Disclaimer: I in no way, shape, or form own Vocaloid. Each character used belongs to the respective company that produced him/her; I merely borrowed them for non-profit entertainment purposes. However, I do claim ownership to the cover art and words below. Please enjoy.
Cinderella may lose her glass slipper, but she will ultimately reunite with her prince and live happily ever after.
Alice may wander, but she will always find her way home.
Juliet may love, but she will never see a happy ending.
Again and again Rin repeated the classes in her mind, her lips silently forming the words. She must have them memorized to the letter. If she forgot, it would be impossible to find someone to remind her of the decrees before she was tested of them. Gripping her pendant tightly, Rin began her unheard chant again.
A Cinderella is marked by a Silver Crown.
An Alice is marked by a Cerulean Butterfly.
A Juliet is marked by a Blood Rose.
Each girl is marked by her destiny. Her destiny is the life she was born to live.
Know your place, and do everything possible to elevate those above you.
Without thinking, Rin ran her free fingers over the branding. The burn, pressed onto her forearm shortly after her purchase, had healed days ago. Now that it no longer hurt, Rin couldn't stop touching it. The branding was proof that she wasn't dreaming, that she was truly in this situation.
My duty is to serve, she tried to convince herself as she sat in the waiting room. She couldn't get comfortable on the velvet couch, and the people in the painting on the wall across seemed to judge her. I am property. My life means nothing. I am replaceable, and if I don't perform my job, I will be replaced.
"Juliet CV02!"
Rin jumped where she sat, hurriedly putting her pendant in her dress pocket. It would be a while before she got used to her new name. She pulled her sleeve down, hiding the brand but careful to not cover the blood rose tattoo on her left wrist.
As she did so, Rin watched an older woman stalk into the otherwise empty room. The woman's hair was the color of salt and pepper, and her lips were so thin it was as if they weren't there. Lines of age etched her skin from her face to her exposed wrists. Even the rose tattoo she was marked with appeared wilted with age.
The woman was rather well dressed for a Juliet. She wore a simple gown with long sleeves and a high collar, but the fabric was purple. Rin had never worn purple nor met anyone who did.
"Juliet CV02," the elder Juliet began, "have you learned your life's mission?"
"I have, Head Juliet," Rin replied. When she was requested to repeat it, Rin carefully spoke each word of the decree firmly and with certainty. Her performance must have been satisfactory, for Head Juliet made no remarks other than "very good."
"The academy wasn't looking to purchase more Juliets," Head Juliet began, "but they have a staggering amount of Cinderellas beginning their studies this year. With this terrible economic season, it's through the higher than usual tuition these girls' parents are paying that you and a few others were able to be purchased."
"It's through this terrible economic season that I was sold in the first place," Rin said softly, avoiding eye contact. Louder, "My purpose is to serve. Whatever is required of me, I shall do."
Head Juliet gave a stiff nod. "Good to know that you are not letting your outrageous fortune get to you. Most Juliets can only wish they were half as lucky."
"I shall not serve here in vain, Head Juliet."
Sniffing, Head Juliet ordered, "Gather your belongings and follow me."
"Gather your belongings." All Rin had with her, save the dress and shoes she wore and the pendant she hid, were two patched up dresses and a wooden comb. She wondered if Head Juliet was instructed to say this to every Juliet she took to the Juliet quarters regardless if she had personal items, or if Rin had more possessions than most Juliets who walked these halls.
As she followed Head Juliet, Rin ran her eyes over the interior of the academy. The walls were so dark in color and shiny from polish Rin almost couldn't believe they were wood. The wood she knew had splinters and was pale and ugly, but it was useful, and that was all that mattered. Even more, paintings framed in silver and gold decorated the walls. There were paintings of gardens, beaches, and the three moons in the winter night sky. Busts of men and Cinderellas - very important people in the academy's history, Rin believed - lined the halls as well. The grandeur of it all squeezed Rin's chest and reminded her of how small she really was.
When they entered the Juliet quarters, Rin knew it immediately. The wood faded to that pale and rough form she was so familiar with, and only dirt stains decorated the walls. Concrete became the ground on which they walked, and the hall smelt more like dirty feet the further they traveled. Head Juliet didn't lead Rin down any stairs, but Rin knew they had just entered the lowest part of the academy.
Soon they were passing by bedrooms, all filled with thin mattresses on the floor and no furniture. Only few Juliets were present - those absent were clearly performing their daily duties - and each one stared at Rin as she passed. So many new faces, all had the same name. At least, Rin tried to tell herself, we have something in common.
