Happily Ever After

Family Reunion pt. 3

It was completely dark inside and glacially cold. Nobody seemed to be there. 

That was before a bright light was switched on, making everyone groan and shield their eyes.

Everything lit up and Ani could see everyone's faces and saw where they were. In a giant hall decorated in ball decorations and all kinds of fancies.

An argument instantly arose. Ella, Vanessa, Leonora and surprisingly Sophie, all wanted to stay here and have a Ball by themselves without parents, because it would be "so more romantic". Clarissa, Leona, Dottie and Beatrice meanwhile did not, and disagreed firmly.

"Just because you want any excuse to put on makeup, jewellery and a ball gown doesn't mean everyone else agrees with you, when we have a perfectly good chance to explore!" Clarissa hissed.

"Just because you're a killjoy doesn't mean everyone else doesn't want to have fun! Where were we off to anyway? The History of Magic library? The boring-Book worm lecture room?" Vanessa hissed.

Ani tuned out of the argument and surveyed the scenery around her, keenly. The ball decorations were quite pretty, but a touch too bright and floral for Ani's personal preference. The floor they were standing on was probably some nice polished wood floor. Ani loved the feeling of smooth wood on her finger, and leaned down to rub her finger tips against the surface and yelped when something piercing cold touched her hand. It was ice. And under the ice was a school of fish swimming under the ice, their silver scales flashing.

The argument was still going, and beginning to get fierce, but Ani quickly ended it. 

"Shut up you two. Look at this school of fish."

Clarissa began to look offended, and turned to Ani, before looking down in wonder at the flashing silver scales of the fish.

She paled.

"What's wrong? What type of fish are they?" Ani said immediately.

"Wish Fish." she whispered almost inaudibly.

There was silence for a moment before Leonora asked "What are Wish Fish?"

"They show your most wanted desire, in the world. Stay away from them." Clarissa said, again whispering.

"Clarissa, under you!" Beatrice said, panicking.

Clarissa jumped away, but the picture was already forming.

Arthur leaned down to wipe away the fogginess on the ice.

"What are you doing? These things are supposed to be private!" Clarissa protested, panicked.

As if by magic the light above their heads flickered out.

The picture formed a picture of Clarissa, but absolutely beautifully stunning. Her beautiful, sparkling, raven hair was tied in a thin braid, her deep brown eyes twinkling and her golden ball gown with blue flowers embroidered on it, shining in flickering candlelight. She also had jewels at her throat but Ani couldn't tell which ones they were as they were looking at this picture from slightly diagonal, birds-eye view and she wasn't a jewel-loving Ever, that knew them off by heart.

Then, an equally handsome Chaddick came to view, dressed in his finest and offered his arm. She took it. They walked out to the dance floor and began twirling before they did a dip and then walked off to a corner. Just as they got to the spot, mistletoe suddenly sprouted above their heads, and looking up at it, then at each other, suddenly shy, they tentatively kissed.

Ani found it absolutely disgusting as well as enjoyable and beautiful and sweet. When they looked up from the picture, Ani thought about how lucky it was that it was dark as otherwise she was sure that they would see Clarissa blushing like a beetroot. She would have actually enjoyed seeing the expression of embarrassment on the ever-calm and smug face of Clarissa.

"Well, well, well what a show that was!" Chaddick said warmly. 

Ani could hear the excitement in his voice and internally face-palmed. 

"I don't like you. That-that thing is not true in the slightest. That is not my greatest wish at all." Clarissa said her voice wavering slightly at the end. 

"Yeah sure, lie to yourself, Clarissa." Arthur said, sounding bored.

Clarissa was about to argue back and maybe stab Arthur when the silver fish swam over to him and a picture began to form under Arthur's feet. Clarissa shut her mouth.

 The picture showed Leona and Arthur sitting under a large shady oak tree in the School for Good and Evil grounds wearing their uniform. A blood red rose was in Leona's hand, and she was talking and blushing slightly, looking away from Arthur. Suddenly Arthur pulled her to her feet and she threw the rose out of her hand which drifted away in the breeze, and they kissed. Unlike Chaddick and Clarissa's sweet and short kiss, theirs was long and slow and began to get too lovey-dovey and disgusting for Ani.

"To think my sister, who has for years scorned love as for weaklings doesn't immediately retch at this disgusting dream is completely beyond me." Ani said smugly, as it finished and she gazed over at her triplet's soft face.

There was about to be a seriously dangerous fight between two sisters when they saw that Sophie's picture started to form.

Sophie's was actually watchable. She was in a beautiful garden, sitting on a deck chair outside of a cosy-looking brick cottage with views of Camelot castle. She was smiling happily while reading a neatly written letter addressed to her from Robert. After smiling and sighing, looking at a tiny picture he'd attached, her dream ended.

The lights then flickered back on.

The Wish Fish then began to swim to Vanessa and Leonora, who in their dream were brewing Love Potions and succeeded in making Arthur and Chaddick fall in love with them. Clarissa and Leona instantly stepped forwards after their dream, and whispered some menacing words in their ears. The twins said nothing but just smiled smugly and winked at Arthur and Chaddick who gagged when the twins backs were turned.

Once the twins were dealt with everyone just stared at one another until someone broke the silence.

"I like you Clarissa." Chaddick blurted.

For the first time in forever, Clarissa smiled a true, happy beautiful smile.

"Chaddick, you're an idiot, and I figured that." She said with a smile.

Chaddick took a step closer.

"Am I your idiot though?" He said hopefully.

All the villains gagged while all the Evergirls awwwed and the twins booed.

"Not here Chaddick." Clarissa said.

"Will you be my date to the Summer Ball?" He questioned.

".... Yes." She said with a beam and a blush, after some consideration.

"Will you be mine?" Arthur asked Leona.

"Yes." Leona replied awkwardly.

"Will you be mine?" Robert asked Sophie.

"Yes!" Sophie said happily.

"Will you be mine?" Kaveen asked Ani.

"Yes." Ani said, her cheeks pinking.

"Well it looks like everyone has a Ball date and a lot of explaining to do." A voice boomed from above them.

Their parents.