"Where could that book be? Who could we ask? Not Ella. I still can't believe how awful her family was to her. I just... I don't understand how someone could grow up like that and then turn into well my mom. I can one person change so much?" Chloe asks as she is pacing around the room while Alexis is sitting on the bed next to Red.
"We know the feeling Chloe. My mom did a complete one eighty with her personality. Used to be she as a complete loner who only messed with others when necessary. Now I can't get her off my back half the time." Alexis says.
"Tell me about it. My mom changed her entire personality. It's like everything she does now is to make people afraid of her and... And to hide the fact that she used to actually be nice." Red says.
"Well whatever we do we have to make sure that she stays that way. My mom's life depends on it. Think about it. What if your mom had grown up to be like Bridget?" Chloe asks.
"You mean completely clueless?" Red asks curiously.
"Or kind, generous and open-hearted. She wouldn't have become a tyrant." Chloe says.
"Yeah I could eat what I want and sleep when I want and wear what I want, and be what I want. I'd be free of my mom, and her rules and her judge-y face." Red says.
"And who knows. She might not be judge-y at all. She might be loving and kind. The way a mom should be." Alexis says as she smiles at Red.
"It doesn't matter. It's not like I actually care about that." Red says.
"I think you do. More than you want to let on." Alexis says.
"Well none of that will even matter if we can't stop this prank." Red says.
"Speakin' of Bridget... What if the watch brought us back here because what you really want is a mom who can love you the way that you are? A mom more like Bridget. She'd probably still be making cupcakes." Chloe says as she holds up the watch.
"That's it. We should ask Bridget about the cookbook." Red says as she stands up.
*Timeskip*
"Mmm-hmm. Perfect." Bridget says as the group finds her dancing to music played by her headphones.
"Uh Bridget?" Alexis asks as Bridget sees the group.
"Oh hey guys! I'm just practicing my signature dance for Castlecoming. Come on. I call it The shuffle of love. Oh! I keep messing up that last bit. But it's okay I'll get there. Let me clean this up real quick." Bridget says as she accidentally sends cards flying trying to do a dance move with them.
"Well I thought it was good either way." Alexis says kindly.
"Thanks." Bridget says.
"Wow your room it's so wonderful." Chloe says as she looks around.
"Oh. Yeah thanks. It reminds me of home." Bridget says happily.
"Where I come from there's a rule against all of this." Red says.
"Who's against fun?" Bridget asks in surprise.
"Our Queen. AKA my mom." Red says.
"Oh." Bridget says.
"She also hates my style, the way I think, you know, everything about me." Red says as Alexis looks at her sadly.
"I'm sorry Red. I can't imagine having a mom like that." Bridget says.
"She's the only one I've ever known." Red says as Alexis gives her a sympathetic look.
"Well if I was your mom I'd love to have a daughter who thinks for herself." Bridget says happily as Red sees something on her desk.
"Is that The Looking Glass?" Red asks.
"Oh. Yeah. You've heard of it?" Bridget asks curiously as Red picks up The Looking Glass.
"Uh I've read about it." Red says nervously.
"It was a gift. It's been in the Wonderland royal line for ages." Bridget says.
"Sounds pretty special. What's it do?" Alexis asks curiously.
"It shows you the future." Bridget says happily.
"Have you looked?" Red asks worriedly.
"No, no, no, no. I love surprises. I mean why would I wanna spoil the future? I'm sure it'll be wonderful." Bridget says happily as she chuckles.
"Anyway we were hoping you might be able to help us find a cookbook." Red says.
"Yeah. Well then you've got the right girl! I mean I have every cookbook ever." Bridget says proudly as she gestures to a shelf full of books.
"Even The Sorcerer's Cookbook?" Red asks.
"Hmm. Let me look." Bridget says as she puts on her headphones and goes to look for the book.
"What are you doing?" Alexis asks as Red opens The Looking Glass.
"Checking how things are going back home." Red says as the group sees The Queen of Hearts has an older Charming being held by guards.
"Let me go." Charming says angrily.
"Oh Charming. So nice to see you again." The Queen of Hearts says.
"Where is she? Where's Cinderella?" Charming asks.
"Why? Are you looking for these?" The Queen of Hearts asks as she holds up Cinderella's glass slippers.
"No. What have you done?" Charming asks as The Queen of Hearts shatters the slippers.
"Not so funny now am I?" The Queen of Hearts asks.
"No... No! No!" Charming shouts angrily as The Queen of Hearts cackles.
"Okay so... not good." Chloe says.
"That's weird yeah I thought I had them all. Well except the banned ones." Bridget says as she comes over.
"Banned ones?" Alexis asks as she and Red look at each other.
"Where would we find the banned ones?" Red asks.
"We don't. They're dangerous. That's why Principal Merlin locked them up in his office. And enchanted them so no troublemakers can get their hands on them." Bridget says as she goes back to dancing.
*Timeskip*
"Now that we know where the book is I think the solution is clear." Chloe says as the group is back in the room.
"For sure. There's only one option." Red says.
"Yeah. It's time to tell Principal Merlin. We need to come clean. He can help us." Chloe says.
"No. Help us? You think he'll hand over a banned book because we asked him?" Red asks.
"I'm with Red on this. He may try to stop us and we can't afford that." Alexis says.
"Do you have a better idea?" Chloe asks.
"Yeah. We do it ourselves. We break in and steal it. That's what Uliana's gonna do. Unless we get there first." Red says.
"You wanna break in to the Principal's office? It's enchanted. And Castlecoming is tomorrow. We only have one shot to get this right. And your idea is to steal?" Chloe asks in shock.
"And your plan is to go tell the teacher? You're such a goody-goody." Red says annoyedly.
"I'd rather be a goody-goody than a bad person." Chloe says angrily.
"You sound like your mom." Red says angrily.
"Thank you." Chloe says.
"How'd that work out for her?" Red asks.
"Wow. You know you are evil. Just like your mom." Chloe says angrily.
"Yeah maybe... But I'm gonna get us outta here." Red says as Chloe scoffs and leaves.
*Timeskip*
"Come on Alexis. It's almost showtime. You alright?" Red asks as she and Alexis are preparing to leave before she notices Alexis giving a slightly sad look.
"Sorry. I just can't help but think about what happened with Chloe." Alexis says.
"She's right about me being evil that's what happened." Red says as she sighs.
"Red you're not evil." Alexis says as she looks at Red.
"And how do you know? You barely know me." Red says as she gives an annoyed look.
"Maybe but I wouldn't change what we've been through together through all of this. You might be the kid of a villain Red but one thing I've definitely noticed is you're not like your mom. You may not be like Chloe or even me and that's okay. You're you. And this you I like. I don't think you're evil though." Alexis says as she smiles at Red causing her to blush slightly.
"You really mean that?" Red asks in surprise as Alexis nods.
"I do." Alexis says.
"Thanks Alexis. That... That means a lot. You're not so bad either. For a Princess anyway." Red says as she smiles and smirks.
"Stop calling me that. You know I don't like it." Alexis says annoyedly while giving a slight flustered expression.
"I know. But I kinda enjoy the look you make when I call you that." Red says as Alexis blushes.
"You're something else you know that?" Alexis asks as she and Red chuckle.
"Yeah. But seriously Alexis. Thanks for standing by me. Now let's get out of here and go get the book." Red says as she and Alexis leave.