A/N: I do not claim ownership over the respective franchises involved in the writing of this story.
"The Storybook of Legends... is cursed!"
Solly said the words eerily, the beam of a flashlight casting an eerie glow over his face. Or it would have been if the others had reacted the way he wanted them to, the students just gave him blank/unamused looks. Even Maddie and Kitty were unimpressed.
Seeing that he hadn't had the desired effect, he turned off the flashlight, cleared his throat, and, after pulling up a chair behind him, began to face the row of tables where the teenagers were all sitting. "To the point, then. But first, let me say that you're allowed to have your own thoughts on this matter. I honestly don't expect any of you to believe me. After what just happened here, the last thing I want is for any of you to be under someone else's control."
The princesses all exchanged uncomfortable glances, filled with equal measures of doubt and caution. "Liberated?" Apple repeated uneasily, looking calmer than before, but no less disturbed.
Solly's eyes dropped to the ground. "Yes, liberated. The Storybook of Legends, to put things in perspective, has long been enchanted to ultimately shape the minds of those who sign it to adhere to the fairy tales for which they were intended. Not exactly, mind you, but enough so that after a while they cannot deviate from their roles. The mere thought does not even enter their minds.
"Now, wait a minute," Blondie chimed in. "That can't be true, can it? I mean, I'm... pretty sure I can still think for myself." The young Goldilocks looked even more uncertain in the time it took her to speak. "I...I mean, can't I?"
"The process is slow," Solly continued. "So subtle and subtle that even the most experienced magician would question whether there was any magic at all. And over time, it becomes irreversible."
"Do you even know what you're saying?" Apple spoke up shakily after she found her voice. "You're talking about our parents, our grandparents, our families, everyone who came before us. Do you honestly expect us to believe that they've all been brainwashed all this time?"
Solly, with absolute calm painted on his features, replied with a blunt "Yes."
Apple recoiled. "As I said, I don't expect any of you to believe a word I say. I might as well be lying to you for my own amusement," the enigmatic game shop owner said. "Whether you do or not is of little importance now. The only thing that matters is that whatever you choose in the The future will truly be your own agency.
"Our...own agency?" Ashlynn echoed, glancing at her secret boyfriend. Hunter squeezed her hand gently and gave her a reassuring smile.
Apple still seemed shaken and uncertain. She just didn't want to believe that everything, everything she believed in and knew, was...
"You can still choose to take on your roles," Solly added impartially. "If that is truly what you desire, then let it be of your own free will. The Storybook of Legends should not be the one to dictate it to you."
"Are Wonderlandians immune?" Kitty asked out of nowhere, leaning against a corner with her arms crossed over her chest. "I mean, are we?" While she couldn't bring herself to believe the old man, she was intrigued. Given her heritage, she was equally concerned and angered that a spell that could bind minds actually existed. She was going to be the next Cheshire Cat, and if her mother had been subjected to this perversion, she would personally destroy the wretched book.
Solly smiled at the question. "Wonderlandians are... unique in the way the spell tends to affect them. Most of the time, because of the way their brains are wired, it cannot take hold at all. That is, unless you allow it."
"Allow?" Kitty repeated questioningly. "Puh. As if I ever would. Old man, we Cheshire Cats tend to march to our own tune. We wouldn't be who we are otherwise."
"And I actually want to be the next Mad Hatter like dear old Daddy dearest!" Maddie exclaimed as she poured herself a steaming cup of tea. "Besides, we've known about that pesky little spell for a while now."
"Yeah, it-" Kitty's words caught in her throat as Maddie's sank in for her, and the rest allowed the silence to cover them.
Raven was the first to break it. "What...?"
Maddie felt all eyes on her as she emptied her cup, even her fellow Wonderlandians gawking at her, which was a rarity for someone who usually inspired such an expression. "Yes," she said after setting her cup down on the saucer. "We Mad Hatters were aware of the spell from the beginning." Raven was almost surprised that her friend's voice had taken on a rather... sour tone as she spoke. "And before any of you get on my case, no. I couldn't have mentioned it at any time. We were sworn to secrecy. Milton Grimm, of all people, made sure of that."
"Bound?" Apple repeated worriedly. "Maddie, you... you are the last person I, or really any of us, would expect to be... bound to anything."
A thin, fading smile found its way to the Wonderlandian girl. "Magic tends to be funny that way. It's...always been our hope. It's what we pass on in secret. That one day something will break and we'll be free. I guess I have you to thank for that." She glanced briefly at Solly. Then a rare frown crossed the face of the girl Raven thought she knew. "And before you ask, it's generational. From the moment we're made aware of it, none of us can talk about it. Even if we try, the urge disappears as quickly as it comes. I..." She sucked in her lips, her teeth biting the gums inside. "I tried. Every time I tried to speak, the words just..."
Raven didn't move from her seat, a sinking feeling anchoring her, her legs feeling like lead. A twist in her gut blurred everything that came to mind, and she was far from angry with Maddie. Especially when she saw how the girl seemed to be in agony. "Raven, I... I'm so sorry."
She was out of her chair before anyone could blink, her arms wrapped around the girl, who now had only a withered frown, so unlike and uncharacteristic of someone who had always been whimsical and free, but perhaps not as free as they had assumed. "It's... okay," Raven pushed the words out of her broken heart. "It's okay, Maddie. I..." She tightened the embrace, letting go of everything that had weighed on her emotions these past weeks for the girl who had stuck by her through thick and thin.
After several minutes, the tension had subsided enough, but this time there were no words exchanged between them, the revelations still wrapped around them like a constrictor that stubbornly refused to loosen its grip.
"I…" Apple was the first to fold. "I…" She raised her head, her eyes still retaining some redness from her dried tears that threatened to spill out once more. "How can I…"
"Apple," Dexter began in a soft tone, but it was anything but comforting or placating. "We don't expect you to believe us. We don't expect you to change your mind or see the light or any of the clichés. You are the one who has to make your own choices, your own thoughts. If you still want to stick to your fairy tale, none of us are against that. Just know that whether you want to or not, you're not going to disappear or cease to exist." A small smile found its way to the young man's lips, and Apple could have sworn she could see much of Daring's charm in him at that moment, only his was nothing but kindness and understanding. "You are you. Just you."
