The Grand Marching Gala was next week and Vahl had called all her friends to help with the preparations, except for Nichole Price, as she and the Pride of Newark were part of the entertainment anyway. Alyssa was to be in charge of the food, Madisyn was to bring her songbirds, Cwryen Caster was to decorate and Tatum was to make everybody's dresses.

The four approached the palace gate and were let through, as the guards already knew them. Instead of Vahl they were greeted by her brother.

"Hello, girls," Mirrak Mora said. "We're so glad you could make it. Vahl and the others are already having dinner. They asked me to escort you."

Alyssa sighed in relief. "Thank goodness! I'm starved!"

Cwryen Caster bounced down the hallway. "I love having dinner with the prince and princesses!"

"You love having dinner with anybody, darling," Tatum chuckled.

In the dining hall, Auer sat at the head of the table, Vahl and Boise on her right, Harleen and Anna on her left. When she saw her friends, the Dark Elf forgot her manners for a moment, leaping out of her seat and attacking them with a hug.

"I'm so happy you're here!" she exclaimed. "I haven't seen you guys in weeks!"

"We're happy to be here," Alyssa declared. "Now how 'bout we chow down?!"

As they ate, the friends caught up with one another. Vahl told them about the new spells she had learned, Tatum talked about the dresses she had in mind for the Gala, Alyssa asked if the orphans could be invited to the event, and Cwryen babbled on about pudding. Madisyn politely listened to the conversations and nodded when necessary. Then Mirrak Mora and Anna had big news.

"Should I tell them?" the vampire asked her husband.

"I think you have the right," he replied with a wink.

She smiled at all of them. "We're having a baby!"

Everybody gasped.

"Wait a second!" Cwryen cried. Then she took a sip of water and spat it out. "You're having a baby?! Congratulations! I get to play with it, right?"

Anna laughed. "Of course, Cwryen."

Vahl clapped. "Yes! I'm going to be an aunt!"

"When are you due?" Tatum asked.

"7 months," answered Mirrak Mora.

"How wonderful," Madisyn complimented, speaking for the first time that evening.

"This calls for a toast!" Auer announced. He lifted his goblet. "Here's to the new prince or princess!"

The others lifted their goblets and cheered in agreement.

"Wait," Boise paused. "I'm not gonna be the one to change its diaper, am I?"

Everybody laughed. Madisyn only smiled softly. She was truly happy for the young couple, but for some reason, that happiness could not be reflected. Alyssa was the only one who noticed Madisyn's depression and stopped laughing. Her friend had been this way for quite a while now. While she engaged in social activities as much as possible, she never seemed to take pleasure in them. It bothered the cowgirl and she was determined to find out what was going on.

The next day, preparations for the Grand Marching Gala began. Cwryen Caster brought her party cannon into the ballroom and fired balloons and confetti all over the place. Prince Auer was sure the Gala was going to be less boring this year. Tatum called the girls in one by one to take measurements and ask their opinion on their dresses, though they knew to trust the human's vision and to not make too many suggestions.

After gathering food supplies from the market, Alyssa decided to take a stroll in the garden. She would not have to make the food until the day before the event, so she had some time to herself. She followed a melodic sound and encountered Madisyn conducting her bird chorus. She stopped them in the middle of a song.

"No, it's more like..." she sang a few notes in that sweet voice of hers. "Understand?"

"Howdy, Maddie!" Alyssa said in a voice loud enough to startle the birds. The human beamed apologetically. "Oops, sorry."

The marcher sighed and gave a small smile. "It's okay. We were about to take a break anyway."

Alyssa studied her face carefully. "Is somethin' wrong, Sugar Cube?"

"What? Oh no, nothing is wrong."

She wasn't convinced by her tone. "Madisyn, I'm gonna be honest with you. You've seemed to be down in the dumps as of late. You know I can't remember the last time I've seen you smile? I mean really smile, like you meant it?"

Madisyn paused and turned away. "It's nothing, really."

Alyssa took a deep breath. "It's those nightmares, isn't it? You're still havin' them, aren't ya?"

The marcher jumped to the ground and hid her face shamefully. Her friend put an assuring hand on her back.

"Sugar Cube," she said slowly, "it's been three years. Loki's long gone. You got nothin' to fear anymore. You gotta let it go."

She sniffed. "I know, but the nightmares just won't go away, even when I'm not asleep! It's like everywhere I turn, he's there, watching, waiting to...to...I don't know! Take me away or something! I just...I can't..."

Then she started to cry. Alyssa stroked her hair in comfort.

