I do not own Kamen Rider Ryuki or Ever After High. Those belong to their respective creators and not me. Special thanks to Kamen Rider Chrome as my beta-reader and helping dream up ideas for the story.
Knights of the Otherworld
Written By: Ten-Faced Paladin
Beta-Reader/Editor: Busterleader92
Chapter 41: Spring Unsprung (Part 2)
Wonderland - Old Tea Shoppe
"Tell us more. What do you mean there's a crisis?" Odin asked the White Knight.
"I was under Wonderland when I witnessed the Cheshire Cat switch out the Storybook of Legends with another magical tome," the White Knight explained.
"Hold on, did you say the Storybook of Legends is here in Wonderland?" Ginger asked in shock.
"Yes, but that's not important right now. We need to send a warning to our - I mean your friends in Ever After," the White Knight urged.
"Can't you just take us to the exit?" Odin asked, crossing his arms.
"It will take too long and by the time we reach them, it would be too late," the White Knight answered.
"Alright, so how are we supposed to send a message back home? I doubt we can call them on our MirrorPhones from here," Odin retorted.
"Fortunately, there is a way," the White Knight replied, as he started to look through random knick knacks in the shoppe. "Any problem in Wonderland can be solved with a riddle."
"A riddle?" Odin frowned. Well, they were in Wonderland where common sense did not apply. He looked at Ginger who shrugged, just as confused as he was. Still, they began to search for a riddle or maybe a sign.
"Are you sure there's a riddle that can help us here?" asked Odin, looking through the books. Several released swarms of butterflies, gouts of flame, or bursts of flower petals.
"The Mad Hatter built his business on speedy deliveries of his homemade pies. Even to outside of Wonderland," the White Knight explained, checking inside a hat which sprouted wings and flew away. "Although he kept it as a trade secret."
"Hold on." Ginger had looked around the tea shoppe before she found something on top of the oven. "Maybe the answer we need is right here." She found symbols on the oven and was able to translate them. Some of her best recipes had come from Wonderland, so she could read Riddlish to an extent. "'Treat this portal to discover a bridge from one oven to another'."
"That's the riddle?" Odin cocked an eyebrow.
"Looks like it. Now, we need to figure out what it means," Ginger pondered.
Ever After - Fairgrounds
With Alistair and Bunny now attending the faire, Maddie, Lizzie, and Kitty wanted to show them everything that was worth doing. While it wasn't the triumphant return of the Storybook of Legends the duo had hoped for, it was still great to see their friends again. Alistair had so many questions about what had been going on with them. Of course, Darren, who Lizzie insisted on bringing along, was also part of the conversation.
"Wow, so you mean your grandmother is from Wonderland too?" Alistair blinked.
"Yep," Darren grinned. "Kind of a surprise when Pops told me. So now I'm curious about what Wonderland is like."
"No wonder you and Lizzie just clicked," Bunny giggled. "And your sense of humor is fableous!"
"Isn't it?" Lizzie giggled, hugging Darren's arm. "He's a natural Wonderlandiful gentleman."
"Uh, right," Alistair chuckled weakly. Although he was born and raised in Wonderland, he was still his mother's son and she came from Earth. Darren's sense of humor just didn't make much sense to him. "Well, how can I describe Wonderland? There's just so much going on, it's always crazy. And there's always something new to see or something old that got bored and decided to become something new instead."
"Man, sounds like my kind of place!" Darren laughed. "Now I royally want to visit."
Maddie giggled and turned, but pouted when she saw Valentine shuffling behind, apparently trying to look casual. Continuing to pout, she trotted up to him, grabbing his arm. "Valentine, don't be such a fuddy-duddy! Come and hang out with us! We get to see Alistair and Bunny again!"
Valentine flushed. "W-well, I...um…"
"Oh no, you're not gonna be a Gloomy Gus again," Maddie pouted, beginning to pull Valentine towards the group. "Come on, we're giving you a good cheer infusion! Time to get happy again!"
Valentine sputtered. "B-but-!"
"Hey everyone, look who I found!" Maddie called, bringing Valentine towards the group.
Turning, Alistair and Bunny let off gasps of delight. "Valentine!" Bunny immediately ran to him and hugged him tightly while Alistair happily got his hand, shaking it.
"Um...h-hi Alistair, Bunny," Valentine greeted weakly. "It's...it's been too long."
Bunny pouted, looking up from where she had Valentine in a hug. "Valentine, you're being gloomy again! What did we tell you about that?"
"Smile more?" Valentine answered.
"Yes! Turn that frown upside down!" Bunny insisted. "We've been separated for way too long! So don't worry! Be happy!"
Valentine cracked a small smile. Despite his guilt, he was still happy to be reunited with his old friends.
"So, if you guys got here with the well, then it's possible to use it as a portal to Wonderland," Darren said.
"Yeah, but it was really dangerous and we got lost looking for a way here so I wouldn't recommend it," Alistair replied.
"We only made it because of the Cheshire Cat," Bunny added.
"My mom helped you?" Kitty asked.
"I wouldn't call what she did 'helping'," Alistair retorted.
"Well, it all worked out since you're here," Darren smiled. "Except for the Storybook of Legends. You sure it was the right book?"
"I'm sure it was," Alistair insisted. "I don't know how we brought the wrong one."
"Well, could the real one still be back in Wonderland then?"
"It's possible," Bunny agreed. "But now it's lost in Wonderland."
"I'm sure it'll turn up again," Darren shrugged, smiling optimistically. He did not seem all that worried about the Storybook of Legends. Then again, he was of the opinion a little book shouldn't control anyone's life. Instead, he was more focused on having fun now.
"Hey, a funhouse!" Kitty pointed at a building in the shape of a laughing clown's head. "C'mon, let's go in!"
"Don't they have mirrors?" Valentine asked warily.
"Is something wrong?" Bunny asked.
"It's because of the Mirror Monsters of the Mirror World," Maddie answered.
"Mirror Monsters? Mirror World?" Bunny and Alistair repeated, puzzled. They even tilted their heads in the same angle.
