Chapter Text
The rest of Spirit Week was blessedly, blissfully free of drama, at least of the life threatening sort. Blondie even got to participate in Nerd Day with a crisply ironed white shirt, neon blue suspenders, 3D glasses with the lenses replaced with regular cut plastic, and a pair of khaki pants that showed off her plaid socks. Everyone was ridiculous; even Cupid had ducked into the bathroom and changed the form of her clothes to resemble Blondie’s outfit to join in the fun.
And it had been fun! Until lunch, when Faybelle--now the new cheerleading captain, yay--had thrown peas at Briar’s head until Briar flipped her tray across the table and stormed off. The Fae princess--and Blondie still couldn’t believe that she could say that without irony--was making good on her threat of destroying Briar’s social life. It was only a matter of time, between Faybelle’s nigh irresistible glamour and Briar’s shortening temper, before the school was stacked against her friend. At least until graduation, though Blondie wasn’t sure if Briar was going to last that long. That left only one thing left to do, and that was to call upon her parents--who were going away for the weekend--and ask for a sleepover.
“Briar hasn’t been having the best week,” Blondie said. “I think getting the girls together and just having a good, relaxing time would be good for her.”
Goldie nodded along. “No problem. Ashlynn and Briar can stay over for the weekend if their parents’ say yes.” She looked between Cupid and Blondie, and her smile was weirdly knowing. “They can supervise.”
“Oh my god, really?!” Blondie sank in her chair and covered her face; Goldie cackled and Cupid pretended to be flustered. “Come on! Mom! It’s not, we’re not like that--stop! Why do you keep thinking that I, that we-- ugh! You’re the worst!”
“I know,” Goldie said. “Now, let’s go get provisions for your little party.”
Stocking up on junk food--and a lot of vegan friendly snacks for Ashlynn--was only part one. Blondie called Briar and invited her, and then invited Ashlynn. Briar had no parents--a fact that Blondie was only realizing just now, which, god, what kind of friend was she to not have noticed that--and Ashlynn’s mother was more than willing to let Ashlynn sleepover and it was all set. Around seven, when Goldie and Barry had driven off for their trip, Ashlynn’s mom pulled up and both girls climbed out, armed with sleeping bags and smiles.
Blondie wasn’t about to let them know of her ulterior motive, however. Blondie would calmly let them both know that the house was a safeground for both of them to be openly old/immortal around each other. That they could go talking in old languages and stuff and she’d be alright with it! Maybe they could even bond, having lived through so much.
She moved aside the coffee table and turned the living room floor into a giant pallet, spreading thick and comfy quilts and piling on the pillows. Cupid helped by setting up the snacks by the side and appearing absolutely normal.
“So!” Blondie clapped her hands together as Briar and Ashlynn sat down. “First thing’s first. I feel like we should all be totally, one hundred percent honest with each other. I mean, we’re all friends, and we’re all still gonna be friends for a long, long, looooong, long--”
“We get it,” Briar said.
“--time, and well, life is too short to waste it on keeping secrets when there won’t be any judgement!”
“Is this about your hickies?” Ashlynn took a sip of her vitamin water as Blondie choked on her next breath. “Or, rather, the spiritual hickies.”
“I think she’s trying to tell us that it’s okay to be open about our immortality,” Briar said quite casually. “Why’d you stop her? I was enjoying the word play.”
“Hickies?! ” Blondie still wasn’t over that. “Back up! What hickies--” She turned on Cupid and went red. “You gave me a hickey?! ”
“I did not,” Cupid said. “Just a little kiss to let the people know who’s wing you’re under. Relax.”
“She’s Fae-touched too,” Ashlynn said, and then took Briar’s hand when the girl started to grumble. “Oh, there, there. You know it’s just Faybelle lashing out. There’s no need to be jealous.”
“I’m not jealous,” Briar grated, which made Cupid groan yeah, right, and Ashlynn rolled her eyes. “What! I’m not! So what if Faybelle wants to kiss all over Blondie, I’m not angry because she’s kissing, I’m angry because she did it without Blondie’s consent!”
“Wait, wait, wait . You both knew about each other? I was the only one out of the loop?” Blondie sounded generally hurt.