Apple finally let the words sink in, but instead of being relieved that she could still stay on the path to becoming Snow White, her heart was filled with nothing but doubt, regret, and loss. "I...I think...I want to go back to the dorm now."
Dexter and the others exchanged glances, with Hunter nodding as a sign that it was indeed time to return to the dormitories. Classes may have been suspended for the time being, but the tension from recent events was still high for Book End. Solly escorted them out of the shop, but not before Apple, looking apologetic, bowed in gratitude for their shelter. "Don't worry about it," he waved off. "Just go back to school. Oh, and like I said, don't walk around at night. You never know what might be lurking in the dark."
Apple winced. "I…I will. And, again, thank you, sir."
"Bah!" Solly huffed, shaking his head.
Much later, after the morning sun had bathed the fairy-tale town, students, with school suspended, found themselves at leisure or simply wandering the campus. Others went out into the town, enjoying a day of relaxation that was either a fortuitous gift or an omen of things to come in light of recent events. And no other could be the source of such anxiety, given what was being broadcast on virtually every channel. From social media to the news, both local and beyond, were abuzz with the recent showing of the duel between Dexter Charming and Hunter Huntsman.
"The president of Seacrest Industries has declined to make a statement," A reporter on the scene stood in front of a large office building, her back to the street overlooking the corner, two guards stationed on either side of the locked main door, intimidating in their black suits and sunglasses. "Entry has also been barred to all but personnel with proper clearance, but sources say that..." The woman was interrupted by a tap on the shoulder, and she looked over to see that it was a guard, not one of the two at the door, but no less menacing as the tall man looked down at her with a dangerous glint behind his glasses, and another man was lifted up by the hem of his shirt, looking terrified.
The guard then raised what appeared to be an ID card with his free hand. An ID similar to those worn by the employees of Seacrest Industries. The guard then cupped the item in his large hands and squeezed, a snapping sound soon heard before dropping the now torn pieces onto the asphalt. The guard then dropped the man at the woman's feet, who backed away with a look of panic as she realized who it was. One of her freelancers, hired by the station.
At the same time, her cameraman was accosted by another guard as she tried to muster the courage to defend her press rights. "E-Excuse me, sir, but-" Her microphone was then seized before more men appeared to surround her, causing the woman and her cameraman to huddle together defensively, their options dwindling.
In his office, Seth Seacrest sat idly at his desk, listening and watching through holographic screens as events unfolded around the world. News broadcasts, talk shows, podcasts, Duel Monsters and his company were now the hot topic on the airwaves no matter where one looked. Meanwhile, Iris was narrating to him about the state of their stock and how it had skyrocketed literally overnight, with orders for the Duel Disk pouring in by the thousands.
"Get rid of those parasites," Seth muttered to Iris, who then relayed the order to all the remaining guards.
Understood, sir, but you still have a meeting at three this afternoon.
Seth rolled his eyes, remembering that he was supposed to talk to the governor about the project before he could have an audience with the ruling monarch, who he was even more reluctant to have a word with. "I see," Seth replied. "See to it that my schedule is clear. I'd like to have time for myself after the meeting."
Understood.
Seth smiled as he caught a glimpse of the reporter and her cohorts being escorted to their van, the guards careful to avoid any physical harm to avoid a possible lawsuit. He had his lawyers, but he'd rather not have any 'distractions' for the foreseeable future. A smile crept across his lips as he could almost imagine the look on Dexter's face as he leaned back in his chair to get comfortable, his fingers intertwined.
"Won't be long now."
Ever After High dormitory…
The walk back to the dorm had been uneventful enough, with a few students already up and wandering around the campus in the early morning, one jogging past them with just a quick glance before continuing on his way. Apple and Raven were left at their dorm, with Ashlynn sticking around to keep them company in case something else happened (or another fight broke out between them).
The future Cinderella subtly kissed Hunter on the cheek as the group began to part, with Maddie and Kitty reporting back to their room. Blondie, disappointed when Dexter made her swear not to reveal the day's events, simply snuck back to her room with all her footage and recordings confiscated for Dexter to erase. Absolutely no one else was to know.
Some time later, Dexter was in his room just finishing up with the evidence, when Hunter walked in with some breakfast, turning to his roommate to ask, "Well?"
Hunter shook his head. "Nothing much. Yet."
Yet. Dexter snorted, the edge of his lips curling at the thought of the dogpiling that was to inevitably ensue. "How long do you think I have?"
"Hard to say," Hunter mused in a tone that emulated a doctor. "Months, days, weeks. My advice right now? Call your folks to hash out the funeral arrangements. I'll tell Darling the bad news for you."
"Screw you!" Dexter wanted so much to hurl his bed at the young Huntsman at that moment. "But seriously, what are we looking at here?"
"By the end of the day? You're probably gonna end up dueling someone," Hunter hypothesized. "Could be worse. I mean, you could end up getting doxxed."
Dexter hummed thoughtfully at the possibility before typing again on his laptop and opening his social network. Sure enough, he had been bombarded with comments, messages, and emails in the hours since their duel. God only knew what any of them could be, but Dexter was already sick of it. He was tempted to just delete his current accounts and set up a private one with his parents, only to dismiss the thought.
He closed his laptop with a sigh, intending to just goof off for the rest of the day. "No fighting it now, I guess."
"Yeah-" Hunter was interrupted by a noise at their window. His eyebrows furrowed, he sauntered over to see what it was, only to have his eyes nearly pop out of their sockets as he was greeted by the incredible sight of people, dozens of them, standing together in a large group - almost all of them armed with their own Duel Disks, no doubt fresh from their boxes.
"No, wait, don't tell me," Dexter deadpanned, still sitting in his chair and refusing to get up. "There's a huge crowd of duelists just waiting to take me on."
With a sigh, Hunter's shoulders slumped and he replied in a defeated tone, "Yep."
"And they won't leave until I show up?"
"Most likely."
With a stern expression on his face, Dexter declared in no uncertain terms, "Bring it on.
A few minutes later, students and staff alike would bear witness to the day as a herd of people stampeded in hot pursuit of a panicked Dexter Charming, who was running for his life after failing to sneak out of the dorm unseen.
Apple and Raven's room...
Apple was sitting by her bed, facing away from the window. Her expression was completely blank, her gaze dull and empty, with dark circles under her eyes as Ashlynn gently held her hand to comfort her once more. "Apple," Ashlynn began tenderly, drawing a look from the other girl, and there she saw how... broken she seemed. Tears welled up in Ashlynn's eyes as she gently massaged her friend's hand, doing her best to be a shoulder to cry on.
