Adding onto a masterpost that was originally just for Realms of Wishes, because I want to keep track of all the interesting stuff!
Realms of Wishes
Asha answers wishes and dreams of other Disney characters, to try and help them come true. It can get complicated. Listed in order as I imagine they happen, timeline-wise, for Asha:
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, extended cut
Cinderella
Cinderella, pt. 2
Princess and the Frog
Princess and the Frog, extended cut
Sleeping Beauty
Pinocchio
The Little Mermaid
Peter Pan
Beauty and the Beast 1991
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Encanto
Moana
Big Hero 6
Frozen
Aladdin
Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure
Raya and the Last Dragon
Pooh's Grand Adventure: The Search for Christopher Robin
Pooh's Heffalump Movie
Robin Hood
Lilo and Stitch
Tangled
The Sword in the Stone
Dinosaur
Mickey's PhilharMagic (not canon, just fiun)
Non-Disney installments:
Rise of the Guardians
Rise of the Guardians: Jack meets Star
Rise of the Guardians: Asha and Tooth
WIPs (in order):
The Hunchback of Notre Dame (?)
Cinderella 3
On my AO3: Dani_Luminae
More Than This [A 'Wish' Twisted Tale]
Guardian of Wishes (Wish/Rise of the Guardians)
Wishes True Nature (Wish/Rise of the Guardians)
An Unexpected Fairy Godmother (Wish/Cinderella 1950)
A Star and a Miracle (Wish/Encanto)
Asha and the Shooting Star (Wish/Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, story swap)
From The Art of Wish: you can find my posts from the art book RIGHT HERE!
From The Story of Wish featurettes, you may find a list of them RIGHT HERE!
You reblogged a post about OCs and it made me realize. I can totally commission art for them. - sastiel anon
YOU CAN AND YOU SHOULD IT'S SO AMAZING AND ALSO I RECOMMEND @descendantofthesparrow BC SHE DOES FABULOUS WORK. I've gotten some OC art from her before and they're *chef's kiss*
I love how I went through the effort of making a jacket-back symbol for Magnolia to be like the other VKs only to just now remember that Magnifico has his own crest that he wears. Why didn't I just slap that on the back of Magnolia's Isle clothes lmao
Edit: all these Magnifico crest variants from Griselda Sastrawinata-Lemay's website!
Suddenly entertained by the idea of Magnifico, at some point between Magnolia's visits to the Isle, seeing the symbol that they made for their jacket and true to Magnolia's assumption, he hates it. (He hates anything that reminds him of the mirror he was trapped in.)
So Magnifico literally goes and pulls out his old Rosas cape from where it's kept in a closet in their home just to basically show the back sigil to Magnolia for them to copy (with some of their own flair if they so choose.)
Magnolia obliges, and hopes nobody asks what it actually means because that involves them admitting their father is basically as vain as Grimhilde
#thank you mr terry#thinking something isn't doing it and doing is all people see#and deep down it means that when the ugly thought reared its head to be realized#you stood up in front of that ugly hurtful thought and said 'sit down'
Pardon me, but I needed to read your tags tonight.
AO3 creators... have you ever posted something you didn't want associated with your main account?*
Yes - created a separate account
Yes - posted anonymously
Yes - orphaned it after posting
Yes - posted it under a different pseud (but clearly linked to my main)
Yes - Multiple of the above
No - I don't have fanworks I feel that way about
No - I do have fanworks I feel that way about but don't post them at all
I didn't know about these options and am going to go learn a thing
Vanilla extract /answers please
Remaining time: 5 days 6 hours
*Could be something kinky, dark, "weird," off-brand in some way, etc! But I'm not talking about "I split up my different fandoms into different pseuds" or something else where it's purely an organizational preference.
You know what I despise? lumping in how Harry Potter is "for children" as a reason why people shouldn't watch it.
I DESPIIIIISE the assertion that you have to give up on whimsy and let go of the things that you enjoyed as a child because "you're too old for it".
However, does me saying that using "its for children" as a way to shame people into not watching HP is absurdly dumb mean that Harry Potter shouldn't be avoided like the plague? NO.
You want a GOOD reason to not watch, read or consume ANYTHING Harry Potter?
It's because J. K. Rowling is a VIOLENT and VILE TERF and a RACIST. That's actively financing and publicly supporting ongoing efforts in the UK and beyond to turn Trans people into second class citizens and her rhetoric will and IS GETTING PEOPLE KILLED!!!
HARRY POTTER FANS STILL CONSUMING HARRY POTTER MEDIA ISN'T BAD BECAUSE IT'S FOR KIDS, ITS BAD BECAUSE THE CREATOR OF HARRY POTTER IS PERPETRATING VIOLENCE AGAINST MINORITIES!!
What if, since Polly is supposed to succeed Anselm as the Mouse King, Raven's destiny is actually to be the next Nutcracker Soldier and Hero of Fantasia, after Rose?
Sure, Raven's magic seems "dark" bc that's how she was raised to use it but with a little encouragement it turns out she can use her magic however she chooses.
She's already inclined more to kindness and good acts. She might still be a little unsure of herself as a leader but with time, she ends up as a more confident leader. She's almost always been bold and outgoing with Polly / on Polly's behalf anyway.
The fake Storybook of Legends was a fake, so what it said - Raven's destiny as the next Evil Queen - isn't right.
And this also adds another layer of complicated for Polly's view on destiny. She wants others to see how good and wonderful Raven is, and even those who view their lives through the lens of destiny now can see Raven in a new light.
An annoying YouTube ad that keeps interrupting videos: "You say you'll never join the Navy -"
Me: "You're right, I won't, so shut the fuck up already!"
Like if a white person from the American suburbs who had doctors for parents says "the suburbs are set up in a way that's designed to alienate the people within them from their neighbors growing up there can be an incredibly lonely isolating experience" and you respond with "shut up you had everything you ever wanted growing up" you are sort of pretending that this asocial way of living we've set up based on harmful ideas like castle doctrine and individualism is in some way desirable for someone when the reality of the situation is that everyone is miserable.
Oh boy this is popping off. But I just want to put on this post that this isn't just about the example that I used this is also when people get mad at you for complaining about aspects of living in America because other people are getting bombed by America how dare you, or when (usually neurodivergent) white people complain about how wasp monoculture is high key hostile to be raised in, or when people with middle class jobs complain about the shit their boss pulls, or any other number of situations in which a relatively privileged potential ally talks about the unique ways the oppressive systems we're looking to overthrow effects them negatively. Like yes sure if you have a minimum wage job it's annoying to listen to someone with a salary and benefits say "my boss treats me like shit and my company is doing x evil thing" but if you're in that situation and you're actually down for the cause instead of just here to play oppression Olympics, you want to gain allies in this fight by saying "have you considered unionizing" instead of pushing people away by saying "shut up at least you can afford rent"
The argument that people are too privileged too complain about their situation used to be exclusively one said by self identified conservatives, but generations of conservative propaganda has made it so people who call themselves leftists will repeat it word for word.
Rise of Red rewrite but i keep the plot(mostly) instead of making my own
Summary; Chloe and Red have been thrown into a wild time-traveling adventure, though--not on purpose. And quite unfortunately, they can't go back right away like Chloe wanted. With a broken pocket watch, and a vague mission in mind to save Chloe's mom and stop Red's, they set off to find out exactly why the pocket watch sent them this far off in the past.
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3
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Chloe was confusedâand scaredâand Horrified! Her mother had just been sent off to death! And nowânow Chloe wasâshe didnât even know!
âWhat did you do?â Chloe asked again, harsher this time; staring down at Red, who still sat on the floor, looking gobsmacked. Red got to her feet, pocket watch dangling from her fingers by the chain.
âUhâŠâ Red mumbled, spinning in place. Woah, Auradon Prep looked differentâŠtoo different, Red had only wanted to go back only a few minutesâsnatch her mother's cards, butâŠ
It didnât even look like they were in Auradon Prep anymore; the whole courtyard had changed. Gone were the Auradon Prep banners, and the Queen Belle hand-picked flowers; now the courtyard was empty of Auradon kingdom decor, replaced with a huge tree in the corner andâpixies?
