I do not own Kamen Rider Ryuki or Ever After High. They belong to their respective creators and not me. I am not writing this for profit, only for fun.
Knights of the Otherworld
By Ten-Faced Paladin
Chapter 13: Blondie Lockes' Just Right Expose
With the danger passed, the students of Ever After High eventually return back to their normal days.
Still, there are some with many questions to ask and even more to discover.
Oooh, juicy!
Ever After High - Castleteria
The return to school was met with mixed reactions. While some liked having such a long time off of school, others were looking forward to going back to class and returning to their daily routine. Once everyone was back, it was almost like the Shereghost Assault never happened. Students chatted with one another and they took on their assignments while gossip did the rounds as people wondered who had done what with who.
And one intrepid team of reporters were on the case to discover it all.
"Blondie, uh, should we be doing this?" asked Dexter as he, Humphrey Dumpty, and Blondie Lockes hid behind a pillar inside the castleteria.
"Investigative reporting requires stakeouts sometimes," Blondie answered, holding out her MirrorPad to view her subjects.
"But can't we just ask for an interview?" asked Humphrey.
"And just get the standard press release?" Blondie retorted. "No, everyone wants to know the juicy details about them so instead of interviews, we watch them in action."
"But a bunch of them are just having lunch with their girlfriends or friends," Humphrey pointed out. "How's that juicy or investigative reporting?"
"They're in a more natural setting so they'll act natural and we can get a real scoop," Blondie explained.
Dexter looked through the MirrorPad screen as it focused on Raven but as Blondie pulled back, the screen showed her sitting with Arthur. Dexter sighed dejectedly, which Humphrey noticed, giving him a pat on the shoulder. Blondie seemed absorbed in her observations as she watched how Raven and Arthur seemed almost casual, but never out of arm's reach when they sat together.
"As the first of the knights, and supposedly the next King Arthur, Arthur Pendragon has a lot of people paying attention to him, even if he shies away from it," Blondie reported. "He's almost shy, but seems to turn his nose up to destiny as he clearly has the hots for Raven Queen even though in the stories, he's destined for Gwen."
"Maybe he doesn't want to get cheated on?" Dexter suggested. "I mean, Guinevere is supposed to cheat on Arthur with Lancelot, right?"
"Yeah, I'd avoid that like a hot potato if I knew," Humphrey nodded.
"Very true," Blondie agreed. "But everyone wants to know how a truly noble king could ever be in a relationship with an evil queen. So part of our investigation is to see how they can make it work and what Arthur gets up to when he thinks no one is watching him."
"Do we have to?" Dexter groaned. He didn't need to see more of Raven being lovey-dovey with Arthur.
"Yes!" Blondie hissed. "Now look sharp! They're getting up!"
"So, I kind of need help with Crownculus," Arthur said to Raven as they put their trays away. "Math was never my best subject back home. The best I could get was a C. I was gonna ask Harry for help but he has a study date with Briar."
"I think I can lend a hand," Raven offered. "We can go over some of the material and see where we might have troubles. With any luck, we can help each other out."
"Let's hope we don't get distracted, Blackbird." Arthur grinned.
"Okay, I'm calling Maddie and some friends then," Raven rolled her eyes, taking out her phone. "Knowing us, we will get distracted."
"You didn't complain last time," Arthur pretended to be hurt.
"Last time we didn't need to study," Raven poked his chest. "This time you need to keep your eyes on the books and less on me."
"Even if you are my favorite subject," Arthur played dejected. "But for the sake of education, I suppose we must."
Dexter watched their interaction with envy. He could barely talk to Raven without falling to pieces, like his friend Hopper Croakington II. Arthur, on the other hand, seemed to be able to talk to her with no issue. It made Dexter wonder how he could do it so easily.
"Hmm, if it wasn't for their stories, I would call them an ordinary couple," Blondie rubbed her chin. "Still, the focus must be on Arthur. So we'll follow him and see where that takes us."
Ever After High - Heroics 101 (aka Hero Training)
The three intrepid reporters managed to follow Arthur outside to where Heroics 101 was being held near the rocky mountains of the school. Various princes and would-be heroes were in attendance. Dexter, of course, laid low since his father was teaching the class. That day, a dragon was chained to a rocky plateau and the students had to get past it to rescue a mannequin dressed as a princess. The goal was to get it out without the dragon, or the hero's own actions, bringing harm to it.
Several had gone already. Many got scorched or got the 'princess' scorched. Fortunately, the dragon was one of the good ones that the school raised for such lessons, so no one was seriously hurt. They'd smell like soot for the rest of the day though.
"Next, Mr. Pendragon. Show your courage, face the dragon, and rescue the princess," King Charming instructed.