"Hey, it's okay. It's all in your imagination. Loki's not comin' back and he certainly isn't gonna take you away."

Neither of them knew, but in a cave far away, their old enemy was watching the scene in a mirror. He could not help but laugh.

"It's just too amusing!" he exclaimed. "Oh, the dramatic irony of it all! Ooh, imagine the looks on their faces when I appear out of the blue after all this time!"

The image in the mirror faded and only his reflection was visible.

"And why have we been hiding all these years?" his image mocked.

"So we can lead those naïve humans into a false sense of security, so that when we strike it'll be a surprise! Based on their moods now, I'd say the time has come! They all think I'm gone for good!"

"Except for that wimpy marcher."

"Oh, who cares? Nobody listens to her anyway." He chuckled. "Oh, that human is in for quite a fright."

"Exactly what's the plan this time? Turning them into their opposites again?"

"Oh yeah, cuz that worked out so well! No, we can't do something that can be undone. We'll have to make a more...permanent change." He tapped his chin with his hand.

"The problem is those Elements of Pride," his reflection said. "As long as they are willing to use them, we are not safe."

His eyes widened as an idea hit him. "Yes, but what if they weren't willing to use them?"

The reflection smiled evilly. "Ooh, I like the sound of that! So what's the plan?"

"I'll tell ya later. Those humans are in for the surprise of their lives!"

He broke into a roar of maniacal laughter, which echoed throughout the cave. He then glanced around at the emptiness of his lair.

"You know? I've really got to stop talking to myself."

The Gala was only a day away when Boise coughed up a message for Prince Auer.

"There is a crisis in Cleveland," he announced to the other princesses after reading the parchment.

"What sort of crisis?" Harley asked.

"It lacks detail, but it says they need you,  Anna and I to come to their aid."

"Why not me?" Vahl questioned.

"That's what it says. Even if they requested all of us, one of us will have to stay behind."

"But you can't all leave right now! What about the Gala?"

"We must leave immediately. You will be in charge of everything, Vahl, including the Grand Marching Gala."

The young elf froze. "M-me? Rule Ohio? Run the Gala? By myself?"

Auer nodded. "You will have your friends and brother to help you, of course, but yes. Until we return, all royal duties will be appointed to you."

"But...I haven't even been a princess for a year yet and now you want me to run the kingdom by myself? Do you think I'm ready?"

The tall high elf lifted her chin with his hand. "I do."

When the others heard about this, they panicked.

"You mean they're not going to attend the Gala?" Tatum exclaimed. "Oh, and I made them those three dresses for nothing!"

"We're doing this all by ourselves?" Madisyn asked worryingly.

"Aw, we've thrown big parties before," Cwryen said cheerfully. "It'll be no sweat."

"But something as big as the Grand Marching Gala? It seems like a performance. Oh, I think I'm going to..."

Alyssa caught her before she hit the floor.

"I'm nervous too," Vahl declared. "But don't worry, girls. I know we can pull this off if we work together!"

This lifted everybody's spirits and they cheered. Well, everybody but Madisyn, who uttered a half-hearted, "Yay."

"Well, what are we waiting for?" said Tatum. "We have a gala to prepare!"

"I'll go get my birds to practice."

Her four friends watched in confusion as the marcher walked sadly off.

"What's wrong with Madisyn?" Cwryen Caster wondered. "The Grand Marching Gala's tomorrow! She should be happy! Why isn't she happy?"

"You know how she is with social events," Tatum said.

"But I've never seen her like this before," Vahl noted.

"It's the nightmares again," Alyssa explained. "They seem to be gettin' worse."

The elf's face filled with concern. "How long has she been like this?"

"A while. I can't remember the last time I saw her smile."

Cwryen pondered. "You know what? Neither can I! I mean when she does give a smile, it looks forced."

"You know she's been getting invitations from an enormous array of men?" Tatum mentioned. "But she rejects all of them! I simply cannot understand it! If I received that much attention, I would bask in it!"

"You say she's having nightmares?" Vahl asked. "Do you mean the ones involving...?"

She didn't need to finish. "Exactly. She can't seem to get that monster out o' her mind."

"But he's been gone for three years!" Tatum reminded them. "What is she afraid of?"

"We gotta find a way to turn her frown upside-down!" Cwryen declared. "But how?"

They all thought for a moment. Then Tatum's face lit up.

"What she needs is a social boost! She should do more at the Gala tomorrow night than conduct the bird choir! She should sing a song!"

