Once Upon a Time: Ever After High (Book 13)

Ch.15 Changeling

After explaining to Aidan about Brooke really being a changeling, the Charming's made their way to Town Hall where they saw the changeling going inside.

"That's a changeling huh?" Aidan remarked "I should of known, earlier today she hissed at me when I bumped into her."

"Yeah well we need to get rid of her" Darling stated "And also try to find the real Brooke."

"So you guys know what to do?"

"Terrence does."

"Yep" Terrence nodded "A changeling was the first monster I've ever defeated, it wasn't easy, but I got it."

"Now uh, let's say we do defeat this changeling" Aidan put in "What are we gonna do then, tell everyone?"

"Well we gotta have evidence first, that's why I'm gonna film the whole thing while Terrence fights against it."

"Wait what?" Terrence's eyes widen "You're not gonna help me?"

"You got Aidan to help you, someone has to make sure we get everything on film."

"Uh, why can't I do it?" Aidan offered "I don't know anything about defeating a changeling, and aren't you the one who loves a good fight?"

"So do you" she put in when she then sighed "Okay how about this? I set up my phone somewhere where it can film everything without getting knocked over, and we'll all fight the creature together."

"Thank you" they replied in relief.

"Though I should warn you guys" Terrence added "This creature is very strong, so be extra careful."

"We really should of brought some guns" Aidan breathed as they headed to the front entrance of the building where they casually entered through the front door, spotting the not-Brooke changeling doing something at a table in a corner.

Staying close together, the Charming's slowly made their way towards her as Darling began to speak.

"Uh, hi Brooke" she greeted calmly as the changeling quickly turned and glared at them with her devious eyes "Watcha doing?"

She didn't say anything when they noticed that in front of her on the table was Brooke's storybook that was opened to a page showing an illustration of a mansion like building.

"Oh you're reading your book?" Darling remarked.

She quickly slammed the book shut causing them to jump from the loud noise. She then gave them a death glare where they were able to see the yellow flash in her eyes as she scooped up the book and walked pass them while shoving against Aidan.

"Hey hold on" he began to say when he reached out to touch her shoulder.

But that just caused her to hiss at him as she used her one free arm to grip onto his forearm as she swung him over her shoulder and crashing down onto a nearby table, breaking it in haft. Darling and Terrence stood there in shock as Aidan laid on the broken table in pain.

"Okay that was a bad idea" he winched while clutching his shoulder as the changeling turned to Darling and Terrence with her yellow eyes.

"Terrence distract it" Darling ordered "I'm gonna set up my phone."

"Oy" he groaned as she hurried to the other table while taking out her phone.

"Uh, hey Brooke" Terrence waved at the creature with a nervous smile "You're uh, you're really strong huh? Impressive."

The changeling that stared at him with her death glare as Aidan began to boost himself up, only for the changeling to turn back to him as he froze. But at that moment, Terrence spotted the undoing end under the changeling's arm, knowing this was his moment to do it. Since changelings come from handmade dolls evil fairies make, there's always that one undoing end which is every changeling's weakness, and the only way to defeat them is buy pulling on the undoing end.

So after pulling out a crochet hook he had with him, Terrence tried to reach out to pull the end, only to be caught by the changeling who dropped the storybook to grab onto his body and threw him across the room and slamming into the wall as he fell to the floor with a thud. Now in pain, Terrence clenched his shoulder as he looked up to see that changeling had turned her attention towards Darling.

Thinking quickly, Darling picked up a nearby broom just as the changeling dashed towards her as Darling slammed the broom onto the creatures head, only for the broom to break in haft due to the changeling's strong body. But being the fighter she is, Darling held the haft of the broom she still had in front of her as the changeling grabbed onto it and tried to push Darling against the wall, but the princess wasn't going to let this creature win as she used all of her strength to push back.

Meanwhile, Aidan and Terrence had gotten up as they tried to look for other items to use against the changeling. That's when Aidan picked up a chair near the stage just as the changeling threw Darling across the floor, with the creature focused on Darling, Aidan ran up and slammed the chair against the creature's back, this time he was able to knock it down, but that just allowed the changeling to grab onto his ankle and yank him onto the floor while using her one hand to slid him across the floor and slamming into the wall creating a dint.

"Whoa" Darling's eyes widen as she pushed herself up.

Not finished with Aidan, the changeling then dashed towards him, gripped him by his throat, and hoisted him up against the wall until his feet were no longer touching the floor. As he struggled against the tight grip around his neck, Terrence knew he had to do it. So with the crochet hook in his hand, he hurried towards the creature and being quick, he hooked onto the undoing end and pulled back, and just like that the changeling had vanished as Aidan fell back to the floor while gasping for air. That only thing left in place of the creature was it's handmade changeling doll on the floor.

"We have got to burn that" Aidan breathed while pointing to the doll.

"You guys okay?" Terrence asked.

"We're fine" Darling assured while rubbing her back "That was some fight."

"Well now that this creature is gone, let's show everyone the evidence."

"Hold on a second" she spoke as she went over to the storybook and picked it up "Before we go, I wanna see what that changeling was looking at in here."

She opened the book and flipped through the pages until she came upon the illustration.

"Here it is" she announced as her brothers gathered to see it.

"What does it say?" Aidan asked.

"Shadow High" she read the title.

"Shadow High? Never heard of it."

"Well let's take it with us, maybe Mira can help."