flirt to save his life. He just rolls with it; you’re cute and this must have been a sign.

Felix knew he was the world’s worst unintentional flirt. He didn’t mean to say the things he did but when they left his mouth and he was left staring at the face of someone who was realising that he was flirting with them, he felt worse about it than he should have. It just came out, it was natural for him.

And he realises that, with you, his flirting comes more often than he can account for.

The subtle problem of flirting with you becomes a bigger problem over time, since you’re not the girl that he walked to class when she was lost anymore, you end up becoming his friend over a shared number and sitting together in the library. Not that he studies. Felix sits opposite to Jeongin and Seungmin praying that you’ll show up and he can have some time away from dumb and dumber (self proclaimed).

There’s too many times he’s sat next to you listening to you ramble over whatever book you were reading or something that caught your attention, and he’ll absentmindedly pull his lip between his teeth as he listens to your speak. A habit that he can’t break, no matter what he tries to do.

Of anything he was appreciative to have a new friend. He had no idea how it happened. One day you were just texting since you offered to share your number and agreed to it, not yet knowing that you might have taken his walking offer as flirting, and the next you were getting lunch together and he was laughing at your jokes and expressing himself to you in a way he hadn’t quite done with anyone else.

“You just get me,” he tells you, looking across the table at you with wide eyes and a blank smile. He watches as you laugh off his comment and wishes you’d have taken it seriously, though plays along with your humour. “Like, we just understand each other.”

You hum, still amused by his expression. “Maybe it’s fate we were to meet then.”

Oh, it may just have been fate, but don’t tell Felix that. Since he loved those old style books, the ones from the Greek and Roman times, he was a big believer in your fate being decided before you were to ever have a say in it.

Any mention that fate was between you to would have had Felix shoving your key inside his lock, even if he knew it already didn’t match just by looking. Though he did check, and Felix was sure that you key was a perfect match for his lock.

Even if you were just friends.

Felix was starting to feel like that hole in his life was disappearing. He wasn’t looking to a future that didn’t exist to complete him. He didn’t even contemplate the idea of a fantasy world unless he was dreaming. His thoughts, his feelings, his memories; they were all falling down to you.

And the worst thing?

He’d only known you a matter of weeks.

It was all moving so fast for him and there was nothing that he could do about it. Felix had never experienced such a flurry of emotions which left his heart racing and eyes with hearts around them. Wasn’t it just a second ago you were lost in the building and he showed you to where you should be?

No, a second ago Felix was watching you as you told him about a show you were watching, and Felix had an unexplainable desire to kiss you. Because your lips looked soft. Because you probably tasted really nice. Because, over everything else, he wanted to have his hand in the back of your hair and feels your nails run over his skin.

Felix wasn’t experiencing imaginary feelings towards someone that he made up for the purposes of his own satisfaction. Not that he did that very much anyway. Felix just… had a story going on in his head where his life was perfect and everything went well for him.

Unfortunately life isn’t that simple, and it never would be for him.

Not with you around.

“I have something to tell you.”

Felix looks up from his laptop, surprised to hear your voice when you’d been so focused on the work you said you’d been doing. He knew you had coursework due but also knew you were leaving it to the last minute to get some sudden inspiration on the topic.

So he takes out his other earphone on the premise this was likely going to be more important that you would say it is. “What is it?”

“Nothing important,” you answer, shrugging a little in return. Felix was right, as he assumed. You were deflecting from the topic you actually wanted to share. It was important to you, and he knew that already. Felix is running a list of topics you cared about through his head until you interrupt him with the one thing he didn’t expect. “I actually met this guy?”

“This guy?” Felix repeats, unsure of what you mean. It sounded like a question you were posing to him, and Felix wasn’t entirely sure what you wanted in return.

Your blank stare means that the image of you with another guy beside you, hugging you, showing his love to you in every form, it’s pretty much on the right track. It wasn’t him who you’d met. It was a guy. “Yeah, you know. A guy.”

“Are you going to elaborate?” Felix’s irritation is clear through his properly enunciated syllables, each word clearly being presented to you. Luckily you don’t notice, likely because you’re thinking about whoever this guy is.

“Okay,” you reply with a wide smile. Felix feels bad for accidentally giving you permission to tell him about something he really doesn’t want to know about. He could listen to you talk for years, he could sit across from you and watch your pretty lips explain any topic picked out of a hat, though to tell him that the love he was feeling for you, even if he didn’t realise as of yet that it was love, that wasn’t something he could sit by. “We’re going on a date tomorrow.”

And god did that piss him off.

His fake smiles might not have been obvious to you, and for that he’s glad, though anyone else who really looked at how Felix responded to your questions would have been able to tell that he was not, in the slightest, happy for you.

He could feign that reaction to you.

He could act like every little thing you told him about your dates, about your newly certified best friend or, even worse, boyfriend, really didn’t affect him that much.

