A/N:

Hi guys! Welcome one and all to the twenty-fifth chapter of Through the Looking Glass...I can't believe after 25 long chapters, the title still makes no sense! Ah but the title jokes shall have to come to an end at some point, but tonight is not the night they do...I give it until Chapter 35 for them to run their course. Anyway, last chapter Blake and Cerise got into a relationship...weird huh? But there is a reason I took this move early on...you see to me this story is a game of chess, I'm moving my pieces accordingly...every plot twist or major event in my story will be a major move I make, or a piece I take from my opponent, in this case, the audience. So I decided to move one of my pieces ahead of time and give Blake this relationship, the purpose of which is to make these two grow as characters and increase their bond.

So, you will all enjoy sappy romance shit, sweet enough to give you cavities, I know it has for me...damn cookies. There will be a lot of moments between Blake and Cerise and I want you all to enjoy them. Writing romance is one of my favorite aspects as a writer and it's always fun to explore relationships between two characters. I'm sure most of you wanted Blake to be with Lizzie since I did tease that, and for awhile I was gonna pair them together, but Cerise snuck her way past.

Last night's chapter was one of the funniest ones I have written, especially that movie reference I threw in there, I just couldn't stop laughing whenever I tried writing it. It was the most fun I've had for awhile, and today's chapter was also a fun experience to write. As I said yesterday, I will be introducing Ramona Badwolf into the story. Blake already met Ruby and Cerise's grandmother, the only one he has actively avoided was Mr. Badwolf, mostly because he didn't have any classes with him, but now he has a reason why he wants to avoid him, and he has an overactive imagination so it isn't hard for him to imagine what the man will do when he finds out he's romantically involved with his youngest daughter. Of course, I'm sure Ramona will smooth things over with him, so it'll be fine...you know maybe.

Also before you ask, no I will not be making a lemon between them, you sick perverts! I did entertain the idea, but no It will not happen, sorry.

Anyway, enjoy the chapter...for I shall prepare my anus for the astronomical ass fucking I shall recieve with tonight's episode of the Walking Dead, someone is gonna die, I just know it, so I'm gonna use what little funds I have left to by myself some good quality snacks and four ply tissues, not for the crying mind you, but to absorb all of the blood. So I hope you all have a wonderful Sunday night...I know I won't.

Ever After High

Through the Looking-Glass

Chapter 25

Getting Ramona's Approval

It was a bright and sunny Saturday in Ever After, and everyone was making use of it. It had started getting cold now that November had finally rolled around, so the last few warm days were starting to disappear being replaced with late the late fall chill and the beautiful colors associated with the change of seasons. It looked even more sensational here than it did in Canada, Blake mused. He was currently on the fourth floor outlook of the high school, glancing outward into the village, seeing the unchanging dark trees of the Dark Forest, and the beautiful fall colors of the Enchanted Forest. It was as it someone had taken a paint brush and literally divided the two forests in half. It was an amazing sight to behold.

He and Cerise had finished his cover of Linkin Park's Heavy, a tribute song for the deceased lead singer of the band. He went to add a bit of an outro for the song, explaining why he had done it. Their music, along with the voices of countless other artists had gotten him through the depression he felt when Lucy had disappeared. He had a lot of them to thank, and since most of those artists were unknown to Ever After and it's inhabitants, he was going to do his best to spread their music and love throughout the land, even if it took a lifetime to achieve. He was supposed to be working with Ginger at Spells Kitchen, but she had given him the day off, even though he didn't ask for it. She was going to be busy training her other employees, which consisted of her new day manager, Gus Crumb and her cashier and barista, Helga Crumb.

Blake had told her it had been an awful idea hiring the two of them to work her shop, especially knowing that it was in fact a bakery and candy shop. But the Crumb Twins had actually surprised her, saying they wouldn't eat anything from her shop while they were on the clock, unless specifically allowed by Ginger. She hadn't bought it, but during their first afternoon, they had abstained from every single pastry, waiting until their break to actually eat something, and they even showed manners. It was so impressive that she recorded it, because didn't believe it at all.

So, now he had nothing to do. His girlfriend was getting ready to head to Hood Hollow to spend time with her sister and her mother. Mr. Bad Wolf however had to stay back to handle student reports and other school related things, so he wasn't able to attend. He did give his daughter a new bracelet for her birthday which she hadn't taken off since. He found it really adorable. They still hadn't told her father that they were dating, mostly because he wanted his face to be attached to his body. Cerise reassured him that he wasn't going to do anything, but when he saw the man puff his chest in the middle of the hall, he quickened his pace, even though he was just blowing balloons for a demonstration in class.

Cerise hadn't stopped laughing at him, especially because she had seen it all go down. Yes, he hated to admit it, but even with his martial arts there was no way he could defend himself against Mr. Bad Wolf. So he just decided to avoid him all together...in case he ever found out he was dating his daughter, which would be soon seeing as how Blondie wouldn't keep her mouth shut about the matter. Yes, his minutes were counted, and since Werewolves weren't weak to Silver in this world, he didn't have a single lifeline to use should the need arise, meaning he was better off digging his grave and waiting inside it with a shovel than to try and appease the man.

