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franki-lew-yo · 3 years

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My list of best animated films I've seen via year of their release

My requirements for being on this list be that:

I have actually seen the movie

Think they're pretty good

I can only list the movies by incriments of 1, 2, 3, 5 or 10. No more, no less

They be at least 60 minutes long

A "*" in front of a title, that isn't just a single title per year, is my personal pick for objectively the best, which obviously gets really hard some years. A "**" after a movie's title is an inclination of it being one of my personal favorite movies.

All the titles in bold are a part of/soon to be a part of my 100+ Animated Movies to see before you Die list on IMDB.

1926 - The Adventures of Prince Achmed -

1937 - Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs -

1940 - Fantasia** - Pinocchio** -

1941 - Mr. Bug goes to Town - Dumbo -

1942 - Bambi** -

1947 - The Humpbacked Horse -

1949 - The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad -

1950 - Cinderella -

1951 - Alice in Wonderland -

1953 - Peter Pan -

1955 - Lady and the Tramp -

1957 - The Snow Queen -

1959 - Sleeping Beauty -

1961 - One Hundred and One Dalmatians -

1962 - Gay Puree -

1967 - The Jungle Book -

1968 - Yellow Submarine -

1972 - Fritz the Cat -

1973 - Belladonna of Sadness - *Fantastic Planet - Heavy Traffic - Robin Hood - Charlotte's Web -

1975 - The Pinchcliffe Grand Prix -

1976 - Allegro non Troppo -

1977 - The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh** - Wizards - The Mouse and his *Child - Dot and the Kangaroo - Raggedy Ann and Andy: A Musical Adventure

1978 - Watership Down -

1979 - Nutcracker Fantasy -

1980 - The King and the Mockingbird -

1981 - The Fox and the Hound - *Son of the White Mare - The Adventures of Unico - Heavy Metal - The Sea Prince and the Fire Child -

1982 - *The Secret of NIMH - The Last Unicorn - Plague Dogs -

1983 - *Barefoot Gen - Rock & Rule - Unico and the Island of Magic - Fire and Ice - Twice Upon a Time -

1984 - Nausicaa and the Valley of Wind -

1985 - *The Adventures of Mark Twain - The Care Bears Movie - Night on the Galactic Railroad -

1986 - *Castle in the Sky - When the Wind Blows - The Great Mouse Detective** - An American Tail - Transformers: The Movie -

1987 - The Brave Little Toaster**-

1988 - Akira* - Grave of the Fireflies - My Neighbor Totoro - The Land Before Time** - Alice -

1989 - Kiki’s Delivery Service - *The Little Mermaid - All Dogs go to Heaven -

1990 - The Rescuers Down Under -

1991 - Beauty and the Beast** -

1992 - The Tune - Aladdin - *Porco Rosso -

1993 - Ninja Scroll - *The Nightmare Before Christmas** - Batman: Mask of the Phantasm

1994 - *The Lion King - Pom Poko - Felidae

1995 - Ghost in the Shell - *A Goofy Movie - Toy Story - Balto - Whisper of the Heart

1996 - *The Hunchback of Notre Dame - James and the Giant Peach** -

1997 - I married a Strange Person - *Princess Mononoke - Cats Don’t Dance - Annabelle's Wish - Perfect Blue -

1998 - Kirikou and the Sorceress - *The Prince of Egypt - Mulan** - Antz - A Bug's Life -

1999 - South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut - Toy Story 2 - Tarzan - *The Iron Giant - Fantasia 2000 -

2000 - Chicken Run** - *The Emperor’s New Groove - Rugrats in Paris - Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust - Help! I'm a Fish -

2001 - *Spirited Away - Waking Life - Millennium Actress - Shrek - Monster's Inc.** - - - - - -

2002 - *Lilo & Stitch** - Spirit: Stallion of the Cimmarron - Song of the Miraculous Hind - The Powerpuff Girls Movie - The Cat Returns -

2003 - Finding Nemo** - The Triplets of Belleville - *Tokyo Godfathers -

2004 - *The Incredibles - Hair High - Shrek 2 - Howl's Moving Castle - The Spongebob Squarepants Movie -

2005 - The Book of the Dead - Corpse Bride - Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit -

2006 - The Girl who Leapt Through Time - *Paprika - Blood Tea and Red String - Happy Feet** - A Scanner Darkly - Aachi and Ssipak - Cars - Monster House - Flushed Away - Curious George -

2007 - *Persepolis - Ratatouille - Nocturna - One Night in City - The Three Robbers -

2008 - Waltz with Bashir - *Wall.E - 9.99$ - Kung Fu Panda - Sita Sings the Blues

2009 - Mary and Max** - *Up - Coraline** - Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs - Summer Wars - Fantastic Mr. Fox - The Princess and the Frog - A Town Called Panic - Eleanor's Secret - My Dog Tulip -

2010 - *How to Train your Dragon - Toy Story 3 - A Cat in Paris - Chico and Rita - Tangled -

2011 - Rango** - The Rabbi’s Cat - *Arthur Christmas - Winnie the Pooh - The Painting -

2012 - It’s Such a Beautiful Day - Padak - *Ernest & Celestine - Moon Man - Wolf Children - Wreck-it Ralph - ParaNorman - Frankenweenie** - Hotel Transylvania - Pirates! Band of Misfits -

2013 - The Boy and the World - Frozen - *The Tale of Princess Kaguya - The Wind Rises - Anina -

2014 - *Song of the Sea - The Lego Movie - Big Hero 6 - The Prophet - -

2015 - Inside Out - Anomalisa - *The Boy and the Beast - April and the Extraordinary World - The Peanuts Movie - The Little Prince - Shaun the Sheep the Movie - Birdboy: The Forgotten Children - Long Way North - The Good Dinosaur -

2016 - Moana - My Life as a Zucchini - *Kubo and the Two Strings - Window Horses - The Red Turtle - Zootopia - In this Corner of the World - Big Fish and Begonia - The Girl without Hands - My Entire Highschool is Sinking Into the Sea -

2017 - *Coco - The Breadwinner - Loving Vincent - Have a Nice Day - The Big Bad Fox and Other Stories - - - - -

