Author's Note: Here I am, folks with a new chapter for I Just Wonder!
I did have a small case of writer's block on how to introduce my OCs, Jack and Annie Radcliffe. For one thing, Jack is not going to be a divorce lawyer like Robert in Enchanted. You'll find out about his profession in this chapter. Jack and Annie are named after the brother and sister duo in the Magic Treehouse book series (I remember reading those books as a kid), their last name is a nod to Roger and Anita Radcliffe from 101 Dalmatians (1961).
As for face claims, Jack's face claim is Jonathan Groff (Jesse St. James from Glee, Kristoff from Frozen). Annie's face claim is Daveigh Chase (voice of Lilo from Lilo & Stitch). Personality wise, Jack will be a mix of Robert and Kristoff.
Thank you to Crimson Commander688 for the review, hope you enjoy this new chapter.
Sleeping Beauty and Enchanted isn't mine and retro mania's, all rights go to Disney. Some OCs belong to retro mania, other OCs belong to me.
Happy reading!
Chapter 3
Seventeen-year-old Jack Radcliffe sat at his desk in his office, finishing up paperwork, after creating schedules for the performers. Since graduating from high school, Jack had taken the job as a co-manager for the circus acts at Circus, Circus. It wasn't glamorous, but it paid the bills and supported him and his kid sister, Annie. On the plus side, he and Annie gained a surrogate family after the death of their parents.
Suddenly, there's a knock at the door.
"Come in," said Jack.
Oswald enters.
"Hey Jack, how's it going?" He asked.
"Good," Jack answered.
"You got the performance schedules done?" Oswald questioned.
"Yes, I do." Jack replied. He hands the documents to his boss.
Oswald examines the schedules thoroughly.
"Very good, Radcliffe." He remarked. "Thanks a lot."
"Anytime," Jack said as Oswald left.
Finished with his task, Jack straightens up his desk area when there's another knock at the door.
"Come in," He called.
The door opens to reveal Samantha or "Sam", the hotel receptionist. She walks in.
"Hey Sam," Jack greeted.
"Hey," Sam responds. "What's up?"
"I'm done for the night. Annie and I are going to watch a tightrope walking performance and then head home." Jack said.
Sam nods.
"So, after a day of doing administrative work, you still want to be with Vanessa?" She asks.
"It's not like that with Vanessa and I," Jack pointed out, leaving his desk.
"Oh, that's right. None of that crazy, romantic stuff for you, huh." Sam said, putting Jack's leather vest on him.
"Oh, come on. I mean, we're rational…oh no, we've taken the time to understand each other's strengths and weaknesses." Jack explained. Picking up his messenger bag, he and Sam leaves his office. Jack locks the door.
"Sounds like you're building a bridge." Sam commented. "What does your sister have to say about it?"
"I'm going to tell her tonight, that's a tricky part." Jack informed. "I got her a present to ease her into it, though."
"With news like that, I hoped you got her a Shetland pony." Sam remarked.
"No, something much better than that," said Jack.
Time Skip
After picking up Annie from the Adventure dome Theme Park, the siblings make their way to the Circus, Circus Carnival Midway.
Annie takes the time to open the present from her brother. Instead of a fairytale book like she wanted, instead it's a book titled Important Women of Our Time.
"A book?" Annie gives Jack an exasperated look that said "Really?"
"Oh, come on. Don't give me that look," said Jack. "I know it's not that fairytale book you want, but this is better."
"Look at this, see." Jack opens the book and flips through the pages. "Rosa Parks. Madame Curie. She was a remarkable woman, who dedicated her life to research…until she died from radiation poisoning."
"She died?" Annie repeated, incredulous.
"Yeah," Suddenly, Jack's phone started ringing and he immediately answered.
"Hi. Tomorrow morning be right; yeah, 7:30? Yes, let me call you later…yeah."
Jack hangs up.
"All right, that's Vanessa." He informed Annie.
"She's a lot like the women in your book. We're gonna go steady…and eventually someday, I'm gonna ask her to marry me."
"Why?" Annie gaped.
"Yeah, you like her, don't you?" Jack asks. "We all get along, we have a good time together."
"Where's she gonna live?"
"Well, eventually…she'll live with us." Jack answered.
"Do I have to give up my bedroom?" Annie questioned.
"No, you don't have to give up your bedroom, no." Jack answered. "Come on, it's gonna be great, I promise. She'll be a nice sister-in-law to you. Tomorrow, it's gonna be you and her for some grown-up girl bonding time."
"I'm only eight," Annie pointed out.
"You won't always be," Jack reminded her.
Annie sighs. "Jack, I love you…but I wish you just let me be a kid."
The younger Radcliffe walks ahead, to find a seat.
Jack sighs as he watched his sister go, mulling over her words. He joins Annie.
