In the dim light of their cramped studio apartment, Mia tossed a crumpled paper at the wall, missing the trash bin by inches. Alex, sprawled across the worn-out sofa, barely glanced up from their phone.

"I don't think about that," Mia mumbled, more to herself than to Alex, as she contemplated the looming deadline of her art project.

"You don't think about anything," Alex retorted without missing a beat, their eyes still glued to the screen.

The words hung heavy in the air, a testament to the

She was foolish, wandering through these woods in that pretty red cape. The fae are looking for their princess, every creature knows this, and any girl they see is their target these days (even if the girl in question is nowhere near the right age — like this one).

And yes, they do have a way of seeing red.

I can see several of their shadows now, gleaming red eyes shining through the darkness of the woods. They’re hungry for blood, again, and they’ll draw some from this girl if they catch her.

Just, well, several pints of it.

She’ll be drained entirely if it’s been long enough since these foul creatures fed, which we all know it has been.

And she’s a Hood girl, I’m sure, Rhoswen, so if I try to save her, she’ll just kill me instead.

But I’m not here to hurt her. I’m here to help her, whether she understands me or not.

So I howl, and I run.

If I can get the cape off her, she’ll be fine. They can’t see much besides red. I’ve just got to make sure I don’t make her bleed at the same time…

(This is — sort of — a part of a project I’m working on somewhere else, twisting fairytales in different ways. The fae aspect is a key part in both Little Red Riding Hood’s retelling and the one for Snow-White and Rose-Red)

I don’t need the future to be like it is.

Not at all, not on my watch.

I saw what the future looked like with my own eyes. Destruction everywhere, everything was destroyed. Buildings toppled over with all windows cracked and broken, along with the streets crowded with car after car crashing into each bumper. Streetlights shattered with its glass on the ground, baseball bats and metal pipes near each mortal’s dead body. Their bodies…dirty and bruised, bloody and scraped. How their hands were so…ice cold. It was the worse touch that I have ever felt, and I don’t want to feel that again. Not ever! I’ll do whatever it takes to change the future.

But…I don’t want to lose her.

She’s so perfect, so nice, so…graceful. Her kindness surpasses mine, with her smile filling all of the empty spaces in a dark room. Her hair was so pretty, so soft, I could run my fingers through her hair and I could feel the softness in each individual strand. Her eyes are so beautiful, sparkling, all of the stars can fit into her pupils as they look upon the sky. I want her to be with me, to help me, to be there for me. I just want her all to myself, no one else touching her but me…Only if I could that is…

It’s all because of him…

He keeps her from me, thinking that she’ll be safe. He makes her work in that stupid hellhole he calls a mansion. They have one butler, he can do most of the work. He keeps her in that same room, not being able to go out unless someone is with her. They are not any normal people with her- oh no, they are more than people may think. I do want them…they seem rather a big key to my goal. I only have one of them…but one won’t do. He’s starting to drift away from me, I guess he knows my ambitions as a per-blood- but that doesn’t matter. I just want more power…but I can’t have everything like everyone.

It’s weird…why would he do this…?

Why does he give so many people a second chance…?

Didn’t he say that he likes wilted flowers…?

He must-

I heard a knock on my bedroom door. I turn in my seat to face the wooden door. I wonder who’s behind it? Maybe Charles?

“Come in.”

The door opens to reveal a maroon purple hair man, smiling widely as he enters. I knew it was him, it seems like he always comes around at this time of night. I sat up in my seat and smile at the young fellow, “Was there something you need, Charles.”

He nods still having that smile on his face, “Yes, I actually went to the store and got things for dinner. I was just wondering if you want anything to eat?”

I think for a moment before nodding, “Sure, I would like some dinner.”

I could see his smile widened a little, which made me smile. At least he’s happy, that’s a great start to help his mental state.

“Alright, I’ll start cooking right away!” He heads out the room and closes the door behind him.

I chuckle softly and look back at the portrait near the fireplace. There she was, all in her beauty…I sigh happily as I stare at it, think what I should do next.

“Thank you for being there for me…I’ll avenge you, I promise…because it’s all his fault..”

“ ‘hurt’ is an emotion you feel when a wound bleeds. I already told you when we studied ‘pain’”

“I don't mind when my wounds bleed, it doesn't hurt.”

“It does for others. That's why you should never hurt others...”

He closes the dictionary with a thud, closing the memories that come from within.

“Mum, I'm getting out!” he says, unlocking the five locks and the door chain they've installed as soon as they moved in.

“Already? Didn't you just come back from school?” she asks.

“Yes,”

“Be careful, promise?”

“Promise.”

