Author's Note: There will be fourteen parts in total, very short ones (like 4 chapters each) so enjoy! Let me know what you think about character design, character interaction, and any critique on the story in general. Thank you! **Story belongs to me, characters do, to an extent**

Part 1: Snow White—Chapter 1

The familiar autumn chill crept inside Snow White's navy hoodie and ran an icy finger down her spine, causing her to shiver as she waited for her friends on the front steps of DSNEY Comprehensive High School. While trying not to get pushed into the bushes by eager students, she looked around expectantly for Cinderella and Belle. While Ella was usually punctual, Belle was known to get distracted easily, especially by the updated book display near the library. The funny thing was Belle updated it.

As Snow waited impatiently, the junior pulled out her silver pocket mirror and flipped it open to see how she was fairing on that particular Friday afternoon. Gym class with Mr. Gaston was torture, as always, but the situation was made worse by missing her alarm and skipping her daily shower. She was hesitant to take a glance, after all ignorance is bliss as one of her foster fathers' Happy said, but she hoped the issue might be fixable.

It wasn't easy to adjusting to a new foster home, her fourth to be exact, especially since this one already had five children under the age of twelve, but Snow managed. She'd already accepted her daily showers might have to be in the school's shower room, disgusting as it was. The girl was just thankful she was allowed to stay at DSNEY, even though it was quite far from her new house. At least she had her friends, something that over the last three years was the only constant in her life.

Snow shot a glance in the mirror and gave a disgruntled groan. Her ruby lips were looking closer to pink, mainly because she sweated off the lip gloss, her signature inky bob had pieces sticking up in the air, and low and behold, purplish rings acted as eye shadow under her eyes. Well, at least her skin was still the typical white, although with those rings she looked sickly more than anything. As she analyzed her features, she caught a glance at her bushy eyebrows, her most hated feature. There was nothing elegant about them, and that was enough to anger the graceful girl, but she mainly disliked them for reminding her of her father. She snapped the mirror shut and shoved it in her duffle bag. She looked too much like the old man for her own good.

Hoping the girls were close by, Snow looked around the nearly deserted grounds for her friends. Megara, or Meg as was known by her friends, breezed past the junior, nearly sending her flying into one of the prickly cactus plants. Feeling particularly bold, Snow flipped the grunge girl the bird. Instead of getting a rise out of her, Snow received an uninterested glance. Well, at least she tried.

Finally, Snow caught sight of her fellow classmates. As expected, Belle had her nose stuck in a book. A fairy tale it seemed, but a book nevertheless. She usually didn't change out of her gym clothes since it was her last period, so Snow wasn't surprised to see her mocha curls pulled back in a ponytail and her clothing visibly dripping in sweat. Cinderella seemed to be better, probably because she had choral as her last period and one hardly worked up a sweat in that. She donned a knitted sweater and acid wash jeans, seeming comfortable. Well, as much as one could in thrift store clothing. Snow had enough of those in her closet to know.

"Hey guys! Want to go to 'Daisy's' for a shake?" She called. The girls saw Snow and went over to say hello.

When she was close enough, Belle shook her head regrettably. She opened her mouth to say something, but a honking horn interrupted her. The bookworm glanced over her shoulder and waved to Milo in his parent's van.

"I'd love to, but I've got plans. Milo and I are going to the library to grab some books for History then we're off to my place with Quasi to study," Belle explained.

Snow raised a confused eyebrow. "How can you have a test coming up when school just started Monday?"

Belle shrugged then jumped off the last step, her bulky book bag bumping against her thigh. "That's Ratcliffe for you. Just wait till you get him for History 30. I'll see you Monday!" With that, Belle waved farewell then disappeared in Milo's van.

Shaking her head, Snow looked to Ella for an answer. The senior gave her an apologetic smile, causing the lady to groan. "Don't tell me you're busy too!"

"Sorry Snow, you know I would, but if I'm late for work my boss will kill me. And you know I can't be late on rent." Snow did know this. The last thing she wanted was the orphan out on the streets. Although Ella did know that if it ever came to that, Snow would gladly take her into the Dwarf residence. If she stayed with them long enough that is.

