Chapter 1
An introduction
*DREAM*
"Why am I alone? Where are mom and dad?"
A voice from nowhere answers.
"Dead…"
"Is it my fault?"
"Do you think it is?"
"I don't know…"
"What does your heart tell you?
"…That I shouldn't have been born…"
*ENDS*
Its early morning, in a room with pith black walls, a tiny light slips from behind the curtain into the room, and glides up on a girls face. She is already awake, sweating like hell.
"Always the same old dream…"
The boy next to her wakes slowly up.
"Alice? Is something wrong?"
Alice looks at the boy next to her. She smiles at him, while she slowly moves her hand up to his face. She strokes his chin.
"Nothing is ever wrong when I'm with you."
"You're sweating Alice?"
"I just think that it's a bit warm in here, I'll go outside for a bit.
Alice goes onto the balcony; she looks into the dark night.
"What's wrong with me?"
A blanket surrounds Alice, the boy is now warming her while he hugs her.
"You know Alice; I will always be at your side, so you have no other choice than to tell how you feel…"
"Yukito…"
She turns around and through herself in his arms, she starts crying.
"It's my entire fault!"
"No, if it was your fault, then I wouldn't be here."
"Yukito?"
Alice turns her head up towards Yukito and kisses him on his lips.
"I love you."
- School -
"ice? Alice??"
"Yeah, I love you too…"
"ALICE!!"
"What! Huh? What the?"
"Finally, you're awake!"
"What?"
"Alice if don't want to attend classes, then you should just leave…"
"No, I'm sorry; I'm just not feeling well."
"Like I would believe that! It's the fourth time this week, and its only Thursday!"
"Then there are still 3 more days left before the weekend…"
"What was that?!!"
"I'm sorry sensei, it won't happen again!"
"Ah! Do whatever you want…"
"But sensei?"
"Mikoto-san?" A voice came from the door.
"Yukito-kun?"
"Mikoto-san, would you mind coming with me for a second?
Alice looks at the teacher, which just turns his head away and starts typing on the board. Alice grabs her books and leaves the classroom.
"Alice I didn't came to pick you up; I just wanted to give you Fyuio… You seemed to have forgotten her at home."
Alice looks at Yukito with cold eyes.
"I didn't forget her, she was out all night and wasn't at home in the morning, so I knew that she would swing by school sooner or later…"
Yukito looks at Alice with passion in his eyes.
"It's times like these that I want to hold you and never let go."
"What are you talking about Yukito?"
"Those eyes, and those kinds of words, remind me of myself…"
"What?"
"Oh well… Want to go back to my place?"
"Why not, I'm tired…"
"I kind of got a surprise."
"Really? Well, I'm not in the mood for surprises right now…"
"Just you wait, and if you don't like this one, I got a backup plan…"
"What ever…"
- At Yukito's place -
"So? What is it?"
"Have patient Ali."
He gives Alice a kiss on the check. She calms down. The whole way from school to his house, they didn't speak together. Alice was tired and irritated on her teacher from school.
"You mind if I go into your room?"
"No, not at all…"
Alice walks pass Yukito and into his room. Tidy as always. She sees Mark lying on the bed. She takes Fyuio's egg and puts it besides Mark's egg on the shelf. She then carefully carries Mark over to a pillow at the window.
"What's wrong Alice?" Fyuio asks.
"I'm just so tired. Work is getting so hard lately. No energy…"
"Maybe you should take a break from all that? I mean, I don't want you to exhaust yourself."
Alice looks over where Fyuio is.
"Thank you." Alice smiles.
She lies down on the bed and thinks about the time she meet Mark. It was when she came to Japan for the first time.
*FLASHBACK*
When Alice was 8 years old, she had to come to Japan to be taken care of by her mother's sister. Only because Alice's parents died when she was born, all the people that Alice knew said that it was an accident. Her parents were very rich, so all the servants in Alice's previous home in France took care of her. Alice has always been very ill and weak, but when she was 8 years old, she seemed to be okay enough to come to Japan and live with some relatives. Now Alice has to start a whole new life.
"Amazing!! Japan is so wonderful!" a smiling Alice said.
"Well I'm glad that you like it here, the master and mistress were original from here." James said.
"Really? Mom and dad were?"
"Yes, and I know that, when the mistress were pregnant with young lady, they wished for you to come here."
"I know why! He he"
"You will be staying at your mother's sister's house. They are very kind hearted."