"Yes, sir," Arthur said as he picked up the sword and shield and approached the dragon.
Arthur stood before the dragon, ready for anything. He'd spent some time around Dragredder and knew some draconic habits, or so he hoped. Still, Dragredder was an Asian dragon while this one was clearly western. Some habits might be very different. So Arthur kept his guard up, ready for anything.
The dragon quickly took notice, gazing at him, nostrils flaring. It then sniffed him and suddenly gave him an affectionate lick like a dog, covering him in slobber. It took all his control not to gag, even as the other students laughed. The dragon almost seemed to smile as it nuzzled against him. Arthur was a bit taken aback by this, but decided to use it to his advantage.
"Hey, um, dragon? Do you mind giving that doll to me? Yeah, that one," Arthur politely asked. The dragon obeyed, picked the mannequin up by its scruff with its jaws, and gently dropped it in Arthur's arms. He gave the dragon friendly pats on its nose. "Good dragon."
"Should have expected that," one student scoffed. "He already tamed one dragon."
"Yeah, he's King Arthur, the dragon tamer," another agreed.
"So, how did I do, sir?" Arthur asked as he returned with his rescued 'princess'.
"Well, you did save the princess without putting her in harm's way, even if you used an unconventional approach," King Charming noted. "Hexcellent job, Mr. Pendragon. Now head to the showers and get yourself cleaned up."
As Arthur left for the showers, Blondie quickly made whispered comments like the narrator of a wilderness documentary, "Arthur Pendragon shows remarkable affinity to dragons. Perhaps unsurprising with his bond to his familiar, Dragredder. Still, to see it extend to other dragons is an interesting bit of information."
"Guess he doesn't have to fear dragons if they like him already," Humphrey added.
"Can we please move on?" asked Dexter. "If Dad sees me my goose is cooked!"
Ever After high - Cooking Class-ic
With Arthur hitting the showers, the reporters decided to move on and see about another of the knights. Blondie had a list for her expose. So she merely checked it to pick her next subject.
Next was Cooking Class-ic which she knew Rex was taking. It was a surprising choice for one so royally-focused. It was just begging for investigation and Blondie was going to be the one who provided it.
The class was taught by Professor Mama Bear, who ran a tight ship in her class and expected her students to be at their best. That also meant sneaking inside wouldn't be possible. Instead, Blondie, Dexter, and Humphery peered in from outside the window to see if they could get a reason as to why Rex of all people wanted to take this class.
They found him in an apron standing beside Ginger Breadhouse. Again, an unlikely choice in girlfriend, much to the frustration of many princesses who had their eyes on him. Some nasty rumors said she put some kind of potion in a cake she gave him.
"Daring once suggested he's only there to woo girls," Dexter offered. "It's why he's looking into joining up too."
"I dunno," Humphrey pondered. "He looks pretty sweet on Ginger to me."
"Hush, keep filming," Blondie ordered.
Rex seemed to have a basic idea of what he was doing, but some of the subtler things kept slipping by him. Ginger knew all of those things by heart and was able to keep Rex on track and stop him from accidentally ruining his cooking. It would seem like he knew the basics, but never got further than that until recently.
While many would believe a knight would only join Cooking Class-ic just to woo girls, Rex sincerely wanted to learn so he could one day make something special for Ginger. As a perfectionist, anything less than perfect was unworthy for his Candy Princess.
"Hm, it seems Rex isn't trying to be a playboy, since the only girl he's talking to is Ginger," Blondie pondered. "This surprisingly domestic side to him is a facet few ever see. A shame he's taken since lots of girls like a man who can cook."
"They do?" Dexter and Humphrey asked and quickly made a mental note of that.
"Yes. Still, if he's not busy with his project, his focus is either on Mrs. Bear or on Ginger. It makes me doubt he joined to flirt with princesses," Blondie observed. "It begs the question many want to ask, how did the daughter of the Candy Witch manage to garner the affections of a knight?"
Rex pulled his cake out of the oven and once it cooled, it would be time to decorate.
"Alright, writing with icing can be a bit tricky but you just need to be gentle," Ginger advised Rex. She showed him how to fill the pastry bag and then how to write a simple message on the cake. She wrote 'HAPPY BIRTHDAY' on hers in cursive.
"Right," Rex nodded. Attempting to copy her technique, he began trying to write the same words on his own cake. The icing wobbled at points, the pressure not being consistent, and he wasn't used to writing with such a thick implement, so the writing looked a little lopsided. Still, it was at least legible.
"Good try!" Ginger praised. "You couldn't even read mine when I first tried it. You just might have a talent for this yourself."
"Maybe," Rex shrugged. Inwardly, he wasn't pleased that it was so noticeably flawed. He vowed to keep practicing so he could make it just as elegantly and easily as Ginger could.