He did care about Cerise though. He didn't know why, but was starting to see her in another light now that they were dating. People said that you couldn't fall in love in a few days, but he was starting too. She reminded him a lot about Lucy, sans the blue eyes. They had the same similarities, quiet in school but outspoken when alone. Protective of her friends, and stood out for those that needed help. She was also very involved in her school, one of the differences between the two girls was that Cerise actually enjoyed planning School events and attending the Council Meetings, something Lucy never bothered doing. She made him smile every time she made a funny face or growled when biting into her meat. He had also started seeing Carmine as close friend, and even played fetch with him when he had the time.

She had also taken a liking to all of his retro games, quickly beating his high score in one of the newer versions of Pac-Man on the Playstation 3, and had even beat him in Mario Kart, which he regretted ever showing her, because she didn't let him win a single race for two hours. She had also gotten addicted to other games like Pokemon, and had been playing Pokemon Gold for the last day and a half, having borrowed one of his Gameboys to play the same. He found her developing nerd side quite cute...especially when she got annoyed that the Gameboy needed to be charged before she continued, and forgot to save and got mad.

Aside from hanging out with Cerise and his friends, he had been focusing a lot on the yearbook, having added pictures of the Wonderland Tea Party they had hosted a few days prior in a segment called "Saving Wonderland Grove". He hated being in a dress more than anything, but Apple kept begging for a picture until he finally relented and now he was filled with regret and embarrassment at the mere notion that future generations were gonna laugh at his pasty legs. He had searched for a tanning salon nearby but apparently they didn't have those in Ever After, so he would have to wait until the summer to tan the old fashioned way. He wasn't looking forward to the wait.

Milton Grimm had also addressed the school about what had transpired during Thronecoming, revolving around Henry. He didn't mention Blake, Lizzie or Kitty's names, but he did say that Jack Hills had been wounded by Henry in an attack which would have claimed the young man's life unless a good Samaritan hadn't stepped in. The man had asked him if he wanted credit and he said that he didn't want to be hailed as a hero for something anyone would have done in his position. He just wanted to have a normal life in Ever After High, well as normal as he could since he was in a band, was good with a sword and had gained a reputation as a Home Decorator thanks to his work with Ginger's shop. Even though he had gotten attention because of that, he was glad that it didn't last long and that he could live a relatively normal life without being bothered every few minutes. He was thinking of starting a MirrorCast, using his knowledge on home decorating to help people out, but he was honestly too busy as it was.

Blake reveled in the fact that he had so much going on at one time. He had a job, was working on the school's yearbook, was in a band and was really involved with his school. It was something he would have never done back in his old school. It was a testament to how much he had changed in such a little amount of time, and that people could change for the better no matter the situation. He could have easily let his situation get the better of him, and allowed dark thoughts to take over, but he knew that would lead him to a dark path. While it was still hard on him, he wouldn't let dark thoughts over take him.

"It's a pretty day...good thing I got my jacket." he said softly to himself. It had gotten a bit cold outside, so he was wearing a light hooded sweater with his varsity jacket over it. It wasn't much, but he wanted a hood just in case. He blamed his girlfriend for wanting a hood, since she didn't go anywhere without hers.

He heard footsteps behind him and glanced over his shoulder, smiling a bit when he saw Cerise approaching him, holding her special basket in her hands. She had told him it was a gift from her mother, a basket with fingerprint recognition and it was enchanted to keep her food fresh for far longer than it would normally. She came to a stop in front of him, a frown on her face.

"You're a hard person to find when you want to be. You didn't answer my messages." she said.

"I'm sorry, I was just so entranced by the colors of the leaves." he said, reaching into his pocket for his phone. He saw six unread messages from Cerise. He also noticed the little bell at the top with a line going through it, making him sigh.

"It was on fucking silent, no wonder I didn't hear them come in." he said, quickly turning the volume and vibration on.

"It's okay...I've got some uh...worrying news I guess? My sister wants to meet you."

"What's so worrying about that?" he asked curiously, leaning back against the railing. She sighed, glancing away from the boy.

"She can be a hard ass when she wants to be. She basically wants to test you, to see if you are worthy to be my mate. She thinks because she's older she's the alpha and I'm the omega. It pisses me off so much." she said with a growl, eyes turning momentarily gold.

"Worthy to be your...oh I get it. She's wants to test me to see if I can gain her blessing...she's just looking out for you Cerise. After all, to her I must be some vagrant or mugger who wants nothing more than to eat you up." he said, a bit gruffly which made the girl giggle.

"You are not! You haven't got an evil bone in your body...but I do worry. There was this cute boy I liked back in Middle School, and she tested him too. He ended up hating me for the rest of the year. Last year, before she left, there was this other boy from Nottingham Academy that transferred as an exchange student. He didn't even last an hour before transferring back. I'm scared she'll do the same to you!" she replied.

"Cerise, even if your sister doesn't give me her blessing, that isn't gonna keep me away from you. You're my girlfriend, and I already got used to you being my girlfriend, even though it's been three days, ten hours and five minutes."

"You kept count?"

"I have a stopwatch going on my Iphone, it's really neat for this sort of stuff." Blake said, showing her his Iphone, which he barely used anymore. She smiled, placing a hand on his cheek.

