"Squad, I have an announcement to make." Raul speaks getting everyone attention in Knight School.
Everyone stopped what they were doing and put their weapons down.
"You all know that the weather is starting to get chilly. And you know what that means.."
"Winter break?" Valt said in the crowd.
"That too, but I was talking about the most dangerous contradictory man-eaters ever to exist in these lands." Raul warns about this one dangerous creature that only come in the cold days of Astoria.
"The Great Rabbit!" He points at the magical screen showing a small white rabbit with red eyes and a tiny horn on their forehead.
"I want does fur balls to die in hell!" Ice quietly growl as he glare at the screen coldly. He loves to kill the toughest strongest creature in the kingdom but Lui... Is afraid of rabbits.
"Oh no, we have to kill Red Eye. I don't want to kill him." Valt said sadly and getting the daggers ready. He doesn't know the difference between a regular rabbit and a great rabbits because he never encountered a great rabbit.
"Wha-!? Valt no! I am not a rabbit!" Red Eye shouts as he take away Valt's daggers.
"Yes, kill him!!~ Kill him!!~" Ice encouraged Valt to kill Red Eye.
"You're not helping!! 💢" Red Eye growl at Ice angrily.
"Stop resisting, you'll only going to make things worst." Valt got some rope and going to tie up Red Eye.
"Valt stop no! Stop!!" Red Eye push Valt away from him.
"Valt, we're not killing Red Eye and eating him." Wind caught Valt in his arms and stopping him from killing his own brother.
"Booo!..." Ice was disappointed that Red Eye didn't get killed.
"Who said we're going to eat him?" Valt doesn't eat rabbits, he doesn't like killing animals. He only kill animals that don't look healthy or attacking the weak.
"Wait... You people eat rabbits." Valt made a shocking look and was ready to cry. Wind knows he f**ked up and trying to change the subject.
"No, no.... We..." He doesn't know what to say, this is the first time he was stuck in a bad situation.
"We trained them to be strong and protect us from..." Red Eye joined in to help but pause because he was also stuck.

"Witches, that curse children in the night." Wind said helping Red Eye out.
"Oh... Ok. But why a rabbit?" Val ask curiously.
"Because their..." Red Eye paused and trying to think of something.
"Look at the bird!" Ice interrupts Red Eye's explanation and point at the fence. Valt runs up to the stone fence that's protecting students from falling off the cliff. He was trying to find that bird Lui mention.
"You're welcome..." Ice 'tsk' and was very displeased. He is raising himself.
"We have to give him the talk at some point." Wind said mentioning about the birds and bees.
"I'll do it.~" Ice smile devilishly and ready to walk up to Valt.
"No..." Red Eye stopped Ice from doing that.
"He's smart he can figure life out by himself..." Red Eye has hope for Valt but really he has a lot of doubt for him.
"He's looking for a bird!" Ice was like 'are you kidding me' and making a point here.
"Nobody can be that innocent! It's impossible!..." He growls angrily.
"But we have one." Wind said pointing at Valt.
"I found it, and it's a Long-Tailed Widowbird!~ ✨" Valt points and showing his happy kitty face.
"...." Ice hates the sparkles as his eye twitch a little.
"I'm going to break him! 💢" He wants to break Valt soo much.
"Ice no!" Red Eye holding his brother back.
"Ice yes!" Ice fighting back and wants Valt to suffer in pain.
"Hm?" Valt tilts his head and confused at what's happening.
"Time to go." Wind stand next to Valt.
"But class isn't ove- Ok?" Valt was being carry on Wind's shoulder as Red Eye and Ice were fighting each other to the death and drawing everyone's attention.

The Next Day...