"Think we have enough?" Dexter asked Blondie.
"For now," Blondie nodded. "We can investigate their relationship later." The three then slipped away from the window as they went to observe their next subject.
Ever After High - Creative Storytelling
"Darren Quinn acts like a fool, but that is expected to be of the jester turned knight, Dagonet," Blonde spoke for her narration. "Yes, his sense of humor seems to be either an acquired taste, or perfect for a Wonderlandian audience, as he was pulled into their clique soon after his first day."
Blondie, Dexter and Humphrey observed Jack B. Nimble's Creative Storytelling class. In today's class, each student would present a terrifying tale. It was Darren's turn next as he went to the front of the class to tell his tale.
"So, this is a story I heard from a friend of a friend who claims it's all true," Darren started. "Once upon a time, it was a dark and stormy night and the babysitter sat in the living room. The parents were having a date night so she was left to look after the kids for the night. She had just tucked them in bed and was reading a book when the phone rang."
The babysitter (Blondie Lockes) sat on the couch with a good book when her phone rang. She did not recognize the number but answered anyway.
"Hello?"
"Did you check the children?" the voice on the other side growled.
"Hexcuse me? Who's this?"
The person on the other end hung up.
Half an hour later, her phone rang again and she answered only to receive the same reply.
"Did you check the children?"
"Who is this? Tell me or I'm calling the police if you don't stop harassing me!"
The other phone hung up and she scowled at it.
She decided to go check the children and went upstairs. As she was about to check on them, her phone rang again and it was the same voice.
"Did you check the children?"
They hung up again and this time the babysitter decided to call the number back to give them a piece of her mind.
Darren's tale definitely had everyone on the edge of their seats.
"Then what happened?" Cedar Wood asked, chewing on her nails in suspense.
"When she called the number, she heard the ringing coming from the children's room! And the kids were never seen again. The End." Darren finished his tale with a smile.
"Brrrr!" one student shivered.
"Very creepy, Darren," Jack B. Quick approved as he graded Darren for his story. "You seem to have a knack for telling tales."
"I prefer making people laugh, but I can do creepy too," Darren informed their teacher. "I heard a lot of these stories when I was growing up and my family and I love to tell creepy stories around the campfire all the time."
Darren then returned to his seat as the next student took their turn to present their own terrifying tale.
From their spot listening in, Humphrey was trembling, "That was one of the creepiest stories I ever heard!"
"Yes, Darren is a gifted student when it comes to telling tales," Blondie was once again in her documentary mode. "Usually he acts like a complete goofball and his natural talent for Riddlish makes many think he's originally from Wonderland. Still, this unexpectedly serious side of him is just another facet that can attract attention and interest from our viewers."
"So, who's next?" Dexter asked.
"Hm, how about we cover someone who's adorable?" Blondie suggested.
Ever After High - Courtyard
"Gabriel Lighthart was quick to steal the hearts of many girls thanks to his adorable appearance and his sometimes childish antics," Blondie explained as they watched Gabriel in the courtyard, apparently trying to get some homework done in his spare time, looking adorable as he tried to concentrate. His face looked serious with eyebrows furrowed but he had his tongue sticking out. "It's clear he often tries to appear more mature than he does so everyone can treat him like someone our age, but his short stature and adorable face often foils him."
Humphrey and Dexter looked at each other and then at Blondie. The reporter was using her documentary tone again, but her face showed she wanted to coo and cuddle Gabe along with other girls who were nearby, watching him do his homework. Their moods soured slightly when Holly O'Hair came onto the scene and quickly sat next to Gabe, pulling him into a hug for a moment before settling down to help.
"Many girls were upset when Holly O'Hair was revealed to be his girlfriend, although not me. I claim credit for helping make it happen," Blondie grinned as she saw Holly help Gabe, but not outright give him the answers. "Still, many girls believed that someone so cute should have been shared with everyone, not hoarded by one girl."
"Gabe's kind of struck me as a straightforward kind of guy," Humprey offered. "I mean, I don't think he's hiding any deep personality or anything. What you see is what you get: a guy with a baby face who wants to be treated like our age instead of a kid."
"Holly can't seem to help herself though," Dexter snickered as he witnessed Rapunzel's daughter pull Gabe into her lap to hold him like a teddy bear. Gabe mumbled something, but Holly kissed his forehead and he seemed to forget his complaint.
"Gabriel, is, however, an expert gamer," Blondie continued. "All of the machines in the Dragon's Lair arcade now have his initials as the top high scorer and many of the power gamers in school are forming a rivalry to try and topple him. And, as a knight, his cute appearance hides the fact that he's a powerful fighter. Brute force seems to be his forte but it's hard to see with him being so adorable right now."