"Then I can't wait to meet them!"
At the sisters house –
"Here we are young lady."
"Wow! What a beautiful house!"
"Yes, it is very neat."
"Can I meet aunty now?"
"Yes, if you would wait here in the hall, then I'll bring you to see her. You know, she has a daughter of her own, Maiko I believe the young lady is called."
"Really? Then we can play here everyday!"
"Yes my lady that could possible take place."
"Well then young lady, wait here then."
Alice turns around and starts walking around in the grand hall, until she hears a voice from the top of the stairs.
"Aunty? Is that you?"
From behind the banisters Alice notice a shadow.
"Fyuio… Do you think that the thing up there is a ghost?"
Fyuio comes out from Alice's schoolbag.
"No, I don't think so. Maybe it's Maiko-chan?"
"The daughter?"
"Yes, could be…"
Alice looks up at the banister again, but now the shadow is gone.
"Yosh! I'll find out whether it's Maiko-chan or not!"
"You are so brave Alice."
Slowly Alice walks up the stairs. No one is in sight. She walks passes some doors, no noise at all. But suddenly she hears laughter.
"Fyuio… That is a very creepy laughter!"
Alice and Fyuio bear the same facial expression on their faces, ones that says that they have seen a ghost.
"Maybe it really is a ghost we are seeking…"
Tha-that is ridiculous A-Alice, there is no su-such thing as gh-ghosts!" Fyuio said with a shivering voice.
A door behind Alice and Fyuio slowly opens with a creaking scary sound. They slowly turn around only to find a little black long haired girl in a pure white kimono. Alice and Fyuio screams and runs pass this girl, down the stairs only to trip halfway with the result of falling the rest of the way down. Alice raises her head, moaning in pain and suddenly looking at some white high heels. She glances up finding a very lady like person in a white suit, with up-tight hair, looking very angry.
"So this is my niece! Well, she lacks a lot of education I see!"
"Young lady, what are you doing?" a wobbly James asked while getting Alice up on her feet's.
"W-well… I saw this thing up the stairs, and I wanted to see what it was… And… And, I found a ghost!"
"A ghost?! What nonsense are you talking about?"
"Madam, maybe young lady is a bit tired of her long trip?"
"Hn! That may be… Shizume!"
A maid came running to the very angry lady.
"Shizume! You'll take care of this girl from now on, show her to her room, and help her unpack!"
"Yes madam."
The maid took Alice in her arm, about to take her up the stairs again. But Alice refused to go with her.
"But what about you James, I don't want you to leave me!"
Alice slit herself from the maids hold and ran over and jumped into James's arms.
"Young lady?"
"No James, you can't leave me! You promised that you would stay at my side forever?"
"But…"
"What is this? Alice, I am your aunt Kirari, and I demand that you go to your room right away!"
"No!"
"What?"
"I don't want to lose James! He's like a father to me!"
"Young lady? …Madam, please let me have some few minutes with young lady?"
"… What so ever, but hurry, I'm having a proposal meeting in one and a half hour."
"Thank you madam."
James carried Alice into the garden; Fyuio followed them, until they stopped by a couple of swings. James sat Alice down on one of the swings, while he sat on the one next to her. Alice trying to cover her crying face, by looking down at the ground. There was an awkward silence. Then, James cleared his throat.
"Alice… You remember the first time you sat on a swing?"
Alice didn't say anything, but her mind started looking for the memory James referred to, but without any luck.
"I think you were 3 years old… You were really sad around that age. Always locking yourself into your room, not speaking neither eating… It was a very difficult time for you… We then bought you a swing in hope for you to play a bit more, but you said you hated swings."
James starts laughing.
"The funny thing was, you had never seen a swing before, and you also did not know what it was. But after you came home from school, you saw a family enjoying themselves in the park. The children were playing with their parents. You came home crying that day I remember…"
Alice saw some bricks of memories, and without asking she knew it was the thing James was talking about.
"After bedtime you sneaked down into the garden and just stood facing the swings, you didn't dare to touch them. But then after the third night you came down into the garden…"
"You were there…"
"You remember?"
"Not so much, only that it was the first time I cried in front of someone."
"Yes, that's right. But, after you had cried for some while I sat you on the swing and you just sat there for a long time while I pushed you…"
"And it was the first time I had fun…"
Alice starts crying soundlessly.
"Alice, since I have known you, I have always thought of you as my daughter. But I am glad that I do not have to say this to you as a father…"
James took a deep breath.