The Dragon Squad Rec Room was decorated in holiday theme stuff.
Shu and Lui made upsetting faces that their Rec Room look like a winter wonderland mess.
"Who could have done this!!? 💢" Lui shouts angrily. This must be a prank from the other Squads members, bet it's was Wakiya.
"I made this for Lui's heeeeaaad.~" Valt put a glittery snowflakes crown on Lui's flaming hair.
"There's your answer." Shu sigh and pout a little. Valt put a flower crown of poinsettia on Shu's head and happily giggles.
"Wait, where Free?" Shu said noticing Free's absent.
"I'm right here." Free was blending in the winter wonderland decorations because he was wearing deer ears and Christmas lights on his head.
He was the the personal Christmas deer.
"Ok guys, this is are the last day of Knight School before winter break starts!~ After class is over let's celebrate are last day together!~" Valt throws glitter out of his pocket and sprinkle it around the room.
"You carry glitter in your pockets?..." Free said with a small soft smile.
"I used to carry butterflies but..." Valt croak sadly and hide his sad face.
"Valt, a nice small party sounds nice and all but..." Shu trying to decline Valt's offer without hurting his feelings.
"It sound stupid and pointless also a waste of time." Lui didn't hold back of what he said.
"Lui!!!" Shu shouts at his selfish heartless brother.
"It's true, you were thinking about it!"
"Lui!!!💢💢"
"What Lui meant to say, we can't, sorry." Free said softening the blow from Lui's hurtful words.
"Why not..." Valt force himself to be happy.
"As the three prince of Astoria we have to attend a winter banquet with all the other royals and socialize throughout the night." Shu explain the tradition that he and his brother have to do every winter year.
"I hate socializing!" Lui hate being around people even his own family.
"Well, too bad! We do this every year!" Shu said angrily being the mom in the group.
"They do realize that they're describing a royal college party, right?" Valt thought as he made a pouty face.
"Heh... That's okay, maybe next time." He gave a fake smile and pretend he's okay with this.
"If there is a next time." Valt thought sadly and feeling like an idiot.

"Now come on, let enjoy are last day of school by attacking each other!~" Valt quickly get his equipment and head out of the Rec Room.
"You had me at attacking!~" Lui get his equipment and takes off the snowflakes crown off of his head as he follows Valt to Knight School.
"Lui is a bad influence to Valt." Shu sigh and gets his equipment.
"Aren't you coming?" He ask Free as he was waiting on the stairs.
"Give me a minute, I'll be there." Free said taking off his deer ears.
"Ok, but don't you dare sleep on us." Shu won't hesitate to scold Free if he skipped out school.
"I won't..." Free yawns seeing his brother leaving the Rec Room.

Free takes off the Christmas lights that was on his head and search for his equipment.
"Hah, there it is." He found his shield that was cover in Valt's glitter and was on the coffee table. He picks it up and dust off all the glitter.
"Done... Hm?" Free noticed a piece of paper falling off from the backside of his shield. He picks it up and turn it around.
"........."
It was a very bad drawing of Dragon Squad having a fun party. As cringe as it was Free can't help but smile.
He neatly fold the paper and put it inside his bag that was hanging on his belt. Free got his equipment ready and put on his deer ears to show some winter spirit to Valt.

Later...

Knight School was finally over and now it's winter break. Everyone went home to enjoy their break and be with their friends or family to celebrate.
Val was packing her stuff in the empty Rec Room.
"......." She was sad and really doesn't want to go home. Val loves home but she feels so out of place there. A pixie/fairy Princess that can't transform or use magic. Don't have any wings that matches with her mother and siblings. And worse of all her highly strict brother that won't stop talking about perfection.
"Valt?"
"Ahh!!! Geez, Free you scared me! Val almost got herself a heart attack.

"Sorry... Are you going home?"
"Yeah... Just need to pack some stuff before I go." Valt packed a plastic bag of plums.
"Why are you packing plums? And why do you have plums?" Free ask looking confused.
"It's for my winter treat specialty, Happy Plums!~" Valt cheered.
"..... Happy Plums?" Free ask but deep down he wants to laugh at Valt's cute innocence.
"Yes, and it's a family thing and you can't have any!" Valt pouts and finish packing. He's still upset about his party being cancel and nobody in Dragon Squad didn't want to go.
"Too bad... I wanted to try one." Free said sounding interested as Valt flinch a little.
"..... Maybe when winter break is over and I have some plums left. You can have some if you want." He said embarrassed and shy because this is the first time someone wants to try his cooking.
"That sounds nice." Free smile softly as
Val just hummed okay.
"Valt..."
"Hm?" Valt turn his head to face Free and he was very close to him.
Free gently put his hands on Valt's cheeks and give him a small peck on his right cheek where his heal visible cut is.
Valt touch his cheek and made a confused airhead look.
"What was that for??" Valt made a confused look at Free. Free's eyes widen a little and was expecting a different reaction.
"I'm giving you a protection charm.~"
"Oh, okay..." Valt was still confused.
"Anyway.. I better go, bye Free.~" He said getting all his stuff and ready to go home.
"I hope you have fun at your winter banquet!~" Valt smile and way goodbye as he lives.
"Stay safe."
"I will!"

