Hey guys! If you read the author's note at the end of my other story, "Simple as That" I said that I was considering posting another story. And here it is! I plan to have an entire collection of children's fairytales as a series of one-shots, and I'm proud to say that this is the debut of the series! It's pretty long, but please don't leave! I promise it goes by very quickly :)
Also, these one-shots are completely separate. They have nothing to do with each other. The only reason why they'll be in the same story is because they're all based off of fairytales, hence the title of the fic. Also, I will be listing this as complete because of that. Even though the entire story is essentially incomplete, and probably won't ever be, each individual chapter is.
Summary: This first one is an AlicexShun and as I hope you can tell by the title, will be based on Cinderella. *Note*There will be a bit of character bashing, but since I'm not familiar at all with the continuation of the series, I've tried to keep to the original characters in the original Bakugan Battle Brawlers. I've added a few other names that you might recognize as well. Time frame, ehh who cares? Just think of it as its own little world :)
Disclaimer: I own nothing. Not even the plot. Well, I suppose I kind of do, considering I've added my own plot twists and drama in there.
Enjoy!
oOo
Cinderalice
oOo
Once upon a time, there lived a young girl. She was modest and kind, never asked for anything, never selfish.
Her name was Alice.
Alice was a sweet girl that lived with her grandfather. Her parents had died when she was just a baby, and he had taken custody of her. They were a fairly wealthy pair, as her grandfather was a renowned scientist, his works well known throughout the country.
However, it seemed death was reluctant to abandon Alice. At the tender age of 11, her grandfather passed away due to an unfortunate lab accident. Left with a sizable fortune and no one to care for her, Alice was alone.
At least, until an unknown woman came into her life.
The strange woman went by the name of Mylene. Though at the time Alice did not understand, she was told that Mylene was originally betrothed to her father, until he found himself a suitable wife. When her father met her mother, Mylene was cast aside.
Now that Alice had no living blood-relatives, Mylene gained the responsibility of the child.
Mylene was elated, but not for the reason you're thinking. Oh no. She could care less about the girl herself. No, she was elated that because she took over responsibility of Alice, she would take over her fortune as well.
And because Alice was only 11, she could not legally handle the money. So it was left to her guardian. Said guardian would spend it all on her own greedy desires, and by the time Alice was of age, the fortune would be no more than a small pile of gold.
Mylene had two daughters, both as selfish and greedy as their mother. They went by the names Runo and Julie. Runo was the older of the two, but only by a year. Julie was the same age as Alice, but a few months her elder.
As soon as little Alice stepped foot into the magnificent, but terrifying, house, the two pinned Alice as a target. Because she had narrowly escaped the fire that had burned her former home to ashes, she was covered in soot and dust. Her normally beautiful, pale skin was smudged and dirty, and her once elegant dress was ragged and torn.
And so, Cinderalice was born.
oOo
"Cinderalice! Where have you been? I need you to clean my room! I can't seem to find my sapphire necklace anywhere. It must have been you who misplaced it the last time you tidied up. Go and find it! Otherwise you'll be sleeping outside for the next week!"
The scream echoed through the cavernous entry hall, where a girl of seventeen years was hunched over the floor, a sponge in hand and a bucket filled with soapy water nearby. She winced, the high-pitched voice rebounding off of the sparsely decorated walls and causing the former scream to sound even louder.
"I'm coming Miss Runo." She replied, her voice soft and demure to show deference. Cinderalice rose so that she stood on her knees, her very wet knees that were covered in rags that shouldn't even be called clothes. She let out a small sigh of relief as she stretched out her aching joints, sore from bending over the floor for the past two hours as she scrubbed at the cold tile.
After risking a few more moments to rest, she got to her feet and dropped the filthy sponge into the equally filthy bucket filled with filthy water. Brushing off her filthy "dress" as much as she could, she quietly padded down the large hallway with bare feet as she made her way to where Miss Runo was standing with an impatient look upon her face.
"Hurry up and find it! If you don't have it in your hand within the hour, you'll be making friends with the pumpkins in the garden." Miss Runo's voice snapped at her as soon as she was within range. Cinderalice cringed at the thought and hurried into the large, spacious bedroom that belonged to her older sibling.
With horror dawning on her, she wasted a few precious moments to survey the devastation.
Clothes were strewn all about, various bottles were knocked over the vanity, the enormous bed was messy, and the bathroom had dirty, wet towels on the floor.
She had to clean this mess up in an hour? While searching for a sapphire pendant? She wouldn't put it past her cruel sister to have purposely lay waste to her bedroom just so she could get in trouble.
Already resigning herself to a night in the yard, she reluctantly began to pluck the dirty clothes from the floor and carefully tossed them into the laundry bin, which she would later have to clean anyway. Cinderalice knew better than to be careless with her sisters' clothes. The last time she had accidentally ripped one, she was starved for an entire day and had to sleep in the cold, winter night, with only the tattered dress she wore as protection from Mother Nature.
Though her new "family" was cruel, they would never step past the boundary to deliberate abuse. Though Cinderalice was fed three times a day, on most occasions, her portions were considerably less than the others. Though she was often threatened with a night outside, it only happened when Mother Mylene was positive they wouldn't get caught.
