Chapter 49: Briar's Nightmare
Hey everyone I'm back with a new chapter. Now many of you asked how Briar would deal with Maleficent coming into the story. Well your wait is over. So Relax and Enjoy.
It had been a few days since the Monster High Exchange Program and the group was happy to be back home.
As Roxas was walking through the halls a bunch of students waved to him.
"Hey Roxas, we saw Spectra's videos, so cool." A boy said.
"An entire hotel for monsters who would have thought." A girl said.
"And you still bring the action with you." Another said.
"Thanks, glad you liked it." Roxas waves before walking into class and sitting next to Dexter. "Man, ever since we got back from Monster High everyone seems to love us."
"Well who could blame them from the footage Spectra took of you guys and your friends from Monster High was amazing." Dexter said.
"Not to mention it was so romantic how Johnny and Mavis fell in love." Cupid sighs.
"It stinks that we weren't able to go on that mission." Hunter said.
"We were pressed for time and we needed a team." Raven said walking in. "Hey Roxas, have you seen Briar?"
"Not since we got back." Roxas said.
"Actually, Briar has been a little under the weather lately." Dexter said.
"What's going on?" Roxas asks worried.
"She's been scared ever since you guys told us about Maleficent." Ashlynn said walking over. "She rarely eats, doesn't want to leave our room, she hardly even sleeps anymore."
"Briar not being able to sleep?" Raven asks surprised.
"I've tried talking to her, but she just doesn't seem to want to open up." Ashlynn said.
"I hope she's okay." Roxas said a little worried.
In Briar's room she was tossing and turning in her sleep
"No, no stay away please." Briar said.
In her dream Briar was surrounded by darkness when an evil laughter echoes all around her. Summoning her staff Briar was holding it like was her life line.
Suddenly from the darkness Maleficent appears in a blast of green flames.
"Why hello there." Maleficent smirks.
"St-Stay back." Briar said pointing her staff directly at her.
Maleficent merely laughs as she fires a green fire ball knocking Briar's staff out of her hand Briar falls backwards and tries to back away.
"I believe it's time for a certain someone to go to sleep." Maleficent said as she used her magic to summon a giant spinning wheel with it's spindle gleaming. "But this one is permanent."
"No, no!" Briar gets up and runs as fast as she could but Maleficent blasts her with her staff freezing her place. Briar looks in horror as the wheel got closer and closer until the spindle was just about to touch her finger. "No please no! I don't want to go to sleep!"
"Aaah!" Briar screams waking up. Looking around she saw she was still in her room.
Walking into the bathroom Briar goes to the sink and splashes water on her face when the door opens.
"Briar you alright?" Ashlynn asks to see Briar breathing heavily. "It's worse than I thought."
Briar sighs. "I'm sorry Ashlynn I just…don't really want to talk about it it's just personal."
Ashlynn looks at her and thinks about her situation. "You know what always help me when I'm stressed out a nice hike through nature always calms my head."
"I don't know Ashlynn." Briar said.
"Just give it a try tomorrow morning try going for a walk through the Enchanted Forest." Ashlynn said.
"Alright I'll try." Briar said.
"Atta girl. I promise you won't regret it." Ashlynn said.
The next day Briar was walking to the Enchanted forest not 100% sure it would work.
Taking a deep breath Briar walks down the trail when suddenly she heard a stick break behind.
Jumping Briar summons her staff. "Bizzara!" Briar fires a blast of ice at the noise.
"Whoa!" Briar looks to see Roxas jumping out of the way.
"Roxas? Oh my fairy godmother I am so sorry." Briar said running over. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah I'm fine luckily I dodged it in the nick of time." Roxas said dusting himself off.
"What are you doing out here?" Briar asks.
"I go here to clear my head after missions, it helps me relax." Roxas said when Briar notices a small basket.
"And what about that?" Briar asks.
"I may get a few of Ginger's snacks to eat while I'm out here." Roxas said causing her to giggle. "Hey uh since we're here do you want to come with me?" He said surprising her.
"Uh yeah sure." Briar said.
"Great follow me." Roxas said leading her in.
'Wow, a walk through the Enchanted Forest with Roxas. Thank you, Ashlynn.' Briar thought already feeling better.