"I've gotten used to dating you too, I truly do like you and I want to see where this goes. But knowing Ramona, she's gonna make it harder on both of us. Worse yet, there's a chance she'll rat you out to daddy and you know that wouldn't be good." she said.

"Great, it's bad enough I gotta deal with the older sister, but your father...shit, he scares me. Can I just hide behind Ruby and hope for the best?" he asked, earning a giggle from her.

"No, you can't hide behind my mother. She'll help you out if it comes to daddy, but she can't help you out if he wants to tear you apart. If you want to date me, then I guess we'll have to go meet with my sister. Don't even bother suggesting to stay here, she'll come and drag you to Hood Hollow herself, she's done it before."

"Fucking hell, okay. I guess I can come along, it's better to face an older sibling than to face the father." he said. She smiled, giving him a kiss on the lips.

"Come on, let's go then." she said, slipping her hand into his. He took a hold of her basket, deciding to carry it for her.

"I've been thinking about getting a pet, any suggestions?" he asked.

"Hmm...how about a dire wolf? Carmine likes you, and I think it's a nice fit with you." she said.

"Where would I even get a wolf pup? Let alone one that's trained like Carmine?" he asked.

"That's true...how about a cat?"

"Pass, I got enough with Kitty...besides I have had like six cats during my life, and they were all assholes. Except Juvia, all she did was vomit on my carpet constantly." he said. Cerise scrounged her nose a bit, not wanting to imagine that.

"Maybe you can sleep on it?"

"I'm gonna have to." he replied with a sigh. He kissed her hand, making her flush a bit.

"We'll find you a cute pet to call your own, and if not we can share Carmine, unless you'd rather have a cute she wolf instead." she said, giving him a toothy grin. He gave her a soft kiss on the cheek, smiling a bit.

"I'd much rather have that cute she wolf as my girlfriend." he said, making her shiver slightly. She punched his arm, making him yelp in pain.

"Don't do that! You know it makes me blush and if my daddy sees me he's gonna start asking questions."

"Yes, because the boy who's walking next to his daughter holding her hand would raise less questions than the blush on your face." he said. She rose her fist again making him zip his lip. He didn't want another bruise on his arm, as he had just recovered from his last one.

xxx

Having heard about her sister's new boyfriend due to her own slip up, Ramona decided it was best if she tested the boy to see if he was worthy of her. She knew Cerise was going to whine and moan about it, but she didn't know if he truly was a good person. She had heard about Blake Bigby through the MirrorBlogs and had listened to one of the songs his band Purple Rhapsody had performed, and while she agreed they were good for a high school band, she didn't know the boy as well as she wanted. She was sure Cerise let her heart speak instead of her head and jumped the gun, which was why she had decided to play the older sister card, to make sure he truly was a good person.

She was already an adult, technically being a Junior in Ever After High before she had been transferred to the Reform School for bad behavior. It her defense, the guy was being an ass and he needed to have a tooth knocked out. She was quite surprised to hear the same guy had tried killing another student and was now awaiting his sentencing in the Southern Isles. It was a testament how time could change a person, it truly was. Having heard the news about that boy's arrest had her on edge for her sister's safety. It pissed her off to no end being stuck in a reform school for an entire year, but thankfully she was gonna be let out before the summer for good behavior.

Ramona Badwolf was an eighteen year old young woman, with long knee length dark brown hair which she kept neat and straight. She had streaks of white and burgundy running through it, to give it a bit of personality. She was a rather tall woman, having inherited her height from her father, while her little sister got hers from her mother. She wore dark make up around her eyes and cheeks, with bright crimson lipstick. Her skin, while light tan, was more akin to that of her mother than her father. Like her sister, she also had steel blue eyes, that turned gold when enraged.

She was wearing a long sleeved blue shirt with a silver wolf printed on it, its snout raised in a howl. She wore a matching red plaid skirt, with a black frilled hem, slightly torn in certain areas. She also wore a black wrap around her waist with dark blue suspenders attached to it. She was wearing her favorite pair of boots. They were knee length buckle boots, lined with brown leather and fake wolf fur. They had thick golden heels, perfect for a girl who loved running through the woods on her off time. She wore a golden wolf necklace, attached to a matching gold shoulder pad, with a howling wolf etched into it. She also wore a golden headpiece on the side of her head. Unlike her sister, Ramona had no issue with people seeing her wolf ears, in fact she was proud to be half wolf.

When she heard from her mother, the current Little Red, that her sister was on her way to Hood Hollow with her new boyfriend, she had left her grandmother's house and found herself a good spot to wait. She was sitting on the roof of a house, that looked right at the Dark Forest, laying back with some beef jerky in her hand. This was part of her first test, if the boy scared easy, then he definitely wouldn't be able to save her sister, even though she knew for a fact Cerise could outrun nearly anyone. If he passed that one, then she would proceed with her usual routine of testing the boy until he broke up with her sister or just quit from exhaustion. She took a bite from her jerky, a smirk on her face.

