"What does this mean?" Alissa fretted looking at the new story before her, "What do we do?"
"I suppose we could read what its written so far," Maleficent suggested after a moment of thought.
"Do you think it will allow us to? It doesn't like to be touched when it's recording a tale"
"It's stopped for now, I think we're allowed"
"Whatever you say mother," Alissa shakily approached the book, flipping from the wonderfully illustrated title page to the first page of the story.
Our story begins with the Fairy and The Witch and how very different they were...
Googie, the witch, grew up in a beautiful lakeside cottage with sprawling gardens in the back but the home was ice cold, Googie was given whatever she wished if only to placate her horrible temper but it wasn't very long before this solid the girl rotten, her parents more concerned with their standing in the village put all their hopes for fame on her shoulders, uncaring, unknowing to the ice that encircled her heart throughout the years
"That doesn't sound promising," Alissa muttered staring long and hard at the picture on the opposite page, Googie's scowling face filling the page.
On the opposite side of the village Christina, the fairy, grew up in a house most uninviting with a rickety slanted porch and peeling gray walls. While not as attractive as its colorful nebiors it was a warm cozy place made special by the love within. Although money was often tight the little family was rich in things that mattered.
Page by page the contrast between the two became ever apparent. While Christina was shown caring for the home and the animals she brought there, Googie was shown being showered in frivolity. Each of her pages worse than the last.
"And she thinks she's fit to be a princess," Maleficent rolled her eyes.
"Mother," Alissa chided, "Let's go outside, I need to think"
...
Googie, wearing a dress from home as was permitted on the weekends, snarled at the elective options in her handbook. The ugly black pages were full of bizarre vile options:
Henchman training.
Uglification.
Curses and Hexes 101.
Famous Witches and their Successes (Two-week special lecture held in the theater)
Lair design.
She was expected to choose from these?
I don't need these, I'll be at the Good School soon.
Confident in this thought she chucked the handbook aside and scurried outside determined to snag a prince already. A few students were milling about the lunch area but these were mostly princesses with stupidly fluffy animals in tow. Just as she was contemplating the fifteen-minute walk to the nearby village she caught sight of Christina's prince coming out of the side door of the good school. She hadn't been successful in getting him to pay her any attention but he hadn't seen her in one of her custom-made dresses. This one was a low-cut sea foam green silk with a gold sash tied around her waist. This dress had always caught the eye of the boys in Gavaldon it wouldn't fail her now. Plastering on her best blinding white smile she stepped into his path.
"Hello, Shaggy," she batted her eyelashes, "How are you?"
Shaggy kept his eyes on the tree behind her, "Excuse me, Googie," he tried to move around her.
"Oh, don't rush off Handsome," she pulled him back, "Why don't you stay and we can get better acquainted with each other"
"No thank you-"
"But I'm such good company, I'll make it worthwhile, trust me"
"I like, said no, please let go of me"
"I like hard to get"
"Please let go," Shaggy really, really didn't want to hurt the much, much shorter girl who had a death grip on his still-healing arm.
But, Googie hung on, her vice-like grip digging into his arm until she drew blood. With no other options, Shaggy wrenched his arm free with a pained growl.
"Aww," Googie put her hand where her heart should have been. "Wolfe has a boo-boo, don't worry, I can make it all better"
Shaggy ran back into the Good Castle, knowing Googie couldn't follow where he collided with Christina who fell to the floor.
"Christina! I'm so sorry!" he helped her to her feet, burning with embarrassment.
"Shaggy, you're hurt again, what happened?"
"Googie like, cornered me on the lawn she wouldn't let me go"
Christina huffed in annoyance, "I'm sorry"
"Why are you sorry? You didn't do this"
"Let's get you patched up"'
...
"He doesn't know what he's missing"
Googie spun on her heel finding Edward looking her up and down. He too, was out of his uniform but his clothing was as void of color as the robes. The only color was the brown dirt smudges on his cracked boots.
"I detest color," he said as if reading her mind, "You look better without it"
"And where are you going, dressed like that?"
"Bookend to buy potion supplies, I don't suppose you want to join me?"
He wasn't a prince but he was kind of good looking and it had been forever since she'd had positive attention that Googie found herself agreeing only to get as far away from this accursed place as her heels could carry her. Besides, perhaps there were other princes in the village that wouldn't be hung on pathetic pastel-wearing princesses? It seemed to Googie every prince she encountered had a princess on his arm!