"There's a world on the other side of the mirrors inhabited by monsters. Fortunately, Darren and the Knights of the Round Table have been protecting us from them," Lizzie smiled proudly.
"Monsters on the other side of mirrors?" Bunny looked fearful.
"It's fine. If a monster does turn up in the funhouse, Valentine and I can handle it." Darren confidently put his arm around his squire. "No monster is a match for us."
"Valentine? You're a Knight of the Round Table too?" Alistair asked, surprised.
"It's a long story," Valentine answered.
"Weren't you recruited by the Order of Rogues, now Order of the White Dragon, who are working to usurp Camelot from Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table?" Maddie questioned.
"OK, so it's not a long story," Valentine deadpanned.
"I guess we have a lot to catch up on," Alistair remarked.
"Blondie has a whole MirrorCast on it. You can catch up there," Kitty interjected. "Now come on, the funhouse won't explore itself!"
The small group of Wonderlandian friends got in line, waiting for their turn to enter the funhouse. It didn't take long for the girls already in the line to notice Alistair and Valentine, but more Alistair since he was new and more outgoing than his fellow Wonderlandian. More princesses also joined the line, starting to try various ways to get Alistair's attention.
Bunny huffed as yet another girl seemed to be drawn towards Alistair. "What's wrong with the girls here? Haven't they seen a boy before?"
"The ratio's pretty skewed, not enough potential boyfriends for all the princesses here," Darren answered. "At the risk of sounding blunt, just stake your claim and they'll back off."
"W-W-What!?" Bunny's cheek darkened. "We're just friends! Best friends!"
"Uh-huh," Darren nodded, unconvinced. "Look, Bunny, I know we just met so I won't meddle. Enjoy the faire while you're here. Word of advice: follow your heart."
Bunny looked at Alistair, blushing. Truthfully, she did have a huge crush on him but he only saw her as a friend. She also did not dare do anything that would ruin their friendship. What if she confessed she had feelings for him only to be rejected? Things would just become awkward for them.
Meanwhile, another handsome young man was receiving some female attention as he walked through the Spring Fairest, licking an ice cream cone. He was handsome, with sun-kissed skin and orange hair. His attire consisted of a white poet's blouse with a leather vest over it, a leather belt around his waist and black trousers which were tucked into a pair of knee-high leather boots. On top of his head, he wore a cavalier's hat with a large feather tucked into the red leather strip around it. Hanging from his belt was a scabbard with a sheathed rapier. What made him pretty distinct was the furry orange tail that swung behind him as he walked. It was real, meaning it was part of him.
As he lined up for the funhouse, his green cat-like eyes soon fell upon Kitty Cheshire. Immediately a spark of interest filled his eyes and a roguish grin overcame his features.
"Hey, Daring." Gwen approached the blond prince. He was sitting on a bench, enjoying the view. There were lots of pretty girls to admire as they walked past him. He would flash his smile at them and give them a wink, letting them know how much he appreciated their beauty. They always swooned whenever he did.
"Oh, Gwen. How are you doing this fairest spring day?" Daring asked.
"I'm fine. I'm just looking for Darling. We were supposed to meet this afternoon to watch the Chef Showdown together but I can't find her," Gwen answered. "Do you know where she might be?"
Daring hummed, rubbing his chin in thought. "That's odd. She was looking forward to spending the day at the faire with you."
Gwen frowned. It did not seem like Darling to ignore her hexts or her calls. She worried that something must have happened to her. She knew her girlfriend could take care of herself, but she could not help but worry.
The Knights had gained many enemies, enemies who would not hesitate to come after them and the people they loved. Gwen clenched her jaw and balled her fists at the thought of those Rogues holding Darling hostage.
"Um, Gwen. Are you feeling alright?" Daring asked, his voice snapping her out of it.
"Sorry, Daring. Just worried about Darling."
Daring waved off Gwen's worry, "Darling is fine and if she does become a damsel in distress, I know you will come to her rescue in a flash."
Gwen chuckled, "Thanks Daring. If you see her, just message me and let me know?"
"Of course," the eldest Charming nodded with his ever present smile.
Wonderland - Old Tea Shoppe
The White Knight was looking at 'his' MirrorPhone. Darling really wished she could call Gwen and reassure her that she was alright. Unfortunately, there was no way for her to send a hext or call out from Wonderland. She just hoped her girlfriend wasn't too worried about her absence.
'Maybe I should've told her before I decided to come to Wonderland,' she thought in hindsight.
Meanwhile, Odin and Ginger were trying to figure out the riddle on the oven.
"'Treat this portal...'" Ginger repeated "Hm..."
"Have you figured it out yet?" Odin asked. Riddles were never his forte.
"I think it means 'treat' like a sweet treat." Ginger gasped in realization. "I guess it means I can send a warning to my friends if I bake one in a treat!"
"You do realize that baking in Wonderland is a lot different than from where you're from," the White Knight said.
"Watch your tongue, White Knight," Odin snapped. "Ginger is the best baker in all of Ever After High." Ginger blushed at the praise. Rex always spoke highly of her skill and she never got tired of it. Grabbing a couple of aprons, she tossed them to the two knights.
"Thank you, Rex. I know I can handle baking in Wonderland," Ginger said as she put on an apron and took a cookbook off the shelf. "Here we go."
She opened the book and it started to talk to her.
"So, what are we baking? Cakes? Muffins? Pies? C'mon, let's get to work!" Ginger immediately slammed it shut. "Maybe this will be a bit trickier than I thought."
"If anyone can do it, you can," Odin reassured her. "And we'll be able to help. Both of us" he looked to the White Knight expectantly.
"Of course. Although, if you are willing to let me help send a message, there is one I wish to pass on as well," the White Knight said as he took off 'his' helmet, surprising the couple.
Ever After High - Funhouse
It was a funhouse fit for a fairy tale as the Wonderlandians navigated the crazy twists and turns. Laughs and giggles filled the air as the group passed through funny doors or got turned around by strange spiral tunnels. It almost reminded the native Wonderlandians of home.
