Wow! Hard to believe that I'm really on chapter 21! This is perhaps the farthest (plot wise) that I have ever made it in a story! And I would really love to finish it, though it might be tough, between school starting and the fact that I am not even NEAR half way done yet! But that's cool, right? You get to read more! You may also be pleased to know that I had an intense brainstorming session recently and the plot has gotten, if you can believe it about 36.5 more intense! I finally decided on this one fairy tale that was at first just going to act as a filler but none of the ones I choose quite fit, I added a character, yeah, it's a mess, but it's a wonderfully exciting chaotic mess! And there is a bit more cloture. But I'll just stop now before I confuse you even worse. Any way,nice long chapter for you, Enjoy!

Bad Mood

My bad mood is still persisting as I sit and pout the next day in the goose field. It is not improved when I spot Adele and Donovan stopping by for another "visit".

I refuse to move, barely even blink, as Adele mounts the hill. Donovan keeps his distance and takes a seat at the bottom of the incline. At least that's something.

I don't make eye contact when Adele stops in front of me, and just keep staring at the geese. Conrade is avoiding me and is stationed on the other side of the gaggle, so I am denied even my daily entertainment. With a sigh Adele takes a seat beside me.

"Donovan thought it might be best for him to start at the bottom of the hill," she starts slowly. I think my dissatisfaction vibes are making their way through to her.

"I knew I could beat some sense into him, it was only a matter of time," I respond, still watching the geese, however uninteresting they may be.

"Look, would you mind losing the mood?" Adele says, I can tell she is getting rather fed up with me. WELL…. Too bad.

I frown, finally making eye contact, "Why? If it's making Donovan keep his distance I say it is a terribly useful thing to have."

"Elle, we have important things to discuss," she says, taking a no-nonsense 'tone'.

I blow out through my lips. I don't want to!

"If by we you mean, you and I, then that's fine. There's really no need for Donovan to come up here," I say just as 'carefully' as she.

"Elle," she warns. Goodness, she can be such an ADULT some times, it really is rather annoying.

"Oh come on! I think is would be BLATANTLY obvious by this point that he is NOT my True Love," I groan, flopping back on the grass.

"I realize that," Adele says. I jolt up and look her right in the eye. She appears to be earnest…

"Alright then," I nod slowly, "As long as you two realize that and we can 'work together' to find another way out."

Adele rolls her eyes and motions Donovan up the hill. He comes, albeit slowly. I sigh and tap my fingers, he couldn't speed it up a little? Though once he is here I am wishing he had gone even slower. He sits down beside Adele and I, and instantly my face starts to heat up. Yeah, well, you get a kiss like that and see how unaffected you can be!

YES I was "affected" and I feel no need to lie about it to the likes of you. But don't you go misinterpreting that, as I know you are wont to do. If that had been someone I liked, or remotely cared about, that would have been… quite a kiss. But seeing as it was Donovan, it does not change my opinion of his personality, and I do not have any sort of emotions for him beyond intense dislike. I am not so shallow that I will confuse emotions for physical reaction, and I will thank you not to even imply such a thing. Which is why I get quite annoyed when I feel my stomach start to flutter, and I take out my annoyance by glaring at Donovan. He of course only raises and eyebrow and gives me one of "those" most irksome smiles before turning back to Adele.

"So Donovan and I have been talking." I cringe, isn't that how this whole mess started? "And we think we might have an idea what is going on."

"You mean beyond that the curse screwed up," I supply helpfully.

"It's not just that the kiss didn't work," Adele presses, looking a little worried, "We still can't find the king and he should have approached you by now."

"And there was the thing with Adele's closet being hidden," Donovan adds.

"And your strange repeat and visits to the real world," Adele continues, "It's not normal and we believe that there are glitches in the curse."

I grin, not really sure whether to take this seriously or not, "Glitches? Like in a computer?"

"Yeah, glitches, as in you screwed up casting the curse," Donovan accuses. Jerk. "You really should have taken Advanced Spell Theory with me," he shakes his head. Oh because that makes him so much better than me?

"You know that class would have been useless for me," I shoot back, " as a GMA I'M not exactly casting that many spells."

