I do not own Kamen Rider Ryuki or Ever After High. Those belong to their respective creators and not me. Special thanks to Kamen RIder Chrome as my beta-reader and helping dream up ideas for the story.
Knights of the Otherworld
By Ten-Faced Paladin
Chapter 37: Blue Moon Fest: An Hexclusive Invitation
Our new tale begins on what otherwise seems like a normal day at the Beanstalk Bakery. People are enjoying a hot cup of coffee to get through the day.
As many go about their business, not many realize that this day is the beginning of something special.
Wait, is it that? It's the right time of the year, it has to be!
Read and find out, Brooke. Read and find out.
Beanstalk Bakery
The Beanstalk Bakery was enjoying another day of good business and spreading out good coffee. The staff was busy, filling orders and passing them out to the customers there. Many were the local teenagers looking to hang out with friends. Of course, many couples ended up there for a daytime stop.
"Hmmmmmm," one Faybelle Thorn pondered as she looked at the front counter to the store.
"I know that sound," Kevin rolled his eyes as he held his cup. "You're plotting something, aren't you?"
"Always am," Faybelle grinned. "I was just pondering. People gossip all the time here, right?"
Kevin nodded, "Yes…"
"And we only ever hear a fraction of it sitting out here," Faybelle continued.
"Yes?" Kevin nodded again.
"So who might hear the juiciest gossip in town but someone who works behind that counter?" Faybelle grinned darkly. "Just imagine the kind of dirt I can get on people if I just stand behind the counter and make people think I work there."
"That would mean actually looking like you work there," Kevin pointed out. "And I know you hate being given orders by anyone, even the teachers."
Faybelle shrugged, "I can work my way around that." She leaned in closer to Kevin, "Of course, if you want to keep me on the straight and narrow, you could always thwart me."
A noted dynamic in the relationship between dark fey and knight was how Faybelle liked to cause mischief, but always offered Kevin ways to keep her out of trouble. It was a little game Faybelle liked to play since Kevin was usually so straight-laced compared to her and she loved to tease him like that. Mainly, before she started a scheme or plot, she'd tell Kevin a little about what she had in mind and all he had to do was his knightly duty and stop her. Of course, Faybelle's usual idea of being thwarted was for Kevin to take her out on dates, distract her with shopping, or just outright make out with her.
"I see where this is going," Kevin chuckled. He gently grasped Faybelle's hand and had her stand up before he pulled her to his side of the table and into his lap where he began kissing her pale neck, making her sigh softly.
"That's what mama wants," Faybelle sighed, hugging Kevin close. "Oooh, I like having you in my clutches."
"You are a big bad dark fairy. Enchanting a knight is part of the job description," Kevin teased.
"You bet, oh ah no!" Faybelle broke into giggles as Kevin nipped at her neck. A spot where she was ticklish. "Oooh you cunning knight! *giggle* Pretending to fall into my clutches to spring a trap on me!"
"Maybe if I spoil you enough, you'll become a good fairy," Kevin teased.
"As if! A good fairy wouldn't be as naughty with you as I am," Faybelle retorted. "Now pucker up!" She took Kevin's lips and orchestrated once again another PDA session she could brag about on Fablebook. Her MirrorPhone rang and she grumbled at the interruption. She picked it up and saw the caller ID on the screen, causing her to grimace. "Sorry, Kevin. I gotta take this."
Faybelle reluctantly left the comfort of his lap and walked out of earshot to take the call.
"Hey, Mom."
"Faybelle, how are you, darling?"
"Oh, you know, I'm doing fine here at school," Faybelle reported.
"I can see that on your Fablebook page but I am a bit...disappointed."
"Disappointed?" Faybelle's eyebrows rose.
"When was the last time you did anything evil?"
"Uh..." Faybelle blinked. Come to think of it, when was the last time she pulled anything evil? Maybe a bit of mischief, but nothing she really felt like was an achievement. Would that time she and Max turned Daring into a fish monster count? "I..well, I seduced a Knight of the Round Table?"
"Enthralling a knight is a step in the bad direction but what about recently? Have you cursed anyone?"
"I was...uh...saving those for when one of those Rogues ever crosses me," Faybelle tried to lie her way out of her mother's scolding. "You know, take down your rivals hard before they take your turf."
"Faybelle, I raised you better and you're making excuses. You can't let someone else's villainous plot get in the way of your destiny. It's bad enough that Raven Queen is turning her back on her destiny, I don't want you to be next," the Dark Fairy scolded. "I understand having fun with your enthralled knight is thrilling, especially if he's part of the Round Table. But you need to keep your evil going and not get distracted. Always aim to be bigger and badder. Now, I expect to see some exemplary evil before the week is out. Otherwise, I will come over there myself to give you the extra lessons you clearly need."
"R-right, got it, Mom," Faybelle sighed. The call ended and Faybelle hung up, "Way to kill the mood, Mom." She shook her head and sighed, "Great. Now what to do? Doing evil is easy when it's fun, but it just gets harder when someone is breathing down my neck."
As Faybelle was considering her options, another pair of customers were seated nearby. Ashlynn and Apple were having a BFFA day as they caught up with gossip at school or what they planned to do with their respective hobbies or perhaps gossip over something their boyfriends did.
While they were busy gossiping, a rabbit with a mailman's bag hopped to their table before coming to a stop next to Ashlynn.
"Oh, hello," Ashlynn greeted the rabbit. "Is there anything I can help you with?" The mail-rabbit dug into its bag for a moment before it retrieved an envelope with a bright red wax seal. "An invitation for me?" Ashlynn took it, letting the rabbit hop away. She then opened it and found a purple card inside.
"What is it?" asked Apple, curious.
"Let's see," Ashlynn opened the card, finding two golden tickets inside and a message. "'Ashlynn Ella, you and a guest are cordially invited to the Blue Moon Forest Fest, tonight'!"
"Really?! The Forest Fest!" Apple gasped in surprise. "That's the most hexclusive party, ever! You can't even find the party without an invitation!"
"I know!" Ashlynn giggled. "Apple, do you want to go with me?"
"Well, I-!" Apple began, but then was cut off as her phone began to ring. Looking apologetic at Ashlynn, who waved her off, Apple took her phone. "Once upon a Hello? Oh, hi Lancie! What's up?" Apple listened for a moment before she gasped, looking like her birthday had come, "You got tickets to the Blue Moon Forest Fest too?!"
"Oh, my fairy godmother!" Ahslynn giggled.
"Oh, yes, yes, yes, yes, I'll go with you!" Apple squealed. "Oh Lancie, you made me so happy! Okay, I'll meet you by the dorms tonight. Love you too, bye!"
"Lance got tickets too?" Ashlynn asked in shock.
"Well, I did read the first Lancelot was raised by a fairy, so maybe the Fairy Queen wanted to meet him?" Apple shrugged. "Oh who cares? I need to get ready! I have to pick my outfit and do my hair! This is such a big deal!"
