Once upon a time, in the land of Ever After…
It was the year of Legacy Day. It was a momentous event, where children of Fairy tales pledged to take the same paths as their parents. For some it was a joyous occasion. At Ever After high, the lustrous school for the children of fairy tales, the students will forge their pathways that their ancestors set for them. For one child in particular was all the most anxious for the coming days…
Apple White, daughter of Snow White, was anxious. She was excited over the fact that she was finally going to follow her story as the next Snow White, but then she had started hearing rumors. On her first day of Ever After High, stories started circulating of a fellow student wanting to change her destiny and break tradition. Fear had started bubbling up inside of Apple White and the mere thought of her and her friend's future could go off the page.
But it had seemed that the rumors were just that. While it had only been day one at the school, nothing had seemed to hint at that destiny was royally fucked. Apple White had even met with Raven Queen, daughter of the Evil Queen, that morning. And despite her history with her mother, it had seemed that Apple's villain counterpart was all too excited about poisoning the little blonde.
"I wonder where my roomie is, it's getting awfully late." Apple White sat on the edge of her bed, one leg gracefully slung over the other, chin resting on the palm of her hand as she watched the seconds on the clock pass by. Originally Apple White was going to room with Darling Charming, sister to Daring Charming, Apple White's Prince Charming, but something had come up at the last minute and Darling was to be roomed with someone else. All of Apple's other friends were also already paired up with someone else so Apple did not know who her new roommate was going to be. But that was okay, she knew she was going to be the best roommate ever. "I'm getting really worried."
-knock knock-
"That's got to be her." Apple leapt to her feet like a puppy excited for her master. She wanted to make a great first impression. Without missing a beat and with a sauntered step, the hem of her dress glided effortlessly across the floor as she made her to the door of their little home away from home. Reaching for the doorknob Apple put on the biggest brightest smile she could muster.
"Welcome Home, Roomie!" Apple swung open the door to meet her new friend. But there wasn't a greeting back, there wasn't even a response. Apple opened her eyes and looked outside the door. There was no one.
Apple leaned her head out the doorway and turned her head back and forth to see if her roommate was there. But there truly no one there in the hallway. Apple pulled herself back into her room, her expression twisted as she was both lost and confused, Did I just imagine it? Apple's lips pursed in confusion as she shut the door.
"BOO!!!!!"
Somehow, even when Apple screamed it was graceful. Seemingly leaping out of her skin, she nearly broke the door down as she face-planted into the wall. Apple's heart was racing millions of beats per second, her face was turning red as her name sake as she tried to catch her breath while holding on dearly to the doorknob for support.
Then next came the laughter, Apple white turned her head over the shoulder to see exactly what startled her. The purple haired stranger was bent over, as if attempting to keep herself from busting a gut, laughing like a mad woman. Apple's eyes darted the woman's appearance noticing the feline like aesthetic of her outfit.
"A-are you…" Apple tried getting her composure back, "Are you m-my roommate?"
The purple haired woman pulled back, "That's right, Blondie." She said whipping a tear of laughter from her eye, "My name is Kitty Cheshire." The daughter of the Cheshire Cat smiled.
Apple inhaled, "No, no." Apple positioned herself to introduced herself properly to her new BFFA, "Blondie is the daughter of Goldilocks. My name is name is Apple White, I'm the daughter of Snow White." She said as if presenting herself.
"Daughter of THE Snow White, huh?" Kitty raised an eyebrow, looking over her new roomie. "Aren't Snow Whites supposed to be, you know, ebony?" she asked in an almost too familiar tone.
Apple winced; her complex had gotten stricken hard with a hammer. "Well, you know, if I get the heart of my story. I'm sure little details like that won't be too much of an issue." She laughed nervously.
Kitty's lips twisted into a Cheshire grin, as if hearing something that she shouldn't have. "Well, it's good to meet you, Apple White, I do hope we get along well for the rest of school." She placed out her hand as a friendly gesture.
Apple looked down at the hand presented in front of her, and then back at the face of her roommate. And then her facial expression softened. "It's good to meet you too, Kitty." She bounced with joy as she grabbed the young woman's hand, "I just know we will become new Best Friends Forever After!" she gleefully started to shake Kitty's hand.
But something was wrong. As Apple shook the other woman's hand, something felt off. The weight in Apple's hand was all off, it felt more like she was just moving a rock up and down. Apple looked down at her hand.
