Ever After High: The Unfairest Of Them All Part 2

aItas the Snow White fairytale that is special,a he said. aAnd you must play your part. Stories do have a way of working themselves out, but you need to let them and not thwart them at every opportunity.a aUm,a she said, afraid to say anything else and change his mind about the not-expelling-her thing.

aYou are staying because Iam giving you another chance. You will change your minda"eventually. And when you do, this little rebellion you stirred up will be squashed before it blooms.a Raven gulped. A response was bubbling up in her, but she wisely swallowed it down.

aNevertheless,a he continued, athere must be some consequences. During Study Ball, you will scrub the garbage chutes and think about destiny.a aIf Iam cleaning during Study Ball, when will I have time to do my thronework?a aPerhaps, if I keep you suitably busy, you wonat have time to rebel out of boredom! You are here to learn how to become a dark sorceress and follow in your motherasaa"Grimm shuddereda"aevil footsteps. Though, perhaps, not her exact epically evil footsteps. Ahem. So tell me, why, exactly, do you want to see Red Riding Hood?a Raven examined his face. Did he know what Cerise had recently confided in her? That Mr. Badwolfa"the same Mr. Badwolf who was Ever After Highas professor of General Villainya"was actually Ceriseas dad? Red Riding Hood and Big Badwolfas falling in love and marrying secretly were not part of the story. They did something that was crazy off-script. Now Raven had to knowa"did it work out for them? What happened to those who rebelled against destiny? Did their choice to rebel hurt others, as her choice seemed to be hurting her friends? How could she protect them?

aWell, itas a great cautionary tale about, you know, veering off the path,a Raven offered.

Grimm nodded slightly. She was on the right track to convincing him.

aIf Red had done what her mother had wanted and followed the path, she would have never met the wolf,a Raven said. And never fallen in love, she thought.

Headmaster Grimm smiled. aThat isnat the way the story is supposed to go, but I do get your point. It might be nice to discuss the regrets one feels for poor choices. Very well. One condition, though,a the headmaster continued, holding up a finger. aI want you to visit someone evil as well.a aWell, good role models for evil are rare, so maybea I could maybe talk to my mom,a said Raven quietly. Part of her longed to see her mother again just to ask her if shead done right. Another part was afraid but thought the talk would provide a timely reminder of why she would do anything to keep from becoming like her.

aYour mother?a the headmaster whispered. Only a handful of people in all of Ever After even knew that Ravenas mother wasnat dead but imprisoned far away in a magic mirror. Headmaster Grimm had sworn Raven to secrecy.

aYeah, well, I thoughta"a aMiss Queen, I hope that you are kidding,a he said. aThough I find it in very poor taste to kid about the Greatest Evil Ever After Has Ever Known.a aOfa of course,a Raven said. aSorry. That was silly to suggest.a Shead hoped head allow an extra MirrorChat this year, since he wanted her so badly to grow into her motheras role, but she shouldnat have risked asking. She winced, afraid head bring up expulsion again.

aYou will visit the Candy Witch,a Milton Grimm said. aShe is a villain who wholeheartedly embraces her role. Er, just try not to get near her oven.a aRighta okay,a Raven said. Raven knew the Candy Witchas daughter, Ginger, from school but had heard alarming stories about Gingeras mother.

aOff with you!a Mr. Grimm puffed, making shooing motions with his hands.

Raven was eager to oblige.

When she emerged into the hall, Maddie was sitting on the floor.

aYouare still waiting for me!a said Raven.

Maddie popped up and gave her a hug. aSometimes after talking to the headmaster, you get trembly and chin-quivery and even gloomier-Gussy. So I thought, maybe my friend Raven will need a hug.a Raven hugged her back. aI think I did. Thanks.a Maddie pulled a pink top hat off her head, stuck her arm in up to the elbow, and pulled out a hot cup of tea. aAlso this. Hugs and tea. Cures everything.a Raven sipped. The warm charm blossom tea felt like drinking down a hug. Though it couldnat entirely fill that hole inside her, aching with fear and confusion. Her mother would understand how it felt to be booed when she walked into a room. Though instead of working to better understand and lead her peers, her motheras solution would likely involve magic potions and zapping.

Maddie stood back and squinted. aYou donat look expelled.a aIam not!a said Raven.

aAha! The tea worked!a The tower bell rang. Maddie ran off to Chemythstry cla.s.s. Raven finished her tea on the way to her Tall Tales lecture, taking a seat beside Cerise Hood.

aHey,a Raven said. aYou know what the lecture is about?a Cerise said, aSneaking, I think, ora"a aSkulking!a shouted Professor Jack B. Nimble, appearing at the lectern seemingly out of nowhere. Several of the teachers applauded.

