Disclaimer: All respective characters and settings belong to their respective franchises.
Apple White was a girl that anyone, and really, everyone in Ever After would call perfect at a glance. Perfect life, perfect pedigree, a perfect home - the quintessential fairy tale princess. Born into this life, her parents, or largely her mother, had invested meticulous care in their daughter's upbringing in order to groom her to be a proper Snow White, worthy to carry on their story and rule their kingdom like the leader she was destined to be.
People would typically expect for one such person to be spoiled, but Apple didn't abide by that stereotype to the point that it never even crossed her mind, always being taught to be kind and generous to others, and to never take her privileges for granted. She was more often than not driven in serving her community, doing charity functions, fully tapping into her status as a princess in helping the less fortunate. She wasn't only supposed to be the fairest of them all outwardly, but inwardly as well. This earned her the adoration of her schoolmates, those she would one day govern over.
When the day came that she was told of her fairy tale, her destiny, and what her happily ever after will be, it was like fate had been smiling down at her since birth, that she was meant to live a life of nothing but blissful happiness. It was everything a girl could ever ask for and more. Of course, that wasn't to say that she could just be given such a wondrous life. Oh no, she had to earn it, endure and persevere through a trial.
A trial that would be thrust upon her by the Evil Queen, a role that was to be played by Raven Queen, who was to be her polar opposite in every way, which was just another facet of fate going her way, another point of perfection in her already perfect life. This would hit a snag of sorts when news came of Raven's mother going rogue, plunging Wonderland into turmoil as the beginnings of her campaign of conquest. Thankfully, her mother acted quickly and called on the other kingdoms and realms to band together under her banner to put a stop to her.
Raven and her father were naturally spared from punishment, but worry would creep in at what such a turn of events would mean for their stories. This worry would ultimately amount to nothing when the Good King sent out a declaration that Raven was still set on taking after her mother, and would cling to her intended role as a form of recompense for what his wife had done. At the end of the day, that's all that truly mattered. It had been the beginning of that year alone, on her twelfth birthday, that they were introduced to one another by their mothers, when the Evil Queen had yet to begin.
She had expected a girl that would at least act like she was evil.
Instead, Raven Queen was her opposite in ways she didn't expect or desired. While she was sweet, bright and optimistic, Raven was sardonic, brooding and mildly cynical, but still a pretty nice girl that didn't give off the vibe of someone raised to be the next Evil Queen. She was, to put it mildly, normal. When she began to grill her during a private tea party for them to get acquainted, she started with the most basic of questions, like what her favorite decor for dungeons was, if she had started experimenting with what poisons to dip an apple into and if the apple itself would be organically grown.
Raven seemed…less than enthused to respond. It was only when they were veering away from their stories and more into topics that actually aroused her interest, did the brooding girl seem to light up in her demeanor. She would practice spells and potion making, but more as a distraction and obligation, but that wasn't what she enjoyed doing.
Disappointingly, it wasn't anything particularly evil or diabolical.
"I enjoy writing."
At first, she took this to mean that Raven enjoyed cooking up schemes and formulating evil plans, but she simply shook her head no. She went on to clarify that she enjoyed reading, something Apple was pleased to express what they both had in common. She always loved reading the older fairy tales, and how it was a matter of obligation and duty to continue them according to tradition. Raven would read these same stories, but instead of learning from them on how to better stick to the script, she instead gained ideas on how to weave "original" stories. Short stories that Raven would compile in a journal of sorts.
The daughter of Snow White nearly choked on her tea. It was the first time anyone had ever said such a thing to her. To create an original story, when she's been told her whole life to focus on existing ones to keep their way of life alive.
It…made her feel an emotion she rarely ever felt.
She, at first, tried to dissuade her from such a hobby, and did not expect Raven's surprise and confusion, as if what she was doing wasn't problematic. Still, she relented on another topic when it became apparent that she was making the other girl uncomfortable. They were still young, and there was sure to be enough time for Raven to change her perspective in the intervening period leading up to them graduating. It was simply destiny, and her mother had always told her that no one has ever been able to break away from their destiny.
Yet, recent…events had rendered that belief shaken.
Only the source of this disturbance would not be a repeat of the Evil Queen's rampage or something similar, but a mere card game. Although, given what she's come to know, she probably couldn't deem it a 'mere' anything.
An ancient kingdom that existed before fairy tales, beings from another world, it all could have sounded so amazing, but her wonder was cut short by-
She shook away that thought, breaking her stride down the street as she was making her way back to Ever After High, the sky having long gone dark. She fluttered her gaze to the stores that were still open, the street lights illuminating the smooth cobblestones that lined the pavement. They sparkled to her, like jewels or stars before she rubbed at her eyes, sniffling away the last of her crying, some leftover streaks of her makeup still visible around the corners of her cheeks.
She thought to herself, in a daze, where she was, which street or boulevard. To her surprise, her eyes widened when she could make out the familiar sign of Yarns and Noble. She wondered to herself if she should be glad that she now knew where she was, and wasn't far from the school. Shaking her head again to collect her bearings, she took a tentative step forward, wanting to go back to the dorm and…either face Raven or ignore her. From the frown that flashed across her features, it was clear that there was still some of the tension left behind by their argument, which to her realization, was the first time they had a fight.
She should have been overjoyed that they had been so antagonistic to each other, but truthfully, the only emotion that was washing over her was…guilt. Too many thoughts were milling through her mind at once, and all she wanted right now was to go straight to bed. She knew that she had made a mistake, and may have further jeopardized their story. Maybe if she-no, she wouldn't stoop that low. Using an apology to convince Raven or alleviate her guilt didn't sit right with her. Maybe with time, she would eventually change her mind. There wasn't anything time couldn't fix, after all. It worked out for her mother, and it'll do so as well for her.
Latching onto that, she continued on her way.
"-ore…"
Apple blinked, her ears picking up a faint sound. She turned her head in where she presumed it came from, by her left from within an alleyway. She stared at the dim corner inquisitively before shrugging dismissively, figuring that there were still people around. Before she could be on her way, she caught a glimpse from the corner of her eye of a familiar silhouette, along with a brown jacket.
The little boy from back at the park, facing a much older man. They were…talking, the boy's back facing her, the gap between them about ten feet apart. The pair were in a middle section of the alley, while she was barely coming up from the corner, disallowing them from noticing her, though their attention seemed to be focused on each other. Curious, her intuition prompted her to stick around, traipsing a bit closer without making a sound.
