Chapter Twenty-Nine: Crystal Rose
PowPow456: I'm glad you like my couples! Some more will be introduced soon, but like I've said, I'm not the greatest at building up relationships. Also, can you see the options on the poll? If you can, private message me what you would vote for.
The relentless destruction of the blizzard brought it's frost-bitten fury to the Land of Fairytales. Even in his slumber, the dreams of the Snow King were controlling the wicked winter weather - weather that threatened to bury the world of Ever After. The students of the school were forced to take shelter. Their only hope lay in the hands of the Snow Princess - Crystal Winter - and her friends, who were struggling at the top of the world...
The sleigh flew out of the tornado and through the clouds that created the floor of the Snow Kingdom. It fell down and skidded through the snow, throwing everyone off only a second before it smashing into the ground
"Everyone okay?" Crystal asked as they stood.
They all moaned as they got up.
"Don't worry everyone - I'm fine," Daring said.
Cerise rolled her eyes and said, "We are, but the sleigh sure isn't." She motioned to the wreckage.
But Crystal wasn't listening. She looked up and saw the beautiful ice castle.
"The Winter Palace. I'm home again," she said.
"Now all we have to do is get there," Daring said.
"And stop Jackie and Northwind," Blondie added.
"Find the Rose of Winter," Ashlynn said.
"Remove the curse from your parents," Briar said.
"Then save the world of Ever After from an eternal winter?" Crystal finished with a smile. "That's everything, right?"
"Hmmm...oh! I think you're forgetting that our sleigh is broken," Cerise said. "We'll never get to the palace on this!"
"Yes we will," Crystal said stubbornly. "We have t- Ah!" The last part was because she had stepped on one of the boards from the sleigh and it slid across the snow. She looked down and smiled. "I've got an idea."
In the palace, Jackie and Northwind (more like Northwind) were trying to pry the scepter out of the Snow King's hands when the magic orb on the end of it lit up with an image.
"Uh, Jackie?" Northwind said, seeing it. "Remember how you said that Crystal would sleep for a hundred years and that we'd never see her again?"
Of course, Northwind!" Jackie snapped.
"Well, a hundred years goes by really fast because she's here," Northwind said. He yelped as Jackie pushed him so she could look in the orb.
"I didn't think she had it in her," Jackie said. "She's still an over privileged princess - she can't actually do anything. You know why? Because we got the palace! And who has the power? We have the power!"
The servants cowered and ran away.
"We won! I rule!" Jackie said. "And is that pampered princess can actually make it to the palace, we'll deal with her then."
"What exactly will we rule once the world gets destroyed by winter?" Northwind asked. Jackie growled angrily, so he added, "But you're so smart - I'm sure you already figured it out!"
"Cross-country skis!" Crystal said, holding them out in front of hrt.
"Good idea, princess," Cerise said with a grin. "We'll fly across the snow."
"That sounds great, but I'll just fly," Faybelle said.
"Could someone please help me with this knot?" Crystal asked as they all got ready. "I nearly have it."
Ashlynn grinned and walked over, helping Crystal tie her laces. Soon, they had all left.
"Come on! Ugh!" Jackie said, pacing the throne room as Northwind struggled to get the scepter.
Suddenly, the Snow King yawned and lifted her scepter, using it to scratch his back. Northwind grabbed it and threw it over to Jackie before running over to her.
"At last! The power of winter!" Jackie said.
"Well, you better use it quick - to turn off the wicked weather down below," Northwind said.
"Blizzard begon! Agh!" Jackie said as the storm got even worse.
"Woah! You've just, like, doubled it!" Northwind said. "Snowflakes the size of houses! That was your plan, right? I'm confused."
"Uh, yeah!" Jackie lied. "Of course! I meant to do that!"
"You are so smart! This plan is so tricky! I can't tell how it will ever work at all."
"Just let me adjust a few settings and- Ahh!" Jackie yelped as a giant ice crystal fell in front of Northwind.
"Woah! You're getting pretty good at that," he said. "Except the part where you blasted the wrong way and almost totaled me."
