I'm back!
I want to apologize for the delay. Work has been crazy at both my jobs and we've been stupidly understaffed. And with Mother's/Father's Day, proms, graduations, (Yes, I know some of these passed already) Summer, and etc approaching it's gonna get busier. I'm hoping to take some Summer classes, but my schedule is jam-packed. So please be patient with me!
I want to wish everyone a Happy Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage, Black Music, Juneteenth, 4th of July, Ice Cream Month & Pride Month! If you've been listening to the news and things have been BAD! Like really bad, stupidly bad, horrificly bad!
But, I want y'all to know despite all this hatred & stupidity going around (that I hope will end soon), is that you are safe here. I don't care if you're straight, gay, trans, Black, Asian, White, Bi-Racial, etc-call me when you actually do a crime that's ID channel worthy ex. rob a bank, arson, those rude people who demand to see a manager (excuse you!) and etc. As long as you are nice, the feelings are neutral in a relationship (love, family, friendship), there is respect, and no one is underage, I don't care.
Thank you for letting me finish this in my own time. Life is crazy right now, but the story will continue. Thank you!
Also, Happy 10th belated birthday Ever After High!
If Only
(GINGER)
"Hey!" The Littlest Pig squealed as he was chewing on Ginger's pretzel broomstick. "The hay part of the broom is made out of caramel taffy."
Ginger was glaring butcher knives at The Littlest Pig as he continued to munch on her broom.
After several attempts to escape her situation, The Orc Boy had heaped Ginger over his shoulder like a sack of mini potatoes making it impossible for her to escape.
"Oh, quit your sulking." The Bob Cut Girl said. "You should be lucky to have an audience with her queenship."
Ginger didn't reply. She knew nothing she say would detour them from their duties. With each section of the school they passed Ginger noticed how different it was. The school's colors that were once red and purple were now purple and black, the few students they passed were now wearing shades of purple, black, and silver/grey, the rooms seemed darker, the once white polished marble floors were now black, it was like Mira Shards - No, the Evil Queen took over the school (again).
"We're here." The Orc Boy announced as they stood outside Headmaster Grimm's office.
The Orc Boy (not so gently) placed Ginger down so she was in front of the door and he and the other two minions were behind her.
"Queen Raven is waiting for you."
Ginger had to adjust her glasses after the Orc Boy (not so gently) placed her down and she couldn't believe her eyes it was Gus and Helga Crumb guarding the door. Not the guarding Headmaster Grimm's door part, but to see the two cousins wearing shades of purple, black, and silver/grey.
"Gus? Helga? What are you two doing here?" Ginger gasped in confusion.
Gus and Helga were known to be Headmaster Grimm's stool pigeons and would follow his every command, kiss the ground he walked on, and worship him - even to levels Apple wouldn't go that far to do!
"After ve found out da truth about Headmaster Grimm, we have seen da light. Right my cousin Gus?" Helga turned to her cousin.
"Yay, is true." Gus nodded in agreement. "Leetle Birdie, has shown us da truth!"
"Let me guess. You two are kissing up to Raven to avoid punishment for all the times you threatened to cook her, am I right?" Ginger had her hands to her hips and had a knowing grin in her face.
Gus and Helga looked like they got caught with their hands in the cookie jar.
"No! You is wrong!" Gus shouted in defense.
"Yah! Ve repent for past actions against the great beautiful queen for she is as just as she is vicked !" Helga shouted.
"Ve hope vhen die,God's face looks exactly like Queen Raven's!" Gus shouted.
"Wow, that is a new level of kissing ass." Ginger muttered.
"Anyvay, Queen Raven has demanded your attendence." Gus and Helga said in unison as they gestured to the door to the Head- Queen Raven's office.
Just by looking at the door it gave horror-movie-bad-vibes. Even if Ginger made a mad dash, so would only be caught again, the only way out was forward.
Ginger touched the cold knob and opened the door as a frigid breeze hit her. The Orc Boy, Bob Cut Girl, the Crumb cousins, and Littlest Pig shivered as well. Ginger walked into the darkness as the door slammed shut behind her.
*CLICK*
Ginger wrapped her pink cotton candy colored shawl around herself for warmth, but it didn't supply any comfort as she made her way up the stairs to Raven's desk.
The Headmaster's office was different from what she remembered the once regal and tidy place was transformed into some sort of lair. The office floor was elevated and turned in a balcony, the briar roots covered the walls, glowing crystals barely illuminated the dark room, jagged rocks formed a staircase which Ginger walked up until she was on a platform.
Ginger got a good view of her surroundings the side of the room where the windows once were was turned into an opening, the many frames of Heamsater Grimm were ripped apart, the bookcases were smashed under stones, and the desk replaced by a throne.
"Took you long enough." A voice was heard as Ginger gasped.
Raven emerged from the darkness as she wore her coat of infinite darkness, Faybelle's former wings that were now feathers, and the evil crown that she always noticed when the Royals and Rebels had meeting in Raven and Apple's dorm. Raven looked hauntingly beautiful.
"Raven, you have to listen to me!" Ginger shouted. "Just-"
"Enough." With a swift of her hand Ginger was silenced. "I didn't have those idiots bring you here so you can 'help' me, Ginger. I brought you her to give you the choice to join my legion."
"Join your legion? Raven this isn't like you." Ginger protested. "Look, the Headmaster he's been poisoning you, but we can help you and everything will go back to normal."
"Normal?" Raven questioned coldly. "Why on earth would I want things to return to normal? With me in charge things will be run for the better!"
"But, Raven this isn't you. You care about people, you want to give them choices, you don't want to dictate them."
"They dictated us first!" Raven shouted. "They hate us because of our magic - magic that powers the mirrorphones and brings happily ever afters. They judge us on our appearances just because we maybe green, warty, or have horns. They hate us because of a predetermined destiny we never asked for, then they hate us even moew when we decide we don't want to do it. Face it Ginger, the system wronged us first!"
Ginger had nothing to say; Raven was right! After that incident at Aesop's Spellementary School none of the other kids hung out with Ginger. Invitations to birthday parties and requests for playdates stopped. She sat alone at recess and lunch. The carriage rides to and from school became unbearably long. And the adults looked at her as if she were a piece of hair or a fly, or a hairy fly in their soup. She spent the rest of the school year homeschooled after being unofficially banned despite doing nothing. Ginger unfairly blamed her mother for a destiny she didn't ask for. Even after Raven, Cerise, Cupid, and Maddie helped her image and the wish cake giving Hopper his wish there were still skeptics. Ginger felt horrible like she drank expired milk, ate a moldy sandwich, with a side of cold fries.