She didn't know why, but something about the situation didn't sit right with her, but when her eyes adjusted to the darkness, the man's appearance didn't set off any alarm bells. He looked to be in his twenties, wearing a black denim jacket, unbuttoned to expose a gray or white shirt, with matching denim jeans. The look in his eye told her that he seemed to be scrutinizing the lad, a grin plastered across his bemused expression.
The boy, though she could only espie the back of his head, had his arms fanned out in conversation. "I promise," she heard him say, "if you win, I'll give you this watch," with a quick motion, he dug into the right pocket of his jacket and brought out what appeared to be a solid gold pocket watch, dangling it by a long chain, "just one more round."
Apple cocked a brow, as did the man. "No way, kid, I already won the first one," he said in a slightly irate manner. "So, you gonna fork it over or not?"
The boy didn't seem deterred. "Come on, mister. Just one more round, and I promise you can have it."
"Are they playing a game?" Apple thought to herself, inching her head closer to the edge of the corner to get a better look.
The man, placing both hands on his waist, replied with some rising annoyance, "Look, kid, it was funny the first time, but I really don't have the time for this. You either pony up the watch, or I might have to take you to the station for your parents to find you. Either way, a gold watch as a prize for a game as simple as rock, paper, scissors is already sketchy enough."
Apple's jaw dropped; giving away something that valuable through a game of rock, paper, scissors? Provided it was a genuine gold watch, that sounded ridiculous, even for a kid as old as he looked, give or take ten or eleven.
She watched as the boy shook his head. "Oh, I can tell you with complete confidence that I'm being legit here," he spoke with what could barely be described as an impression of a slick conman. "And, if you win again, I'll even go with you to a shop to have it checked."
The man continued to not be convinced. "Uh huh, right, see 'ya."
"Wait!" The boy snapped in such a loud voice that it startled Apple and stopped the man in place. "Okay, okay!" The boy paused to take a breath, and the man seemed relieved that the boy was relenting. "I'll sweeten the deal. I'll throw in this rare card."
"Card?" Apple's eyes widened, eyeing the boy taking out something from out of his left pocket.
The man's brows crinkled. "How do you know I play?"
Apple could feel the boy's smile grow. "I can just tell." There was a pause. "So, whaddaya say?"
The man stared at the revealed card; Chaos Angel, one of the new releases and crazy expensive in singles. Mulling it over in his head while giving the watch a glance, it would have been enough to make him reconsider, but he couldn't help but be suspicious over this situation, that a kid approached him out of the blue to challenge him to a game of rock, paper, scissors. He naturally refused at first add he was going home from work, but when he forwarded the watch as a prize, he decided to only humor the boy, believing that it belonged to his father and was simply fooling around with it. He was never going to take it, but his interest was sparked the moment the card was added into the mix.
Now that was a prize he could get behind, as it was the key card that was missing in his deck. "Fine," the man finally conceded, "but what do I gotta give if you win?"
The boy thought it over. "How about anything that you can give?" He raised his hand. "Oh, I don't mean money. Anything, just as long as you can part with it."
The man's expression furrowed at this oddity, as did Apple's. Was the boy part of a fairy tale? To her knowledge, quite a few fairy tales involved playing games to win a valuable prize relevant to the plot or simply trick the antagonist into doing something foolish.
Another moment passed before the man seemed to nod, signaling his consent. The boy could only smile. "Alright, then let's begin."
Upon hearing this, Apple felt the hairs at the back of her neck bristle, and was startled when the nearby streetlight fizzled out for a moment before shutting down completely. Soon, more followed, the entire block slowly being enveloped in darkness as the buildings as well were soon deprived of their light. A power outage? The air around her began to change, becoming chillier, breezier, causing her to shiver. Peering back into the alleyway, she looked to see if the duo noticed and had put a stop to their little contest.
That was not the case as the two were now holding their right hands out parallel to one another, their fingers clenched.
"They're still going?"
"Best two out of three," the boy said. "If you win, you get it all. I win, I get whatever you can part with."
"Yeah, yeah," the boy rattled off impatiently. "Let's start already."
Apple kept her eyes glued to the scene, only at that instant realizing that she could have been back at the dorms by now, ignoring Raven while getting ready for bed. Both her parents always told her that a princess alone at night could always spell danger. Then again, Daring would likely come along to rescue her if that ever happened.
Her gaze shifted to focus on their hands, bobbing them up and down in preparation to throw. When they did, she squinted to get a look at the result, relying on what moonlight could filter in, and could make out the man outstretching all five of his fingers, while the boy only had two. "Scissors cut paper," the lad said smugly.
The man scoffed, and replied, "Best two out of three, remember?"
They clenched their hands tightly again and repeated the motions. This time, Apple could see the man's face morphing into an uneasy grimace, perhaps wondering what best to go with. In theory, when it came to the game of rock, paper, scissors, choice played a large part in how throws go, with psychology playing a large part.
Contrary to popular belief, the game isn't nearly as arbitrary as one would believe, nor does luck and chance dictate the majority of the outcome. People, even when they might deny it, do certain throws subconsciously due to probability bias and instinct. This is especially endemic when one tends to avoid the same throw repeatedly.
Conversely, there is more of a likelihood that neophytes will lead with rock. Rocks are often associated with hardness, strength and protection, so it's often considered a defensive play, allowing those with more experience to take advantage of it. In addition, it is the simplest throw one can make since the hand is already clenched.
To Apple's observation, the man went with rock, with the boy pulling another scissors, and was rewarded when that was the result. "Rock beats scissors," the man said triumphantly. "That card is as good as mine." A confident front he may have showed, he was beginning to feel uneasy. He could have just dismissed himself from all of this since earlier, but for some reason, he stayed. Stayed to play this ridiculous game, with a boy the same age as his cousin. At least he'd have a funny story to tell, but there was just something about this entire situation that was starting to feel…wrong.
The boy tilted his head to the side, and Apple could sense the boy smiling still in the darkness of the alleyway. "Just one more."
They both readied themselves, this time drawing their arms back as if they were going to throw punches, the scene drawing a raised eyebrow from Apple. Within the pin drop silence, the pair held the other's gaze intently, the tension around them perceivable to the princess. Her mouth went dry as she waited for a flash of movement, when; at the landing of a stray cat on the concrete, did they finally release.
