Finding My Own Way

Affiliated with AskStoryKidsHQ. I'm looking for a path of my own out there, wherever it takes me. Son of Anna and Kristoff. (Written by Destini).

[askstorykids-hq]

Welcome to the idyllic town of Addersfield, located on History Island in Auradon, home of Illedale University.

Students here are children of some rather famous faces. And some have made fame in their own right, like King Ben or the Lady Mal. We’re proud to boast a diverse student culture and a rich history–

[–and that’s enough of THAT broadcast! Is this thing on? Hello? Can you hear me?

Good. I’ll warn ya right now, everybody– if you thought Auradon Prep was wild, you ain’t seen nothing yet! Illedale is bigger, meaner, and with the past not so distant to us, tensions can run pretty high around here.

‘Course, you probably know the story by now. When preparing for his coronation, King Ben declared his first royal proclamation to allow over 4 VKs from the Isle of the Lost to come to the city. After a whole showdown about good and evil, the four integrated into Auradon society pretty well, and then after drama at Cotillion, Mowgli rallied the Auradon people to fight for the disbandment of the Isle, sending the villains to rehab and their kids to Auradon Prep.

Catching you up since graduation, pretty much all of us ended up moving to Addersfield for higher education in Auradon’s system– cuz man, I gotta tell ya, it’s a lot better in Auradon than it is anywhere else. Well, ‘cept for all the evil takeovers, I guess.

But not everyone’s cut out for college itself. The nice thing about Addersfield is that it’s all a pretty tight-knit community based around the school itself. More of a college township, as it were. So some of AP’s graduates moved to town to work with a crowd they know well.

I can’t stay much longer, but don’t let the stuffy advertising fool ya about this place, folks! We’re a lot more than what the surface wants to pretend. I’d drop your application while you can if I were in your shoes! This is P. Warner, sending you right back to your regularly scheduled programming!]

–and enroll in your future today at Illedale University, where the story starts anew.

[nxtsojoyful]

untxld-stxries​:

Hale shrugged. “I dunno. Some people don’t like other people at their practice.” He chuckled, shrugging again. “I like cheesy stuff, don’t like the cheese getting all over everything.”

“Yeah, well, I don’t like other people, so,” he shrugs. “I’m learning to deal with it. You’re fine.” He pauses at the explanation. “Makes sense.”

Oh, this is perfect. Wynn taps a song and sets his phone down to play along. For once, not singing with it, mostly because... there’s someone else here.

But he’s happy to listen and to play along.

“I don’t mind-- Letting you down easy, but just give it time... If it don’t hurt now, just wait, just wait a while-- You’re not the big fish in the pond no more, You are what they’re feeding on, so, What are you gonna do When the world don’t orbit around you? So, what are you gonna do When the world don’t orbit around you?”

And, honestly, as Wynn gets caught in the moment, he can almost forget there’s even someone else there.

“Ain’t it fun, Living in the real world? Ain’t it good Being all alone?”

He improvises a little riff before the next verse starts and he jumps back on with the song.

“Where you’re from, You might be the one who’s running things-- Well, you could ring anybody’s bell and get what you want You see, it’s easy to ignore trouble When you’re living in a bubble--”

[nxtsojoyful]

untxld-stxries​:

Hale raised an eyebrow. “You sure, man? I don’t wanna be in your way or anything.” He jumped a bit at a loud beep, pulling out his phone. Oh, shit. “Huh. Guess I need to sit down anyway.”

He put his guitar down, digging through his bag and pulling out a bag of cheesy chips and a set of chopsticks, sitting down on the ground and starting to eat the chips using the chopsticks. What, he didn’t like getting cheese on his fingers.

“We play completely different instruments, how could you possibly get in my way?” Wynn rolls his eyes, glancing over at the beep and pausing.

...o... kay. The chopsticks thing was a little unexpected.

He shrugs to himself as he pulls up his phone to find something to play off of on his playlist.