"His armor's weird in that it makes him bigger than he normally is," Dexter added. "Unless you saw him change into it, lots of people think he and the Rhino Knight are two different people."
"Yes, reactions to my Knightwatch segment on him was met with much disbelief until people actually saw him transform during the Shereghost Attack," Blondie agreed. "That suit really adds more height and muscle to him."
"It doesn't look like Holly's going to let him go for a while," Humphrey added, seeing Holly shake her head over something and Gabe get comfortable in her lap. "We should move on to one of the others."
"Yeah, we should. We're getting company," Blondie agreed, seeing more girls 'just happen' to walk by so they could snap pictures of Gabe and Holly being the cute couple they were.
Ever After High - School Pool
"My sources tell me that Ben Gigant spends a lot of his free time around the pool," Blondie walked with her team towards the pool. "Since it's last period, there should be no one but him there."
"Why do you think he hangs out there? Does he just like swimming?" asked Dexter.
"Hard to say," Blondie shook her head. "Ben's proven to be very shy and he has kept his head down so not a whole lot of gossip has really come up about him. Rumors say that he is dating the new girl, Meeshell, but some disbelieve it since they say he's so shy he can barely talk to anyone."
The trio came to the doors to the pool and opened them slightly. The lights were dimmed, as they usually were when class wasn't in session, and the pool lights made the water glow. It was easy to spot Ben, as he was in his Abyss armor, sitting on the edge. Meeshell was there too, next to him and her legs back to her fishtail which idly splashed in the water. Music was playing from one of their phones and they were performing a duet together.
"There's a calm surrender
To the rush of day
When the heat of a rolling wave
Can be turned away
An enchanted moment
And it sees me through
It's enough for this restless warrior
Just to be with you.
And can you feel the love tonight?
It is where we are
It's enough for this wide-eyed wanderer
That we've got this far
And can you feel the love tonight?
How it's laid to rest?
It's enough to make kings and vagabonds
Believe the very best."
Blondie, Humphrey, and Dexter felt their jaws drop at the amazing singing they were hearing. The male voice made it clear that Abyss was the one who was singing. Ben could actually sing? The boy who, at times, could barely speak louder than a whisper?
"He...he can sing," Dexter gaped.
"It's…really good," Humphrey added.
"R-record! Record everything!" Blondie whispered.
As Abyss finished singing his lyrics, Meeshell soon joined it.
"There's a time for everyone
If they only learn
That the twisting kaleidoscope
Moves us all in turn
There's a rhyme and reason
To the wild outdoors
When the heart of this star-crossed voyager
Beats in time with yours
And can you feel the love tonight?
Its where we are
It's enough for this wide-eyed wanderer
That we've come this far."
Then both began to sing together, sounding harmonious together.
"And can you feel the love tonight?
How it's laid to rest?
It's enough to make kings and vagabonds
Believe the very best
It's enough to make kings vagabonds
Believe the very best."
Abyss removed his Advent Deck, removing his armor so that he could press his forehead lovingly against Meeshell's before they shared a kiss.
"Ah...I think we should leave them alone," Dexter whispered. This seemed like something private and he felt bad about spying on them.
"Y-yeah," Blondie agreed. Enchanted by the singing as she was, she also got hexcited. She got a huge scoop with this, and it was so romantic! Her followers were going to be gushing over this!
"I feel like we're intruding on something special and personal," Humphrey said guiltily.
"Then we'll handle it tastefully and with respect," Blondie reassured her team. "This won't be tabloid fodder. It will be artistic and romantic, precious and to be respected."
Ever After High - Halls
Ben adjusted his backpack as he walked through the halls. He still felt warm and fuzzy from yesterday. Meeshell convinced him to sing with her and, well, he finally caved to her sparkling eyes and pretty voice. So he dug up some tunes (how Merlin had a library of Disney music Ben didn't know), and after teaching her the lyrics, they sang to Elton John.
It was...really fun. Meeshell's voice was just beautiful. Ben didn't think his voice compared, but Meeshell loved it so...he could live with that.
Walking for his locker, Ben felt eyes on him, which wasn't entirely odd. He got it a lot since he was there as he was the tallest kid in school, second only to Tiny. Today though, it felt like more eyes were on him. Looking around, he spotted several students looking back at him, many looking surprised. Many of the princesses were giving him more admiring looks and several waved to him with smiles.
'Weird, but not bad I guess. Wish I knew what I did,' Ben thought to himself as he waved back and...did one girl just wink at him?
Coming to his locker, Ben started getting his things for his first class of the day, pushing the weirdness out of his mind.
"Hey, Ben! You charmer!" Ben stopped when he saw Melody Piper coming up to him, a grin on her lips. He knew her only distantly since she was Mr. Piper's daughter. "Man, Dad said you had some hidden talent, but you really blew him out of the water!"
