It's summer and I wrote new chapter to my spring unsprung re-write. :D

Chapter 2 - The Fairest day of Spring

The clouds were an unappetizing mix of oily green, brown and purple shades. The air smelled as something that someone put in a larder and completely forgot about it for at least ten years. Whatever after it has been before it was now putrid and icky. Darling Charming, the princess who's dream was to be a knight, has come to Wonderland.

The girl has put on one of old practice armours she smuggled out of the Charming mansion. With all the dents and scratches, she mused, the set of armour has probably remembered the times of her grandfather but as old as it was she could have been sure that no one is going to look for it in the next days. However with her it was a completely different case. Once the Spring Fairest is over and the Headmaster will get a notice she isn't at school, he will notify her parents and things would go bad for miss Charming. Therefore she has to get back soon.

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Kitty was lazily watching other more active civilians of the Land of Ever After. She smirked at their silly running around, wasting time that could have been used for a nap or something and also she was amused at the prospect of thwarting their hard work with some prank. She waved her tail. With folks from the village coming to the festival, there will be a lot of people to trick.

She was prepared for her next strike. There the staff left unattended the microphones that were to be put on stage. Kitty giggled as she glided to the microphones. She will change them so when Grimm will talk through either of them he will sound like Thumbelina. The kitten left out a satisfied purr.

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Lizzie finished all dresses and let Cerise, Briar, Cedar and Holly out while she stayed behind for a while cleaning a bit so her roommate wouldn't whine-honk that their room is a mess. Like the first time Duchess walked into their shared room. Lizzie arrived first and has unpacked her luggage but as she wasn't used to put her things neatly in closet, this was done by servants that have stayed behind in Wonderland, her clothes were lying all around the room in lumps and piles. The swan princess nearly fainted when she saw such chaos. And the hearts princess mused while the other girl insists she sees people waiting to be served food.

Much has changed since then. For example Lizzie has learned about the meaning of cleaning up, slang and friendship. Especially the Jabberwocky adventure (she couldn't remember that one but Maddie was firm that it happened and Maddie's a Wonderlander and doesn't lie) and grove restoration operation did wonders for Lizzie and her ability to make friends. The princess of Wonder wasn't a complete outcast anymore. She still missed her home but she saw that Land of Ever After could one day become a second home for her. Even if it lacked a lot of wonderichness.

She was also getting along with her roommate who once saved her life. And since the inhabitants of this strange land provided her with shelter, lend her a helping hand when she fought the jabberwocky and returned her grove to previous wonderful state, Lizzie felt that it was time to return some favors. The princess talked with her new friends and many of them were into clothes and fashion in one way of another. That was something Lizzie could understand. Wonderlanders cared about appearances, too, their fashion sense being a bit too extravagant for some everafterians though.

So if she wants to design outfits she has to take into consideration the views and preferences of the traditional fairy talers. With help of Briar she came up with some nice ideas. And thanks to her she learned to know new faces. Violet Twelve and Shanya Nottingham were members of the sewing and costume club, they readily agreed to help her sewing the dresses. Ashlynn chose the perfect shoes and Farrah provided flawless make up.

When the team project was almost finished the girls have surprised Lizzie with a dress they put together specifically for her. The princess of hearts didn't smile often but that day she produced an adorable silly grin.

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There weren't many people Ginger could ask for help with coming up with a new recipe. Kitty Cheshire was out of question as she might not tell her anything useful if she thinks confusing and sending the witchling is a great prank. Then there was the White Queen but asking a teacher may lead to a debate over her not being dedicated to villain cause enough especially if Baba Yaga or headmaster Grimm will be nearby and Ginger wanted to avoid getting scolded on such a pretty day. There was Maddie and her father. Those two were generous and at least sincerely tried to be helpful. Still misunderstandings occurred as the two Hatters were prone to talk to invisible entities and to switch languages midtalk.

The last Wonderlandian Ginger knew about was the daughter of the Queen of Hearts, princess Lizzie Hearts. But Ginger wasn't sure she will be approachable. Out of all the other Wonderlanders their princess seemed to be the least social of them. At least the other students who didn't know her well perceived her that way. Ginger was one of them. It was the way she shouted so often and could come across as demanding and insensitive due to the cultural gap between citizens of Ever After and refugees from Wonderland.