"Look, Ginger." Raven said in a surprising sympathetic voice. "In a different life, in a different world, you'd be accepted, Hopper would accept you."
Ginger was on the brink of tears. The only reason Hopper interacted with her was because he was in the tech club and recorded her show, because of the wish cake, because of his crush on Briar, because fate was a cruel! Ginger collapsed on her knees and wept. The memories of years of mistreatment finally came out in one big sob fest.
"There, there, it's alright. Let it all out." Ginger heard Raven said as she rubbed circles on her back.
The gesture would normally be comforting if not for Raven's hands being as cold as ice, shard nails, and the rubs digging into Ginger's spine. Ginger didn't know if she was now crying from the truth bomb on the frigid back rub. Raven wrapped her arms around Ginger tightly, too tightly, bone crushing tightly.
Ginger let out a frightened gasp as Raven ceased the 'hug'.
"Now, Ginger." Raven looked straight into Ginger's eyes. "I hope you now understand the position that we are in. You can either join me or you can root in the dungeons like the others who dared defied me."
Raven stood tall and intimidating as she reached out her hand.
"So, do we have a deal?"
"Deal"
Ginger to Raven's cold hand a shook it, proving her alliance.
"Excellent choice." Raven said as she snapped her fingers.
"Yes, your highness?" Gus and Helga appeared awaiting commands.
"Crumbs, escort Ginger to her station as my head chef." Raven commanded.
"Head Chef!?" Ginger gasped.
"Why of course Ginger, you've proven your alliance to me and you're the only chef I trust to not poison me. You'll have authority over the cafeteria." Raven answered.
"You mean I'm chef de cuisine? I'll have my own sous chef, plan the menus, get exotic ingredients?" Ginger perked up.
"Taste testers?" Gus and Helga questioned in unison perking up as well.
"Did I say you could speak?" Raven hissed as she gave an icy glare at the Crumb cousins.
"No, your highness." Gus and Helga answered in unison as they shivered.
"Good, now escort Ginger to the cooking classroom." Raven clapped her hands.
"Yes, your highness." Gus and Helga answered in unison as they gestured Ginger to the door. "This way, Ms. Ginger."
As Ginger began to follow the Crumb cousins to the kitchen.
"Oh, one last thing." Raven snapped her fingers.
Purple magic engulfed Ginger as her outfit she wore was back to it's original status; no rips, tears, or stains! It was like when she first recieved it from the Fitting Ballroom for Thronecoming except like her fellow classmates her dress was differet shades of purple, black, and silver/grey, only to have hints of pink in it. A small black bell with mini purple wings on it appeared.
"Much better." Raven said with a satisfiying grin. "Ring that bell if you need anything."
"Wait, where's my pets Jelly, Sprinkles, and Cinnamon?" Ginger cried out. In her panicked state she forgot about her pets!
Raven didn't answer she just snapped her fingers and a fishbowl appeared on Head- her desk. The fishbowl contained a sentient yellow gummy fish, a blue fish, and a red fish.
" Jelly, Sprinkles, and Cinnamon!" Ginger cried out as she hugged the fishbowl. Judging by Gummy's smile and Sprinkles & Cinnamon swimming around in circles they were happy to see her too.
"Ve vould be happy to carry your fishies. Right mine cousin" Helga said to Ginger.
"Ja, my cousin." Gus agreed with Helga. "Especially the red one."
The Crumb cousins looked at Gummy like they were ready to pop him into their mouths. Gummy wasn't blind to their intentions, so he sprayed both of them with water drenching the glutinous cousins.
"I can carry them just fine, thank you." Ginger snapped at the two. How dare they even think of eating her swimmy pet-babies.
"ENOUGH!"
Everyone turned to see an irritated Raven with her eyes bloodshot, magic levitating everything in the room, and her fist ready to cast a spell on one of them. The teens (and fish/s) coward in fear. Raven cooled herself and walked past them to the door.
"Come, Ginger. we got work to do." Raven instructed as Ginger followed behind. "Crumbs dry yourselves off, and if you try to eat Ginger's pets again any sweet you eat will taste of cauliflower. Got it?"
"Yes, your highness." The cousins nodded.
Cooking Classroom
Ginger always felt comfortable in the cooking classroom not only because of all the ingredients at her disposal, but it reminded her of home (minus the eyes of newts, frogs legs, and poison). It was where she could bake just about anything and wouldn't worry if others thought she was gonna poison them. With how much the school had been transformed Ginger worried that the cooking classroom was changed into a cave with cauldrons full of stinky green goo and jars filled with bat wings.
To Ginger's surprise the shelves were lined with clear glass jars, each one filled with yummy things such as gumdrops, peppermint sticks, and candy buttons. The spice rack sat next to the sprinkle rack, which sat next to the frosting rack and the apron rack. Baking pots and pans hung from the ceiling, and cookie cutters were strewn everywhere, and the air was so sweet & thick in the room she imagined she could eat the air. Ginger was happy the room was still the same.
"ATTENTION!" Raven commanded as a couple of students and kitchen staff filled up in a single file line like on a military base. "Ginger is head chef anything she says goes, and if there are any problems, you'll answer to me. Got it?"
"Yes, Queen Raven/ your majesty." They said in unison.
Raven just glared at them then turned around to face Ginger. Ginger began to shiver in fear at Raven approached her.
"You got this, Ginger." Raven whispered to Ginger with a wink. "See you at 6:30 for dinner."
Ginger did a double take did Raven just encouraged her?
"Excuse me, Head Chef Ginger?" Ginger turned around to see Hagatha wearing a black dress with hints of grey. "What do you want us to make for dinner?"
Ginger was caught off guard usual when Ginger offered to help in the cafeteria or tried to suggest a way to make her food tasty, Hagatha would just ignore her. Now, Hagatha was asking her what to make for dinner.
'That's right!' Ginger thought. "I'm in charge now!"
That meant instead of porridge, gruel, or bran flakes for breakfast, she could make cinnamon troll rolls, hocus lattes, and doughnuts. Heck, she could cook anything she wanted, she is in charge now!
"Alright everyone, I want to make tonight's dinner important so tonight the menu will be: turduken, confit byaldi for the vegans/ vegetarians, lobster for the pescatarians, vegetable soup, enormous green beans," Ginger began listing food items. "- and for dessert salted caramel sundaes with hot fudge, whipped cream, and a cherry on top."