“Oh, honey, it’s a community thing. That and well, it’s not something we really advertise? Humanity can’t even handle different shades of their own race after the short period we’ve been around. Can you imagine finding out that gods and monsters and demons really walk with us too? Much less humans who live forever,” Ashlynn calmly pointed out.
She was right of course. That didn’t mean it didn’t hurt. Blondie felt guilty about it all the same, mainly because the root cause of the hurt stemmed from embarrassment; how must she have looked to her friends, who’d lived through hundreds of years? When she complained about small issues, had Ashlynn--a girl who could die, and died in flames, only to come crawling back out--ever grown tired of it? Briar, who had contracted the plague and suffered , only to find no relief and nothing but an endless drag, ever wanted to simply slap her silly? They both had such worse situations, such deeper lives.
“Blondie,” Briar said softly, placing a hand on her knee, “The things you find important aren’t any less meaningful just because we’re immortal.”
Blondie looked stunned. “I didn’t know you were psychic too.”
Briar grinned. “Just experienced. Now Maddie or Rosabella--”
“Aurora,” Cupid warned. “I promised not to out anyone at all.”
Briar rolled her eyes. “Fine. It’s more fun to see Blondie’s surprise anyway.” Briar ruffled Blondie’s hair in a sisterly kind of way. Blondie whined and batted her hand away, miffed that her big speech had been taken away but relieved.
She leaned back, and then jerked forward with a hiss as her arm grazed the iron leg of the coffee table. “Augh, tits, I forgot--!”
Blondie gasped at the red, blistering burn that the brush of contact had left. Cupid clicked her tongue. “You picked up the Fae weakness to iron too? I’m so sorry.”
Ashlynn made to rise, worry creasing her brows. “I’ll get the first aid kit--”
“No.” Briar breathed between her teeth, and the burn slowly began to heal. “Must be because Faybelle’s actually in the same realm. I wouldn’t heal from something physical this fast otherwise.” Something dark danced in her eyes, and almost to herself she mumbled, “Not looking for me, huh? What a crock of shit. No wonder I lived through Salem.”
“Salem?” Blondie asked offhand. Briar refused to elaborate, and Ashlynn went very quiet as well. “Oh, I--oh. Sorry.”
“It’s fine, it’s fine,” Ashlynn said, holding up both of her hands. “Let’s watch a movie, or something! Take our minds off this.”
“I vote for Enchanted,” Briar said, eyes lighting up. “We can belt That’s How You Know . And change the lyrics so it’s way gay.”
“Enchanted?” Cupid echoed. “That’s a movie, isn’t it?”
“Yeah, by Disney--”
“Disney?”
Blondie turned on Cupid with shock. Ashlynn and Briar gasped. Cupid arched a brow and stared between them.
“You don’t know what Disney is?” Ashylnn’s eyes watered.
Blondie surged up, running for the DVD cabinet. “Briar, pop the corn. We’re starting with Snow White and we’re not stopping until Elsa sings us to sleep!”
“Who ?” Cupid gaped as they sprang into action. “You haven’t answered my question?”
Blondie slid the DVD in and rushed back to sit by Cupid, wrapping an arm around her friend’s. Ashlynn pressed against Blondie’s free side, pulling up a blanket to snuggle under. Blondie didn’t hit play until Briar returned, a bowl of vegan popcorn and three sodas balanced in her hands and draped herself across Ashlynn and Blondie’s laps.
“Finally, I get to teach you something,” Blondie giggled. “Just sit back and let the magic happen. Let the story of Snow White take you away.”
“Isn’t Holly writing something like this?” Briar asked around a mouthful of popcorn.
“Something about Snow White’s daughter. It’s supposed to be a sequel--she’s getting that girl Raven to read if first, what with Evana Queen being her mom and all.” Blondie took a sip of soda as the credits rolled. “By the way, what’s Raven’s deal with me? She keeps sending me the stink eye.”
“Oh, she’s just scared for you,” Briar answered. “What with Cupid hanging around you, and all. She’s worried that Cupid’s trying to drag your soul to hell. Said something about feeling dark energies around her, or whatever.”
Cupid’s skin went cold beneath Blondie’s touch, and she was suddenly a great deal thinner. Blondie felt a boney wing curl around her shoulders and was actually quite comfortable with that. Ashlynn looked up, yelped. Briar spilled popcorn all over herself.