"Huh?" Ben wondered what she meant by that.
"Anyway, good for you for breaking out of your shell!" Melody praised him. "Maybe we can jam together sometime." She patted his shoulder and went down the halls, whistling a tune...and causing three mice to come from somewhere and start following her.
"Weird," Ben frowned. What was going on with everyone today?
Ever After High - Castleteria
Coming to the castleteria, Ben moved for his usual spot to read his books or amuse himself on his phone until Meeshell arrived so they could hang out before first period started.
Ben heard someone humming a fairy familiar tune. He glanced and spotted someone with their girlfriend humming together as they looked at a video playing on the girl's phone. Odd, but Ben disregarded it. Everyone listened to the same music in Ever After High with a few variations.
"Ah, Ben, hey!"
Ben looked up and spotted a classmate from his Heroics 101 course. She stood out since she was one of the few girls in it. She had a red and gold shirt under a green and gold vest/jacket with flower print black pants. Her skin was tanned from a life in the sun and long brown hair tied in a braid with vines or ivy woven into it. She sported earthen brown eyes and despite looking like one of the princesses, she was a tomboy adventurer through and through. Her name was Jillian Beanstalk, daughter of Jack from Jack and the Beanstalk.
"Hi, Jill," Ben nodded. "What's up?"
"Well, that would be you, Mr. Spellebrity," Jill grinned, elbowing Ben playfully. "Not enough you're one of the heroes who saved the school, you're now an instant hit singer!"
Ben blinked, "What?"
"Your duet at the pool, Ben! It was so sooo romantic," Jill sighed. "It was like out of a story, I swear! Meeshell's so lucky!"
Ben began to pale, "...what…?"
"Yeah, it's all on Blondie's MirrorCast, here," Jill pulled out her MirrorPhone and pulled up the video to show to Ben. To his horror, there he was in his Abyss suit, singing with Meeshell by the pool. All to the tune of Elton John's Can You Feel The Love Tonight.
Ben gaped, horror filling him up before he turned ghostly white as he started to hyperventilate...and passed out.
"Woah! Ben, you okay?" Jill quickly got to his side. She saw he was out cold and not responding. "Oh curses! Hey, can someone grab a teacher?! Help!"
Ever After High - Nurse's Office
When Ben came to, he found himself in the nurse's office with Meeshell by his side. His girlfriend looked absolutely miserable as she held his hand. Ben sighed softly, wondering, praying that he had just had a bad dream. Still, he couldn't run away from the memory. The entire school had heard him sing at the pool.
"Ben, you're awake," Meeshell, smiled relieved. Ben nodded, not wanting to ruin her mood yet.
"Mr. Gigant, how are you feeling?" Baba Yaga asked, hearing the noise and coming to check on him.
Ben opened his mouth to answer but no sound came out. He sat up and touched his throat. It felt fine to him, perhaps parched from his fainting and shock. He tried to speak, but it was like his throat had frozen and he just couldn't get the words out.
"Ben, what's wrong?" Meeshell asked, worried. "Speak to me."
He tried to answer her but no words came out, none at all. Only a raspy breath as the air he tried to speak with passed through.
"Oh dear," Baba Yaga gasped.
Ben Gigant had lost his voice.
Ever After High - Castleteria (Lunch Period)
"Blondie! How could you?!" Meeshell cried. "Don't you know how shy Ben is about his voice?! He's mortified! Now I may never get to sing with my prince again!"
"W-what? What do you mean?" Blondie sputtered. She was having lunch with her friends when Meeshell just stormed up to her and began shouting at her.
"He's lost his voice! My prince can't even talk now!" Meeshell shouted.
"Woah, wait, time out," Briar put her hands together in the T position. "Blondie, you mean that clip you had of Ben and Meeshell wasn't a performance piece or something?"
"Well…" Blondie grimaced.
"No!" Meeshell sniffled. "It was a precious and private moment between us! Don't you know how hard it was to convince Ben to sing for me alone? To let me sing with him? He thinks he's awful because a bunch of bullies from his old school teased him wickedly for his voice cracking once! They never let him hear the end of it!" Meeshell was not normally so argumentative, but she was on a roll, especially when her precious prince was harmed. "He only got away from it when he came here! Now he may never sing again!"
"Blondie!" Apple gasped. "You did it again?"
"What did we tell you about personal space?" Ashlynn sighed.
"Uh, well, it was in a public space, so I, I figured…" Blondie sputtered.
Meeshell couldn't take it anymore and burst into tears and ran from the table. She was just as upset as Ben was, perhaps more so since she hated it when he was hurt or talking badly about himself. The rest of the Royals looked to Blondie, aghast, while the reporter herself looked rather chastised.
