The horrible images of her future filled Raven's head as she slowly reached towards the quill. Her fingers were nearly there, when she came to her senses. She was going to have to take this risk. For her own sake, for Apple's sake, for everybody's sake. The terror of disappearing was there, but even more present was the need for change in Ever After High. The need for change in the fairytale world, period.
Raven slammed her hands down on the podium, "I am Raven Queen. And I'm going to write my own destiny. My happily ever after starts," She grabbed the cover of the Storybook of Legends, roughly. "Now." The word was accented by the loud thump of the book being forced shut. The legendary mirrors surrounding the platform shattered, but Raven remained confident in her decision and held her head high. The response was a combination of booing and cheering from the Royal and Rebel sections of the crowd.
She let out a flustered sigh, when it dawned on her. Raven looked down at her hands, feeling that they were still solid and definitely still there. "I-I'm still here." The black-haired witch turned forcefully toward Headmaster Grimm, "I didn't disappear!" She exclaimed.
He narrowed his eyes at her and she prepared to retaliate, but a voice stopped her, "How could you be… so selfish." Apple's eyes were filled with the same intense emotion as before, and Raven suddenly felt completely and utterly overwhelmed.
"I'm sorry, Apple! But I- ju-" Raven huffed in aggravation. Without thinking, she snapped around and flexed out her hands and arms, "Hold everything!" And just like that, everyone was frozen in place.
Frightened, Raven brought her arms close to her, "Whoa. I didn't know I could do that." She looked towards Apple and harnessed the power to unfreeze her.
Apple came back into animation, feeling just as intense as before. How could Raven do that? How could she ruin the destinies of countless people without showing any remorse? She really was the daughter of the Evil Queen. Born wicked with no way to prevent it, no matter how badly she wanted to.
"I'm sorry, Apple." Raven said sincerely. "But I don't want anyone to tell me who to be. I want to figure that out on my own. And don't you understand I'm not the only one who gets to choose their own destiny now. We all do! Even you."
Apple guiltily thought back to their moment earlier that evening and forced herself to shove the light and airy feeling into the pits of her stomach. She knew the part she needed to play, "But- I don't want to choose a new destiny. I liked the one I had. And because of you," She pointed a finger bitterly at Raven, "It might not happen."
Raven felt bad, she could feel the guilt washing over her. She knew Apple would be way happier controlling her own life, finding her own love, yet the bad feeling wouldn't go away, "But it might." She tried to be reassuring.
Apple felt the tears begin to fall and her body began to heave with sobs. Raven quickly raised a hand to rub her shoulder in what she hoped was a comforting manner, "I don't know." Apple began. "I just don't know" And with that she ran away.
Raven wrapped her arms around herself and tried to remain calm.
— e.a.h —
After Raven's conversation with Maddie, she felt a lot better. And now she was determined to find Apple.
She searched through corridors upon corridors of classrooms. She checked both Briar's and Blondie's rooms, much to their dissatisfaction. And even did a quick look in Daring's quarters.
Eventually she found her huddled up in a ball, wedged between her Magic Mirror and a chest of drawers.
"Apple?" Raven ventured towards the heap of fabric carefully, "I know you're upset. But don't you see how great this news is? Now you can find your own love and be truly happy." The lump seemed to whimper and breathe heavily for a few prolonged moments, then a blonde head peeked out from the pile and glared at her.
"I was happy. I was going to find my true love." Her pout was probably visible from the moon. Apple began to climb out of the hump, pushing the fabric out of the way and lifting her chin to seem taller, although she was still nearly a foot shorter than Raven and the red tear-stained cheeks and quivering lip didn't provide a very powerful image.
Raven reached out a hand to comfort her, placing it gently on her shoulder and sliding it down her upper arm in careful caress, she didn't know what to say and whatever words came out of her mouth, Raven knew Apple would promptly reject. So the dark-haired girl remained silent and pulled Apple into a close embrace. The blonde seemed as if she wanted to pull away at first but gave up and leaned into the touch, sniffling against Raven's shoulder. That was when Raven knew she was head over heels out the window, she had probably ruined any prospect of friendship with the daughter of Snow White and now with her arms around her in comfort, she almost felt like she should have sealed her fate, if only to see Apple's radiant smile again.