A smile came to the future Cinderella's lips, soft but reassuring. "Apple, it's going to be all right now. You're safe." She sucked in her lips as if she wanted to believe what she was saying. She wanted to believe. That everything would be okay now that they were back in the safety of the dorm. "Here, you're with friends. Me, Briar, Crystal. We're all here for you. Even..." She glanced slowly to where Raven was, or had been, as the girl had gone to the bathroom to start her day properly. How the girl could still do that was beyond her, but maybe she just didn't let such things bother her.
Or at least she hoped that was the reason.
Soon, the other girl returned, wearing a dark purple robe and still drying her loose hair with a towel. Her eyes then landed on the duo and stared at them silently. Her hand stopped drying her hair before she swung the towel down with a sigh of exasperation. "Well?"
Apple, her own gaze fixed on nothing, looked up slowly until she made loose eye contact with her roommate, and Ashlynn feared that this was where tension would arise again. Until the blonde looked away, as if not interested in starting something with the other girl. Raven took that with a thinning of her lips, looking down in what might have been disappointment. Less at the blonde and more at what had led to this. Raven's lips parted, ready to say something, when a knock on the door stopped her.
The trio froze, and Ashlynn felt Apple jump at the sound, much to her concern. With a sigh, Raven took it upon herself to answer after another knock. She opened the door, expecting it to be Blondie or even Kitty. Instead, violet eyes met chocolate brown, and Briar Beauty was slightly taken aback by the sight of the future Evil Queen in a bathrobe, her towel still dangling from her grasp.
The duo stared at each other for an awkward moment before Briar's eyebrows flattened and she said, "Can I come in?"
Raven blinked, wondering how the girl had managed to come to the shop fully aware of the situation before she remembered Briar's strange quirk. Whenever she slept, her hearing was heightened to the point that she could pick up anything a mile away. "Sure," Raven said with a sniff. "Don't forget to wipe your feet."
An unamused curl of Briar's lips was all she got before the brunette began to peer over her shoulder. "Is Ashlynn still there?"
Raven sighed. "Yeah. Come on." With a nod, she let the young Sleeping Beauty in, much to the surprised relief of her roommate upon seeing her. "Well, this place sure is getting crowded."
"Briar," Ashlynn said with mild intrigue mixed with surprise as they parted on their way to Apple and Raven's room. "What are you doing here?"
Briar's eyes shifted sideways. "Oh, you know. Just wondering if I could do some sick grinds on campus," she deadpanned before another sigh escaped her. Crossing her arms, she asked, "So? What's on the agenda?"
"Agenda?" Ashlynn repeated inquiringly.
"Are you going to let what you just found out get you down?"
The question threw the trio off. "Get...us down?" Apple murmured, her expression changing for the first time since their arrival. "Let what get us down? That everything we have known all our lives has been nothing but lies?"
Briar just stared back at the blonde with the same bored expression. "Yeah," she said as if it was the easiest thing in the world. "And what's with that tone? Mr. Solly did say that we didn't have to believe everything he said."
"But, Briar," Ashlynn said, standing up, "what are we supposed to believe?"
With a hand on her hip, Briar seemed to ponder the question before answering with a shrug, "Yourselves?"
From the looks she was getting, it was clear that wasn't what they were hoping for. "No. I'm serious. What do you want to do?"
"Well, I..." All three girls froze, whatever train of thought they had coming to a halt as they noticed something... strange. Normally, when asked such a question, the answer was simple. Take on the fairy tale role of their parents. Now that this supposed spell had been lifted, it was like static as the gears in her head seemed to struggle to just turn. "I...want to write?" Raven finished, her tone still lacking conviction.
"I...want to make shoes?" Ashlynn found herself saying after some difficulty.
"But you still want to be Cinderella, right?" Briar asked.
After a moment, Ashlynn shrugged. "Well, yeah. But...that still...doesn't prove anything. Does it?"
"Try to think about what you want to do most," Briar said as a test. "Between making shoes or being the next Cinderella. What's more important?"
Briar did just that, weighing each of the two in her mind. Run her shoe shop and work to make it a success? If only to pay back the loan she took from her mother. Be the next Cinderella and…lose…
Ashlynn squirmed, shrinking in on herself as she found it harder and harder to give a solid answer. Maybe she needed time. But when she thought of what she had to lose for her fairy tale to play out... "I... I can't..."
"You can't, what?" Briar followed, already knowing the answer.
Ashlynn squeezed her eyes shut, unable to find the words. As if there were lead weights on her tongue. Or, that would have been the case before... "My...shoe...shop..." The words came out on their own. As if... as if whatever had made her choose the other answer was no longer there. If there had been a spell at all, it formed a pit in her stomach and her blood turned cold. Not long after, she hung her head in silence, unable, or at least unwilling, to say the rest of her piece.
Apple's own doubts, combined with her fears, caused her own thoughts to swirl chaotically. She didn't know what to think, let alone what to say. With a hanging of her own head, she withdrew from the rest.
Seeing this, Raven's gaze sank, as did the mood in the room, as if it hadn't been low to begin with, her stomach churning with the things she had come to learn. Who exactly was Mr. Solly? What was wrong with the Storybook of Legends? And...how could her mother have been involved? Too many questions with very few answers swirled in her already confused mind, and she needed something to help ease the burden.
"Anyone up for some coffee?" Raven suggested, to the surprise of Apple and Ashlynn, and much to the approval of Briar.
"I'm in," Briar voted. "Just let me get ready." She was already dressed in her usual attire, a fashionable dress that expressed her love of roses. "A little touch-up on my makeup." She headed for the door, glancing over her shoulder to beckon Ashlynn along. Her roommate followed after some hesitation, but not without a final goodbye between her and Apple before their trip.
With the click of the door, the two found themselves alone, the silence deepening.
"I'm...sorry..." Raven excused herself, the towel now warm in her hand, half realizing that she had been clutching it tightly the moment the other two had left.
It didn't seem as if her words were heard, the blonde's head still bowed low. "Apple," Raven began again, more sternly. "I don't expect things to be the way they were between us. A lot of the passive aggressiveness, the hints, the nudges...that...can't be a thing anymore." There was no response. "I don't expect you to forgive me either. You can hate me all you want, but that spat in the store was the last straw. I...am not going to back down from my decision, Apple. I...I get to decide what I do with my life from now on."
