That's What Friends Are For
A/N This is for a good friend of mine who needs some cheering up right now and I hope it works because she's a great friend but in this, Fiona is upset because relatives on her father's side of the family are spreading lies and telling the other visiting relatives that are coming to dinner that night in her family's castle that night that her being an ogre is disrespecting the family but Lillian doesn't see it like that but everybody else is siding with Harold's brother Uther who is Artie's Dad.
But it's also an one shot about friends helping a friend feel better and stand up for herself and show her uncle who she is and that she's not disrespecting the family by her night time form.
I hope people like.
Fiona was in her room upset while supposed to be getting dressed for a family dinner but her uncle Uther along with her father's side of the family were telling lies about her and how being an ogre at night was disrespecting Harold's side of the family but she felt sad inside that her mother had tried talking to Uther and Harold's relatives but they were siding with Uther but she wiped tears away from her beauiful eyes as she heard stones hitting her window along with somebody calling her name.
"Fi-Fi come on.
The night sky is so beauitful tonight with all the stars!" the voice said.
Fiona smiled sadly knowing that voice as her best friend in the entire kingdom, Snow White.
They'd met when they were in third grade when all the kids in the kingdom and class were afraid to go near her because of her curse and because they thought they'd catch it if they became friends with her but unlike them, Snow wasn't afraid and cared about Fiona curse or not but she decided being with Snow and her other best friend was better than being in her room alone and miserable so she put on her normal kelly green dress and undid the fancy braid her father wanted her to wear for tonight.
She then snuck out by using the secret passage in the library but hoped her mother wasn't mad.
"Harold why aren't you trying to help control your brother?
He's telling our family lies about your own daughter and you're not going to do anything about it?" Lillian told her husband,
Harold was very nervous at that but knew he couldn't do anything about Uther since he was the older brother and he was the little brother but he wasn't very brave around him.
"L-Lillian I want to help but there's nothing I can do.
All my relatives are siding with him but I can't change his mind." he told her.
"I know you're afraid to speak your mind and stand up for Fiona so I will.
I hope you're happy." she said returning to the dining room.
She wasn't as afraid of Uther like Harold was and was ready to protect Fiona from being hurt by her uncle's coldness and rejection like when she'd started elementary school when she was five or six but she hoped Fiona was okay.
"Earth to Fi-Fi!" Snow said.
The ogress teen's train of thought was derailed by Snow but she was wondering how things were going at the castle but knew that Uther was probably telling the family to treat her like she wasn't part of the familt because of the curse but decided to push those thoughts away as she was with her friends but hoped either Snow or Shrek could see something was bothering her but Snow could tell from the look in her blue eyes and the way she'd been distracted but she faked a smile.
"Fi-Fi is something bugging you?" Snow asked her.
"No Snowdrop I'm fine.
Nothing's wrong." the ogress lied.
Snow wasn't buying it.
"I can tell you're lying Fi-Fi.
Please you can tell us.
Friends tell whhen something bothers them or are worried.
We're here for you." the ebony haired princess said as Shrek agreed.
They were sitting on the grass on a blanket with picnic baskets full of goodies but Fiona took a breath before deciding to explain but wasn't sure if they'd understand what was going on but Snow was shocked along with Shrek hearing how vruel her uncle had been but was surprised Artie hadn't tried to stop Uther but knew that he was scared of his own father but Snow hugged her.
"What about your Mom?
Didn't she try to talk to him?" she said.
"She pulled my Dad away from the dining room but I know he won't do anything to stop my uncle from being cold to me along with the relatives on my Dad's side.
I wish I wasn't an ogress at night.
Then they'd stop bugging me.
We could be a family." she said crying.
"Don't ever say that Fiona!" Shrek said.
"B-But iy's true." she answered wiping tears away.
"I know how you feel about people being cold and mean because of your night time form but it makes you special.
If you weren't an ogress at night, we wouldn't be friends.
You'd be like all the rest.
But you can see into my heart.
Your uncle doesn't have that gift.
There are others who care about you." he reassured her.
"R-Really?
Like who?" she replied.
"Like me Fi-Fi.
The other kids made up stories about you to me when I started school but I became your friend, remember?
Your heart is so big and you care about everybody no matter what they look like.
I wouldn't teade you for anything in the world." Snow said.
"I have to agree with her." Artie said showing up.
"How come you didn't tell your Dad to leave me alone?
He threatened to send hunters after me." she told him.
"That's just my Dad being cruel.
I have heard him threaten to send me away but he hasn't done that.
He hasn't gotten to know you and never will now with that crap he said in there in front of our family.
At least Aunt Lillian will beat some sense into him.
She's awesome at karate like you." he told her hugging her.
Fiona then smiled broadly knowing what to do.