"This is gonna be the most fun I'll have since punching that bastard Henry in the schnoz last year. Can't believe he went ape shit and tried killing someone." she thought, closing her eyes as she enjoyed the taste of the dried meat. Her ear twitched a bit, catching the sound of a familiar voice. She swallowed the jerky in her mouth, and sat up, hiding behind the brick chimney, laying in wait.

Finally arriving in Hood Hollow, Blake could breathe a sigh of relief. He never had fun when he had to walk through the Dark Woods, but Cerise had showed him an exact path to Hood Hollow and had told him of the land marks they were passing in case he ever got lost without her. As long as he went over the river and through the woods, he would make it. The quaint village was still as welcoming as ever, all of the small houses were billowing smoke, the scent of burning wood prevalent in the air. It wasn't hard to find Cerise's house, as it was the biggest in the village, a traditional log cabin which reminded him of the ones in Alaska when he and his folks went to visit his aunt and uncle in Anchorage.

"Oh wow, there's a bit of snow here." Blake said, glancing around at the small amount of snow gathered on the ground.

"It snows early here, because we're so close to the mountains. It was really fun at first, but it got annoying too, especially because we had to shovel it." Cerise said, not at all amused at the sight of the frozen water.

"It isn't so bad. You can make snow angels in the snow, and have snowball fights, and if you take some snow and keep packing it, you can make an ice ball and use it to crack someones head open." he said.

"Who's head did you crack open?"

"My cousin's...hey she was asking for it, taunting me from across the street like the little shit she is. It's also one of the reasons I'm not allowed to speak with her ever again. She still has the scar, right down the side of her head." Blake said, earning a frown from Cerise.

"You aren't going to do that ever again alright? Unless you really need too or someone is pissing you off far beyond anything else you've faced."

"Fine...for the record, it was only to get back at her. She broke one of my glass ponies...didn't you see the one in my room that has a crack on the hind leg? That's where I glued it. It was a limited edition, with gold plating around the hooves." he replied, earning a sigh from his girlfriend. She stopped mid stride, her nose wiggling slightly. She closed her eyes, trying to pick up the scent.

"Whoa...are you tracking someone?" he asked.

"Yeah, my sister. I know you're there Ramona, no use hiding." she called out. Blake looked around, trying to see if her could find Cerise's older sister anywhere. That was of course before he was tackled to the ground by a blue blur. His eyes widened a bit when he saw steel blue eyes looking into his own.

"So, you're the pup that's taken an interest in my sister...you don't look like much."

"With all due respect miss, you haven't met me...and it's rather rude to tackle people to the ground wouldn't you say?" he replied, earning a smirk from the girl, who backed away from him, still sitting on his body.

"You've got nuts back talking like that, but I still think you aren't worthy of my sister."

"Ramona would you get off him? Jeez, you're sitting on his lap in broad fuckin daylight! Think of the elderly!" Cerise hissed, earning a chuckle from the young woman, who stood up from the boy she had been straddling. Cerise held her hand out, pulling Blake back to his feet, who brushed the hay and dry grass off his jacket, thankful he hadn't been tackled into a patch of snow.

"Well, I've always wanted to be straddled by an older woman, didn't exactly have this in mind." Blake said, brushing his hand through his hair. The glare Cerise gave him just made him shudder a bit, while Ramona just chuckled.

"You're real funny...so funny man, think you got what it takes to date my little sis? If you want to get into a serious relationship with her, you gotta get my blessing, and I'm letting you now, that isn't an easy task." she said.

"You don't scare me...I like Cerise, more than you think or know. So I'm gonna do whatever it takes to get your blessing. Blake Bigby." he said, holding his hand out. Ramona rose a brow, a smirk tugging her lips.

"Ramona Badwolf." she replied, grasping his hand in a firm shake. She however didn't let go, squeezing his hand rather hard. The boy did the same, a smirk on his face.

"You got a nice name, I'm gonna call you Momo from now on. So come at me with everything you've got." he said, letting go of her hand, cracking his fingers right after.

"Oh I like you, no one's had the balls to call me Momo to my face ever. Alright then, you wanna date my sister, there are three tasks you have do to for me. The first task is simple, you see that mountain at the edge of Hood Hollow?" she asked, pointing forward. Blake followed her finger, seeing the snow capped mountain at the edge of town.

"I see it, what about it?"

"There's a cliff that over looks a deep ravine, on the underside grows a special crystal flower, that only blooms during cold temperatures. Get me that flower, and you pass the first test." she said, earning a smirk from the boy.

"Consider it done. Do you want me to bring it to you on a silver platter? Oh wait, a gold platter?" he asked jokingly.

"Don't make me hit you...we'll be going as a group, but you get the flower by yourself. And don't make me mad, or else the last thing anyone will ever see of you, is that stupid violet fringe of yours." she said firmly, taking the lead through Hood Hollow.

"Seriously sis, do you have to do this?" Cerise said.

