#there’s a great big beautiful tomorrow

[zipzapzopzoop]

There's a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow

Chapter 31: The Fall of the King

Very few times in Franny’s life had she ever run so fast. 

When it came to her son, she’d run around the entire world for him and never look back. She knew she had to get to her boy before those monsters did. She ran so fast, her stilettos flew off and she ran on without them. In the blink of an eye, she sprinted through the front doors of the school and through the halls. 

“Franny?!”

A younger Art was searching the classrooms when he saw someone speeding down the hall. He opened the door, but she was already gone. “Franny!”

He took off after her. Although it technically was Franny, it wasn’t the one he was looking for.

Franny followed the path of most destruction, eventually finding the classroom where the school sign had crashed through the wall. There!

Franny rushed outside to her family, ignoring when her dress slightly snagged on a piece of rubble or when she felt a piece of glass cut her foot. She didn’t care. She was barely a few steps out the door when Wilbur dove into her arms. He held onto her tight, his face in her side. She held him close and looked over to Art.

“You said someone tried to get Laszlo, who was it?” Her words were so rushed, she nearly jumbled them. “Were they wearing all black and carrying tools on them?” 

“Yes!”

“They’re here. We have to get everyone out. Laszlo and Bud have Tiny, where are Gaston and Fritz?”

“I’ll get them.” “Fast. I’ve got the kids.”

Art ran around the back of the school to find his brother, while Franny turned to assess her son. “Wilbur, honey, what’s going on? Are you hurt?”

He didn’t respond, he just held onto her. 

“Something freaked him out,” Carl explained. “When Lewis fixed me-” He was cut off when Franny grabbed him into the hug. 

“Carl! You’re okay!”

Somehow despite being a robot, Carl felt his chest become soft at the idea of being missed. I mean, he knew he was loved, of course he was! But to know his family rallied around to get him back made him all happy and warm.

“Franny!”

The younger Art finally found his way out of the building, looking frazzled. “Oh Franny!”

He pulled the younger Franny into a big hug. She beamed with excitement. “Art! You never told me you were a superhero!”

He looked stumped.

“Huh?”

“It’s okay, I know it was you! You were just here a minute ago! Dressed as a superhero! You don’t have to hide it!”

Art shook his head… then laughed and hugged her again. She must’ve bumped her head or something. They’ll worry about that later. He’s just glad his baby sister is okay!

“Come on, we’re going home!”

“What?! No! I want to be with Lewis and Carl!”

“Another time, Fran. Something weird’s going on and I want you close to me until things settle.” Before the girl could protest, her big brother picked her and Frankie up. “Let’s go get Gaston from school. We’ll have a fun day, just the three of us.”

The girl looked toward her friends again. Lewis smiled back. “We’ll be okay. I’ll see you later, okay?”

“...Okay.”

------------

A young woman sat outside the coffee shop, her computer set up and opened to an empty word document. The prompt for her college assignment was to write about encounters with unusual circumstances, but she had never had such an occurrence. She had been sitting there for nearly half an hour now, and came up with nothing. She was beginning to become disheartened. 

She reached for her coffee, but her hand stopped when the drink rippled.

The woman furrowed her eyebrows. 

It did it again. 

A third time it happened, only she felt a small shake in the ground that time. 

The woman jumped up with a gasp when she heard screaming, and a massive dinosaur rushed down the street next to her.

There were two people on its back, and the beast had a long rope in its mouth like a pair of reins, American and State of Massachusetts flags hanging from the rope.

It took a sharp left turn and disappeared down another street, leaving a crowd of stunned onlookers in its wake. A few black SUVs sped on the sidewalk after it.

The woman hurried to sit back down, hit with the perfect idea on what to write about.

------------

Laszlo looked around, completely lost. Where even were they? The buildings and streets all looked alike! They kept getting turned around and running back into damaged places they’d already been.

“Ehh, those guys again,” Grandpa Bud muttered and adjusted his glasses. He was sitting backwards on Tiny’s back. 

Hearing his uncle, Laszlo did a double take, suddenly spotting at least five SUVs speeding after them. 

His blood went ice cold.

Muttering a cuss, he flicked the reins. “Go!”

A police cruiser swerved in front of them, lights and sirens blaring. Tiny reached down and grabbed it up as if it were nothing but a toy. 

“Tiny! Don’t! We have to keep moving!”