2018 - *Into the Spiderverse - The Wolf House - Ruben Brandt: Collector - Mirai - The Isle of Dogs - Penguin Highway - Another Day of Life - The Tower - Tito and the Birds - A Dog's Courage -

2019 - *Klaus - The Legend of Hei - Missing Link - Nezha - Invader Zim: Enter the Florpus - - - - -

2020 - Soul - *Wolfwalkers - Over the Moon - Mortal Kombat: Scorpion's Revenge - Little Vampire** -

2021 - Encanto - Flee - *Belle - Inu-Oh - Cryptozoo - Marcel the Shell with Shoes On - Mad God - The Mitchells vs the Machines - Scooby Doo: Straight Outta Nowhere - Luca -

2022 - *Guillermo Del Toro's Pinocchio - Unicorn Wars - Turning Red - Entergalactic - - The Sea Beast - - - - -

2023 - Nimona - Suzume* - The Boy and the Heron - - -

2024 - ???

#franki's features #3d animation #2d animation #stop motion #animation lists

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searchingwardrobes · 3 years

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The Christmas Wish: 2/4

This fic is first and foremost a gift for @snowbellewells, so of course it has to include a few of her favorite things. Chapter one had Captain Cobra, Daddy Charming, and Emma naming her son Graham. This chapter includes more of the first two and a favorite character of Marta’s in a way I hope she enjoys. Merry Christmas, my fandom twin! And many thanks to my beta, @kmomof4 !

I also should warn that this is a bit of a slow burn, so don’t get too comfortable with the end of this chapter ;)

Summary: Emma leaned forward, closed her eyes, and a wish bubbled up unbidden from the depths of her heart. “I wish I could just have a simple, domestic life. Is that even in the cards for me?” Breath left her on an exhale just as the wish floated through her mind, and the candle blew out. The “answer” to her wish had to be some kind of trick, however. After all, it wasn’t as if anything in the vision she received could ever in a million years be real. It was ridiculous. Captain Hook, the father of three driving a minivan? Impossible.

Rated G for Hallmark movie levels of fluff and Christmas feels

Also on Ao3

Tagging the usuals: @teamhook @xhookswenchx @bethacaciakay @whimsicallyenchantedrose @welllpthisishappening @optomisticgirl @hookedonapirate @ilovemesomekillianjones @itsfabianadocarmo @spartanguard @let-it-raines @tiganasummertree @vvbooklady1256 @scientificapricot @superchocovian @sherlockianwhovian @ohmakemeahercules @hollyethecurious @ultraluckycatnd @jrob64 @wellhellotragic @winterbythesea @winterbaby89 @lfh1226-linda @carpedzem @thesschesthair @resident-of-storybrooke @cutieodonoghue @justbecauseyoubelievesomething @juliakaze @thisonesatellite @therealstartraveller776 @thislassishooked @profdanglaisstuff @killian-whump

Chapter Two: Hope

“You’re being awfully quiet.”

Emma barely registered her father’s words as he drove them back to Granny’s. Her mind was still reeling from what she had seen.

“I mean, I’m glad your vision is back,” David continued, his words trailing off.

Emma turned in her seat to look at him. “It is, and I’m fine. Really.”

He glanced at her with concern in his eyes. “What did that doctor do? You seemed pretty upset.”

Emma rubbed at her temple wearily. “She gave me some drops, and my vision cleared. That’s all. It was just so sudden, it sort of freaked me out.”

“But that doesn’t make sense. What caused it to begin with? Did she have you make a follow up appointment?”

She started to open her mouth to protest again that everything was fine, but then she quickly changed her tactic. “Yeah, actually, she did. I’m going back in a few days.”

David’s shoulders relaxed as he let out a sigh of relief. Emma rested her hand in the crook of his elbow and gave him an affectionate squeeze.

“It was just stress, lack of sleep, and probably the shock my system got when my memories came back.” She forced herself to chuckle, and David managed to smile.

“In that case, you need to rest.”

She started to protest as he turned the truck towards Granny’s instead of towards the sheriff’s station, but the words died on her lips. Partly from her father’s stern glare and partly with the thought that time off to rest also meant time with Henry. She still worried about where the witch was hiding out, who cast this new curse, and a dozen other fairy tale related problems, but in this moment, worry for her son and their relationship won out. After all, it was Christmas. Emma pulled out her phone to call him.

“Mom! Are you okay?”

“Yeah, kid, everything’s fine. I can see again.”

“Thank God,” Henry sighed. He turned away from the phone to talk to Hook, then came back on the line. “Killian is happy too.”

A vivid image of the way he smiled at her in that vision floated across her mind, but Emma shook it away.

“Tell him thanks,” she said, her voice strained, “for everything, and that we’re pulling into Granny’s as I speak.”

“Oh, um . . . about that. We went out.”

“You did? Where?”

“Come on, Mom, it’s Christmas. I gotta have some secrets.”

Emma couldn’t help the smile that curled her lips. “Shopping already? I haven’t even started yet.”

Come to think of it, she’d better get on that. Did Amazon deliver to Storybrooke? Because unless Henry wanted a gift that was vintage, online shopping would be her only option.

“Um, you could say that,” Henry answered cryptically. “Killian says to call before you head back to our room, okay?”

Hmmm, that was suspicious. “Okay, whatever you say.” She hung up and looked back at her father with a grin. “Well, looks like I’m on my own for a bit. Have you had breakfast yet?”

David smiled back. “No, I was too worried about my daughter.”

“Well, your daughter’s fine, so how about some of Granny’s pancakes?”

“You’re on.”

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

Emma had lingered over pancakes with David for an hour before Henry called her back. Now she was heading upstairs to their rooms, her curiosity mounting with each step. She could hear Henry’s voice and Hook’s as she reached for the doorknob, but she didn’t announce her presence. They didn’t notice her when she first entered the room, and she froze near the door at the sight before her eyes. Killian saw her first.

“Surprise!” he exclaimed as a beaming smile filled his face. He was wedged between the window and a slender douglas fir. Needles littered the carpet and boxes were stacked haphazardly all around her son and the pirate, boxes of brand new ornaments - balls of red, green, and gold. A strand of colored lights encircled the tree, and Killian’s hook was adjusting a golden star that sat upon the highest bough.