Apple scrunched her brows tightly like they were crammed together by an uncaring force, her vision tearing through the blur of their arms as they finally came down at roughly the same time.
"Guess I win," the boy declared, waving his two extended fingers in a peace sign.
The man stood frozen, breaking out into a sweat, the full scale of his attention focused solely at all five of his fingers extended.
"What…the hell? I could have sworn I was going for rock."
The boy clicked his tongue twice in mock pity, shaking his head before saying, "You were going for rock, weren't you?"
The man looked up from his hand, which he clenched, and stared at the boy grinning back at him, but before he could reply, he continued. "You were thinking about it, weren't you? But, you flaked at the last second. That split second instant of weakness was your downfall. Like someone standing in front of an ice cold lake that they were told to swim in on a dare, and right as they were about to jump, the regret starts to kick in, but they can't back out as their feet are already off the ground. All they can really do at that brief moment is get a glimpse of the hell they're about to experience."
"W-What?" the man blurted out in shock. "Y-You brat! What did you just say to meeee?!"
The man was about to lunge at the boy, a complete change from the seemingly mild mannered and playful demeanor from earlier. Seeing this, Apple was about to step in and intervene when the boy let out an eerily low giggle, that gradually rose into a mad cackle that took aback both her and the man. The boy took a step forward, and for whatever reason, the man found himself backing away in turn.
"Guess that means I get to have my prize," the boy said smugly, reaching his hand out as the man continued to retreat, suddenly gripped with this foreboding sense of danger. "You promised," he was reminded, "you promised that I'd get to have anything from you that you can part with."
The man, no longer wishing to entertain the lad, kept taking a step back deeper into the alleyway until he glanced behind him and stopped about a few inches away from the dead end of a wall. "What was that?" the boy said impishly, cupping his ear. "You want to say something to me, mister?"
The man faced the boy again, his face twisted into a deep and uncomfortable frown. He opened his mouth to say something, when whatever word that was about to escape became stuck in his throat. Gaping, he clutched his neck with one hand and tried to push out a coherent sound, but all that came forth were fitful and choppy gasps, his breathing becoming shallower by the second.
"Oh, sorry, but, you see, once you agreed to the conditions of our game, that was a binding vow," the boy explained, stopping just a few inches away in front of the man, and Apple could swear that the boy now towered over the struggling man, despite having fallen down on his knees, gasping for air. "And, since you lost, well, what you're going through now is the penalty. It sucks, but, eh, what else can you expect in a shadow game."
Apple's eyes became wide as saucers, her pupils shrinking. "A…shadow game?"
The boy continued to observe the man as his life seemed to slowly ebb away, eyes bloodshot as his hands were now clawing at his neck hard enough to tear into the skin. Reaching into his pocket, the boy once again drew out the gold pocket watch and pressed the release, the lid flipping open with a soft click. He then lifted the watch to face it towards the man, and Apple's face went cold with fear when even from where she was standing, she could feel the temperature drop lower and an ominous glow twinkled from deep within the alley, causing her to blink rapidly from the sudden brightness.
It was then that she heard a guttural scream that made her want to cover her ears, streaks of gold light emerging from the boy and coalescing into the man. Soon, the man's screams died down, slowly, until the silence returned, crueler, unempathetic over the scene that just played out. Apple practically slammed both hands over her mouth to keep herself from making a sound, taking a few, errant steps back. It was then that she wondered why other people hadn't been drawn in by the commotion. Surely someone must have heard something. Her eyes darted in every direction, her blood running cold as it became increasingly clear that the streets were as barren as a cemetery at night.
She turned back to the alleyway, her gaze unsteady and her heart racing when she found that the boy was no longer in sight, only the crumpled form of the man slumped against the wall, and something in her bottom peripherals. A chill crept up her spine as she slowly lowered her gaze, and soon enough, found a pair of cold, black eyes gazing back at her, causing her to fall back on the hard ground, landing on her rear. The boy, now looming over her, stared at the downed princess blankly, until recognition seemed to set in.
Apple was beyond terrified, shivering from the numbing cold over her skin, sweat pouring down her forehead, her normally pristine hair matted and disheveled. Her lips were parted, but all that came out of her were hitched breaths, her throat dry and itchy. Who was this boy? What was he?
No answer came save for a thin smile that slowly drew itself on his lips. "You're that girl from the park."
Apple gasped, tensing up and quivering uncontrollably, helpless before the boy like a predator hovering over its prey. There had been many times that she would fantasize herself being in this kind of scenario, of being at the mercy of a villain, unable to do anything but call for help like the damsel she was, only for her handsome prince to swoop in at the right moment and rescue her. From there, all would be well as she was safe and happy in his arms, riding away towards a glorious happily ever after
She could barely scrape up the courage to speak.
Daring, or really, any prince was nowhere in sight.
And all she could feel was raw, unfiltered fear, feebly dragging herself away from the boy, who confidently remained stationary on the same spot.
"You saw," the boy finally said under his breath, and it sounded so much like a demand that Apple's dread spiked at what he might do if she failed to answer, a weak, imperceptible nod the best she could muster, but the boy hardly needed it.
Tears were once again trickling down her cheeks, what was left of her makeup running down in thin black streaks. "Calm down," the boy told her, and Apple clamped her mouth shut, dreading that if she said anything out of turn, she would suffer whatever fate befell man.
The boy's smile didn't leave his face, amused malice bleeding through as he said, "Tell the king this." He reached into his jacket and pulled something out, the darkness making it hard to see clearly even with the moonlight, wagging it playfully in the air between his index and middle finger.
"We miss him."
He then tossed the object towards her, which landed barely an inch from her right foot, which reflexively flinched back. Apple's eyes were glued on it for no longer than a second when she reluctantly lifted her head to look up, expecting the boy to still be there, when her field of view could only find the dark alleyway and the bare street overlooking it, the lights all around once again back on in the time it took for her to blink.
Dumbstruck, she remained glued to the pavement, unable to move from the fear still anchoring her down. She tried to make a coherent sound to call for help, but her throat was still parched, a lump lodged steadfastly. She replanted her gaze on what the boy had left, blinking to gain a clearer glimpse.
It was…a duel monster card, lying face down, the familiar pattern on its back that of a swirling black vortex.
Before long, everything before her began to spin, her body losing all energy, falling on her back as unconsciousness took over.
