I do not own Kamen Rider Ryuki or Ever After High. Those belong to their respective creators and not me. I am not writing this for profit and am only doing it for fun.
Knights of the Otherworld
By Ten-Faced Paladin
Chapter 2: Tale of the Dark Wing Knight & the Royal
Another wonderful day in Book End begins for our new heroes. With the valiant rescue of Raven Queen by the Dragon Knight Ryuki, many of the locals are eagerly looking for the other heroic knights he claimed arrived with him. *sigh* And we get the opportunity to meet one of those handsome heroes.
Brooke, don't get caught up in one of the characters.
Yes, Dad.
Book End - Streets
Lance Beauregard whistled a jaunty tune as he walked down the streets of Book End. When someone looked at him, they would see a jock. He was tallish, athletic, naturally handsome, had short brown hair which was perfectly styled between natural and modeled. He wore trendy clothes which included a white t-shirt with a red collar, jeans, and his own sports shoes. His blue eyes were shining and he always gave a wink or smile to any girl he walked by, making them giggle. Princesses seemed just as easy to please as girls back home.
Unlike some of his new friends and teammates, Lance felt like coming to this world of fairy tales was an awesome opportunity. Once thing about Lance was that he liked to stand out. He could do that well with his sports or his social life, but in recent days Lance had felt like he was stagnating. It was all the same, and really. All his achievements were things his school had already achieved with someone else. So how much did Lance really stand out?
So this excursion into a world of fairy tales, where he could become a hero of his own story? That was the opportunity of a lifetime. Better yet, there were only thirteen other people who could match him, and since they all looked so different in their suits, he'd stand out even if they were all together.
'Oh yeah, the Legend of Lance is set to begin,' Lance thought to himself. 'Although, now I think I need a leading lady.'
Of course, like many jocks, Lance liked the ladies and never lacked for potential girlfriends. In Book End, though, everyone was pretty. Every girl he had seen so far was, to be blunt, a fairy tale fantasy girl. They were all fashionable with curves and pretty faces for just about any type. Frankly, Lance was spoiled for choice. Still, the competition was going to be fierce since there were so many literal Prince Charmings running around as well. Everyone was competing to be the best fairy tale hero they could be so they could get the most beautiful princesses.
Shallow? Perhaps, but that was how fairy tales worked. Heroes always strived to prove they could get the fairest in the land after all. Book End just had more vying for the same than some lonely land with a dragon and it was a contest that Lance was determined to win.
The real question was how to start. Since Arthur's fight with that Solospider, no more Mirror Monsters had appeared. A show off he may have been, but Lance preferred to show off actually doing something instead of just sitting there and looking good. Like his new rival, that Daring Charming.
"Seriously, does the guy do nothing but post selfies?" Lance chuckled at the memory of the teen prince's Fablebook page. It was filled with pictures of himself and glimpses of some other blonde, although Lance never saw her face.
Lance liked how he looked, but he didn't obsess over it to the point of taking hundreds of selfies.
"Well, guess I'll just show this place how a guy of substance can shake things up," Lance shrugged. "Now if only a Mirror Monster would show up already."
Ever After High - Dorms
Apple White was one princess on a mission: To find her knight in shining armor!
Apple was busy at work at her vanity table. She was once again making herself look the fairest in the land for what she was sure would be her own meeting with her future knight in shining armor.
Apple was beautiful. She knew it and the rest of the school sure knew it as well. She sported her mother's pale skin and apple red lips, but her hair was long and golden from her father. Her typical fashion included a gown-like red dress, although with a shorter and functional (but no less stylish) skirt, showing white stocking-clad legs and red shoes.
Apple was herself the leader of the Royal clique, the ones who had been promised a Happily Ever After. Apple certainly wanted that, being able to have the love of her life, rule a kingdom, and have everyone love her was certainly a sweet deal. With so much in their future, Apple just couldn't understand why her future villain, Raven Queen, didn't want to be part of that. They would become spellebrities!
It didn't need to be said that Apple didn't quite get what Raven would suffer if she went through with her story. Apple rather naively thought that they would be frenemies and Raven would get a slap on the wrist since everyone knew Apple would come out of her enchanted sleep and then they could all move on and be an extended clique. She never heard the part of the story where the Evil Queen would live in exile, poverty, and misery after her crime. Apple really had no inclination to think that would happen thanks to her upbringing and Headmaster Grimm showering her with favor.
But that was for the future, her current crisis was now!
Always with an eye on the future, Apple was constantly looking out for her future Prince Charming. Everyone thought that would be Daring Charming, since he was the top prince in the school. Apple admitted that she liked him, and he liked her, but neither of them had even started a committed relationship yet. Apple just didn't feel the spark and none of the other princes really measured up or gave her that feeling of excitement her one true love should be able to bring. She was prepared to settle for Daring, but she always wondered about that spark her mother told her about in regards to meeting her father.
Like many of her classmates, Apple had paid rapt attention to the sudden appearance of the red Dragon Knight Ryuki. Like many of her fellow princesses, she swooned when she saw him in action. Every girl dreamed of meeting dashing knights who could slay monsters to defend maidens. It rankled Apple that Ryuki would defend Raven who, as a future Evil Queen, should have been able to smite that monster rather easily. On the other hand, Apple couldn't deny a girl a chance to feel like a rescued damsel so she quickly got over it.
Still, Apple went directly to her roommate Raven and began to gril her for details about the dashing knight. Raven explained what she knew, although she later realized she didn't get his phone number, making Apple scoff at the blunder. Having a knight who was that dashing in front of you, the first thing you did was get his number.
Despite this, Apple wasn't going to be deterred. She was going to hunt down that Arthur Pendragon and see if he was just as dashing in-person. He sparked something exciting inside of her and Apple was determined to see if he would be her Prince Charming, or be a lead to him. After all, Arthur did mention that he had other fellow knights. With so many knights appearing, surely one of them could be her Prince Charming.
Seeing perfection in the mirror, Apple got up with a giggle as she headed for the door.
"Going to find my knight in shining armor! Don't wait up for me!" Apple called to Raven, who looked up from her books.
"What?" Raven blinked, but Apple was already out the door.
Book End - Streets
Apple walked around Book End, seeking her knight in shining armor. Raven had found hers by accident so maybe Apple would find hers the same way. As usual, boys who saw her wanted to talk with her or ask her out on a date but she was too focused on her mission to even notice. She absently, although graciously, turned them all down as she tried to find a sign of the new knights on the block. Hearing confessions or requests for dates was so common, she barely noticed when her attention was on something else. Some might call that self-absorbed, but Snow White did not raise a girl like that. Apple was just absent-minded in such cases.
She knew the last monster had come out of the glass of a nearby building, so Apple made sure she was in places where there was plenty of glass or mirrors. If there were monsters running around, then obviously the knights would be hunting them to protect all the fair maidens. Try as she might though, she wasn't seeing a hint of even monsters, much less any dashing knights.
