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jancmalandra · 3 years

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Mrs. Fillyjonk's General Store

On finding your way home

Mrs. Fillyjonk spent her days following a carefully planned routine, which was very much what everyone in Moominvalley had come to know her for. What had gradually changed over the years, however, was how she spent all this effort and passion for control. When she and her three children had first arrived in Moominvalley, she clearly felt that her perfectionism set her above everyone else in the village. She was immediately at odds with the Moomin family and their freewheeling lifestyle because they were her closest neighbors.

Inevitably, the Moomin family were the first to attempt to welcome Mrs. Fillyjonk to Moominvalley. It didn't go well and she and Moominmama wound up locking horns frequently over the next three years. Fortunately, Moomintroll, Snufkin, Snork Maiden, and Sniff charmed their way into friendship with Mrs. Fillyjonk's three children, Allan, Robert, and Linda over the first week that they all met. The children began a sort of conspiracy against Mrs. Fillyjonk's severe, elitist, controlling temperament which proved very effective.

Mrs. Fillyjonk was a strict, overprotective disciplinarian towards her children precisely because she loved them very much. She wanted to protect them from the world that she had come to see as cruel and dangerous because of bitter experiences during her marriage. As Moomintroll and his friends taught her children how to have fun and enjoy life, she found herself being softened gradually by their growing happiness.

Eventually, she and Moominmama became friends and Moominmama helped her to warm her icy relationship with the families of Moominvalley. She joined the Moominvalley Women's Club and mutual understanding between Mrs. Fillyjonk and the villagers of Moominvalley began to grow. The final thing that made her a fully welcome member of the community was her growing friendship with Mr. Hemulen.

Mr. Hemulen was a beloved figure in Moominvalley. Everyone looked forward to seeing him wandering through the valley each day, closely examining every flower he came across. Despite the solitary existence he led, he was always willing to pitch in and help anyone who asked. His spectacular fireworks were in regular demand throughout Spring, Summer, and Fall every year. Mrs. Fillyjonk came to respect his scientific expertise, but she was concerned about his tendency to avoid community events where he wasn't providing fireworks.

She barged her way into Mr. Hemulen's life and made sure he would be there for big celebrations and holiday parties. She was instantly appalled at the disorderly state he kept his cottage in when she came to visit him for the first time. He didn't have the fortitude to prevent her from putting his home and greenhouse in order, but he managed to draw the line at his fireworks workshop. Mrs. Fillyjonk was not eager to be blown to smithereens by misfortune.

She did insist on checking on him twice a week to do housecleaning and make sure that he was eating properly. After several months Mr. Hemulen began to look forward to her regular visits, and caring for him brought out her gentle side even more. It would be an exaggeration to say that they were in love, but they had come to enjoy each other's company very much.

A year after Moomintroll and Snork Maiden's children were born, Mr. Hemulen's health went into a very rapid, frightening decline after he suffered a bad fall in his cottage. Mrs. Fillyjonk was the first to find him and immediately moved in with him. She became his full-time caregiver as his advanced age slowly crippled him totally. She made sure to put all of his affairs in order, taking particular care to hand over his fireworks supplies to his nephew, who took them back with him to Tornio and his fireworks business there.

Mrs. Fillyjonk alerted the members of the Moominvalley Women's Club when Mr. Hemulen's last days were clearly upon him. She, Moominmama, and all the members of the club stood by his bedside as he quietly passed away in his sleep. Mrs. Fillyjonk made all of the funeral arrangements and it was a fitting memorial to him. The entire Moominvalley community spent the year in mourning and Mrs. Fillyjonk helped everyone deal with their grief as she dealt with her own.

She kept living in Mr. Hemulen's cottage, caring for all the exotic plants in his greenhouse and his extensive flower garden. She also got Moominpapa's help organizing Mr. Hemulen's voluminous notes on plants and making sure that they were published for posterity. She wanted Mr. Hemulen's cottage to stand as more than just a memorial to him and decided to turn it into a general store for the village. Mrs. Fillyjonk's disciplined mind made her a natural at starting and maintaining a business and her General Store soon became a welcome fixture at the heart of the village. Her three children became capable employees in short order, but when Alan and Robert went to Tornio University, she and her daughter Linda found the store almost more than they could handle.

Mrs. Fillyjonk could see that Linda would very soon want to go out into the world on her own as well. She wanted her daughter to feel completely free to pursue an independent life, so she put out a flyer in the village offering a good job to a promising candidate. The first person to respond wasn't at all who she might have expected.

On the first Monday in May, a very pretty young human woman entered Mrs. Fillyjonk's General Store in the late morning and handed one of Mrs. Fillyjonk's flyers back to her. She had bright red hair tied up in a green bow and wore a long green dress that came down to her black leather shoes. She wore a small bell around her neck that was old and no longer worked. She was carrying two large traveling bags that were obviously stuffed full with her belongings.

"I would like to apply for the position you're offering.", she said very calmly and professionally as she set her luggage down, "I'm looking to move to Moominvalley permanently and I need a source of income. Since I'm looking to become a part of the community, you don't have to worry that I'll forget my obligations to you as my employer or suddenly leave without notice. I would also appreciate it if you could point me to some affordable lodgings."

"Very well.", said Mrs. Fillyjonk kindly, "I must say that you give a very good first impression. You may start in three days, after we get you settled in of course. You may stay in my old cottage free of charge as long as you keep both the house and yard in good condition. I'll give you three months to prove yourself here, and then we'll see. Oh! How terribly rude of me! I've completely forgotten to ask you your name!"

"Ninny. Ninny Hampton."

To Be Continued

#moomin #moominvalley #mrs fillyjonk #ninny the invisible child #moomin fanfiction #mr. hemulen

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ask-lumpygrab · 4 years

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Some thoughts on the moomin au

So in this au all three Lemongrabs exist as different creatures at the same time. And after being torn whether to make this an “adventure time but it’s moomin creatures” au or a “certain characters exist in the moomin universe alongside Snufkin and Moomin” au I have decided to do BOTH!

So anyway the species are:

Lemongrab 1 - originally a half fillyjonk half hemulen creature. Was transformed into the bug eyed king of California.

Lemongrab 2 - Same as his brother. Is a clone created by magic of Lg1. But became invisible after lemongrab 1 became abusive towards him.

Lemongrab 3 - half fillyjonk half Groke.

LSP - a snork as they were able to change colour in the original books so she can be purple. LSP probably stands for little snork princess as she was EXCEPTIONALLY small as a child and her name is princess as judging by how Snorkmaiden acts, I think Snorks as a species are Just Like That.

Pb - she’s a Fillyjonk wizard instead of a scientist as while there are machines and scientists in the Moomin Universe magic seems to be much more powerful and more able to do the stuff Pb does in the show.

Some lore:

All the Lemongrabs are the results of magical accidents (haven’t figured out the details yet) and are not her biological children.