"I know! Maybe I should bring Hunter then?" Ashlynn wondered.
"Oh you can invite anyone you want," Apple smiled before she spoke loudly for the shop to hear "After all, who wouldn't just kill to be your plus one to the Blue Moon Forest Festival?"
Gasps echoed around the area as all eyes turned to gaze at Ashlynn. Immediately, all the teenagers in the place swarmed on Ashlynn, many begging, asking, or offering favors to Ashlynn if she would bring them along as her plus one to the forest fest.
"Did I miss something?" asked Kevin as he looked to Faybelle coming back to their table.
"Oh, you did," Faybelle nodded. "But this is an opportunity too sweet to pass up. I'm gonna crash the biggest party of the year held by the brightest fairy of them all!"
Kevin blinked, but then he got it. Perhaps due to her mother, Faybelle had an unfortunate string of bad luck when it came to being invited to parties. Namely, she never got invited, her invitation got lost, or she would miss the party entirely. It was why she took it so bad when Darling held a slumber party with Gwen and so many of their friends.
Since meeting Kevin, Faybelle had managed to enjoy several parties, starting with Briar's Beach Bash. Perhaps it was due to Kevin's influence, but she had been able to be invited to many parties with the Knights of the Round Table involved. She certainly enjoyed being on the primary guest list since the knights were high up in the social hierarchy. Now though, now was her chance to really follow in her mom's footsteps by crashing the biggest fairy party of the year just like how her mom crashed Sleeping Beauty's birthday!
"Well, have fun," Kevin said. It was too bad he didn't get an invitation. He would've taken Faybelle along with him but it was just bad luck. Maybe she could get Ashlynn to take her along. It was worth a try.
Speaking of Ashlynn, she was almost overwhelmed by the people begging to be her plus one to the party. In the middle of it all, a teenage boy with a blonde pageboy haircut raised his hand, "I'd like to go!"
Ashlynn blinked at the boy, recognizing him. His name was Herwald Brinker, son of the Hero of Haarlem, the young boy who kept a dyke from flooding by sticking his finger into the hole. He was an employee at the bakery who worked the coffee machine mostly by sticking his fingers in it to keep it from leaking as well as releasing pressure when needed.
"Wait, if you're here…" Ashlynn began before looking at the brass coffee machine. It was jerking and whistling as all of its holes were blocked by whatever Herwald could find. It gave a sharp whistle before all the plugs blew off, sending a tidal wave of coffee in all directions.
"WAAAAHHH!"
"I asked for a pick me up, not a knock me down!" Cedar Wood cried as she was carried away by the wave. She also saw Frog Hopper riding a cup like a boat and rowing away with a spoon.
Book End Library - Around the Same Time
Arthur was in the library, handling book returns when a mail-bunny came to him. Vivi was helping him as well, as she was his loyal servant. Since Raven didn't have anything special going on, Vivi decided to help her king in his duties at the library, although she believed they were below him.
"Can I help you?" Arthur asked and the bunny handed him a purple card before it hopped away.
"What was that?" Raven asked as she came up to him when the mail-bunny hopped away. She had a book to return and she wanted to see him. Unlike the library in Ever After High, the public library in Book End had way more reference material, especially anything about magic. Raven was trying to learn how to control her abilities better and not always rely on her emotions to get them to work.
"Not sure," Arthur opened the purple card and found two gold tickets inside. "Looks like an invitation for something called the Blue Moon Forest Fest-"
"The Blue Moon Forest Fest!?" Raven cried and she heard Mira shush her. "Sorry. It's the Blue Moon Forest Fest. I can't believe you got an invitation."
Arthur blinked at Raven's outburst, "Is this something special?"
Raven almost gaped, but then remembered that Arthur didn't live his whole life in Ever After, "It's only held once in a blue moon and it's super hexclusive. You can only go with an invitation."
"Says here I get to take a guest with me. You want to come as my date, Blackbird?"
"O-oh, I, I don't know," Raven murmured, growing self-conscious. "I, I mean, I'd love to. It's just...well, the Fairy Queen of the Forest is the hostess and would she let me come? I mean, Evil Queen's daughter and all that."
"Nonsense, My Queen," Vivi disagreed. "If this Fairy Queen deems you unworthy to attend her celebration then it's not worth your time."
"I wouldn't put it that way but if I can't go with you then I'm not going either," Arthur stated.
"You'd do that for me?" Raven questioned, stunned. Arthur was willing to turn down an invitation to an exclusive party for her? The Blue Moon Forest Fest was only held once in a blue moon and getting an invitation was a huge deal. Nobody rejected an invitation. It just wasn't done.
"No party's worth going if I can't have you with me," Arthur smiled.
"Then, yeah, I'll go," Raven smiled back, accepting the invitation. She didn't want Arthur to miss out just because she got cold feet. Then again, it was hard to say no to him when he was being super sweet to her.
"Then you'll need a brand new outfit for your Blue Moon Forest Fest debut, My Queen," Vivi offered. "Let's go shopping!"
Vivi quickly grabbed Raven's arm and dragged her out the door, ignoring her protests.
"Do my ears deceive me, or did I hear you received an invitation to the Blue Moon Forest Fest?" Merlin asked.
"Geez, Merlin," Arthur cocked an eyebrow. "Sounds to me you would like to go."
"No, I don't. It's just that it reminds me of when your grandfather received an invitation once upon a time ago," Merlin had a look of nostalgia on his face. "So, are you taking Raven as your date?"
"Yeah," Arthur said. "Vivi already took her out to do some clothes shopping."
"Well, you should go find an outfit to wear. This is the Blue Moon Forest Fest after all," Merlin advised. "Trust me, the Fairy Queen is an awesome hostess, but she does expect her guests to have fun and look their best in her court."
"It's not like I was going to go in rags," Arthur sighed, although his nerves jumped when Raven revealed a Fairy Queen was throwing the party. What had he gotten himself into?
(-)
Lance was doing his daily work-out. His duties as a Knight required him to keep himself in shape and in tip-top fighting condition. Also, it helped to maintain his physique and appearance.
He did his sit-ups so now it was time for push-ups. As he got ready to start his reps, a mail-bunny came hopping in.
"Hey, little guy," Lance greeted. After living in this world for several months, he was used to the magical and fantastic things here so a mail-bunny was not all that strange anymore. The rabbit handed him a purple card. "For me? Thanks." The mail-bunny saluted and hopped away to deliver more letters.
Lance opened the card. It was an invitation to the Blue Moon Forest fest and it came with two golden tickets. It sounded like a big deal if the elaborate invitation was anything to go by.
"Hm, maybe Apple Pie would like to go with me." He grabbed his phone to give her a call. His girlfriend was always up for a party.
(-)
Later...
Arthur managed to find the outfit he needed, knowing he would have to trek through the Enchanted Forest to get there. Merlin attended the party once so he was able to report that it wasn't a black tie event. Just dress for some fun and a hike through the forest. So getting his outfit together, he headed to the front doors to head on over to Ever After High's dorms when he spied Lance already outside with his Mirror Warhorse.