At The Forest...

Val's outfit change from dark mysterious Knight in training to cute pink fluffy Princess. She was wearing a pink fashion woman Lapel collar fur coat dress, white long stockings with pink bows, cute pink shoespie furry rabbit snow boots, and furry winter earmuffs. Val walk passed by some snow covered logs and stop.
"I'm home.~" She cheered happily.
All the pixies/fairies come out from their little homes and happily welcome their Princesses back home.
"Little Sis!~" Aurora turn human size and hug Val.
Aurora was a royal Pixie/Fairy who has the ability to helping any lost soul find there way to Life so Life can give them a new life. And her appearance change a lot from wild tomboy to Goddess of nature, but she still have the same personality.
"Big sis!~" Val hugs back.
"I miss you soo much!~"
"I miss you too.~"
"Val.~" Queen Iris appears with a sweet calming happy expression.
"Mom!~" Val run up to her mother and hug her.
"Woah!? Your hugs are getting stronger." Iris love her daughter's strong warm hugs.
"I've been training my arms for good hugging!~"
"That's Val for ya.~" Aurora grins and snap her finger guns out.
"Yes, my little happy energetic fairy dust.~" Iris pinch Val's cheeks and treating her like a baby.
"Mom, you're embarrassing!" Val pouts and whines.
"I can't help it, you're so cute!~ So how was Princess School."
"It was great and I learned a lot of different type of tea. So many teas..." Val was half lying to her own mother. She did learn about tea but she's not attending Princess School.
"Yeah... You'll get use to it." Iris had experience and can't stand around tea.
"Well, your home." Pouf arrive home last because he's a teacher from Wizard School.
"Good to see you too, big brother." Val said politely and bow elegantly.
"I see Princess School approving your posture and greeting." Pouf said being kinda impressed but not really.
Val pouts angrily and don't say anything.
"And you're still a buzz kill." Aurora said staying up for Val.
"I keep telling you I AM NOT A BUZZ KILL!!!💢💢💢"
Aurora stick out her tongue as Pouf growls angrily.
"Hehehehe.~" Val giggles and smile, when her siblings start fighting she can't help but giggle. She doesn't know why but it's a habit she has.

Val and her family start talking and catching up. They told interesting stories about themselves but one of them was lying.
"Hm.~" Val felt a small snowflake drop on her nose.
"It's beginning to snow, we better head inside." Iris give Val a kiss on the forehead and making her feel safe. She turned into a small pixie and went inside.
"Stay safe sis." Aurora kiss her head and follow her mother inside the crystal castle.
That just leave Val alone with her big brother Pouf.
"Val..." Pouf said with a plain serious tone.
"Yeah?..." Val replied and look at her brother.
Pouf was standing close to Val as he was judging every detail about her.
"Princesses don't cut their long hair..." He gripped a small strain of Val's hair.
"Hmm!..." Val flinch and shivers but still look at her brother.
"You better go inside and stay warm." Pouf pat her head and left her alone.
"K..." Val walks out of the kingdom and heading to her tree house. She open the door and smell the wood inside the cabin.
"Awww... I miss the smell of wood.~" She lightly tap on the wall turning on glyphs that was lighting up the room.

Val close the door and put her stuff down.
"Home sweet home.~" She smile and walks around through the living room.
"Haven't change since I left." Val sit down on the sofa and dust came out.
*Cough cough* "... Dusty." She cringes and dust off the dirt that was on her.
"Nobody cleaned my house? Rude..." Val pouts and didn't plan on doing some house cleaning on break.

Hours Later...