[nxtsojoyful]

untxld-stxries​:

Hale paused, then laughed a bit. “Kay, not what I meant, but I’ll take it.” He cleared his throat, taking a deep breath. Ah, he was screwing this up. He had to find a way to salvage this, good lord.

“I’ll, uh, I’ll get my stuff together, don’t worry.” He started getting this things gathered.

Brynjolf sighed, standing over Wynn. When Hale opened his guitar case, Brynjolf went over, closing it back before the boy could put his guitar away. Hale blinked, glancing around, shaking his head to himself.

Wynn rolls his eyes to himself. Subtle, real subtle. “Nah, you’re fine. I’ll be fine, I’m just gonna be dramatic about it first. It’s whatever, honestly.”

Well, no, it really isn’t, but he’s got a ghost telling him to shut the fuck up and talk to people and how exactly does one say no to that? You don’t, is the answer. Because you don’t wanna deal with the fallout.

[nxtsojoyful]

untxld-stxries​:

Hale smiled, nodding. “Okay, alright. I’m real sorry, though, I kinda just got here, I didn’t know there were other musicians here.”

Brynjolf shook his head to himself. Sometimes he wished the prince could see him like Ziva. He glanced around then went over to the door, pulling it the rest of the way shut.

Wynn pauses when the door closes, sighing and pressing his head against it softly, speaking quietly enough that Hale can’t hear him. “Oh, you suck.”

Sighing, he straightens up and turns around. “Yeah, that’s me, one of many. You know there’s a marching band, right? I mean, this room isn’t exactly here for fun.” He shrugs. “But whatever.” He shrugs as he heads over to the drums.

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untxld-stxries​:

“Oh, hey, wait!” Hale held up his hands, smiling. “Sorry, uh, I’m Hale. I didn’t mean to spook you out of your spot, dude. I can totally go, it’s perfectly fine.”

He blinked, tilting his head a bit. “Hey, you play? 'Cause I can clear out so you can practice.”

And despite the look on my face, you’re still talking, Wynn thinks sarcastically. “Not particularly ‘my’ spot. It’s a music room.”

He shrugs. “Whatever, you were here first. I can hold off on practice.”

[nxtsojoyful]

untxld-stxries​:

Open Starter: Now or Never

"Take off, last stop. Countdown till we blast open the top. Face first, full charge. Electric hammer to the heart."

Hale bounced in place, imagining he was singing to a real audience instead of an empty music room.

"Clocks move forward, but we don't get older, no. Kept on climbing till our stars collided. And all the times we fell behind were just the keys to paradise!"

"Don't look down, 'cause we're still rising up right now! And even if we hit the ground, we'll still fly. Keep dreaming like we'll live forever, but live it like it's now or never!"

He laughed, flipping his hair out of his face, reaching back with one hand to quickly turn his amp up a bit louder.

"Hear the noise in my head. It's calling out like a voice I can't forget. One life, no regrets. Catch up, got no time to catch my breath!"

"Clocks move faster 'cause it's all we're after now. Won't stop climbing 'cause this is our time, yeah! When all the days felt black and white, those were the best shades of my life!"

"Don't look down, 'cause we're still rising up right now! And even if we hit the ground, we'll still fly. Keep dreaming like we'll live forever, but live it like it's now or never!"

Hale spun around, grinning when he noticed a person standing in the door. Oh, HELL yeah! He winked, bouncing between his feet as he started singing directly to them.

"We ain't searching for tomorrow. 'Cause we got all we need today. Living on a feeling that's been running through our veins.  We're the revolution that's been singing in the rain!"

"Don't look down, 'cause we're still rising up right now. And even if we hit the ground, we'll still fly. Keep dreaming like we'll live forever, but live it like it's now or never! It's now or never!"

He laughed, throwing his head back. "WHOO!" Breathing hard, he grabbed a small towel from a nearby chair, wiping his hands. "What'd you think, man? Enjoy the show?"

Wynn freezes in the doorway. Oh, someone else was here. Someone else was here someone else was-- someone else had spotted him.

