by Lisa Shea
All Cerise needed was a basket stuffed with snacks to keep her full while she was out. She was still a Hood ever after all! But when Cerise walked into the kitchen, she found Dexter fumbling around, trying to pick cookies off the floor with his huge paws. Every time he managed to grab one, he’d press too hard and it’d become a pile of crumbs.
“Here, let me help you with that,” Cerise offered, and started to gently pick up the cookies one by one.
“Thanks, Cerise,” Dexter said gratefully. He next tried picking up some eggs, but that was even more of a disaster. Soon his furry paws were a big, gooey mess.
“Scrambled eggs, anyone?” Dexter joked.
Cerise laughed with him. “Why don’t you leave the picking-up stuff to me?” Cerise told Dexter. She handed him a mop. “You can help me mop up the floor.”
“Ah! That I can do,” Dexter said. Soon the kitchen was spotless and gleaming again.
Once everything was in place, Cerise looked around. “We make a pretty good team,” she observed.
“Yes, we do,” Dexter answered with a smile.
Then Cerise spotted a pretty little basket and remembered why she’d come down there in the first place. Dexter seemed okay now, and she was sure he’d be fine on his own for a while as the Beast. He was a Charming, and Charmings were meant to be princes and princesses… unlike the Hoods and Badwolfs.
“So, Dex… I think I’m going to pack a basket, take a walk…” Cerise said awkwardly.
“Oh, okay. I guess I’ll just hang out in the gardens,” Dexter replied and he slumped out of the room.
Cerise hoped she was right that Dexter would make a great Beast without her help, and she started to make her way out of the castle with her freshly packed basket. But just as she arrived at the front gate, a strange noise made her stop in her tracks. Cerise looked around and discovered Dexter sitting alone in the garden, trying to howl and failing horribly. Cerise stifled a giggle. Dexter’s attempt at a howl sounded like a hungry baby goat! She shook her head as she quietly turned the handle. But as she took one last quick look at Dexter, she stopped herself. His head was buried in his hands and he looked so upset. Maybe I was wrong about Dexter. I can’t leave him here alone; I just can’t, Cerise thought. At least I can teach him to howl. She shut the front gate, turned around, and walked to the garden.
“You know, that howl sounded kinda pathetic,” Cerise joked as she sat down next to Dexter. Dexter looked up, and Cerise was startled—were those tears in his eyes? “I was only teasing,” she told him. “I’m sorry… just tell me what’s wrong. Maybe I can help.”
Dexter let out a heavy sigh. “It’s not you,” he said. “It’s this fairytale.” He waved a furry paw at the castle grounds. “I’m hexpected to be this gallant Beast. But it’s just not me. It will never be me. And it just reminds me how I’ll never be half the prince my brother, Daring, is. I’m not brave or strong or great at sports. I’m clumsy and I get scared of things and I’m better at studying than at sports! Does that sound like a fairytale prince to you?”
“I think there are all sorts of fairytale princes, and none are better than the others,” Cerise said honestly. “But I can see how it must be tough to live up to the Charming family name and reputation,” she added softly. “It’s hard to feel like you have to be something you’re not.”
“There’s a reason Daring is destined to be the Beast, and I’m not,” Dexter continued. “I can’t even howl, as you heard before.”
Cerise realized that Dexter didn’t feel at home here, either. He didn’t think he could be the Beast, just the same as Cerise didn’t think she could be Beauty. And that made Cerise feel a little better. At least she and Dexter understood each other.
“I get it, Dex,” Cerise told him. “How do you think I feel?” She stuck out her foot and showed him her fancy heels. “I mean, just look at these shoes!”
“They’re pretty,” Dexter said. “What’s so bad about them?”
“They’re pretty, yes, but do you think I can wear them when I run through the woods and pick wildberries?”
“But you’re a princess in this fairytale,” Dexter reminded her. “I’m sure someone can pick berries for you.”
“I really just want to do it myself,” Cerise said. “I want to run through the woods and pick my own berries and wildflowers. I want to chase rabbits and squirrels. I want to—”
“Okay, I get it, I get it!” Dexter laughed. “So I’m not a proper prince, and you’re not a princess. What do you think we should do? Where do we go from here?”