"Going out tonight?" Arthur asked as Lance looked all dressed up. "Are you taking Apple out on a date?"
"Nah, I got an invitation to a party. Something called the Blue Moon Forest Fest," Lance answered.
"Really?" Arthur blinked. "So did I."
"Cool," Lance responded, not surprised. His friend was destined to be the next King Arthur, after all. "Guess you're taking Raven as your date, huh?"
"And that means you're taking Apple as yours ."
"Yup. I'm meeting her at the dorms to take her to the party. Let's go."
"Right behind you."
Ever After High - Dorms
That evening, Lance and Arthur came to the school dorms to pick up their dates. The girls looked stunning. They were dressed for the party but at the same they looked ready to take a hike through the woods, which they were. As the Blue Moon Forest Fest would take place in the Enchanted Forest, they'd have to trek though it to get to the party.
"Hey everyone!" Ashlynn's voice called as the couples heard her approach. She walked next to Jillian who if anything, looked the most prepared for the trek. With them was Blondie, who was apparently invited to cover the event. Although, Arthur had to question Ashlynn's choice in footwear. She was wearing hiking books made out of glass.
While glass slippers may work for Cinderella, how exactly were glass hiking boots supposed to be comfortable?
"So, Hunter's not going with you?" Arthur asked.
"He made plans to see a movie at the Multi-hex tonight with the guys," Ashlynn answered. "So I asked Jillian to come instead."
"A chance to have some fun in the woods? Just try to keep me away," Jillian laughed. "Not as hexciting as a beanstalk, but a way better party at the end."
"So, Blondie, who are you taking with you?" Apple wondered, seeing as Blondie didn't seem to have a date with her.
"Hey, there!" Faybelle waved as she jogged up to them. "Hey, Blondie! Seeing as you don't seem to have a date, mind taking me along to the Blue Moon Forest Fest?"
"Faybelle?" Ashlynn asked.
"That's right, buddy," Faybelle smiled. "So, what are we waiting for? Let's go."
"Actually, I already asked Poppy to go with me," Blondie said as the younger O'Hair sister arrived.
"Hey, guys," Poppy waved. Blondie had asked her to be her plus one when she had gone to the salon to get her hair done for the Forest Fest.
"Oh, OK," Faybelle slumped.
"We'll make sure to take lots of pictures," Blondie promised.
As the group went on to begin their journey to the Blue Moon Forest Fest, a look of fury crossed Faybelle's lovely features.
"Oh, you'll be sorry," Faybelle then flew off to cut them off.
(-)
Faybelle landed at the entrance of both the Dark Forest and the Enchanted Forest which were next to each other.
"How to deal with their rejection, send them in the wrong direction," Faybelle rhymed as she used her magic to switch the signs. Now the sign pointing to the Enchanted Forest was pointed to the Dark Forest and vice versa. "That'll show them for not inviting me."
"I see you're ticked off from being rejected." Faybelle jerked around, seeing her friend Max Lefay leaning against a tree with his arms crossed.
"Max?"
"I saw what you did," Max stated.
"Yeah?" Faybelle huffee. "So you're gonna rat out on me and save your buddies?"
Max shook his head, "And why would I do that? All you're doing is making them miss a party but sending them into the Dark Forest isn't evil enough."
Faybelle frowned slightly, crossing her arms, "Oh, what do you have in mind?" Max might have been new to villainy but he had already shown his potential so it was worth listening to whatever advice or plans he had. She could always claim credit when reporting to her mom.
"Blondie's documentary of Rex's quest allowed me to learn a bit about what dangers lurk in the Dark Forest and I've been doing some research. Why don't we follow them and film their doomed trip for the class?"
Faybelle's frown turned to a grin, "I knew there was a reason we're friends."
"Also, since Blondie and Jillian have already been to the Dark Forest, they'd recognize it instantly," Max pointed out. "So, switching the signs won't do you much good. You need to cast an illusion on the paths to make them appear different."
"Curses!" Faybelle hissed at her mistake. She had seen Blondie's Mirrorcast! Of course she and Jillian would know the road! "Good eye. Glad you caught that. Just give me a minute. This spell's harder than just switching a sign."
"You better hurry. They'll be coming soon," Max warned.
Faybelle rubbed her palms together and cast a quick illusion. The air shimmered as the entrance of the Dark Forest looked like the Enchanted Forest and vice versa.
"There," Faybelle ran a hand through her hair. That took a lot out of her but she managed to make a convincing illusion. Max grabbed her shoulder.
"They're coming. Hide." The pair hid behind some bushes and waited as the small group travelled down the path. Max had his MirrorPad out to record the beginning of what he would title 'The Horrible Journey' as the group reached the fork in the road. After a moment to check the signs, the group turned and headed down the disguised path into the Dark Forest.
"Yes!" Faybelle high-fived Max. "Come on, we can't miss how much of a fairy tale fail this will be!"
"Right behind you," Max nodded, following his friend. "So, Faybelle, if you wanted to go so bad, why didn't you just steal a ticket from someone and leave a fake? I mean, all the invitations had two of them."
The question had Faybelle stop in her tracks for a moment before she facepalmed, "...D'oh!"
(-)
"You know, the Enchanted Forest looks really different at night," Lance observed as he looked around their surroundings.
"Looks kind of familiar," Jillian commented.
"You're right," Blondie agreed. "Kinda reminds me of the quest we went on with Rex and the others."
"It's probably just because it's deeper than we usually go," Poppy offered. "I mean, we took the right path and everything."
"Feels like we've been walking for hours though," Ashlynn sighed. "I can't even tell if it's day or night since the trees are so thick."
The group heard a growl and stopped. Was it some wild animal? A monster? Something that went bump in the night.
"Sorry," Apple apologized, blushing. "I forgot to eat something because I got hexcited about the party."
"You're not the only one," Poppy agreed. "I thought we'd be at the party by now so I didn't eat either."
"Well, you can all relax!" Blondie smiled. "I'm an expert at finding food in the forest! My mom taught me everything I know. You can count on me!"
"Wait, wasn't your mom famous for breaking and entering?" Lance remarked. Blondie didn't seem to hear him as she took the lead to find something for she and her friends to eat.
"'Breaking and entering'?" Arthur glared at Lance. "Did you really have to make Goldilocks sound like a criminal?"
"It's true, isn't it?" Lance asked. "Ask the Three Bears."
"That would explain Blondie's inability to respect personal space," Raven remarked. Blondie's reputation for sniffing out secrets spoke for itself. The incident with Meeshell and Ben was just one of the latest examples among many.
"Look, if she somehow follows in her mom's footsteps and breaks into the bear's house too, I'm going to claim ignorance," Lance insisted. "But if Blondie can get us something to eat, then fine."
(-)
As the group of partiers kept going, Faybelle and Max hung back, waiting for them to find one of the hazards of the Dark Forest and see how well they handled it. As they waited for something amusing to happen, the friends naturally began talking.
