Rapunzel Cuts Loose, page 13
part #4 of Grimmtastic Girls Series
Rapunzel shook her head. “Nope. It’s okay. But I do wish you’d had the guts to tell me the truth. You should work on that.” She had the satisfaction of seeing his jaw drop. She sprinted forward to catch up with her friends, who’d pulled way ahead of the boys by now. When she told them what had happened, they got even madder than she was.
“Why, that skunk!” said Snow.
“No, he’s lower than a skunk. More like a worm,” said Red.
“The slimy icky kind,” added Cinda.
Rapunzel grinned at their idea of support. “Thanks, guys. Anyway, I’ll have more fun hanging out with you at the ball.” Although her three besties were going with their crushes, she knew that the four of them would likely all wind up hanging out together more than with the guys, as usually happened.
When they reached the snack gazebos, a reporter from the Grimm News was interviewing Ms. Queenharts, who was pointing a finger at Ms. Jabberwocky. “She let out a fiery burp and melted all the snacks to smithereens!” the teacher complained.
It seemed that only the rampion ship dessert had survived the fire. Which meant that Mistress Hagscorch won the Best Snack Award by default. However, Rapunzel noted that, to her credit, Hagscorch let the other two snack creators get some of the glory, too. Not only was she letting Ms. Queenharts give all the quotes for the article that would surely be printed in this week’s News, Ms. Jabberwocky was posing for a News photographer.
Bonggg! As night fell, a gong sounded to signal that it was almost time for the Festival Ball. Seeming to have been satisfied by the attention they were getting because of the fire, all three cooks abruptly came together as a team. They rescued what treats they could, taking the least burnt ones and the rampion ship over to the big white tent where the dance would be held.
“Too bad about the ball tonight,” called Mary Mary Quite Contrary as she passed the girls on her way to the changing room. “I think it’s going to rain.”
The girls looked up to see a multitude of stars glittering in a beautiful dark blue sky. Smiles broke out on their faces. There was no rain in sight. Mary Mary was simply being contrary again!
“Things are getting back to normal,” Red said, sounding relieved that the girl wasn’t acting so weirdly cheerful anymore.
“Must be because the artifacts are back where they belong,” said Snow.
“C’mon, let’s get moving!” said Cinda. A feeling of excitement swirled around them as they all four zipped over to the temporary changing room where the GA girls’ ball gowns had been hung.
As they helped each other dress in their finery, Rapunzel finally revealed the very last secret she’d been keeping from her friends. “I’ve never told you this before, but my tower task is … Gatherer.”
With puzzled expressions on their faces, Snow, Cinda, and Red looked at each other and then back at her. “Is that supposed to be a problem?” asked Snow.
“Well, it is a task for a witch,” Rapunzel replied. “I never told you before because I wasn’t sure how you’d feel about that …” Her voice trailed off.
Red shrugged. “There are good witches as well as bad witches, right? Wolves, too. Wolfgang used to worry that he was evil just because his uncles were big and bad, but he tries very hard not to be. I figure we all have a choice about which way we go.”
Snow and Cinda nodded vigorously.
Rapunzel cocked her head, thinking about what they’d said as she put on the cute ankle-boots she’d chosen for the dance. “Ludwig chose evil,” she remarked. Then she smiled. “But if I ever turn into a witch, I think I’ll want to be a good one.”
“Of course you will,” said Cinda matter-of-factly. “No worries on that score!”
Gazing at their reflections in the mirror, Rapunzel heaved a big, happy sigh. “I think I am done with worries. For tonight, anyway.”
“Yeah, instead of worrying, we should be hurrying to that ball!” Red said. They all giggled.
In no time at all, everyone was scurrying off for the big white tent. Snow in her pale blue-green satin gown with little blue-green rosettes at the neckline that matched the gems in the tiara she wore. Cinda in her glass slippers and a frothy pink gown with poufy tulle overlaying its full skirt. Red in her white velvet gown with red piping on the sleeves, neckline, and hem. And Rapunzel in her black lacy gown and dressy-heeled ankle boots. Thanks to Snow’s urging, the gown had diamond sparkles and she even wore a band of sparkles in her hair.
