Hi! So...I apologize for not being able to publish the final story, as I'm gonna have to put the Picnic Bonuses books to a close. :( I'm sorry - I've got a really packed school schedule and the last thing I'd need is extra work. I am so glad that people hopefully would follow up on this series, tho. Without further ado, I'd like to present an opening fanfic of my new series, "The Stories"! Snippets of the picnic bonuses (hopefully, if I could squeeze it in!) and their childhoods, life, and extras will be included in each individual characters' stories. I hope this series is a tad bit more detailed than the last, so for what it's worth, write nice reviews and follow this up! ;) All characters and rights belong to Mattel.

As I exited the halls of the castle, I felt free. The other Wonderlandians, Kitty, Cari, Maddie, Alistair, and Bunny, were eagerly waiting for me. Humphrey was huddling behind a tree holding a bouquet of wilted tickling violet snapperjabbers. Silly Humphrey. I, Lizzie Hearts, was to be the next Queen of Hearts! Still, a little girl can dream, can't she? Surely, as soon as my destiny starts at Wonderland High, I was only three-of-hearts old by then. Mother was such a nice woman once the others got to know her. Things were going great. "But sometimes, life can totally suck. Like in my case. My life was sometimes a cut, stab, jab, burn, or even sting to the heart. Things shouldn't be taken for granted, that's for sure.

"I'm heartfully sorry that I can't join you guys. I have an anger management lesson twenty minutes later," I gave everyone's shoulder a pat and Humphrey's hiding tree a goodbye knock, then skipped away. The only downside to my days are the anger management classes I have to put up with...As the future Queen of Hearts, keeping a level head was always considered a challenge.

"No, Lizzie dear...you must always remember that when someone steals your tarts, you will never behead them, like I did. Even queens make mistakes!" mother said, I halfheartedly nodded.

Well, lesson learned. Mother said that she'd demonstrate some time soon, but I'm not sure I actually am that hot-tempered as everyone indicated.

Mother always wanted me to have the fairy greatest childhood, towering above the rest. I was an exceptionally popular student at Wonderland Spellementary, same thing for Wonderlan High...that is, until "she" arrived. One night, my mother and father, the King of Hearts, invited the Evil Queen over for an evil scheming dinner and plot against all good. Mother, like I, played a role to outsiders and was still open to their opinions as a tender-hearted person with no secrets to keep. The Evil Queen, on the other hand, had a few cards up her sleeve. Instead of respecting how things are run in Wonderland, she was dressed in an old cloak and transformed herself into an old woman, just like in her story. We had no idea why, but the idiotic card guards fell for it. The brainless guard believed her little fable and took a bite out of her poison apple, in help of her charity fund she was raising.

The process was slowly turning Wonderland into a hellhole over the years. When I say hellhole, I mean an actual hellhole. A large gaping, infinitely-dark hole absorbed all of Wonderland's color and beauty. The hole disappeared because my mother manipulated the cards to hold as a cover over it. Still, it wasn't enough. The Evil Queen not only took control over all of Wonderland by slowly convincing everyone to do her bidding, but she also took continuous refuge in the Castle, replacing all the fun cuckoo-bird clocks will grandfather ones, as they slowly ticked as each second went by.

It was time for another anger management class. Yay - the only actual time in the day where I get to spend time with mother. Except mother was gone. I ran to the throne room of Card Castle, finding my mother lying heavily on the chair, her face much paler than normal. After all those years of convincing her, it finally got to her. I heard the White Queen gracefully walk up the stairs, with a silver, posh tray in her hands. On it was a transparent platter, a letter from Madeline Hatter, one of my besties.

"Courtesy of Madeline Hatter, your co-majesty―" the White Queen dropped the beautiful tray, shattering the platter as it plummeted to the ground, "Who did such a thing?!" she cried, her eyes filled with rage and a hint of tears.

A 17-of-hearts old me shook my head in desolation, "the Evil Queen." The White Queen's jaw dropped as she picked up her flowing skirt and sprinted out on her heels. Mother let out a puff of breath and was knocked unconscious, her beautiful black-and-red hair loose in her bun with her crown rolling down my feet. The Evil Queen skipped by on nine-inch heels and shoved mother off the seat. With precision, I used my cards to transport her to the nearest infirmary. Next, the Evil Queen walked by my side casually, nearly picking up the crown of where my mother stood years and years ago for her queenly coronation. I couldn't let this slide! Anger management of nothing, I. Won't. Let. The. Evil. Win. A split second before the crown touched the Evil Queen's flowing hair, I telepathically summoned a wall of cards stacking up from behind the castle walls, slamming into the Evil Queen. I grabbed the crown with me and fled to my room, vowing to never open the door again in risk of getting overpowered by her magic. This lasted for a year, until I found a little parchment slip through the door thanks to my card shower.

An 18-of-hearts old me rose from my sleep, walking over to the weird piece of parchment.

