Roxanne Red's Poison Apple

I think of this every time I think of the skill I gave Roxanne Red. This is going to be short...er than usual.

Story
Apple White was talking to her cousin, Roxie. Roxie made a funny face and they both laughed. "Oh hey Roxie are you hungry? I have some apples." Apple offered pulling out a red one and a green one. She handed the green one out to Roxie. At first, the next Rose Red made no move to grab it, then she shook herself. "Now now Apple, I love the red ones more than green." She scolded playfully. "oh...okay." Apple handed her the red one and started eating the green. Roxie just turned the red apple in her hand.

"Um, Roxie, if you're not going to eat that I will..." "No, no. I'll eat it. I just, um, you're awesome. you know that right." Roxie said in a different tone of voice. "Thank you?" Apple said, confused. "No, no you really are. We may be cousins, but you mean more to me then that." Roxie assured her. "I know. You've told me." Apple said, sensing a level of weirdness. "Well then I hope you never forget it." Roxie took a small nibble out of the red one.

Suddenly, the apple turned black and Roxie slumped in her chair. Apple screamed. When other's got there, they found a red faced Apple there. "How did I not see it!" She yelled, hitting her head against the wall. "Not see what?" Cupid asked. "Not see what she was doing! Ever since we were little she's been able to see through poisonings and knows at a glance if a fruit is safe to eat or not. When she insisted on taking the red one...Argh! I am such an idiot!" Apple moaned, tears at the corners of her eyes. "If she knew it was poison why'd she eat it?" Raven asked. "I have no idea." Apple admitted, running her hands through her hair. "We'll sort that out later. Ms. Trollsworth, please call Rose Red and inform her of what has happened to her daughter." Headmaster Grimm instructed.

Apple stayed by her cousin's side, holding her hand until Rose Red had arrived. "Where's my baby?!" She cried, sounding distraught. "Auntie Rosie!" Apple called from the hall. Rose Red swooped in, tears in her eyes. "At least now she's completed the vow." She muttered, holding Apple in a hug. "Vow?" Apple repeated, looking up at her aunt, confused. "You did not know, dear child, of Roxanne's vow?" Rose Red asked. "No." Apple said slowly.

"Well, sweetie, it's like this. The day you told her of your second story, even though you were both young at the time, Roxie came to me and swore a vow. A vow that if she could, she would be the one to take the poison apple. And she was going to follow through on it." Rose Red said, keeping an arm around her shoulder as they looked at the peaceful, pale princess slumped in her chair.

Apple didn't say anything for a while. If she had learned of the vow when Roxie wasn't...like this, she would have insisted Roxie take back the vow, because she needed to poison apple to have a happily ever after. But now...no wonder Roxie ate the poisoned apple even when she knew it was poisoned. Roxie really did love her. Wait, love!

"Will a kiss of true love work?" Apple asked hopefully. "No, Apple. Not for Roxie. She's not destined to be waken up by a true love's kiss and even if she was, you know how she felt, er...feels about romance." Rose Red reminded her. "So she's just...gone?!" Apple sobbed, leaning on her aunt for comfort. "Say you're goodbye now Apple." Rose Red instructed in a choked voice. "Can I do so in private?" Apple whispered. "Of course Apple." Rose Red left the room.

Apple faced her cousin. She looked terrible, pale, with blue lips and shut eyes. Apple ran a hand along Roxie's cheek. 'Hey cuz." She whispered. "I am so sorry. So sorry! I am an idiot for not seeing through what you were doing. If i had, I would have thrown away the apple, and none of this would have ever happened. You told me how much I meant to you, but I never got to say how much you mean to me. You're smart, brave, and selfless. You never think about yourself, only others. You're more than a cousin, or even a friend, you're a sister to me." Hesitantly, Apple leaned down and kissed her forehead. Then she turned away.

Color slowly returned to Roxie's face, and she let out a gasp for air. "A-Apple?" She whispered, in a weak sounding voice. "Roxie!" Apple laughed in relief. "Auntie Rosie, everyone, Roxie's alive! But how?" Apple asked, hugging Roxie tight. "True love's kiss might not have been the answer, at least, not in the manner it is for you. But you two really do love each other, in a sisterly way." Rose Red said, leaning down to hug her daughter and niece,

"By the way, does that count as your vow?" Apple whispered teasingly in Roxie's ear. "Maybe." Roxie said, slyly.

The End