"Yes, but if you had, you would have learned the danger of casting these sorts of complex control curses without the proper precautions and materials!" Donovan reasons.

"Well, would you kindly explain instead of being such a troll about it?"

"You know some day you are going to say that and really piss off a troll," Donovan grins.

"Being compared to you? Yeah, I'd get insulted too," I shoot back, "Now would you stop holding this over my head and acting like it makes you so much better than me!" I growl.

The cocky grin drops off his face and I am pleased to say he gets a little more serious at least. "Complex spells can be quite dangerous because they have to be followed to the letter," he explains, "Even something like a misplaced candle can have consequences as it allows glitches to sneak into your spell and sabotage it." Damn, well if it's all the way down to a misplaced candle then I must be in some serious orge crap.

"You make them sound alive," I say, trying desperately to think of what the book had said and what I might have missed.

"Well, the teachers got a little vague around that part, but, they kind of are, think poltergeists, just in a curse," Donovan supplies.

I sigh heavily and run my hands through my hair, this is just getting better and better. "So the glitches are responsible for all the weird stuff that is happening," I repeat, not as a question, just to really recognize it.

"Exactly how much do you think you screwed up, Dairson?" Donovan suddenly asks the dreaded question.

"I was an accident that I even cast the spell in the first place," I mutter quietly, by this point trying to hide my head between my knees.

"Great," I hear Donovan groan, "Just perfect, do you even appreciate how difficult this is going to make an already difficult situation? The glitches are going to get worse as the fairy tales continue! And we are going to have to figure a way out of here that isn't even the normal way!"

I peer up through my hair first at Donovan, then at Adele.

"I'll break it," I mutter.

"What was that?" Donovan turns to me.

"Even if the normal way out of this curse was an option, I don't want to," I say louder, Donovan rolls his eyes and goes as if to interrupt but I continue quickly. "I am going to find a way out of this curse for all three of us," I say looking pointedly at Adele.

"Elle-" she starts. I would have failed all my IGA teachers if I had missed the look of practiced denial of hope on her face.

"No," I interrupt, "I might as well anyway, you know, if I am breaking the curse or whatever I am doing." Donovan's face is impassive, but I choose to believe it is because he is secretly happy he will be able to see Adele after this. Call it the romantic in me, whatever small wisp of a romantic is able to survive amongst all the cynicism and sarcasm.

"Thank you," she says quietly, though she still doesn't seem to believe me completely. Probably thinks that I am trying to use her as an excuse to avoid kissing Donovan. Oh how ironic. But really, she is my friend, or at least I consider her such, and I am VERY loyal to my friends.

"Alright but how are we to get out of this glitch first Dairson, hmm?" Donovan just has to insert.

"Easy, you just take over whatever the king was supposed to do," I reply quickly, "Can we try to focus on the larger picture here?"

"Of course we would all love to hear your plan-" he looks expectantly at me.

I bite my lip and turn to Adele. She rolls her eyes but smiles all the same.

"I wouldn't be able to tell you, but Falada down there would probably know someone who can help if not know how himself," she waves towards the gate.

"Of course the rotting horse head wold know wouldn't he?" I groan, but leap up all the same. They are going along with my plan! This is something to be celebrating!

Well, I half run, half slide down the hill, being wary, as I have learned by this point, of geese poo. I wait several yards from the arch for Adele and Donovan to catch up, they are really quite slow… and I am not particularly eager to talk to Falada head again. "After you," I wave them in once they finally catch up. Donovan gives me a look like he knows exactly what I am doing, or not doing, and I hate him for it.

I trudge behind the two and tightly close my eyes and replace my sleeve over my nose and mouth before I enter the arch.

"Hello Falada," Adele says, perhaps a little overly cheerful, I suddenly recall how rude the horse had been while she was riding it.

"Adele," Falada replies, "you really should teach that new princess some respect for her lines, why do you know what she said to me this morning?"

"You know my father has no hair," I speak up from hiding behind Donovan.

"Alas young queen how ill you fare- hey!" Falada replies uncontrollably.

"No maybe it was something about a pickled pear?"

"Alas you queen how ill you- Stop it!" Falada exclaims, and I break out giggling then gagging on the foul air.

Donovan elbows me, "Quit it," he orders, but he is laughing, I know it, I don't even need to open my eyes to know. He's laughing on the inside.