"Hm, should I put myself in peril?" Apple pondered to herself, walking by some of her favorite shops. "It worked for Raven and she isn't even a princess, so it should work doubly for me." Finding a bench, she sat down with a pout, "Phooey. Damsel-In-Distressing and Princessology made this seem so much easier."
As she scrolled through her options, Apple didn't notice a shadow coming in the reflection of the building behind her. In fact, no one noticed since shadows and figures in reflections were always visible. Of course, no one noticed that this one reflection did not have anyone casting it.
(-)
*Eeeeeeeeeeee!*
Lance grimaced as the glass cutting noise of the barrier to the Mirror World hit his eardrums. Despite the pain of it, he felt a sure spark of excitement as he looked around for the source. Finally, some action! Now it was his chance to shine!
"Only thing better is if there's a princess to save," Lance smiled despite the annoying sound. Dashing towards the source, he found the Glass Slipper shoe store. The front display window was starting to ripple as a humanoid creature began to crawl its way out, staring intently at someone sitting on a bench in front.
Lance saw the target and resisted the urge to wolf whistle. There was a girl who filled out all of the requirements he liked to see. Blue-eyed, blonde, and built! The trifecta! Were he a more pious type of guy, Lance would have begun thanking God, Jesus, and the Brothers Grimm for this perfect setup.
Excitement aside, he still had a job to do. He could admire the princess later. Taking off running, he tried to cross the distance between himself and the Mirror Monster's target.
"Princess, behind you!"
Apple blinked and looked up, seeing a handsome boy running across the street towards her. She was used to boys jumping out of the woodwork to try and get her attention, but this had to be the first time she'd seen one that wasn't looking at her adoringly. Then she realized he didn't yell a confession, but something else and she turned around to see what he was pointing at.
Apple's eyes widened in shock as she found herself staring at a green-skinned creature covered in copper-colored armor. It had a metal faceplate and four red eyes with a pr of large curved horns coiling behind it's head. Worse, it was clearly drooling through the slits on its face plate, staring down at her hungrily.
Apple did what any self-respecting princess would do.
"KYAAAAAAAAAHHHH!"
The Mirror Monster, Magazelle, snarled and lunged, managing to grab onto Apple's shoulders with surprising strength. It was about to drag her back towards the glass when it was tackled hard by the boy who warned her. Both fell to the ground in a heap, the boy punching the monster across the face before it snarled and kicked, knocking him back. It flipped over and snarled, hunched down and ready to fight.
"Oh it's on," the boy grinned, hopping up to his feet. He glanced to Apple before looking back to the monster, "Better stand back, princess. It's going to get ugly over here."
"Okay!" Apple nodded, but a bright smile was on her lips as she backed away only a few steps and quickly pulled out her MirrorPhone. No way was she going to miss the debut of her possible new knight!
Lance quickly retrieved his Advent Deck just as the Magazelle lunged at him with a swipe. His basketball skills paid off as he dipped around the monster, letting it roll across the sidewalk before he lifted his deck to the window, summoning his V-Buckle to his waist.
Lance grinned and flexed his arm as he twisted his waist to make his pose, "Henshin!"
Sliding the deck into the buckle, it activated and grayscale armor folded over his body before it solidified. The boy named Lance was now clad in a navy blue suit which sported sockets on the shoulders and knees. His torso armor was styled in the pattern of a bat's wing with silver sections and navy blue indents. His shoulder pads pointed up like the tips of bat wings as well. His helmet appeared almost identical to a knight's helm with a gold band in the middle while the visor's edges rose up like a pair of bat ears. His silver mouthplate also had the impression of fangs, enhancing the bat motif. Holstered at his side was a thin metal rapier which had a bat-shaped guard, his Dark Visor.
Apple could barely resist giggling in excited delight as she watched the warrior draw his sword and point it at the Magazelle.
"Alright monster, better open your ears! I'm the Wing Knight, Kamen Rider Knight! Remember that, got it?"
The Magazelle didn't seem impressed and snarled, lunging for Knight again, pouncing much like a gazelle. Knight charged right back, blocking the Zelle's strike before he twisted. His sword caught its shoulder in a blast of sparks, making the beast grunt before it swiped at him.
Knight leaned back and the Magazelle lunged again, headbutting Knight in the chest in another blast of sparks, making him grunt and take a step back. Huffing, he wrapped the Magazelle's neck in a sloppy chokehold before kneeing it in the abdomen, making it yelp. He managed to strike it twice before it pushed away, holding its stomach. Knight saw his chance and slashed it across the chest, making it screech.
With breathing space, Knight drew a card from his deck, revealing art of a long dark lance with a silver guard. Sheathing his rapier, he pulled on his Dark Visor's bat guard feet, letting the wings open to reveal a chamber inside. He placed the card inside before shutting the Visor again.
[Sword Vent!]
Holstering his Dark Visor, a nearby window rippled before the lance from the card flew out of it, caught in Knight's hands. The sun gleamed on its sharp edges before he charged at the Magazelle once again.
The Mirror Monster snarled and made for another charge, trying to headbutt him again. Knight twisted his Wing Lancer and caught the Zelle's head directly on the guard in a flash of sparks.
"You just don't learn," Knight chuckled before kneeing the Zelle in the face. It screeched and clutched at its head in pain. Knight capitalized on the opportunity and slashed down with his lance. A blast of smoke and sparks came as he struck the horn, making a cracking noise echoed from the impact.
The Magazelle stumbled back with a screech as part of its left horn landed on the sidewalk with a soft clang. The rest of the horn was cut in half, leaving the bottom curl gone and made the monster look lopsided. It was also clearly in pain, clutching its head to try and stem it.
"Whoops, looks like I missed the cut there," Knight laughed, spinning his lance. "Hold still and I'll even it out for ya!" He thrust at the Zelle, confident in victory.
The Magazelle, on the other hand, roared and jumped up, dodging the attack. It landed on his shoulders, using him as a springboard before it jumped back at the building. Impacting the glass, it phased through and vanished back to the Mirror World.
"H-huh?!" Knight stumbled, turning around. He trotted back up to the glass the Magazelle had vanished, looking for where it was running around in the Mirror World. Maybe if he moved fast enough he could follow it and cut it down before-!
"My hero!" Knight suddenly found himself glomped around the waist by an enthusiastic Apple. He stumbled and turned slightly, seeing Apple's blue eyes sparkling in joy and delight. "Oh, my wonderful, heroic knight! Thank you so much!"
Knight suddenly forgot about the Magazelle. He rested his lance over his shoulder, "Well, heh, it was nothing. Just a knight's heroic duty to save a princess in need."
"Ooooh, you're everything I could hope for!" Apple squealed. Releasing him, she stepped back, drinking in his form with her eyes. "Hm, such a fine fit. I'm not crazy about the navy blue, but we can work on that. Oooh, I barely have to do anything. How Happily Ever Awesome is that?"
Knight blinked, "Um, what?"
"Oh don't be silly! I think I may have found my Prince Charming!" Apple beamed in delight. "Ah, wait, you don't know me, do you? I am Princess Apple White, daughter of Snow White!" She even did a proper princess bow.
