The Wager

A couple weeks after Raven took "B.B." away, Apple found an unwanted visitor in her room when she returned from class early. Her least favorite person in the world.

"YOU?! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?!" She yelled at Robart's back. She should have known that that asshole couldn't stay away forever! And now she had caught him red-handed. He was SO in for it now!

Rotbart turned around to give Apple a look of contempt. "Hello, princess." He said coldly. "I was just leaving."

"Yeah, leaving something awful, no doubt!" Apple snapped. "What did you do to my room this time?!"

Rotbart rolled his eyes. "Believe it or not, princess, not every minute of my waking day is focused on you. I know that this may be difficult for your little crowned mind to comprehend, but it's true." He smirked at Apple's furious expression. "I came to drop off a package, and that's ALL."

"Another one of your little presents, I presume?" Apple spat. "Get it out of here! I don't want it."

Rotbart glared at her. "Weren't you listening, genius?" He said. "This. Has. NOTHING. To. Do. With. YOU." He held up the purple package for Apple to see. "See? It says: Raven Queen. NOT: Apple White. Got it?"

Apple narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms. "And why would you give Raven a package?" Apple asked suspiciously.

"Because it's her birthday." Rotbart said condescendingly. "And that's what you do on birthdays. Any more bright questions, princess?"

"I don't appreciate your tone of voice." She said haughtily.

"I don't care for yours either." Rotbart quipped.

"And you're lying; it's not Raven's birthday!"

"Oh really?" Rotbart said. Apparently little-miss-perfect was just bound and determined to prove he was up to something. Well, he'd show her! "How much you want to bet?"

"What?" Apple said. She was very much taken aback by that.

"How much you want to bet?" He repeated. "If you know so much."

"I know everyone's birthdays." Apple said.

"Oh, I don't think you do." Rotbart said smugly. "What's mine for instance?"

He had her there, and she hated it. "Everyone in MY year." She clarified. "And anyway, princesses don't bet."

"But they do play pranks and crap on princes' heads."

Apple turned bright red from embarrassment and rage. 'WHY YOU...".

"AND, they can get people's birthdays wrong."

"I DON'T!" Apple shouted.

"Fifty bucks says you can."

"Ha! A hundred bucks says I don't!" Apple said petulantly.

Rotbart grinned. "A hundred bucks and fifty bucks says you DID!"

"Two hundred bucks says no way, no how!"

"A three hundred dollars and a spa day for the birthday girl says YES way, YES how." Rotbart said impulsively.

"And if I win?"

"I'll leave your story. For good."

Apple's eyes lit up. This was a chance she couldn't pass up. "You're on!" She said.

"Excellent." Rotbart said. "Now how are you going to prove that I'm lying?"

"I'll ask Raven."

Rotbart snorted. "Her? Seriously?"

"And why not?" Apple demanded.

"What makes you think she'll tell you the truth?" Rotbart challenged. "How do you know she isn't corroborating with me?"

Apple opened her mouth to say that Raven would never go along with him, but then she stopped. For some weird reason, Raven WAS very close with Rotbart, despite her desire to be good. The idea of her siding with him wasn't entirely impossible.

"Alright." She said. "Blondie then. Blondie knows everything here. Including birthdays!"

Rotbart laughed aloud at this.

"What's so funny?!" Apple said indignantly.

"Oh come on, Blondie?! That blonde, butt-licking toady?! She'd say that the sky was red if it made you happy!" Rotbart chortled.

"You take that back!" Apple yelled. "She's my friend!"

"Exactly." Rotbart said.

And once again, Apple had to admit that Rotbart had a point; Blondie WAS incredibly biased when it came to her.

"Well, who do YOU suggest then?" She said angrily.

"Really? You'll let me pick someone who I know will lie on my behalf?" Rotbart said innocently.

"Of course not!" Apple snapped. She paced as she thought aloud. "What I need is someone who will tell the truth in no matter what...". She suddenly brightened. "Cedar Wood!"

"Ah. Now you're using that royal brain of yours." Rotbart said.

"Hush." Apple said as she pulled out her phone and started dialing Cedar. "I'm about to get YOU out of my story once and for all!" She said triumphantly.