“Mom!” Henry exclaimed. “Isn’t it awesome? I was telling Killian about what I missed about Christmas in New York, so we decided to surprise you. I mean, we can’t have Christmas without a tree.”

Emma was positively speechless, and she knew her mouth was hanging open. Henry’s eyes narrowed with concern.

“I mean, you are surprised, right Mom?”

Emma shook her head and smiled at her son. “Of course I’m surprised. Thrilled.”

“Well,” Killian said brightly, “you’re just in time for the big moment.”

Henry came to stand beside her, slipping his arm around her waist. Killian bent and picked up the end of the cord of lights and plugged it into the nearest outlet. For a moment, the big colored bulbs flickered to light, but then there was a loud pop, sparks flashed from the outlet, and the bottom branches of the tree were suddenly orange with flames. All three of them shouted, and Emma dashed for the mini fridge to grab a bottle of water while Killian yanked the cord out of the wall. He swore loudly as a shock went through his hand. Emma threw the water at the tree. Luckily, only one branch had sparked and the water was enough to put out the flames. Unfortunately, it was enough to trigger the room’s smoke alarm.

Emma tossed aside the water bottle and leapt onto the sofa nearest the alarm. She grabbed her scarf from where she’d discarded it when she came in, and waved it at the alarm. Killian opened the window while Henry tried to wave the smoke outside.

And that was how Granny found them.

“What the hell are you doing to my inn?”

They all answered her simultaneously, shouting over the alarm that was still blaring.

“It’s nothing.”

“The fire’s been doused.”

“It was these old lights!”

Granny crossed her arms to glare at them just as the smoke alarm finally ceased its screeching. Emma dropped the scarf, but she was still on top of the sofa. With her boots on. Killian and Henry still stood sheepishly in front of the window, and a frigid breeze blew through the room.

“I told Killian these lights didn’t look good,” Henry finally spoke up, “but it’s all the drug store had. I mean look at these things, they look like they’ve been sitting on the shelf since 1983.”

They probably had.

“Did I say you could have a tree in here?” Granny demanded.

Hook scratched behind his ear while tossing his most charming grin Granny’s way. “I didn’t think you would deny the boy a proper Christmas.”

Granny deflated at that, then rolled her eyes. “Fine. But no lights, okay. It’s a fire hazard.”

They all mumbled their agreement to the conditions as Granny left, shutting the door firmly behind her. Then they all glanced at one another tentatively. Emma looked at poor Henry’s and Hook’s pitiful expressions, then at the charred bottom corner of the tree, and she suddenly burst into hysterical laughter. It took them a minute, but Henry and Killian joined her merriment. Henry collapsed next to her on the couch, laughing, as Killian shut the window.

“Well,” he told them, a chuckle coloring his voice as he took in the tree, “It’s not too bad, considering we burned half of it.”

Emma wiped away tears of laughter. “You didn’t burn half of it, only about . . . a fifth of it?”

“Not even,” Henry disagreed, “maybe a tenth of it.”

They all dissolved into laughter again, but when Killian joined them on the sofa, Emma sobered. She suddenly remembered the words of the little girl in her vision.

Mama did Daddy really almost burn down Granny’s when he got you a Christmas tree?

Oh, shit.

“You okay, Swan?” Killian asked.

“Uh, yeah.”

It’s okay, Emma, calm down. So he got you a Christmas tree. That caught on fire. At Granny’s. It means nothing. I mean you’d never in a million years buy an ugly Christmas sweater, much less wear one . . . .

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

Emma couldn’t shake the feeling that the other shoe was about to drop. Things had been way too calm the past week, and Emma highly doubted that the Wicked Witch of the West was simply feeling the holiday spirit.

“We’re going to find her, love.”

Emma’s head snapped up at Killian’s words, and he arched a brow at her over the rim of his coffee mug. After taking a sip, he set his coffee down and studied her with an open expression.

“And when we do,” he continued, “you will defeat her.”

Emma snorted. “Why? Because I’m the Savior?”

“No. Because you’re tough and brilliant, and as I said in Neverland, I have yet to see you fail.”

Emma couldn’t help the blush that rose to her cheeks at his praise, and she ran the tines of her fork through the syrup on her breakfast plate. Regina and Robin were taking Roland ice skating, and had asked if Henry wanted to come. Emma was relieved when he had jumped at the invitation. She had never seen such a vulnerable expression on the Evil Queen’s face.

She and Killian were lingering over breakfast in Henry’s absence, nursing their second cups of coffee, and while Emma was slightly surprised at how comfortable it was to be here with him like this, tension still wouldn’t leave the set of her shoulders. It was that damn other shoe - hovering over their heads like a storm cloud.

“I just feel like we should be doing something,” she grumbled, dropping her fork with a clatter.

“We’ve done all we can,” Killian tried to encourage her. “We’ve searched every inch of the forest and found nothing.”

“Then maybe we should interview everyone in town who’s new . . . “ She trailed off as she thought about the mysterious triplets who had already messed with her mind.

“Just enjoy the season, Emma.”

“You’re starting to sound like my parents.”

“Well, you hero types are rubbing off on me I suppose,” he said with a self-deprecating shrug.

“Hey, don’t say that. You’re a hero now, too.”

He lowered his gaze into his cup of coffee. “I’m not so sure about that, love.”

“You came to find me in New York, didn’t you?”

Before he could respond to that fact, Granny appeared in front of their booth holding two Christmas packages in her hands. Emma and Killian exchanged nervous glances, unsure if the woman was still pissed at them over the Christmas tree fiasco.

“I just wanted to say no hard feelings,” Granny told them in her no-nonsense way. “I know you were just trying to give Henry a decent Christmas, and it’s Hooks first in this realm, so . . . Anyway, I got you both something.”

She thrust a rectangular package into Emma’s arms and a square one into Killian’s. Both were wrapped in bright paper and decorated with ribbons and bows. The smile on Killian’s face was filled with childlike wonder as he eagerly made quick work of the wrapping with his hook.