"So, your mother called and wanted you to do something evil?" Max asked.
"Yeah," Faybelle sighed. "She told me she was disappointed that I wasn't doing enough evil."
Max winced, knowing how much disappointing the parents you love can hurt, "Must be rough. You are destined to be the next Dark Fairy. That's a huge destiny to live up to."
Faybelle sighed, "Yeah, and I love my destiny. It's just, well, things are different now."
Max chuckled at the insinuation, "Is Kevin a good influence on you?"
"No, of course not," Faybelle denied, but she didn't look Max in the eye. Admittedly, plenty of her plots were thwarted oh so pleasantly by her boyfriend. It didn't mean she gave up being evil!
"Here's a piece of advice, Faybelle. You decided to follow in your mother's footsteps, so you get to choose how you do it," Max advised. "Be the kind of Dark Fairy you want to be. Like how I decided I'd be the gentleman villain even though Mordred is known as a traitor and backstabber."
"Aren't you kinda stabbing them in the back right now by helping me trick them into going into the Dark Forest and filming it?" Faybelle pointed out.
"Meh, maybe. But I'm tasteful about it and it's nothing personal," Max shrugged. "Some might even call it a prank. Besides, we just want them to miss the Blue Moon Forest Fest, not curse them to sleep for 100 years."
"Point. I'm saving that big curse for Final Hexams anyway," Faybelle nodded.
Dark Forest
Following Blondie's lead, the group went to find someplace where they could get some food when they came across a gingerbread house. It was as big as a real house, with a candy cane fence around it. The shingles on the roof had icing on them and there were gumdrops on the walls. Instead of a flower bed, the lawn had lollipops.
"Look, a gingerbread house!" Blondie pointed ahead.
"You think Ginger's mom might be home?" Arthur asked. Rex mentioned that she lived in a gingerbread house so this might be her home. They could ask for some treats.
"So long as it isn't cursed, I'm fine with asking," Raven sighed, now as hungry as the others.
"Hey, the door's opened," Lance said as it was unlocked. He opened it and the group gasped as they saw Ginger and Rex making out passionately on top of the gingerbread table, surrounded by crumbs. Ginger was on top of Rex, straddling him, and she looked like she was trying to get his shirt off when she noticed them.
"EEEK!"
Arthur slammed the door shut, blushing bright red, "I can never unsee that."
"Oh wow," Blondie blushed bright red, fanning her face. "Ginger is soooooo lucky."
Apple and Raven were bright red. They looked to each other, but then to their boyfriends before turning an even brighter red. Ashlynn, and Poppy weren't far behind as they thought of their own boyfriends and being in such a position with them. Jillian just wondered if Tiny would be as passionate with her if they ever got the chance.
"Nice setup," Lance commented, slightly red in the cheeks himself. "A candy love shack in the middle of the woods for some alone time. I should have thought of that."
"Lancie…" Apple blushed bright red.
The door suddenly swung opened and Rex sourly stepped out, trying to look presentable, "And...what are you all doing here?"
"We are so sorry!" Raven tried to apologize. "We were trying to get to the Forest Fest and, well, we got turned around. Then we got hungry and found this place, and well…"
Rex looked to Lance and Arthur who nodded, although they looked as embarrassed as he was. Sighing, he shook his head, "First the Crumb Cousins and now you lot. We need a better makeout spot." He looked at the group, "The Forest Fest? You really went in the wrong direction. You should be going through the Enchanted Forest. You're all in the Dark Forest."
"What?!" Arthur and Lance cried out.
"I knew this place looked familiar!" Jillian gasped.
"Wait, hold on," Lance looked at Rex. "You come to a gingerbread house in the middle of the Dark Forest to make out with your girlfriend?"
"It's the only place we can have any privacy!" Rex defended, throwing his arms up.
"No, that's genius!" Lance groaned. "I should have thought of a special private place for me and Apple Pie!"
"Lance, focus," Arthur interjected. "We're in the Dark Forest. Something must've happened that caused us to take the wrong path."
"How could we get turned around though? There was a sign and everything," Raven frowned.
"Unless someone switched it," Poppy offered. "None of us have been to the Dark Forest before and Blondie and Jillian have only been here once, right?"
"Too right," Jillian rubbed her chin. "Someone's playing silly buggers with us."
"Did you offend anybody earlier today?" Rex asked. His embarrassment faded as he realized someone was playing a prank on his friends. The Dark Forest wasn't a pleasant place in most areas. Granted, they had three Knights of the Round Table with them but it was still not entirely safe.
The group looked to one another in thought before one common incident came to their minds, "Faybelle!"
"Wait, should we really be jumping to conclusions like that?" Ashlynn asked her friends.
"Maybe not," Arthur admitted. "Did any of us run into anyone else who would mess with us like this?"
"Well, plenty of people wanted me to bring them to the Forest Fest," Blondie spoke up. "But none of them were real villains or able to use magic."
"Arthur and I got our tickets privately so only a few people even knew we were going to be out here," Lance added. "And Faybelle looked like she really wanted to go."
"Well...that's true," Ashlynn admitted, remembering Faybelle's sudden appearance before they left.
"And Faybelle can use magic. She must've cast a spell that mixed up the paths," Raven added. She would know that casting an illusion like that wasn't easy. The magic community in the school was small, so they all knew about each other.
"Do you need help finding your way out?" Rex offered.
"Nah, we're good," Lance said. "Don't wanna interrupt your date. Though, next time, hang a sign or a sock on the doorknob if you don't want to be disturbed."
"The Crumb Cousins ate the last sign we made," Rex grumbled.
"Now that we know we got turned around, we can retrace our steps," Arthur rubbed his face. "So we can find our way back. Sorry about interrupting your date."
"Well, it wasn't malicious, unlike with the Crumbs who wouldn't stop eating the house when we caught them," Rex groaned. "For all they denounce Ginger and her mother, it doesn't stop them from pigging out when they see her work."
Waving goodbyes and making some last apologies to Rex and Ginger, the group turned back to the path they were following back into the woods.
(-)
As the encounter unfolded, Max and Faybelle couldn't help but laugh as they saw it all. They were in fact hiding on top of the house looking down. Faybelle cast a spell which made it hard to notice them, provided they weren't too loud or did anything to catch people's attention.
"Oh man. I thought they'd find the Crumbs, not Rex and Ginger's love shack," Max struggled not to burst out laughing. He was struggling to keep his MirrorPad up so he could record everything.
"I know! That makes it so much better!" Faybelle stifled her giggles. The looks on their faces were priceless!
"Looks like they figured you out though," Max warned.
"Bah. I'm not worried," Faybelle shrugged. "Raven would have figured it out once they realized the paths were swapped. Besides, the Dark Forest has a way of turning people around. I won't have to lift a finger to keep my little plot going."
"And by the time they find their way out, the party would be over," Max grinned.