Dear lord…
Who was that boy? What did he do to that poor fellow?
Don't be fooled. There's more to that 'boy' than meets the eye. It's a good thing we witnessed it.
Now Brooke, as narrators, we can't really-
Really, mom? I'm sure you and dad did some loose with the rules back in the day.
That's-be that as it may, we should still try to not get involved too much.
Right.
The next day…
Dexter woke up with a start.
'knock knock knock'
He took a sharp intake of air before letting out a groan and then a yawn, his eyes slitted open to the dimness of the room he shared with Hunter. After dinner and arriving back at the school, he, Daring and their father helped escort Darling to her dorm. After the formalities were done with, they wished their sister a goodnight, once again welcoming her to Ever After High. Their father voted to accompany Dexter back to his dorm, which made his other siblings uneasy, but their bespectacled brother laughed off whatever concerns they may have had.
It would turn out that their misgivings weren't completely unfounded.
"I expressly forbid you from playing your little game at school," Precocious said in a low, but firm voice. "You're free to do so off the grounds."
Dexter sighed. "Right," he said flatly. He could settle for that as a compromise.
"And," his father went on, as if reading his mind, "if I catch wind of so much as an elf with a sword skulking about-"
"Come on, dad, that's discrimination you know," Dexter remarked noncommittally. "Is that how it was back in the day?"
"Try not to be coy with me," Precocious admonished him, casting his son a glance over his shoulder, being in the lead. "That privilege is only reserved to your mother."
Dexter sighed again, this time more in deflation, his shoulders slumping. "I forgot to ask Darling how she was doing."
"You would know if you had kept in touch," Precocious castigated him, the two of them finally reaching the room Dexter shared with Hunter. Dexter winced, and before he could reach for the door, his father's hand made a grab for his forearm. "You really should call her." The man's expression softened. "I'm sure it would mean a lot to hear from you."
Dexter stared at his father, feeling the man relinquish his hold. He nodded, saying, "I will."
Precocious straightened, and with a clearing of his throat, said a satisfied, "Good. Hopefully, I'll be seeing you at class tomorrow. Without your gaggle of subjects, 'King' Dexter."
With a snort, Dexter bid his father a goodnight and entered his room, closing the door behind him with a gentle click. He turned to his bed, and then at Hunter's, discovering him to already be present. "Dude," his roommate greeted him. "Got in trouble with your old man?"
Dexter threw his arms up with a sigh. "Not as bad as I thought it'd go. What about you?"
Hunter went on to explain what went down on his end. Dexter pursed his lips in displeasure. "None of you went after her?"
"She sure didn't look like she wanted any company," Hunter replied. "It's not like she can't go back to her dorm by herself."
Dexter's lips curled at that. He sat down on his bed and fell back on it. "Bad idea. One of them was at the park, watching our duel."
Hunter winced. "Yeah, probably not the best way to get things in motion. So? What do you think?"
Dexter thought about it. "I'll check in on Brooke tomorrow. She's bound to have seen something, but right now, I just wanna catch some z's before all hell breaks loose."
Hunter nodded, going back to chatting with Ashlynn on his phone before he too was to call it a night.
Present…
Dexter's vision was spotty as he moved out of bed and trudged across the room, but not before checking the time, seeing it to be a quarter to four. Something told him that his biological clock was gonna be murder in the future if he didn't get his eight hours of shuteye.
Dressed in a simple shirt and pair of boxers, he made his way towards the door, the knocking only becoming more urgent.
'knock knock knock knock knock'
Upon grabbing the knob, he gently pried it open, coming face-to-face with Raven up close. Rather than being dressed in her usual attire, she was instead donned in a purple jacket that was zipped up, black denims, her hair done in a ponytail. And instead of her tiara, she was wearing a baker boy hat, noticeably wide enough to shade her facial features. From Dexter's perspective after taking a peek, her expression betrayed both mild panic and worry.
"Dexter, c-can we come in?"
Dexter blinked twice to clear his still foggy vision, answering, "Sure." He peered over her shoulder and into the dim corridor, finding Blondie Lockes, Maddie Hatter and Ashlynn Ella behind her.
"Apple hasn't come back," Raven said straight to the point, pacing about in the middle of the room once everyone else was settled. Ashlynn was sitting by a chair Dexter provided, close to Hunter's bed where the boy was still stirring awake. "She wasn't in our room when I got back, so I went straight to bed, thinking that she…wouldn't be in any mood to talk. I thought that she'd be back late, but when I woke up to get a drink of water and…'other business', she…"
"Wasn't in bed?" Dexter finished for her. She nodded and sat down on a separate chair facing his bed. Instead of saying more like she expected, Dexter reached for his phone lying on the nightstand. He dialed a number and placed it against his ear. It rang only once before it was answered. "Hey," he greeted whoever was on the other line, "don't start. Uh huh, yeah. Thanks."
"Who was that?" Blondie couldn't help but ask curiously, fiddling with her phone, sorting through the recordings she racked up the day before and earlier that night.
"It was Brooke," Dexter answered. "Apple's at Mr. Solly's."
"The game shop," Hunter provided drowsily for the puzzled girls.
Raven's expression furrowed. "Isn't Brooke…"
"One of the narrators, yeah," Dexter nodded, which he shared with Maddie. "She works part-time at the shop."
"H-How…?"
"Didn't I keep telling everyone?" Maddie said cheekily, sitting, or lying, on the floor, her feet propped on the bed. It gave the impression that she was sitting on the edge of the bed, with the floor serving as a literal backrest, and still, she was taking sips of tea like she was poised upright. "But, no, Maddie Hatter is just cuckoo for coco puffs, off her rocker! Nobody ever believes Maddie and her 'imaginary friends'!"
Raven massaged the bridge of her nose. "Yes, Maddie, you've made that quite clear already," she said with a smidgen of exasperation, though her lips were curled into a grin. "So, is Apple safe?"
"She is," Dexter simply answered, standing up from bed and proceeding to the bathroom. Raven sighed a breath of relief. Lord knows that if anything were to happen to the young Snow White, she would be the first to be blamed. The memory of an incident last year in the cafeteria where she accidentally spilled a dollop of her ice cream on Apple's dress immediately came to mind, with everyone believing that she had done it on purpose. It was the beginning of the school year, and she and Apple had already known each other since they were twelve. To make matters worse, Apple herself was glad, even overjoyed that she was 'settling into her part'. She decided from that moment to let the matter slide, only to be followed by more incidents that were innocuous or accidental to be casted as deliberate. Her luck had not been good.