And then Apple screamed with horror, with grace of course. In the palm of Apple's hand, sure enough, was Kitty's hand – it was a pale white mutilated hand severed at the wrist. Apple White dropped the hand to the floor as she fell backwards against the door the wall.
Kitty just laughed; she just couldn't contain it. She just laughed like a maniac that had just discovered the funniest joke ever told. She couldn't help it. The prank was just perfect.
With a snap of her finger, on her other hand, Kitty's severed hand exploded in smoke and appeared back on her wrist. Kitty chuckled as she looked back over at Apple lying on the ground, catching her breath. Kitty's lips twisted again into a devious smile. "This is going to be the best four years of my life."
-Two Days Later-
Apple White was running screaming all the way to the village of Bookend. Over the last forty plus hours she had quickly learned just what kind of person her roommate, Kitty Cheshire, Daughter of The Cheshire Cat, was. At first it wasn't so bad, but it soon came be noticed that Snow White's daughter had become the prankster's favorite new toy.
It all started that morning when Apple White was getting ready for her classes with a little help of her woodland critters. Kitty, who apparently wasn't really a morning person, had snatched one of the little canaries and shoved it into her mouth – Apple had gotten so scared that she had begged Kitty to let the little birdy go. Then there were the gift baskets of black hair-dye, which played into Apple's complex. There was the curling iron that had short circuited in Apple's hair. One of the three blind mice was dropped on Apple's pillow as a "gift." There was the pie in the gift box. There was the banana peel incident in "Damsel-in-distressing." Apple was outed for stuffing her bra. The spoiled milk. Etc, etc, etc.
Finally, Apple couldn't take no more. She ran away from the school and as far as she could. She ran until her legs finally cried out for her to stop. She ran until Her legs gave out as she found herself at a cobblestone bridge just on the outskirts of the small village.
Exasperated, Apple fell to her knees. She desperately tried to catch her breath. Using her arm as leverage, she rested against the wall. What am I going to do? Apple's mind was racing, it's only been two days. How am I going to make it until I become the next Snow White? Apple's body cried out.
"What's up, Blondie!" and then there was her voice. Sputtering, trying to catch her breath, Apple looked over her shoulder to see Kitty Cheshire sitting on top of the wall right next to her, one leg slung over the other. Snow White's daughter had no idea her the woman did it, but it was like Kitty knew where exactly Apple would always been. "Whatcha doing out here?" Apple felt dread as she looked at the woman's twisted smile.
Apple stood up, her sweat drenched hair clinging to her fairest skin. Apple tried to speak, but she couldn't catch her breath. She needed to get more cardio.
"What cat gotcha tongue?" Kitty Cheshire laughed over Apple's situation. She was enjoying this immensely. "Oh, come on Snow White, you got to have some sense of humor. It was just a joke."
Apple just looked at the woman that taking pleasure out of her own dismay. She had only known the woman for less than a couple of days, but she couldn't stand her. Her fists clenched. Apple wanted to scream at her. Apple wanted to get even with her. She wanted to- She wanted to- and then she stopped.
And then Kitty stopped laughing.
"I'm done with this." Apple's clenched fist finally relaxed.
"What?"
"This. This. All of this. I'm done with this." Apple said looking at the Cheshire Cat's daughter with a disapproving look. Kitty's body reactively winced.
"W-what do you mean you are "done with this?"" Kitty asked, not feeling good about this.
"THIS." Apple shook her head disapprovingly. "You. Me. All of this. I am done with US." She clarified, "I'm not just going to let you ruin my next four years."
"…" Kitty was physically taken back by this new Apple White in front of her. Sure, she knew that she was pushing all her roommate's buttons, but she didn't know the girl could get like this. It almost made kitty feel kind of… bad. Like maybe she went a little too far.
Apple turned her back on Kitty, "I'm going back to Ever After High. And when I do, I'm going to have Mr. Grimm get me another roommate." She stormed off.
"…" Kitty shook her head from the shock, "Wait, Blondie." With the balance of a cat, she stood up on top of the cobblestone bridge and ran after Apple. "Come, on. Wait up."
"…" Apple didn't say anything. She wouldn't even recognize the woman walked up next to her.
"You can't be serious, Blondie?" Kitty walked up beside Apple and look down from the stone wall. "Are you actually serious about changing roommates on me?"
"…" Apple wouldn't even acknowledge Kitty.
"Come on, say something." Kitty, uncharacteristically, pleaded.
"…"
"It was just a joke. Just lighten up and have some fun."
"…"
"Just…say something…"
"…"
"Please…?"
