#maybe i cheated a bit on the eyes? the white is just a lighter version of the yellow so

[the-huntress]

Little Moth - Chapter 1 - The Beginning Is The End Is The Beginning

[Hi guys, welcome to my fanfiction. This is a Resident Evil inspired fanfiction, I wanted to incorporate a number of my favourite characters, and especially our beloved Magnet Daddy. Slow burn, soft smut impending, beyond that who knows… But to be safe I will say that this is for 18+ years of age only. Let me know if you’d liked to be on a tag list for future chapters. Masterlist is pinned. Thank you to everyone that has read so far. <3]

Masterlist

Trigger Warnings: Mention of menstruation, swearing.

Y/N Protagonist, female. Reader X Karl Heisenberg [18+]

Summary:

Your lifelong friend, Leon Kennedy, has mysteriously gone missing two years after the events of Racoon City. You make a discovery that could lead to his whereabouts; dare you enter the Village?

[Photos are my own] You weren’t sure exactly what you were looking at for a moment, arching your back forwards over the desk in the dimly lit room, the glare from the laptop the only source of light. Several windows had been left open on the screen, and despite the turmoil that Leon’s apartment had been left in, this was what had really grabbed your attention.

The most notable of which was a photo, the resolution was grainy, a scan from a black and white film photo, it looked almost like a foetus, but you couldn’t be sure. Was somebody pregnant? It was almost akin to the sort of photograph that expecting parents would show at a baby shower, but this was… different. You had a feeling of impending doom just by looking at this thing.

Next, another very grainy photo of a town, it almost looked like some of the places from back home in England; a church steeple, a castle or maybe a mansion in the distance? A quaint looking village in the snow. And lastly, a very cryptic email;

                                               10/10/2000

Leon,

Know not what I have done, but what I believe must be done now.

Half of the results of good intentions are evil; half of the results of an evil intention are good.

You have the information that you need, please make haste.

A friend.

Well, that’s ambiguous as fuck. You thought to yourself, pushing the chair back and pulling the lighter from the little band on the side of your cap. You reached to your shoulder and cursed. That’s right, you’d given up, “for health reasons”. Putting the lighter back you reached instead for your camera, a notepad and a pen. You’d been tempted to just take the laptop and the scattered papers, but after several years in the police you knew it was beneficial to leave things as they were. Your eyes flitted from paper to paper, taking notes of numbers, flights, times, place names, anything that you could until you’d filled a couple of pages. One page for practical info, and one page, now that you looked at it almost sounded like a fairy tale;

A village, four kings, four lords, and a mysterious ‘Mother Miranda’. You bit the end of the pen and pondered. It was like nothing you’d ever heard of before, what had he got himself into…

Several days ago you had received a text from the man himself;

‘Y/N I am going to be out of

town for a while, something has

come up. Please don’t worry,

will explain soon. Leon. X

P.S. I’ve left Timesplitters in

your mail box, play you again

when I get back! :] ’

And now here you were. You scoffed knowing he’d have had to pay double to send that one, but he was mad to think that you wouldn’t worry, he was like a brother to you, hell, the only family that you had. After a childhood growing up in rural England you had moved to the states with your father and stepmother when you were in those vulnerable years of your teens during the early 90s, but were lucky enough to have met Leon in school. The two of you had become best friends quickly, and even graduated from the same police academy. It was Leon that saved your butt two years ago when all hell broke loose in Racoon City, him and Claire.

You shifted on the collapsible chair in front of the usually neatly tidied desk which was now strewn with various papers and articles. Your thoughts of Claire continued, and you pulled out your Nokia, opened a message and then faltered. It was late. Later than late you realised, seeing the time; 02:08 AM. What am I doing? You didn’t want to wake her, so you put the phone back into the pocket on your belt.

You swept a strand of your hair behind your ear, the outgrown bangs jumping back in the way and you blew at them irritated. You heard a grumble and moaned, looking down at your stomach. Padding across the shiny, tiled floor you left the desk and headed to the kitchen, opening the fridge where you knew there would be left-over pizza. Sure, it was from over a week ago when you were last here hanging out, but hey, it’s pizza, right?

‘Ugh dude, always with the anchovies, why?’ you mumbled, flinging a small fish into the bin and mentally backhanding the back of Leon’s head. Of course, it was his side of the pizza that was left over, probably trying to stay in shape in case he bumped into ‘Ada’ again. You weren’t keen, but then, you didn’t trust her. You looked at your phone again, left on the desk besides the laptop, Leon would be much better off with Claire, but sadly you felt perhaps that ship had set sail long ago.

You went to sit yourself back down at the desk. CRUNCH “Shit!” Your eyes darted to your right knee. “Fuck… you’re not giving me a break are you.” Letting out a sigh you closed your eyes for a moment. Since you were a child your knee had given you problems. A few dislocations, hospital visits, insteps, braces and physiotherapy. You’d had to grit your teeth hard through every physical training session during academy, but you’d made it. Fortunately for you it wasn’t something that many people would be able to notice or spot. You could run for miles with no problem; it was the recovery time in the days that followed that was tough. You knew it was getting worse, and had been reading about how much longer you might have before you’d need a full replacement, but you knew that it could jeopardise your job, you knew you’d likely not get put on the jobs that you wanted, and the thought of being put into the office answering calls made your heart sink.

And then you spotted it, the corner of another window was sticking out from under the others, exposing the corner of a third photograph. Instantly recognising the symbol you felt as though you were falling.

“What…”

Dragging the window and clicking it to full screen you could see this photograph clearly; some kind of mural, was it in stone? It looked as though there were four crests, family crests maybe. And at the centre; “Umbrella.” You breathed. You stared at it for several minutes and quickly took a photo of the screen on your camera, no point trying to get that old thing to work, you thought, looking at the printer at the other end of the desk. You couldn’t help but smirk, memories of Leon trying to print page after page of game walk throughs, whilst trying to find all the secrets in your favourite action/ adventure game, and laughing your head off at him, mouthful of noodles spilling back out into the carton as a hundred pages shot out at him, flying all over the room with cheat codes for a scantily dressed version of the playable character.

You looked at the clock again, time to go. If you were going to do this, you needed sleep and to get going as soon as you could the next day. It might drain your bank account, but it would be worth it. You didn’t have a good feeling about any of this, and more often than not, your gut instincts were right. Grabbing your R.P.D jacket at the door, you took one last glance at the room. It really did look like a whirlwind had hit it, not like Leon when he was in a better mental state at all. You knew that when he wasn’t his best he’d reach a for a drink and then some, but you could see that nothing was broken, and it was mostly clothes scattered, some bits of equipment and where he’d clearly got the luggage bag down from on top of the wardrobe. Nothing to worry about in regard to kidnap or a break in at least; as if that was enough to stop you from worrying about whatever lay ahead in this ‘Village’.

It started to rain just as you got into your apartment building, and you smiled. You’d always liked the rain. Stopping to quickly check your pigeon-hole for mail and seeing nothing you felt something press up against you calf, rubbing itself against the tops of your boots. You looked down and grinned, scooping up a slender, black cat in one hand and kissing the top of her head. “I’m going to miss you Boo, keep an eye on my mail for me while I’m gone, you know how crammed that thing gets.” You winked at her as you set her back down outside Mrs. Little’s door and fished a sandwich bag full of the leftover pizza anchovies out of your R.P.D. bag. “You didn’t think I’d forget you, did you?” Leaving Boo hastily munching into her treats you jogged up the stairs, your knee twinged, but it wasn’t too bad. It just had its moments.

Your apartment was pretty standard for this part of the city; both you and Leon had left Racoon city some time ago, though it wasn’t far from here. It had been destroyed and bordered off and that was all there was too it. You had to tell it to yourself that way to cope. Leon’s apartment was slightly swankier, but then again, he did like his gadgets and liked to keep things tidy, when his thoughts weren’t somewhere else. You on the other hand were happy to know that while everything had its place, sometimes that place would be on the floor… next to the thingy and nestled safely under a cereal box; and that was okay! You picked up the thingy, and looked at it fondly, before folding it up and putting it away with the others.

Stretching and yawning you looked around you, making a mental note of what needed to be done; pack, shower, sleep. You’d get the tickets the next day, and some money too, you’d have to stop off at the currency exchange. What currency did they even use there? Equipment, keep it simple; knives, pistol, rounds, lighter, fluid, compass, torch, camera, medi-kit. A couple of spare pairs of clothes, and you had your light armour that also fit into the case. You knew the contents would raise suspicion, but you had your badge, at the end of the day another cop had gone missing, and your team knew too.

You whipped off the remainder of your uniform and jumped in the shower, the bathroom filling up with steam and bubbles quickly and you sang along to a few songs on the radio. Wiping the mirror to see yourself more clearly you felt all your insecurities flood to you at once, as well as seeing yourself for the natural beauty that you were. You pursed your lips, staring into your own eyes and promised you’d find him safe and bring him back. He’d yell at you for going in the first place, but you knew this wasn’t right. Something wasn’t right. Traipsing out from the bathroom, you felt the cool air attack your flushed skin. You liked it, you were always a window open kind of person, no matter the weather, the fresh air just soothed you. Of course, that meant the odd moth now and again, like now as you heard the tiny body plummet time and time again against the spherical glass shade of the dim lamp besides your bed. Snuggling up into the loose blankets you smiled at the little creature and pulled the cord on the lamp, smiling again as you felt the moth settle on the side of your head.

After that you actually fell to sleep very quickly. It had been a long day after all; a 6AM start, patrol, arresting some juvies for petty crimes, followed by yet another zombie scare, (false alarm thank God), before filing up all the paper work and heading to Leon’s. Sleep fell like a veil of cool clouds, taking you in and raising you up into the inky blue skies of the night. The next thing you knew, you were butt naked in a dark green forest, dew drops shining on moss like a trillion tiny emeralds. Mist hung thick in the air, and thousands of tiny moths flew up from the ground? No. From you. You were raising your arms up to the skies, the moss covered forest floor moist under your bare feet and between your toes. Behind you the silhouette of a deer… antlers, but much, much taller. In front of you a pair of cold silver-gold eyes in the dark. You felt drawn, ever so drawn, taking one step forward, and then another, your arms coming down now, hands outstretched in caring caress, your heart swelled, your lips bloomed, taking in a short breath, and then; blood. Gushes of it, soaking into the moss, reddening Earth’s green carpet, and dripping down the trunks of the trees, the moths falling from the air around you, their wings sticking and stopping in the thick, red mess.

“Shit!” You fell back down onto your bed, several items around you also crashing down. Hand to your head, you looked wildly about. It happened again. Whatever had fallen this time had been heavy. You turned to see half the cutlery that had been lying on the kitchen tops now on the floor, and the knives and pistol that you’d placed earlier on top of the luggage bag were now in the middle of the floor. A sudden feeling of loneliness washed over you. The same dream, but longer, and this time with blood. “Shit” again, you put a hand to your pants, pulled the covers back and saw red. “Well, that’s one more thing I need to bring with me.” You mumbled, rolling your eyes, and throwing yourself back onto the bed.

Song Suggestion: ‘The Beginning Is The End Is The Beginning’ by The Smashing Pumpkins

[molliesocs]

Palette Meme Pt 1: Caleb

This palette worked really well for him! I mean, most of these colors are already in his design, hence why I choose this one. It was meant to be, lol.

Palette by @crashandburrnart

[kristannarubbish]

learn to do it (chapter 4)

summary: princess diaries but make it norway + kristanna

rating: T

word count: 2.2k

a/n: the prospect park movie night is a real thing!!! if u ever find urself in nyc (when there isn’t a pandemic) it is a great summer night plan

“So, I guess the date went well, considering you did not come home until midnight,” Olaf teased in the June morning sunlight that was streaming into their shoebox kitchen. 

Rubbing her eyes, Anna groaned, but it sounded a tad lighter than usual. “It did,” she yawned, “it went really well.” She smiled to herself as she dug in their freezer for some toaster waffles.

“That makes me happy. Finally have someone to get some of this girl off of my hands,” he chuckled while making some scrambled eggs. 

“Oh don’t be rude,” Anna sneered. She had to squeeze past him to get to the toaster.

Then, there was a moment of silence, the only thing that could be heard was the sizzling of the pan. Olaf treaded lightly, “Did you tell him?”

“Tell him what?” 

“You know, the whole crown princess thing?”

“Oh, right. That.”

“Well, did you?”

“Of course not! I’m probably going to say no anyway.”

