"I missed you!" Rachel cried, throwing her arms around him.

Shaggy squirmed in her grip. Rachel never failed to make him uncomfortable. Once free, he backed up a few steps, internally cringing at the predatory gleam in her eyes.

"Like, what are you doing here?" he asked, uneasily, wishing for escape when she latched onto his arm again.

"I go to school here!" she smiled, "You're the newcomer everyone's talking about? The werewolf that Christina brought to school,"

He bristled at the way she said Christina's name. As if she were unimportant and a nobody. Rachel felt she was above her and it showed as she prattled on.

"The goody-two-shoes. She never does anything worthwhile but she's constantly on TV or something-"

"Rachel, I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't slander me,"

Christina was marching towards them, the soles of her tennis shoes smacking the polished floors with purpose. Once close enough she pried Shaggy from Rachel, pulling him to her side and away from the blonde who regarded Christina with an ice-filled glare.

"I was simply catching up with an old friend," she huffed.

"Right," Christina drawled, "And that's why he looked like he wanted to disappear,"

Rachel scoffed, "Shouldn't you be cursing princes?"

"Shouldn't you be pulling the seaweed from your hair?"

Eyes wide Rachel pulled a long limp string of rotted seaweed from her locks, wrinkling her nose at just how foul it smelt.

With her distracted, Christina guided Shaggy away, quickly traversing the halls as the bell rang for the next period.

"Thanks," Shaggy whispered as Scooby bounded over to them.

"No problem. You looked like you wanted to die,"

Shaggy chuckled nervously, "Maybe I did,"

Thankfully, she didn't prod him for information, simply bringing him to her next class where he and Scooby were content to sit in a corner and observe. They observed, cowering slightly as this was Christina's 'mandatory' villainy class. Her desk slightly leaned and the wood was rough and worn but she didn't seem to mind. From the looks of things, she was a good, quiet student. Taking notes and answering questions when called upon. Still, she bit the inside of her cheek, tapped her pencil against the desk when she wasn't using it, twitching, wanting to move.

"Stop that!" Faybelle yelled in frustration with her cousins' flighty antics.

"Miss Thorn!" Professor Badwolf growled, causing Shaggy to flinch.

"Christina's being a distraction,"

"I see no problems with her behavior now, SIT DOWN,"

Faybelle plopped into her seat, paler than a ghost.

…...

"Don't mind Faybelle," Christina was saying as the group walked to Monster High later that day.

"She doesn't seem to like you," Shaggy commented.

Christina shrugged, pushing a loose strand of hair from her eyes, "Cousinly love,"

"She's your cousin?"

"Yep,"

"She should be nicer to you then!" Shaggy huffed.

Christina dismissed the notion with a wave of her hand, "She's just being herself,"

"It's like, weird though,"

"What?"

"Draculaura's so nice to you and Faybelle's cold,"

"it's just the difference in how they were raised," Christina said, "We're here,"

"Scary," Shaggy gulped.

Christina rolled her eyes, "Not really, I'd go here exclusively if I could,"

"Why can't you?"

"It's a long story,"

Christina had to drag Shaggy and Scooby into the school but they were okay. Following her to her locker, watching as she dropped her bag inside before kicking the door closed and turning on her heel.

"I have a free period so let's find the others,"

While walking the halls, however, a vampire approached with a malicious gleam in his red eyes. Walking toward Christina who flew over him, uninterested and annoyed.

"Princess!" he called, sounding more demanding than anything, "Come back here!"

Christina turned, flying out of reach, "Princess is my title, Drew, NOT my name and I'm not in the mood,"

Drew snarled leaping, grabbing Christina by the ankle and slamming her to the floor. He was ready to hit her but he never got a chance as Shaggy jumped him, pushing him to the ground with a surge of strength before punching him repeatedly in the face, snarling the entire time. Only when Drew was unconscious did Shaggy come to his senses and scramble away. What just happened? Where did that come from? All he could recall was burning in his chest and a ringing in his ears.

"Ugh,"

Shaggy turned to where Christina was trying to get to her feet and his panic was forgotten. He rushed to her side and pulled her up with ease. A pleasant warmth filled him. He didn't want to let Christina go but he had to.

"Like, are you okay, Christina?"

There was a bruise forming on her arm, the sight of which made Shaggy angry but, Christina nodded that she was okay and directed them to the student lounge where her friends sat in a circle, talking and laughing with each other.