"But, but I just wanted to share how good he was…" Blondie gulped. Ben and Meeshell were just so wonderful together. She didn't think they would mind if people knew.
"I think there was a reason why they sang in private when no one would bother them," Briar frowned. "You really stepped in it this time, Blondie." Blondie did have an issue about respecting people's personal boundaries. Her friends knew she didn't mean to ignore such things, but she did have an issue about realizing where they were. Now it seemed to have bitten her in the butt pretty hard.
Enchanted Forest
Ben sat curled up in the gazebo, wanting the earth to just swallow him up so he would just disappear. After he woke up in the nurse's office, he just ran, wanting to get away from the school, from the people staring at him, from the whispers and hushed comments that followed him everywhere. He just ran to the Enchanted Forest, wishing to hide and never be found. He may have thrown up once or twice along the way, but he finally got someplace where he could be alone.
Naturally, it wasn't long until Meeshell had found him, but that was fine. She always made him feel better. She was right next to him, hugging him and whispering how everything would be okay.
The reason why Meeshell found him so easily was because of his fellow knights who pieced together where he went. Of course, Meeshell told them about what happened and Ben's condition, including the loss of his voice.
"Tabloids at their worst," Rex scowled, seeing Ben so distraught.
"Man, I know Ben's good, but that was a private moment between them. Blondie didn't need to butt in," Gabe sighed.
"I knew he didn't like to stand out, but, man," Kyle shook his head. "What the hex happened to him to make him like that?"
"What else? Bullies who never get when it's time to stop being little jerks," Gwen scowled. She knew the types. Once some bullies found something to tease someone about, they never let it go. They thought it was the funniest joke in the world until they did something else to make fun of their targets over. "I think Ben must have goofed up singing once and they never let him hear the end of it."
"Kind of ironic," Harry sighed. "Ben is horrified if anyone besides Meeshell hears him sing, but he's becoming pretty popular once everyone heard how good he is."
"Well, he's not going to be doing much singing with him going mute," Kyle scratched his head. This wasn't something they could solve so easily. It was psychological. "Dammit, fighting Mirror Monsters is easy. Dealing with people is hard."
"Well, what do we do now?" asked Rob.
"What can we do?" asked Max rhetorically. "It's not like we can take back Blondie's MirrorCast and make everyone forget about it."
Rex took out his Advent Deck and drew a card from it. The face of the card depicted a clock. This was his Time Vent card. From when he tested the card, he realized he could reverse time to an extent. The farther back he went, the more difficult it got, but he could do it. A few hours to prevent Blondie from seeing Ben and Meeshell sing? He could do that.
But it was a slippery slope he'd be on the edge of. If he used the Time Vent to solve one problem, what would stop him from using it again? Then he could start using it to solve his own problems. Then he could end up using it just to make his life easier. Granted, he might not, but the temptation was there. Rex didn't want to risk falling for it unless it was a life or death situation.
Sighing, he slipped the Time Vent to the bottom of his deck and put it out of his mind. No, they would solve their own problems, not act like gods to take the easy way out.
"My poor shark prince," Meeshell caressed his face. He would no longer be able to sing for her and she would no longer hear his beautiful singing voice. She felt Ben tremble and hug her, gripping her tightly.
'Please don't leave me,' his thoughts wailed, fearing she would leave since it was his singing that brought them together.
Somehow, perhaps in a way only true loving couples could, Meeshell understood. She embraced him and held Ben just as tightly, "I'm not going anywhere. You are my prince. I'll never leave you even if you never say a word again." Ben closed his eyes as he embraced Meeshell, holding her close to him, comforted by her words.
"This is a touching moment and all but we still need to figure out how we can get Ben's voice back," Max said. "Any ideas?"
"His confidence," Arthur finally spoke up, all eyes turning to him. "Ben's confidence was broken when he was teased mercilessly for something involving his singing. Since he's so good, that was probably a bad note or a voice crack or something, right?"
"A fair wager," Rex agreed. "Do you have an idea?"
"Ben's like this because he's reliving the humiliation of everyone laughing at him for his singing," Arthur explained. "We need to show him that Ever After High isn't like his old school. Have the school restore that confidence and show him that people like his singing."
"How's he going to do that if he can't sing, much less talk?" Kevin wondered.
Arthur opened Blondie's MirrorCast then scrolled down to the comments sections to see what her followers were saying about Ben's performance. The comments were actually overwhelmingly positive and many people were praising it, either for the singing, the romance, or the song itself. Many couples were already humming or trying to sing it to their partners in the halls already. If it gained any more momentum, Ben and Meeshell were going to start a fad among couples.