“Would you all be quiet, for a moment?” Cupid smiled with all of her fanged teeth, the talons of her fingers splaying out against Blondie’s waist. “I’m trying to watch your Disney. My little mortal has much to teach me.”
Blondie wasn’t sure why, but a spot against her neck warmed and tingled at the very words. So it was that Blondie spent her weekend cuddling and hanging out with immortal beings who happened to be her very best friends in the whole world. She didn’t think about her blog--it had about two hundred posts, reblogged and otherwise, queue’d up just in case she hit a dry spell like this anyway--and she didn’t think about solving any mysteries. It was just two days worth of binging on fairytale classics.
She learned that Cupid’s favorite movies were Mulan and Tangled, and that she loathed Hercules. “Uncle Hades is not like that at all,” she had hissed. “The only thing they got right was the muses! Ugh! I’m filing a complaint!”
The house was cleaned and put together by the time Blondie’s parents returned, and when Monday rolled around and Blondie and Cupid entered school, the world seemed a better place. Finally, a break from the weird and the strange; Blondie thought about talking to Rosabella Beauty, or Madeline “Maddie” Hatter, but decided that she would extend her break from the supernatural just a bit more. If it didn’t seek her out, then she wouldn’t seek it out!
And then Raven Queen ran up to her, grabbed her and Cupid’s arm, and hauled them into a bathroom. She slammed the door, locked it, and pressed her back against it. Pointing a finger at Cupid, Raven panted, “I’m only coming to you because of your age. And that my mother scryed you out and confirmed that you don’t harbor any evil intent.”
“Oh, come on,” Blondie whined, stomping her foot. “Raven! Really! I literally just promised myself not to go seeking out supernatural junk!”
“I need your help,” Raven said quickly, her eyes fever bright. She looked pale, and there were bruises under her narrow eyes. Her usually intimidating makeup was missing, too; just some plum colored lipstick and mascara. “I am in dire need of your help.”
“You know there’s a Fae around,” Cupid replied, crossing her arms. “She’s far more experienced with magic than I am.”
“I’m not going to ask the Unseelie princess to help me. Owing her a favor would be like putting a collar on my neck.”
“Wow,” Blondie said, blinking. “This is getting weirdish. Raven, what’s going on? You look terrible.”
“What I’m about to say doesn’t leave this room,” Raven said, her voice shaking. “You see, I...I’m a…I’m a witch. In training. Over the weekend, while I was practicing my conjuring skills, and I might have...summoned someone.”
“Oh, dear,” Cupid said on a gasp. “Are we talking about a demon? A god?”
“No. Worse.”
“Worse? ” Blondie gaped. “What could be worse than a demon!?”
“I summoned,” Raven began heavily, “a princess.”
Blondie squinted. There was a long pause as she struggled to make sure that Raven was actually serious. If she wasn’t, then Blondie was going to kick her right in the knees. If she was, Blondie was still going to kick her in the knees for making such a big fuss. Sure, maybe summoning a princess from another realm was probably not great--especially if she was someone like Faybelle--but worse than a demon? Come on.
Blondie opened her mouth to ask, when Raven continued, “I summoned a princess that isn’t supposed to exist.”
“I’m sorry, what?” Cupid did a double take. “I don’t quite understand, I’m afraid.”
“Alright. It all started with Holly’s book.” Raven dragged her hands through her black hair, beginning to pace. “I was reading it a third time during my lessons--I know, I know , rookie mistake, I just couldn’t put it down!--and I felt my magic respond, more strongly than it ever has. And I might have conjured, er, summoned the princess in the fairy tale.”
Blondie was about to respond when someone flushed. Everyone froze for a comical moment as the stall door opened. Holly O’Hair walked out, washed her hands, and dried them. Raven went even paler. Blondie and Cupid winced, eyes darting from Holly and then to each other.
“So,” Holly began, her voice trembling. “What you’re saying is that you brought Apple to life? ”
“I…” Raven let the vowel drag. “Technically, no? To summon something from a text, it has to already live on another plane of existence. And, I mean, unless you’re actually a warlock in disguise, I don’t think you have the capability to write the life into something?”