“Did you make this for me, Mrs. Lucas?” Killian exclaimed when he saw the contents of the box.

“Of course I made it. I noticed you didn’t have one, and Maine winters can get mighty cold.”

Emma almost spit her next sip of coffee across the table when Killian pulled a gray wool beanie out of the box. Her jaw almost hit the formica when he actually plopped the beanie onto his head and pulled it down over the tips of his ears. His dark hair curled around the edges of it, and Emma was surprised to find herself thinking how cute he was. Captain Hook was cute. He really, really was, especially with that goofy smile on his face that cut wide dimples into his cheeks. Emma hugged her own gift to her chest.

“Thank you,” Killian humbly told Granny.

The women glanced at Emma, who was almost crushing her gift and didn’t seem to plan on relinquishing it anytime soon. She just couldn’t stop staring at the man across from her.

“Well,” Granny said briskly, “I’ve got things to see to in the kitchen.”

“What do you think?” Killian asked her. “How do I look?”

“It . . . um . . . it covers your ears.”

Killian tugged gently at one side of the hat and then the other. “Well, those tend to get cold the quickest.”

“I like your ears.” Why was she whispering?

She expected him to get cocky and toss some innuendo her way, but instead, he blushed and scratched behind one of those adorable ears of his. “Well, uh, you would be the first.”

“But why? They’re cute!”

“They’re pointed.”

“That’s what makes them cute.”

He was blushing and she loved it. “I got teased as a boy for them.”

“Kids can be mean. Are you part elf by any chance?”

“Not that I am aware of.”

She shrugged. “Around here, you never know.”

“True.” He cleared his throat as he removed the hat. His hair stuck up in all directions, and that was cute too. He gestured towards her gift. “Open yours, love.”

“Oh, right.” She tore off the paper and ribbons, then set the box down on the table. When she lifted the lid, she froze.

“Okay, so that’s . . . interesting,” Killian murmured as he leaned over to see.

Lying there in the box in front of Emma was an ugly Christmas sweater. Of a Christmas tree. With pom pom balls decorating it. Just like in her vision.

“Oh you opened it!” Granny exclaimed as she suddenly appeared at Emma’s side. “I heard they’re all the rage right now.”

“They are?” Killian asked hesitantly. Emma could understand his confusion.

“It’s an ugly Christmas sweater,” she explained.

Killian blanched. “Emma, that’s rude.”

Granny laughed. “No, it’s ugly on purpose, Captain.”

“So this is another tradition of this holiday? To clothe oneself in ugly garments?”

Emma couldn’t help giggling at his confused expression and the way he so eloquently expressed it. “I know it sounds weird, but Granny’s right. People buy the ugliest Christmas sweater they can find, then they go to a party where everyone votes on which one is the ugliest.”

“And Snow and Ruby and I have decided to throw an ugly Christmas sweater party here in the diner on Christmas Eve!” Granny announced with obvious excitement.

“Well, Swan,” Killian told her with a crooked smile, “you might just be a shoe-in for the grand prize.”

Emma’s hands shook and her smile wobbled as she ran her fingers over the green wool. Mama, you have to wear the tree shirt to get the tree. Its ta-dition! Emma remembered her swollen belly straining against the very sweater in front of her, and suddenly the diner felt claustrophobic.

“Excuse me,” she apologized as she leapt up, practically shoved Granny out of the way, and took off down the hall towards the inn. She ignored the cries of concern from both Killian and Granny, not slowing down until she was in her rooms on the third floor. As the door shut behind her, she was glad Henry was gone. She slid to the floor, her legs unable to hold her. First the tree, now the beanie and the ugly Christmas sweater? What the hell was going on?

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

The other shoe had dropped. Emma would have said I told you so, but that seemed a little cruel when they had discovered that The Wicked Witch was her mother’s midwife and had some creepy plans for her baby brother.

She, Regina, and Killian were at the library where Belle was helping them research spells that involved babies. Not Emma’s preferred way to spend the 18th of December. Most people would be attending an office party or caroling or baking cookies, not reading up on creepy things witches like to do to innocent babies.

“I can’t do this anymore,” Emma announced, slamming shut yet another dusty tome. “I want to go back to the inn and watch A Charlie Brown Christmas with Henry while drinking hot cocoa. The exact opposite of this.”

“I agree,” Regina concurred, rubbing wearily at her forehead. “Let’s take a break and reconvene in the morning.”

“Thank God,” Killian added, pushing back from the table and standing up.

They marked their places and stacked the books on a cart for the morning. Then they all donned their winter gear and headed for the door so Belle could lock up. Regina hurried down the snowy sidewalk to her car, but Emma paused as she watched Belle searching for the right key.

“You coming, Swan?” Killian asked, turning as he stepped out on the sidewalk.

“Just a minute. I need to ask Belle something. Can you help Henry get the cocoa and I’ll be there in a bit?”

“As you wish,” he told her softly with a slight bow of his head.

She smiled as he walked away, that phrase never ceasing to make her heart flutter. Then she turned back to Belle.

“Um, could I ask you to look up something for me?” She asked the librarian hesitantly.

“Something else about the witch?”

“Uh, no, this is . . . private.”

“Okay,” Belle said, curiosity coloring her tone.

“There are these triplets,” Emma began, “who came with the new curse, and I need to figure out who they are in the Enchanted Forest. You know, who their . . . fairy tale personas are?”

Belle smiled. “Not everyone is a famous character you know.”

“Believe me, these women are somebody . . . magical. I’ve seen their powers for myself.”

“Is everything alright?” Belle asked with concern.

“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine. They think they’re helping me, I guess. I mean, I think. It’s complicated.”

Her face burned as she stammered, and Emma prayed that Belle wouldn’t press her further.

“Alright, well, who are they? Here in Storybrooke, I mean.”

“Felicity Clotho who owns the new cupcakery, Liv Lachesis the new optometrist, and Avery Atropos, the optometrist’s receptionist.”

Belle’s face broke into a beaming grin. “Why Emma, it’s obvious! Their last names tell us everything: Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos, the three fates.”

“As in Greek mythology? You mean that stuff’s all real too?”