“I’m not sure yet,” Cerise admitted. “But wherever we’re going, I know we’re going together. Two heads are better than one and all that. Deal?” Cerise put out her hand for Dexter to shake.
“Deal,” Dexter said with a chuckle, and he awkwardly shook her hand with his paw. “I’m glad you’re here, Cerise,” Dexter said.
“And I’m glad you’re here, too,” Cerise told him. They both sat quietly for a moment.
Suddenly, Dexter’s furry face broke out in a sly grin. “I have to ask you something…” he said, pointing to the sheet tied around her. “Are bedsheets really what princesses are wearing this season?”
Cerise let out a little yelp as her hands quickly flew to her head. She had completely forgotten she was wearing a bedsheet! Dexter seemed like a fairy nice guy, and she was happy to get to know him better. But she couldn’t show him her wolf ears… she just couldn’t.
“I know I must look a little silly,” she said slowly, “but, um, I don’t feel comfortable without my hood. And this”—she gestured to the sheet—“was the best I could come up with.”
“Well, I think that’s something I can help you with,” Dexter offered. “Let’s look through your closet together. I’m sure that we can find something more comfortable for you than a bedsheet. Growing up with a princess for a sister, I know a thing or two about princess fashions,” he told her shyly.
“Thanks, Dex,” Cerise said appreciatively. “And I can help you, too. With a little practice, I’ll have you howling like a pro.”
“Really? You know how to howl?” Dexter asked.
“Sure. Listen to this.” And Cerise threw her head back and howled with all her might. Dexter was shocked—and impressed.
“Wow. A Hood who can howl—that’s not something you see every day. Where’d you learn how to do that?” he asked.
“My dad showed me,” Cerise said without thinking. “He was a champion howler.”
“A champion howler?” Dexter said dubiously.
“Yes,” Cerise said. “It was, um, a hobby of his. And I can teach you, too.” Cerise stood up and stretched. “But first, let’s have a little race. Beauty versus the Beast.”
“A race?” Dexter asked. “Why?”
“Running is great for relieving stress,” Cerise explained. Then she pointed straight ahead. She kicked off her satin heels. “Let’s race to that little clearing in the woods and back here. First one back wins. Ready, Beast?”
“Ready, Beauty!” he answered.
“On your mark… get set… GO!” And they took off. For a moment, Cerise considered slowing down a bit, but she couldn’t help herself. It just felt so good to run with all her might! When the race was over, it wasn’t even close. Cerise won!
CHAPTER 4
Acting the Part
After the race, Dexter was even more impressed. “You’re even faster out here than you are on the Track and Shield team! Where did you learn to run so fast?”
“My dad taught me about running, too,” Cerise told him. “Don’t worry, I can teach you some tricks to help you run faster. Even though a beast doesn’t really need to know how to run fast, it’s a good skill to have for when you’re back to playing bookball at Ever After High.” Cerise hexamined him carefully. “You’re using all your energy at the start. You need to learn to pace yourself, and you’ll be able to run faster and longer.”
Dexter nodded. “Pace myself. Slow down. Run faster and lon
ger. Got it.”
Next Cerise pointed at his feet. “You also need to be lighter on your feet. You weren’t running; it was more like you were pounding your way through the forest.”
“Hey! Give a beast a break! You have those little feet and I have these… fur-covered tree stumps!” Dexter said with a laugh. “It’s a little difficult for me to be light on my feet.” He sighed deeply. “I bet if Daring were here, he’d figure out a way to run lightly, even as the Beast. He’s just so good at everything. He’s handsomer, smarter, braver…”
“Dex…” Cerise said. “Just forget about Daring, okay? He’s not here. But you—Dexter Charming—are here, and you’re the Beast in this upside-down fairytale. I don’t know why we’re here, but maybe it’s my job to turn you into a spelltacular Beast. And that’s just what I am going to do. Got it?” Cerise finally paused to take a breath. Cerise had surprised herself. She never talked that much! Then she noticed that Dexter was grinning.
