Disclaimer: I do not own nor claim to own this franchise or any of its characters.

Italics are memories. Bold is Sherry. Bold italics are Sherry's memories. Underlined is their conjoined thoughts/words.

Cendrillon

"Do you want to have a better life? Dance with the Prince of All? I can help you do that Crow." Crooned the man with spikey black hair in a skirt down past his knees.

"I can't stand be alone like this even one night of joy is a perfect life for me. What do I have to do for you?" I asked.

"Simple! Kill the traitor, the woman that joined the side of the angel, Sherry LeBlanc, the Prince." The man said.

"For a night of pure happiness?" I asked.

"Yes." He confirmed.

I slowly and gently walk into the ballroom all eyes on me. No other men were dressed as finely as me in this dress tailored by some sort of witch. It is orange with a black feather trim at the edges and top. I see Sherry standing in a white suit with long coattails and a rose on her shirt.

"Pardon me Mam but would you like to dance?" I ask.

"How can I deny a man such as you this chance? Then feel free to dance the night away with me." She says.

I shift around in my glass heels. I feel awkward just breathing her air. I take a tester twirl and laugh with a silent scream penetrating the joy of the scene.

Ah such a beautiful man with such masculine features what a rare sight to behold! I remember the last man of such caliber.

"Ah Sherry why cast away the dark? You and I belong together. It hurts me to think that you might leave. Please don't go." Yuusei begged.

"Ah Yuusei I have allied myself with the light. The angel Jack. I must leave you. You can join me if you wish." I said.

"I can't. This is who I am Sherry! I can not turn my face away from the darkness that compels like I can turn away from you."

And he left me standing there with a betrayed expression on my face even though I betrayed him. He ran off into the shadows, the place where I could no longer step for fear of losing myself again. Ah Yuusei was such a gorgeous man. I don't really think I loved him though. If I told him that he would have struck me down almost the second after the first word came from my parted lips.

I eagerly wrap my hands around the short man's waist. He blushes and fumes a little. What a delightful sight! I can't help but feel betrayed that he gave in so easily. Perhaps he has something planned.

I grasp on to the sharp and cold blade that burns my heart. Sherry doesn't even seem to notice how tense I am. I wonder if she even suspects a thing. Ah it's so nice dancing like this in perfect unison. Even our hearts beat together. My dress sways with every move she makes and she smiles longingly.

"If you are to seduce a Prince my darling Blackbird then you are to wear something that will catch her eye." The Witch crowed.

"I don't want to wear a dress! Dresses are for sisses like Kiryu Kyosuke!" I whined.

"But every man worthy of her attention wears a dress. How else are you to be a regal Princess?" The Witch asked.

"I wanna wear something manly!" I whimpered, resistance fading to black.

"Aw you would look like me in this." The Witch murmured almost inaudibly.

I took the dress and put it on.

"See you look like a proper Princess." The Witch cawed.

I put on the glass slippers offered to me on gracefully. I wondered to myself is this the right thing to do? Of course it is I want to be happy even for one night.

I twirl in stopped time with the handsome girl. Aw I hope it never has to end. I never want that clock to strike midnight for that's when that darkness swallows me whole. I want to stay here trapped twirling in ecstasy for the rest of my short infinity.

I sneeze as a stray feather hits my face. I laugh almost to myself as I think of everything that could go wrong. Everything that will go wrong. Jack, oh the Angel of the Light where is your guidance when I need it the most? I wonder who I dance with, sinner or saint. A man of shadows or the paradise of light?

"Sherry why are you so committed to obeying this man's every wish, every beck and call?" Jack asked me.

"I love him and everything he offers me! Yuusei and I are entwined by the red chains of fate! A bond that can never be broken!" I screamed.

My hair was a mess, all over my face. I was sweating profusely. I was covered in feathers and blood from angels I had struck down. I screamed and screamed Yuusei's name. Then the screams died down.

"You don't love him at all. You love your childhood friend, the one with bright orange hair and grey eyes that showed so much passion you could cry. Why are you lying to yourself? You are better than that."

"Because Crow's gone! I saw the light loom over him tall and strong! I deny the light in all forms!" I screamed at Jack.

He ticked and laughed a hearty noblewoman's laugh.

"If he is light then why do you deny it still?" Asked the Angel man.

"Because the light killed my parents in its conquest of all 'demons' that lived." I whispered.

"Ah Sherry that was The Light of Corruption. I am The Light of Love." Jack said softly.

"Liar! There can not be two different kinds of light! How dare you try to tell me such falsities when I am weak! Have you no honor?" I snarled.

"Sherry please, you are meant to come to the light. Your last name is LeBlanc well you know what that means right?" Jack asked.

"Yes I know what my own bloody name means!" I growled at the angel.