"Exactly," Faybelle nodded.
(-)
Now that the group knew they were on the wrong path, they began backtracking back to the main path. They might end up a little late for the party, but at least they would still be there in good time. Some had thoughts of how they would confront Faybelle for what she did. Some considered giving her some payback while others wondered if Faybelle really did think Ashlynn was going to bring her and was upset when it wasn't the case.
As they were walking, Apple noticed a small group of rabbits near a bush. Her eyes immediately lit up as she moved to coo over them, "Oh, look. Bunnies. How adorable."
"Bunnies?" Blondie and Jillian turned to see the rabbits Apple was cooing at before they paled.
Jillian dashed forward, "Wait, Apple, no!"
The rabbits all opened their mouths, showing rows of razor sharp teeth as they snarled.
"Death Bunnies!" Blondie and Jillian cried out.
One of the death bunnies lunged at Apple but Lance kicked it away as it shrieked. That didn't deter the others as they charged, hoping to be the first to snap up the prey in front of them.
"Run!" he yelled as he took Apple's hand and ran off with her.
The group dashed away from the rabbits as the small monsters raced after them.
"What kind of insane person makes cute little killing machines!?" Lance yelled. These death bunnies couldn't be natural. They looked more the creation of some twisted, evil witch.
"Who cares? Just run!" Arthur shouted.
One of them managed to grab Ashlynn's leg but its teeth couldn't get through the glass hiking boot so it slipped off. It tumbled on the ground, tripping up the others and giving the group some much needed distance.
Once they were sure they lost the death bunnies, the group stopped to rest. Apple was noticeably freaked out.
"It's OK, Apple. The evil bunnies are gone," Lance comforted the girl.
"Bunnies should not have teeth like that," she exhaled. Nobody disagreed.
"Now where are we?" Arthur wondered, looking around to see more dark trees.
"Hey, Arthur. Are you getting shorter?" Lance asked.
Arthur blinked at the odd question but then he had a sinking feeling. Looking down, he gasped when he saw his boots sinking into the ground. With a yelp, he slogged on over to his friends. Lance and Jillian quickly took his hands and yanked him out of the quicksand.
"Quicksand? Really?" Arthur gasped.
"Hard to spot out here, especially in the dark," Jillian grimaced. "You okay, Arthur?"
"Boots are a mess, but I'm fine," Arthur sighed, checking his feet. "Good thing you caught that so fast, Lance."
"Me too," Lance shook his head. "Okay, so any idea where we are now? Jillian? Blondie?"
"Sorry. I only paid attention to the other questers," Blondie answered.
"We mainly stuck to the path. We're stuck in the thick of it now," Jillian shook her head. "If I remember clearly, this was before we ran into the Knights Who Say 'Nii'."
"The what?" Raven blinked.
"Nii, nii, nii!"
Jillian and Blondie couldn't help but let out groans as around them, knights dressed in bits of wood and antlers emerged from the woods. The largest of them all loomed over the group, making many of the girls whimper in fright as Arthur and Lance prepared for a fight.
"Not these wankers again," Jillian groaned.
"We are the Knights who say 'Nii'!" the leader of the Knights Who Say Nii introduced them.
"Nii, nii, nii!" the rest chanted.
Jillian wasn't sure if she wanted to laugh or groan, "And let me guess, we have to find you a nice shrubbery?"
"Indeed!" said the tall knight. "But not only this, but you must also chop down a tree with this herring!"
Arthur blinked at the fish in the knight's hand and looked up at him incredulously, "It can't be done!"
The knights suddenly recoiled as if struck, "Gah! Not the forbidden word!"
"Huh?" Lance blinked. "What forbidden word? What is it?"
"Gah! Again! The forbidden word!"
"IT!" Blondie and Jillian cried out, making the knights recoil further back.
"Stop it! Stop using the forbidden word!" The knight then realized what he said and began to wail, as if he was in pain.
Blondie and Jillian continued to shout "IT" as they ushered their friends away from the ridiculous Knights Who Say 'Nii'. They continued to use the forbidden word once they were far enough.
"That...was bizarre," Raven stated.
"What do you think made them like that?" Apple wondered. It was like they had gone mad from living in the Dark Forest for so long. Her stomach growled again.
"We forgot to grab something to eat," Lance recalled. Besides the gingerbread house, there was nowhere else to find food. He wasn't about to pick berries in the Dark Forest either. It could be poisonous.
Groaning, the group just continued onward, looking for a path so they could get a better idea of where they were.
(-)
Faybelle and Max panted as they stopped to catch their breath.
"What the hex were those?!" Faybelle cried in shock.
"Rabid rabbits?" Max blinked. "I think we'd better follow them to make sure they're okay."
"Yeah, yeah we should," Faybelle gulped. With a wave of her hands, Max began to levitate behind Faybelle as they followed after their friends.
(-)
The group kept walking, finding something that looked like a path which led to what looked like a lit grotto underneath a large fallen log with glowing mushrooms. To their shock, inside was a cute-looking frozen yogurt stand with a girl dressed in a pink dress and purple shawl with what looked like a web motif to her clothes.
"Welcome to Miss Muffet's frozen Yo-curd bar! It's way tasty!" the girl waved as the group approached. They did not even question her presence in the Dark Forest. They were starving. She even began filling a cup to show off her product. "So pull up a tuffet and relax!"
"Food…" Lance groaned, walking to pick a seat next to the bar. The others weren't far behind, hoping to finally get something to eat. As Miss Muffet smiled and prepared more frozen yogurt for her customers, a scuttle was heard from above before something began to lower from the shadowed portions.
Lance and Arthur flinched when they saw the giant spider descend from the darkness above. The girls all gasped and looked ready to run. Arthur and Lance were just used to the more terrifying Dispider and the humanoid Spiders of the Mirror World. So this spider looked more goofy than actually scary, even if they did flinch when they saw him.
"And we also provide free web access!" the spider grinned. "So sit down and enjoy! You look like you need to take a load off!"
"Business partner?" Lance asked Miss Muffet, who nodded with a smile.
"Web access?" Arthur blinked. "Oh great! We can try some GPS or something!"
"We'll be able to find the Forest Fest!" Apple clapped her hands, forgetting the giant spider in favor of finally finding their way. The other girls followed her, getting more orders of yogurt as they talked with Miss Muffet and her spider friend. Arthur retrieved his phone and with the web access, was able to get a general idea of which way the Enchanted Forest was. The Dark Forest wasn't exactly well-mapped. It was still a lead to get where they wanted to go.
(-)
After paying for their frozen yogurt and promising to leave a review so more people could find Miss Muffet, the group began following Arthur's general directions. Using the GPS, the group came across a house that Blondie recognized.
"Oh, good," Blondie smiled.
"You know this house?" Arthur asked.
"Yeah, it's where the Three Bears live. They always let me in for some porridge. Maybe they'll have enough to share." While the frozen yogurt was good it did not exactly fill them up. Blondie knocked on the door. "Hello? "Is anyone home?"
