#the other 10% goes to Sven

[cheesecake-beech]

Who is more protective? For Sven x Alan

I'd say they're both REALLY protective, but even w Alan being clingy, giving it to Sven. He PROTECTS his smaller bf.

Oh, Alan. 90%

[greatqueenanna]

Frozen 3 - What We Know So Far - 2024

(Note - official F3 concept art released during D23 2024)

(Edit on 6/9/24 - Added the confirmation of Kristen Bell's return and made some grammar corrections.)

(Edit on 8/10/24 - Added new information released during D23 August, 2024)

(Edit on 8/13/24 - Changing some misleading wording choices, fixing some grammar mistakes, and adding quote from D23.)

(Edit on 8/14/24 - Added alleged release date for F3.)

(Edit on 8/23/24 - Added confirmed release date (or, goal) and some development)

As with the my 2023 F3 news post, I wanted to make a post that highlights everything we learn in 2024. I have linked the previous year's post below, so you can see the articles and references directly.

This post will be updated the more we learn about Frozen 3. Keep checking to see if any new news is added as the year goes by.

What We Know So Far - 2023

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What We Know

Frozen 3 is releasing in November 24th, 2027. It was delayed from 2026. Jennifer Lee confirmed that they are aiming for this date.

Frozen 3 is having its story separated into two films.

The team is working on F3 and F4 at the same time.

F3 and F4 are still in early development.

Marc Smith is head of story.

Jennifer Lee is producing and overseeing the project.

Idina Menzel and Josh Gad have confirmed that they are returning. Kristen Bell has also confirmed, but through a temporary Instagram story.

The Lopezes are returning to write the songs.

Only the main films (and possibly short films as well) will be considered canon to F3 and F4.

The writers are trying to answer lingering questions, including more Ahtohallan and Nature Spirits lore, more explanation about Elsa's powers and why Anna does not have magic, Anna's role as Queen, Anna and Kristoff's future plans for children, if Kristoff will be King, Kristoff and Sven's past, what happened to Prince Hans, and more about the Frozen Heart concept.

It has been confirmed that no story leaks have released online, and everything has been kept a secret.

What We Don't Know

Frozen 4 release date.

If Johnathan Groff, or any other major voice actor is returning to the project. Although, it is heavily implied that at least Johnathan Groff will return.

If Chris Buck, director of the previous two films and Frozen Fever, is returning to the project.

The Director(s) of the Film.

The Main Writer(s) of the Film.

------

More information and article and video links under the read more.

A couple articles and videos that were missed in 2023.

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In November, Josh Gad did an interview on The View to discuss his new Broadway show Gutenberg! The Musical. Here, he also teased that Frozen 3's story will be Mind blowing, and also hinted that the entire cast of the main five protagonists will return.

"I could share things with you, but Disney would literally escort me out of the building with armed security No, apparently there are two Frozen sequels in development right now — surprise! Equally surprised — and I know Jennifer Lee, who wrote and directed the first two, is hard at work with the team right now. I’ve heard a little bit and I can tell you guys, it’s pretty mind-blowing what’s coming. It’s pretty exciting. And it’s been so great because Kristen, Idina and Jonathan have all come to be guest producers on Gutenberg! The Musical. So we’ll come backstage and we’ll all talk Frozen and then talk this other thing." - Josh Gad

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Also in November, Jennifer Lee did another interview, this time with GamesRadar, where she claimed that Frozen 3 has a lot of story to tell, and that is why it was separated into two films.

"We're really excited about where they're going, and we just have a lot of story to tell with that direction we're going in. So, I think, in my head, there may be enough for two in that story. But I'm really, really loving working with the team and where they're going." - Jennifer Lee

----

Later on in December, Peter Del Vecho did an interview with The Direct while promoting Wish, where he claimed that the story of Frozen 3 will be amazing.

“Look, we only do sequels if we believe there's enough story to tell. They're working on it up in development, I'm focused on 'Wish'. But it is exciting what they're working on. I will say anything that you read about it in the public, we haven't said anything about it. So it's all conjecture, but I trust that it's going to be amazing." - Peter Del Vecho

Articles and videos from 2024.

The first major news we got in 2024 was in February, when Frozen 3's released year was announced. Bob Iger confirmed that along with Toy Story 5, Frozen 3 was set to release in 2026.

----

On August 10th, 2024 - D23 brought a lot of Frozen 3 news, including the announcement of the delay to 2027, and some major questions that could lead to the main plot points of the two part film. Recording of Jennifer Lee's announcement at D23 provided by the user Keena Kindragon on Youtube.

“Coming out of Frozen 2, we still had some questions. A lot of questions actually. That was just page one. Now you know why it will take two films to answer them. Just a tease, again, just a tease(…). We are very early on, this is development art, don’t hold me to it. But if you look closely, it captures the seeds of the next epic adventure of Anna and Elsa. And some things might spark, we hope, a few new questions for all of you. Everyone at Walt Disney Animation is so excited to be back in this world, and we would not have this opportunity if it were not for all of you.”

— Jennifer Lee, D23

A more closer look at the new concept art, new logo, and questions provided below -

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On the same day, Josh Gad confirmed the release date and also showed the leaked logo artwork that was originally thought to be fake, but might actually be either an early concept or alternate version. Photo provided by @frozen-snowflakesandsunflowers

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On August 13th, Deadline released an article with release dates for multiple Disney projects, including Frozen 3. Without any official Disney sources, they stated that the release date is November 24th, 2027.

----

Thanks to @frozen-snowflakesandsunflowers, another interview was given by Jennifer Lee for Fundago on 8/21/24 where she confirmed that they are aiming for November 24th, 2027 release, that they are very early on, and that they are working on F3 and F4 at the same time.

----

[ericmicael]

And episodes 9 and 10 of the “Frozen Podcast” were released, let’s get to them.

9 - A LIGHT IN THE DARK

Starts with the obligatory break for the soldiers digging where they discuss Queen Disa's morale

Anna after dinner and opera (I don't know how many of Wolfgand's 57 songs she heard) goes to Disa's room. Disa reveals that she left because with Wolfgang asking about the automatons she couldn't handle the guilt she felt although Anna herself tries to say that no one can last long with Wolfgang. Anna again reinforces that she forgave Disa until she felt that the place became warmer, Disa explains that she has been working on Wolfgang's lamps using the copper he gave her to enhance and transform them into heaters and a way to turn them on inspired by Bruni which reminded me of a lighter. They then begin to talk about Elsa, about the qualities of the Snow Queen, but Anna states that no one can compare to her, making herself almost invisible in the face of her sister's magical talents, but this does not necessarily mean that it makes her a better queen. Anna once again reinforces Disa's scientific skills, which is something that not even Elsa herself can achieve

In the morning Disa delivers the new lamps/lanterns to her people who are amazed at the improvements in inventions. They start talking about Disa's inventions and how her father would be proud of her, but she claims that she wouldn't be since her kingdom was flooded, but the group of people boost her morale by stating how well she has been taking care of them. But when she goes to walk away, she comes across a child from Sankerhus carrying a toy made of ice by Elsa, which leaves Disa impressed with the Snow Queen's skills in creating something so beautiful with a simple movement of her hand, and later she finds Anna's sister at her show doing anything they ask. Disa praises Elsa's creations, who seems interested in talking to the other queen about the Sankerhus sovereign's own creations, but the conversation is interrupted by the people of the kingdom presenting how Disa's inventions have helped their lives, which Elsa herself calls of magic. Then someone asks Elsa to make something out of ice for Queen Disa, the black woman tries to avoid the subject, but the Snow Queen says she would love to and just by looking at the other woman she can understand her feelings and create a telescope for her, which impresses Disa with the immense detail and functions. Disa then says that she needs to go check her ship, but wants to meet Elsa again and they arrange that before the Snow Queen leaves back to the Enchanted Forest she will come and say goodbye to the Queen of Sankerhus

Upon arriving at her ship, Disa meets Kristoff who has brought wood to help repair the damage. Sven appears to be a little afraid of getting on the ship and crossing the water, but Kristoff grabs the wood and climbs up next to Disa, having a little difficulty walking on it due to the rocking of the ship in the water. They end up going to Disa's workplace, which is quite messy, while she talks about being there as her private moment away from people. Kristoff says he understands Disa's side and mentions the trolls, another surprise for the Queen of Sankerhus. The woman creates a theory that it is because Kristoff knows trolls that magic doesn't surprise him, Disa shows the telescope made by Elsa as one of those examples of magic that can appear out of nowhere and she doesn't understand, Krisoff says that is exactly what point: magic is not something one understands which confuses Disa as a logical person and scientist. Kristoff tries to help her understand magic better by comparing it with the unpredictability of life, but all this mystery around magic, real magic, disturbs Disa. Then the conversation turns to the automatons where Disa doesn't want to disappoint Anna again although she continues working on them, but I guarantee that they won't leave her work table. Starting to leave, Kristoff ends up tripping over the wood he brought because of the rocking of the ship, letting them fall on one of the spiders, which freaks out and starts running around the ship.

10 - ABANDON SHIP!

Back to the soldiers digging. They are looking forward to the sequel after the new cliffhanger. The female soldier defends the creation of a friendship between Elsa and Disa although some are skeptical, but she says that Anna has never been wrong about her view of people except in the case of Hans (although his name is not mentioned) adds another although the woman still tries to defend Anna

Inside Disa's workplace, the two try to control the spiders that have gone crazy, but end up creating even greater confusion as they try to deactivate them. The automatons end up destroying a good part of Disa's things and even damaging the ship, which begins to take on water

Meanwhile Wolfgang is still taking care of his opera with Mattias, Olaf and the couple of birds participating in the song. But Magnus ends up drawing everyone's attention to the window where they can see Disa's ship that appears to be sinking, and so everyone comes together to help

At the same time, Anna says goodbye to Elsa with a hug, but says she wants the next visit to be a simple game night. Anna then begins to name the participants: the two sisters, Kristoff, Olaf, Sven, even Elsa herself mentions Disa, Anna is happy that Elsa wanted to include Disa in the game night, but Elsa was talking about Sankerhus' ship that was sinking

Mattias ends up meeting with the sisters, he claims he doesn't know if they are under attack, but asks the woman to stay safe while he and his troops investigate the situation, but he doesn't even finish the sentence and Anna has already left

Unable to contain the automaton or repair the ship, Disa gives the order to abandon ship. But due to the confusion, they end up having to escape using a rope, being helped by the crew, and jumping into the water since they don't have time to get to the boats. The only good thing in Disa's opinion is that, as a result, the automatons got out of control would be deactivated with the sinking. Anna, Elsa and Mattias come to rescue them, and Sven scolds Kristoff for having doubted his fear of boarding the ship.

Before Disa can explain what happened, the ship ends up capsizing and sinking, and to her surprise, all the automatons that Disa was working on emerge from the water to cause new confusion in the kingdom.

[renpimpiblog]

Yello..how are you guys doing today?

The next episode iisssss....

The one where they say nipple a lot, that is almost like, the entire point of the episode??? I'm not complaining either way, It's funny

I really like this one, the premise is pretty simple, Ren and Stimpy try another idea to get rich, they become door to door salesmen of rubber nipples, encountering a good part of the supporting characters, like the fire chief, Mr horse, and others, even though the idea of the episode is pretty mundane, they use it to twist and stretch the crazyness and insanity that characterizes the show so much, so many bizarre things happen, and it all encapsulates so well in Vincent Waller's artstyle, which is my favorite artstyle from these episodes from season 2 (you know, before him and others ended up quitting alongside John K's firing..buh)

Despite all, I think that the ONLY bad point this episode has is the ending, I get that it's supposed to be a reference to the Three stooges??? So it's supposed to be nonsensical and out of place, but I don't knooooowwww, maybe the could've made a ending that blended a lot better with the episode itself and still maintaining the reference?, but overall I really love this episode (bonus POSITIVE points goes to the Latin American dub..I love how Ren sounds so pissed off there)

I give this episode a 9/10, amazing episode, I recommend it greatly teehee

Join us next time where we'll be taking a look at "Sven Hoek" ooohohohohohhhh that one it's pretty well known so...I hope you're looking forward to it

[dracomeir]

Here are all my current AUs. Any that are underlined are linked to their story on Ao3, and any without the underline haven't been written yet. Pairings/ratings are subject change as the story progresses. Long post ahead.

Rated M

Renegade Detective (Discontinued) | #fnf renegade detective BF x Pico Detective Pico, leader of the Special Crime Forces, broke up with an incubus called Boyfriend after being betrayed by him. Years later, his worsening mental health causes him to get an emotional support demon. That demon happens to be his ex-lover, and a journey through depression, and regaining trust commences.

Soul Bound Detective (Sequel to above) After becoming mentally stable, Pico helps Boyfriend become an arch demon while they try to solve a serial murder case.

The Musical Trail | #fnf the musical trail Gibbons x Otis, BF x GF x Pico Otis always thought Pico was a hero, but when his cousin turned against the family to become the leader of bandits, his world was turned upside down. As he journeys westward, he learns family is more than just blood, and must stop the ginger's criminal activities before it's too late for redemption. (Most characters are in their mid twenties - early thirties.)

Drowning in Ecstasy (On-going) | #fnf drowning in ecstasy BF x Pico, BF x GF Not really having a purpose in life, incubus Boyfriend and security guard Pico meet each other at BF's bar one day. They learn about each other's problems, and the- Just read the summary on Ao3. It's too long for here. lmao

Life is Fleeting (Sequel to above) | #fnf life is fleeting BF x Pico, BF x GF | Major Character Death Implied After 36 years have passed, the trio open up a café & bakery combo business. The café is open from 10 AM - 2 PM, and the bakery is open from 4 PM - 7 PM. Only people with reservations will be served during café hours, and people must order a week in advance for specialty baked goods. This is how the trio enjoys life as Pico nears the end of his.

The Arsonist's Garden | #the arsonist's garden Darnell x Pico Darnell is no ordinary alchemist. He happens to work for an order of assassins working to eliminate those in power, and push towards a future where slavery is illegal. Encountering a thief with ginger hair that seemed to occasionally shed tiny embers one night, he learns that this man is not only blind, but a runaway slave. He helps him avoid his former master, but there's more to this person that causes his somewhat peaceful life to turn into one on the run.

Rated 16+

Funkin' Adventures (Complete) GF x BF x Pico Uh... Fuck if I know, but a story totaling 347,522 words separated into multiple arcs for easier reading. This series is the first thing I've written after years of not writing, so the quality goes up, down, and all around.

Sanity's Embrace | #sanity's embrace Darnell x Pico With the death of his father, angel Darnell is given the crowned halo along with the king's final wish. His unorthodox way of ruling causes doubt to stir in the royal council, and his sanity is questioned as the path of blazing destruction tempts him everyday.

Odyssey of the Sea Pico x Darnell Pirate Captain Pico, and his first mate Nene stumble upon the underwater city Atlantis. After being caught attempting to steal an artifact, they are thrown into a water filled cell where they meet a mermaid called Darnell who was imprisoned for simply "playing" with fire.

FNF Soft: Detective's HeART (Complete) Toughie x Softie, Sven x Grace (Not focused on a lot) Detective Pico was tasked to solve a robbery at the Fairests' mansion, but ends up learning the parents aren't the charitable role models the city claims them to be.