He limped his way to the elevator, then out the building, and to the nearest bench, ignoring the security guard that was adding some last touches to the Christmas tree he’d made.

“How are you doing sir? Do you need a hand with that?” asked a man holding a little boy on his back. “ thank you, I finished.” replied the guard.

“It’s beautiful...”

“Thank you,” said the guard “God he's at it again...”

“ who is he?”

“Detective, I may be overstepping my bounds here, but I'm worried. He moved into unit 701 about a month ago, in the middle of the night, and I haven't seen much of his mother. Meanwhile, he spends day and night just sitting here.”

He nods, making his way to the bench

“Hi. Don't worry, I'm not someone suspicious. I live in unit 1501.” said the man.

“Look! This is my dad’s badge” said the boy,

“And?”

“It’s cold outside, why are you here?” asked the man

“This spot has the best view of everyone coming in and out,” he said

“are you waiting for someone?” asked the boy.

“I'm not waiting for anyone,” he said, “could you perhaps move? You're blocking my view.”

The man sighs

“Here, this is my business card. Call me if you need any help,” says the man

Help, to make it easier or possible for someone to do something by offering one's services or resources...

“...and help them instead. Hurting others would make you a bad person.”

“Is that why he is a bad person? Because he hurts you?”

“Yes sweety, he is a bad person. You should never be like him...never...”

He woke up with a start. It was snowing. How long had he slept for? The security guard was still there, spreading his arms wide and smiling... Ah, it's because his daughter is running towards him... Love, an intense feeling of deep affection...

“ is your leg okay? Your ankle is bleeding again, ” she said, as the elevator’s doors closed.

“Don't worry about it, ” he replied

“Boy, you should worry about it! Your sock always turns red because of the blood. You should go to the hospital, ” said the guard. Right, but he couldn't risk going there for many reasons.

“Doesn't it hurt?” asks the girl.

Hurt? The synonym of pain? Tssk

“No.”

“Hey! Student!” came a voice from behind him. “Boy!” He turns around
“Are you not a student? Why are you wearing a school uniform then? Ugh, forget it. You live in 701 right? Tell your mum to visit me, I live in unit 705 by the way, right there.” says the woman. He recognised her. She always comes back drunk and screaming. “Well, See you,”

He reached their apartment, unlocked the door and got inside, but stopped as soon as he saw ‘that person’ staring from the building in front of theirs. He waves. then turns and starts walking.

It's him!! He’s coming!

“ Mum! Listen carefully”....

“They're really something, the ones from 701.” She says, “ I just met the son. No matter how many times I knocked on their door today, no one would open up.”

“Yes, they seem weird,”

The bell rings, startling the three of them.

“Speaking of the devil. It's him.” says the lady.

“ I'm so sorry,” he says when she opens the door. then he stabs her with the knife he found in the suitcase that ‘that person’ left in their apartment, thinking that they would be there.

He stabs the other two, just like ‘that person’ threatened he would do to them if they tried to escape. He lays them next to each other, then lays the corps that was in the suitcase and puts his mother’s id card in its pocket. Then he puts the lighter in the microwave and runs to where he’s supposed to meet his mother. Far away.

Sorry, feeling sad or distressed through sympathy with someone else's misfortune...

The first emotion he’s felt ever...

Vanity, that’s what they call it. Is it vanity to want to be loved and remembered? Adored and obeyed? Needed? Wanted? Not swept aside? Not abandoned anymore?

They’ll love me as long as I’m beautiful.

The line I’ve been told my whole life. The line I’ve lived by my whole life.

Some say, no, people will love you for what’s on the inside.

Yeah, right. The only reason the King ever married me was because of my beauty. The only reason the whole Kingdom adores me is because of my beauty.

Until Snow came.

Snow has a natural sweet kind of beauty. She doesn’t need make-up at all, and you would call her the prettiest girl in the Land.

I’ve learned a long time ago, if you’re second best, you don’t matter at all. The top is the only place to strive for.

How long is it before the Kingdom throws me away? Before I’m no longer of any value to the King? Before all the hurt and pain comes back?

Before I’m not loved anymore?

“Kill Snow White,” I tell to the Hunter bowing before me. “Bring back her heart for me to see,”

The Hunter nods, but not before I see the sympathy flash in his eyes.

That annoys me. I’m going to be a murderer, yes, but at least I’ll be loved.

That’s the only things that matters.

Shigaraki grumbled to himself, the big heroes putting on their dramatic show. It was a hostage situation, twenty five members of the public and ten bank workers held at gun point by two small shot villains no one had ever heard of. One of their quirks was reinforcement, the other was cloning. That’s why they’d called him in, although shigaraki was somewhat reluctant.