The disappointed youth sighed. "Fine, leave me to wallow in boredom for your tedious waitressing job!" She exclaimed, throwing her hands up in the air to add a dramatic flair.

Ella chuckled and shook her head as she too walked down the steps. "If I recall correctly, you have a counselling appointment in ten minutes. So really, you're just trying to get out of it like you have been all week." The senior blew her friend a farewell kiss as the wind played with her burnt orange locks.

"Get going or you'll be late!" She shouted then jogged to the bus stop just as the number twelve pulled up.

Now alone, Snow pouted. She suspected something like this would happen. She should have known karma would catch up with her and she'd be forced to go to Ms. Faria-Godmater's office for the dreaded appointment.

If she didn't go, the Dwarf brothers wouldn't be pleased. She knew the seven brothers, as her foster parents, were doing what they thought was best for her, but she was tired of people telling her what to do. She didn't want to be told she was "emotionally unstable" and needed "intense therapy". If they lived through what she had, they wouldn't be surprised she turned out as . . . out there, as she had. Then again, shattering a dinner plate hadn't helped her "I don't need counselling" case.

Snow just didn't see the point in wasting Ms. Faria's time on what she had been labelled as "a lost cause". At sixteen and three-quarters, she was already labelled unfixable, so why bother talking with someone who couldn't change her past or how she felt about it? If the system failed her eight years ago, it wasn't going to fix her now.

Deciding to save herself and the counselor's time, instead of going inside the school, she skipped down the stairs to the back entrance of the theatre. She hadn't visited her old stomping grounds since the beginning of summer, and she was eager to see how the stage was fairing without her. Soon enough though, she would join it. She just has to wait till the sign-up sheets were posted.

Although DSNEY was made in the early 1930s, it was surprisingly modern. Well, after the countless updates over the decades, that was to be expected. The outside was still firm brick, giving the building a renaissance feel, but indoors it was more modern. The lockers were sleek grey metal, the walls pale blues and creams, and the linoleum floor, having just been replaced the year before, had yet to start peeling in the heat. That might be because of the newly installed air conditioning, but Snow didn't mind, especially since it ran full blast in the theatre during practice.

Another thing Snow particularly liked about her school was Professor Scar, the drama and choral director. His controlling nature meant he ran a tight, efficient ship with Snow enjoyed. She hated disorder of any kind, and she just knew that if she landed the lead in the next two fall productions, Prof. Scar would write her an exemplarity reference letter, landing her into her dream acting school. If only senior year would come quicker!

DSNEY theatre was shaped like a cone. The ceiling had a defiant point that made it difficult for the lighting and sounds director, a senior by the name of Shenzi, but the girl managed. The stage was raised off the ground with red velvet seats surrounding the stage from all angles. It made scene changes difficult, but the audience always felt more connected to the story. At least, that was what Snow was told when she asked about the design her first day in Scar's Drama 9 class.

Snow walked into her silent arena and turned on the lights, white washing the theatre. She looked to the sound booth, half expecting Shenzi to be there necking with her boyfriend Ed. That boy couldn't keep his hands to himself and Scar had to kick him out of the "lion's den" as he called the booth, many times. She dumped her duffel bag beside one of the three staircases leading to the wide stage and exhaled deeply.

'Home.'

If she didn't want to face the Dwarf brothers' wrath right away, she had to stay in the theatre for at least an hour, since that was how long the appointment was supposed to be. So, the young lady decided she could use the time to do something useful, like practice her monologue for the upcoming auditions. Stretching, even if she wasn't going to be moving a lot, was important. Snow White leaned forward and stretched her back, but she quickly realized the bulky sweater wasn't helping matters and so she tossed it off the stage, revealing a sunflower yellow tank top with large, white stars speckling the fabric. Her favourite necklace, the one with an apple charm dangling from it, got caught in her hair and after fixing that, she got back to work.

Once she was limbered up, Snow pulled a piece of paper from her back pocket and smoothed the wrinkled surface. One of her favourite Greek myths was the one about Icarus, and although there were no great plays about it, at least none that she heard of, she found a poem about him on the internet a week ago. Although it was a little unorthodox, she knew Prof. Scar would put up with it, for she had earned the right to go off script after her "dazzling" (his words) performance as Juliet her sophomore year.

Snow cleared her throat then began.

