Switched Ever After [Ever After High]

Chapter 2: A Villainous Hero

"Raven!? Where am I?"  Apple asked, she was rather quite shocked.  Just a moment ago, she had been having a conversation with Briar Beauty about the new story that was playing at the multihex theater.  Now, here she was, in between two tall shelves of books, standing in front of Raven, who was plopped down on a magic-beanbag chair.

"Apple, I have a project for General Villainy..."  Raven didn't get to finish her explanation, because Apple squealed in delight.

"Oh Raven!  This is just spellbinding!  You're finally living up to your destiny!!"

"Jeez, calm down Apple." Raven stood up and faced her storybook protagonist.  "That's only half the reason I brought you here.  Here, read this."  She handed Apple the letter.

Apple took it graciously and began to read it.   Well, more like tried to.  She squinted at it and held it away from her face. She wouldn't admit it out loud, but she had sight problems.  Suddenly, a pair of raven-black glasses were in front of her face.  Apple looked up to see Raven handing them over to her. 

"Thanks."  Apple whispered, to which Raven replied with a wink.  Raven was the only one who knew about Apple's farsightedness.  And fortunately for Apple, Raven was fairy, fairy good at keeping secrets. 

And here was the brain twister: that was very non-evil of Raven.  Apple really was glad when Raven was nice like this, but since it meant deviating from her destiny---
Apple just didn't know what to think. 

As soon as Apple put on the glasses, the words formed perfectly on the page.  She read the letter carefully, nudging up the glasses on her face from time to time.   She finally looked up from it at Raven.  "So... Villainous Hero?  I'm not really-"

"Don't worry.  I bet with the whole destiny thing, it'll work.  I'm the daughter of the evilest villain, and your the daughter of the most heroic hero."

"So we work together?"

"Yes.  Teamwork has always worked in the past, why not now?"

Apple nodded and they both began to work on unscrambling the odd text. Hours passed, until finally Raven got so frustrated with her little piece of text that she accidentally cast a spell.  The parchment erupted in purple fire causing both girls to jump back.  Apple fanned it with the fan that she had left in her pocket from princessology class.  Raven, on the other hand, couldn't do anything because her own hand hadn't stopped flaming.  She shook it with all her might until the flame had gone out.  

By the time Raven's hand was put out, Apple had diminished the flame of the paper as well.  The daughter of Snow White picked up the paper and gasped in amazement as golden ice slowly covered the page. Raven peeked over Apple's shoulder, the sorceress's face showing her surprise as they could both read the part of the letter that was unintelligible before. 

But that's not the only thing I switched.   I switched our daughters, and by tomorrow no one will remember.  I'm sorry.  I know how much you love your daughter, I promise to take good care of Raven. 

Raven froze. Her eyes scanned the page rapidly, looking for anything notation that this letter was a joke.

And I know you'll take good care of Apple.  My dearest apologies.  Oh Grimm, it's coming back.  By tomorrow morning, it will seem as if I'm the ultimate villain, and I didn't actually do any of that.  It's this curse, darling.  My mother---I'll never me like her, cursing her own daughter.  I blessed her. 

Even if......I don't get to watch my daughter grow up.

Apple was the first to speak.  "I'm..."