Belle laughed. “It sure is. I beat Killian has plenty of stories about run-ins with Poseidon.”

“Great,” Emma muttered with a roll of her eyes, “so we have to deal with Percy Jackson crap too. So what do these fates do?”

“Well, legend says that Clotho spins the thread of each of our lives, Lachesis maintains it, and Atropos cuts the thread when our lives end.”

“I guess I should be glad Avery didn’t cast the spell,” Emma muttered.

“Emma,” Belle said softly, gently touching her arm, “what’s going on? Are you okay?”

For some reason, the librarian's words caused tears to well in Emma’s eyes, and before she knew it, it was all pouring out of her: the cupcake, the candle, waking up without her sight, and what happened at the optometrist’s office. It was embarrassing word vomit, right there in front of the library on the snowy sidewalk, and by the end of it, Belle had her arm around her.

“And it all seemed insane, you know?” Emma finished. “I mean, none of it seemed plausible, but then the tree caught on fire, and Granny gave us those ridiculous gifts, and I don’t know, I’m so confused!”

“Are you?”

Emma choked out a strangled laugh. “I mean, there’s always been this attraction between us, and the man can kiss -” Emma raised a hand when she saw Belle’s eyebrows raise “but attraction and a passionate kiss is one thing. That vision . . . . it’s . . . .”

“A happy ending?” Belle supplied.

“Yeah,” Emma said softly, “and I just don’t know that I believe in that. Happy endings and true love. At least not for me.”

Emma waited for the true love speech from the Disney princess turned town librarian, but instead, Belle pulled her close in a tight hug. For a moment, she didn’t speak, then she pulled back and gave Emma a gentle look.

“I know your early years were full of loneliness and pain, Emma, but those years are in the past. Maybe that’s why Felicity Clothos, the spinner, got involved. Maybe she - and her sister Dr. Lachesis - wanted to give you the gift of hope. If anyone deserves it, Emma, it’s you.”

In some ways, it sounded like something Emma’s mother would say, but it was different coming from Belle. This was from a woman who had suffered so much heartbreak. Heartbreak caused by a man who, in Emma’s opinion, didn’t deserve the love of someone as kind and generous as Belle. Yet here Belle was, encouraging Emma to take hold of the happy ending in front of her.

“You’re a wonderful friend, Belle.”

“So are you, Emma.”

The two women hugged again, and when they stepped apart, Emma crinkled her nose and squinted her eyes with worry.

“Being a good friend means you’ll keep this a secret, right? Especially from my mom?”

Belle threw back her head and laughed. “My lips are sealed.” Then Belle winked at Emma. “Now hurry off to enjoy that cocoa and the man making it.”

“Belle!” Emma exclaimed, her cheeks heating.

She did hurry, though.

#cs ff #captain swan ff #christmas fluff #a captain swan hallmark christmas movie #for snowbellewells

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artificialqueens · 4 years

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The Goode Case, 8/14 (Jaida/Jan) - Juno

Chapter Summary: Jaida, Brita and Jackie, with a little help from Dahlia, separate to look into the history of the guest house, and rendez-vous to discuss the plan to reach Gigi. Jaida is surprised by who else she sees that evening …

(A/N: As ever I’ve been really over the moon to receive such lovely supportive comments! Thank you to everyone!! I hope you enjoy part eight.)

2.50PM

Jaida led Aiden to the lobby to meet Crystal, who was sitting with Jackie, a box of tissues clutched in her lap. Aiden’s stoic expression softened at her friend’s tears, and she rubbed Crystal’s shoulder, while Crystal stood and pulled her into a hug.

Back in the meeting room, once the two students had left, Jackie could barely contain herself.

“Crystal saw that same woman that you described,” Jackie blurted out, as soon as the door was closed. “She gave the exact same description you gave us. And she saw Gigi too, in the same room you did.”

“Did Crystal mention anything about the day they found the anklet?” Jaida pulled out the chair next to Brita and sat down. “I wondered if a statement Aiden gave me corroborated with that.”

Jackie pulled out another chair opposite and sat down too, grabbing the jug of water from the centre of the table. “Yeah, she mentioned it. She said when they found the anklet, a woman appeared to her, and took her hand and started singing her some sort of lullaby. She suddenly realised she’d walked to the top of the stairs, and they both left. Well, ‘ran away’, Crystal said.”

“Who was the woman?”

Jackie looked grave. “She could just remember black hair. You were right, it’s the same woman that keeps coming up.”

“Any clues who she was?” Jaida asked, folding her arms.

Brita pushed the file she’d found to Jaida, who took a look at the yellowing paper and the name typed using an old label printer. “VISAGE, T. & M.”

Jaida opened the first page, and gasped at the picture.

“That’s her, I’m sure.” The woman had wavy black hair in a thick mane around her face, with sculpted cheeks and bright blue eyes. She checked the name in the ID details. Michelle Visage (née Goode).

“Records indicate the Visages bought the guest house in 1972. The wife had a reputation, the sort of thing you’d expect in some bad romance novel – seducing customers, you know – got her in a bit of trouble forty years ago,” Brita explained. “But the whole guest house had things happening. Have a look at the papers. Take one case in 1976. A fire broke out in the kitchen, and the only person to die was her sister-in-law. All the kitchen staff escaped, but her sister-in-law didn’t. And later on in 1978, well, read it for yourself.”

Jaida turned the pages, her eyes falling on another photo, this time of a man, a white shirt and large collar, open at the neck, hair long and swept over his forehead. He looked like –

“Girl, this is getting too strange now, this is the guy who I saw on the stairs!” Jaida pointed. She carried on reading the report, her hand going to her mouth as she did.

“He didn’t have a very happy ending, as you see. They found him hanged from the top of the stairs. It was ruled suicide, but it was suspect at the time, because there was a life insurance policy which had been taken out shortly before his death.” Brita craned her neck. “Have you seen the name?”

Jaida glanced at it. Thomas Visage. “Husband?”