Val clean her entire house from dusts and spider webs. She sigh and throws away spoiled and expired food from the kitchen. She also started doing her laundry and cleaning all the dishes.
Val sigh happily and swipe the sweat off of her forehead and give herself a nice deserving hot bath.
"Aaaa....~" Val relaxing her body in the warm steaming water.
"I miss this.~" She smile happily and enjoying her bath. It was hard for her to take a proper bath in Astoria. Because her home is far away and she can't take a bath in the lake because it's freaking cold for her small body.
"Now for my favorite part.~" Val excitedly open a box of Strawberry Cream Daifuku that was on her bathtub tray. There where also a hand towel, a book, a glass bottle of strawberry milk, and more snacks.
"Reading a nice interesting novel and eating snacks with my favorite drink.~" Val starts reading and eating her snacks.
As time passes by, the only sounds that Val can hear is just the bath water and turning pages from her book.
"..............." She close her book and set it down on the bathtub tray. Val sigh sadly and lowering her body down in the water as she stares at the ceiling.
"Heh... I bet they're having fun." She gave herself a sad pity smile. Val touch her short blue hair and pout.
"Not every Princess has long hair... You big fat jerk." She wants to cry so badly but she can't because Princesses and Knights don't cry. Val finished taking her bath and put on her girly pajamas.
She was wearing a cute pink plush short trousers, a oversized white and light purple striped sweater, adorable white and light blue lolita over knee striped cat paw stocking, and fingerless cat gloves.
".... Nyan!~" Val couldn't help herself and meow. Now it was time to make her special traditional winter treat, Happy Plums.
They weren't hard to make, and they were the only sweets that Val did not set on fire.
"And adding the finishing touches.~" Val added sour cream and honey in her favorite mug full of cooked sugar plums.
"Done!~" She was proud of herself and head to her bedroom to enjoy her treat with more reading.

"Books, check!~ Warm fluffy blankets, check!~ Comfortable night clothes, check!~ Dim glyphs, check!~ A mug full of Happy Plums, check!~ I'm good to go.~" Val has everything ready and makes herself comfortable in bed but realize she forgot something.
"Wait a minute... Something doesn't feel right." Val was trying to figure out what was messing.
*Gasp* "Cheesecake!" Val realized she forgot her lavender rilakkuma plushie. She quickly get out of bed and search for her purple stuffed bear.
Val looks through her bags but it wasn't there, she explored through the house but it wasn't here.
"Please be there... Please be there... Please be there..." Val goes to her Reading Room and hoping her bear will be there.
The room was full of dusty old books, scattered ripped pages, a window, and a hanging egg chair. She looks top to bottom but still no bear.
"No.... I lost Cheesecake. I must of left her back at the Rec Room or... No! Don't think that, Val! Your big brother is a selfish jerk but he's not a monster!" Val was having bad thoughts and worst scenarios playing through her head.
".........." She walk up to the window and touch the cold glass with her bare hands. Looking through the window's view of the outside seeing the snowflakes falling down from the sky covering the forest with endless white snow. The coldness of the snow remind Val of her past of being a Princess.

Little Val was scurrying around happily in her Reading Room as she was picking out books about Princesses finding their Happily Ever After.

"Settle in girls, It's story time!~" She sits down on the floor with her stuffed animals.

"There's a princess, in a tower.~ Oh my gosh, that's just like me.~
Poor Rapunzel, needs a haircut, but the witch won't set her free..~ She passes time by singing, like someone else I know!~ As years go by she sits and waits. ..." Val paused and reread her page about Rapunzel's story.

"As years go by? Uh oh... A torturous existence? I don't remember this part!
She wishes she was dead!? Skip ahead, skip ahead!" She quickly rushes through the pages to skipped all the bad parts about this story.

"But in the end Rapunzel finds a millionaire.~ The prince is good at climbing and braiding golden hair!~
So I know, he'll appear.~ Cause there are rules and there are strictures,
I believe the storybooks I read by candlelight.~ My white knight, and his steed.~ Will look just like these pictures!~ It won't be long now, I guarantee!~" Litte Val dance around with her stuffed animal being her future Prince that will save her from the bad guys and marry her.
"Day number, twenty-three." She kept counted of the days and waited for her future Prince to show up and swipe her off her feet.

"I know its today!~ I know its today!....~" Little Val happily waited for her Happily Ever After to come to her.

Years later, Val grow up to a preteen Princess and was teaching herself of the classic basics of being a perfect Princess.

"Oh here's a good one, It's a classic!~
There's a princess in a coma, glad its her instead of me..~ Pretty maiden, in a glass box. How I wonder does she breaths?" Val questioned the part of the Princess sleeping in a glass box without oxygen. She love this book but there were potholes.