FNF Soft: Investigator's HeART (Sequel to above) Despite being in prison, Benjamin's parents find a way to make Grace's parents frame Pico for a crime he didn't commit. With the ginger out of commission, it's up to private investigator Sven to clear his name, and put a stop to the Fairests manipulation for good.

FNF Soft: Dragon's HeART Toughie x Softie Pico was a dragon disguised as a human, and he worked as Prince Benjamin's personal guard. Another dragon pretending to be human called Cassandra severely injures the prince, causing the ginger to reveal his true form out of rage. The Fairests seized the opportunity to force him into servitude while keeping Benjamin in the dark of Pico's true nature as the kingdom's silencer.

Fall of Hell's Dynasty (Prequel/Sequel to Hell's Dynasty in Funkin' Adventures) GF x BF x Pico After devils destroyed the military school Pico, Darnell, and Nene were in, the trio end up serving the Dearest family. Quickly rising through the ranks, the "Mad" General Pico and his friends work together with Princess Girlfriend and a bard called Boyfriend to overthrow the shogunate, and free the humans from servitude.

King's Guard | #fnf king's guard BF x GF x Pico Assassin Pico and Prince Boyfriend were both pretending to be commoners when they first met, and end up falling in love after multiple encounters. Neither of them knew the other's true identity on the day Pico was tasked with assassinating the crown prince at a masquerade. After failing to protect his lover, the ginger was given a second chance at life by an archdemon called Girlfriend. Together they learn what truly happened the day he died, and find a way to free Boyfriend from his curse of silence.

Shot Through The Heart | #fnf shot through the heart GF x BF x Pico Pico was a spy tasked to become Girlfriend's bodyguard in order to gather intel on the Dearest family. He ends up falling in love with her, and betrays the organization as a result. Boyfriend, another spy thinking his lover was charmed by her, jumps in to save him from the demon's clutches, only to end up falling in love with her himself.

The Gods' Will GF x BF x Pico Pico was a general for the Greece military, and suffered defeat by the Romans after using himself as bait to allow his men to escape. He's forced to become a gladiator in order to prevent his friends from suffering a similar fate. Their safety was the only thing preventing him from escaping, and his win streak catches the eye of Emperor Girlfriend.

Guardians of Yggdrasil | #fnf guadians of yggdrasil BF x GF x Pico, Darnell x Pico, Darnell x Nene Pico was the champion of Fenrir, and he was feared by the village due to others thinking he will one day bring Ragnarok upon them. The wolf's rage was only kept at bay by a collar created by blacksmith Darnell, and this collar was named Fenrir's Chain as a result. Despite the ginger not doing anything bad, the villagers kept their distance. This causes the mostly silent man to stay at Yggdrasil for most of his time, and he ends up disappearing one day as a miasma envelopes the forest.

Funkin' Starlights | #funkin starlights Darnell x BF x Pico, GF x Nene After an tragedy caused by Cassandra on stage, idol Pico is unable to perform for years due to PTSD. His lovers and friends help him overcome his trauma while facing discrimination for what he is.

Rated 13+

Cyber Connection (Complete) | #cyber connection Pico x GF x BF After a century being offline, android Pico is awakened by Girlfriend. He doesn't remember anything though, and ends up learning what it means to be human as he regains his memories.

Soul Connection (Sequel to above) Pico x GF x BF, Darnell x Pico A month after the events of Cyber Connection, Darnell questions his own sexuality and gender as his past comes back to haunt him.

Chained By Fate (Complete) | #chained by fate Pico x BF Girlfriend decided it would be a great idea to send Pico and Boyfriend into another world for them to make up, maybe make out, and become lovers again.

Blind Guardian GF x BF x Pico Pico ends up with permanent blindness after being cursed by a devil, and his lovers help him readjust to life without sight.

Lone Wolf GF x Pico x BF Cursed with lycanthropy, Pico abandons herbalist Boyfriend out of fear of hurting him, and finds him again years later with a vampire called Girlfriend. Vampire vs werewolf shenanigans.

I Found A Cat In A Vending Machine & Now My Life Is In Chaos Darnell x Pico, Darnell x Nene Darnell finds a cat person in a vending machine one day, and it turns out to be his long lost friend Pico.

Judgement of Anubis idk pairings yet Something, something, Pico is a servant of Anubis, fuck if I know, Egyptian themed AU. (I thought about this for like a few minutes since it was an option for a path in Funkin' Adventures. My dice said medieval japan instead.)

[raybizzle]

"Foolish" (1999) is a comedy film produced by Master P under his label, No Limit Films. Master P also wrote the film with Eddie Griffin, Anthony D, and Tony Wilson. The movie features a large cast, including Master P, Eddie Griffin, Amie Petersen, Andrew Dice Clay, Jonathan Banks, and Bill Nunn. The soundtrack is a mixture of soul, funk, and hip-hop, with several tracks performed by No Limit members. It peaked at #32 on the Billboard 200 and #10 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums.

Overall, this movie is a decent independent comedy with Master P helping advance hip-hop artists' presence in the film industry. Eddie Griffin was an all-star comedian at the time, and he was in the middle of starring in the T.V. show "Malcolm and Eddie" with Malcolm-Jamal Warner. The movie cuts to several standup routines with Griffin and other comedians, which adds some context to the film.

Director: Dave Meyers Writers: Master P, Eddie Griffin, Anthony D, Tony Wilson

Starring Eddie Griffin, Master P, Amie Petersen, Frank Sivero, Daphne Duplaix, Jonathan Banks, Andrew Dice Clay, Sven-Ole Thorsen, Marla Gibbs, Traci Bingham, Bill Nunn, John Marlo, Clifton Powell, Anthony Johnson, Anthony Boswell, Marqel Lee, Honest John, Bill Duke, Nick Meaney

Storyline Miles "Foolish" Waise (Eddie Griffin) is a fast-rising phenomenon on the local comedy nightclub scene. While his manager wants him to sell out and make the big bucks, Foolish wants to chill out and make his audience happy. He's also got to put up with the half-baked schemes of his always scammin' brother Quentin "Fifty Dollah" Waise (Master P) - a small-time hoodlum whose secret dream is to start a comedy club with Foolish. But when the two brothers get caught up in a gun-toting prank that goes bad, Quentin finds himself on the wrong side of the hood's most ruthless drug lord, the infamous El Dorado Ron (Andrew Dice Clay).

Available on DVD and streaming services

[mirroredranger]

Public vs Private Information

Public: Known to everyone, can be found with an internet search

Until recently, Valerie was a member of the Pokemon Ranger Union.

Valerie's current title is "Maverick Enforcer"

Valerie is a rank 10 ranger with the authority to move wild Pokemon as she sees fit.

A few years ago, Valerie went MIA.

Valerie's most prolific Pokemon is a rotom, nicknamed Styler. Styler will prank most other people, especially other rangers.

For travel, Valerie goes by motorcycle for long distances. Short distance will either use her rocket skates, while difficult terrain, Valerie will rely on her Arcanine, Halligan, for transport.

Semi Private: Known to Valerie's group of friends

Valerie's relationship with cooking is dicey. She has succeeded in cookies, cupcakes, rice, and a few other things. Grilled cheese somehow is cursed.

Valerie seems to attract ghosts. No one knows why. She doesn't complain about it, however.

Valerie is a faller whose mind was shattered. She remembers nothing before waking up in Alola.

Colder temperatures agree with Valerie better.

While Styler is the most famous, Valerie's ace is a totem Hydreigon nicknamed Sven.

Private: Only select people in Valerie's inner circle know about these

Valerie is actively training her pokemon to be better battlers after a match with Rika in the Saffron Midnight Parade.

During the time she went MIA, a strange man from the Seafolk Village provided Valerie with information. Valerie gets strange emails or texts from burners with other information at times. She believes that he's the source.

Valerie suffers from thalassophobia.

[the-rewatch-rewind]

New episode! Script below the break.

Hello and welcome back to the Rewatch Rewind! My name is Jane and this is the podcast where I count down my top 40 most rewatched movies. Today I will be discussing #36 on my list: Disney’s 2013 animated musical Frozen, directed by Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee, written by Jennifer Lee, from a story by Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee, and Shane Morris inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Snow Queen”, and featuring the voice talents of Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel, Jonathan Groff, Josh Gad, and Santino Fontana.

Frozen is the story of two royal sisters. The older, Elsa (voiced by Idina Menzel), has ice powers that she doesn’t know how to control. As a child, she accidentally injured her younger sister, Anna (voiced by Kristen Bell), who was healed by trolls but has no memory of Elsa’s powers. On Elsa’s coronation day, the palace gates are opened for the first time in years, and Anna meets Prince Hans of the Southern Isles (Santino Fontana) and is immediately smitten. But asking for Elsa’s blessing of their marriage leads to a fight that causes Elsa to unintentionally unleash her powers. Terrified, Elsa runs away, leaving the whole kingdom frozen. Anna goes after her and teams up with mountain man Kristoff (Jonathan Groff), his reindeer Sven, and a magical snowman created by Elsa named Olaf (Josh Gad) to bring back summer, and her sister.

I remember seeing teasers for this movie that made it look like it was about a snowman and a reindeer chasing each other around an ice rink, which seemed very boring. But my sister and I decided to give it a chance and see it in theaters. It had only been out for a couple of days, so we had vaguely heard that people seemed to be liking it, but we still didn’t really know what it was about, let alone how popular it would become. And I know I’m about 10 years too late with this advice, but I highly recommend experiencing Frozen for the first time in a crowded theater, before the hype, with no expectations, next to your sister with whom you have a close relationship. Truly one of my top 5 best cinematic experiences ever. I think I probably would still love this movie even if I’d been introduced to it in a less powerful way, but that first viewing has certainly impacted the way I feel about the movie to this day.

I still remember exactly how I felt when I heard and saw Let It Go for the first time. The song started and it was like, yes, good, an Idina Menzel number, I love Wicked, I’m here for this. And then that first “The cold never bothered me anyway” when she throws off her cloak gave me chills. My brain went, “Oh wow. This isn’t just a song, it’s a FEELING.” And it just. kept. escalating. as Elsa’s confidence grew and she could finally be herself for the very first time. By the end of the number, I was either in tears or too overwhelmed with emotion to even cry, I can’t remember which. Some kid a few rows behind us murmured, “Wow, she’s…way prettier than I thought.” And maybe I was just projecting the way I felt, but to me it sounded like the kid was really saying, “Something needs to be said here, but I can’t find the words.” It’s not that I’d never been moved by a musical number before, but this took it to the next level. And all of this is almost embarrassing for me to admit now, because Let It Go then became one of the most overplayed songs of all time and everyone got sick of it, but listen. It was overplayed for a reason. It’s an epic song, and Idina Menzel frickin kills it. I still stand by this.

Looking back on my other thoughts as I watched Frozen unfold for the first time shows me just how much amatonormativity – the idea that everyone wants and needs a long-term monogamous romantic partner – had affected me. I still thought I was straight, although my standard justification of “I’m not into dating yet but I’m sure I will be when I’m older” was feeling less and less valid, as I was then 23 years old. Anyway, I distinctly remember, during Love Is an Open Door, which is the song that Hans and Anna sing to each other soon after they meet, that my sister and I turned to each other and whispered, “I ship it.” And then Kristoff got thrown into the story, and I was conflicted, because I really liked Anna with him, too. I started thinking maybe Elsa would end up with Hans. And then Elsa wounded Anna’s heart with her ice, which only an act of true love could heal, and it did not even occur to me that that could be anything other than a romantic kiss. I thought Kristoff would bring her back to Hans, she would kiss him but it wouldn’t do anything, and that’s when she’d realize her true love was actually Kristoff. But while I was expecting things to not work out between Anna and Hans, I was NOT expecting Hans to be cruel, so his “Oh Anna, if only there was someone out there who loved you” was shocking and devastating. I thought the scene when Olaf rescues her and explains that “some people are worth melting for” was beautiful – the snowman was far less obnoxious than I’d been anticipating – but even then it never occurred to me that Anna would be cured by anything other than kissing Kristoff. And then. Fighting the blizzard and the ice spreading through her body, almost reunited with her romantic true love, Anna sees Hans draw a sword against Elsa. I’m sure if I’d been able to think clearly in that moment, I would have finally figured out what was coming, but all I could do was gape at the screen as Anna changed course and saved her sister instead. And with hindsight, duh, that was the act of true love, but for a second or two I legitimately thought she was now permanently frozen. And, like, here’s the thing. I’ve loved Disney movies as long as I can remember, so I’m not trying to insult them. But the studio that made Snow White and Sleeping Beauty and The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast and Enchanted had so thoroughly convinced me that when you need love to break a spell, it must be romantic and almost always involves a kiss, that I couldn’t even imagine that a Disney film would ever treat saving a family member’s life as powerful enough for that. But Frozen did. Frozen went there. While I was sitting next to my wonderful sister, one of the most important people to me, this movie showed me that it’s okay for sisterly love to be the most powerful thing in your life. So at that point I definitely cried.

As far back as I can remember, the overemphasis on romance in movies has bothered me, but until then I thought I just had to accept it. Falling in romantic love was a universal human experience, so everyone said; naturally people wanted to tell stories about it. Obviously I’d seen movies, even Disney movies like Mary Poppins and Emperor’s New Groove, that didn’t have love stories before. But a Disney PRINCESS movie, that HAD romantic love, but showed a character actively CHOOSING a non-romantic loved one over a romantic one, and saving herself in the process??? That was mind-blowing. Even though I didn’t know I was aroace at the time, I knew I loved that message. So as my sister and I left the theater, we could not praise this movie enough, and for weeks and months afterward, I couldn’t get this story out of my head, and I didn’t want to. I saw it two more times in theaters, for a total of 3 views in 2013, and then bought the DVD as soon as it was released. The following Halloween I dressed as Elsa, along with thousands of girls 15 to 20 years younger than me. I ended up watching Frozen eight times in 2014. But then…I stopped watching it for a while.

Part of that was just because watching a movie 11 times in a little over a year is a lot, even for me, so I needed a break. But another part of it was people started really hating on this movie, and it got to me. Some of the criticism was legitimate – like, no, we really didn’t need another animated musical about white royalty, and yes, there are several plot holes – but a lot of it boiled down to: this thing is overwhelmingly popular and therefore it’s cool and edgy to say it’s bad. But I bought it. I felt embarrassed by my initial enthusiasm. I was way too old to be obsessing over a movie like this the way I had done in my early teens. Normally I don’t have much trouble loving the movies I love unapologetically, but normally the movies I love are old or obscure enough that the internet isn’t filled with hot takes about why it’s bad to love them. I still enjoyed listening to the songs, and I still defended it when I heard it disparaged in person, but after my 8 viewings in 2014 I didn’t watch Frozen again until 2019. And I only watched it then because Frozen II was coming out and I wanted to refresh myself on the first one before I saw the sequel. I was kind of expecting that viewing to convince me once and for all that I had gotten over it, but I had the complete opposite experience. I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of that rewatch. I was reminded that I really do genuinely love and enjoy this movie, and I wished I hadn’t let the haters convince me otherwise. So I watched it once each in 2020, 2021, and 2022, which was partly because of the Disney watching project I did with my brother – we watched through all the animated Disney movies in order in 2020, and then we re-watched the ones we’d ranked in the top 10 in 2022 – yes, we decided Frozen is a top 10 Disney animated film, and no I will not apologize for that.