She expected Apple to seethe with anger, to lunge at her in a rage, to do something. What she found instead only caused her face to wrinkle, both in concern and dejection. She took a step forward before changing her mind and turning around to prepare for the outing. Minutes after changing, however, she looked back at her roommate, who still had not moved. With a sigh through her nostrils, she stood up, shuffled over to the despondent Snow White, and dropped to her knees.
"Look at me."
"Go away..." A gentle cupping of her chin, which she did not resist, tilted her head slightly so that their eyes met. From there, she could see the glint in the other girl's eyes, and a part of her couldn't deny that she found such a spirit twinkle to be envied
Envy...?
Did she actually…?
"Just go on without me," Apple decided, tearing herself away. "I'll be fine here."
"Nu-uh, you're not wiggling out of this," Raven insisted. "You're coming with us." Her eyebrows furrowed again when there was no response. "Apple, as much as you might think it would please me for you to stew in your own misery, that is far from what I would ever want. What I want... is for us to be friends. Real friends who wouldn't hurt each other. Sure, we'll still have fights, disagreements, and maybe that dress you wore last spring was really tacky, but believe me when I say... you're my friend."
She laid a hand on the other girl's, beckoning, hoping. Not for forgiveness, but for a choice. A choice to either move forward with heads held high, or waste away in misery. "You need to stop thinking of us as fairy tale nemeses, because we're not," Raven went on with as much sincerity she could muster. "That's…not, or never was what I wanted between us."
Apple blinked, slowly looking up at the other girl, their eyes meeting again, the bright, determined glint now gone, replaced by a soft warmth. "We're not enemies, or frenemies, or anything like that. From the very beginning, I've always thought of you as my best friend. I never once wanted to poison you, cut your heart out, or take a lock of your hair; both of which are extremely messed up, by the way."
A flicker of a smile flashed across Apple's now bare lips, her lipstick having faded along with the rest of her usual makeup. Still, the blonde was quite pretty in a natural way. "Huh." Raven thought to herself. "I guess being 'the fairest of them all' isn't just a mindless slogan." She stood to her full height and held out her hand in a conciliatory gesture. "Now, are you coming with me for coffee, or are you just going to be a hermit here for the rest of the semester? Because if you are, I'm going to end up having so much blackmail material that your grandchildren will have to wear bags over their heads for the rest of their lives."
With a slow blink of her eyes, Apple seemed to snap out of whatever stupor she was in and finally let out a chortle, the girl's deadpan humor finally coming through. After a moment, she let out a sigh, then looked up with a thin, delicate smile. "Fine. Coffee it is," the blonde conceded, before adding curtly, "But you'll be the one paying."
A strained smile found its way to Raven's lips. "I was afraid of that."
Much later, the quartet of princesses walked down the street that led to the local coffee shop, the Hocus Latte Café. Today, all four of them had changed out of their dresses for warmer clothes, as a sudden cold snap had hit the area, so a nice, warm cup of coffee would be just the thing.
"Say, Briar," Ashlynn began, drawing a look from her roommate.
"Hm?"
Blowing a warm breath into her hands, Ashlynn asked, "Why did you come to the shop this morning?"
Briar fixed her gaze on the other girl. "Like I said, I heard you."
"No," Ashlynn said. "I mean, yes, you did, but it sounded more like you, Dexter and Hunter were..."
"On the same wavelength?" Raven voiced for all of them. "These...Old Ones? Like…you actually know who these guys are."
Briar's silence was palpable, seeming more reluctant than outright refusing to elaborate. "I'm afraid that's classified for now."
Raven raised an eyebrow, then scoffed. "Oh, okay, 'Agent Beauty,'" she said with air quotes. "But seriously, who are they?"
"Not who," Briar replied crisply, still very reluctant to reveal much. "What. They are a society. A secret society that would cut out your tongue before you could even think of spilling the beans. That's why you get crumbs from me. The general rule of thumb here is that you don't want anything to do with them. And I'm sure Apple here would agree."
"Yeah, Dexter already mentioned that much," Raven pointed out. "Something about bringing back the old kingdom."
"Is that what he told you?" Briar said after a moment of silence. "Something like that."
"Then it's true?" Raven asked, all eyes on the young Sleeping Beauty.
"True or not, it doesn't really matter," Briar replied.
"What...do you mean?" Raven asked. "Are...they dangerous?" She narrowed her eyes a fraction when she saw Briar flinch.
"Like I said," Briar said after a pause, "it's better you stay away from them. Or any mention of them." She shot a look at Apple, who was standing on the other side of Ashlynn. "You've already met one of them, being an example."
Apple's already snow-white features grew even paler, but a gentle squeeze of her hand offered a modicum of comfort, courtesy of Ashlynn. "That...kid...was one of..."
Briar's eyes widened as she heard the blonde, and she stopped dead in her tracks, followed by the others. "Kid...?" No way...Gregory...?
"You...know who attacked Apple?" Raven wondered aloud, sensing Briar's recognition.
Briar shook her head and resumed her pace. "Let's just get the coffee."
Watching Briar walk until her back was to them, the other three decided to follow, saving any further conversation for later. When they finally arrived at the Hocus Latte, they found the place still lightly populated, with a fairly even split between students and others sitting at tables. Drinking, talking, however they chose to spend their time in the cozy establishment, the girls went in to join them.
A few stole glances as they made their way to the counter, with Ashlynn volunteering to snag them a table. Those who caught a glimpse of Raven Queen were predictably cautious, the casual conversation turning to whispers, murmurs, and the like. Raven, as usual, didn't pay any attention to them, even more so now that she felt much more comfortable not having to follow her destiny. Apple was more sullen, ignoring the whispers when she would have been more scandalized that Raven hadn't threatened to punish those who dared. Thinking about it now, expecting the girl to hurt others just because of that was... horrible. And not because of the previous reasons.
Briar, fixated on her phone, stood behind Raven as she ordered for them. The barista behind the counter was friendly enough, unlike the first time, when she couldn't even look Raven in the eye. With frequent and regular visits, the woman found that the teenager only wanted what every other customer who came in wanted - to relax. To have some time off from the stress of school.