“What?!” Olaf turned to her quickly with a very confused look on his face. “You aren’t even going to consider it?”

“Of course not. I’m not going to turn my whole life upside down,” Anna said with a slight chuckle at the end. She thought Olaf was being ridiculous.

“Anna, you could be a queen. Royalty! Like real royalty!”

“I understand that. But I can’t be a queen, I can barely get out of the door in time for work!”

“Anna, that doesn’t mean you aren’t intelligent, or charismatic or any of the other awesome things you have to offer.”

“I know b-”

Olaf cut her off. “No buts. You should try.”

Anna had gotten very flustered at this point. She wasn’t exactly angry but she couldn’t see how he thought this was a rational idea. I have a whole life here, a job, a nice apartment, and a possible boyfriend. What else could I want? 

“Why?” She huffed.

“Because this would never happen to anyone else Anna. I can’t even call it once in a lifetime because it’s more like once in a million lifetimes. Don’t you at least want to see what it is like? Give it a test run?” Olaf tried to explain his rationalization to her.

“I don’t think you can just give being a princess a test run,” Anna put air quotes around the last part and rolled her eyes.

“Maybe you can,” he suggested.

“What?” she cocked an eyebrow at him.

“All I’m saying is you should ask the queen if she is willing to let her try to train you, and if you hate it? Then you don’t have to become princess and everything will go back to normal. It’s only fair if she expected you to do all of this so quickly,” Olaf stated as he handed her a plate of eggs.

Anna’s mouth was agape. She didn’t even think of somewhere in the middle. She just assumed that it was one or the other. “I didn’t even think of that,” she breathed.

************************************

On her way up to the penthouse in the secret elevator with the stoic Mattias once again, Anna tried cracking a joke to lighten the mood between them.

“Why did the sad ghost take the elevator?” Anna looked up at the man inquisitively. 

“To lift his spirit?” Mattias cocked an eyebrow at her.

“Huh. I really thought that one was original.”

“Not my first elevator ride, Ms. Anderson.”

The doors opened to once again reveal the penthouse that looked like a condensed Palace of Versailles. From the golden pillars to the painted ceilings, Anna was sure she had seen something just like this in a history textbook. She was sure if she was ever here often, if Queen Sonja did agree to her compromise, she would not mind being here often.

Anna had made sure to dress up this time. It was later the same day, so after another pep talk from herself in the mirror on how “she could do this” and a set of what Olaf called “warrior faces”, she made sure to get dressed nicely. She was wearing a kiwi green sundress with gold jewelry, her hair in a braid going around the back of her head and natural makeup. With a tiny bit of winged liner of course, because it made her feel powerful.

When the woman from last time saw her, she smiled just as she did before, “Right in here Ms. Anderson.”

This time, when Anna sat down for tea she did not slouch to make herself smaller. She sat with a straight back. She was still nervous, but she had intentions this time. When these things were on her terms, she felt way better about them. She just hoped they would stay that way.

Anna still had not processed all of the terrifying things the queen had told her about yesterday, but she had a feeling that a way she could slowly unpack all of these falsehoods about her entire life would be by seeing what her life could have been like if the car crash never happened.

So, even if she ultimately decided not to be princess, she could at least have a road map of what to do next. She wants to know who she could have been and could still be. 

Interrupting her thoughts, Queen Sonja walked in through the glittering golden doors. Anna stood up, remembering her small bit of etiquette after last time. 

“Your majesty,” the younger woman smiled slightly, hoping that the queen would approve of her more presentable self.

“Anna,” Queen Sonja said lightly, inspecting her again. “I’m glad to see your back so soon. You may sit.” The women sat across from each other in silence for a moment as china was clinked together and tea was poured.

“I came with a proposition,” Anna announced, reminding herself to sit with her back straight up. The foreign feeling reminded her of a version of herself she did not recognize yet.

“Oh?” the blonde woman raised an eyebrow.

“I would like to train to become a princess, but only if I am allowed to decide if I want to assume the role by the end. I can ask out at any time,” she made sure her words were filled with strength like the queen’s had been, so there was no room for negotiation.

Queen Sonja’s eyes widened and she looked out the window they were sitting next to. The endless view of Central Park served as the perfect picture that was framed by the tall window’s antique bordering. Anna got a little nervous at her silence.

“Very well, Anna. I agree to your… compromise of sorts,” the girl’s newfound grandmother looked back at her with a smile. Something she hadn’t seen yet.

“Really?” Anna’s face lit up. “Oh my gosh, thank you! This is so great!”

“Yes, and you already passed lesson one,” the older woman sipped her tea.

“What’s that?”

“Talking in a way while making a deal so there is no room for compromise,” Queen Sonja’s face went into a full fledged smile.

**************************

Anna had felt like she was walking on air. She had just gotten exactly what she wanted from a queen. The older woman said they would train Anna every Monday through Friday, with a few royal events in the city to serve as checkpoints. They would work together through the end of September, when the Queen was going back to Arendelle, and Anna would make her decision then.

That night at work, things only got better for Anna.

Before the evening rush started, Kristoff tapped her on the shoulder while she was making sets of forks and knives in napkins. She jumped a little, but then she smiled when she turned around and saw him.

“H-Hey Anna,” Kristoff still fumbled his words a little, not fully recovering from their romantic evening from the night before. His cheeks flushed.

“Hey Kris, uh.. What’s up?” 

“I was wondering if you maybe wanted to go to this thing tomorrow? It’s Prospect Park tomorrow night, like a movie picnic thing. We can pack a basket and I’ll bring the blanket if you want. But, only if you want to-” the man was rambling, which was a rarity, but he was grateful she cut him off.

“Kris, that sounds like a lot of fun. I would love to.”

“Great,” that damn high pitch was back again, so he cleared his throat, “I’ll see you on your doorstep at 7?”

“I’ll be there,” Anna planted a soft kiss on his cheek and they both got very flustered. After some glances, they both got back to work.

Throughout the night, lot’s of glances were stolen between the two. Anna’s job didn’t even really entail her coming to the kitchen often, but she took every chance she had to do so tonight.

Whenever anyone else needed to go back to the kitchen who was working the house, she did it for them. And everytime she did Anna made sure to smile at Kristoff. Sometimes he saw her, sometimes he didn’t. Which she eventually did feel guilty for because while he was cutting celery, he accidentally cut his finger. Anna would make up for it tomorrow.

The next day the both of them packed their favorite snacks. Kristoff made his at home, and Anna tried to bake cookies but thought they weren’t good enough, so she ended up buying junk food from the papi store on her block. This made her feel guilty, like she was cheating in the game of picnic basket packing, but she got over it. She was sure that the story of almost setting her apartment on fire twice would be endearing enough to make up for it. Maybe these unfortunate cookies could even lead to another date. He could say something like, “I’ll teach you how, if you want.” And of course I would say yes, hopefully not looking like a fucking tomato while I do.

Interrupting her daydream, Anna’s phone buzzed. Kristoff was waiting outside. She stuck her head out of her bedroom window that was wide open to let the summer evening breeze flow through her room. “I’ll be right down!” She yelled from 3 stories up. Kristoff squinted up at her and smiled broadly. 

In a few seconds, after sliding on her white sneakers, Anna was in front of the blonde’s eyes. Kristoff swore she looked more beautiful every time he saw her, if that was even possible. They both looked at each others baskets in confusion.

“I th-” both of the lovebirds started at the same time. They chuckled. They both thought they were the ones responsible for the snacks.

“I don’t know about you, but I have never been one to be angry at more snacks,” Anna giggled and it sounded like a song. 

Kristoff smiled once again, “I’ll take your basket if you want.”

“No, I can carry it, but your chivalry does not go unnoticed.”

“Well, I try my best.”

“Your best is better than any other kind imaginable,” she flirted. His cheeks flushed red. Anna’s great mood was making her more bold than normal.

“Oh- uh, thank you. Should we get going?” he stammered. Anna nodded.

The walk was beautiful. The skyscrapers were illuminated by yellow light, turning a concrete jungle into sunset paradise. 

Anna had told him about how much better she was feeling and he told her how happy that made him. Kristoff told her all of the funny things Sven did for months trying to get him to ask her out, though it was a bit embarrassing. She didn’t think it was though, she said it was cute. While sitting in the green park, they showed each other what they brought.

Kristoff took a mini chocolate cake out of his bag. “I know how much you like chocolate cake at the restaurant, so I made you it with my own twist.” Anna’s face lit up, “Oh you did not have to do that!”

He rubbed the back of his neck and his cheeks turned pink, “I hope you like it.”

“Kris, everything you make is amazing. I doubt I will not like it,” she rested her hand on top of his hesitantly. Their fingers curled together and they averted each other's eyes.

“This makes me feel bad about my bad attempt at baking.” Anna did not release his hand, but used the other to take out her cookies.

“Oh, they can’t be that bad. Let me try one.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, I’ll tell you what I think from a chef’s perspective.” He mocked himself on the last two words and Anna laughed as she handed him a chocolate chip cookie. He put it in his mouth and made a grimace, but put on a fake smile.

“Anna these are…”

“You don’t have to lie.”

“I feel bad,” he smiled lopsidedly. Anna burst into a fit of laughter, not letting go of his hand, pulling their union to her chest. He began to laugh as well. She keeled over onto their purple blanket that Kristoff had borrowed from Sven.

“It’s okay that these are..” Kristoff said between laughs, “not the best. I can teach you how to make the best ones ever, if you want.”

Anna smiled sweetly, “That’s exactly what I thought you would say.”

[halfasleepoetry]

I'd LOVE to read more Archer x Rogerina!!❤ Don't have any specific requests so maybe just something from one of the prompts you have? And I agree, I don't care what Joe's in as long as I get to see more from him!!!

Omg thank you for asking for Archer x Rogerina because I do have something to share that I couldn’t quite fit into the ongoing narrative! So this is not based on a prompt, but since Trip The Light Fantastic is told in Ben’s POV, as I was working on Joe’s character, I wrote his version of that night. And here it is:

I catch you looking back at me, looking through a cloud of steam

Archer x Rogerina AU, Joe’s POV

Right before senior year began, Joe had just broken up with his then-girlfriend who was cheating on him with a mutual friend for almost as long as they were together. That was enough to put him off any kind of relationships for a while. Besides, he thought he’d give being completely and truly single, a try. He kind of miss the sex and occasional cuddling, not that he’s particularly the cuddling type, but it’s nice to have a warm someone in bed and not wake up cold and alone sometimes. But to compare that with the kind of serenity and peace he has now and the headaches he saved, he’d rather keep being single, thank you. He has more time than ever now to read and write and drive by himself, and he has even started dancing regularly again.

And then there’s the Halloween party at the Maleks’. It’s the kind of party that all seniors go to, many juniors get invited to, and selected few sophomores could get in by miracle, and freshman could only dream of going. Maybe next year, or the year after. The host of such a party is always that one kid in the senior year who is filthy rich and you’re lucky if he isn’t an asshole who also buys his way through college. Well Joe sure is lucky. That kid, or those kids, because there are two of them, are his childhood best friends, Rami and Sami, whose father is a rich Egyptian-American business tycoon who moved to New York and built himself a business empire working closely with the Arabs and their oil in the 80s. 

It was last year that Rami told him he has his eyes on a certain London girl who is majoring in arts together with Joe, who is in her sophomore year. Her name is Lucy. Of course Joe knows her. Joe knows everyone. It comes with being occasionally recognized as that kid from Jurassic Park, and every time one of his professors brought up the fact we have someone in the class who is here on the personal recommendation of Steven Spielberg, he would slowly slide down his seat a little, hoping the remark would remain just a remark, and it would be forgotten by the end of the class. Sometimes it works exactly like how he wants it to be, sometimes it doesn’t. Either way, it earns him a reputation that he plays down and many friends, no, a large group of people he socializes with regularly. So he is some kind of a popular kid too, although a somewhat reluctant one. 

The Maleks’ mansion is pretty much his second home, and he was in his element that night, having accepted Lucy’s dare to show up in a girl’s character costume, and she even volunteered to do his make up, on one condition; no glitter involved. She did manage to put on something metallic-hued on his eyelids though, because he looked in the mirror and his eyes sparkled subtly whenever he blinks. Lucy had shrugged it off and told him, it wouldn’t be too noticeable, the house would be dim and there would be light strobes instead of actual lighting.