"Alice, you have to stay here at madam Kirari's house. She may not act that friendly, but remember, you should never forget who you are! And besides, your parents up in heaven will protect you against all danger. You just have to close your eyes and picture their kindness. They were the most impressive human beings on this earth. Never forget that my dear Alice!"
James got up from the swing and went over to Alice and patted her on her head.
"Take care, and when you grow up, you have to find me, and tell me all the things that I have missed. Farewell"
"James!"
"Yes?"
"I will find you again! And when the time comes, we will be together forever!" said a sobbing Alice.
James smiled at Alice before turning around and vanishing around the corner.
Alice felt sad, but yet she felt new courage. She had to see this ending, as a new beginning!
Alice went into the house, the maid from before stood waiting for her. When the maid saw Alice, she greeted her with a smile. Alice pulled herself together, and smiled back at the maid.
"Hello there young lady, if you don't remember my name is Shizume, and if you need anything just ask me, okay?"
"Many thanks Shizume, and, I'm very sorry from before…"
"Don't worry about it young lady." Shizume smiled very gently.
"I have one request."
"Yes?"
"Could you call me Alice?"
"Huh? Well…"
"If it's not too big a deal of cause."
"Of cause not Alice, it would only be great if we could get to know each other better."
Alice smiled widened, she felt that she had gained a new friend, and that life could be harsh but also good to her.
Alice and Shizume walked up the stairs together, down the long hall, and turned a corner, and on the right side Alice had her room.
"And in here we have your room. It's pretty big, so makes sure to keep it tidy, or else the madam will be mad like before."
"No problem, I have always been good at keeping my room cleaned!"
"So is there anything you need before I go and prepare you lunch Alice?"
"Well, actually, there are two things…"
"Okay, just ask."
"Before when I said I saw a ghost, she was a long black haired girl in a white kimono. It was Misaki-chan right?"
"Yes, there would be no mistaking, you didn't see a ghost." Shizume laughed.
"Lucky I… Well the next thing is… Well, aunty said she had a proposal meeting soon, what is a proposal meeting?"
"Well, you see. Madam is having a get-together meeting with some of her business partners from work, and their entire sons are here to meet madam to see if any of them suits Misaki-sama."
"Suits her?"
"Well yes, because Misaki-sama is 10 years old, and madam wants Misaki-sama to have a fiancé before it's too late."
"A fiancé?"
"Yes, it is the person you are meant to marry when you grow up." Shizume laughed.
"So Misaki-chan doesn't get to decide herself who she wants to marry?"
"No, I'm afraid not. But this is how it is in the grown up world…"
"Hmm, sounds boring."
Alice throws herself on the bed.
"Well, if Alice-chan doesn't have more to ask about, I will go and prepare you lunch. Then I'll come up here with it."
"So I don't get to eat with aunty or Misaki-chan?"
"No, not today I'm afraid."
"Okay, I'll just wait here then."
Shizume leaves the room.
Alice turns around, looking at a big window, which seems to be leading out to a balcony. Alice gets up and walks over to the balcony, slowly opening it. A warm breeze surrounds Alice's body.
"What a weird place!" Fyuio yells.
"Yes, but I kind of promised James that I will be strong and stay put."
"Hmm, yes, I understand that, but, your aunt doesn't seem to be as kind as you thought…"
"Who are we to judge other people, right?"
"Yes, you are right Alice… But still…"
Alice is about to walk into the room again, when a voice yells to her:
"Who are you talking to?"
Alice stops, turning around quickly, only to find a boy that had climbed up to the balcony.
"Wh-who are you?!"
"I asked you a question first, ugly…"
"Ugly?!"
Alice wanted to slap this guy, but as her hand were about to hit his face, he graphed her wrist before she got to hit him.
"A girl using violence? Well, I've never in my life thought I'd meet one…"
"How dare you talk like that to me?"
"Now now, my question first, who were you talking to?"
Alice glared into his eyes; they were kind of dark blue eyes, with a pitch of sadness in them? She studied him for the few seconds the silence lasted. He had dark blue hair too, which was kind of long, it all matched. His lips were small and yet firm. He had a small nose, but his eyes were the ones carving in her heart. Why would she notice all this, maybe because he was so close to her?
"So? No answer? Guess you were talking with yourself then…"
The boy let go of her wrist. He enters her room, while Alice gazes into the unseen wind outside.