“You got it. And of course there’s the link to the Goodes. We thought Gigi was making it up to impress her friend, but you can see the ID. It looks like she was right. And if both you and Crystal have both seen Michelle and Gigi together …”

“I don’t want to think about that until we find a body,” Jackie shuddered. “There’s still a chance. Just because Jaida saw Gigi, it doesn’t mean she’s dead. She saw you, didn’t she? Last night.”

“Anyway, what happened to this Visage woman?” Jaida asked, trying to keep them on track, leafing through the last few papers.

“Well, the hotel was in decline following Thomas’ death, and it seemed like the money from the life insurance couldn’t make Michelle happy,” Brita sighed. “She died in 1983. Overdose. Barbiturates and lots of vodka. The hotel was closed later that year, and it’s been closed ever since.”

Brita straightened up, adjusting her shirt. “Chief wants the whole street searched again. I’ve sent forensics already, sniffer dogs too, to see what they come up with.”

“Okay, good.” Jaida nodded.

“For the house, I think we need to get Dahlia in again. If Gigi is being sighted there, and as there are no other leads really, there must be some link. But we need a detailed plan this time. Anything can go wrong, especially as I for one don’t quite know how to control … this.” Brita motioned to herself.

“Not only that, I think we need some history of past paranormal investigations at this place,” Jaida suggested. “Dahl said she knew a psychic that won’t go near the place, so there must have been other investigations. Brita, I’d like to go talk to her at the shop this afternoon, if that’s alright?”

“Nice one, Jai, we need all the information we can get.”

Jackie clicked her ballpoint pen on and off. “If we’re going to get the truth about what happened to Gigi from these spirits, we need to use all resources. Including maybe Crystal, if she’ll come.”

“You can start on a plan, while Jaida is at Dahlia’s shop. I need to be available on call for forensics if they do find anything on Westfield. We can meet up from six and discuss the plan. Ideally, we’d need Dahlia to agree to come in tomorrow, preferably during the day.”

“I’ll ask, but she might not get time away from the shop. If her mom can get away from her shift early, then maybe. Where do you want to meet at six then?”

“How about … Vanjie’s? With a wine?” Brita suggested, as casually as she could muster.

Jaida looked at Jackie.

“I don’t even need to read your mind. Have you arranged to meet someone else there?” Jaida raised an eyebrow.

“Maybe, maybe not.” A grin spread across Brita’s face.

3.39PM

By the time Jaida got off the bus, the grey clouds had turned to a thick sheet of rain. Great. The wind hadn’t settled from yesterday either, so she had to jog the two blocks from the bus stop to Syn City, to avoid getting swept away by the New York autumn.

The “Open to demons customers” sign was on the door, which meant either Dahlia or her mom would be around. Jaida pushed the door, and the bell above it tinkled, letting them know someone was entering in case they were in one of the back rooms.

The shop was so narrow that there was barely room to walk past the bookshelves and esoteric wares, but once past them, the space was a little more open, with the checkout on the side and two rooms further back for personal readings. Dahlia had learned Tarot from her mom, which was her main trade, but she was also learning other divination methods, as well as her own studies. One of the rooms was Dahlia’s for reading appointments, along with Shuga and her crystal ball, and now Rock, who had replaced Lady Lemon who’d left for Canada earlier in the year.

Dahlia poked her head out of her room, and smirked when she saw it was Jaida. She leapt the three steps to the room and approached Jaida, slapping her hard on the arm.

“Hey! What was that for?”

“Girl, why didn’t you tell me you were a medium? I’ve known you for, like, two years, and you never thought you’d tell me you can see spirits?” Dahlia put her hands on her hips.

“I – I don’t know!” Jaida cried, a little exasperated. “You never asked!”

“I shouldn’t have to ask! You were seeing spirits at that house all this time, and I had to find that out from Rock!

“From Rock?”

“Yeah, she’s got this thing where if she touches someone, she knows what they’re thinking.” Dahlia rolled her eyes. “I know, that’s crazy, but it’s true.”

“Child,” Jaida muttered. “And let me guess. You can – I don’t know, you can fly or some shit.”

“Girl, I wish,” Dahlia snorted, “I can do cards, boards, but I can’t do anything naturally, like what you can.”

“I wanted to talk to you about last night, anyway,” Jaida whispered, looked around. “You got ten minutes?”

Dahlia led Jaida to her own room at the back of the shop, a tiny alcove just big enough for two people, and perched in one of the chairs, offering the other to Jaida.

“Thanks. I wanted to find out what you knew about the guest house.”

“Don’t you have the stories on files?” Dahlia cocked an eyebrow.

“Well sure, but we don’t log anything, y’know, paranormal or whatever.” Jaida used her fingers to draw quotation marks.

“I know what I’ve read, and it might not be the whole truth, but if that’s what you want to know?”

“Whatever you can give me would be a help.”

“Alright.” Dahlia grabbed her tablet from her bag under the folding table, and tapped into the screen, finally turning it to show Jaida.

“What’s that?”

“Paranormal Database on New York. Paradata, for short. It’s run by some lady in Queens. It’s like,” Dahlia ran a hand through her wavy brown hair, searching for the right words, “it’s kind of like Tripadvisor for the paranormal. People can go on there and report what they’ve done to investigate, and what’s happened.”

“And this website is in public domain?”

“Yeah, but it’s not really well-known outside the community. Keeps things a bit safer. And not everyone can register.” Dahlia shook her head. “You have to be invited by an existing member. I’ll invite you, if you want.”

“Sure, thanks.”

Dahlia found the house on the map, and clicked the link. She gave a low whistle. “Bitch, I’ve never seen this many reviews for somewhere that hasn’t been visited by, like the Ghost Hunters crew or something. There’s so many.”

She turned the tablet towards Jaida, who scanned through the reviews people had left on there, her breath catching in her throat.

“… domineering, territorial female presence, screaming at us to get out …”

“… my boyfriend saw a lady in the kitchen and won’t stop having nightmares …”

“ … tabletop session saw one woman possessed and a man incapacitated in a trance …”

“ … spirit drawing of a woman aged 37, died in a fire, year approx 1970 …”

One of them caught Jaida’s eye, from last year:

“Avoid the upstairs!!! DANGEROUS THREAT TO LIFE. Ghost tried to pull psychic off the stairs!! DO NOT GO HERE”

“Some of them can be a bit dramatic,” Dahlia interrupted Jaida’s reading, “but do any of them sound familiar?”