As with any funhouse, they came to a hall of mirrors, all of them oddly shaped to make their reflections look downright weird.
"Looks like I need to go on a diet," Darren joked as he stood in front of a mirror that made him look fat like a giant balloon.
Maddie giggled as her mirror made her look rail thin, "Maybe I should have a few more scones at my tea parties!" She looked over at Valentine. "C'mon, Val! Join the fun!"
Despite his reluctance, Valentine went up to the funhouse mirrors and they distorted his reflection.
"Looka like I got a big head," he joked as his reflection showed him with a huge egg-shaped head. Maddie laughed hysterically at the joke and his reflection. All of a sudden, Kitty latched onto his back, and he nearly toppled over.
Bunny and Alistair were laughing at some of their own wonky reflections. It was fun for them to be able to hang out with their friends again like when they were younger. Even if the Storybook of Legends turned out to be a fake, both were glad that they could spend time with their friends again.
Lizzie watched her friends enjoying themselves with a warm small. Though a world away from their home, together they could forget their worries and just have fun today. They could worry about Wonderland and the Storybook of Legends some other day.
"Hey, Lizzie! Look at your reflection!" Darren pointed and she gawked at her warped reflection. Her head was small, her hips were too narrow, and both her top and bottoms were wide.
"You dare laugh at me!?" Lizzie shouted. "Off with your head!"
"Aw, but Lizzie," Darren pouted. "It's your favorite part of me. It's where my lips are." He pecked her cheek and darted back as she playfully slapped him.
Indeed, they were having a wonderlandiful time. However, what they could not see, was that a figure in the reflection was paying very close attention to them.
*Eeeeeeeeeeee!*
Darren and Valentine both stopped when they heard the familiar tone. Halting their antics, their gaze began darting around, trying to find the source of the noise. With so many wacky mirrors, it was hard to tell exactly where said noise was coming from.
Valentine grimaced and turned down one passage and stopped when the tone got louder. His eyes widened when he saw Alistair and Bunny laughing in front of one of the mirrors. Yet another mirror behind them was starting to ripple as something was emerging from it.
"Alistair! Bunny! Move!" he shouted, charging down the hall. The duo were startled by Valentine's yell just as the monster emerged to grab the Wonderlandians. He just tackled right into it, sending the creature sprawling onto the funhouse's floor.
It was a Buzzstinger, but it was a breed that hadn't been seen before. It had the silver panels on its chest and abdomen like the others. However, most of its entire body was covered in dark green armor. It had red panels on its limbs, the colors reminding Darren of a certain holiday although the monster was clearly not as jolly. Mounted on its left arm was a weapon that resembled a bee's abdomen with the stinger sticking out.
This was the Buzzstinger Jewel.
"Val! It's Rider Time!" Darren ordered as he took out his chameleon Advent Deck as Valentine did the same.
"Bunny, Alistair, get ready to see something hat-tastic!" Maddie giggled as she and Lizzie began pulling their friends back to watch the fight.
Darren and Valentine brought out their Advent Decks, holding them to the warped mirrors. Despite the uneven surfaces, their V-Buckles appeared normally around their waists.
"Henshin!"
In flourishes of grayscale, their suits appeared over their bodies. The contrast between Verde's twisty style and Sobek's savage one made them an odd pair. Alistair and Bunny couldn't help but gape in shock at the sight of the armored knights.
"Wow," Alistair gasped. "Where'd they get those suits from?"
"Merlin," Verde answered. "OK, Val! Let's party!"
The Buzzstinger hissed and lifted its arm, pointing its arm-mounted stinger at them before firing off several spikes. The two knights dove out of the way, Verde twisting down the other path while Sobek rolled ahead, ducking underneath the projectiles as he charged.
The Buzzstinger adjusted its aim to shoot again, but Verde suddenly shot out of a mirror and slugged it across the face. The monster stumbled before Sobek crossed the distance and delivered a jumping kick into its chest, throwing it onto the floor. Buzzing, it scrambled up to its feet before it made a clicking buzz from its mandibles.
Sobek and Verde prepared to continue their assault, but the tone of the Mirror World sounded again and Sobek was suddenly struck with a length of webbing. Sobek grunted, his arms pinned as he struggled. He glanced to the far end of the length of webbing to see a Reispider on the other end, clicking dazedly. An oddity to the monster was a silver spike which was sticking from its armor.
"Curses," Sobek grunted. He turned to glance at Verde, "Little help?"
"You got it!" Verde responded by grabbing the webline and breaking it. He then tugged on it, dragging the Reispider out. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the Buzzstinger about to fire. Thinking quickly, he pulled the Reispider in front of him like a human shield as it was turned into a pincushion. He then kicked the spider in the back, knocking it into the Buzzstinger.
"Do different breeds work together like that?" asked Sobek.
"They usually stick to their own kind," Verde answered. "This is new."
The Buzzstinger pushed the Reispider up and snarled at it as if giving it orders. The Reispider seemed loopy despite the stingers stuck in it before it turned to face the two knights. Sobek and Verde both drew their cards to get some weapons.
[Hold Vent!]
[Strike Vent!]
"Is that a yo-yo?" Alistair wondered out loud when he saw Verde's Bio Winder. At the same time, Sobek was equipped with the Vile Jaws.
"Eyup!" Verde answered as he threw his weapon and hit the Buzzstinger square in the face, causing it to recoil back in pain. He landed multiple strikes with his weapon, sending the Buzzstinger stumbling back with each blow.
The Reispider made a lunge for Kitty and she was too stunned to teleport. Suddenly, the blade of a rapier flew past her head and jabbed the Reispider in the face. It screeched as it was knocked back by the blow.
"Attacking a lady? Nor on my watch!" the teen with the rapier declared boldly. "En garde!"
The Reispider made angry noises and went for the boy who smirked. It swung at him but he ducked under its arm to land a blow to its chest, knocking it back. He then continued his assault, landing powerful jabs with his sword, forcing the Reispider to backpedal.