But Seungmin noticed the very first time there was a problem not being addressed.

“She’s with Hyunjin.”

Felix’s statement is enough to catch the attention of Jeongin as well as Seungmin, the pair looking to Felix like he’d revealed an entirely new plot of lore to a game they’ve all been playing. The latter frowns at a new name in the puzzle.

“Who’s Hyunjin?” Seungmin asks.

Felix shrugs, looking back to his laptop. He has messenger open and an unread message to you staring right back at him. You were never the quickest at responding but it had been a few hours now and you’d stopped replying halfway through a conversation. “Just this guy.”

His explanation isn’t the clearest, but the other two are smart enough to realise what he’s referring to. Jeongin notices the discontent in his elder’s voice though doesn’t say anything. The youngest is usually quiet about things like this and brings them up at a later date when things get awkward.  

Instead, it’s Seungmin who misses the point completely and, given that the time you’ve spent with him too, believes wholeheartedly that Felix cares just as much about your happiness as his own.

“Damn, lucky her,” Seungmin states, placing his phone down on the table. He ignores the questioning look that Felix shoots him, focusing more on you, as Felix should have been doing. “It’s good she found someone who doesn’t just wanna smash and pass.”

Felix is happy that Seungmin ignores the pressing issue of why you were skimmed over so quickly. Why Felix, as your best friend, had nothing else to offer on the topic apart from that guy and a name that he had put to a face far too many times, since he couldn’t get it out of his head that you were now going to be with someone that he didn’t a, know that well, and b, wasn't him.

Yeah, Hyunjin was the kind of guy everyone would like to be with. He was an athlete that was kind of stuck up in his ways and, rather obnoxiously, wore his sports gear around campus like he wanted everyone and their mum to know exactly who he was and what he did.

It was enough for Felix to roll his eyes each time he saw the taller guy with nice skin hanging around.

And honestly, he gets it.

Felix understands your attraction to him, because Hwang Hyunjin was a very common topic in the cafeteria in one of the buildings and apparently every girl is swooning over his tall frame, pretty eyes and plump lips. There was also his majestically styled hair, the fact he could dance, and his accent when he spoke English.

Felix contemplates the true power of his Australian accent because of that one. He really thought that girls liked it, since he knew the other Australian on campus, Chan, was a big hit with girls since they liked his voice.

Though now he’s thinking that’s more to do with the fact Chan can sing.

It was beside the point, Felix had realised that the key you held in your hands wasn’t fitting lock completely. It touched every pin, though it missed the pin that he needed so badly.

He couldn’t help but want to hear that things weren’t working out for you. He would have begged to hear you sit down one day, distract him from his coursework, and openly tell him that you thought Hyunjin was terrible at something.

The problem was that Hyunjin was amazing at everything. All the way from contact sports to stealing your heart without a trace left for Felix.

It was always Hyunjin this and Hyunjin that for you. Felix would listen like the good friend he was though he would never actually say a word to you because he was worried he would tell you something crazy if he opened his mouth.

You know, like, I love you. Not him.

It’s one day after you’ve been together a few weeks that Felix stumbles across a topic that he thinks may catch the athlete out. They were yet to meet, but the absence of your presence on his social media (that Felix was unashamed to admit he was stalking, for your benefit of course) and the way that you presented Hyunjin gave him one impression.

Hyunjin wasn’t very capable of emotions.

“Does he love you?” Felix asks, words louder than the TV in the distance.

You look over to him, eyes wide. You’re not sure if you’ve heard him correctly, though it’s likely that you did given the stern look he’s returning you with. You look back to the TV momentarily, swallowing your pride and deciding to answer him anyway.

“It’s been three weeks, why would he love me?”

Your reply is enough to send Felix to silence, wondering whether he fell in love with you within 3 weeks. He thinks he did, he thinks that by week 2 he was enamoured by your smile and his heart would miss a beat each time your laughed. Week 3 for him must have been about when he stopped wondering whether his heart going doki doki was an indicator that you were his soulmate.

Before he gets judged, he was just struggling with his emotions on the opposite end to Hyunjin.

Whilst Hyunjin appeared to not be able to show them, Felix had far too many of them and he wanted out.

Emotions hurt too damn much. All Felix wanted was a peaceful time at university, to get his degree and move on so he can go onto writing the book he always dreamed about whilst he gets his qualifications to go into forensic psychology, since that was a pretty cool unit when he studied it.

It was far from peaceful for him, though, especially within his own thoughts. The only escape Felix gets is when he approaches Jeongin in the hopes the youngest could offer some advice in the form of… Felix not having to deal with his thoughts on his own.

“Because he probably doesn’t,” Jeongin states. His statement causes Felix’s heart to skip more beats than the boy would ever be happy to admit. Jeongin looks over to a couple that are sat near to them, watching them for a moment before he turns back to Felix. “I heard they got together at that party. He did just wanna smash and pass after all.”