The inside of the open-air tent was decorated with pink and white heart-shaped balloons and curly streamers that slowly danced around the tent near the ceiling in time to the music. There were small white tables around the edges of the tent, and the musicians were playing at one end. Large bouquets from Mary Mary’s garden sat here and there, with smaller bouquets in the center of each table.
To kick off the ball, Principal R gave a short speech. He was smiling big as he began, “First, the bad news. Although the fair was lots of fun, we didn’t make enough money to save the school.” Disappointed murmurs filled the tent. “Now the good news. What I just told you doesn’t matter because the legendary treasure of Grimmlandia has been found. And all the missing artifacts are now properly back in place in the Grimmstone Library!” Wild cheers greeted this news and he had to yell over them to be heard. “More to come on that in morning announcements next week! For now, enjoy the ball!”
Rapunzel and her friends looked at one another, pleased, but also a little doubtful. Though he’d seemed to suggest that all was well, they knew better. Sure, they’d trapped the witch and forced Ludwig back into the Dark Nothingterror … for now. But it seemed a certainty that Ms. Wicked and those other mysterious E.V.I.L. Society members would get up to more mischief in the days to come. Their threat to change the endings of fairy tales to benefit E.V.I.L. was still very real, and dangerous. Did the principal really think that the evil and good characters in the Grimm tales could happily and peaceably coexist from here on out? Not likely! Rapunzel and her friends would have to remain on guard for the safety of their school and all of Grimmlandia.
Still, tonight they would let their hearts be light. They would enjoy an evening of fun and friendship. As the principal left the podium, the four Grimm girls were the first ones onto the dance floor, whirling and twirling with one another. Soon some of the boys joined them.
There were plenty of guys to dance with. Rapunzel asked Prince Foulsmell to dance first. Perhaps because of his unfortunate name, he was often overlooked. In her opinion, though, he was adorable and sweet. From time to time, she saw Perfect dancing with various girls, all of them among the most beautiful at GA. He was one of the most handsome guys for sure. But he was far from perfect, unless it counted that he was a perfect twit. The idea made her smile.
Later in the evening, Principal R awarded Mistress Hagscorch’s Rampion Championship prize to all four girls for having saved the school from an evil plot and for finding the treasure. And Rapunzel’s tongue twister plant was voted the winning plant for the role it had played in rescuing the artifacts.
“Couldn’t have happened to a more deserving student,” Mistress Hagscorch told her with a gruff sort of fondness. She handed Rapunzel a silver cake knife and gestured toward the ship-shaped Championship dessert. “Careful now. That thing packs a surprise.” Then she backed away.
Rapunzel eyed the big ship dessert warily. Was its frosting going to explode or something? As she sliced into it, she noticed that it was all fluffy inside like cake. And it smelled yummy. It was nothing like spinach!
Then suddenly, as she sliced deeper, the big ship magically split apart into dozens and dozens of small tart-size ships. There was delight on everyone’s faces as she and her friends placed the little ships on small plates and passed them out to all. Good magic, like Hagscorch’s bewitched cookery, was so grimmtabulous!
As everyone crowded around to take a ship, Mistress Hagscorch reminded them, “Don’t forget to wish for your hearts’ desires.”
“So I can make this taste like whatever I desire?” Wolfgang asked, considering his ship. “Like if I said gym socks, that’s what it would taste like?”
“Eew!” said Red, giggling. “If that’s what your heart desires, I pity your poor heart. Or maybe I should say, your poor stomach!”
“I think it’s more about giving you a taste of something you yearn for or love,” said Rapunzel. “Like if you always wanted to be able to sing, you suddenly could, at least as long as your ship lasts.”
Cinda took a bite of hers. “Mmm. Bubble gum.”
“You wished for bubble-gum-flavored dessert?” Awesome teased her. “That’s your heart’s desire?”
Cinda grinned, nodding. “But I was remembering a bubble-blowing contest I once had with my mom before she died. It was almost like she was here beside me again.”