The staff/ students went to work as Ginger instructed them on plating, taste, and presentation.
Suppertime
Ginger outdid herself the food looked amazing! The tables had black table runners made out of silk, lavender plates, silver utensils, and white candles that when they melted the wax turned red like blood.
*CHIME*
The dinner bell rang and on cue the doors opened as hungry students walked in and took their sets to their usual table.
*Trumpets*
Everyone turned to see a lavender carpet rolled in with the school band playing trumpets and the Crumb cousins walking in.
"Presenting her wickedness, Queen Raven!" The cousins said in unison.
The room became cold as Raven walked in as the candles dimmed and each step she took sounded like walking on thin ice. Raven was covered in her coat of infinite dark with it's dragon scale details sent shivers down some students' spines, she stood tall and regal like a queen should be (if she was in princessology right now she would've gotten extra credit). Raven hand her cloak to a nearby servant as she levetated high into the air as her new wings opened revealing dark purple raven wings. Everyone 'oohed' and 'aahed' at Raven's appearance, admiring her for her beauty.
Ginger was left speechless as Raven gracefully floated down and walked towards her and looped her arm around hers.
"Come on, Ginger, let's go to our seats." Raven sounded unusually cheerful when she said that.
The table Raven and Ginger were sitting at was reserved for teachers and staff at the far end of the cafeteria. As Ginger sat down she noticed that the meal she prepared wasn't out yet, it was 6:45 everyone should at least be putting food on their plates.
The doors swung open revealing five of all the king's horses and men, the bridge troll, and the Wicked Step-Libirans.
"We found more your highness." The Bridge Troll said.
"Bring them in." Raven commanded.
A knight nodded as he escorted many people with chains on their legs and wrist slowly in the center of the cafeteria where everyone could see them. Ginger did her best to keep count until a total of 47 students were in the middle of the cafeteria. Ginger did a double count and notice at least ten were villagers. Some shivered in fear at the presence of Raven while others glared at her, either way Raven didn't care.
"You'll never get away with this." A boy from heroes training cried out. "Good always triumphs over evil, your reign will be - do I smell turducken?"
On cue the smell of delicious food filled the air as servents bringing food carts with clouches, once the clouches were opened they revealed the delicious meals inside. Mouths watered at the sight and smells of the food in front of them.
"Alright peons I'm giving you the choice to join me." Raven gestured to everyone dressed in fancy clothing and the food.
'She's luring them in.' Ginger thought.
" Or you can eat porridge and root in the dungeons." Raven added.
"All hail the queen!" The boy who just a second ago threatened her was now praising her.
"All hail the queen!"
More cheered until it filled the whole cafeteria. Ginger felt awkward - no afraid. This wasn't right, sure she'd love being the head chef, but this wasn't Raven.
"Are you okay, Ginger?" Ginger felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to see a worried Raven.
"Ugh, just a little hungry." Ginger answered sheepishly.
"Of course." Raven nodded as she clapped her hands and everyone was served their dinner.
Once the meal was finished with bellies full and plates being picked up to clean. Raven made an announcement that she needed the toughest, ruthless, and evilest of her followers to follow her to the Dark Forest. Everyone else was excused, but wondered what could be so important this late at night?
"Coming, Ginger?" Raven asked as she got up from her seat.
"Actually, I need to go to bed early to make breakfast." Ginger gave a fake yawn.
"Understood, I can't wait to see what you'll make for breakfast. Good night!" Raven gave Ginger a wink as she left with her army.
"Raven, Raven she's the one! She's top villain #1!" The four fairy cheerleaders cheered
Ginger recognized the voices, they belonged to the fairies in Faybelle's cheerleading squad except two were missing. Soon other students like ogres and trolls joined in and followed Raven to the exit of the school.
Ginger's Room
Ginger was now in her cotton candy pink night gown as she sat on her desk making a meal plan for the week, but her mind went somewhere else.
Despite being evil due to Headmaster Grimm poisoning Raven, Ginger noticed how friendly she was towards during certain times. That means the real Raven was still inside her deep down. But what could she do? Her friends were nowhere to be found and she was the only one who knew about the poisoning.
"Oh Jelly, Sprinkles, and Cinnamon. What am I going to do?" Ginger questioned.
Jelly gave Ginger a warm smile as Sprinkles and Cinnamon blew bubbles. In a way it was like they were encouraging her not to give up. Ginger just smiled back, she had gotten out of sticky situations before and she'll get rid of this one. She discarded her meal plan and began brainstorming up a plan.
(MADDIE, CERISE, CEDAR)
Maddie became cocooned in her sheets from all the twisting and turning in her bed as she was having a bad dream- NO, a nightmare!
Maddie didn't know where she was it was dark, cold, and endless. The only sound was the clicking of her teacup heels and the pantng of Maddie's breathe. Maddie's throat felt so raw she would give her left eye, right kidney, and two front teeth for a cup of tea with a wedge of lemon and her father's famous clam soup with teacup shaped crackers.
"Hello?" Maddie tried to speak, but it hurt to talk. God, did it hurt!
Maddie was now on her knees couching and hacking up phlegm from her throat. Wherever she was it also felt warm like she was wearing an uncomfortable bulky sweater in an already warm room and it was getting warmer.
Suddenly, a bright light engulfed her and she was no longer in the dark place. Now, she was somewhere that once was home.
"Wonderland." Maddie croaked with her hoarse voice.
In front of her was Wonderland covered in green fog and the sky had a swirling green cloud with thunder and lightning in them. The landscape was deserted with no forms of life and there were small and huge signs that read 'DO NOT ENTER', 'BEWARE', 'THE WONDERLAND CURSE EFFECTED THIS AREA', and 'EXACUATE'. The roads were crumbled and litter with trash and large debris. Houses and buildings were crumbling as they floated above the ground some three feet others might as well be floating to the sun. Trees, flowers, and other plant life were dried and wilted as though rain had never came and years and the sun dried them out. One side of the town was flooded in icky green muck that had the smell of rotten eggs, bubbles would emerge and pop releasing a smell of a dirty toilet, and many chairs, desk, carriages, and many other objects floated in it. To but it plainly the town looked as though a hurricane, tornado, earthquake, and many other natural disasters hit it.
"HAHAHAHA!"
Maddie heard laughter, evil laughter, the laughter that drove her and her friends out of their home. A swirling black vortex appeared in front of Maddie as the evil laughter continued only to cease and the vortex revealed itself as-
"Raven?!"
Maddie's voice croak as tears ran down her face as watched as her best friend cruelly laughed at her. This wasn't the Raven she knew and love, this was an evil queen!