"Ah, it's a pleasure, Princess," Knight nodded. He gave a proper bow back, "I am the Wing Knight, although you can just refer to me as Knight. It's simpler that way. My friends call me Lance."
"Sir Lance, ooh it sounds like such a princely name!" Apple giggled, clapping her hands.
"Ah shucks, thanks," Knight laughed. "Well, this is a pleasant surprise. Can't imagine my first rescue would have me meet a princess."
"Ah, ah, ah, that just proves our destiny," Apple tittered. "Now, why don't you remove that armor and we can get to know each other better? Destiny may show the signs, but I'd love to get to know who may be my Prince."
Knight shrugged and removed his Advent Deck, having his armor and weapon vanish in navy blue shards of energy. Apple again passed her eyes over him, nibbling on her lip as she liked what she saw. He wasn't as classically handsome as Daring Charming, but he had a more solid, humble good look to him. She could definitely come to like that for her future king. Oh, her destiny was playing out so fast and perfectly before she even signed for it! She was almost dizzy!
Lance meanwhile couldn't help but be taken by Apple's good looks. Now that he was closer to her, he could see she really did have blue eyes, filling out the Triple B Trifecta. She had energy, she seemed as flirty and graceful as a princess could hope to be, plus she seemed eager to get to know him instead of the other way around like the girls from back home. Knowing a potential partner was just as enthusiastic about courting as he was helped really make the whole process more fun.
Apple quickly took up Lance's arm, squeezing it between her own, "I assume you're new to the village? Let me show you around and we can talk about ourselves and get to know each other."
"Sounds like a plan to me," Lance grinned like he won the lottery.
Book End Library
Arthur sighed as he set down a pile of books to start reshelving them. Merlin wasn't cracking the whip too much on them but he expected at least some of them to help out in the library for a little bit. With fourteen of them, they had sparse hours so it wasn't too much to ask for. Of course, if anyone fought a Mirror Monster, they immediately got the day off. Sadly, Arthur had his turn come up so there he was.
Since it was a slow day, Arthur had time to do a new pastime. He did discover Fablebook and made his own profile. He only had a few pictures and he had managed to collect two friends in Maddie and Raven. He found himself hexting them regularly, even if Maddie's hexts came to what seemed like gibberish, or rather Riddlish, which he wasn't getting. Fortunately, Raven proved eager to talk and made much more sense.
NotSoEvilQueen: How is library life when knight life doesn't do anything?
DragonRider01: A nice lull when I don't have to fight monsters. How are you?
NotSoEvilQueen: Catching up on some reading I've been meaning to do. My roommate is off hunting for you or your friends so I got some peace now.
DragonRider01: Uh-oh. So should I make tracks?
NotSoEvilQueen: I think you'll be fine. Apple White is determined to have her Happily Ever After and she thinks one of you boys might be her Prince Charming.
DragonRider01: What about that Daring guy? Didn't you say Ms. White was seeing him?
Since contacting Raven and Maddie, they had been conversing regularly about what was going on in Ever After High. Naturally, it came to who the most popular students were. With Apple White slated to have the best Happily Ever After, she came up. That of course included Daring Charming. Curious, Arthur scanned their Fablebook pages. Apple's had been all the hallmarks of a rich girl with a fantasy filter while Daring's had been filled with nothing but pictures of himself.
NotSoEvilQueen: They never made it official even if everyone thinks they're the top couple to be. I guess Apple wanted to keep herself available for whoever her real Prince Charming will be.
DragonRider01: I see. Well, if we see her, we'll just steer her towards Lance. He's been eager to show off for the local princesses.
NotSoEvilQueen: LOspeLLZ. There's one in every clique. Still, I thought knights always liked to show off for a princess.
DragonRider01: It depends on the knight and princess. I don't do well getting fawned over. I'd be liable to say something dumb by accident. I'm much more comfortable with a princess like you than one like Apple.
CrazyTeaCozy: Ooooh, you two are as sweet as a tea cake!
NotSoEvilQueen: Maddie!
Arthur chuckled and set his phone down to stack some more books. He had to admit that from all the princesses he'd seen so far, and a few had come to the library and made themselves known, a lot of them were rich girls who fawned over fashion, boys, or the next big thing. In this case, it turned out to be him and was extending to his fellow Riders, even if no one had seen them yet.
They often giggled over his pictures of the fight and watched the video over and over again. Some recognized him and immediately fawned over him and tried flirting with him. It again made him uncomfortable and he quickly excused himself, citing some other job he had to do. Raven was much more down to earth and it made talking to her much easier. He was lucky to have been able to make friends with her on that day, Solospider attack aside.
A ringtone announced a notice from someone he knew. Wondering if it was Maddie declaring some new product for the tea shop, he retrieved his phone and checked the message. To his surprise, he saw it had come from Lance and showed a photo.
BatRider02: Hey y'all! Just scored a date with the fairest in the land! Thank you Magazelle!
Arthur's eyes widened when he saw a photo of Lance and none other than Apple White in one of the local hangouts, apparently taking photos together with bright grins. They both looked so photogenic it could give cavities from the sweetness. It was clear they had an audience too since they were both showing off.
"You've got to be kidding. His first fight and he already found her?" Arthur shook his head. Sighing, he turned to his conversation.
DragonRider01: Well, we can call off the warning. Ms. White found one of us. Lance. He just posted a photo of the date he's on with her.
NotSoEvilQueen: O.o that was fast.
CrazyTeaCozy: Apples rolling on, bumbling down, finding bats in the belfry. So poetic.
DragonRider01: Uh, not really. Is Ms. White the type to gossip?
NotSoEvilQueen: She gossips hard. Like, hard-hard.
DragonRider01: Sigh...great. He'll spill about us to impress her and then all her friends will hunt us down.
CrazyTeaCozy: That might make a lovely tea party. Raven can be your plus one!
NotSoEvilQueen: Maddie, be serious! Arthur and his friends want some privacy so they don't get mobbed by people. You know how popular knights are!
Arthur shook his head. He knew Lance's type. When they got involved with a girl, they tended to do dumb things in order to impress them. Lance seemed to have some sense, at least according to his brother. Sadly, between Lance's need to show off and the incentive to do so in front of a princess, he was likely going to do something beyond his normal stunts. If that involved bringing Apple to meet them in her quest to find her Prince, or find princes for her friends, he'd probably do it to score points with her. Then Rex would get all kinds of ticked off since they'd all be swamped by Apple's clique. Girls had impressive networking abilities, and magical ones probably even more so. They'd be swamped in a day. Given how knights were apparently like celebrities? He'd give themselves less than the hours until closing before admirers came to call.
Hoping to cut that off, Arthur changed the window back to Lance's post. It had already gotten a reply from one of the others.
GazelleRider10: Lance, did you at least kill the Magazelle first? They hunt in packs and if one has someone in their sights, the whole pack will hone in on them!
Arthur's eyes widened in shock.