"Sweetheart, it's alright...she wants to test me, so I'll just play along. Nothing she says or does will make me leave you...come on, we can do this." he said, taking a hold of her hand. Ramona smiled a bit, already impressed with the boy. She would have quite a lot of fun running him ragged.

xxx

The walk to Hacksaw Ridge was actually a really cool one. Hacksaw Mountain was the nearest mountain to Hood Hollow, and it was known to have the best views around Ever After. Blake had honestly been quite happy to make the trip up there, he had always wanted to climb a mountain, and now he was getting his chance to. He was taking pictures of the surrounding mountains, which reached almost to the heavens, topped with the purest snow he hadn't seen in awhile. The area they were currently walking through was a bit dry and barren, and quite rocky, but they all had boots on, so it hardly bothered them.

"So, where did you find this one?" Ramona asked, earning a sigh from Cerise, who stuck her hand in her basket, reaching for a can of Mountain Dew.

"He goes to Ever After High...he's not from this world." she said.

"Oh, not from this world, where are you from kid? Nottingham? Wonderland? Please tell me you aren't from Neverland? Those kids are so damn prissy."

"Neverland exists here? Shit why didn't anyone tell me that?" Blake asked, glancing at Cerise who just gave him a shrug.

"You never asked." she replied, tossing him a drink. He cracked the can open, taking a sip from it. She gave Ramona one as well, who looked at it rather oddly.

"Anyway, to answer your question Momo, I'm actually not from any of those worlds. I'm from a place I call the Real World...back in my world, all of you are just Fairytales, make believe. But I was brought here through a mirror. The Evil Queen brought me here, cursed me so I couldn't leave, shoved a piece of mirror in my chest and enchanted my family and friends back home so they wouldn't remember me."

"Ouch...tough shit...sorry to hear that." the girl replied.

"Eh, it's alright...I've come to terms with it...I would rather just live my life here as best as I can. With my girlfriend by my side." he said, wrapping an arm around Cerise's waist.

"We'll see...what does dad think of this?"

"He doesn't know Ramona, and he isn't gonna know alright? I don't think Daddy will be too accepting of this relationship. He's gonna find out soon, thanks to Blondie, but I want to live these few days without him wanting to choke my boyfriend." She replied.

"Let it be known that the innocent party does not, I repeat, does not, want to be choked." Blake said, earning a scoff from Ramona.

"It doesn't matter, soon as Blondie start's talking, your ass is grass and dad is the lawnmower. Look alive, we're coming up on Hacksaw Ridge." Ramona said, pointing up to the jutting rock formation that over looked a very very deep ravine. Cerise gulped audibly, being a bit scared.

"Why do they call it Hacksaw Ridge? Is it because of the mountain or for another reason?"

"Oh, there's a good story behind it. You see there was this man who lived in Hood Hollow, his name was Willard. Yeah, he was a real messed up man...history would remember him as Hacksaw Willie. He was convicted of murdering his wife and his sister...with a hacksaw."

"What? That's total bullshit Momo...how come I haven't heard of this?" Blake asked, causing the girl to stop.

"Because dumb ass, you aren't from here. So you don't know the local lore...yeah, it was really messed up. Sliced his wife's throat open with a single swipe...you see, he was getting a divorce, and had to pay child support, he had no money, and had to file for bankruptcy. The judge still made him pay all the money he owed." Ramona said, earning a raised brow from the boy.

"Typical lovers quarrel ending in murder then?" he asked, earning a nod from the girl.

"That's right...except Willard got mad at the judge, oh yes he did. He shot him with a 22 caliber rifle right in the back of the head, started hacking him up in his bathtub. That's where his sister saw him, and in order to shut her mouth, he did the same to her. He sliced them up, stuffed their bodies into garbage bags and tossed them over the ridge. Thing was, another judge took the first one's place, and ruled the case in favor of his wife...he needed to take revenge."

"Ramona, can you please stop telling this story? You know how much I hate it!" Cerise said, shivering slightly.

"It's alright sweetheart, it's just a story." he said, pulling her close to himself as they continued to walk.

"Of course it is...a true story. Anyway, Willie didn't want to pay child support, he had no money to pay it with. So he had to get rid of the thorn in his side...so he brought out his special friend, the hacksaw he used to hack up his dear little sister and the judge that fucked him over. He made his way to his ex-wife's house, started knocking on the door and begging to be let in, a blubbering mess to sell it all. Opening the door was Martha's biggest mistake." Ramona said, coming to a stop before the ridge.

"What...did he cut her head off her something?" Blake asked curiously. Ramona turned around, a smirk tugging her lips.

"Oh, he did more than that. He cut her head off, and put it on a pike outside her house...they found her body at the bottom of this ridge. He knew he couldn't get away, so he came back to the place where he got rid of those bodies, and strung a sturdy rope to that tree over there, and hung himself. The thing was, when they found his body, his chest had been sliced open, the skin matching the serrated edge of a hacksaw."

"What? But his neck would have snapped, how the hell would he be able to cut his own chest open?" he asked.

"That's the thing, they saw it was the headless body of his wife that sliced him open. Others say he hacked himself open and then someone strung him up...no one knows...but the first is thought to believe the truth, because the bloody hacksaw was found in the hands of his headless wife. They say her soul still stalks this area, and on the eve of the night she died, a hacksaw appears on that tree, hanging by it's bloody red handle, crimson blood dripping from its blade."

"SHUT UP!" Cerise cried, earning a boisterous laugh from her sister, who pulled down her hood, ruffling her head.