But Lizzie was right here and she was the future queen of the land of wonder. Surely she knows a thing or two about her country.

Ginger took a deep breath and knocked. "Hello, Lizzie, may I come in?" "Yes, you may come in since the door isn't locked and you aren't too big to fit through them," said Lizzie blankly. Ginger stepped in being convinced that this is as close to an invitation as she will hear from the princess of hearts.

Lizzie didn't quite know what to think of this girl yet. They were in the same year and attended some lessons together like General villainy yet their interests and hobbies were different which meant they didn't interact with each other enough to call themselves friends.

The daughter of Candy Witch was supposed to be a villain but Ginger insisted she just wants to make people happy with her cooking so she probably hadn't come in order to devour her although maybe she might succeed in such activity if she tried for Lizzie was shorter than Ginger. All Wonderlandians were shorter than Ginger and a good number of Ever After citizens. Nina Thumbell and dwarfes not counting.

"You are in," said Lizzie staring at her guest. Ginger felt awkward. Lizzie didn't look menacing but not very friendly either. "I've come to ask you something."

The princess of hearts decided to hear her out. She can always shout later. "Go on."

Ginger: "I'm looking for ideas for creating a new dish and I thought maybe I could create something that is part everafterian and part wonderlandian. But I don't know how to do it."

Lizzie wasn't very skilled in cooking, to be fair she wasn't very skilled in most practical things except taking care of Wonderland plants and hedgehogs, but she liked the idea. After all it was similar to what she was doing when she designed the dresses.

"I will take you to the Wonderland grove where you can pluck some berries that you can find only in Wonderland. I'll tell you which ones are delicious and which are poisonous."

Ginger lit up. Cakes and pies with fruits in them were perfect sweets for spring festival. Moreover no one else will be able to use the same ingredient as Wonderland grove was highly restricted area, only Lizzie Hearts had access to her outlandish garden and she let in only few people and on special occasions like a tea party solely for the closest of friends or when she needed help restoring her grove.

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A month ago in Wonderland

"Alistair! Lizzie has returned!" A girl with white hair and bunny ears has skipped over mole hills and bushes and ran as fast as she could. She was looking for her friend. It took her some time because she tended to run into dead-ends and things she was not looking for but she had faith in her ability to arrive where she needs to be on time.

And sure enough there he was. Alistair Wonderland, the descendant of the first Alice was boiling water to kill all germs and hopefully any negative magic. This way and through filters hanging on tum tum trees he was making enough drinkable water for him, Bunny and a small garden where the two of them tried to grow hexicid free vegetable. The only way he knew it has somewhat worked was the fact that both of them were still relatively fit and alive.

"Oh, Alistair, I'm glad I've found you. You won't believe what I heard. Lizzie, our Lizzie has returned." She was right, he couldn't believe it. "Why would she do that? The curse is still in full effect," Alistair looked less happy and more frightened than Bunny anticipated he would be. She tried to cheer him up some more: "Maybe a portal was opened and they have found a cure for the curse. Oh, Alistair, think of what that means. We'll be free and healthy again. We'll all be together."

Her friend has noticed her efforts. "Yeah, it will be nice to see Maddie and Kitty again," said the boy trying to sound content but the worries he had didn't want to leave him so easily. He was there on the day of the evacuation. He was one of the people who noticed that princess Lizzie didn't get out of the castle and so he, Bunny and Kitty returned to fetch their royal friend. They have found her in her room cuddling Shuffle, she didn't know about the evacuation even though the rulers were notified but her mother's mind was too damaged by the meddling of the Evil Queen and so the Queen of Hearts didn't pay attention to any warning and behaved as if nothing was happening.

Even though they were all running at full speed the last magical window to Ever After was already closing when they arrived. Kitty took Lizzie and used her vanishing ability just in time to get them both through. Seconds after they disappeared the portal has closed. And Bunny and Alistair stayed behind in a sick land.