"Your parents were friends of mine. This is the last time I will ask. Do you want to find Crow? If so join me." Jack said in a firm and slightly angry voice.

"Yes." I answered in a quiet voice.

The light permeated my soul. It entered my mind and my heart. It washed away a corruption that I didn't even know lurked. The light brought back memories that had since long been hidden. Happy memories of my mama, papa and of course Crow.

She looks just like a childhood friend I was in love with. Why must God taunt me like this? Tears stream down my face. Sherry wipes them away with her gloved hand. She smiles and dips me leaning close to my face.

"You really are beautiful, what's your name?" Sherry asks.

"Crow, Crow Hogan." I say.

"Crow!" she exclaims leaning in even closer.

I grasp the blade extra tight. I whip it out and before she even breathes I have it at here heart. The clock ticks like her heart, slowly.

"I have no idea who you are." I say frankly.

"Has the darkness corrupted you too? Crow please return to me, the light of the day!" She begs.

I press the blade in deeper and the entire ballroom has stopped to see. Even the guards are helpless.

"I don't care for darkness nor light! All I want is a night of joy, a happy life! Ever since my childhood friend was taken from th streets to a big, fancy house I have been alone! You don't know what it's like Prince." I spit.

"Crow, I am her, Sherry, your childhood friend. Please don't kill me yet. I have something terribly important to tell you." Sherry says.

"What!" I snap.

"I love you." She says.

At that moment two figures appear. The Witch and the Angel. The Witch clad in a black past the knee skirt with a slit up the side and a black shirt and the Angel in a white ball gown. The Angel spread it's wings and drew a horn as The Witch stood up behind me.

"Strike her down and live a happy life." He whispers.

"Strike him down and live a glorious life." The Angel says to Sherry.

We stare at each other and Sherry draws her sword. I hold my knife tightly.

How dare Yuusei turn Crow against me. I must kill him to spare him the fate of midnight. I hold onto the sword as tight as I can and walk over slowly as to not intimidate. I love him. The beautiful man with such a masculine figure. If this was a fairy tale then I would already have won him over but with the Princess with short orange hair and the Prince with long blonde tresses this is no fairytale. If this was a fairy tale then I would be the Princess in distress waiting for Crow to save her from fate. Do I not deserve a fairytale?

How dare anyone try to turn Sherry against me. I must kill her to spare her the fate of midnight. I hold onto my knife as tight as I can and wait for her to walk over slowly as to not give my game away. I love her. The handsome girl with such a feminine figure. If this was a fairy tale I would have already won her over but with the Princess that cusses and the Prince that could not even be king this is no fairy tale. If this was a fairy tale I them I would be the Prince in armor rescuing the Princess from her fate. Do I not deserve a fairy tale.

I walk even closer, sword drawn. I walk with my boots hitting the ground leaving echoes through the now silent ball room.

She walks ever closer with that damned sword drawn. Those boots of hers hitting the ground leaving echoes through the now silent world.

Ah Crow, I don't want to kill you I think as I lunge for him.

Ah Sherry, I am sorry it had to end this way I think as I wait for her attack.

I stop before my blade hits his neck with tears filling my eyes like never before.

I stop my attack before I stab her gut with tears filling my eyes like so many times before.

I look at him with pleading eyes.

I look at her with begging eyes.

At the same time we say out loud,

"Kill me if you wish."

I turn around at go for something unexpected.

She turns around at goes for something completely random.

I stab my sword into the clock.

She stabs the damned clock.

Yuusei and Jack pale even more than before.

All the colour drains from The Witch and The Angel's faces.

Midnight will never come now.

Midnight never has to come.

We can dance forever.

We will dance forever.

I begin to speak,

"I will never betray Crow and he will never betray me Jack. You should just give up. The light and darkness are trivial to us, to me. I will never be either of yours even if you kill Crow. I surely would not do it myself! You are pathetic! We will live in grey and never leave the others sight."

"Forsake these ideas of yours! You can never stop true love! Never stop this fairy tale! The Princess in feathers with glass shoes melting into ashes and the Prince with a rose on her breast and fire in her eyes will never give in to even the most powerful of beings!" I caw.

And then midnight strikes regardless and they both laugh. Yuusei with a cold expression and Jack with a crazed look in his eyes.

And midnight comes anyway causing the madmen to laugh. Yuusei with a hard face and Jack with malice in his purple orbs.

We ignore the tick and the beat and embrace in a dance.

We ignore the clock and the laughter as we dance in perfect harmony.

I feel the tendrils of light pull at my legs.

I feel the shadows tugging at my arms.

And I laugh.

And I laugh.

Crow gets dragged back into the shadows screaming my name.

Sherry gets pulled into the skylight by a glowing light and she screams my name.

"I love you!" We scream.

And then it fades to white.

And then it fades to black.