I think a big reason why I let myself get temporarily talked out of loving Frozen is because I couldn’t articulate what I really loved about it at the time, so I thought that meant I didn’t actually love it. But now that I know I’m aroace, it makes perfect sense. As I mentioned before, even at the time, I knew that seeing a character choose familial love over romantic love in a matter of life and death meant a lot to me, though I didn’t know the extent of it. And I related to Elsa and Let It Go spoke to me, but it took me a long time to recognize the extent of that too. As someone who has struggled with depression, I initially saw Elsa’s self-imposed isolation to try to protect people that ended up hurting them as an allegory for that disease, which I still think it is to a certain extent. Depression dulls all emotions and tricks one’s brain into thinking others would be better off without them, and that describes some of what Elsa is going through. But there’s also the aspect of hiding a part of herself that she knew she wouldn’t be accepted for, and finally breaking away from that to live as her true self, that a lot of LGBTQIA+ people relate to, which I didn’t recognize in myself at the time – and now I wonder if another reason I stepped away from the movie for a while was a subconscious fear of facing my own queerness. I know a lot of people see Elsa as a lesbian, which seemed to be confirmed by a couple of brief moments in Frozen II. While I would argue that it’s not quite canon yet, I wouldn’t mind if Frozen III makes it so – provided the story of Frozen III actually makes sense, unlike whatever the heck Frozen II is supposed to be about. What I’m trying to say is I don’t want to dismiss the Elsa is a lesbian theory, but to me she feels very aroace. She doesn’t seem at all interested in finding a partner, she just wants to hang out in her mountain ice palace by herself, which sounds pretty awesome even though I still don’t understand how she was going to be able to feed herself up there. Also, at the end of the first movie, she seems very surprised to learn that she has the capacity to thaw what she’s frozen by allowing herself to feel love. Elsa has been suppressing all of her emotions because she knows that her ice powers are harder to control when she feels things, which is again similar to depression. But seeing this through an aroace lens of constantly feeling like you’re incapable of the “correct” kind of love, I could see an aroace Elsa being aware of love as a thawing force, but thinking it had to be romantic love and that she was therefore doomed. So seeing Anna using their sisterly love to heal her frozen heart showed Elsa that the type of love she could feel was powerful enough, and that was all she needed to bring back summer. Like most of my aroace headcanons, I’m pretty sure this wasn’t quite what the filmmakers actually intended, but it works and it’s beautiful.

 Whether Elsa is intentional queer representation or not, even the straight romantic relationship in Frozen is unusual for a Disney movie. Anna and Kristoff’s rocky start leading to eventual feelings is nothing new, of course, but the way they leave it (at least at the end of the first movie, which I like to pretend is the end of the story because, again, the sequel makes no sense) is very sweet. They’re not officially dating, let alone engaged or married, but Anna presents Kristoff with a new sled, and he’s so excited that he exclaims, “I could kiss you!” And then he backs off and asks her permission and they only kiss after they both agree that they want to. This may not seem like much, but in a culture that tends to romanticize spontaneity and persistent pursuit at the expense of consent, especially in fairytales, it’s so wonderful to see asking for consent encouraged in such an adorable way here.

I think a big part of what makes Frozen work is that it’s all about subverting expectations. Before the movie came out, they set expectations that the snowman and the reindeer would be annoying, and then Olaf and Sven both turned out to be sweet and genuinely funny. Then at the beginning it makes you think it’s going to be a typical fairytale romance, but it turns out the prince is the actual villain. Plot twist villains are pretty common in this Disney era, and I’m not sure even I would consider Hans the best instance of that trope, but I do love the way the Duke of Weselton is established as a decoy villain, and that he’s voiced by Alan Tudyk, who had just voiced the plot twist villain in Wreck-It Ralph. At first I felt like the Hans reveal was a little too out of nowhere, but there are a few delightfully subtle clues that I completely missed initially, like how he sings about “finding his own place” when he’s pretending to be singing about Anna, or how he’s clearly calculating a way to incapacitate Elsa while making it look like he’s saving her. I would have liked a few more clues, but I also think it’s good to portray that red flags can be hard to spot. And then on top of that there’s the unexpected challenge to the amatonormative idea that romance is the most important and powerful form of love. It was all so completely different from what I was expecting, in the best possible way.

Clearly this movie appeals to people who are not aroace, but I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the most popular children’s movie of the decade is so focused on platonic love. A lot more kids can relate to familial love than to romantic love. And Frozen proves that you don’t have to eliminate romance from a story entirely to emphasize other types of love. When Anna falls in love with Kristoff, that doesn’t make her relationship with him the only one that matters, or even the one that matters the most, and that’s a message that we don’t get from nearly enough stories. A big fear that many aromantic people share is that all of our friends will eventually abandon us for romantic partners, due to the prevalence of the message that one’s romantic partner should be one’s number one focus at all times. Personally I’ve been fortunate enough to find people who value friendship as much as I do, and therefore want to maintain close platonic relationships whether they’re in romantic relationships or not, and I’m very grateful for all of them. But I know not all aros are as fortunate in that respect. So that’s why I keep emphasizing how awesome it is that in Frozen not only is one of the main characters potentially aroace, but the other main character who is not still chooses to save herself with platonic love instead of romantic love. Encouraging people to cultivate non-romantic relationships benefits everyone, not just aros, because putting too much pressure on one relationship to fulfill all or even most of one’s social needs is unsustainable, and often dangerous. When Hans meets Anna, he correctly observes that she’s lonely and desperate for love, and he hopes to manipulate her by filling that entire void himself. But he ultimately fails because, while Anna does desire romance, she wants to reconnect with her sister even more. Even though Elsa has shut her out for years, as soon as she reveals her powers Anna understands that her sister has been in just as much pain as she has. Instead of festering resentment, Anna is filled with empathy and compassion, which allows her to save herself, her sister, and the kingdom. We need more heroes like Anna. And while it may be overrated, overhyped, and a little underdeveloped, in terms of emphasizing the power of non-romantic love, we need more stories like Frozen.

Thank you for listening to me attempt to express my love for this movie. I still don’t feel like I’ve done it justice, which I suspect will become more and more of a problem as I continue to work my way up this list. If you want to hear about more movies that I love enthusiastically, remember to follow or subscribe on your podcast platform of choice, and leave a rating or review if you feel like it. This episode is coming out during Aromantic Spectrum Awareness Week, so I hope any of you out there who are or think you might be on the aromantic spectrum are feeling particularly appreciated and accepted. And if you’re not aro-spec yourself, maybe reach out to any aromantic friends you have and tell them you value them. And if you don’t know of any aros in your life, just reach out to any friend and tell them you care about them. Let’s spread lots of good non-romantic feelings this week! And the next time you get the urge to tell a single friend they need a romantic partner: don’t.

Next week I’ll be talking about another movie musical that I’ve watched 15 times, although that one is not animated and is decidedly not geared toward children. As always, I will leave you with a quote from that next movie: “And then he ran into my knife. He ran into my knife ten times.”

[kwispayne]

The Top 10 Albums Of 2022

One of the hardest years for me. The quality of music released this year was a grace for the post Covid world. But I have been able to put together a pretty great list.

Also shoutout to the metal bands this year. This list is full of them and this has been a great year for that genre.

And as always, I didn’t hear every album this year, this is my person list and I counted anything released this year.

10. Wilderun – Epigone

Don't you just love it when you find a band that came from nowhere and becomes one of your favorites. That's what happened with these guys. When it comes to metal, I always glide towards the more interesting side and these guys present one of the most colorful palettes when it comes to the genre. Mostly this band keeps it on the more quiet and soft side, leading to an epic build up where vocalist Evan Berry goes from crooning to growls from another dimension. Lyrically the band are also coming from some other dimension as if taking the listener on a journey through some wormhole which ends up leaving them emotionally floored and changed in someway. Art needs to be shown and put back into metal and thankfully these guys do this very well. Although I think this album is only a taste of what's to come.

Genres: Progressive Metal, Progressive Rock, Extreme Metal, Folk Metal, Symphonic Metal, Art Rock, Avant Garde Metal

Country of origin: USA

9. Soilwork – Övergivenheten

Soilwork have been a band that I've enjoyed but never really loved. I always knew that there was a side to them that was unexplored and it seems that since David Andersson joined the band they have been spreading their wings into more uncharted territory (their previous album Verkligheten had moments of this which made me peak my interest) and this album is the culmination of 20 years of them finding their sound and this is the best thing they've ever created. Musically heavy, catchy, aggressive and beautiful, finally the band have actually took advantage of Sven Karlsson's keyboard work which was usually always in the background is finally in the foreground creating a rich palette of colors. Vocalist Speed has given the performance of his career fully showing of how much range he has and that he is one of the most underlooked and best in the business. Lyrically the album deals with a range of dark topics, which sadly came to life when guitarist David Andersson sadly passed away. Overall this is one of the best metal albums of the year and is the greatest album these guys have ever made.

RIP David Andersson

Genres: Melodic Death Metal, Extreme Metal, Folk Metal, Heavy Metal, Progressive Metal

Country of origin: Sweden

8. Kendrick Lamar - Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers

Ever since Damn, people have been dying to hear Lamar's opinion on what has happened in the world since then. And then when he finally released this album...he had nothing to say. One of the biggest left turns I've seen culturaly, Lamar stripped it back and made an introspective look at himself, his faults, his flaws, what he's done wrong in his life and how it affected him and the people within his cultural sphere. This is not an easy listen lyrically, but it's something that had to be  sayed, and only a true genius like Lamar could have presented this so truthful and classy. I do prefer To Pimp A Butterfly, but this album is in a world of it's own. Musically quiet, not over flashy, nuanced and the perfect backing to his lyrics. His flow is un matchable and it just proves that he is possibly the greatest rapper of all time.

Genres: Conscious Hip Hop, Progressive Rap, R&B, Hip Hop, Rap

Country of origin: US

7. Ibaraki – Rashomon

When it comes to Matt Heafy's musical output, it usually is interesting enough to like, brilliant or incredible cringe. But last year his band Trivium released In The Court Of The Dragon, which narrowly missed my end of year list. This project is something he has been teasing for a while and my first look at it was the track Ronin and I was blown away by the chorus where it had some of the greatest black metal rasps I've heard in a long time...and it turned out Gerard Way from My Chemical Romance was doing them. And the surprise of this song is very much why this album is so great, what sounds like it won't work does and it does at such a level you doubt any fears you previously had. Lyrically the album takes Heafy's interest in Japanese myths and presents them both beautifully and powerful. The guests he has on this album other than Way are obvious choices for this project, but having Ishahn & Nergal on the album are good collaborations rather than a forced badge of honor.

Genres: Extreme Metal, Black Metal, Progressive Metal, Oriental Metal, Metalcore

Country of origin: Japan & USA

6. Black Midi - Hellfire

Only a band like Black Midi can release 2 albums back to back within a year where not only do they bring their A game but more. While I do prefer Cavalcade overall is still a progression from it and overal something entirely different. Musically bonkers, the band prove that they are some of the best talent out there. Lyrically absurd and at times very funny, there is a fine line between ridicule and genius that these guys successfully are able to obtain. Although I think we are only getting a glimpse of the potential these guys have because their genius seems to have no bounds.

Genres: Progressive Rock, Hipster, Jazz Fusion, Avant Garde, Experimental Rock, Post Punk, Hard Rock

Country of origin: England

5. Everything Everything - Raw Data Feel

Big surprise these guys are on the list. 2 years ago one of the bands weaker albums made my list, so this shows you how much I love these guys, and the reason for it is because they are constantly doing something interesting. Musically poppier than their previous albums and more electronic than usual, it doesn't shy away from their talent. Lyrically odd, the album uses an AI to create some very odd lyrics and ideas. This could have been a disaster but it just proves these guys can do no wrong because these guys are one of if not the most interesting musical groups growing today. Can't wait to see them again in 2-3 years time on my list again. If not I'll eat my tin foil hat.

Genres: Art Rock, Indie Rock, Electronic, Pop, Hipster

Country of origin: England

4. D'Virgillio, Morse & Jennings – Troika

A supergroup combined of artists who aren't strangers to my top 10 lists, but this time they're making soft pop music. I'm a massive fan of all the projects these guys are involved with and the list of albums, projects or bands they are all in would be a list longer than this one. But the reason this is here is due to the execution. Prog rock and metal guys making pop music could go horribly wrong, but this just proves how brilliant each invidual is as a songwriter in their own right. Also I love harmonies, and the 3 vocalists (with a lot of attention on D'Virgillio & Jennings) have such a beautiful union together. I really hope this isn't the last of this project and it's not just a one off.

Genres: Soft Rock, Pop Rock, Progressive Rock, Acoustic, Hard Rock

Country of origin: USA & England

3. Willow - <Copingmechanism>

My list is never complete without a wild card. And my wild cards are usually odd, but never this odd. But that's because this is an experiment that never should have worked. It seems that the crossover from pop to rock may gain some attention but doesn't really artistically have much merit, take for example Machine Gun Kelly. But this is a different story. Being the daughter of one of the world's biggest actors, I was always interested in Willow's voice as she matured into a stand alone artist. While her mum's metal band was interesting enough but still kind of cringe, I never expected this foray to go well. So while her dad recovered from the outcome slap heard from across the world, Willow decided to go into a rock and metal world and it paid off...pretty fantastically may I said. I always love bands like Paramore and Marmozets and if one of them released this album it would be on their best. But the real highlight of the album is Willows voice. Not only is she a fantastic singer, but she goes into realms that you wouldn't expect the Whip My Hair girl to go into. If you want to completely avoid this for name alone, I would advise just to listen to any of the singles and I bet it will change your mind.

Genres: Pop Rock, Hard Rock, Post Hardcore, Alternative Rock, Alternative Metal

Country of origin: USA

2. Jamie Lenman – The Atheist

He got album of the year for his last proper album so I was expecting big things as he is currently one of my favorite artists. With a title like The Atheist, I was expecting more snarl and fun...that's not the case. Most artists mature and this is one of those moments. Less screamy and more introspective, lyrically Lenman has matured into a brilliant lyricist that could match any singer songwriter. Musically more catchy and to the point, it's a lot less experimental than Devolver. Lenman also has really improved as a singer too, with a wide range of tones and moods offered throughout. While I do prefer the latter, this just proves that he is one of the best songwriters and solo artists in rock today.

Genres: Pop Rock, Hard Rock, Post Hardcore, Alternative Rock, Fist

Country of origin: England

1. Conjurer - Páthos

Their previous album Mire was loved by friends of mine. While I did enjoy it, I knew this was only a taste of what was to come. I didn't expect the band to release their masterpiece so soon. But this album absolutely floored me. Incredibly powerful and crushing musically, mood wise the album can go from the sickest twisted evilest sound to something so beautiful. Vocalists Dan Nightingale & Brady Deeprose present an incredible palate; from the deepest of growls, the harshest of shrieks, the painful cleans to introspective spoken word. When it comes to the riffs, they are heavier than blue whales smashing into planets. This album is a piece of art that is utterly horrifying, awful yet so beautiful and powerful that it almost can bring you to tears. I think this may be one of the best metal albums if not in the past few years but possibly of all time. If you are a fan of metal in the more extreme way, I plead you to listen to this and see if you get the same reaction. It's very rare a band of the extreme metal persuasion get into my top positions, so you really have to impress me to get to this stage. And I am beyond impressed.