As they gathered around their table, drinks in tow, Raven fished out her phone to check her social feeds. As expected, Fablebook was now full of Duel Monsters, with videos of Dexter and Hunter's duel flooding the site. Memes, shorts, those who managed to capture the event from almost every angle with their own phones, there was nothing else that had captured the public's attention. There were those who unexpectedly showed interest in Duel Monsters, with new pages popping up and recommendations to follow those centered around the game. "Whoa," the former Evil Queen marveled. "Didn't think it'd catch on this quick."
"You're telling me," Ashlynn concurred, both she and Apple also checking their phones. "All of it is just Duel Monsters."
"Meh," Briar scoffed. "It'll pass. Fads always do."
"I don't know," Ashlynn wondered as she watched a replay of Hunter dueling with Dexter, then cringed in embarrassment as she saw herself recklessly jumping in between them. "Oh, my fairy godmother!"
As the young Cinderella slammed her forehead against the touchscreen, Apple was sifting through all the buzz, trying to see if anything else was afoot, when she came across a post from her kingdom. "An announcement?" She skimmed the details. "No, a royal decree." A royal decree from a reigning monarch was rare, a declaration that carried the weight of law. "All distribution and purchase of Duel Monsters is hereby prohibited…?"
Sitting between Raven and Ashlynn, the former glanced at her screen. "A ban?" Apple jumped, startled. "Sorry. So your mother is imposing a ban on Duel Monsters?"
Ashlynn looked up from her phone. "What? A ban?"
Briar took a sip from her latte, hiding her intrigue. "Yes," Apple confirmed. "But the ban only applies within the borders of our kingdom. There is no such ban anywhere else, but this... this is all so sudden."
"Too sudden," Raven thought wisely, not wanting to provoke Apple again. "Sounds kind of trite to me. It's just a card game."
"A card game with horror elements," Apple pointed out. "Which fits the criteria set by Headmaster Grimm."
"Headmaster Grimm..." Raven mused. "A headmaster with political authority..." The mere thought made her almost drop the drink she had just taken a sip from. "Oh, you've got to be kidding me!"
"What?" Ashlynn asked in alarm, her reaction silently echoed by Apple.
Raven lowered her head and tone to a whisper, motioning for the other two except Briar to listen. "Doesn't it strike you as the least bit odd that Milton Grimm, Headmaster Grimm, has such pull?"
"Pull?" Apple echoed in confusion.
"Influence," Raven repeated more clearly. "Like he seems to have some authority over the other kingdoms. Heck, my father used to answer to him sometimes."
"Isn't that...normal?" Ashlynn offered. "I mean, he is in charge of the Storybook of Legends."
"Yes," Raven agreed. "But aren't our kingdoms supposed to be sovereign? Grimm could not, or should not, have such a say in how we govern our lands."
Well, this actually got the other two princesses thinking. Searching through their memories, they could recall that even as small children, Milton Grimm had regular conferences with their respective parents, either in-person or video. They usually didn't pay much attention. As Apple's mother would say, only petty kingdom politics that they have yet to worry about.
And, coincidentally, most of the time, after such conferences, there would be decrees or the signing of new laws, or even amendments to previous ones. "Those…could only be coincidences, right?"
"Figuring it out, aren't you?" Briar piped up, having just taken another sip of her latte. "Milton Grimm throwing his weight around; and isn't that an understatement, calling the shots. Gotta love all those sweet perks, and the political connections are nice. Really gets your almonds roasting."
The suggestion alone stunned the other three princesses. That Milton Grimm was acting as if he was above the reigning fairy tales. No, not above. Rather, behind the curtain. The one who has the collective ear of all the monarchies, governors and statesmen, all dancing to his specific tune, his every whim or will, ethics be damned.
"That's...that's what Mr. Solly was talking about," Raven said, realizing. "That Milton Grimm has... control of our world."
"Practically every villain's dream, wouldn't you say?" Briar laid out bluntly.
"But, but, Headmaster Grimm isn't a villain," Apple argued in a low, but desperate tone. "I mean, he hates villains, and he puts in plenty of support for heroes."
"Of course he does," Briar replied dryly. "Why shouldn't he? Villains are supposed to be hated. Heroes are supposed to be loved. People he can point to as scapegoats. The ones that society would see as the cause of all their woes. And there would always be a hero to stop them. Rinse, repeat." She stunned her friends even more with this revelation. "And if they're really in on their roles? All the better."
Raven could not even begin to fathom how... all the pieces were beginning to fit. How simple it all had been, given how much of it was right in front of them the entire time.
If only he didn't exist…
A... long-buried memory of her mother bubbled to the surface.
In one of her fits of monologuing.
If only he and his wretched book didn't exist!
She had assumed that her mother was simply talking about a rival wizard, for she had no shortage of them. That she had actually been referring to Milton Grimm was…
Apple found it the hardest to believe, let alone accept. Part of her worldview had already been shattered, how much more could she allow to crumble?
The blonde glanced down at her phone again, partly as a distraction, her thumb idly scrolling up as another odd post caught her eye. "Uh...is that...?"
Ashlynn and Raven both turned to her, urging her to show them what had given her such pause. "Oh my..." Raven muttered in obvious shock.
"Uh..." Ashlynn was similarly stunned.
Briar glanced over and her expression flattened. "Well, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't expecting this." That would be a video of Dexter Charming being mobbed by a large crowd, made up partly of their schoolmates and some adults. "Now that his secret is finally out, I guess everybody and their dog wants a piece of him."
"All this for a game of cards?" Raven asked with a raised eyebrow. Briar would have laughed.
"Oh, you haven't seen anything yet," Briar said.
"What about you?" Ashlynn asked her fellow princess.
"Hm?"
"It sounds like...you..."
Briar stared blankly at the young Cinderella. "That I play? Yes." All three princesses gaped at the admission. "Or I used to."
"Used to?" Raven echoed with a raised eyebrow. "When did you stop? Was it just casual play?"
"...Casually," Briar replied, though it was a lie. Raven and the others seemed to understand.
"So you know the rules, right?" Ashlynn asked before she realized what her question meant.
"Yeah," Briar replied with a shrug, in a curt tone that sounded like she would rather be talking about something else. "So, about the Valentine-"
"Scoop," they heard a voice say from the table behind Raven. "Come on."
A sigh followed. "I almost had it that time."