Oh, hell.

“Okay, and, nope, that’s human interaction, I’m good, bye,” Wynn answers with a half wave, gripping his drumsticks as he immediately starts to back out.

[nxtsojoyful]

untxld-stxries​:

Ziva blinked, squeaking. Person, physical contact, oh God no-

She did not like this, she did not like this, she did NOT like this. But she’d put up with it, for a couple of minutes, for Wynn’s sake.

For Wynn. She’d do pretty much anything for that dipshit.

She glared at him, looking back at Maelona. Ah, hell, she didn’t like this at all.

Wynn glances to his twin and nods to her as the singing starts. Maelona smirks as she jumps in.

“She walks into Smokey’s one hip at a time Like a broken field runner, slippin’ through the lines-- He likes the way she looks, so he calls the little wife-- Says, ‘Don’t wait up for me, I’ll be working late tonight,’ Wife hangs up the phone, bursts into tears, Calls her sister up, and cries, GET OVER HERE!”

And as she’s bouncing and dancing along, she swings a point back to her brother for the next verse, which he happily jumps on.

“Sister tells her boyfriend, be back in awhile-- Boyfriend wants a beer, the store is just a mile He leaves the motor runnin’, he’ll only be a minute, His car drives away with teenagers in it...” He raises an eyebrow at his twin sister, silently telling her to jump in, and she does. “Driver tells his buddies, got one life to live-- They scream into the night, let’s get it over with!”

And as the music picks up, Wynn starts riffing off again as the pair sing along, Maelona still bouncing and dancing all over, pulling Ziva along with her.

“Cause and effect, chain of events-- All of the chaos makes perfect sense... When you’re spinnin’ ‘round, things come undone... Welcome to Earth, third rock from the sun!”

And as the last line of the chorus hits, Maelona lets go of Ziva understandingly with a small nod as she’s still bouncing along excitedly, raising an eyebrow at Wynn, and he nods as the next verse picks up, and the pair sing it together.

“The kid guns the gas-- car starts to swerve, Heads for a semi truck, jumps the curb, Truck hits a bigboy in the Shoney’s parking lot, Flies through the air, takes out the bank clock. Clock strikes a light pole, transformer sparks, Lines go down, town goes dark...”

Wynn smirks as he starts playing along properly with the next verse, enjoying Maelona’s expressions. She’s definitely goofing off with it, she always does.

“Waitress calls the cops, Says she saw it all-- Swears a giant alien has landed at the mall! Cops ring up the mayor, says, ‘There’s panic in the streets! We hate to wake you up, but we can’t find the chief,’ Mayor says, ‘Use your head, if he ain’t in his car,” Maelona points to him on this line with a wide smile on her face, one he’s not so sure he’s seen on her face in a while, he meanwhile jokingly plays the line towards where Ziva had initially indicated. “--he’s hidin’ from his wife, down at Smokey’s bar...’”

And as the song picks up, Maelona tosses her hair and spins a bit, still dancing with the song.

“Cause and effect, chain of events All of the chaos makes perfect sense... When you’re spinnin’ ‘round, things come undone-- Welcome to Earth, third rock from the sun--! Cause and effect, chain of events All of the chaos makes perfect sense... When you’re spinnin’ ‘round, things come undone--” Wynn drops off. “Welcome to Earth, third rock from the sun,” Maelona does it alone but drops off while Wynn jumps back in. “Welcome to Earth, third rock from the sun,” and the pair sing it together as the song comes to a conclusion.

Maelona giggles happily as it ends, smiling at Wynn, breathing hard, slowly bringing herself back together. He sighs and nods to himself with a shrug, closing his eyes. He doesn’t know what he expected.

(Song: “Third Rock From the Sun”, Joe Diffie)

[nxtsojoyful]

untxld-stxries​:

Ziva stopped immediately, wrinkling her nose at Wynn, turning to Maelona and just… staring through her awkwardly. “No, it’s, uh…” She cleared her throat. “It’s fine.”