Jaida nodded. “Definitely some of them.”

“You want me to go back again, don’t you?” Dahlia asked cautiously. “I don’t even need to ask.”

“Would you consider it?”

Dahlia’s hands were trembling, Jaida noticed, but she moved them under the table to hide them.

“I mean, of course it pays well, but, like, I’m scared. And not just for me. For Rock, too. And for you. And for – actually, for all of us. All seven of us who were there last night, none of us came out the same. And Rock said –“ Dahlia gasped, raising a hand to her mouth. “I forgot to tell you! Rock said you saw Brita astrally project?”

“Yeah. But I didn’t know she was going to until she did it.”

With that, Dahlia leapt from her seat and grabbed Jaida’s hand, tugging her down the three steps and to the bookcases.

“She needs to read … this, before she does it again.” Dahlia pulled a paperback off the shelf. “Tell her she owes me fifteen dollars.”

“Dahl, I’ll just – settle that …” Jaida took her card from her purse. She turned the book over. Astral Projection For Beginners: A Complete Guide. “I’m sure she’ll put this on top of her pile.” Jaida rolled her eyes.

“I’m not joking, Jai. Being able to project naturally is really fucking unusual. Most people learn it. So if she can do it without even trying, she needs to know the risks. Like, now. Especially if she can’t control it.”

“Risks?” Jaida flicked through the book. “What sorts of things?”

“Mainly just other spirits wanting a free ride, or a free body to hop into.” Dahlia shuddered. “Not everyone you meet on the astral planes will be friendly.”

“Have you ever projected?”

“I’ve tried, but not so far.” Dahlia shook her head. “It’s really hard to master.”

The door tinkled, and Dahlia leapt from her seat, Jaida following her, but it was only Rock, her blue hair soaking wet with the rain which was still coming down in a sheet. She held two Starbucks takeouts in cardboard cup holders.

“Oh, hi again,” she waved to Jaida with her free hand. “I’d have bought you a mocha as well, if I’d known you were coming.”

“Thanks, baby,” Dahlia took her cup from Rock and planted a kiss on her lips. “You know just what I need on a Monday afternoon. And I was telling Jai about the projection book you recommended.”

“Yeah, you need to make sure your friend reads it straight away,” Rock’s expression turned grave again. “And tell her to train herself to control it.”

6.05PM

Jackie had met Jaida outside Vanjie’s, telling her that Brita had been called away by forensics to a potential lead on Northfield at about four thirty and hadn’t come back. Jaida had felt her heart sink a little, hoping it was not bad news, but Brita had stumbled in only five minutes after they had arrived.

“Was it serious?” Jaida asked quietly.

“Oh, no, it turned out to be a false alarm,” Brita laughed her infectious laugh, waving her hand. “Everything is fine. Wine?”

A glass of wine later, this time the three of them squeezed together on one side of the six-seater booth, somehow feeling much more comfortable and cosy than they had at any time previous. Jaida was on the end, always preferring an escape route, with Jackie sandwiched in the middle and Brita at the window, looking down at her phone and sometimes glancing outside at the street around them.

They’d forgotten it was student night when they had arrived, expecting it to be quiet like most places on Mondays, but the bar was getting busier and busier, and they had one of the last free booths. Lots of the students elected to stand, leaning on the bars and tables, and there was enough chatter in the air to drown out most of the music.

“What have you got so far, Jackie?” Jaida asked.

“The only person we’ve seen so far who’d led us to Gigi is … well, Thomas. And the only one of us who’s seen him is … well, you, Jai.” Jackie clicked her pen on and off, before Brita irritably snatched it from her hand. “Ow! Anyway, could he be responsible?”

“But he wanted to show me that Gigi was there,” Jaida said, the realisation dawning on her as she said the words. “Wait, why didn’t I get that before? He was trying to help us. Maybe he wanted to show -”

“I don’t think that’s right,” Brita interrupted suddenly. “He would have helped you get to Gigi, if that was the case. You said he just stood there.”

“That’s true,” murmured Jackie.

“Well, we’ve established that Gigi is stuck on the same plane that Thomas is on,” Jaida said, swirling her glass. “Can’t I just – link with him again? Persuade him to help? Maybe you two can connect too?”

“But we can’t see him,” Jackie whispered. She drummed on the notebook with her fingers. “Can we just link physically with you?”

“That won’t work, because it should have worked today if it did!”

“Maybe if Brita can project –“

“I don’t think that will work,” Brita interrupted again, wine obviously going straight to her head, “because I can’t control this fucking thing! There’s no point trying.”

“Can Dahlia come in the daytime tomorrow at all?” Jackie asked. “That would be the ideal, rather than waiting until the evening. And it depends on Crystal being free, too, but it’s been four days since anyone saw Gigi,” she added.

“I’ll ask Dahlia, but she works days in her shop.” Jaida pulled out her phone.

Jaida:Dahl, can u do tomorrow at all? Day time possible? X

Dahlia:girl u know I cant just close the shop! If I can get mom to watch it then yeh x

Jaida:Cool cool let me know x

“I’ll see if I can call Crystal,” Jackie said, and Jaida let her step out of the booth and walk to the door for better signal. Jaida’s phone buzzed in her hand as she left.

Heidi: Jai!! im french kissin in the USA lol xx

Jaida: LOL!! Are u with Nicky?? Xx

Heidi:yeah her student cancelled so we havin a night in xx

Heidi:her housemate has a big Farsi dictionary

Heidi: and a french one too

Heidi:Jai do u wanna know the french word for bitch?? Xx

Jaida laughed at the selfie Heidi sent over, in the apartment she recognised as Jackie’s. Wait until she mentioned to Jackie that her housemate was Heidi’s date.

“Left her a voicemail. Also, when this case is over, I’m not drinking for a month,” Jackie declared, coming back over. “I swear we’ve been out to a bar all week. Saturday, Sunday, and now today. I don’t wanna be drinking on weeknights!”

