Disclaimer: This is a fanfic, the usual disclaimer and any AU/OOC/Etc. applies.
I've always wanted Ludwig to have more scenes in the manga, so this is my personal adaptation to the story and to Erika's character. Don't get me wrong; I loved reading the manga, I just want to take the time to develop Erika because the manga artists didn't get the chance to.
To clarify things, this is a Meine Liebe fanfic with eventual Ludwig x Erika (I think) with some adaptations taken from the manga and anime (I know most of you don't want to read a rewrite of everything in the manga but I will also make sure things make sense to newcomers). No, there's no need to know the manga or anime but this is just to explain why someone might seem a bit out of character.
Here is the list:
Erika – based on manga (the clumsy version)
Ludwig – based on anime (the dictator version)
Naoji – based on anime (the shyer version? So cute)
Orpherus – combination (for me he was too intense in manga and not intense enough in anime)
Eduard – based on manga (seemed more confident and playful in manga)
Camus – based on manga (bit more outgoing in manga)
Marin, Wilhelmine and August from the manga (changed their roles though)
Nicholas, Daniel, and Elmunt from the anime (but still debating about this)
Timeline: If you're curious, timeline is after second season of the ML anime.
The One: A Meine Liebe Fanfic
Chapter One - "First Impressions"
They say life is an ongoing hallway of choices. For every good choice you make, new doors will present themselves. And for every bad choice, some doors will shut themselves on you forever.
But there are also people who believe that there are no good choices or bad choices; there is only the right choice.
So whatever you choose to do, fear not what the results will be, and go at it with your whole being…my daughter.
She woke to the surface of her soft white pillow and to the song of birds outside her dormitory window.
Seventeen year old Erika Klause groggily lifted her head from her pillow with a bit of effort. "This is…"
That's right; it took a few seconds for her to recognize the recent change of environment.
"Oh right. I arrived last evening didn't I?" To Rosenstolz Academy. Where her long-awaited reunion with her brother awaited.
The blonde proceeded to slip out of bed, paused, and reached up to feel the dampness on her cheeks.
Strange. Did I have a bad dream just now?
She didn't get much chance to contemplate this, however, for the next thing she saw was the hands on her alarm clock on her bedside drawer.
"AH-…I'm-…I-…I SLEPT IN!"
Only when her ragged breathing slowed did she dare to push open one side of the ornate double door leading to the auditorium.
In the darkness of the assembly, the spotlights trained on the distant figure standing on the platform made him too bright to behold.
"Today," the large grandfather-like figure was saying, "To everyone who was able to enter this school, I congratulate you!"
Ah…the headmaster? The entrance ceremony already started.
Creeping as quietly as possible, Erika glanced to both sides as she went down the steps, looking to see if there's a free seat somewhere she could squeeze in. Indeed, such was her anxiety that she hadn't been paying attention to what the headmaster was saying.
Needless to say that she was unpleasantly startled when, all of a sudden, shrill shrieks from either side caused her to loose her equilibrium.
Unfortunately, since it was dark and the steps weren't lighted, she wasn't able to regain her balance in time.
"WAHHHHHH!"
No, it had been much more prolonged than that, considering that she slid down a whole flight of stairs.
"T-that was embarrassing," Erika mumbled to herself after landing flat on her face at the very bottom of the steps.
"Are you possibly alright?"
The moment she looked up into those majestic blue eyes, she had forgotten all about her present situation.
The platinum blonde man bent down, one hand outstretched towards her. A gentle look of concern crossed his handsome features. "Can you stand, miss?"
"AH!" Erika suddenly remembered herself, bolting upright into a kneeling position. "I'm-I'm fine! This happens to me all the time; it's just a bucket in the drop!" she stammered.
A moment of silence.
Bucket in the drop!? Ahhh I can't believe I said that!
The handsome blonde straightened up, dropping his hand back to his side. Behind him, a caramel-skinned man burst out into laughter.
"Ed…" the black-haired man next to the laughing one trialed off hesitantly. He met her eyes briefly with a warm, sympathetic gaze but didn't hold her eyes.
"That's not very polite, Ed," a pretty boy with soft white hair and large red eyes chided, but in a friendly manner. The boy leaned down to her eye level with a worried look. "Are you hurt? That looked painful."
S-so cute! H-he's even cuter than me!
"Y-yes I'm fine!" Erika exclaimed hurriedly. "Absolut-"
Because she had lurched backwards to give herself space, the back of her head connected with something hard.
She got an ominous feeling even before she looked up into the glaring eyes of the demon king. "S-s-sorr-" she could not for the life of her manage to complete the word.
"You are in the way." A speaking glare accompanied his curt dismissal. "Pick up your things and leave."
"Y-yes." She gulped, feeling the gust of air on her face as the scary-looking man spun around, long hair and cape flowing with the abrupt motion. But suddenly she caught sight of something beneath the heel of his boot.
That's right, her bad had split open upon impact when she fell, and her things were lying scattered about.
Oh no! My ribbon! He-!
Without giving a second thought, Erika lunged at her most valued item with her hand.
Now, he wouldn't have lost his balance if she were just wringing his long, purple cloak. Nor would he have fallen if she were just pulling out the oversized ribbon from under his feet.
But it was an accident.
Not only that, but sometime during his fall his knee went into Naoji's side, and also involuntarily grasped at Orpheus' white cape which conveniently within reach. In turn, Orpherus took Camus down too, when the boy tried to steady him.
That only left Ed standing out of the five of them, laughing uncontrollably.
The headmaster took this opportunity to clear his throat, the microphone squeaking uncomfortably.
"Now that's over, I will introduce our Strahl Candidate class."
For possibly the first time in her life, she felt what it was like to be the center of attention among so many peers.
And also for the first time in her life, she felt what it was like to be begrudged and hated by her peers.