Meanwhile, back in Holly's dressing room…
"So, let me get this straight. You're a princess from a fairytale land called Auradon?" Holly asks.
Holly is helping Aurora get ready for a tightrope walking act. She's lacing up a purple corset with off-the-shoulder pink sleeves.
"Yes," Aurora answered. She reluctantly allowed Holly to help dress her.
"I was getting ready for my birthday party, when someone called my name. I followed the mystery voice to a tower, looked at my reflection in a mirror and the next thing I knew; someone shoved me and through magic…I ended up here in this peculiar world." Aurora explained.
"I kept wandering around until I found this place with a giant jester outside. I go in, hoping that jester would help me find my aunts and Philip. Then, I got dragged over here and met you."
"Oh, well…welcome to Circus, Circus Hotel and Casino. And happy birthday," Holly said. She found Aurora to be odd, but didn't want to judge upon meeting her and she seemed nice.
"Thank you," Aurora responds.
"Aurora, how old are you?" Holly inquired.
"Sixteen," Aurora answers. "Exactly, what is a circus?"
Holly chuckles a bit.
"A circus is a traveling company with a variety of performances. We perform in a large tent and we go different places." She informs.
"Ooh, how exciting!" Aurora exclaimed.
"It is," Holly replied. She finished lacing the corset and reached for a white skirt with green flowers.
"Here put this on." Holly hands Aurora the skirt and Aurora complies.
"So, you've never been to a circus before?" Holly asks.
"No." Aurora replied. "In Auradon, we have minstrels and jesters."
"Well, things are different here. My specialty is tightrope walking." Holly pointed out.
"What's tightrope walking?" Aurora asks.
"It's walking on a thin wire or a rope. It's a delicate balance." Holly explains.
"Have you ever done tightrope walking before?" She asks the blonde.
"No, I'm afraid not." Aurora said. "Is it dangerous?"
"No, when done right. But if you happen to fall, there's a giant net to catch you. Safety first," Holly informs.
The brunette grabs a short, purple capelet and ties it around Aurora's neck.
"Now, put those gloves on and I'll get your shoes on." Holly instructed.
Aurora obeys. She puts the gloves on her hands while Holly grabs a pair of pink ballerina slippers. She proceeds to slip them on Aurora's feet and then wrapped the ribbons around Aurora's ankles; tying them into bows.
"Now, let's style your hair." Holly begins to brush Aurora's blonde locks and then pulled them into a top bun. She leaves a few blonde tendrils hanging.
"OK. Next is the makeup. Close your eyes," The tightrope walker applies eyeshadow on Aurora's eyelids.
"Open your eyes," Aurora complies.
Holly grabs a tube of mascara.
"Look up," She said.
Aurora looks up as Holly applies mascara on Aurora's eyelashes. Next, she puts pink lipstick on Aurora's lips.
"OK. You're all set on the hair and makeup front." Holly said, finished with her handiwork.
"Take a look,"
Aurora looks at her reflection and blinks. She looked completely different from her regal princess look. In fact, she almost looked like a modern woman.
Aurora turned and faced Holly.
"I like it, thank you so much." She said. "That's also a very nice outfit."
"Oh, thank you." Holly looks down at her own outfit, which consists of a black and white striped bodysuit with black mesh, red tutu, black tights, nude colored ballet flats, and a hat and feather headband.
"You're welcome," said Aurora.
"Oh, let's not forget one thing: an umbrella." Holly grabs her own black, lace umbrella and a pink umbrella; which she hands to Aurora.
"Well, we better get out there." Holly opens the dressing room door and beckons for Aurora to follow.
Aurora joins her.
Closing the door, the two girls made their way to the Circus, Circus Carnival Midway. They get in place.
"Now, don't be nervous. Just watch what I do and don't look down." Holly advises Aurora.
Aurora nods in understanding.
A/N: And that's the end of the chapter!
Aurora's tightrope walker outfit is a nod to Sally Slater, a tightrope walker character from The Haunted Mansion attraction at Disney World and Disneyland. Holly's tightrope walking outfit is just something I found through Google Images.
Samantha, "Sam" is a callback to the Jodi Benson cameo in Enchanted, where she played Robert's assistant Sam. I will include a scene with Aurora interacting with Sam, plus the fish gag from the movie; at some point in the story.
Jack's girlfriend Vanessa, is the Nancy Tremaine of the story. She's named after Ursula's human alter ego from The Little Mermaid. You'll find out her last name a bit later.
I was going to make Annie six, like Morgan in the movie, but I decided to make her eight. Since Aurora is sixteen in the story, I made Jack a seventeen-year-old.
Anyways, up next Aurora & Holly perform the tightrope walking act. Aurora somehow falls and Jack catches her. From there she's introduced to Jack and Annie.
See you next time!