Lance could see the lights go off as soon as Blondie started knocking. If the Three Bears were home, they weren't in the mood to welcome any visitors.
"Um, Blondie...?" Lance started.
"Hm, they must not be home," Blondie pondered, reaching to pull out her trusty hairpin.
Arthur caught her wrist before she could try to pick the lock. Like Lance, He didn't miss the lights going out when Blondie knocked on the door. Considering Blondie's family history with the bears, and then how it was clear they were pretending not to be home, he didn't think it was wise to just barge in.
"Blondie, um, friend or not, I don't think they would appreciate you just barging in and bringing us with you," Arthur warned. "I mean, remember what your mother did?"
"Oh it's fine, we totally made up," Blondie smiled as she moved back to the lock to begin picking it.
Lance gave a look to Arthur, "Told you."
The door unlocked and Blondie pushed the door open, "Don't be shy, guys! Come in and make yourselves at home!"
"Uh, Blondie?" Apple began as she peeked inside. The Bear family were hiding either as furniture or in the case of Mr. Bear, pretending to be a rug. "I think we came at a bad time…"
"Oh it's fine, Apple!" Blondie insisted as she turned to smile at the bears, "Hi, guys!"
"Blondie," Mother Bear said nervously. "What do you want?"
"Oh, my friends and I got lost and we were hoping we could rest and have some porridge in your home," Blondie smiled.
Mother Bear weakly replied, "Well...we always have porridge…"
Father Bear scoffed, "For the girl that broke into our house. I guess it's only polite."
Arthur groaned when he saw how uncomfortable the three bears were with their presence, or specifically Blondie's. Baby Bear looked like he wanted to start shouting and was about to lose his temper. Deciding to defuse the situation and not poke bears, Arthur walked up to Blondie before unceremoniously throwing her over his shoulder.
"Woah! A-Arthur, hey!" Blondie yelped.
"Mr. Bear, Mrs. Bear, I'm very sorry for Blondie again forgetting what personal boundaries are," Arthur apologized with a sigh. "We'll leave right away. If you could point us in the direction of the Enchanted Forest, we would be very grateful."
The three bears almost seemed relieved as the group left, offering embarrassed apologies. Mr. Bear was gracious enough to point out a path which would take the group in the direction of the Enchanted Forest. Blondie kicked and made a fuss, but no one listened since they all knew the bears didn't want them there. Somehow, Goldilocks' daughter just didn't seem to get her actions were rude to say the least.
"But Arthur, they love me!" Blondie complained as the group walked down the path Mr. Bear pointed them to. "They would have totally let us have some porridge!"
"Blondie, you literally broke into their house," Arthur reminded, still carrying her so she didn't try to push them back to the house. "It was clear they weren't comfortable with us being there."
"If you kept pushing, they would've called the cops and we'd be spending the night in jail, or spinning straw into gold for Prof. Rumpelstiltskin," Lance added.
"That was awkward enough as it was," Poppy groaned. "How did all this happen?"
"I think we're all going to talk to Faybelle when we see her again," Raven grumbled.
(-)
"Sheesh," Max grimaced from his perch with Faybelle. "I knew Blondie didn't get boundaries, but that was a little brazen."
"I know," Faybelle nodded, a little surprised herself. "I didn't think she'd just break in like that."
"It makes good blackmail material, though."
"Totally."
Well, it seems that despite some twists and turns, the group of friends are managing to make their way towards the party they intended to attend.
In good time, as well. Some of those hazards truly would have held them up for a while if cooler heads didn't prevail.
But they're going to miss the party at this rate! And that imp coming up-!
Brooke, spoilers!
But they just can't miss one of the biggest parties of the year!
Book End - Multi-Hex Theatre
Darren had gone to watch a movie with the guys. It was 'Jack and Jilted', a horror movie. Basically, it was about a guy named Jack who rejected a girl named Jill who became a stalker. When she died, she came back from the dead and continued to stalk him as a zombie.
"Do you have to talk during the whole movie?" Hunter asked Tristan, annoyed.
"Hey, my riff tracks are comedy gold," Tristan boasted. "And there was so much wrong with that movie, it just came naturally. I mean, a zombie girl stalker?"
"Well I haven't seen this before, so could you let me enjoy it?" Hunter sighed.
"Poppy would be in stitches by now," Tristan huffed.
Darren chuckled as he munched on some popcorn. He kind of wished Lizzie had wanted to come. They hadn't seen a scary movie before and he heard it was like makeout city when you watched them with your girlfriend. Still, a night out with the guys was fun and personally, Darren did think Tristan's riff tracks were funny. It made the movie better for him since the plot was just so off the wall.
Darren! Darren!
"Oh, hey Brooke," Darren smiled as he heard his friend.
"Shhh!" Hunter hissed. "Not you too."
Arthur and the others are lost in the Dark Forest!
Darren suddenly lost his good humor, "What are they doing in the Dark Forest?"
Sorry, I can't tell you, but you need to get them out before they're late for the Forest Fest!
"So, that's what happened," Darren said out loud. "Arthur and the others are lost in the Dark Forest."
"Wait, what did you say?" Tristan asked.
"Arthur and the others somehow got lost into the Dark Forest," Darren repeated, getting up. "If you're helping, come on! You know how dangerous that area can be!"
"We must hurry at once!" Vivi announced, popping up from one of the rows behind the boys. There was a chorus of 'shhh' around them.
"Where did you come from?" Hunter blinked.
"I had the night off, but no longer!" Vivi whispered. "We must hurry to save the king and queen!"
The group quickly slipped out, thoughts focused on their friends in concern. Hunter, even if Darren just brought it up out of the blue, was concerned if Ashlynn was in trouble or not. Darren wasn't the type to make jokes like that, so likely something made him think something was wrong.
"Any idea how to find them?" Hunter asked as they got outside.
"Well…" Darren began.
Darren, use Baba Yaga's hut.
"We could use Madam Yaga's hut," Darren suggested. "She goes into the Dark Forest all the time, doesn't she?"
Ever After High - Baba Yaga's Hut
They went to Baba Yaga's office to ask for permission to use it so they could go rescue their friends. It was easy to find since her office was also her house. It was a cozy-looking cabin which was set on the school's campus. Thanks to its ability to walk on chicken legs, she routinely moved it when she wanted a new view to enjoy.
The group entered the cabin, asking for Baba Yaga. Inside they found a typical space for a friendly witch, including herbs, shelves of potions, and other spell items. Despite everything they did find, there was no sign of Baba Yaga herself.
"Does anyone know how to drive a hut on chicken legs?" Tristan asked, looking for the controls Baba Yaga used to drive her hut.
"Maybe we should wait for Madam Yaga to come back?" Darren suggested.
"There's no time! We must go now!" Vivi marched over to the hut's steering system which was hidden behind a curtain. She pulled the curtain's aside to reveal a steering wheel and several levers with a cushioned seat. "Strap yourselves in."
