Chapter Text
It was as same a day as ever for Ever After High. Tedious lessons as the midterms were getting closer and stressful cramming by most of the student body, considering how everyone was preoccupied with planning for the Spring Fairest that only happened a week ago, you could imagine there was a lot of tension.
"Like, I don't think I'll be passing anything this time." Briar bemoaned as she shoved a textbook into her locker. She looked to her side and smirked in an offhanded way, "I'm sure you won't have that problem, Apple, you've got your schoolwork down to an art."
The blonde only giggled brightly, "Oh Briar, it's not that hard when you're not constantly partying."
Briar bristled, "Shh..." she looked around, "Apparently there's something happening at the Wonderland Grove tonight. It's going to be fableous!" she singsonged, "You should totally come, Apple, you've been studying constantly for the last week!"
"Yeah, Briar, I had a lot of catching up to do." Apple rolled her eyes with nothing but fondness.
"Whatever-after, I better see you there." she drawled before promptly closing her locker and stalking off.
Apple simply smiled at her best friend's antics before making her way to her next lesson of the day.
The rest of the page continued much the same, with boring lectures and what seemed like an endless amount of note-taking, before it was finally time for Apple's final ordeal of the day. A sort of orientation lecture for the new unexpected students from Wonderland. Apple, along with one Madeleine Hatter, were both asked to be present as part of the Royal Student Council.
As she entered Baba Yaga's office, she was greeted by none other than her co-president. "Hi, Apple!" Maddie said, brightly.
"Hello, Maddie, have we started yet?" Apple asked, with a poised look, glancing around the room.
"Not yet!" she said, "We're still waiting for Alistair and Bunny." she stepped aside, letting Apple through.
"Oh, do you think they got lost?" Apple asked with genuine worry.
Maddie giggled delighted, "If there's one thing about Alistair, he's not going to get lost."
Apple only hummed thoughtfully before letting out a huff of amusement, "If you say so."
Her and Maddie eased into some normal chatter, well, as normal as it could be when someone was speaking to the daughter of the Mad Hatter, of course. Not that Apple minded, Maddie was such a full-of-life character that it was genuinely difficult to dislike her.
Soon after, Baba Yaga called the both of them over and explained the agenda, and not long after that, Alistair and Bunny tentatively walked into the office space that looked more like a fortune teller's stall than what it was meant to be.
Alistair looked around at all the potions and scrolls with thinly veiled curiousity and Bunny looked at him in open amusement. They whispered amongst each other before Baba Yaga finally called their attention.
The orientation was quite short all things considered, with Baba Yaga mostly droning on and on about all the dos and don'ts of residing in Ever After High. Apple had then told them about all the extra-curriculars they had. It was currently Maddie at center stage telling the curious new students about all the facilities they had.
"Oh and don't forget!" Maddie gestured dramatically, "There is also a lovely piece of home in Wonderland Grove!"
"What is that?" Alistair asked, looking very interested.
"It's a wonder-ific garden tended to by our very own Lizzie Hearts!" Maddie tells them with an emphatic grin. "I'll take you there myself after!"
Bunny coos, "Aw, thanks, Maddie, we'd really appreciate that." she says, smiling in turn as Alistair nods in agreement.
Suddenly, there was a loud crash that came from behind a curtain, it startled most of the cast collected, except Baba Yaga who simply sighed. "Apple, could you please go check if everything is alright?"
"Oh, yes, of course!" Apple nodded and made her way to the curtain, before carefully moving it aside. She made her way in, while she heard Maddie chatting away with Bunny.
As she moved deeper into the small closet sized space, she looked around to figure out the location of the crash. Her hand hit a shelf and she yelped quietly in pain, before leaning down and picking up the scroll that subsequently fell.
As she was doing so, however, she was suddenly pulled up and into a firm body, before hearing a loud clang behind her. "Careful!" said the person who pulled her away in the nick of time.
"Ah thank you..." she pulled away and fixed herself, "Sorry, Alistair."
Alistair flashed her a handsome smile, one that could put Daring to shame, she mused to herself privately, "No problem." he said and then moved back just outside the closet space.
Apple carefully picked up all the clutter that fell over and fixed it up. "All done!" Apple said, lightly as she walked out, only to see Alistair was still stood guard past the curtain.
"You alright?" he asked, with a meaningful look. Apple nodded and they make their way back to the group.
"Hey Alistair, Maddie was just saying she'll take us to Wonderland Grove." Bunny beckoned him, "Would you like to join us, Apple?"
Apple politely waved her hand, "No, that's alright, you guys go on ahead." she smiled.
The trio then made their way outside the door. Apple waved after them, and turned to get her textbook off the table. Then, all of a sudden, she felt the most awful bout of light-headedness, accompanied by a sickly feeling, like she is being split apart, like her skin is tearing at the seams. She let out a shriek, and Baba Yaga immediately rushed to her side, "Apple? What's happening?!" she asks in a panic.
"It... hurts..." Apple barely manages to get out, her voice trembling.
The door suddenly bursts open and in ran Bunny and Maddie, their expressions awash with worry. "Madame Yaga! Alistair is hurt!" they loudly exclaim in unison.
Baba Yaga looks at them confused, "Bring him in." she calmly asked.
They rush out and pull him inside the room and sit him down on a chair. Baba Yaga has already helped Apple to sit as well.
Apple suddenly, just as unexpectedly, felt her mind clear up and the tingling sensation that ran across her skin fizzled out. She took in a long deep breath. Surprisingly, Alistair seemed to be feeling a lot better too. "What... was that about?" Alistair asked, out of breath.
"I'm not too sure, child." Baba Yaga said, with a pensive expression, "Could you two do something for me, if you're willing that is."
"Of course, Madame Yaga, what is it?" Apple replied, still slightly tense, Alistair nodded along with her, looking just as her.
"Could you two go to either side of the room?" she said, as she motioned for them to get up.
Apple nodded, and stood up to move to the left side of the room while Alistair moved to the right. As they each reached their respective corner, a dizziness began to form in Apple, maybe it was still the bizarre episode from just a few moments ago, she lifted a hand to her forehead and winced.
"Aha!" Baba Yaga suddenly yelled, "You may return to your seats." and Apple was certainly grateful for that.
As she sat down next to Alistair and breathed a sigh of relief, Baba Yaga made her way back into the very closet space behind the curtain from earlier. After a few moments she re-emerged with some kind of scroll in her hand.
"It seems you both stepped on this scroll here." Baba Yaga explained.
"What's that got to do with what just happened?" Alistair asked, skeptical.
"It's a magic scroll, child, the spell on it causes the two people who step on it to be binded together. Moving apart will cause you to feel a lot of pain and dizziness. There's even a chance of... well, I won't say it but you get the gist." she moved to her desk.
"So what do we have to do? Is there a counter-scroll of some kind?" Alistair asked.
"Indeed there is but..." her expression becomes upset, "It will take me some time to find it." she sighed.
"Oh, thats... not good." Apple said, worryingly biting her lip. "How long would that take?"
"Hopefully only a day, I shall try my best to find it tonight, I promise."
"Thank you, Madame Yaga, do you need us to help?"
Baba Yaga only shook her head, "It's best if I do it myself, come back in the evening." Apple looked at the time on her mirrorphone and it was only early afternoon.
"Um..." Bunny mumbled, "How about you join us then Apple?"
Oh, to Wonderland Grove, at this point it seemed as though it were destined for her to go there today. "Yes." she replied simply, as she made to move. Alistair hastily made to stand, keeping a respectable distance between them, yet still standing as close as he felt comfortable with.