"Take a good look, Maddie." 'Raven' grabbed Maddie's face and turned it towards Wonderland. "My mother may have started this, but I'm going to revive it!"
'Raven' snapped her fingers and the view changed to White Queendom, Charming Kingdom, Gingerbread Land, and many more, until they reached Ever After High. Each location looked exactly like Wonderland destroyed, barren, and doomed.
*SQUEAK, SQUEAK, SQUEAK*
Maddie looked up to see Raven clutching a frantic Earl Grey in her grip. More tears ran down her face as Maddie frantically silently begged for 'Raven' to let him go only for her grip to tightened until-
"NO!"
Maddie jolted up, forehead covered in sweat, tearstains on her face, her skin clammy, hair flattened (I headcanon that Maddie's hair flattened when upset like Pinkie Pie) and mood wrecked beyond repair.
*SQUEAK, SQUEAK, SQUEAK*
Maddie looked down to see Earl Grey still safe and alive. Maddie scooped Earl Grey and smooshed him to her face in a hug.
"Oh, Earl Grey!" Maddie cried. "It was awful!"
"Maddie!" The doors opened to reveal Cedar, Cerise, Ruby, and Gennedy.
"Maddie are you alright, dear?" Gennedy questioned as he rushed to Maddie.
Maddie wrapped her arms around him, cried into his chest, and let it all out. No one ever saw Maddie this low before, she was usually so upbeat and was normally the one cheering everyone up, now she was the one that needed to be cheered up by the tenth power.
Gennedy wrapped his arms around Maddie and ran his fingers through her hair. Despite not being her father Gennedy knew that Maddie needed to be comforted; Gennedy didn't know where the Mad Hatter was in all this insanity but if the roles were visa versa he'd knew the Mad Hatter would comfort Raven.
"This is all my fault, I'm a terrible friend!" Maddie cried into his chest. It broke the Good King to see Maddie like this.
After, reading Raven's letters of her first month at Ever After High School he wanted to pull Raven out of the wretched place. The bullying, isolation, and threats would've made any sane parent take their child out of school and into the comfort of their own home. But, then Raven wrote about Madeline Xylophone (plus 42 other middle names) Hatter, the daughter of the Mad Hatter, and one of the many refugees from Wonderland. The Good King was suspicious, why the hell would someone iconic from Wonderland want to be friend his daughter after what his ex-wife? Gennedy guess it was a cruel prank at hand or the younf Hatter was guilting Raven for what her mother did, but with each letter, photo, and phone call he realized he was wrong. Later on Raven talked about befriending Cedar Wood, daughter of Pinnochio, his old classmate and friend, then Cerise Hood, daughter of Red Riding Hood, his ex-wife's old roommate. By the second year of school Raven made more friends and was happier than he had ever seen her, and he owed it all to Maddie.
"No, you're not!" The Good King cupped Maddie's face and spoke if a firm yet tender tone. " You're the best thing to ever happen to Raven after the hell her mother had caused her to suffer. You brought Raven so much joy and I can never thank you enough for that, you are not to blame here. Milton Grimm is, he's responsible for this not you!"
Gennedy tightened the hug as Earl Grey, Cerise, Cedar, and Ruby joined in on the hug.
As Maddie was being comforted one thought ran through her head.
'We have to leave!'
"I'm okay now." Maddie spoke.
"Are you sure, we can hug a little more?" Cedar said.
"No, I'm fine now." Maddie said thankful she didn't have Cedar's truth curse.
"What time is it?" Maddie looked out the window to see that the sky was now a light shade of grey instead of the dark shade of charcoal indicating noon.
"It's 7:22 am." Cerise answered. "After, the broadcast you passed out."
"Oh!" Maddie oohed. That would explain why she was wearing different clothing and not in the tv room.
"When you're ready Maddie you can meet us downstairs for breakfast or I can bring you something?" Good King said.
"No, I can head down for breakfast." Maddie said.
"If you say so, we'll leave you to get dressed." Ruby said as she ushered everyone out of the room.
"Cerise, Cedar, can you gals help me with something?" Maddie asked.
"Sure." Cedar answered as Gennedy and Ruby left the room.
As soon as the two adults were out of earshot-
" We have to leave! Now!" Maddie stood up.
" What!" Cerise and Cedar spoke in unison.
" Raven needs us. We can't waste another minute here." Maddie said as she jumped out of the bed.
"But, how?" Cerise questioned. "There's no way the adults will let us leave."
"Unless," Cedar began. "We don't tell them."
"True, but how would we get to Raven? There's no way the adults will let us and the ship is totaled." Cerise reminded the girls.
"The feathers!" Maddie exclaimed as she pounded her fist into her palm. "They'll teleport us there."
"But we don't know where the Good King hid them." Cerise said.
"And we'd look suspicious if we were found looking all around the castle." Cedar added.
"If only there was a way to get them." Maddie said rubbing her chin thinking of a plan.
"We can help!" The girls turned to see Butternut and Pie.
"Ugh, you aren't gonna rat us out, are you?" Cedar questioned in a squeaky voice.
"No, we want to help." Pie said standing proudly.
"We want our Raven back." Butternut said standing proudly as well.
"Alright then." Cerise said as she nodded her head.
"First things, first." Maddie gathered everyone into a group huddle. "You'll be looking for a small vile with tiny gold wings inside it were three white feathers with gold at the tips."
Noon
Cerise, Cedar, and Maddie were busing themselves playing cards trying not to look suspicious to the adults. Cedar was worried that she might accidently blurt out their plan so she kept a bag of peanuts with her at all times.
Luckily the adults were busy themselves as well: Gennady was channel surfing hoping to find any information if Raven was safe. Ruby was helping Cook in the kitchen, Ooglot was tending to the garden, the busy everyone was the better.
"More snacks girls?"
Everyone gasped as they turned to see Ruby with a tray of snacks.
"Thank you Mom/Mrs. Hood!" The girls thanked Ruby.
Ruby placed a bowls of popcorn, muffins, blt tea sandwiches, & a bowl of peanuts.
"So, who's winning?" Ruby asked as she popped a popcorn into her mouth.
"Maddie!" Cerise and Cedar said in unison as Maddie had a Cheshire grin on her face.
"I see." Ruby said as she bit into one of the blt tea sandwiches and noticed that the Cook twins weren't around. "Where are the twins?"
Maddie and Cerise turned to Cedar, who looked like she shallowed a whole pumpkin. Before she could say anything she stuffed her mouth with peanuts.
