Pixie Dust and Hydrogen Epilogue


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Morning dawned on Ever After as if it were the first time morning had ever dawned.

The skies pieced themselves together, the ground rose once more beneath their feet. The castle began putting itself back together-- what parts of it had been destroyed by the onslaught of the very universe come crumbling down, that is.

All the world, for once, seemed as if nothing at all had happened... save but one.

"Is she..." Briar's hesitant voice cut out of the crowd.

"Only sleeping," Darling announced with no small relief, holding a pale, pale hand within her own. One apple-red band-aid was wrapped around an injured index.

"Phew," Briar sighed out loud, delighted. "She always donates at the annual Royal Blood Drive, but... well, you know... Apple's always been an overachiever."

More than a handful of the gathered royals chuckled a little at that joke, in spite of the grave situation they had narrowly escaped.

Raven managed a weak smile before quietly tiptoeing away from the dormitories, quite frankly exhausted after the events of the night. It had been a long an laborious process, she thought, explaining everything that had happened to the people of Book End. She had absolutely no idea how Apple did the whole public speaking thing-- and on a regular basis, no less.

"Tea?" Maddie offered, knowing that her best friend surely must be exhausted after the night she'd had.

"Maybe in a little while, Maddie," Raven shook her head, but offered a weak smile. "There's... something I need to see. Or, I guess... some one ."

"I'll keep it warm for you," Maddie grinned. "Ooh! Maybe I can see if dad has any fresh cakes ready... it's Twelve-Hour Tea Thursday, after all!"

"You go ahead," Raven waved her away before slinking back down the stairs, beginning her search from the top of the school, down. She desperately needed sleep, after last night's events... but there were questions that pressed upon her, more urgent.

She found her target sitting quietly in the Spellcasting Ethics classroom-- fitting, she thought, considering the nature of his actions.

"I expect you want an explanation," Celadon West shut the stolen tome unceremoniously.

"I... definitely have a few questions," Raven arched a skeptical eyebrow, eyeing the wizard carefully. "What happened to your robes?"

"I had an unfortunate run-in with a projectile elephant in Wonderland," he answered, deadpan. "And I am sure you did not come here to interrogate me about my clothes."

"No, I didn't. What I really want to know is what spell you cast," Raven narrowed her eyes. "And what cost was there?"

"Simple blood-based plasma substitution," West pulled another book from his sleeve-- a spellbook, Raven realized. Wonderlandian. "The Riddlish was a complete mess... I suppose I am only fortunate to have had a local with me when I found it. As to the cost? Coconut water, butterfly sparkles, Wonder from the Well of its very source... and let us not forget, those all-important three drops of blood. Whether the wand of ebony counts as a cost... I believe it qualifies as more of a focus."

"I mean," Raven scowled, "What cost did you mean for us to  pay ?"

"Nobody is heartless enough to let their world fall into ruin," answered West. "Not even the most evil of the evil."

"You stole Lizzie's book," Raven explained. "You were acting suspiciously!"

"I returned it to her this morning, unharmed... though my goals were so urgent that I did not quite have the time to ask," West replied, shaking his head. "And you know as well as I... when you are descended of a villain's bloodline, merely breathing is more than suspicious enough. Is that not so, Raven Queen?"

"... maybe," admitted Raven, reluctant. "That still doesn't explain why you didn't tell anyone about what you were doing."

"Wonderland has terrible cell reception," he looked faintly contrite. "And between the flying elephants and similarly dangerous fauna, I didn't exactly have the time to check for bars. I was only expecting to pop in for three hours at most, especially considering... well. I don't want anyone to think that I'm evil for saying it. Perhaps I'd best hold my tongue."

"Perhaps you'd better tell me," Raven frowned, "Before someone tries to make you  lose  your tongue."

He drew his expression gravely, "I thought it was a fool's errand to even attempt a search for Meeshell Mermaid. It was a waste of time... if she had perished, then there would be nothing we could do except stew in that knowledge. If she had been safe, then she was likely to  stay  safe. But all of you... nobody would doubt for a minute that you're good people. And I thought, perhaps, if you all agreed that a search was the  most good  course of action..."