She paused, going over to the wall and leaning back against it. She looked at Wynn, then looked up at a seemingly empty area near him, nodding towards it slightly.

Wynn wrinkles his nose back at her and sticks his tongue out a bit, but follows her look and nods understandingly. Great. Big audience. He hates it.

But he pulls up his phone again and thumbs through it, pausing, smiling softly and chuckling. “Hey, Mae...”

Maelona turns to look at him curiously as he hits play. The robotic voice comes up with the first--

“Welcome to Earth, third rock from the sun.”

Maelona’s eyes light up and she bounces a bit, a hand coming up to her mouth to cover the excited smile. He smirks as he starts playing along with the song and she bounces a bit, glancing at Ziva, biting her lip and walking over, reaching out a hand and grabbing the other girl’s, pulling her out with her with a giggle. Wynn chuckles and ducks his head a bit, glancing to his sister and nodding to her as the singing starts.

[nxtsojoyful]

untxld-stxries​:

Ziva nodded once, glancing at Maelona. She cleared her throat, shrugging and nodding. “Yeah. Sure.”

“I’ve been keeping an eye on her like you said!” Dennis said, poking his head in through the wall.

Ziva glared at him for a moment, shaking her head a little, taking a breath. “Well, uh… guess I’ll just, um…” She pointed back at the door, starting to head out.

“No, no, ZIva--” Wynn frowns, pouting after her.

Maelona clears her throat. “Oh, sorry, I-- I didn’t wanna intrude on anything, I can, I...” She bites her lip. Shit, she’d just opened the door with her brother, if her brother’s best friend left because of her he’d just shut it again.

[nxtsojoyful]

untxld-stxries​:

Ziva hated everything.

Which wasn’t much of a surprise.

But she especially hated everything after the sleeping curse. And for once, she… really didn’t want to be alone.

So she was looking for Wynn. When in doubt, check the band room.

She blinked at Maelona when she opened the door, staring at her for a second before looking over at Brynjolf and Astrid, then to Wynn, raising an eyebrow silently.

Wynn shrugs when Ziva looks at him and just sort of nods, clearing his throat. “Hey, Ziva. Don’t mind us. Just practicing a bit when Maelona came in to tag along.”

And it’s weird. He knows it is, this whole thing is weird, he’d avoided his sister for so long and Ziva had helped him get away from her every time, and now... here he was, actually spending time with her.

He clears his throat. Maelona smiles at Ziva. “Hey, uh-- I think we’ve only like, barely gotten to meet, but it’s nice to see you.”

[nxtsojoyful]

Open Double Starter: We’ll Never Fall if We Walk Hand in Hand

Wynn frowns, double checking that his phone had linked to the speaker. Nodding to himself, he hits play on his song, getting an eight count before he starts tapping along, sticking to the beat for the verse.

And of course he’s singing along, it’s Carrie fucking Underwood.

“I should’ve known by the way you passed me by, There was somethin’ in your eyes, and it wasn’t right-- I should’ve walked, but I never had a chance, Everything got out of hand and I let it slide... Now I only have myself to blame, For fallin’ for your stupid games I wish my life could be the way it was before I saw your face!”

And then he lets himself go a little more off with the chorus, playing with his own sound based on the song, having fun riffing off to accent the chorus--

“You stole my happy, you made me cry-- Took the lonely and took me for a ride, And I wanna uh-uh-uh-uh-uh-undo it! You had my heart, now, I want it back-- I’m startin’ to see everything you lack! Boy, you blew it, you put me through it-- I wanna uh-uh-uh-uh-uh-undo it!”

He continues riffing without singing through the “na, na, na na na-na” bit with a smile on his face, glancing up when the door to the band room opens though he never misses a beat.

Maelona looks at him, cocking her head. He cocks his head back as he continues to play, then jerks his head over, inviting her closer. She approaches slowly and he continues singing along.

“Now your photos don’t have a picture frame, And I never say your name--”

And Maelona joins him, “--and I never will!”