"Papa, I tried. I wanted to listen to your warnings, to pay attention to your words of wisdom as Mama told me to, but I think you've forgotten that I am not a wary lad. You can give me wings and look, I will fly with the best of them! I can match the gulls and pelicans that dive for sustenance. Look Papa, look!" She stretched her arm, pointing to the ceiling, "Look at what you taught me! If I am a bird, you are too, but what if I fall? What if I turn into a fish before your eyes? Will the sun bake me as a tumble from my perch? Will you follow my lead, as I have always followed yours?" Her arm dropped to her side. "Oh Papa, look what I have done," her voice cracked. "I couldn't even turn into a fish to save you. Water burns as badly as the sun, but I wish it didn't so I could tell you how sorry I am. I'm sorry Papa, I'm sorry."

Snow's father stood to stage left. He stared at her with the darkest of eyes, his hideous brows mocking her as the smell of whiskey overpowered her. She shook her head, and the mirage was gone.

Slow, impressed clapping caught her attention. Snow whipped her head around and realized there was a boy in the far back row making the noise. Having been caught, he stood and made his way to her. As he came closer to the light, she recognized him as Ferdinand Amsel, a senior student at DSNEY who presented to her Drama 10 class the semester before. He was good, "a true talent", as Prof. Scar called him, but she never saw him perform in the fall productions. She wondered why he was there now, of all times, and she suddenly felt exposed, like she forgot to put on pants that day.

Ferdinand climbed on stage; his claps were merely echoes now, and he smiled at her. His skin was almost as pale as hers, but his hair, like melted molasses, radiated under the stage lighting. She caught sight of his trademark suspenders, white with red hearts on them, dangling at his sides. His black t-shirt had a white bowtie stamped on under his neck, giving her the impression he might attempt to be professional at some point in his life. She realized they were staring at each other and quickly looked away, staring at her penny loafers.

"Impressive. You've gotten better since last fall. Although, might I recommend instead of facing just center stage, you turn slightly to the right, like you're actually talking to your father? Perhaps that will get the point across," he suggested. Although there was no malice in his words or scribbled on his disgustingly handsome face, she still felt attacked. Embarrassed too, but mainly attacked. Acting was her life, and although she knew she'd have to get used to critique, that didn't mean she had to like it.

So instead of addressing his suggestion, she focused on the first half of his speech. "You went to last year's production?"

Ferdinand nodded. "Yes, I go to them every year. Although I'm usually in the back row so I doubt you would have spotted me," he winked, causing her to blush.

Snow shook her head and crossed her arms. "No, I doubt I would have." For a moment she said nothing. Her level of anxiety was growing by the millisecond and all she wanted to do was run, but he was blocking the staircase that her bag was beside and she'd be damned if she left her homework here overnight.

"So if you're such an amazing actor as Scar says, why don't you audition?"

He blinked, seeming shocked by her question. Apparently no one ever thought to inquire about that. The young man shrugged. "I never considered it, to be honest. I've been working with 'Minnie's Acting Company' for over nine years now so I get my theatre fill there. I'm sure Scar would love to have me though, show me off in front of all his big wig colleagues trying to impress them with his "big city talent"."

Snow snorted unwillingly. "That does sound like him. For someone who's never acted with him, you know him pretty well," she commented.

Ferdinand chuckled. "I'm a good judge of character. Got that from my father." At the mention of fathers, Snow gasped.

"Crap, I've got to go! The Dwarfs think I'm a counselling and by the time I catch the bus I'll barely be home in time for dinner." Snow side stepped Ferdinand and rushed down the stairs, grabbing her bag as soon as her feet touched the ground.

"I could give you a ride!" Ferdinand offered just as she reached the door.

Snow quirked an eyebrow at the offer. "Uh, thanks, but I was always told not to go in cars with strangers, and the last time I broke that rule, I got hell." She gave a quick wave. "Thanks though. Goodbye!" Snow slammed the door shut behind her and booked it across the street to catch the bus. It wasn't until she was on the bus that she realized she forgot her script. She didn't dare go back and grab it though. Strangers in theatres were not to be trusted, even ones as dapper as Ferdinand.

I hope you enjoyed it! Updates will be coming! Review please :)