"Thew wert fe wind the lims Ruotid rave mush fr row mack fo lochool." Cedar said with a mouth full of peanuts with everyone looking at her confused.
" They went to the bathroom." Cerise answered.
"At the same time?" Ruby gasped at the thought.
"Mom, there's like twelve bathrooms here." Cerise facepalmed her forehead.
"Actual there is a total of twenty: twelve on the Evil Queen's side and eight on Mr. Raven's dad side." Maddie said with everyone looking at her confused.
"We're back!" The Cook twins shouted, but stopped when they noticed Ruby.
"Yes, you're both back to play another game of - what were you playing again?" Ruby asked.
"Goldfish/War! Goldfish War" Cerise and Maddie answered in unison.
"Well, I'll let you girls get back to your card game, I'm gonna check up on Gennedy." Ruby said as she got up and took the peanut bowl. "I'll be back with more snacks."
The kids smiled as Ruby left to get more snacks. As soon as she was out of sight Pie and Butternut pulled out the small vile with tiny gold wings inside it were three white feathers with gold at the tips.
"Good work you two." Cedar said as she ruffled the twins' hair as they giggled.
"We got the feathers, and our bags are packed we should leave now."
" No." Cerise objected. "All we need to do is wait when everyone is asleep and we can-"
"AAAHHH!"
The kids ran into the next room to see Gennedy holding Ruby as she sobbed into his chest.
"Mom, what's wrong?" Cerise knelt down to her mother.
"It's gone." Ruby choked as she pointed to the tv screen. "Hood Hollow is gone."
The tv showed a small village that looked like a mega bomb went off in it as buildings and homes began to crumble, craters in the ground, and he sky dark.
"I don't believe it it's all gone!" Cerise said as her eyes glued to the screen.
*EMERGENCY BROADCAST MUSIC*
What appeared to be a press conference appeared on the tv screen as camera flashes, loud voices, and microphones everywhere.
"What's gonna happen to us?"
"Will Queen Raven bomb us next?"
"Where's Headmaster Grimm?"
"ENOUGH!"
A loud bombing voice yelled as two figures appeared a man and a woman both in blue and wearing crowns.
"Wait is that Marie and Dashing?" Ruby gasped.
"It is them." Gennedy answered with a grimace on his face.
"I'm afraid to be the bearer of bad news, but this is a very matter that must be address-"
"Our children are missing!" Queen Charming cried out as tears ran down her face.
The room was silent as Queen Charming continued to weep.
"Would someone kindly escort my wife, this matter is too much for her fragility." King Charming with a scowl on his face.
As Queen Charming was escorted out of the room by a maid and butler as King Charming continued his press conference.
"It's obvious that the Queen girl is behind my children's abduction and will be responsible for many more. She was a menace the second she refused to sign The Storybook of Legends, she already bombe Hood Hollow, who's next? That is why I'm putting an end to this now, Raven Queen will rue the day she messed with our legacies!" (Ew! And I thought that creepy journalist going after the spider theme superhero for no reason was a creep)
"NO!"
Maddie pulled out the vial and ran off. " We're leaving now!"
Cerise scooped up Cedar and ran after Maddie.
"Gils, stop!" The adults cried out as they chased them.
The three made their way to a balcony that featured the sea below.
"Okay, we can't waste these. So, we better think long and hard on where to go." Cedar warned.
"Obviously, we want to go where Raven is." Maddie said.
"Remember how well that worked out?" Cerise asked.
"Hey!" The girls turned to see the Cook twins with three backpacks. "You forgot your bags and ride."
"Wait, did they say ride?" Cedar ask.
On cue a familiar purple dragon appeared out of nowhere.
"Nevermore!" The girls cried out as Nevermore gave a friendly roar.
"Tell Raven we miss her." The Cook twins asked as they hugged the girls.
"We will!" Maddie said with tears in her eyes as she hugged them back.
The three jumped on Nevermore's back and took off. It would be an even longer journey, but it would be worth it to save their best friend.
(APPLE,DEXTER,GORDON,?)
Cave
*Yawn*
Apple stretched as she woke up. She twisted and turned trying to get rid of the knot in her back. She was so used to waking by the sounds of her doves and blue birds, the sun from her window beaming her with warmth like a fresh apple pie out of the oven, and lying on a plush mattress, with a silk comforter, and fluffy pillows. She never imagine in a million years she'd be in a moist icky cave on the ground with dirt and bugs with morning breath.
"Yuck!" Apple gasped as she smacked her lips.
Breabyrn stretched an gave a yawn as she watched Apple take a toothbrush and toothpaste from her bookbag and started to brush her teeth.
When, Apple was done she spat the toothpaste out. Her mother would've scolded her for the act of spitting, for spitting was something a princess would never do.
Breabyrn nudged Apple's back as she gave a whimper as her stomach growl.
Apple understood she was hungry too. Right now, she'd be at the cafeteria with her friends eating a breakfast of applewood smoked bacon, apple pancakes, apple juice, croissants, even Hagatha's lumpy porridge sounded good right about now. Apple pulled out two bags of MREs. Breaburn tilted her head in confusion.
" I know chicken parmesan isn't exactly breakfast food, but we don't have much." Apple answered as the two ate their breakfast in silence.
It was true their supplies were dwindling. They at most of the apples before they went bad, snacked on the granola bars, and all they had left were a few MREs and bottles of water.
"Okay, Breaburn, time to go." Apple said as she put on her bookbag.
As they made their way to the entrance of the cave they noticed it was still raining hard, Apple pulled the hood of her red velvet travel cloak over her head as they walked out of the cave to Ever After High.
Apple wished she knew how deep they were in the Enchanted Forest or at least had some service on her phone to use the map on it. The two walked which seemed like hours with no Ever After High or familiar landmarks in sight. The thunder got louder, the lightning more flasher, the rain was hitting harder, and the ground -
*SQUISH*
"Great." Apple moaned.
Apple stepped in something muddy, wet, and full of slithering things. The ground was as sticky as porridge, the gray mud slurping at their shoes. And the sounds! Hissing, dripping, sluicing, slipping. Gucky, mucky, buzzing noises, and every sound made the both of them jump.
Follow the river to the woods and take the
path on the right.
Take the right path that won't end in a bath,
the path that leads through the night.
Apple began to sing to calm Breabyrn and her nerves. It was the song Raven was singing when they were in the woods. Apple noticed despite her singing no songbirds or woodland creatures appeared to sing along or aid her. The only time that ever happened was when -
"Wait, a second!" Apple gasped. "I know where we are."
