Not so happily ever after after all....

"That's not exactly what I meant...but what are you planning to do, anyways?" Belle said, with a slight wince.

"Find Gretel. Make up for my mistakes." "Possibly get killed in the process."

"Alone?! But you could get hurt, or killed or something..."

"So?"

Belle sighed. "How many more people need to die?" After a few seconds of thought, she offered, "At least...let me come with you."

Chip's ears perked at the tidbits of the hushed conversation he was hearing.

Stunned, Hansel stared at Belle in silence.

"I know, this is possibly the worst move I've ever made...and probably ever will make," Belle said rather quickly, turning a little red under his stare. "But someone's got to make sure that you stay out of as much trouble as possible. Because, against my better judgment, I actually kind of care about you." ((Belle...what are you doing?!))

Chip froze. Both of them were planning to leave? Should he let them go, or call them out? Well, it was partially his fault that Gretel was out there after all...but he couldn't leave the main group...so maybe the least he could do was let them go?

Hansel smiled "That's very sweet of you."

"I've heard that about a million times," Belle muttered. She was feeling a little embarrassed at this moment.

"Really?"

"Well..." she sighed. "Just tell me when we're planning to break off from the group."

"Alright."

"Thanks, by the way," she added. "Most people wouldn't let some girl come along with them on something like this."

Red, tired of waiting for the others, had headed inside. Maybe she would loose them In here. Or maybe she would find what she was looking for, and have a good reason to disappear for awhile. If there was one thing she had learned from Belle, it was that people listened to what former princess were saying.

Hansel laughed quietly to himself
"Looks like Red's getting a little impatient." he said as he followed her into the tavern.

"Oh no," Belle said, running past Hansel to Red. Chip and Carehm followed them in. Belle finally found her in the crowd and pulled her aside.

"You should have let us know where you were going!" Belle scolded. "I'm sorry if we held you up, but you shouldn't have gone on your own!"

Red tried really hard not to roll her eyes. She really did.
"Oh, please Belle. I go here all the time, and I know what I'm looking for. I'm perfectly safe."

'What kind of young girl comes to a place like this all the time?!' Belle thought.

"It doesn't matter. You need to warn us next time you're going to take off like that."

((Hahahahaha. ))

Hansel stood quietly behind them.

((Hansel stood __________(adj.) behind them. lololol. Fill in the blank.))

((Doesn't really want to...? ))

Chip crossed his arms. Girls could be so weird...

"Would you even acknowledge it? I think everyone else would be to busy listening to you to hear, and you have too much to say to let me talk."

"ouch." Hansel mumbled, bracing himself for the incoming catfight.

"Maybe if you'd stop running off and being bitter about everyone else not listening to you, we'd be able to hear you," Belle snapped back. She began to regret her words a little.

Chip stiffened a little. Gosh! When had she gotten so bitter?

"Maybe if I was the pretty princess, People would listen to me! Belle, you've known me, for what, a day? I learned my lessons about straying away from the group when I was ten, and I was nearly eaten. I know where I'm safe, And I know when people care about what I have to say, and I know that more people would cry if you were eaten by a wolf than me! I can just here it now: 'Oh, poor Red, she appears to have been fatally stabbed, how sad. Well, at least if wasn't our beloved Belle. She hasn't helped us get shelter or find out where we'd need to go next, but she makes us all so happy!" Red turned around abruptly, so no one would see she was crying.

"Nooo, spoon! Why does Cupcake hate you so much?!" Ivan said to the spoon in his hand. He pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket, and unfolded it into a large and complicated diagram (which was covered in crossed out words and lines leading all over the page) setting it on the counter. He proceeded to edit part of it and scrutinize the whole picture... before passing out on top of it.
The man next to him peered cautiously over his drink. "How much has he had?"
The bartender chuckled. "Nothing..."