Beanstalk Bakery
The Beanstalk Bakery was another popular hangout for Ever After High students. It was an outdoor cafe that was aptly named since it was situated at the base of a real giant beanstalk. Tendrils of the plant acted almost like decorative pillars while the leaves functioned as natural canopies. The cafe's counter was built around the base of the beanstalk and beside it was a chalkboard menu,
That was where Lance and Apple were having their lunch date and It did not take long for them to gather a crowd as Apple had plenty of followers on Fablebook. When she posted she had found her 'destined' knight, every princess wanted to get a closer look. Then of course came the numerous princes and other boys from Ever After High who looked almost ready to kill in some cases but certainly with no small amount of envy as the pair talked at their table.
Fortunately Lance and Apple were used to such attention.
Apple wanted to know everything about Lance. Where he came from, what kind of adventures he had been on, his family, everything. Not just for some kind of checklist for her prince, but she wanted to know if he had family she could be friends with, what kind of new friends she could make with his social circle, how impressive he could be as a knight. It made Lance smile as he asked the same of her, wanting to hear about funny stories and what her own life was like as a princess.
Surprisingly, Apple showed she took her responsibilities as royalty very seriously. She was taking classes for Kingdom Management. Often she was called by other students of Ever After High to help them, and she did, which was part of her popularity. It seemed her good looks and personality weren't the sole reason, but also her willingness to help others as a good princess should.
She was much more than a pretty face and Lance was enjoying his time with her.
On her own side, Apple was very pleased with what she was discovering in Lance. She found out he was adventurous, but only came into his knighthood recently. That meant she was getting in on the best floor to help guide him to proper princehood. He claimed not to have been born a knight, but Apple likened that to him earning it as a reward for his valor later. So exciting! He had a very strong bond with his brother, who seemed the less impulsive of the two. So that meant good family values and a possible advisor in the future!
The sad thing was that Lance said he was not enrolled in Ever After High. Now that was just Un-hex-ceptable.
"You know, Lance, I could put in a good word for you and get you enrolled in Ever After High. That way we can get to see each other more often," Apple smiled.
Lance perked up, "You would? Aren't you just a student though?"
Apple giggled, causing many of the boys around them to swoon, "Oh, I have clout. Being the next Snow White, the fairest of them all, Headmaster Grimm is always eager to help me out if I need it."
"That's a nice offer but our guardian has already made plans to get us enrolled in Ever After High. He's just giving us time to get used to Book End before we start school soon." Lance smiled.
"Really?!" Apple gasped happily. "Fableous! What classes do you want to take?"
Lance smiled, "How about you tell me about some of them and we'll see where I can fit in."
Their conversation continued, sounding cutesy as Lance and Apple talked about Ever After High and made flirty comments with each other. Again, the boys looked on in envy and the girls giggled at the sight. Of course, this meant Daring Charming was officially on the market if this knight and Apple worked out so they were happy for the pair.
Speaking of Daring…
At the front of the bakery, a young man stepped to the front past the cupcake display. He was impeccably handsome, making many of the girls swoon once they saw him. He had broad shoulders and an athletic frame. His naturally windswept blonde hair was all but golden and even had an actual crown on his head. His teeth were pearly white, almost shining save for some convenient cloud cover. He wore jeans, white sneakers, and an Ever After High letterman jacket over a flannel vest. If Lance was the stereotype for a jock, this fellow was the fantasy version of the all-American football captain.
His name was Daring Charming, eldest son of King and Queen Charming. The Charmings were the top family for producing princes for the many princesses of the fairy tale kingdoms. He was also the big man on campus and, until that day, the one many considered to be Apple's Prince Charming. Princesses wanted him and other Princes wanted to be him.
Lance didn't miss the squeals of admiration and looked to the front where Daring was looking around, spotting the two of them with a laser-like stare. He knew that stare all too well, another guy who felt someone was sniffing near his girl. Lance recognized Daring instantly as he had seen selfies of him earlier online.
"Oh, that's Daring Charming," Apple answered, following Lance's gaze, apparently nonplussed by the Charming's appearance. "We're kind of considered the top couple even though we're not together-together, you know?"
"Um…" Lance mumbled. Oh, he did not like the sound of that. He'd had the football team get pissed at him for dating the quarterback's ex one time. The school did not favor basketball like it did football and only some quick talking got him out of a lynching. What would a magical football player be ready to dish out?
Spotting the pair, Daring tucked some of his perfect hair behind his ear and approached with a disarmingly charming smile.
"Hey there Apple. What's up? I heard you managed to track down one of those knight fellows on Fablebook."
'I'm right here, doofus,' Lance thought with a deadpan stare.
"Oh, Daring, this is Lance. He's called the Wing Knight," Apple introduced, happy as could be. "He rescued me from a vicious monster today! We're having lunch together and getting to know each other since he's coming to Ever After High soon!"
Lance marvelled at how Apple didn't seem to find the situation to be uncomfortable with the perceived boyfriend and the guy she was clearly flirting with being in the same room as her. It didn't help that people were staring at the three of them like a Soap Opera. Some were even using their phones to record it all.
"That so? Well, thank-you brave knight," Daring smiled at Lance. "Apple's rather special to me so anyone willing to do the princely thing and protect her when I'm not around is okay in my storybook."
Lance caught that little hint, but he ignored it, "Well, Apple's a pretty special girl and I was happy to protect her. We've been getting to know each other after all and I'm simply enchanted with her. We were talking about which classes I could take once I properly enrolled into Ever After High."
"Hey, I get it, she's enchanting," Daring nodded. "But just be careful, man. A knight rescuing a damsel is one thing, but it's a prince's duty to stand beside her."
Lance shrugged, "Well, I didn't see one around so I decided to stand beside her. A knight's duty is to defend his lady after all."
The tension was thick and Apple could tell Daring and Lance were sizing each other up through passive-aggressive oneupmanship. She felt so flustered, a knight in shining armor and a prince were both about to compete for her attention? All this tension was giving her mother-goosebumps. In a way that thrilled Apple, but she stamped that un-princess-like thought out. Her destiny was with one man to be her Prince Charming and she needed to find him before her poisoned sleep. So far, Lance was showing plenty of the signs and she and Daring had never been all that steady. There was really no harm in being proactive of her story, right?
"Now stop this, the both of you! You're both knights or princes," Apple pouted, catching both young men's attention. "Daring, Lance and I were having a fun afternoon date. I know you have those all the time with other princesses. I let you do that in case your True Love is out there, why can't you let me explore in case I find my Prince Charming?"
"Uhh," Daring looked away, embarrassed.
"And Lance, I'm so flattered you're ready to fight for me," Apple continued. "But you don't have to be this kingly over it. I'm a big princess and know what I want and right now I want to continue our date."
"Ah-heh," Lance rubbed the back of his neck. "Sorry, Apple."
Apple smiled daintily, "Now, let's go back to our date. Daring, we'll talk later, okay?"
Lance almost winced. That sounded like a death knell to the guy's ego. Serious dismissal to the friend zone if not lower. If he hadn't known Apple's character, that she was just trying to make everyone happier and defuse an argument, he would have thought she was dismissing Daring. In getting to know her though, and feeling that sunny charisma she exuded, Lance could tell that Apple was just being nice and trying to soothe any hard feelings and offering to let Daring express his concerns later. It never would have worked on Earth, but everyone around them seemed to smile at a happy ending and even Daring seemed to perk up. Fairy tales had it easy it seemed in some cases.