"I'm fuckin with ya sis. Come on, it's just an old wives tale...that's one hundred percent real." she said.

"I don't buy it...sounds like a bad creepypasta to me...whatever, what do I have to do to get this flower?" he asked.

"Oh right...I'm not gonna risk you falling your death, last thing I need is you joining Willie's sister down there. I'm gonna tie you a safety rope, after that, you are on your own." she said, grabbing a rope from the messenger bag she had brought with her.

"You don't have to do this Blake...remember, it doesn't matter what Ramona or my father say, I'll still be with you." Cerise said, quickly pulling up her head.

"Honey it's alright...I'm up for a little adventure. Besides, your sister is really cool, she reminds me a lot of Susan...I want to prove to her that I can take care of you, and I'm not just another fuckboy. It'll take more than some scary story to scare me away." he said happily. He let out a grunt when he felt Ramona tie off the rope around his waist.

"We'll see about that, if you can even pass this test that is. The second test is gonna make you shit blood...good luck." she said, pushing the boy forward as she walked over to the tree, tying the rope around its trunk.

He cracked his knuckles as he walked over to the edge of the cliff, glancing at the rope to make sure it was firmly tied around his waist. He had a good length to work with as well so he would at least be safe. Walking to the end of the cliff, he glanced down at the ravine, seeing just how far down it went. It spanned for miles down below, with large rocky shelves and spikes jutting out at odd angles. It certainly did look like a hacksaw, and it wouldn't be pretty if someone fell down there. He was sure they were likely to die. He knelt down, back facing the edge as he started lowering himself down over the cliff.

"Blake, you don't have to do this!" Cerise cried out.

"Already leaning over the edge babe, not much of a choice now." he replied, grabbing onto the ledge.

He kicked his legs forward, his boots snagging the underside of the cliff. He started slowly moving down, making sure his grip on the shelf was firm. He hummed as he started looking around, seeing the glowing crystal flower Ramona had mentioned. It was rather big for a flower, the petals wrapped around most of its base, the veins on the petals glowing slightly. It had three small spikes sticking out from the base of the flower, which was firmly latched onto the rock. It looked almost like a conch shell, made entirely out of crystal.

"This is insane." he muttered to himself, making his way over to the flower. His leg slipped, a few pieces of rock falling to the depths below.

"Ramona, this is insane. What if he falls? He could really hurt himself or worse!" Cerise snapped, earning a frown from her sister, who stopped filing her lengthy nails.

"I wouldn't let him fall, he's got the rope for a reason. I've been to the bottom of that ravine before. Besides, he's probably gonna puss out and not even bother getting the flower." she said with a shrug.

"That's not the point. Every single guy I've been interested in, you scare away, either that or you put them in harms way. What's wrong with you? Are you so sour that you can't get someone to like you that you drive away anyone I like?"

"Listen you little pup. I'm not doing this for shits and giggles like you would assume. The world is a dark place, far darker than our dad blowing apart houses for fun. I have to make sure the people you associate with are capable of defending you should the need arise. You're half wolf sure, but your wolf side can only help you so much. It isn't gonna stop a silver bullet, and it sure as hell isn't going to save you if your attacked by a mob of hungry goblins." Ramona said, glaring into her sister's eyes.

"That's rich coming from you. You don't know any of my friends, you don't know the shit Blake's had to go through. Besides who the hell told you I needed help defending myself? I'm not damsel in distress, I can handle myself."

"That's cute...let's just hope it doesn't come to war or far worse. Ever After is a peaceful place, but when our stories are over, there won't be anything but the real world to come back to." she hissed, glancing away from her little sister, returning to her nail filing. They heard a loud grunt and looked toward the cliff, seeing Blake pulling himself back over. He let out sigh, placing the flower on the ground, much to their surprise.

"Ha...I win!" he said, giving Ramona a shit eating grin. She blinked a few times, smirking to herself.

"Well done, not many have been able to even get close to the edge. You have balls, let's see if those balls are big enough to save you from my next trial. Bring the flower." she said, turning around and walking off. Blake stood up and grabbed the flower, pulling himself free from the rope.

"Well this is fun, I'm having a fun time." Blake said, earning a sigh from Cerise.

"You're a dumbass for doing what she's telling you to do."

"Cerise it's fine. I want to prove to Momo that I am worthy of being your boyfriend. She's just being over protective of you, which is really sweet when you think about it. She cares a lot about you...trust me, if in my world siblings were like this, teen pregnancy wouldn't be so common." he said, a frown on his face.

"Teen pregnancy? You mean there are underage kids out there doing the nasty? At what age?" Ramona asked, a serious look on her face. Blake sighed, glancing at the dark gray skies.

"The common age is 16, in America that's the legal age of consent. I've seen fifteen year olds getting pregnant too...the youngest I've seen is a thirteen year old, but there was one story on the news some years back of a ten year old being pregnant."

"That's fucking horrible! How the hell does that shit even happen?" the older teen asked, an angry look on her face.

"Most is just kids thinking they can do what the adults can. No good education at home, parents who aren't taking good care of their kids and shit. But some have been rape victims...yeah, my world can be a dark place at times...a lot of grim shit happens on a daily basis." he replied, not wanting to think about the darker aspects of his world.