Holly gulped. “Uh, sure, let’s go with that.”
“You believed,” Cupid said suddenly. “Raven, you said you couldn’t put the book down. Were you captivated by the princess and her adventures?”
“W-well, yeah, of course. Holly’s a fantastic writer, it was almost like Apple was really...real. I mean. Before I actually brought her to life,” Raven amended. “So, uh. See my problem? I need your help.” She looked to Blondie and Holly. “You two, as well. Also you’re taking the whole witch thing pretty well.”
“Oh, Poppy told me,” Holly said, and then she was bouncing on her feet. “Raven! You brought my story to life! Oh my god, I have to meet her. I have to see her! Oh, oh my gosh, is she pretty? Is she kind and sweet?”
“She’s kind of terrifying,” Raven said. “In a good way? What do you mean Poppy told you about me, by the way, I’ve never told Poppy about--”
“You’d be surprised at what you learn from doing someone’s hair,” Holly said, and pointed out the purple streaks in Raven’s hair. “She’s going to want to come with me, too.”
“Hey, this is great and all,” Blondie interrupted, “but? Can we go to class, now? Raven, we’ll help you however we can, but if we don’t get out of here in like five seconds, Mr. Stein will mark us absent, and I do not want an F for the day over this. Text me, though! We’ll take a trip and see this princess afterschool.”
They hurried out after a very quick exchange of numbers, making it to class on time. Not that it did Blondie much good; her concentration was completely shot. All she could think about was Raven being a witch, there was magical summoning involved, and--god, how relevant was this? Maybe Disney night was a prediction. What if Blondie was magic after all? Or coming into her own? No, she realized a little sadly. Cupid would have sensed her out and let her know by now.
The end of the day couldn’t come fast enough. She texted Briar and Ashlynn the bare bones of the situation, and told her mom she was meeting with a new friend and that Cupid was with her. Raven explained that they had to take the bus and walk--unfortunately her mother couldn’t leave the princess unattended--and there was only room for one on Poppy’s bike. Raven, Cupid, and Blondie all squished into a single seat with Cupid in the middle.
Her arm wrapped around Blondie’s waist. Blondie allowed it and appreciated the warmth that flowed through her. Raven nervously shifted on the other side, flinching whenever she touched Cupid even a little.
“Here, I’ll,” Blondie scooted until she was pressed against the window. Cupid followed, and then rested her head against Blondie’s neck; she barely hid the full body shudder, but could not hide the blush that stretched across her face. It left just enough space to make Raven comfortable, but for Blondie there was no such thing.
“You really don’t have to worry,” Cupid said to Raven, “I’ve already found a mortal to favor. I’m not going to get greedy.”
“That’s what worries me,” Raven snapped back.
“Would appreciate not being referred to as the mortal,” Blondie mumbled, fiddling with her necklace. “Maybe something that doesn’t reduce me to my age? Like, I dunno. Normie seems like a good start.”
“Blondie the normie?” Raven wrinkled her nose cutely, “Makes you sound like a hero in Holly’s fanfiction.”
“Hey!” Blondie cried indignantly, pouting. Cupid patted Blondie on the hand in a “there, there” kind of way.
Soon enough the came to their stop, two blocks away from Raven’s nest. Blondie thought it was surprisingly normal looking given that the owner was a millionaire and a witch. Raven waved a hand, her palm glowing slightly, at front of the front door. A warbling sound could be heard with a multitude of locks clicking following soon after.
“My mom is a little wary so she has all the locks keyed into our magic,” Raven explained almost sheepishly as she crossed through door frame. Okay so maybe a lot less normal than what met Blondie’s eye. One would think she’d be better at this by now. “Come on, I left in my room--what in the Unnamed God are you doing?”
As Raven led them into her room, a girl with gorgeous sun yellow curls that framed her face perfectly and wide bluer than the sky eyes was holding a pair of Raven’s panties. Aside from the whole pilfered undergarment deal, she looked every inch a fairytale princess; her dress was enormous, with bright, crimson silk over white tulle. Embroidered with golden thread were intricate, gorgeous designs and sitting in her hair was a golden tiara.