Lemongrab 1 also had another accident involving magic. In the Moomin series the hobgoblin wizard has a magical hat Moomin and co accidentally find. And not realising that it’s magic, Moomin hides in it in a game of hie and seek. When he comes out he’s been transformed into a hideous creature that’s completely different from his usual self, and nobody can recognise him.

Only his mother is able to figure out that it’s him and recognise him for who he truly is, and this turns Moomin back. So in other words, only unconditional love from someone who truly knows you can turn you back when you’re transformed by the Hobgoblin’s hat. I feel like I’m explaining this poorly so here’s a clip

Lemongrab 1 also ended up being transformed by the hat (though in less happy circumstances). And when he emerged there was no one around him who loved him and knew him well enough to recognise him. So instead of being turned back Pb and co chased him away thinking he was a thief or monster that had wandered into their house.

So Lemongrab 1 became exiled as well as extremely bitter and angry. He still had the hat so he hunted down the Hobgoblin and demanded he turn him back but the Hobgoblin explained that only unconditional love can reverse the spell. However, he did use his magic to create a clone for Lemongrab 1 so he wouldn’t be so lonely.

Lemongrab 2 was thus born as an identical twin for Lemongrab 1. So in this au they both initially had black fur. Him and his brother got on very well and lemongrab 1 was temporarily happy to have someone who wouldn’t throw rocks at him and run away in fear. But Lemongrab 1 quickly started to take his anger out on his twin and would verbally abuse him and bite him sometimes.

Now in the Moomin universe people who are abused or/and neglected gradually turn invisible. We see this in the case of Ninny, an invisible child who is brought to the Moomin family in the hope that they might be able to turn her back by being nice and loving to her. I feel like I’m explaining this poorly so here’s another clip lol

So Lemongrab 2 ends up turning invisible. And specifically I think it could be cool if he disappeared starting with his feet and legs because in the AT universe those are the parts of him that lg1 bit off. Lemongrab 1 would paint him with white paint so he could still see him, but eventually the paint would turn invisible too. This ended up permanently dyeing his hair white even after he became visible again though.

While all that’s going on, Lemongrab 3 is just wandered the earth and following the winter like any other Groke. I imagine he was made without anyone realising or was abandoned after being made because Grokes are viewed as evil, dangerous monsters in the Moomin Universe because they freeze everything they touch so nobody wants one of those around.

I mainly chose a Groke because they’re creatures that freeze everything they touch but long for warmth. So they always follow lights and approach campfires only to accidentally destroy the thing they desperately wanted. The writer of the Moomin books has said they are symbols of loneliness. So I think a Groke-like creature fits lg3, as loneliness is clearly one of his defining characistics.

I do have more lore like how lsp and lemongrab would get together and other little storylines but this is already very long and I don’t think this is of interest to anyone, so for now I will stop going crazy.

That said here are the lemongrab’s names. I did try to find out what lemongrab’s name in the Finnish dub is but was unable to, but apparently napata is Finnish for grab so we’re going with that. Plus moomin characters are often named after their species so.

lemongrab 1 - Hemunapata

lemongrab 2 - Fillynapata

lemongrab 3 - Grokenapata

Idk about the others yet. I like little snork person as LSP��s title though.

#I still be thinking about this #lumpygrab moomin au #lumpygrab #adventure time au #lemongrab #lemongrab au #lsp #lsp au

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heatherwitch · 5 years

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I see you like moomins as well as tarot and I have been interested in designing a Moooom related tarot deck but I’m wondering if you have any ideas. I heard people compare snufkin to the hermit which sounds accurate do you have any suggestions??

Okay so I made a list kind of off the top of my head but wanted to dive deeper and refine it, but then I realized I’ll probably never do that and this ask has been sitting in my inbox for a while, so I’m just going to give you the version I have!!

Moomin = The Fool

Moominmamma = The Empress

Moominpappa = The Emperor

Little My = Strength

Snufkin = The Hermit

Too-Ticky = The Hierophant

Mymble = The High Priestess

Ninny = The Wheel of Fortune

The Hobgoblin = The Magician

Thingumy and Bob = The Lovers

Mrs. Fillyjonk = The Chariot

The Groke = Death

Snorkmaiden = The Sun

Snork = Justice

Sniff = The Devil

Stinky = The Tower

Mr. Hemulen = Temperance

The Muskrat = Judgement

The Joxter =

The Muddler =

Hodgekins =

Cards left:

The Hanged Man

The Star

The Moon

The World

Like I said, it’s not perfect and some of these could probably fit better in different matches, but hopefully it’s a helpful starting point!

#mouse squeaks #anon

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mirai-eats · 5 years

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Stray Spring:: Dance (Summer Romance)

Snufmin, 4,673 words, part 2/5

flower symbolism bc thats how i work i dont change, Fluff, Romance, so soft it hurts, Light Angst, Sickfic, Spring Deity Snufkin, little my is a demigod???

A deity borne of spring and summer can’t leave Moominvalley alone.

read on AO3

Moomin had a hard time getting himself out of bed today and that bothered him since today was an important day. Mamma didn’t scold him for stumbling down the stairs well into breakfast, but only wished him a good morning and gently told him to have those midnight adventures on days he doesn’t need to get up early.

Sniff was charged with distracting Little My and taking her up to a rural spot in Lonely Mountain where Snufkin had buried a box of rocks for her to find. Meanwhile, it was up to the Moomins and every spare hand to set up the extravagant party to celebrate the new season and Little My’s new age. Moomin didn’t know how old she was, and every time he asked something would always interrupt. He gave up asking and resorted to counting the candles on her cake.

The party was going to be lovely, Moomin thought. Long tables were set out with summer flowers and stakes with paper lanterns framed the perimeter they set up, strings of lights draped the trees and strung over their heads as an imitation of stars. Mamma was cooking with vigor in the kitchen, preparing enough food to keep the whole valley full through winter. In the meantime, Mamma had set out heaping plates of juicy, red watermelon and sweet berry juice for people setting up the party. Moomin took a few slices and ran down to Mr. Hemulen’s where Snufkin was helping him pick flowers to decorate.

“This is very delicious, thank you Moomintroll,” Snufkin said after chewing thoughtfully on the melon.

“You’re welcome, now let’s haul these over so we can get them on the tables and chairs. Little My is due back soon!”

It was no walk in the park bringing so many flowers in the wheelbarrows. It was a miracle they got them all placed in time right before they heard the large shouts of Little My coming from just beyond.

“Everyone get in place! She’s coming!” Pappa clapped his paws and on cue, everyone rushed to stand in attention, facing the hill Little My will climb to the top of and see the party waiting for her.

“Mymble isn’t here yet, what do we do?” Pappa fretted, his hat tilted askew in his frantic movement.

“She will come, it’ll be a grand surprise on top of this surprise when her mother comes,” Mamma soothed.

---

The party was going well, very well, but the Moomin’s were still eyeing the path from the beach waiting for The Mymble to arrive. She’ll come when she comes, Snufkin thought.