"Okay, if you're sure," he shrugged. "I'll see you tonight, Apple." He distinctly did not even look at Lance before he headed for the front counter where the attendant girl was already starting to act coy.
"Oh boy. Royal drama," Lance sighed.
"Oh don't worry. We both know we aren't together-together," Apple tried to reassure him. "He flirts with other girls all the time and I'm always on the lookout for my Prince Charming. Everyone else just thinks we make the best couple. Even our parents."
"But it's not their story anymore, it's going to be yours. So you want your Prince Charming, not the one everyone else picks?"
"Exactly!" Apple nodded. "I'm the one marrying my Prince Charming so I have to make sure we're a perfect fit for each other for the best Happily Ever After."
"Well, let's see if we can explore that," Lance smiled charmingly, making Apple giggle again.
Beanstalk Bakery - Mirror World
The home of the Mirror Monsters was a place called the Mirror World. Although the name suggested it was an exotic or weird place, it was in fact quite ordinary in appearances. There were only three main differences between this world and the one it was connected to.
First: All writing in the Mirror World was reversed.
Second: There were absolutely no humans anywhere.
Third: Mirror Monsters existed in every possible nook and cranny.
The Magazelle from before hadn't given up on turning the future Snow White into its next meal. No, it learned that competition was tough and decided on a more cautious approach. Now, it sat on the counter of the Beanstalk Bakery's Mirror World counterpart. It stared into the reflection cast on the barista machine, using it as a window into the Real World while it stalked its prey and her protector.
True to another prediction, it wasn't alone either. Two more Zelles waited behind it. They sported similar armor, but in darker brass colors with purple accenting. Their horns were also different, pointing straight up like a gazelle and armed with staves styled after said horns. These were the minions of the Zelle breed, Gigazelles.
For now, the Magazelle absently rubbed its broken horn, staring unblinkingly at Apple and Lance, but not daring to pierce the barrier yet.
A good predator knew when to wait for its time to strike.
Book End Library
Lance grinned like a loon as he came back to the library. He and Apple could just keep talking about anything, including the various classes he could take in Ever After High She sounded somewhat like a counselor with how she recommended so many classes. Of course, he knew she was aiming to have him groomed as her potential Prince Charming. As his brother Harry would say though, a good education was always useful so even if he and Apple didn't work out, he'd have the right credits to look right for another hot princess.
"You're in trouble," Darren, the resident oddball comedian sang as he pushed a library cart past him. "Rex saw your post and Kevin gave you a warning you never replied to. You're deader than disco."
Lance blinked, "Wait, what?"
"LANCE!" Rex's voice boomed from another part of the library. Dang, how good was that guy's ears?
Lance groaned and jogged to the common area of the library with the mirrors under the tree. Again, there was Rex, and some others, looking ticked off again.
"Okay team leader, what is it now? Did someone die?" Lance questioned.
"I don't know. Was it the Magazelle?" asked Rex in return. "Your little social post mentioned you fought one. Then Kevin warned you about the dangers if you let it go. So, you tell me, did a Mirror Monster die?"
Lance blinked, but winced, "Ah, no, it slipped away to the Mirror World and I lost it."
"Fool!" Rex roared, slapping the table in front of him. "Didn't you remember any of Merlin's warnings about the monsters?! They! Don't! Give! Up! If that Magazelle escaped, then it's going to come back and try for its target again! Worse, Kevin tells me it's a pack hunter! It will have reinforcements next time!"
The words hit Lance like a wrecking ball and he paled, "...what?"
"Your little princess has a big ol' target painted on her back," Gwen, the lone woman of their group, huffed. "Maybe if you paid attention instead of listing which Disney princesses you wanted to bone you'd have remembered that."
Lance paled further, "Oh shi-!"
Ever After High - Front Gates
Lance did get a very thorough chewing out from Rex for his admittedly massive screw up. Promptly forgetting about a Mirror Monster simply because a cute girl was paying attention to him? Did any of the lessons Merlin had about the habits of the monsters stick? Apparently, not to Lance.
Rex dispatched members of their group to try and find Apple and keep an eye on her in case the Magazelle or other Zelles tried to make another attempt at her. It was hard to pin down one girl in the chaos of Book End though. Despite being called a village, it was still a sizable place and Apple literally could have gone anywhere.
Arthur checked in with Raven to try and learn where Apple may have gone. Raven offered some suggestions, but she wasn't exactly close friends with Apple in the first place. What leads he got were pretty general and didn't pan out much.
This led to the final option: Stakeouts.
Rob and Kevin Bray were selected, being able to work together well. They were to go to the dorms of Ever After High and see if or when Apple would return. The catch was that the dorms were located on school grounds, being part of the school itself. Anybody who wasn't a member of staff or student was not allowed on school grounds after hours. This forced Kevin and Rob to wait in the Mirror World to see if Apple would return.
While this method helped the boys keep a closer eye on the dorms for the Magazelle or Apple White, the corrosive atmosphere of the Mirror World forced the boys to leave the grounds to wait outside the school until their armors recovered from the exposure.
Kevin emerged from the Mirror World, his armor shattering off while his brother sat waiting in some bushes outside of the school
"No Zelles in sight," Kevin reported. "Did you see that Apple girl yet?"
"Ah, blonde girl in red and white with long hair?" asked Rob. "She walked through the gates while you were in the Mirror World. I hexted Rex to let him know."
Kevin nodded, "Okay. We're due to switch out with the others. Let's go and meet up with Lance and Arthur. They're on the way, right?"
"Should be suiting up right now," Rob nodded. "Can we go? I feel like a real creeper here."
The brothers emerged from the shrubs and tried to look casual as they walked back down the street to meet their friends.
Ever After High - Dorms
Raven looked up from her homework as Apple came prancing into the room, singing one of her princess songs as she went.
"You look like you had a fun day," Raven commented.
"I did!" Apple giggled. "I got attacked by a monster too!"
"Arthur mentioned that," Raven nodded. "Are you okay?"
"Better than okay!" Apple beamed, moving to begin brushing her hair again. Not that Raven thought she needed it. "I was rescued by a knight in shining armor too! His name is Lance and he's sooo princely! We talked, and laughed, and we just hit it off so well! Best of all, he's going to be coming to Ever After High too!"
"Oh," Raven blinked, but then gasped as it hit her, "Then Arthur might be coming too?"
"Maybe! You totally need your Good King too! Oh, this is so hexciting!" Apple giggled. "I haven't felt this hexcited since Mother began telling me about how I'd one day have her destiny!"
Raven rolled her eyes, but couldn't deny she felt a little excited about Arthur coming to Ever After High. The thought of the boy who risked his life to save her being around all the time just gave her tingles. Of course, he was becoming a very good friend and he was very handsome too.