âWoah,â Red muttered, looking around at the soft floating pixies that flew around the courtyard, many floating around a glowing pond.
âFocus!â Chloe snapped, and Redâs eyes snapped to her. right!
âSorryââ Red stuttered, and Chloe bit her inner lips.
âWhat did you do?! Where are we?! Where did everyone go andâmy mom!â Chloe asked rapidly, and Red held up her hands.
âThis wasnât my intention!â Red blurted out. âThis thing is a time machine,â She gestured to the pocket watch. âIt's supposed to take you to when you need most, and I was trying to go back minutes to take my mom's cards, butââ she gestured around. âI thinkâŠI donât even know when we are anymore.â Red said, almost sounding defeated, distressed.
Chloe narrowed her eyes, and then remembered how Red had stood up to her mom, and let her shoulders drop. This mishap was not an act of malice, just an attempt to help that got thrown into chaos.
âOkay, wellââ Chloe began, thinking hard, trying to see if she saw anything she knew from the history books. A sweet, kinda familiar(to Chloe at least), voice rang out from a nearby corridor to their left, and the girls turned to see a young woman in a periwinkle cloak, racing after aâŠliving gourd of some kind.
âOh dear me, oh dear meâcome back!â the young woman cried. She was sparkling, glitter all over her eyes with pretty makeup, and jewelry in her dark hair that was in a curled updo.
Chloe blinked.
Yeah, that had to be her, pre-fairy godmother status. âThatâsâŠFG,â Chloe said quietly, watching the young version of her great fairy godmother race through the courtyard now, chasing after the huge squash that juked her at the last second and was now skittering toward Red and Chloe.
Red backed up, she was used to Wonderland chaos, but this was fae magic, not whatever Wonderland magic was powered by. Chloe didnât flinch, lifting her boot and holding it out to the side, and the squash tripped and tumbled, making the oddest sound.
Red snorted.
âOhâthank you!â Young FG gasped for breath as she approached. She looked to be in her mid-20s, but gave off the air of being much older than she looked. âI was practicing my animation charms, and the rotten thing got away from me!â Young FG said, scooping up the squirming gourdâdrawing a thin silver wand from her pocket and tapping it, it stilledâand faded into a very normal unanimated squash.
Red stared, lip quirking. âHow do you manage to let a squash get away from you?â Red snorted, and Chloe hissed out Redâs name through her teeth as FG worried at her bottom lip.
âIâitâs a complicated charm; I havenât got it quite down yet,â Young FG said meekly, reminding Chloe of how Jane was when she was younger, the both of them. It seemed young FG was quite shy and insecure when she was young and a learning fairy.
âSeriously?â Red snorted again, and young FG frowned deeper, pursing her lips. âIsnât that like, beginner stuff?â Red asked, not meaning any harm, butâŠshe wasnât very good with words, or people. Blame her mom.
Young FG took a breath and didnât bid either girl goodbye, simply turning on her heel and leaving.
âRed, seriously?â Chloe hissed beneath her breath as they both watched young FG hurry away, shoulders scrunched up. âWhat was that about?â
âSorry?â Red said, shrugging. She had pretty much no filter, especially when not around her mom. Something about the lack of pressure made her say things she didnât actually mean. Chloe huffed, releasing her sword handle for the first time since arriving in this strange time.
âSo, with that,â Chloe gestured to where young FG had run off to. âweâre for sure in the past, justâŠhow far?â Chloe mumbled and Red frowned.
âWhat do you mean? Fairy godmother is like, fifty-something?? And she looks to be 20-something now?â Red asked and Chloe shook her head, knowing far more about her great fairy godmother.
âFGâs a fairy, remember? They donât age like we do, and her type ages depends on how they feel about themselves. Right now, FGâs shy and unsure, learning still, so sheâs young and inexperienced, get it?â Chloe explained, and Red slowly nodded.
The girls stared at each other, and then Chloe sighed. âWhatever, how about we go back nowâstop your mom before she even tries?â Chloe asked, pointing at the pocket watch, and Red glanced down at it.
âIâm honestly not sure if this thing works that way, it sent us here for a reasonâso,â she held the pocket watch out of reach as Chloe groaned, frustrated and afraid for her mother's fate, and tried to snatch the pocket watch. âHey! Donât be so grabby grabby,â Red huffed, and Chloe glared.
âI need to get back to my mom, so why donât youâwind that clock forward and get us back to Auradon prep,â Chloe snapped, and Red huffed, fine. Whatever.
She stepped closer to Chloe, wrapping the chain around their hands and pressed the crown. The pocket watch hissed, sputtered, and sparked, and thenâŠnothing.
âWhat?â Chloe whispered, horrified as Red turned the watch over, and opened the back. âJammed,â Red groaned, looking at the purple jam that had appeared between the grooves of the gears.
ââŠIs this wonderland nonsense?â Chloe asked weakly, and Red nodded, groaning.
âYep. Gears are jammed, and I donât know how to fix this thing, weâre stuck!â Red said, frustrated, running her hands through her hair as Chloe stared blankly at the pocket watch.
âMom,â She whispered, and Red looked at her, frowning. She reached out, gently touching Chloeâs wrist, whose lip wobbled.
âDonât worry, weâll get back, somehow, and stop my mom, and save yours, I promise.â Red said earnestly. âI wonât let her destroy Auradon,â Chloe stared at Red, and then sighed, straightening up and squaring her shoulders.
âFine. WeâllâŠwork together, find out when we are, find someone to fix the pocket watch, and then go back, and save Auradon and my mom.â Chloe said as Red closed the pocket watch and pocketed it. She had to admit, Chloe had a good head on her shoulders; if Red was in her placeâsheâd probably be a hot mess.
The girls left the courtyard together, walking through this strangeâpast version of Auradon prep castle grounds, which didnât seem to be Auradon at all. Surprisingly, they passed by some other teenagers, some oddly familiar(to Chloe), some unrecognizable(for Red, who barely knew wonderland history, let alone Auradon history).
They walked down what would become the front gardens of Auradon prep, it was far more lush in the past, with magical flowers that nipped at Redâs heels, hedges that seemed to breathe and exhale glittery pollen, and dancing petals from overhead flowers.
They reached a large sign, and Chloe jogged forward to read it. âMerlin Academy,â She read, wondering why that was familiar before it hit her. âOh! My mom said she used to go here! Before Auradon became Auradon!â Red frowned, joining Chloe and reading the sign too.
Merlin Academy est. 705.
Red blinked. They couldnât be that far back, could they?
âHopefully were not too far back,â Chloe murmured, looking around for any clues. âAuradon was created in 1995 CAE,â Redâs blank look made Chloe snort and explain further. âAfter the merging of all the kingdoms; they decided on a combined calendar year since they were all from different eras. My mom was from the 1800s before Fairy Godmother and King Beast invited her and dad to join Auradon; they said yes, of course, and boom, current Auradon era.â Chloe rambled.
Red stared, blinking slowly. Most of those words went in one ear and out the other, but she tried to make it at least seem like she was paying attention. âWhen was your mom from?â Chloe asked and Red could only shrug.
âDunno, Wonderland time is wacky, sometimes itâs the 3rd century, sometimes the 17th, it only caught up with overlands era after mom came back from the isle, I was actually born before Auradon got made,â Red said and Chloeâs brows rose in interest.
âBut, youâre my age?â Chloe guessed, and Red nodded with another shrug.
âWonderland,â Red said, as if that was explanation enough. And it was, even though it made no sense. But hey, wonderland.
âSo, history buff, when do you think we are?â Red asked as they turned and began to enter the school, passing by a huge oak tree that rested in the middle of the front yard, where King Beasts' statue would be in the future.
âI could not tell you,â Chloe said, agonizingly. âI havenât seen anythingâŠmarking when we areâoh!â Chloe gasped, the two entered the common room of the castle, where many students resided between classes. Chloe had seen a poster.
For castle coming.
âCastlecoming!â Chloe gasped, jogging forward, Red followed behind, feeling out of place in a castle she hadnât even been able to call home before being thrown into a version of it that hadnât existed in years.
