Chapter Text
The new reality was a complete surprise for Red. A cold splash that finally made her understand Maddox's warning about messing with time. And although she didn't do it for her own gain, it was Red who paid the ultimate price for the change in time.
Because the entire world she knew had vanished. The castle, bursting with color and warmth, completely different from the cold and austere fortress she'd grown up in. She gained a loud and decidedly overexcited sister, and her mother seemed like a completely different person. Warm, smiling, and understanding, as if someone had flipped a switch and ordered her to behave in a manner that was the complete opposite of what Red was used to.
At first, Red even felt a certain excitement. She was finally about to experience the life she'd dreamed of. A normal, peaceful home to which she wouldn't be afraid to return.
A home where she wouldn't have to worry that one careless move could cost someone their life.
She didn't enjoy this state of affairs for long. As soon as she reached Auradon Prep, she hit a wall so hard that she instantly wished she could turn back time and return to the way things were before. Even if it meant her mother imprisoning Cinderella for God knows how long.
One look at Max, who was pickpocketing, was enough for her to realize that the boy she loved was gone.
Until the last moment, she'd deceived herself into thinking it wasn't him. She'd tried to stay positive, telling herself that the Max she knew and loved would soon be here and mock her fears. Even though the resemblance was so compelling, she'd tried to fight the inevitable realization that this was just one of the consequences of rescuing Bridget.
And then Pink confirmed everything, and Red could no longer pretend it wasn't real. Those two simple words were enough for Red's heart to crumble, crumbling like a house of cards in the wind.
"Manners, Hatter." Pink's simple, almost natural reprimand to Max, for them nothing more than a verbal exchange, for Red was the beginning of the end of the world.
The girl felt a huge weight fall on her shortcomings. She felt herself sinking under the awareness of what her visit to the past had led to. She wanted to do something good once, and fate, this is how she thanked her for it?
And then Max looked directly at her older sister. Without warmth, without feeling, as if she were a complete stranger. As if nothing had ever connected them. Because here, truly, nothing had ever connected them.
Max looked at her like a bug on the toe of a shoe, as someone he utterly despised and truly hated.
Red literally felt her throat tighten painfully, as if she had swallowed an armful of dagger-sharp needles. The knowledge that even this one thing, meant to last forever, had changed made her nauseous.
"Hatter?" "She asked, wishing more than anything that this was all a cruel joke. That maybe she'd misheard. Although it wasn't rational, she truly wished this man wasn't HER Max.
A moment later, everything became clear: this wasn't a nightmare. This wasn't a joke. It was a harsh reality, one Red had to navigate. Max had gotten into a verbal fight with another boy, and he, like a hero, had stepped forward, putting himself between the "villain" and his friends.
"Stop pretending, Max, we all know you're just like your father." Luis Madrigal tensed his muscles warningly, as if to show he was ready to defend Red and Chloe, because apparently he and the other boy who had attacked them were close friends of the girls, in this version of the story.
"What's wrong with his father?" Red asked, completely lost. It was hard for her to see Max among the villain kids, but even harder for her to imagine Maddox as someone wicked.
"Everything, considering he's the most dangerous, active villain in Auradon," Luis replied, sounding as if he were discussing the weather. Which wasn't strange, really; for him, it was the only version of events he'd heard, the only one he knew. Red, on the other hand, felt herself losing her footing for the second time that day.
It was impossible. Red had known Maddox for years! Despite her mother's cruelties, this man would never hurt a fly! Let alone terrorize ordinary people. The Maddox she knew would condemn such behavior almost immediately. What had happened to make him turn so evil?
It sounded like a complete abstraction.
And Max didn't seem surprised at all by the accusation. It was as if he was used to such criticism and dealt with it in his daily life.
The longer Red looked at him, the more differences she noticed. His hair was still dark, though now it bore traces of purple. He dressed completely differently, looking nothing like the elegant gentleman she remembered.
Red shot Chloe a terrified look, knowing full well that Chloe wouldn't understand her panic now. She had to talk to her! She had to talk to someone, and since Chloe was the only one aware of what they'd done, it had to be her!
They had to think of something! Develop a plan to undo this madness!
Red couldn't quite focus on what was happening around her. Only the terrified screams of numerous students and the sound of shattering glass brought her back to reality, tearing her from the mad whirlwind of her own thoughts.
At the last moment, she managed to grab the enchanted card and stop it from spreading further chaos and causing more damage. And then, blood seemed to stop flowing through her veins. Because here she was holding in her hand, proof that everything she had heard was truly true.
The card spoke, its voice so similar to her mother's, yet so saturated with panic that it was unnatural. Screaming at the top of her lungs, it announced that the Queen of Hearts had been kidnapped by Maddox and needed urgent help.
"No," Red blurted out. Just yesterday she'd been saving a teenage version of her mother, and now she was going through the same thing, only without Ella and with an adult version of Bridget? Fate truly had a wicked sense of humor. "That's impossible."
And Red's sister, panicking behind her, didn't help her stay calm in the whole situation.
"Oh my Hearts!" Pink exclaimed, fainting dramatically, strategically enough for Luis to catch her and save her from a painful fall.
"Breathe," Red said, watching as Madrigal slowly pulled Pink upright to keep her from fainting again. She barely managed to keep her eyes from rolling. You'd have to be blind not to see that Pink was simply trying to get attention and thus get her mother help. It might be effective, but it was also irritating. "Everything is going to be fine. You just need to calm down."
"How can I calm down? Mum's been captured!" Pink was outraged at the suggestion, looking at her sister as if she had just told her to kick a puppy.
"I know. That's why we'll help her, but we won't accomplish anything if we both stand here hyperventilating, so take a few deep breaths and get your act together!" Red wasn't sure if she was approaching this the right way; in fact, she didn't know much about having a younger sibling. Should she be strict, or was she overreacting and Pink would soon have even more hysterics?
Oh, how Red wished Maddox were here right now; he would surely tell her how to navigate this.
Suddenly, Red felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up quickly, expecting... she wasn't quite sure what, but luckily it was just Chloe, trying to reassure her. The blue-haired girl gave her a reassuring smile and tightened her fingers on her shoulder, letting her know she wasn't alone.
"She's right, Pink. That's why we have to think fast." You'll go alert Fairy Godmother about the attack on Wonderland and your mother's imprisonment. And Red and I will go ask my mother for help. Okay?
Pink nodded and a moment later was running towards the castle, followed by Luis and Robbie, who had clearly made it a point of honor to make sure she didn't get killed along the way. Which was a rather logical move, considering her pace and the height of her heels.
Chloe definitely held her own better against her friend's younger counterpart. Perhaps it was because she had combat experience. After all, she had a brother herself, an older one... but Chad could be even less mature than a cuckoo's egg at times.
"We need to talk," Red managed as Chloe pulled her toward the stables, probably to borrow two horses.
"I know, we'll come up with a plan soon. I promise, I won't leave you alone with this." "Chloe assured her, but this time it was Red who stopped her, placing a hand on her shoulder.
"This future... It... I..." Red looked down for a moment, unsure how to put what was happening into words. She was a natural leader, a confident princess, so why did she feel like she'd completely lost it now?
"I see we're about to have a serious talk. Come on. We'll grab the horses and you can tell me all about it on the way."