Did she have a crush on Arthur? Her cheeks started to turn red at the thought, already picturing Maddie teasing her again. They just met a few days ago so it wasn't like there was anything more than being friends for them. Even if he kept calling her a princess and saw her as more preferable to more glamorous girls like Apple, Briar, or others.
Apple, meanwhile, hadn't noticed Raven questioning her own emotions in favor of checking her appearance for the night.
"Magic Mirror on the wall, who is the fairest student of all?"
"You, my lady," the magic mirror, not the original, but a duplicate replied to her.
"Perfect!" Apple beamed. Leaning in to check her skin, she noticed the door to their dorm room suddenly open in the glass. Thinking one of her friends had come to gossip about her date, she turned to greet them, only to stop short when she saw the door to the room hadn't opened at all.
"Expecting someone?" asked Raven.
"I thought I saw the door open," Apple pondered.
"Hm," Raven shrugged. Her eyes absently turned to her own mirror, a hanging 'evil' mirror Apple had given to her as a gift. Absently, she wondered if someone was playing a prank as she sat up to catch a look at it.
Only to see a four-eyed horned monster staring back at her from the reflection.
Apple screamed in fright, prompting Raven to look at her. The blonde was backing away from her large mirror as a bronze and green monster with a broken horn emerged from the reflection of their room, phasing through the glass like it was water.
"Woo, woo, wooo!" the monster howled, raising its arms to begin reaching for Apple. The one in Raven's mirror began trying to squeeze itself through, rabidly attempting to reach for her, copying the cry.
"Get away!" Raven cried, lifting her hands. Her magic reacted instantly, creating orbs of purple which launched themselves at both monsters. They impacted with sparks, knocking both creatures back into their mirror lairs. Even as they were falling, Raven was hopping up from her bed towards Apple, "Are okay?"
"Why are they here?!" Apple panicked. "I thought Lance chased it away!"
"It came back, that's what!" Raven snapped. It seemed Arthur's warning was right. Raven grabbed Apple's hand and began to pull her towards the door, "Come on! We've got to run!"
"Huh? Where?" Apple asked.
"Somewhere there aren't any reflections! They can come out of any reflection, not just mirrors!" Raven replied as they ran into the hall. Thankfully, Arthur had taken the time to explain how Mirror Monsters traveled to their world. Too bad there were so many polished surfaces and decorative mirrors in the dorms!
"But what do we do?" cried Apple, clearly out of her depth.
"Arthur, please be online," Raven muttered, scrambling to collect her MirrorPhone from her dress.
"Wait, call Lance first! He'll help us!" Apple cried, seeing Raven's plan.
Behind them, the door to their room slammed open as the Magazelle let off its cry and began to follow them through the halls.
Book End - Library
Arthur was getting ready to head up to Ever After High to begin his shift to hunt down the Magazelle. Rob had hexted in and reported that Apple had arrived safely. Now that they knew where Apple was, all they had to do was wait for the monster to make its second attempt so they could take it out.
Lance had been anxious and guilt-ridden since he got back. He tried calling Apple repeatedly, but he kept getting transferred to her voicemail. He tried hexting, Fablebook, anything to try and reach Apple. None of it worked as apparently Apple was distracted by something or someone else.
The guilt and the royal chewing out by Rex for letting the Magazelle go was punishment enough but Arthur didn't feel too sympathetic. They had been told that Mirror Monsters didn't give up on a target once they picked one. If Lance hadn't been too distracted by a princess fawning over him, maybe he could have taken care of the Zelle right away instead of so many of them needing to patrol to try and hunt it down.
As he was about to leave the dorm to collect Lance and relieve the brothers, he heard his phone go off again. Either it was Maddie with a nonsensical idea or Raven got annoyed by Apple and her destiny talk again. Retrieving his phone, he opened the messenger and what one of his friends had to say.
NotSoEvilQueen: Arthur Mirror Monsters at dorm after us HELP!
"Raven!" Arthur gasped as he jumped out of bed and grabbed his Advent Deck.
He dashed up the stairs to the main common area where mirrors were set, "Monsters at the school dorms! Hurry up!" Cries of shock came from the various stacks as Lance was the first to dash out, looking more panicked than Arthur did. "Hurry up!"
"Ah, perfect timing then." Lance and Arthur stopped when Merlin approached from another row of books. "If you need to travel fast, you can't do better than travelling through the Mirror World. I've left transportation there for you all. You should be able to tell which ones are yous."
"Right," Arthur nodded. He and Lance held their Advent Decks out to the mirrors, summoning their belts to transform.
"Henshin!"
Their armor folded onto their bodies before solidifying as Ryuki and Knight. Not waiting for another second, both stepped through the mirrors, passing not into a reflection of the library like they thought, but instead into what seemed like a long tunnel of infinite reflections of glass panels.
"Wha-?" Knight blinked. "What is this place?"
"Better question, what are those?" Ryuki pointed ahead. To their surprise, there seemed to be a pair of horses that looked to be constructs made of metal. They were in their Riders' respective colors as if covered in barding, and emblazoned with the emblems of their Riders on their heads. Both seemed to come alive when Ryuki and Knight appeared as if waiting for them.
"Our rides then. Come on," Knight ran to his horse with Ryuki both following.
Both of them found the stirrups and pulled themselves up onto the saddles. The horses barely moved as they grabbed the reins and the horses turned to face down the tunnel.
"HYAH!" Ryuki roared, snapping the reins.
"To Ever After High!" Knight shouted.
The warhorses raced down the tunnel, moving so fast that it was like they were flying. It was good they were wearing their suits as the wind alone would have been harmful. Their visors kept the sparling tunnel from blinding them as well, keeping them fresh for the fight to come. Best of all, the horses seemed to know where to go, allowing the Riders to just hang on as their steeds took them to their destination.
'Hang on, Raven!'
'I'll be there soon, Apple!'
Ever After High - Dorms
Raven and Apple were in trouble as the zelles cornered them in the hallway. The hallways were narrow so it was easy to throw some chairs, vases, or other decorations at the monsters to make them stumble. Sadly, with all the glass-lined portraits or mirrors, the monsters only had to leap into a new one regardless of the size and then hop back out ready to try and snatch them again. Other students heard the ruckus and looked out of their rooms, but saw the monsters and ducked right back in.
The only reprieve they had was in the stairwell where there were no decorations, allowing both girls to reach the bottom floor.
"We have to get outside! No reflections," Raven huffed.
"R-right," Apple sniffled, clearly afraid.
Hoots and yells sounded from behind, prompting the girls to run faster. Reaching the ornate doors, the crystal glass decorating the sides suddenly rippled and erupted with two Gigazelles lunging for the two.
"EEEK!" Apple screamed.
"HAH!" Raven tried to raise a barrier, creating a wall of energy that the two monsters crashed against, dropping to the ground while clutching their faces. The two girls didn't wait, pushing open the doors and running into the courtyard. Raven gasped for breath while looking around. The dorms had too many windows and there was a fountain nearby too. Those were more than enough spots for the monsters to escape through.
They had bought time, but not enough.
"What do we do?!" Apple panicked.