Genres: Extreme Metal, Post Hardcore, Death Metal, Doom, Progressive Metal, Post Metal, Sludge

Country of origin: England

[kidcataldo]

Still working on this fic (if I ever finish it), but then I also started thinking about the next gen basement gang and what type of characters I would like to see in the reboot, and came up with this for my own writing purposes:

Betsy Kelso, 16

Betsy misses Chicago and her friends back home, but her dad and the other kids nearby make spending the summer in Point Place more fun.

Definitely the “new Donna” of the group

Girl next door raised by airhead father

Linda Mallick, 15

Why is she spending the entire summer in some old couple’s smelly basement? The cute boy from school is there, obviously.

Maybe the “new Jackie” of the group

Cares a lot about looks and cute boys

Added this character to include another female to the group

Robin Forman, 15

He isn’t so keen on spending the entire summer with his grandparents while his mother goes off on another adventure without him, but having his buddy Sven living nearby makes it all that much bearable. Papa Forman wants to teach him life skills the entire summer. Robin just wants to woo the girl next door.

Probably a combination of Eric and Kelso

Papa Forman wants to raise him “right” and doesn’t want him to become a dumbass like most of his friends

Son of Laurie Forman

Sven Hagen, 16

He considers himself the tough guy of the group. Papa Forman knows he’s just another dumbass, coming over to his house everyday and tarnishing the minds of his grandkids (possibly with dope and whatever else he has on him).

The wannabe Hyde of the group probably

Thinks he knows more than he actually does

Gets called “dumbass” a lot by Papa Forman

Linus Hagen, 14

Nana Forman just thinks Linus is the sweetest boy in Point Place. Much nicer and cleanlier than his older brother, Sven. She was the first to notice his little crush on Len. Despite knowing Len isn’t really interested, she just thinks they’re adorable together. Papa Forman just wants to make it clear to all the older kids hanging around his house: he’s going to protect his grandchildren no matter what.

The boy next door to mirror Eric/Donna relationship from original series, but maybe it’s a one-sided crush this time

Nana Forman wants it canon

Maybe the Hagen brothers are also grandkids visiting their grandparents over the summer, which sets up new neighbors/friends for Kitty and Red their own age to hang out with

Tristan Boyer, 14

Best friend to Linus. Cute, smart, and funny—he’s at an age where girls should be all over him. If only someone would tell the girls that.

Contemplated deleting this “character” because there’s 7 “friends” here instead of six like in the original, but I like that he brings more diversity to the reboot

He can also fill the role of Fez, trying to get girls to notice him but not really knowing how, or even being good at it

Len Forman, 13

Len is at an age where spending the summer with your grandparents isn’t exactly the “cool” thing to do. One girl she knows in California is spending the summer in Paris. Why can’t that be her? She loves her nana and papa, and they’re less nagging than her parents, but she just wants to be independent. And the older kids in Point Place seem to have it all figured out—she’ll just try to follow their lead.

I think maybe this character will be the true “Eric” of the reboot (considering this is technically “leia” but I still don’t like the name)

The naive newcomer trying to find her place in the world/group trope

Daughter of Eric and Donna

Rex Forman, 10

Too young for the things happening in the basement, Rex spends much of the summer around his grandparents. Whether being in the garage with his papa or in the kitchen with his nana, he’s always there to lend a helping hand. Sometimes he wanders downstairs to mingle with the other kids, or just to mess with them.

I see this character having most of his plot centered around whatever his grandparents are doing (because he’s 10 and not really ready for the teenage antics downstairs)

Rex, in my head, has a special bond with Papa Forman that Eric never really had with his dad growing up

Son of Eric and Donna

———

x I found this photography collection of ‘90s teens and their bedrooms and thought it was a nice placeholder for what I would imagine/what we could see of the kids in the upcoming series.

*Probably won’t include all of these characters in my fic because it would be a massive original character dump, but just know they exist somewhere in that universe.

[jupitermelichios]

10 Manga Recommendations for Quarantine (or any other time)

People seemed to like my previous recs, so I thought I’d do a few more while so many of you are stuck home with some free time to kill. I don’t read a lot of manga these days, and my tastes are somewhat ecclectic, but hopefully there’ll be something in here for you.

20th Century Boys - Naoki Urasawa

Kenji didn’t like that a new doomsday cult had started recruiting in his neighbourhood, but he wasn’t going to do anything about it. As least until a letter from an old friend leads him to realise that the cult’s symbols and mythology are based on a children’s story. A story he and his friends made up thirty years ago. Now he must track down people he hasn’t seen since middle school as he desperately tries to remember which of his friends knew the story... and figure out which of them is leading the cult.

This isn’t just the best manga I’ve ever read, it’s one of the best stories full stop. Even if you think you hate manga, I urge you to give this a try.

Claymore - Norihiro Yagi

Claire was never supposed to be a Claymore. But when Theresa of the faint smile saved her life as a child, she knew there was no other path for her. With few of the supernatural powers granted to her sisters, she struggles to survive as a monster hunter in a brutal world where death is always waiting.

This was serialised in Shounen Jump originally, and it shows in places, but mostly this is a compelling drama, with some of the most startlingly beautiful and horrible monster design in all of fantasy and scifi.

Drrr!!! - Ryohgo Narita (illustrated by Akiyo Satorigi)

Nothing in Ikebukero is quite what it seems. The Russian Mafia sell the best sushi in town, demons are haunting the chatrooms, there’s a new gang on the streets, and if you’re really unlucky, you might just meet the Black Rider. They say its bike whinnies like a horse. They say it killed three men who tried to kidnap a girl. They say it has no head. They say... that it just wants to do the job and get paid like everyone else.

Drrr!!! is an experience. It blends fantasy and realism in ways I’ve very rarely seen done, and delights in subverting your expectations. Characters who appears to fit into archetypes any manga fan will recognise never turn out to be quite who you think they are, just as the story never quite goes where you expect it to.

Petshop of Horrors - Matsuri Akino

Do you want a protector? A companion? A friend? A lover? A child? Whatever you need, Count D has the perfect pet for you (even if they don’t always look like animals). Just remember to read the small print, very very carefully.

While there is, sort of, an overarching plot, these books are portmanteu horror in the old style, a series of barely connected unsettling stories strung together by a shared narrator and a handful of recurring characters. Spoopy more than genuinely spooky, and occaisionally surprisingly touching, this is a great series to dip in and out of.

Death Note - Tsugumi Ohba (illustrated by Takeshi Obata)

“Let's just say this: you will feel the fear and pain known only to humans who've used the notebook. And when it's your time to die, it will fall on me to write your name in my death note. Be warned any human who's used a Death Note can neither go to heaven nor hell for eternity. That's all.“

One of the very rare examples where the source material does live up to (almost all) the hype. Clever, dark, surprisingly apolitical, and just the right amount of very very cheesy.

Tokyo Ghoul - Sui Ishida

Keneki Ken was an extremely ordinary guy, living an extremely ordinary life... right up until the girl he fancied tried to eat him. Now he’s part of the world of Ghouls, struggling to hold on to what’s left of his humanity as all his old moral certainties are stripped away from him. Ghouls are people, they have hopes and dreams and loves and they deserve the right to live just like anyone else. It’s just that to live, they have kill humans.

Did you want to be cool and edgy as a teenager but you never quite had the guts to do it? Congratulations, Tokyo ghoul is for you. Think of it as emergency rations for your inner Goth.

Black Cat - Kentaro Yabuki

Sometimes a family is a legendary hitman on the run from his past, his mysterious boyfriend, a recovering child soldier, and the bisexual thief who keeps inviting herself into their lives.

Okay technically Train and Sven aren’t a couple. Technically. Rins is canon bi though so that’s cool. This book is a lovely little time capsule of the days when shonen manga was inexplicably full of bounty hunters with bizarre superpowers going on wacky adventures, and I love it for that. Plus it’s full of that good-good found family trope and we could all do with a bit more of that in our lives.

Beauty Pop - Kiyoko Arai

Kiri Koshiba is no ordinary teenager. She has a secret, something she hides from even those closest to her. The only ones who know about her special abilities are those she rescues. You see Kiri is secretly... really good at giving haircuts.

This is a deeply silly book, full of deeply silly characters, in which hairdressing is treated with the exact same seriousness that sports animes treat basketball or tennis, and reading it just makes me smile. Sometimes when the world’s a bit shit you just want to read about an undercover hairdresser helping girls with their self confidence and giving them rad haircuts.

Bizenghast - M. Alice LeGrow

Dinah Wherever is more goth than you. She’s got the wardrobe, and the doomed love, and non-specific mental health issues. Oh, and she’s enslaved to Bizenghast, cursed to spend her nights laying to rest the unquiet spirits that haunt the graveyard there and if she fails, she’ll loose her life... or something worse.

The first volume is definitely the standout in this short series, with stunning artwork and detailed world building, but all of it is a fun, creepy, surprisingly dark story, full of the author’s love for old school gothic romance.

The Wallflower - Tomoko Hayakawa

Mine Nakahara is concerned that her neice Sunako is never going attract a wealthy husband with a mysterious heart condition if she doesn’t learn not to be such a shut in. So in desperation, she turns to the only obvious solution - give four well-meaning himbos rent free accomodation in exchange for them teaching Sunako to wash, wear something other than sweatpants, and talk about anything that isn’t horror movies.

Sometimes you don’t want drama, or angst, or deep plot. Sometimes it’s enough to watch four attractive and deeply stupid men try to teach the human equivilent of an angry raccoon how to walk in heels.

[punkpoemprose]

December 15th- A Convenient Arrangement Part 7

Universe: Canonverse Arranged Marriage AU Rating:T Length: 4309 Words A/N: Anna gets to let it all out. This is the Anna and Elsa conflict that I wish they could have included in the movies, because as wonderful and kind and forgiving as Anna is, everyone has a breaking point. I thought this was going to be 10 chapters. It’s looking closer to 13-15 I think, but we’ll see how much I can squeeze in going forward. I have 4 days to write 10 more fics, and I work two of them... and I have a zine yo put together...we’ll see how this goes!

[Part 1] [Part 2] [Part 3] [Part 4] [Part 5] [Part 6]

She’d woken in his arms when sunlight flooded through the cabin’s front windows, warming her face and informing her that it was time rise once again. She’d kept her eyes closed despite it, pretending that she was still asleep. She just wanted to listen to his breathing and the beating of his heart for a little longer. She just wanted to be close and know that his holding her so tight was purposeful because she knew that he was awake and was trying to not wake her.

I’m not a good person.

The thought was not self-deprecating so much as it was chiding as she laid in bed with him for another half hour at least, feeling the rise and fall of his chest beneath her and trying not to flush when his hands would move across her back or tuck away a stray hair. It felt strange, but wonderful to be cared for.

She knew that she shouldn’t have pretended to be asleep, but she could never remember waking up and feeling quite so safe as she did in his arms. Moments of tenderness like that was not something she was used to and so she’d allowed herself to indulge in it, and he hadn’t commented even though she suspected that he knew after a short time that she was awake.

They’d had a light breakfast, and he’d helped her redress herself in the soft morning light. She thought that she may remember the deft way he’d adjusted her corset lacing for the rest of her life. He’d asked her if she’d needed help, and while she didn’t really, she’d consented because it was easier with help, and because she was curious about whether he could manage it with only her spoken instructions. She’d felt warm when he’d expertly tugged and tied, explaining sheepishly that he was used to ropework and that he hoped he hadn’t hurt her.

She knew now, after their night alone, that he’d never hurt her. At least not on purpose.

He’d never hurt her the way Hans had.

The quiet morning had continued on the wagon ride back to Arendelle. They hadn’t spoken of anything of consequence since the night before, occasionally breaking the silence with a comment about their surroundings or the weather, but otherwise enjoying the easy silence that no longer felt uncomfortable between them. They would have plenty of time to talk, but they both had seemed to enjoy the lack of questions and heavy conversations for a while.

The calm had ended after they reentered the castle gates, at least for her. She wasn’t certain about how things went for him because they’d been separated too quickly for her tastes.

He’d gone to care for Sven, not entrusting the sweet reindeer with a groom was something that Anna understood now. Sven was as much his family as the trolls were, as she hoped she was. Kristoff felt a duty to care for the creature himself.

Anna, however, had been quickly corralled into her sister’s office, where the day quickly became anything but quiet.

“What were you thinking?” Elsa said, her voice high and the anxiety not at all hidden.

Anna thought that the temperature in the room was maybe ten degrees lower than it was in the hallway just outside the closed door. Her chest felt tight at the realization, and her headache from the night before, when her memories had been returned to her seemed to resurge slightly, a dull hum of discomfort behind her eyes. She clenched her jaw and tried to focus on something else, the wall, the window, anything but her angry sister.

“I left you a note,” she said after a moment’s thought, “I was thinking I was spending some time with my husband.”

Elsa wasn’t calmed by this though. She shook her head and scoffed, giving Anna a look of annoyance, or maybe disappointment that burned through her, like she was being given a forcible internal frost burn from the coolness, even as she tried to look away from it.

“Did you not learn anything from Hans?”

Her hands balled into fists at her side. It wasn’t a question. It was an attack. This wasn’t a meeting, it was an interrogation.

And Anna wasn’t going to back down from it.

“Have you learned anything about what happens when you try to control my life?”

It was a snipe, but she wasn’t about to let Elsa judge her, Queen or not, for trying to get to know the husband that she had forced her into marrying. Elsa had all the power in deciding how they were to handle the fallout after everything with Hans, and instead of trying to find another way to calm the populace, she’d consented to a royal wedding. She’d asked Anna if she was comfortable with it as an afterthought, after the wheels were already in motion, and while she’d seemingly felt bad about the whole thing, it still wasn’t lost on Anna that her sister had once told her that she couldn’t marry someone she just met, and then all but forced her to do the very same.

“Or do you get to blindly pass judgement because you have a crown now?”

Anna saw the ice forming on the windowpanes behind her sister’s desk. The summer scene of gardens and green grass behind her suddenly covered with thick ice marring the sightline. Anna had been looking out to the stables out of the corner of her eye, taking comfort in knowing that Kristoff wasn’t far off. It probably wasn’t a good sign that she felt more comfortable with him than her own sister already. Really though, despite being a stranger, he was giving her a chance to know him. Elsa hadn’t afforded her the same chance, making her all the more the stranger.

“This isn’t about me,” Elsa hissed, “This is about your reckless behavior. You should have taken a guard with you. He could have…”

He could have killed you.

She might have entertained the thought before the trip. In fact, she had, but as reckless as it may have seemed to others to trust him, she knew that she had nothing to fear from him. He’d never meant her harm of any kind, not from the very start.

He wasn’t a man of manners or class or breeding. He was a simple ice harvester, and he’d helped her stand strong at their wedding, he’d not forced himself on her on their wedding night, he’d given her so much of himself, and he’d been nothing but gentle with her.

It wasn’t a long play. It was a kindness. It was something like love.

She thinks he could have killed me.