Snufkin didn’t want to admit it, but he was rather nervous himself. He kept to himself at the fringe of the party, in which most, if not all, of Moominvalley, showed up for. The record player Moominpappa had successfully fixed up was playing joyful tunes into the sweet, summer air as the day slowly cooled as the night struggled to blanket the horizons. This was the longest day of the year and sunset didn’t come until the party reached its peak, when the music grew the loudest and drinks splashed refill after refill into cups. Little My had stuck a little cosmo from the table display into her bun as if it were her crown and swung around in the middle of it all, her laughter loud and smile even louder.

It’s when the sun touched the tops of the forests and the sky was a rich gold with strands of rosy pink did a parade arrive. Thirty-four children with hair red like Little My’s and screams somehow louder than hers rushed from the beach trail and over to the party, in the midst of their chaos rose the imposing figure of their mother.

The Mymble was eccentric, a presence so loud and bright it’s hard to ignore, especially how she was taller than even the tallest hemulen. Her red hair was messy atop her head, where little baby’s breath flowers were scattered like sparse snow and her eyes glittered like sunshine on the greenest lake surface. The air felt sweeter in her presence, cooler like a gentle spring breeze dripping with honeysuckle petals. Little My leaped with a shout and ran into her mother’s embrace, her big arms holding her tightly to her chest. The party grew louder, more rambunctious, fit for a Little My with too much energy crammed in that very little body.

From the fringe of the party, Mymble’s eyes landed on Snufkin. This was the first time she’s seen him since he was placed in a basket and sent down the river. He tipped his hat and turned away.

---

He wasn’t mad at her. He couldn’t bring himself to be angry at her for letting him go when he was so young. He grew up fine, he never pined for the affections of a mother or the guidance of a father. He knew what his mother and father were, but when Moominpappa placed a name and face to their beings, shaped their characters through his stories, he ached something sharp like a cold pick of winter ice drilled into his heart.

It was a surprise when it wasn’t Moomintroll who found him first, but The Mymble. Overwhelmed with the party, he had dove into the forest and climbed up a maple tree thick with green leaves. The summer breeze hit him just right, and from here he can watch the sun tiptoe the horizon and paint the sea a brilliant, hazy orange that drove the warmth of the day away.

“Snufkin,” she said.

He nodded in acknowledgment and lit his pipe, letting the smoke waft into the air and fill the thick silence with its odor, the sweet smell of daisies and poppies on his hat was blanketed under a smokey curtain.

“You’ve become quite the deity, haven’t you,” she settled herself on the ground under his tree, her voice rising into the air as if caught by a breeze and sailed up to his perch.

“You couldn’t have done anything for me, could you?” It was a statement, not a question.

“No. I can’t raise a spirit. Those children are all demigods and I enjoy watching them grow, but you aren’t a demigod. You won’t grow like them.”

“Little My?”

“Is like them, and so is my eldest. You’re one of a kind, Snufkin.” A sigh left her lips and it was as if the whole forest took a breath of fresh air. The leaves seemed greener, the air fresher, and the gentle sweetness of the most fragrant flora, of soft sweet peas and mysterious wisteria, star-light jasmine and plump gardenias. It was as if spring came back once more for another round. Snufkin looked down from his perch and saw The Mymble as she truly is- a goddess of spring.

Flowers bloomed and died in her hair, petals dripped like soft snow onto her shoulders and the green grass that’s sprouted out around her. The collar of fur was replaced with a wreath of greenery and flowers oozing their sweet scent, her coat was now a shifting robe that seemed to have been woven from the silkiest petals. She looked up to where Snufkin lounged in the tree, her round face glowing with light only one not of this world can possess.

Snufkin lifted his robe of glamour, the scruffy Snufkin in a coat too old to count the years of and boots worn to the thinnest soles were replaced by his robes of shimmering green. His hat bloomed all sorts of flowers, from the smallest, palest buds to the brightest, largest petals. He descended from the tree with a graceful leap, draped in spring nature, falling far too high to be safe and landed gently on the freshly grown grass, his bare feet hitting the cool blades.

“What of The Joxter, my father?” Snufkin asked.

“A minor god, the personification of a lazy summer day,” she nodded. “It’s why you reign strongest in the spring and summer where the flowers bloom brightest and the sun is the warmest. You spend your days idly and freely, amongst the root of trees and grassy meadows and wherever you go, you bring spring with you.”

She looked up where he stood before him. Even sitting, he was only barely taller than her. “You need to leave earlier than that, my son. I heard from the Moomins you hang around here through the autumn. That can harm you, and it can harm the balance of nature.”

“I know.”

“Then leave as soon as the trees start to shudder and the flowers start to grow smaller. You need to bring your music to the south where the sun sits high in the sky.”

“I will.”

Her eyes narrowed, unbelieving of him. Towers of delphiniums started growing around her, pale blue and pink trumpets of flowers unraveling and reaching for their sun, their spring goddess. Pops of tiny daisies sprung at their feet and brushed up against Snufkin’s bare ankles. “You will. I don’t know if you know this, but if you linger too long in one place, you may perish.”

“I know.” He was starting to sound like a broken record, skipping over select words that would appease his mother. But he knew, he understood the risk of staying too close to winter in Moominvalley. He did it once before because Moomintroll asked him to stay until the winter solstice for their feast so he won’t miss him too terribly when he left. He was ill then, and could barely touch his food, and almost didn’t make it out of Moominvalley before the snow started to really come down. Moomintroll has tried since then to have him stay a little longer, sighing loudly, despondently, into the autumn air. He caved and stayed, and he almost died.

“Don’t do it again. For each time you do, you will grow weaker faster.”

A shout of his named echoed through the forest. A flock of birds rose from the trees and scattered into the orange horizon, the sun swallowed by the midnight blue.

Moomintroll rounded the corner and spotted Snufkin. “There you are! Are you alright? You disappeared during the party.”

“I’m okay, just a little overwhelmed with the number of people,” Snufkin said.

“Oh wow! These are gorgeous!”

The Mymble had disappeared, leaving the patch of jewel-green grass and the stocks of delphiniums at the base of the tree. Snufkin had dropped his glamour back on, his boots crushing the grass and the daisies on his hat matched the ones by Moomin’s feet. Moomintroll did not see a thing. “Aren’t they lovely? They’re called delphinium.”

“They are.” Moomin picked a couple of little daisies and stuck them in the wreath of flowers on Snufkin’s hat. “Do you want to be alone right now?”

Snufkin shook his head. “We can go to the beach and take a walk. I’m just tired of the party.”

Moomintroll’s eyes lit up, a mischevious sparkle that seemed a little too excited for a simple moonlit stroll on the beach.

“Can I show you something instead?”

---

They stole a lantern from the party when no one was looking and traipsed up the forest path. Snufkin realized it was the direction Moomintroll had been sneaking off too for months now.

“What do you want to show me?” Snufkin prodded.

“It’s a surprise.” Moomintroll was practically vibrating.