Apple stopped, and Kitty Stopped. Apple turned to look at her ex-roommate, and what Kitty saw hurt her the most. There wasn't hatred in Apple's eyes. Just disappointment. The look that Apple gave Kitty struck her to the core. But Apple didn't speak. She just turned away.
"Ap…ple…" Kitty tried reaching out to the young girl, she took a step forward to follow the young girl. But she didn't find resistance to her step. Her foot had missed a stone and now she found herself into free fall to the riverside below.
"KITTY!"
-POOF!-
Kitty's teleportation magic activated, and suddenly she found herself back on the side of the bridge with actual footing. Kitty gasped for breath, for a moment there she thought she was going to be swimming with the fishes. It took her but a moment to get her composure, but soon she did and as she did, she just started to chuckle.
"Did you see that, Blondie." Kitty laughed her near-death experience away. "That was a close one, huh?" she turned to look at her roommate.
But there was no one there. Kitty was alone.
"Blondie?" she looked around her, behind her, and in front of her. But she was alone. There was no sign of the other girl anywhere around her. Even if Apple had sprinted off, no doubt she would have seen her off in the distance.
Kitty looked around in confusion, there was a sense of dread. "Hey Blondie, you out there?" but there was no reaction. Looking around, Kitty's body found herself leaning against the side of the bridge where she had fallen off just a moment again. There was something telling her to look down over the bridge. Look down over the bridge? Kitty repeated the words of the narrator to herself, and so she did as she was told.
It was faint, but Kitty could just barely make it out. Right where Kitty would have fallen were bubbles rising to the surface of the river, and just below it, and barely noticeable Kitty could just make out a combination of both white and red fading into the river.
"Ap…ple?" Kitty cocked an eyebrow as she tried to look deeper into the surface of the river.
Yes, it had seemed that when Kitty had seemingly fallen off the bridge and into the river Apple had jumped and attempted to save the young girl – only to have it when Kitty used her teleportation magic, Apple missed and fell off the bridge.
Kitty's eye went wide. "S-she tried to save me?" Kitty watched the river below closely as she waited for her roommate's head to pop up.
But she never did.
Kitty tilted her head. "Apple?" something was wrong.
Apple didn't reach the surface.
"Come on, Apple. Stop playing around."
Apple didn't reach the surface. And the air bubbles also stopped reaching the surface.
"A-Apple…?"
Apple didn't reach the surface.
Kitty started to feel anxious. "W-what's going on?" she started looking around, looking for some voice to tell her the answers. "Hey, where's Apple?"
…Let's see, looking ahead, it seems that Apple White's fear of the water has left her body in a state of shock. Looks like she is paralyzed in fear. She can't move and she is sinking further down into the riverbed.
The color left Kitty's face. "What?" she looked back over the bridge and down into the silent surface of the river, she could see her own reflection looking back up at her. "Apple!!!???"
…
Please…please move… It was Cold. Wet. Damp. So, this is what death felt like. Please…body…move…I beg of you… Apple White's body was sinking headfirst deeper and deeper into the riverbed that was deep enough to drown a troll. Please…I don't want to … die…
Apple's body wouldn't respond. Her body was in shock. She was paralyzed by her own fears. The river water was sinking into her dress, pulling her further and further away from the surface
Apple's vision was getting blurrier. She could see as the final air bubbles escaped her lips. She knew that her death was coming. Please…no… She could see the slashes of rays from the river's surface above fading from her sight. Someone… save me…
Apple's head slowly bounced as she hit the bottom of the river. Her body drifted gently as if it were preparing for her grave.
Apple's life drifted at the bottom of the river. She knew she didn't have much time left. She could feel her chest burning for the need of oxygen. She could feel her heart pumping furiously as it tried to get what little bit it could. But her mind knew the inevitable.
Darkness started to engulf Apple. It wasn't long now. She could feel her consciousness fading.
As her life started to fade, there was only one thought left… I hope…Kitty…is alright…
As she fell into the eternal slumber, almost like she was being put under a curse, she could barely make out a pale white figure, shining almost like a knight, heading in her direction.
…
"Apple!!!!" -Thunk-
Apple came back to life. The next moment she had found herself vomiting up river water as her consciousness came back. Apple's body reactively curled over and started coughing and sputtering up the nasty gunk that had gotten into her lungs. After a few moments of this Apple's started gasping for air as her body called for the nutrients that it desired. She could feel a warm hand on her back, as if trying to help.