Lucy smiled up at him as she gave his make up, her handiwork, its last touch. “My goodness, you’re beautiful,” she marvelled. “Don’t make me change my mind, Luce,” he warned her. “No, don’t!” Lucy protested hurriedly. “No, no, no. Now let’s go.” But not before she stopped one last time to take a selfie with Joe, no, the Archer.

His Archer costume was a hit, apparently. But he made it very clear that he’s there just to enjoy the company of himself. And dance like mad, which was great because he had gotten back at it and been practicing for a while now. And that’s when he saw Rogerina. One sulky Rogerina who was drinking beer alone and trying not to look like he’s staring when he pretty obviously was doing exactly that. Joe thought that they look kind of wildly different, him and Rogerina who has a more muscular build and moody-boyish look. He even stood with his legs apart, chugging his beer with one hand on his hip, not even trying to appear feminine. But even across the room, Joe could feel his eyes on him, and they’re crazy-intense. He didn’t even know how to describe it, but he had never been stared at like that since he was five and sitting in an audition for Stanley Kubrick. 

He thought about it, but Rogerina obviously isn’t one of the people he knows, because he knows everyone here. Almost. Let’s find out who you are, Rogerina, he thought as one of his favourite songs came on, and he danced to it with an added flair, his moves all smooth and pronounced. Rogerina kept staring even as he made his way to Rami and Lucy. Lucy asked him if he’s murdering people on the dancefloor, and he just laughed it off. He headed to the kitchen to retrieve some rum he knew is kept somewhere safe and away from casual partygoers, half-hoping Rogerina would follow him there. And he wasn’t disappointed. Well he had to talk with Chace first, and the first thing Chace said to him was, “Hey there gorgeous.” 

“Asshole.” He laughed him off, because he knew Chace well. He’s always trying to get into someone’s pants, gorgeous girls or boys alike. They’ve fooled around before, but decided it’s better to remain friends as they are now. They talked shop and laughed, but from the corner of his eyes he could see Rogerina approaching the kitchen. He had never wanted a friend to disappear so fast before. And he’s glad when Chace decided to go looking for pretty girls at the pool.

The masked hesitation he could sense in Rogerina’s voice as he said hi to him was cute, to say the least. When was the last time he had been chased after like this? He was so determined too. He told him he came looking for a light for his cigarette. Classic excuse. He has a deep voice, British accent, and a very boyish smile. Definitely not a senior, maybe not even from the same department. He’d have remembered someone like him. Joe found himself looking into green eyes as Rogerina stepped closer to him to light up his cigarette from the mini kitchen lighter he was holding. He smelled nice, with a faint hint of aftershave. He wondered if he’d taste like beer and cigarette and something entirely different or surprising.

Mint, Joe thought later as they began kissing and he’s savouring the blonde’s lips. The cigarette he lit up earlier must be his first, as the taste was very faint, and it soon disappeared. The bitterness of malt and mint on his tongue fits right in with the Coke and rum sweetness on his own. 

Rogerina kissed him like he meant it, like the persistence by which he went after him to the kitchen, which found him pressing the sides of his knees on Rogerina’s hips, and that’s when he found the lighter innocently tucked in the side pocket of his skirt. He wasn’t even surprised, but he was absolutely delighted at the thought of this green-eyed British boy going after him and cooking up a lie to flirt with him. Makes him want to give him exactly what he wanted, and set him on fire while doing so. So he kissed him deeper, tongue all the way in, a hand in hair and another on his back, gripping him through the white shirt. He pushed himself forward and closer, so Rogerina could touch more of his exposed thigh. There’s growing heat at the base of his guts, and he slid even closer to give friction to it, and that’s when he realized they’re both hard.

Holy shit, he thought, and almost immediately wanted, no, needed more of this delicious friction. They’re separated by layers of fabrics, but fuck if this doesn’t feel so good, kissing a boy indecently in an open space, pushing and rubbing against each other fully clothed while the sound of the party droned on in the near distance. There’s no way this would not look exactly like what it was, and the thought of anyone potentially walking in on them is an incredible turn-on.

But Joe did pull away from Rogerina, mainly because he did not actually want anyone to walk in on them, and he needed to at least get a name. “Ben,” he told him in between breaths, eyes still transfixed on his lips. He looked like he was dazed and drunk, or somewhere in between. They were kissing again in no time, and when Joe deliberately pushed himself against Ben as he slid down the kitchen counter, they both moaned loudly into the kiss, and he almost lost his mind a little. They’re fast becoming like magnets, one gravitating to the other as soon as they pull away. He wanted to get his hands everywhere on Ben, wanted to touch him, kiss him, make him moan his name. They were strangers barely ten minutes ago, it’s so fucking insane, but there’s nothing else he’d want more right now than this green-eyed Brit in Rogerina costume. But not just yet.

So he smiled sweetly to him when he asked him nicely if he’d want to get out of the party with him, and he thought there’s no way he’d say no to that. They were kissing slower now, heartbeat calmer, desire kept in check. He held his hand close, making sure he wouldn’t change his mind. Something’s telling him he needed to do this right. This isn’t just a party hook-up, a fooling around kind of fun.

That same something’s also telling him he’s hooked, and it felt headier and sweeter than anything he’d drank tonight.

So when they did get out of the party, not before he caught Rami for the barest seconds to say goodbye, surprisingly without Lucy by his side, he decided they’re not going immediately to his place. He still has Ben’s hand in his, and he’s looking at him and smiling with his lucid green eyes and Joe wondered if it felt a little bit more than just infatuation or hormones. He thought about how ridiculous it was to think of it as anything more than what it was, but it lingered on long after.

[tuesdayrising]

Lair Review for nevvermore #132590

Buckle up, folks, because this review is a doozy! Over 30 dragons, and ALL OF MY LOVE. As is par for the course when we’re talking reviews. ♥

I absolutely had to start with Morrigan, partly because I wrote her lore for you, and partly because I’m such a sucker for that gold/brown aesthetic. Back in 2017, I was this close to moving to Earth instead of Light, if that tells you anything about my aesthetic preferences. But I also really love that little pop of Shadow around her head! It ties in well to her heritage, and sticks out very neatly!

Plus, she’s ambitious as hell and I adore her for that. ♥

Blue-green and brown is another outstanding combo, and Silail wears it so very, very well! I don’t know anything else about her beyond the implications in Morrigan’s lore (yes, I did notice they’re sisters!), but I’m in love with her anyhow. She just has this very fluid grace to her, and I also think you picked a perfect skin. Plus, Imperials can be super hard to dress, but you’ve pulled it off so well here! Great work on this gal!

Akatsuki is a perfect example of a subtle accent taking a dragon to the next level. Without that Trick of the Light skin, I think his mane would look way too flat, making him a lot more dull over all. This skin, though, adds some brightness and depth in a way that works really well! Plus, I love that he looks like a Fire dragon or Fire-adjacent at first glance, but he’s actually got Ice eyes!

First of all, I love this skin so much. I’ve got it slapped on one of my own Water dragons, and I just adore the way it works. More importantly, though, I’m impressed with how you dealt with Neptune’s tert! Normally, I wouldn’t love Thicket paired with Blue and Teal, but the lantern apparel actually does a huge amount of legwork here. It makes it seem like the green of her tert is actually a result of the lantern’s light, a little bit of ambiance on your deep sea friend. Great work dressing her!

What can I say about Felix except that he looks SO HUGGABLE? Seriously, I just wanna give him a big hug. That skin is absolutely adorable, and it’s making me like a male snapper, which I find hard to do a lot of the time. The big boy beans are typically not my favorite. But this boy? Best boy.

I feel like a big chunk of this review is going to be me commenting on your A+ skin and accent usage. Sparkplug is deceptively simple without much apparel, but I really, really like the accent, and the implications it has for a dragon that (I presume) is part of your flight reps. Did she build it herself? What happened that she needed prosthetics? Or is it armor? I’d love to know more!

Also, Lightning unusual eyes are SUCH a pretty shade of blue.

Again, you’ve got another blue dragon here with a green range tert, but I think I’m fixing on the accent. It’s so cute, all those little shells stuck to Terpsichore, and it makes me wonder if they’re decoration, or if she’s just that lovable to shellfish and can’t bring herself to peel them off. 

Unlike Neptune, who you’ve dressed super well and pulled off an odd tert for, I don’t think I care much for Pistachio paired with Periwinkle and Twilight. That said, I love that you managed to make a purple range secondary look blue for cohesiveness!

Turns out Artim is NOT wearing Windbound Plumage, like I thought when I first saw him in your lair. That skin is a solid mimic, though, and I really like it. Plus, it adds a lot of depth and color where Artim would otherwise be a little bit flat and boring, so once again, props for your skin usage! I especially like the way it makes it seem like Artim is growing out of the foliage, rather than the foliage growing off of Artim, if that makes sense. He seems very woodsy and very comfortable.

Sometimes I forget how stinking cute M Faes can be, but Xenon just reminded me PERFECTLY. He’s so swirly and soft and adorable, and I wanna put him in my pocket and take him everywhere! White and Sky make for a classic combo, and that accent makes it look like he’s wayyyyyy up there in the atmosphere, just cruising along. 

Also, the little hints of pink in his wings thanks to Facet add just a touch of extra color and depth. He’s perfect!

Chaorite is wearing a Ravenhearst skin. That alone means she’s looking absolutely beautiful as hell. That is all. ♥

I’ll admit I didn’t care for this accent during last year’s Trickmurk, but you’ve made it look great on Ashrah! I can’t decide whether those little fellas are her minions or if they’re pestering her, but I like the way they look on her nonetheless. It’s a shame that purple in the accent isn’t a touch more pink to complement the rosy tones in her primary and tert, but that’s not exactly something you can control.

Triple Terracotta, especially with PyMorph, is truly *chef’s kiss* and I LOVE HER. Can’t say much else about her, since she doesn’t appear to have lore or apparel or anything, but I love her nonetheless. She’s just prettier than hell.

Brigit is wearing one of my all time favorite festival skins, AND she’s rocking another classic color combo. She’s also worth a mention for her unusual familiar. I’ve noticed you’re normally pretty good at familiar matching, but the Deepwater Traveler you’ve put on her doesn’t match at all. Is there a lore reason for that, or are you just awakening your familiar ASAP?

Ooooh, a primal fella! He’s...so bright you can’t avoid looking at him. Honestly, he actually reminds me a little of a paper kite with that skin, like a kite that gained sentience and flew off on its own (but also just wandered because what’s a kite to do when the wind says “NOPE NOT THAT WAY, THIS WAY”?)

Pretzel is an ABSURDLY cute name for a dragon whose species is known for literally tying themselves in knots out of boredom. And yet again, your skin usage is a blast! Love the blue tones this adds to Pretzel, but it also works awesome with her existing orange colors. She’s very Halloweeny.

See, this is the power of a good skin or accent. I rarely like triples because they can be kind of boring, even with cool genes. But you’ve taken Phobus to the next level with a complementary accent, and I ADORE IT. The tiny horns it gives him are so cute, and I’m a sucker for florals when it comes down to it. Plus, those little butterflies on the wings are extra cute! He’s just soft and sweet all around.

A Ravenhearst skin strikes again! I’m not sure how I feel about black and brown together (Sand seems like a shade too brown, where something lighter and a hair closer to the yellows might be nicer with this skin), but at the end of the day, she’s still a lovely, pretty gal. Plus, all the eyes on the skin are like multigaze but more eldritch horror than site-approved cuteness. There could be a lore goldmine there.

Ahi is SO GOOD. An XYY Bane with complementary colors is no small feat, and I really like how fiery he looks despite being an Ice dragon. Have you considered Skink for him, though? That also has orange accents!

I’ll confess that I’m writing this lair review BEFORE writing your lore, but I couldn’t help but pick Varrick. He looks every inch a bard, and I really like that you’ve given him a Shabby Cane! Since it blends in with his wing, at first glance, it almost looks like it could be a bow. That works doubly well with his familiar being a Ghosthost Viola!

Lethe is giving me UNREAL steampunk ghost vibes. Between the apparel and her tert, she strikes me as a Victorian waif with steampunk enhancements come back to haunt whoever tried to make her more automaton than flesh and blood. And do you have lore plans for her? Is Lethe an intentional name? Can she make dragons forget things? I’d love to know more about her!

Cinder absolutely screams “oh no, sir, it’s such a tragedy my third husband died just like the other two and left me his entire fortune, so terrible, so awful” and it’s making me laugh a little! Not that she’s inherently funny-looking so much as the idea of a murderous widow dragon entertains me A LOT. What are your crimes, Lady Cinder? WHY DID YOU KILL YOUR HUSBANDS...

