Distorted Perfection
Summary: The frail and sickly outcast, Lexi Jiang, lives in fear of being ostracized and taunted by her rigidly oppressive peers during the day, when she is forced to spend her time in a world of conformity. Lexi's favorite time is night, when dreams of a wise, green-eyed being bring her relief from the hours of mediocrity. Other than that, her only outlet is to write. But Lexi's writing, an expression of what she feels she can never have, is embroidered with unrealistically perfect heroines whom she has forced to "live for her"- in the "imaginary" realm of Tortall. When an unexpected accident, combined with divine intervention from the Great Mother Goddess, brings this pariah to the realm of her dreaming, she is offered a proposition: to balance the crown of perfection upon her own head and act as flawlessly as one of her characters. Little does she know it, a large stake lies on her success.
Prologue
She stood on a plain of grass, smooth as velvet, the serene emerald uninterrupted by trees, stones, or any further hints of life. The sky above seemed to curve to meet the horizon, so that pure blue and fluffy white rounded as if reflected in a single raindrop. Sunlight, pure and golden, rolled over her frail limbs and made them strong as jewel-bright leaves tinted with the colors of autumn rained from the sky, unexplained but beautiful. The girl laughed out loud, and the sound dissolved surreally into the distance, as if borne aloft on a pair of invisible, angelic wings. Throughout it all, the sky was pierced by emerald eyes, but the girl did not question their presence. They were wise eyes, beautiful eyes, eyes that saw and understood and guided. They were goddesses' eyes- wild, but kindly. She accepted them.
But suddenly, the sky turned black, the inky blackness of midnight, like a murder's hour. The clouds evaporated into swirls of gray fog and impurity, leaving her in utter. She sensed the grass beneath her shrivel and die, grasping desperately for light that would not reach it. The green eyes became cruel and icy, full of malice and silent, savage laughter. As the new strength in her limbs faltered and evanesced, the black sky rang.
And soon the dark dream-world of the ruined plain dissolved, breaking up into hues and gradients unseen before. rainbow ribbons appeared and rippled, shining beautifully but maliciously, like a sort of distorted perfection. But oddly enough, the ringing continued. The girl struggled against invisible bonds and shielded her ears from the awful noise… until a single ray of light floated through the blackness.
Disclaimer: Any familiar characters, settings, etc. belong to Tamora Pierce. The plot, as well as any of the above that are unrecognizable, are mine.