"Why come here?" Dexter asked from the bathroom sink, brushing his teeth, leaving the door ajar. "You couldn't risk people getting the wrong idea, right?"
Raven bit her lip. "That, and we were hoping to ask Hunter's heroes for help. Maddie suggested it."
Hunter yawned after sitting up. "Can't exactly call on them all the time. Outside of a duel, they have their own lives. Unless, of course, it's an emergency."
"Uh, I would think that a missing student, who also happens to be one of the most high profile fairy tales in Ever After High, is cause for an emergency," Raven deadpanned. "Speaking of which, what could she be doing at the…game shop?"
"You've never been there?" Hunter asked after a yawn, scratching his side.
"I'm more of a Yarns and Noble kind of girl," Raven replied. "I don't really…play any games."
"That explains a lot," both Hunter and Dexter quipped in unison, earning them a frown from the young Evil Queen. Dexter shielded himself from his discarded jacket being shot at him after exiting the bathroom.
With a crooked smile, he sighed and said, "Well, let's go. I'm sure Mr. Solly is taking care of her."
"Who's that?" Ashlynn asked Hunter.
"The one who owns and runs the shop," Hunter answered her, slipping into his red jacket, then went on to fasten his pants, a blushing Ashlynn averting her gaze. "You guys can trust him."
"But what could she be doing there in the first place?" Raven asked, drawing agreeing nods from the other girls.
Dexter and Hunter traded silent looks, shrugging their shoulders. "Maybe we should ask her?" The young Huntsman said, trudging towards the closet. Dexter was putting on a warm blue jacket, the mornings in Book End chilly as of late because of the encroaching season.
Raven deflated, looking even more worried. Her roommate's failure to return likely stemmed from their spat, and she must have gotten into some trouble. Dexter caught a glimpse of this, but didn't comment. Taking his phone from the nightstand, he signaled for them to move out.
The group crept quietly through the hallway, unwilling to be met with any unwanted interlopers. Upon making their way outside, Dexter and Hunter led the way to the shop. "The game shop is right around Domino Avenue, so it isn't that far."
Ashlynn blinked, tilting her head past Blondie, who was in front of her. "My shop is just a block away from Domino Avenue. What's the name of the shop?" To her knowledge, that street was considered the central hub of gaming in Book End, with quite a number of hobby shops and video game stores lining the area.
"Turtle Game," Hunter said.
"Really? I always thought it belonged to the turtle in the Turtle and the Hare."
Both Hunter and Dexter flinched. "That's Tortoise and the Hare," Dexter corrected the young Cinderella.
"What's the difference?" Blondie asked.
Raven sighed. "Tortoises spend more time on land, and you can tell a tortoise from a turtle by how rounder their shells are. Turtle shells are flatter and more hydrodynamic since they spend more time in water."
Both Ashlynn and Blondie perked up. "Wow," the young Goldilocks realized. "I did not know that. I mean, I always thought turtles and tortoises were interchangeable."
"That's a really common misconception," Hunter remarked. "One that the Tortoise line used to take great offense to. But people have been making that mistake for so long, they stopped bothering."
"Still, that doesn't really detract from the story, does it?" Ashlynn opined.
"Not by much, no," Dexter agreed somewhat. "But while it may seem like an insignificant detail, overtime, it might affect people's perception of the story, getting more things wrong until it diverges away from the original portrayal. It's why it's important to perceive things accurately to avoid mistakes."
Ashlynn hung her head. "Dexter, can…I ask you a question?"
Dexter glanced over his shoulder, and shrugged. "Sure. Go ahead."
Hunter darted his eyes to his girlfriend as she continued. "It was last night, after Apple left, and…Hunter's heroes were talking to us. Telling us things."
Dexter kept walking, looking on ahead. "And?"
Ashlynn scrunched her features tightly, eyes shuttered. She could still hear the details echoing in her mind.
"My…story?" Ashlynn repeated uneasily to Avian's request.
The winged hero nodded. "Yes. We want to know what version you're following."
Ashlynn became nervous. "W-What version? Just the one I-the one that we Cinderella have been doing since the beginning." She proceeded to tell the heroes the story, and Burstinatrix took on a bemused frown.
Once the young woman was done, the heroine replied, "Believe it or not, but I'm a high school teacher in my civilian job, and one of the subjects I specialize in happens to be classical literature and history, and I've read up on more than a few fairy tales and their backgrounds, dating back to the original depictions in the Brothers Grimm."
"Brothers Grimm?" Blondie repeated in fascination. "You mean our Headmaster? Milton Grimm?"
Burstinatrix cocked one eyebrow at that. "Well, neither of them are named 'Milton'. The two brothers were known as Jacob and Wilhelm in our world, and they're often credited as the pioneers of modern fairy tales. If you've read it, they've written it. However, what many aren't aware of, is that a lot of those same fairy tales were often retellings of old ones they've heard and picked up from other sources and cultures."
All of the princesses and even Humphrey gaped at that reveal. "That's right. There have been multiple versions of your stories in the past, and continue to have in the present. Many vary in tone and genre, but after every generation, fairy tales tend to be toned down to fit…more 'modern' sensibilities."
"Wait, wait, slow down!" Raven waved her hands frantically. "Are you saying that our stories aren't static? That there have been changes?"
"Oh, definitely," Avian responded. "For the longest time, actually. For example, in a very old version of Snow White, probably even the original, it was her actual mother, not her stepmother, that became jealous of her."
The students in the clearing went silent. "What…are you talking about?" Raven said with some apprehension.
Avian inclined his head back. "What am I talking about?"
"Mother? Stepmother? I'm only supposed to be the Evil Queen, not Apple's…stepmother," Raven explained, a cold sensation of dread washing over her. What was the winged hero even insinuating? That she was to marry Apple's father? He met the man a few times in the past, but the very thought made her skin crawl.
All of the heroes were now staring intently at the students.
Burstinatrix asked, "How exactly is your story supposed to go?"
Hunter, deciding to give Raven some breathing room, voted to do so. The heroes became troubled at hearing how…bowdlerized the two stories were, and likely the rest as well. Otherwise, the logistics to keep such tales going was already stretching what could be considered sketchy.