He wasn’t the most social of all the heroes and hated the spotlight, so most of the time he hid at home until he was called out. The villain with the reinforcement quirk had reinforced the walls of the bank so none of the heroes could break through the walls. That’s where his quirk came in handy.

“Shigaraki! Glad you could make it so perfectly on time,” Mt. Lady called to him sarcastically as she sat on the roof of a parked school bus.

“Relax, relax. I’m here now.” He rolled his eyes as the crowd began to cheer at his arrival.

“Over here,” Eraserhead was here too. Shigaraki would almost consider him a friend, based on their mutual hate of attention. “This is the best place, we’ll need to get as close to them as possible before they realise we’re in. That reinforcement quirk is going to really mess up our efforts if the guy knows what he’s doing.”

Shigaraki nodded and put both hands on the cool stone of the building, using his quirk to decay the wall. The stone began to crumble, breaking away like sand beneath his fingertips.

“You made that look easy! No fair! I looked like an idiot trying to break down the walls. I really hurt my feet, too!” Mt Lady pouted.

Shigaraki took no notice as he and Eraserhead made their way through the winding corridors. They finally made it to the room opposite, each taking turns to peer through the glass in the doors.

“Shoot, I think they saw me,” Shigaraki groaned as four clones began to charge at them. The clones charged through the door before slamming it shut, the other villain using his quirk to reinforce the door shut.

“Good thing your here,” Eraserhead shouted over the fight that ensued with the clones. “I can’t use my ability on the clones, I need to see the guy. Can you get us through the door?”

Shigaraki held one hand on the door and the other on a clones face, each crumbling away to nothing but dust.

Eraserhead dealt with confining the two villains as Shigaraki undid the hostages ropes.

“Can I go back to my video game now?” Shigaraki sighed as the two were placed in cuffs.

“Yeah, but next time you’re called? Come here immediately. No ‘wait till I complete the level’ malarkey.”

“Sure sure,”

I am one of many children. Let me talk about our Mother. She received us all together and from our first conception, she didn’t really want us. She saw us as a burden to her beauty. She hated our existence from what she was used to. Over time, she did eventually appreciate us as our erratic and venomous behaviour kept the men at bay.

Day in and day out, she would roam the halls feeling sorry for herself. We would all cry to her to feel better. But she would not listen. We were a part of her, her children and she couldn’t let us go.

Men from far and wide would come to see her. We could see the regret in their faces as they stared eternally at us. Her eyes, mesmerising and petrifying at the same time. Some wore extravagant and embossed armour. Impressive, expensive and shining. Yet when Mother was done with them. They no longer shined. Some wore light gladiator outfits, showing off their muscular and strong bodies. Yet when Mother was done with them. She had them sculptured. So that any visitors would know that these beautiful men had come to see her.

Some men were jealous of Mother, that they would come solely to hurt her. She knew how to defend herself. She carried a bow that she shot with heartbreaking precision. She would convince them to cease their folly and accept her beauty for what it really was. Accept her children and how we were hers and she was ours. We coiled with glee when they yielded to her. In a way, it validated our existence.

This would not last as we have been kidnapped. With have been thrown into a clothed bag and taken. Mother is with us but she is silent. She isn’t breathing. Red acidic liquid smothers us and we squirm. We tie ourselves up in knot as we struggle to breath.

We are taken out. We hiss at the bright daylight. Mother stares. And the world freezes.

WOOOSSSHHHHH

The tall, broad figure on the dust covered stage breathed heavily into the microphone. Sweat glistened off his shirtless torso as he breathed deeply and gripped the mic so hard his knuckles turned white.

WOOOSSSHHHHH

He shifted his legs, covered in flowing black pants and tall black boots, planting his feet firmly. Long black hair covered his face, veiling himself from the onlookers, patrons of the smoky Mos Eisley Cantina. Most looked disinterested, focusing more on their conversations or lonely drinks than the imposing figure on stage. Even the other three individuals behind him, all former members of the Knights of Ren, in their black robes and helmets, did nothing to intimidate the audience into giving the band an ounce of attention or respect.

“Hey,” Kylo Ren breathed into the microphone.

One or two patrons looked up at him, snickered, and went back to their drinks.

Kylo felt anger building in his chest, bringing with it images of the death he had brought on the galaxy. He took another breath to suppress the chaos of his past.

WOOOSSSHHHHH

“We are the, uh, Starkillers -“

“A little on the nose don’t you think?” a patron at the bar across the room snorted.