You have SO MANY PERMABABIES and of all of them, I think I like Banshee the most. But that’s probably because red is my favorite color, and I think baby pearls are honestly such cuties, even if they do have to spend all that time adding to their pearls in...such a gross way. Ew.

Green/brown/yellow range dragons are one of the most powerful forces on this site, and Swamp alone is a color with outstanding power. I said what I said, and I’ll stand by it. It makes Medeni a stellar dragon without any lore or apparel.

I remember when Stained first came out, and I brushed it off as a terrible gene to charge gems for. It was a ripoff, slapping a color overlay on a dragon!

How wrong I was.

Coriolis is a perfect example of how Stained can be used to soften a dragon and given them a lovely, lighter air, and it pairs so well with that accent! She makes me think of that stretch between summer and fall where the colors on the trees are beginning to change, but it’s still warm enough to wear shorts as long as the sun’s out. ♥

Another triple rescued from a dull life by a good skin! Obviously, the point of this skin is to evoke a prisoner in the Fortress of Ends, but what could Raiju have been imprisoned for? What warrants all the chains and ice? Is it a fair punishment?

It feels a tiny bit like cheating to pick another dragon I’ve already written for, but I really do adore branch! All the red accents add some cheer to her, and they make her stand out a little more. I think she’d be maybe a little too green otherwise, but you’ve dressed her perfectly! It also makes her seem approachable and warm, which is great for a healer.

I’m genuinely impressed that you have this little Goat Spiral army, and CiumaObake is my favorite of them all in terms of color. Do you just love baby Spirals with Goat eyes, or is there a lore reason behind this tiny baby army? 

More importantly, is this lair tab just the FR version of corralling a pet or a toddler while yelling “WHAT IS IN YOUR MOUTH”?

I wasn’t part of FR when this skin came out and I am JEALOUS because it looks so nice on Mist! It’s extra frosty and pretty, with that tiny nosy hint on the rose and wings that makes me think she’s looking at a sunrise. She seems very warm and approachable despite the classic Ice aesthetic, and I think she’s outstanding without a drop of apparel.

Plus, you’ve done wonders with yet another triple!

Vedette is getting a mention for that skin alone. It’s so odd-looking in the best way, and I would love to see if you have lore reasons for his appearance! Is he a mutated Gaoler, or is he another creature entirely?

Between that skin and her Speedy familiar, Lusa is really rocking that threateningly pale witch aesthetic. I’m not sure I’d like to meet her in a dark alley. Or even a well-lit alley, to be honest. She’s vaguely menacing in a great way!

I see you, Bill Cipher. I see you.

And last but not least, Mr. Unnamed, living in your projects tab. He’s got some GREAT colors, and I can’t help but see the potential in him! Using Veined with that Sunset tert could really give him a magmatic sort of appearance. I’d love to see what your ultimate plans for him are!

[jekyll-hyde-transformation]

Let's be honest.

I had already posted this here but I lost everything in that big mess in this month and I didn't have a copy saved in English.

So as my laziness is consuming me I will post it again, but everything wrong without any revision.

For the sake of laziness.

Maybe later I fixed the text but for now blame the Google Translator.

Jackson Jekyll in Wonderland Ever After High

(Sorry for any grammar mistakes).

Jackson Jekyll walked through an open field with slightly crumpled clothes. Holt had been in control all night and now he had to go home.

Jackson could only think how exhausted he was and how likely he was late with his homework until he took a false step and fell into a hole, or rather in the hole. He could never have imagined that such a great hole existed, and if he had not stayed nearly all the time with his eyes closed he could have sworn he saw random objects flying around him.

Jackson ended up sitting down, his knees on the ground on a bush. The scenery around him was simply so surreal that he could not describe it.

Attracting the attention of a girl with white and blue hair. She pointed a sword at him, but came down when she saw a cute little boy who seemed to be an incarnation of the nerd stereotype with a disoriented look and with leaves and branches stuck in her hair.

- Are you all right? She asked.

- Yes, I already have been worse. He replied.

- I do not think that's a good thing. My name is ... What's your name? She said helping him to stand up.

He failed to pick up her name correctly was something like adjectives, and it seemed that there were some voices talking about her, but he ignored this fact.

- Jackson.

- Nice. Are you the son of which Jack? However, you won't answer me? What is your name?

- No, my name is Jackson. He replied confused.

- Ah, ok your name is Jackson because of your father. My family also does not have much creativity for names.

Jackson was really confused and the voices talking about the girl did not help at all so he said his name was Jackson, but that had nothing to do with my father was just a name.

The girl looked extremely confused.

- Then your name is Jackson. And this has nothing to do with your father.

- It's kind of that.

- Then whose son are you?

- This is an extremely long story please do not make me tell.

- Okay, but what happened to you to stop at this bush?

- I have no idea I was walking in a field and I ended up falling in that bottomless hole and well I'm here. Said Jackson barely managing to keep his dirty mouth shut because of the voices. They were giving him a headache.

- Oh, so you're not from Wonderland? I really was finding you too normal to be from here.

- Wonderland? Jackson asked with the headache growing louder due to that annoying murmur.

The girl looked at the boy who had a huge face of confusion he was really cute, but there really was not any kind of knight in armor or prince enchanted. So she thought he was some kind of cute little assistant.

She then said she would take him back to his school.

Then he started to walk beside the girl. She started talking a lot of confusing things that Jackson did not understand and was not really struggling to understand. Something about how Wonderland and Oz were just an extension of the land of fairy tales.

Until they got back to an even bigger and more frightening hole than what Jackson had dropped. She told him to jump on him and obviously he did not want to, but when he refused, she simply pushed him away.

A new trek began in a forest after Jackson recovered from the stunned and repressed anger. He had not liked being pushed.

Then the girl began to speak and this time Jackson paid attention:

- I've never had seen you around. You're a new student, are not you? So I'm going to leave you in the director's room and he'll help you. I'm sorry I can not keep up with you anymore. I have to deal with my brothers now.

- OK then. Jackson said hiding the despair of realizing that he was not in Monster High yes in what appeared to be a fairy tale version of it.

(He really had to stop being pushed into schools that were not his one.)

Jackson was practically thrown into the director's room, being left by a girl who just told the director that the new student got lost in Wonderland.

The director then approaches the door.

- I do not remember any new students. You look like my brother's thing.

Jackson being raised as the son of a Fire Elemental and a Jekyll and Hyde knew exactly how to lie, though he was extremely nervous about it. But with his head almost exploding and understanding nothing of what was around he deduced that the best would be to be honest after all if they were to kill him, they would kill anyway.

- I have no idea where I am. Study at Monster High. I ended up stopping at that strange place the girl I do not remember her name called Wonderland. Which does not make the slightest sense. So I thought she was going to take me to my school, but I ended up here.Help me please!

The director made a frightened face then gave a dazzling smile

"Oh, I understand you're from the realm of horror tales, and it's here.

- I guess so. Said Jackson insert.

There was no way Jackson knew this but the director had deduced from his appearance that he must be the son of some sort of Monster Hunter assistant or potential monster victim.

"Sit down, kid, there are several Worlds. You came from the realm of horror tales going to stop in Wonderland then came here, meaning it's in the world of fairy tales. This world is different people have the fate of their parents. We have a student from your kingdom here.Maybe you even meet her, however she went to visit the family so I'm sorry. The spell to return to your kingdom is a bit difficult and by your reaction I do not think you have any family here so I think you're going to have to study here for a while until we figure out a way to send you back.

It was too much information for Jackson, the director had to explain it for another half hour until he understood the logic of what had happened to him. Apparently a rabbit had left an open hole that led to another world if that made sense.

At the end of the conversation the director said where Jackson was going to sleep and asked,

- Then tell me who your parents are?

Jackson Jekyll was on the board talking about his fate. Jackson is from the realm of horror tales they do not have a destiny, but stories tend to repeat themselves then sort of considered a kind of different destination by the land dwellers of fairy tales.

Director Grimm, his brother and Snow White were meeting in the room to decide what classes Jackson should stay in. Jackson is treated with affection (he had even won a hot chocolate) mainly for Snow White after all he is a boy apparently delicate and cute. And apparently to avoid confusion Jackson had turned Jack.

Since Jackson does not have a destiny he then begins to tell a confused, half-hour story of how his father is a fire elemental and how his mother is a human with a supernatural disease. But afraid he does not explain about Jekyll and Hyde. So he ends by saying that his fate can be interpreted as being the next Doctor Jekyll already fire elementals does not come from any specific history.

The director's brother arranges a book version. None of them had ever heard of Jackson's family book. So they started reading in the office.

They were all unfamiliar with the dark cloak, title, protagonist ... Jackson was getting more and more nervous. When they finished the book what would they think about it?

In the middle of the book Jackson was forced to hear a comment from the director saying that he would probably stay in a helpless maiden class. What was interpreted as a way to mock him not knowing that this class really existed.

Snow White, which Jackson was still trying to get used to the idea of ​​actually being Snow White, would occasionally look at him affectionately and run his hand through his hair like a teacher saying good work. That did not leave Jackson less worried.

On each page of the book they seemed more and more surprised or in the case director simply bored, since the book is extremely wordy.But at no time in the head of the three did they think that perhaps the doctor was evil and not simply evil, but the real villain of history.

Being Jackson a smart boy soon realized that being a villain's son was not a good thing. Relying on the comments about Lord Hyde throughout history. And from what he knew in the fairy tale, some characters were villains for reasons far lighter than physically assaulting a little girl, killing an old man with nothing but a stick and scaring a man to death (not to mention the fact that Jekyll lying compulsively) so he was really screwed.

When they got to the part where the body had been found they really got confused and it was not long before they got to the part where the secret was finally revealed. They did not say anything, but when they reached the part of Lanyon's letter his features had a slight tone of disgust. And Jackson's face became an expression camouflaged with despair.

In the end the headmaster closed the book and put it to his side with an extremely serious face. Jackson realized that Snow White was farther away from him and with the look of someone who had been betrayed.

"Well, that was unexpected. This really is not the kind of story we're used to in this place ... but you know wolves in sheep's clothing exist.It is a relief to know that you are following your destiny. By your behavior and your appearance I would have never guessed that you are a villain.

In the end, Jackson ended up getting all the classes that involved villainy, magic, cheating and lying to the victim, plus lessons on how to be charming and on the label.

Jackson found this completely unfair was not his fault that his ancestor was a villain.

Jackson was then practically kicked out in the living room. Just getting to hear slight whispers coming from the room as they had been cheated and if it would not be a problem.

Jackson, or Jack as everyone was calling, strolled aimlessly through the school until he found a mirror and when he looked he saw that things were a little different ...

It was a bit difficult to explain his appearance. He was more ... how could he say? Fairy tale? His exaggerated geeky looks had always caused him strangeness, but now it seemed like something more ordinary just too right.

His blue eyes were never so intense. There was no sign that one day he would have had a piercing. His outfit had a more natural trim and his black hair was brownish tones without his characteristic yellow fringe. His face was a bit childish, sweet. Monster High monsters would probably say he looked like a kid.

Everything in him seemed softer and lighter as if in pastel tones.Even his thick, black-rimmed glasses appeared more subtle. It was simply bizarre ... It was as if he had all adapted himself to that world.

Jackson had never been the kind of person considered attractive, at most being described as having a handsome face, and he was not yet and probably never would be, but he had something in his present appearance that disturbed him. It was as if everything in his appearance was made to please ... to be approved. It really bothered him. It all gave him a feeling of unpleasant familiarity. Something in his appearance reminded him very much of a certain Dr. Henry Jekyll.

If Jackson was not admiring his appearance in the mirror, trying to ignore and get a logical explanation for that maddening, indecipherable murmur, which by the way was very loud. He would have noticed what the high school speakers were playing a song that Holt would certainly appreciate and that a blond-haired boy approached him from behind.

Jackson continued to watch his own face in the mirror, his ivory skin reflected. He was a bit pale by the standards of the landlords of the land of fairy tales Jackson bit his white lips as he stared at that delicate and disconcerting figure. He had probably never faced each other so much. He began to focus on his vibrant blue eyes and try to pay attention to the voices. Paying attention to them and getting used to it a little easier it was much easier to understand what they were saying. They seemed to come from above this is the only indication he had of a likely source, but other than that seemed to come all over. In reality it was usually only one, but occasionally they alternated with each other. They all had a certain pompous intonation, but they showed slight differences between them. They were ... were they narrating? Were they simply narrating what was happening? Why would they be talking about him ...? No this would not make sense there was no one behind him ...