âCastlecoming?â Red asked with a drawl, crossing her arms as they looked at the enchanted poster, watching as sparkling fireworks danced in the posters night sky above the glittering castle, one that felt familiar to Chloe.
âYeah, it was a big thing, back before Auradon combined all the kingdoms; itâs a celebration of heirs coming of age. My dad had his in 1889âŠâ Chloe trailed off, seeing the date of castle coming for this year.
1889 Castlecoming celebration!
Castlecoming on April 24th, in celebration of Prince Christopher Charming becoming of age to rule his kingdom.
All eligible maidens are invited to attend by order of King Frederick Chadshire Maximillian Othello Charming.
Red rose her brows. Long ass name. âYour grandfather?â Red asked Chloe, who smiled and noddedâvery warmly and fondly.
âYeah, and if you think his name is long, you should see my brothers,â Chloe snorted, the two girls momentarily forgetting their earlier tension. Red leaned into Chloeâs view, pouting a little in pleading. Chloe grinned, she never passed up an opportunity to bully her brother. Even when he wasnât here.
âChadwick Chadsworth Chaddock Chadshire Chadley Charles Othello Octavius Amal Leopold Maximus charming,â Chloe recited, perfect and princess-likeâpuffing out her chest and Red held back a snort, and then let out a cackling laughâquick and hard and Chloe giggled too.
âWho cursed him??â Red laughed, and Chloe pointed at the poster.
âGrandpa, he had a thing for overly royally long names, says itâs tradition,â Chloe said with a fond roll of her eyes. âChad was his first grandchild, and my grandpa loves us, spoiled Chad rotten,â
âChadwick you mean,â Red grinned, and Chloe snickered again. âDo you have a long name like that?â Red asked, Chloe shook her headâŠtoo quick. Red grinned. âYou dooo, tell me.â Red demanded, and Chloe kept firm. âcâmon I let you behead my mom instead,â
Both girls froze, quickly remembering where they were, and why they were here. âIâll keep you on that if things donât go right,â Chloe murmured, and Red nodded, sobering from their bout of giggles.
âSo weâre in 1889, so my parents are here, andâŠwaitâwait waitâmy mom said your mom went to school with her, here.â Chloe said, eyes widening; Redâs did too, remembering her momâs strange behavior and words towards Cinderella, and howâhurt, she seemed, beneath all the malice.
âMy mom did mention something about, being humiliated, and your mom abandoning her when she needed her most, going off with her princeâŠdo you think?â Red trailed off, gesturing to the poster, and Chloe pursed her lips.
âI meanâŠIâm not sure, we need more information,â Chloe said and Red nodded, the two continued through the common room. A bell rang, and students behind them dispersed and began heading off to their different classes.
âRight on schedule, you two,â The old wizard said, his white mustache wriggling as he looked down at them, long white brows raised as he peered down at them through his round gold glasses with a twinkle in his eye.
âRight on schedule?â Red murmured as Chloe gaspedâshe knew this guy!
âYes, yes, I quite knew Iâd have two out-of-time students popping in today and you two,â he checked his pocket watchâthe thing modern for what was apparently the late 1800s. âare right on time.â Red blinked, Chloe grinned.
Merlin gave a sniffle and a small grumble, pocketing his watch again, turning his gaze to them. âNow, what sortâve business have you got in the past?â Chloe went to answer, butâŠwell, they didnât reallyâŠknow why the watch sent them back to this time.
Plus Red elbowed her. âDonât go blabbering,â Red grumbled, and Chloe rolled her eyes.
âThatâs Is Merlin Red, greatest wizard in the last couple centuries?â Chloe said as Merlin descended from the walkway above to join the girls in the atrium. âHeâs a soothsayer; he can see the future. No point in trying to trick him,â Red pursed her lips but crossed her arms as Chloe turned to Merlin.
âWe got caught up in a coup, staged by the Queen of Hearts, and Red has a time-traveling pocket watchâwe tried to go back butâit gotâŠâ Chloe trailed off and Red reluctantly pulled out the pocket watch, jam leaking out the back.
âJammed,â Merlin finished, stroking his beard, staring intently at the pocket watch. âWonderland nonsense?â Merlin asked, and Red furrowed her brows, nodding. âI know just the student to help fix it, but for now, I suspect you two may wish to blend in. and perhaps discover exactly how to save your mothers, both of them.â Merlin said, and the girls blinked.
Red wanted to ask more, ask how he knew so much, but Merlin pulled out a scroll from his beard, it rolled outâlongâthe girls jumped apart as it rolled between them and spanned outwards several feet. âyes yes, I see, perfect. Ms,â he trailed off, looking at Chloe.
âChloe Charming,â Chloe said with pride and Merlinâs eye twinkled. âPerhaps better to use a different last name, if it comes up, my dear.â Merlin said kindly, and Chloe sheepishly grinned, but nodded. âYouâll go off to our fencing class; Archimedes will guide you.â
The girls tilted their heads, who was Archimedes? As if Merlin heard their thoughts, he lifted his pointy hat, revealing a sleeping owl on his head.
âArchimedes,â Merlin said, tapping the owl. The owl snorted, making a smacking sound as he woke. âUp, you old bird, there is someone who needs your assistance.â
âWhatâwhat what?â The owl said, and Red blinked. Okay, the bird talked. She was used to talking animals, Wonderland nonsense and all, but she didnât expect that here. âWhat do you want old man?â Archimedes said grumpily, fluffing his feathers.
âI need you to escort Ms. Chloe to the fencing hall, if you donât mind,â Merlin said, and Archimedes ruffled up and sighed. âAll right then, follow me girl, this way!â The owl spread his wings and took off, Chloe gave a glance at Red and hurried after himâsword clanking at her side.
Red looked back at Merlin, whose mustache curled in a smile. âAnd you, will follow me MsâŠâ Merlin trailed off, and Red worked her jaw a little. âRed, just Red.â Red mumbled, and Merlin nodded, waving for her to follow, and she did; following him through grand hallways and up several flights of stairs.
Until they reached a giant kitchen, with multiple islands, stoves, pans, pots, tools, and ingredients. Red leaned back to peer at the plaque on the door. âSpelltacular Baking and Pastry Artsâ. Red raised her brow, why would Merlin put her in here?? Red very much did not give off the air of pastry master, or even cooking in general.
Red burned water once.
She stood up straight again as she followed him further into the roomâbringing her to the front of class, where all the other students were at their stations, putting on aprons and grabbing magical cookbooks. âStudents, we have a new wart joining us today,â Red curled her lip at the nickname, but had a feeling that was he called all his pupils. âMs. Red. Now I expect you all to be welcoming to her! Now, Red, you can join Ms. Bridget, and Ms. Ella, my two best. Go on.â Merlin gestured her over to the station on the far left.
The names hit her like a truckâbut maybe that was just a coincidence? Red looked to where he was pointing, seeing two girls. One dressed in pink, the other in blue. One had dark hair with pink highlights, the other with blue glitter tinsel in her dark very curly hairâmuch like her older self and daughter had.
Both smiled at her.
Red went wide-eyed.
It was her mother, and Cinderella, except, much her age andâŠ
Friends??
âHi! Iâm Bridget Hearts, itâs so nice to meet you!â Her young mother said with a big smile while Ella smiled, calmer but just as sweet. Red blinked.
Okay, she didnât know if she could do this.
-end of p4-
Yeah, I cut Fight of Our Lives. What of it? It didn't fit with my version of the girls, and I couldn't figure out how to--jimmie it till it fit, so, no Fight of Our Lives. Hope you enjoyed!
I appreciate that we actually got Red standing up to her mother, because the movie was so inconsistent about it. It also builds a more believable foundation for Red and Chloe's friendship than just "well, we're in the past now, whoops!"
Living squash I love you. pls come back.
Once again, really love how Red keeps stumbling through interactions, it makes her feel real as a character.
Jammed! Wonderland nonsense! Kind of annoyed I didn't think of that honestly /joking
"Wonderland time is wacky, sometimes itâs the 3rd century, sometimes the 17th" I love Wonderland time!