"You shall room in here," Head Juliet said, stopping by one of the last rooms in the hall. "We had a Juliet die here last week, opening up a bed in time for your arrival. Don't let all this luck get to you."
"None of it shall matter to me," Rin replied. "Misfortune follows me wherever I go. It may take a break, but it is never absent."
"Hmp," Head Juliet said. "Rest well, Juliet CV02. The new Cinderellas arrive bright and early tomorrow, and we will need every Juliet on hand to manage keeping the house in order."
"Yes, Head Juliet."
"And one more thing." Head Juliet looked into the room she assigned Rin and called, "Juliet MG53."
A Juliet with green hair that reached her collar bones and lime eyes approached the two. She must have been assigned her day of rest, for she wore a simple gray dress that was many sizes too small and not the gray and blue uniform Rin had seen on the Juliets who were performing their duties away from the quarters. "You called, Head Juliet?"
"Prepare Juliet CV02 for what tomorrow will bring," Head Juliet ordered. "If she makes one single mistake, I will inform Mistress Prima whose fault it is her new Juliet failed to adequately serve her mistresses. You wouldn't want to be locked in the damp room again, do you?"
"No, Head Juliet," Juliet MG53 replied. "I shall beat the new Juliet until she stands in service."
"Very well." Looking at Rin, "Your uniform will be brought down tonight. Fail to show up properly dressed, and you will be flogged." With that said, Head Juliet spun on her heel and stalked away.
When Head Juliet had gone, Juliet MG53 let out a deep breath. "I swear that woman is a machine. What hell do you have to go through to be that hard and cold?" Rin said nothing. When Juliet MG53 noticed this, she looked Rin deep in her eyes and asked, "What's your name?"
Speaking softly, Rin answered, "Juliet CV02."
"No, not that name." The greenette waved her hand as if wiping Rin's Juliet name from the air. "What's your name? You know, the one your parents gave you." Freezing in fear, Juliet MG53 leaned in and whispered, "Your parents did give you a name, right?"
Rin nodded. "My mom named me Rin."
This seemed to please the other Juliet. "Then that is your name. As for me, I'm Gumi. When a Cinderella, Alice, or man asks for your name, then you give your Juliet name. Down here, with the rest of us Juliets, use your birth name." Gumi rolled her eyes. "It's so confusing that we have to be called Juliet all the time. I tell you, Juliet doesn't even sound like a word some days. I genuinely want to know where the term for our class came from, because there's no way Juliet is a name or something like that."
Unsure how to act, Rin remained quiet and clutched her dresses and comb to her chest. Is this a test? While she was being branded and trained, Rin was beaten both mentally and physically until she learned to wear her silent mask as a second skin. Now here was this Juliet who had clearly served at the academy for a good deal of time acting as if she wasn't an object. If I open up to this supposedly friendly face, will I be punished for not sticking with how my training taught me to act?
As if she had read Rin's mind, Gumi said, "It's okay if you don't want to open up now. First weeks are scary for everyone, but you can loosen up when you're ready. Don't be afraid to make friends. Nobody cares what Juliets do on their own time as long as they're not interfering with what goes on in the academy."
Rin nodded again. Gumi sighed. Realizing why Gumi seemed disappointed, Rin quickly whispered, "I'm sorry."
"It's okay, Rin." Gumi smiled. "I was super quiet my first day here, too."
"Now we just wish she was quiet!" shouted a red head across the hall. This Juliet was putting on her uniform, possibly getting ready to start her shift.
"Shut up, Cul!" Gumi shouted back. To Rin, "Now come on in and let's start talking business. The sooner you learn how things work around here, the sooner I can have somebody to play cards with."
"Your daughter shall make an excellent student at the Equinox Cinderella Academy," Mistress Prima told the parents across from her as she shifted through the paperwork. Setting the documents aside, she brought up a hologram and again looked through the pictures of the young lady. Her office was spacious, containing a few filled bookshelves and a wine table along with the desk and chairs on both sides. Behind where Mistress Prima sat, a large window stretching nearly the length of the wall let in sunlight as it showcased the lavender sky. "What is more impressive is that you came here yourselves; most parents just place their daughters on the hovercrafts and send them away."
