Duchess fumed, stomping after Justine.
"Why were you chosen instead of me? You aren't even the best dancer!"
"The role was never promised, Duchess," Justine offered kindly.
Duchess scoffed at this notion. Everyone knew she was the best. That she deserved every role! With an eye roll, she danced away knowing Professor Badwolf would give her detention if she were late.
Royalty was never late!
Unless of course, you were Christina.
The frazzled hybrid messily walked her way into the room, chewing on her pencil.
"Sorry, sorry to intrude but I have my essay," she thumbed through the binder she was holding, "Right here"
"Thank you, Christina"
"I'll be back later to pick up my assignment"
Christina without tearing her eyes from her binder spun on her heel and walked back upstairs, her guard dog following.
"Look at me!" Faybelle squeaked, "I'm Christina! I'm so perfect!"
"Cool it!" Melinda snapped, "That's my bestie you're insulting"
"How do you know you're her bestie?" Faybelle asked snidely, "I thought that was Raven's title or was it, Twyla?"
"Why you little-" Melinda started, turning green, "I oughta smack you into Oz"
"LADIES!" Professor Badwolf snarled, "Your attention please!"
…...
"Christina!" Arthur raced after her but she didn't seem to hear, "Christina!"
Finally, he was forced to cut her off, "Christina, hey"
"Make it fast Arthur, really, really fast, I got to get to Princess 101 and talk to Cedar about color choices for the sets, then I've got a family recipe to memorize for Home Ick-"
"Hey, and I thought Apple was a busybody," he laughed, "But seriously, I need to talk with you about Raven"
"Raven?" Christina blinked, "Tell me there isn't trouble in paradise-"
"No, no in fact it's perfect which is why-" Arthur faltered, eyeing Shaggy and Scooby.
Christina waved a hand, "They're fine now you were saying?" she tapped her wrist in a make this quick motion.
"Well..."
…...
Duchess danced from class to class with a tiny scowl on her face. Arthur had pulled one hex of a disappearing act. She stopped, eyeing the monsters who swarmed to Christina like a moth to a flame. Always flanking her, like a moving body shield.
"You're growling"
"What do you want Faybelle?"
"Let's just say I have a proposition for you," the dark fairy smirked deviously.
"Why would I work with you?"
"Hear me out," Faybelle mocked a pout, "I think you'll be very interested in what I have to say"
…...
"Wow!" Raven froze after stepping into the auditorium.
"Hi, Raven!" Justine greeted happily, "Are you here about the class assignment?"
"Yeah, I was hoping we could study if you aren't busy?"
"Christina-"
"Go ahead! I've got sets to worry about!" Christina waved the question away, "Shaggy no eating in here!"
"But-"
"Get rid of the sandwich!"
"Yes ma'am!"
Everyone could see why Christina had been chosen to run the show. She was a hardcore never stopping perfectionist. Even now among the chaos, she flew back and forth binder in one hand and a checklist in the other, monitoring the volunteers building the sets.
"She'll burn herself out if she isn't careful," Raven declared.
"Agreed"
…...
even in the halls of Monster High later, Christina wouldn't relax. Still chewing on a pencil she continually leafed through her binder, moving through the halls to the catacombs without looking up even once.
"Christina like, don't you think you should use your free period to y'know relax?" Shaggy questioned, "The others went into town for a coffee break, why don't we join them?"
"I have things to do," she muttered, "Assignments to turn in and I still have to meet with Briar and-"
Shaggy had enough.
Stepping in front of her, he pulled the binder from her hands, "Not right now, c'mon, we're like, going to the mall for a break"
he silenced every protest and pulled her to the Coffin Bean where the others were waiting with her usual and a much-needed doughnut.
"Here, you need this," Draculaura handed the coffee to her.
"Thank you," Christina took a long sip, eyeing her binder.
"You aren't getting this back until you relax," Shaggy informed her.
Christina sighed, "Fine"
"How's your project going?" Draculaura was eager to know.