You manage to capture the whimsy of the past so well, this is what I wanted Merlin Academy to feel like, actually... interesting! And using Sword in the Stone Merlin, I am so happy, I do not understand the one they got in the movie at all
Chad's long name is so funny. No wonder he got stuck being called Chad.
Archimedes under the hat is still so cute. I might be stealing that for WRR, maybe.
"Red burned water once." I feel like Wonderland nonsense doesn't mean that as scathing as Red considers it lol
(mood on cutting the song I say as someone who cut basically all the songs lol)
Rise of Red rewrite but i keep the plot(mostly) instead of making my own
Summary; Red and Chloe arrive at Auradon prep, briefly meeting in their soon-to-be shared dorm room--however, there seems to be history between their mothers? how strange, wonder if that will effect anything :D
Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 4
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Chloe grinned to herself, spinning in the mirror. Sheâd changed into her new silver glass-heeled bootsâand they were amazing, matching her outfit perfectly. She changed out her fencing gear for a baby-blue cropped jersey with her family coat of arms on it, her favorite light blue shirt, and two-toned jeans.
She grabbed her swordâwhich was in its sheathâhooking it into her belt loops as she jogged outside to the front yard, where the car was waiting. âThey fit perfectly!â Chloe called out excitedly, showing off her boots; grinning wide. âI love them!â
Cinderella and King Charming smiled back at her. Cinderella had changed out of her more casual fit for something more formalâalong the lines of her infamous dress created by fairy godmother. âYou look wonderful, pumpkin,â King Charming said, kissing Chloeâs temple as she hopped into the car.
âThank you, Dad,â Chloe said with a grin, lingering in the doorway as Cinderella took King Charming's hand to step into the car. âAre you sure you can't come?â Cinderella asked her husband, who shook his head.
âNo, Chad really wanted me to see him play in his first match of the season, and I have to leave soon if I want to make it in time.â King Charming said, and Cinderella nodded, smiling as King Charming pressed a kiss to her knuckles and helped her into the car.
âHide his protein powder for me,â Chloe grinned, and Cinderella gave her a look, but Chloe only grinned. Sibling chaos could not be stopped even when miles apart.
âOkay, sweetie,â King Charming snorted. âTake care of your mom for me, and have a good first day.â Chloe tipped her head up with pride and nodded, settling into the car as King Charming closed the door behind Cinderellaâtapping the car, and the car pulled out of the drivewayâon its way to Auradon prep.
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Redâs fingers snapped against the bands she was putting into her hairâattempting to put heart buns into her hair. Sheâd packed and had a mere five minutes to finish getting ready and book it downstairs before her mother decided to just leave her behindâshe could already hear the horn from the front courtyard.
Red blew hard against her two face-framing bangs, getting them out of her eyes as she furrowed her browsâgetting frustrated with her hair. Maddoxâs fingers took place of her own, and she sighed, crossing her arms as he easily threw her hair into two heart-shaped buns.
âHow are you better at my hair than I am? Itâs my hair!â Red groaned, grabbing her jacketâher favorite punk style one that had a crossed-out version of her mom's symbol on the back.(which she wouldnât wear until she got to Auradon and was settled, wanting to make it clear she didnât agree with her mother's ways).
âIâve been doing it since you were little,â Maddox chuckled, putting little rose pins into her buns to make sure they stayed. âNow go, we both know how impatient your mother is,â Red hugged her friend/tutor and rushed out, patting her jacket pocket that held the stolen pocket watchâno way in Underland would she leave it behind.
The car was already started and packed by the time Red made it to the courtyardâhaving a mere moment to spare as her mother laid on the horn and Red jumped in. âLate. Again.â Her mother huffed, sitting back into her seat on the passenger's side as an ace of Hearts settled into the driver's seat.
 Red settled into the back seat; putting her jacket on her lapâthe back of it facing away from her mother, she didnât want to set off an anger explosion right nowâand buckled in, being pushed back against the seat as the ace of hearts drove off like mad.
âSorry,â Red grumbled, watching as the castle gates zoomed past and closed behind them, her mother driving down the checkerboard path towards the rabbit holeâthe Auradon invitation floating ahead of them.
This was actually happeningâshe was going to leave Wonderland.
âSo, how do we get out? The barrier's been up for years now,â Red asked her mother, who just smirkedâthe invitation slid through the rabbit hole and the queen drew her playing cards, flicking one at the rabbit hole barrier, and it opened like a set of doors.
The car drove right through, and Red watched in wonder as the rabbit hole swirled around them as the car drove up the rabbit hole, before popping out the other side, just down the road from Auradon prep.
âWoah,â Red breathed, watching as the green trees of Auradon rolled past the windows, and soonâAuradon prep. There was a short security section, a gate barring them from entering as several Auradon royal guards stepped forward, clad in their blue and yellow leather gear.
Two knocked on the front windows, Redâs mother handed over her clutch to be examined, the ace of hearts had nothing, and Red held up her jacket, showing off her anti-mom symbol. The Auradon royal guard held back a smirk, by now used to rebellious vks, and did a quick scan of Redâs bags.
He found her spray-paint cans and sparking firecrackers, but just winked at herâRed holding back a grin. Okay, maybe Auradon wasnât half bad, especially if the royal guard was this cool about her smoke and paint bombs.
The guard at the queenâs window examined her deck of cards, and she simply shrugged when questioned about them. She was handed her clutch back, and the ace of hearts drove into Auradon prepâinto the front driveway of the infamous dorm castle.
âWoah,â Red murmured again, sliding out of the car, looking at the blue and yellow banners, and the royal king beast statue at the frontâcurrently morphed into beast.
Her mother made an unimpressed sneer, and the ace of hearts and several school staff collected Redâs bags, carrying them to her new dorm room. Red spun as she entered the dorm castle, unknowingly stepping into the very same spot that Mal and the other three OG vks stood 9 years before.
âThis way,â A school staff member said, overlooking Redâs file, continuing up the stairs to the rightâdown the hall and to dorm room A113. Red was the first to enter, looking around her new dorm room.
It was way different than her room at homeâit was sizable, with two canopy beds with dark blue bedding, bookcases built into the wallâeither side of the fireplace, and two large dressers and a walk-in closet, big enough for two, and a table in the middle of the room.
It was cutesy, not Redâs preferred style butânot terrible.
âUgh,â her mother grumbled, stepping into the room. The ace of hearts followed suit and began unpacking Redâs stuffâshe stopped him, knowing heâd findâŠthings her mom wouldnât like. âIâll handle it,â She whispered to him, and he nodded, stepping away.
Her mother was still examining the room, so while she was distractedâRed hid her bag full of smoke bombs and firecrackers beneath her new bed, pocketing someâŠjust in case. She didnât trust her mother.
âSome redecorating is in order, itâs soâŠAuradon,â her mother muttered, stilling as a breathy voice came from the door.
âBridget?â Red turnedâsheâd never heard anyone call her mother by her actual name. Red hadnât even known her mother's name till Maddox told her. In the doorway was a dark-skinned woman in a blue gown, wearing a silver tiaraâa daughter by her side, Redâs age.
Redâs mother turned, locking eyes with the woman. âI didnât expect to see you here,â The woman said breathlessly, stepping into the roomâher daughter close behind, who ended up beside Red, the two girls staring at their mothers.
âElla,â Redâs mother said stiffly, staring at the woman named Ella, who seemed to be both in shock andâŠhappy? To see her mom?? âItâs your royal majesty now.â Redâs mother said, cruelly, not a drip of kindness in her voice.
Ellaâs smile weakened, and she nodded. âRight, of course, you must be so proud,â Ella said softly, offering that political smile Red had seen from everyone else when faced with her motherâone to not anger her further.
While their mothers had a stare off, the girl beside Red introduced herself. âUh, hi, I'm Chloe Charmingâyou are?â Red glanced beside her at the girl, freezing for a split moment, uh oh, she was pretty.
âRed.â she said bluntly, staring at Chloe, who seemed a bitâput off by Redâs flustered bluntness. âUh, Red, from Wonderland,â Red said, stuttering a little.