Kylo’s eyes snapped in his direction. The man held his gaze for a moment and then turned back to his drink at the bar. Fury rose again in Kylo’s chest. He watched the man lift his glass to his lips. As the man took a deep chug of whatever swill he was imbibing, Kylo inclined his chin ever so slightly in a snapping motion, lashing out with the darkside of the force. The man’s cup burst to pieces, cutting the man’s hand and lip.

“Ahhhhhhhh,” the man yelled in pain and outrage. The bar went silent.

Kylo glared out from under the veil of black hair and smirked slightly at the awestruck and now fearful patrons.

“Now that I have your attention,” he growled at the bar, “we are the Starkillers, and this song is called Rancor Blood.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the Knight of Ren on the drums, Kuruk, slammed his drumsticks together four times, and The Starkillers, with Ushar on bass and Ap’lek on guitar, launched a violent salvo of sonic chaos onto the patrons of the Cantina. Kylo screamed into the the microphone, unleashing the pain and rage that colored so much of his life in a cloud of emotion that crashed over the audience like a tidal wave. Some of the patrons fell out of their seats under the force fueled onslaught that buffeted them. Kylo growled out the lyrics of the song, fueling the words with the force so the patrons could literally see what he was describing like a hologram.

The song ended after about 45 sec and only half of the patrons remained in their seats. The rest had either fallen unconscious or fled the Cantina all together. Kylo raised his head, staring out over the remaining patrons. His shirtless, glistening chest heaved, drawing in ragged breaths as he focused on slowing his heartbeat. The song and the energy it took to inject it with the darkside has sapped his strength greatly. He looked behind him at his masked band mates. They all nodded curtly, satisfied with their performance.

Unfortunately, the remaining patrons, including the bar tender, did not share the sentiment of the Starkillers. Shaking off their shock, they began to draw blasters and vibroblades one by one. The bartender themselves reached down and pulled out a short blaster rifle and leveled it casually at Kylo.

“I told you what kinda music I wanted out of you when I hired yah Ren,” the bartender growled at the Kylo. “Do you remember what I said boy?”

Kylo smirked again, “that wasn’t ‘fun and bouncy’ enough for you?”

The bartender narrowed his jet black eyes and brought the blaster rifle up to his shoulder, taking a bead on Kylo’s head.

“I didn’t ask for a goddamn horror show and a panic attack along with it!” The bartender shared a glance with the rest of the armed patrons. “I think it’s safe to say we want yah out of here! Now!”

Kylo took a beat to share a glance with each of his band mates. Ushar and Ap’lek gripped their instruments a little tighter. Kuruk cracked his neck casually, stood up from behind his drum kit.

Kylo glanced back at the armed crowd. “What a pity, we were just getting warmed up.”

I’m only doing what’s good for business.

I help people, you know, I tidy up those who are messy, and I give those who feel down a reason to smile.

And whilst running my own business with all the best clients, spreading my name across all the popular ends of London, I am supporting others too.

So, if you ever happen to be near Fleet Street, why don’t you stop by? I’ll give you a beautiful new look to show off to everyone.

Oh, and while you’re here, you must try Mrs Lovett’s meat pies.

They’re to DIE for.

She has beauty She has love She is high But I’ll rise above

Her skin so white Her hair so black Won’t protect her From a hunters attack

In my home My beauty was overlooked And then I married a king But now his daughter Fairest of all outshines even the littlest thing

My father turned me away What was I but a farmers child My mother didn’t dote Because I was just one And the four beauties above me They shone like the sun

Their blond tresses outshined my brown tangles Their fancy jewelry my plain broken bangles Their long lashes surpassed my pointed brows They were paraded while I tended the cows

But I showed them when I won over a king I became his wife And left my family with a sting

But now again I’m overlooked I’m challenged by this princess I’d love to have her cooked Make her regret her ingress Into this world Where she’s stolen my light While it belonged to me Soon she’ll see I’m in the right

I’d give her to the blind witch But that wouldn’t be personal She’s challenged my fairness She’s tried to outshine me I will show her my awareness And have her hunted finally

It hasn’t worked She’s still the most fair I sent the hunter I am sure I was clear

I’ll have to do it on my own I’ll have that hunter thrown Down the cliffs of the kingdom borders For his weakness and reluctance to follow my orders

A mere illusion A little old lady like a lost sheep A nice shiny apple And a long deep sleep

She will only awake when she’s discovered what I had to She will awake when the love kiss she’s given is true

Like my king did for my conceited illusions That beauty was what mattered He took me away from that hole And my illusions had shattered

(Before I’d lost him And they’d returned I’m now here again Forgetting what I had learned But it’s not to late for this snow She’ll see real value She can still learn And start anew)

She will awake and know what is true She will awake if it’s for her to discover But now I’ll rein as the fairest Lest she find herself a true lover