Breabyrn tilted her head.
"This s the exact marsh Raven and I went to find out about the Sister sisters."
If they were in the marsh all they had to do was head towards the beanstalk farm next to Jack's Beanstalk, head towards the wide-open pastures full of sheep with bonnets on their heads, into the Village of Bookend, and finally to Ever After High.
"I still don't know which way to go through here. The last time I was here Raven and I had to go over a cliff and goblins that wanted to eat me."
Apple didn't know what she wanted to avoid more the cliff with rocks as sharp as daggers or the goblins.
FLASHBACK
"So, wait, would I become your stepmom?"
"Huh?" asked Apple.
"In the story. Wasn't the Evil Queen Snow White's stepmom?"
"Well, she was in our parents' stories, but..." Apple stared, as if trying to fathom... but, no, it was unfathomable. She shook her head.
Raven scrunched up her face. "Just how would that work?"
"It will. Somehow. Each generation's story must be a little different than the last, right? I mean, I'll be a blond Snow White!
You just have to trust that the story will work out in the end."
"Hey, I only have to do three things: Pay hexes, stay a queen, and die."
"What does that even mean?"
Raven shrugged. "I heard my mom say it once. As you may imagine, she didn't like people telling her what to do and how to be."
"Yet she played her given part anyway." Apple cheerfully said.
"And then some." Wasn't acting out far more than her scripted part a rebellion against the Storybook, too?
END FLASHBACK
Apple couldn't believe what she saw when Raven revealed her destiny. She would never thought that her father would marry Raven! They were the same age, who the hell marries someone the same age as their own child? It's been centuries since The Evil Queen married the Good King, the only reason the Grimm Brothers stop the marriage part was due to fear of incest, age gap, and the 'evil queen' at the time was male. Raven had a thousand-yard stare as she wore a white poofy dress that looked uncomfortable and was totally out of fashion with Apple as her maid-in-honor. Apple hated how happy looked besides the uncomfortable Raven. She should've listened to Raven when told her the skeleton of Bella Sister was a fake.
FLASHBACK
Raven and Apple had to duck as they entered the cave. Water droplets gathered on the rock ceiling, occasionally falling into a small pool.
*Drip. Drip. Drip.*
"This doesn't look like a place someone would come to live," Raven said, her voice echoing off stone.
The ceiling rose up farther in. They found remains of a small wooden table and chair, gnawed by termites up to its knees. The cave smelled of mold and festering things.
"Maybe Bella didn't stay long," Raven whispered. "Maybe she just waited here till her sister found her, and together they ran off to a faraway kingdom to make their own Happily Ever—"
Apple gasped.
On a moth-bitten blanket lay a skeleton, curled up on its side, still wearing a half-rotted dress.
"Is it... was that Bella Sister?" Apple asked.
Raven crouched beside the skeleton. "It could be anyone. I mean, Bella Sister lived so long ago someone else might have taken shelter in here and... and died here."
Please don't let it be her...
"Look." Apple held up a stained, decaying canvas bag she found under the fallen table. Stitched onto its pocket were the symbol of Ever AfterHigh and the name
BELLA SISTER.
"Curses," said Raven. "But... wait, this means she didn't go poof, right?"
"Maybe that's how it works," said Apple. "Poof, nothing left but a skeleton."
"Maybe," said Raven. "In the very best scenario, she lived and died alone."
"But... we don't know when she died. Maybe she lived a long life and died here naturally. Sure, she was probably cold and lonely and hungry and dirty and miserable... but maybe it was better than being evil."
Apple held up the lantern. Her eyes widened. Raven looked.
On the rock wall, written in red paint, was:
I SHOULD HAVE SIGNED THE BOOK.
"No... it's a mistake," said Raven. "Bella Sister was happy. I just know it. She rebelled against the book and she was okay and she got away and...
and—"
"Raven, I think it's pretty clear what happened to her."
"No!" Raven said. She was getting angry now, though there was no one to be angry with. "There's a mistake—"
"Bella Sister fled here and regretted it. Her sister never forgave her, or else she disappeared when Bella didn't sign, and when Bella found out—"
"Look!" said Raven, examining the words on the wall. "There's a gnat stuck in this paint. This was painted recently. If this really happened long ago, the gnat would have disintegrated by now."
"How are you suddenly an expert on bugs?"
"I'm the daughter of a dark sorceress, Apple. I know about these kinds of things. And I say it's fake."
"No, you want it to be fake," said Apple. "You're making up excuses so you don't have to believe it's true."
Raven clenched her fists. Trembling, she took a hold of her fury as if it were a rope and whipped it over her head. A dark streak cracked in the air above them, sparking like dull lightning. Immediately insects emerged from everywhere: cockroaches, spiders, black crickets, ants, termites, beetles.
"See?" said Raven. "I know bugs."
Apple's nostrils flexed. "Stop avoiding the truth! If you don't sign, our story ends. We vanish or die just like Bella and her sister, and... and, um, Raven? Raven, the, uh... the bugs... they're moving."
The floor was alive with scurrying, flicking, chittering insects. All coming toward the girls.
"Stop them," Apple said through clenched teeth, as if afraid the bugs could read lips.
"I can't. That would be a good thing, and my magic always backfires, especially when I try to do something good." The bugs kept coming, a crawling carpet with thousands of eyes. "Oh, wait, I know what we can do."
"What?" Apple said without moving her mouth.
"Run." Raven took off, Apple on her heels, screaming as a swarm of flying, crawling, leaping insects chased them.
"Aah!" Apple screamed. "Aah! I mean, La la la!" Apple sang desperately.
"LA LA LA LA!"
As soon as the two princesses made it out of the cave many birds appeared because of Apple's singing and ate the bugs. Raven and Apple sat down and talked.
"Your life is worth more than a false hope. You have to sign the book."
Raven sighed. "I know," she whispered.
Apple smiled her confident smile. "Don't be afraid. You won't be alone in your story. I'll be there with you."
END FLASHBACK
She was so stupid! The gnat in the paint was evidence enough to prove that Bella Sister didn't go 'poof' by vanishing or skeletons.
She was so blinded by Headmaster Grimm, her mother, and her own happily ever after she never considered what others wanted. Even those with happily ever afters weren't happy, was she even happy?
*AAHAHAHAAH*
Apple let out a loud horrid scream as she collapsed to her knees and began to sob.
