Once Upon a Time: Ever After High (Book 12)

Ch.23 Fighting through

Quick question, is anyone really good at art? Or at least know someone who's good at art? Because if so, I would like it if someone could create an artwork of the characters (or at least the main ones) in Storybrooke version, meaning they look like modern people in my stories. It's just an optional request cause it would be really cool to see the characters as modern people. I would do it, but I suck at art, like really. And if I do get one, I'll put it in my chapters. Once again, this is an optional thing :) (And please nothing inappropriate)

And Happy New Years!

As soon as school was over, Nicole decided to make her way to Reyna's house to check on her, making sure she's still alive. Ever since her phone call with Reyna, she was beginning to get worried, worried that the ballerina would do something horrible to herself like before. But right before she could get into her car, she spotted Ebony strolling down the sidewalk on the other side of the street, appearing to be lost in her thoughts.

"What are you up to Ebony?" Nicole muttered with a concerned look.

Hoping she'll lead to something, Nicole decided to trail the Black Swan as she backed away from her car and started to follow her without trying to be seen. Ducking behind cars and trash cans whenever Ebony would turned her head, Nicole continued to follow her to the community pool where she watched the Black Swan go inside.

"What are you doing inside the pool?" she wondered as she quietly made her way to the door, peeked in to make sure it was clear, and then stepped inside.

Making her way down the hall, she suddenly heard footsteps approaching as she quickly went into an open janitor's closet and hid as she peeked out to see Ebony heading to the door. And as soon as she was gone, Nicole left the closet and down the hall and into the pool where she was shocked to see Devon still frozen from Ebony's magic.

"Devon?!" she gasped as she hurried to him "Oh my God, did Ebony do this to you?"

No answer.

"Of course" she threw her hands up "Why did I even ask? Don't worry, I'll get you free, I just gotta find someone with magic. I'll hurry as fast as I can."

And with that she hurried out the building, but stopped when she remembered Reyna, hoping that she was still alive, she decided to stop by her place first as she took off running. And as soon as she made it to Reyna's house, she ran up to the door and started pounding on it while calling out Reyna's name.

"Reyna you in there?!" she called out.

She waited until it was opened by Reyna.

"Oh thank goodness you're still alive" she breathed in relief.

"Well I feel dead on the inside" Reyna muttered "What are you doing here?"

"To make sure you're okay, and we got a problem."

"Well no dip" Reyna grunted "There's always a problem with me, because I am the problem."

"What are you talking about?"

Reyna gave a groan as she went to her couch and plopped down on it.

"You know that Devon has battle scars like me too?" she muttered.

"He does?" Nicole gasped while closing the door.

"And I was the reason behind them, he hurt himself because of me. I spread depression to anyone I come in contact with, I'm such a disgrace."

"Oh my God" Nicole grunted "Do you really believe that? Look I get that you weren't the best person back then, but at you now, you're all better. And you're seriously going to let depression beat you up again?"

Instead of answering, Reyna held up the vessel that still contained water from Swan Lake.

"Is that what I think it is?" Nicole's eyes widen.

"I found it at my front door this morning" Reyna explained in a mumble "Along with a note that said 'Your Choice'."

"What are you gonna do with it?"

"Hopefully shove it down Ebony's throat."

"Well in that case, you may get your chance to do that. We got another problem."

"What?"

"Devon's froze by Ebony's magic at the pool, we need to find someone to break him out of it."

"Oh damn" Reyna sprang up "I think I know where we can find Elena."

"Let's go then."

After getting Elena, the girls made their way to the pool where they went in to see Devon still frozen.

"Whoa" Elena's eyes widen.

"Can you unfreeze him?" Nicole asked.

"Yeah."

She went over to him and used her magic to unfreeze him.

"Oh thanks" he breathed in relief as he stretched out his body "My whole body's cramped now."

"You okay?" she asked him.

"I'm fine" he assured as he turned to Reyna "And you're still alive, thank goodness, I thought Ebony already murdered you."

"She tried to" she replied while holding up the vessel.

"What the?" he gasped as he took the vessel and examined it "Oh my God. Once again, she tried to make you commit suicide."

"Wait what?" Elena's eyes widen "What do you mean by again?"

"It's a long story" Reyna sighed "But the important thing is, I didn't drink it."

"Were you planning to?" Devon asked with a concerned look.

She froze while trying to get her words out, but nothing.

"Oh my God you were thinking about it weren't you?" Nicole gasped.

"Why are you so surprised?" Reyna snapped "Everyone knows I have depression, I thought I got over it, but the truth it- I can't get over it! It's always gonna be with me! But at least I have a reminder that prevents me from ending my life!"

She than took a deep breath while sitting on the pool bench.

"I'm willing to suffer through it" she mumbled "Because there are some things worth living for, even when I still have a monster inside of me."

At that point everyone gave small smiles.

"You've changed a lot" Elena commented "And the fact that you're still willing to fight your battle makes you a braver person than you think."

"Yeah" Devon agreed "And I'm glad you're willing to live through this."

"But what are we gonna do about Ebony?" Nicole put in.

"Oh I'll deal with her" Reyna offered "I'll just do what I told her earlier. Take that lake water and shove it down her throat."