Why did it turn out like this…?
Letting out a sigh, Erika closed the lid of the thick hardcover book she had been reading. Literature. Now that's done, all that was left was the hard stuff for reviewing.
Which I can't do in this heavy atmosphere with everyone glaring daggers into my back.
She sneaked a peek over her shoulder. Just a little peek.
Yep, the fellow academy students were still pissed off at her. That much did not change within the space of three hours.
Grimacing, Erika packed her bag quickly with the things she needed before making her escape from the main Rosenstolz Academy library.
It was only yesterday that she came to this school.
Only yesterday that she made her first and bad impression on the entire student body in front of the whole school during the orientation.
Only yesterday that she found out from the headmaster's welcoming speech that the first two weeks of school will be dedicated to something called a Strahl candidate exam; a recent addition to the curriculum which she had never been informed of. Something about a 'continuation of the reform from Headmaster Werner from last year'.
Right, all that was only yesterday and she felt like going home already.
But…
Cradling her load of study material with one arm, Erika searched inside her skirt pocket with her free hand and took it out.
The violet strip of ribbon lay soothingly in the palm of her hand. The mere sight of it alone brought back a flushed smile to her face.
Brother and I both promised to enroll in this school. I will not give up!
She closed her fingers around the ribbon with that resolve, noting in time that the notebook on the top of her stack was sliding off.
"Oh, no!"
The other students in the corridor were smart enough to ease out of her way as she swaggered from one side to the other in an attempt to salvage her pile of books. In the end, though, her shoulder collided with the low, outer wall of the open corridor and the topmost of the stack slid off third floor to the courtyard below.
A thud and the scattering of pages were heard.
"L-Ludwig-sama!" came the alarmed cries from below.
Her forthcoming apologies halted on the tip of her tongue as she peered down sheepishly from third floor.
Ludwig-sama? Isn't that the name of-…?
His hair, navy blue, she saw it reach down almost past his knees. As she watched, the person reached up a gloved hand and snatched a floating sheet of paper – one of many that dislocated from her notebook – as it flew by his head. He wasn't facing her way, but judging from his hair and the royal purple cloak draped over his shoulders-
Immediately she was huddling down, back against the wall and clutching at her heart.
Ahhh! How could this happen!
Her eyes flew open in sudden realization.
Wait a minute. That was-!
"Eh? I don't know about the horns, but why do I get the feeling that this is supposed to be Ludwig-sama, you?"
My…sketchbook…! Erika covered her mouth with her free hand to prevent herself from any sudden outbursts that will expose her.
When she dared to sneak another look down below, the sight of his followers all staring up in her direction made the blood freeze in her veins.
"Erika Klause…" The man, Ludwig himself didn't pay her any heed, picking up her sketchbook from the ground and reading out the owner's name. "Such abominations. Throw them away," he ordered.
W-whyyyy!
In the end, she didn't have the guts to get her sketchbook back.
What he had said was true, anyway. She had no talent for art and even if she chose art as one of her exams, those pages would've probably gotten her a low grade.
Erika heaved another dejected sigh. "But now I have to come up with something else," she lamented to no one in particular.
Slowly at first, a lovely melody drifted into her conscience. Ah, so someone was practicing in the third floor music rooms. Maybe it wasn't a good idea to come here looking for a quiet place to study.
But now that she was there, the playing of the piano lured her.
She only meant to go a little closer, and maybe catch a glimpse of the musician, but she really didn't expect that the grand piano would be facing the open doorway.
His playing ended on a single, abrupt note as his green eyes glanced up and spotted her.
"Oh, I-I didn't mean to interrupt!" Erika said hurriedly explained, bowing frantically. "Please don't mind me! I'm going now!"
"Oy, wait!"
She cringed at his words, wondering if he, too, disliked her like everyone else.
He fairly jogged across the room to her, placing his hands on his hips. "So it is you! We met during the orientation, remember?" At that point he had bent down to lower himself closer to her eye level, for he was at least one head taller than she was. He winked, grinning good-naturedly as he introduced himself.
"I'm Eduard. Everyone calls me Ed, though."
She drew back, feeling her cheeks heat unexpectedly. "Y-yes I know." He was the caramel-skinned and auburn-haired man who was introduced by the headmaster as one of the Strahl candidates.
His expression switched to one of light curiosity, alarming her even further. "Something wrong? Isn't this where you introduce yourself?"
"Ah!" Erika gushed. "I am Erika, Erika Klause. H-how do you do!?" In the midst of that she had extended her hand for a handshake, and then upon recalling that it may not be appropriate to do so to a Strahl candidate, withdrew her hand and bent forward quickly in a bow instead.
Unfortunately, in her excitement she had forgotten how close he was to her and her head bumped against his chest instead.
Err…
And then he laughed, one arm across his stomach, as she quickly straightened up again.
"As I thought-" he claimed between breaths "-you are-…really funny."
"Ah…thanks…" Erika was frozen, and at a lost for words, to say the least. Her unease was dispelled when he gave her a simple pat on her head.
Ed gave a friendly grin. "Anyway, it's about time for my horseback riding exam. Want to come?"
"No! I mean-…I have a lot to review!" Erika quickly amended.
Ah! Why did I have to blurt it out like that!? What if he hates me now!
"Oh?" He looked a bit surprised at first, but that quickly transformed back into a good-natured sigh and smile. "Good to see you working hard. Maybe next time, then."
He unfolded his arms, tugging his hands into his uniform pockets. "Well, good luck on your exams," said with another wink. "Later, Erika."
Erika watched his retreating figure as he headed down the hall from her. Tentatively, she reached a hand up and touched the place on her hair where he had patted her, looking at her hand as if there was something to be seen there.
Hmn…
She broke into a happy smile.