Philip Prince
The church was dimly lit when Philip went to confession. The Archdeacon sat in the wooden confessional and Philip slunk inside.
"Bless me father, for I have sinned." He whispered.
"What's wrong, my son," The archdeacon sounded concerned. "You seem troubled."
Tears began to well in Philip's eyes.
"If God is supposed to be so good, then why is he letting her do this to me?"
"Who is doing what to you?" The Archdeacon seemed concerned.
"I'm haunted. I'm possessed or something. I'm hearing voices, feeling sick, throwing up. Why isn't God protecting me?" Philip pleaded.
"Have you tried the Archangel Michael prayer?" The Archdeacon slid a holy card through the slit. "He might prove useful."
Philip kept the card with him and said the prayer a bajillion times. It made him feel a little better, but not much.
Philip sat in the cafeteria surrounded by red construction paper hearts and baby Cupids. It was Valentine's Day and it made him feel sick and lonely. He played with his tofu salad while Kristoff and Kenai looked at him with concern.
"You okay there, man." Kristoff took a bite of his sandwich. "You look spaced out."
"Oh, I just hate Valentine's Day." Philip sighed.
"Hate? That's such a strong negative feeling for you." Kenai smirked.
"It just sucks. All the love and kisses and shit, it just makes me wonder why I'm alone. Why we're alone. We're hot, popular guys. How come we don't have girlfriends?"
Kristoff put down his sandwich. "You don't just get a girlfriend because you deserve one. Love is really hard and takes a lot of work."
"What are you a love expert?" Kenai rolled his eyes.
"No. But I know love experts." Kristoff shrugged.
"Hey guys." Phoebus approached the table. "Mind if I interrupt.
"Look, it's Traitor Mcjerkface. Sure have a seat." Kristoff gestured to an empty seat.
"I deserve that." Phoebus sat down. "I haven't been a good friend to you guys lately, especially to you, Philip. All this stuff with Briar Rose has got me thinking. I got so caught up in what I wanted from life and all the school drama that I let it turn me into a pretty gross person."
"Yeah, you were pretty trash at Homecoming." Kristoff shrugged.
"I know and I want to change that. So as an apology, I wanted to ask, Philip, will you be my Valentine?"
He handed Philip a giant construction paper heart.
"You know there have always been rumors that we're gay for each other?" Philip looked at the Valentine.
"I know." Phoebus sighed.
"And I'm happy to fuel those rumors." Philip laughed and took the Valentine. "Happy Valentine's day bro."
Philip enveloped Phoebus in a hug. It felt good to hug him again. To be friends again. It made him feel stronger.
Adam Prince
Mrs. Potts knocked on the door. "Please come out, Master Adam. You've been in there for weeks."
"I can't." Adam growled, doing his best to sound human. He paced the room.
"Whatever's going on, you can tell me. I'm worried about you." She called.
Poor Mrs. Potts. Adam knew that she really did care but if she found out about him, what he had become, she'd probably have a heart attack.
"Go away." He said gruffly and fell upon his bed, which had already broken from his new beastly weight.
He heard another knock on the door.
"Go away." He moaned.
"It's me," He heard Belle's voice and his heart skipped a beat.
"And me." He heard Philip's voice and his heart slowed.
Adam lumbered towards the door and inched it open. Belle and Philip shimmied on through.
"Happy Valentine's Day. Here's your homework." Belle handed him a stack of papers.
"And here's your dinner." Philip set down a tray with some roast beef and boiled veggies.
Adam seized it and devoured it in an instint, his beastly urges getting the better of him. Belle and Philip regarded him with disgust.
"You really are becoming a beast." Belle raised an eyebrow.
Adam wiped the food crumbs off his fur.
"There has to be a way to get him back. He's my big bro." Philip punched Adam in the shoulder. He growled.
Belle sighed. "According to the Bestiary I have, he can be killed with silver but nothing explains how to break the curse.
Adam knew how but he dare not say.
"Let's not spend all this time moping about. We gotta break this curse so we gotta find out how." Belle pulled books out of her stachel.
