The Great Jabberwock, Terror of Wonderland, was still grumpy. It had been having such a frabjous dream of buttered bandersnatches when that crashing, smashing, bitter-bashing sound of a broken magic mirror had torn it away. Now it was awake and trapped in Ever After, a land entirely without bandersnatches, buttered or otherwise.

The bears had tasted too sweet, not nearly crunchy enough, and more like meat than madness. After the Jabberwock’s magic melted away their bear-ness and filled in the holes with bandersnatch-ness, the taste had improved, though they still got stuck in the Jabberwock’s gullet.

And then there was that spicy taste. It was of a magic he had tasted long ago. He couldn't quite place it, however.

Too long it had been caged, trapped, and cut off from Wonderland. Its magic needed recharging.

The Jabberwock leaped from treetop to treetop. It could fly, but flight was exhausting in the thin air of this not-home place, and it was still tired. It yawned angrily, breath stinking of decaying magic and the meat of false bandersnatches.

The beast had gotten lost from Wonderland long ago, but its bowels were still pulsing with wonder, though a rotting, twisted kind of wonder. Its hot breath slurped and crawled out of its mouth, transforming whatever it touched.

The Jabberwock exhaled, and the tree bending beneath its weight brightened to a vivid green and sprouted pumpkins instead of pinecones. The tree was not exactly what it would have been in Wonderland, but at least it was closer. Could the beast alter this un-peculiar land entirely? Make it more like home? No, not without more power.

The Jabberwock caught a whiff of tiny Alice-things fleeing the far edge of the forest. It smiled, its gray lips curling around a huge set of buckteeth. The Card, the Cat, and the Hatter were nearby. It could smell them. It could feel the fresh Wonder emanating from their bodies. Wonder it would need if it was to shape this world to its liking.

Wait! What was this? A smell of an Ozzian? No. Two Ozzians. Oh, how long it has been since he had taken a bite of one. Ages, long before your birth.

The Jabberwock heaved up and took flight. Its massive, batlike wings shook the air, its deep purple shadow sending the forest creatures shivering into holes. It dived, mouth open, claws out ready to seize, when suddenly the Card, the Cat, and the Hatter disappeared into a wishing well. Vanished. Too fast, as if the story they were in had suddenly sped up, pages flipping faster than the narration should allow.

The Jabberwock reeled in the air, skronking with rage. It would stalk these Wonderlings. It would follow them wherever they went, and one by one it would squeeze every last drop of Wonder from their bones.

And then, maybe, it would eat them.

And then, for desert, it shall have a delicious taste of Ozzian.

Lizzie: Worms!

She yelled this as she emerged from the wishing well on the grounds of Ever After High.

Cedar: What?

Apple: Where?

Blondie: Gross!

Maddie: Yay!

Raven: Um, what worms, Lizzie?

Lizzie: And by worms, I mean people!

Lizzie shouted, hoping the strength of her mother’s words would clarify things. She noticed that the confused stares only got confused-er.

Lizzie: And by people, I mean Wonder people. Er… I mean Kitty and Maddie. The Wonderlandians.

Maddie: Wonder Worms are go!

Maddie struck an action pose and then wiggling toward Lizzie.

Maddie: Lady Catworm!

Maddie called to Kitty Cheshire, who hadn’t moved an inch.

Maddie: Make haste! We have been summoned!

Kitty shrugged and disappeared, reappearing beside Lizzie.

Lizzie: Hatworm and Catworm at your service, O Lizard Queen

Maddie gave Lizzie a wiggly bow.

Kitty/Lizzie: Don’t call me that.

Maddie straightened from the wormy stance.

Maddie: Fine, party poops. What’s the story?

Lizzie: I have something to discuss with both of you. Let’s go to the Grove. You too, Y/N.

Y/N: Wait, what?

Maddie: To the Grove, Catworm!

Maddie shouted and was rewarded with a hiss just as Kitty popped out of sight. She then grabbed your hand and pulled you along before you could even protest.

Ruby: Why are people always kidnapping my brother?!

Lizzie breathed in as you left the school grounds and crossed into the Grove. Some days the rich, candied scents made her heart feel light and floaty as bubble birds. Sometimes the smells made her feel achy for home, as heavy and slow as a steel scarecrow. Today she felt nervous and jittery as if she had swallowed handfuls of live hornets.

Which she hadn’t, just to clarify. One never knew with Lizzie.

Lizzie: Citizens of Wonderland, and Y/N.

Kitty looked over her shoulder, as if expecting more people to be there.