Stupid roses.
Alas, the trouble followed to Bookend. The princesses were already there, moving in packs flanked by hordes of admirers. When Edward had turned his back Googie tried her best to weasel her way into one of the groups but her every attempt was shut down. Every prince, noble, or village boy she attempted to flirt with escaped as quickly as possible.
"This is maddening!" she grumped, stomping back to Edward and his bemused smirk.
"It's because you're evil"
"I am not!"
"But you are or they wouldn't flee," Edward took her arm, "Let's do lunch and you can try and convince me why you think you're so good"
"Fine, fine, perhaps you'll see things my way"
"Or you'll see mine"
...
Shaggy quietly watched as Christina expertly patched him up. She had taken him up to her bedroom. As it turned out if invited her friends could join her upstairs. So, they sat on her bed, a comfortable silence hanging over them.
"All better!" she declared softly.
"thank you," Shaggy smiled, glancing at the little white bandage,
"It's only a little bandage," Christina blushed, "What were you doing outside before she cornered you?"
"Like, I was going to go for a walk along the lake, I like, don't do well in town" Shaggy sheepishly explained, "Would, would you join me? Scooby's taking his usual all day nap"
"I would love to"
...
Meanwhile, Maleficent and Alissa parted ways. Alissa to finish her shopping and Maleficent to look over the pile of elective requests on the desk in her office. When she stepped into the castle, however, the door to the office was open. With a deep breath to quell her bubbling anger, Maleficent stepped through the door finding Faybelle sprawled out in her chair.
"Faybelle, you're a week late"
"Well, Hi to you too, Grammy, I had a good summer thanks for asking"
Faybelle swung her legs to the floor, sweeping her blonde blue streaked hair over her shoulder as she stood, "Then again what do you care? I've heard she's back, your perfect grandchild"
"Faybelle-"
"Oh I won't hurt her...much the little thief stealing my birthright and my mother, I may not remember much but I remember her ranting and raving about her perfect plot as she moved us from hovel to hovel until my auntie in her infinite wisdom had her executed and I was sent to live with Dad who was more concerned with some Gargoyles than me-"
"That's enough, young lady," Maleficent warned, eyes flashing, "You certainly didn't complain when Puck took you with him, now, your room is on the upper floors, the same courtesy as your cousin, all your things are already there, go get settled I trust you'll find your schedule to your liking and when you're ready come back down here and we'll catch up"
Maleficent tried to hug the teen as she passed but Faybelle ignored the invitation still grumbling about her cousin's return as she stomped from the room. It was vital to execute Lucinda. Messing with the barrier between the worlds was expressly forbidden. A dangerous thing that could bring about the collapse of their home. So Alissa had chased her sister for three straight years with Maleficent's help to bring the world back into balance. Faybelle had been too small to remember the storms, the quakes, and the backlash as a result of Lucinda's actions. Too small to recall how the woods settled down after justice had been carried out.
She thankfully had no idea what they'd witnessed.
...
"Well?" Googie finished recounting why she belonged in good.
"Nope, definitely evil," Edward smirked.
"What?"
"I said what I said"
"But-but why?" Googie felt like ripping her hair out, "All the good deeds and, the donations, everyone at home said-"
"Did you ever consider they said that because they were scared of you?"
"No one's scared of me"
"Christina is"
"No she isn't"
"Yeah, keep telling yourself that"
Googie realized she was murdering her cucumber salad. With a deep calming breath she relaxed, taking dainty bites. What did Edward know? He was evil! Raised to be evil! Loved it. She would laugh about this when she transferred. She would laugh.
If only she could solve that riddle.
...
"Aunt Alissa!"
Alissa turned, shifting her shopping bags from one arm to the other, "Draculaura, hello!" she hugged the perky pink vampire with a smile, "How are you?"
"I'm good, just trying to finish my back to school shopping," Draculaura giggled at Clawd who staggered a few feet behind with a teetering tower of boxes and bags, "School starts Monday"
"So I've heard, hexcited to be going back?"
"I wish I'd gotten into your school," Draculaura confessed, "But yes"
"You'll have a wonderful time at Monster High and there's always next year"
Alissa magically caught the stack of boxes as Clawd tumbled, tripping on the uneven part of the sidewalk, shrinking the packages with a snap.
"Thank you, Mrs Dracula," Clawd heaved in relief, catching himself before he face-planted.