Frustrated, the Reispider spat a string of webbing at the boy, catching his sword before ripping it out of his grip.
"My sword!"
The Reispider then lunged for him but was intercepted by Sobek who tackled it into the Mirror World where he'd have more room to finish it off.
The swordsman went and picked up his sword before sheathing it. He then approached Kitty and gave a bow.
"Uh, thanks," Kitty said.
"It is no problem. It's what I do for my name is Antonio Boots! Son of Puss in Boots!" Antonio removed his hat, revealing the cat ears atop his head as he bowed. "And what is your name, senorita?"
In the Mirror World version of the faire, Sobek sent the Reispider tumbling with a toss. Now outside the funhouse, he had the space he needed to finish it.
[Final Vent!]
Vilegator emerged from between two food stands and roared as it charged straight for Sobek from behind. Once it was close enough, Sobek leaped onto his partner's snout. It tossed its head up, throwing Sobek into the air like a springboard. As the Reispider looked up, it saw Sobek descend upon it. It turned to flee but it was too late
"VILE CRUSHER!"
Coming upon the Reispider, Sobek spread his Vile Jaws apart before he brought them together like an alligator snapping its jaws shut. The Vile Jaws caught the Reispider between them with crushing force, crumpling the monster between them before it exploded with a shriek of pain.
Sobek landed on his feet as Vilegator ate up the Reispider's energy core. He then went to return to the others in the funhouse.
Meanwhile, Verde sent the Buzzstinger tumbling with a kick. It recovered and decided to retreat so it could hunt later. It already had their scent, after all, and next time it would bring the rest of its hive. As the Buzzstinger turned to flee, Sobek's fist shot out of the mirror and socked it in the face, knocking it into Verde who wrapped his arms around its waist to suplex it.
"Thanks, Val!" Verde said gratefully as Sobek stepped out of the Mirror World.
"Darren, you've shown off enough already. Just finish it," Sobek suggested. "You've had your fun."
"Yeah, you're right," Verde agreed as he clipped his Final Vent card and let the string pull it into his Visor. "Let's take this outside!"
[Final Vent!]
"EEK!" Bunny yelped as Biogreeza emerged from a mirror near them. Alistair was quick to jump to her side, ready to defend her. Biogreeza didn't pay them any mind before it shot its tongue at the Buzzstinger and grabbed it. The Buzzstinger struggled as Biogreeza dragged it along, following Verde towards the funhouse's exit. They needed the space to properly execute their finisher.
Once outside, Biogreeza tossed the Buzzstinger onto the fairgrounds. The students were stunned by this but calmed down when they spotted Verde. Biogreeza remained on the spot as Verde ran ahead to put some distance between them before he performed a handstand. Seeing this as its cue, Biogreeza shot its tongue out and wrapped it around Verde's ankles before it swung him at the Reispider.
"Hup!" Verde was thrown towards the Reispider and he caught it before Biogreeza tossed him into the air. Both were sent spinning in midair in a blur of color. The Wonderlandians came out of the funhouse just in time to witness Verde deliver the finishing blow.
"Snicker-Snack!" Maddie cheered.
"Off with its head!" Lizzie declared.
Verde came back down with a crash, smashing the Buzzstinger's head into the ground with a loud crash. Verde hopped back with a breath, letting the monster fall over and explode. Biogreeza rumbled and licked up the rising energy of the defeated monster.
"Ta-dah!" Verde bowed to his audience.
"Great!" Brooke's voice cheered from the sudden audience as she recorded the whole fight on her MirrorPhone. "Now strike a pose, Darren!"
"Bravo!" Antonio applauded. "A magnificent finish, senor knight!"
"Thanks!" Verde smiled and then he tilted his head in confusion. "...Who are you?"
Wonderland - Old Tea Shoppe
Working together, Ginger, Odin and the White Knight managed to finish making a pie which she then put in the oven to bake. As she closed the door, the three peered at the oven.
"Think anyone will get our message?" Odin asked.
"I hope so," Ginger said.
"Have faith. Our friends will be able to stop this crisis," the White Knight said as he put his hand on Ginger's shoulder. Odin glowered at the friendly contact but kept his cool. Knowing who it was under that armor, he had no reason to feel threatened.
Ever After - Tea Shoppe
After the battle at the funhouse, the Wonderland Gang decided to go into town for a taste of home. Since the Mad Hatter and Maddie escaped Wonderland and came to Ever After, they had settled in Book End. Maddie's dad had opened a tea shoppe which possessed the wonder and whimsy of Wonderland. It was Darren's favorite place in Book End since it was undeniably mad.
Antonio had tagged along since he wanted to get to know Kitty better, something Lizzie thought was rather sweet. Honestly, Kitty never really seemed to care about seeking the attention of boys. Sure, she may admire the handsome princes and like them had a crush on Daring, but she was focused on living up to her mother's expectations, to pull pranks as the next Cheshire Cat. Finding a boyfriend had never been much of a priority.
It was amusing since Kitty didn't seem to know what to do. She of course chatted with Antonio, but it was clear she wasn't used to boys actually taking an interest in her. She usually preferred her pranks, and they tended to make boys wary around her. Whenever Kitty made her big appearances outside of class, it meant a prank was about to go down. Now that a guy was actually showing interest in her, Kitty seemed adorably awkward and unsure of what to do.
Payback for some of those embarrassing pranks!
"So, is it always this nuts in Ever After?" Alistair asked, taking a calming cup of tea.
"Mirror Monsters do attack frequently but we have the fearless Knights of the Round Table to protect us," Lizzie smiled at Darren.
"Yeah, so there's nothing to fear when they ride into action!" Maddie pumped her fists cheerfully. "And whenever they show up, it's always a hat-tastic time!"
"And explosive," Bunny added.
"We really can't avoid any explosions, but if we manage to finish the fight in the Mirror World, we can minimize the collateral damage," Valentine stated.
"Like when Tristan blew up the street in front of the Multi-hex," Darren chuckled when he remembered that incident.