It was laughable, but she wasn’t laughing. She was raging inside, her heart pounding, and her head aching from the tension in her jaw.

“You could have!” Anna shouted in return, “And I should thank you by the way for your restraint, given that I just recently found out that you apparently almost killed me once before too. Why didn’t you tell me before Elsa? Was it just one more thing you didn’t think I could handle?”

Elsa’s brow furrowed, the fire was still in her eyes, but it was mixed with confusion.

“I take it a troll visited you last night to let you know where I was. Well, I had a lovely time with them, and apparently, I knew about you and the ice and everything until I was five and mother and father had them take the memories from me. I understand why, but what I don’t understand is why you never told me. You knew Elsa, and you never told me about it, or about what you could do. The person who put me in the most danger here is you!”

The room continued to cool, the ice on the windows grew thicker and Anna could see from the angry set of her sister’s jaw that she had struck a nerve.

“So yes, I took a chance to leave and spend some time with my husband. Last I checked I’m not a prisoner, and neither is Kristoff so we decided to leave, you know, enjoy life outside of these walls for a little bit given I haven’t been outside them in thirteen years. Maybe if you were that concerned about him I don’t know, potentially wanting to kill me, you wouldn’t have let the council force a wedding.”

“That’s enough!”

Anna saw the flakes in the air. She knew her sister was at her breaking point, but she couldn’t help but keep pushing. Elsa had gone straight for her most vulnerable point as soon as she’d entered her office, and Anna wasn’t going to take it without dishing it back out.

“Is it?”

She stomped across the wooden floor that was quickly accumulating ice and snow from her sister’s inability to hold on, getting into her face. It was probably a bad idea, but she couldn’t help it. She’d rather get it all out now than keep holding it in. She wasn’t going to spend the next thirteen years of her life knocking on her sister’s door begging for her attention, she was going to take it whether Elsa liked it or not.

“Because I don’t think it is. I don’t think this is enough, because I’ve got news for you. You’re talking to me like I’m a child, and I’m not. I know because I spent every day of my childhood watching days and months and years pass alone, wanting nothing more than someone to spend the time with. I might have made a mistake, but right now the score isn’t anywhere near even Elsa, and I’m not going to take this from you. Kristoff isn’t Hans and if you compare them one more time so help me…”

It happened in a flash, the room went from icy cold, snowy, crusted with ice, to bright white, and then, back to normal.

Elsa fell apart, crumbling as she started crying, in front of Anna.

I’m a horrible sister.

No. This was necessary.

It hurts to hurt someone you love.

She shouldn’t have pushed so hard, was her first thought. Then, shortly after, as she lowered herself to the floor and wrapped her arms around her crying sister, the ice Queen of Arendelle that she’d reduced to tears, she realized that it needed to happen. Even if it hurt them both, she needed to let it out. If she hadn’t it would have eaten her alive.

“It’s okay,” she said, letting her sister cry into her shoulder for the second time in as many weeks.

“I’m not angry anymore, I just needed to get it out,” she said, holding her tight as Elsa started to shake in her arms, hyperventilating as she cried.

“I’ve been so mad for so long, and it took getting my memories back to figure out why… Elsa I know that it wasn’t your choice when we were kids, but I’ve been alone almost my whole life and Kristoff…”

“I’m so sorry.”

It was a wet, nervous sound when she spoke, filling the space as Anna searched for the words to describe exactly how she felt about her husband. It surprised Anna to hear her sister apologize, assuming that she’d want her to leave as soon as she found a voice to tell her to get out. It was what she’d come to expect of Elsa, even when she was being contrite, that she never wanted Anna to stay with her for very long.

“I knew you were lonely. I knew you needed me, but I was too afraid of myself to let you in. If I’d just talked to you more… if we’d just left the castle, maybe you would have never…”

“I know,” she said, stopping her before she could bring up the situation with Hans, “Just… I need you to start trusting me. You haven’t even talked to me since the wedding. You’ve never even had a conversation with Kristoff. You can’t just assume the worst of him.”

She was doing the best she could to keep her voice low, soft, and reassuring. Despite the frustration she had and still felt toward the crying woman in her arms, she also loved her sister dearly. She was all the family she had.

Except now you have Kristoff too.

She wished that her sister could have seen the way he’d held her when she was fighting through her headache, or the way that he took her hand and gave her signals and avenues to express her discomfort or fear. She wished that she could see the way he sometimes looked at her like she was something precious. Maybe then she’d have been less worried. Maybe then she’d understand.

“I didn’t want to,” Elsa sniffled, “At least I didn’t mean to think that about him right away. But I didn’t know when you were coming back and there were no guards with you, and then there was a troll in my office. Anna I didn’t know what to think.”

It took her almost a full minute to get the whole thing out, the sniffling and choked up tone of her voice making it difficult for her to speak and be understood.

“Think that I learned my lesson and that I’m safe with my husband. I wouldn’t have left alone with him if I didn’t trust him. It’s not like before, I’m not blind.”

“But he’s a stranger.”

“Not to me. We’ve been together for a short time, but he’s no stranger to me. He’s a…”

He’s a man I’m falling in love with.

“He’s becoming a dear friend. I think you’d like him Elsa. He’s got a good heart.”

***

When Kristoff had finished removing Sven’s tack, he’d brushed the reindeer. The he’d fed him, sat with him for a short time, and mostly waited for Anna to return. After what felt like an hour, he forced himself up from the hay bale he’d seated himself on and left Sven’s quiet company for the castle. He’d hoped that Anna would have returned after speaking to her sister, but he supposed that even though she’d told him they didn’t have any duties as a couple for the week, she might very well be too busy to spend time with him now that they were back at the castle.

He’d done his best to keep his head high despite feeling foolish walking through the halls. He’d pretended that he wasn’t lost and snuck Anna’s map from his pocket surreptitiously, running his fingers over it to find his way back to his room.

On his way he’d even managed to ask a maid if she would be able to have a lunch sent up to his room. It felt like something that he shouldn’t have asked, feeling no more royal or entitled as he had before leaving, but also wanting not to return to the kitchens himself. There had been something about being in the space that had made him feel even more like he hadn’t belonged.

Maybe it was because you were beneath even the potato peeler last week

He was in his room now, changing his shirt into one of the clean ones he’d grabbed from his cabin, along with most of the rest of his belongings that fit into one small bag. He heard the knock, and shouted that it was open, knowing it was probably his lunch, but hoping that it was Anna.

“Sir, my apologies, but I believe I encouraged you to get to know Anna better this week,” Kai said as he entered the room, shutting the door behind him, “Not kidnap her to the mountains leaving nothing but a note behind. The Queen was in hysterics… which I should inform you, you do have dinner with her tonight.”

“Dinner with the Queen?”

“As arranged with your wife I believe. She’ll also be in attendance I believe.”

He cursed under his breath, catching a both amused and disapproving look from Kai as he did so. He thought that the heavyset old butler might get along well with his father. He often made the same face.

“I should inform you that you shouldn’t curse in response when invited to dinner with a Queen, but I suppose you already know that. I’ve been in the service of the young Queen for many years, and I believe she trusts me, so I hope it is not a breach of that trust when I say that last I saw her she was not particularly pleased with you.”

“Of course not,” he said, feeling underdressed in the comfortable shirt.

Feeling underdressed next to the butler probably isn’t a good sign for me.

“Don’t mistake me sir,” he added, “I think that it has everything to do with her worries for her sister. If you assuage those I think that she would be perfectly happy to meet your acquaintance.”

Kristoff huffed. He did feel bad for taking Anna away from the castle. He knew that his Uncle had spoken with the Queen, but if he’d thought a bit more about the way he and Anna had gone away beforehand, he probably would have been able to avoid this whole situation. He didn’t want people to have to worry about Anna when he was with her. Least of all her sister.

Her sister who could have me executed if she wants.

“How would I manage that?”

Kai set a tray he’d been carrying atop a table in the middle of the room. Kristoff couldn’t help but think that the man might be doing more for him than he was strictly tasked with insofar as his level of interest in his getting into the Queen’s good graces. He told himself that it was probably because he wanted to see Anna happy and safe given the many years he spent looking after the sisters.

He was happy to have someone to help him regardless. He didn’t think he would be capable of navigating the rules and manners required to not blunder through the rest of his life in the castle without it.

“Well to start,” he replied, “We’ll need to find you something proper to wear to dinner. You have a tailors appointment tomorrow morning, but we’ll have to make do until we sort that out.”

Kristoff couldn’t help but feel like he should be insulted, or at least a bit peeved over the man’s words, but he couldn’t manage it. All he could think of was holding Anna while she was pretending to be asleep that morning and doing anything to see her smile. Doing anything to make her sister believe that he’d meant no harm in taking her to the mountains so that he’d not be under scrutiny every time he spent time alone with his wife.

***

Anna had taken it upon herself to arrange the whole thing. She felt a little bad about the amount of time that it was taking to set her schedule for the week and speak with the kitchen staff about what she wanted for the dinner she was arranging in hopes that her sister would be comforted by meeting her husband in a more significant way than watching their wedding. At least she hoped that the meeting would allow the two to come to some sort of understanding.

I only have two people. If they could just get along that would be ideal.

With all the running she’d been doing she hadn’t had a chance to return to Kristoff. She’d heard that Kai had brought lunch to his room, and after that she assumed that they were busy. Kai was her sister’s most trusted advisor, even though his official position was castle steward, Elsa trusted him with aiding her in crucial decisions beyond its walls. That Kristoff had his council just went to show that there was hope, and that at least someone else was invested in making things work.

She spent the rest of the afternoon deciding what to wear and receiving and writing thank you letters for wedding gifts that had been pouring in from merchants and allied nations. Most of whom had already been in town for Elsa’s coronation and who had not had the time to select a well thought out gift after the rush of events the small country had experienced.

She’d waited until just shortly before the dinner was to start to walk through the halls and to the dining room, finding neither Kristoff nor her sister on the way.

“My apologies your majesty. I hope you understand I’ve never needed to inform anyone of my travel plans in the past, and it was not my intentions to worry anyone by taking Princess Anna into the mountains with me. In the future should we decide to go anywhere together I’ll ensure that you are informed directly.”

Anna recognized the voice of the man standing in the hall outside the dining room. The man addressing the queen, but so neatly dressed she barely recognized him as her husband. He looked much like he had on their wedding day. Clean shaven with his hair slicked back. The clothes he wore were simple, but they’d been pressed and someone had taken the time to tie a cravat around his neck.

Kai no doubt.

That man has been wearing cravats for years, in style or not.

They hadn’t noticed her coming down the hall, or at least she didn’t think that they had given that neither made any sign of noticing her approach.

“You must understand,” Elsa said back, seeming in much better shape than she had been hours earlier, “With everything that happened with Hans I worry about her. I’m sure you’re a good man, but you can’t fault me for being cautious.”

He gave her a strange look and Anna’s heart started to pound. She hadn’t spoken with him about Hans. Being in the mountains for the whole debacle, she’d suspected he hadn’t known all the details, and for now she wanted it kept that way. Her feet felt frozen below her though, as Kristoff responded in confusion.

“I’m not really sure I know the details,” he said quietly, “I’m sure if I did I would have thought twice about taking her away from the castle alone. No one has told me much of it, even if it was the reason for our wedding.”

Elsa shook her head, looking anxious, but then recovered.

She took a deep breath and Anna wanted to run down the hall, to speak up, to tell her that it was something that she and Kristoff would discuss later, when she was ready.

“Hans…He tried to kill us both.”

***

He noticed her after her sister spoke. She looked white as a ghost at the end of the hall, and he understood why. Her sister hadn’t exactly been vague when it came to telling him why she’d been worried about him taking her into the mountains.

Hans. The foreign prince. He’d tried to kill his wife and her sister.

He’d thought that maybe the real reason for the wedding had just been that Elsa had lost control of her powers and that to build confidence in her ability to rule a royal wedding was planned to comfort the masses. He supposed now that it was just part of it, that the real reason was more complex, and that it all came down to the man that Anna had known before him.

He wasn’t sure of how to react. All he knew was that Anna’s eyes were on him and that she looked upset. Crossing the hall to her was instinct, as was giving her his hand, offering it to her open and outstretched.

She walked forward instead, into his chest, and into his arms as he wrapped them around her. She had every right to be upset, as did her sister he supposed as he felt even greater regret for taking Anna away without warning. So he did what he thought was best, what Anna was showing him was best. He held her close.

Elsa cleared her throat after a moment.

“I think…”

Kristoff turned his head, not releasing Anna to look at her sister. She was staring at them, her cheeks flushed and an almost smile on her lips.

I think she might understand now.

“I think dinner is ready. I’ll just go ahead… Anna… Kristoff, whenever you’re ready. I think we have a lot to discuss.”

When the dining room door closed behind her, leaving them alone in the hall, he turned his full attention back to Anna, holding her tight, leaning his head down low, and pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

“It’s alright,” he said, because that was all he could think to say. “It’s all going to be alright.”

“Who made you wear a cravat?” she asked, quiet with her face against his chest.

“Kai.”

She made a soft sound, almost like a laugh but not quite.

“I thought maybe. Can I take it off for you? You look uncomfortable.”

He nodded, and she stepped back a bit out of his arms, giving him room to duck down for her.

Her small fingers slid along the collar of his shirt, loosening the knots of the offending cloth and then, unexpectedly, running her fingers through his hair, mussing it a bit before pulling the cravat away and allowing him to stand back up again at his full height.

“There,” she whispered, taking his hand with the cloth between their palms, “You look like you again.”

The color had returned to her face and he smiled at her. She liked him as he was, and that was a comfort.

Now to convince her sister.

[themadauthorshatter]

Toppat!Charles Part 13(Final)

This is it. The big 13.

What a ride.

I'm not holding back on this.

Dramatic recap: Triple Threat has spent time reunited, though Charles has some trouble relaxing before their mission. Speaking of which, all goes well at firs, but Charles is recaptured by Right and Ellie is found by Toppats and Reginald, leaving Henry alone in the vents.

To catch up before this finale, here are all the previous parts:

Part 1

Part 2

Part 2 Deleted/Extended Scene

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Part 7

Part 8 Preview

Part 8

Part 9

Part 10

Part 11

Part 12

I just really want to say thank you all for enjoying this series since it started. It means a lot to me. I never knew how 'big' this would get and I'm honestly really glad you all liked this. And for putting up with my nonsense 😅😂

Anyway, onto the finale!!!

If this was a tv special, the camera would do a glidey thing from the side of a vent to an open path, which Henry crawls through.

He's hot, very uncomfortable, and really hopes that Charles gets back to him and Ellie.

It probably doesn't help that he can't hear Ellie anymore. At all.

Alone, Henry sighs as he is left to follow a humming sound that he KNOWS has to be the core.

He's ditched a lot of his space gear and tied his hoodue around his hips, but he presses on, because he's really starting to hate the Toppat Clan right now.

CUT TO CHARLES!!!

Charles panics as he tries to break free from his binds, in a cell very much like the one Henry was locked in in the Free Man Ending. He's in pure panic mode and only knows that Right is leaning against the wall and he needs to get the hell out.

Charles is trying as much as he can, kicking up, trying to throw off the balance, even trying to go for the remote, which is where Right intervenes, taking it just as Charles is about to kick it.