"It was," Raven insisted. "Our goals were to keep  everyone  safe."

"One person, to the detriment of all others?" West leveled. "I am sure your friend is a lovely person, but would it have been worth it? If a search where both outcomes would be inconclusive had led to a delay in research that had destroyed the world in its entirety?"

"M... maybe..." Raven hesitated for a moment.

"It was only luck that my hunch led me to the blood substitution spell," West admitted, sighing deeply. "And it took far more time than I'd like. I tried to hext you my progress once or twice, but..."

"I've been to Wonderland," Raven shook her head, at last sitting down as well. "I know what it's like over there."

"You must think me a fool, then," West chuckled dryly. "You must think me a fool for having thought I could accomplish  anything  in Wonderland within three hours."

"Just a little," Raven laughed back, shaking her head.

"This is the full tale," West offered the book he'd held, the stolen one which had been cursed to conceal its true pages. "And, thus, the story comes full circle-- the line of Queen White will come to an end with Apple, who shall bear no heirs. It sounds like an ancestor of mine, perhaps, had contributed to this grief... and, hopefully, my own work has managed to redeem my family, if only a little."

"You can come back, you know," Raven glanced at him quizzically. "You don't have to hide in here... everyone knows that you went on a secret mission. Everyone knows that your spellwork is the only reason Apple is still alive."

"Perhaps I had better not. Not yet, at least," West replied, low and solemn. "Our classmates, as you say, have considered me a traitor these past two days, particularly for my absence in this time of emergency. One slip-up can follow you around for a lifetime-- it only takes one mistake for the people of Ever After to turn on the child of a villain. It is the cruelest truth known to children like we."

"I don't think so," Raven shook her head. "You can only be the best version of yourself you can be. And maybe, someday, Ever After will have reason to hate me... but that day isn't today."

"It could have been," West's eyes intensified. "It could have been today, had your second spell succeeded in killing  her ."

Breath caught in Raven's throat for a moment, the recollection of having almost murdered her friend-- however much Apple had begged to be allowed to give up her life in exchange for her people's. How she felt like she might never forgive  herself  for the evil act she had almost committed.

"No," Raven insisted, unsure if she was trying to persuade West, or... "No, they  wouldn't have ."

"They wouldn't have," West agreed. Then, softly: "But you believed me, for a moment, didn't you?"

She had, Raven realized. And this bitter fear, this mistrust... she shuddered at the thought that this could be the first step down the path of evil.

"I should go," Raven stood, brusquely pushing in her chair. Then, as she realized how very coarse she'd sounded, "I mean, I'll... see you later?"

"Right... " West murmured faintly, shaking his head. "Don't worry about it... I'm being needlessly philosophical."

Still, Raven made a hasty escape from that classroom, feeling as if a thousand ice-cubes had been shoved down the back of her dress. She hated to admit it, but ever since her mother's words at their last visit... the doubt had been niggling at her.

Caught up in her thoughts as she wandered the empty halls, Raven bumped into someone passing by, causing him to trip. In a split-second, she instinctively caught him and all the objects he'd been carrying, suspended mid-trip by a spell.

Dexter smiled sheepishly, turning red up to his ears. "I, uh... hi, Raven. Double espresso? Extra mocha?"

Raven's eyes flickered briefly to the other objects she'd absentmindedly caught. Coffee cups.

"I am so, so sorry, Dex," she carefully released her magic hold on him, setting him down on flat feet once more. She tried a smile, "It's... kind of been a long night."

"I know," Dexter took the mugs from where they'd been suspended midair. He held one out to Raven, "Um... coffee?"

Raven grinned, something tense in her shoulders melting in that moment. "Coffee sounds perfect."