"It's disgusting, I wouldn't know what to do if I got pregnant that early in life." Cerise replied.

"Well, the most important thing about that is simple. You have to be ready to take that step in life, obviously if kids see something online or their folks are doing it, they'll want to do it too. But as rational not yet adults, not exactly kids, teenagers, we have the rational thinking of an adult while still being underage. You shouldn't be having sex at all unless you are comfortable with the person you love, and if you are then use protection, simple as that." He replied, glancing down at the flower in his hands, tracing the veins with his thumb.

"That's true...I guess if it's with the person I love, I wouldn't mind taking that step in the relationship."

"I'm the same. I would never force someone to do something they aren't comfortable with. I saw too many girls back in my old school getting pregnant to early in life, they were just kids in high school. Didn't have a degree or a job, shit they didn't even finish Freshman year half the time. I want to have kids in the future, more than anything, but I want to have a stable home, solid income and a beautiful wife by my side who'll the the best mom in the world." Blake said, a smile tugging his lips.

"You know Blake, that's rather mature of you to say. Not a lot of kids your age think like that...if you get my blessing, if...I want you to at least wait a year before you start boning my sister, and it better be wrapped."

"Ramona! Shit shut up!" Cerise cried, bowing her head in embarrassment. Blake blushed brightly too, not wanting to think those thoughts, of course his male mind still had him thinking those thoughts. Let's just say, he was in need of a cold shower...for now he hoped Bill Buckner's fuck up would take his mind to another place and time.

xxx

Ramona lead Blake and Cerise to a secluded spot in the forest, a cavern entrance located in the back of a clearing. There was a bit of snow gathered around the cavern entrance and judging by the footprints, something lived within that cavern. Blake wasn't exactly sure of what but he wasn't looking forward to finding out. Coming to a stop before the cave, Ramona stood before the boy, giving him a smile. It wasn't a joyous smile, more of the smile you give someone when you want them to do their dirty work, it didn't not ease his nerves at all, but he was going to stay firmly by Cerise's side no matter what.

"So, we have arrived at your second trial. This cave once belonged to a wise old dragon, who loved humans very much. However, an ugly disgusting goblin took over its home. This normally wouldn't be a problem for the dragon, if it was capable of fighting back. It was in the process of laying its eggs, so it was in a weakened state." she said, earning a nod from Blake.

"You're telling me that this dragon was kicked out of its home by this goblin?"

"No...sadly she ended up getting killed, and her eggs are still inside. While the goblin was out on its hunt, I wondered inside and saw a single egg still in the nest being near a fire. So I can tell that it's been getting a constant heat source. Dragon meat happens to be a delicacy for these fuck ups, it doesn't sit right that the dragon was killed. Your next task, is to rescue that dragon egg from inside the cave."

"Ramona, he can die from this." Cerise hissed, only to be silenced by her sister who looked back at Blake.

"Let me get this straight, I gotta go in there, get a dragon egg back from this goblin and come out of there alive?"

"I never specified that. Getting out alive would be ideal, but if you fuck the pooch in there then it's totally cool...you'll be hailed as a hero, and if we can salvage your carcass we will give you an honorary burial." she replied. Blake pressed his lips in a thin line, shaking his head.

"Momo, you are a cold hearted bitch, possibly the most cold hearted bitch I have met in my entire life. If I wasn't already dating your sister I would pounce you like a lynx. Hold this flower babe, I'm going in." he said, handing Cerise the crystal flower. He tugged his varsity jacket a bit as he walked toward the cavern entrance, a firm look on his face.

"Well, so far so good. I like this one a lot little sis, he has a lot of gull to say something like that too me...and he's got a cute butt. If you don't fuck him, I will."

"Ramona, I swear to the Fairy Godmother, I will maul you." the younger girl snapped, glaring at her sister, eyes glowing gold. Ramona smiled, giving her a pat on the head.

Wondering into the cavern, Blake took notice of a few things. For one, he actually had good eyesight in the darkness. He figured it was due to having the Evil Queen's magic, in his mind he figured high ounces of magic enhanced senses slightly, but not on a god tier level. He almost wished he could be a dragon slayer like some of his favorite wizards, but he knew that would be insulting to some of the kind dragons of Ever After. He hid behind a stalagmite, peeking around the corner to the middle of the cavern.

He saw a raging fire near the other end of the cavern, along with a few amenities, making it look almost like a small apartment. The slow dripping of water from above was causing a constant echo as the drops struck the ground. It smelled dank and disgusting, as if someone had been rolling around in dirty and rotting moss. Spotting another stalagmite further ahead, he decided to quickly move toward it. He reached behind his back, his fingers wrapping around the hilt of his borrow Vorpal Blade. He had brought it along just in case he and Cerise were attacked in the forest, but he didn't think he would need to use it.

Just beyond the stalagmite was a ghastly creature, with dark moss colored skin, beady crimson eyes and a disgusting smirk on his countenance. His ears rose back behind his head looking pointed and covered in what he assumed was fur. The goblin was wearing some sort of vest over his sickly green body, with dark brown pants that did little to hide his gimpy legs. He noticed it was just sitting there, staring at the egg that still lay in its nest.