"With what? I don't see any seatbelts," Tristan responded
Vivi ignored him as she pushed a lever and the cabin stood up on its large chicken legs. She then moved the wheel to make it go forward but then it tripped on the fountain, chasing away a couple on a romantic rendezvous.
"Look where you're going!" Tristan snapped.
"Do not fear, Sir Tristain. I'll figure this out." Vivi grabbed the wheel to regain control but it spun out of control, sending the chicken hut running. Everyone inside was tossed around Baba Yaga's office as there were no seatbelts. It smashed open the front door of the school, sending students running as it marched through the halls.
"Flee! Flee from chicken-hut-zilla!" Darren cried.
The chicken hut travelled all over the school before it somehow made its way to the roof.
"Where did you learn to drive!?" Tristan yelled as he went over to Vivi and pushed her aside. "Move over!" He gripped the wheel and held it steady which made the chicken hut stop its rampage. "Okay, now let's see what does what."
"Um, Tristan," Darren poked his head out the window to see they were at the top of the castle. "We're really high up."
"Uh-oh," Tristan paled as the chicken hut went tumbling, throwing them all around the office before it landed back in the fountain. A bottle on Baba Yaga's shelf fell off and broke, releasing the witch in a cloud of pink smoke.
"Free at last!" Baba Yaga cheered jubilantly. "A spell went south and I was trapped in that bottle all night and - what did you children do to my office!?" It was a mess, with books and furniture scattered all over the floor.
"She did it!" Darren pointed at Vivi.
Baba Yaga frowned, "Miss Dulac, you know actions such as these are not part of your story."
"I required your hut to help rescue my king and queen," Vivi justified, unashamed.
Baba Yaga blinked, "Excuse me?"
"Long story short, ma'am, our friends are lost in the Dark Forest and we need to go rescue them," Darren clarified. "You have one of the fastest ways to get there and you know the Dark Forest pretty well too."
"Ah, that's something else then," Baba Yaga nodded. Using her magic, she repaired the damage to the hut before she got back to the controls, "A field trip to the Dark Forest it is!"
The hut shuddered before standing up. With much more fluid motions, the hut headed for the gates of the school and the Dark Forest.
"Madam Yaga, maybe you should invest in seatbelts," Tristan offered. "Just a note."
Dark Forest
After leaving the Three Bears' house, the group continued to look for their way out of the Dark Forest. It was already pretty dark.
"I need to rest my feet," Ashlynn sat down on a stump. That turned out to be a mistake as the tree stump slipped out from right under her. "Ow!"
"Ashlynn!" Apple helped her friend up.
"That stump just moved."
"Hey, I ain't no stump!" A figure popped out of the stump, wearing it like some kind of skirt. "Issle Widget the imp, I am, I am and I'm here to invite you to a wickedly awesome party! Just follow me!"
"A party? Do you mean the Forest Fest?" Apple's eyes lit up. Finally, they would be able to get there and not miss it!
"Just walk this way!" Widget walked ahead.
"Are you sure we should trust a forest imp, Apple Pie?" Lance asked.
"It's the only lead we've got, Lancie," Apple reasoned.
Issle led the group down a path through the forest. Unseen by them, the imp gave Faybelle and Max a thumbs up as he passed.
(-)
Issle took them through the forest, but then into what looked like some kind of bog. They crossed over some groaning planks before they entered what looked like an open clearing. Pitiful streamers were set up and a few tiki torches illuminated the area. In the middle of it all was a hacked-looking wooden chair on a pedestal with a large furry troll in it. He looked absolutely bored and had messy hair covered in twigs.
"This doesn't look like the Forest Fest," Raven said, looking at Iggle in suspicion. The imp merely snickered and vanished inside of his stump again.
"I'm Biggle Waggle and this is my bog. You kids are guests for my party," the bog beast said in a bored tone. He turned on his radio to play a sad old tune. "Party, party, party."
There were no other guests, no good no beverages, no decorations, and not even a DJ. It was way too sad and pathetic to be a party. As the music began, the planks which led into the bog all suddenly disappeared in a haze of green. Most of the girls gasped while the three knights in the group turned to face the unpleasant troll.
"Spells, spells, well I curse my spell," the troll continued in a dull tone, making the green haze circle around the bog. "Now you're stuck here for a hundred years."
"What?!" Raven gasped.
"Why would you do such a thing?" asked Ashlynn.
Arthur looked to Lance and the pair nodded, grasping the Advent Decks in their pockets. The troll didn't look all that tough, but by nature trolls were strong. Added to the fact that Biggle could apparently cast magic, and he was clearly not a pushover. He didn't seem interested in fighting, but if they couldn't slip out of his spell somehow, it might come down to it.
"Because no one ever invites me to anything!" Biggle huffed, slamming his fist on the arm of his throne. "So I started my own party to compete with the Forest Fest! Now I order you all to have fun!"
"You can't order people to have fun," Poppy strode up to the troll, pointing at him with a stern expression. "No wonder you're never invited anywhere, seeing as how rude you are. It wouldn't hurt you to act a bit nicer and you should really take care of your appearance too."
"You go girl! Tell it like it is!" Jillian praised.
"Blondie," Poppy snapped her fingers. "My bag, please. It's time for a makeover."
Arthur blinked, "Wait, what?"
Poppy worked her magic, giving Biggle Waggle a complete makeover. She started by washing his hair, then she cut it, styled it and finally dried it. She also added a pair of stylish specs and a beret to complete the look.
"Wow, she can even make a troll look good," Lance awed.
"What do you think?" Poppy held a mirror up to Biggle. The troll couldn't believe it. The girl really tidied up his appearance.
"I feel like a new troll. Thank you. How could I ever repay you?"
Poppy smiled, "No problem. Helping people look good is my passion. You can even go to the Forest Fest in my place."
Biggle gasped, turning to Poppy, "You'd do that? Nobody has ever shown me such kindness before."
"Well, I would've let Faybelle go in my place if she wasn't being so pushy about it."
"Then I lift the spell!" Biggle declared. Immediately the hex vanished and the boards leading out of the bog reappeared. He then adjusted his new glasses and took the lead, "This way to the Enchanted Forest!"
The group of students cheered as they followed the troll out of the bog.
Meanwhile, Faybelle and Max watched from behind a tree. When she heard what Poppy said, the fairy started to feel guilty. Had she been pushing it a bit? It didn't help that the hazards the group faced were one thing, but the threat of being trapped in a bad party for a hundred years was something else entirely.
"Having second thoughts?" asked Max, seeing Faybelle's expression.
"Just...things might have gone a little far with this one," Faybelle grimaced. "I thought he'd just trap them there for the night, not a hundred years."
Max nodded, "As their friend, I do call that going too far. Thank goodness Poppy managed to get him to mellow out. Your mother may not approve, but as a gentleman villain myself, I'll just say you define the limits of your villainy, not her."