The fact that Mother Mylene was spending her fortune wouldn't sit well with the officials, so getting caught abusing her adopted daughter would only draw attention to the "family".
Lost in her unhappy musings, she nearly tripped and ruined the entire bundle of dresses she was carrying. Looking down in bemusement at what had caused her to falter, her heart almost gave out with relief as she saw the delicate gold chain of the very necklace she was searching for peeking out from under the tangled sheets on the floor.
Quickly rushing over to the rapidly filling laundry basket to dump the remainder of the clothes, she nearly tripped again in her haste over a stray hairspray can. Reaching out with a trembling hand, she gently pulled the golden chain and the sparkling blue jewel emerged from its hiding spot.
Light-headed with relief, she clutched the necklace to her chest, and closed her eyes to barricade the forming tears that threatened to leak out of her eyes. Swiping a slender arm over her large, doe brown eyes, she smiled in happiness as she gazed down at the pendent that would allow her to sleep in the building for the night.
Gently placing it on the vanity, which she had already tidied up, she was sure to keep it in her sight at all times. It was her ticket to a warm night's sleep and she refused to take any chance of it disappearing.
Slowly the hour rolled by, Cinderalice slowly, but surely, cleaning up the room that had originally looked like a tornado had swept through. Glancing up at the clock, she saw she still had ten minutes left before Runo would come by and check to see whether she had failed or not.
After fluffing the last pillow, she collapsed into the armchair next to the bed and closed her eyes in exhaustion. She had a little bit to herself before anyone came by, so she gratefully sank into the soft leather of the seat. Reaching out to grab the sapphire pendent, she once again brought it to rest against her chest.
All too soon, she could hear the clicking of shoes nearing the bedroom. Hastily scrambling up from her rather comfortable position on the chair, Cinderalice glanced around the room a final time to make sure everything was in place.
The seat she had just vacated was a bit lumpy from where she was sitting, so she quickly fluffed the pillows and readjusted their placing just as Miss Runo strode into the room. An almost disappointed gleam shone in her eyes as she saw the now clean room and the necklace clutched the auburn-haired girl.
"Well," She sniffed haughtily, "It seems you aren't completely useless. So I suppose you can stay in for the night." She turned on her heel and glided out of the room, keeping her nose raised in the air pompously.
Cinderalice followed as soon as the clicking against the tile faded away. It wouldn't do to get into trouble for loitering right after she had escaped punishment in the first place. She hurried down the hall to the darker end, where her room was located.
Compared to the brilliance of Miss Runo and Miss Julie's room, hers would have been considered a shack. Not that it was messy, but she had only the plainest of the plain.
The room was sparsely furnished. A single twin sized bed rested in the corner, with ragged, torn sheets and a musty comforter tucked neatly in place. She had a dresser made of old, aged wood that sat across from her bed. It was filled with clothes that were clean, but just as worn as the ones she was wearing now. A small fireplace with a few logs of wood were placed a good distance from her bed, to make sure it wouldn't accidentally catch anything on fire.
The only decorations she possessed were heavy curtains over the single window ("Our neighbors don't need to see your filthy face at night," Mother Mylene would scorn) and a single photograph frame on the dresser. She had given up a day's meal worth to pay for the little frame. She had begged Mother Mylene, and she had very reluctantly gotten her the frame.
It was a really beautiful one, albeit a bit plain. It was made from cheap brass, and was shaped to represent curling vines. In the picture space provided, there was a picture of a much younger girl who was laughing and holding onto an old-man. Both people had smiling eyes, and they looked like they would rather be nowhere else.
It was a picture of a ten year old Alice and her grandfather. The picture was taken a year before the accident, at a convention her grandfather had taken her to. It was the only thing she had that connected her to her past. Without it, Cinderalice was sure that she would have forgotten how her grandfather looked like.
It was a good thing that the other three inhabitants of the house rarely ever visited her room. Mother Mylene had most likely forgotten about in the first place. She didn't doubt that should she ever see it again, it would be thrown out the window and shattered. The few times that they did come were when they needed her to do something, and the clacking of their shoes warned her and gave her more than enough time to shove it into her dresser.
Closing her eyes as she snuggled into the now warm comforter over her bed, she gratefully drifted off to oblivion.
oOo
Later at the dinner table, where Cinderalice was once again served the least, Mother Mylene cleared her throat over the clinking of silverware to gain their attention.
"Today, I received a formal invitation to Prince Shun's annual ball that will take place in two weeks' time. However this year, he is of age, and he will be searching for a bride." She paused as Miss Runo and Miss Julie gasped and began to chatter. A few moments under her piercing glare, the two quieted down. "Thank you. Now, as I was saying, he is searching for a bride. The two of you will go, and you will each try to win his heart."
The pair immediately began to squeal again. Hesitantly, Cinderalice coughed lightly to get their attention. "Mother Mylene, I was wondering if I could go as well?" She trailed off as the chatter ceased.
There was complete silence at the table, before all three of them burst into hysterics.