Felix frowns at the thought. He didn’t go out with you often, but he thought you were on a more conservative side. He didn’t know jack shit about your relationship with Hyunjin but he thought it was more than that. You were comfortable with Hyunjin, more so than with Felix it seemed, and he couldn’t imagine that Hyunjin was with you this whole time just to do that with you.

So Felix defends Hyunjin for some reason, believing it was in betterment to you. “You don’t know that.”

“I do,” Jeongin states. The youngest chews on the straw of his drink for a moment, then sips some of his drunk. Felix only looks on with discontent, his point unproven. “Because I’m an expert when it comes to love.”

Felix can only scoff at the statement. Yang Jeongin was many things, but the boy was too nervous to talk to girls and went as far as avoiding group work with anyone he wasn’t friends with. Honestly, girls scared him, and Felix was very aware of that fact. The only thing that Jeongin had to his advantage was that he always listened, and he always knew what was going on behind the scenes. It was the emotions bit he didn’t get.

“Find me someone to love, then.”

“I can’t.” Jeongin’s reply cuts a little too deep at Felix’s ego. The younger defends himself with a blasé statement and shrug. “You don’t want to love anyone.”

“What do you mean?” Felix asks, all the while knowing that Jeongin’s statement wasn’t too far from the truth.

It’s not that he didn’t want to love anyone, it was that he didn’t want to love anyone but you.

It’s an unfortunate fact that Felix faces when he’s sat out in the darkness you like so much, the stars shining down on him and the moon offering a calming cup of reality and sympathy.

He doesn’t see you out, even though he knows this is where you would have passed at the exact time he was sat there - not that he was a stalker, he just remembers you saying from before.  He knows you’re off somewhere with Hyunjin, enjoying the love you feel for someone other than him.

His heart feels like breaking.

Felix sits on the bench until the sun starts to rise and the birds are catching the worms, eyes fixated on the path he wished that he was walking on that day when you met Hyunjin.

Oh, how things would be different.

Instead of moping around about it, he returns home with his under eyes red and head thumping from tiredness. He sleeps for about fifteen hours when he finally lays face down in bed, covers not even over him, the last thought on his mind being that he should just tell you.

Tell you how each time you look in his direction he’s reminded that the sun is a star.

Tell you how each time he hears your name he’s reminded of the peace that comes alongside the cosmos.

Tell you how, no matter what you do, he’s so effortlessly in love with you that his heart is about to burst like a supernova.

But you’re just a blackhole that can’t give anything back to him.

He thinks about it all day, knees hugged to his chest and headphones on. The right amount of sad songs convincing him that being honest is the best way forward. He considers calling you, but at the back of his head there’s a lingering thought that he doesn’t want to have you reject him without him seeing your face.

So he asks you to meet him the next day instead, hoping that seeing him in person might give you a little extra… well, push to actually love him back.

“I have to tell you something,” Felix says, interrupting the silence between the two of you. He realises that he’s a little louder than intended when you look up from you book and check around you both to see if anyone else is interested in the conversation, too.

“What?” you question, head turned slightly to the side in interest. “Are you okay, Felix?”

How could anyone be fine when they were going to give a confession they’d put off this entire time out of fear of rejection?

God, you had a boyfriend, this was about as pointless as the thoughts he had of you two actually being together in the future.

“Yeah.” Felix answers, his hands and voice both shaky. He pushes through it, offering the most generic of smiles he can in order to convince you that there was no other emotion running through him than… content. Yeah, he was content. Nothing else. “I’m fine”

“You look like you’re going to pass out.”  

Way to state the obvious.

Felix feels like he’s going to pass out, too. Or at least throw up a few hundred times in response to coming to terms with his feelings for you that he’s pushed to the back of his mind for more time than he can remember.

He wonders if he can avoid all of this by staring at you and creeping you out enough that you just leave and you never talk to him again. Who is Felix kidding, you are too kind to do that. You’d have tried to be the best friend that you can if you though he was going through something.

So he works up the courage to tell you what he wanted to, albeit slowly, and finally admit to you that he had a never ending string of feelings for you that he couldn’t get to go away no matter how many times he tried to.

Except your phone starts ringing and his heart stops beating completely.

Your look is apologetic for what you think he’s going to tell you. Felix can at least appreciate that. “Hold on, Hyunjin is calling me. Can it wait five minutes?”

He realises then that he could never tell you.

Hyunjin was always there to block him off, put your attention elsewhere when the one you really needed to be paying attention to was Felix.

It wasn’t even like Felix could put a logical reason to it. He wasn’t better than Hyunjin in anyway. He wasn’t more attractive, he wasn’t taller, he wasn’t any more talented. They had their individual things and Felix was just mad you loved Hyunjin instead of him.

At first he gets a bit angry. A thrown book, a thrash at his pillow, two screams into the blanket at the side of his bed. Felix lets out his anger for this whole situation in a matter of seconds in the hopes that things will die down in his head.