"I was so foolish. I was so awful. I was so selfish!" Apple cried out. "If only I was as smart as everyone says I' am, I would've seen through Hradmaster Grimm, The Evil Queen, and my Mother's lies. I hurt so many and for what to get poisoned for what a week?"
Breabyrn gave a huff that heated up Apple's forehead. Breabyrn wrapped herself around Apple to keep her dry and warm. Breabyrn stared Apple in the eyes as if she was saying:
Yes, you messed up, but you can't stay here. You need to get up because your friend needs you!
As soon as Apple was done weeping she gave Breabyrn a brave smile.
"You're right, Raven needs my help more than anything." Apple said as she mounted ontop of Breabyrn. "Now, to Ever After High."
Breabyrn was about to take to the sky when -
*AAHAHAHAAH*
Apple and Breabyrn heard a scream. It sounded like someone was in great pain!
"Someone's in trouble!" Apple cried out. "They need our help!"
With Breabyrn's hearing she flew in the direction of the scream.
Somewhere
"Ugh, my head!" Dexter groaned as he rubbed it.
He felt so dizzy, and his vision was blurry, he patted the ground to feel where his glasses were only for them to slip down his nose. If not for the situation Dexter would've felt very silly, even sillier if Gordon pointed them out.
"Gordon?!" Dexter cried out for his friend.
Dexter didn't know where he was the place was dimly lit, cold, and moist. A light flickered on to reveal Dexter was in a cell inside of a cave with stalactites as bars, the ground covered with dirt and (hopefully not human) bones, and Gordan was lying on the ground unconscious.
"Gordon!" Dexter ran to Gordan and started shaking him.
"Wha-Dexter?" Gordon questioned as he adjusted his eyes.
"Yes, it's me. Are you alright?" Dexter asked Gordon.
"Well, haven't been this knocked out since my cousin's bachelorette party, but I'm good." Gordon answered.
"You won't be for long."
A voice croaked to reveal a hoard of goblins that were tall and short, wide and thin, all with skin as gray as stone and bristly hair on their necks and shoulders.
"Hey, let us out!" Dexter demanded as he grabbed onto the bars.
A goblin with a deep scar down his face that channeled rainwater from his hair across his cheek and into his mouth, his outfit seemed in a way 'regal' compared to the others, with a crown made out of stone and chicken bones appeared in front of the goblins.
"Little human boy, do you know who I am?" The goblin questioned in a wet voice.
"You're Goober Fig, goblin prince." Gordan answered in a confident tone.
Goober was caught off guard by Gordon's apperance and stepped closer to the cage's bar. "What did you say?"
Gordon repeated what he said in Goblinish.
Prince Goober was surprised to hear Goblinish by the strange 'man' in front of him.
"Are you a goblin?" Prince Goober question.
"I'm half-human and half-ogre. Ogre on my mother's side and human on my father's side. Your highness." Gordon answered with respect.
Prince Goober nodded as his eyes went to Dexter. Dexter stood tall, but he felt uncomfortable under the goblin prince's stare.
"And who are you?" Prince Goober spatted as he pointed at Dexter.
"I'm Dexter,-" Dexter stopped himself. He was no longer a prince or a Charming, he was now just-
"He is Dexterous Charming, second born son of King Charming, a fellow prince like yourself." Gordon answered.
There was an eerie silence. Which made the cave even more unpleasant and all eyes turned to Dexter, Prince Goober's hands reached through he bars and grabbed Dexter by the cuffs of his jacket.
"Who the hell do you think you are to break the heart of such a dark and powerful princess, especially with your brother's future legacy?" Prince Goober said as he tightened his grip on Dexter.
"Let him go!" Gordon shouted as he slashed Prince Goober's arms with his claws.
As Prince Goober retraced his claws as he winced in as his followers surrounded their injured prince as Gordon did the same with Dexter.
"Are you okay?" Gordon asked Dexter.
"I'm fine, Gordon." Dexter answered.
"Traitor, he's in league with the humans!" A goblin shouted as he pointed at Gordon.
"Let's tar and feather him!" One suggested as the others cheered.
"Let's kick his butt!" Another suggested as the others cheered.
"Let's rip his eyes out!" Someone suggested as the others cheered.
"No!" Dexter shouted. "He was only trying to protect me, he's one of you, can't you pardon him or something?"
"Why?" A goblin with a piglike snout questioned. "If that Cerise Hood girl did the same, we'd kick her butt too. He's not getting a pass and neither of the other half-human & half-monsters."
"What?! The future Red Riding Hood is half-monster? " Gordon shouted in surprise.
The goblins looked at each other in confusion.
"What the hell are you talking about, didn't you see yesterday's program of Queen Raven returning to Ever After High?"
"Don't you mean Raven Queen?" Gordon questioned.
"No, Queen Raven!" Prince Goober shouted. "What is wrong with you?"
"He didn't watch the show." Dexter answered sheepishly.
This stunned all the goblins in the room as they turned their attention towards Gordon.
"Really?" Prince Goober asked in disbelief and curiosity.
"You see one celebrity apology you see them all." Gordon said with a shrug.
"Play the vid!" Prince Goober commanded as one of the goblins pressed a button on a remote.
A large screen tv dropped down and played the events of last night. Gordon was left in shock at what he had witnessed.
"FUCK!"
"Yeah, that's a good way to describe this situation." Dexter said sheepishly.
"I don't believe it: the Bad Wolf & Red Riding Hood got married and made a baby together, there was a Jabberwock here, the Evil Queen hid away the Storybook of Legends for years, The Evil Queen is alive, and you- you have a crush on her daughter!"
"Uh-yeah." Dexter was just saying things now.
"I know it's disgusting to think someone so lowly would have a chance with her Dark Majesty." Prince Goober sneered as his goblins laughed along with him.
"Hey!" Gordon yelled. "He has a great chance with Raven Queen! He's cool, caring, a huge-ass nerd-"
"Hey!" Dexter interrupted.
"And he's got a great chance with Raven Queen, heck he has a better chance than you do." Gordon finished.
Prince Goober was at first shocked at what he just heard as his face scrunched up he snapped his fingers and the bars disappeared as the goblins grabbed Gordon and Dexter.
"Torture the traitor and turned the nerd into stew." Prince Goober said as he sat on his stone throne as he watched Dexter and Gordon struggle to get away.
Dexter and Gordon threw punches at the goblins that had a little effect on them. Dexter's hero training was paying off while Gordon used raw strength. One of the goblins grabbed Gordon by the leg and snapped it! The snap made a sickening crunch and Gordon let out a horrifying-
*AAHAHAHAAH*
Everyone stopped as Gordon's screams pierced their ears, Dexter ran to his friend and tried to shield him from the goblins.