"Yeah. Just, uh, testing the range," Jackie said. "By the time Crystal walks up to the gates, I'll be ready."
The group was close to the castle when Faybelle's phone rang. She saw it was the Fairymobfather and plastered on a fake grin in case anyone saw her.
"Hello people for the ethical treatment of unicorns!" she said, saying the first thing that came to mind.
"The fairy mobfather thinks that you are avoiding your commitment of 200 years of hard labor."
"No, no, no! I just need a bit more time! What I have to rade is ancient magic!"
"You have this with you now?"
"Not exactly - but I will," Faybelle said.
"Yes, you will. By five o'clock today. Or else we double the years of service."
"DOUBLE?!" Faybelle screamed. She glanced behind her at the girls, who were giving her odd looks, and quickly said, "Double my donation for those poor, sick unicorns! Bye!"
Sge quickly ended the call as Ashlynn said, "I didn't know you liked unicorns."
"Oh, you know me! Faybelle Thorn! So full of surprises!"
They kept going without interruption, at least for a while.
Suddenly, Cerise yelped and fell into the snow.
"You guys go ahead - my ski is falling apart," she said.
"Why don't you just run? Aren't you half wolf?" Briar asked, confused.
"I would, but I still have a human body and we're not really made for running in snow," Cerise joked.
"I could carry you," Daring offered.
"Are you finally dropping your act?" Cerise asked hopefully.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Daring clearly lied.
"Right," Cerise rolled her eyes, but smiled and allowed him to lift her up.
As they were nearly at the castle, Jackie said, "The princess returns. Well, we have a little welcome planned for her."
She pointed the scepter at Crystal. It glowed and-
Fart
Northwind burst into laughter.
"Welcome her with a fart!" he laughed.
Jackie turned to glare at him, then an idea struck her.
"No, Northwind. You are the welcoming committee. Go down to the main hall and stop them. I will be sitting on the throne. Someone has to," Jackie said.
"Cool! All part of the plan! Wait, how do I stop them?" Northwind asked.
Jackie groaned. "You are a shap-shifter! Use your powers!"
"All by myself? I'm afraid! There's a lot of them, and they have a beast!"
"And you have the power of ice," Jackie said, pointing the scepter at him. His normally pale blue eyes glowed with power and she smirked.
"Show our princess what power looks like!"
But she didn't know that two pixies had been listening the entire time, and had a plan. She didn't know that right after they heard that, they ran down to the sleeping Sow King and took Crystal's Wand of Winter. And she didn't know that they were waiting for the princess.
Daring pushed open the doors of the palace.
"Great work, Daring," Crystal phraised. "Now, let's get to the throne room and find the Rose of Winter. But watch out for-"
"Me!" a voice came from above. An owl they recognized as Northwind flew down and turned into his human form. "That's right! Turn back by order of the Queen of Winter!"
"You and what army?" Daring taunted.
With a very un-Northwind-like grin, the frost elf turned into a huge giant.
"An ice giant!" Crystal exclaimed.
"Oh no."
"Run!" Cerise shouted.
BUt before they could move, Northwind roared and grabbed Daring, lifting him as though he hardly weighed anything.
"Ho, ho, ho! Behold, the power of Winter!" Northwind said.
"Northwind! Nobody should get hurt for my sake!" Crystal said. "We're only here to save my parents! Please, put him down!"
"My sister said you just take order! Pampered princess!"
Suddenly, a snowball hit him in the face.
"She told you to put him down," Cerise growled, ready to throw another snowball. "That wasn't an order - more of a strong suggestion." She handed Crystal the snowball, and the Princess of Winter loaded up her snow gun.
"Hey, Northwind! Do you like frozen fireworks?" Crystal asked with a grin, shooting snowballs in his face and distracting him. Cerise managed to run up and bite his leg, making him yelp in pain. Daring slipped through his fingers, and landed on his feet.
"Split up! He can't get us all!" Crystal said. The group turned and all ran in different directions.
"Fee, fi, fo, fum," Northwind said, chuckling. "Always wanted to say that."