"W-why would he ever even think of you?" Miss Julie snorted through her uncontrollable laughter. Cinderalice felt the heat crawl up her face as she continued, "The only r-reason he would even l-look at it would be b-because you'll be tracking dirt all over the place!"
"Indeed, you would only be a disgrace to our family if you were to go." Mother Mylene's lips were curled in a coldly amused sneer as she looked down her nose at the now trembling girl. "No, you will stay here, and you will help my daughters fix their dresses so they will be perfect."
Cinderalice dropped her low gaze from her half-empty plate to her lap, unshed tears burning in her eyes. She was going to mention that her birthday would be in two weeks' time and she would be of age as well, but Miss Julie's callous words rang in her ears.
"I understand, Mother Mylene. I don't know what came over me." Lip trembling and vision blurring from the burning tears, she quickly excused herself and raced to her room.
Behind her, she could still hear the trio making cruel jokes and laughter at her expense. Only when the voices faded did she allow her tears to fall.
oOo
Cinderalice was miserable. Not only had she been denied permission to go to the ball, but she had to become a seamstress for Miss Runo and Miss Julie. She hemmed the beautiful gowns they bought, she came at their every beck and call to fix make-up, and this was all added on top of her usual chores!
The night of the ball arrived much too quickly for her taste. The previous two weeks had flown by in a flurry. It was currently eight in the evening, and Miss Runo and Miss Julie were running around making last minute adjustments to their hair and make-up, leaving poor Cinderalice on the side lines watching wistfully.
By the time the girls' and Mother Mylene's carriage arrived, the three were ready to go. As Miss Runo and Miss Julie left the house, Mother Mylene turned to glare at the quiet form that was huddled on the floor.
"Listen, you brat. We will be home by midnight, so don't get any ideas about running off on your own. Also, if you dare blow up the house, you'll be disowned faster than you can say 'sorry', understand?" She then turned on her heel and left without waiting for a reply.
Technically I'm an adult now, so I wouldn't even need to run away. I could just leave. Cinderalice thought bitterly to herself. But she knew she couldn't. She didn't have an education, as Mother Mylene had pulled her out of school when her grandfather died, her fortune was nonexistent by now, and she had no way for preparations anyway.
Happy birthday to me, she mused morosely. As she was pondering on what she could do for the next four hours, the darkness around her seemed to melt together and harden into existence.
"Indeed happy birthday, my dear child."
Poor Cinderalice was so startled, she leapt up and out of her crouch, only to trip and fall back on her butt. Staring with wide eyes at the enormous three-headed being in the large room, she felt her blood beginning to race with fear. Was she hallucinating now?
"There is no need to be so fearful, little one. I am Alpha Hydranoid, your guardian bakugan."
Bakugan? She had heard of the divine creatures, but those were just myths, weren't they?
"Now, we must get you prepared." The head on the right hissed, his voice sounding like scales sliding against hard rock. The immense, dark creature turned with a little difficulty to look around the house, as if searching for something.
"Prepared? For what? Mother Mylene has already forbidden me from leaving the house…" Alice finally plucked up the courage to speak. Her voice trailed off in sadness as she was once again reminded of her misery.
"That woman is a fool. Your family has been under our protection for a long time now. But that is a story that is long over. When she so greedily took your rightful fortune and cast you away like a rag-doll, she incurred the wrath of us divine beings. So we have set a forward a plan, one that I intend to see though." The building seemed to shake as the middle head's growl echoed against the walls. "Now, fetch me a pumpkin and three mice."
Quickly, Cinderalice did as she was requested, and for the first time in a while, hope was beginning to blossom in her chest. Within half an hour, she had successfully caught three mice and picked a medium sized pumpkin from the yard. She was careful to cover her tracks and leave no evidence.
She set the pumpkin in front of the resting creature, who was watching her with intelligent eyes, far more intelligent than one would expect from something that was not human. She nervously waited for him to say something as she gently cradled the three small mice in her arms.
The middle head leaned forward, and as soon as the middle head touched the bright orange of the pumpkin, shadows began to creep upward, slowly consuming it until nothing was left.
"Let us go outside."
Eyes wide at what she had just witnessed, she scampered outside, shivering as the cool autumn air caressed the bare skin that her dress did not cover. She glanced behind her shoulder to see how the dragon would exit the house, but to her surprise, he was already gone.
Her head snapped forward, and there he was. He had unfurled in the spacious yard and Cinderalice was struck at how majestic he looked. He easily towered over the mansion that housed her, and caused her to wonder how he had fit in the first place. But her attention was snagged when she took notice of a midnight black carriage at his feet.
Admiring the sleek sides of the carriage, she wandered forward until she was right next to it−and right under Alpha Hydranoid as well. She didn't even notice until his voice rumbled with amusement from above her.
"Pretty, isn't it? Now, why don't you put down those three mice you have in your arms."
Cinderalice gently set down the three squirming animals. They attempted to scurry off as soon as their feet hit the ground, but Hydranoid would have none of that. A claw came down and stopped them short, his claws pinning them harmlessly, but firmly by the tail. As soon as he had touched them, shadows much like the ones that covered the pumpkin crept up and soon, they were gone as well.