"Stop standing around and kill them all ready!" Prince Gobber shouted as he pointed at the two. "Make them into stew!"
The goblins advanced upon Dexter and Gordon. It was useless Dexter couldn't take on a horde of Goblins by himself, heck, all the boys in his heroes-training class couldn't take down a horde of goblins. This was the end for the both of them!
"Wait!" A goblin shouted, sniffing the air with a piglike snout. "I smell a plump red apple."
"Fine, add it to the stew of nerds & traitors." Prince Gobber half-heartedly waved not giving a damn about some fruit.
" No, I mean the plump red Apple." The goblin corrected.
That got Prince Gobber's attention.
"Oh! She's back." Prince Gobber grinned evilly at the good news.
"Who's she?" Dexter questioned very confused at what was going on now.
"Let them go!"
Everyone turned to see Apple in her Dragon Games armor and looking somewhat messy riding her dragon.
"It's the plump Apple!" The goblins cried out.
"Hey, rude!" Dexter and Gordon shouted.
"Hah, it's cool I don't mind being called plump, it's when people use it as an insult." Apple said.
"Apple, run!" Dexter shouted.
"Not without you and ugh-" Apple looked at Gordon confused.
"Gordon." Gordon said his name.
"Not without you and Gordon!" Apple shouted back in a heroic way.
"Did you come here to be turned to stew this time with these two? You don't have Queen Raven to protect you this time." Prince Gobber chuckled.
"I know, she's protected me too many times for me to count." Apple said in a guilty/defeated tone. "Now, she needs my protection and you're preventing me from doing so."
The goblins began to laugh hysterically at what Apple just said. Her the future Snow White protecting the future Evil Queen?
"You protect our queen? Don't make me laugh harder than I already am." Prince Gobber laughed.
"I peed a little." A random goblin said earning looks of disgust and annoyance from the other goblins as they backed away from them.
"Ew! We may be monsters, but we are not disgusting!" Prince Gordon shouted in disgust.
"Haven't you notice how pale, skinny, and ill she looks?" Apple questioned.
The goblins remained silent; it was true Queen Raven did look sickly even by goblin standards. The last time they saw her she was the picture of health, but now-
"If you let them go, I'll tell Queen Raven how you helped save her." Apple said.
"And why would we do that?" Prince Gobber questioned raising an eyebrow.
"Because if Queen Raven found that you ate: me, the one she's destined to poison, him, the son of King Charming and her crush, and-"
"I'm a butler who works for his grandparents." Gordon stated.
"And the head butler of King Charming's parents'; that would make you look really bad to her highness." Apple pointed at Prince Gobber to add drama.
"I'm not the head butler (that guy gets paid more than me but does less)." Gordon said.
" Council to the strategy room!" Prince Gobber shouted as he left the room with a couple of goblins following behind him. "And lock the Apple and Dragon up too."
"WHAT?!"
Apple, Breabyrn, Dexter, and Gordon were together in the cell waiting for the goblins to return.
"Well, that went swimmingly." Apple said bitterly as she rummaged through her bag.
"Apple, did you just use sarcasm?" Dexter was shocked at what she said.
"First time for everything." Apple didn't look up to face Dexter as she handed him some bandages.
Gordon was leaning against Breabyrn as her tail wrapped around him for warmth and safety as his left leg was propped up against a large boulder.
"How's your leg Mr. Gordon?" Apple asked as she and Dexter began bandaging it.
"Please, don't ask." Gordon winced in pain as his leg was being wrapped.
"Gordon," Dexter looked into Gordon's eyes. "I'm so sorry about -"
"Don't apologize for this, ain't your fault." Gordon grunted in pain.
"So, the mystery girl you have a crush on is Raven Queen?" Gordon questioned despite how much pain he was in.
"Yes, the girl that I love is Raven Queen." Dexter answered with a hint of guilt in his voice.
"I'm surprised myself." Apple said in disbelief. "How did I not see that coming? I mean your face turns red around her, you get tounge tied, your hands get really sweaty, and you get a puppy dog look in your eyes -wow!"
"Hey!" Dexter protested earning a couple of chuckles from Gordon and Breabyrn.
"How did that happened?" Gordon asked between chuckles.
"How did what happened?" Dexter question back finishing wrapping Gordon's leg.
"You and Raven. When did you fall in love with her?" Gordon questioned.
All three looked at Dexter as he became sweaty and nervous.
"Well, it all started Freedom Year -"
*SLAM*
The door to the cave opened revealing a small goblin with a white chef's hat on and two beefy goblins carrying five bowls of food.
"Soup's on!" The tiny chef goblin shouted as the two goblins dropped the stone bowls near the entrance of the bars.
What was in the bowl resembled what if someone put all the green crayons, spinach, a fish bone, and brown chunks into a blender and poured it out.
"Oh, what kind of soup is this?" Apple asked trying to smile politely.
"Catfish and cattail stew with swamp water for flavoring." The chef answered as Apple and Dexter cringed.
"The swamp water gives it flavor." Gordon said almost done with his bowl as Breabyrn and him continued to eat.
"What's with the fifth bowl?" Dexter asked earning snickers from the two beefy goblins.
"Are your glasses making ya blind or something?" The chef goblin hissed pointing at the back corner of the cave. "There's a girl in the corner over there."
As the three goblins left the four looked at the corner to see nothing.
"Wait! We're you there this whole time?!" Gordon shouted at the corner.
Breabyrn used her fire breathe to show the outline of a girl. The girl was curled up in the corner, shivering as she hugged her knees to her chest.
Dexter took the fifth bowl and walked closer to her as Apple followed second.
"Hi, I'm Dexter." Dexter said. "If you're hungry the soup isn't that bad."
"Yeah, the catfish is a nasty aftertaste, but we shouldn't complain about being feed." Apple extended her hand. "I'm Apple."
The girl took Apple's hand as she helped her up. As she came closer to the light they realized she was about their age, with long black wavy hair that curled at the bottom that covered her left eye, wearing a long black dress.
"Hi Apple, Dexter, Gordon, & Breabyrn." The girl greeted. "I'm Brooke."
Done! Truth be told this was suppose to be longer, but for some weird reason nothing was saved, I had to rewrite everything from scratch! But, I'm glad I finished it especially since today is my birthday! That's right, I gave y'all a gift and I hoped you enjoyed it! The next chapter will be up soon, till then, bye!