"Blah blah blah, poison apple, boring boring, evil queen.. Filler filler, been there, read that! Seven shorties on the scene. Skip ahead, skip ahead.." She rash through the pages and skipping all the part she already knew.

"But in the end the princess wakes up with a start.~ The prince is good at kissing and melting Snow White's heart!~ So I know, he'll appear and his armor will be blinding!~ As shining as his perfect teeth and manly hose!~ He'll propose, on one knee~ and our prenupt will be binding!~ About time we set the wedding date!~" She can see it happening as she imagine herself wearing a beautiful white gown on her wedding day.

"Day number nine hundred and fifty-eight." Val counted again and still waiting.
"I know it's today.. He'll show up today..." She said singing through her window.

As her voice echo through the past, we  know enter to the future of were Princess Val was a teenager and attending her first year of Princess School.
She was alone in the school's secret library singing her frustrated and grief.

"Today.... There's a princess, any princess! Take your pick, they're all like me...~ Not exactly, I'm still waiting! They're all living happily...
Ever after better get here I want love in seconds flat, no one needs these middle bits!.. Oops, did I do that?..." Val accidentally ripped half a page from a book she pick out from the shelves.
Even though it was an accident, it felt right and Val wants to do it again and again until there's nothing left in this book.

"Cut the villains, cut the vamping! Cut this fairytale! Cut the peril and the pitfalls, cut the puppet and the whale!!
Cut the monsters, cut the curses
Keep the intro, cut the verses!!
And the waiting, the waiting,
the waiting, the waiting-" Val ripped all the pages one by one and throwing random books on the floor. And angrily push down a whole book shelve to the ground as she inhale and screamed.

"THE WAITING!!!! ... But I know, he'll appear.. Though I seem a bit bipolar. And I'm a vandal now as well, hope he won't mind." Val look at the mess she made and feeling sad and upset at the same time.

"I'm a find, I'm a catch~ and a very gifted bowler!~ It won't be long now, I guarantee!..~ Day number....." Val was so tired of counting and waiting. She walk up to the school's window and look at the sky.

"Are you there Atua?.. It's me Val."

"It's me Val!.." Val and her past selves sing their sorrow of waiting for someone in her life to complete her Happily Ever After.

"Now I know, he'll appear!~ Cause there are rules and there are strictures.. I believe the storybooks I read by candlelight! My white knight, my knight and his steed.~ Will look just like these pictures!~ It won't be long now, I guarantee!..~"

Day number twenty three...

Day number nine hundred and fifty-eight...

Day number eight thousands four hundred and... twenty-three..

I know its today, oooo~ I know its today, oooo~ I know its today, oooo~ I know its today, oooo~ I know its today, oooo...

"I know it's today!!!..~" Val give herself hope and waited again.

But that was just a lie...

Val grab a pair of scissor...

SNAP

Present Time...

Val touch the tips of her short hair and look back at the ice cold window.

"I'm going to bed..." She mumbles quietly and head to her bedroom. Val depressingly looked at her bed and flop on it miserably. She crawls around and get inside her warm blankets and lay her head on her pillow.
"I lost my appetite too..." Val pulls the covers over her and stay in there until she stop crying.

Back at Astoria, the castle was pack of royalty. They were talking and greeting each other as they dance the night away.
King Zac was greeting his guests and being the center of attention. Shu was politely talking to the Princesses who wants to dance with him. Lui was not having a good time and being a demon about it. And Free...
He was standing outside of the ballroom's balcony and looking at the night sky. Free puff out warm white air from the cold and was holding a mug full of cooked sugar plums.

"There you are, Free. And how many times do I have to tell you, wear a sweater if you're going outside." A girl with dark pink long hair said putting a sweater on Free and pouting a little.

"I know... Hey Kris." Free was grateful for the sweater because he was feeling a bit cold.
"Yes?" She replied.
"How do you know..."

"........." Val heard a small noise, she turn to her side and noticed that her mug of Happy Plums was replaced by a lavender bear holding a small plate of icebox berry cake and a card saying, 'Don't be sad, because I am here!~'
"?.." Val sits up as she rubs her tired eyes and look at Cheesecake who was holding a cake for her.
Cheesecake was trying to cheer up Val because Cheesecake doesn't like it when Val is sad.

"That you're in love?"