INTO THE FIRE ● TWST

CHAPTER FOUR: I HATE GINGERS

YOU HATE CROWLEY. You hate his stupid crow face and his stupid height and most of all, you hate his stupid school.

The stupid school that you had to clean.

On the bright side, at least it wasn't the entire school. But still- Crowley had risen to Number One on your shit list- overtaking the Dark Mirror for first place. You couldn't believe you were about to do genuine labor work, and that your 'partner' was curled in a ball fucking sleeping. Well-you could believe that one, Grim had made it pretty clear he was above such tasks. Figuratively and literally- he was curled up on your neck like a feather boa.

You had taken approximately ten steps out of Ramshackle when you realized what shit you had gotten yourself into. Clearly, you had been mistaken and were actually in a zoo judging by how everyone stared at you. Self-conscious, you pulled down your skirt, wishing you had chosen comfort instead of looking bomb. They're jealous I look cool and they look lame. With this bolstering your ego- you felt a bit like Crowley- you continued onto your destination with your head held high. Well fuck, where is Main Street?

Thankfully for you, you found Main Street quite easily, and as you told Grim later, it was due to your incredible navigational skills, (it was actually because you followed someone, you have a negative sense of direction). But what the fuck was up with this place? Why were you in a goth Disney World?

Lining the street were seven statues of well-known Disney characters- Disney villains. There was no way this place was real. What childish fantasy world had you fallen into? You noticed the inscriptions and began to read- but after you read the first line of the Queen of Hearts' you had to take a step back to understand what you had just read. In what world were any of them good people? What had they done to garner such reverence? Again- there was no way this was real.

Not only were these villains real, but they were also heroes. You could understand a few of them being misunderstood, and you were down to hear someone out but heroes? This had to be a bad joke.

"I didn't get to see it much yesterday- but this is Main Street huh? It's incredible!" It seemed as though Grim had woken up from nesting on your shoulder, and he decided to stretch his paws/arms on your face. For a 'not a cat' he had remarkably sharp claws.

"Yeesh- what's the deal with these statues- they give me the creeps-" That would be because they're villains Grimmy- "Especially that one." He sticks a claw at the Queen of Hearts, who stares down at you with an expression akin to disgust.

"You don't know the Queen of Hearts?"

Huh?

It seemed someone had invited themselves into the conversation. You and Grim turn around and you're greeted with the sight of a ginger boy. Tousled hair, a playful smile, and a heart painted (or was it tattooed) over his left eye. Everything about him screamed I prey on your misfortune; he was exactly your type. This was unfair- why was everyone in this school fine as fuck. Time to make those reverse harem dreams come true. He walked up to you and shoots you a wink- you are embarrassed to admit you might've blushed.

"What, is she a big deal or something?" Someday you would teach Grim about stranger-danger. But today was not that day.

"She was a queen who lived in a maze like garden of roses long, long ago." Okay, maybe you had the wrong Queen of Hearts.

"She was a strict woman who prized order of all. She wouldn't let one rose be off-colour- or one playing card out of step! It was a kingdom of madness, but no one ever tried to defy her. For the punishment.. was decapitation!"