"Clawd, we've been over this"
"i mean, thank you, Miss Alissa"
"You're welcome, the boxes will go back to normal once you get home, Draculaura"
"Thank you, but, but I was wondering if if I could-"
"Meet Christina?"
"Everyone wants to meet her, may we?"
"She's very shy so bringing everyone might be a bit much right now," Alissa thought, "Why don't you, your sister and your parents come for dinner? Faybelle's just arrived and I'm not sure what to expect, it might be a good idea-"
"For us to be there so Faybelle doesn't try anything?"
"Yes, exactly"
"I understand, she did set my dolls on fire when we met"
"I remeber, her favorite game when she was little," just the thought brought the smell of burning fabric, "Walk with me and tell me how your summer went?"
"Well..."
...
Shaggy found it hard to believe he'd been nervous to talk to Christina that first day. It had only been a week but it felt almost like they were old friends. It was a beautiful day. The sun made the lake water sparkle like gems, the bright green grass was soft underfoot and there was a pleasant breeze.
"It's so pretty," Christina smiled at the water, "Don't you think so?"
"I like, didn't really look," Shaggy bashfully admitted, "I like, guess I'm too used to the ocean"
"The ocean?"
He nodded, "It's only a short walk from home to the beach and sometimes if you look very carefully you can spot a mermaid or two in the distance"
"I would like to see that"
"Maybe I can show you one day"
"That sounds nice but I hope we wouldn't have to get too close"
"You can't swim?"
"There's a lake in the village where I grew up, the best families lived lakeside, every child was taught to swim, everyone but me, Mama feared they would make good on their threats to drown me if I got to close to the water"
"That's cruel"
"I know"
"I'm sure there was like, something good about the village? Wasn't there?"
"Mama, only Mama and the animals," Christina smiled wistfully, "But tell me about your home, Shaggy? What's it like there?"
"Like, it's a small kingdom, but a happy one the capital where I live is always busy, there are like, always ships from far off places docking to sell and trade further inland is where we like, connect to the woods like everyone else, one time, when I was like, eight or so, my dad took me riding well, we were like supposed to be hunting but as I'm sure you've figured out, I'm like, no good at outdoor activities"
"You weren't hurt were you?"
"No, I got lost instead and you'll never believe what I found"
"What?"
"An entire unicorn herd"
"Unicorns?" Christina's eyes grew wide with wonder, "What were they like?"
"They're beautiful creatures, all with vibrant colored coats, usually, they stay hidden or run when they're found but I like, guess they knew I wasn't a threat and I needed help because their leader, she took me back to where my dad was looking for me a few miles away, disappeared as soon as I climbed off her back"
"Wow, did you ever see them again?"
"Sometimes I see them, running through the trees"
"Have you ever seen anything else?"
"Plenty"
"Please, please, tell me"
...
"Vell, it looks like someone had a good day," Radu greeted his daughter that evening.
"I did," Christina smiled.
"Excellent, now, I have a bit of a surprise," he took her by the arm, "Ve have some family joining us for dinner tonight, they're excited to meet you"
Christina was instantly on edge. Family wanted to meet her? She was excited but overwhelmingly worried about embarrassing herself again.
"It vill be okay," Radu reassured her, guiding her into the dining room.
Her mother and Grandmother were already seated at the dinner table carrying on a lively conversation with their dinner guests on the opposite side of the table. First, there were two adult vampires, one who looked remarkably like her father but taller, paler, red-eyed, and black-haired. Beside him was a beautiful brunette yellow-eyed vampire in a stunning pink dress. Next to her was seated a petite pink-skinned vampire with her multi-colored hair tied into bouncy pigtails. Next, a purple-skinned vampire whose long hair spilled down her back and onto the floor around her chair. At the very end of the table, there was a fairy with blonde, blue-streaked hair, glaring daggers at her.
"Christina, this is your Uncle Dracula, Aunt Vana and your cousins, Draculaura, Sibella and Faybelle"
Draculaura was out of her seat, slamming into Christina with a squeal, "I'M SO HAPPY TO MEET YOU"
"Draculaura, vhat did I tell you?" Vana softly chided.
"I'm sorry," Draculaura released her cousin with an apologetic smile, "I'm just very happy to meet you"
Heart still pounding against her ribcage, Christina managed a small smile. There was something infectious about Draculaura's happiness.
"It is vonderful to have you home," Dracula smiled.