"You need some support," the first voice said as all four princesses looked over from their table to see who it was, only to be surprised to see that it was none other than Jillian Beanstalk sitting across from Ginger Breadhouse. "And you definitely need some handtraps. You're way too open."
"I guess so," Ginger admitted as she collected, or scooped up, her cards laid out on the table, the two of them dueling quietly so as not to disturb the other customers. After reassembling them, she tapped the deck on the side against the table to straighten it. "I just need to buy more support, right?"
"Some solid Hand Traps, too," Jillian suggested again as she put her own deck back in order. "Madolche just isn't that good in today's meta."
"Oh, but I just love their aesthetic," Ginger insisted emphatically, clutching her deck to her chest. "They're so... me!"
Jillian seemed to agree. "Glad you feel that way. A lot of duelists today stick to the meta or cookie-cutter decks. But it takes a really creative mind to build a deck that's just for you. It doesn't have to be good, but as long as you know what you're doing, you can survive."
Ginger nodded and looked down to flip through her deck, seeing all the sweet and pastry themed cards of Madolche, an archetype she fell in love with at first sight. Jillian, on the other hand, felt the eyes on her and turned around to find Raven and the others staring at the both of them. "Oh, hey guys!"
"Hey, Jillian," Raven replied. "What...are you two doing?"
Jillian blinked before sharing a look with Ginger. "Playing Duel Monsters."
"You too?"
Jillian nodded. "Yeah. You were at the park yesterday, weren't you?"
"Yeah," Raven replied pointedly. "Hard not to. I guess you guys were there too, huh?"
"That duel was off the hook!" Jillian exclaimed, pumping her fists, only to back down at the looks she got from the other customers and baristas. "Sorry. Well, yeah, we watched the whole thing because me and Ginger were already at the park practicing some dance moves for the Valentine's Day festival."
"You guys are gonna dance?"
Ginger shrank in her seat. "Actually, Jillian's the one who's going to be dancing next to Justine. I... I was just watching."
"Justine was with you?" Raven asked.
"Yep," Jillian replied. "Especially since-"
"Uh, so what are you guys doing here?" Ginger asked suddenly, even though the question sounded redundant.
"Oh, you know, just hanging around," Raven replied.
"Hanging around?"
"Hanging around," Raven confirmed. "So, uh, you guys... actually played Duel Monsters?"
Jillian, elbow resting on the back of her chair, brought up her now-organized deck. "Yep. Want to see?"
Raven traded looks with Apple and the rest. "Uh, sure? Okay."
Jillian, with Ginger following suit, then approached their table, chairs in tow, with Raven and Apple making room. Once both were settled, Jillian fanned out her deck for all to see. "This is what I play with. U.A."
"U.A.?" Ashlynn echoed inquisitively.
"It's an archetype that follows a sports theme," Jillian explained. "Because U.A. is an abbreviation for 'Ultra Athlete.' Here, I'll show you."
She was only too happy to show off her deck to the other girls.
U.A., which, as mentioned, is an acronym for Ultra Athlete, or futuristic athletes. Earth-Attribute Warrior types, all of which have the common effect of Special Summoning each other by returning from the field to the hand, as long as they have different names. Ashlynn examined the Monsters, or humans for that matter, wearing sports jerseys underneath state-of-the-art armor that reflected the sports they played, like baseball, and a game that resembled Bookball. Aside from their common effect, each of them had what Jillian called "toolbox effects," which referred to a strategy where cards have such synchronous effects that they help each other out while also having utility against any and all situations. The young Cinderella tried to compare them to Hunter's HEROes, but they couldn't have been more different, specializing mainly in Fusions, which Ultra Athletes sorely lacked.
It was an archetype that fit Jillian like a glove, given her addiction to adrenaline and other athletic activities, especially climbing beanstalks.
"Pretty cool, huh?" Jillian preened with pride. "Nothing but straight wins for me since I got these guys from Turtle Game."
"You bought them from Turtle Game?" Ashlynn inquired.
Jillian nodded. "Yeah. Have you been there?"
Raven exchanged subtle glances with Apple and Ashlynn. "We pass by sometimes," she shrugged.
That seemed to suffice. "So do any of you know how to play?"
The girls all shook their heads and hands in the negative. "Oh no," Raven replied.
"Not even close," Ashlynn followed.
"Ditto," Apple added. "We can barely understand the rules."
"It's not that hard," Jillian said with a shrug. "Then again, I'm a quick study."
All eyes then fell on Ginger, and the Candy Witch's daughter flinched from all of the attention, "What?"
"They want to know how long you've been playing, duh," Jillian spelled out.
Ginger adjusted her glasses. "Oh...well, I guess pretty recently. This...this is all I have." She showed them her own cards. "They're called Madolche."
"I guess these cards are just perfect for you, huh, Ginger?" Raven commented, seeing the obvious sweet theme.
"Oh~! They're so cute," Ashlynn cooed. It was almost hard to believe that with cards as cute as these, others could be as horrifying as Dexter's dragon.
"I know," Ginger agreed with a smile, a rosy blush on her cheeks. Then her smile faded a little. "I'm still trying to get the hang of it, though."
"Why?" Apple asked. "I mean, you know the rules, right?"
"It's not a question of knowing the rules or not," Briar finally spoke up. "She just can't pilot her deck very well yet."
"Pilot?"
Briar explained. "When it comes to Duel Monsters, or any card game for that matter, there are numerous and varied play styles that people can choose from, and cards that can only be played a certain way depending on how the decks are built. Those who have mastered a certain style will be able to control or play their cards with the right strategies to win. If not, you can at least put up a good fight.
"You also have to understand that each card has different stats. Effects, types, attributes, and levels to balance them all out. Some cards can't even be played together because they're so incompatible, so you can't just "splash" random cards together."
"So when you say 'piloting,'" Raven mused, "that just refers to how players work their decks?"
"Exactly," Briar nodded. "Let me see your cards, Ginger." With some reluctance, Ginger handed her deck to the young Sleeping Beauty. "Hm..." She flipped through the cards and saw that they were just the most basic for a Madolche set. "Is this a structure deck?" Ginger nodded. "Fresh out of the box?" Nodding again. "Then you need to buy some of the latest support. Like Jillian said, you're too wide open."
"I know," Ginger admitted with a bow of her head, then looked up at Briar in amazement. "You sound like you really know your stuff."