Burstinatrix proceeded to say, "Let me give you kids a heads up. What I'm about to relate to you is the history of just one of the stories relayed here. At least from where we're from. Let's go with Cinderella. The oldest version on record, and where many others are rooted from was based in a country called China…"
Once Burstinatrix was done, Ashlynn…was drawing a complete blank, her mind having shut down. "Yeah, it's not exactly your idea of a 'fairy tale', though that's largely the oldest record of what can be considered a 'Cinderella' story."
Hunter regarded his girlfriend, and gently tapped her on the shoulder to snap her out of whatever stupor she was in. Once she did, she felt rather faint, confused and mildly sick to her stomach. Farrah was on her immediately, comforting her, though she wasn't precisely faring any better.
A fish? What served as the 'Fairy Godmother' in the story was a fish? Granted, an enchanted fish, but still!
It was eaten!
"There's also another one, which can be considered far older," Burstinatrix went on, "though it is missing a few crucial details to be considered a solid Cinderella. It's also much shorter with a simpler resolution."
"Th-That's…the story?" Ashlynn said in a meek, fragile voice, with Hunter bringing up one of the chairs for her to sit on.
Burstinatrix nodded. "There does exist a version that closely resembles the more 'modern' rendition. With a few key differences."
"A-And," Farrah gulped, fearing that they might be in for even more of a shock, "how does that version play out?"
"Well, for one thing," Burstinatrix paused, then asked, "are your stepsisters…ugly?"
A confusing question if there ever was one, which Ashlynn confirmed with a silent nod. "Well, whether it's a good or bad thing, the stepsisters in this aren't ugly. They were actually conventionally beautiful." She observed how shocked Ashlynn and Farrah were by this. "And, in this version, the slipper you're wearing isn't glass, but gold."
"G-Gold? A-A gold slipper?" Ashlynn was further floored, her mouth hanging agape. "That-That's just…"
"Plus, Cinderella isn't even the girl's real name in the story in most of the versions," Burstinatrix added. "It's a nickname."
Ashlynn's face paled. "A-A nickname?" The word escaped her lips like a hoarse curse. "Wh-Why? How?"
"Because instead of in her room or, really, on a bed, the girl is forced to sleep near the fireplace, hence, how she earns that nickname as a derogatory play on the word 'cinder', since she would often be covered in soot. So, your real name being Ashlynn should already have you covered on that."
Ashlynn felt even more faint, slumping against the backrest of the chair. "W-What else?"
"Ashlynn!" Farrah admonished her to stop.
"I need to know!" Ashlynn croaked out. "If…If what she's saying is true, then…"
Burstinatrix gave the girl the harshest of looks, then continued per her request. "The ball is more of a festival, and instead of taking place in a single night, it lasts for a consecutive three, in honor of the prince and as a means for him to find a bride. He invites all of the beautiful maidens in the kingdom to attend. The stepmother tries to leave Cinderella out, but just for her own entertainment, she decides to give the girl a test. She takes out a bowl of lentils and dumps them directly into the fireplace, and she will only allow her stepdaughter to go if she manages to pick up all of the lentils."
"Seriously?" Raven said in an astonished manner.
Burstinatrix nodded. "However, earlier on, Cinderella managed to befriend a flock of birds. Now, contrary to what you might believe, she doesn't befriend or tame them naturally. There's actually an even more bizarre story behind that if you can find yourselves to believe it."
As fantastical as their world already was, what could be more bizarre?
"When the father, and no, he isn't dead or gone," Ashlynn took note of that with a nod, "is about to leave on a business trip, he asks his three daughters for what gifts he could bring. The stepsisters naturally ask for clothes and jewelry, but Cinderella's is more…odd. She asks for the first twig that manages to hit her father's hat upon his return."
Raven cocked a thoughtful brow, the request sounding minor by fairy tale standards.
"She then proceeds to plant that twig in their garden, watering it day by day with her tears, which then goes on to grow into a tree where birds would flock and nest," Burstinatrix related. "In exchange for her caring for them, the birds become loyal to her. These birds would be the ones to swoop down and pick up the lentils, and in about half an hour, they do it."
"Then, she passed the test?" Ashlynn asked hopefully.
Burstinatrix shook her head in the negative. "The stepmother, annoyed, decides to double down and dumps two bowls of lentils in the fireplace."
"You're kidding," Raven deadpanned.
"Double wubble, toil and grubble, let birdies ease your troubles," Maddie spouted in riddlish. "That stepmother just kept wasting perfectly good lentils."
"It ends as well as the first time, only longer by about an hour," Burstinatrix stated. "However, even then, the stepmother still refused to let Cinderella go."
"Of course," Raven remarked with a roll of her eyes.
"Now, this is where the story veers into more familiar territory," Burstinatrix said, sending a glance at Farrah. "Though, not quite. Instead of a fairy godmother, Cinderella goes to their garden and nestles herself before the tree she had cared for, and recites a poem, a spell of sorts. It goes like this." The fiery heroine clears her throat. "Little tree, little tree, shake over me, so that silver and gold may come down on me."
Ashlynn and Farrah blink. "That's it?" the fairy godmother-to-be asked. Burstinatrix nodded.
"Yep, that's it." They then heard the sound of sniffling, followed by the blowing of a nose. Maddie was crying.
"That was…beautiful," the daughter of the Mad Hatter said through sobs. "I've never heard something so…so com-com-co-" She blew out her nose again with a handkerchief Earl Gray handed to her from under her hat.
"Uh, what exactly was beautiful about that? She isn't even done," Raven pointed out, perplexed over her best friend's sudden fit.
"No," Maddie shook her head, sucking in a sharp intake of air. "That…riddlish, I-I've…never been so moved…"
There was a very long pause before Raven wordlessly spun her hand as a gesture for Burstinatrix to continue. The heroine cleared her throat. "The birds then flew out of the tree, bringing with them the most beautiful dress and shoes that seemed like they were spun from gold."
"A tree?" Farrah deadpanned. First a fish, now a tree?
Burstinatrix chuckled, "Afraid so, dear. Cinderella would then clean herself up, don the dress and shoes, and walk to the castle."
"Okay, hold up," Farrah interjected, wearing an uncommon frown to the surprise of Ashlynn. "What about the carriage? Her attendants!"
Burstinatrix shrugged. "There isn't any." Farrah's jaw dropped. Generations of the finest pumpkin carriages…
"She-She really just walked?!"