A sharp whistle caught both Laszlo and Tiny’s attention. Laszlo squinted. Was that…?

“...Tallulah?” Hope blossomed in his chest. His sister was okay! 

“C’mere boy!” She called to Tiny. “This way, boy! Let’s go!” 

A loud happy sound came from Tiny’s throat and he tossed the police car aside, crashing into one of the SUVs.

“Yes! Follow me!” Tallulah continued to call up to him as she began to skate backwards a moment, before spinning around and speeding ahead. She turned down a busy street to shake off their pursuers.

Tallulah dodged and weaved around cars and crowds of onlookers, jumping and ducking, and spinning around. It more or less turned into a game for the dinosaur, his snarl replaced by a large panting smile. 

Laszlo glanced back at the SUVs, beaming when he saw they were falling behind. They were honking trying to get through the traffic and crowds, but they were having trouble. As he watched them, Frankie suddenly grabbed Laszlo’s face. 

“Kid! Look out!”

Laszlo spun around and pulled on the reins hard, stopping Tiny just in time before he could run straight into a downed power line. 

Tiny ducked his head down, sending the others flying over the hanging lines and to the other side. Laszlo scrambled to his feet and ran back to help Tiny, but Tallulah and Bud grabbed him. Tallulah screamed for him to stop.

The group stood frozen as the agents caught up to the cornered beast. He looked at the alleys, but knew he wouldn’t fit. The agents rushed out of the vehicles, hitting him with quite a few hefty tranquilizers. Tiny began to attack them, but it only took a moment before he went crashing to the floor, his roars quieting.

The agents rushed ahead, using the reins as a makeshift muzzle.

Tiny’s head landed only a few feet from his family. His wild, fearful eyes met theirs. He opened his mouth, only letting out a small whimper before succumbing to sleep.

Laszlo stood in complete shock. 

He moved forward to help, but Tallulah grabbed at him again, shouting something about the power lines.

“I’m sorry… I’m so sorry.”

Laszlo didn’t know if he was saying it to Tallulah because of the power lines, to Bud for crashing and risking his life, to Frankie for not paying attention, or to Tiny for causing him to get caught. He was saying it to all of them, he realized.

Laszlo barely felt it when Tallulah grabbed him in a hug. He knew she was there, but everything just felt numb. Like everything was dulled or underwater.

He finally snapped out of it when a large spotlight shone down from above, bringing a strong wind with it. The group looked up in shock as a chinook helicopter positioned itself above the buildings, lowering a strap harness. The agents rushed to hook Tiny up to the helicopter and send him up. 

Tallulah looked over to the agents again. They were watching her and her family. They loomed like vultures. The power lines were the only things standing between them.

Tallulah grabbed at Laszlo’s shoulders. “We have to go! Right now!”

The siblings got on either side of their uncle and hurried off to find the rest of the family.

------------

Check out the chapter on my Archive!

[monkeymeghan]

I just ordered some stickers using a few dollars I had on a pre-paid visa I have. I’m super excited! 😁

[artist-issues]

You know... it also just seems really weird that Disney has been going out of it's way to subvert everything from its past.

If I put myself in the mind of "everything we were founded on, and everything we create before ~2016 was bad" I don't see why I'd keep going. Like... if Disney thinks Disney sucks, why be Disney? (money IG)

You're right! It must be a very discouraging thing to work for Disney nowadays, if you're the kind of person to think about legacy, or occupy your daily thoughts with some degree of foresight.

The truth is, there is a part of Disney that is successful because it was innovative--it raised the bar and set the culture.

But there's also a part of Disney that is trying to guess what the culture likes, and capitalize on that popularity--the culture tells it what to do.

That's all organizations. Some are brave and say, "no, this is who we are and what we believe, and you can take it or leave it." And usually the culture takes it, because the culture is inspired by strong leadership and clear identities.

But then they get a big following. And it's almost impossible for the organization that used to shape the culture to do anything but become terrified that they'll lose that culture. So then they start making decisions based out of fear, and self-glorification, and insecurity--the total opposite of the confident, bold, innovative identity it used to have.

Disney used to say "oh you think cartoons are just gags? Let me invent the first ever animated feature film--in color! See you in the National Film Registry, skeptics."

It used to say, "oh, you critics think all my fairy tale and animal movies are too light? That they've got no weight to help the kids face real life? Let me make a smash-hit about a Nanny who convinces a work-and-harsh-realities-obsessed father that what his children really need is a spoonful of sugar. Because yeah, life's hard, but that's why we make the job a game."