The thoughts were back. The ideas of a fantasy realm where he was in love with someone, and they were in love with him too. He was back to searching for a key to his heart and no matter what he did, you were always the one leading the search for him.

That’s what hurt him the most.

No matter what he did, no matter how many times he tried to get your face out of his mind, you managed to weasel your way straight back to the front of his mind and it left him more pissed off than ever before.

So he decides to act like nothing has changed. To try his best and accept that you don’t love him, you love Felix, and instead of thinking so negatively he would try to support you in the best way he can as your best friend.

Which works for the better part of a few weeks.

He listens to your rants about how good Hyunjin is to you. He sits back and lets you tell him every little detail, even the ones he doesn’t particularly want to hear, because he wants to be a good friend to you. There’s part of him that really wants you to see how good he is to you, and that same part of him hopes you’ll adjust your feelings just a touch to see him in the same way you did Hyunjin.

It gets easier over time for Felix, anyway. The days pass by like nothing and instead of being caught up in the thoughts of wanting you to love him back, he’s back to enjoying spending time with you and looking forward to the next time he saw you.

He feels that everything is back on track and that it’s all going well.

That is until he meets you one day and you’re fixed with nothing but a blank stare and teary eyes.

Felix does the whole good friend act like always, he buys you a hot chocolate with cream and marshmallows, he finds you a good place to sit, he even offers you the latest take on an album from your favourite artist and offers to buy it for you in the hopes it will cheer you up.

He expects you to say there was an argument, but the way you look into the distance like something is missing, a look he knows all too well, tells him that this is more than just a Hyunjin argument.

“We broke up.”

Felix isn’t surprised to hear the words leave you, especially when you’d spent the entire day quieter than you’d ever been before. He feels more anger than sympathy in his heart, mind falling on the one person he thought had caused him problems this entire time.

“Hyunjin broke up with you?” He asks, eliciting little more than a nod.

It has to sit with him for a few hours before it sinks in to him. Though you’re by his side the whole time, sat next to him watching whatever movie you wanted to put on, Felix can’t quite wrap his head around the fact that you aren’t dating Hyunjin anymore.

Even a few days later, weeks even, Felix doesn't feel like anything has changed.

At first he thinks it’s because Hyunjin isn’t around at all anyway. His presence wasn’t suddenly missed, there was never a group of Felix’s friends that involved Hyunjin. Instead it was just the lack of his name in conversation and an inability to refer to your boyfriend when the opportunity arose.

It takes a while to occur to Felix that, despite the image of a dastardly boy who stole away his princess which came to mind when thinking on Hyunjin, the main issue at hand was never that he loved you.

No, Hyunjin never asked you to love him, and nor did he force it either.

It dawns on Felix when he hears you say to one of your other friends in the corridor that you were looking at dating sites because you wanted to find someone who could replace Hyunjin. Not even a glance in Felix’s direction the entire conversation.

When he gets home, sits on his bed and stares at the wall for twenty minutes, he realises the comment he can deduct from the entire situation.

Hyunjin was never Felix’s problem.

You were the problem this entire time.

You were in love with Hyunjin and you had all of these feelings which never pointed to Felix and you never wanted to give Felix the chance to show you, prove to you that he cared for you and would have treated you better than anyone else ever could.

And he shouldn’t take it personally, because sometimes love is unrequited.

Felix is left with a dilemma which means he’s in love with you, a girl who won’t ever consider him more than your best friend. He’s not sure what to do, because he still knows that telling you is pointless. A confession would drive you apart and your friendship means a lot to him.

But the endless nights of insomnia and wandering thoughts at points in the class where he really didn’t want to be thinking about you, they catch up to him.

He draws the line in caring when he realises his chance is back to zero. Though it might be selfish, he values the idea of a peaceful night's sleep without your face popping up to remind him of what he wished to escape so badly.

Sometimes you have to let go of what you love, in order to show you love them.

“This is Changbin,” you say, introducing the boy to your side. He looks a little shy. He has his hair hanging over his face, shirt too big for him but suiting the rock band guitarist look he was going for. Felix hides his sickening feeling with a smile and offer of a seat. You don’t notice the look in his eyes that he would with you. You don’t see how he’s left with nothingness filling the space around him once again. “I hope you get on well.”

You don’t see how Felix is left at the bottom of a dark pit, none of which fit the lock he’s got wrapped over and over around his heart.

The light you shone down onto him is switched off by the plug. He can’t see his shining, silver key that he thought you were pointing out to him, he’s surrounded by a pile of keys that he’s been trying for years to no avail.

You were a rainbow in the darkness that showed him a path forward, but he was hoping for so much more.

[bronzeflower]

Present Mic Merch

Also on ao3

Chapter 1: Five

-----

1: Coffee Mug

Everyone knew that Aizawa had a Present Mic brand coffee mug.

