A/N: okay, this is just a random idea i got today.... man, i really need to stop with all the fics.. i have SO many going on at once... don't expect this to be very long, it's Cinderella with a twist anyway... so, just enjoy the randomness and if at any point, i just never update this again, sorry! most of my Disney fics fall through the roof before i finish...

DISCLAIMER: i do NOT own Cinderella, Rodgers and Heimerstein does. i do NOT own D. Gray-Man, Hoshino-sensei does.

~ Prologue ~

Once upon a time, in a far away kingdom lived a young man named Lavi. His mother and father left him in the care of his grandfather, who in that kingdom went by the name of Bookman because of his extensive knowledge of history far and wide. He never heard from his parents and just assumed them for dead.

Eventually, his grandfather remarried to a young woman named Klaud 9, who had two children of her own, Road and Tyki. All three were beautiful of face, but vial and black of heart.

Very often, Bookman was not home. He was out traveling, recording the unrecorded history as people called it. He was always away, much to the dismay of his grandson.

Klaud and her children worked Lavi like a slave in his own home. He was forced to sleep in the tower, the highest point of the house and very far away from any of the more important rooms. He was not able to leave the house until all his chores were done, which took most of the day since he lived in a mansion practically. But, even though Lavi did all this work, the house began to fall into disrepair, since Klaud spent most of the money on her children, getting them the best education, the best clothes, and what not. The little money that was left went to either food for Lavi or the animals.

Sure, the charming redhead had it tough. But every day, he hoped that his grandfather would come back soon. That one thought is all that kept him going…

~ Chapter 1: Beginnings ~

"LAVI!!!"

Lavi awoke with a start. He looked down the long staircase from the tower that leads to the main house. He knew it was Klaud calling him and he groaned. He looked out of the window in his room that had a magnificent view of the castle. How he wished he could live in the castle…

He looked at the clock and noticed that it was far too early for his stepmother to be up. Curious, he dressed quickly and ran down the stairs, taking them several at a time like he always does.

"Lavi! There you are!!" Klaud called when she saw her stepson at the top of the marble steps that lead to the foyer. "I have some important news for you, get down here!"

"Yes, stepmother," Lavi said, running down the steps and into the kitchen. He made breakfast for Klaud as she told him the news.

"Now, as you know, the Prince is returning tomorrow," Klaud began. Lavi nodded. "Well, there will be a grand parade for him on main street today as he comes in and I want Tyki and Road there. Now, they must have something to wear, and I can't get into town today. Now, I need you to go with Tyki and Road into town and get some nice clothes for them, and make sure you don't get into trouble, got it?"

"Yes, stepmother…" Lavi said, setting the breakfast in front of Klaud.

"Good boy," Klaud said, patting Lavi on the head. "Now, go wake them up. And make breakfast for them, boy! And then get to your chores! And make sure they're done before you leave!"

"Yes, stepmother," Lavi said, putting the bowls of porridge in the oven to keep warm.

He walked up the main marble steps and tiptoed to Tyki's room. He knew that the older brother was easier to wake up. So, Lavi carefully opened Tyki's door and walked into the dark room. He stepped up to the bed and gently shook the older man.

"Tyki, Tyki it's time to wake up," Lavi whispered in his stepbrother's ear. He yelped when Tyki jumped up and pinned the redhead to the bed, his arms above his head. "Tyki, what are you doing!"

"Saying good morning to my dear brother," Tyki hissed, licking Lavi's ear.

"Tyki, stop this!" Lavi cried, trying to worm his way out of his brother's grasp.

"And why should I do that?" Tyki asked innocently.

"Because… you're my brother…. That's why!" Lavi said, finally able to get out of Tyki's hold.

"Well, that never stopped me before…" Tyki said blankly

"Dude…" Lavi said, shuddering. "I did NOT need that image stuck in my head!!"

"What image?" Tyki asked, leaning closer to Lavi.

"Nothing, nevermind," Lavi said, walking to the door. "Stepmother wanted to see you, I have breakfast in the oven for you. I'll be down as soon as I wake up Road."

"All right," Tyki said, slapping Lavi's ass as he passed him and walked casually down the stairs.

Lavi squeaked and looked at his stepbrother in shock. Once that had passed, he walked over to Road's room and tentatively knocked on the door.

"Road… it's time to wake up…" Lavi said, remembering what happened that LAST time he tried to go into Road's room. Her crazy cat Lucifer attacked him…

"Hmmm?" Road replied sleepily. "Okay… I'll be down in a minute…."

"But stepmother wanted to talk to you about the Prince's retur—" Lavi sais before the door was slammed open and Road, fully dressed, ran out of the room and down the stairs.

Lavi groaned and followed Road down and into the kitchen again.

"There you are, boy! What took so long?!" Klaud hissed as she looked at her stepson.

"Nothing… It just took a while to wake everyone up…" Lavi said, getting the bowls out of the oven and setting them in front of his siblings.

"Now, as you know, His Majesty is returning tomorrow," Klaud began.

"OF COURSE!!" Road cried, hugging her Prince Plushie. "I'm ONLY the president of his fan club!!"