Lizzie: As the representatives of our world in exile, it is our responsibility…

Lizzie was already bored with her own speech. She sighed.

Lizzie: Look, there were bandersnatches up there. I am certain that when we escaped Wonderland with the White Queen and Maddie’s dad, no bandersnatches sneaked out with us.

Were the ways to Wonderland reopening? Or had the bandersnatches found a secret way out and come looking for the lost Wonderlandian princess? Hope shivered in Lizzie.

But you didn’t feel as confident. This was honestly a worrying situation.

Kitty purred.

Kitty: I know of something else Wonderlandian here without permission.

Maddie: She means the Jabberwock.

Kitty: No, I don’t!

Kitty’s pale purple hair seemed fluffier, standing on end at the mention of the monster. She hissed.

Kitty: Don’t say its name out loud! I just meant the jubjub bird I was chasing on the mountaintop during that riddle-diculous play.

Maddie: A jubjub bird, too? Maybe we should talk to the White Queen.

Y/N: What is a jubjub bird?

Lizzie: Very well. I’m glad I was able to get you to that conclusion. We will find the White Queen and demand of her an explanation.

Y/N: Or we could just ask.

Lizzie: Or we could just ask!

Lizzie shouted as if it were a battle cry, pointing her scepter at the school.

You all headed to the White Queen’s office. Empty. You thought about it before you realized you had never even talked to the White Queen. She always seemed so....dreamy.

You investigated the faculty lunchroom. Void. You peeked into likely classrooms. Nil. Then you began to get creative.

Sometime later, Maddie flung open the last stall door in the teachers’ restroom.

Maddie: Aha!

But no one was there.

Lizzie: She’s hiding from us. The White Queen must know something and knows that we know she knows and wants to keep the knowing from us.

Maddie: But how can she if we already know she knows?

Lizzie: The extra knowing. The knowing about why there are bandersnatches and jubjub birds. Not the knowing that she knows.

Y/N: Or maybe she's just away on important business. Like dealing with a bandersnatch that just tried to attack us? Just a thought.

Maddie: Oh! So she’s hiding from us. Good hiding.

Lizzie: Too good! I won’t allow it! People can’t just disappear!

At that, Kitty disappeared.

Lizzie: Present company excepted, of course.

Kitty reappeared sitting on the bathroom counter.

Kitty: Searching for the White Queen has been fun and all, especially the bit where Lizzie got stuck in the crawl space, but you’ll never find her. You’ve probably noticed there are lots of people not at the school today.

Y/N: That's what I've been trying to tell you. Also, why am I even here? This seems like a Wonderlandian thing and I am not one of those.

Maddie: I assumed they were hiding like the White Queen, to make this game of hide-and-seek more fun.

Y/N: She wasn’t playing hide-and-seek. No one is.

Maddie threw up her hands.

Maddie: Am I expected to keep track of every game and who is and isn’t playing all the time?

Kitty: The faculty and most of the students are still on their field trips.

Kitty pulled out her MirrorPhone to check her teeth.

Kitty: Only our group came back early.

Maddie: I know that, of course. I just wanted to make sure you knew it, too.

Lizzie’s eyes narrowed.

Lizzie: But you didn’t see fit to tell us this before because…?

Y/N: I tried.

Kitty: Because watching you two run about like madwomen is fun.

You chuckled.

Y/N: It was.

Maddie: They do have a point.

Lizzie dialed the White Queen on her MirrorPhone. No answer. Her voice mail picked up.

White Queen: I am busy right now. Please call back ten minutes ago.

The door to the restroom pushed open.

Briar: Here you are!

She then looked at you.

Briar: What are you doing in the girl's bathroom?

You shrugged.

Briar: Everyone’s meeting in Apple and Raven’s dorm room. Some of the students are hextremely upset about what happened on the mountain, and Apple thought some soothing talk could help.

Maddie: Okay!

Maddie un-straightened her hat and hopping out the door.

Kitty: Soothing talk?

Y/N: Royals and Rebels together, sharing nonjudgmental and openhearted opinions?

Briar: Totally.

Kitty: I’m there!

She faded until all but her mouth remained.

Kitty: There’s bound to be a tasty fight.

The smiling mouth soon vanished as well.

Lizzie: I don’t see how sitting around babbling could be soothing, let alone productive.

Briar: Come on, Lizzie. I’ll be there, so it’s sure to be a blast!

Briar was always throwing parties where Lizzie would stand awkwardly in the corner, shouting things like “Fetch me a flamingo!” or “Stand back, peasant!” in reply to any small talk.