Jackson's thought was interrupted by a blond boy putting his hand on his shoulder. Jackson almost had a heart attack. He lived his entire life with creatures monsters and things that would make most humans run away, but he was really taken aback. He did not scream.Which he inherited from the world of Monsters. Shouting to scare was a lack of education, well at least when it came to someone with a human appearance, but he can not help but acquire the posture of a frightened cat.

The exaggerated blond-haired boy who apparently did not notice his fright said,

- We heard you had a new student. I just came to introduce myself to the newbie. I hoped it was a girl. What a disappointment, but let's leave it there. I am….

More names with adjectives that Jackson could not process. The other continued with an extremely narcissistic conversation without ever asking for his name or anything of the sort. He remembered Cleo a little.

It was only then that day that you did not realize that there was another boy with him this time with brown hair.

- Hi, it's Dexter. Sorry for my brother, he's always like this.

Jackson internally celebrated. Finally a name he could handle.

- What is your name?

Jackson stammered a little afraid with all the explanation he apparently had to give to every person he introduced himself. He decided to be as simple as possible:

- My name is Jackson and although my name having a son after Jack is just a prefix and it has no relation to me being the son of someone named Jack.

"Ah, different. That really should fill you up.

Jackson smiled and thought a rather wicked thought:

"And on top of it, there's a brain that's a gift."

"Then you're heard to say you're not from this realm." That you are from the kingdom of Cupid. You know her?

- CA Cupid?

- That's right.

"I do not know her well, but she was from my high school.

- Ah cool.

"Do not people really care that she's a monster?"

- What? No, she's a great person.

"No, not that kind of monster I'm saying literally a monster.

The boy made a huge face of confusion as if he did not understand what he was talking about. Then Jackson realized that Cupid probably did not fit into what they considered to be a monster. This could be a point she would not want to be mentioned. And as someone who understood very well about secrets and things that are uncomfortable to touch, he decided to change the subject.

- Forget. I'm talking nonsense. I do not know this college and it seems to be huge. Could you guys help me out a bit?

As if previous conversation had never existed the boy smiled and said,

"Of course we'll have lunch in the cafeteria now, and then we'll show the classes a bit.

- That sounds great to me. Jackson said.

He then started walking with the boys down the hall. The blond boy just stood admiring himself in a hand mirror. He was definitely like Cleo.

They sat at a table in the cafeteria and Dexter asked,

"So I've never said much about Cupid, but since you're both from the same realm ... well, the director said you're from the realm of horror stories." Tales of terror is where all horror stories lie. This does not look like a place where Cupid's story would come from. Kind helpful couples. How does this work?

Jackson took a deep breath and said,

"I think the specter that the realm of tales of terror covers is far greater than the realm of Fairy Tales."

Daring said nothing, but saw that when Jackson ran his fingers across the table he answered them they released some small sparks of fire.

Jackson pulled his cell phone out of his pocket to check the time.Even this had changed it was not the same he had no longer shaped like a coffin instead had a black coffin shaped hood.

- Wow! Your cell phone has a coffin cap you really take this serious horror business there! Dexter said suppressed.

- You have no idea. Jackson answered.

It was then that the girl he had met earlier in the day approached the table to join the boys and upon seeing him she said:

"Hi, if you're not my favorite damsel.

Jackson gave a shy laugh then replied sarcastically:

"And what would become of me without my prince charming?"

She laughed as the two boys stared in confusion as if they had missed an inner joke and they had.

The four of them talked for about 10 minutes largely asking questions about Jackson's kingdom, which he responded evasively for fear of retaliation as with the director.

Jackson could not stand it any longer and he created the courage of his soul to ask.

- Can I ask you something strange?

- Can you? Darling and Dexter responded.

(Although the blond boy was technically participating in the conversation he had never stopped looking at that mirror).

"What are these voices?"

- What voices? The two answered in confusion in unison. Even Daring's attention had been won.

"Those voices that have not stopped talking ever since I arrived in Wonderland and continued when I came here. I do not know, it's like I've been telling it all. They're driving me crazy.

The three, including the boy in the mirror who had removed the object from the face, gave a strange look and the blonde said in a low voice:

"Not another one.

Before the conversation could take any turn the signal rang and they had to go to their classes. In fact, Jackson was not yet required to attend classes. The headmaster had given him two days to adjust, but as he was dying of boredom he decided to attend some.

The girl then asked to see the paper with his lessons.

"Maybe we have some class." She completed it.

Dexter and she looked and automatically wondered when they saw a role with practically only classes of villains like cheating people, portions for evil and so on. The lessons did not match that handsome, handsome, innocent looking boy.

"Who did you say you were, son?" Dexter asked

Jackson replied,

"I never really did."

- OK. So asking now. Jack, whose son are you? Darling asked.

Dr Jekyll. He replied.

- Oh, okay. Can you track us down a bit?

Jack took a deep breath and then he explained:

- Okay. The world terror works differently technically Dr Jekyll is my no matter what grandfather, my mothers are descendants of him and Lord Hyde who is of the same story. Even though my father has a certain mythology about people like him, he is not of any specific history. Dr Jekyll was the perfect gentleman of almost no fault, but by the end of the story you find out he was not such a cool guy even though technically he is an allegory for good. So I'm the son of Dr. Jekyll, Mrs. Hyde and Mr. Burns.

Everyone's curiosity about Jack (son) being a villain was basically erased and focused on something else.

"Do you have two mothers and a father?" Everyone asked.

- Well technically they are 2 ½. Jackson answered with a shrug.

- What? They said in unison.

Everyone was confused, but decided not to question anymore. The last thing anyone with a good boy's title wanted to do was judge someone's family setting.

So they decided to take Jackson to his first class. On the way, Jackson noticed something. He was a tall boy, but that was ignored by the other Monster High students already in Ever After High that was much more apparent.

Then they reached the door and saw an entire class crowded with the scum of the world of fairy tales. Everyone was afraid to leave someone with the harmless appearance of Jackson there. He would be devoured.

But he went quietly into the strangeness of all. That place was not even close to a class in Monster High. For him, it was normal.

They all stared at him wondering what he was supposed to be doing there. Even the teacher.

She stared at him and asked if he would not be in the wrong class.

Jackson replied with an imperceptible sarcastic tone that sounded more like a sweet and polite phrase:

"No, the director himself sent me here for what he says I am a wolf in sheepskin."

Everyone kept staring at him as he sat, seemingly unconvinced.

"So what the character you're doing sent you here." Jackson was totally embarrassed and with difficulty replied:

- Well, nothing much. Well ... you just find out he's the real villain at the end, but .... Summing up the story was this Mr. Hyde guy and he ... well ... murder ... he means he killed an old man with a piece of wood and there's that little girl ... then aggression ... there's that friend of his ... that scares him ... well ... to death ... He kind of hides his crimes behind this guy .... Ah ... he also has that thing of ideological falsehood besides lying deceiving everyone around him.

The attempt of Jack to soften the crimes of ancestor was extremely flawed.

The teacher looked at him with wide eyes, not believing that the little boy with the face of who would not hurt a fly would be the son of someone like that.

Teacher decided she would talk to director later.

"Then whose son are you?"

"My fate is to be the next Dr Jekyll.

I never heard of it. Teacher spoke up with the conversation.

It was the weirdest class he'd ever had. They were basically telling him how to be evil as if he had an instruction manual for it.

When he finished his class he decided to go after the principal after all, he had no other clothes to wear and he wanted to see if the director could fix it.

As he approached the director, the director swore he was going to try to fool you and was surprised when he just asked for a change of clothes. A director gave him a look and said,

"Well with all that family stuff you can not just ...?"

Then something strange happened Jack could not contain himself and shouted to the director in a voice that did not belong:

"I'm not a witch, you idiot!" I'm just asking for some clothes !!!!! God it's not because an idiot in my family did a lot 200 years ago that I can do those shits of spells !!!!!!

The director looked at him in horror.

Jackson's eyes were red and he let out a little smoke. It took him a few seconds to realize what he had said.

- Oh my God. I'm sorry, I do not know what that was. It was not me.

Jackson had just been acting like Holt. It was he who had a reputation for hot-headedness, he was the one who would go to the board because of these things. Why had he acted like this?

Jackson hated when adults got mad at him, but the director just smiled and said, whispering the last phase so that Jack could not hear her:

"I should have expected that." I should know you're still too young to be a wolf in sheepskin all the time. The book itself said you should be wee bit wild when you're younger. I think this is not much encouraged in your kingdom, but you are simply acting as you should. Like a villain. Just do not get into a mess too big. I'll see what I can do with the clothes. Maybe something approves of fire ...

Then he told him to wait for 5 minutes.

Jackson was totally confused. What did that have? He had lost control ... and the director had been complacent about it. He really had with talk to Holt later.

[upontheshelfreviews]

As a lifelong Disney fan I can’t understate how much of an impact Mickey Mouse has had on me. In childhood, he was an icon and friend – instantly recognizable, a source of joy and entertainment, a hero and a role model. I know this is making me sound like one of those cheesy sponsors reading off a cue card, but when you’re talking about a mouse, expect plenty of cheese to be involved.

In the spirit of Mickey celebrating his 90th birthday, I’d like to share with you my 20 favorite shorts he starred in. Why 20? Because I couldn’t narrow it down to ten and I like to go nine steps beyond as opposed to one.

There were only two rules I set while making this list:

Mickey is the main focus, or at the very least he must be given as much to do as the other characters he shares the cartoon with. There’s a lot of great shorts out there that has Mickey’s name in the title – Mickey’s Parrot, Mickey’s Circus, Mickey’s Birthday, Mickey and the Seal, Mickey’s Christmas Carol, etc. – or has his face in the intro that advertises it as his adventure, but upon watching you find they’re really about Donald, Goofy or Pluto or literally anyone else but him.

Shorts only, no segments from full-length films or direct-to-video works. This means no Mickey and the Beanstalk from Fun and Fancy Free or various bits from Mickey’s Once/Twice Upon A Christmas, but sadly no Sorcerer’s Apprentice from Fantasia. I thought of excluding any short that ran over the usual length of five to seven minutes to about twenty, but that made my job even harder.

Now before we get to the countdown, here are a few Honorable Mentions:

Mickey, Donald and Goofy in The Three Musketeers – If I were including full-length films on the list, this would be in the top five, bar none.

The Sorcerer’s Apprentice from Fantasia – It would easily take the number one spot if it didn’t overlap with the #2 rule.

Plane Crazy – The mouse’s first appearance on the silver screen, though he wouldn’t make as quite a splash until his sound debut in Steamboat Willie a few years later

Orphan’s Benefit – One of my favorites as a kid. It made me laugh something fierce and still does, though a large part of it has to do with Donald and Goofy’s segments, hence why it’s only an honorable mention. Also, did you know that the color one we’re mostly familiar with is actually a remake of an earlier black and white version?

Mickey’s Delayed Date – Pluto and Mickey tussle for attention in this outing.

Haunted House – Spooky and atmospheric. Classic Disney nightmare fuel.

The Gorilla Mystery – Mickey plays Minnie’s white knight yet again as he goes to-to-toe with a dangerous gorilla.

Two-Gun Mickey – An American Tail: Mickey Goes West.

Mickey’s Surprise Party – After Minnie’s dog spoils the cookies she was making for Mickey, he saves the day with some shockingly transparent corporate sponsorship. At least I take comfort in the fact that Mickey’s favorite cookies are the same as mine.

Hansel and Gretel – Mickey and Minnie stumble upon a treacherous witch to the ominous strains of Danse Macabre.

Mickey’s Cabin – Mickey outwits Pete and his dimwitted cousin with a little reverse psychology when they hold him hostage in his winter cabin. Hilarity ensues.

Croissant – Mickey’s first short in the modern style proved you can’t keep a mouse on a mission down.

Yodelberg – Continuing with the previous short, it’s modern Mickey at its most fast-paced and stylish fun.

Shanghaied – It’s up to Mickey to save the day and Minnie again, this time from Pete and his dastardly crew of pirates.

Mickey’s Christmas Carol – Mickey’s first cartoon in 30 years has him slightly out of the spotlight, but still got him back in the public eye for good.