“Got it!” he said.
“Okay, then,” Cerise said, relaxing into her role a little more. “Lesson two: howling.” She patted her stomach. “The howl comes from the belly, not the throat. Take a deep breath first.” Both Cerise and Dexter breathed deeply. “Next, start with a growl.… Don’t try to howl all at once. Like this. Grrrrrrr.”
“Like this? Grrrrr?” Dexter asked.
“That’s better,” Cerise said. “But maybe try to think of something that makes you mad, or something that frustrates you. It’ll make you sound scarier,” Cerise said. “Like for me… it’s having to wear uncomfortable shoes instead of my boots. GRRRRRR.”
“Oh, I get it,” Dexter said. “Hmmm… like the way I feel when my nerves get the better of me and I can’t do or say what I want to do or say? GRRRRRRRRRRRRR!”
“Awesome, Dex!” Cerise cheered. “Now, try tossing back your head and howling.”
Dexter closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and growled. Then he howled. And roared! Like a beast!
“That was epic,” Cerise told him.
“Not bad, if I do say so myself,” Dexter replied with a big laugh. “I don’t think even Daring could have done better than that! Now, let’s go inside and find something better for you to wear than a bedsheet. Then we’ll get something to eat. Howling works up an appetite.”
This fairytale is actually pretty fun, Cerise thought as they walked back into the castle together.
Dexter and Cerise headed straight to her room. Dexter studied the pile of clothes that Cerise had pulled from the closet. He asked Cerise to hold up item after item so he could study each from every angle. Finally, they came upon a red velvet ball gown. Cerise’s eyes lit up. The velvet was beautiful—just the kind of thing she’d love to wear. But she didn’t see any way to make the dress into a new hood.
After looking at it for a few minutes, Dexter finally spoke. “This could work,” he announced. “I just need your help putting it together.” He looked down at his new big paws with a sad expression. Cerise knew he was worried he wouldn’t be able to do it by himself.
“Don’t worry, Dex. We can do this,” Cerise reassured him. “What do you have in mind?”
“Thanks, Cerise,” Dexter replied bashfully. “Let me show you my plan. It’s just like a puzzle. If we take a few pieces from the skirt and use that poufy sleeve for the top, we can make you a hood!” But as Dexter pointed to each piece of the dress, his new claws accidentally ripped the pretty velvet!
“Oh no! You see, Cerise? I just keep making a big mess of things.”
“Hold on, Dexter,” Cerise replied with a reassuring smile. “I think we can figure this out together. Why don’t we just draw a picture of what you want to do, so I can help? It can be like a… blueprint!”
Dexter agreed. But when he tried to hold a pen to paper, it just kept falling out of his paw. That’s when Cerise had another idea. She suggested that Dexter just use his new sharp nails to scratch his idea onto a piece of wood. And to Dexter’s surprise, it worked perfectly! Now all they had to do was cut the pieces.
Cerise was about to grab scissors when she saw that Dexter had already cut the fabric into strips using only his claws. Within just a few minutes, he had created a beautiful velvet hood. He held it out proudly.
“Ta-da! I think I did it!” he said hexcitedly as he held up his masterpiece.
Cerise looked it over in awe. “This is really cool. Way to use your claws.”
“I just needed a little practice, I guess.” Dexter blushed through his fur. “Well, what are you waiting for? Let’s see if this actually worked!”
Cerise took the hood from his paws and immediately rushed to the bathroom to try it on.
“Where are you going?” Dexter asked.
Cerise couldn’t take a chance of Dexter seeing her wolf ears, so she quickly made up an excuse.
“Oh! Er, uh, I just want to make a… grand entrance with it on so you can see the full effect,” she said with a nervous laugh.
She quickly removed the bedsheet and tried on Dexter’s homemade hood. Besides being fairy beautiful, it fit perfectly!
She walked out of the bathroom and stood in front of Dexter. “This hood is spelltacular,” she said. “What do you think?” she asked.
Dexter laughed. “Much better,” he said.
