Timeless Bonds

Alchemy

"Hi! Hey, I'm Chloe..." Chloe greeted everyone cheerfully as she walked alongside Red and Blanc through the bustling campus of Merlin Academy. Red, however, kept tugging her along, eager to stay on task. They came to a halt in front of a sign that read "Merlin Academy."

"Of course. Merlin Academy," Chloe said with a touch of nostalgia, pointing to the sign that bore the letters "MA."

Blanc glanced at the sign and nodded. "That's what Auradon Prep used to be called before Beast united the kingdoms and created Auradon," she explained.

Red looked puzzled. "How do you know all this?"

Chloe beamed. "Well, I love history! Don't you?"

Red shook her head. "Uh-uh."

Blanc shrugged. "I usually do my nails or nap through history. I'm more into math and languages."

Chloe rolled her eyes at their lack of enthusiasm and led them forward. They stopped in front of a poster advertising the "Castlecoming Festival."

"No way. Castlecoming," Chloe said excitedly, pointing at the poster. "That's where my parents fell in love. It's, like, the biggest event of the year."

"Sorry, I'm busy trying to change history," Red said dismissively, and Blanc nodded in agreement. "Chloe, Red's right. What importance could a school dance have right now? We have more pressing matters."

"Okay, remember what your mom said about being humiliated at her first dance? This must be what she meant," Chloe argued.

Red paused, studying the poster thoughtfully. "If someone did a horrible prank to her..."

"Maybe that's what turned her into a terrible dictator?" Chloe suggested.

Blanc interjected, musing aloud, "Understandable if the prank really went too far."

Chloe and Red exchanged a look, stepping away from Blanc. Red turned back to the poster, a new resolve forming. "That must be why the watch sent us back to this time. It's before my mom becomes... well, my mom."

"Great. Now how do we stop that?" Chloe asked.

"Sending her to therapy before she becomes who she is?" Blanc suggested sarcastically from behind them, but Red dismissed the idea with a shake of her head.

"No, we need to figure out who's going to pull the prank that ruins her life."

The bell rang, signaling the end of their break and the start of classes. Students began gathering their things and heading to their classrooms. Red and Chloe followed the flow of students into the hallway, their determination growing as they prepared to tackle the task ahead.

Blanc's frustration mounted as she navigated the bustling hallway, trying to catch up with Red and Chloe. She glanced around, hoping to spot them among the crowd of students shuffling between classes.

As she rounded a corner, she almost collided with a student coming from the opposite direction. The student, a boy with dirty blonde hair, caught her just in time.

"Woah!" Blanc exclaimed, reaching out instinctively to steady herself. "Sorry about that."

The boy grinned and kept his hands on her waist for a moment longer than necessary. "I would say I'm sorry, but I'm really not."

Blanc raised an eyebrow, pushing him away gently. "And why's that?"

"Well, now you owe me a date," he said with a playful smirk.

Blanc laughed despite herself. "In your dreams. I'm actually looking for my friends."

The Boy looked after her and smirked.. "Until I see you again Snow." Blanc just rolled her eyes and continued her way to the hallway in hope of finding her cousin and friend.