"What a story!" Blondie said. "Will Crystal Winter be able to make it to the throne room to find the Rose of Winter? Will she get her destiny back from Jackie Frost? Will- Ahhh!"
She screamed as Northwind tried to feel behind the pillar she, Ashlynn, and Briar were hiding behind. The girls backed away, and Crystal gasped.
"My friends. Northwind! Over here!" she said loudly, waving her arms. "I'm the one you want!"
She turned and started running, but tripped over her shoelace.
As Northwind started stomping towards her, Cerise and Daring ran out in front of him.
"Stop!" Cerise yelled. Northwind was about to stomp on her, but Daring said quickly, "Wow, those just might be the biggest feet I've ever seen!"
"Cool, huh?" Northwind said. "Actually, it's my first time becoming an ice giant. Pretty awesome if I say so myself."
"You are gigantic! By all standards..."
While Daring and Cerise distracted Northwind, the others ran silently from their hiding spots. They hurried towards the doorway to the throne room.
"...but hardly the most impressive," Daring said.
"Keep it up, Daring!" Cerise said.
"What?"
"Distracting the giant." Then, she gasped as though she'd said that accidentally. Northwind turned and saw the girls heading towards the doorway, and started stomping towards them. But when Cerise made this plan, she had seen the pixies watching from the small - but big enough for a normal human - sort of hole in the wall that led to the throne room. And now the girls changed paths, running towards the hole and going in.
"Yes!" Cerise whispered. "It worked!"
"Except for the fact that it left us alone with a big angry ice giant," Daring pointed out.
"Oh. Right. That."
Jackie was practicing using the scepter.
"That's more like it!" she exclaimed. "All right! Jackie rules!"
She jumped a bit as the orb on the scepter started ringing. She sighed and accepted the call from Northwind.
"Is it too much to ask if you have defeated the precious, little princess and her pompous pack of minions?" she sneered.
"Oh, we are totally winning!" Northwind said. "Except that Crystal and her friends got away and are heading towards you," he added.
"Ugh! What part of that is winning?!" Jackie ended the call. "I'm doing this myself!" She walked over to the ice sculpture of the Snow Queen and pulled the Winter Rose out of her hand.
"Crystal is after the Rose of Winter? She's gonna have to get through me first!"
The pixies led Crystal and her friend to the end of the tunnel.
"Thanks. You're a lifesaver," Crystal said.
They emerged onto the other side, and Crystal said, "Mom! Dad! Jackie Frost, you better not have hurt them!"
"They're fine," Jackie scoffed. "And I'll do whatever I want! I'm the boss around here, not you!"
"But this is not your place! You stole it!" Crystal protested.
"Boo-hoo!"
Crystal felt her angry building up and felt a hand on her arm. She turned to see Eve and remembered the usually calm girls words.
"Villains are made, not born."
She took a deep breath and tried to reason with Jackie.
"Jackie, the Staff of Winter is too dangerous! The people and creatures of Ever After are being buried by this wicked winter. I know how to use it."
She saw the anger in Jackie's eyes and felt that she had said the wrong thing.
"You don't know anything, and you can't do anything!" Jackie said angrily. "You don't deserve power! You just consider Winter your playground! Fun, fun, fun! Some of us were doing all the work!"
Crystal looked down in shame, realized that it wasn't her family who did this, it was her. She was the one how didn't treat Winter as though it were serious, she was the one who never did anything for herself, she was the one who never said so much as a thank-you to her servants for what they did for her, she was the one who drove Jackie to anger, believing she could do so much better. But she was different now...right?
She took a deep breath. She had to try again. Jackie was angry, and her anger had made her blind to what was happening under them.
"Yes, Winter should be fun," she said. "And yes, it is work to prepare a good Winter. But we should be working together! Each one doing our best."
"You? The next Queen of Winter? Ha!"