Mother would declare all those bumbling partygoers beneath the Princess of Hearts and not worth her time, and yet Lizzie spent those parties secretly, silently, carefully wishing that she were one of the girls on the dance floor, laughing with Briar. Lizzie opened her mouth to tell Briar that but found herself shouting.

Lizzie: Off with your head!

Briar turned to you. You just smiled and you placed both hands on Lizzie's shoulders, as if to try and keep her from actually beheading your friend.

Y/N: We'll be there.

Briar: Okay, then. See you fairy soon.

Briar threw down a skateboard and skating down the corridor.

Lizzie drew a card from her mother’s deck. Her mother’s words would give her strength, courage, and direction.

Already Been Chewed food (hereafter referred to as ABC food) can appear appetizing, but not for such as you. Eat no ABC food today.

Hmph. That didn’t seem particularly applicable. Lizzie flipped through a few more.

Frogs are mostly faces.

Notice a frog today and make a face.

ON WITH ITS HEAD!

JK. Behead something today!

Rugs are the unnatural spawn of Rabbits and Hugs. Beware rugs. (Could also be Rubber and Bugs. In any case, BEWARE RUGS!)

Sometimes it took Lizzie a while to figure out how her mother’s wisdom applied to her current situation. This was one of those times. She slid the cards back into their well-worn box, checked to see that no one was watching, and hugged it to her chest.

Lizzie: I’m trying, Mother. I’m trying to be like you.

You looked at her oddly. You thought she had moved past that already. Did she move backwards for some reason? Did it have to do with why she had been so weird around you?

She crossed her eyes twice and made a wish that bandersnatches were just the beginning. That Wonderland was coming to her. All of it. And soon her mother would be there to pull Lizzie into her huge embrace and assure her she was doing all right.

But, for now, she had you and her other friends. She would have to make do for now.

Lizzie: Come, Y/N. To the room of Apple White and Raven Queen!

Y/N: Uh, okay? Sure.
------------
When you arrived at Raven and Apple's room, most of the other students from her field trip were already seated on lounges and chairs or on pillows on the floor, everyone arranged in a circle. Several dozen scented candles burned, filling the room with the smell of baked apple pie.

Lizzie Hearts entered beside you.

Cedar: Kind of a strange day, huh?

Lizzie: Strange days may be here to stay, and not to....

Lizzie stopped suddenly and stared intensely at Cedar.

Lizzie: What rhymes with ‘go away’?

Cedar shrugged and walked away. She rarely understood what Lizzie was talking about, but clearly she didn’t want or need friends, let alone a chat with the puppet girl.

Raven was in urgent conversation with Apple, which you ended up joining, so Cedar sat on a couch beside Humphrey Dumpty and Poppy O’Hair.

Poppy/Humphrey: Hey.

Cedar: Hey.

Cedar crossed her arms, trying to hide the bandersnatch teeth marks. She’d sand those off as soon as she got a chance.

Poppy: I love that color.

Poppy was indicating the sky-blue paint staining Cedar’s fingertips, left over from a recent art project.

Poppy: Art is one of my favorite subjects.

Cedar: Mine, too! I love painting.

Humphrey: I’m into the verbal arts myself. I’ll treat you to a little freestyle rap. Um… just give me a minute.…

Poppy: I’m interested in sculpture. Maybe because my hands have so much practice styling hair. Do you like my new do?

Poppy’s hair grew royally fast, and she was always experimenting with new styles. Today it was a turquoise faux-hawk.

Cedar: Oh… well, it’s kind of alarming.

Poppy blinked.

Cedar: Sorry! I didn’t want to say that! I totally respect your individual style, even if I think you look like a bird built a nest on your head.

Poppy blinked twice.

Cedar: Sorry!

Humphery: Got it!

He began to rap, his extremely white hands gesturing in rapid motions.

Yo, Cedar and Poppy,

the talk’s sounding choppy.

Don’t wanna hop, T’

likes both of you guys,

so trade the lows for the highs,

say we stow the unwise.

Call a truce before war.

Let that snoozin’ dog snore,

and opt for the choosin’

to not talk about hair, fair?

Humphrey smiled, as if certain he had just solved everything. Poppy looked confused, as if she wasn’t sure whether to be upset.

Cedar: Sorry.

Apple and you stood at the head of the room and the talking quieted.

Apple: Welcome, friends. Ever since Legacy Day, I have so enjoyed meeting together for our Storybooker Share Slams to discuss our Rebel situation....

Y/N: And Royal.

Apple:… And Royal. But today we have even more serious matters to discuss.

Sparrow: Yeah, what in Ever After was that play?