Then, right before her eyes, she saw two creatures materializing right in front of the carriage. Gone were the two scrawny mice she had caught, but in their place were two beautiful, obsidian steeds with an elegance to them that would make even royal horses look awkward in comparison.
An immaculately dressed man stood beside the carriage as well. He nodded once in her direction.
Twin harnesses hooked onto the midnight carriage, as if some invisible force were manipulating them. The claw that had pinned down the mice gently brushed over her tattered clothes, and Cinderalice gasped as she felt the shadows slide over her skin, cleaning, repairing, and transforming her entire body.
Once the alien feeling disappeared, she looked down and was shocked to see the beautiful *gown she adorned. It fit her perfectly, and the deep purple and obsidian black somehow accented her orange hair magnificently. The feathered bodice covered the fact that she had a small chest, due to her lack of nourishment. The skirt of the dress poofed outward a little, but not enough to be ostentatious.
It was beautiful.
She raised a hand and felt her *hair, which was pinned up in an elegant bun by a silver tiara, with locks of her now shiny orange hair cascading down like a waterfall.
She was beautiful.
With tears in her eyes, she smiled a watery smile up at the being that was closely regarding her reaction. Barely able to speak past the tightness in her throat, she managed to choke out a whisper, "Thank you. Thank you so much…"
She could have sworn the dragon was smiling down at her in return.
"Now go, my dear. You have until the clock strikes midnight. By the time the last chime rings, the pumpkin and mice will return to their true forms."
With that, the dragon that had stood over her vanished, as it the night itself had swallowed him whole. Turning to the ready carriage, she smiled shyly as the servant held his hand out to assist her into her ride. As soon as she was situated, she felt the carriage begin to glide forward, not a single bump to be felt. She felt like she was literally riding the shadows.
And for the first time in six years, Cinderalice was Alice again.
oOo
By the time Alice arrived, the ball was already in full swing. But as she neared the entrance of the palace-like house, she ran into a bit of a snag. There were two guards at the door, one a brown haired man with red goggles, which seemed rather odd to her as this was a formal event, and a significantly shorter man with blonde hair and red glasses. They were checking each of the guest's invitations.
Already, she felt her hope dying within her. Mother Mylene and her step-sisters had taken theirs with them. Was she doomed to fail before she even started?
Suddenly, she was stopped by a voice calling out to her, "My lady Alice! My lady, you've forgotten this!" She looked around, startled, wondering who would know her name. Suddenly, the mouse turned servant was next to her, and he was holding out a sleek card. She gasped.
It was an invitation.
His urgent yelling had attracted the attention of nearby invitees, and they were watching the two curiously. Nodding her head in a way a superior would a servant, she took the invitation. But she still allowed a small smile of gratefulness show on her face, making sure it was small enough so that only he could see it.
The servant nodded once in return and disappeared into the throng of people. Heart considerably lighter, she glided gracefully over to the entrance, and when the odd pair reached out towards her, she handed them the invitation she had just received. The blonde man nodded her in, and the brunette smiled cheekily at her before turning to the next person.
As soon as she passed through the threshold, she was stunned by the scene in front of her. Never before had she seen so many people in one place all dressed up. There were refreshments off to the side, and young women and men alike mingling on the sides. Taken aback by the sheer amount of excitement, she nearly skipped over a young man who was currently dancing with Miss Julie.
That must have been the prince, Shun. He was very handsome. He had long, jet-black hair that was tied back rather carelessly. Adorned in a deep forest green vest over a tidy black under shirt, he was by far one of the best-looking men that she had ever seen. Not that her opinion really counted, honestly. She wasn't allowed out of the house much during the past six years, other than to sleep outside.
Miss Julie was currently gazing up at him with stars in her eyes, and she may as well have had drool hanging out of her mouth given the way she was gawking at him. Shaking her head in a rare moment of disgust, Alice made her way through crowd, wanting to fill her stomach at the refreshment table.
After a few moments, she was aware of the whispers toward her. She felt her empty stomach fill with butterflies and do a somersault when she processed their words.
"Whoa, she's so pretty!"
"That dress is beautiful! Are those real feathers?"
"Hmph, stupid bitch. My dress is way better."
"I wish I had her figure…"
Alice felt herself flush and look down, trying her best to ignore the occasional stares towards her. She never was good in the spotlight. She suddenly wasn't so hungry anymore, but she was already at the table, so she ladled herself a cup of punch. She delicately sipped it, trying to get rid of the lump in her throat that seemed to block her vocal cords.
"Are you new?"
The voice startled her and she whipped around so fast, she nearly gave herself whiplash. A pretty Asian girl was staring at her with curious eyes. Thankfully, she found no malice in her tone or expression.
"Yes, I suppose you could say that." Alice looked down blushing, was she that obvious?
A chime-like laugh had her looking up at the lady in front of her. For the first time, Alice took in her outfit. She was wearing a red kimono type dress, and it stopped a few inches below her knee with slits for easier movement that went up mid-thigh. Her black, tinged with blue, hair was cropped short and tied back in a low ponytail with locks left to frame her heart-shaped face.
"I could tell by how you were always blushing. Well, my name is Chan. And you?"
