The Apple of My Eye: Book Two (An Ever After High Crossover)

Concerned

The scenery at the Village of Book End was one Kyle would never grow tired of. The way some of the shops lined up looked like they were the perfect setting for any fairytale.

Sitting outside Hocus Latte Café, Kyle noticed a vivid flash of red in the distance. His princess was there, lounging by the fountain, deep in a book, coffee in hand, and her pet cozied on her lap. He guessed she was sipping on her usual caramel apple latte with extra foam, ironically not her favorite flavor. It saddened him that she couldn't show her true self in public. Alone with him, she'd relax, slouching over perfect posture. Oh, how the Elf Prince yearned to whisk her away, to a place where they could be free together.

Suddenly, a loud crash of books jolted Kyle, his drink almost toppling over.

"You, me, we—all of us need to talk now," Stan demanded.

Baffled by his loyal knight's sudden confrontation, Kyle crossed his arms.

"What the hell, dude?" Kyle retorted.

The boys congregated around the table, each claiming a chair.

"We're getting really worried about you," Kenny chimed in.

Kyle grasped his dark roast coffee, taking a sip to brace himself for whatever kind of scolding he was in for.

"You've been such an asshole lately! The way you broke my nose has us worried that you might snap again, and we don't want you to hurt Apple," shouted Cartman.

The soft morning breeze swiftly escalated into a vigorous gust, enveloping the four of them.

"I would never do that to her!" Kyle exclaimed, seizing Cartman's sweater at the collar and yanking him from his seat.

'Apple is my destiny, why would I ever want to hurt her!'

"You need to calm down. You may not have done anything this time, but you tend to react before you think," said Kenny, backing Kyle away from Cartman.

Stan opens one of the books that were dropped on the table.

"The reason why we think your anger is getting out of hand is because your powers may play a part in it. In our game, you stated that when your emotions spiral out of control, so do your powers. The Storybook of Legends must have recorded that as a part of your destiny...and we're starting to think it may have recorded other things that you weren't aware of."

Anger is like a monster...

"Okay, so all I have to do is just remain calm... I can do that!"

"We'll see how long that lasts," sneered Cartman.

Kyle jabs Cartman in his lower gut, causing him to slouch in pain.

"Fuck you Kahl...!"

The sound of heels stepping across the pavement caused Kyle to slightly turn his head.

"Oh no, Eric!"

Apple hurried over to Cartman with her snow fox close behind. She helps him straighten his posture as the pain quickly leaves his body.

"What's going on here? I can't leave you four alone for one day," Apple let out a small grunt.

Gala jumped on top of Kyle's head, looking down at the Elven Prince with a concerning look. Unsure of how to react, Kyle shrugged his shoulders while she licked the tip of his nose. Kyle followed up by gently petting her white tail.

"Darkstar...I'm worried about you..."

Apple grasps his hand, concealing it between them. Kyle responds by draping an arm around her shoulders.

"Ky... I think this may be pushing it a bit..."

Kyle swiftly pulled away, his heart plummeting. Gala pursued Apple, leaping back onto her shoulder. Caught in the heat of the moment, Kyle punched the building behind him, leaving a hole in the wall.

There has to be a way to defy it without breaking the system. I'm going to find it, and nothing is going to stop our hero.

***

Kyle hurried away from the scene, leaving his friends behind. The boys attempted to follow, but they quickly lost sight of him.

'Is all of this because I told him to let go? He should understand, though...'

Apple wrapped her arms around the snow fox while Gala tried to comfort her.

The moment Kyle slammed his fist, he seemed like a completely different person to her. It sent chills down Apple's spine, a feeling she couldn't believe.

She was truly frightened of him.

'That strength of his...it can't just be his air manipulation...'

***

"How lovely, you are all so sweet!"

Several birds hovered around a woman filled with the definition grace and elegance. She rose gracefully from her chair as the birds settled on her desk. She began to pace back and forth in the vast office space reserved for her. With a snap of her fingers, a dwarf in a fancy suit hurried after her.

"How is my daughter doing in school? How are her grades? Her social rankings?"

The woman adjusted her reading glasses as her employee presented the school grading system. As she scrolled through the mirror pad, her elegant smile vanished from her ruby lips.

"How is she receiving Bs and Cs at the start of a new chapter year?!" she gasped, rearranging her long, flowing ebony hair.

She continued to scroll through the mirror pad, held by her dwarf employee, examining every detail.

"Her social status is at an all-time low! What is this nonsense?" Her voice took on a concerned edge, almost growling.

She rubs the side of her temples, trying to comprehend what she just read. Did she fail her daughter? Did she fall into the wrong crowd? What happened during her time in summer camp? Something wasn't adding up, she needed to get to the bottom of this, now.

"Cancel my meetings, I think it's time for me to figure out what has gotten into my Apple pie."