"Blondie Lockes here with the latest in Ever After High Spellebrity gossip," Blondie broke the sweet moment by sliding in. "Two days ago, Dexter Charming and Raven Queen were spotted emerging from Hocus Latte at five in the morning! After  hextremely  close work together in saving the realm of Ever After, is Dexven ready... to go  official ?"

"Um," Dexter stuttered, eyeing Humphrey Dumpty behind the camera as if he were the worst of traitors. He glanced briefly at Raven, unsure what to say. "Dex... ven?"

"No comment," Raven blushed back, trying not to make eye-contact with the camera lens.

Blondie pouted for a moment before perking up, "Never fear, faithful viewers! It looks like Dexven isn't the only high school spellebrity pair out in the halls today! After donating too much blood in yesterday's emergency, it looks like Princess Regent Apple White has made a full recovery... no doubt with the help of Darling Charming, of  the  Ever After Charmings! Do you guys have anything to say to our faithful viewers?"

Apple gave a faintly anemic wave at the camera, beautiful even in her exhaustion, "Hello, citizens of Ever After, thank you so much for your care and understanding! I was royally delighted to wake up to the news that nobody was permanently hurt as a result of the unfortunate happenings of the past few days. Right now, I think it's most important to spend time with your friends, family, and loved ones..." Here, she looked into Darling's eyes for a quick, shy moment. "Just as certainly as I am."

Darling's cheeks reddened. "It has been a pleasure speaking to you, Blondie... but Apple and I should really get to breakfast. Protocol insists on nourishment after donating blood, after all... and I believe the Mad Hatter has chosen to volunteer in the castleteria today."

"Aaaaand there's apple crumb cake!" Maddie added delightedly, popping in from the bottom of the frame. She giggled madly-- insanely, some might say-- but none could deny that the flush on Darling's face deepened, and even Apple in all her pallor was beginning to look a little redder.

Blondie sighed contentedly and shrugged, "Well, you heard it here first, folks! The world isn't ending, and maybe-- just  maybe -- some of our just-right couple picks are just beginning. This is Blondie Lockes, signing off!"

Cupid sighed, her heart heavy as she closed the tab where she'd been watching Blondie's MirrorCast. As happy as she'd tried to be, especially for Apple and Darling, there was something that still yet weighed her down. Something that throbbed painfully whenever she saw Raven and Dexter, together, alone.

"Why so glum, chum?" Maddie popped up from the frame at top, and when Cupid looked up, startled, she found that the girl was hanging upside down on a tree branch.

Cupid bit her lip. Was she even capable of explaining this frankly?

"My heart is a little... bent out of shape," she at last decided to say. "It's silly, isn't it? I should be happy to even be alive, but I'm just..."

"Heehee! Silly is right!" Maddie pulled a funny face, just to watch Cupid stifle a laugh. "Why, it's almost as if you don't remember talking to the stars at all!"

"What are you talking about?" Cupid hid her smile, considerably less gloomy than before.

"I told you before... the shape of the shape doesn't matter, only how  you're  shaped by such a shape," Maddie poked a rosy cheek. "It matters not what you call a  star  or a  heart  or a  circle . Those are only shapes given to describe the same thing, which truthfully has no shape at all, and therefore,  can't  be bent out of shape... only shaped differently, in your mind."

"How could I have forgotten?" Cupid shook her head and laughed, honestly and truly. Then, more softly, "Thank you, Maddie. You're brilliant... and don't let anybody tell you otherwise."

"Why, thank you!" Maddie beamed, clasping her wrist. "Now, we'd better hurry-scurry to breakfast before all the frabjous clay and livelong-day pass us by! We've got a lotta, lotta studying to do to make up for the past few days, after all!"

"All right," Cupid grinned, and followed her out to the castleteria.

Thus, the lives of the students of Ever After continued on, destiny unhinged from choice and choice unhinged from their survival. And though Headmaster Grimm tacked on three class make-up days at the end of the school year calendar, much to the students' chagrin, it was a small price to pay-- for the world had not ended, and this was joy enough.

After all... the end is just the beginning.


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