"It is important to us that our daughter will be able to settle," the girl's mother said, squeezing her gloved fingers between themselves. She stared at the pictures the head of the academy shifted through. Only the best, most flattering pictures made it into her daughter's portfolio.
The father added, "She isn't the best at big transitions, I'm sad to say. Will this affect her ability to study?"
"You have nothing to worry about." Mistress Prima smiled as she stopped at a rather cute photo of the girl mewing at a kitten. "We don't accept just any Cinderella, so you may rest assured knowing your daughter impressed us all with her blessings, previous studies, and talents. You can take great pride in knowing your daughter has enough grace, poise, and elegance to fit in nicely here." Looking between the mother and father of the girl, Mistress Prima said, "Speaking of your daughter, where is she?"
The girl's mother squeezed her fingers harder. "About Miku . . ."
"I'm here!" shouted a frazzled seventeen-year-old as she, with lifted skirts, ran into the office. Her turquoise hair fell out of sloppy pigtails, and her blue-green eyes were wild with panic. "Sorry I'm so- OMPH!" Falling face first, Miku tripped in her heels and landed with a great thud. Without a stop in her motion, Miku sat on her knees and said, "I'm sorry I'm so late. First I had to go to the bathroom, while I was there I tried to fix my hair, and then when I realized I was running late, I couldn't find the office." Miku slumped her upper body forward in what appeared to be a bow. "Please forgive me, Mistress Prima! I promise I shall be a worthy student."
"The thing about our daughter is," Mr. Hatsune said slowly, "she's very eccentric."
"First impressions are not her strong suit," Mrs. Hatsune agreed.
Mistress Prima did not respond. Instead she rose from her desk, approached Miku, and stood over the girl. "Rise, child," she ordered.
Not hesitating to obey, Miku pushed herself to her feet.
"Show me your arm."
Miku did.
When she took Miku's wrist, Mistress Prima studied the silver crown inked into the girl's otherwise pale skin, forever marking her a Cinderella. "You are blessed," she told Miku.
"Yes, Mistress." Miku nodded. "At my birth, the Star Sisters proclaimed I would do great things. They said that my destiny is one worthy of a Cinderella."
"It's true," Mrs. Hatsune quickly added. "They said it had been ages since the stars were so align for the birth of a girl."
"I see." Mistress Prima looked Miku up and down. "Truth be told, Mr. and Mrs. Hatsune, girls come to my school nearly every day. Sometimes they're Cinderellas looking for me to train them, and sometimes they're Juliets whose families sold them for scraps. I've seen it all. This is why you should believe me when I tell you that you have no reason to worry for your daughter. By the time she finishes her studies, she shall be an excellent lady. Why, she might even find herself a good husband while she's here."
"Oh, I hope so!" Miku exclaimed, cheeks pinkening as she smiled widely. "I do so badly want to fall in love with a handsome man, marry the day I am of age, and live happily ever after with him."
"And so you shall." Mistress Prima tucked a strand of hair behind Miku's ear.
To Miku's parents, "Once we finish here, I will call an escort for you both while your daughter settles into her new home."
With shaky hands, Rin slipped her uniform over her head and let it fall over her body. Since the only rule the Juliets were given concerning their hair was to keep it out of their face, Rin merely used barrettes in her bangs. When she was dressed, Rin kept looking down at herself as she remembered how to breathe. She craved the touch of the pendant as a drowning man craves air, but she believed it to be best if she kept the only thing she had left of Nero someplace where it couldn't get lost.
"It's okay," Gumi whispered, resting a hand on Rin's shoulder. "I know you're anxious, but I promise your first day won't be that bad."
"Then how come I can't breathe?" Rin's chest felt like it was caving in, squeezing her lungs and crushing her heart. She wanted to scream, to cry. Anything to get rid of this suffocation. It took all her self-control to not reach for her only comfort, especially since Gumi was looking. Shaking, Rin began to hyperventilate.
"Please, slow down," Gumi suggested. "Breathe with me. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale." They repeated this a few more times. "Better?"
Rin nodded. "Yes. Thank you."
"Don't mention it." Gumi tucked loose strands of Rin's blonde hair behind her ears. "Remember everything I told you? It's important that you do. You might be a person down here, but up there you're less than a lamp. Do what you're told to do, no more and no less, and you should be fine. Understand?"
Trembling where she stood, Rin replied, "Yes, Gumi." Then, without thinking, Rin fell forward and wrapped her arms around the greenette. Her shoulders shook and her breathing heaved as if she were going to cry, but Rin let no tears fall. Even when Gumi returned the affection, Rin kept her eyes dry. All she did was bury her face into the crook of Gumi's neck and mumble, "This day would be so much harder if not for you."