"Everyone's already heard him sing," Arthur lifted his MirrorPhone to show the comments. "Let's just get people to record their praise and show him. He's too shy to want to see anyone right now, so we record a huge appreciation video."
"Won't he think we staged it to make him feel better?" wondered Tristan.
"Then we go to people we don't know," Arthur suggested. "The ones who don't interact with us often. The ones who have no reason to lie."
"Could I help?" Blondie offered as she interjected, coming down the path towards the group. The knights looked at her, some with cold gazes and she had the decency to look ashamed.
"Haven't you done enough?" Gwen huffed.
"I'm sorry. I wasn't aware that it was a private moment when I decided to share it." Blondie wilted. She honestly just wanted to share how great the couple's singing was. "Now, I want to make things just right." Arthur approached Blondie and she prepared herself to be yelled at, her help rejected.
"Blondie, how fast can you put together a video showing what everyone thinks of Ben's singing?" Arthur asked.
"To get enough to show the overwhelming positivity? I need to go to a lot of people and time to edit it to look its best, make sure we get the best ones," Blondie replied, perking up. "If all of us talk to people and collect clips, we could have it done by the end of school."
"Riders," Arthur rallied his friends. "This is our mission: we're going to collect responses and bring our friend's voice back. Now spread out, we have a lot of work to do."
Meeshell never left Ben's side throughout the rest of school day but they knew they'd have to go their separate ways once the last bell rang. When he thought of the distance, Ben trembled, not sure what he'd do when he was alone. He didn't have long to ponder when an announcement followed the bell.
"Will Ben Gigant please report to the charmitorium?" the PA system sounded.
Ben flinched, shaking his head. Meeshell, having been hexted the plan, murmured reassurances to him and with a bit of convincing, got him to stand up and make his way towards the school. They took a back way, even if the last bell rang and the students were gone. Ben kept his head ducked down, praying that no one would see him and make his misery worse.
Inside the charmitorium, a large screen was set up for viewing, although there was no one around at the moment. A couple of seats in the front row had their names printed on paper taped to them. Ben was clearly confused, but Meeshell reassured him that it was fine as they moved to claim those seats. It was the perfect view of the stage, ensuring the screen filled their vision. Once they were seated, the screen was blank, but the music of Can You Feel The Love Tonight in instrumental could be heard. Ben wilted and moved to stand up, but Meeshell stopped him.
"It's okay," She cooed. "This will be good. I promise."
Ben looked to the screen, but he sat down and steeled himself for another blow.
The screen finally lit up, moving to what seemed like a scene of the school, but the person in front was Sparrow Hood, guitar slung over his shoulder with a warm smile on his face, "Hey there, Ben. I'm Sparrow Hood. I don't think we've met, but I've just gotta say, your singing is incredible. If we didn't have a lead singer already, I'd be asking you if you wanted to be in our band! Trust me, man, you've got a talent. Don't be afraid of that."
The scene changed to Cedar Wood, "Hi Ben! I'm Cedar Wood, Pinnochio's daughter. I can't tell a lie at all and you can ask around to prove it. So believe me when I say you have such a wonderful voice! Your singing is so perfect and you make such a great duet with Meeshell! That's no lie!"
The next clip showed Hopper Croakington II in his frog form. "Hello, Benjamin. You may not recognize me like this, but I am Hopper Croakington II. I've decided to come forward and proclaim my admiration for your singing abilities. If I had half of your talent in my human form, I may not be the hopeless cause I am today."
Clip after clip showed different students who had nothing but positive things to say about Ben and his singing. Some people he knew, like Jill and Melody. Others he had never met before and had only heard his singing that one time. The praise was overwhelming, even from students who were traditionally villains. Meeshell looked at Ben to read his expression and she could see tears falling from his eyes.
"They...like...me?" he murmured, finally speaking again, much to Meeshell's joy.
"Yes, they do," Meeshell smiled, ready to cry herself. "Every single one of them loves your singing. Your friends love it and so does the school. You're an amazing singer, Ben. You don't have to be quiet or ashamed because we'll all cheer when you feel brave enough to try."
"She's right, Ben," Arthur said as he stepped onto the stage with Blondie.
"Ben, I'm so sorry for revealing something so private. I had no idea it was something so precious and personal," Blondie apologized. "I just thought you and Meeshell were amazing and I wanted to share that. Can you forgive me?"
Ben looked down, "It hurt...a lot. I was...really scared. It reminded me of when my v-voice c-c-cracked. No one let it go, always made jokes, always whispered about it. Even when I got into high school, so many knew about it and didn't let me forget. Today, I got all these flashbacks about it, everyone talking about me, laughing at me." Blondie looked to the floor, gripping the hem of her dress. "But…" Blondie looked up again. "They...they were talking about me today because they really liked it?"