After a few more minutes of kicking and flailing, Charles lets out a very loud scream.

"Are you done, kid?"

Charles breaks down and stops his struggling, keeping his gaze on the floor as he asks, "Why are you doing this? You already have your friend back."

"You're the one who came back, not me. Let me guess: the government didn't want you back?"

Charles keeps his head down, even as Right stops leaning on the wall and approaches him.

"Why're you really here?"

With a rush of adrenaline, Charles kicks Right, smirking at the fact that he'd managed to send him into the wall.

Right scowls and punches him in the face.

"Don't get cocky, or I'll send out into space," Right snarls as he points to a button on the remote. He keeps his thumb on this button, making sure Charles doesn't get any ideas. "Tell me why you're here, kid. What're you up to?"

Charles gulps and opens his mouth to explain, but is cut off by either Burt or Sven or any other toppat clan member.

"Sir, we've found someone in the ventilation system. He's heading to the core, now."

Charles freezes and Right turns to him, a 'gotcha' smile growing on his face.

CUT TO HENRY!

Henry has found the core and climbs out of the vent, bomb in hand; it has enough power to cause critical damage to the core and should give him and Ellie enough time to get back to Charles, and give the toppats time to evacuate and return to Earth, where they'll be arrested.

He walks along a ramp and gets ready to toss the bomb onto the core, near the middle where a lot of the power is.

His aim is heavily disrupted when he hears footsteps racing toward him.

As toppats approach, Henry runs to the other side of the core, tapping Morse into his earpiece to alert Ellie and Charles that he's been spotted.

He stops dead in his tracks when he sees two toppats holding Ellie back by her arms as she struggles, a little bruised and beaten, and sees Right holding Charles, who has his hands bound behind his back, by his hair.

"'Ello. 'Ere for something?"

Henry, after a quick glance to both Ellie and Charles, lowers the bomb and quickly draws his gun.

Which is shot out of his hand by from behind Reginald, who gives him a dainty wave.

Henry sneers at him before turning to Right.

"Seem familiar to you, 'Enry? One friend injured by toppats and the otjerneeding you to rescue 'im?"

The memory itself is like salt on a wound. Almost a year ago, they'd been trying to stop the rocket feom getting into orbit.

Now they're trying to blow the station to high Heaven, high water, Hell and back again.

"Don't listen to him," Charles hisses out, but Right slams his head on the railing and holds him on the other side of the railing by his neck.

Henry panics and sets down the bomb, much to the objection of Ellie, and holds his hands up.

Right merely scoffs at this. "You're good at making history repeat itself."

Charles is conscious enough to see this and feels his stomach drop, as Henry is possibly breaking his promise.

That's until he sees Henry sort of making a slight scissor motion with his middle and index fingers as subtly as he can, Morsing the following messages to Charles and Ellie:

'Bite their wrists. Kick someone's ahin and they're useless for a few minutes.

'Kick him. Kick him. Kick him. Kick him. Kick him.'

With a deep breath, Henry quickly drops for his gun as Ellie sort of reverse axe kicks one the toppat guard's shins and bites the other, making both let go of her.

Henry shoots Reginald in the foot, which gets Right to instinctively take a step forward and pull Charles closer, which leads to him getting in a really good kick to Right's jaw before he falls onto the platform.

Ellie headbutts one guard and punches the other before running to the bomb.

Charles covers himself as Right kicks him before the cyborg charges to Henry, who shoots him in the shoulder and goes to do it again, but is tackled by Reginald.

There's a lot of kicking and punching, but Ellie eventually knocks out one guard, only to be slammed into the wall by her hair and thrown down.

Before he can get any other hits in, he is shot and falls to the platform, clutching between his neck and shoulder.

Ellie looks to see Charles holdimg Henry's gun before he turns it on Henry, Reginald, and Right, using a couple shots to scare away Reginald.

Right, mad as all hell, beats the ever loving heebie jeebies out of Henry, smashing him into the platforming and daring, "You think you're some kind of hero, kid? You think just by taking us out, you're helping yourself!? All over some damned pilot and a rat you found!?"

Henry, very much offended and sick of all the salt, strikes Right with Reginald's gun, hitting the metal side of his head and even getting in an uppercut before Charles delivers a phenomenal kick that shatters Right's cybernetic eye.

Right falls back, knocked out cold from the hit.

Charles holds a hand out for Henry, who takes it with a clap and lets himself get picked up by Charles, though he does help.

"Good shot," Charles sighs. "And... thanks."

Henry hugs him, and Charles tenses before hugging back, crying as relief floods him. Relief that his friend actually kept his promise, which he totally knew he'd do, 100% without a doubt.

"Um, guys?" Ellie asks. "Shouldn't we...?"

Henry pats Charles and the two pull away, ready to blow this pop stand.

Without the detonator, they'll have to do this the risky-but-badass-if-this-works way.

Ellie throws the bomb onto the core and both Henry and Charles shoot it, making the bomb go off.

It knocks all three of them down, but don't worry they all come to.

They decide to take Right and Reginald, who got knocked out by the blast, and race to the escape pods, with guidance from Charles.

Henry fights a flashback of Valiant Hero before realizing Charles isn't leading them to the normal escape pods.

"You guys might not believe this, but this isn't just the room for the clan leader," Charles admits ehen they get to what used to be his room, which became Reginald's for a short time.

They load in and lock Right and Reginald in handcuffs, but Charles decides to pull one more card out of his sleeve: an 'override' feature that guides the escape pods to a certain location.

"Where dhould they go? The base or...?"

Henry and Ellie trade glances before Henry smirks and nods.

"The Wall," Ellie replies.

"You sure?"

'They gave us enough trouble, and they'll keep Dmitri off my back,' Henry signs as quickly as he can.

Charles sets the location and they leave just as the orbital station explodes.

All three take a sigh of relief, especially Charles.

"It's... It's over. We did it."

Ellie nods and puts a hand on his shoulder as Henry holds his hand on his other side and gives him a smile.

'It's all over.'

Charles rests his head on Henry's shoulder as Ellie moves to hold his hand as well, and lean on him as he lets himself cry.

CUT TO EARTH!!!!!

Galeforce paces back and forth at the base, waiting to hear a word from Henry, Ellie, and Charles.

Rupert has informed him that they have lost contact with the destroyer, which has been destroyed with the Toppat station.

Escape pods have been landing in The Wall, but there hasn't been a single report on Triple Threat.

Terrence sits in a chair with one leg folded over and doing that foot shake thing, because he's stressed.

Bill Bullet is also waiting, though he's keeping his eyes on the ground, and he's not talking about anything because Galeforce will kill him.

All three jump when they hear the sound of some sort of space craft landing near the base and rush to investigate with a lot of the soldiers.

They have to fight their way through as the door opens and Reginald and Right are thrown out.

Henry, Charles, and Ellie stumble out, their injuries having caught up to them, leaving them tired and needing some medical attention.

The soldiers are literally elated to see these three, even though Henry's shady, Ellie's also shady, and Charles is the youngest and best pilot. Some take Right and Reginald away to a cell before they're sent to The Wall, but the rest somewhat dogpile the trio, patting their backs, ruffling their hair, shaking their hands, and just celebrating the fact that they're all back on Earth and alright.

They make way for Galeforce, Terrence, and Bill, the corporal standing back as Terrence reunites with Henry and Ellie and Galeforce throws his arms around Charles.

After so much excitement, Charles passes out and is carried to the infirmary.

Through the crowd, Henry spots Bill, who gestures for him to follow, which he does.

Ellie sees this and also starts following, but Terrence stops her.

"Let's leave them be. Corporal kept saying he needed to talk to him alone."

Henry and Bill walk until they're a really good distance away and just stand in a clearing, watching the now clear sky that is missing the orbital station.

"Looks kinda empty without it, doesn't it?" Bill asks.

Henry shrugs, but nods all the same. 'When do I leave?' he signs instead.

Bill fights an eye roll and he pockets his sunglasses. "You know, I've seen a lot of crminals, but never ones that were selfish enough to do the right thing. Hell, I think I know a couple that would take over that orbital station instead of destroy it for someone they care about."

'They had it coming, after what happened.'

"If you say so." Bill passes the chaos readings to Henry, who reads them over as much as he can because he doesn't get a lot of it.

"You'd be surprised how much numbers matter. They go up when you're on your own, but they go down when you're surrounded by people to keep you in check, whether you know it or not. Call it whatever you want, strange, lucky, interesting."

Henry takes one more look at the readings before turning back to Bill, a smile growing on his face. 'You changed your mind?'

"As much of a good study you'd really be, yes, I have," Bill sighs. "Just do me a favor and don't make a habit of losing your friends, okay?"

Henry nods and returns the readings as he sprints bak to the base, almost running into Ellie.

"What'd he say?"

Henry smiles her and the message is clear:

He's not going anywhere.

The two hug and highfive, though they stop because they're sore and still a little injured.

They walk to the infirmary and are put in beds next to Charles, who's resting a little easier than they've seen him in a while.

"Fine work you three," Galeforce says as he joins them. "Just about every member of the Toppat Clan was sent to The Wall." He notices Charles stirring a little before resting again and gives a small smlie. "You three rest up now. You've earned it."

Galeforce leaves and both lie down, Charles opening his eyes and staring up at the ceiling.

"They're... really gone. We did it."

Neither speak as he continues.

"In my cell and when they made me the leader, I used to imagine destroying it myself. Just shooting it as much as I could before it all went up into smoke. I never thought we'd actually do it. I can't believe we did it."

From where they all lay, the three hold hands and fall asleep, the endeavor of the past year slipping away.

Henry in particular lets out a sigh as he drifts off, glad that all three of his friends are back and safe.

Outside the base, Terrence leans against the hood of a car and watches the sunset, and Reginald and a one armed Right be loaded into a van headed toward The Wall.

The two toppat leaders are not looking forward to their incarceration, but Reginald holds Right's human hand, which seems to at least simmer his temper a little bit.

"They make a cute couple, don't you think?"

"I'd say," Bill sighs as he types on a laptop on the ground; just an email to his workers and to Dmitri. "I'd be surprised if I heard there was a Wall wedding for the two of them."

"A wedding? WITHOUT me? And you call my son a criminal," Terrence gasps as he holds a hand on his chest.

Bill snickers and finishes up those emails. "Come on. We need to head back."

Terrence rolls his eye as Bill sets his laptop in the backseat.

"Do I have to stay in that same room all the time? Or can I have Henry's?"

Bill scowls at him.

"I like the idea of having a window, watching some sitcoms, and just keeping up a good appearance, sue me."

"Depends on how well we get along on the ride back."

Terrence watches Bill get in his seat and start the car and takes one last look at the base before he climbs into the passenger seat. "Hope you like country."

"Don't touch my damn car, Suave."

Terrence laughs as Bill fights a smirk, driving back to the CCC headquarters and leaving Triple Threat to rest and heal for future shenanigans and missions for the government.

[nyanberri]

I've finally finished the first set! It's the same kids again tho, lol. But next time will be never before seen characters! So I wanted to get everyone drawn in the Omniverse style so I could visualize it all properly and it also made for a good opportunity to tweak designs as needed. They're all heavily referenced from official art so I could get it perfect and it made for great practice too! Of course I added some personal touches to the art style too cuz if I didn't it would have bothered me too much, lol.

Anyway, below the cut are finally proper profiles for all the kids and some additional info as well!

M'kay, so before we get started on the kids' bios, it's important to specify this is an alternate universe. And I don't mean it's an AU of the Prime Dimension. This is quite literally another universe within the omniverse. It's a mostly untouched one that even Paradox, Eon, and Maltruant have never been to and therefore a lot of things are different while a lot of things are still the same tho. It's unofficially called the Feniverse cuz Fen is the main character, but it does have a more official name. I'm just, uh… not aware of what that name is yet, lol!

Anyway, the Ben in this dimension branches off from the development of Prime Ben. Anybody remember the fact that the very first Ben 10K episode said Ben became the way he did in the future cuz he killed Vilgax by ripping him to pieces? Yep! That's what this Ben did too! But obviously he doesn't end up exactly like that Ben 10K. But so this dimension's Ben is therefore officially labelled Slayer Ben since some people refer to him as 'The Vilgax Slayer'. And that experience did definitely screw him up pretty bad, which is why he's so different from both Prime and 10K.

So from left to right:

Name: Fenrick Fih Rook-Tennyson

Age: 13

Height: 5'1

Voice: Todd Haberkorn

Bio: Fen is Ben and Rook's son. He has always been known for being quiet, surprisingly wise for his age, and quite the troublemaker. In actuality, only two of these things are true. Fen is more calm than he seems and as a young child he wasn't much of a talker, giving people the perception that he's quiet. Unfortunately, Fen also has many great ideas that end up badly. However, his ideas always come from the desire to help someone or solve a problem, but he always gets caught when his plans fall apart, making it look like he causes trouble. Some people even accuse him of trouble he didn't start, not helping his reputation. And as the son of Ben 10 of all people, he tends to be held to higher expectations. His wisdom never ceases to amaze people either. Even Ben and Rook get surprised at the wisdom he recites, wondering where exactly he learned it all. Due to that, he tends to put up a fight whenever himself or someone else gets wronged. He especially defends his friends and fellow alien kids in town. Although his only true friends seem to consist of his childhood friend, Millie, and his cousin, Sven.

At the age of 13, Fen discovered his ability to transform into a couple dozen of Ben's aliens. He quickly aspired to become a hero like his parents, much to Ben's disapproval, who worries about his safety. Despite that, Fen wants to form a hero trio with Sven and Millie and become the next generation of heroes in the galaxy.

Developer's Notes:

Fen's almost always been the same since I first created him, with just a few design and character tweaks done to him. He used to have a talent for jewelry making but that was switched out for him being wise for his age. He was also a bit more generic as far as the upbeat and reckless young male protagonist with famous parents archetype goes, but he's been adjusted enough that he now stands out from that archetype. Or, at least I hope, lol. Also, funny thing to note, Fenrick is not a real name! The closest name there is is Fenwick and iirc, that's a last name! I considered changing it to Fenwick or even Fenick but Fenrick is too special to me. His, uh, unfortunate name even has an impact in-universe with him being embarrassed by it and some using it to make fun of him. Also in-universe, I chalk it up to Ben having a dumb moment by misremembering the name Fenwick and Rook not knowing any better to catch Ben's mistake. Also, if you think his hair style is stupid, good. That's the point. He wanted it like that when he was seven and Ben and Rook were like 'sure' and it's been like that ever since.

Name: Millicent

Age: 13

Height: 5'0

Voice: Jennifer Paz

Bio: Millie is Ester's daughter. Her biological father is a human who decided he didn't want to be a father and Antonio soon stepped up to fill the father role when he and Ester got married. She has been friends with Fen and Sven since they were all babies. Millie is the level-headed one of the group and has been noted as being oddly emotionless. Her tone of voice is almost always flat and she usually keeps a straight face when not looking nervous. She never intends to be rude, but she will bluntly say whatever comes to her mind to her peers. At the same time, she can be nervous about making bold decisions and hates being a part of any decision making. She either refuses to do anything, or apologizes profusely for making a decision even when nothing bad happens.