Cerise plopped down on her bed. “How did you figure this out?” she asked. “I stared at all these dresses forever after, and I couldn’t figure out a way to make a hood out of any of them. You looked at the pile for a few minutes and created hexactly what I wanted.” She touched the velvety fabric. “And it fits me perfectly,” she added. “How did you do that?”
Dexter blushed proudly. “It wasn’t so hard. You just have to fit the pieces together in the right way. It’s like putting together a MirrorPhone or solving a Crownculus puzzle,” he said. “I love solving puzzles and figuring out things. That’s my thing. I may not be the best Beast, or the best Prince Charming, but at least I am pretty good at that.”
Cerise admired her new hood in the mirror once more. “You know, this hood is really cool, maybe better than the one I have back home,” she said cheerfully. “Thanks again, Dex.”
Dexter stood next to Cerise and stared at his reflection. “You look hexcellent as Beauty, but just imagine if Raven saw me now as the Beast. She’d never go out with me again looking like this—a big, hairy, scary beast.”
“You like her a lot, don’t you?” Cerise asked.
Dexter blushed and looked at the ground. “I sort of—well, okay. I do have a big crush on her. But… I don’t know—I’m just nervous about asking her out again. I’m so awkward sometimes!” he said worriedly.
“Raven doesn’t care about stuff like that,” Cerise replied honestly. “But who cares if you’re a little shy? You should ask her out on another date if you want to.”
“You think she’d really want to go out with me again?” Dexter asked. “I’m not the most charming Prince Charming there ever was. I feel like most of the time, I get so tongue-tied around her.”
“Don’t say that,” Cerise said. “You have a great personality. And personality counts for a lot.”
“You have to say that because you’re my friend,” Dexter replied.
“No, I don’t,” Cerise said with a smile. She held her hand over her heart. “Beauty’s honor. And besides, Raven thinks you’re great, and I agree.”
“Thanks,” Dexter said, blushing.
Then Cerise’s stomach let out a huge rumble! “Oh, ha. Guess I’m getting hungry from all this hood-making. Want to grab some food? Burgers?” she suggested.
“I think we’ve both worked up an appetite, but I doubt burgers are on the castle’s menu. Knowing this fairytale, it’s going to be a little more formal that that.…” Dexter replied.
Dexter and Cerise made their way down to the kitchen. Two members of the kitchen staff were preparing for dinner. They snapped to attention the minute Dexter and Cerise entered the room. One of the servants approached the pair and bowed
deeply.
“Good evening, sir. Good evening, miss! We were just about to start cooking dinner. Is there anything in particular we can make for you?”
Cerise wasn’t used to being waited on hand and foot. She was pretty sure it was something she’d have a hard time getting used to, but she really wanted to pass her hexam, so she knew she had to play along.
“Er, uh, yes, please. I baked a wildberry pie this afternoon. Maybe we could just eat that?” Cerise said unsteadily.
“Yes, miss, right away!” the servant said with another deep bow.
Cerise and Dexter walked into the dining room, Cerise trying fairy hard not to squirm in discomfort.
“Psst,” Dexter whispered. “You can’t make that face when someone bows to you! It’s not fairy royal!”
“I can’t help it,” Cerise said. Then she took a deep breath. “Okay, maybe you’re right. I will try harder.”
After a few minutes, Sarah approached Cerise with the pie on a silver platter.
“Did you say you baked this?” Sarah asked. “The cook was wondering where this wonderful pie came from.”
Cerise smiled. “Oh thanks,” she said, blushing. “I was feeling a little homesick, so I thought I’d bake a pie. My mom loves to bake. I hope I picked up some of her baking skills.”
Another staff member walked in with a pitcher of cold milk and two silver goblets. “Your pie looks wonderful, but remember you never have to cook,” he told Cerise. “We’re here to make whatever you wish.”
He cut two generous slices of pie and served one to Cerise and the other to Dexter. Then he left the room.
Dexter clumsily picked up his delicate silver fork, and after a few messy attempts he managed to cut into his slice of pie. Making that hood for Cerise had been great practice. Dexter was finally getting used to his new beastly form.
