Chapter Twenty-Six: Snow Day
JustAnotherFanGirl2004: I felt the same way when I was writing the Briar and Hopper part. And for Raven and Dexter, I think that, while their friends won't be very surprised, other people will. And thank you for the compliments - they mean a lot to me.
When you see a paragraph in italic, that's the things that are twisted around that the Snow King and Snow Queen see.
At Ever After High, it was nearly the summer. It had been three months since Spring Fairest (which was always on the first day of Spring) and school was nearly over. But these teenagers couldn't wait for that time, since it was so hot.
You might be confused when I say that an icy, freezing adventure was about to begin. One where our heroes would face the unrelenting cold of winter, brace the ice blast of treacherous snowstorms, and save their school (third time this year!)
You see, it might be hot at the school, but up at the top of the world - it's always winter. And that is where our story begins.
At the ice castle of the royal winter family - who control and protect all things frosty and cold - the Snow Queen and the Snow King smiled at each other and hugged. (So we're just going to ignore the fact that there is no Snow King and the Snow Queen is evil in her fairytale? Okay - I guess I have no power over that choice.)
"Ew!" their daughter - Crystal Winter - said with a laugh. "Save the snuggling for the fireside! Let's play some indoor ice hockey!"
"I'm up for that," her father chuckled. "My queen, will you referee?"
The Snow Queen grinned and took out a whistle. She blew on it, and the Snow King skated down and turned the big room into an ice hockey arena.
"Crystal," the Snow Queen said. "If you're going to rule one day, it's high time you start to lace your own skates."
"But Mom, we have pixies for that!" Crystal said in denial, motioning to the two pixies lacing her skating boots.
"Come on mom, it's game time!" Crystal said, skating down to meet her father.
The Snow Queen dropped the puck, and the game began!
But unknown to the happy family, two owls landed on the balcony above them. One of the owls gracefully turned into a small girl with pale blue skin and a pointed face. Her ears were also pointed. She had short, spikey white hair pulled back with a blue scarf and snow goggles. Her eyes were pale blue-purple and she had three small white snowflakes under each of them. Her lips were black and twisted into a sinister smile.
The other owl turned into a boy a bit bigger than her. He was awkwardly perched on the railing with a dark purple envelope in his mouth. He had the same white hair, pointed ears, and pale blue skin as the girl. Over his white hair, he wore a blue hat with the same snowflake pattern as the girl's head scarf and ear flaps. He also had goggles pulled over his hair, and wore similar clothing to the girl. But while everything about the girl was sinister, pointed, and graceful, everything about him was gawky, silly, and innocent.
When he fell off the railing and onto the platform the girl was standing on, she scoffed and turned around to look at Crystal and the Snow King.
"Look at all of these overgrown, royal penguins," Jackie Frost said in disdain. "Northwind, hand me our secret weapon."
Her brother righted himself and spoke with the envelope still in his mouth.
"What's the next move, Jackie?"
Instead of answering, she pulled the envelope out of his mouth.
"All that power," she said, still looking at the royal family. "And what do they do with it? Have 'fun'? Bleh! They deserve to have it stolen!"
She opened the envelope and looked into it.
"Careful, Jackie," Northwind said, appearing by her side. "That's pure evil."
"No duh!" Jackie snapped. "How else are we supposed to take over? By asking nicely? Sheesh! How many times do I have to explain the plan to you?!"
"One more?" Northwind said meekly.
"We turn the sweet Snow King sour, then he'll start the most wicked winter ever after. Crystal isn't ready to rule - she won't be able to take the heat. So once she's out of the picture, we save the day from the crazy king and before you know it, rule of the season will belong to me! Er- us," Jackie said impatiently.
Below them, the Snow King was about to score the final goal when Crystal used her wand to block the puck and send it over to her. Then, she scored the final goal, winning the game.
"Well played, kiddo," the Snow King said with a chuckle.
"She can't just magic herself out of everything, dear," the Snow Queen said, smiling.
"Why not?" the Snow King asked, continuing his bad parenting. He blew a kiss at his wife and a heart appeared. "It works for me."
"Mom, Dad! Cut the slushy stuff!" Crystal said.
Her father just laughed.