They reached a bend in the trail and Moomintroll went off the path, over a bushel of bright, yellow yarrow, and down a secret worn path that wound through the trees. He suddenly stopped at the base of a sturdy oak tree. He pushed aside some broken branches piled up at the bottom and revealed a rope ladder dangling down the side of the tree.

“What is this, Moomintroll?” Snufkin asked. He looked up and between the thick branches he could make out wooden boards.

“I built us a secret base,” Moomintroll said, his voice barely able to contain his excitement. “I read a book about spies having secret bases hidden in plain sight, where they can meet and plot their next missions. I thought it would be cool if we had a secret place, too.”

“Oh, Moomintroll, it’s fantastic.” Snufkin’s heart swelled with something warm. A moment of fear iced his veins, that this was Moomintroll asking him to stay forever, but this was a treehouse, a place for them alone and not an actual house. He needn’t read too deeply into the meaning of all this.

“Let’s go, let’s go! You haven’t even seen the best of it yet!” Moomintroll ushered him up the ladder. It took them through a square hole cut out of a wooden platform, buried in the oak branches and green leaves. There was no way someone could see this place from below, and with the thick tree coverage, it was hard to see it coming from the forest path unless someone was looking for it.

The house was a simple box that was morphed around a sturdy branch. The door was a little high off the ground, and there were curtains patterned with summer yellow sunflowers (definitely Moominmamma’s work). The cabin was small, a little rickety for comfort, but Snufkin adored it. The little chairs at the table, a basket of snacks, a worn map from Moominpappa, a bouquet of small sunflowers and pale purple cosmos sat in a vase Snufkin remembered Moomintroll made when he was briefly into pottery, the sides bumpy with paw marks and the smear of bright blues made it personal. Moomin lit the oil lamp on the table and filled the small space with a wonderful warm glow. The blue light left from the twilight was chased away with the golden candlelight.

“This is wonderfully cozy,” Snufkin said as he settled down into one of the chairs. He peaked out from behind the window curtain and could see the main forest path between the branches of their tree. “Perfect for spying, but I’m afraid at night someone will see our light.”

“Then we’ll have to be extra careful and only come when everyone’s asleep,” Moomintroll said. He took the seat across from Snufkin and pulled out a book from a box under the table. “Let me show you the book that inspired me to make this!”

---

Little My bobbed through the tall stocks of gladiolus, a bundle held in her small arms. With her size, it was as if she was carrying lumber, not pink and yellow flowers. She emerged from the stocks and ran full sprint toward Moominhouse, where Moominmamma was trimming the stems of gladiolus and placing them in long vases.

“Thank you, Little My, that will be plenty for now,” Moominmamma said kindly, taking the new bundle from Little My. “Can you deliver this vase to Mrs. Fillyjonk?” She handed Little My a vase almost as tall as her with a spry of artfully arranged flowers, a red bow tied around the slim neck of the bottle.

“Sure thing! Don’t get mad if I spill!” Little My leaped from the porch and teetered down the walkway toward Mrs. Fillyjonk’s house, the water sloshing dangerously in the vase and her arms burned but she refused to put it down.

Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a Moomintroll-white shape flitter in the corner of her eye. She quietly placed the vase down on the side of the road and scanned the treeline where she saw it.

There! Darting between the trees was Moomintroll, his own armload of gladiolus flowers clutched close to his chest, the red pedals bobbing with his steps. The flowers won’t die if they waited out in the sun for a bit, Little My thought to herself and ran after him.

She stayed far enough away he wouldn’t be able to hear him, but close enough to keep him within sight. They wound through the trees, going off and on trails and pushing through bushes. He stopped suddenly at the bank of a river, a waterfall feeding into the quickly moving water. Snufkin sat at the shore, a bucket next to him and his fishing rod posed in his hand. Branches of green leaves and fern dripped from his hat, the single white dahlia poking from the side was like a beacon amongst the green. Moomintroll came up behind him and plucked a bud of red gladiolus and stuck it in his hat brim. The roar of the waterfall hid their words and Little My scooted closer to catch what they were talking about.

She heard “secret base” and lost face. She hopped from behind the bush and shouted, “And what are you two up to?!”

Moomintroll jumped in surprise and Snufkin turned and tipped his hat in greeting. “Little My, hello.”

“Hello to you, too. What are you talking about?” She asked again.

Moomintroll seemed to be sweating under all his fur, his eyes darting everywhere but Little My. “Nothing much, I wanted to show Snufkin the flowers you and Mamma picked.” Liar.

She tried again, badgering them for good answers, but she only got vague remarks. She got bored, as Moomintroll was giving Snufkin big cow eyes as he fished and Snufkin kept sneaking longing glances at Moomintroll when he wasn’t looking. It was sickening and she couldn’t take it. She left to go finish delivering the flowers

---

Moomin realized that he harbored warm feelings for Snufkin when the sun was at its hottest. Snufkin had stripped to his trousers and worn shirt, the white so faded it was threadbare at the hems and elbows. They splashed around a creek where a willow tree traced its surface, stocks of violet irises waved in the warm, summer breeze and spots of petunias reached for the water. It was a picturesque sight of them chasing frogs in the moving water, tripping over stray stones and tangled in weeds. The cool water felt great in Moomin’s heated skin, his fur thinned for the summer but it wasn’t enough to cool him from the hot sun. Snufkin had a peeling sunburn on his nose, new freckles sprang up across his cheeks and the back of his hands and for a second Moomin wanted to kiss them.

The shock of realization hit him as if Little My dumped ice-cold lemonade over his head. He froze in the creek, the water splashing at his waist as he stared wide-eyed at Snufkin floating on the surface, eyes closed and absorbing the sun peeking through the willow branches and warming the water. Moomin’s heart leaped in his throat and caught his tongue in a stranglehold. Never in his life had he wanted to hold someone’s paw so much.

---

The Moomins shielded themselves from the midsummer sun under their balcony, with Moominappa taking up residence in the hammock with a book over his face to muffle his snores. Snufkin sat on the railing cleaning his harmonica while Moomintroll sat next to him with a book of his own. From where they sat, a breeze hit them just right. Moominmamma was nearby repairing one of Little My’s dresses with a rather large hole in the hem. The little monster herself laid sprawled out on the porch, sweat dampening her hairline and shooting glances and Moomintroll and Snufkin.

Snufkin let his eyes follow her glances where Moomintroll was posed reading a book, one of pirates and seascape adventures. The sun hit his fur where the shade couldn’t shield him, haloing him in a white glow and Snufkin’s heart stuttered in his chest.

Moomintroll chose that moment to look and he smiled at Snufkin, his eyes glittered with mirth from what Snufkin suspects is from a silly part in his novel. He winked at Snufkin and went back to reading.

Little My snorted when Snufkin turned his back to the porch so no one could see his red cheeks.

---

Snufkin found himself napping amongst hydrangeas. They grew off the side of one spot on the road and their fragrant shade was ideal for a mid-afternoon nap. It was August, and the heat was reaching to the point of unbearable. The day before he and the Moomins wore themselves out on their own seascape adventure when they took the boat out. He could still smell the lingering salt and sand on his skin, a smell that won’t go away until summer is gone beyond the horizons.