Adele though is laughing somewhere in the middle and it sounds sort of like a muffled cough. I smile behind my sleeve.

"How dare you," Falada says all huffily.

"Sorry, sorry," I wave blindly at the wall, "We actually have a question for you."

"If it ends in anything that rhymes with 'there' I am not interested," he declares.

"I don't think I care to work that hard to think of one," I assure him and I feel Adele and Donovan shake their heads simultaneously beside me. "Alright, so, say I want to get out of this curse, without kissing this troll here," I motion blindly at Donovan.

"It can't be done," the stupid 1/5 of a horse declares before I even get all of it out.

"No, now see there has to be a way because I am going to get all three of us out of here," I demand simply.

Falada makes a choking sound that I don't really know what to make of.

"Please?" I plead, "There's gotta be some sort of back door or way to break out of this curse." I feel Adele making some sort of what I can only suppose are pleading movements beside me.

The horse clears his throat, "There is no such thing!" he says loudly, and I am about to get very frustrated and maybe even open my eyes and glare when I hear much quieter, "There might be a way."

All three of us shuffle closer. I'm holding onto Adele and Donovan so I don't bump into anything, though I don't know how much I even trust Donovan for that.

"I once heard the Fairy Godmother talking about a few places you can shock the curse, in a way, into losing its grip on you," he mutters quietly.

I grin, how terribly convenient, this is what I am looking for! "So what do I do and where do I do it?"

"I don't know, I only over heard the conversation," Falada says, and almost instantly he drops back down on my list to being an annoyance.

"Of course," I mutter.

"Well then who WOULD know?" Donovan speaks up beside me.

"Your best chance would be to try and find the puppet master," Falada replies.

"He- what? Makes the clones or something?" I interrupt, rather curious.

"In a way," Falada replies. This puppet master sounds powerful. "Your best chance to catch him would be in the crystal forest of the 12 Dancing Princesses," he informs us.

"Right, crystal forest, I just like wander in there?" I mutter.

"Indeed."

"Well, then," I say, clapping my hands and quickly backing off.

"Wait!" Falada calls before I can leave, "I would ask a favor."

"Sure," I mutter, eager to get out of there soon.

"When you return to your world, burn the curse book," he sounds almost desperate.

"Do I get to ask why?" I inquire.

"It is the only copy of the curse," Falada says in way of explanation… I make a face. Why would he want that?

"It will release all the magical beings and spirits who are bound to the curse," Donovan supplies. Gotcha. Maybe I should have taken that stupid spell theory class.

"Well, alright then," I say quickly, absolutely ready to get out of here quick. A little too quick I guess because I blindly back right up into Donovan. I jump away as soon as I collide, but my eyes jerk open-

Falada is NOT looking so good, to put it simply.

I feel nauseous. I am out of there so fast I am sure I just set a world record. Several yards away I lean towards the wall and struggle to keep my last meal down.

"Dairson are you alright?" I hear behind me. I want to say 'Do I LOOK alright?' but I can barely breathe right much less speak. I manage to shake my head. "I hadn't realized I had that effect on women," he jokes… lamely. I turn and glare at him, and with a shaky breath manage to say, "Didn't you know? Just the sight of you makes my stomach churn."

He grins back, "All in the job." I roll my eyes, ridiculous git. I push away from the wall and steady my self again, rubbing the awful image from my eyes.

"I didn't realize you were that squeamish."

"Shut up," I shoot back, "Shouldn't you be convincing Conrade to talk to you or something?"

"Whatever you wish," he says with a ridiculous flourish-y bow before trotting off.

I think he is making fun of me. I really think so, why else would he be switching personalities like Jekyll/Hyde on speed?

"Whatever," I mutter to myself, hiking back up the hill. Though I stop halfway when I suddenly decide that there is really no reason to bother, might as well just get back to Lexi and wait for my conversation with the stove.

Like it? Of course you did. NOW, I am getting very bored with my summary. As you might have noticed, I change it as often as nail polish(if I wore the stuff). If anyone thinks they are good at summaries and cares to give me a hand with a new one I would be eternally indebted! And I would give you a shout out in the A/Ns, of course.