20. Mickey’s Trailer

This gets the lowest spot because the first half mainly focuses on jokes surrounding Donald and Goofy in their cool little mechanical trailer. But when it reaches the second half? That’s when things really kick into high gear. Goofy obliviously unhitches the trailer as they’re traveling through a perilous mountain pass and it’s up to Mickey to keep his vacation from reaching an untimely end. It’s amazingly suspenseful, with plenty of close calls from oncoming vehicles, trains and cliff sides. They still manage to sneak in a few decent moments of slapstick, but not at the cost of any of the tension. My only wish is that we could have seen Mickey and Donald’s response to Goofy’s cheerful “Well, I brought ya down safe and sound, a-hyuck!” at the very end. No doubt it would have been hilariously karmic.

19. Mickey’s Mechanical House

Coming from the Mickey’s Mouse Works/House of Mouse era of cartoons, we get a whimsical story in Seuss-esque rhyme, narrated by John Cleese no less. Sick of the inconveniences of his old abode, Mickey moves into a sleek totally automated house. He quickly learns, however, that easy modern conveniences aren’t what make a good home. Unlike the other cartoons made in this time, the art style goes for a 50’s retro look that pays homage to the likes of UPA. I especially appreciate the cameo from the iconic Mars robot from the famous Disneyland episode Mars and Beyond. That’s how you know this short was made by real old-school Disney fans. The story is charming, the gags are clever, and it earns this spot on the countdown.

18. Giantland/Gulliver Mickey

Yes, I know I’m cheating here due to this being a tie, but I found these two shorts to be similar enough that I felt they were both worthy of the same place on the list. Each one begins with Mickey telling a story to his…younger counterparts? Nieces and nephews? Godchildren? They all refer to him as “Uncle Mickey” and they all look like him so maybe they’re really…no, best not to think of the implications.

Anyway, Mickey makes himself the hero of each tale, firstly in the role of Jack in Jack and the Beanstalk (no doubt somewhat inspiring his future gigantic adventures in The Brave Little Tailor and Fun and Fancy Free), then of him being the giant washed up on the shores of Lilliput. There’s some good action all around, and plenty of creativity in showing the giant’s world, Mickey’s storytelling and how the Lilliputians attempt to subdue their captive.

17. Magician Mickey

Mickey’s putting on a magic show, but he’s constantly heckled by a disbelieving Donald. Little does the duck realize he’s messing with the Sorcerer’s Apprentice himself, and Mickey uses all his mystic powers to troll back at him. Even though it’s arguably Donald’s short as much as it is Mickey’s, he does provide the main source of the conflict, and Mickey does not hold back when providing some good old magical vengeance. He remains the perfect showman throughout, and the tricks he plays to get back at Donald are inventive and hilarious. I admit, I still crack up at the running gag where Donald attempts to go in one of his unintelligible tirades and spits out an entire deck of cards. Just goes to show you don’t mess with the mouse, especially when he’s in magician mode.

16. Steamboat Willie

Ah, the one that started it all. Well, technically it was Plane Crazy and The Galloping Gaucho, but Steamboat Willie was what really thrust Mickey into the limelight. It may be simplistic by today’s standards, but this short is nothing…short of iconic. It establishes everything you need to know about the character of Mickey Mouse – inventive, friendly, helpful, but not without a strong mischievous streak. Being one of the first cartoons to have fully synchronized sound certainly helps. It not only pushed the popularity of “talkies” but introduced the world to what would become one of the most recognizable characters of all time. How could I not include it on the list? I already wrote an entire article on its significance, so if you want to know more, feel free to go read it.

15. The Mad Doctor

When people talk about the darkest moments in Disney animation, there’s a reason why this short is often brought up. The Mad Doctor goes for straight-up horror, and pulls no punches. Mickey must work his way through a creepy castle to save his beloved dog Pluto before he becomes the next victim of the titular doctor’s dangerous experiments. There’s lots of shadows, spooky living skeletons, and booby traps galore that threaten Mickey along the way. It’s perfect fare for Halloween.

Without giving away the ending, it’s the kind I’d normally call a bit of a cop out, but I don’t see how they could have worked their way around it. This short was deemed so scary upon release that it was banned not only in the UK, but in Nazi Germany, which really says something. It didn’t frighten me that much when I was a kid, but there’s a pervading sense of dread that makes it unlike any other Mickey Mouse cartoon ever made. Its impact on the canon was strong enough that the Mad Doctor was made one of the main antagonists of the Epic Mickey video game. And getting to take him out after all these years is one of the most satisfying game moments you’ll ever experience.

14. Around the World in 80 Days

Now for something a bit lighter. Some of the best shorts made for Mickey’s Mouse Works and House of Mouse were the “Mouse Tales”, two-part adaptations of classic novels with Mickey and the gang filling in the roles. This is a simplified but still fun take on Jules Verne’s famous globetrotting adventure. Instead of a wager between high society gentlemen and a robbery caper mixup however, Mickey must circumnavigate the globe in order to claim an inheritance and save his orphanage. Goofy and a rescued native princess-turned-love interest Minnie (there’s no way around some of the more dated aspects of this story, is there?) help him along the way, but they also have to deal with a meddling Scrooge McDuck, who’d do anything to get his feathers on the fortune. They manage to squeeze in some great jokes, usually involving Mickey’s deadpan reactions to Goofy’s cluelessness. It’s a decent retelling that hits all the beats and will probably get kids interested in checking out the original story.

13. Ye Olden Days

Nothing like a good old-fashioned medieval romance to warm your heart. Humble minstrel Mickey attempts to rescue fair damsel Minnie when she refuses to marry foppish Prince Dippy Dawg – that’s Goofy’s early moniker to those not fluent in early Disney – and winds up engaging in a joust for her hand. Mickey and Minnie may not be the most fascinating couple in film history, but their earnest devotion to each other shows why their relationship has stood the test of time.

When I was rewatching this to see if it deserved a spot on this list, I was particularly impressed by how spirited Minnie was – she does not take her arranged marriage lying down, slapping the self-absorbed prince in the face while declaring “Never!” and fighting her captors every step of the way as she’s dragged to the tower as punishment. Plus, it’s her intervening on Mickey’s behalf that saves him from the guillotine and allows him to engage in trial by combat. Mickey, ever the underdog, uses his size and cleverness to his advantage, outdoing the prince in all his regalia with nothing but a spear, a suit of armor fashioned from a potbelly stove, and an intrepid donkey. I really don’t have anything to say other than this short’s simplicity and sweetness never fails to win me over.

12. The Pointer

An expertly animated adventure for Mickey and his loyal canine, even if the idea of the Mouse going hunting wouldn’t fly today. I just love Mickey and Pluto’s interactions; they remind me so much of me and my dog and the time we spent together (though let it go on record that I never have or most likely will engage in hunting for sport). This isn’t a case of the pet being smarter than the master like in future shorts, either. Those always aggravated me because of how they really dumbed down Mickey. Both are on equal footing here, and both get into equal amounts of trouble.

The moment where Mickey tries to talk his way out of an encounter with an angry bear is equal parts tense and humorous. It’s also one of the rare times I can recall Mickey attempting to use his own popularity to escape from a jam (“Well I’m, uh, Mickey Mouse! You know, Mickey Mouse? I hope you’ve heard of me…I hope.”) According to Andreas Deja, animator Frank Thomas incorporated a bit of Walt’s own actions while recording the lines for this scene, giving it a superb bit of what Thomas would call “the illusion of life”.

11. Lonesome Ghosts

Here we have another Mickey-Donald-Goofy venture with shenanigans surrounding the last two, but there’s enough of Mickey in there to make it count. Now tell me if this sounds familiar: a trio of oddballs, one smart if in way over his head, one irascible and sarcastic, and one delightfully naive, go into business capturing ghosts. And yes, at one point one of them says “I ain’t afraid of no ghosts”. It’s a shame Disney wasn’t able to capitalize on this fifty years later apart from syncing this short to the Ghostbusters theme in the DTV Halloween special. Lonesome Ghosts is a spooky jaunt where half the fun comes from the various ways the titular quartet of specters tease our hapless heroes. How the protagonists manage to send them packing kind of confuses me, but it still makes for a good chuckle. Steeped in atmosphere and loaded with laughs, Lonesome Ghosts is a ghoulish good time.

10. Mickey’s Good Deed

It’s Christmas Eve, and Mickey and Pluto are out in the cold with nothing but a bass fiddle that earns them barely enough to eat. A bratty rich half-pint sets his sights on Pluto and goes Veruca Salt on his father, leading to him offering Mickey a fair bit of dough in exchange for the dog. Mickey refuses, until he spies a poor widow and her many children even worse off than he is. This leads to him making a heartwrenching sacrifice to ensure they have a merry Christmas. It’s a short that runs the gamut of emotions. You feel for Mickey every second as he either loses everything he owns or willingly gives it up for a greater good, and there’s plenty of joy to be had when he gets his reward in the end (as well as when that terrible child is given his due punishment). I love watching this every Christmastime, and it exemplifies the giving spirit of the season.

9. Runaway Brain

You wanna know where that infamous image of a demonic Mickey came from? Well here ya go. Fast-paced, frightening and hilarious, Runaway Brain is a wild ride from start to finish. In some ways it feels more akin to a Looney Tunes short than a Disney one. The comic and story beats come right after another, yet leave room for sight gags and references a plenty. There’s even a brief shot that visibly homages The Exorcist. IN A DISNEY SHORT.

Borrowing from The Mad Doctor’s playbook, this time it’s Mickey who’s in a mad scientist’s sights after taking an offer for “a mindless day’s work” at face value, just so he could earn some vacation cash for Minnie. Said mad scientist, Dr. Frankenollie (love the nod there), voiced by Sideshow Bob himself Kelsey Grammar, switches Mickey’s brain with that of his King Kong/Frankenstein-esque creation Julius, who bears more than a passing resemblance to Pete. When the doctor is zapped into ashes by his own experiment – onscreen, mind you – Mickey, now trapped in Julius’ body, must find a way to get back to normal and stop Julius, stuck in Mickey’s form but no less monstrous, from pursuing Minnie. As I said before, the jokes come at you fast and hard. The climax in particular is especially rollicking, with some amazing lighting and coloring choices that pump up the action. As always, Mickey saves the day in the most entertaining – and in this case, bizarre – way possible.

8. The Band Concert

Mickey makes his technicolor debut in one of the first shorts that pits him against a troublesome Donald. All our stalwart conductor wants to do is perform a bit of William Tell for some music lovers in the park, but he’s consistently interrupted by Donald wanting to get in on the action with Turkey In The Straw and an improbable supply of easily breakable flutes. Still, you’ve got to admire both of them for their determination. I’d say nothing short of a cyclone could stop them, but that’s exactly what happens; the climax has them playing through the gale even as they’re hurled through the air! Considering the music they’re performing is appropriately stormy sounding, one has to wonder if they picked up their instruments from Hyrule. The Band Concert is a testament to Mickey’s unflappable perseverance and affinity for music.

7. The Little Whirlwind

Lured to Minnie’s by the promise of cake, Mickey agrees to give her yard a good cleanup in exchange for some dessert. Unfortunately, a playful sentient cyclone has other plans. I’ve never been bothered by Mickey’s voice, but this short shows how he works just as well silently. Much of the action is largely in mime with no dialogue. The slapstick is fun all around. I always did feel a bit bad that Mickey got the short end of the stick in this cartoon; after being tormented by the hellion hurricane, he’s pursued by a giant momma tornado who assumes her offspring was bullied for no reason, and when Minnie checks on his progress he’s blamed for the disaster area that was formerly her garden. I don’t know what the hell she was doing in the kitchen to not hear the two cyclones roaring through her yard but I hope it was worth it. At least Mickey ends up getting the cake – though not in a way he was certainly expecting.

6. Mr. Mouse Takes a Trip

Once more we witness Mickey’s loyalty to his equally devoted canine companion. A simple train trip to Pomona goes off the rails when Mickey must shield Pluto from dog-hating conductor Pete and both find themselves on the run from him. There’s disguises and mishaps galore, and it’s a constant back and forth to see who’s one step ahead of the other. Interesting fact: this short is also the source of the only known footage of Walt Disney recording his lines as Mickey.

5. Symphony Hour

A spiritual sequel to The Band Concert, Mickey once again plays conductor for a classical orchestra made up of his friends. Unfortunately someone thought it was a good idea to leave all the instruments in Goofy’s hands before their big debut, and they’re quickly destroyed. Now poor Mickey has to keep everything together as the concert falls to pieces and their sponsor Pete fumes from his viewing box.