âWonderland, really? Iâve alwaysâwonderedâwhat itâs like over there,â Chloe punned and Red swallowed hard.
âŠoh, Chloe was staringâquickâsay something!!
âYou should come sometime,â Red said, grinning now. âIâll introduce you to the Jabberwock.â Girls liked cool monsters, right?
âFun! Whatâs a Jabberwock?â Chloe asked with an excited grin.
âA monster that eats annoying girls,â Red said, and Chloe frownedâuh oh, no! Fix it Red, fix it! She didnât get the chance; Ella pulled Chloe over, and her mother pulled Red over, Red smacking herself in the forehead for getting so tongue-tied.
It wasnât her fault; thatâs what everyone told her the Jabberwock did as a kid! It was the first thing that came to mind!? Ugh, why didnât she just say it was a dragon beast thing that guarded her moms vault or something?
That wasnât what the Jabberwock did, butâit wouldâve been better than an accidental insult.
Red looked back at Chloe and Ella, her shoulders dropping a little as she watched Ella dote on her daughter, a gentle smile on her faceâclear love in her eyes. Chloe leaned into Ella, smiling back, trust and love reflected.
Meanwhile, Redâs mother was prodding and pinching at her, scolding her for even talking to Chloe. Red swallowed hard, barely listening. What she wouldnât give for her mom to treat her like that.
Ella and Chloe quietly left the dorm roomâone Chloe and Red would shareâand Red sighed, her mother's unwanted lecture fading into the background.
âȘIâm just a girl, arms open wide. Looking for kindness, somewhere in your eyes.
Red looked at her mother, not seeing any bit of that kinda love Ella had for her daughter in her mother's eyes. Just that usual cold-hearted ruthlessness.
âȘIâm looking for something, I may never findâall I want is love.
Her mother turned to her, and somehow it was like sheâd heard Redâs inner thoughts. âWhat you want doesnât exist, love. Ain't it.â The queen said sharply, her dark lined eyes seeming to stare into Redâs core.
Red worked her jaw. What she wouldnât give to scream, to just say âyouâre wrong!â. But her mother was scary, and Red too much of a coward.
âȘYou say love aint it, it makes me weak but howâd I know if I aint felt it yet?
âȘYou say love aint it. And I wish I could compete with all the grief that youâve experienced.
Red knew that her mother had gone through something to make her this way, she just wasnât all that sure what had happened in her mothers past to make her soâŠevil. The queen turned to her, getting into Redâs face, grabbing her chin.
âȘLove aint it. And nothing's as sweet as when you defeat all your enemies. I say love ain't it. And fear is more important if youâre gonna rule for centuries.
Redâs mother took her arm, pulling her out of her new dorm room, going down the hallwayâwhere more students and their parents had arrived, a few going wide eyed in recognition of her mother, pulling their children to the wall.
âȘCould it really be her? They say thereâs no one worse, no ones as meanâmean as the queenâmean as the queen! Sheâs been gone for years, but now, sheâs appeared! So hide under your beds, under your bed.
Red watched as others cowered in fear of her mother, painfully reminding her of home and all the Wonderland subjects and how scared they were to make her mad, lest it was off with your head.
âȘBe careful what you do, be careful what you say; or itâll be off with your head, off with your head! Be careful where you go, donât make her upset! Or else its offâoff with your head!
Red decided to shrug on her jacket now, offering sorry smiles to those she passed.
She and her mom walked up the garden path to the courtyard, where everyone was signing in for the welcoming ceremony. Red saw Chloe again, and she tried to swallow her nervesâbut her mother was too quick and had cut the line, pulling Red inside.
Chloe looked up, spotting Red at the last momentâher eyes drawn to the crossed-out queen of hearts symbol on her back. âHuh,â Chloe mumbled.
âShe's changed,â Her mother said, and Chloe frowned, looking up at Cinderella, who stared at the queen as she pulled Red along into the courtyard.
âWhat do you mean?â Chloe asked, taking her mom's hand as she offered it. âThe queen of hearts?â Chloe asked for confirmation, and Cinderella nodded, sighing.
âYes, Bridget, as I knew her. We went to Merlin Academy togetherâthe school of this land before it was merged into Auradonâshe was soâŠdifferent, then, and thenâŠeverything got ruined for her, and she was never the same.â Cinderella explained and Chloe frowned.
âWhat do you mean? What happened?â Chloe asked, wanting to know more, because it mustâve been major to make the Queen of HeartsâŠwell, the Queen of Hearts! But Cinderella shook her head.
âNothing that can be changed. Câmon, letâs get inside; itâs useless to dwell on the past.â Cinderella said softly, a wistful look in her eyes and Chloe huffed, following her mother into the courtyard.
âGet out of my way! The queenâs arrived!â Redâs mother bellowed as she entered the courtyard, waving her hands in a parting motion as if she had her grand heart staff in hand.
Everyone glanced at her, and split to make a path as the queen shoved her way through, Red spotted a treat table and snatched up a macaronâyum, cherry-flavored.
She quickly finished it before her mother saw her, licking her teeth before grabbing a glass of pink lemonade. Her mother summoned her forward, and Red inwardly groaned, stepping to her mothers side, glaring a little as her mother pulled out the portable looking glass and showed Red their future.
Red looking as evil as her mom, miserable.
âȘLook into the mirror, itâs our destiny, rule a million years withâyou right next to me. Swimming in their tears, won't it taste so sweet?
Red stepped away, she would not let that happen. No way in hell was she going to let her mother control her life like that.
âȘTheres a new dawn in Auradon, Iâm gonna take the crown and put it on. Iâm gonna take the crowd and do what I want. You gonâ make me proud when you take that throne!
âȘLove aint it! Love aint it. Love aint it, oh na na.
Redâs mother grabbed the sleeve of her jacket, and Red scrunched her face up, gritting her teeth as she was shoved into a front chair in front of the stage in the middle of the courtyard. âLove ain't it. The sooner you learn that, the better.â Her mother whispered, and Red glared at her lap.
âDid you ever consider that youâre wrong?â Red snapped back quietly, her mother looked the most offended sheâd ever had at Red; and Red glared back, crossing her arms as Fairy Godmother came onto the stage, gathering the crowdâs attention with a smile.
 âAttention please,â FG said with a bright grin, cooing as she looked out at the new, and returning, students. âOh Parents, and Students; it has been a great privilege to serve you. But the time has come for another to take my place, so please join me in welcoming Auradon prepâs newest principal.â FG stepped back, allowing Umaâs crewâthe wharf rats of the isleâto gather on stage.
They parted to make way for Uma, her heavy-booted steps echoing as all her jewelry and her sword that hung from a shoulder sheath clanked togetherâmaking her sound all the more imposing.
Uma wore her braided turquoise hair in a ponytail, the curling ends tossed over her shoulder as she lifted her head, smirking as she joined her crew; dressed in something befitting of a pirate turned vk style principal. Elegant, bold, edgy.
ââȘWhatâs my name, whatâs my name?â Uma called out, her piratesâand the vks who currently attended Auradon prep that had lived on the isle, all shouted; Uma!
Uma grinned, crossing her arms in a power stanceâthe pure energy she radiated, Red couldnât help but stare.
âȘIâm the queen of this town. I call the shots, you know I amâI donât need to wear no fake crown. Uma knocked the hat off of one of her crew members, who grinned sharpâpulled away by a silver hook, a young man in a red leather coat spinning in front of Uma, guiding her to the higher point of the stage with a sharp, almost wild, grin.
Redâs mother shifted beside her, eyes hard as she took in Uma and Harry Hook, sheâd never met them personallyâbut their families left a sour taste in her mouth.
âȘStand up to me, you donât stand a chance. Itâs our timeâwe up next! My crews as real as it gets! The worst is now the best! And leaving us there was their last regret!
Whatâs my name, whatâs my name! Uma! Say it louder! Whatâs my name, Whatâs my name! Uma! Feel the power! No one's gonna stop usâthe world is all ours!
Umaâs crew busted out sharp moves, the same from many years agoâall dancing around Uma. Their captain.