Back in the kitchen, the oven glowed and one of the gingerbread employees took out a pie from it.
"And that's what happened on Legacy Day," Darren finished telling Bunny and Alistair about the most unforgettable Legacy Day in Ever After High's history.
"Wow, that sounds like one intense battle," Alistair remarked, impressed.
"Not as intense as the war we were in against the Order of the White Knights," Darren replied as the Mad Hatter came and served them strawberry tarts.
"Dad!" Maddie giggled as the Mad Hatter plopped his hat on her head.
"It's nice to see another familiar face," Alistair smiled.
The Mad Hatter and Maddie exchanged their signature secret handshake, while rhyming in unison.
"Whistle, cradle, up top, down sideways, shake and to the moon!"
"The train runs on tracks, birds in the air and we believers must always take care."
He poured each of the teens a cup of tea.
Meanwhile, Brooke had ordered a pie and it was the one that had just come out of the oven.
"Perfect," Brooke smiled as she took the pie to share with Darren's table. She pretty much knew what was going to happen but the story needed to be moved along. "Hey, guys."
"Brooke!" Darren grinned. "Pull up a seat and join us!"
"Thanks," she smiled as she put the pie on the table.
"Oh, this smells nice," Darren smiled as he took a whiff of the pie. "Smells like the ones my grandma used to make."
Brooke smiled knowingly, "It's a special pie with a surprise inside."
"Like a special prize is hidden inside?" Darren wondered.
"A message from Ginger," Brooke stated, much to their surprise. She shrugged. "I read ahead."
Darren took a knife and cut into the pie. The cut magically formed into a mouth and started talking.
"Uh, what do I do. Do I just start talking? Test...test...Oh! Guys! This is Ginger! Ever After is in danger! There's a cursed riddle book and you have to find it! Is that it?"
"Did she say 'cursed riddle book'?" Alistair repeated, concerned.
"Knights of the Round Table, this is Odin. If you are hearing this, then I have an urgent message to you all. You must assemble and find this cursed book quickly before it's too late. Oh, and try not to wreck the faire while you're at it. By the way, please tell Gwen that Darling is with us too."
"At least Rex and Darling are with her so she's safe," Darren remarked. "Wait, does this mean they're in Wonderland? Lucky!"
"Darren, focus," Lizzie chided. "There is a cursed Wonderlandian book of riddles in Ever After. We need to retrieve it before someone reads from it."
"What's the worst that can happen?" Darren asked cautiously. "...I tempted fate, didn't I?"
Ever After - Chef Showdown Stage
Apple was admittedly a little depressed while she should have been getting her head in the game for the Chef Showdown. In her defense, she had been so happy when the Storybook of Legends had supposedly turned up. That meant she and Lancie could guarantee their Happily Ever After. Then Headmaster Grimm determined the book to be another fake which left Apple feeling really let down. She didn't blame Alistair or Bunny since the book seemed like the real thing, but it really brought down her mood.
After Headmaster Milton threw the book away, Apple managed to catch it. She wasn't really sure why she kept it, maybe just so she could sort of feel like her destiny was in her hands again. Lance tried to comfort her, and Apple really appreciated it, but she still couldn't help but feel a little let down.
So as she waited for the Chef Showdown to begin, Apple idly looked through the pages of the book. Rather than fairy tales, the book was filled with riddles. Oddly enough, as she scrolled down the pages, she discovered that all the riddles were missing their answers. Finding one riddle in particular, she read it out loud.
"'They fly at night, you'd better run. These winged things are not much fun'," Apple read and cocked an eyebrow. She then shrugged and put the book down so she could focus on the contest. As she left the book sitting in the spectator seats, it glowed.
Ever After - Fairgrounds
The Wonderlandians returned to the faire to look for the cursed riddle book. Ginger and Odin's message made it clear that the book was very dangerous. Darren was worried since Brooke had made a big no-no with her parents by not only reading ahead, but manipulating events so that the Wonderlandians would find that message when they did. He didn't hear the Narrators speak up, but he was pretty sure they did not approve of what she did.
"Alright everyone, we need to split up and find the book. It might still be here. Keep your eyes open for anything weird," Lizzie instructed as they walked through the faire. "Alistair, Bunny, you two go to the rides and start your search there. Valentine and Maddie, search the midway. Darren and I will look through the attractions."
"Right!" the Wonderlandians saluted, preparing to break apart.
"I love it when you take charge, Lizzie," Darren praised.
Nearby, Brooke was leaning against a tree. She knew she was on thin ice for purposely moving the story along, which was a big taboo among Narrators. Still, she looked nervous as she silently counted down on her fingers, knowing what was coming next, "5, 4, 3, 2, 1..."
"BATS!"
The Wonderlandians gasped when they saw bats swarming all over the faire grounds, seemingly from out of nowhere. These were not normal bats, but big bats. Bats the size of birds of prey. This was just proven when one of the bats swooped down and grabbed the youngest of the three little pigs.
"Help!" the youngest pig screamed but was saved when Gawain jumped out of the crowd and caught the bat to force it to release him.
"Run!"
"What the hex is going on!?"
The bats spun around in the air before they dove down to an open spot. Clumping together, they became a mass of leathery wings and furry bodies before they all turned black and merged into a humanoid form.
"Ah ha! So my card has turned up!"
When the black receded, it looked like some kind of creature had taken the place of the bats. It had the appearance of a knight, wearing jet black armor with furry edges on the gauntlets and greaves. A pair of leathery bat wings fell from its back like a cape. The helm had a bat wing-shaped visor and, oddly, had a diamond with an 8 in it sticking out from its right shoulder. A pair of large bat ears also rose from the helm, twitching as they took in all the sounds.
"Ah, free from that wretched queen's book of riddles," the bat-like knight laughed, looking around at the gaping people of the faire. "And I see sustenance! Perfect!"
Near the stands, the group of Wonderlandians, like many of the others who had heard the noise, ran to see what was happening. Unlike many of the other witnesses, all of the native Wonderlandians, save for Alister, began to pale in horror when they saw the form of the bat-like knight monster.