"How are we supposed to do that?" Adam shrugged his massive shoulders.
"Research." Belle gave a clever grin. "Now let's start reading."
Adam and Philip both groaned. Adam's groan shook the furniture a little.
Cinderella Tremaine
Ella made her way down the hall ducking past kissing couples and locker doors plastered with construction paper hearts.
School felt so weird without Snow. Everyone was asking where she was and Ella had to pretend she had no clue. She preferred to think of it as acting rather than lying. She had to do what she could to protect Snow.
School was overwhelming, it was her Junior year after all, which colleges looked at the most. Her home life was an abusive nightmare and she was now saddled with some supernatural board game riddle. She had to save Rapunzel and Snow and Briar from whatever dark powers were at work in her formerly sleepy suburban town. Why her? Why did some fairy goddess pick her?
Because hope. Because she has faith in her dreams. She couldn't lose that hope. No matter how dark everything seemed, she would just think of her dreams and the blue ballgown and the bright glass slippers. She would choose Light.
"Hey Ella."
Cinderella turned and found herself face to face with one of the biggest lights in her life. Charles was dressed smartly in a light blue turtleneck with salmon pants which complimented the salmon dress Ella was wearing for Valentine's Day.
Ferdinand and Philip stood behind Charles, each one beaming with a doofy smile.
"What is it Charles?" Ella smiled as she closed her locker.
Charles burst out in song. "Everything means nothing if I can't have you!"
Ferdinand and Philip started dancing while Charles sang.
"I can't write one song that's not about you
Can't drink without thinkin' about you
Is it too late to tell you that
Everything means nothing if I can't have you?"
"Ohmygosh, Charles" Ella turned red. Everyone was staring at her, while Charles sang and danced to the Shawn Mendes song.
Charles took her hand as the song ended. "Ella Tremaine, my Valentine, will you be my girlfriend?"
Deep in her mind Ella knew that she was already emotionally drained, taking care of people and working to fight evil. But Ella thought of how she felt when she danced with Charles and how he made her feel: special, bright.
"Yes, Charles, I will be your girlfriend." She laughed from sheer happiness.
Philip handed her roses.
"Smile for the camera!" Ferdinand shouted as Charles kissed her and the camera snapped. Everything in that moment felt perfect.
Then she came home.
"Mother, you should have seen the scene that Cinderella made at school today." Drizella shouted as the three girls walked into the door.
"She was slobbering all over poor Charming, who she made sing and dance for her." Anastasia whined. "Poor Charming."
"His name is Charles and I didn't force anyone to do anything, bitch." Ella snapped. The bitch part was just in her head.
"What is this I hear?" Mrs. Tremaine descended the stairs.
Ella tried to keep herself from shuddering at the sound of her Stepmother's voice.
"Cinderella forced herself on Charming." Anastasia screeched.
"Charles just asked me to be his girlfriend." Ella pleaded, she wasn't going to let her family ruin yet another thing in her life.
"Oh, I see." Tremaine smiled. "How wonderful. How unfortunate that with your wild and disobedient behavior this year, dating is simply not allowed."
"Ha." Drizella huffed in her face..
"That's not, even fair." Ella stammered, holding the roses he gave her extra tight.
"You will call Charles Prince right away and tell him that you are unable to date him at the moment." Mrs. Tremaine pronounced from the stairs.
"And then tell him to date me." Anastasia cackeld.
"No. I will do no such thing." Ella stood up straight.
"YES YOU WILL!" Drizella shrieked and grabbed at the roses.
"Let go!" Ella shouted.
"I loved Charming first, those belong to me!" Anastasia grabbed at the flowers, tearing up the petals.
"Stop, You're destroying them." Ella cried.
With a final tug Drizella sent the torn up flowers scattering to the floor.
"If I can't have him, you definitely won't, Cinderslut." Drizella spat.
"Now clean that up, Cinderella." Tremaine declared. "Girls go to your rooms, I won't have you upsetting yourselves."
The two girls huffed and headed upstairs.
