Three weeks has already passed since the disappearence of Raven Queen from Ever After High... Apple White can remember the moment Raven's spell left her finally free to move, she remembers running to their shared dorm in such a frantic pace that by the end of the run both her legs and her lungs were burning like hell, she remember opening the door with such a panic-born strenght that it destroyed the lock and one of the hinges, she remembers hoping against all hope to find her best frienemy here, she remember waiting for her return, but it was not meant to be, she remembers seeing everything she bought for the witch still laying there and so she just sat down on the purple comforter, waiting for Raven to come back... after these long three weeks there is still no sign of the disappeared witch.
She just cannot understand: how could Raven forsake her-their own life like that?
Why couldn't she just listen to headmaster Grimm? Does the threat of disappearing means nothing to her? Does the idea of existing disgusts her? Does she actively seek their distruction?
And yet, a small voice in the back of her mind says, I'm still here.
She could stand the countless murmurs in the hallways, she could stand the Rebels glaring daggers at her, she could also stand the constantly increasing numbers of fights between Royals an Rebels... what she could not stand is the doubt... how could anyone want to live live with that? How could anyone want to rip the comfortable safety net of knowing where your life is going?
And yet, a small voice in the back of her mind says, I'm still here.
Was Raven right all along?
What if she's already vanished into nothingness and the void is just waiting for the right moment to claim her as well?
What if-
"Will you please stop hogging the narrator all to yourself?" asks a visibly itched Madelyne Hatter bursting right through the door "Obviously Raven has not vanished, both the readers and the narrator like her too much to lead her to a bad ending, so stop with this depressing thoughts, the story has to go on!"
"I-I... uh... o-ok... s-sorry?"
"Mpf... ok..." pouts Maddie "As long as you stop doing that... it's not healthy, you know. You could end up going crazy! Trust a wonderlandian on that one."
"I... I'll trust you then..." answers the dazed princess.
"Good choice, Apple!" exclaims, suddenly smiling, Maddie "Here's somiething to ease your worries and we'll see each other in class, ok? See you!"
As fast as she's appeared, Maddie vanishes, leaving only an apple scented cup of tea laying by Apple's side.
Apple doesn't know if she'll ever understand what the wonderlandian means when she talks about narrators and things like that but when she talks about Raven... Apple can't help but hope she's right.
For the sake of everyone...
-EAH-
It's not like she has much to complain about, when it was time to choose the role she draw the long stick, after all... and she absolutely loves this!
Being able to be herself, being able to run free, snarl, howl and everything else!
What a blast!
But still... faking a rivalry... faking hate for someone you hold dear... faking not to know your own mother... that really pisses her off.
Her arrival to the land of Ever After is planned to happen in a few months and she's going to use all the time she has at hands to try to calm down her nerves.
'Try' being the keyword.
Not very easy to forget that hers will be the second generation of her family forced into this parody of life because of an old bigot finely dressed.
Good thing she's heard about those 'Rebels' guys, she'll gladly add her fangs to their bite.
That, or the next time she sees her dad she'll ask him to take the whole family, run away and let all of this Ever After mess go to hex! Yeah... that'll work too...
These thoughts run through her mind exactly like she runs through the wildlands right out of the land of Ever After, by the feet of the mountain that parts the Dark Forest surrounding the school from the Forbidden Forest leading to the no-mans land separating the fairytale land from the monster land.
This is so exciting!
These lands are actually wild, not just a name and a façade chosen for the sake of it: boars are not domesticated, poisonous plants does not give just a rush, buildings fall apart thanks to the roots of the majestic trees tearing through the soil. Just as it all was meant to be.
Well... at least... most of it is that way...
Ramona comes to a screeching halt as she takes in the bizzarre scenario right in front of her: the wild, moss covered trees blend together to form a small and cozy looking bungalow, bushes of wildberries grows all around it coloring the whole scene with countless colourful pearls, on the porch a young girl with long dark hair has fallen asleep on a rocking chair with a book on her face.
She is so distracted by all of this that she almost doesn't notice the light snarl coming from behind her.
She turns slowly, coming face to face with a small dark purple dragon hatchling glaring daggers at her and baring it's tiny fangs, however, as soon as the dragon looks at her face, its disposition changes. It stares at her with obvious curiosity while its tiny nose wrinkles up, trying to get her smell, as if looking for something familiar.
After a few moments, the hatchling expression brightens up as it jumps in Ramona's arms, surprising her, throwing her to the ground and slobbering her all over with energic licks.
"Woah! Calm down, Shortie, you're- blah -tickling and drenching me!" the girl tries to protest but it seems that the little dragon is hellbent on showing its affection to its fullest.
"Ah-hem!" someone claring her throat puts a sudden stop to the scene.
Both the cuddle-engaged ones slowly turns their head to face the dark haired girl staring down on them "Nevermore, you know it's not polite nor igenic to kiss strangers." she scolds the little dragon "And you, well, I'm sorry... I'll gladly pay if you think your clothes are ruined." she apologizes to Ramona, offering her an helping hand as soon as Nevermore jumps off of her.
"Eh, no big." shrugs her off the she-wolf, nimbly jumping to her feet "I mean, if the little firecracker's sloppy kisses were enough to ruin them, I won't be wearing 'em in the Forbidden Forest, don't you think?"
The girl looks at her with an amused smile "You are just lucky she was in a licking mood and not in a nibbling mood, she is starting her second teething and, good robes or not, there's only that much you can do against dragon fangs."
Ramona chuckles "I'll trust you on that one. I'm Ramona, by the way, Ramona Badwolf."
The girl's eyes widens for a second, while finally noticing her furry elongated ears and golden eyes, before a serene smile brightens up her face once again "Nice to meet you Ramona, my name is Raven and I used to go to school with your sister."
Raven may have forsaken her role as a villain, but she'll be a liar if she was to say didn't have fun in watching Ramona's shocked expression.
"So, do you want to come in for a spot of tea?"