Hearing this, everyone got even more excited. They contemplated what they desired and then took bites of their ship-shaped desserts, telling the others what they felt or saw when their desire was realized. “When I took a bite, I felt like I was swimming in a magical underwater castle!” exclaimed Mermily.
“I had my cockleshells back,” said Mary Mary. At which point, Snow reminded her that her shells weren’t missing any longer but were safely back in the Grimmstone Library. “Rabsnackle,” said Mary Mary. “I should’ve wished for a garden of pretty maids all in a row instead.”
“Can’t decide about your heart’s desire?” Basil asked, appearing at Rapunzel’s side. He pointed to her uneaten ship.
“I already have all my heart desires,” she replied. She was thinking especially about her three BFFs and her special comb charm — a charm her parents had made especially for her. Because they’d loved her.
Basil grinned. “Then how about wishing for a dance with me?” he asked.
She grinned at him. “Deal.” She squeezed her eyes shut briefly, then popped them open and took a bite of her ship. “Done,” she said, setting her ship on a nearby table.
“How about that,” Basil said, taking the gloved hand she held out to him. “Your heart’s desire matches mine!”
As they swept out onto the dance floor, she tossed her head in an automatic gesture that she used to flip her long hair back. She was startled to remember that her hair was much shorter now. She reached up to touch it, then looked at Basil uncertainly.
“You look nice,” he assured her.
“Really?” she said. Almost all the girls at the ball wore fancy, fashionable dresses edged with satin ribbon. Colorful dresses, not black like hers. “You don’t think I look like a dead weed among flowers?” she teased. “You don’t think my hair is too short?”
“No,” he answered. “I think you look like you. Cool. Not afraid to be different. Grimmazing.”
She gave a light laugh, not taking him seriously, and angled her head to look up at him. “You know, I think I’m glad I saved you from that bully back in first grade,” she teased.
He arched a brow at her. “You didn’t really save me. I only pretended to be scared of Jack Horner that day.”
“What? Why?”
“To get your attention,” he said. Then he grinned. “Hey — I was just a kid. I didn’t know what else to do to make you notice me. But I knew I liked you the first time I saw you.” He looked away for a minute. When he looked back, she saw that his cheeks had flushed a little. “Still do,” he admitted.
As the music began to slow and then stop, they stepped apart. Rapunzel stared at him. Because she’d just realized something truly grimmtastic. She liked Basil! As in like-liked him.
“Me, too,” she told him in a soft voice.
Another song began. Rapunzel looked at him uncertainly and he looked back at her. At the same time, they both blurted, “Want to dance again?”
“Yes!” they answered at the same time. Then they laughed together. And Basil twirled her off to dance the night away among their friends.
Saving the school. Capturing the witch. Finding treasure. Getting her charm. Learning that her parents loved her. And hanging out with her BFFs. In spite of E.V.I.L., this had been one of the very best days of Rapunzel’s entire life. And that was the dilly dilly truth!
Joan Holub has authored and/or illustrated more than 130 children’s books. She lives in Raleigh, NC, and can be found at www.joanholub.com.
Suzanne Williams is the author of more than 40 books for children, including the award-winning picture book Library Lil (illustrated by Steven Kellogg). She lives outside Seattle, WA, and is online at www.suzanne-williams.com.
Together, Joan and Suzanne have written the Goddess Girls, Heroes in Training, and Grimmtastic Girls series. Though they live in different states and hardly ever get to see each other, they spend lots of time together in Grimmlandia.
Cinderella Stays Late
Red Riding Hood Gets Lost
Snow White Lucks Out
Rapunzel Cuts Loose
Copyright © 2014 by Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams
All rights reserved. Published by Scholastic Inc.
SCHOLASTIC and associated logos are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Scholastic Inc.
First printing, October 2014
Cover art by Frank Montagna
Cover design by Yaffa Jaskoll
e-ISBN 978-0-545-66284-0
All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereafter invented, without the express written permission of the publisher. For information regarding permission, write to Scholastic Inc., Attention: Permissions Department, 557 Broadway, New York, NY 10012.
Joan Holub, Rapunzel Cuts Loose