"No, no, no! It can't be!" Lizzie gasped in horror. "A Magivore?! Here? But Mother imprisoned them all!"
Kitty, Madeline, Valentine, and Bunny weren't far behind her, looking like something terrifying had come right out of their nightmares.
"What's a Magivore?" asked Darren.
"Wicked creatures that devour magic. They were the scourge of Wonderland until my mother imprisoned them all in a magic book of riddles," Lizzie trembled. "The cursed book of riddles! This must be what Ginger meant!"
The Bat Magivore waved an arm and its shadow suddenly erupted into numerous black bats which swarmed over the people. They began to scream as the bats began latching onto them. Rather than draw blood, the bats seemed to draw magic from them, making their bodies begin to turn dull gray and leave them growing more lethargic as more bats landed on them.
Once each bat had its fill, it would return to the Bat Magivore's shadow, briefly making the creature flash a rainbow color for a moment. Each time seemed to fill him with rapture while he sighed in pleasure.
"Ahhh, bliss," the Bat Magivore sighed.
Gawain managed to stand where he and Rosabella had been shielding the three little pigs with their bodies. Rosabella had some gray spots on her body, but Gawain was covered in bites and scratches where the bats touched him, but then recoiled as if they tasted something foul.
"Are you three okay?" asked Rosabella worriedly as she hugged the pigs protectively. All three were clearly scared and the youngest was trembling fiercely.
"Find cover," Gawain instructed as he took out his Advent Deck. Pretty soon, the other Knights would show up. Until then, he had to slow this thing down before it tried to hurt anyone else! With everyone so spread out over the faire-grounds, it might be some time before the others knew what was happening unless they were nearby.
Holding his Advent Deck to the plastic panel of a candy machine, his V-Buckle appeared, "Henshin!"
Snapping his deck into place, Gawain changed to Kamen Rider Tiger. Lifting his Dest Visor, he charged in the direction of the bat-knight creature.
"Hm?" The Bat Magivore turned as his ears twitched, hearing Gawain's transformation. "Oh? A fellow knight? It has been quite some time since I had a decent duel." Bats swarmed his outstretched hand, merging to form a wicked black sword that was shaped like a bat's wing.
Sparks flew as the Dest Visor was parried by the bat-knight's blade. It pushed the sword away and slashed Tiger violently across the cheat, knocking him back.
Bats swarmed Tiger, burying their fangs into his armor.
"Hm?" the bat-knight tilted its head at Tiger before it seemed to gag. "Ew! You have no magic in you at all! You wasted my time and the magic I have for a pointless battle? Feh!"
"Then how about we make it worth your time!" Darren's voice rang out. The bat-knight turned before the forms of Verde and Sobek charged through the crowds at it.
[Hold Vent!]
[Sword Vent!]
Sobek charged with his large Vile Saber and went for a swing but the Bat Magivore jumped up to avoid his blade. This, however, did not prevent Verde from tying the string of his Bio Winder around its legs.
"Down you go!" Verde tugged and brought the Bat Magivore down to the ground.
"Gah!" the Bat Magivore grunted and sent bats to swarm the two, causing them to recoil as they tried to swat the flying rodents away.
"I can't see!" Verde yelled as he swung his arms around.
While the Knights were distracted, the Bat Magivore looked around for more magic to devour. Many had fled the scene, leaving little for its minions to drain. Huffing, the Magivore drew back and inhaled deeply, trying to sniff out magic. He smelled some nearby Wonderlandians, but a more potent scent caught its attention. Looking around, his eyes were drawn to the stage where the Chef Showdown was to be held.
The one who had read his riddle was there.
"Ah, my liberator," the Bat Magivore grinned, running a hand along his sword. "As a knight, I simply must reward them for freeing me."
Ignoring the three Knights being assaulted by his bats, the Magivore took off in the direction of the Chef Showdown. The bats continued to swarm for several minutes before they broke off, flying after their master.
"Wha-what happened?!" Verde cried, wiping bat saliva off his helmet. "Where'd he go?"
"He went for the Chef Showdown!" Kitty cried, pointing to where competition was going to take place.
"Let's go!" Tiger hefted up his axe and started running for the Chef Showdown as Verde and Sobek quickly followed.
Fairgrounds - Chef Showdown Stage
Meanwhile, the Chef Showdown was about to begin and the participants were getting ready at their respective stations. Each of them was going to create a culinary masterpiece that would impress the spellebrity judge.
There was, however, someone missing.
"Hey, where's Ginger?" Raven wondered as the baker was not among them. There was no way Ginger would miss this event. She was the one who looked forward to it the most.
"Maybe she's running late," Apple suggested. "She did say she had something special planned. Maybe she needs a little more time to prepare."
"She better hurry before the judge arrives or else she'll miss the whole thing."
Apple was busy setting up her station for the Chef Showdown. She had set aside her slight depression and focused on the upcoming competition. She had quickly gotten over her downer mood from the fake Storybook of Legends and got cheery again for the competition. Of course, Lance played the ever dutiful boyfriend and helped put a smile back on her lips.
"Mmm," Apple hummed as Lance gave her another 'good luck' kiss. "Lancie, I won't be able to get ready if you keep distracting me."
"Hmm, but I can't help myself though," Lance chucked, hands on Apple's hips. "You just bring it out of me when you get all princess-y."
Apple giggled and pecked his lips and they broke apart, "Well, if you can't bear to be away from me, you can help me set up."
"Righty-o, Apple Pie," Lance smiled. "So what needs to go where?"
As Apple began to give him her instructions, a large shadow cast itself over them. The pair, and the few people in the stands, looked up expecting to see a few clouds. What they got was a large swarm of bats flying over the area, squeaking and shrieking, turning the pleasant day into something macabre.
"Eek!" Apple squeaked. She didn't usually have much of a problem with bats and she was even used to Darkwing. Seeing so many large bats in one place was too frightening.