"Because I care. I care about all the creatures of Winter," Crystal said, walking up the stairs as she talked. "Because I've struggled, because I've climbed ice walls, because I quested to find a curse for my parents. I risked everything to get back what I had, once upon a time. I can't deny that how I acted and what I did wasn't wrong, but I really have changed for the better. And I know you can too. I understand what a great responsibility this is, and I am ready. Not to rule, but to serve. To help make Winter fun for everyone, to use my powers to make others better. That means you, yoru brother, my parents, everyone. And I want you to help me, but not as a servant - as a friend."
She reached the top and saw in Jackie's eyes that her walls were starting to crumble. She wasn't evil, that was clear. She was just a broken and angry girl, but she could change, and she may be starting to.
"I think I remember a time when I created this plan to help others using the power of Winter," Jackie said sadly, remorse in her eyes. "But then it turned into a revenge plan because I was so angry at you. I did all this...because I wanted revenge. But...maybe I was wrong?"
"Jackie, please give me the Rose of Winter," Crystal begged. "Let me heal Winter for everyone."
Everyone in the world of Ever After held their breath as they watched Jackie looked between Crystal and the rose on her jacket, her inward struggle clear on her face. But they couldn't do anything, they could only wait.
Meanwhile, Cerise and Daring ran from the giant Northwind. He tried to catch Cerise, but - using her wolf speed and bookball reflexes - she managed to dodge.
"Gotcha! No, no I don't," Northwind said, looking at his empty hands. During his moment of confusion, the couple hid behind a column.
"How much longer do we have to keep playing this game of cat and mouse?" Daring asked.
Cerise smiled as she heard his words, a plan already forming in her head.
"Daring, you're a genius!" she exclaimed, and quickly explained her plan to him. The two of them casually walked out and Daring called, "Northwind! Old chap!"
Northwind turned to face them and dramatically stomped over with a wicked grin.
"Cerise and I were just wondering," Daring continued. "Well, this is awkward...but I say that you can turn into any winter creature you want-"
"And I say you can't," Cerise interrupted, crossing her arms.
"Hey!" Northwind exclaimed.
"But I'm on your side, old boy," Daring said quickly. He had slipped into his old Prince Charming act again, and Cerise had to remind herself that he was really just faking now, that he was aware he had a problem, and that he had gotten much better during the trip.
She snapped back to reality as Daring said, "Let me see, you were a polar bear..."
Northwind turned into a bear and said, "That's right!"
"Yes, um, an owl."
"I do that one good, see?" Northwind said enthusiastically, turning into an owl.
"Yes! And...a snow mouse?"
"He was never a snow mouse," Cerise said.
"Yes I was! Wasn't I?" Northwind asked.
"That's the problem. I say yes, she says no," Daring said.
Northwind turned back into a human and said, "I, Northwind, can turn into whatever Northwind wants to turn into!"
He turned into a mouse, and Cerise said, "Now, Daring!"
Northwind didn't even protest and Daring picked him up by the tail.
"No worries!" Northwind said. "I'm guessing this is all part of Jackie's plan!"
"Jackie," Crystal begged. "Please do the right thing! The fate of Ever After may be in your hands!"
Jackie frowned, still looking torn between her hatred for Crystal and her ways, and her heart telling her to do the right thing.
"You know I have no powers," Crystal continued. "My father took them away. I stand before you, humbly, and ask you to turn back. Join me, and heal the world."
Crystal put out her hand, and Jackie looked down at it. There was silence for a moment, then-
Jackie frowned.
"I want to help the world, but I refuse to become a servant again," she said, looking at Crystal with a fire in her eyes that the ice princess had never seen.
"I am more than just a worker for you and your family, and I will never be seen as one again. So, I'll make a deal with you. If I give you this rose, then you'll heal Winter; set me, Northwind, and anyone who wants to join us free from being servants; and not punish Northwind. It was my plan, and he just went along with it."
Crystal smiled.
"I promise."
Jackie also grinned. Not an evil grin, but a normal happy one - the first Crystal had seen on her face.
The frost elf rested her hand on Crystal's and they shook. There wasn't a flash of light, or magic snow. Just two girls bringing peace to their war.
After they broke from the handshake, Jackie turned and gave Crystal the rose and scepter.