Crystal and her parents walked onto the balcony. They didn't notice that Jackie and Northwind were hiding on top of the little awning over the doorway to the balcony.
Crystal smiled and gazed out at the land.
"Your mother is right, you know," the Snow King said from behind her. "Life can't all be fun and games. One day, you will rule winter."
"But I am ready to rule!" Crystal said, turning around. "I've read every magical meteorological manifesto, and studied every fableous fairytale ever after!"
"Crystal, there's a difference between understanding and doing," the Snow Queen said.
The Snow King waved his scepter, and a rose made out of ice appeared in the couple's hands.
"Soon, my dear, you will blossom like this enchanted winter rose," the Snow Queen said, handing Crystal the rose.
"And become the next Snow Queen," her father said.
Crystal hugged her parents and walked over to the balcony, looking over. Everything looked fine...
But looks can be deceiving. And that was made clear when Jackie opened the envelope and turned it over. Purple dust flew down to the royal couple, who didn't notice until it was too late.
A couple chapters ago, Ever After faced the greatest villain (at least in their world) - the Evil Queen. When her mirror prison shattered, the glass fragments created a powerful evil dust. The Snow Kings shape-shifting servants - Jackie Frost and Northwind - stole that potent source of evil. And now, the spell was on Crystal's parents.
"Thank you for this promise rose, Mom and Dad," Crystal said from the balcony, not noticing anything was wrong. "I won't let you-" the rose was snatched from her hands. "Down?" she finished, confused.
"You've already let me down with this ingratitude!" the Snow Queen said.
"You're acting like a spoiled brat!" the Snow King yelled.
"What are you saying?" Crystal asked.
"You are old, and frostbitten!" Crystal sneered. "And I could rule winter better with my eyes closed!"
"She gets this lack of respect from you!" the Snow Queen snarled at her husband. "She acts too silly to rule!"
"Mom! Dad!" Crystal exclaimed, chasing after her parents as they walked inside. "Stop!"
"Silly, huh?" the Snow King said as the family reached the thrones. "Then you must think that I am nothing more than a snow goose! I should freeze-tag you right now!"
"I'd like to see you try, snowman!" the Snow Queen said haughtily.
To Crystal's horror, her father pointed his scepter at her mother and blue, icy magic wooshed out of it. A moment later, the Snow Queen was an ice statue.
"Who else wants to play freeze tag?!"
"Your highness..." a terrified frost elf said as the Snow King pointed his scepter at him.
"Look at me! I'm the Snow King!" a frost elf said mockingly. "This is what I sound like!" He blew a raspberry at the Snow King.
"You should learn to be more sheepish!" the Snow King snarled. He pointed his staff at the elf, who turned into a sheep.
"Dad, unfreeze Mom right now!" Crystal said, walking up to her father.
"I would, but she's giving me the cold shoulder," the Snow King laughed, sitting down on his throne.
"If this is a game, it's not fun anymore!" Crystal exclaimed. "What has gotten into you?"
"Playtime is over, Princess," the Snow King said. "Your mother was right about one thing: You're too childish to rule."
Everything that had just happened catching up to and overwhelming her, Crystal turned and fled.
Crystal ran into her room, and flung herself onto the bed dramatically, sobbing.
"Who wants to rule winter anyway?" she said out loud, not noticing the two pixie that watched her from the doorway.
"I don't, not if it means turning cold-hearted one day like my parents. What's wrong with wanting to have some fun?" she asked the pixies as they came in and sat next to her. "Maybe I don't belong here anymore."
Crystal sat up and looked at a picture of her, Ashlynn, and Briar.
"I know where they'll be warm to me, in a land not so far, far away."
Feeling alone, Crystal left the top of the world - much to Jackie and Northwind's (mainly Jackie's) delight. She headed off to visit Ever After High.
"I am fairy, fairy disappointed in you, Faybelle!" Headmaster Grimm scolded, much to Faybelle's annoyance. "Your involvement with the Evil Queen's takeover has left this school a vile mess!"
"Oh come on, it's not that bad," Faybelle said, rolling her eyes.
A chunk of the ceiling fell onto Grimm's desk.