As they made their way deeper in Roxas looks to Briar and sees she had remained silent the whole walk. Seeing this moment Roxas comes to a stop.
"Hey Briar, can I ask you something?"
"Sure Roxas what is it?" Briar asks.
"Lately something's been up with you. Ashlynn says you aren't yourself." Roxas said.
"It-It's nothing I swear." Briar said trying to avoid the subject.
"Briar I mean it." Roxas said looking her in the eyes. "What is going on? I'm worried about you."
Briar looks into his eyes and saw he meant it and wasn't going anywhere until she confessed.
"What are you like this?" Roxas asks again.
"Because…because I'm scared Roxas." Briar admits.
"Scared? Of what?" Roxas asks.
"Maleficent it's bad enough she's the one who controls the Heartless, but she's the parallel version of the Dark fairy the villain of my story. Who's to say that she won't make me take my hundred-year nap or a permanent nap? Roxas I'm scared what do I do?" Briar said on the verge of tears.
Suddenly she feels Roxas wrap his arms around her pulling her into a hug. "Briar don't be scared. That's not you." Roxas said as Briar whipped her eyes. "Do you still carry that Elixir I gave you?"
Briar nods and shows that it was in her pocket. "I never go anywhere without it."
"Well even if she does try to get to you she has to get through me first and I will make sure you drink that if she does make you fall asleep. Listen Briar I've seen you do so many dangerous and thrilling adventures alongside me. That's who you are. You're not a coward and you're not some damsel in distress, you're Briar Beauty a girl who is in control of her own destiny and can cast magic like an expert." Roxas smiles.
Hearing this brought a blush to Briar's face as well as a smile.
"Thank you Roxas. I really needed that." Briar smiles.
"Anytime." Roxas said as they continued down the path and when they reached the clearing they saw a beautiful lake with a waterfall behind.
"Wow." Roxas said in awe.
"It's beautiful." Briar smiles.
As the two of them sat down for their picnic by the lake Roxas hands her some sweets from his basket. Smiling Briar accepts it and the two of them enjoy their time together.
"Roxas…did you mean what you said when you liked me when I was brave and daring?" Briar asks.
"Of course I did Briar it's one of your most amazing traits." Roxas said.
Briar smiles when she decides to be a little daring. Taking off her shoes she walks to the water in her bare feet and when Roxas wasn't looking she splashes him with a large amount of water soaking him.
"What the?!" Roxas said in shock as Briar burst into laughter. "Oh you want to play like that." Roxas grins as he ran into the water.
The two of them laughed as they as ran around the lake having fun. When Roxas finally catches up to her the two of them fall back onto the grass laughing.
"Well someone looks a lot better." Roxas said.
"You know it." Briar smiles.
About an hour later the two of them finish their picnic and head back to Ever After High.
"Roxas, I really had a great time." Briar said.
"Me too. We should do this again sometime." Roxas said.
Briar smiles as they exit the forest to see the sun setting. "Roxas there's one thing I want to give you."
"What?"
"Close your eyes." Once Roxas did he feels a soft pair of lips on top of his opening them he sees Briar kissing him on the lips. When Roxas looks at her in shock Briar smiles. "Thank you for always being there for me." Briar said walking back to school leaving Roxas to snap out of it.
Roxas feels his lips and feels as strange feeling in his chest. "It's that feeling again. What is it?" Roxas asks as he remembers feeling the same way earlier. "It's strange, but I think I like it."
That night in Briar's room as she was sound asleep.
In her dream she was facing Maleficent again.
"Now Briar it is time for you to fall asleep." Maleficent said summoning the Spinning wheel.
"No it isn't!" Briar summons her staff and blasts the wheel to pieces. "Sorry, but I'm writing my own story." Briar grins as light surrounds Maleficent making her scream in pain.
As a bright light engulfs the area Briar looks to see she at her family castle and the door opens to reveal Roxas walking towards her.
Smiling Briar runs to him and he scoops her up into a hug.
"Welcome back Briar." Roxas smiles.
"And I don't plan on going anywhere." Briar smiles.
As the two of them lean in to kiss we fade out to see a smile on Briar's face as her nightmares were no more.