As I picked it up, I found a 16-of-hearts old Madeline Hatter, Kitty, and myself. I smiled and my face leaked a tear. We were genuinely, really happy at the time, the time when mother was still strong, up and running. As I teared open the envelope, I found a letter from Milton Grimm himself, delivered from the Hatter and his daughter. Things definitely have changed; he wanted me to enroll in his school by next week! But how I could escape my room was the question...

Forget about it, Kitty would probably bail you out, I thought. I walked over to my mirror desk and eyed myself in the mirror, and compared pictures with me and my mother. I simply had to carry on her legacy, even if she might have...died by now. I found rose paint sitting by the corner of my room, still fresh. A note was taped behind it, from my mother. It gave me pointers on how to find a daily deck of instructions hidden somewhere in my room to start me off for the new school year.

Surely, having simple, boring black hair couldn't do. I mixed the rose paint around slowly and painted two streaks on either side of my head, just like mother did to herself as I watched her when I was little. To symbolize Wonderland, myself and mother, I painted a heart over my left eye, smudging my previous beauty mark; the silly little spade and club sign on my cheek. I was a new story just waiting to be told!

I shuffled through mother's daily deck of instructions, finding a little blank card to write on. Perfect time to send these as a distress call to Kitty!

The next day, I heard shouting from my window. Something was up. I was so scared, and Kitty soon appeared here and there around my disheveled room. As I packed with stress and pressure weighing on my shoulders, I sprinkled the last of my Shrinking Potion and kept an Embiggen one in my luggage as Kitty phased us to school. Hopefully, I was going to make new friends at Ever After High...

"OFF WITH YOUR HEAD!" I cheekily said at Apple White and Ashlynn Ella. They grimaced in terror and ran away. What was up with these people? I was only saying "thanks for welcoming me". Jeez. Is there any heartful things happening in here? Apple appeared to be a very sophisticated character played in her story, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Raven Queen was the most evil, terrifying, and feared girl at Ever After! Serves her right for her mother to be the most hated. I overheard her saying that her mother was locked up in Mirror Prison. I sure hope she doesn't rampage on my new location, that would totally set the Wonderlandians' story up for a terrible turn. Luckily, the Wonderlandians, Humphrey Dumpty, the White Queen and the Mad Hatter got out of Wonderland right on time. The others...not so lucky. However, mother was soon to make a recovery in the state she'd been put in the last time I saw her! I just knew it! The White Queen acted rather motherly to us the other day, must be nice to act in-charge for once. If only I could...

Lots of spella good and kindhearted students at this school, very nice people. I was set to room in with Duchess Swan, daughter of the Swan Queen. We're both very misunderstood Royals who just want recognition and hexcellent friends, but friends we want were hard to come by if we were placed in Ever After High. It appears the Royals and Rebels travel in...packs. That's when I saw...him. He wasn't like any other dude I've seen; he was handsome, athletic, quiet and a good listener, he was perfect! I tried to give him a nice hello, but I didn't even know his name. I hearted how he attempted to ruffle his hair, it was cute for a fairy fail, in my opinion. The girls in front of me were fangirling and screaming as he flashed a smile, while that had no effect on me whatsoever. Perhaps he was a tad bit too arrogant for my taste. Only time will tell once I get to know the school better.

I overheard one of the girls talking about Daring Charming. Maybe they were referring to that handsome boy I saw earlier?

Daring Charming was acting very odd to me today. He pretended that I was invisible for the previous half, and last school year, but he's talking to me now? I thought. That was weird, and weirder than usual. He gave me a bouquet of flowers, but I honestly preferred white roses, not red. Red reminded me of blood, and blood still is...nasty.

Daring gave me an alright-ish explanation of why he was acting so strange earlier today. I realized that he actually called our oddity of a hangout a DATE! I thanked him earlier and gave him a peck on the cheek. Much appreciated, Daring!

School was a buzz of new thoughts. I won over the friendship of many a fairytale, thanks to my new friend, Briar Beauty! Behind the sunglasses, partying and adrenaline rush she was constantly feeling, perhaps an empathetic and kind friend's spirit hid behind all that. Mother's rules were bent slightly, but I never broke them either way.

Meanwhile, Daring and I were going great. No arguments this week, he drew me another spelltacular and adorable portrait, because I do have an eye for these things... in fact, Daring was so kind one night he kissed me! Wow, perhaps Ever After High has the upsides ever after all!

I had everything I needed in my life. My little lesson: don't expect things to come to you, simply do them yourself or have fun and don't stress over little things. Mother would return soon and the gate to Wonderland would be open. Currently, Ever After High was my home and despite my slight homesickness, I would miss Wonderland. In the meantime, Wonderland Grove was pleasant. Perhaps Daring and I should have a pleasant little picnic there! Eh. Might be in the cards for me if I'm lucky.