He heard familiar footsteps coming down a road, a gait he had memorized by heart. Moomintroll caught sight of his boots sticking out of the flowers and crawled under the bush to join him.

“Hullo, Snufkin,” Moomintroll greeted. “Do you mind if I join you? The sun is very harsh right now and it smells wonderful in this shade.”

“Be my guest.” Snufkin patted the spot next to him. It was a tight fit within the sturdy branches and pom poms of pastel flowers, but Snufkin didn’t mind. He could never mind being so close to Moomintroll.

It was peaceful between them, or that’s what Snufkin wanted to say. He was enjoying the air between them, warm and fragrant. It was Moomintroll who seemed to not be able to settle down. He was tense, kept shifting in his spot.

Unable to take it, Snufkin pokes. “What’s the matter, Moomintroll?”

“I want this to last forever,” Moomintroll spoke in a rush, a crack in the dam.

“Well, summer can’t last forever. Soon it will be autumn and I’ll have to leave again, but don’t worry, I’ll always be back,” Snufkin soothed. “Then we can have a whole new spring together.”

“No, not that. It’s-“ Moomintroll gulped and sat up as far as he could with a wide branch of spade leaves in his way. He looked down over at Snufkin. “I don’t want us to change.”

“People are always changing, but we can change together.” Snufkin was admittedly a little confused where Moomintroll’s train of thought was going. He thought they’ve discussed this in-depth?

His heart lit up, fluttered in his chest in hope. He crushed it underfoot.

Moomintroll gulped. “I don’t mean it like that. I’m… I…”

Snufkin waited patiently. He sat up, too, and gripped the brim of his hat in his lap.

“I don’t know how to say this but I need to say this to you Snufkin, but I don’t want ya to change apart, can we still be friends?” Moomintroll looked anywhere but at Snufkin.

“Of course I’ll stay by your side,” Snufkin agreed easily. It was the easiest yet hardest thing he could do.

“Snufkin,” Moomintroll took a deep breath, steadying himself and pulled his gaze to meet Snufkin’s. “I love you so much, I want to stay with you, and you stay with me. I love you like Mamma and Pappa love each other, and if you don’t- don’t feel the same way, that’s okay! As long as we can be friends that’s more than enough for me.”

There was a stutter in Snufkin’s heartbeat at Moomintrolls confession.

“You don’t have to respond, we don’t have to change,” Moomintroll continued. “I needed you to know that before I exploded.”

“What if I want it to change?” Snufkin asked. His heart felt so light, pounding a rhythm into his chest. Before Moomintroll could respond, a look of pain crossing his face, Snufkin said, “What if I want us to be together, too… if you would have me?” He felt… he didn’t know how to voice his love for Moomintroll, he never thought he would ever. He wasn’t prepared.

Moomintroll’s eyes filled with starlight, a smile graced his face so wide and happy Snufkin silently filed away that memory forever. “I would love to,” Moomintroll said.

They held hands, something they’ve done countless times before, but this time it had a whole new meaning.

---

The summer heat got hotter and drier as the season progressed, the riverbed dried out and only the sturdiest flora could withstand the waves of heat. Grass shriveled to brown crisps and Moominmamma’s roses were nothing but bare stumps. In this, like everyone else in Moominvalley, Snufkin found himself dozing off more often than not. With a heat this intense, it left the air dizzy with sleep.

As Moomintroll and Snufkin would be considered officially together, they hardly strayed from each other’s sides. Their honeymoon phase, as Moominmamma called it. Despite how desperately Snufkin wanted to cuddle up to Moomintroll’s soft chest and sleep the day away under the bridge, the heat wouldn’t allow him to go closer than a few inches from Moomintroll. At night, when the air cooled to a more bearable warmth, not nearly cool enough to wear his jacket again but less like he needed to peel his skin off too, they would watch fireflies dance amongst the midnight blue or simply relax on the beach where the waves pounded their stories into the sand.

Snufkin tried not to think of the coming autumn, how the sunflowers were growing less frequently and the air lost the summer touch.

---

As if summoned, or perhaps sent by a certain spring goddess, Snufkin received a visitor on the last day of summer.

The summer left him weak and found that naps helped. Napping in flowers helped a lot. He laid in a grove of lavender brush, the first of the upcoming season and a final goodbye from summer. Their soothing smell lulled him into a deep sleep and he wondered if Moomintroll has seen this yet.

A crunch of footsteps through hard dirt and the sage leaves of the lavender brought Snufkin out of his stupor. Sleepily, he sat up and put his hat back on, the top adorned with more of the lavender stocks and sweet asters Moomintroll had found for him. A figure framed by the too-bright sun shaded his vision.

“Hello, may I help you with something?”

“I’m your dad and your mother sent me to make sure you’re getting ready to leave,” this person, The Joxter, said.

To see both his parents within the span of one season, how fortunate Snufkin must be. The Joxter was as Moominpappa described him to be, his eyes were a piercing blue and his olive coat had seen better days, the hat on his head was similar to Snufkin’s except red and looped through the cord around the brim were dandelions. From the pipe hanging from his lips and the calm disposition, Snufkin was a little unnerved by the similarities between them.

“It’s too early, tell her I’ll leave when it’s properly time,” Snufkin said.

The Joxter’s eyes narrowed. He took a deep breath of his pipe and puffed out a ring of smoke. “Okay.”

Snufkin was taken aback. “Okay?”

“Yeah.” He plopped down next to Snufkin and leaned back, his hat tilted down to shield his face. “I don’t care. You’re a grown man. She never took interest in you before now, so I don’t know what her concern is.”

The remark sort of hurt, but it was the hard truth. “Is she trying to change herself?”

“Not likely. I think she doesn’t want her only god kid to die out because he liked hanging out with the Moomins. Don’t worry, I do too. Your little boyfriend’s dad and I go way back.” His voice was muffled by his hat, the pipe lifted lazily in the air as he tapped out the ashes without care.

Snufkin stared down at him unsure of where to go from there. “They’re good, the Moomins.”

“Yeah, lay down kid, take a nap with me, then let’s go eat some of Moominmamma’s delicious food.” The Joxter patted Snufkin’s spot, the dent still in the grass where Snufkin had been laying.

He complied and found it odd to be having a cat nap with his dad out of the blue, a man he has never met before this moment. A god-like him who chose to spend his days idly, and suddenly he didn’t find it so weird so similar they were.

-----

AN: see Snufkin here!

#moom #moominvalley #the moomins #snufkin #snufmin #springdove #fic #hng

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moomory · 5 years

Text

It’s been years but it still stands that I’m desperate for some good ole’ moomin tarot cards.

Soooome ramblings and interpretations of some of the major arcana

Interpretation wise I think Hemulen would fit the magician. Not really just for the aesthetic but Hemulens are really goal oriented for achieving their own desires and hyperfixations. Which magicians are all about.