"Don't get me wrong, I'm delighted you're following your evil destiny," Headmaster Grimm continued. "But you must be punished. So, I am charging you with cleaning duties until our school is restored to its pristine glory."
"Clean up the whole school by myself? That'll take forever after!" Faybelle gawked.
"Then I suggest you get started."
(Anyone else find this kind of unfair? I mean, he tells these kids to be evil and the moment one of them actually follows her destiny, he punishes them for listening to him.)
Apple and Daring walked awkwardly through the halls. They exchanged nervous smiles in the silence.
"Blondie Lockes here with another relationship rumorcast!" Blondie said. "The whole school knows that Daring Charming's kiss failed to wake Apple from her enchanted sleep! A.k.a, he's not her destined prince! Awkward! Is this power couple about to power off?" She shoved the mic in Apple and Daring's faces. "Apple, Daring, care to comment?"
"Not really."
"Uh, no?"
Blondie sighed in defeat. "And there you have it. Tune in next time fro more hexciting news."
Ashlynn and Briar watched the whole scene on a mirrorpad.
"Briar, have you noticed Blondie's reporting lately has been...m" Ashlynn trailed off.
"Not just right?" Briar finished. "Definitely."
An icy wind blew past them and the girls shivered.
"Did you feel that?" Briar asked as they headed to the lunch room.
"Wait a spell, is that...snow?" Ashlynn said, looking around at the white around them.
"Impossible, it's summer."
"Snow, yeah!" Sparrow sang.
"Unless..." Briar added hopefully.
"She's here!" Ashlynn squealed.
The girls took off running, in search of their friend.
She must be around here somewhere," Ashlynn said as they ran into the lunch room.
"Ashlynn! Briar!" a voice shouted from behind them, running forward and hugging them.
The three of them fell into a huge snow pile and laughed happily.
"Oh, Crystal! It's fabulous to see you!" Ashlynn said as people gathered around them.
"Hi everyone!" Crystal said, waving. "So nice to be back."
"We're very happy to see you, but what are you doing here?" Briar asked as everyone left to allow the girls a private moment.
"Do I need an excuse to visit my best friends forever after?" Crystal asked.
Before either of the girls could answer, Eve ran into the room.
"What's happening? Why's there snow everywhere? Is Khione trying to kill us again?" she asked in a panic.
"No, Crystal is just visiting us," Briar said, motioning to their friend, who waved.
"Oh, good," Eve said, perking up. "Welcome to Ever After, Crystal!"
She was about to leave, when Ashlynn asked, "By the way, who's Khione?"
"Goddess of Snow, and one of Alex's dad's ex side-women. Why?"
"No reason," Ashlynn said, surprised.
The girls laughed when Eve left.
"One of the demigods?" Crystal asked as her friends nodded.
She grinned and stood up.
"Now, how about we sparklize these dusty old halls?!" she said, taking her snow gun out and shooting a snowball in the air.
Headmaster Grimm sat at his desk, trying to write. At the doorway, Duchess, Sparrow, Darling, Bunny, and Alister watched hopefully.
"Come on, come on..." Duchess begged silently.
"Say it...you can do it..." Darling whispered hopefully.
Snow thudded down all over Headmaster Grimm's desk, and he sighed in defeat. He picked up the announcement microphone thingy and spoke into it.
"Attention students, classes are dismissed for Ever After High's first ever summer snow day."
The teens at the doorway cheered loudly, and so did everyone else in the school.
In the school, Apple and Rosabella were making a giant snowman. Bunny and Alister were chasing each other and laughing. Melody started some music to help the occasion. Poppy and Holly made snowmen while Hunter and Sparrow had a snow-boarding contest. Kitty and Raven had a snowball fight, and Ramona made a snow wolf. Justine and Duchess had a skate-off.
And three friends watched it all.
"After these past few months...phew!" Briar said. "A little winter snow break is awesome."
"But tell us why you really came," Ashlynn said, shooting their sullen friend a concerned look.
"It's my parents," Crystal said sadly. "They haven't been themselves lately. Especially my dad - he's been so cold."
"Ah...isn't that kind of his thing?" Briar said, trying to make a joke.
"No!" Crystal argued. "I mean, it's like he's twisted everything to see only bad. And let's just say, my mom is a total ice queen all of a sudden. Life is snow unfair! I feel like I've been cursed."