"And Cinderella." Tremaine stared her stepdaughter down, "Don't think that this is over. You can call yourself whoever's girlfriend you want, but I won't see you out galavanting about with a boy while your chores are undone."
"Yes, Stepmother." Ella bowed humbled but hopeful. No one could order her to stop dreaming or to stop loving. No one.
Pocahontas Powhatan
Pocahontas made sure the ice blue card was safely tucked into the gold envelope. "I'm not scared. I can do this."
She approached Elsa's locker to slide in the card.
"What are you doing?" An icey voice asked.
"Oh," Pocahontas whipped around to see Elsa standing there. "I just wanted to leave you a Valentine."
"Why?" Elsa asked sharply. She softened a little. "I guess I'm just not used to friends giving me Valentines."
"Friends. Yes." Pocahontas smiled, handing her a card she intended to express much more than friendship.
"It's a big deal. I don't have a lot of friends but I guess, you're one of the only people that talks to me at school. So I guess we're friends." Elsa smiled and opened the card.
Pocahontas held her breath.
"Oh," Elsa said coolly. "It seems you want to be more than friends."
Pocahontas nodded. "If you want."
"I see." Elsa suddenly raced past Pocahontas. "Excuse me."
Pocahontas heard nothing from Elsa that day but the gentle snowfall was gorgeous.
Ariel Triton
Ariel skipped up to Eric in her cheerleader uniform. "Hey Valentine, I got you something." She kissed him on the cheek and handed him a heart full of chocolates.
"Chocolate, yus." Eric dug in. "You sure know a way to a man's heart."
"I also have a tiny favor to ask my much more popular boyfriend." Ariel gave him her best puppy eyes.
"How can I say no to that face?" Eric laughed.
"Can we get as many other people as possible to launch lanterns into the sky tonight?" Ariel asked,
"And where are we getting these lanterns?" Eric knew which way this was going.
"I was hoping my wealthy boyfriend could help me out." Ariel gave him the eyes again.
"What can I say, Ariel, you have me hooked." He gave her a kiss. "Let's go to the party store after school and buy out all the lanterns. You sure are high-maintenance when it comes to Valentine's Day."
"Oh this isn't for me. It's for Rapunzel. Flynn is doing a big gesture to get her back and we need as much help as we can get." Ariel fussed with her hair. She hated dancing around the truth with Eric.
"Hey, anything for my gf and my bro." Eric gave Ariel a side hug. Ariel prayed to anyone who was listening that this plan would work.
That night they had everyone gathered outside the Prince house. Eric and Ariel distributed lanterns to groups of two. Cinderella and Charles. Tiana and Lotte. Belle and Pocahontas. Hercules and Meg. Philip and Phoebus. Mulan and Merida. Ferdinand and Hans. Quasimodo and Esmeralda. Kenai and Kristoff. Everyone whispered about where Adam and Snow White were but Ariel had no idea, just that Belle and Cinderella had told her not to worry about them.
Jasmine was going to drive Aladdin and Flynn to Rapunzel's house for the big gesture and on her cue, Ariel and everyone would release their lanterns, making it look like the July Lantern festival.
"How does that plan sound?" Ariel asked the crowd. Everyone seemed to nod.
Kenai raised his hand "If this is for Rapunzel, where are Moana and Anna?"
Anna Arendelle
"This isn't funny, Anna." Her Uncle Frederick said sternly, his voice echoing through their palatial home.
"I have the evidence. Dr. Fa tested it in the lab." Anna handed her uncle the results. "Rapunzel is your daughter."
Aunt Arianna broke down crying. Frederick stared at the sheet. "What? How?"
"I know it's a lot to process but she is in trouble. The woman that took her is awful and we need to take Rapunzel home." Anna pleaded.
"But what will she think? Will she be happy with us? Or just horrified?" Arianna spoke through sobs.
Moana stepped into the living room. "Anna, we have to hurry if we're going to be there on time."
"Please." Anna took their hands. "Just trust me."
Peter Pan
Flying was harder for Peter but no dragon-thing was going to keep him from the sky forever. It was his domain and he would fly until he died.