"You're right!" Cwryen agreed. "She has an amazing voice, but she doesn't show it off. This could be her chance!"

"What about her stage fright?" Alyssa questioned.

"Oh please," Tatum huffed. "It's high time she got over it."

"I suppose she could sing," Vahl said. "We'll have to ask her first."

Madisyn was reluctant in the beginning, but then decided it would be something to take her mind off of everything and accepted. Besides, she was much more afraid of her nightmares coming true than performing onstage.

The posh humans were astonished when they entered the castle the next evening. The ballroom was decorated like a six-year-old's birthday party, the table was covered in 'peasant' baked goods, the orchestra was playing the Human Pokey and Princess Vahl was greeting the guests instead of Auer. She of course only did this for the first few minutes and then left to mingle. The scene was also lively due to the presence of the Columbus orphans. The Columbus elite were shocked at first, but soon settled into the rusticity of it all. They had to admit, the Gala was a lot more entertaining this year.

Cwryen Caster was in the middle of a song when she suddenly cried, "NICHOLE PRICE!"

The Pride of Newark had just entered the ballroom and Nichole Price was tackled by the enthusiastic human.

"I'm so glad you're here!" Cwryen shrieked.

The tan marcher wrapped a arm around her and laughed. "Good to see you too, Cwryen."

She was then met with Vahl and Alyssa, both of which offered her a hug.

"Hey, where are Tatum and Madisyn?" she asked, glancing around.

"Madisyn's practicing her song and Tatum went to pick up the Cutie Mark Crusaders from the train station," Alyssa explained with a chuckle. "Though, they're not exactly the Cutie Mark Crusaders anymore."

"Whoa, whoa. Back up. Madisyn's practicing what now?"

"She's singing a song tonight," answered Vahl.

Nichole looked at her in disbelief. "Madisyn. Onstage?"

"We thought it would be a good confidence boost for her."

"And what was that you said about the CMC?"

Alyssa was about to reply when a young voice cried, "Nichole Price!"

It belonged to Lydia, who was racing towards her role model. Nichole greeted her adopted sister with a hug.

"I missed ya, Lid! Let's have a look at ya. Wow, you've grown, kid. And..." She paused. "Is that...?"

Lydia lifted her skirt to reveal a picture of a one-handed sword  on her leg. "Can you believe it? I finally earned my cutie mark!"

Nichole and Vahl gasped. Alyssa smirked. "Tried to tell ya."

"Congrats, kiddo!" The older marcher rubbed her brown hair playfully. "I always knew you had slick moves with that sword!"

"I know!" Lydia exclaimed. "How could I not have known that was my special talent?!"

Then Tatum approached with Snow White and Regina Mills who, like Lydia, were dressed elegantly. Regina Mills wore a glittering black dress and had switched her black bow with a sparkling white one. Snow White wore glass slippers to match her white dress with translucent trimming. Lydia's hair was long and wild and her dress had a magnificent blend of silver and gold.

"Wow," Vahl marveled. "You girls look beautiful! Did you make them those dresses, Tatum?"

"Would you believe it?" Tatum replied. "Dear Regina Mills here came up with the designs!"

"Really?" Alyssa said.

"Yeah!" her sister exclaimed. "And guess what appeared yesterday?"

She lifted her skirt, making Alyssa gawk at her cutie mark. It was an apple being painted red by a brush.

"Why...why didn't you tell me? I knew Lydia and Snow White...I was worried you..."

"I wanted it to be a surprise! I was so good at designin' dresses I thought I could use my designin' skills to repaint the clubhouse! When I was done, this thing appeared!"

Alyssa sniffed and hugged her little sister. "My little Regina Mills has finally blossomed!"

"But you said Snow White had her cutie mark too," Vahl said.

"I do!" the little princess piped as she revealed her leg.

Snow White's cutie mark was a red musical note singing to a blue bird. Vahl did not need to ask what her talent was.

"I always knew you had a lovely singing voice."

"I got it at the talent show," Snow White explained. "We were doing a stand-up comedy act, but nobody was laughing."

"Then Snow White started singing," Lydia interjected, "and we joined in."

"When everybody clapped, I realized that not only do I love singing, but I'm very good at it! Then I got my cutie mark!"

"And we won!" Regina Mills added.

"You three sure have come a long way," Nichole noted.

"We all have," said Vahl.

Neither of them noticed the tan God listening from afar. His ears were hidden under his top hat, the only things that would not change, along with his blue eyes. He smiled to himself at the elf's statement.

"We have indeed, Vahl Dragonborn, including me."