"Hey, guys," she smiled at them, sliding into her usual spot with the boys following her lead.

"What happened to your arm?" Draculaura demanded, grabbing it in concern.

"Drew,"

"Where is he?" Clawdeen growled. "I'll-"

"we will teach him a lesson," Duncan interjected.

"He's out cold on the hall floor," Christina shrugged.

"How?" Cleo pressed.

"Shaggy,"

The group turned to Shaggy who was beet red, eyes downcast.

"How did you do it?" Frankie questioned, sparking with excitement.

"I...don't know, I don't,"

"Guys, give him some space would you?" Christina gently chided, "Can't you see he's flustered?"

Mumbles of sorry were heard as the over-eager teens took their original places. Shaggy glanced at Christina with a thankful smile.

"So, how was Ever After High?" Frankie asked in a noble attempt to calm down.

"The less said the better," Christina sighed.

"Come on, tell us about rehearsals?" Lagoona pleaded.

"I nearly threw up, is that what you wanna hear?"

Lagoona cringed, "You aren't going to sign are you?"

"Hex no!"

"Moving on," Draculaura said hastily, "Anything interesting going on there?"

"I heard a new student was coming,"

"Really?"

"Whoa!"

"Tell us more,"

"Sorry, guys you'll have to speak with Blondie,"

"We will,"

…...

Christina wandered the gardens that spread throughout the backyard, trying her best to clear her head. School as always had been a tedious, uphill battle which, thankfully, was over for now. Behind her, Shaggy and Scooby were playing fetch, their way of cooling off. Closing her eyes, Christina finally felt at peace.

"CHRISTINA! CHRISTINA!"

Christina opened her eyes to find the pixies mere inches from her face, "Yes?"

"You have to come inside right away!" they squeaked, talking over one another, "Drew and his mother have arrived to speak with your parents!"

Christina paled, running back to the house, Shaggy following closely behind. Christina slowed her pace once inside, brushed a stray hair from her face and cautiously entered the main room. There she found her parents sitting side by side, Drew and his mother right across from them. She sat to the right of her parents while Shaggy remained in the hall despite the strong urge to step in and protect Christina. Alas, the seating arrangement put Christina closer to Drew then she would have liked.

"Hello, Christina,"

"Drew," she nodded curtly

I will be polite! She repeated to herself over and over again, hiding her smile when she spotted the cast and crutches he now had, remembering how Shaggy had tackled him to the floor earlier that day.

Even in a cast Drew moved quickly, nearing her inch by inch while his mother watched seemingly pleased at the inappropriate actions of her son.

"I don't think so," Shaggy growled, bolting into the room and pushing between them, transforming in the process.

Drew stumbled back, landing next to his mother with a grunt, "This fleabag broke my leg, Mother! And all I wanted to do was talk to Christina!"

"Talk?" Christina spat, good manners out the window, lifting her arm to show everyone the bruise, "You threw me on the floor!"

"Butterfly," Alissa chided, though there was anger in her eyes, "Deep breaths, we want to have a civil discussion,"

"Yes, Ma'am," Christina nodded.

Regina, however, didn't seem to understand. Instead, laying into Shaggy for harming her son.

"Vhere did this mutt come from anyway?" She snarled.

"Shaggy's no mutt!" Christina drawled dangerously, "He is my friend and our guest. I suggest you keep in mind that my mother is a fairy and this is her home, if you were to displease her or me for that matter we could do what we wish or are you too uptight to remember how a house guest is supposed to behave?"

Alissa had to keep from applauding as Radu cleared his throat to steer the conversation back to the real reason for Regina's visit asking her why she and Drew had come.

"Because your family still owes me, Radu,"

"For vhat exactly?"

"Breaking our marriage contract all those years ago."

Alissa bristled, Christina sat ridged and Shaggy wondered where this would go.

"You know I never vanted to marry you, Regina", Radu said with as much calm as he could. "It vas our parents that vanted it, since ve had been best friends since ve vere children."

"And I loved you, Radu!", she hissed with such venom that Alissa gripped her wand tightly, ready to cast instantly. "I knew you vere... unsure, but I knew you vould have loved me given time. Time that SHE robbed me of vhen she STOLE you from me!"

"I KNEW ALISSA VAS MY ONE TRUE LOVE THE MOMENT OUR EYES MET!", Radu roared, standing. "Something that I could NEVER feel for any-vone else! I regret hurting you, but I vill NEVER apologize for meeting Alissa and falling instantly in love vith her."