It wasn't all that strange. Most of Class 2-A just assumed that Present Mic himself gave it to Aizawa as a gag gift, but Aizawa chose to use it because it was practical to or because it was the one he kept in the office. There was no reason to keep a coffee cup if you didn't use it.

The strangeness came from when it was dropped and shattered to many pieces on the ground. This in of itself wasn't all that strange, and the shards were soon picked up and thrown away while the leftover coffee was easily wiped up.

What was strange was when Aizawa walked in the next day with a different Present Mic brand coffee cup.

This one was a lot more noticeable. Aizawa's normal mug was white with a simple "Put Your Hands Up!" written on it in black, along with a drawing of a microphone. It was simple, practical, and didn't draw too much attention to itself.

This new mug was bright yellow with a chibi Present Mic on it next to bright and bubbly letters that spelled out "Banana Dreamer."

No one said anything about it. But they noticed. And they also noticed when Aizawa came in two days later with a brand new mug that was identical to his old on.

Nobody said anything. But they talked amongst themselves about it, wondering about it.

Perhaps the mug wasn't a gag gift at all.

2: Sunglasses

Class 2-A was taking a trip to the beach for training. It was supposed to be an event where they practiced using their skills and quirks in difficult terrain, but they also got breaks to just have fun in the sun.

This meant swimsuits and sunglasses and sandcastles and everything else people brought to the beach.

Midoriya was wearing his All Might brand swim trunks and was going over to see if Kouda and Tokoyami wanted any assistance with their sandcastle when he noticed something odd about Aizawa.

Now, Aizawa was basically the same as always, trying to take a nap under an umbrella, even if he was wearing a striped black and gray 1920s swimsuit. But there was something else Aizawa was wearing that caught Midoriya's attention.

Aizawa had Present Mic brand sunglasses. It was one of the subtler designs, but Midoriya was a true hero otaku, and he could recognize them from a mile away.

After Tokoyami confirmed that they would need some seaweed, Midoriya took to the ocean where Uraraka and Todoroki were.

"Guys, Aizawa-sensei is wearing Present Mic sunglasses," Midoriya kept his voice low as he rummaged the sea for broken off bits of seaweed.

"Seriously?" Uraraka gasped in surprise. "I didn't even notice. That's so weird!"

"I know right? It's totally unexpected! I mean, I get the mug and all, but sunglasses?"

"But he did replace the mug," Uraraka pointed out. "It would be hard to believe that Mic-sensei gave the same exact one as a gag gift. What do you think, Todoroki?"

Todoroki thought deeply.

"Maybe...Aizawa-sensei collects Present Mic merchandise."

"Wha? But I can't really imagine it at all," Midoriya said.

The three of them collectively imagined Aizawa having a room filled to the brim with Present Mic merch.

"No way, no way he does that!" Uraraka insisted. "He just seems like too much of a guy whose place is completely empty and devoid of anything except a bed."

Midoriya nodded furiously.

"Mic-sensei and Aizawa-sensei are good friends though, right?" Todoroki asked. "So Aizawa-sensei might be trying to support Present Mic by purchasing his merchandise."

"That's...actually kind of cute," Uraraka gushed.

"I feel like it's way more possible that that's the case. It's still difficult to think that Aizawa-sensei has a lot of merch, but I suppose it would make sense if the miscellaneous practical items he has are Present Mic brand."

"Do you think he has Present Mic brand pencils?" Todoroki questioned, which made Midoriya and Uraraka burst out laughing before Midoriya suddenly had a very serious face.

"Wait...he might...Present Mic brand pencils look the same as regular pencils except for the label by the No. 2 says Present Mic."

"...Do you think that's why he never lets anyone borrow pencils?"

They laughed at the concept, Midoriya got the seaweed for Kouda and Tokoyami's really awesome sandcastle, and they didn't think more of it.

3: Cats and Clothing

It was always terrible to run into your teacher in the grocery store. Kouda knew this more than most because he didn't particularly care for talking, and it was infinitely more awkward to engage in conversation with a teacher.

It was also terrible when they expected him to actually talk.

So when Kouda saw Aizawa in the grocery store looking at different brands of cat food, he was completely ready to turn the other direction and never come to that store ever again.

Except that Aizawa was looking ever so intensely at the cat food, and Kouda was ever the animal lover, so Kouda nervously tapped Aizawa on the shoulder to get his attention.

"Oh, Kouda," Aizawa greeted. "What do you need?"

"Ah, well," Kouda flustered before signing. 'Are you trying to figure out which cat food to buy?'

Kouda was expecting Aizawa to just kind of stare or inform him that he didn't understand sign language, but to his surprise, Aizawa turned towards him more fully to sign back at Kouda, which also revealed that Aizawa was wearing a "Put Your Hands Up Radio" t-shirt, the one where the words were surrounded by a pair of headphones.

'The brand I usually buy was discontinued,' Aizawa explained. 'And my cats are kind of picky.'