It used to say, "you think the animated genre died with Walt? You think everyone would rather watch George Lucas movies than a cartoon fairy tale? Let me introduce you to an Academy Award-winning Princess story we call the Little Mermaid. You can stop digging our grave; we just saved animation."

It used to say "you think it can't be done? Hold my mouse ears." And it just did it. And didn't care if audiences said silly, shallow things like "girls don't need to be rescued by a prince!!1!" Or "grown-ups don't watch cartoons lol!!"

Nowadays, though? They're so big they don't know who they are anymore. And they're so big they're scared to lose anything, or take risks. I'm sure there's a lot of political pockets involved, too. They don't dare say anything but what the loudest, most complaining members of our society tell them to say.

They're no longer trend-setters and trail-blazers. They're a monument that is whatever the loudest people tells them to be. Has to suck, when you're the company that followed Walt's "Keep moving forward" motto.

[canacaeli]

A message from Scar and Grian's season finales

Remember, there is always a great big beautiful tomorrow.

Everything you make contains a part of your beautiful soul.

[delaneytalks-tostatues]

Being on the carousel of progress rn would fix me

[aresonist]

What is your favourite scar quote/quotes

Big fan of "Big Great Beautiful Tomorrow" thing he sometimes says :)

also a quote i like that is not him but directed at him is "Scar youre going on my shit list you little fuck"

[sabistarphotos]

February 9, 2023

Magic Kingdom, Walt Disney World

[countesspetofi]

There's a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow

[maxdurden]

not to be a lesbian on main but when i say the view i had at this mom rock concert i just went to was life changing..............................

[jimposts]

I forgot that the dad in the carousel of progress is not Tom Hanks which is wild...?

[zipzapzopzoop]

There's a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow

Chapter 38: It's all Relative

(I want to thank everyone so much for their patience with me. This chapter was so difficult to write due to being more dialogue heavy and not as action oriented, but I've finally got it!)

When Billie woke up, everything was silent. 

It had to have been the middle of the night (not that there was a way to tell time down here). There were no business shoes clacking on tile floors or low voices speaking over radios, phones, or intercoms. Everything was still… she couldn’t tell if it made her feel peaceful or anxious.

She sat up and blinked the sleep out of her eyes. Gaston and Lucille were still fast asleep. Speaking of Gaston, he was looking much better already. He had his color back, and he had finally stopped shaking. Billie turned around to glance outside the cell.

She nearly screamed.

In the darkness, the large silhouette of the Boss stood outside the cell. He observed the trio silently.

------------

Cornelius was adding the last few features to the ladyb0t. 

He used a magnifying glass to look closely as he used a screwdriver to put the teeny panels back into place. If all went according to plan, it would be able to climb into computers and monitors to hack or destroy them.

“All done,” he spoke quietly after ensuring everything was as it should be.

The little bug struggled to flip off its back for a moment, until Cornelius carefully used the screwdriver to flip it onto its belly. It looked up at him with raised antennae. The little bug had been his only companion ever since he ended up here.

Strange how this one little thing helped him not feel so alone. He blinked away a tear. 

He missed his family.

------------

In a flash, Bud pulled his wife to stand behind him and held out a cautious hand.

“Hey now, we don’t want any trouble with you!” 

Laszlo stumbled backward but caught himself.

“I-it’s okay!” He stuttered. “I don’t want any either! I swear! My sister has an infected wound and she’s really sick-”

“Shouldn’t you take her to a doctor?”

“We can’t! They’ll find us!” “Who?!”

“These people- okay, okay let’s just start over-” Laszlo put his hands up to calm everyone, but spoke quickly.

“Okay. My family and I are hiding in your home-”

“Family? How many are there?!”

“Don’t worry I’ll get there-”

“You didn’t answer the question, son. Who are you hiding from?”

“Some kind of officers? They might be spies, I’m not sure. They’re hunting down my family and I because we’re from the future. I promise, we don’t want any trouble! We’re just trying to hide until we can get home!”

The two just stared at him with wide eyes. 

Slowly, Bud leaned over to Lucille. “Honey, you might want to call someone… I think he’s sick in the head…”

Lucille picked up the house phone from its stand, looking at Laszlo sympathetically. 