After a few moments of finally getting her life back, Apple tried to get her bearings. It was easy to tell that she had been pulled to the side of the river, but how? How did Apple get back to the surface? How did she survive?
"Apple…?"
Apple turned her chin to look behind her.
"Thank the author, Apple. You're okay." Sitting right behind her, on her knees, was Kitty Cheshire. Soaked to the bone just like Apple she too seemed to be gasping for oxygen, though not as bad. And if it also seemed like to Apple that the young girl may have been crying.
"Kitty…" Apple raised an eyebrow, "Did…D-Did you save me?" she sat up to look the other girl in the eye.
Kitty opened her mouth to speak, "…" but her lips didn't make noise. She just closed her mouth. Her shoulders, eyes, and ears lowered. She just simply nodded a confirmation.
Apple took a moment to register what just happened, and then looked at Kitty, "Th-Thank you."
Kitty still wouldn't speak up. She just slowly nodded.
The two girls in wet messes just stared at one another.
Lowering her gaze, It was Apple that broke the silence "Look, Kitty, I-"
"I'M SORRY, APPLE!"
Apple jumped in her skin. She then looked back to her roommate. What she saw took her by surprise.
"I'm so…so…sorry." Kitty was crying. "It's all…All my fault…" Kitty was rubbing at her eyes as the tears flowed. "It's all *hic* my fault *hic* that you *hic* you almost died *hic*" she couldn't control herself. "It's all *hic* my f-"
Apple wrapped her arms around the other girl.
"Ap…ple…?"
"It's not your fault, Kitty…" Apple wrapped her arms tighter around girl's neck, "It's not your fault…" she said holding on tighter.
For a moment it seemed like the tears stopped, but then the flow came even harder. "WaAaAaAaAaH~!" Kitty cried even harder.
Apple held tighter unto her friend, "Shhh~ Shhh~ It's okay…" Apple whispered in a tone as if talking to a child, "It's okay…Apple's here…" she said as she started stroking Kitty's purple matted hair. "It's okay, good girl. Apple's here…" she repeated.
Kitty cried and Apple comforted her.
A few minutes passed and things started to calm down. Kitty hadn't fully stopped her tears, but she was able to relax some. Kitty had wrapped her arms around Apple as she did for her, meaning that the two of them were able to comfort each other. Apple just continued to stroke the wild cat's hair.
A few moments passed and Apple slowly pulled back. "A-are you feeling okay, Kitty?"
Kitty hesitated to answer, but slowly she nodded.
Apple smiled, "Good. That's a good girl." Apple gently leaned in and gave Kitty a kiss on the cheek - Kitty's cheek in turn turned a slightly shade of red - and let go of her friend's neck and stood up.
Kitty was forced to let go of Apple. Kitty, now that she wasn't holding onto the other girl, found herself feeling empty.
Apple stood up and looked around the two of them, and then she looked at herself and then looked at Kitty. And then she looked at herself. Then she started to laugh. "Oh my, just look at us." She said pointing at their appearance. "We are both just fairy fails right now, aren't we." Just giggled. "let's head back to our room and-"
"Apple…"
"- hmmm?" Apple turned to look at Kitty.
"I'm sorry…" Kitty continued. "I'm sorry for everything. I'm sorry for everything I have done. It's all my fault. I'm so, so sorry." She spoke not looking at the other girl.
"…"
"It's all my fault for everything that's happened. I'm so sorry." Kitty continued in her apologetic tone.
Apple White let out a sigh. "It's alright. I understand."
"…" Kitty stopped apologizing but wouldn't look up at Apple.
"We're roomies. We're Best Friends Forever After. These things are natural. It's stuff that happens. It's going to take some time, but we will work these things out."
"…"
"We're going to figure out what to do…and we're going to do it together."
Kitty finally looked up at the woman in front of her.
"Come on, Roomie. Let's go home."
Standing in front of Kitty, her beautiful skin glistening flawlessly in the sun light, was Apple White with her hand held out towards the young girl. Kitty's heart skipped a beat as she looked at the flawless beauty radiating. Kitty grabbed Apple's hand without a single hesitation.
Apple Smiled as she helped her roommate to her feet. The two of them just looked at one another, Apple with her smile and Kitty smitten by that smile.
"Come on," Apple said, "Let's go back to Ever After High."
Kitty said nothing but simply nodded. Apple pulled Kitty by the hand as they started their long walk back to their home away from home, never once letting go. It was going to be a long four years, but the two of them was going to do it together.