"What the-?" Lance blinked.
Louder than the sounds of the bats, the unique sound of metal on stone alerted the group to something else happening. Lance and Apple's eyes widened when they saw a bat-like knight walking on the tiled floor, a bat wing sword hefted on his shoulder and a hungry gleam in his visor.
The Bat Magivore followed the scent of magic which was binding him to someone. It was a delicious aroma and he so wished to devour its source. He eyed the few people there, already picking out who had the most delicious magic to feast upon.
Then he spotted Apple White, watching him. He also sensed something else, a familiar magic, one that he hated but craved to devour all the same.
It was her. She was the one who had read the riddle that had released him.
"Well, hello, my pretty," the Bat Magivore stalked towards Apple White. "You look delicious. You smell like apples. Do you taste like apples too?"
"Ah…" Apple whimpered as she tried backing away, hiding behind Lance.
"Oh, don't be shy," the Bat Magivore snickered as several of his bats fluttered down around him. "I won't bite...but my little friends…" He thrust his hand and the bats flew for Lance and Apple, ravenous mouths wide open.
"HAH!" the Bat Magivore blinked when a swipe of a dark sword bisected the bats. As they faded into black shadows which flew back to the Magivore, he was treated to the sight of Lance holding his Dark Visor. "You're not going near her, punk!"
The Bat Magivore chuckled. "And who are you to think you can deny me, boy?"
Lance smirked and retrieved his Knight Deck. Apple quickly produced her MirrorPhone, allowing Lance to summon his V-Buckle. "A Knight of the Round Table! Henshin!"
Lance was adorned in his Knight armor and took a stance against the Magivore. Rather than reacting to his claim of knighthood, the Magivore growled in anger.
"I'm supposed to be the only bat knight!" he snapped at Knight. "Begone, imposter!"
"I was here first so that makes you the imposter and you're not welcome here!" Knight leaped at the Bat Magivore and charged before he swung his sword at it. The Magivore lifted his own blade before parrying the attack and the two bat knights began their duel.
This was where Verde, Sobek, and Tiger entered the scene with the Wonderlandians in tow. The fight was already beginning. Nearby, Arthur was helping Raven, Cerise, and the few other people out of the stands and away from the battle.
"Arthur!" Verde called, running to his fellow Knight. "Glad we caught up to you!"
"Yeah, but what the hex is going on?" Arthur demanded. "Who is that guy?"
"A Magivore," Sobek answered. "A Wonderlandian monster which is supposed to be sealed away in a book. Somehow the book is here and it was released. It's going on a feeding frenzy for every scrap of magic it can find."
"What do we do?!" cried Cerise.
"Mother once told me that if a Magivore was ever seen, we have to solve its riddle to make it go away!" Lizzie answered. "Apple, the Magivore is fixated on you. Did you read a riddle out loud?"
Apple blinked, but thought back. The only things she had been reading were her recipe book and that fake Storybook of Legends, "Um, well, I think so. 'They fly at night, you'd better run. These winged things are not much fun'," Apple muttered, thinking of the riddle she read, realizing it released this monster. Blinking in realization, the answer came to her, "Bats! The answer to the riddle is bats!"
The Bat Magivore suddenly recoiled from Knight as if it suddenly had a stroke. It roared in denial and pain as the 8 of Diamonds on its shoulder flared red. Knight saw his chance and slashed the Magivore across the chest several times before he was knocked back.
"Blasted Queen of Hearts!" the Bat Magivore snarled, gripping its shoulder. "To think she had a second curse laid upon me!"
"Ain't that a witch?" Knight huffed. As the Bat Magivore struggled, its power suddenly sapped by the answer of its riddle, he drew a card.
The Bat Magivore snarled, pushing himself back into the fight despite the pain he felt,"Bah, this won't stop me! I have more than enough magic to destroy the likes of you!"
"Well then, what do you say to this?" Knight said as he showed the Bat Magivore his Survive Shippu card. The wind picked up around them as his Dark Visor morphed into the Dark Visor Zwei. He slid the card into the panel and drew the Dark Blade which extended.
[Survive!]
A blast of gale force winds heralded the arrival of Knight Survive to the battlefield. Growling in anger, the Bat Magivore charged at Knight and delivered a slash but Knight parried his sword with the Dark blade then proceeded to slash him several times across the chest before sending him tumbling with a kick. Pushing himself back onto his feet, the Bat Magivore sent a swarm of ravenous bats at Knight to try and suck up whatever magic he may have. As the swarm came at him, Knight drew a card and slid it into his Dark Blade.
[Blast Vent!]
Darkwing shrieked as it was summoned and the sound of glass shattering could be heard as Knight's Contract Monster evolved into its Survive form, Darkraider. The wheels in Darkraider's wings spun like turbines, blowing the bats away. The Bat Magivore grunted, shielding his face from the winds as his pets were blown away from him. While this was happening, Knight drew his Final Vent and activated it.
[Final Vent!]
Knight leaped and landed on Darkraider's back, raising his body as it transformed into its Bike Mode. Once he was seated, he sped towards the Bat Magivore. He turned to flee but a laser from Darkraider stunned him, freezing him in place. Knight's cape spread out like a pair of wings and encased himself and Darkraider, turning them into a speeding missile that rammed into the Bat Magivore.
The monster roared in pain as he exploded from the strike, sending streams of rainbow light in all directions.
In the midst of the flames, a stream of black seemed to be sucked through the air before it was drawn into the riddle book .. Unseen by anyone, a nearby figure scooped up the book and disappeared amidst the chaos.
"Okay," Knight huffed as the flames died down and he dismounted. "What...the hex...was that?" That had been more than just some monster of the day. Wild as he was, that bat-knight creature was skilled with a sword and not afraid to use it. Lance hadn't worked that hard in a fight since he had to earn Chivalrous Charming's approval to date his daughter.
"A Magivore," Verde answered as he jogged up to Knight with the others close behind. "Some kind of Wonderlandian boogeyman. Lizzie can explain the rest."