"Well..." Ashlynn said slowly. "Maybe it is a curse."
"It happens," Briar agreed.
"You think I'm really cursed?"
"Your parents," both girls said at the same time.
"Nobody knows more about evil curses than Baba Yaga. I bet she can help," Ashlynn said.
"I knew my BFFAs would make me feel better," Crystal said, her old happiness coming back. "Let's go see her!"
Blondie was standing on a balcony under the girls, preparing herself for her mirrorcast. She took a deep breath, plastered on a smile, and turned around with the winter wonderland Crystal had created behind her.
"Hello everyone! Tiem for a weird weather report! Ever After High is one big snow globe, but why? What's the snowy scoop? Is the Evil Queen on the loose? Is it some enemy of the demigods? We may never know!"
"Sure we will. We already do - it's because Crystal WInter is visiting!" Duchess said, skating over.
Blondie giggled nervously and turned to Duchess, hissing, "Ever hear of suspense?" before turning back to the camera.
"Breaking news!" she said as Duchess skated away. "The cause of this summer snow is due to the arrival of Crystal Winter! Is she the diva the tabloids say she is?"
"Hey Blondie!" a voice came from next to the camera, which turned from everyone to see Crystal. "I love your show!"
Blondie covered up her disappointment by saying, "But is everyone thrilled with the chills Crystal caused? Let's see!"
A moment later, the camera was filled with the students cramming around Blondie and voicing their opinions.
"Crystal is cool!"
"Wicked cool!"
"I'm a big fan!"
"She's the bees knees!"
"Okay, cut!" Blondie shouted, pushing everyone away. "This isn't news! It's fluff! Blondie Lockes, signing off!" She dropped her microphone, which Cerise picked up as she turned to the camera.
"This just in, Blondie Lockes needs to chill out!"
Cerise walked up to Blodnie, who was sitting at a table.
"Everything just right, Blondie?" she asked.
"Spellebrity gossip and weather reports are so last chapter," she said. "I need a real news story - something dangerous and hexciting! Or a huge secret being revealed!"
Cerise flinched and thought, Oh, I know a lot of secrets that would interest you.
Daring sat outside the school - where nobody was around - making a snowman.
Cerise skated up to him and said, "Hey, Daring. What are you doing?"
Her boyfriend smiled at her and said, "Building a snowman. Want to join in?"
"Actually, I want to talk to you," she said, taking his hand and leading him to a seat. "And your problem."
"What problem?"
"The way you act. When you're around me or your siblings you act...free. Like yourself. But around others you're a perfect, self-conscious prince. Why?"
"I don't know what you're talking about," Daring said, looking away from Cerise.
"Yes you do! Why do you always put on an act?" Cerise said.
"Look, I don't put on an act, and I don't have a problem!" Daring snapped. "I'm fine!"
Cerise's shoulders slumped.
"Fine. Forget I said anything," she said, getting up. As she was about to leave, Daring caught her wrist.
"Hey...I'm sorry. But I really don't have a problem," he said.
Cerise sighed. "I forgive you."
"We good?"
Cerise hesitated.
"I am," she finally said, walking away and leaving Daring with a sinking feeling that she was right.
Ashlynn, Briar, and Crystal walked into Baba Yaga's hut.
"Madam Baba Yaga?" Ashlynn said. "You know a lot about curses, right?"
"What? Why?" Baba Yaga yelped, moving away from the bubbling cauldron she was at. "Who said anything about curses? No curses here. You can't prove anything. Who sent you?"
"No, no, no! Crystal's dad - the Snow King. We think he might be cursed," Briar said quickly.
"Madam Yaga, can you help? Please?" Crystal begged.
"No promises, child," Baba Yaga said. "It depends on the kind of curse. Bring your father to me, and we'll see what I can do."
She snapped her fingers and three cups of hot chocolate appeared and floated over to the girls, who took them happily.
"Hot cocoa! Yummy!" Baba Yaga said. "Made with fresh pig's breath."
The girls set tehri cups down.
"Now we just have to figure out how to get my dad to come to Ever After High," Crystal said.
"I have an idea," Briar said.