"I...I don't know...um… the forest! The Enchanted Forest!" Raven gasped. "We just stay away from the water and there isn't any glass or metal out there."
"We can't run that far! They're so fast!" Apple trembled.
"We have to try!"
"Woo, woo, woo!" the ominous cries announced the Zelles' appearance as they burst the doors to the dorms open. Raven and Apple palled, clutching each other's hands in fear, forgetting their destinies at the moment. Suddenly, Royal or Rebel didn't matter when monsters were about to try and eat them.
'Arthur,' Raven mentalled pleaded.
"Sir Lance," Apple whimpered in fright.
Both girls trembled, but suddenly stopped when the sounds of a pair of galloping horses began to echo in the air. With the cries of what could only be war horses, the crystal glass of the dorm doors rippled before two large horses garbed in shining barding emerged from their surface. Even more amazing, Ryuki and Knight were mounted on the horses.
The Zelles spun around only to be sideswiped by the pair of steeds as they galloped towards the two princesses. Once there, Knight and Ryuki all but leaped off, running to the pairs' side.
"Raven, are you okay?" Ryuki panted, holding onto Raven's shoulders before cupping her cheek to check for injuries.
"Y-yes," Raven sputtered, both from the contact and from her adrenaline. "We, we just ran a lot."
"Sir Lance!" Apple cried, launching herself into Knight's arms. "You came!"
Knight sighed in relief, "Hey, a knight always comes to defend the princess, remember?" Apple sniffled, but nodded, so relieved that her knight had come to her rescue again. "You two better find some cover. We'll handle things here," Knight advised. Apple wiped her eyes, but nodded again. Raven and Ryuki shared a silent look but nodded as well. Raven immediately took Apple to begin leading her to a small sculpture garden while the Riders turned to face the three Zelles.
The three monsters managed to pull themselves up, stunned by the impact of the high-speed horses. Immediately, they saw they had some opposition now. The Gigazelles decided to cut their losses and fled back into the Mirror World, leaving the Magazelle by itself.
"Lance, I'll go after the Gigazelles. You have a Magazelle to finish off," Ryuki said as he went after the two Zelles. The Magazelle let him go, its focus kept solely on Knight.
"Alright, it's time we finished this," Knight said with narrowed eyes. He slowly drew his first card with a sliding hiss. "And this time, I'm not letting you get away again."
[Sword Vent!]
His Wing Lancer dove out from a window in the dorms which he caught with ease. Knight charged at the Magazelle and jabbed it with his lance, knocking it back in a bright flash of sparks. It jumped toward him to deliver a punch but Knight managed to duck and sidestepped the attack, causing it to hit nothing but the ground. With its back facing him, Knight slashed it from behind, knocking it forward. It turned to face him but he struck it with his Wing Lancer before he drew his Dark Visor and dual-wielded both weapons. He showed no mercy as he viciously slashed the Magazelle and sent it tumbling with dual slashes.
The Magazelle roared and jumped, flipping over Knight before jumping again, starting to bounce around like a demented rubber ball. Knight tried to keep his eyes on it, but it was moving rather fast. He turned in one direction he thought it went, but then grunted when something hit his back with the force of a truck, lighting up the night again. He spun around, but the Magazelle already began bouncing again.
"So that's the game huh?" Knight huffed. "Okay, I can play."
He stayed low, looking around as the monster bounced. He was used to listening to the noises of things bouncing, ironically. Basketball taught him sharp listening skills for distance and location since you had to move fast and didn't always have the chance to see who had the ball or where. He just had to adjust for soft earth instead of lacquered floors.
"Whoo, woo, woo!"
*Fwump*
"Woo woo!"
*Fwump!*
"WOO!"
"There!" Knight spun around and saw the Magazelle had leaped into the air to get the drop on him. He bent his knees and leaped high into the air, the suit increasing his normal maximum jumping height and the Magazelle missed. It looked up and shrieked as Knight dropped down and slammed his Wing Lancer on its head, the impact bringing out a shower of sparks and another screech of pain from the monster. The Magazelle stumbled back, collapsing in a heap, clutching its head in pain. At Knight's feet, both of its horns lay broken, leaving the Zelle itself with smoking stumps.
Knight huffed and walked away from the writhing monster to get some distance before he turned back around. He holstered his Dark Visor and drew a card from his Advent Deck. His Final Vent's card art was his emblem surrounded by a shining blue background. He opened up his Dark Visor, slid the card in, and slammed it shut.
[Final Vent!]
A loud shriek was heard as Knight's contracted Mirror Monster, Darkwing, flew out of a nearby window. Darkwing was a giant biomechanical bat who was almost hard to see in the darkness of the evening. Its body was composed mostly of black metal, but also silver accenting. On its chest was a blue gem-like attachment with sockets on either side.
The giant bat swooped down and attached itself to Knight's back, becoming his cape. As the Magazelle was getting back to its feet, Knight flew into the air on bat wings before they wrapped around him, the fabric forming a sharp drill-like shape.
The Magazelle tried to flee but was too late as Knight pierced right through it with his Flying Lancer Final Vent, sending it to oblivion as it erupted into a fireball. He landed on his feet as an energy sphere arose. Darkwing detached from Knight and flew after the sphere to gobble it up before it returned to the Mirror World.
"Never again," Knight quietly swore.
Ever After High - Mirror World
[Sword Vent!]
Dragredder flew over Ryuki and dropped his scimitar into his hand. The two Gigazelles leaped at Ryuki who slashed at them, knocking them back. They hopped around, circling the Red Dragon Knight who kept his guard up. This breed of Mirror Monster was fast and agile. Fortunately, Ryuki had a partner.
"Destiny is going to change tonight," Ryuki spoke darkly to the two Gigazelles which snarled at him and Dragredder.
The Gigazelles roared and charged for Ryuki, their weapons aimed for the kill. Ryuki charged back and they met in the middle of the courtyard, Drag Saber blocking the first Zelle's spear before Ryuki kicked it away. He then slashed wide, knocking the second Zelle's weapon back before slugging it across the face, making it grunt in pain.
Passing his weapon into his left hand, he opened up his Drag Visor and drew a card from his deck before he slid it in.
[Strike Vent!]
Ryuki raised his right arm as Dragredder flew over him to drop another weapon, the Drag Claw, which was a gauntlet that resembled Dragredder's head. He drew his right arm back as flames flickered between the Drag Claw's jaws. Dragredder dove down, coiling next to Ryuki as flames entered its own jaw. Shouting, Ryuki thrust his arm out, creating a stream of fire which Dragredder added to, making a grand fireball which flew at the two monsters.
One Gigazelle shrieked and pushed its fellow in the way, making it grunt. It looked up, but couldn't move in time before it screamed, engulfed in the blaze before it exploded, sending bits of charcoal in all directions.
Ryuki looked to the flames, but saw the last Gigazelle making a break for it, trying to reach the edge of the courtyard to escape.
"Oh no you don't!" Ryuki snapped, dismissing his Drag Claw. Drawing another card, he swiftly slipped it into his Drag Visor.
[Final Vent!]