"Ci− I mean, Alice." She caught herself before she could say Cinderalice. If Mother Mylene, Miss Runo, or Miss Julie heard that name, she would be in terrible trouble.
"It's nice to meet you Alice," Chan smiled brightly at her, "Prince Shun sure is handsome, isn't he?" She asked conversationally.
Grateful to have someone to talk to, Alice replied softly, "Yes, I suppose so." She craned her neck slightly to see him, only to see him now dancing with Miss Runo instead.
"Honestly, to tell you the truth, I didn't really want to be here. But our family is rather influential, so to decline would be an insult." Chan continued, tilting her head and pouting slightly. "What about you? Where's your family?"
Alice's eyes widened, and then dropped her gaze to her hands, which were clasped over the puffy part of her gown, "I don't have any family. They died a long time ago."
Chan looked horrified, "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to pry!" She quickly changed the topic of the conversation, and Alice felt her respect for the girl grow. She was doing her best to make her feel like she belonged, even though they barely knew each other.
They chatted for a little while, before someone tapped on her shoulder. She turned and was surprised to see the one and only Prince Shun standing before her, arm outstretched.
"May I have a dance, my lady?" His deep baritone voice washed over her, shocking her out of her stunned state, and she nodded shyly, before excusing herself from Chan, who was watching with a small smile on her pretty face.
Alice knew it was part of the prince's responsibility to dance with all of the ladies at the ball, as her step-sisters often talked of the previous annual balls. But she still couldn't help but feel a little honored that he had asked her. She glanced up at the clock tower that was clearly visible from their position in the building.
11:08
She had plenty of time left, so she decided to let go of her feelings of trepidation and enjoy herself.
And enjoy herself she did.
"Are you new to this area? I don't believe I've seen you around before," Prince Shun's voice sounded from slightly above her as the next song began.
"Yes, I suppose you could say I'm rather new to these parts." Alice responded politely, "You have a beautiful home."
"Thank you. The Kazami line has occupied this place for over a century now. It does have some sentimental value tied in. By the way, I never asked your name?"
"My name is Alice." She smiled up at him, eyes soft and gentle. She saw his amber eyes widen slightly, before returning to his usual indifferent mask. I wonder what surprised him, she mused.
Shun was startled when she smiled up at him like that. Most of the girls here had looked up at him with soppy, slavish looks that made him want to curl his lip in disgust and walk the other way. But she had a sweet smile that spoke of her innocence. He felt his interest in her grow.
"Alice." He said slowly, tasting the name. He liked the way it rolled off his tongue, as if it were natural to him. "That's a pretty name. Rather suitable."
Alice blushed at his indirect compliment, and looked away, trying to force away the heat in her cheeks. She heard him chuckle from above and could feel the vibrations from where he held her to his chest. If possible, she cheeks flushed even more.
The conversation between them flowed smoothly as they glided from one song to another. Prince Shun was so caught up in her, that he didn't even realize that he was neglecting the other potential brides out there. But seeing as this was his search for his future queen, he felt like he had found the perfect candidate.
The King watched his son and the mysterious lady dance the night away surreptitiously. He smothered a full-out grin, hardly daring to believe his ice-cold bastard of a son had found someone he was interested in. Absently, he wondered if he should pull out his, rather dusty, match-making skills.
He felt someone lightly slap his arm, and he looked down to see his wife giving him a disapproving look. The queen knew exactly what he was thinking, and didn't like him interfering. She always had a superstition that couples should get together by themselves; otherwise it would be bad luck.
Alice hardly believed that she was here with the prince, and had danced so many songs that she had actually lost count. Almost feeling giddy, she kept telling herself that it was fine and that one more song couldn't hurt.
Alice was startled out of her reverie as a warm, calloused hand brushed the smooth skin of her cheek. She met his eyes, and was struck dumb by the pure intensity there. Her mind went completely blank as he slowly drew nearer, as if giving her time to back away.
She bit her lip, and saw his eyes dart down at the action, and then they returned to her own eyes, seemingly intensifying, if possible.
Instinct was yelling at her to hurry up and close the gap, but the fearful part of her screamed at her to run. Out of pure instinct, she glanced up at the clock. She then did a double take.
11:57
Eyes widening in horror, she abruptly broke away from the surprised, and hurt, prince, who was looking at her with a bemused expression. How had she lost track of time so easily? She mentally berated herself. She quickly stuttered out a string of almost incoherent words to excuse herself before dashing away as quickly as she could in the 3-inch heels she was sporting, leaving the completely confused prince behind.
He tried to follow, but his few seconds of hesitation had cost him. Now that he had finally been separated with the girl that he had nearly kissed, the other jealous ladies had crowded around him, pawing at him and trying to catch his attention.
Frantically, Alice searched for the exit, and upon sighting it, she dashed forward. Racing down the steps, she ignored the two guards, who were currently playing a game of *sticks, and kept running towards the carriage, where the mouse-servant was looking at her with fear and worry.
So consumed in her desperation to get home before her step-sisters, she didn't notice that Prince Shun had finally escaped the horde of females and was yelling at her to stop. But he was too late, even with his ninja speed. By the time he had reached the bottom of the stairs, the midnight carriage had disappeared, along with the maiden that rode in its depths.