"Where is my snow-flaky daughter?!" the Snow King boomed from his throne.
A frost elf ran up to him and said, "I believe she went to visit her old friends, she sent you this invitation. 'You are cordially invited to attend the Ever After High Career Day...' "
"Your job is so easy! A dimwitted bridge troll with an ice tray could do it as well as you!" the frost elf taunted.
"What did you just say to me?" the Snow King asked in a deadly voice, pointing his scepter at the frost elf, who was turned into a penguin.
The Snow King got out of his throne and walked over to the door.
"I'll teach them to mock my royal position," he said to himself. "Make ready my sleigh! I'm going to Ever After High!"
"We'll do it...your, uh, winterness!" Jackie shouted after him as she left.
"I thought you didn't want to take orders anymore?" Northwind said from next to her.
"Keep it down, slush brain!" Jackie hissed. "The King has clearly flipped his crown, just as we planned. But if he is going to where Crystal is, we'll follow him and watch him close the chapter on her story."
"Ohhhh, I get it!" Northwind laughed. "It'll be 'the end' for Crystal Winter."
Jackie rolled her eyes and dragged him away.
The parents of the Ever After High students filed into the auditorium. Crystal could see Jack, the Queen of Hearts, the Cheshire Cat, Red Riding Hood, the Mad Hatter, Snow White, the White Rabbit - even Raven had brought her mom's mirror! But no Snow King.
"He'll be here," Crystal said confidently, but she couldn't hide her nervousness.
"Don't worry - it's a great trap," Ashlynn reassured. "And besides, Career Day is pretty cool."
"I am always happy to arrange school functions," Baba Yaga said. "For the purpose of deception." She cackled.
"And so many parents came to talk, your dad will never suspect we're trying to pull the crown over his eyes," Ashlynn said to Crystal.
"Are we sure he'll fall for it?" Briar asked.
Crystal - who was cheered up from her friends' encouragement - said, "He will. He may be wicked cold, but he is full of hot air!"
"Don't worry Crystal - we'll get to the bottom of this curse!" Ashlynn said as the girls left to wait for the Snow King.
Faybelle was scrubbing at a spot on the castle when she heard a whooshing sound. She turned and saw a road of ice coming down from the clouds. On the ice was none other than the Snow King - riding a sleigh pulled by polar bears.
WHen he stopped the sleigh at the school, the first person he saw was Daring Charming, who was building a snowman and thinking about what Cerise said.
"You there, boy! Come here!" the Snow King said rudely. "My bears need to be watered, fed, and stabled."
"That's not really my job," Daring said in a monotone.
"Boy! I said come here!" the Snow King demanded.
"Can't you see I'm busy?" Daring said in the same voice. "I'm trying to cheer myself up."
"I'll give you one more chance, boy," the Snow King snarled. "Or do I have to spell it out for you?" He lifted his scepter.
"There we go," Daring muttered as he finished his snowman. He caught sight of the SNow King, and said, "What are you still doing here?"
"You beastly young man! You'll regret this forever after!" the Snow King said as he got up and left, but not before pointing her scepter at Daring and letting one spell hit him.
When the white mist hit him, Daring shuddered. All of a sudden, his neck felt itchy. He scratched it, but didn't see the white fur that was left when he moved his hand.
The Snow King burst into the entrance hall at Ever After High.
"Welcome, your majesty!" Briar said. "To our career day spellebration!"
"It's so nice to see you again, your highness," Ashlynn said politely.
The Snow King looked around at the frosty hall in front of him, and said, "Oh, I get it. You've filled the school with snow to show me that you think you can do my job better than I can?!" (Wow, he really has a lot of insecurities about his job.)
"Uh, no! We just thought it would...make you feel more at home?" Briar said nervously.
All of a sudden, Baba Yaga appeared out of nowhere and started poking and prodding the sour king.
"Tell me, have you recently angered or incurred the wrath of some kind of a...say, troll or dark sorcerer?"
"Madam! What are you-"
"Say Ahhh," Baba Yaga said, looking into his mouth for a second before the Snow King shoved her off and waved his scepter, trapping her in ice, before he stormed off.
"Um, royally rude," Briar said as she and Ashlynn walked over to their frozen teacher.