"They do, Ben. Everyone believes you're talented," Arthur said. "Maybe it's time you start believing it yourself?"
Ben smiled, eyes watery but the smile was unmistakable, "Maybe...maybe I should. But how about we take baby steps first, alright?"
"One step at a time," Arthur agreed. "And I bet Meeshell will be there for every single one."
"Oh certainly," Meeshell beamed.
Arthur looked at Blondie who smiled, feeling relieved.
"This ending is just right," she said.
The next day, Blondie posted another video on her MirrorCast, which everyone was hexcited to see. Some were warier since they had been interviewed for their reactions to Ben's singing. They knew he was terminally shy about it and needed a confidence boost. Still, it didn't stop people from opening the link to see Blondie's face again.
"Hello, my fellow fairy tales. First of all, I have an apology to make to Ben Gigant for revealing something so precious and personal. Fortunately, things between us are now just right and he's actually agreed to perform something on my show," Blondie reported. "So, I present to you Ben Gigant singing the song 'I Can Go the Distance'."
Blondie turned her MirrorPad to Ben who was sitting on a diving board in the school's pool. For once, he was not in his armor and the water of the pool lights provided an interesting lighting effect. Of course, Meeshell was there, leaning into him from her perch, her tail once again visible, making the scene appear more magical with her silent support.
As the music started, he held the microphone to his lips and began to sing.
"I have often dreamed of a far off place
Where a hero's welcome would be waiting for me
Where the crowds would cheer, when they see my face
And a voice keeps saying this is where I'm meant to be
I'll be there someday, I can go the distance
I will find my way if I can be strong
I know every mile would be worth my while
When I go the distance, I'll be right where I belong
Down an unknown road to embrace my fate
Though that road may wander, it will lead me to you
And a thousand years would be worth the wait
It might take a lifetime but somehow I'll see it through
And I won't look back, I can go the distance
And I'll stay on track, no I won't accept defeat
It's an uphill slope
But I won't lose hope, 'till I go the distance
And my journey is complete, oh yeah
But to look beyond the glory is the hardest part
For a hero's strength is measured by his heart, oh
Like a shooting star, I will go the distance
I will search the world, I will face its harms
I don't care how far, I can go the distance
'Till I find my hero's welcome waiting in your arms
I will search the world, I will face its harms
'Till I find my hero's welcome waiting in your arms"
He finished the song then as he looked at Meeshell who blushed and gave him a peck on the lips. It was both a sign of affection as well as a bit of a reward for doing something so brave.
Ever After High - Castleteria
"He picked a good song," Max acknowledged, watching the video.
"And check out all the likes!" Gabe exclaimed. The comments section was filling up fast as people gushed over the song, Ben's voice, his cute moment with Meeshell, or congratulating him on being brave enough to sing in front of others, even if it was just a recording.
"Good job, Arthur," Rex praised.
"I only did it to help Ben," Arthur said humbly.
"Exactly. A king always does what's best for his subjects."
Arthur chuckled weakly and turned to see where Ben was sitting. Several new fans were already surrounding him and Meeshell, offering their compliments. Melody Piper was among them, hoping to get Ben to eventually try a jam session with her. Ben seemed almost overwhelmed by the attention, but with Meeshell with him, he was able to see it for what it was: honest praise.
Under the sea in her kingdom, Queen Pearl watched the performance with a warm smile. Meeshell told her that Ben could sing, but he had been so shy and insecure, he wouldn't dare risk singing in front of his girlfriend's mother. Pearl had even asked, but Ben had politely refused, stating his voice was awful. Meeshell insisted otherwise, but Ben was adamant in his refusal, which was a shame in the light of current events.
She had been shocked to hear his voice on Blondie's MirrrorCast, although Meeshell soon hexted her in an emotional fit about how Ben had been so traumatised by the post and lost his voice. Clearly this Blondie Lockes had recorded them without their permission. Still, it seemed he managed to recover and at least found the courage to have his singing recorded. That small bit at the end was very cute as well. It made it clear to Meeshell's mother who had helped him overcome his shock. Why, it was almost like a reversal of her own story.
"More and more, you seem so perfect for her," Pearl smiled softly.
That was so beautiful! Ben nearly lost his voice forever after but then he learned how everyone loved to hear him sing, he got his confidence back!
That is the magic of Ever After High. No matter what or who you are, be it Rebel or Royal or anything in-between, you are accepted.
Indeed. Now, Brooke, what is the moral of today's story?
That you shouldn't let people put you down and that there are people who accept you for who you are if you just give them a chance.
Exactly.
A/N: And here is a bit of a softer chapter and we learn a little bit more about Ben and his terminal shyness. Plus Arthur steps up a little more into his namesake.