Snorkmaiden sorta fits the star. It’s about radiating joy, dreaming, and enjoying life for both its highs and lows. It’s about being positive and growing to be your best self. Her joy and feminity are written to be invaluable in the long run and being a positive force onto the cast.

Death is a card that people have a natural gut reaction to be freaked by and i don’t hecken blame them. Although its meaning is positive. Rebirth. Starting over. Out with the old bad stuff and in with the fresh and new. Know who else is misconstrued by others in the series for their intentions? Our poor friend, the Groke.

Moomin is the fool. New beginnings and going out to have experiences. Adventure! As the main character of the franchise, he’s not only Tove’s avatar but ours as well. We experience events and learn about Moominvalley and its inhabitants through him. He’s kinda what started it all and where it begins.

Thingumy and Bob would fit The Lovers. The card is abt deciding between which two paths of a crossroad to take and making a tough choice despite none of them possibly being favorable options. Also bc in swedish their names are Tofsla and Vifslan that were pet-names that reference Tove and her girlfriend at that current time, Vivica. Their suitcase symbolized their love being locked away and hidden.

Snufkin is the Hermit hands down. The need for solitude is like the main component of his character.

Moominmama and Moominpappa are the Empress and Emperor. Also for they can aesthetically correspond. Both these cards represents the traditional sense of what a mother and father represent. Nuturing vs. Protecting. Which is really self-explanatory. Reverse Emperor also could mean that you feel your freedom is rather constricted, which is a issue Moominpappa faces in the books. Alternatively, The Great Mymble could fit the Empress bc she’s an OG.

Little My would be the Chariot. I can’t imagine her being any other card. She should be the posterchild for it. The Chariot is about being assertive with your decisions and having the ulitmate willpower to do it and succeed. No one can stop them or should underestimate them. They do what they want and they are on a roll!

Ninny to me fits the Moon arcana to a T! And I might just be super indulgent abt it bc moon is my fave. Dealing with overcoming fear and anxiety and have trouble accepting who they are from it. Sometimes causing to project a false self or illusion. Either Toffle and Miffle could also fit here with their fear. But if Miffle is the moon then Toffle is the sun from his development and also so they can coordinate!

Stinky is the Devil 😈

Mrs. Fillyjonk would probs fit the Hierophant. That card represents tradition and being set in their ways. Being wise and logical. Most Fillyjonks value order and being traditionally “proper”. Valuing rules over new eccentricities. Alternatively, she could be Justice since the Hierophant is often depicted to be more masculine. Justice fits since its about every action having a reaction/consequence and that everything has law and structure. And also finding balance which is the solution to most of Fillyjonks’ issues.

Too-Ticky would be The High Priestess. This is associated with wisdom, intuitaveness, and empathy. Traits she possesses. It also includes knowing hidden knowledge. When Moomin wakes up early from his hibernation, she really levels with him and advises him about winter in Moominvalley, something that is hidden, new, and a mystery to him.

There’s a few I missed and some character could fit the minor arcana more, but I have no idea what character would be tragically chaotic enough to fit the tower. i’d love to hear other interpretations tho I live for this stuff!!

#tried looking some up again and it came up with some cute playing cards #i dont even play card games but if there’s a moomin? CHANGED MY MIND love goldfish #text #moomin

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moominpapasfanficblog · 10 months

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Boyle’s Odyssey

On finding a new home

Switchblade quickly led Boyle and Snusmumrikken down the first floor hallway of his restored tenement.

“Hey, everyone! Guess who’s back to visit us just like I said he would be! Boyle! Come on out and give him the welcome he deserves!”, shouted Switchblade.

Immediately, young beasts popped their heads out of each of the apartment doors. Boyle recognized them all. They were his fellow prisoners from the juvenile detention center. As they saw him, they each came out in the hallway to thank him personally for leading their charge to freedom. It was all more than a little overwhelming. He finally got some breathing room when he, Snusmumrikken, and Switchblade closed the door to the central stairwell of the building that was at the far end of the hallway.

“You found all of them, Switchblade?! That must have taken some time! Why did they all agree to live here with you? How did you all manage to get this building in such good condition in less than a year?! It was on the verge of collapse when we took shelter here in the Spring!”, said Boyle.

“Oh, I’m a beast of grand ambitions when I really put my mind and effort into it. Let’s just say that the prospect of seeing the look you have on your face right now lit a fire under me. As for finding them all, word gets around fast among the poorest beasts in any city! It was easier to restore this place than you’d think, especially since I was offering anyone willing to join in the chance to create a safe haven for themselves. We attracted more willing paws than we knew what to do with in very short order! We had to get creative in acquiring the tools, supplies and most of all the deed to this building, but that’s what we specialize in!”, said Switchblade.

“I suspect that I would rather not know all of the details, but please tell everything that you wish to tell me.”, said Boyle, laughing easily and freely.

“Only if you tell me of your Summer in Moominvalley in return!”, said Switchblade.

As the three of them toured each of the remaining seven floors of the tenement and met the other beasts who lived there, Snusmumrikken felt themself being left in the background as Boyle and Switchblade talked animatedly about their adventures since they parted. They didn’t feel resentful at all. Instead they observed the ease of their friendship with wonder. They were two very different beasts with entirely different personalities and yet they fit perfectly together. They had always felt alienated from others, even from Toft, their parent, who they loved very deeply despite everything that gone wrong between Toft and their partner. They had thought that resetting the world and returning to the past was the only way to find the happiness they had lost. But, everyone in Moominvalley did the opposite. They moved forward, trying to find new ways of understanding each other and new connections.

Switchblade was a very atypical Mumrik. He was outgoing and very friendly, loved being around others, and living in urban areas. Boyle, on the other hand, fit the stereotype of a Hemulen to a tee, and yet was powerfully drawn to Switchblade. Snusmumrikken had begun to appreciate that beasts didn’t have to be what they wanted them to be over their stay in Moominvalley. Now they were totally convinced at last that this was a good thing as they watched the two friends connect so naturally.

They reached the final apartment in the tenement at the back of the top floor. Switchblade opened the door wide and let his two guests in. It was a very sparsely furnished studio apartment, like all the others. It had one sleeping bag in the far right corner and a small four person table with four plain wooden chairs around it in the center of the room. There was a tiny, but functional kitchen setup in the left hand corner nearest to the door. In the corner of the room opposite to the kitchen there was a door that clearly led to the bathroom. There were two small windows spaced apart evenly on the back wall.

“Make yourselves at home!”, said Switchblade enthusiastically.

Boyle and Snusmumrikken set aside their backpacks near the bathroom door, unpacked their sleeping bags and set them up against the back wall. Boyle took off his cloak and hung it on the back of one the chairs around the table.

“So, what’s first on the agenda, Switchblade?”, asked Boyle

“We’ll start off with dinner and then a good night’s rest. You’re as perceptive as ever, Boyle, choosing the word ‘agenda’. You’re quite right, I do want something more from you than just spending time with you. I want to convince you to live permanently in Tornio. Your friend is welcome as well, of course! I know that you are the perfect addition to our community here. You have something invaluable to add, I just know it!”, said Switchblade.