"Apple, please tell me, where's the book?" Lizzie asked desperately.
"I left it on a seat…" Apple looked around for the book. She quickly jogged to the seating area where she had set the book down only to find it gone. "Oh no…"
"Oh this is a disaster!" Lizzie fretted, looking close on the verge of tears in anguish. "We simply must find that book! If we don't, it will be off with all of our heads!"
"Lizzie, you seem to know what that guy was," Knight huffed, dismissing his armor. "Care to share what history they have with you? That one seemed to know your mom."
Ever After High - Fairgrounds
The Knights were all called and gathered around a bench where Lizzie and Darren sat. It was in a garden section of the school grounds, by the rose maze. It offered privacy for the conversation they were about to have. No one else needed to know how serious the current crisis was.
"Shouldn't we wait for Rex?" Gwen asked.
"Oh, he's stuck in Wonderland with Ginger and Darling," Darren answered as if he was reporting the weather..
"Wait, what?" asked Kevin. Had he heard that right?
"Darling's in Wonderland?!" Gwen questioned, her jaw dropping.
"Now, Lizzie, these Magivores," Arthur started, although he wanted to hear that story later. "What are these Magivores?"
Lizzie nodded, tightly holding Darren's hand and clearly afraid, "You see, it happened once upon a time, not long after the Evil Queen cursed Wonderland," she explained. "I am told, well, it was not a pleasant time."
Raven wilted slightly, but Arthur comfortingly gripped her hand, "It's not your fault, Blackbird."
"I know that in my head, but I still feel guilty," Raven muttered.
"Everyone was quite afraid, even if the curse was left unfinished," Lizzie explained. "Still, many people tried to do something about it. From what I understand, an order of knights along with their wizards, advisors, and the grand knight of the order set out to find a way to lift the curse and free Wonderland from it."
"So what happened?" asked Kevin.
"They...they changed." Lizzie shook her head. "They...tried to break the curse and somehow, Mother did not tell me how, they absorbed pieces of the curse instead. It corrupted and warped them into nightmarish creatures who were only a shadow of who they used to be. They had become monsters who were bent on devouring every scrap of magic they could get."
"They eat magic?" asked Apple incrredulously.
"And could drain it out of people. It's why they were called 'Magivores'," Lizzie nodded. "They became a plague on Wonderland. They were so terrible, my mother risked antagonizing the curse and unleashed some of her own magic to seal all of them inside a riddle book. One that was supposed to remain hidden inside the Wonderland Library's forbidden section."
"Until I brought it with me," Alistair finished, paling. He was able to put two and two together. He and Bunny had brought a fake Storybook of Legend to Ever After and right after a Magivore appeared. That was no coincidence. It didn't take a detective to see the connection. Bunny wilted and held his arm, both to comfort Alistair and to help herself feel better.
"Alistair, where exactly did you find that book?" asked Lance.
"Bunny and I found what we thought was the Storybook of Legends in a river and we followed it back to the Well of Wonder," Alistair answered.
"We tried to travel through the well and then…" Bunny gasped in realization. "We met the Cheshire Cat! She must've switched the books!"
"I should've known. She's always playing pranks," Alistair grumbled.
"Kitty, forgive my language, but your mom is a total witch," Darren said sourly.
"She wouldn't do that!" Kitty snapped, looking hurt that someone would accuse her mother of something so terrible. "A prank is one thing, but this is something else! She would never let the Magivores out! Someone else must have swapped the books!"
"She was the last person we saw before we ended up here," Bunny told her. "And we know the book of the Magivores would never leave the royal library on its own. I'm sorry Kitty, but it couldn't have been anyone else."
"Look, pointing fingers is just a waste of time. We need to split up and find the book before more of these things show up," Arthur interrupted. "Call everyone we know so we can cover more ground. And find Merlin. Maybe there's a way to break the curse on these knights or locate the book."
"The Magivores may also try to seek out a huge source of magic," Darren theorized. "They might go after the Well of Wonder."
"It is a powerful source of magic," Lizzie confirmed. "But it never stays in one spot for long. You need a map to find it, and I have the only one."
"Well that's one less thing to worry about," Valentine nodded.
"Just to be safe, Lizzie, Darren, you should grab the map and hide it somewhere. The library should be a safe place to hide it," Arthur suggested. Merlin had all sorts of protection spells cast on the library to keep intruders out. It should be able to keep Lizzie's map safe.
Despite the chaos of the Bat Magivore's attack, the majority of the Spring Faire was still ongoing. It spoke to the new status quo when people were used to the likes of Mirror Monsters attacking. The monsters would appear and the Knights of the Round Table would put them down and life would continue, maybe with some minor repairs needed. Since the Bat Magivore's assault was so limited, it didn't disrupt the faire too much.
One such attendee was Cedar Wood who was enjoying some snacks. She couldn't lie, but it was some of the tastiest treats she ever had. Popping some dragon corn into her mouth, she found a bench so she could sit down and enjoy her treats.
"Yum," she smiled happily. Although she was careful not to get any on her new spring fairest outfit. As she swallowed, she looked to her side and blinked in surprise at the sight of a book sitting innocently beside her. "Now how did you get here?"
Setting her treats aside, Cedar picked up the book and opened it to see if anyone had put their name inside. All she found was a riddle on the first page. "'They grow much faster than bamboo. Take care or they'll come after you'," she read. "What does that mean?" She then shrugged and put the book in her bag to go find a lost and found station.
That was when the book glowed and a plant sprouted out of the ground near where Cedar had sat, only this was no normal plant as it had long thorny vines and instead of a flower, it had a head with big jaws. The plant began to grow, and grow, hidden by the bench and stands until it would be too late to try and uproot it.
It was so hungry...
To Be Continued…
TFP: Okay, part two of Spring Fairest and the script has been flipped from canon. The Magivores are an original twist I admit, but I didn't want to carbon copy canon and instead had something new come in. How their book got to Ever After and who made the switch will be revealed later. Still, it seems someone wants many people to read the book and release as many Magivores as they can.