This short… it’s hysterical. There’s no other word for it. Everything from the animation to the music – which sounds like a precursor to Spike Jones – cracks me up. Mickey is pushed to the limits of his endurance as his show crumbles around him. Not helping matters is the attitude of the performers. Sure, Goofy, Horace Horsecollar and the like soldier on admirably, but Donald threatens to up and leave several times. Yet Mickey isn’t afraid to stoop to any level to ensure the show, no matter how terrible, will indeed go on. And the worse it gets for them, the better it gets for us.

4. Thru the Mirror

After falling asleep while reading Alice Through the Looking Glass, Mickey dreams of entering his bedroom mirror and exploring the bizzarro version of his world on the other side. Living furniture, card battles and jazzy dance sequences ensue. Out of all the Mickey shorts on this list, this is probably the best animated. The scenes stick out in your mind long after the cartoon has ended. The size-changing walnuts, the catchy tap dance starting with a game of jump rope with a telephone cord that evolves into a Busby Berkeley homage with playing cards, and the escape from said cards while traversing the dangers of a literal living room? It’s golden age Disney at its finest. There’s not much in the way of story, but that’s not the point of this short. It’s just great animation fueled by years of practice and boundless imagination.

3. Get a Horse!

I remember hearing way back when this short was announced that it was supposedly one from Walt’s heyday which was lost to the ages and recently unearthed. Little could we have realized that it was merely a smokescreen – instead of an old cartoon, we were getting the first new theatrical Mickey Mouse short since Runaway Brain, one that paid tribute to the classic Mickey cartoons of old.

Since I watched Frozen more than once during its theatrical run, I had the privilege of experiencing Get A Horse as it should be: in a big dark movie theater with eye-popping 3D. It gives the perfect illusion that this crazy cartoon with characters jumping in and out and running around the theater really is happening right in front of you. Mickey and friends play around with the screen and the dimensions contained within and with-out in a way not seen since Chuck Jones’ masterpiece Duck Amuck. And having seen many, MANY classic Disney shorts before (if this list hadn’t already indicated), I could even tell where many of the sound bites used for the characters’ dialogue were lifted from. I simply don’t get it when people dismiss this short for “mocking” old school Disney when in reality it does anything but. I think this short is the epitome of what Disney is doing now with their animation, blending the best of the old with the technology and promise of the new. Also, Oswald cameo for the win!

2. The Prince and the Pauper

Talk about nostalgia. I watched this short with the same frequency as my favorite Disney movies on VHS. In fact, due to having no sense of time when I was younger, I thought this twenty minute short was about the same length as those films; it certainly flies by at the same speed. Mark Twain’s tale of royal identity switching has seen its fair share of adaptations, but this one will always be my favorite. We’ve got riveting action and phenomenal voice acting (Wayne Allwine, you were the best Mickey outside of Walt and Brett Iwan can’t hold a candle to you).

It’s also one of the most dramatic shorts in the Disney canon. Pete is at his most menacing outside of Mickey’s Christmas Carol. Scenes like where Mickey attends to the king in his final moments and the prince learns of his father’s passing carry so much weight to them. They’re framed cinematically and let you take in the gravitas. Still, that’s not to say there isn’t any comedy to be found. The Prince and the Pauper has plenty of moments that still make me laugh twenty-eight years later. It’s a short that has everything. Easily one of Mickey’s finest moments.

1. The Brave Little Tailor

If I were to point to one short that summed up everything I love about Mickey Mouse, all you need to know about him, and why he’s so great, The Brave Little Tailor would be it.

Due to a simple misunderstanding, Mickey is thrust into the role of reluctant hero, one who must face down a killer giant no less. But if most of what the previously mentioned shorts have shown, Mickey’s nothing more or less than the perfect underdog. And when he gets into action, he’s like a cartoon blend of Chaplin, Keaton and Fairbanks – not a coincidence as the former two were big influences on early Mickey. Scared though he is, he rarely panics. Instead he relies on his greatest strengths to save the day – his quick thinking, nimbleness from his diminutive stature, and his loyal, caring heart. There’s a reason why I chose this particular thumbnail for this entry. No matter how many times I see this enamored incarnation of Minnie shower her champion with kisses, making him stumble around dizzily and cheerfully cry “Whoopee! I’ll cut ‘im down to my size!” I always, always go “aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawwwwwww”. It’s just too adorable for words. When you’ve got someone who loves you like Minnie does, you feel like you can take on the world.

I could go on about how the scene where he’s telling the story of how he killed seven with one blow (that’s flies, by the way, not giants) has been studied by animation students and enthusiasts to the point where Junction Point Studios aspired to recreate that level of expression and fluidity when creating Epic Mickey, or how Mickey defeats the giant has been homaged in other shorts as well as the airport fight from Captain America:Civil War, or just that wonderful storybook golden age Disney feel it has from start to finish, but I won’t. By all means, seek out the short and see it all for yourself.

No matter how many times the corporate side of Disney has airbrushed Mickey’s foibles to present him as the bland, perfect company mascot, Mickey’s bravery, kindness, and penchant for attracting trouble has never been fully scrubbed away. Different voice actors, animators, story writers and financial visionaries have come and gone throughout the years, and each has presented their own unique take on the character, but there’s no mistaking the world’s most famous mouse, the one who started it all.

Happy Birthday, Mickey. Here’s to 90 more.

Thanks for reading! What are your favorite Mickey Mouse shorts? Share them in the comments and be sure to follow and check out my Patreon if you want to read more!

My Top 20 Favorite Mickey Mouse Shorts As a lifelong Disney fan I can't understate how much of an impact Mickey Mouse has had on me.

[shamelessly4shameless-blog]

The Sand In Your Shoe (5)

Fiona takes one look at her little brother’s face and her heart sinks.

“Ian.”

She says his name with so much tenderness it nearly sets him off again but he manages to bite the inside of his lip and shake his head slightly

“I got that cheap shit shampoo in my eyes!”

“That was unlucky.”

Fiona’s own eyes are large and round with concern but she lets him have his white lie and Ian feels a rush of affection for his sister that reminds him of how things used to be when they were both kids.

“Yeah, sucks. Thank you for my card.”

“You’re welcome, sorry there wasn’t a cheque in it. Still haven’t won the damn lottery!”

It is a weak joke but it breaks the miserably tension and Ian manages to smile and even laugh a little. Fiona pours the coffee and Ian cuts his cake. He took too long in the shower and Carl has wandered off on some errand promising to be back soon, Debbie has taken Frannie outside to play and Liam is back in front of his Play Station.

Ian delivers Liam some cake and then joins his big sister at the table. She looks tired but still so beautiful it makes his heart ache and Ian impulsively catches her hand in his and kisses it.

“What the fuck?”

Fiona laughs and ruffles his hair, shorter than he’s had it for a couple of years but still long enough that it needs smoothing back down when she’s done.

“You’re just so fucking gorgeous and I can’t believe I don’t tell you more often.”

“Wow. Thank you. You know it’s your birthday not mine ,right?”

Ian smiles and gives her hand a squeeze before reaching into his jeans pocket and producing a packet of cigarettes, slapping them on the table and winking at her

“That’s why I’m treating myself to a pre-lunch smoke.”

They sit quietly for a few minutes, both lost to their own thoughts and grateful for the temporary silence amidst the chaos. Ian drums his fingers anxiously against his leg and presses his feet into the floor to keep from tapping them.

“I saw Yevgeny Milkovich today.”

He tries to sound casual but overshoots and his voice wavers, hitting a high note that smacks of a panic attack in the making.

“Jesus. That must have been weird.”

“Yeah, he’s like seven or eight now.”

Ian knows exactly how old Yevgeny is but he’s trying to cover up his interest for fear of Fiona holding something back. He doesn’t know exactly what but maybe something she’s heard from Vee…

“Yeah. I’ve seen him around with Svetlana.”

Fiona is watching Ian for reaction and he deliberately keeps his face as neutral as possible.

“He looks like Mickey, doesn’t he?”

She offers finally, with an audible sigh that makes Ian wince. He knows he is being subtle as a brick but the expression on Fiona’s face suggests that this is something she has been waiting on for a while and it makes Ian feel predictable and a bit pathetic. For a moment Ian thinks about saying he didn’t notice and changing the subject to something lighter but he doesn’t really want to. Something has awoken in him, something that has lain dormant for so long that Ian had almost forgotten it was there at all and he means to follow it and see where the feeling takes him.

“Yeah he does. Svetlana said that Mickey still sends money, you know?”

“Good. It’s the least he can do!”

Fiona’s brows knit together and she shakes her head. She never had a very high opinion of Mickey to begin with and the fact that he sends money for a son he never sees fails to impress her all that much.

“I know it’s just … I hadn’t thought about him properly for a while and it’s good to know he’s still …”

“Alive?”

“… Free.”

Ian tapped the ash off his second cigarette and smiled weakly at her which only earned him another sigh.

“You know you gotta leave all that in the past, Ian.”

“I suppose … I mean … I just fucked it all up so badly, Fi. I had so much of my own shit going on and with the meds and the bipolar I wasn’t myself or like, the version of myself I wanted to be, and …”

“Stop. Jesus! You’ve got your life together! You’re doing great with your EMT job, you have your own apartment and your own friends. Your meds are stable, you’re healthy…”

“I know. I know all that and I’m happy…”

“Then why risk it for an old boyfriend you haven’t even heard from in years?”

“I’m not going to! I just … forget it.”

Ian shook his head again and closed his eyes. It was easy for him to get pissed with Fi, to resent her controlling ways and know-it-all attitude but the truth was that she had kept them going, sacrificing her own teens and twenties to ensure that all of them were seen right, or as right as possible. She had done so much for them, fought for every single one of them and if she was bossy then she had damn well earned that right.

“Ian, I know you loved Mickey but he is doing whatever the fuck he is doing and I don’t mean to be cruel, but he probably wouldn’t care about you at all now. Probably has a whole host of Mexican bang-buddies at his disposal.”

Ian’s head shoots up, green eyes wide and angry.

“Mickey never fucked around, Fiona. I was the one who did that. I did porno and I cheated on him. I was the one who acted like I didn’t care.”

 “Oh please! I know Mickey tried really hard when you first got sick, I never denied that and it was good of him but his way of showing ‘care’ was attempting to murder Sammi and busting your face when you pissed him off. You gotta leave this alone Ian!”

Ian wants to argue with her, tell her that he busted Mickey’s face too and that if he had the guts, he would definitely have killed Terry Milkovich but decides to leave it alone. Fiona is looking pretty upset with him and he can’t really blame her. Ian doesn’t even know why he is dragging all this up or what his end game is. He just knows he feels something in his gut and that isn’t much to go on and certainly not something to fight with his sister over.

“I’m sorry, Fi. I don’t mean to be a pain in the ass. I think just seeing Yevgeny … you know. I kidnapped that kid once!”

Ian grins and tries to make a joke of it all and after studying him a moment longer, Fiona gives in and laughs to.

“Fuckin’ Gallaghers.”

*

Ian leaves the Gallagher house towards dusk, he is feeling much better and his hands have stopped shaking. Mickey is still on his mind, as is Yevgeny, but it is a manageable level of background noise now. He can cross the road, notice his shoelace is undone and make greetings to people he recognises without having to bring himself back from his thoughts first and that is important.

Ian has learned to live a controlled life, monitoring himself carefully to ensure his moods are not swinging unduly one way or the other. If he wants to make an impulse purchase he tries to stop and think for at least five minutes, even if it is only a few bucks. He takes his meds as regularly as he can, he does mess up by an hour here or an hour there sometimes and often forgets to eat with them but he manages reasonably well and even Fiona has stopped asking him if he’s doing it right.

In a way, now that he has it under control this lifestyle suits him okay, he always liked neatness, order and rules. It’s kind of why he wanted to join the army so badly as a kid. He used to feel highs and lows that were not just part of his ‘disorder’ but part of his very soul. Now he tends to crush those feelings down when they arise and has become good at doing so. The only thing Ian truly misses is feeling a regular sense of curiosity. He used to be curious to the point of nosy and now he just doesn’t care enough about most things to wonder.

He realises that he is heading toward the Alibi and pauses mid-stride, his boots scuffing along the sidewalk. The Alibi used to be such a normal part of his routine, not that he was ever a big drinker but it wasn’t weird for him to drop in there to see Kev or find Frank or Lip. Ian thumbs his lip as he considers his options, a habit he doesn’t remember picking up but can’t shake somehow.