“Oh my god,” Poppy said as she looked over the shoulders of the stunned crowd. “I can’t believe we missed the panty raid.”
“D-dear me,” said the princess in a melodic voice, clutching a rather racy lavender set in opera gloved hands. “Fair Raven, please forgive me--and don’t misunderstand! T-this isn’t what it looks like, I swear.”
A flustered Raven stomped into the room and snatched the undergarments from delicate fingers. She then spun on her heel and glared at Holly.
“Fix. This,” she said from between her teeth.
Holly looked far too stunned to speak. Her hands trembled as she held them up, slowly entering the room. “A-Apple? Apple White?”
“Yes?” The princess answered slowly. “I was unaware that we’d met before; do forgive my rudeness, as I don’t seem to recall you.”
“Oh my gosh ,” Holly squeaked, her hands flailing as she spun to face Blondie and the others. “That’s my princess! In the flesh! She’s talking exactly like I always pictured her to talk and, and her voice is just perfect and, oh Poppy, Poppy she’s here! ”
“I see that,” Poppy said, and then sighed. “But, sis, she can’t stay here. We don’t have the space for another, and I don’t think Raven’s going to be okay with sharing a room.”
“Just--just five minutes with her?” Holly’s voice shook. “Oh, please? Pretty please?”
“I’ve got to send her back,” Poppy said quietly.
“Oh, thank the Stars,” Apple White sighed, and then looked rather guilty for the way that Holly wilted. “Not, not to be rude--I’m so very, very sorry. I just...I simply must return home! My mother will be ever so worried when she realizes that I’m gone. Fair Raven and the Lady Evana have been more than hospitable to me, but I...this is not home.”
Holly sniffled, and then nodded. She was quiet as she went to Blondie’s side, and Poppy rolled her sleeves up as she approached. Blondie held her friend and watched with a little amusement as both Cupid and Raven gave Poppy wide berth, casting shaken glances to her hands. It was odd, really; there was no spark of light or any kind of warping reality going on. In fact, how Poppy O’Hair was going to be the one to solve this escaped Blondie. Curious, she asked Cupid about it, softly, while Raven and Holly weren’t paying attention.
“I just feel...nothingness,” Cupid said back. She shuddered. “An absence. Nothing .”
“Oh.” Blondie looked at Poppy’s back with something like fear. “That’s, a little. Terrifying? What is she?”
Cupid then said something that chilled Blondie to the bone; “I don’t know. ”
“Alrighty, little miss,” Poppy said, and raised her hands. “This might sting a little, so just...brace yourself.”
She laid her hands on Apple’s cheeks. There was a great burst of light, a sonorous roar like a tornado passing through, and Poppy was sent flying. She smacked into the wall and cratered the plaster, falling to her face with a dull oh my god as Apple remained unharmed. Unharmed, but not entirely unchanged; her extravagant gown had been downgraded and modernized into a short, crimson dress with a golden cardigan over it.
Holly screamed, “Poppy! ” She ran to her sister’s side and propped the groaning girl up as the house quaked; magic visibly flickered over the walls and sparkled against the window panes, all in tones of purple. Glass shattered somewhere in the house; a woman shrieked from somewhere within. After a moment everything settled, but the air felt different. Where entering had made Blondie’s scalp tingle from some magical awareness, now it was gone.
Empty.
“Well,” Poppy said after a moment. “ hat’s a first.” The palms of her hands were raw and red, and trailed smoke. Her leather jacket and her hair were dusted with the remains of the wall behind her. “Looks like you put a little more of yourself into your stories than normal, sis. What did I tell you about that?”
“I’m sorry!” Holly brushed off the debris and held her sister’s hands, grimacing. “I’m so sorry, I just...it felt like fate.”
“Oh,” Apple said, suddenly. Everyone’s attention went to the girl still standing in the room, blinking as if waking from a deep, deep sleep. “What...am I still d-doing here? Wasn’t that supposed to send me back?”
Footsteps raced up the stairs, and Evana Queen in all of her flour streaked glory swung into the doorframe, staring at the lot of them. Blondie waved. Cupid blinked. Raven was still holding her panties out and quickly hid them behind her back.
“I made cookies,” Mrs. Queen said at length. “How about we take a break from the drama and have some? They’re apple spice.“