Marlene in Weird-o-land!
By: Machii
Original Story Idea by: Lindsay Snider & Machii
Prologue: My World Would be a Wonderland!
It was a familiar scene to see. There was broken stained glass windows, white sheets about the floor, and a little group of flowers centered right in the middle of everything. An early 20's black-haired, brown-eyed girl walked in first, followed by a young borwn-haired, brown-eyed girl holding hands with a beige umm... thing with a red ball hanging as it's antennae. Yeah...
"C'mon Marlene!" the older woman called.
"I'm coming! I'm coming!" called the girl.
They placed themselves right in the center of the flowers, the older woman sitting in front of the little Marlene and her ummm... Moogle-thing that rested in her lap.
"Now, before we start, let's remember that your father got that Moogle for you to play with after class. So, for now, you have to be good with it, ok?"
"Ok Tifa." Marlene responded, placing her Moogle in her lap. Tifa smiled.
"Good. Ok. Let's start." Tifa said, opening her book. "Let's start at Chapter 4 of 'Midgar: A History' Ok?" Marlene shugged.
"Whatever." she said, not particularly caring and playing with her Moogle's antennae.
"Alright then. Ahem... Chapter 4: Evloution of Materia. Midgar had a particularly interesting History regarding it's Materia." Tifa said, reading the book. "The levels of Materia have evolved very much during the years. As they do..."
Marlene began to drown out Tifa. She became extremely good doing that during her weeks (that seemed like years) of being taught by Tifa. It was her Father's idea instead of sending her to crowded public schools. Plus, he said it would give a chance for Tifa and Marlene to get to know each other. But, there Marlene sat in her dark blue jean skirt and jade green short-sleeved 'peasant' style shirt with hints of pink and pink flat shoes, playing still with the Moogle's antennae. She had indeed evolved into a beautiful girl. Reaching the tender age of 11, where everything was critical.
Marlene stared into the distance, sighing. She was BORED! Who cared about learning about the history of Materia or whatever the hell it was. She started picking at the flowers, gathing some into a bunch. She'd break off the steams, separating them from the tops of the white daisy's.
Once all of the flowers were separated, Marlene gently began lacing the flower heads together, measuring around her Moogle's head every once in a while. She giggled a little as she did because every once in a while, her Moogle would get this kind of annoyed look on it's face like it was saying:
"What the hell are you doing to me, you crazy human girl?" This only made Marlene giggle more.
Eventually, Marlene was laughing to herself so much, that she noted that Tifa had stopped reading.
"MARLENE!" Tifa shouted. Marlene gasped and looked up to Tifa.
"Huh...?" she asked. Tifa got her own annoyed look on her face.
"Marlene, what was the last thing you heard me say?" Tifa asked.
"Umm..." Marlene thought. "Eehh..." she gasped sharply.
"What?" Tifa said.
"Chapter 4?" Marlene responded. Tifa sighed heveily.
"Why don't you pay attention to your History lesson for once?" Tifa asked.
"How can I possibly pay attention to a book with no pictures?" Marlene shot back.
"Dear Marlene. There are to many good books in the world without pictures." Tifa snapped. Marlene looked away, discouraged. Tifa sighed again. "Why don't we take a break?" she said, closing the book and standing up.
"Whatever." Marlene responded, pushing herself up.
Marlene lead her Moogle to another area of the church. As she walked, she continued with the lacing of the flowers together, and eventually, clasp them together. She laughed as she placed the 'flower crown' on the Moogle's head. The Moogle wasn't very pleased. Then, Marlene reflected on what Tifa had said.
"Dear Marlene. There are to many good books in the world without pictures." Marlene said, mockingly. "Maybe in this world. But, in my world, the books would be nothing but pictures. And that's the way it goes!" she said, sure of herself, placing her hands on he hips. Almost immediately, she heard the voice of Tifa going:
"That's just nonsense."
"Hmm..." Marlene thought. Then, she gasped as inspiration struck! "That's it!" she said, gabbing her Moogle as she explained her plan. "If there was a world of my own, everything would be nonsense! Nothing would be what it isn't, and it turn what it is, it wouldn't be. And what it wouldn't be, it would! See?" she asked her Moogle. The Moogle stared back, dumbfounded.
"Kupo?" Marlene sighed.
"In my world you wouldn't say just 'Kupo'. You'd say. 'of course Miss Marlene'"
"Kupo..."
"Oh, but you would." she said, scoffing and walking back with her Moogle toward the flower bed. "You'd be just like a human and all the other Moogle's to. See, in my world... Moogle's and Chocobo's, would live in fancy little house and be dressed in shoe's, and hat's! (And maybe some pants!) In that world all my own! All the flowers would have other abilities. We'd sit and chat away for hours when I get lonely in that world all my own! There'd be no more monsters! Very nice and people who aren't so depressed and mopey! Everyone would live very comfortably. Within that world all my own, I could listen to a boring book, and hear a story worth listening to." she sighed and looked toward her Moogle. "I keep wishing it would be that way..." she began to say, then turned her attention to a stream running in front of her "Because my world would be a Wonderland!" she finished.
Little did our little Marlene know, her wish, was about to become reality.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Ok. The Prologue is kinda boring... but it get's better! I swear!
Next Chapter: We're So Flippin' Late!