'How many cats do you have?' Kouda asked.

'Three.'

'I'd get one of the higher-end brands like this one,' Kouda stopped signing to point to the brand he often used to feed stray cats he found. 'Mind if I ask what the names of your cats are?'

'Jelly, Sofa, and Present Meow,' Aizawa answered.

'What do they look like,' Kouda said, but internally thought about how he didn't imagine Aizawa picking those kinds of names for his cats. It was just unexpectedly cute.

It was also a little strange that one of them was named after Present Mic, but Kouda wasn't going to point that out.

Aizawa brought out his phone and showed a few photos of the cats to Kouda.

Jelly was a white cat with large black spots who was very fluffy and was apparently very cuddly. Sofa was a light brownish color with a missing ear who was ready to play at all times. And Present Meow was a ginger cat who was missing his tail and was also very loud and whiny when he wasn't getting attention.

'They're very cute. It looks like you take good care of them,' Kouda signed, and Aizawa gave a proud smile.

'Thanks for the help. I'll see you at school.'

With that, Aizawa grabbed the cat food and walked away, which revealed the fact that the jeans he was wearing were also Present Mic brand due to the microphone stitched on the back pocket of the jeans.

Kouda told Tokoyami later, and while Tokoyami was skeptical of the outfit Aizawa was wearing, he understood Kouda wasn't one to lie.

4: Music Album

Jirou was overwhelmed.

Present Mic had recently released a new album, and it seemed that every single Present Mic fan in Japan had come to Beatz and Bopz, the music store Jirou's parents owned and where Jirou worked part-time.

It was probably due to the fact that Beatz and Bopz had received five hundred signed copies of Present Mic's latest album, and that meant they were prime hero memorabilia.

Jirou wouldn't admit it, but she purchased one for herself before she opened the store. Present Mic was her favorite hero. She knew she could have gotten one of the normal ones and then gotten her teacher to sign it, but it was just way too weird to ask.

Jirou expected the onslaught of people who were willing to pay extra for a signed copy. She expected the cosplayers, the rockers, the generally music inclined, and the general hero otakus.

She wasn't even all that surprised when Midoriya showed up, even if she was pretty sure he preferred All Might over Present Mic although she guessed he was a huge fan of all heroes.

What Jirou wasn't expecting was when Aizawa walked in to buy the CD.

Jirou had seen the line out there when she went to open the store. It went past the block. Aizawa absolutely had to have stood in line for several hours to get exclusive rights to one of the five hundred signed copies of the album "Living Louder."

Jirou didn't have time to comment. She was too busy trying to do crowd control, so she rung up Aizawa without complaint, who didn’t buy just one, but two, and he left as soon as he came, seemingly content with not saying anything about the reason he purchased the album, much less two of them.

"Aizawa showed up to Beatz and Bopz to buy the new Present Mic album," Jirou said to the Bakusquad after the fact.

"So?" Bakugou asked in his usual angry tone.

“So,” Jirou countered. “He bought the signed version. Two of them.”

“What!?” Kaminari exclaimed. “He did!? I tried to get one but didn’t get there early enough! He must have been standing out there for hours!”

“Yeah, and why would he buy two?” Kirishima questioned.

“Obviously he got one for someone else!” Ashido theorized. “It’d be weird otherwise, right?”

“Why didn’t he just buy two of the unsigned album and then get it signed by Present Mic?” Bakugou asked. “It’s stupid to pay the extra if you could get it for free.”

“Probably the same reason why I didn’t just ask Present Mic-sensei to sign one. It’s too weird,” Jirou explained. Ashido nodded in agreement.

“It’s weird to ask,” Sero repeated, agreeing.

“It’s only weird if you make it weird, dumbasses!” Bakugou shouted.

Shinsou walked into the room and looked over to the Bakusquad, his gaze fixated on Kaminari, who grinned when he noticed him.

“Hitoshi!” Kaminari hollered, practically yeeting himself off the couch and into Shinsou’s arms. Shinsou, of course, caught him and returned the kiss thrusted upon him by Kaminari.

“Hey,” Shinsou greeted, a little smile on his face.

“Stop being gross!” Bakugou yelled.

“You’re just jealous!” Kaminari teased before turning his attention back to Shinsou. “How’s it going, babe?”

“Well enough,” Shinsou lightly lowered Kaminari back to a standing position. “I got something for you.”

Shinsou’s hand was on the back of his neck, and he had a light flush on his cheeks.

“Oh?”

Shinsou reached into his pocket and pulled out a signed copy of the newest Present Mic album, “Living Louder.”

“Here,” Shinsou was basically looking anywhere but Kaminari. “My Dad’s a pretty big fan of Present Mic, so I asked him to get a second album for you if he managed to get there in time.”

Kaminari delicately took the CD from Shinsou, staring at it in awe.