“Speaking of which, it’s your round Jai,” Brita sang, nudging her empty glass towards Jaida and pointing to the bar at Vanjie’s. It was still quiet, but people were starting to filter in and it wouldn’t be long until they were engulfed in people, queueing at the bar.

Jaida got up and grabbed the tray, going to the bar to order. Vanessa was way at the other end of the bar with someone else, and Brooke was nowhere to be seen, so Jaida was all alone, with her thoughts.

“Well, hey there!”

Jaida spun round at the voice, and the familiar peach shampoo, to the radiance that was Jan. Her brown eyes were crinkled as she smiled, her blonde hair slightly damp from the rain. Jaida felt her heart jump at the sight of her, the very last person she’d been expecting to see.

“Hey, Jan.” Jaida wasn’t sure what else to say, but she smiled widely, and turned to look for Vanessa, who was still on the other side of the bar. It wasn’t like Jaida to feel tongue-tied, but she couldn’t find any clever words to say for once.

“I uh, will try not to spill stuff on your shirt today, looks too smart to ruin!” Jan laughed at her own comment.

“Your shirt is nice too,” Jaida said, taking in Jan’s lavender blouse and the black knee-length skirt. Jaida silently admired how the material fell.

“Thanks! I had an audition this afternoon. Another ‘don’t call us, we’ll call you’ moment!” Jan laughed again, this time a little bitter. “Getting a break is hard anywhere, but here in NYC? It’s impossible. I was just on my way back, and a little birdie told me you’d be here.”

“Which little birdie might that be?” Jaida chuckled, looking over at Brita and Jackie, who went from watching them to snapping their necks the other direction, in the blink of an eye. “Or do I need to ask?”

“I don’t think you do!” Jan sniggered.

“So,” Jaida rested her arm on the bar, “you sing?”

“Sure!”

“What’s your favourite song to sing? Because I can’t sing a note!” Jaida cringed at her awful conversational skills. When did she become this corny?

“That’s just modest! I bet you can sing Christina with me.”

Jaida’s jaw fell wide open in shock. “The Christina? I’m not even sure I can sing one octave, let alone five!”

“I’ll teach you,” Jan winked, “just follow my lead.”

She tossed her hair, rolled her shoulders back, and opened her mouth.

I am beautiful, no matter what they say / Words can’t bring me down!

Jaida listened to the slow, emphatic lyrics, the perfect pitch that came from that throat, the way Jan’s face twisted with the emotion, and Jaida’s whole body tingled for a couple of seconds, feeling a spread of goose pimples down her arms.

“Now you try,” Jan took one of Jaida’s hands, her shoulders twitching with excitement. “Just relax, look at me, take a deep breath …”

The peach shampoo swirled round them both, and Jaida started to feel like she was in some sort of dream, and not wanting to wake up; as she took a sharp breath in to knock Jan flat with her dreadful voice …

You are beautiful, in every single way / Words can’t bring you down / So don’t you bring me down today!

Jaida realised that she wasn’t singing the words; it was Jan’s voice, while Jaida just mouthed the lyrics along, the glorious sound filling up every pore of her skin, every empty space in her mind. Jan’s thumb was rubbing her palm, and Jaida found she could focus on nothing else but the slight pressure, feeling herself being pulled slowly into Jan’s eyes as they came closer to her …

“WAIT, who’s singing? Does this bar say KARAOKE on the sign? Monday nights are for SINGING are they?” Vanessa had come out of nowhere, breaking the spell, Jaida dropping Jan’s hand and turning to face Vanessa.

“Sorry, V!”

But Vanessa was smirking, raising her eyebrows knowingly at the pair of them, before disappearing to the other end of the bar. Jan waited until Vanessa was busying herself serving before resting a hand on Jaida’s forearm.

“Well, it was nice seeing you again,” she said, her eyes darting around Jaida’s face. “My shift starts at seven, I have to get back. See you soon.”

Jaida was hit with a little bit of courage. She put her hand on Jan’s, holding her to her forearm. “Jan, give me your phone number. And on Friday, get the night off your shift.”

“What?” Jan looked stunned.

“Well … if you want, we can go somewhere nice. Quiet. Have a coffee or something. If you want, that is? I clock off at four thirty if I can get round Brita.”

Jan was silent for a second, blinking. Then she leaned in towards Jaida, and kissed her on the cheek, right next to her lips. Jaida momentarily lost herself in the heady scent of Jan’s perfume, the tender sensation of Jan’s lips against her skin, and as Jan reclined, smiling gently, Jaida had to blink to get her eyes to focus again.

“That sounds perfect.”

She was gone before Jaida could even think, a whoosh of blonde hair, closing the door of the bar and putting up her hood before walking off into the evening. Jaida exhaled slowly, not realising she’d been holding her breath.

Jaida glanced at her own booth, where Brita and Jackie hurriedly turned away from her again, like nothing had just happened.

“Child,” Jaida muttered to herself as she came back with the tray and three wines on it. Jackie looked at Jaida through her eyelashes, while Brita smirked triumphantly.

“You weren’t actually messaging Aiden, were you?” Jaida realised, tilting her head at Brita.

“Maybe I was and maybe I wasn’t,” Brita teased.

“Maybe you had a message from Jan, asking you to get me here tonight so she could drop in before her shift!”

Brita looked far too pleased with herself. She picked up her wine from the tray and chuckled.

“Have you got any more single friends?” Jackie asked Brita with a laugh.

Jaida ignored them both for a few minutes, busying herself with her phone, sending another urgent message.

Jaida: Heidi Almighty x

Jaida:My lovely ride or die

Jaida: The Bonnie to my Clyde xx

Heidi: Jai how many times have I told u, I got no bail money xx

Jaida: I got a fashion emergency, need date outfit help for Friday night! Xx

Heidi: oh really, where have I heard that before lol x

Jaida: Please!!!!!! :(

Heidi:ok hang on

[Heidi has added Nicky to the chat]

Nicky: bonsoir

Heidi:Jaida needs ur help with fashion cherie xx

Nicky: bien sûr

Jaida: LOL have you been teaching Heidi french? X

Heidi: merde!!

Nicky:that one was from my housemate’s dictionary……

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