Growling in anger, he nearly didn't notice the single, black feather at his feet. Reaching down and plucking it from the ground, he saw that it matched the ones that had curled across her dress. He was so lost in his own turmoil that his father managed to sneak up on him, despite his usual wariness that derived from his ninja blood.
"So I guess this means we have a search on our hands?" His deep voice startled the boy out of his thoughts.
"Indeed, father. This ball is over. I've chosen my bride if she is to agree."
oOo
Alice felt herself getting more and more frazzled by the moment, though she had one and a half minutes, and counting, she knew that the house was still a bit farther. She urged the servant to push the steeds faster, and Alice could feel the carriage accelerating. In the back of her mind, she absently noted that the ride was still as smooth as ever.
Finally, after an agonizing 37 seconds, yes she had counted; she saw the gates of the mansion looming ahead. Heaving a sigh of relief, she bounded out of the carriage and quickly told the servant, who was beginning to show mousy features, to get rid of the carriage before it turned back into a pumpkin. He nodded once and snapped the reins on the mouse-horse hybrids that were pulling the black pumpkin shaped carriage.
She tore into the house, and raced to her room. She noted with surprise that her outfit had not disappeared, so she carefully peeled it off and pulled the tiara out of her hair. She then hung them up in the small closet, knowing that Mother Mylene and her step-sisters would never suspect a thing.
Yanking on a tattered dress from the dirty laundry basket, she ran over to her fireplace and smudged soot into her hair and skin as quickly as she could, all the while making it look as genuine as possible.
Not a moment too soon, because once she had mussed up her hair haphazardly, she heard the front door slam open and she peeked out of her room to see a furious trio storm into the house.
Calming her racing heart the best she could, she tried to assure herself that she had made it in time. Now Cinderalice, she meekly tiptoed out of her room and went to quietly greet the angry females waiting at the door.
As she helped them out of their coats, she wondered if she dared ask what happened. Deciding to chance it, she mumbled, "So how did it go?" She was careful to put the right amount of wistfulness into her voice.
Luckily, it seemed she was in the clear, as they didn't suspect her of a thing. Miss Runo and Miss Julie brightened instantly, never missing a chance to torment the girl.
"Oh, it was wonderful." Miss Runo smirked at the wistful expression Cinderalice had plastered onto her face, "At least it was at first." She added bitterly.
"Yeah, there was this girl there that completely stole my Prince Shun from me for the last hour of the ball," Miss Julie scowled at the reminder. But she remembered she was supposed to brag about the good parts, so she boasted, "But he danced with me for a full five minutes! Oh, he was so handsome. You would never believe it."
"Shut up, Julie. What do you mean your Shun? It was obvious he liked me more." Miss Runo sneered at her sister. This of course, began a cat fight that had the two girls screaming at each other.
Mother Mylene was looking down at Cinderalice with a suspicious look, "So what did you do while we were gone?"
Cinderalice felt her heart leap to her throat, but replied nonetheless, "I cleaned the house, Mother Mylene, as I had accidentally trailed soot into the living room."
Satisfied with her answer, she turned away from her and Cinderalice felt her throat clearing up again. She watched in carefully masked relief as she barked at her daughters to cut it out and clean up after themselves.
It was only then that Cinderalice noticed that the originally immaculate yellow and pink dresses that Miss Runo and Miss Julie wore, respectively, were smudged with dirt and mud. Looking up at the older woman curiously, she was surprised when Mother Mylene actually answered her.
"The carriage broke down in the middle of the road, so we had to call another to come and get us."
Cinderalice nearly fainted again. They had been delayed? She had barely arrived two minutes before they had. If the carriage hadn't malfunctioned, she would have been caught. She vowed to pray every night for the rest of her life to thank the deities above for that stroke of pure, dumb luck.
Seeing that she was no longer needed the other three females of the house, she trailed back to her room, still in shock over how close she was to being busted.
That night, she dreamt of fairytales and magical princes.
oOo
The following day at breakfast, she nearly had another heart attack. If this kept up, she'd die sooner rather than later, she absently mused.
"It has been leaked to the press that Prince Shun has found a woman suitable for the position of Queen. However, she left before the conclusion of the ball and her whereabouts are unknown. To remedy this, Prince Shun and his guards will be making visiting each household in order to search for the mysterious woman who had captured his heart…"
With every word that Mother Mylene read from the newspaper, Cinderalice felt her heart fill with doom. Even without her fortune to feed this household, Mother Mylene was very influential and she was positive that Prince Shun would be visiting later this day.
She was so sure that she had gotten out of this mess, but he just had to go and screw up everything didn't he? Immediately after thinking that thought, Cinderalice berated herself for being so rude towards the prince, even if it was in her head. What had come over her?
She barely paid attention when Mother Mylene excitedly informed her daughters that this would be their second chance. Her attention was only caught when Mother Mylene turned to her with a cold look on her face.
"And you. You will stay in your room until he leaves. I do not want him to catch a single glance of you, understand?"