“Really?” Kaminari glanced up from the CD to look at Shinsou. “You’re really okay with me having this?”

“Yeah, of course,” Shinsou dared to look back at Kaminari, who pretty much immediately pulled Shinsou back into a kiss.

“Get a room!” Bakugou yelled, which the rest of the squad adamantly agreed with for once.

“Y’all are so gross,” Sero commented. Kaminari laughed at that, but he and Shinsou did actually go get a room where they went to go be gross outside of the eyeshot of others.

5: Hero Convention

Uraraka’s birthday was coming up, so Asui was searching for a present for her. It was still a little ways away, but Asui wanted to give her a gift before the winter break since she probably wouldn’t be able to see Uraraka during her actual birthday.

This search for a gift landed her at a hero convention because Asui knew that Thirteen was Uraraka’s favorite hero, but she didn’t necessarily always have the money to get merchandise for them, so Asui figured some kind of Thirteen merchandise would be well received.

Asui was also a practical gift giver, so the Thirteen brand jackets seemed like a perfect choice, especially since Uraraka’s current jacket looked a little worse for wear.

She opted to walk around the convention after finding the gift and getting it wrapped.

While she did, she noticed Aizawa.

“Hello, Aizawa-sensei,” Asui greeted, being close enough to him that seeing and greeting him in public wasn’t all that strange.

“Ah, hello, Asui,” Aizawa responded, looking up from the Present Mic figures he was observing. “What brings you here?”

“Ochaco’s birthday is coming up,” Asui explained. “I’m getting her a Thirteen jacket, Kero.”

Aizawa nodded.

“Practical.”

It was a little difficult to not preen at the praise, or, at the very least, something very close to praise for Aizawa.

“What about you, Sensei?” Asui questioned. “What are you here for?”

“I’m only telling you because I don’t think it’ll undermine my authority too much if I tell you,” Aizawa stated, voice suddenly serious. “And I don’t think anyone will believe you if I do tell you.”

“So what are you here for?” Asui was listening very carefully to the next words Aizawa said, especially as he lowered his voice to a whisper.

“A new Present Mic figurine was released, and I heard that you could get it at this convention,” Aizawa confessed.

“Why do you want it?” Asui asked. Aizawa’s cheeks went a little pink as he answered.

“I’m his number one fan. What else, kid?”

“I won’t tell a soul,” Asui said, and Aizawa gave her one of his terrible and slightly terrifying grins.

“I know you won’t.”

And with that, they went their separate ways, and Asui kept her word.

[feastofcadavers]

Though slow to wake, Mint Choco found himself a bit lost as he gained a mild sense of consciousness. He reached to his left, where more of the bed lay, expecting a small to-do list of the day's activities as usual. Though, instead, he found a small vial. This change brought Mint a moment of surprise that barely woke him enough to sit up. Bedhead was not this cookie's friend, as it was an absolute, fluffed up mess. It was still dark... Had he caused a mess of his sleep schedule? This would not be a first time stress has altered his ways of rest. Either way, the vial... The musician brought it close, attempting to examine it in the dark.

A dark bronze with an inner black glaze with fanciful carvings, a small, looped string like that of an ornament, and a red fluid kept behind what felt to be reinforced glass... Mint was beginning to grow tired of this bloody color. With a bit of drowsy fiddling, he found it fit perfectly around his wrist. Ah, may as well keep it there. The meaning for this item could be found out later, after all...

Yawning, the green-eyed cookie started to lean back into the plush pillows and heavenly bedding. Though rather than a pure blackness of sleep, Mint was greeted with a dream.

Branches of evergreens and deciduous trees of blazing colors shed their leaves in the light, chilling wind- Though remained as though they were untouched. Sunny yellows to desert oranges, lacking red altogether. A path of blind faith, with no visible path other than the stunning blackness under the fallen leaves that crunched beneath him, led the dreamer onward. Shivering, Mint took a moment to look up to the sky and away from the endless path, to try and find a sun to receive warmth from. No luck... More inky blackness covered the sky, not a cloud in sight. The nightgown the violinist was wearing certainly did not help his lack of warmth in the slightest.

Though, upon looking back down the path, the trees changed. Evergreens diminished to shrubbery, deciduous faded from the very fabric of the dreaming plane... And a golden, shining light shown ahead- with sparks of forested green fluttering off of it like pixies swarming from their homes. Squinting, and putting a hand up to his eyes to try and shield it all from blinding him, a voice rang in his ears. It was calm, soothing... And held a tinge of German within it.

"Follow the glass. Shattered and scattered, but you will find your way. Neither of us wish to be caught in this mess, so..." The light began to shift to shades of orange, growing deeper by the word. Mint felt something was incredibly wrong, and stopped moving. In fact, he took a step back in hesitation. "Let me aid you. I will remove you of this curse with my own two hands."