Wynn manages a weak smile at her as they’re both singing now.

“And all your things, well, I threw ‘em in the trash And I’m not even sad! Now you only have yourself to blame, For playin’ all those stupid games, You’re always gonna be the same-- Oh, no, you’ll never change!”

And as he picks back up on his riffing from before, Maelona spins and tosses her hair with the chorus.

“You stole my happy, you made me cry-- Took the lonely and took me for a ride, And I wanna uh-uh-uh-uh-uh-undo it! You had my heart, now, I want it back-- I’m startin’ to see everything you lack! Boy, you blew it, you put me through it--”

Maelona leans over the drums in his face, wrinkling her nose at him, and he does it back.

“I wanna uh-uh-uh-uh-uh-undo it!”

And while Maelona continues singing, Wynn shuts up to focus more on his riff, smiling and watching his sister sort of sway with the beat.

“You want my future, you can’t have it--” they both sing, shaking their heads in perfect sync. “I’m still trying to erase you from my past-- I need you gone so fast! You stole my happy, you made me cry-- Took the lonely and took me for a ride, And I wanna uh-uh-uh-uh-uh-undo it!” Wynn’s riff picks back up. “You had my heart, now I want it back-- I’m startin’ to see everything you lack! Boy, you blew it, you put me through it-- I wanna uh-uh-uh-uh-uh-undo it!--”

And while Maelona continues again on the “na na” part, Wynn picks up the outro.

“You stole my happy, you made me cry-- Took the lonely and took me for a ride-- Boy, you blew it, you put me through it--”

And Maelona joins him on the last line.

“I wanna uh-uh-uh-uh-uh-undo it!”

As the song ends, Wynn slowly reaches up and pauses his music, smiling a bit, clearing his throat. Maelona slowly turns back to him, the smile, the laugh still on her face... but it starts to slip, not out of sadness, but out of concern, as she looks at him. “I, uh, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean--”

“No, no,” he holds up a hand, biting his lip hesitantly and clearing his throat. “Hi, Maelona.”

“...hi, Wynn,” she answers, biting her lip as well.

The twins both look over when the door opens again and Wynn clears his throat, looking down blankly at his phone, and Maelona turns to properly face the new arrival. “Hi!”

(Song: “Undo It”, Carrie Underwood)

[nxtsojoyful]

untxld-stxries​:

Ziva crossed her arms at Wynn, laughing softly. “Wow. Yes, I do need help, it’s called therapy.”

Dennis hummed, nodding. “Sounds hot.”

“She’s gay and you’re dead.”

“Dammit!” Dennis sighed, crossing his arms. He nodded to Wynn and Ziva. “Okay. I’m off. I’ll come back to report if anything happens.”

“Oh and by the way,” Ziva said, “this does not mean that I forgive you. Not in the goddamn slightest. Go. Shoo. Begone before a Ghostbuster shows up.”

Dennis rolled his eyes, giving a mock salute and simply disappearing.

Ziva sighed, looking up at Wynn and rolling her eyes a bit. “He’s annoying. Really annoying. He followed me all the way here because he felt bad for being the reason I got sent here in the first place.”

“That’d be both of us,” Wynn says of the therapy comment, frowning at Dennis and pointing to Ziva abruptly when she speaks up before he can, watching the rest of the exchange silently.

Looking at her when the other vanishes, he nods, chuckling softly. “Gotta admire the dedication, right?” He shakes his head, sighing softly. “Thank you. Really. You didn’t need to do that.”

[nxtsojoyful]

untxld-stxries​:

Ziva chuckled. “Oh God that is not a question you want to ask a ghost.”

Dennis’ eyes twinkled. “Well, I have had an absolute wonderful few days. Did you know that there are students here who are ghosts? I spent most of yesterday chasing one down the halls trying to make friends, but I don’t think she was as excited as I was.”

“Maybe because you’re a sixteen year old who died in 1995 and you decided you need to talk like you’re from a hundred years earlier.”