Flynn had asked him to distract Mother Gothel. Apparently Cinderella blabbed that he could fly. Briar Rose always swore that girl could keep a secret but she would not stop talking about the magical world. Peter was used to keeping the world of magic a secret. He didn't want people to think he was crazy.
He didn't mind flying for Flynn. The goofball had welcomed him into the school and got him involved in one mega-prank. He would do almost anything for Flynn.
Peter flew up to Mrs. Gothel's window. She was primping in the mirror. Some witch. Peter had more magic in his little finger than she had in her whole body. All she knew were a few cheap beauty tricks and a spell to manipulate a kidnapped child. It made Peter's blood boil. The fact that the police department knew and wouldn't do anything about it also pissed him off. Adults suck.
Peter threw a rock at Gothel's window. The woman started. She looked outside and she saw Peter perched on the roof waiving.
Gothel threw open the window. "What are you doing on my roof, you little brat?"
"Flying into your house, bitch." Peter took flight and darted into the house.
Gothel screamed.
"What? Your witch friends didn't warn you about me? Peter laughed and flew towards the door.
Gothel slammed it shut. "You aren't going anywhere, you snot-nosed sprite."
Peter grinned. She was easy to play.
Flynn Rider
Flynn's heart pounded as Jasmine drove him up to Rapunzel's house. His stomach turned.
"I don't know if I can do this."
"Of course you can, bro." Aladdin grabbed his shoulder reassuringly. "If anyone can do this it's you."
"I hope you're right." Flynn swallowed as Jasmine parked right in front of Rapunzel's house.
"It's time." Jasmine gave Flynn a nod and started blaring her speaker. She opened the sun roof and Aladdin popped out and started to sing.
My heart's a stereo
It beats for you, so listen close
Hear my thoughts in every note
Make me your radio
Turn me up when you feel low
This melody was meant for you
Just sing along to my stereo
Flynn leapt out of the car and started to rap.
If I was just another dusty record on the shelf
Would you blow me off and play me like everybody else
If I ask you to scratch my back, could you manage that
Like it read well, check it Rider, I can handle that
Furthermore, I apologize for any skipping tracks
It's just the last girl that played me left a couple cracks
I used to used to used to used to, now I'm over that
'Cause holding grudges over love is ancient artifacts
Jasmine and Aladdin picked up the song while Flynn raced towards Rapunzel's window.
The blonde peaked out of the window, eyes wide with panic. "Flynn, what are you doing?"
"What would you do if your mom wasn't home right now, on this beautiful Valentine's night?" Flynn asked, letting the snow fall gently on his hair.
"But she is home." Rapunzel glanced over her shoulder.
"Just let yourself be free for just one moment." Flynn pleaded.
"I don't know…' Rapunzel hesitated.
Just then lanterns began to fill the snowing sky, as Ariel and the others released them into the night.
"The lanterns!." Rapunzel squealed, "like on my birthday".
Rapunzel backed away from the window, face filled with awe.
Flynn's heart fell for a moment. Was this all too much? Did he overwhelm her? Was she going to get her mother?
Just then the door opened and Rapunzel stepped outside, looking up, marveling at the lights.
"Flynn," She gasped. "This is a dream come true."
"Happy Valentine's Day, blondie." He smiled.
Rapunzel rushed up to him and kissed him. Her kiss felt warm and real and bright like June sunshine. In that moment Flynn felt different, like someone was truly seeing him for the first time.
Everyone clapped as they continued to kiss.
"Watch out!" He heard Peter shout. Flynn turned around and was face to face with Gothel who pulled a kitchen knife out of her coat and stabbed him.
Flynn collapsed to the ground, groaning in pain. He reached out to Rapunzel but Gothel pulled her away.
"Rapunzel, we're leaving. Pack your things." Gothel pulled Rapnzel to the house and pulled out a second knife. "Stay back, all of you." She pointed her knife at the assembled teens.
The crowd instinctively took a step back.
"Rapunzel!" Flynn could hear Ariel cry as his vision began to grow hazy.