“Don’t you worry, sweetheart. You stay right there, we’re gonna have someone come get you and they’ll take good care of you and your sister…”

“No!” Laszlo nearly panicked. “Please! They’re after us! I don’t know who they are, but they’re terrible people who want to hurt my family! I’m not sick!”

There was no way to explain this without sounding crazy. He didn’t care if the rest of the world saw him as crazy. He just needed them to listen…

“Look, you don’t have to believe me. We can go somewhere else, but please don’t tell them we’re here. Please. My sister won’t survive… not in the state she’s in…”

Bud looked confused, but Lucille looked concerned. She put the phone down, slowly reaching over her husband’s shoulder to lower his arm as well. “Honey… he’s just a kid. He needs help.”

Bud thought for a moment. He hummed and whispered something back to her. The two seemed to talk quietly amongst themselves, debating their next course of action.

Laszlo watched them nervously, his eyes warily shifting between the two of them behind his goggles. He fidgeted with his shirt or with his hands, anxiously awaiting to hear what they had to say. He still needed to get Tallulah help, but if he bolted, he knew they’d alert authorities. Not that he can blame them…

Lucille noticed the way the strange boy couldn’t seem to hold still, very much like the way her husband or his brother Fritz did. Lewis, meanwhile, was more relaxed. Until he had an idea, that is. Once he had a project, there was no stopping him. 

She got an idea.

“You said you were from the future. Is there any way you can prove it?”

Laszlo glanced at the door to the lab and back to her.

“I can. Just… wait here. I’m coming right back.”

They didn’t have time to protest before he disappeared into the lab. Bud and Lucille exchanged a confused glance. Suddenly, they could hear distant hushed voices from upstairs. 

“You told them?! Why would you tell them?!” “They spotted me! I didn’t have a choice.”

“I forot to ut mh teef in-”

The double doors pushed back open and the young man stood silently. He stepped aside, and the married couple gasped at seeing an elderly, toothless Bud Robinson standing in the doorway without a care in the world. Laszlo glanced at Bud, did a double take, and realized the other figure was hiding behind him. “Dad-” He moved the other man - one older middle aged Fritz Robinson - to stand next to his brother.

Bud - the younger one - and Lucille stood speechless. The red haired boy really was telling the truth.

“Ah, and who’s this handsome devil?” Grandpa Bud teased, admiring his younger self. Younger Bud shook his head in disbelief. “I don’t understand... How is this possible?

“Our son is a real special kid,” Grandpa Bud replied with a wink.

Lucille was over the moon, ecstatically going from person to person to look them over (much to Fritz’s unease). “Your family…” Lucille murmured, remembering Laszlo's words. “If your family is our family… who are you?”

“I’m your nephew. Fritz’s son.” Laszlo beamed, relieved they were reacting positively to such a bizarre situation.

“Fritz’s son… You have a son!” She looked wide eyed at Fritz, who only chuckled timidly. She turned and smiled at Laszlo again. “And you said you had a sister, too?”

Laszlo suddenly remembered. He froze. Tallulah. 

Lucille saw his expression change. 

“Where’s your sister, hun?”

------------

Check out the chapter on my Archive!

[mountain-in-springtime]

what i wouldn’t give to ride the carousel of progress rn 😭

[livvyofthelake]

ohhhhhh my god my lead actress's big brown eyes...... girl you're killing me......

[johnychen]

Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress Full Show 4K Magic Kingdom Walt Disne...

[hotguycomiczine]

🌙 After many long nights, we at Hotguy HQ are proud to present to you...

Featuring the work of 60+ contributors, they’ve come together to bring you:

410 pages of original au content

16 fully rendered comics

8 multi-thousand word short stories

A variety of digital merch such as icons, emojis, and wallpapers!

and so much more!

As with all tales, this one is a labor of love. We sincerely thank all of our wonderful contributors for the care, dedication, and hard work put into this project. We hope you all enjoy reading the zinethology and and we'll see you in that great, big, beautiful tomorrow.

Welcome to the wonderful world of HOTGUY COMICS, and we hope you enjoy your stay!

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[kunehokki]

We'll see you in that great, big, beautiful tomorrow!

i had the honor of drawing scar for the @hotguycomiczine cover along with @cocoabats for the amazing background work and cover concepts! it was super fun collaborating with her on this part, and it turned out amazing thanks to her <3!!

for our works in progress and our drafts, you can keep an eye on our accounts for our process! this zine was highly collaborative and such a blast to do, only makes sense that the cover was a collaboration as well!

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