"Yes," Vana agreed with a smile of her own, "Ve vorried so vhen ve heard about...you know," she glanced at the still glaring Faybelle.
"Oh look, dinner's ready," Alissa declared, the food abruptly appearing on the table, "Shall we eat?"
Christina sat between her mother and grandmother hoping with them on either side the feeling of being stared down would go away.
She really hoped.
...
What a day! Christina wrote in her diary just before bed, I got to spend some time with Grandmother. I met some more of my family. My cousins Draculaura and Sibella are very sweet. We were all a little nervous at first but after a while, we were talking like we'd always known each other. They told me about their schools and friends, while I told them about Mama and the animals I cared for. I don't think Faybelle and I are going to get along. She's Lucinda's daughter, you know, the one who sent me to Galvoldan? She kept watching me like she wanted me to drop dead. She's a part of Grandmother's school so I'll see her in passing at the most. I hope we can at least be civil with each other. I certainly don't want any trouble.
Mom gave me my new class schedule after dinner. Thank goodness she didn't place me in music class. I love music but the idea of singing in front of people gives me chills. Especially when those people are actual princesses whose singing voice attracts the wildlife. Instead, I have Magical Creature Care and Art. At least I know I'll have friends in those classes. I won't lie it's been..hard for me to make friends. All those years of people throwing things at me, yelling and heckling.
Draculaura insists I should meet her friends soon. She promises they're very nice but I don't know. As much as I'm beginning to love this bright, colorful, magical place coming taking that step is so hard. Even in a world full of magical creatures, and monsters I stick out. Others stare. I don't want to stick out. I don't want to be stared at. I just want to survive. I just want to blend in.
I'm still scared.
...
Early Sunday morning the class scores were posted in the common room. Students clamored to see the magical scrolls, eager to see where they ranked compared to their peers. Unsurprisingly Apple White ranked at number one. Briar Beauty below her and Raven following. Melinda found she was hovering around eight while Christina was just below her at nine.
"Eh," Melinda shrugged, facing Christina with a tiny smile, "It's only the first week, we'll improve"
"I don't think I'll ever get the hang of dance lessons"
"Like, me either," Shaggy agreed from behind them.
"Hey, you ranked seven," Melinda read.
"Seriously? Did they like, forget how many times I've fell?"
"We'll all improve," Melinda assured.
...
Crow couldn't help but cackle gleefully when she read the rankings in the evil school. While she was secure at number three, Googie who refused to do classwork and fought the teachers at every turn had the very last spot marked by smoldering black numbers.
"Big deal," Googie huffed, arms crossed over her chest.
"Don't you remeber? The failing students have to intern as castle servants!" Nothing could make Crow happier, "This is great!"
"You're despicable"
"Thank you"
Googie rolled her eyes, heading back upstairs to the dorm where she discovered a kitchen uniform waiting on her bed alongside a revised schedule. In a blinding green flash, she found herself wearing the uniform and standing in front of the gruel pot.
"No," she protested, "I'm not spending all day in here"
"You have to," the head chef, a goblin woman with a large underbite declared, "Rules are rules, we'll be seeing you every night until you've improved, now, get to stiring"
Googie threw the ladle but missed the chef was used to outbursts of the students.
"Stir!" the chef ordered, her rancid breath making Googie gag.
I need to figure out the riddle.
...
Googie screamed bloody murder the next morning, making Crow hit the ground.
"SHUT UP!" the werewolf grabbed the screaming girl by her throat, "Before I rip out your tongue!"
Coughing and choking, Googie stumbled back from her pissed roommate, hand still balled around her updated schedule.
"Don't tell me you're upset over a piece of paper?" Crow wrenched the paper away only to dissolve into shrieking laughter.
The electives, one before basic magic, one after had been added.
Henchman Care and Training: Witch Hazel.
Uglification: Witch Hazel.
Googie was now stuck for three class periods with the teacher she hated most for the worst electives on the list and Crow reveled in it. The blonde was so incensed by her roommate that she pushed past her fear and snatched the paper back, ripping it to shreds.
Crow stopped laughing as the temperature in the room plummeted. Witch, without letting her discomfort be known, Crow slipped into her uniform, flipped up the hood, and left.
Googie continued to shriek angrily, stomping all the way to Maleficent's office where she beat on the door until it was opened by the expectant headmistress, "Yes, Miss Hale?"
"You think this is funny don't you?"
"What do I think is funny?"