Cinderalice nodded mutely, having expected this. As soon as breakfast was over, Mother Mylene ordered her to her room, and told her she would stay in there for the remainder of the day. She didn't know whether to be relieved that she was excused from her chores, or disappointed that she would have nothing to do for the next fourteen hours.
She settled with indifference.
oOo
She had been in her room for nearly three hours before anything exciting happened. She had been admiring her pretty dress that had yet to disappear. She wondered if it ever would. She sincerely hoped not. It was made of a fine material that she couldn't place with her meager knowledge. Maybe she could sell it and use that money to start a new life.
There was a knock on the door and she could hear the flurry outside of her closed bedroom door. Eyes widening, she dared to take a peek out of the window. She saw two guards, the ones that had been at the door when she had gone to the ball, and Prince Shun standing there imperiously. She felt her breath catch in her throat and quickly let the heavy curtains fall back to where they belonged, obscuring any view.
Pressing her ear against the door, she listened in as she heard Mother Mylene open the door and graciously welcome them inside. She could hear blonde guard trying to decline, but Prince Shun must have agreed as she heard him fall silent.
Mother Mylene called for her two daughters, though Cinderalice had a feeling that they were hiding in place, waiting for their mother to call them out. She listened to the loud clacking of two pairs of heels against the cold floor before they stopped. She surmounted that they had arrived in front of the prince.
There was a long moment of silence.
"No."
Cinderalice recoiled as she heard the single word. It was said with so much finality, with so much firmness that she backpedaled, wondering if they had ever done anything to offend the prince. She nearly missed the prince's next statement as she tried to regain her bearings.
"Where is the third daughter?"
Cinderalice stopped breathing.
When her body decided to start functioning again, she pulled in deep, heavy gulps of air. How had he−?
"E-e-excuse me, m-my lord?" She heard Mother Mylene stutter out, her voice completely disbelieving. She was sure that her face must have matched.
"Your third daughter, or whoever else is in this building."
There was another period of deafening silence, one that was punctuated by her slowly calming gasps of air. Then the prince spoke in a mildly disapproving voice.
"Surely you knew that we of the Kazami line are notorious for our ninja abilities. I was trained as a child to be able to sense auras, and my senses do not lie. There is another woman in this building, and I wish to see her. I will not leave my quest if there are loose ends."
Cinderalice had finally regained her composure, so before Mother Mylene could deny, she stepped out of the room, ignoring the fact that she was filthy, ragged, and not at all presentable by the prince's standards. But she swallowed her fear and exited her sanctuary and walked into the living room, where all eyes were pinned to her figure in shock.
"You asked to see me, my lord?"
She received a shocked silence to her statement. Suddenly very aware of her appearance and situation, she looked down, a brilliant flush creeping up her neck. She was sure she could have rivaled a tomato.
Then, a quiet voice cut through the tension like a knife would to butter.
"May I ask you a question, my lady?"
To say Cinderalice was surprised would be the biggest understatement of the year. The fact that she had even received a response was more than she could have hoped for. And how he had called her 'my lady' was the icing on the cake. It was clear the others were all just as surprised as her.
"What is your name?"
Cinderalice felt her jaw drop and lips part in stunned stupidity. As the weight of the situation slammed into her, she became aware of just how important this question was. It would make or break her life.
She could lie, and be stuck as Mother Mylene's servant forever. She would be punished for coming out in the first place and she would never have a chance to escape this hell ever again.
Or she could tell the truth. It seemed Prince Shun already knew, and her saying the truth would only confirm his suspicions. She could leave this hell on earth and never come back. She would never have to worry about sleeping outside or being starved again.
It was quite clear what her choice would be.
"My name is Alice." She then looked up at him and smiled, eyes soft and gentle. When their eyes met, she saw his amber ones widen slightly. But this time, he did not cover his shock.
"Alice." He said slowly, playing along. "That's a pretty name. Rather suitable."
And at that moment, Shun saw past the grimy and ragged exterior, and he saw the beautiful woman that had captured his interest at the ball.
Her eyes were just as sweet.
Just as innocent.
He reached into his pocket, and carefully drew out a single, obsidian black feather. Silently, intensely, he strode forward until he was right in front of her. She was the exact same height as the Alice from the ball. She had the exact same shade of orange hair.
The familiarity hit him like a ton of bricks. Did love at first sight truly exist? Because if it did, then cupid had successfully won another round with the greater deities above.
He held out the feather for her to take.
She hesitated and he felt his heart clench, but the tension within released as soon as she raised a dirty hand to accept the gift.
Clutching the light feather to her chest, she stared up at the prince. Wondering if she would regret this later, she decided to push the cowardly part of her back, and ran with instinct.
She pushed herself up on her toes, and kissed him.
There were three sharp intakes of breath, all coming from the other females in the room, a yell of "That's how you do it, Shun!" from the brunette behind them and the blonde haired boy just shook his head in amusement.
Without hesitation, Shun ignored the soot that would soil his high-quality clothes and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer and kissing her back fervently.