Dennis grumbled at her, sticking his tongue out at her. “Fine, dude,” he said, his voice completely changing. “Why’d you call me here, anyway?”

“Well you would’ve found out if you could shut up for five seconds,” Ziva said, smiling sarcastically. “I need you to keep an eye on his sister.”

“Incredibly specific.”

“If you weren’t already dead I would so kick your ass right now, you’re so goddamn annoying.”

“You’re the one who called me, bro.”

“And I already regret it.” Ziva rubbed her eyes. “Could you just- She’s pretty, she’s got… uh… eyes- I don’t know, I’ve only seen her like twice. Wynn?”

Wynn laughs. “Oh, sweetie, you need help.” He pats her shoulder and then turns to Dennis. “Maelona Kristoffsdottir. 5′8″, red hair, typically kept in a ponytail with a braid running through it. Probably still dressed like it’s summer because she pretends she’s our Aunt Elsa and she doesn’t feel cold during the autumn, so I’d expect a skirt and tights with three inch heels because if I know Maelona and I do, she likes to be the exact same height as me to joke about the fact that we are, in fact, twins. Homemade ring or earrings with white crystals to be expected, probably wearing bright pink lipstick and a fake smile even during a nightmare, that enough for ya to go off of?”

He shrugs lightly as he finishes, sitting up slightly. Well, she was his twin sister, after all. Of course he knows what to expect, right?

[nxtsojoyful]

untxld-stxries​:

Ziva nodded, leaning against a chair. She shrugged. “No harm in having someone keep an eye on her, though.” She looked around and cleared her throat. “Dennis.” She paused, sighing. “I’m sorry for calling you the reason Blithe Hollow thinks I’m the queen of the freaks.”

“Well, it’s about time,” Dennis grumbled, appearing not far from her. He looked over at Wynn. “Can I mess with that one?”

“He’s still off limits,” Ziva said flatly.

Dennis shrugged. “I can still introduce myself and be polite, yes?” Before Ziva could tell him otherwise, the spirit materialized properly, grinning at Wynn. “How do you do, sir?”

Ziva pinched the bridge of her nose, sighing heavily. “Dude.”

Wynn glances at Ziva, curious, letting her have her conv-- oh, shit.

But he doesn’t visibly react, just blinking and nodding to the sudden appearance, deciding it was in his best interest to not let loose the string of expletives that had flown through his mind. “Things have been a lot better, but they could always be worse. How creatively can you answer if I ask the same?” He raises an eyebrow.

[nxtsojoyful]

untxld-stxries​:

Ziva went to sit down nearby, but stopped. She watched him for a moment. “You’re worried about her.” She shrugged. “I know you and I know you won’t admit it. I can phone a spectral acquaintance for help finding her. It’s what I did to find you.”

She paused, shrugging again. Yeah, that was a big thing for her to admit, especially considering her policy on not even looking at ghosts if she could help it. “Desperate times, right?”

Wynn clears his throat and shakes his head. “No, no, it’s...”

He sighs, running a hand through his hair. “I’m no hero, especially not to Maelona. What good am I to her?” He shrugs. “Besides, I’m not gonna make you go back through all of that, and not for someone who’ll go off trying to make us all heroes.”

He shrugs. “She’ll make it. Maelona’s much tougher than she seems.”

[nxtsojoyful]

untxld-stxries​:

Ziva smiled, shrugging. “I try my best. But only with you and Holly.” She chuckled and shook her head. “Uh, I don’t know about you, but I’m good just staying here. Walking around out there… doesn’t seem like a good idea at all. And it’s creepy with everyone passed out.”

Wynn chuckles, nodding. “Sounds good to me. I’m sure someone’ll figure this out.”

Sighing, he turns back to the drums, ducking down and picking up the sticks that had fallen straight out of his hands when he’d fallen asleep, glancing back at the windows and feeling anxious for a minute as he gets up entirely.

He doesn’t wanna admit it... but he’s worried, just a bit, about Maelona.