"Those awful electives you added to the schedule! Why would you do that when I'm trying to transfer?"
"You aren't transferred yet, until that time, if ever, you are required to have the same number of classes as everyone else in the school and because you did not submit your elective requests by the deadline I had to place you myself and I'm afraid that those were the only to electives with spots reaming now, I suggest you go back to the dorm, ready yourself for the day and hurry to the dining hall before the breakfast is all gone, I'll see you in Wood's survival," Maleficent closed the office door
Googie was ready to explode. Oh, never in her life had she wanted to hit something, to scream until the glass shattered as she did at that moment. Stomping back up the stairs she pushed everyone who got in her way until there was a mess of tangled limbs and angry peers at the bottom. Finally, a reassuring thought popped into her mind. Perhaps Christina was also stuck in the worst possible classes? Maybe she was just as dismayed or even horrified!
Yes, that was a good thought.
...
But, that couldn't be further from the truth. Christina's new electives, like Googie's were before and after her second period. First, Magical Creature Care and after Art. So, after breakfast filled with fresh excitement she hurried down the stairs where Melinda was waiting with her own updated schedule.
"Can I see yours, can I?" Melinda was bouncing on her toes with excitement.
"Here," Christina handed the paper over with a chuckle.
"Look! They match!"
"They do?"
"Yeah, I originally wanted Music instead of Art but all the spots were taken but we have the same elective periods now!" Melinda explained happily, "C'mon let's get to class"
"Are you very sure heels are a good idea today? It's dance lesson day," Christina reminded her friend upon seeing her shoes.
"Oh, I came prepared" A pair of plain flats materialized in Melinda's hands, "What about you?"
"I don't wear heels, I'd break an ankle"
"They just take a bit of practice"
"Sure"
The first period flew by in a flurry of worksheets helping to prep them for the winter ball. It was so monotonous that Melinda was practically dragging Christina outside to their elective. Both were delighted to see Raven and her brother Dirk but were less than thrilled at the prospect of sharing yet another class with Apple White. The blonde-haired princess flashed them a fake smile as they passed by.
"Does she have too be in every class?" Melinda whispered grumpily.
"We are all first years"
"Sadly"
"Girls, over here"
"Dalton!" Melinda perked up, "Shaggy!"
"Hi," the boys scooted over to make room for the girls on the bench.
"So, do all our schedules match?" Christina asked, "Elective wise?"
"No, my second elective is Music," Dalton shook his head, "I got the last spot"
"Lucky," Melinda rolled her eyes.
"I'll be happy to share my notes with you," Dalton assured, "If you wanted?"
"Please?"
"Alright ladies and Gentleman if we could turn our attention to the front?" Alissa arrived in a burst of sparkles, "Let's get started"
...
"LISTEN UP!" Witch Hazel screamed upon her arrival, "You despicable twits are probably here because of your grossly inflated egos, thinking you could master a dragon or some other such beast," she smacked her hand on her desk, "I'm here to tell you that you're all WRONG! how do you think you're going to command an army if you can't even tame this?"
In a flash of lightning, bulbous, stinky toads were sitting on the student's desks.
"Oh, don't let tet their appearances deceive you," the witch sneered, "Fire-breathing toads are some of the hardest things to bend to your will. How do you think you're going to become the scourge of the woods if you can't handle these delightful beauties? Now, assuming you remeber the rules about henchmen I hexpect at least one of you to convince your charge to do something nasty to your desk partner"
Googie recoiled, unwilling to be anywhere near the slimy creature. Shakily, she glanced at Crow. The werewolf had jumped to the 'bully' tactic and was currently screaming things at the toad who sat unblinking before her. Just behind Googie, someone got their eyebrows burnt off by their own toad much to the teacher's frustration.
"What a bunch of worthless twits"
This was going to be a horribly long class period.
...
Meanwhile, Alissa was leading her class deep into the Blue Forest for their first lesson. Christina stuck to her friends, trying to ignore Apple's whispered comments insinuating she only decided on this class because her mother was the teacher. As discreetly as she could, Christina latched on to Shade before he could rip her classmate's eyes out in realization.
"Now, I need you to understand-" Alissa was saying, unaware of the turmoil happening, "That while this is a magical creature class we will be learning about all creatures big and small magical or not but because I also understand how boring that sounds I have a special treat today we're going to meet our companions!"