"You are quite stupid aren't you?"
Alice comes back to reality.
"Who are you?"
"Me, you don't know me?"
"Why would I ask if I knew?"
"He, so you are not as stupid as I thought… Well, my name is Tsukyomi Yukito, but you can just call me master. I'm here for the marriage interview…"
"What!"
"Yes you heard me; MASTER!"
"Hell no! Yukito is fine by me!"
"Are we really that close?"
"Huh, what do you mean?"
"Well, if we were close friends or maybe lovers it would be okay to call me that, but as we are now…"
"What are you talking about, its first and last names, and no more or less?"
"Honorific's…"
"What like Miss and Mr.?"
"No, like: -sama, -san, -kun or even chan and so on…"
"Are those honorific's?"
"Yes, what did you think?"
"Well, like something to add for fun… Cause –chan is a pretty fun thing to add after a name, don't you think?"
The boy starts laughing out loud. Alice gets all red in her face.
"Well, I just came from France and I don't know anything about Japan, bear it over with me will you!"
"What, you came from France?"
"Don't tell me you are the girl without parents?"
"Huh?"
"I heard about you from my parents, they said a poor little girl came all the way from France to live with her aunt here in Japan, so that must be you… I can understand why you are not allowed down stairs, your aunt must be very embarrassed of you, heard she had no choice but to take you in… Poor parents you must have had…"
Alice knocks over the boy, they lie on the floor.
"What are you doing?!"
He feels a tear on his check.
"Do not speak in such a manner about my parents!"
The boy looks surprised at Alice.
"They were good people! They didn't deserve to die, but they did, and I cannot change that fact!"
Alice lets her hands slip from his, now only sitting on him, crying. The boy is shocked, not knowing that she was this fragile being. He gets up, and hugs her.
"I'm sorry; I did not know I was being an idiot!"
They sat like that some few seconds. And suddenly Fyuio felt something.
"Alice! Alice! Look, look!"
Alice pushed herself a bit from the boy. Something fell on her lap. Alice picks up an egg.
"Huh? This is…"
"What's that, an egg?"
"It's a Shugo Chara!"
"A what?"
"This is your unborn would-be-self!"
"My what?"
"The one I was talking to before was my Shugo Chara. Her name is Fyuio."
"Where is she?"
"Yukito. Close your eyes."
"What, why?"
"Please just trust me this one time…"
Alice's tearful face made Yukito remember how fragile she was, so, without hesitation he closed his eyes.
"Remember how lovely it would be to know your true self! Remember your happiest memory!"
After some few minutes Yukito opens his eyes.
"Well, I can't see her…"
"He he"
Fyuio flies in front of Yukito's eyes. He gets so shocked and screams. Alice puts her hand on his mouth.
"Shhh! Aunty will get mad!"
"What is that thing?!"
"This is Fyuio, my Shugo Chara, my would-be-self."
We hear eggshells cracking, and suddenly a strong white light appears, and out of the egg a Shugo Chara is born.
*FLASHBACK ENDS*
Alice slowly opens her eyes again. She must have had fallen asleep. She slowly lifts her heavy body up from the bed, and looks around the room. She then looks next to her in the bed where she finds Yukito sleeping. Without realizing, Alice smiles to herself, while she little by little looses herself in his handsome face.
"Stop looking at me all the time!" Yukito still with his eyes shut says.
"Make me!"
Alice starts teasing Yukito by still looking at him, now with an even bigger smile. Yukito then opens his eyes.
"You asked for it!"
Yukito now grabs Alice by her waist pushing her down into the bed. He looks into her eyes, and then leans in for a kiss. After a long passionate kiss, they pull from each other. Then Alice says:
"You know what?"
"What?"
"I think I love you."
"Heh.. Is that true?"
Alice nods with a smile upon her face.
"Then you can have your present."
"Oh yeah, what is it?"
"Close your eyes then."
Alice closes her eyes, and hears Yukito walking out of the room, and after a few seconds entering again.
"Your eyes still shut?"
"Of cause!"
"Then you can open them now!"
Alice opens her eyes and sees a little box with a small bow on it in front of her.
"Alice, Happy birthday!"
"Oh Yukito!"
Alice opens the little present and inside she finds a ring with a diamond heart on it.
"I don't know if you think it's ridicules or anything, but... Would you marry me?"
Alice looks with big eyes on both Yukito and then at the ring. Her smile widens and then she threw herself in his arms.
"YES!"