Faybelle nodded softly, "Right. In that case, I think this has gone on long enough. I've had my fill so if they can get to the Forest Fest, then they earned it."
"Then we better follow them to make sure they reach it safely," Max suggested. The two then began to follow after the group.
(-)
With Biggle Waggle joining them, the group made their way to the divide between the Dark Forest and Enchanted Forest when they heard a loud thud. The noise made everyone stiffen and look around. With everything they saw so far, they didn't want to be caught by surprise.
"What was that?" Raven asked.
"Must be a tree falling down," Arthur answered. He heard another thud. "Another tree?"
"That doesn't sound like a tree falling," Jillian said as the thuds got louder and closer. They soon saw a tall, dark and monstrous figure coming right behind them.
"Oh, no," Holly gasped.
"Run!" Ashlynn shouted and they ran for their lives. Trees fell as the monster was right on their tail.
"Look, the Enchanted Forest!" Apple pointed at the shining aurora that rose not too far from them.
"We're almost there!" Raven cried. Arthur, Jillian and Lance suddenly skidded to a halt. "Arthur, what are you doing!?"
"You get to the Enchanted Forest!" Arthur yelled as he took out his Advent Deck. "We'll hold this thing off while you escape!"
The monster was coming as just as the three Knights were about to transform, they heard a loud battle cry as Faybelle swooped in like a heroine.
"Hey, you big fat monster!" Faybelle used her magic to grab a fallen tree. "Leave my friends alone!" She threw the tree at the monster's legs and it fell. Its cries as it collapsed sounded like multiple screams.
"Faybelle?" Arthur questioned.
"My hut!" Madam Yaga screamed as she came out of the monster, revealed to be her chicken hut.
"Madam Yaga!?" Raven gasped.
Arthur then saw as several more people exited the chicken hut: Darren, Hunter, Tristan, and Vivi.
"There they are!" Darren pointed.
"My King! My Queen!" Vivi ran up to them.
"Ashlynn!" Hunter hugged his girlfriend, so relieved to see her safe.
"What are you guys doing here?" Poppy asked.
"Darren told us you got lost in the Dark Forest," Tristan answered. "So we got Madam Yaga to help us find you."
"Ah...That was my fault, actually. I sent you in the wrong direction," Faybelle confessed, turning all attention towards her. Max was behind her, whistling innocently.
"Why would you do such a thing?" Ashlynn asked.
"Can't blame a girl for following her destiny, right?" Faybelle offered weakly, but Max nudged her. "OK, I was mad that you didn't invite me to come along but then I saw how you handled everything, and you were even nice to that disgusting bog beast."
"I have feelings too, you know," Biggle Woggle complained as he scratched his back with a tree branch.
"Look, what I'm trying to say is that I'm s...I'm so...I'm sor..." She couldn't even say it.
"I think what she means to say is that she's sorry," Max finished for her.
Faybelle nodded, "Yeah, that."
"And how did you get involved, Max?" Arthur asked.
"Oh, I wanted to film you guys. Since it was a prank, I thought it would make a good video. I got some really good footage, like when Apple freaked out because of the bunnies." Lance snatched away Max's MirrorPad and deleted the video. "Hey!"
"We are going to have a chat about this back at the library," Arthur warned Max. "We should really be heading back. It's already really late and we've probably missed the party."
"Ah, but you haven't missed anything," a pleasant voice echoed from the forest. In a flash of sparkles, a woman with large butterfly wings and long flowing brown hair in a sparkling dress appeared. "Hello one and all. I am the Fairy Queen. One does not just find the Forest Fest, it finds you, and I would be happy to welcome you all as my special guests."
She gestured to a large cluster of bushes which separated. On the other side was a sparkling night club with a fairy-esque theme to it. The floor lit up with lights and there were even two levels which looked like part of a tree. Many students of Ever After High and other notables who were friends of the fae were in attendance, dancing the night away to the awesome beat.
"Tristan, c'mon!" Poppy took her boyfriend's hand and pulled him into the party as everyone else joined in. Many began dancing, or going to the refreshments for something to eat or drink. Faybelle and Max remained behind. Neither were really sure if they should join in since they caused so much trouble for the others. Faybelle felt guiltier since much of her prank went too far and put her and Max's friends at risk. Did she really deserve to attend even though she dearly wanted to?
"Faybelle, Max, aren't you joining us?" Ashlynn asked.
"All this niceness is going to trash my rep," Faybelle worried. "And I already have mom breathing down my neck."
"Just enjoy yourself tonight, Faybelle," Max urged. "You can always be bad tomorrow."
Faybelle smiled and both she and Max joined everyone in the Forest Fest to party.
Book End - Beanstalk Bakery
The next day did bring some talk about what happened. Ashlynn and the other girls were obviously not happy that Faybelle steered them off course and sent them through a lot of potential danger in the Dark Forest. The death bunnies and Biggle's curse were no laughing matter. Still, the girls, even Raven, proved they were princesses and forgave Faybelle for it after she apologized and showed sincere guilt over some of the more dangerous parts of the trip. No, her real real trial came when Kevin learned about what happened.
"Faybelle…" Kevin sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Seriously? You took it that far?"
"I admit it went a little too far…" Faybelle winced.
"Oh, it's not that you pulled something like this," Kevin sighed. "I know how much you hate being excluded from a big party. I also know how you thought you could convince Ashlynn to bring you along. I know you. I know you'd pull something if you didn't get an invite to the party. That's not why I'm upset. I'm upset because you sent our friends out into the Dark Forest without supplies, a map, or even any idea of what they were going to deal with! You have to know how dangerous that was."
Faybelle winced, "W-well Max and I were keeping an eye on things!"
"Which is why I'm not shouting right now," Kevin replied. "At least you had the foresight to make sure nothing really bad happened to them. I'm just upset that they were put at risk like this over a payback prank."
"It...it was just supposed to send them the wrong way, maybe freak them out a little, and they'd miss the party," Faybelle grimaced. "I...I didn't know some of the things they ran into would happen."
Kevin sighed. Faybelle clearly felt guilty about just how much their friends went through because of her prank. So he didn't need to scold her about it more than he had, "Just...just use this as a lesson about proper planning, okay?"
"You got it," Faybelle nodded.
But the seeds of doubt were already planted. Would their relationship survive in the future?
Well, a Knight of the Round Table could do much better than the Dark Faerie if you ask me.
Mom, come on, it's a star-crossed romance! Drama!
A/N: And the Blue Moon Forest fest happens. Faybelle shows her evil side, although she shows Kevin's influence by feeling more guilt than she originally did in canon and tries looking out for her friends to keep things from going too far. It's another nice callout to the slice of life fun that comes with Ever After High which is still needed after the One Day War fought by the Order of the White Dragon.
I know it's been a while since the last update, but I wanted to get several chapters ahead before I started posting more. That way I get some breathing space in case I hit a slump or real life wears me down. It's how I was able to post so many chapters in such a timely fashion before. More content is being written so don't worry about the story being forgotten.