The egg was almost entirely white, with black and violet markings around it. He noticed snowflake patterns on the shell, as if they had been expertly painted by the gentlest of hands. It was a rather large egg, reminding him of the one Happy had hatched out of in his favorite anime, Fairy Tail, an aptly named anime for this current scenario. The biggest egg he had ever seen was an ostrich egg, and this one tripled its size.

The goblin must have noticed his presence, because a second later he let out a growl and stood up, reaching for what looked like a battle axe. He started looking around the cavern, growling slightly before locking eyes with the stalagmite Blake was hiding behind. He let out a violent screech, jumping at it with great speed. Blake jumped back at the same time, watching as the rock formation exploded into chunks. He drew his weapon, the blade glowing a brilliant white as is sprung out of its hilt.

"So, you're the little shit that was here earlier eh? You don't look like a female, I was hoping to have some fun with you." the creature growled. Surprised that it could talk, Blake just took his stance, holding his katana outward.

"Not a man of many words eh? Then allow me to end your life as swiftly as possible." he cried, lunging at him swinging his axe.

Blake angled his blade slightly, blocking the large axe blade from making contact with his body. Easily pushing the creature back, he took a couple jabs at him, all of them blocked by a sturdy shield he didn't see the creature grab. Changing his stance, he grabbed the hilt of his sword tightly, he angled it downward, the tip of the Vorpal Blade slicing up some of the rocks with a snicker-snack. Using the dust to his advantage, Blake raced forward, delivering a strong kick to the goblin's chest, sending it flying back.

"Heh...this one is good, I didn't think goblins were this strong. Maybe if I roll a d20 I can crit his ass." Blake muttered, licking his lips as he watched the creature get back to his feet.

"Well, this is gonna be fun. I haven't had a good fight in a long time kid, so come at me...or I will." he said. Blake pulled his hand back, channeling some dark magic into it.

"Darkness Stream!" he chanted, his voice sounding a bit two-toned as he shot the spell forward. Several lances of dark magic shot at the goblin, who easily sliced them apart with his axe.

"Nice try, but magic ain't shit compared to my quick reflexes!" he cried, swinging his axe two and fro, causing Blake to back away. He smirked, quickly doing a Reversal, delivering a slash to the creature's back.

"What the? This is a Vorpal weapon, it should have sliced you clean in half!" Blake snapped, earning a smirk from the goblin.

"Enchanted garments kid, all fighters should use them. You look no older than a sprout, mid teens...you fucked with the wrong goblin, I'm afraid...I'm gonna have to kill ya, then I'll find that dame that wondered in here and take her as mine!" he shouted, swiping his axe at the boy, who quickly jumped back. He formed a swirling orb of magic and threw it at the creature, only for him to dodge it. It struck the back wall, causing an explosion of dust and debris.

The Goblin spun around, bashing Blake in the side with his shield, quickly pulling his axe down in an attempt to slice his arm off. Angling his blade, the boy was able to deflect the incoming attack, pushing the creature back. He ran at him, swiping and slashing the air before him, the glowing edge of the blade looking orange due to the fire. Blake slammed back into the wall, quickly turning away when the Goblin struck the wall with his axe. He growled as he tried to pull it free, giving Blake the moment he needed.

With a loud cry, he rose his sword high in the air, a brilliant blue light swirling around it. He dashed forward, slicing right through the creature's neck, the sword going snicker-snack as it sliced through its flesh. The Goblin hacked loudly, a stream of sickly orange blood pouring from its neck hole. Blake slashed the sword through the air, cleaning it of blood before placing it through his belt loop, the blade retracting back into the hilt. He cleared his throat as he walked over to the dragon egg, lifting it from its nest.

"It'll be alright little one...I got you now." he said softly. He felt the baby inside move slight, almost tapping the shell. He wrapped his jacket around it, hugging it tightly to himself as he started walking out of the cavern.

"It's been half an hour, aren't we going in?" Cerise asked, earning a sigh from Ramona.

"He can handle himself fine right, you said he was good with a sword."

"But he didn't have a sword with him!" the younger girl snapped, earning a frown from her older sister.

"Oh...well it would have been a good idea to procure one beforehand. Okay fine, I'll go see if he's okay, but if he's dead then it isn't my fault."

"No need Momo, I'm completely alive." Blake said, walking out of the cavern with the egg in his hands. Cerise quickly closed the distance, hugging the boy tightly.

"I was so worried about you! Are you alright? Did you get hurt?"

"I'm fine Hun! Look, I brought the egg!" he said, moving his jacket slightly. Cerise looked at it closely, placing a hand on its shell.

"It's moving...this is the first time I've actually touched a dragon egg." she said.

"Hmm, very good...I thought you would be shitting blood, but color me surprised. Alright then, let's go back to Hood Hollow for the final test." Ramona said, earning a smirk from the boy.

"Bring it on Momo, you can't defeat me!" he said happily.

"We'll see." she replied, once again taking the lead. The group of three plus their egg started back toward Hood Hollow, with Blake wondering what the final test was going to be like.