Due to being more human than Kraaho, Millie is perfectly capable of handling the temperatures of Bellwood. However, she is still a bit sensitive to cold temperatures and needs to bundle up more than others during the winter. She sadly cannot handle the heat in the Hot Spot for very long either. Much to Millie's dismay, she was not born with the Kraaho's stretching ability. No one can figure out why, but it's simply something she can't do. As a result, she considers herself a normal human and has resigned herself to the fact that 'normal' is simply all she will ever be. Despite this, she has taken up quite a big secret that contradicts her decision and expresses who she wishes she really was.

Developer's Notes:

Millie only ever had one design change with her outfit and slight adjustment to the way her hair works and she's been the same ever since. Since the beginning she was always calm and stoic and I've always worried that she doesn't have much of a presence or purpose, but now I feel like she plays off Fen and Sven well enough that she stands out thanks to them. I've always flipped back and forth between Fen and/or Millie having a crush on each other, but I've finally settled on them both just seeing each other as near and dear loyal friends. It ultimately works out better that way and doesn't cause conflict with Millie's personal story or Fen's real love interest(and the one other character with feelings for him). Her name also used to be Mina, but since I've now taken that as one of my own names, it felt really awkward to keep her as that. I used to have a habit of naming characters with names I wanted before realizing I could change my name in the future, lol.

Name: Sven Elijah Levin

Age: 12

Height: 4'8

Voice: Wally Wingert

Bio: Sven is Gwendolyn and Kevin's son and Jenny's older brother. Sven is a rather unfortunate boy. He is constantly terrified of everything to the point of running millions of 'bad ends' through his head. He can barely talk most of the time without being a stuttering mess and always thinks he's going to be in trouble for anything and everything he does. Everyone is certain he either has severe anxiety or paranoia, or likely both. Perhaps even more. Who knows. Sven tends to cling to his cousin, Fen, who he looks to for guidance and advice, most of which isn't anything Sven should actually be following. Because he is a grade below Fen and Millie, he's often left alone to deal with problems in his own classes, or really just panic about them. He does, however, have a close relationship with Zed and likes to be the one to take her out on walks in the afternoon. And not many people know it, but he's actually a pretty decent artist.

Even though he is an Osmosian thanks to being Kevin's son, no one knows what ability he may have. It doesn't really matter though, since he wants to stay out of any potential trouble that having powers could bring him. Regardless of that, he has an interest in magic thanks to Gwendolyn's expertise in it. He even sneaks peeks at her spellbook and the strange bag she keeps in her office that he can hear a voice coming from at night.

Developer's Notes:

Now Sven is a character whose personality has always been pretty much the same while his design was never consistent until reaching his current one. He was originally very anime looking and in a gaudy orange outfit that I regret even thinking about, lol. He looks much better in neutral colors. I guess there's not much to say on him though, which makes me worry he's a tad unremarkable, but perhaps it's just since I'm leaving out the things about him that are better left discovering on your own… if I ever get to finishing that fic that is… ahaha.

Name: Saki Boulais

Age: 13

Height: 4'11

Voice: Stephanie Sheh

Bio: Julie and Hervé's daughter, one of the more popular girls in school, and the most deceptive in town. Saki has gone her whole life, since the first time she told a successful lie, tricking people into thinking she's a completely innocent little girl who's never done anything wrong. This allows her to get away with anything she wants, and she especially enjoys getting Fen in trouble when they butt heads with each other. The two have even been enemies since they first met at age three and Saki pulled Fen's tail, he pulled her hair in return, and she managed to get away with claiming he started it. Their feud has even turned into murderous intent, which Saki refuses to hide.

On a lighter note, Saki always has the company of her two best friends, Rachel and Diane, who will gladly join her in her tormenting of others. Saki even greatly admires the most popular girl in school, Fiona, and whoever the mysterious new hero girl, Miracle-M, is.

Developer's Notes:

Yes, Saki was always meant to be That Bitch in the cast. I feel like it's unrealistic to have all next gen kids be friends and get along with each other. It's perfectly believable to have some of them dislike, and in Saki and Fen's case, even hate each other. It makes it more interesting with them being Ben and Julie's kids respectively too. Adds good drama, lol. But anyway, really the only thing that's changed about Saki is her hairstyle and some other slight design tweaks like her necklace, shorts, and shoes. I also just recently changed her colors from purple and blue-ish purple to just blue so that isn't not all three girls here wearing purple. She also looks better in blue and it contrasts nicely with Julie's pink imo. I suppose I do worry about her being disliked since she's so antagonistic and with her being Julie's daughter, I really hope her character doesn't send the wrong message since I genuinely love Julie a lot. It really is just For The Drama Of It All. I think it's really fun to watch her go into full 'Murder Fen' mode too. Very fun to write, lol. Oh right, also Boulais is my headcanon last name for Herve. I just wanted her to have his last name but he doesn’t have one! So I had to pick one for myself.

Name: Jennifer Elizabeth Levin

Age: 10

Height: 4'6

Voice: Brina Palencia

Bio: Jenny is Gwendolyn and Kevin's daughter and Sven's younger sister. She is surprisingly serious and stoic for her age. She gets annoyed by her family's constant 'abnormal' status and wishes everyone could just act normal with no weird events happening. She throws herself into school work as a means to keep herself out of it and tries to keep her personal life at school with friends far away from her life involving family. She seems to have a quick temper, but really she just acts that way to get what she wants since she knows it works and in the hopes that she can use it as an opportunity to vent her frustrations. She hates getting involved in her brother and cousin Fen's antics, but sometimes her no nonsense attitude is needed to resolve a situation. She has a strange obsession with eating bread, finding it the perfect food and almost always exclusively eating something with bread involved. Gwendolyn definitely worries about her diet, but Kevin finds it harmless.

She may not have the spark like her mother, but she doesn't dare confess that her status as an Osmosian became very apparent just recently. As a result, she has a stash of broken objects stuffed under her bed and cracked floorboards that she covers with her rug.

Developer's Notes:

Jenny went through a decent redesign. Character wise I feel like I still don't have some things etched in stone for her as I still haven't gotten to the point in my writing where she does anything of interest. She could honestly probably end up pretty different from her bio here if I'm not careful, lol. The characters write themselves as they say after all! But I definitely prefer the newer Jenny compared to the previous way I envisioned her character, which was designed to fit a character type I actually hate just cuz I felt it worked for her. Thankfully I can avoid it tho with the big overhaul I did after returning to these characters. And I do like Jenny cuz I like writing her dialogue, but it still feels like her character is still that of a person I would not wanna be around, lol.

Name: Bevel Tennyson

Age: 20

Height: 5'9

Voice: Dee Bradley Baker/Yuri Lowenthal

Bio: Bevel is the youngest of the Big Chill offspring born twenty years ago. They were in an accident involving a passing spaceship on their way to Kylmyys that damaged their right wing to the point they could no longer fly. It's suspected the wing has severe nerve damage, making Bevel unable to unfold it as well. Their siblings helped them make it the rest of the way to Kylmyys, but over the years, the dangers of Kylmyys left the siblings with only Bevel and the eldest two, Emboss and Curve, remaining. As they got older, Bevel could never forget their only memory of their parent, who the others didn't remember. A desire to reunite with their parent caused Bevel to make the lone decision to explore the universe in search of their parent.

Bevel is a very cheerful and sweet person, but their secluded upbringing and lack of knowledge about Earth makes them very naive. They will believe anything they are told and have a very black and white moral view due to not understanding nuance. They have strange habits that appear unnatural in their attempt to act human and have an intense craving for Earth candy. They have also taken up being a mercenary to get by after leaving Kylmyys and once they join the Tennyson family, Rook suggests they use the skills they've picked up to become a Plumber, but that's an idea Ben isn't fully onboard with.

Developer's Notes:

Right off the bat I want to shout out that his old human design used to keep the Necrofriggian antennae. I still think it's a cute design even tho it wasn't canon compliant with the antennae. The only things that have changed about him too are just that, his hair style, and his shoes. Plus I stuck bunny ears on his hoodie recently as a shout out to those antennae he used to have. Otherwise he's always been the same. And I guess I haven't explained why he has a human form, but that's also an answer to discover later. I didn't draw his Necrofriggian form tho cuz we should all know what the UAF design looks like(and yes I am screwing with art style difference bullshit cuz OV Big Chill is not real and you cannot convince me otherwise). And I also just realized his pronouns aren't matching up in this section so I should add his official pronouns are he/they, but characters refer to him by he/him and narration uses they/them. He is still a Necrofriggian and therefore doesn't do the whole gender thing after all. Which is why he's fine with anyone viewing him as whatever they want to too. He just goes with it. That's also why he doesn't get what's weird about him calling Ben 'Mother' after he learned the word, lol.

[thesvenqueen]

The Black Flamed Candle

Rating: G

Pairing: Kristanna

Summary: A life taken too soon. A plan set in place to save her soul. Now she waits, and listens, for the right time. Her lover, once before, to return back to her side, For only he can light the candle, and bring her back to life. (My contribution to the Halloween Zine 2020)

Happy Halloween everyone!

He pauses his work as he hears his door slam open, looking up to find a familiar face. 

Instead of a sweet smile, however, it is stricken with fear. 

“What’s happened?” He asks, dropping his tools to come to her. 

“There’s--there’s not much time I--” the woman sobs.

“What is it, what’s wrong my love?”

Sad blue eyes look up to him, voice shaky as she speaks, “I’ve been accused.”

~.~

He’s eight when he first sets eyes on the Sander’s house.

They’re on a field trip to celebrate Halloween. Kristoff isn’t sure how he comes across the old cabin, but he does so with ease.

That’s where his teacher finds him, the young boy staring intently at the old house.

“Oh Kristoff, you found the Sander’s house. Do you know the story?” The boy shakes his head, turning to look up at her. “Well, it’s said that two young witches lived there.”

“Witches?” He says, the word new to him.

“Yes, witches. They could do magic!” The teacher says with emphasis, “but these witches were bad witches, they did awful magic to people.”

Kristoff isn’t sure why, but without hesitation he says, “No they didn’t.”

His teacher goes silent, simply looking down at him confused. “What?”

“They didn’t do bad things,” he says, more sure now as he looks back to the house, “They didn’t.”

“How do you know that?”

Kristoff shrugs, “I just know.”

~.~

“By whom?”

“I do not know. I only know because of Elizabeth, she overheard one of the members whispering.”

“They will not hurt you,” he says, grabbing hold of her hands, “I will not let them lay a hand.”

She smiles at this, another sob escaping her, “I can not ask you to defend me.”

“I do so willingly,” he says, kissing her knuckles, “I will protect you with my life.”

~.~

It’s his first Halloween when he’s able to go off on his own. 

He’s only 13, as his mother likes to remind him constantly, but he feels more like an adult than ever before. He’s outside, no parents in sight, free to do whatever he wants. It’s every kid’s dream.

They’re playing hide and seek, trick or treating long forgotten, and as Sven begins to count Kristoff takes off to the woods. 

All the good hiding spots have already been found in previous games, so the pressure is on. He’s still running, not sure where he is nor really caring because he has to win. 

It’s only when he breaks through the trees, feet hitting a concrete path that he stops. 

He looks both ways, trying to catch his bearings and he realizes he’s made it to the park. It’s not far from his house, he knows this, but he’s surprised either way to find he’s made it here of all places. 

Then he feels it, a chill running up his spine that causes the hairs on the back of his neck to rise. 

Something was here, what exactly he isn’t sure. 

It’s not Sven, no way he had caught up to him just yet. 

Still, something was here and that something was pulling him to follow, beckoning him to come. 

He looks behind him, not hearing or seeing a sign of Sven or the other boys from the block, and turns back down the path. 

So he follows. 

It doesn’t take long for him to find his destination, Kristoff coming to a halt when he sees it.

The Sander’s house. 

It’s creepier at night, a contrast to the broken down cabin he’s seen within the day. Now it stands in the moonlight, early dark and broken before him.

As it does every time, he feels familiarity upon seeing it. As though he knows what lies inside, knows the makeup of the old house. Knows that the kitchen, as small as it is, lies to the right side of the cabin, giving way to two small sitting chairs near the fireplace. Knows that it has two bedrooms, one of which he knows has a bundle of dried wildflowers hanging above the small bed. 

More importantly, he knows that it held happiness here. 

It’s then, with that thought, he hears it.

A soft laugh, carried in the breeze and it makes Kristoff jump. 

He doesn’t wait, doesn’t hesitate to bolt back into the woods, leaving the cabin behind him.

~.~

“I can not bare the thought of losing you, of you dying because of me.”

“And I can not sit back and watch you die.”

A knock interrupts them, the man instinctively moving in front of her and grabbing hold of the fire poker. Ready for whomever may come for her, for his love, his heart. 

But it is not the village nor their leader, it is her sister. 

“Elizabeth? Why are you--”

“There is not much time, have you told him?” The younger sister nods. “Then we must make haste.”

~.~

Kristoff hears the family clock chime as it calls the hour. 

10:00. 

The house is still, silent as the clock’s song finishes. For a minute, Kristoff listens to any movement, any sign of someone awake. 

He hears nothing. 

With that, he eases out of his bed, still dressed from earlier today.

He’s thankful his mother did not question his desire to stay in his room this evening, assuming the 16 year old was merely bored and watching horror movies within his room. 

He’d watched one to pass the time, some new one Sven had recommended, turning the tv off to give the illusion he’d gone to sleep. It had worked.

The window slides up easily, hardly making a sound as he pushes it up. Steadily, carefully, he climbs out the window. He is sure to take light steps as he turns, pushing the window down just enough where he can get back in later tonight but not open enough to draw suspicion. 

Just as he turns to leave, he feels as though he is forgetting something. Turning back, he looks into the window and spies what it is he is missing. A lighter, one his friend had left behind that Kristoff held onto for whatever reason. He pauses before reaching for it, slightly confused at why he suddenly needed the lighter tonight. 

He takes it though, sliding the window back up enough for his hand to sneak in and grab it, putting it in his jacket pocket.

The night is cool, autumn in full effect now on this Halloween night. Kristoff can hear a few voices down the street, no doubt a few teens still out and about enjoying the festive evening. 

He ignores them though, going the path he has come to know far too well. 

One he has come to follow every Halloween. 

The familiar pull guides him, leading him to the destination in little time. He only stops when he is right in front of it. 

Kristoff looks it over, trying to work over what exactly could be happening with him and this cabin. What has somehow created a connection with him and this barely standing structure.

He knows the stories, the history by heart. After the encounter 3 years prior, he took it upon himself to look up everything and anything he could on the house and the residents that lived inside. There was not much, only small bits and pieces here and there but it was enough. 

Anna and Elizabeth Sanders. 

Sisters who had come for the new world nearly 300 years ago, leaving behind their home in Norway. There was little known about their parents. Only mentions of them being well liked and respected in their home village. They had journeyed before the girls, traveling to the new world only a week prior. Their ship never reached its destination, and historians assume it was lost at sea. 

The sisters found their way to the new world as orphans, settling in the cabin that sits before Kristoff now. They had been well liked, from what he could find, by majority of the village. 

After that, it was all rumors and speculations, tales that had been told throughout the town.

No actual facts of what transpired that led to the youngest, Anna, to lose her life so young. Only that she had been accused of witchcraft, as so many women during that time had been. 

No trial was given, only giving what the people then deemed as justice. 