"I know dear, and you do a fantastic job at it," Klaud said, patting her daughter on the head. "There will be a parade for his return tomorrow and I want you both to be there!"

"I'll be there with the girls, Mother," Road said, resting her head in her hands. "You don't need to worry about me."

"Yes, well, you have nothing to wear for it, dear," Klaud said, looking at her daughter. "I want you two to head into town with Lavi today and find some new cloths for this event!"

"But Mother!" Road cried again, "Lavi doesn't know a THING about fashion!! What if he says I look great in something that makes me look ugly?!"

"He wouldn't de that, would you Lavi?" Klaud asked, hissing said redhead's name. Lavi shook his head violently. "See dear, and besides, Tyki will be going with you."

"Actually, I already had plans with the guys for today," Tyki said, as he poked his porridge. "And as tempting as shopping is, I'll have to decline."

"You'll go with her, Tyki, Klaud said in a very forceful and authorative voice.

"Okay, Mother…: Tyki said, pulling out his cell phone and texting his friends.

"Good, you'll leave as soon as your done with breakfast," Klaud said happily and leaned back in her chair.

"He did WHAT?!!?" Lavi's best friend, Allen, asked in shock.

"Yeah, he tried to rape me AGAIN!" Lavi complained. He had been able to get his siblings to let him go for the day, after much pestering and annoying, and met up with Allen at their hideout, an old martial arts dojo where Lavi and Allen always came to train.

"Man, you have it rough…" Allen said, shuddering. "Well, Cross isn't exactly a walk in the park either so…"

"Man, wouldn't it be great to live in the palace?" Lavi asked out of no where.

"I guess…" Allen said dreamily, thinking along the same lines as Lavi. "No on to tell you what to do…"

"No chores…"

"No one trying to beat you with a hammer…"

"No evil stepfamily…"

"No freedom."

Lavi and Allen both turned around. Behind them stood a young man, younger then Lavi but older then Allen. He had dark blue, almost black eyes and long black hair that was loose and hanging around his shoulder. He had an irremovable scowl on his face.

"Everyone telling you how to act and what to say. Not being able to go anywhere without many people following you, asking you opinion on this and that. The palace life isn't all it's cracked up to be…" the mysterious man said with a scoff.

"And how would YOU know?" Lavi asked, mad that this person would just show up out of the blue and ruin his dreams.

"I have connections…" the man said, tuning away.

"Hey, it's been a while since I had a good opponent," Lavi said, holding up a sword. "Wanna spar?"

"Why not?" the man said, turning and immediately taking a slash at Lavi.

"WHOA!" Lavi said, jumping back and just missing the blade. "That was a low blow, man! I didn't even say go!"

"On the battle field, you can't wait for go," the man said, lunging forward again and trying to slice Lavi in two, only to have his sword blocked in a stale-mate. "You're pretty good."

"So are you," Lavi said, struggling to keep the stranger back. "I'm Lavi. What's your name?"

"Just call me Yu," the man said, mentally kicking himself for giving out his first name. He hated it when people called him by his first name.

"Well then Yu," Lavi said with a smile, pushing Yu back with all this strength, then jumping back himself, "Let's make this a fair fight."

"I agree," Yu said, a sly grin on his face.

They both lunged at each other at the same time, only to be stopped in mid air, spun around and landing on the other side of the dojo from where they started. They both hit the walls with a resounding THUD. Allen ran over to Lavi to make sure he was all right.

"YU! How dare you!!" the person who stopped them said. He was the master if the dojo, Marie. The blind man picked Yu up by the front of his shirt and pulled him into the air to that they were face to face. "You come back after being away for so long and already you're picking fights with people!"

"They started it!" Yu said, pointing to Lavi. "The redheaded rabbit chalanged me!"

"I don't care!!" Marie screamed. "You could have swallowed your pride and NOT accepted!"

"You know I can't do that!" Yu said as he was put back on the ground. He walked over to Lavi, who was still on the ground, and extended a hand. "Need some help?"

"Thanks," Lavi said as he took Yu's hand and stood up. "Where did you learn to fight like that?"

"Hm? Oh, my father taught me, mostly…" Yu said absently. "Man I really don't want to go home…."

"And why not?" Lavi asked, getting his first good look at the boy. He was wearing clothes that looked very expensive. "You must be of the upper class. Man, I would switch places with you any day! It's my dream to be in the upper class!"

"You don't want to, believe me…" Yu said, looking away. He started to walk out the door when he turned back and said, "Marie-sensei, I'll be back a little later. I need some air."

"Alright, Yu…" Marie said with a worried look on his face. You're home a day early, Your Majesty. Where will you go for tonight?

"See ya later, Yu!" Lavi said, waving to the raven-haired man. "Man, he's so cool!"

"If I didn't know any better, Lavi, I'd say you have a crush on this mystery man!" Allen teased, poking Lavi in his side.

"I do not!!" Lavi said, his face turning red.

"Haha! Sure you don't!!"

"I don't!! Now, I better get back before my stepmother decides to kill me…."

"Good luck, Lavi!"

"Thanks! I'll need it too…."

okay, i put the first chapter and the prologue in the same chapter just for my own sanity....

anyways, R&R like always.... and if yoy have ANY suggestions, i'd love to hear them!!