"Uh, yes? Yes, she did," the fiery heroine confirmed, bemused towards the girl that could have been in her class.
Farrah's brow twitched. "Bu-But…I, and she-the pumpkin-!"
"It's alright, Farrah," Ashlynn soothed the fairy godmother that was close to experiencing a conniption. She made a face at the heroine and teacher, expressing a silent apology and patience for her friends.
Burstinatrix sighed, getting the impression that she was dealing with some of her students. "For three nights, Cinderella would dance in the festival, and because she was so beautiful, not even her family recognized her. And on each of those nights, she would come to attract the attention of the prince. However, once the festivities were done, fearing that she would be caught, she would flee back home, and the prince would chase after her, throwing question after question of who she was and where she came from. In the following nights, she would return, with a dress more beautiful than the last, but she would always wear the same pair of gold shoes. On the final night, the prince, exasperated that his mystery girl would slip away," Hunter shot his girlfriend a coy look, to which she smiled in kind, "slathered the stairs leading up to his palace with pitch."
"Pitch?" Raven echoed. "He tried to trap her with glue?" Ashlynn recoiled.
"Not necessarily," Burstinatrix waved off. "Although that probably would have made things a lot easier."
Hunter cleared his throat pointedly. "Right," Burstinatrix continued. "So, because of the pitch, Cinderella had one of her golden shoes stuck to it from fleeing. The prince took the shoe, and you should already know the next part."
"The search," Ashlynn answered.
Burstinatrix nodded. "All the maidens in the land were to fit their feet inside the shoe, and as you might already know as well, each and every one failed. When it was time for Cinderella's stepsisters to try the shoe…"
They all waited, and realized that Burstinatrix was hesitating. "What's wrong?" Raven asked.
"...What I'm about to tell you is…let's just say it's not gonna be pretty," the heroine explained, and the teens could pick up the foreboding intonation in her words. "But, I swear that this is from the Brothers Grimm original, which means it's where your story and all its variants are derived from."
Ashlynn, understanding what the heroine was insinuating, nodded, and felt a warm sensation come to her right hand, which Hunter clasped, with Farrah claiming her left. She nodded to each of them, thankful for their support. She then faced Burstinatrix with a determined face, and nodded. "Go ahead."
Burstinatrix did so. "When the time came that the stepsisters were to try the shoe, the first one realized that her great toe was too big. Her mother, seeing this, gave her a knife, and ordered her to cut it."
Silence flooded the clearing.
"She-She what?!" Ashlynn exclaimed in absolute shock after finding her voice. Farrah cringed profusely, sucking in her lips in disgust and suppressing the urge to gag. Raven and Maddie hardly fared better, utterly repulsed.
Burstinatrix nodded gravely. "In order to get the shoe to fit her, her mother had her cut off her toe. The other stepsister was ordered to cut off her heel. Both failed since the prince, who was present, would see the blood spilling out of the shoe. It wasn't until Cinderella came in and tried it that the rest would play out as normal. Only, at the very end, on the wedding day, both stepsisters would attend, both bearing the…scars from their self-mutilation. Unfortunately for them, their suffering didn't end there. The birds that were loyal to Cinderella were outraged that they even came at all, and flocked down to pluck out their eyes, leaving them blind for the rest of their lives."
All of the princesses stood back, their faces pale and awash with horror, inwardly wondering to themselves if they were even hearing the same thing, half hoping the woman was just messing with them.
Raven was now greatly reconsidering her circumstances in terms of her own destination in life. "What kind of psychos would write a story like that?!"
"Jacob and Wilhelm," Burstinatrix answered easily. "And like it or not, that sort of story was acceptable in their time period, which was hundreds of years ago in our world. And it's not just her story. Nearly all of yours are a lot darker than how you may know them."
"That is just sick and wrong!" Blondie shrieked, completely appalled beyond measure. "Fucking wrong!"
Ashlynn felt close to fainting again, ignoring the normally upbeat and polite Goldilocks swearing, who was just as disgusted, if not more so, with Farrah equally just as delirious. "I-I think that's enough now," the young Cinderella pleaded weakly.
Burstinatrix nodded. "Alright. And, I'm sorry."
Ashlynn waved her hand weakly, woozy from being a little squeamish. "N-No, it's…it's not your fault."
She held back the urge to vomit, and after recovering their bearings, Hunter and company cleaned after themselves. The heroes bid the children goodbye as they returned to their world. Farrah asked for them to leave the chairs, as they would simply shift back to twigs at the strike of midnight.
Once Ashlynn was finished relating that part of thy evening to him, he remarked, "I assume you didn't take coming to know all of that well."
"H-How could I?" Ashlynn asked, still appalled. "What happened to m-the stepsisters was still awful. I'd never want anything like that to happen to mine."
Dexter shrugged, "Well, hopefully, your story won't come to that."
Ashlynn certainly was hopeful. While she may not have the friendliest of relations with Prudence and Charlotte, they were still her cousins, and stepsisters-to-be. And, deep down, she knew they weren't as abrasive as they presented themselves to be.
They had all returned to the dorm in silence, mulling over the revelations of that night. Raven was all the more troubled over her decisions, that if the original Snow White story was as dark as the heroine had implied, then her becoming a homeless vagrant and outcast might not be as severe as she had previously thought. She could…at least live off the land or find some other form of life. It wasn't like a simple life wasn't what she wanted, plus she would still be alive to get things in order once everything calmed down. Perhaps, when all was said and done, after Apple gets her happily ever after, she could try finding her own. Like a job, a different career path that was both fulfilling and quaint.
But not without assuming a new identity, changing her appearance and moving someplace else to gain political asylum.
Hey, she might as well weather through the whole damn gauntlet. Speaking of Apple, they were already nearing the shop when Ashlynn decided to make a stop at her establishment, remembering that she needed to oversee a delivery of new stock. Hunter decided to accompany her, leaving the remaining party to be Dexter, Raven, Maddie and Blondie.
"By the way, Blondie, is Cupid still asleep?" Dexter asked the blonde to which she nodded.
"Like a log," the young Goldilocks revealed. "I couldn't bring myself to wake her up when she was sleeping so soundly. It just wouldn't have been right."
Dexter gave a nod of acknowledgement. Cupid had left without saying much to him, and also because he was press ganged by his father to the celebratory dinner to commemorate Darling's arrival. He wanted to properly have a talk with her in order to clear the air between them. He didn't need to ask Ashlynn about Briar, likely still deep in slumber at this hour.