“We’ll have all Winter to sort that out, Switchblade. But, you’re not the only one who wants to get closer here. I need to know what we mean to each other. I’ve never grown to feel this close to anyone so quickly. I…I’m really drawn to you, but I don’t want you to feel pressured by me. We’ll take our time. Focusing on helping your community over the next four months will be just the thing.”, said Boyle.

“Fair enough. I look forward to it.”, said Switchblade. They shook paws on it, and then they all moved to the kitchen to begin preparing dinner.

To Be Continued

#moomin #moominvalley #moomin fanfiction #moomin oc

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moominpapasfanficblog · 2 years

Text

The Musicians

On healthy nostalgia

Captain Herschel turned out to be the Hemulen who was driving the carriage. His band consisted of a Moomin named Gunther who played the standing double bass, a Fillyjonk named Francesca who played an impressive drum set, a Fuzzy named Constance who played an accordion or a piano if one was available, and two Hemulens named Marcus and Leopoldo who played the trumpet and the saxophone respectively. Captain Herschel himself played the guitar. They all lived together in the first carriage in their train and stored their instruments and other gear in the rear carriage. The members of the band shared in the responsibilities of taking care of the carriages, their instruments and gear, the oxen, and each other. They all wore highly colorful costumes that matched Captain Herschel’s whenever they performed and plainer, more practical clothes otherwise.

The band set up their camp around their carriages in the field nearby the Moominvalley Community Center while the oxen were released from their harnesses to graze freely. Moominpapa helped The Snork, Sniff, William, and Snerf get the Community Center ready for the first performance on Friday with a passion. Word of the upcoming concert and the two week long series of daily performances spread throughout Moominvalley almost instantly. There was a lot of excitement and everyone was more than willing to pay the price of admission and provide food for Captain Herschel and his band. Snufkin was more excited than anyone else and approached Captain Herschel about performing on his harmonica with them the day after they made camp. Captain Herschel was more than happy to include him as it would be good for their reputation in Moominvalley.

The first performance was a smashing success. The crowd of villagers overflowed the Community Center, but The Snork had prepared for this possibility and had wired microphones on the stage to speakers mounted on the wall of the Community Center on either side of the main doors. Most of the villagers had brought their own folding chairs and were able to enjoy the performance as well as anyone inside the center.

Much to Captain Herschel’s surprise, taking the risk of including Snufkin in their performance was more than worth it. He knew all of the ballads and folk music in their repertoire. He even was able to join in ably in renditions of well known pieces of chamber music. Once Snufkin took the stage and the band began to play, he was transported to another world where there was only music. His happiness and hard life experiences came through his playing effortlessly.

Every night that Captain Herschel’s Traveling Band performed got better and better and Snufkin fitted in with them more and more naturally. For two weeks, everyone in Moominvalley was treated to superb music. The time for Captain Herschel and his band to leave came close faster than anyone wanted.

It was only three nights before the band was to leave when Moomintroll, Snork Maiden, Moomin, and Tayberry had a family meeting in the early afternoon on the verandah of Moominhouse with Snufkin to make a serious announcement.

“I haven’t forgotten a single word of the promise I made to you the night you fell in love with me, and I intend to keep all of them, and so does your entire family. If you need to go with Captain Herschel, we’ll all chase you if you want us to. We’ll make it work. If you need for us to stay here and await your return in the Spring, we will be your Spring, ready to welcome you back like a dove. Whatever you decide, we trust you and love you unconditionally, so don’t hesitate to do what will make you feel the happiest.” Said Moomintroll, and Snork Maiden, and the children nodded eagerly in agreement.

“You’re all way more than I ever deserved in my life!”, said Snufkin, tears of happiness welling up in his eyes, “I do miss the vagabond life from time to time. I met so many musicians just like Captain Herschel in my years of traveling. They were always my favorite part of my adventures. But, this family…my family…is my greatest adventure ever. I wouldn’t miss a single moment of it. I really appreciate your readiness to sacrifice so much for me! I know how hard you’ve worked to trust me so much! I could never leave you now!”, said Snufkin, crossing over to Moomintroll. Moomintroll stood up, and Snufkin raised up his snout and kissed him deeply and lovingly. The rest of Snufkin’s family rose and burst into spontaneous applause.

The End

#moomin fanfiction #moomin #moominvalley #snufkin #moomintroll #snufmin #moomin oc #snork maiden

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writers-in-moominvalley · 2 years

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🌌Alternate Moominverse🌌

Okay to get this crucial information out of the way; (Disney animated) Cinderella Snufmin AU, Cinderella is Snufkin, Prince Charming is Moomintroll, the king is Moominpappa, Grand Duke is Mr. Hemulen, Fairy Godmother is the Witch, the mice are Mymble's kids but teeny tiny, Bruno might be Sorry-oo and Lucifer can be uhm... The cat from that one comic where Pimple gets into a gay relationship with another dog. Lady Tremaine and her daughters though, the funny part, they're gonna be the Muddler and his kids (Anastasia is Sniff and Drizella is Fuddler), Muddler remarried to Joxter and then Joxter died (making Juddler also canon in this AU).

Now, this isn't gonna be about that, we all know how those little ding dongs fall in love, every Moomin fanfiction writer has read atleast a couple Snufmins and knows how it'll play out.

The main story I'm here to talk about is actually based on the third Disney Cinderella movie, the one with the step family stealing Godmother's wand and abusing its power to get their version of the happy ending.

Things go as the movie goes, Sniff and Fuddler are having a miserable time being left behind by Snufkin and doing all of his dirty work, Sniff finds Snufkin and Moomintroll going into the nearby forest, he follows them, accidentally turns the Witch into stone and steals her magic thingy (doesn't have to a wand but let's say it is), takes it to his family, Muddler uses it to go back in time to the shoe fitting moment where Sniff is trying on the glass... Slipper? Boot? Whatever footwear Snufkin would've worn to the ball. Muddler makes it so the shoe magically fits, they're taken to the castle, Muddler messes with Moomintroll's memories to make him think the partner of his dreams was Sniff and blah blah Snufkin tries to reclaim his rightful happy ending by going to the castle, Moominpappa is trying to be as welcoming to Sniff as he can, Moomintroll gets his regular memories back thanks to the Mymbles, Muddler panics and makes Sniff look like Snufkin for the wedding, real Snufkin gets stuffed into a terrible pumpkin carriage with the cat as the carriage rider, stuff happens, our heroes stop the wedding, there's a climax, Muddler and Fuddler get punished while Sniff gets a compromise of a happy ending while Moomintroll and Snufkin get their real happy ending the end Sniff ends up with a potato sack full of money that Moominpappa made as a fencing dumby.