"The blood-marriage debt between our Houses remains, Radu!", the vampiress stated in no uncertain terms. "And as the wronged party, it is MY choice of how it can be settled. And I say only through the marriage of our children!"

"Oh, that is so NOT happening!" Christina yelled, "I'd rather sign that blasted storybook!"

Shaggy growled, pulling Christina closer to him without realizing it.

"Don't test me, you red-eyed...!", Alissa stopped to take a deep, calming breath. "Christina is also my daughter, born of the fae of THIS realm. And here in Ever After, True Love's Kiss still holds the ultimate magic and can bend nearly any law. It is CHRISTINA who will choose her own Happily Ever After, debt or no debt, no matter what imaginary slight from the past offends you!"

hidden in the shadows, the house staff watched the increasingly tense exchange.

"Should we do something?" the pixies murmured.

"Hush, Hush," Mercy ordered, trying to keep a handle on everything.

It was hard to do when her fellow pixies were flittering about, chattering like ninnies while the elves stayed glued to the shadows, one trying to wrangle Prince.

Meanwhile, Christina was speechless with pride in her loving parents defending her so eloquently.

"Now, get out!"

Drew and Regina fled, swearing that the debt would be paid. As soon as they were gone, Christina went back outside trying to calm her frayed nerves. Shaggy tried to follow only to be stopped by Alissa.

"Let her breathe, she wants to be alone right now,"

Shaggy nodded his understanding, quickly retreating into the room he and Scooby had been given. It was big, bigger than anything he was used to. Whitewashed walls reflected sunlight the floor to ceiling windows let in making Shaggy shield his face while he pulled the drapes. He almost had them shut when he caught sight of Christina. She was stomping through the gardens, a small line of dragons behind her while Prince despite his size rested on her shoulder.

Without even trying he could smell her perfume, hear what she was saying.

Trying to shut it out, knowing it was private he watched her instead, stumbling back when flames swept her body.

She was gone.

…...

Christina landed on the grass with a groan.

"Are you okay, Princess?" nearby pixies questioned worriedly, usually Christina's arrivals were more steady

"Fine," Christina mumbled, getting to her feet.

A nice leisurely visit to the Moors should've helped her calm down but Christina found herself clawing at her hair in frustration. Drew was just so infuriating! his mother even more so. The fire that burned just beneath her skin grew more intense with every thought. She slid down the trunk of the great Rowan tree, her grandmother's tree, with her head in her hands casting a tired glance at the giant thorn wall that kept intruders out. She closed her eyes and tilted her face toward the sun, smiling at the warmth.

At times she felt the weight of the world was on her shoulders about to crush her but even on her darkest days she could come here and escape for just a moment.

She had a lot of things to think about.

…...

The next day at Ever After High:

the halls were filled with gossip. Blondie was having a blast as everyone speculated about the new student who was to arrive soon. They crowded the entrance and filled the halls, eagerly awaiting their first glimpse of this mystery student whose identity was kept under wraps.

Until the teachers sent everyone on their way to class. Ironically as the student was arriving.

Dirk Knight, son of The Black Knight.

…...

(MN) Change was coming to Ever After.

(TP) A big change.

(BP) So, Dirk has something to do with it?

(FM) Sadly.

...

"Ah, Mr, Knight so glad you could finally join us," Giles beamed upon Dirk's entrance.

"Yes," Milton nodded his agreement, Dirk's enrollment papers in hand.

"Glad to be here," Dirk replied politely.

He had short, spiky, black hair with purple highlights and purple eyes. He was wearing a black leather biker jacket trimmed with steel studs and chain mail on the shoulders over a dark crimson shirt, dark purple jeans, and black high-top sneakers.

"Here are your enrollment papers and student handbook," Milton passed the rather hefty stack to the teen before him, "You'll be rooming with Arthur White,"

"Okay," Dirk nodded tensely. At least it wasn't a Charming he was rooming with.

"You've been excused from classes so you can settle in," Giles explained, "You've seen the dorms?"

"Up the stairs and to the left?"

"That's right, go get settled in and when you're ready you can report to class,"

"Yes, Sir," Dirk edged toward the door.

"And Mr. Knight?"

Dirk turned toward Milton.

"Welcome to Ever After High,"