"So, Blondie, how come you came along?" Dexter asked the blonde.
Blondie looked up from her phone and said, "Raven and Maddie came to my room to ask for my help in case they needed it." She grinned. "And also, because I couldn't possibly pass up on another scoop. Can you imagine the tagline? 'Apple White, Missing!'" She emphasized the words with a flourishing gesture of her hands. "Rolls right off the tongue, doesn't it?"
"You are not going to publish that," Raven admonished. "We had an agreement."
Blondie pouted. "Aw, come on! It's the most content I've had and it hasn't even been a full 24 hours. After everything we've come to know-"
"Exactly!" Raven seethed. "If more people came to know what we know, it could lead to mass hysteria."
"What's wrong with that?" Maddie asked, pouring herself some tea out of a thermos, having left her teapot back at her room for Earl Gray to wash. "We Wonderlandians love us some mass hysteria! That's the best kind!"
As soon as Maddie said that, with their little ragtag bunch no further than eight feet from the shop, Dexter reached into his deck and drew out a card. Coming to a halt and without pulling his gaze away from the building, he muttered, "Mana, go and check."
Obediently, Mana materialized out of the card in a flash of gold particles, much to the surprise of the others. The rambunctious spellcaster flew a few feet away from the group before stopping in midair, and said, "Come on out, little cat, it's not nice to eavesdrop."
"Little ca-" Raven stopped mid-sentence in realization and seethed out, "Kitty!"
Dark Magician Girl, sensing that the Wonderlandian was uncooperative, swung her staff in a roundabout motion. When she stopped, a wave of magic emanated from the tip, washing over the area and bathing it in a kind of ultraviolet light. No further away was the revealed silhouette of Kitty Cheshire, hiding behind a nearby lamppost.
"There you are!" Mana exclaimed victoriously. "Alright, we can either do this the easy way, or the hard way. Your choice!" With both hands gripping her staff, she pointed the tip at the invisible Wonderlandian and cocked it like a gun, complete with sound.
Kitty, on the verge of fleeing even before her presence was revealed, clicked her tongue, wondering if she could still make a break for it. Eyeing the staff aimed directly at her by the young magician, however, instilled some doubt on her getaway plan, wary of whatever magic the girl was capable of. With a sigh, she dropped her invisibility at the same time the ultraviolet light dissipated, stepping out from behind the lamppost and revealing herself for all to see.
Raven directed a dry glance at her best friend. "Maddie?"
The daughter of the Mad Hatter could only respond with a sheepish smile. Perhaps she should have been more on guard in case her roommate was up to her usual brand of mischief. Not that any intervention on her part would have made any difference, as not even she could keep her fellow Wonderlandian in check if she was really set on stirring up a little bit of chaos.
Kitty, deciding to not test the sorceress still aiming her staff at her, stalked up to the group with a hand on her hip and said impishly, "So, little Apple White is missing. What'd you do, Raven?"
Raven scowled, the two of them sharing the same villain classes owing to how casual the Cheshire Cat's tone was. "We…" She hesitated, before deciding to be honest with the cat to avoid any pitfalls, "We had a fight. Nothing serious. Just…Just some personal stuff."
Kitty stuck her tongue out through a wicked grin, and said, "Wehehelll, looks like you two are off to a good start. I do wonder why you all snuck out of the dorm like thieves in the night without inviting me. It just isn't fair, leaving me out of the fun."
"There's nothing fun about this, Kitty," Raven groused. "Now, go back to the dorm."
Kitty's brows narrowed, her grin turning predatory. "Don't think you can just order me around, Queenie. Or I might just start shooting my mouth off. And," she stepped up assertively to the now compromised Raven, whispering up close, "we both know you wouldn't want that."
Raven gritted her teeth, realizing the faux pas she had made. "Fine!" she snapped in a low, guttural voice. "But if you even think you're going to-"
"Ah ah!" Kitty wagged a finger. "Threats won't do you any good, either. I'm holding the proverbial cards here. Just let me tag along, and maybe I'll forget how rude you were to me just now."
Maddie sighed. "Just let her be, Raven. We can at least keep a close eye on her."
Raven's expression withered, but she could get behind that, nodding. "Okay," she conceded uneasily, trusting solely on Maddie's judgment. The girl could be mad and flighty in her ways, but when it came to Kitty, there was an underlying wariness between the two despite them being under one dorm roof, likely stemming from past experiences with the Cheshire Cat.
"Spelltacular!" Kitty exclaimed smugly. She then pointed a scowl at Dexter, "You can go ahead and call off your pet, Charming. I'll be a good kitty."
Dexter rolled his eyes as Mana was about to return to her card when Blondie exclaimed, "Wait!" Both he and the young sorceress froze, staring at the blonde curiously. "You can't go yet! Not without an exclusive interview with me, Blondie Lockes!" She eagerly came up next to Mana, who had landed on the ground with a bemused brow raised. With her trusty phone in hand, the young Goldilocks placed herself in front of the sorceress and wasted no time in firing question after question in rapid succession, too fast for the poor girl to keep track.
"Uh, Dexter?" Mana pleaded, grinning awkwardly from the attention.
With a chuckle, Dexter got in between the two. "Alright, Blondie, that's enough, you're making Mana uncomfortable."
Blondie stopped, gasping in a big gulp of air to catch her breath. "Sorry, but after meeting Hunter's heroes, I just can't pass this up." She faced Dark Magician Girl once again, a hungry smile stretched across her lips. "Blondie Lockes, student journalist, would you mind if I claim a little of your time for an interview?"
Mana blinked. "Interview?"
"Yes!" Blondie cleared her throat and began with, "As the apprentice to an evil wizard, what dastardly spells does he teach you? What foul potions? Ooh! What kind of dungeon do you keep the fair maidens that you kidnap in? Does it come with air conditioning?"
Dexter's smile fell, his hand finding his forehead. Neither was Raven at all amused, pulling down her hat with both hands in secondhand embarrassment for the poor girl.
Mana blinked again, her eyes widening, pupils shrinking. "...Excuse me?"
Oh dear, it would seem our young Blondie has made quite a few wrong assumptions.
A classic "off on the wrong foot", if I do say so.
Haha, man, it's a good thing today's my day off.