One blogger said that she was responsible for the disappearance of children, and thought that she was using their lives to keep herself young. 

Another speculated she’d been careless, casting a spell in front of watchful eyes that led to her doom.

A reddit thread blamed it on a jealous man, scorned by her denial for her hand and accused her out of pure anger and rage.  

An author had written it off as just another sad moment in history for women during that time, and that was it. 

Though even having such little information, Kristoff was fully engaged into the story of this little house. 

He’d never come close to the house, always staying on the paved path before it but tonight felt different.

He feels bolder, confident; not as scared like he was years before. 

So he moves forward, taking slow careful steps as he comes to the front of the house. The porch, though broken and rotten, still stands strong as Kristoff steps upon it. It creaks with his weight, but it does not bend. 

Kristoff stares at the door, the same feel of familiarity filling him. He rolls the lighter in his hand over and over, as though he is working up the nerve. Out of what feels like instinct, he brings his free hand up and knocks softly. The sound seems to echo through the night, into the forest around him.

Then it is still.

Eerily so. 

Then, as the breeze rustles through the trees behind him and around him, he hears it. 

It’s soft, barely there but he hears it well enough to jump back. 

Kristoff.

His name, clear as day, had been whispered into his ear.

~.~

“Why don’t we run? I can prepare a horse and--”

“We can not,” The elder sister says, “there is no time. They were gathering as I came for you.”

“But--”

“I’m sorry.” she says, grabbing hold of her younger sibling, “I’m sorry I’ve failed you but I will not fail you again. I swear it.”

“You have not failed me.” She says, “It was not your doing that led to this, you did not cause this.”

“No,” the man says, his voice booming as the sisters turn to him. “I will have none of this.” He says, turning to find a true weapon, “I will not hear goodbyes, I will not accept this fate.”

The young woman turns to her lover, placing a hand to his chest to still him. He does so, tears stinging his eyes as they do her own, and he can not think of a world where she is not in it. Of a time where he exists and she does not. He does not want it, can not fathom such a life. 

~.~

The dreams follow after that night. As though his knocking had been answered after all, opening a door elsewhere that he could not see.

It’s always the same. 

He comes to the cabin, knocking the same as he did once before but this time the door opens revealing a home no more in shambles but tidy and clean. 

There, just inside, stands a young woman.

From the moment Kristoff first saw her in the dream, he knew instantly that he knew her. How or where or why, he was not sure, but he knew her immediately. 

From her long strawberry blonde hair, to her sea colored eyes, the freckles that scattered across her face, the large bright smile that she always has when he enters opens the door, the way her eyes seem to sparkle, to ignite as he comes in; as though he brings hope, brings her so much happiness that no one else can. 

Every time, without fail, she stands behind the door and everytime she holds a large black candle in her hands, its flame oddly glowing the same eerie black as the candle.

He comes to her, standing before her and watches as her eyes follow him, still smiling a radiant smile. She looks to him, then to the candle and just when he moves to touch her, to place a hand to her waist or cup her cheek, he wakes up. 

When he does, he is always filled with an intense feeling of dread and sorrow. 

~.~

“I can offer something.”

The two lovers turn to the eldest, watching as she pulls a book from beneath her cloak and begins to turn the pages. 

“What have you found?”

After a moment, the pages stop turning and the blonde haired woman speaks, “It’s a spell, one that I can create to give you the life you deserve.” She is crying now, reading through her tears, “It won’t be enough, not nearly enough, but I can try…”

The young woman comes to her sister, placing a hand on her shoulder to bring her eyes up to hers, “You’ve done more than you know dear sister.”

The older sister sobs, both sobbing as they hug one another. The man watches them, his heart slowly shattering at the notion this may be the end. 

“Ok,” the oldest speaks, pulling back as she looks back to the book, “There is not much time so I will have to explain quickly…”

~.~

While everyone else moves away, including Sven, Kristoff can not bring himself to do it. 

College in and of itself was difficult enough. The familiar pull to come back always there, nearly begging and pleading him to do so. 

He was never too far, only an hour or so away, but it was enough to make his chest ache. For the first time, his dreams change. 

No longer is the woman smiling as he enters, a sadness now in her eyes every time he appears. The candle she holds is no longer lit, adding to the sorrow that now sits within this dream. She speaks now, no longer quiet, and she always repeats the same thing:

“Kristoff.” She says, in her hauntingly familiar voice, “Kristoff, come back. Come home.” 

So he does. 

He graduates with his degree and finds a good enough job to pay the bills, a historian of all things, settling into a new routine. The ache is now gone, only coming back as it always does as the leaves begin to change to signal the beginning of fall. 

It’s the morning of Halloween when he decides he’s going to do it. He’s waited long enough, pushed the idea away far too long now. Something, whether the woman or the cabin itself, wants him to enter. 

Needs him to enter. 

So tonight he will.

He’s planned it, able to snag the spare key to the house from security a few days before. He hadn’t even questioned the fact, assuming it was for historian things. 

Kristoff spends the day preparing, for what exactly he doesn’t know. He’s nervous, ridiculously so, and he feels incredibly silly picking out an outfit to wear. 

Why was he trying to look his best? He was going to an abandoned house, no one was there. Yet, something within him wanted him to do so. So here he was, making sure to be clean shaven, dressed as nice as he can without going overboard. 

Night comes slowly, agonizingly so, and Kristoff sits impatiently for the sun to fully set. As soon as it does, he is up and gone, opting for a car this time instead of walking. 

The whole drive he ponders, wonders, questions what could happen this night. 

~.~

“And you’re sure it will work?”

“Yes, it shall work.” 

She turns, facing him, the question in her eyes that she doesn’t need to ask. He sighs, nodding as his tears begin to fall. 

She smiles weakly, understanding what is to come and they come together as they both desperately try to hold on to as much as they can for this last moment.

“I’ll come for you.” He whispers in her hair, “I promise you, with my life, I will come for you and we will live together. I promise you this Anna.”

The girl shakes as she cries in his chest, only nodding at his words.

“I love you.” He says, over and over, “I love you.”

~.~

Kristoff nearly runs to the house, not wasting any time to get to his destination. He picks up his pace when he sees the house come into view. 

He’s panting as he steps onto the porch, adjusting his jacket and checking his pocket for the old lighter and the key. He takes a deep breath, preparing for whatever it is on the other side of the door, for whatever it is that has pulled him here every year. 

To find what it is the woman in his dreams wants him to discover. 

Kristoff pulls out the key, unlocks the lock from the door and lets it fall to the ground with an echoing bang. He looks back up, hand on the handle, and before he turns he knocks as he’s done so many times in his dream. 

It’s pitch black as he enters, his eyes adjusting to the darkness within. It’s exactly as he’s seen it so many times, only dark and decrepit. The chairs have since fallen apart, barely standing and the kitchen is covered with dust and cobwebs. 

More importantly, there is no woman within the house. No bright, welcoming smile to greet him as Kristoff steps into the home. 

As he enters, as he steps across the threshold, there is an overwhelming feeling of calm that comes over him. A peace that causes him to pause in his entrance. It’s welcoming, comforting, something he senses he hasn’t felt in a long time. 

While he stands, looking at his broken surroundings, he spots it on the nearby table. 

The familiar and oh so recognizable black candle. It stands tall, untouched by time as it’s surroundings have been. It seems new, as though someone came in and left it there recently. Kristoff looks it over, turning the lighter over and over in his jacket pocket before pulling it out. 

He moves to the table, the woods creaking beneath his feet, and he doesn’t know why but he must light the candle.

Has to light the candle. 

There is a quiet click as the lighter creates a flame, Kristoff eyeing it then the candle before moving it slowly to the wick. 

As soon as the candle alights, as the flame takes hold of the wick creating the familiar black flame Kristoff has seen in his dreams, he is consumed by a wave of memories. 

Of a time so long ago, of a journey he once took abroad a small vessel to the new world. The days he spent building, working hard to create a home here, a life. Then they’d arrive, the two Sander’s sisters. Elizabeth was so calm and poise, a striking contrast to the lively and bright Anna who had taken his breath away the moment he’d laid eyes on her. 

Of their awkward first meeting, at the sound of her laugh as he’d blushed furiously down at her. How they’d been inseparable ever since that day, sneaking off when they could to spend time with the other. Of late night walks under the brightly lit sky, of strolling through the town hand in hand, taking in what was all around them.

The night they’d spent alone in his cabin, Anna having snuck out to meet him. It was the night her secret was shared, was told to him in confidence and with eyes full of tears she had asked him if he still loved her. He’d simply said how could he not? How they’d shared more than secrets that night, giving each other wholly and fully to each other.

They’d been set to marry in the Summer, her favorite season, with a bundle of sunflowers which he'd planted for her. Just for her. 

How she never got to see them, never had the chance.

The day that it came crashing down around them, her secret somehow exposed for all to know. She’d come to him, completely terrified with news of what had transpired, how a new villager had decided to go an unspeakable way of revenge after she’d turned down his advances. 

The moment Elizabeth had appeared, plan in mind, to set things right and give them both a future they deserved. To give back what was to be taken away from them.

It would take time, she’d warned, lots of time but she swore, on her life, that they would get the ending they deserved. The happiness they both were supposed to have. All it would take was the lighting of a candle, the same candle that sat before him on the table. 

Kristoff blinks, dropping the lighter to the table as he takes it all in. The old memories, the realization of what exactly this means. 

He hears footsteps then, coming up the path to the door and Kristoff turns as he hears the floors creak under their weight. He holds his breath, waiting in excitement and awe as she listens to her move through the door.

“Kristoff?” 

He gasps at her voice, at the wonderful sound of her saying his name.

A few more steps and she appears.There, standing before him now, smiling and beaming at him with the same beautiful smile he’s always loved, was Anna. 

He smiles, tears falling as he simply stares. He doesn’t move, let alone speak as he takes in the sight of her, of the woman he had so wholeheartedly and completely loved.

Whom he still loved, would forever love. 

Anna moves closer, the tears in her eyes now visible and he doesn’t reach out till he hears her say his name, this time in absolute utter relief.

“Kristoff.”

He breaks, moving and wrapping her in his arms then, holding her close to his chest as he breathes in the scent of her, takes in the feel of her small arms wrapping around him. 

“Anna.” he whispers in her hair, “Anna, my Anna...I’ve missed you.”

“And I’ve missed you.” She says, pulling back to face him. He cups her cheek, he himself now sobbing at the feel of her leaning into his hand, a subtle reminder that she was here; she was real.“What took you so long?”

Kristoff laughs, full and deep before capturing her lips with his own. 

[365days365movies]

February 3, 2021: Sleepless in Seattle (Review)

As I go through this month, I’m really starting to think about my relationships with romances, especially romantic comedies. I do find it interesting that the beginning of this month has me diving STRAIGHT into romantic comedy territory, even though I didn’t really intend to do that. But, hey, we’re here, so let’s go for it, right?

Anyway, this was maybe one of the most stereotypical rom-coms I’ve ever seen, but ENTIRELY in a good way. I’ll try to explain that as I go along here, but I genuinely did enjoy this movie! Do I think it’s the best movie I’ve ever seen? Eh. We’ll get there. Anyway...

Review

Cast and Acting: 8/10

As we go along this month, I’m going to be judging the leads of these films not just alone, but also together. Which is...SUPER hard with this one, simply because the two leads only see each other for about...two minutes of total runtime? But HOT DAMN, Meg Ryan  and Tom Hanks unsurprisingly kill this movie. Despite how I feel about some of the writing, and some of the plots, and even some character work, these two are absolutely perfect for these roles, and they manage to surpass Pretty Woman’s...mostly. Ryan isn’t as charming as Roberts, but she’s still a fun character to watch most of the time. But Hanks, vs. Gere? PFFFT, no contest whatsoever, Hanks TAKES that one. They somehow manage to sell a relationship that doesn’t even slightly exist for most of the film.

What about the supporting cast, though? Ross Malinger is a fantastic child actor, and also sells the conflicted, yet still innocent Jonah greatly. While the character is mostly just a method by which the plot moves, he’s still played excellently. Bill Pullman makes his purposefully boring character incredibly likable, enough so that I really want him to find someone perfect for him, goddamn. Rosie O’Donnell is also a fun actress in here, and does sell her transformation from doubting friend to ardent Sam-Annie shipper by the end. The cast of this film is fantastic, and while they don’t quite match up to Pretty Woman all-around, it’s still a great cast.

Plot and Writing: 8/10

...Y’know, shortly after seeing this movie, I wasn’t a big fan of the writing. But now that I think about it, I kind of get it. If Pretty Woman was meant to be a modernized fairy-tale/Pygmalion story, then this is a romantic comedy actively trying to be a movie romance. Yeah, it’s a weirdly meta-contextual take on how love feels in movies, with Ryan taking the role of an ardent love of love, and Hanks having experienced real love and having lost it. And in that way...damn, this movie KILLS it. Nora Ephron, David S. Ward, and James Arch, kudos here. As for the plot, as odd as it is, I can also say that I’ve NEVER seen anything quite like it. And while it has some common romantic tropes in it, it somehow manages to combine them in a unique way! Again, credit where credit’s due, here.

Directing and Cinematography: 8/10

...Does this movie get better with age THIS QUICKLY? Because, yeah, now that I think about it, there’s actually some brilliant cinematography in this film, and the credit for that goes to Sven Nykvist, one of the GREATEST CINEMATOGRAPHERS OF ALL TIME. Seriously, he’s gonna pop up again one of these days, I guarantee it. As for the direction, also very good. Maybe not perfect on Nora Ephron’s part, but still fantastic, no matter what. So, yeah, high points here, too.

Production and Art Design: 8/10

...What is happening? Look, this one definitely doesn’t have the iconic outfits of Pretty Woman, but it’s still visually iconic, mostly due to its different but distinctive locations. From Chicago, to Baltimore, to Seattle, and to New York City, it is a distinctive-looking film nonetheless. Sam’s houseboat, Becky’s couch (weirdly), the GODDAMN EMPIRE STATE BUILDING WITH A HEART ON IT. Yeah, I gotta give some points for that, weirdly enough.

Music and Editing: 9/10

...It’s a sign, I guess. Fact of the matter is, the already existing music here was MEANT to be remembered more than the actual composed soundtrack by Marc Shaiman, which is...actually quite beautiful. Also, Marc Shaiman, HOLY SHIT has he done a lot in movies. Just as an example...you like jazz?

But fact of the matter is, this movie hit ALL of my soundtrack buttons. You wanna win me the fuck OVER? Throw some Jimmy Durante at my face, alongsidesome Louie Armstrong and Nat King fuckin’ COLE. That is how you win me over. I DO NOT CLAIM TO BE A COMPLICATED MAN. Just one who likes old-school crooner shit. It makes someone happy, AND THAT SOMEONE IS ME.

82%. Yeah, not losing sleep over that one.

I honestly did really like this movie in retrospect, and it weirdly got better over time, AFTER HAVING WATCHED IT. No wonder it’s a classic.

But although we leave this film, WE SHALL NOT LEAVE THE HOLY ROMANCE EMPIRE YET! One more act in this fictionation’s history to explore. And if that makes no sense, here’s the Recap, knock yourself out. Anyway...did you hear that sound?

February 4, 2021: You’ve Got Mail (1998)