Whatâs my nameâwhatâs my name?! Whatâs it? Whatâs it? Say it, say it!
Umaâs crew, and the Auradon prep vks shouted again; Uma!
Uma laughed, settling back with a sharp grin. Harry Hook stepped beside her, sharp blue eyes taking the crowd inâbefore zeroing in on the queen, and keeping his gaze on her, aware of the danger she posed.
The queen let out a quiet huff, taking out her cards and beginning to shuffle them. Red felt a pit drop into her stomach, but ignored itâall eyes on Uma.
She took in the crowd. âmany of you might not know me, or maybe you do, I was on the news as a high risk villain for a while,â She chuckled, and those who remembered her escape from cotillionâand the then Lady Malâs endless search for herâall laughed, some a little weakly, remembering when Uma and her crew had been villains, and not just rowdy heroes.
âBut I wasnât among the vks to go to Auradon prep, by the time the barrier came downâI was too old. Now while Iâve never attended personally, I will honor my duty as principal, making sure Auradon prep welcomes all, including our newest vk; Princess Red of Wonderland.â Uma gestured to Red, who perked up a little, eyes glued to the captain.
Beside Red, the Queen of Hearts kept doing card tricks, noisily, distracting those close enough to hear it. Uma ticked her jaw, stepping in front of the queen, eyes narrowed. âDo you mind?â Uma asked, Harry stepped behind her, sharp blue eyes locked onto the queen.
âI do, actually,â The queen hummed, standingâUma didnât step back, casually adjusting her hands to rest on her sword, a low humming emanating from her shell necklace.
âMom?â Red asked, quietly, frowning heavily, her heart beginning to thump out of her chest. âWhat are you doing?â she asked, hoping it wasnât what she feared.
âPlaying my favorite game~â the queen cooed, pausing for dramatic effect, then she grinned, folding the cards in her hands to send them flying up. âWar.â She cackled as the cards transformed into her army of soldiers, hitting the groundâarmed and ready.
Uma drew her sword, as did Harry and the rest of the crew. âGo!â Uma ordered, Harry ran right for the queen of heartsâshe was open and no guards had landed near her yet.
âOh dear,â The queen muttered, flicking a card at Harryâhe sliced it, flipping sideways over the other half of itâhe was on top of the queen and slashed down with his hook; growling as a solider blocked his blow.
Harry and the soldier clashedâHarryâs sword against the soldier's halberd. Harry nearly wonâhis hook caught the pole and twisted it away, raising his swordâonly to crumble as another soldier came up from behind and knocked Harry out with the pommel of his sword.
âHarry!â Uma yelped, eyes wideâdistracted for just a second too long, her shell flickered, and she was captured, a net tossed around her and she was taken to the floor.
FG grabbed her wandâspeaking quickly. âBibbidiâBobbidi B-â The queen of Hearts turned, flicking her card at the wand, red sparks flying everywhere as the wand was destroyed.
âNo,â The queen cooed. More of her cards blocked all the exists, and her soldiers crowded everyone into the middle of the courtyard.
Red watched in horrorâeyes wide as her mother enacted a nearly perfect coup, Uma and Harry were downâUmaâs crew outnumbered, and all the royals and their children were faced with weaponsâonly one of them armed, Ellaâs daughter.
With everyone captured, the exits sealed, the queen of hearts smirkedâhiking up her skirt to ascend the stage. âOh, do relax, you all act as if youâve never seen a coup before~!â The queen said dramatically, turning to her new subjects, flipping her cards between her fingersâone sparkled and turned into her golden scepter with a crystal heart on the end.
âMom, stop! This is insane! Even for you!â Red pleaded, stepping forward, shocking some of the captured crowdâthe queen rolled her eyes.
âWhat's insane is that itâs taken me this long! Iâve been waiting years to be able to invade Auradon again, so thank you dear, you finally were useful,â The queen cooed, and Red glared, anger and betrayal bubbling in her chest. She shouldâve known this wasnât about her, that her mother had turned her invitation for a new life into this.
âI shouldâve known youâd ruin this,â Red said quietly, her voice tight as tears built in her eyes, staring up at her mother on the stage; who stared back coldly. Not caring that sheâd taken away Redâs chance at a new, fresh, lifeâaway from her.
âI did this for you, Red.â The queen said, and Red only glared back. Well it didnât feel like it. âSomeday youâll thank me, now stop whining and get up here.â The queen ordered and Red continued to glareâpausing as Cinderella stepped forward, challenging her mother.
âStop it, Bridget, youâre better than this!â Cinderella said, much to Redâs shock. Her mom? Better than this? What version of her mother had Cinderella known? Two card soldiers took up their spearsâaiming them at Cinderella but the queen waved them offâher angry eyes pinned onto Cinderella.
âlet her through,â the queen muttered, flipping a card between her fingers as Cinderella stepped up to the stage, pleading with the queen of hearts.
âyouâve gone too far Bridget, all thisâover what? A stupid prank from 30 years ago?â Cinderella asked, practically pleading with the queen of hearts to stand down, to stop before she did any irreversible damage.
âFeels like yesterday to me, and stupid?â the queen hissed, almost looking freshly hurt. âto you maybe. You, who abandoned me, when I needed you most. To go off with your prince.â Cinderella clenched her teeth, and Red staredâclearly there was history there, but unlike Chloe, her mother hadnât divulged any of that information.
âI didnât know Bridget, im sorry, but pleaseâthink of your daughter,â Cinderella began but the queen glared, teeth bared lightly as he held her hand up.
âSilence! Ive had enough of your sqabbling. Now. Kneel before your new queen.â The queen of Hearts commanded, and Cinderella rose her head in defiance.
âI will never kneel to a tyrant.â Cinderella said, Chloe tipped her chin up proudly as Red watched in horrorâknowing what was next.
âshe defied a royal order.â The queen gasped, almost dramatically, ordering her daughter closerâwho obeyed, eyes glued to her mothers cards. ânow Red, what do we do about that?â Red made eye contact with Cinderella, who wordlessly pleaded with Red to not go along with her mother.
âim not playing this game mother.â Red said, loudly, jumping forwardâaiming to snatch her mothers cards. Her mother gasped aloudâeyes wide with, hurt? Red yelped as she was quickly captured by two card soldiers, yanking her back. âthis is too far mom! Auradon didnât do anything to you! I wont let you ruin Auradon like you ruined home!â Red yelled, gasps ringing out amongst the captured crowd as the queen stared at her daughterâlooking almost heartbroken.
Red would believe that if her mother wasnât heartless.
âIâll deal with you later. Red.â The queen muttered, turning back to Cinderella. âAs for you. Off with your head!â Â Chloe looked horrified as soldiers grabbed onto Cinderella, beginning to drag her away.
âMom!â Chloe screamed, tears building in her eyes as Red looked in horror. Oh no! âBe brave Chloe; itâll be okay,â Cinderella said, just barely catching her daughter's hand before she was dragged away.
âNo! Let her go!â Chloe screamedâdrawing her sword, racing towards the queen of hearts. The two soldiers holding Red let her go to protect their queen, and Red suddenly remembered the pocket watch in her jacket pocketâmaybe it could help!
Maybe she could go back, and snatch the cards from her mom before they even got to the courtyard!
She pulled out the pocket watchâit was heavy in her hands and buzzed with chaotic magic. She wasnât looking, running forward, and she accidentally collided with ChloeâChloeâs stomach hitting the crown of the watch.
All Red was thinking about was stopping her mom, about what she couldâve had, and how to save Cinderella.
A burst of magic swirled around them, the sound of ticking growing louder and louder, Red yelpedâgrabbing onto Chloeâs hand as they were lifted off their feet in the chaotic swirl of magic that threw them around, to where? Red hoped to the recent past.
They hit the groundâRed still holding Chloe, the two girls groaning as they got up.
Chloe looked aroundâeyes wide, looking for her mother. But her mother was nowhere to be seen, no one was. The courtyard was empty and it looked...totally different.
âWhat did you do?â Chloe asked, tears still in her eyes, some freshly rolling down her cheeks from pure fear for her mother. Red sat stunned on the ground.