He wants to convince himself that it is nostalgia or the desire to see Kev that is sending him there but he knows it isn’t, he knows Kev hasn’t been there for quite some time. He is aiming to see Svetlana.

*

The alibi looks like shit but then it always did and Ian mostly ignores the old bar flies, lifting his hand in greeting to the ones who look up from their beer and briefly make eye contact with him.

“Is Svetlana here?”

The barmaid looks him up and down and Ian tolerates this with all the good grace he can muster. The blonde woman appears to make up her mind finally but doesn’t take her eyes off Ian as she yells

“LANA!”

Svetlana appears a few minutes later, her face sharp and watchful transforming into a small smirk when she sees Ian.

“He still says ‘Hello’. I have not told him Carrot Boy rejects him again yet.”

“Is he OK?”

“How in fuck should I know. I tell him of Yevgeny. He sends money for Yevgeny. Is all.”

Svetlana is eyeing Ian with something that could almost be amusement and Ian wonders if he is barking up completely the wrong tree. He weighs his options but the gut feeling which has been pushing him since looking up into Yevgeny’s eyes from the tarmac this morning won’t quit nagging at him and Ian decides to lay everything on the table. If Svetlana laughs at him, so be it.

“I haven’t thought about him in a while. Now I am. I just want to know he is alright.”

“You have not thought of him?”

Her voice is incredulous, almost angry and Ian feels a blush creep up his neck

“It was complicated.”

“You went crazy, he love you. You steal baby, he love you. You too weak to visit in prison without payment, he love you. Not complicated, just stupid.”

Svetlana has stepped behind the bar as she speaks and Ian watches her pull two shots of vodka, she pushes one across the bar towards him and slams the other down her throat before looking him dead in the eye.

“You are selfish little copper shit, no idea of love.”

“And you’re a fucking rapist. Don’t you dare lecture me on love”

The anger comes hot and fast and Ian slams his palm down on the bar hard enough to bruise the heel of his hand. Ian is almost as shocked as Svetlana at the outburst but it wipes the haughty look off her face and that gives him a small sense of satisfaction. She recovers quickly though and Ian crosses his arms over his chest protectively waiting her to strike back.  

“So we both screw him, just different ways, hmm?”

Svetlana pours another drink and shrugs cooly.

“He is OK. We spoke a little while. He is OK.”

“Will you tell him I say Hello back? You don’t have to but …”

“I will tell him. He may not care but I will tell him.”

“Thank you.”

Ian lets his breath out shakily and sips at the vodka she has given him. He doesn’t know if it is a gift or if he will be asked to pay for it. He doesn’t mind either way really. The feeling that brought him here is draining as well as encouraging and he feels ready to sleep.

“Give me your number.”

Svetlana says suddenly and takes her phone out of her bra, gesturing impatiently to Ian

“Why?”

“In case he cares.”

Those four words make Ian’s mouth instantly dry and his palms slick with sweat. His heart hammers in his chest and he feels a wonderful mixture of fear and hope rise up from the kernel of feeling in his gut, unfurling like a flower stretching out to reach the dawn light. He hasn’t felt anything like this in so long and it is almost painful in its intensity. A distant part of him knows this feeling, it is like returning to a childhood home after living away for fifty years and Ian taps his number into Svetlana’s phone before he can lose his nerve.

“Why would you do this for me?”

“Not for you. What I did … it got me my Yevgeny so I cannot regret it. But perhaps a small debt is owed to his father. A very small one.”

Svetlana smiles slightly at that and Ian feels like his feet have been lifted from the ground and he is floating above himself slightly. The vodka is working far too quickly, he shouldn’t have had it. He needs to leave.

“Thank you anyway.”

He mumbles and staggers out of the bar before Svetlana can say anything further. Ian runs until his breath is like fire in his throat and his legs tremble uncontrollably as he sinks to the ground, sitting on the curb with the sort of oddly graceful clumsiness that only big men have.

*In case he cares*

Fuck. Birthdays make him crazier than normal!

Ian grins up at the darkening sky and wonders when he’ll find out if Mickey Milkovich still cares or not.

[fanfictionconnectionwordpress]

Mystic Messenger Fanfiction | Vanderwood Backstory | Ch. 11 Healing

***This fanfiction covers my version of Vanderwood which I rp in this Mystic Messenger Discord server. Don’t forget to subscribe to the email list for access to R-Rated Scenes and my monthly newsletter.

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Chapter Directory.  ~Let’s Connect! FFC***

It had been way too long since he'd last gotten a good fuck, and this girl had offered herself to him. Now, she was just sitting there watching him as he got dressed to leave. She wasn't a hooker, that was a bad one on him, but she didn't seem interested in keeping him there either. Seemed to him that she had been as sexually frustrated as he was, although, most certainly not for the same reason. Vanderwood pulled his shirt on, covering his newest scars, the large indented circle on his left pectoral and the smaller indented circle on his back.

That bullet wound had taken months to heal, so long in fact that he'd had time to learn Italian for their next mission. What a life. Vanderwood snorted softly at himself and the curvy blonde in the bed pushed up onto her forearm. "What are you snorting at, handsome?"

He didn't particularly feel like talking to her. It always grated on his nerves when the women wanted to talk. Even hookers would talk sometimes, but the civilians always talked the most. Bad on him for not having had the patience to find a good hooker, but Hell, at least now he felt like he could breathe again after having been cooped up in bed for months. Even worse, after having been cooped up in bed for months in Seven's house. It had been easier than staying at his little apartment.

"Just snorting at myself." His eyes trailed over the woman's body. She was pretty, very sexy, hard to believe that she was that sexually frustrated to just throw herself at him as soon as he walked in the door, but maybe she had her reasons. Vanderwood finished getting dressed by pulling on his jacket and gloves. "Bye now." He grunted it at her as he left the house, and she didn't bother to answer, which was great for him.

As he opened the door, a white-haired man with ruby colored eyes looked up at him. The guy was maybe four inches shorter than Vanderwood and had a rattail of his peculiar colored hair. His face was impeccably molded, angular and beautiful. If he dressed right, or wrong, he could easily be taken as a woman. That just had Vanderwood cringing with bad memories. "Excuse me." He slipped past the dumbfounded man. It wasn't long after he'd started down the hallway of the woman's apartment building that he heard the yelling. 'You cheated on me?' It sounded more hurt than angry, but there was definitely anger in his tone too.

Vanderwood turned back towards the room, frozen in place. Well, that explained a lot. Honestly, he felt a little sick. Sleeping with someone else's woman was something he would never have put on his bucket list, but now he had crossed it off nonetheless. Great. Just another of his many wrong-doings. There was nothing he could do about it now, and it wasn't like he had known, so he just made his way out of the apartment building.

***

The day had gone by as his usual schedule. Vanderwood had watched some secret agent movies and yelled at the TV that they were doing it wrong, made food for himself and the redhead, which Seven barely ate in favor of these disgusting chips that he'd somehow won a warehouse full of - Vanderwood didn't want to know - and he'd cleaned the house, slowly so as not to do too much now that he was finally allowed out of bed and out of the house again.

As Seven’s handler, Vanderwood spent most of his time cleaning up after the kid while Seven worked which he was really good at getting sucked into, so the cleaning would take all of Vanderwood’s focus too. Still, he couldn't get the idea out of his mind that he'd slept with someone he really shouldn't have. It just made him feel gross. Maybe he should head to the bar again to actually have a drink and a smoke. Picking up a hooker tonight was out of the question, even though he knew he could easily go again.

Vanderwood went to the same bar, figuring that the blonde wouldn't be there again, and he was right. Still, something felt weird. There were eyes on him. He scanned the room. It seemed this was a bit of a local hang out for motorcycle gangs. Vanderwood had seen several of the vehicles outside of the bar, but now he saw that there was a group of similarly dressed in leather men over in the corner of the bar, and for whatever reason, they were watching him.

He shrugged and sat at the bar, feigning dropping his guard. If there were eyes on him, it was better to pretend he thought nothing of it. He ordered some hard liquor and drank it back. It wasn't long before he heard footsteps approaching, not just one set but several. Their boots left heavy thuds, so they couldn't possibly hope to sneak up on him. Vanderwood turned in his chair to look at the three thugs that had approached. This really wasn't good. Whatever they wanted, he would have to give, because he wasn't in the state to really fight.

"Hello there, gentleman, what can I do for you?" That wasn't well received, a rather tall one with short blond hair, the underside a dark brown spoke up, his arms crossed and stance indicating that he was looking for a fight, not yet ready to swing, but looking for a reason. "You can stop sleeping with our women."

Oh, so that was it huh? So, the albino man he'd seen must have been some sort of member of this gang, then. Come to think of it, he had been wearing the same leather jacket these goons were. The tall one spoke again. "What do you have to say for yourself?"

Vanderwood sighed and placed his glass on the bar top. "I don't have much to say other than that I didn't know. She threw herself at me, and I was in the mood." That was the God's honest truth, but a short one to the right side of the one that had spoken grabbed a bottle from the bar counter and smashed it. "That's my sister you're talking about!" Vanderwood jumped up to avoid his swing, but he was too slow, and now there was a cut down over his left hip. It was better than getting a cut to his crotch, which was where the guy had been aiming. "Hey, hey, let's calm down." Maybe reasoning would work? Probably not, all three looked angry now, but then he heard the door open.

"Hey, Zen. Glad you got my text. We found the douche who screwed your woman." The tall one was obviously the general leader of this group. Vanderwood turned his head just enough to watch the albino from his periphery. The guy looked heartbroken, and it made Vanderwood's heart clench. That look on his face was Vanderwood's fault. At this point, Vanderwood was getting ready to accept his fate, but then the albino spoke up. "Back off guys, it's not his fault. Vira was trying to get back at me."

Okay, Vanderwood hadn't been expecting that, and the albino was apparently full of surprises. He turned to Vanderwood now, noticing his wound. "Holy shit, you cut him? You need to get that looked at. Come with me." Vanderwood just shook his head. "No, I can take care of it myself." His jacket pocket had everything he needed to stitch himself up, and he reached in to grab it, showing it to the younger man. "I just need somewhere to sit where I know I won't get cut open further." The younger man gave him a weird look, but didn’t try to argue with him, which was rather refreshing.

The Zen guy nodded towards the others and the tall one reluctantly pushed the other two goons along with him. It didn't take long to stitch himself up as Vanderwood sat outside in the open air with Zen. "Hey, man. I really didn't know." The albino had been pretty quiet up until now, but his eyes roamed over the taller man before he shrugged. "I know...I'm sorry about my…buddies. They get a little excitable sometimes." Zen pulled out a pack of smokes which Vanderwood recognized as Black Angel brand. Vanderwood could really go for a smoke, although he preferred the rough taste of generic cigarettes, but he was pleased when the albino held out the pack for him to take one.

Vanderwood popped the cig in the corner of his mouth before producing his own lighter with which he lit his own and then the albino's before taking a long drag. His muscles relaxed slowly, his other addiction not nearly as soothing as sex, but it got the job done when he needed it. It was killing him slowly, but Vanderwood really didn't care. He was most likely going to die early anyway, and it wasn’t like he had anything to live for.

Zen piped up again after a moment. "To tell you the truth, I'm leaving the gang. I've gotten a bigger role at my acting job. That's why Vira was always so mad at me, too...I'm addicted to my job more than I'm interested in her." Vanderwood just nodded. He didn't know what else to do. Guy talk wasn't exactly something he really did. The last person he'd had a heart to heart with was dead, and the others he'd always just pushed away.

Once their cigs were down to the filter, they each stomped them out. Zen turned to Vanderwood and offered him his hand, which the brunet took and gave a solid shake. It was weird, but whatever, it wasn't like he was going to see the guy again. "No worries about Vira...But if you ever want to come see a show, look up my name." For a heartbroken guy, Zen could really put on a smile. "Yeah, I'll think about it."

Vanderwood laid in bed, fingers playing along the bandage of what would most certainly be a new scar. Just another to add to the collection. It wasn't like he didn't have enough already. At least this one wasn't going to take months to heal. His emotional scars were worse than the physical anyway, and there was no healing from that. Zen...he would do his best to forget the guy. It was safer for him, but if Vanderwood ever saw him again, he'd have to give the guy a smoke to return the favor.

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