Chapter 2: Red Shoes
One year and a half later.
At King White's castle, or what was left of it, Regina appeared in a golden hood and barefooted as she made her way to her secret lair where an apple tree was giving fruit. As Regina used her Magic Mirror's roots, she walked towards her lair above the rubble of the crumbling tower. She lowered her hood as the bell outside began to chime three times as she spoke; her three henchmen greeted her as she ignored them.
"Magic tree, magic tree, let this morning be the time that you perform your duty." She looked up as the third chime rang and the sunlight came streaming in as two apples turned into elegant red shoes.
"Bringing me the shoes of eternal beauty." She picked them one after another as she put them on the grass beneath her and slipped her gray wrinkled feet into them as she smiled and felt their surge of magic course through her veins as she began to transform into a beautiful queen.
"Yes! Yes! Change me!" She said triumphantly as she fisted her hands and smiled as her hair turned from gray and white to a scarlet red, her skin a pale complexion and her cheeks were a rosy red. She looked at her hands as she smiled.
"Finally!" She closed her eyes and breathed in the moment, basking in her victory when suddenly she felt the magic fading as she quickly began aging again.
"Agh!" She looked down at her shoes as they appeared brown and rotten. She kicked them off as one of them struck her henchman as it's wooden teddy-bear head fell off.
"Not again! How long must I wait!" Regina pulled her hood up as she quickly turned and walked out the door, slamming it shut behind her.
"Clear those shoes away! And pull yourselves together." She scoffed as she stormed off to talk with her Magic Mirror. The three wooden bears did as was requested.
As day turned to night, a rope dropped down into Regina's lair as a strange figure immerged. It was Snow White. Her curvy figure descended down the rope as she managed to jump down and landed on her backside as she groaned. She jumped up and looked around, she noticed a tree growing in the center of the room.
"Huh, that wasn't there before. What is she up to now?" Snow White turned and began to look in every nook and cranny as she gritted her teeth and heard something open the doors as she ducked and hid behind a large desk as one of the wooden bears was flying on a broom and held up a lantern.
"Huh? What's that?" The wooden bear looked at the rope but didn't see anyone.
"Whatever." The bear shrugged as it left, Snow White attempted to sit up but hit her head on the desk as she yelped in pain, when suddenly a secret door opened to reveal a red journal.
"Huh, yes." She sat at the desk as she began reading.
I can't believe my beloved daughter Snow White has turned eighteen, I only wish her mother could see the kind of smart and beautiful young woman she's become. A strange thing happened during the party, the castle guards brought in a woman named Regina. They said she was a witch, but she was too beautiful to be a witch. I have married Regina; everything feels so perfect! Except for Regina's strange looking mirror. There's something not right. People around the castle have been disappearing, one by one, because of that peculiar mirror. I saw it with my own eyes. Regina was talking to a tree; she must be a witch. I should send Snow away, to a safer place.
My dear Snow, by the time you read this, my fate will be uncertain. She's coming for me now, I only hope you can find the Fearless 7 and ask them for help.
Apples, a most suspicious of fruits.
"Oh Papa, where are you?" Snow White put the journal down as she sighed when the bell began to chime as she looked up and noticed two apples beginning to bloom.
"But they don't look dangerous." She stood up and began walking towards it as Regina appeared again for her new pair of magical red shoes; her three wooden bear henchmen were flying around on brooms as they neared the doors of the lair. Suddenly the doors burst open as a plume of red smoke appeared as Regina's hood was blown back as she lifted an arm to block the smoke. It slowly cleared and a beautiful woman materialized wearing the red shoes. She was tall with an hour-glass figure and a tiny waist. She had a fair complexion with soft brown hair that framed her lovely face, which beheld large and kind brown eyes and ruby red lips; a slender button nose and a soft chin.
"Huh! Regina?" The beautiful woman looked up at Regina who looked at the woman's feet and yelled at her.
"No! My shoes! Get her!" Suddenly tree roots, branches and the three wooden bear minions went after the beautiful woman as she ducked and dodged their attacks. The beautiful woman took one of the brooms asking one of the wooden bears if she could borrow it, the bear agreed as she thanked it and took off flying.