The class fell pin-drop silent as Alissa handed out what appeared to be tightly wrapped hard candies.
"Now, you're going to go one by one, pop your firework, and call out your name, everyone understand?"
"Yes, Ma'am," the class chorused.
"Who wants to go first?"
"Me! Me! Me!" Apple waved excitedly.
"Very well, Miss White, please stand here"
Apple gracefully leaped over, and her firework popped red, "Apple White!"
A beautiful snow fox with striking blue eyes pranced out of the forest, rushing into Apple's waiting arms.
"Cool!" Melinda, bounced excitedly, "I wanna go next, I wanna go next!"
"You know what to do"
"I'm sure you'll get a nice fuzzy monkey," Apple whispered.
"Melinda West!"
Fireworks popping green over her head, Melinda ignored Apple's comments kneeling to meet whatever animal came out of the woods. The bushes rustled a small black streak racing out.
"Oh, hi, kitty!" Melinda could have melted from cuteness overload, the green-eyed black kitten purred, rubbing and headbutting her arms.
"Oh, how cute!" Christina laughed when Melinda got back in line with her new friend, "What are you going to name her?"
"Shadow"
"Why don't you go next?"
"No, I think I'll wait, besides, Raven's already there"
Raven and Dirk both received dragons, Dalton, a white cat. Other students received, rabbits, unicorns, peacocks, and jackalopes, it was a wild range of creatures that left the students dumbstruck at the possibilities. When Shaggy had his turn, however, they all looked on in confusion as Scooby-Doo dazed and confused, tumbled from the forest.
"Sometimes," Alissa kindly explained, "we've already met our special companions"
"That means she won't get anything," Apple whispered to the horrified by her friends' actions Briar Beauty.
"Apple, That's my cousin, knock it off"
"She already has that bird"
"Apple!"
Just ignore them.
"Christina Dracula!"
Christina waited and waited and waited. Had she done it wrong? The woods were so still. Behind her, Apple snickered. Nothing was coming. Christina turned to walk of shame back to her friends.
"Christy-" Shaggy began only to stop short, "Wait I like, hear-"
Before he could finish speaking she was knocked flat on her back, not by one animal but three. Three wolves.
"She gets more than one?" Apple yelled, "Because she's your daughter?"
"No, Miss White, I have no control over the magic"
"And don't you have a flock of songbirds that like, follow you around?" Shaggy pointed out.
"And woodland animals that clean your room?" Melinda added.
Apple turned up her nose, crossing her arms with a huff.
Christina threw her arms around the apparent leader in relief.
"I'm sorry we took so long," the black and silver wolf spoke startling everyone, "We had to wait for Brother to catch up"
It was then that they noticed the all-black male only had three legs, "I was in an accident, I'm still trying to figure this out," he explained, ears dropping.
"It's okay," Christina assured, "I'm not going to rush you"
"C'mon," the tan and silver, blue-eyed female nudged him, "Just a few more steps"
The chimes rang out signaling the end of class. Without breaking stride, Christina picked up her new three-legged baby and carried him into the castle completely unaware of the gobsmacked looks of her classmates.
...
Googie was fuming. Her robes were covered in molten, smokey toad mucus and the ends of her hair were stiff and crispy, completely undoing her beauty routine. Now, she sat smoldering at her desk as the class changed around. Crow's smirking face left only to be replaced with Hester's. With an effortless wave of her hand, Witch Hazel turned the classroom from the elective setup of partner desks and animals in cages to single desks with mini-cauldrons.
"Today we are going to hone your pitiful little talents in the hope that you're not CRUSHED in the Trial, which I don't need to remind you GOOD has won for EIGHT YEARS IN A ROW"
"Big whoop," Googie was desperately trying to ignore the stench invading her perfect little nose.
"It is a big whoop you wimpy witch," Hazel smacked her upside the head, "We need the morale boost, not to mention the bragging rights I'm sure you've noticed but Evil never wins the stories"
Googie rolled her eyes, "They aren't supposed to"
Hazel's hands ignited with raging magic.
"Hazel must I really remind you that smiting students is expressly forbidden? This one's all the way on the bottom of the ranking list anyway" Maleficent exploded into the room, magically binding the teacher, "Now, if you want to keep your job I suggest calming down"
"Fine, fine! There's never been a bigger disappointment anyway!" Hazel snapped, "Now release me!"
"Hmm, no..." Maleficent tapped her chin in thought, "I can't risk you setting my castle ablaze again"
"You...you...you!" Hazel looked fit to come undone.