Briar didn't answer right away. "I used to play."
"Really?" Jillian perked up with interest. "What deck did you play?"
Again, Briar seemed less than eager to answer, taking some time to shuffle Ginger's deck, finding the sound of the cards interlocking familiar, comforting. "Plants."
There was a pause. "Plants?" Which Jillian interrupted. "Ginger has Madolche, and you have Plants. Thematic all the way! Which archetype? Or was it a mixed deck?"
"...mixed at first, but..." Briar would have continued. "Sorry, but I don't really play anymore."
"Come to think of it," Ashlynn began, "we've... never really seen you play, Briar."
"Yeah," Apple added. "I mean, we used to go to your family balls and have play dates and tea parties and... well..."
"Oh no, my deep, dark secret hobby has been discovered," Briar said in mock despair. "Now I'll never be able to show my face again."
"Yeah, yeah," Jillian rolled her eyes. "But it's pretty obvious you still know a thing or two, with the advice you just gave Ginger. Come on, let's have a duel."
"I didn't bring any cards," Briar said, shaking her head.
"Master Duel, then," Jillian insisted. "You have an account?"
Briar seemed to hesitate again, but this was more than a simple yes. "Come on, just one round. I promise I'll go easy on you."
With a sigh, Briar finally relented. "Fine."
A few minutes later, Briar and Jillian were facing each other with their phones out, opening their Master Duel accounts and getting ready. This drew a few looks from customers, including one of the baristas, who didn't really mind as long as things were kept quiet or at a low volume.
Raven, Ashlynn, Apple, and Ginger had moved to the side, the first three flanking Briar while the lone Ginger sat beside Jillian.
"Master Duel?" Apple asked.
"It's the online version of Duel Monsters," Ashlynn explained for her. "Hunter has it on his tablet. I watch him play sometimes."
"Okay, so they just have to link their accounts to play with each other, right?"
"Seems like it," Ashlynn replied with a shrug. "I've never been that into it."
"Huh, well, this should be interesting," Raven commented in finality.
"I'm gonna be starting with my first deck," Jillian voted. "Which is just the Power of the Dragon with some switches."
"I'll be using my basic Plant deck," Briar elected.
"Cool," Jillian permitted. "Okay, here goes."
"DUEL!"
JB: 8000
BB: 8000
"Since I'm going first," Jillian began, "I'm going to Normal Summon Divine Dragon Ragnarok." She tapped the card with her thumb and it was placed on the field in Attack Position, second row to the right. "And I place one card face down." She then hit End Phase, giving Briar her turn. The card itself was a Normal Monster, which only meant it had no effect, and the art was that of an elongated white dragon flying in the middle of a thunderstorm, the dark clouds in the background giving it a menacing appearance.
"I'm Normal Summoning Lonefire Blossom in Attack Mode," Briar called out. Her monster, on the other hand, had an effect. The art was that of a strange flower bud shooting sparks like a firecracker, with a roaring fire in the background.
"Ooh, starting off strong, huh?" Jillian remarked pointedly.
"I'll activate the Quick Spell from my hand," Briar continued, "Seed of Deception." The card was a Quick-play Spell, depicting an orange flower growing out of the ground from the visible seed, but the flower itself had a rather monstrous visage, hence the name. "With this, I get to Special Summon another Plant-type Monster from my hand. I go with Spore."
Another Effect Monster, an adorable ball of white fluff with round blue eyes that any princess would want as a pet. "With this, I pay Spore as the cost of Lonefire Blossom's effect. From my Deck, I Special Summon," she tapped the selected card on the screen, "Tytannial, Princess of Camellias." This time, the card that came up was another Effect Monster, but this one's stats were exponentially higher than the last two. A Level 8 with an ATK of 2800. "As long as Tytannial is face-up on the field, I only need to Tribute a Plant monster to negate the activation of a card or effect that targets my own."
Tytannial herself appeared to be a humanoid with an elaborate dress made of plants, but if one were to look closely, one would realize that Tytannial was the plant, and that her "dress" was simply her sprouting from a rose that bloomed for all to see in her garden.
Jillian winced visibly, her smile becoming contrite. "Okay, that's really starting strong."
"With this, I enter my Battle Phase," Briar said, tapping the button and attacking Jillian's dragon with Tytannial, destroying it in battle.
JB: 6700
BB: 8000
"Now for my Main Phase 2," Briar continued. "I place two cards face down." The two cards were positioned just below Lonefire Blossom and Tytannial, respectively, leaving Briar with a single card left in her hand.
When it was Jillian's turn and the Draw Phase was over, the others could see that she was shaken, no doubt by Briar's play. "Unreal. I've already taken a big hit, and it's only been the first turn." She looked down at her phone and checked her hand.
"I activate Lightning Storm from my hand," Jillian began her Main Phase. "I send Kidmodo Dragon to the Graveyard to wipe out your back row."
"I activate Magic Jammer," Briar countered. "I send my last card to the Graveyard. Lightning Storm is negated."
"Geh!" Jillian gasped, her grip on the phone tightening. "What the hell? The kind of deck she's using is barely competitive, but still pretty solid. Okay, no more messing around. Because of Kidmodo Dragon's effect, I get to Special Summon a Dragon-type monster from my hand. I Special Summon Luster Dragon #2." The card was another Normal Monster from Jillian's arsenal, a mighty looking dragon standing on its hind legs, with large wings stretching almost its entire height, two white horns protruding from its head, and covered in scales that seemed to sparkle in the moonlight. "And then I activate Upstart Goblin," the spell was that of a smug-looking goblin in rich clothing dropping gold coins for an old, groveling beggar. "With this card, I get to draw 1 card, and you get to add 1000 to your LP".
JB: 6700
BB: 9000
One card flew from the top of Jillian's deck into her hand, and she grinned. "I put two cards face down. And this is where I end my turn."
"Because of Kidmodo Dragon, she couldn't attack," Briar mused. She looked down at her hand and the card she had drawn. "I activate Fragrance Storm." The spell showed a lone flower in the eye of what was clearly a storm, surrounded by other plant life carried by the deluge. "I destroy Lonefire Blossom in order to draw 1 card. And if what I draw happens to be another Plant-type, I get to draw again."
With a jingle, the first card drawn was a Plant-type, which turned out to be Evil Thorn, allowing her another draw. The second card was...