Y/N: Yeah, I'll take full fault for that one. Sorry, guys.

Apple cleared her throat.

Apple: I meant the appearance of the bandersnatches.

Blondie: Wait, did that play have anything to do with the bandersnatches?

You looked to where Blondie was recording everything with her MirrorPad.

Faybelle: Monsters appearing outside of their stories is the sort of catastrophe that happens when people don’t follow their destiny.

Nathan: I don’t like it.

Nathan Nutcracker was sitting on the mantel. His jaw chattered, making a clicking sound.

Nathan: I don’t like it at all.

Lizzie: A queen! A queen is only as big as her fishbowl, so be careful not to behead too much of your water!

Apple tilted her head, her lips pursed, as if trying very hard to take the statement seriously.

Apple: What do you mean, Lizzie?

Lizzie slipped a card back into her pocket.

Lizzie: Ah… never mind. In context it doesn’t really seem to apply.

Y/N: Just keep looking, Liz. I'm sure you'll find one.

Cerise: Why does everything have to go back to being a Royal or a Rebel?

Apple: Because these crazy, off-script things didn’t use to happen before…

Apple glanced kindly at Raven.

Raven: I don’t see how my not signing the Storybook of Legends made bandersnatches appear on a mountaintop.

Faybee: Well, I’ll tell you one thing. It sure didn’t help.

Cedar: Wait a splinter!

Cedar stood up.

Cedar: Don’t go blaming Raven. She was right to not sign.

Faybelle stood up, too, flipping her ponytail over her shoulder.

Faybelle: I don’t get you, little Miss Pinocchio. Why are you a Rebel anyway? If I were you, I’d follow my script so I could get to the Happily Ever After and finally be real.

Nate Nutcracker gasped. Raven clenched her fists. Cedar met Faybelle’s gaze. Your eyes went wide.

Oh no she didn't.

Cedar: You’re right, if I don’t follow my destiny, I might be trapped in this wooden body forever—but even worse would be to be trapped in a choiceless life. If I can’t lie, if I’m cursed to blurt out whatever I think even if I don’t want to, then I can’t really choose.

She glanced at Poppy and then quickly away, afraid she might let slip another horrid opinion about her hair.

Cedar: I think being a Rebel means you get to cut the strings and choose your story. And nothing is more important to me than choice.

Maddie: Hear! Hear! Though, and this isn’t a criticism, I’d have enjoyed what you said more with a cup of tea.

Y/N: You have tea.

Maddie looked down at her hand, which was holding a cup of tea.

Maddie: Oh! Well this is perfect now. Call off the hounds! Call off the king’s men! I found my tea!

Kitty: Rebel, Royal, bleh. If you don’t care where you want to end up, it doesn’t matter which road you take.

Cedar: I don’t know everything, but I know that choices are complicated. Every choice we make affects other people. So if you’re not sure where you want to end up, should you just hold still, choosing nothing?

Briar: Or should you leap ahead anyway, making bold choices and accepting where they take you?

Apple: And if they take you over a cliff?

Y/N: If your destiny happens at the bottom of a cliff, then yes.

Lizzie: One should always know beforehand exactly what should happen, how it should happen, and then make it happen.

Cerise: Look!

A bunny was hopping up the face of Apple’s grandfather clock. The clock chimed one, and the bunny ran down again. Cedar felt her mouth hang open.

Such behavior wasn’t uncommon for Ever After mice, but a bunny?

Dexter: Whoa

Dexter began adjusting his glasses as if he couldn’t believe what he’d just seen.

Cerise: Hickory dickory dock.

Apple: Raven, did you do that?

Raven shook her head.

Raven: I wouldn’t even know what spell to use.

Cedar couldn’t help thinking aloud.

Cedar: When the bunny reached the top, I swear it paused to check the time.

Faybelle: What-ever-after.

Lizzie: Ha-ha! When is a mouse like a bunny?

Ashlynn: Well, both are fluffy and cute and small and cute....

Lizzie: No!

She cleared her throat and looked at everyone significantly.

Lizzie: When is a mouse like a bunny? And when is a bear like a bandersnatch? Off-put? This is precisely my point!

Cedar sighed. Lizzie’s not making sense was the most normal thing about this day.

Y/N: Enough sidetracking! Let's get back to the problem at hand, please.

You wrangled the conversation back to bandersnatches and the headmaster’s instructions to stay at the school, but Cedar kept her gaze on her hands, chipping off the blue paint. Perhaps if she managed not to notice anything, she might not blurt out something awkward and hurtful and lose any more friends.

The End Is Just The Beginning.....