"Oh, oh no!" Googie fretted.
"Class, change of plans, target practice!"
"I've been looking forward to this!" Hester jumped onto her desk,
Googie slid under her desk, covering her head with trembling arms. Come on, come on I just need to answer that stupid riddle, manners? Fancy clothes? Riches? Crowds of adoring fans? A castle? Wait, I already tried that one?
The desk was blasted away leaving her exposed to her stalking classmates who looked at her like prey. With a yelp she got to her feet, running in the opposite direction, ducking and dodging all the things hurled her way.
"Defend yourself idiot!" Hazel snapped.
"That's what a prince is for!"
"Well, there doesn't seem to be one around!"
Finally, Googie was backed against the wall, chest heaving with exhaustion she threw up her arms to protect her face only to send everyone else flying backward, landing on their backs in a heap.
What did I just do?
"Finally, maybe you're not a fluke," Hazel cackled, "Now, finish them off"
"She isn't allowed to until after graduation," Maleficent's voice thundered throughout the room, "Clearly, you and I need to have a talk"
...
Meanwhile, in her Kingdom Management Class Christina was still trying to put Apple's comments out of her mind. That was hard to do, however, as she was still making them under her breath. Though the curly-haired blonde beauty tried to hide it Alissa caught on and like Hazel, decided a change of plans was the best course of action.
"Today, we're going to talk about one of the most important qualities every Kingdom needs, an empathetic and kind ruler!" Alissa turned to the blackboard, "Now, if you'll recall the rules of Good we build from those, everyone turn to page sixty-eight in your textbooks and lets brainstorm solutions to the problems presented"
"But-but-but I thought we were going to talk about the Ball?" Apple sputtered in disbelief.
"No, the upcoming Ball has nothing to do with this course"
"But Mother said-"
"Apple, please if you'll follow my directions?"
Pouting, Apple opened her textbook. For the rest of the class period they covered all sorts of problems big and small, from weather disasters to sick children. Apple jumped to answer every single question, much to everyone else's annoyance.
"Raven," Alissa called on the bored-looking princess, "There's been a horrible blizzard out of season and crops are dead, what do you do?"
"Um," Raven sat up straight, "First I would survey the lands and see if anything was salvageable, collect what is, replant and call on allies for help? Trading to get what my kingdom needs?"
"Yes, that is a good solution," Alissa turned to write it on the board.
"Headmistress?" Apple waved her hand wildly, "How did the blizzard start?" she shot a meaningful look at Raven, "Was it our Nemesis's doing?"
Raven rolled her eyes.
"Apple, you can't blame everything on your nemesis"
Melinda tentatively raised her hand, "What's a nemesis?"
Apple audibly face-palmed.
"A nemesis is the villain of your story, your story doesn't end until one of you has been defeated"
"Weren't you the villain of the story?"
Alissa paled considerably with a frown she seemed almost ready to cry if the end of class chimes hadn't rung. Apple thankfully filed out to head to a different elective.
Christina wasted no time in hugging her mother tightly, "Mom?"
"I'll be okay, sweetheart," Alissa wrapped her wings around her daughter, "I promise"
Christina wasn't convinced but handed her mother a tissue and returned to her desk just as Shaggy came through the door.
"Hi, Christy," he slid into the desk next to hers.
"Hi"
"What's the matter?"
"Apple made the headmistress cry," Melinda whispered.
"I can hear you, Miss West," Alissa walked past, setting up easels.
"Sorry," Melinda looked ashamedly at her desk.
"I like, don't understand why she's like, so mean," Shaggy whispered considerably quieter than Melinda.
"I don't either"
...
Witch Hazel was quickly, forcibly escorted away by a group of goblins.
"This class is canceled, go back to your dorms until next period"
That was just fine with Googie, the blonde wasting no time in taking a much-needed bath. While soaking, she pondered ways to get out of her horrid classes. Was there some way to sneak unnoticed into the Good Castle? Maybe if she forced Christina to switch with her? After all, it was Christina who belonged here. It was Christina who deserved unrelenting kitchen duty, Christina who deserved all those hot, horrible classes in the dungeons. She was made for it! Why couldn't anyone else see that? No, they had their heads in the sand, tricked by the hybrid's nice, meek personality. Who wouldn't be fooled?
I not only have to transfer. I have to get Christina transferred too.