"I'll activate Harpie's Feather Duster to clear your back row," Briar declared, causing Jillian's set cards to shatter. "I'll then Normal Summon Evil Thorn to the field in Attack Position." Evil Thorn showed a rather strange vine growing out of the ground, with two flowers sprouting from it. The one on the right appeared to be a normal flower, though it looked close to wilting. The one on the right, on the other hand, was a club-like gourd with numerous spikes protruding from it, the tip of which ended in a curled stalk. "I then tribute Evil Thorn to deal you 300 points of damage."
JB: 6400
BB: 9000
Jillian's jaw clenched. "Damn it. I'm open."
"Because I Tributed Evil Thorn, I get to Special Summon two more Evil Thorns from my Deck in Attack Mode," Briar continued. "I then banish Lonefire Blossom from my Graveyard to Special Summon Spore in Defense Mode." Spore then slammed onto Briar's field, next to two of the Evil Thorns she had drawn from her deck. "Now, depending on the level of the banished Plant-type Monster, I can increase Spore's level accordingly." On the screen, Spore's highlighted level changed from 1 to 4.
Jillian almost dropped her phone. "No way. You're going to..."
"That's right," Briar replied. "I'm sending both Evil Thorns and Spore to the graveyard for a Synchro Summon."
"Synchro Summon?" Raven repeated. "Isn't that...?"
"Since Spore is a Tuner, I had to adjust his level to get the appropriate Synchro Monster from my Extra Deck, and the one I chose is," Briar tapped her phone, wanting to end the duel quickly. All three materials then blew up on the screen in a flash of light, converging together to bring out, "Splendid Rose." The card was white, like all Synchro Monsters, and the art depicted an androgynous youth with neck-length blond hair that ended in green streaks, with a single bang circling over his left eye. He was dressed in a rather extravagant costume that resembled that of a court jester with a rose motif, with one side black and the other green. Around his calves were ruffles that looked like fanning out rose petals. Thorny vines seemed to sprout from behind him, as if ready to attack.
Her captivated audience watched in tense silence, only able to marvel at the duel unfolding before them. Some of the other patrons had come to watch as well, sensing the intensity emanating from the young Sleeping Beauty. Jillian swallowed, knowing that this would be her loss.
"Once during my turn, I can banish a Plant-type Monster from my Graveyard," Briar continued. "I halve the ATK of your Luster Dragon #2" From 2400 to 1200 with the banishing of one Evil Thorn. "I then activate the Quick Play Spell, Raging Mad Plants," the spell depicted what appeared to be a colony of living vines with thorny bodies and heads that resembled serpents, complete with sharp fangs and horns, "With this, I get to increase the ATK of all Plant-type Monsters on my field by 300 points, for every Plant-type that's already in my Graveyard."
Spore x1
Evil Thorn x2
Mystic Tomato x1 (discarded for Magic Jammer)
1200
Tytannial, Princess of Camellias 3000
Splendid Rose 3400
Jillian's jaw dropped. "An OTK..."
"I'm attacking Luster Dragon #2 with Tytannial," Briar declared, and with a tap of her thumb, Tytannial slammed mercilessly into Luster Dragon #2, smashing it to pieces.
JB: 5200
BB: 9000
"Then I will attack you directly with Splendid Rose," Briar said in a bored tone, resisting the urge to yawn.
JB: 1800
BB: 9000
"Oh man, it's going to take a miracle for me to get into something good in the next-"
"I then activate Splendid Rose's second effect."
Jillian's jaw dropped a second time, as did the other girls watching.
"By banishing another Plant-type monster from my Graveyard," Briar said in the same bored tone, her eyes growing heavy as she banished Mystic Tomato this time. "Splendid Rose can attack a second time, but its own ATK is halved until the End Phase. But because of Raging Mad Plants, its ATK will be 1550 instead of 1100 after the calculation." With a simple tap of the card, it slammed into Jillian's field.
JB: 250
BB: 9000
Silence fell over the table and Jillian let out the breath she had been holding as she realized she still had some Life Points left. She looked down at her hand and found none. It was the luck of the draw now. With that familiar jingle, a card flew from her deck into her hand.
A certain level 8 Normal Dragon-type monster was all she got. "I... end my turn."
Better to own up to her defeat than surrender, as Briar delivered the killing blow.
JB: 0
BB: 9000
VICTORY
BRIAR BEAUTY
Jillian just stared at the screen of her phone, looking shell-shocked, before throwing herself back in her chair with a heavy sigh and basking in her defeat. "I didn't even put a dent in her," she thought disappointedly, but she was nowhere near so despondent as to be overwhelmed by the combo she had been dealt.
From there, Briar logged out of her account and blacked out her screen. She then looked up at her friends, who were still staring at her as if she had just grown a second head. "That's a good way to attract flies," she deadpanned.
Raven was the first to recover. "B-Briar...you...you're...that was...!"
Briar sighed. "Yeah, I know how to play. Whoop-dee-doo."
"You didn't even lose any Life Points," Ginger said in awe.
"You were amazing," Ashlynn praised. Having seen some of Hunter's games, she could say that Briar was up there with his best.
"Right," Briar said with a roll of her eyes as she caught a few of the customers watching, some of them fiddling with their phones. "Oh no..." She looked up at the big screen mounted up on the wall across the counter, and her own jaw dropped as she saw what was plainly a replay of her duel with Jillian. "Oh shit..."
Elsewhere…
"Sweet!"
"Briar was awesome!"
"Psh! I could do that with my eyes closed."
"She probably did."
As Briar's brothers sang their sister's praises, her mother could only clap her hands in congratulation over her daughter's broadcasted duel, split between her at the table facing Jillian on the left and the actual game on the right. Everything was recorded, from the awestruck looks her BFFAs gave her to the words that were spoken.
King Phil, on the other hand, sitting at the kitchen counter next to his wife, for it was their family brunch at that hour, could only stare blankly at the wide screen hanging above the wall, the thought of contacting her already brewing in his mind.
Hocus Latte...
Briar could only slam her head on the table as her friends looked on in confusion.
"I'm so going to kill you for this, Seth," Briar thought in resignation, knowing all too well that her father would want a word with her.
A/N: Thought I'd go back to this while taking a break from Fate: Dragon Order. Don't worry. I'll be returning to that after this.