Dragredder roared and spun around Ryuki before both jumped or flew into the air. Ryuki quickly adjusted himself for the kick, but it was Dragredder that was going to aim. The red dragon moved behind Ryuki at the proper angle just as the Gigazelle made its leap out of the courtyard. A blast of fire engulfed the Rider and launched him at the fleeing monster. As the Gigazelle reached the height of its jump, Ryuki crashed into it with his Dragon Rider Kick. The Gigazelle screamed before exploding and Ryuki landed on the ground, smoking from the heat.
He looked to see Ever After High, built around a beanstalk before he shook his head and looked to where Dragredder was circling above while two spheres of power rose into the sky.
"Bon appetit," Ryuki said to Dragredder as it gobbled up the fallen Gigazelles' energy spheres. Sighing, he turned and headed for the closest reflective surface. He had to make sure Raven was okay.
Ever After High - Dorms
Arthur stepped out of the reflection and removed his Advent Deck to take off his suit. His armor shattered off and he approached where he could see his friends. Apple was softly sniffling, wrapped in Lance's arms. Lance himself seemed morose as he whispered comforting words to the daughter of Snow White.
"Apple, I'm so sorry about what happened. If I hadn't let that Magazelle escape then you wouldn't have been attacked again," Lance apologized. "I got careless and I'm sorry."
"You came back. You saved me again," Apple whimpered back. "My Knight. My brave knight happily forever after."
Arthur sighed and saw Raven standing nearby, looking a little unsure. He quickly walked up to her and her eyes brightened when she saw him, "Raven you okay?"
Raven took a breath, Y-yes…" she trembled then whimpered, tears spilling from her eyes. "N-no…" She sniffled and trapped Arthur in a hug as she started to cry. "I WAS SO SCARED! THEY WANTED TO KILL US!" Raven began to cry and sob, shouting how scared she was into Arthur's chest.
"I know, I know it was scary," Arthur whispered to the dark princess, his chin resting on her head. "It's okay now. The monsters are gone and won't come back."
"They're gone?" Raven whimpered.
"Gone-gone," Arthur reassured her. "Okay, let's get you back to your room, okay?"
Raven nodded, letting go to wipe her eyes. Her mascara was ruined, but neither of them cared for the moment. Apple seemed just as eager to go back inside where it was safer, but she had a death grip on Lance and wan't letting go.
The princesses were brought back to their room and Apple curled up in her bed, still not letting go of Lance's hand. Arthur helped reassure the two by turning all their hanging mirrors around or covering up the larger ones. Mirror Monsters couldn't pass through if there was no reflection being cast. People were peeking into the room, but a stern look from Arthur sent them away again.
When Apple fell asleep and Raven drifted off, the boys shut off the lights and headed back outside. It frankly shocked Arthur that there was no kind of RA or other authority who came running with all the sounds of screams and destruction. The trashed furniture alone on Raven's floor should have been a big alert. It just showed how painfully unaware the fairy tales were of how much of a threat the Mirror Monsters were. Heck, he and the Riders were unaware and Apple and Raven almost paid the price.
"You can say it, Arthur. I messed up," Lance said as they walked outside.
"I don't think I need to chew you out. Rex already did that," Arthur said. "You just need to learn from this and remember your priorities."
"I promise, from this day, I'll be a better Knight."
"Then that's all you need to say. Just remember that this isn't a game, Lance. They might be fairy tales but they're also people."
"I'll remember. Don't worry."
Lance and Arthur climbed back on their warhorses and took off.
Book End Library - Next Day
"Hey guys, you've gone viral again," Gwen announced as she looked at more video posts of the battle at the dorms.
"Say what?" Lance blinked up from his book. "I don't remember looking all that cool last night."
"Oh no, it's not the fight, it was what came after," Gwen smiled, turning her phone over to show the comments and the scene where the boys were comforting Apple and Raven.
So romantic!
Oh gosh, they look so scared!
Those knights are so wonderful!
Courtly romance! Love it!
Off with those monsters' heads for making them cry!
Why didn't anyone else come to help?
Poor Apple!
I don't care if Raven is evil, no one needs to be scared like that!
"Looks like you got the message," Rex nodded with a grin. "Now you can be a knight worthy of a princess."
Lance shrugged, but didn't give that jock grin of his and looked back to his book, "Count on it."
Ever After High - Headmaster's Office
"Glad you could make time for me, Milton," Merlin grinned, taking a cup of tea. "I know you're busy with Legacy Day coming up and all that. Can't be easy with almost half of your students rebelling."
"Cut it out, Merlin. I know a provocator like you is enjoying this," Milton huffed. "Now, why have you come to bother me this time?"
Merlin smiled, "Well, I was hoping to enroll some promising youngsters into your prestigious school of course!"
"And what makes them so promising?" Milton asked gruffly.
"Well, since they are the descendants of the Legendary Knights of the Round Table, I'm sure they deserve a place in Ever After High."
Milton's eyes widened in shock. The Knights of the Round Table?! Naturally, he knew who they were as his father and ancestors collected many stories about them. Years ago, King Arthur, who would have taken the role, refused to sign the Storybook of Legends, refusing to put his people through the tragic (but necessary!) fall of Camelot. Since the other fairy tales began to ostracize them, the entire court packed up and left for parts unknown. Milton quickly removed their stories to prevent other fairy tales from doing the same and, so far, it seemed any damage to the world was mitigated. To hear they survived and continued on…
"You have my attention," Milton acted calm. "Now, which ones did you find?"
"Oh, the best ones," Merlin continued to grin. "Guinevere, Lancelot, Tristain, Gawain, Dagonet, Bors, Hector, Lionel, Bedivere, Mordred, Galahad, Kay, Percival, and…"
"And?" Milton pressed.
"And most important, King Arthur himself."
"Fourteen..." Milton counted. Fourteen descendants of the Knights of the Round Table, fourteen potential new students. Fourteen students were hardly a troubling number, but it was more than he dared hoped for recovering a lost story. With time, and diligence, they might be able to replace the missing knights, villains, and completely restore the story!
This was an opportunity too big to miss!
"Merlin, let's talk enrollment," Milton smiled charmingly.
A new chapter in the knights' lives will open as they will soon join the other fairy tales in Ever After High.
What changes will they bring? What destinies will they affect and whose?
And who's next in finding their new love?
To Be Continued...
A/N: Well, here's chapter 2. For some who complain Apple is dropping Daring so quick, I repeat what I saw in my research and webisodes. Apple and Daring were never serious about each other. He was always flirting with or even dating other girls and Apple more or less just seemed to see him as the best option for her destiny, so I figured if a more dashing, heroic figure came around, she would see if he could be the one. Then for Raven's breakdown when she didn't against the Solospider, she and Apple were faced with Mirror Monsters that wanted to kill and eat them with no one there to rescue them. It hits them hard when being chased by something like that. Most fairy tale monsters just want to kidnap them for one reason or another.
EDIT: It was brought to my attention that there was a huge plot hole in the chapter, such as why Arthur and the others seemed to be relaxing when they were supposed to be hunting for the Magazelle.