It worked.
ButâŠwhen were they?
-End of part 3-
Yay part 3!!! I hope you all enjoyed~ yes I do ship Glassheart; what of it, and yes Harryâs here I love him too much to separate him from Uma for too long, and I hope you all enjoyed the changes to the coup/time travel scene/Red! I wanted to make her much more of a rebel, like she actually genuinely does not want her mom to win/be evil/do anything to Wonderland and so she ACTUALLY takes action to stop her mom, instead of waiting till it was already too late.
This will change Chloe and Redâs dynamic, and im excited to explore it :3
Once again, unparalleled redesigns. Why doesn't Disney just hire you for these movies?
A113! Pixar reference!!! I love it.
âYou should come sometime,â Red said, grinning now. âIâll introduce you to the Jabberwock.â Girls liked cool monsters, right?
âFun! Whatâs a Jabberwock?â Chloe asked with an excited grin.
âA monster that eats annoying girls,â Red said, and Chloe frownedâuh oh, no! Fix it Red, fix it! She didnât get the chance; Ella pulled Chloe over, and her mother pulled Red over, Red smacking herself in the forehead for getting so tongue-tied.
It wasnât her fault; thatâs what everyone told her the Jabberwock did as a kid! It was the first thing that came to mind!? Ugh, why didnât she just say it was a dragon beast thing that guarded her moms vault or something?
That wasnât what the Jabberwock did, butâit wouldâve been better than an accidental insult.
^^ I love this interpretation of the interaction. It feels relatable. Who hasn't said something dumb in front of a new friend/crush?
"Love Ain't It" as a concept feels like the writers really wanted it to be Red and QOH's version of "Evil Like Me," based off those lyrics.
Rise of Red rewrite but i keep the plot(mostly) instead of making my own
Summary; Chloe Charming has a very different life than Red, full of love, adventure, and gifts from two very loving parents. The contrast between the two couldn't be more obvious.
Part 1 Part 3
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Ceriella Kingdom Castle, home of Cinderella, King Charming and Chloe Charmingâ6am, August 29th.
Swordâs clashed brilliantly in the late summer sun, the shuffle of feet echoing across the courtyard Chloe Charming and her dad had decided to make their arena.
Their faces were covered by fencing helmets, protecting their heads, while their matching blue protective jackets shielded their bodies from any blows the other might deliver.
âHa!â King Charming laughed, striking Chloeâs shoulder, and she groaned.
âHit!â She announced, stepping back, cursing her faulty footwork. She was a single step off and allowed her father the advantage.
âRelax Chloe,â her dad laughed, fixing his fencing helmet. âItâs just practice,â Chloe only huffed, getting into position againânearby the hedges, away from the fight but spectating at request, a servant rang a bell and the match began again.
Chloe lunged forward, meeting her fathers blade as they began to strike at each otherâback and forth, Chloeâs footwork perfect as she pushed her father back to the wall of the courtyard. She swiped at his feetâfrowning as he jumped and went over the wall, goading her to follow.
âThe match has to stay within the box!â Chloe said, pointing at the piste around her. Her father laughed from behind his mask, goading Chloe after him again.
Chloe groaned, her head tipping backâshe paced the piste for a moment before running out of the courtyard after her father, who laughed and met her blade with his as they began to clash all over the grounds of the castle.
Cinderella emerged from the castle, talking to the head maid who was currently making sure all of Chloeâs things were packed and ready to load in the carâsmiling as she saw her daughter and husband sword fighting in the front gardens.
âAnd make sure Chloeâs gear doesnât get left behind after she changes,â Cinderella told Louise, who nodded, turning to another servant who went to get Chloeâs shower ready for her.
Cinderella began making her way down towards Chloe and Christopher, smiling wildly as Chloe disarmed her father, tipping her head up in victory.
King Charming laughed, and then snuck his foot outâhooking it behind Chloeâs boot and yanking backâChloe yelped, tripping. âDad! Thatâs cheating!â She accused, smacking him with the pommel of his sword.
âNo, the match ended, This!â,â King Charming scooped his daughter up over his shoulder, and spun her around, making her squeal and drop their swordsâher helmet falling from her head, revealing her dark braided hair with blue sparkly tinsel in it. ââis cheating!â
âDaaad!â Chloe squealed, holding onto him for dear life as he spun them round and round, until she was laughing uncontrollably. Her father finally slowed and she looked up, seeing her mom. âMom! Help! Dad's gone mad!â
âMad? Never. Iâm Charming,â her dad cooed, looking at Chloe over his shoulder as Cinderella laughed, shaking her head fondly.
âThatâs debatable,â She teased, and Chloe rolled off her dad's shoulder, landing gracefully on the grassâshoving her dad, and he shoved her back, laughing.
He turned to his wife, giving her that charming grin, offering his hand. âMâlady,â He hummed, grunting as Chloe shoulder-slammed him and sent him to the side. Cinderella laughed, holding her hands to her stomach as her two beloveds rough-played on the ground before Chloe popped upâher father's sword in hand.
âHa! I win!â Chloe roared in victory, giggling as her father swiped at her legs playfully and she ran, skirting around her mother. Cinderella laughed as they ran around her until she held her hands up, stopping the chase.
âAs much as I love to watch this, Chloe does have some packing left to do,â Cinderella said with a smile, and Chloe sighed, handing her father his sword back.
âYouâre just saying that to get me out of the house so you can celebrate your anniversary,â Chloe teased, as they were the classic cheesy lovey-dovey parents, the kind all teenagers loved yet hated.
âExactly,â King Charming said with a far too serious nod, snickering as Cinderella playfully smacked him. âKidding, kidding.â He chuckled, kissing Cinderellaâs knuckles as he took her hand gently in his.
âWhile we are excited, itâs your first day back at Auradon prep, and today is about you pumpkin,â Cinderella said, smiling at her daughter, who grinned back.
âuh-huh, like you two arenât two seconds away from waltzing to this is love,â Chloe teased, and King Charming raised his brows at Cinderella, offering a charming smile. Cinderella laughed, shaking her head. âWhat was it again? Castle-coming? Where you two first met?â Chloe teased as her father wrapped his arms around her mother's waist and began to sway with her.
âThirty-five years ago,â King Charming hummed, smiling as he pressed his cheek to Cinderellaâs, the two swaying as Chloe groaned and fake gagged. âit was my first ball after coming of age as prince of my kingdom, your mother and I went to school together but it wasnât till Castle-coming till she noticed just how charming I was,â King Charming teased and Cinderella laughed, grabbing her husbandâs hands, spinning herself out of his grip.
âI had a lot on my mind back then, but I wouldnât change a thing about that night,â Cinderella said, the two sharing a kiss and Chloe fake gagged again, Cinderella laughing at her daughter.
âOkay, leaving, Iâm walking to school, byyyye,â Chloe dramatically said, groaning as her mother caught her shoulders.
âOne last thing, now I know you finished packing, but do you think you have room for one more pair of shoes?â Cinderella asked, waving forward a servant who held an elegant shoe box. Chloe gasped softly, taking off her fencing gloves to open the periwinkle box, the top stamped with FGâs signature logo; a sign of specially Fairy Godmother-enchanted shoes, and Chloe had just been waiting for her own pair after her 16th birthday back in May.
âOh mom!â Chloe gasped, grabbing one of the silver boots with a glass heel, studded with diamonds from heel to toe, and silvery magical glitter all along the ankle. âTheyâre beautiful!â Chloe said, tapping her nail against the sturdy glass heel.
âWhat's the occasion?â Chloe asked with a bright grin, turning to her mom, who smiled back.
âJust an appreciation gift, pumpkin,â King Charming said, kissing Chloeâs temple. âYou strive to make good choices every day, and be kind even when itâs tough.â
âYou make us both so proud,â Cinderella continued. âand you got all straight Aâs last year, and volunteered at the isle youth center,â Chloe beamed bashfully, shifting on her feet, but pride filled her at their praise.
 âYou are our shining star, and you earned an extra gift,â Cinderella said and Chloe grinned, her cheeks hurting as both her parents pulled her into a hug.