"Mother, no." Rapunzel broke free. "I have to heal him."
"You'll do no such thing, Rapunzel." Gothel snapped.
"Let me heal him and I promise I'll go with you. If he dies, I'll spend every moment of every day, fighting you. I promise. If I save him we'll go back to the way things were." Rapunzel pleaded.
"No!" Flynn cried.
"Be quick Rapunzel. I'm sure one of these mongrels have already called the police." Gothel spat the last word like someone who knew the police were on her side.
Rapunzel raced over to Flynn.
"No, don't do this." Flynn shifted in agony, bleeding into the snow as he pulled the knife out of his stomach.
Rapunzel placed her hands over the bleeding wound. "I want to. I can't bear to lose you."
Flynn acted as quickly as he could. He grabbed Rapunzel's golden hair and cut it clean off with the bloody knife.
"NOOO!" Gothel shrieked.
Rapunzel's hair instantly turned brown and her long severed braid turned brown as well. Gothel gathered the braid, rapidly greying and aging.
"No, this can't be." She cried as she faded away into a cloud of dust. That horrifying sight was the last thing Flynn saw before his eyes closed and the shrieks of the teens present the last thing he heard.
Rapunzel
Rapunzel reached out to her mother as her mother faded away. "Mother." She cried.
She felt Flynn's body go limp.
"Flynn, no." Rapunzel cried.
Aladdin and Jasmine raced over to her and the rest of the crowd followed.
"Give us space." Rapunzel sobbed.
She held Flynn close. "No, this can't be. You were my new dream." Tears streamed down her face.
"Heal what has been hurt." She cried. But her short brown hair didn't glow or feel bright like it used to. The one time she wanted her gift most and it wasn't there.
She wept salty tears onto Flynn's bleeding body, the sound of panic and commotion around her fading into nothingness.
She whispered one last chant, one last prayer, into his ear.
"Heal what has been hurt,
change the fate's design,
save what has been lost,
bring back what once was mine,
what once was mine."
Just then, her tears started to glow gold and the image of a sun appeared on Flynn's cheek.
Rapunzel gasped and looked down to the wound. Golden light began to pour out of the wound, tracing into winding floral and solar patterns. Light of gold and orange and yellow filled the snowy sky, blossoming and shimmering like a fireworks show. The wound closed up and Flynn's eyes fluttered open.
"Did I ever tell you, I have a thing for brunettes?" Flynn whispered.
Rapunzel cried with joy. Her soul never felt brighter, she felt like her heart was a radiant as the summer sun.
She kissed him again, breathing all her light into Flynn's soul.
"Rapunzel." She heard Anna cry. "I have some people I want you to meet.
Rapunzel looked up to see two people, one that looked remarkably like her, a woman with green eyes and greying brown hair.
"Meet my Aunt and Uncle, your parents."
Rapunzel gasped as the man and woman ran to her and embraced her in the warmest hug she had ever felt. Their bodies shook with sobs and Rapunzel felt their love rush over her like a wave of sunlight.
She had so many questions but right now all she wanted to feel was love.
Eugene Fitzherbert
Flynn sucked on a red popsicle in the hospital. He was totally fine but Jasmine insisted he go and get checked out. So did Rapunzel's parents.
Aladdin spun around in the doctor's chair.
"Welcome to the insane world of magic." Aladdin said.
"I know right? Rapunzel's magic has healed me multiple times now." Flynn replied.
"And you saved my life in a different way." Rapunzel stepped from behind the curtain. "Eugene Fitzherbert."
"How did you find out my real name." Flynn went as red as his popsicle.
"Aladdin told it to the doctor." Rapunzel laughed.
Flynn shot Aladdin a look.
"Hey, I wanted to make sure all the records lined up, especially with your latex allergy." Aladdin shrugged.
"I like Eugene Fitzherbert better." Rapunzel smiled
"You would be the first." Flynn sighed.
"I'm fine with that, Eugene." Rapunzel laughed.
Eugene kind of liked when Rapunzel said his name. Maybe he was a Eugene after all.