The warmth shifted into aggression, and the light became overwhelming. The greens were drowned out with golds, and before Mint knew it the ground he stood upon had disappeared from him, leaving him floating in the vast emptiness of light. Odd yet perhaps unsurprising, a sense of loneliness emanated in the brightness. Keeping his eyes closed, the violinist curled in upon himself, as if to protect from what promised to 'aid him'.

"There will be a hunt. Escape the forest with my shards. Staying in the area will result in your demise, I assure you that." The voice echoed in Mint Choco's mind, and though he despised it, he couldn't resist it. The sound of a slice right next to him shook him, and the moment he opened his eyes, all he could see were two stripes of green before-

In a cold sweat, the horrified violinist shot up, gripping at his chest as momentary panic consumed him. It would die down- of course- but that utter excuse for a 'good night's sleep' wouldn't leave him be without some afterthoughts. Whatever this 'hunt' was, whatever that light was... It was going to follow him through the rest of...

Wait- It was already daylight? Oh, how utterly wonderful. Grand. Not an irritating sight to behold whatsoever.

[cowboysandcannolis]

What a Waste of a Lovely Night (Micah Bell X Female Reader. Some 18+ Content.)

The dynamic night sky above you was incredible, arguably the most beautiful thing that you had ever seen. An expanse of purple velvet with veins of increasingly dark navy and fading turquoise, and of course, a peppering of brilliant silver nuggets.

The sun had finally sunk to the west, stamping out the unbearable heat that was drying out the land, even though summer had hardly began. The night was wonderfully cool and the gentle breeze made you feel as if you could breathe once more...

You stared up in awe at the wonder above you, legs swinging out into empty air as you sat on the canyon wall. You had forgotten that you were not camping entirely alone up on Caliban’s Seat.

“Ahem-“

Micah Bell, that’s right. You two were watching and waiting for a wagon to roll through the valley bellow. From what intel you gathered it was carrying important weapons and explosives that the O'Driscolls had acquired for an upcoming score. Dutch had ordered that the two of you be there to stop it as it rolled in at about midnight. In the meantime you were just trying to pretend that the other didn’t exist.

“Ain’t polite to ignore your company, Miss” Micah drawled as he sat at the small campfire behind you. The camp you had set up earlier was nothing fancy, a small fire, two bedrolls and some basic provisions.

“Well, I’m sorry.” You scoffed jadedly, resting your jaw on your palm, eyes still cast skyward, longingly.

“You never get to see a night this pretty..” You couldn’t help it but sound wistful. You were a sucker for vibrant sunrises and sets, an interest you could only ever talk to Arthur about. Everyone else, besides Mary-Beth, would call you a dreamer, just like you were certain Micah was about to do.

“Well ain’t that a damn shame.” Micah called behind you sardonically, though you were surprised when you heard him rise from the fire, the creaking of leather signaling to you that he was drawing near. Your muscles tensed, half convinces he would shove you down to the valley below. You didn’t know him terribly well and you knew he could be cruel, especially to the dreamers in camp. He liked to crush them under his heel and would no doubt do the same to you.

Instead the older man sat beside you, letting out a puff of cigarette smoke that looked silver in the bright light that the moon and stars cast down upon the two you.

“Well, we might as well enjoy it, hm? Got hours before that wagon comes through...” Micah drawled as you turned your head to meet his pale gaze. You had never been this close to the man before. In this light and at this range you could see every hard earned scar and blemish on his face. And perhaps it was a trick of the light, but you couldn’t help but think that he looked handsome.

“Hm.” You hummed in agreement “Yes, we might as well. You know...” You nipped at your lip, you knew you shouldn’t say it but the night had cast its spell all too soon. “I bet someone out there is enjoying all this beauty. Someone findin’ it romantic.” With that you found some extra courage, plucking the cigarette from where it rested between his thick fingers and bringing it to your lips. “What a waste of a lovely night...”

He gave a low chuckle, watching as the smoke escaped your pretty mouth and into the night air.

“Well, who am I to crush a lady’s dream..” His hand moved to your thigh, easily spanning it and you felt yourself twitch. You turned your head away to hide a smile and he took that as a invitation, licking a stripe on the side of your neck. Your eyes went wide, dropping the smoldering cigarette into the canyon below.

As he began to nibble at your throat his one hand skillfully popped the button on your jeans, dipping a few calloused fingers in so he could press against your intimates and you instinctively bucked into him, whimpering slightly.

“Easy does it, girl..” He snickered...

Needless to say you saw plenty of that beautiful night sky, the best view was when it framed Micah above you as he moved rhythmically inside of you. You would remember this moment forever; how perfect the night truly was, how wonderful you felt, how handsome he looked above you. How Micah Bell let an O'Driscoll score go without any fight...

Now that the night had quieted down significantly you noticed how the crickets chirped, the fire flies lazily lit up the grasses around your bedroll, and a firm arm grasped around your waist. You now had a moment to consider the evening, perhaps it wasn’t such a waste after all.