There were lots of Jacks. Raven had a hard time keeping them all straight. The Sprat one was the easiest, because he was extraordinarily skinny.

aYou probably didnat know,a Jack shouted, athat I was here for a full! Five! Minutes! Before I spoke!a Raven winced. The megaphone mounted to the podium magnified his yelling till her ears squeaked, killing any hopes of a whispered conversation with Cerise. Raven slumped in her chair and pulled out her MirrorPhone.

aMisdirection!a he said, shouting now. aMagic for the nonmagical!a Raven found Ceriseas number and sent her a hext.

RAVEN: Hey C! loud, right?

There was a subtle buzz. Cerise checked her phone and then looked at Raven, eyebrow raised.

RAVEN:I know. using MirrorPhone in cla.s.s = bad, but I have spella good news!

aBehold!a Jack shouted from the stage. He was holding an egg.

aThatas my egg!a someone shouted from the audience. Several people gasped.

CERISE: Is news that Jack is done talking? ;)

RAVEN: HA! No. I get to visit ur mom for YD!

aAh!a Jack shouted. aBut did I take the egg five minutes ago, or just now? You donat know!a Raven noticed something in Cerise had slumped.

CERISE: cool

RAVEN: Like u to come with me if u can CERISE: ?.

RAVEN: Luv to talk to ur M about going off book, but not sure shead trust me with her secret. Unless u come?

aBut the skulk,a Jack continued. aThe skulk is about the shrouding of the self without sacrificing movement. Watch!a More people gasped, and Raven looked up at the stage again. Jack was gone.

aYou arenat being very sneaky,a someone whispered in her ear. Raven turned, and no one was there.

aAm I here?a Jack shouted from somewhere far behind Raven. Everyone looked and saw nothing.

aIf anyone looks this way, theyare going to see you using your MirrorPhone,a whispered someone behind her. She whirled to see, again, nothing. Curses, but he was good!

aHere I am!a Jack shouted, suddenly popping up in front of Raven. Raven shrieked, and everyone laughed or clapped. Jack smiled and looked around at everyone except Raven, but somehow was still whispering right at her. aStay unnoticed by looking somewhere else. Show focus on everything but what youare actually doing.a He walked away, waving at everyone, his voice receding. aAnd maybe learn to type blindfolded.aa aIall go with you,a Cerise whispered in her ear, and Raven jumped, off-balance from all the surprise whispering. aSorry,a Cerise said, slinking back into her seat, and her cloak.

aNo, donat be,a Raven said. aThank you! Weare going to have an amazing time tomorrow.a Cerise smiled, and the teeth that peeked out made Raven wonder how people hadnat realized that Mr. Badwolf was her father a long time ago.

Hey, Narrator!

Yes, Maddie?

Oh, hi! I was just wondering, why are you more talkative when Iam around Apple or Raven?

Well, theyare the point-of-view characters for this particular story. Narrators like to follow the characters who do the most stuff, and in the story Iam currently telling, thatas Apple and Raven. Itas a fascinating philosophy really, you seea"

Fascinating, yeah. So where are you going for Yester Day?

Oh! Youare thoughtful to ask. But itas just for students, and I graduated long, long ago and far, far away, so to speak. Iall just observe what you all do. My daughter, thougha"

Wait, you have a daughter?

Uma never mind, Iam not supposed to get personal. So what are your Yester Day plans?

Since I canat go to Wonderland, I thought about visiting some of the people in Neverland. You know, because itas a relative of Wonderland. They both have the same last name: Land. Maybe theyare even sisters. Sisters are often similar, right?

I canat advise you, Maddie. You know I am just supposed to observe the story.

Oh, I know, and you do a really good job of it.

Why, thank you.

Though you are so secretive sometimes I just want to blow out my cheeks and call myself a balloon! I mean, you knew all along that Mr. Badwolf was Ceriseas dad, didnat you?

Uha So itas true!

Buta but I didnat confirm anything!

Or deny, either. Oh, I just love our little talks. Thanks, Narrator!

Argh!

OLD KING COLE WAS EVERY BIT THE MERRY old soul Apple was expecting. Even beneath a thick white beard longer than he was tall, you could tell he was constantly smiling. He was roundheaded, round-bellied, everything about him a bouncy ball of merriness.

aSit! Eat! Play checkers!a he said when she arrived, his normal speaking tone a cheery shout.

aThank you,a she said.

Apple settled into one of the low, cozy pillow chairs in his royal receiving room and moved a red checker on the board. Even that made the king laugh.

Old King Cole had attended one of her momas dinner parties once. While some of the royal guests sat stiffly at their dinners with raised pinkies and bored eyes, Old King Cole had laughed. He laughed when the servants brought out the bread course, he laughed when he spilled his soup, he laughed and laughed till everyone else was laughing, too.