"What, no!" Regina turned to look at her magical apple tree as it began to shrivel up and die.
Meanwhile the "Seven Dwarfs" (or the cursed Fearless 7) were on their way to their head quarters with long faces.
"Short. Chubby. And green." Merlin looked at his hand with disgust.
"Uhh! Green is like an ogre. Blue or yellow could have made us look cute and cuddly-" Merlin continued.
"Quit your complainin' Merlin! I'm figuring out how to take this curse and kick it where the sun don't shine!" Arthur stepped in front of Merlin as he pushed him back and kicked at the air.
"Listen, we need to find the most beautifulist princess in the world to kiss us. And we've just about run out of options!" Jack shook his hand held mirror at the other six as they looked at him with annoyed expressions.
"And how will the most beautiful woman even see you, Mr. Invisible?" Hans asked sarcastically. Suddenly loud shrieking was heard overhead. All seven looked up as they noticed whatever it was was flying straight towards their headquarters.
"What was that? Some kind of bird?" Hans asked as the others shrugged.
Back at Regina's castle, she approached her magic mirror.
"Magic mirror full of wisdom, who's the fairest in the kingdom!?" She snapped.
"The woman who wears the red shoes."
"Tell me her name!"
"I do not know."
"You're a magic mirror!"
"I only speak the truth. And the truth is, I do not know the woman's name."
"Ugh. You three, distribute wanted posters throughout Fairytale Island! Go! At once!" She turned to look at the three wooden bears as they took off running in order to obey her orders.
"You should recruit another, someone who stands to gain from this. Here, look upon me and see the face of the one to recruit." The magic mirror spoke as Reina sat on her throne.
"Oh, interesting. Tell me more magic mirror."
Back with the cursed Fearless 7.
"Hey, hey, come!" Pino.
"Over here!" Nocchi.
"Si, si, quick! Look at us!" Cchio called the other four over as the noticed a strange trail leading to a broom stuck in a tree along with a silhouette amid the leaves.
"What is it?" Arthur asked as they all looked around.
"I know a lot about silhouettes, and this shape is a witch." Said Jack.
"Let's not jump to conclusions. Yes, this could be a witch, or, ya, this is a witch." Hans tried to remain neutral, but quickly retracted his statement.
"The witch who cursed us! Let's catch her and make her break the spell!" Merlin ordered as everyone agreed. Suddenly a loud clang came from the inside of the house. They all quietly gathered around the front of it as Merlin discretely told Hans to go around back and ambush the witch; he nodded and did as was asked as the other six burst through the door, weapons in hand.
"On guard!" Jack shouted.
"Wands where I can see them witch!" Merlin stood with a paper talisman in hand as he charged ahead of everyone else. They all stood still as the most beautiful woman they'd ever seen (and they had saved many princesses in their time) turned towards them with a bit of frosting on her upper lip as she held a slice of cake in one hand and half a loaf of bread in the other.
"Wow." They all sighed in awe as they dropped their weapons; all but Hans.
"Right here, I got you now!" Hans stood behind the beautiful woman with his large frying pan in hand.
"No, no no!" The others protested, but it was too late, the beautiful woman collapsed as Merlin began yelling at Hans.
"What did you do that for!?" Merlin gritted his teeth.
"I was just doing what you told me to do." Hans grumbled as they all looked at the now unconscious beautiful woman.
"Let's get her on the bed." Merlin recommended as they all helped carry her to the nearest bed.
"Wow." They all gazed at her as she appeared to be sleeping; she slowly began to groan as her eyes cracked open.
"Ah beautiful." Hans sighed, as did the rest.
"I didn't know anyone could be so beautiful." Merlin nearly swooned as the others nodded their heads.
"How did she end up with us?" Jack asked as the others shrugged. Suddenly the beautiful woman sat up as the dwarfs jumped back and she gasped in surprise.
"Hello dear lady, welcome to my home-slash-command post. I have six roommates but my name's on the list." Arthur was the first to start introductions.
"I pay the rent." Jack winked.
"Your home? Oh my gosh, I am, I am so sorry. I was starving and-" the beautiful woman started until Merlin shushed her gently.
"Dut dut dut. There's no need to apologize. We didn't mean to interrupt your stolen meal." Merlin leaned on her bed.