Gumi understood. "I know how hard it is for Juliets to come here. I've seen it again and again. All I'm doing is trying to make the experience easier for them. For you."
Something Gumi said rose a question in Rin's mind, but before she could ask it, Head Juliet could be heard coming down the stairs. Rin held her breath, but Gumi pulled her out of the hug and looked Rin in the eyes. She nodded to Rin, an encouragement and reminder in one motion. Then she pushed Rin away and wished her luck with her first day.
The humming wouldn't go away. It just kept growing louder. Not until the volume created vibrations in her room did Miku stir from her slumber.
Dazed, Miku pushed herself onto her knees and looked around at the unfamiliar surroundings. This wasn't her room, and she was not on her bed. She rubbed her eyes, trying to make sense of where she was.
Then it all hit her out of nowhere.
She had arrived at the academy the day before. This was her suite. The girls that didn't arrive already would be making their entrance today in time for orientation. Miku, like the other girls already present, were supposed to meet Mistress Prima in the lobby at seven o'clock sharp.
Steeling herself, Miku waved her hand over the clock on her nightstand. The time appeared as a light pink hologram in the air. Miku had to be dressed and in the lobby in thirteen minutes.
"Oh, no!" Miku gasped. In her struggle to get out of bed, she tangled her legs in the sheets and fell face first on the floor. Taking no time to feel the pain, Miku jumped to her feet and ran to her trunk.
Instead of unpacking when she settled into her room before bed, which perhaps would have been the wiser decision, Miku left most of her dresses packed away. As a result, she had to completely empty her trunk of its contents before she found the dress she desired to wear. Then came the struggle of finding matching shoes.
With no time to put on a proper slip, Miku wore her dress over her nightgown. Shoes placed on her feet, Miku ran out of her chambers while her busy fingers worked to tie her long hair into its signature two tails. Miku was so focused on getting ready to meet the others that she didn't pay attention when she turned a sharp corner. Another figure also rounded the corner, and both bodies collided with a force that sent them to the ground.
"I'm so, so sorry," Miku, upright, said in a rushed breath. Noticing sheets of paper on the ground, Miku began to frantically pick them up. "I really hope these weren't in any special order," she said as she gathered the last of the documents and held them towards their carrier.
Before Miku was a small girl with shoulder length blonde hair sitting on her knees and collecting the sheets that fell closer to her. Cerulean eyes wide, the blonde stared at what Miku offered back to her. Ever so slowly, she reached out to retrieve the sheets, exposing her left wrist.
"No way!" Miku gasped, instantly dropping the documents and grabbing the girl's forearm. She pulled the blonde's wrist closer and inspected the blood rose tattoo. "You're a Juliet! I've never been so close to a Juliet before. We always had Alices work as staff. I think my parents didn't want to take their chances with a carrier of misfortune or something. What would they say if they knew I was this close to one right now?!"
Suddenly remembering that she was late to something, Miku shouted in surprise, rose again to her feet, and ran down the hall. Today was not the day to be late. There would be plenty of time to get used to Juliets, but she only had this opportunity to learn what the academy wanted to teach her.
Miku entered the lobby and skidded to a halt. Two other girls were there, but Mistress Prima was absent. The Fates had been kind to her, but Miku silently vowed to not test them again. They may have favored her, but Miku had no plans to put herself on their bad side.
As she tried to catch her breath, Miku took in her surroundings. The room was larger than any in her home, completed by tall windows with lace curtains, a large woven rug, and a few couches and coffee tables. Already in the room were two other girls. Both of them were standing near a window, and they seemed to have been engaged in conversation before Miku arrived.
"Am I late?" Miku asked, smoothing the skirt of her dress and walking towards the others.
"I say you have a solid minute to spare," answered a girl with salmon colored hair that was worn half up and fell like a waterfall to her waist. She wore a lavender dress gracefully showing off the curves Miku could only wish to have. "You do, however, have some hairs out of place." When the panicked Miku brought her hands to her hair, the girl laughed. "I'm teasing. Your hair looks nice. Would it be rude to assume that you are used to showing up late?"
Face burning, Miku replied, "It wouldn't be rude because it's usually one of the first things a person learns about me."