"It's going"
Christina, per usual, didn't seem to be in the mood for conversation. Instead, she sipped her coffee and munched her doughnut quietly.
But her friends weren't the type to give up so easily.
"You know it's almost Dragon Games season," said Clawdeen, "Are you finally going to join the team, Christina?"
"No, I work better as a dragon handler, you know that, Clawdeen"
"Wasn't Aunt Alissa a dragon rider?" Draculaura questioned.
"Yeah, she played on the Evil Queen's team it was heroes versus villains back then"
"And you don't want to play?" Cleo asked, "You're good with dragons"
"Have you met Christina?" Duncan laughed, "She's good with animals, period"
"Can we please change the subject?"
it was when the topic switched to whatever experiment they'd be doing in Mad Science that Christina's phone began to chime repeatedly.
"Christina don't you dare answer that," Frankie warned.
"You know I have to," she stepped away before Frankie could zap her phone.
The others watched as Christina proceeded to have a very short conversation ending with a miniature freak out.
"Justine fell down the stairs and broke her leg! I have to go!" wrenching her binder from Shaggy, Christina left in a burst of flame.
…...
"Justine!" Christina burst into the ballet dancer's dorm to find her propped up.
"Christina, I was just about to call-"
"Raven beat you to it"
"Guilty," Raven waved from just behind Christina, "Do you know what happened? You NEVER trip"
"Everyone falls sometimes," Justine shrugged, "The stairs were just too crowded"
"Oh, no looks like you'll have to recast the lead, Cousin"
Turning Christina found Faybelle leaning against the opposite wall.
"Faybelle," Christina hissed, "You pushed Justine!"
"I did no such thing, I wasn't even in that hall!"
"Whoa, Christy!" Raven caught the hybrid by the arm to keep her from slapping Faybelle, "Deep breath!"
"Raven's right," Justine smiled, "If someone would help me into the wheelchair we can go to the auditorium and get this sorted out"
Raven helped Justine while Christina grabbed the ballet shoes from where they'd been discarded on the bed. Texting Melinda, she requested everyone meet in the auditorium before heading there to find Shaggy, Scooby, Clawdeen, and Duncan already there.
"That was fast"
"Well, you were in such a rush you left your school bag" Clawdeen explained.
"And Prince" Duncan chuckled when the dragon popped out of the bag.
"I'm here for the lead!" Duchess danced into the room with a victorious smile.
"Not so fast Duchess," Christina held up a hand, "I can't let just anyone take over Justine's part"
"How do you expect to hold auditions?" Duchess challenged, "Every dancer and theater kid has already tried out!"
"True but I was thinking of doing something else," Christina set the ballet shoes before her and began to speak in a rapid-fire language that Duchess didn't understand.
Much to everyone's surprise, the shoes glowed before flying right out the window.
"What was that?" Duchess asked tiredly, "It wasn't impressive"
"I cast a spell to find the best dancer to fill Justine's shoes"
"And?"
"Now we wait"
…...
Not much later:
"Just give me the lead that should've been mine in the first place, Christina", Duchess smirked, so sure of herself. "I'M the best dancer, and the ONLY one who can pull it off anyway! You don't have the time to even try to find someone else"
"She's right, cousin", Faybelle sneered at Christina and the injured Justine. "Whatever that spell you cast was has obviously flopped!"
Much as she was loathe to admit defeat, Christina looked at Justine, who nodded in defeat, then sighed dejectedly. She stood and looked at the smirking divas. "Well, I guess..."
"Will someone please help me?!", a figure with long blue hair and antlers cried as she danced into the stage area! "I was just spending my free-period dancing on the stage of the Monster High vamphitheater when these shoes came out of nowhere and tied themselves to my feet! Then they literally danced me all the way here!"
"Isi?!", Christina cried in delighted surprise at seeing her spell had brought her friend Isi Dawndancer!
Christina released the spell on the shoes before throwing her arms around Isi in excitement.
"Um, Christina? What's going on?"
"Justine's injured and can't perform, I cast that spell on her shoes to find the dancer worthy of being her replacement-"
"And they brought me," Isi filled in the blanks.