"If you're still hungry, I can whip up something triple. You see I marinate the-" Hans started until the beautiful woman looked in the mirror and saw an unfamiliar face.
"Who's that?" She asked as the seven dwarfs looked in the mirror.
"Um, whoo?" Merlin looked at her with confusion. The beautiful woman stood and walked towards the mirror as she observed herself.
"Wow, I look sooo, different. I mean my face and my waist. And my waist? And my waist!? Huh! Oh my gosh, what, what happened to me? Well ha, I must have gotten up too quickly, my back is killing me!" She began stretching as the seven dwarfs slowly approached her.
"You mean your head right? Do you need help?" Merlin asked as he reached out his small green hand.
"No, I'm fine. Um, is that really what I look like? Are you guys seeing the same thing?" The beautiful young woman looked at the seven dwarfs as they got closer.
"You're beautiful miss." Hans smiled as he rested his chin on his hands.
"Like an angel." Merlin said breathlessly.
"Really? Could it be?" She looked down at the red shoes.
"Excuse me, but who are you?" Merlin asked.
"Oh I'm Sno-t."
"Snot?" Merlin made a face as the beautiful woman flushed.
"No, no I'm Red, Red Shoes. Yeah, that's me."
"Cool name, by any chance, would that be Princess Red Shoes?" Merlin inquired.
"Of course she's a princess, how could she be so beautiful if she weren't? Obviously, isn't that right miss?" Arthur stepped in.
"Obviously, I mean I am a princess. Who are you guys?" Red Shoes asked.
"I'm Merlin. Part-time hero, full time romantic." He said in a deeper voice than usual. He chuckled at his rather witty comeback.
"And this is Jack, Hans, Arthur, Pino, Nocchi, and Cchio."
"No way, your names are the same as the F7. The Fearless 7. I'm looking for them." Red Shoes said with surprise.
"Let me guess, your favorite is Prince Merlin?"
"Uh, no. Not really." Red Shoes shrugged as Arthur pushed Merlin aside.
"No, that Merlin's not your type; you look more like a Prince Arthur fan to me!" He said confidently.
"Honestly, none of them are my really type."
"Oh, well that's fine because we're not them. We're actually completely different people. In no way are we the same guys put under a curse and change into different forms but only if someone looks at us. It's very complicated." Merlin quickly avoided telling Red Shoes the truth. Red Shoes looked confused as Merlin continued to ramble on until Arthur interrupted him.
"Alright, now that we're clear about that. How can I assist you my fair lady?" Arthur put one hand to his heart as he held the other one out in a gentlemanly gesture.
"I need to find my father and I know that the F7 can help."
"We know the F7 very well, and their schedule is fully booked. Leave it to me, I'll find your father within a month." Merlin said with all the charm he had in his short, chubby, green body.
"I can do it in one week!" Hans cut in.
"Four days!" Arthur jumped in front of Hans.
"Three!" Pino said as he held up three fingers.
"Two!" Nocchi shouted as he held up two fingers.
"One! And a half." And Cchio smiled as he held up one finger and bent his second one.
"I already found your father like two weeks ago!" Jack pushed everyone out of the way.
"Really?" Red Shoes looked down at him with an unconvinced glimmer in her eyes.
"I uh, just need a few days to get him across state lines." Jack added.
"I seriously need to find my dad." Red Shoes pleaded.
"Hold on, nobody has seen the F7 in over a year. Right? You're not going to find them now, we're your best bet." Merlin interjected as Red Shoes thought for a moment.
"Wow, no one's offered to help me in such a long time. You guys are awesome." Red Shoes smiled as the seven dwarfs looked stunned.
"Really? You think we're awesome?" Merlin was taken aback.
"Yea! You guys are caring, and sweet, and-"
"And not completely hideous to look at?" Merlin asked.
"No, you guys are totally adorable." Red Shoes bent forward and made a genuine expression of kindness as the seven dwarfs smiled and blushed.
"I think I hit her too hard." Hans whispered in Merlin's ear.
"But she is beautiful. Huh. She can help me break the curse." Merlin said in a breathless tone filled with wonderment and awe as Red Shoes continued smiling at them.