Snow felt better seeing Fiona like that, happy and laughing again but she and Artie wondered what she'd came up with but would wait until they returned to the castle to see what she would do but now they were enjoying good food, the stars and each other's company.
Later Fiona was walking back to the castle but was shaking but having Snow along with Artie and Shrek by her side made her feel better as she saw her uncle gaze cold daggers at her and hatred blazed in them.
"I see the mistake of the family has returned.
Why don't you just go live in the forest with your ogre freak of a friend?" he said coldly.
Artie and Shrek were outraged by those comments Fiona's uncle had made about her but Fiona felt something well up inside her.
It was anger mixed with something she'd never felt before and had been in short supply when other kids were mean to her about her curse.
It was confidence awakening within her.
"Uther shut up!" she roared.
He was stunned along with Lillian and the others who'd heard her.
"How dare you be so cold Uncle towards me?
I may be an ogre but only at night and my parents and everybody else have no problems with it so why can't you accept me as I am?
Even Artie likes me and he's your son.
You only see what your eyes tell you so you never listen to your heart or see inside other people with it but if you took the time to, you'd see I'm still me but it doesn't matter if you hate me.
At least I have parents and friends who'll care about me ogre or not." she said.
Lillian and Harold were amazed to hear that from their daughter but Artie was nervous seeing the hate in his father's eyes turn to anger as he slapped Fiona in the face.
"I am disowning you from being my niece and if anybody disagrees, they shall be disowned by me also." he said walking to his room.
Snow saw Fiona blink away tears as she rubbed the bruise on her cheek but her uncle's words hurt more.
"I'm sorry." Artie said before leaving.
Shrek then left too.
"Come on Fi-Fi.
Let's go upstairs.
Everything will be okay.
I promise." Snow said to her.........
Later that night in Fiona's room, the ogress felt a little better as she and Snow were in the same bed together in pyjamas but she was looking out the window at the stars in the night sky but loved them because they were so pretty but was disteacted by Snow stroking her hair but it felt soothing to her but right now she was hurt by her uncle but hoped things would be okay.
"Fi-Fi are you okay?
Probably thinking about what that jerk Uther did to you huh?
He's wrong to judge you before getting to know you.
You care about others like me and always wanting to protect them like when Rapunzel was picking on me in fourth grade but you helped me by standing up to her just like tonight when you stood up to Uther.
What did it feel like?" the ebony haired princess asked her.
"A inner fire was burning inside of me that hadn't been that strong since that day I stood up to Rapunzel but6 it felt good even though Uther was being a jerk and not accepying me for me but you do.
Snowdrop thanks for helping me." she replied.
"Aww it's okay Fi-Fi.
It's what friends do.
But there's something I want you to do.
Promise me you won't stop caring about me and everybody else because that's what Uther was trying to do through his words because he knows you're strong just like your Mom but also because you have a big heart and care but he wanted to destroy that but Artie along with Shrek and I will always be there for you.
Never forget that, okay?" she told her.
Fiona nodded in reply.
"I won't forget." she said seeing Snow fall asleep.
But then she saw a single star in the night sky and remembered a story her mother told her when she was little about the stars having magic in them and being able to grant wishes but only if they came from the heart but right now the young ogress had a deep wish in her heart that she wanted to make.
"Starlight, Starbright.
First star I see tonight.
I wish I may, I wish I might
Have the wish I wish tonight.
I wish that Snow and I would remain friends forever and that I'll find people who love me for who I am whether I'm a human by day and ogress by night but somebody who'll see inside me.
Somebody who cares about me........" she thought yawning.
It wasn't too long before she was asleep.
Lillian checked up on Fiona later that night while Harold was asleep but smiled seeing both Fiona and Snow asleep but had their arms wrapped around each other but was grateful that Fiona had somebody who cared about her like Snow along with Artie and Shrek but hated when people were cold and mean towards her like Uther had but could see her daughter wasn't a monster but had came up with a solution to the problem but hoped Harold wouldn't stop her for fear of angering Uther but it had to be done.
She then left the room.......
Later the next morning, Fiona heard arguing as she woke up but wondered what was going on but went to her balcony where she could see better but saw Uther along with her relatives leaving but were angry but saw her mother looking sternly at them as they left but got dressed and went downstairs but saw Snow waiting for her in the foyer.
"Fi-Fi you missed it.
Your Mom sent Uther and those jerks packing." she said.
"Really?
But what about Artie?
Did my Mom make him leave too?" she asked worried as Artie chuckled.
"Nope he's allowed to stay.
Your Mom banished them unless they changed their minds and decided to accept you as a part of the family.
Naturally Uther's upset." Snow told her.
She laughed as they walked hand in hand to the dining room knowing she had people who cared about her no matter what she was but felt better than she had in days.........