"But it is of course up to you, will you dance in the show?"
"Yes, I know how hard you've worked on it, I'll gladly fill in for Justine," Isi declared after giving it some thought.
"She can't!" Duchess yelled, "She's not a student here!"
"I'm sure we can explain everything to the headmaster," Clawdeen smirked, knowing that Giles was far more relaxed than Milton had ever been, "Let's go before free period is over."
As it turned out Giles was more than happy to have Isi in the show, even offering her the opportunity to join the monster royals as she was the Chief's daughter or, the Princess of her tribe.
With the plan failed, Duchess almost exploded.
…...
(BP) Things aren't going well for Duchess.
(TP) Agreed.
(FN) They're about to get worse.
…...
Even with opening night looming, final rehearsals underway, and enough homework to make anyone's head spin Christina wasn't about to miss the pep rally before the start of the dragon games. The turnout included students and faculty from both Ever After High and Monster High for the first time.
"So loud!" Shaggy whimpered, catching her attention.
"Here," she grabbed his hand and brought him to the stables, "It's quieter and you still have a view"
"What about Scooby?"
The Great Dane found the number of fully grown dragons that surrounded them to be terrifying.
"It's alright Scooby," Christina giggled, "The dragons are friendly"
But Scooby was too focused on the dark dragons to notice the others
"Hey, it's okay, they're friendly too"
"Like, I have a hard time believing that" Shaggy declared.
There were eight dark dragons. All huddled together where the sunlight couldn't reach. Every time, Shaggy or anyone else passed their stall they hissed in warning.
Christina, however, wasn't afraid. Walking right to the stall door, she held out a hand.
"Christina, they'll eat you!" Shaggy yelped, ready to tackle her away from danger.
She held the duo in place with magic while the dragons slinked to her.
Much to Shaggy's surprise, they didn't take Christina's hand off. Instead, they bent down to nuzzle it.
"Huh?"
"Maybe they just like me," Christina shrugged when they hissed at Scooby again.
"Is there like, any animals that don't like you?"
"Bandersnatch. Jabberwock, hydras. Trust me plenty of animals would gladly eat me,"
when the sounds of the marching band reached her ears, Christina flew from the stables. She had a job to do after all.
…...
After the band came the team captains. Apple waved to her fans while Raven quietly walked behind her, giving only a smile, abet a small one. When she tried to follow Apple off the stage Christina popped out of nowhere.
"Stay"
"Stay here? Why?"
"Just stay"
Whatever her reasons, Christina wasn't telling so, Raven confusedly stay put. Under a minute later, Arthur hopped onto the stage with a grin. Raven's confusion grew when he was passed a microphone.
"Raven, I know we agreed to keep our secret well, secret but I just can't hide it anymore"
"Arthur..."
Words failed her as soft guitar music began to play somewhere off to the side. What was he up to?
"I met this girl who rocked my world
Like it's never been rocked
And now I'm living just for her
And I won't ever stop
I never thought that it could happen to a guy like me
But now look at what you've done
You got me, down on my knee"
He spun her around, causing her to gasp in surprise when she faced him once more. Arthur had pulled a ring box from his pocket.
Someone was yelling 'no' but Raven's sole focus was on the prince before her.
"Raven Queen I am hopelessly and forever in love with you. I just can't hide it anymore. Please, will you marry me?"
"Yes!"
Happily, Arthur slid the ring onto her finger before catching her in a kiss.
"Aww" Christina couldn't help but say, similar phrases echoed throughout the shocked, excited crowd.
"Too bad that will never happen for you, Christina" Faybelle sneered, flying past.
Caught off guard, not to mention insulted, the hybrid left the crowd.
No one noticed the prima ballerina doing the same.
…...
And here begins what I call the D3 arc, spawned from an ingenious idea courtesy of my friend, DRAGONDAVE45 who asked What if Duchess Swan became The Queen Of Mean? As a rabid Descendants fan, I just HAD to do this.
Review!