âThank you,â Chloe whispered, admiring the silver boots again. âI love them,â Cinderella smiled, and then nodded towards the castle.
âWell, are you gonna try them on?â Cinderella teased, and Chloe grinned, snatching up her new shoes and booking it up the garden hill back to the castleâready for whatever was going to come her way.
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Back again so soon? Wow, you must really like me.
Anyway, moms pissed. She woke up to her whole courtyard vandalized, and decided I had to be pissed with herâŠthankfully she has no clue it was me ha!
âHer imperial highness, her grace, her excellency, her royal majesty; the queen of hearts!â The white rabbit cried as the queen of hearts was escorted into her courtyard, her face the picture of anger as she took in the destruction of her beloved garden courtyard and the royal family portrait hall.
The white rabbit turned as a heart scepter tapped his shoulder, spotting the king of Hearts. The white rabbit sighed. âAnd the king,â The queen stood from her throne that had been carried in, glaring at all that had happened. The smashed vases, the ruined portrait, firecracker debris left behind. Â
And worst of all, the roses were painted Red, and the hedges chopped in half.
âWho has painted my roses red?!â The Queen roared, slamming her heart scepter to the ground, glaring at all the guards and servants gathered, all looking down to avoid her gaze. âWho has painted my roses red?! Who dares to taint with vulgar paint, the royal flower bed?! For painting my roses red! Someone will lose their head!â The queen bellowed, glaring at her servants and guards.
She turned to Jack of Diamonds, who bowed his head, kneeling in the courtyard. âWho has defaced my portrait, my hedges, my vases?â she hissed, drawing closer to the near trembling guard.
âWe were unable to capture her, your majesty,â Jack of Diamonds said, clenching his jaw. âThey were ready for us, and slipped away. But I've tripled patrols to find them, and offered ten diamonds in return for information or capture.â The queen curled her lip, unsatisfied.
âHer royal highness, Princess Red of hearts!â The white rabbit cried, and the queen turned, her lip curling higher as she took in her daughterâwho seemed to have only just woken up. Her hair was a mess, unbrushed, untamed. She had eye-bags from the lack of sleep, and her clothes were not something the queen would ever pick out, something an overland, or even Auradon kid would wear.
âI see you couldnât even be brothered to dress properly for court,â the queen sneered at her daughter as Red found her place beside her fatherâthe cheery man giving her a smile, the only spot of light in the Wonderland royal family.
Red made eye contact with Jack, who simply looked awayâand Red breathed a sigh of reliefâhe wouldnât snitch on her. âI find that outfitâŠoffensive,â The queen sneered, plucking at Redâs heart chain belt.
Red looked at her mother, tired, and just plain over it. âIâm sorry being me offends you,â Red drawled and the queen huffed, stepping awayâturning back to the courtyard.
âApologies, my dear, to call upon you before noon, but while you were sleepingâthe royal courtyard was vandalized.â Red glanced around at her handy work, wow, it looked even better than the night beforeânow that she had time to appreciate it. She looked back at her mother. âAnd thisâsorry excuse for a head guard, failed to protect my property and the royal portraits, even yours.â
Red bit her inner lip, remembering the thrill of chopping her own royal portrait in half.
âAnd just look at what the vandal did to my courtyard portrait,â The queen seethed. Red turn, taking in the pink splatters all over her mothers massive portrait that hung in the courtyard, with the wordsâin bold blackââDOWN WITH THE MAD QUEENâ sprayed over it.
HuhâŠwho put that there? Red genuinely wondered, but hoped it had been a castle townie, taking inspiration from her.
âso what shall we do, hmm?â The queen went on, turning her gaze back to Jack of Diamonds, who stared at the floor. âpoke thorns in his eyes? Off with his head?â Red swallowed hard, her shoulders tensing as her mother turned to her, offering a scary smile. âas youâll be queen one day, youâll decide.â
Red was quiet. Her? decide the fate of a guard sheâd made go through a wild goose chase the night before? âokay,â Red said faintly, stepping forward, clearing her throatâher mother looked on in excitement.
âFor your lack of professionalism, your failure to capture the criminal who vandalized the royal courtyard, you are hereby removed from the guard, and exiled. You will never return to this castle, and if you doâitâs off with your head.â Red said clearly, sparing his life, and Jack of Diamonds let out a short sigh.
Red turned to her mother, who looked torn between pride, and disappointment. âNo beheading?â her mother cooed, pouting, and Red shook her head.
âWeâll save it for the vandal; itâll be more potent then, a proper showing of what happens when one defies the queen of hearts.â Red said, knowing the criminal would never be captured, after all, it was she. Her mother huffed, but wasâmostlyâhappy with Redâs answer.
Thank the white rabbit for all those diplomatic lessons. She hated them, but they helped keep her mother's mood swings down, and happy. Jack of Diamonds was stripped of his badge and armor, dragged off to live in exileâfar away from her mothers kingdom.
âYouâre too kind Red,â Her mother cooed, pinching her cheek, and Red managed to pull away without offending her mother. âI was like that too, when I was youngâso open to kindess, and love,â she said that word with a sneer, like it was something to spit on. âSuch things like that only make you weak, and open to betrayal.â She cupped Redâs cheek.
âDo not let such foolishness befall you, my dear,â her mother cooed, and while she was speaking some cruel words, Red wished her mother was more often this soft-spoken andâŠnice wasnât the right word, but it was going to be the one Red had to use.
Sometimes, it actually felt like Redâs mom loved her.
âI won't,â Red said, and the queen hummed, turning as the white rabbit announced the arrival of Maddox Hatter. She rose her brows, watching as her castle engineer bowed.
âYour Majesty, apologies for interrupting court, but a letter has arrived, from Auradon; for Red.â Maddox said, much to Red and the Queen of Hearts shock. The queen stepped forward, snatching up the letter, handing it to the white rabbit to read.
He stumbled for a moment, tearing at the wax seal with one of his nails, holding it in his paws as he read aloud; âDear Queen of Hearts, her royal majesty of Wonderland. As the new principle of Auradon prep, it is my honor to invite your daughter, Princess Red of wonderland; to attend Auradon prep. I hope youâll join us for our welcoming day ceremony, held on August 29th 2024, 10 am. If you accept, this invitation will serve as your Key to Auradon. Uma of the isle, ambassador, Pirate, principal of Auradon Prep. and-and signed by King Benâ The white rabbit finished.
The queen worked her jaw, Uma, she remembered herâthe scrawny sea witch girl, Ursulaâs daughter, that Maleficent's twat of a daughter had humiliated. Shrimpy. Sheâd become stronger, if she recalled, eventually choosing good just like those original four vks had. âAnother villains gone soft,â She muttered quietly, taking the letter from the white rabbit, reading it over again for herself.
Red was shockedâshe? Got an invite to Auradon prep? crazy! And cool, she hoped her mother would say yes, sheâd love to leave Wonderland. But knowing her mother, she probably wouldnât. Red pouted, offering a wonky smile to Maddox as he slipped beside her as the king of Hearts wandered up to the queenâs side.
âWhat do you think my dear? I think itâs a good idea, to make connections with Auradon after so long being separated,â The king said, and the queen seemed to seriously consider it, patting the kings cheek, before turning to Red, smiling.
âWe accept,â the queen cooed, marking off the invitationâand a copy of it appeared, flying back to Auradon.
Redâs jaw dropped. âwhat?â she asked, fully shocked. âfor real? I actually get to go to Auradon prep? I thought you hated Auradon?â Red asked and the queen shrugged.
âPerhaps it's time to turn a new rose petal,â the queen said, heading back for her throne, sitting down, and the guards picked it up. âPack your things! Youâre going to a new school today,â Red sucked in a breath, looking at the spare pocket watch the white rabbit kept on handâit was 6am, she only had a few hours to pack!
âGoing!â Red said, rushing past her mother to go to her room and pack, finding her bag that Jack had snatched from her the night before, sighing. She just hoped heâd be okayâshe thought as she hid her bag and began packing.
It was going to be a new dawn, at Auradon prep, and she was excited. She was going to get to leave Wonderland and be away from her mom?!