The only thought that ran through Alice's mind as he kissed her dumb was that she did not regret her decision at all.
oOo
After finally breaking away from the girl, Shun barked orders at the two laughing guards behind him to go and get the marital papers. Alice surmised that the three were friends, as Shun treated them with a familiarity that belied his usual cold mask.
She then did a double take as she processed his words.
Marital papers?!
Feeling the woman in his arms stiffen, Shun looked down at the wide eyed girl and his own eyes softened tenderly.
Letting go of her, he ignored the three women who were still watching the scene with open-jawed shock; he knelt down on one knee and pulled out a black velvet box. Inside was a gorgeous ring. It was a gold color, with a large onyx jewel in the center with two smaller emeralds on each side.
He then said the five words that had her heart bursting with even more joy than should be physically and emotionally possible.
"Alice, will you marry me?"
She sank down and sat on her own two knees, and threw her arms around him, whispering "yes" over and over again, as if saying once wouldn't be enough.
oOo
Their wedding would be a grand affair, held on his palace grounds. Everyone in the town was invited as well as any who wanted to come. The guest list included the three females that had terrorized her for the past six years.
Alice suspected Shun had wanted them to see just how happy she was, and he wanted to rub it in their faces as well. It sometimes scared her just how well she knew her fiancé.
Huh. Fiancé. The word was still strange on her lips, but not unwelcome. But it seemed today would be the last day she called him that. After this, he would be her husband.
As it was traditional for the father of the bride to walk her down the aisle, Shun's father graciously offered to take that position. He claimed that she was already his daughter at heart, even though they weren't formally married yet.
Chan had shown up, as she became a dear friend of hers during the wedding planning. Alice had shyly asked her to be the maid of honor, and Chan had happily agreed.
On Shun's side, he had chosen Dan; the brunette that she had learned was one of his childhood friends. (She was editing his words. The exact phrase had been "childhood menace", but Alice was too polite to say that.) But, because he couldn't choose Marucho, who was acting as the marriage binder in this case, he had to choose him instead. Plus, Dan would never let him sleep if he didn't.
When the time of the actual wedding rolled around, her legs were so wobbly she could barely stand straight. The King laughed and offered his arm, and down the aisle they went.
Alice was floating on cloud nine. As she passed, the crowds in the pews, they had been arranged outside earlier, stood in respect.
When seemed like eternity drew to a close, as Shun's father gently unclenched her grip on her arm and led her to Shun, who was staring at her, eyes filled with a love that nearly swept her feet from under her.
Marucho's voice seemed like a dull buzz in the background. All she could see and hear were Shun's beautiful amber eyes and his slow, calm breathing.
She watched his tantalizing mouth move and was startled to hear two words fall from his lips.
"I do."
Blinking, she tried to process the words that Marucho was directing towards her with no avail. All she knew was that there was sudden silence, everyone waiting for her response. At that moment, like she had known to kiss him for the first time, she knew what she had to say.
"I do."
More scattered talking. The only thing that managed to pass through the haze in her brain were the words, "You may kiss the bride."
As Shun's lips swooped down to capture hers, she vaguely heard the cheers of the audience as they saw their future king and queen be joined for life.
And they lived happily ever after.
*In text notes:
I went online and I looked up dresses and hairstyles so you could see what I was talking about with Alice's dress. Here's the link to the actual dress I had in mind: http (colon) (double slash) www dot foxgown dot com (slash) a (-) line (-) prom (-) dress (-) with (-) wild (-) feathered (-) bodice (-) 572 dot html
Look at the purple version of it. There's an icon below the blue picture.
Of course, take out all of the "dots" and replace them with actual periods. Along with all of the other junk. Fanfiction's being annoying and won't let us post outside links. So we have to completely mutilate the link to let it pass.
And then the hairstyle. ONLY LOOK AT THE HAIRSTYLE. Not the dress:http (colon) (double slash) www dot dressforquinces dot com (slash) ball (-) gown (-) dresses (slash) purple (-) and (-) black (-) ball (-) gown (-) strapless (-) floorlength (-) taffeta (-) and (-) organza (-) beading (-) quinceanera (-) dress (-) p-11 dot html
And the third note. I had to add this because I have a feeling this is exactly what Dan would do when he's bored. A game of sticks. Hahaha. Hehe. Heh... Are you laughing? I feel kind of weird laughing by myself...
Whoa. That came out a lot longer than I had planned. I was thinking maybe 4,000 words or 5,000 if I was lucky. But then the words came rushing out of me and I've hit a grand total of over 9,000 words including the Author's notes at the beginning and end. Guys. This was 19 freaking pages long on Word. Calibri size 11 font. And I had to squeeze the AN so it wouldn't go over to 20.
I repeat. Woah.
If only my English teachers could see me now... *sighs wistfully*
This thing actually took me 8 and a half hours to write. I'm not even joking. I started at 9:00 A.M., give or take a few minutes, and now it's 5:37 P.M. I literally sat at my laptop the entire day and wrote this sucker. You better have enjoyed it ;) So show your appreciation by leaving a review, favoriting, following, sharing, etc. All that good stuff.
Please? :3 I'll update the next one when you hit 10 ;) Yes, I know that's a lot, but this took me 8 and a half hours. I deserve a break :P