"Here," she said softly. "Take them, and use them right...princess."
Crystal's friends ran up to her.
"Crystal, you did it!"
"All by yourself!"
"That was amazing!"
As they spoke, Cerise and Daring walked in holding a mouse Northwind.
"Set him free," Crystal said. A bit confused, the two did that and set Northwind down next to Jackie, who smiled at her brother when he turned into a human again.
"Hey Jackie! Why does Crystal have the rose and staff? Is this part of the plan too?"
Jackie laughed happily and said, "Yeah. It is." She smiled at Crystal, her eyes twinkling.
"Uh, did we miss something?" Cerise asked.
"We finally cured the kindness blindness curse!" Ashlynn said, holding up her rose. The other princesses did the same, and they all watched as the roses flew into the air, glowing. They formed a bouquet.
"The Roses of Love, Sacrifice, Magic...and Family," Cerise said. "Finally together."
Crystal smiled at the girl and reached for the flowers, but a moment later they were snatched away by none other then-
"Faybelle?" Crystal gasped.
"Sorry gang," she said with no remorse in her voice. "But I need this more than you."
"Those are so save my parents!" Crystal said angrily.
"Faybelle, what did you do now?" Briar asked.
"I need these roses to save me from a fate more horrible than death," Faybelle said dramatically. "Hard work!"
A low wolf-like growl emitted from Cerise, and Daring quickly spoke before anything got too out of hand.
"Faybelle, think of someone else for once," Daring said, making Cerise smile a bit. "This affects all of us."
"Yeah, well, that would be a 'you' problem, not a 'me' problem."
Crystal gasped as Faybelle turned and flew away as fast as possible, leaving before any of them could do anything.
"How will we cure your parents?" Ashlynn asked, worried.
Crystal said, "We go after her. The royal sleigh would work, but it may not be fast enough..."
"I know how to get you there," Jackie said with a smile. She turned into a giant snow owl, and said to Northwind, "Come on! We are going to follow that fairy!"
Faybelle landed on the school roof and said into her phone, "Okay, I've got the roses of the seasons."
"We'll meet you at your locker. And yeah, we know where it is."
Faybelle ended the call, nodding. She turned and flew into the school. She flew down the hall and to her locker, looking around for the fairies.
Suddenly, she heard an, "Ahem" from inside her locker.
She jumped a bit as the door opened and the fairies flew out.
"This color lipgloss? Not really working for you," one of them said.
"Give that! And get out of my stuff!" Faybelle whined, taking the lipgloss back. "I got the roses of the seasons, just like I promised. Old magic in exchange for my freedom."
"And how do we know it's the real deal?"
His question was answered when the group soared in on the giant owls that were Jackie and Northwind, and got off them.
"Faybelle, I need those roses to save my parents!" Crystal said angrily as the Frost twins turned back into humans.
"Yeah, I'm thinkin' this is legit," another fairy said.
"I need them to save myself," Faybelle said tearfully. "I signed a deal with the mobfairies to take my chores, my detention duty to clean up the school. And I didn't read the fine print! Now I owe them 200 years of service, unless I give them these! I'm sorry."
"Oh, Faybelle," Crystal said sadly.
"Boohoo," one of the fairies said. "Either we get the roses, or we get the 200 years of service. Wassit gonna be?"
He snapped his fingers and the same contract that Faybelle had sighed appeared.
"I get it," Jackie said. "You felt like you didn't have a choice."
"But I do," Daring said, an idea striking him. "Faybelle, I chose to take your place."
"What?" Faybelle asked, confused.
"I'll take on your debt to the dark fairies, you'll be free. If you give the roses back to Crystal."
"You'd do that for me?" Faybelle asked in wonder.
"If the fairy mob will let me," Daring said, looking at the three fairies.
"Make no difference who's doin' the work. No sweat of our wings," one fairy said, pushing the contract towards Daring, who signed it.
"Congratulations!" another fairy said.
They were all confused for a moment, but then the contract literally exploded into a few little lights.