The pinkette smiled. "No need to be embarrassed. Every Cinderella that comes to the academy isn't perfect. Or at least I would assume they're not. Why would a Cinderella need the academy's training if there was nothing for her to be taught?"
"I believe you may be right." Dropping her knees to a curtsy, Miku introduced herself. "My name is Hatsune Miku, from the Venus District."
"My name is Megurine Luka, from the Feyre District," the pinkette returned. "It is a pleasure to meet you."
"The pleasure is all mine." When she again noticed the other girl in the room, Miku asked, "And you are?"
The other girl, who had dark skin and darker hair tied into a bun, frowned, her sea green dress even more elegant than Luka's. Her green eyes looked Miku up and down before finally settling on Miku's face. The girl looked away without answering Miku at all.
"Don't fret over Ona," Luka said. "She's not too much of a conversationalist."
Just then a door opened with a bang from down the hall. Mistress Prima walked in, a green-haired woman in a blue-gray uniform following close behind. Two young men also walked in and stood at the doorway. They wore dark green uniform shirts with bronze buttons and metals of status on the breasts. Blasters rested on their hips. One had pale blond hair and the other brown, but both were tall and looked over the girls as well as their surroundings.
"Good morning, my children," Mistress Prima greeted as she outstretched her arms. "Today marks the beginning of your transition into ladyhood. Your training will be both strict and a challenge, but this is only so that you blessed ladies can become the best Cinderellas you can be.
"Now, as you three arrived at some point within the last couple of days and have already spoken with me in private, it is not necessary for any of you to be present when the rest of the students arrive."
"Then what are we supposed to do?" Miku blurted. Seeing the shocked looks Luka and Ona both gave Miku, she realized what she had done and bowed her head. "Forgive me for speaking out of line, Mistress Prima."
"You are forgiven, child," Mistress Prima replied, "but you must learn to restrain your tongue. No man wants to have a wife who speaks without order."
"I shall learn to tame my lips," Miku said. When Mistress Prima gave her the permission, Miku rose again. She bit her lower lip, horrified of the impressions she was giving those around her. If she gave anyone reason to doubt her authenticity, Miku and her family would face execution for the crime they didn't commit.
"As I was saying," Mistress Prima continued, "my pet here is going to lead you fine girls to the ladies dining room. While I make the new Cinderellas feel at home, your job is to help prepare the breakfast table. I will arrive shortly with your fellow classmates, and we all expect everything ready by then."
Ona curtsied. "Permission to speak, Mistress Prima."
"Permission granted."
"Why must we prepare the table? Such a mundane task belongs to Juliets. Certainly, you have enough to ready the room without our help."
"Excellent question, Miss Nova," Mistress Prima said. "Even if you spend your life having Juliets prepare parties for you, you must know how to properly do it yourself. How else would you know if your Juliets are performing less than satisfactory?"
"Good point, Mistress Prima." Ona curtsied again.
From the corner of her eye, Miku saw something approaching the school. She turned her attention to the window to see a hovercraft landing in the hovercraft dock. More students had arrived.
"That should be the last of them," Mistress Prima noted, she too looking out the window. To the three before her, she said, "Now would be the ideal time to get started. Follow Pet Juliet. When you arrive, Head Juliet will instruct you on your task. What are you waiting for? Chop-chop! The best time to finish a job is five minutes ago."
Without hesitation, Mistress Prima spun on her heel and strutted away. The pale blond guard followed her while the brunet remained. Silently, Pet Juliet led the way. Miku, Luka, and Ona all followed without being told.
"A Juliet is going to instruct us?" Luka wrinkled her nose. "Why not another Cinderella? Or an Alice, at least? My mother did not send me to the academy for second rate training. Certainly, there are more worthy women of actual status that can do the job."
"A Juliet is the worthiest woman to teach us how to set a table," Ona replied. "It is what they do for a living."
"And what they should continue to do. A Cinderella being instructed by a Juliet is insulting. What about you, Miku? What do you think?"
Forcing her eyes off the woman leading them, Miku looked to Luka and said, "I don't know what I think. My parents never allowed Juliets into the house. As a result, I never grew up around them. I've never seen one until today."
"Consider yourself fortunate." Luka shook her head. "Such disgusting creatures. You, however," Luka linked arms with Miku, "I think you and I shall become really good friends."
"I think we shall," Miku replied, smile on her face. She clung to Luka as if afraid of separation. This day was the first in the most important part of her young life, and Miku had no intentions to go through it alone.