Apple figured that a man that happy must hold the secret to successfully ruling a kingdom.

aI was hoping you could tell me, Your Majesty,a she said, ahow a ruler might manage public unrest.a aEh?a he said, holding a hearing trumpet up to his ear.

She leaned forward and politely spoke into it.

aHow do you manage unrest?a He played two quick jumps on the checkerboard. aDrink some warm milk, dearie! Ha! Or check for peas under your mattress!a aNo, not lack of rest.a She jumped a checkers piece over one of his. aI mean, more specifically, how should a monarch handle ill will in the populace?a aWilliam Poplas is ill again? We used to call him Illy w.i.l.l.y in nursery-rhyme school! Ha!a aYes,a she said, smiling, not sure if he was telling a joke. aWell, do you have any experience in dealing with angry mobs?a aIs aangry mobsa the name of one of those roc music bands? Ha! The ones that sound like a giant bird shrieking?a aI, umaa Apple was doing her best to follow this conversation. A roc was a monstrous bird of legend.

aYou can keep your hipping and hopping and knuckle-rapping music! Iall stick with my fiddlers three!a The king gestured to the two old women with violins in the corner who were playing the same jaunty tune over and over.

Apple frowned. aThere are onlya"a she started, but the two violinists widened their eyes and shook their heads earnestly. Apple shut her mouth.

aIam just teasing you, my girl!a said the king. aListen, the populace is happy when their ruler is happy. So just be merry!a Old King Cole slapped one of his checkers forward.

aKing me! Ha! Or donat bother! Iam already king! Ha ha!a Perhaps Old King Cole hadnat been the best choice. He was a merry old soul. But Apple was certain that laughing loudly couldnat solve Ever After Highas problems.

She let him beat her at checkers before taking her leave and skipping out to the Cole Castle wis.h.i.+ng well. She opened her MirrorPhone, selected another characteras location on her Yester Day app, and stood on the wellas edge.

The water blinked silver below her, and Apple swallowed. No matter that it was 100 percent safe, traveling by wis.h.i.+ng well gave Apple witchy chills.

She sang a couple of nursery rhymes to calm her pounding heart, pushed SUBMIT on her phone, and jumped in.

She heard a splash but felt no wetness, only a cool whoosh like a sudden spring wind. Through her tightly shut eyes, she could see flashes of light. Her stomach felt full of winged pixies, and when she peeked, she was inside a glowing sphere, rising above the water of a different well. She pressed END on her MirrorPhone. The sphere bounced her up and out, and as soon as her feet touched down on the gra.s.s beside the well, the sphere popped like a soap bubble.

Apple brushed off her spotless red-and-gold skirt, fluffed the puffed sleeves of her quilted white jacket, and took in her surroundings.

The wis.h.i.+ng well stood near the Buff Castle drawbridge. The castle itself was built of pale wood rising to square towers. Emperor and Empress Buff. They might be helpful. After all, theyad had to deal with some uncomfortable issues with that whole invisible-clothing fiasco.

The grand front doors opened to a servant in a red jacket adorned with several hundred bra.s.s b.u.t.tons.

aPrincess Apple,a he said, bowing deeply. aWe have been expecting you.a A warm, fruity draft came rolling out the door.

aMmm,a she said. aApples.a The servant beamed. aIn honor of your visit, the pastry chef is making apple tarts!a He paused. aThough, er, now that I think about it, perhaps that was rude. Itas not as if weare implying a desire to bake you into a pie.aa Apple laughed. aIt didnat even cross my mind,a she said, though it had. aI think I would love apple desserts even if my name were something silly, like Pear.a He stared, his mouth a little open.

aDid I say something wrong?a she asked.

aMy name is Pear,a he whispered.

aOh,a she said. aIam sorry. What a lovely name.a He coughed, cleared his throat, and seemed to remember himself. aPlease come in.a As they entered the grand hall, Apple heard shouting.

aJason! Put that on this instant! Our guest will be here any minute!a Apple smiled, a.s.suming the empress was dressing her young son. But when Apple entered the receiving room, there was no child to be seen.

The empress was tall, imposing, and beautiful, and she wore as many layers of clothing as seemed to be physically possiblea"silk camisoles, ruffled cardigans, fur-lined capes, skirts with a dozen petticoats, and a huge belt over it all. She was so stiff with clothes she could barely bend her arms. Perhaps, Apple considered, the empress was overdressed in contrast to the man beside her, who wore nothing but loose cotton shorts and a leather vest. Apple realized it was the emperor himself the empress had been hastily dressing. She supposed that old habits die hard.

aEmperor and Empress Buff, may I present Princess Apple White,a Pear announced, bowing.

The emperor was lounging on a beanbag, his bare feet resting on a side table. He was stout, bald, and clean-shaven.