"It's in the small print. If someone offers, and of their own free will, to take on the work, the contract is void!" a fairy said.
"You're off the hook."
"Nice job, kid! We don't see enough of that these days," a fairy said, shooting Faybelle a look. "Okay! Fairy mob out!"
As they disappeared, Daring said, "Now that that's over with, we can finally go back to- Ah!"
This was because as he started talking, his whole body was illuminated in light. He crouched on the ground, and no one could see anything about him because of the bright golden light.
But when it was gone, the beast was gone, and in his place was human Daring Charming.
"What happened?" he asked.
Cerise smiled and walked forward, helping him up.
"You finally dropped your act," she said with a smile. To most people watching, this simply seemed like the act of a friend, but a few certain onlookers (Apple, Raven, Dexter, Zoe, and Cupid) saw the smiles the two exchanged.
Jackie and Northwind flew Crystal and her friends back to the castle, where she raised the bouquet into the air.
It floated up to the Queen and King and the spells on them broke.
"It's like we were in a bad dream," the Snow King said.
"But now it's over," Crystal finished, running forward and hugging them.
She handed her dad the scepter and said, "Dad, we need you to stop this storm."
But the Snow King shook his head and smiled at his daughter. "I've done quite enough already. Crystal, you have proven that you are ready to rule. You always have been. I was just too snow-blind to see it."
Crystal smiled and walked onto the balcony, while Blondie recorded it for the mirrorcast, which everyone was watching.
She raised the scepter and blue fire spread out of it, sovereign the clouds. Underneath them, the magic worked. The ice and snow stopped pouring down on everyone, the froze faded away, the sunshine flooded in, and the damage repaired itself. The wicked winter had ended.
Crystal tried to return the staff of winter, but her parents decided it was time for a long-overdue tropical vacation, and left Crystal to rule as the Princess of Winter. As for Jackie and Northwind? Crystal kept her promise and didn't punish Northwind. She didn't want to punish Jackie either, but the frost elf insisted she needed some sort of punishment, since she was the one who did this all.
Crystal decided a suitable punishment would be to have Jackie shovel the road, which also gave her a good opportunity to talk to Jackie about what she should change around the palace, especially for the frost elves. Crystal not only made the place a better place, but also became better acquainted with Jackie.
After they got back to the school, Briar said, "I know I've always been against it, but a 100 year nap sounds pretty good right now."
Crystal laughed, smiling.
All of a sudden, they heard a voice exclaim, "Briar!"
They turned to see Hopper run forward and pull Briar into an embrace, making her giggle a bit.
When they broke apart, Briar smiled and turned to her friends, "Guys, this is my boyfriend Hopper."
Nearby, some people turned, looking surprised when randomly hearing the sentence.
"So I'm guessing this is who you were texting the entire time?" Cerise asked.
Briar nodded.
"Well, it's nice to meet you," Crystal said with a smile. "And now we've got to go make an announcement."
"You guys go ahead," Briar said, smiling at Hopper, who put and arm over her shoulders.
Crystal stood at the top of the steps to Ever After High with her friends by her side.
"I declare this a day of celebration, a day of fun, a-"
"Snow Day!" Her friends interrupted, cheering. They raced into the crowd and the celebration and fun among the students started.
"I was going to say epic winter," Crystal said with a grin, but no one was listening. They were too happy.
She smiled as she watched it all, she thought of the song she'd been singing in her dream and smiled to herself, singing it softly.
"Find your power, be a queen
Take the lead in your story
Just live your dream, live your dream
Oh wa, oh wa, oh oh"
She knew she would have to leave Ever After High soon, but also knew her friends would tell her everything that happened there.
But nobody quite knew how crazy things were about to get for a certain seventeen students, especially one daughter of Hades.
So, I thought I'd leave this chapter on this sort of cliffhanger. I know I changed Jackie's ending quite a bit, and I'm sorry if you don't like it but I was just never satisfied with what happened to her.
I've also changed my cover for this story, so please take a look at it. And don't forget to vote on my pole!
Review and tell me what you think of this chapter!
-Creator of Magic