"Crystal's right - that is not the Snow King I remember," Ashlynn commented.
The ice around Baba Yaga broke and she exclaimed, "If he's not already cursed, he will be when I'm done with him!" She took a deep breath. "Let's get to work."
Outside with the polar bears, all seemed fine. But then, one of the polar bears turned into Jackie Frost.
"Northwind!" she snapped at the bear next to her. "Hurry up and transform!"
" 'Bear' with me Jackie!" the bear said good-naturally and continued to laugh at his lame joke.
Jackie sighed in annoyance.
"You make that joke every time we take bear from," she grumbled.
"I know! It's that funny!" Northwind said, still laughing. He turned into a human, tripped, and slid over to Jackie - who was watching him with a look of annoyance and disdain.
"So, what's next?" Northwind asked once he was next to his sister.
"What's next is we make sure the Snow King freezes out Crystal, his only heiress to the throne," Jackie said, a malicious smile playing on her lips.
In the auditorium, the Cheshire Cat was up on the stage.
"Then, you turn invisible - leaving nothing but your smile," she said, and proceeded to demonstrate. Everyone clapped, and Headmaster Grimm stepped up to the podium, clearing his throat.
"Thank you, Miss Cheshire," he said, "for that very useful presentation in, uh, etiquette of invisibility. Next up we have the Snow King."
Everyone started clapping, and Ashlynn and Briar frowned nervously.
"No, no applause," the Snow King said as he walked on stage. "There is nothing fun about winter. It is dark, and cold, and unforgiving - like me! And I control it all! Does that chill you to the bone? I could turn all of you into a waddle of penguins with a flick of my wrist."
Everyone murmured in shock as Baba Yaga snuck on stage and taped the Snow KIng on the head.
"Yep, definitely cursed," she said as though it was a normal day. "Somebody beat me to it."
"You wretched creature!" the Snow King snarled, aiming her scepter at her and chasing her away from the podium before walking back to it and hearing shocked gasps.
The crowd jeered and booed, and the Snow King heard someone blow a raspberry.
"Such insolence!" he screamed. "You people don't even deserve to be penguins! I will put all of you ON ICE!"
He raised his scepter and was about to curse the school when a smaller blue magic thingy hit his scepter, breaking the spell. He looked up, and saw the person who sent the spell was Crystal - his daughter.
"That's enough, Dad!" she said confidently, running up onto the stage. "Dad, stop! We're trying to help!"
"Betrayed by my own slush and blood," the Snow King said overdramatically.
"Dad, please! You're not seeing things clearly!" Crystal begged.
"Oh, I am seeing 'crystal' clearly. Your brother never would have done this. Betrayer!" he sent a jet of ice at Crystal, temporarily freezing her hands. She didn't see it coming, because she was distracted by the last comment. From the moment she knew he was under a spell, she had known it was coming. But it didn't prepare her for the stab of pain those words brought her.
She snapped back into reality when the Snow King marched up to her and said, "Daughter, you will never sit on my throne. No ice powers forever after!" He snatched her ice wand out of her hands.
He cackled and raised his wand, casting the spell Crystal had tried to stop. The spell spread - not just through the school - but through the whole of Ever After, the whole world of fairytales. The harmless winter spell Crystal had made for the school turned into a full on curse of ice. Snow rained down on the world, the windows broke from the impact, people dressed in summer clothes ran inside.
The Snow King finished the spell and laughed evilly.
"I expect you home by curfew young lady," he said as he left.
Hidden in the shadows, Jackie Frost turned to her brother. "And that, dear brother," she said, her eyes sparkling, "is what we call 'the Frost Twins are one step closer to ruling winter."
"The Snow Storm of the century!" Blondie said on the mirrorcast. "Is one massive Snow King tantrum! I think I just found my big story - I better make some notes!"
Crystal watched it all play out, horrorstruck.
Ashlynn and Briar walked up to her on the stage.
"I had chosen to follow my destiny," Crystal said, tears sparkling in her eyes. "To be the next Snow Queen. But my future was just literally blown away."
So, I think I have an update schedule. By which I mean there is none. I'll update when I finish a chapter, but they might come even less once school starts for me - in about one week. Anyways, please review!
-Creator of Magic