The main thing is that I want the step family to still be hilariously in character the whole time, they're not evil here, no no, they're just up in their own bubbles of social anxiety. Muddler lost both his spouses and he's desperate for his kids to have a future, Fuddler is oblivious and clumsy and trying to follow along with his dad's plan, Sniff is half-unwilling to go with anything but he doesn't want to disappoint. Everything that Muddler does with the wand after the time travel idea (which was like an "Oh wouldn't hurt to try, would it...?" moment of selfishness) was done in a fit of absolute panic and he is on the verge of a mental breakdown the whole time racked with guilt and a major fear of getting caught somehow. Fuddler is somewhat enjoying being in a castle because he's a little too oblivious to catch up with his dad's panic over the whole thing.

I want this to be as funny if not more funny than the original movie, the movie was already amazing (don't @ me) and it's about time there was an AU that focused of Sniff and his family, alright? Like, this is just too ingenious to pass up.

Also everyone who wore dresses in the movie are still wearing dresses.

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jancmalandra · 4 years

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Moominpapa Steps Up

On making hope real in a bad situation

By Wednesday, Moominpapa, Moomintroll, Tayberry, and Moomin had become a well-oiled housekeeping team. The children and Moomintroll got finished with all the chores a little earlier each day and got to spend a little more of the afternoon enjoying walking in the woods with Snufkin. That evening, they gathered in the parlor once more to hear Moominpapa continue his story of his adventures just before he met Moominmama, this time over fruit punch.

"Gail and Emmaline led Charlie and I to a large, old, abandoned factory building deep in the bowls of Brooklyn. I committed my very first truly criminal act when they showed me how to use the city's public train system without paying in order to get there. All the windows of the factory were painted over in black paint, and from the outside it looked completely deserted and uninviting. Emmaline told me that this was one of the Mumriks' many safe houses for the poor throughout the city. Inside, they had rigged up electric lights and had done whatever else they could to make the interior comfortable for the many residents there. There was a makeshift soup kitchen and dining hall on the first floor. The remaining five floors were used as dormitories with bathrooms, cots, mattresses, sheets, blankets, and pillows to go with them. Kerosene powered space heaters kept each room as warm possible."

"The residents were a motley collection of homeless, destitute beasts from every race under the sun. Fuzzies, Moomins, Hemulens, and so on, all of whom had come under the protection of the Mumriks. The Mumriks themselves were quite an impressive group. They were well-organized and disciplined in their own way. They had no chain of command and nothing was ever written down, but Gail and Emmaline's example and intent were followed by all the other Mumriks without fail. They were united by one idea; truly helping the poor and forgotten citizens of the city. The residents never ran out of supplies and when the residents had to lay low or scatter due to the presence of the police or the gangs, no one panicked and everyone followed what would be the best procedure without having to be told what to do."

"The Mumriks all wore loose fitting and ragged street clothing; sneakers, work boots, denim jeans, athletic pants, t-shirts, hoodies and work shirts while indoors and heavy Winter coats and pants over that when they went outdoors. The best of the clothing that the Mumriks were able to 'aquire' was reserved for the residents. This is where I was expected to come in."

"Emmaline asked me if I could provide unwanted clothing from Aunt Jane's store on a regular basis. I explained that getting around Frederick would be impossible and that we would have to let him in on the scheme. I also explained that he would most likely be in favor of it, and that I could see him finding ways to deliver the clothing more secretly, surely and safely."

"To make a long story short, When I explained the situation to Frederick a few days later, his reaction was exactly what I had hoped for. He instantly agreed to arrange for the delivery of the clothing to drop off points specified by Gail and Emmaline and keep its absence appearing to be legitimate on the store's books."

" 'My dear Moomin.' he said to me very seriously, but at the same time looking rather thrilled at the whole thing and proud of me, 'The success of this endeavor will depend on you distracting Jane from paying close attention to the store for a few months while we iron out the potential difficulties in this arrangement. I'm afraid that I must ask you to get into rather a lot of constant trouble for at least that long to accomplish this. Jane will pursue you and attempt to bring you home. You must keep her chasing after you and not allow yourself to get caught. Are you up to it, my boy?', I nodded and we began planning how I would conduct my daily mischief."

"Aunt Jane spent her weekday evenings at various high society gatherings, which I would crash and then run off with as much of the best of the wine, liquor and food as I could carry. I would make as much of a scene in public as possible, guaranteeing that she would pursue me personally rather than call the police. The Mumriks would provide me with unlicensed cabs and drivers to help me make my getaways and seedy, low-rent apartments to hide in. The cabs were one of the many ways that they made money for the safe houses."

"Thus began a game of cat and mouse that Aunt Jane and I ended playing for the next three years. Even after the clandestine clothing delivery service was firmly established, I couldn't resist tormenting Aunt Jane by making a public spectacle of myself as cover for running errands for the Mumriks. Naturally, she saw it as her duty to bring me back to her townhouse and under her supervision. And so, our grand duel of wits and wills truly began. As promised, in return for my aid, the Mumriks showed me the slums, lower class bars, clubs, restaurants and food stands, and the homeless camps of the city. What amazed me most about the poor people of the city is that most of them never gave up. They kept moving forward, looking for any opportunity to make their lives and the lives of those around them better."

"I'll describe all of this in much greater detail when I start writing it down for my Memoirs, and I might be persuaded to tell a particularly good story from my time on the run from Aunt Jane in the boroughs of New York once in a while. For now, however, there's really only one story of that time that's left to be told; how I made good my escape back to Moominland and the Autarch's estate during my fourth year in New York, and I will tell that story tomorrow night."

Everyone started heading off to bed except Moominpapa, who asked Snufkin if he could help with cleaning the punch cups and pitcher. They carried everything into the kitchen and Moominpapa began to do the washing in the kitchen sink while Snufkin sat at the kitchen table.

"What did you want to talk to me about, Papa?", asked Snufkin.

"I know that even after nine years of being happily united with Moomintroll and Snork Maiden, living here in Moominhouse, and helping them raise their children," said Moominpapa, "You still wonder sometimes what you are doing being in love with Moomintroll and being part of a family. You wonder what purpose you serve here in Moominhouse. You wonder whether you might be betraying your real nature as a Mumrik. I also know that it's even more complicated than that for you because your parents are The Joxter and The Mymble. Only you get to decide who you are and where you belong. You should trust in the love that you found first and foremost. You should also know that you became a permanent member of the Moomin family the instant you met Moomintroll and you became friends back when you were both eleven. By The Booble, that feels like such a long time ago and like it was only yesterday at the same time! I'm very much afraid that you're stuck with us. You didn't ever have to be anyone or anything else than who you were at the moment to be fully a member of this family. You don't need to prove anything or fulfill any role here. We all love you exactly as you are."

"Thank you, Papa!", said Snufkin. He suddenly felt overcome with his love for the entire Moomin family and gave Moominpapa a hug for the first time in his life. Snufkin then headed off to his room to join Moomintroll in his bed, his steps noticeably lighter and freer.

To Be Continued

#moomin #snufkin #moomintroll #moominvalley #moominpapa #moomin oc #moomin fanfiction

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