A/N: Hi everyone! As for some of you who've read many stories in this archive, you might already know I have another story going(that'll be going for a while till I can think of a good ending to satisfy everyone), but I love Pierce so much, I wanted to a short chapter story for him. He's just so cute, and however much I love Boris...I'd get a kick at him for bullying Pierce all the time! (Sorry for full-time Boris fans, but we gotta protect Pierce sometimes too! :O)Anyway, this story's going to be somewhat...sad, and very sacrificing. If you guys get confused later, keep in mind when Jenesa mentions 'prison' things, she was a person framed for a certain crime(you'll find out later)that she didn't do, and she ended up on death row. She was supposed to be executed, but...Wonderland has its ways. Anyway, enough of my rambling, I hope you like it! This one will be either faster or slower than my 'The Person I Was' story, depends.

Disclaimer: I don't own Joker/Clover/Heart no Kuni no Alice, but I do own this story and the OC(s).

Enjoy!

I'm Not the Hero in This Story

Chapter One: My Identity

"I wear a mask to conceal my eyes, so I don't have to watch her save him."

"Ha, this is absolutely unbelievable!" Gowland laughed loudly, almost falling out of his large blue chair. We were discussing something rather serious, but he just had to laugh. Was it that big of a deal that I was actually a foreigner? Well, maybe… "You, the new foreigner after Alice, want a job at my Amusement Park? Gah, wow, that's just hilarious!"

I coughed, bringing a hand up to slightly clear my scratchy throat. I got a cold after spying on Alice's interests at the clock tower; who knew winter was that harsh? "Please stop laughing, Gowland. I just want to repay you for letting me stay, since I've been here for quite a while. And…" I paused, irritated that he didn't cease his fit of laughter, and in fact, doubled over, slamming a gloved hand repeatedly on his wooden desk. I wasn't going to be surprised much if he broke it. "I wanted to know if I could get a job close to Pierce."

He immediately stopped, but still had those sudden moments of chuckling. "Ah, what a great laugh!" He sighed, wiping away the stray tears forming in his eyes. I knew he was really listening, but how he did it was annoying. "I accept your proposition! Ha, I haven't laughed that hard since Alice did that test drive on my new rollercoaster! But what's this about a certain Dormouse, I hear?"

I smiled at his acceptance, but my act of happiness subsided when I registered Alice's name to a full extent. If she came to the Amusement Park today (since it was still early, and I had a feeling she would), Pierce would be all over her. Then how was I supposed to study him? Unless I hid in the shadows and watched both of them, but he'd probably sniff me out. He had a really sharp nose, for a mouse. This mission was indeed impossible… And now I felt jealous? How horrible could I get? I shook my head, ridding the thoughts of that from my brain. My plan was to bring them together, nothing else.

"Jenesa," Gowland brought me out of my thinking, and I snapped my head up. "You know, you won't be able to hide behind that mask forever. Pierce is bound to find out. He's not as dumb as he looks."

"No he won't," I answered almost too quickly, but I covered it in a laugh, pulling my butterfly mask Gowland was referring to off to smile fully at him. "I don't plan on doing this forever, and he definitely won't see through this. This is just to see to it that Pierce doesn't recognize me, and that he ends up with Alice instead of that Peter White. Pierce will be happy, and so will I." I felt hesitation tug at my voice, and Gowland noticed it, much to my displeasure.

"You're really going for it, huh…ugh, now I feel useless as a roleholder…and I happen to like you more than Alice!" Gowland pulled a hand through his scruffy hair, exhaling deeply. "I promised to watch over you, not let you push yourself so hard…"

"But I wasn't supposed to be here in the first place, and it's my choice to do this," I stated, twirling my mask. "Don't worry about me, Gowland. If I can do atleast one good task here in Wonderland, then I can rest reassured at my execution in my world." I felt like crying at my own words, but after a year in that horrible prison, bottling it all up wasn't so hard anymore. "I fell in love with Pierce at first sight, but I knew from the start it wouldn't work out. That's why I have to do this. Heh, this seems just like a story of star-crossed lovers, except this time, one of us is helping the other."

Gowland's eyes widened and I placed my mask back on. I was acting as a faceless, and by doing this, I tricked many people into thinking I was just another employee. There were many colorful characters here at the park, so what better way to blend in? There would be too much fuss about me as a foreigner if they found out. The only ones who knew of my true identity were Gowland, and perhaps Nightmare, and I thanked them every time for keeping it a secret. "Well then, where do I start, boss?"

He blinked, and sighed again, getting up from his seat. The chairs screeched, and I rose as well, that icky smile still plastered on my face. "The park hasn't opened yet, so just go clean up the pool. Pierce will probably be there too, with Boris. And Alice is coming later." He made his way to my side, and lowered his mouth to my ear, a whisper only I could hear. "You're going to end up hurting your heart, at this rate. Please don't go too far."

Gowland left, waving his hand back as a farewell. I didn't spare a glance at him as I stood there alone, taking in his words. I was doing this all for Pierce, all for him… I was going to make him happy, no matter what. I pulled a hand up to my clothed chest, brushing my fingers gently over my golden clock that I sewed into my clothing. Nobody cared that it moved, nobody noticed, and that was fine. I felt my smile fade, and could feel the tears dare to overflow. "What are you talking about? I don't have a heart anymore." I clutched the area tightly, feeling the ticking of my fake clock, and perhaps a steady heartbeat as well. "It's already been stolen."

"I place a clock near my heart to block out whatever beat there is; after all, there is meant to be only one foreigner in his world."

"I have to clean this?" I held the broom to my side, taking off my mask to rub my eyes. "By the time I'm done, I'll be too tired to think of my plan today…and Pierce isn't here. Stupid Gowland…"

I stared at the water, careful to avoid the shine the sun had cast. A smile pulled at my mouth, and I rummaged through my pocket and took out my butterfly hair tie, pulling my golden locks into a high ponytail. I started liking the idea of being a mysterious, lovely butterfly, instead of a cupid of love. I rolled my red sleeves up, placing my mask back on as I rubbed my hands together. "Well, I guess it's time to get to—"

"S-stop, chu! I didn't do anything, chu!" An all too familiar voice cried, and I almost fell into the pool as I stumbled. Pierce?

"Nya ha, you're not getting away this time, rat!" Boris' voice echoed off the surrounding trees, and I sighed when the two of them came running out. Was this a daily routine, or was Boris just bored again? I'd been seeing far too much of their little games of tag in my observations…

"Ah, help me, chu!" Pierce cried again, and this time, my mouth was hung open as he jumped over the pool in my direction. Everything seemed to go in slow motion, with Boris about to grab Pierce's tail, Pierce almost reaching me, and of course, me unable to move; until now. Pierce crashed into me, knocking us both onto the ground, and my mask tilted a bit. I hurriedly pushed the Dormouse off, fixing my mask in the process. This was totally unexpected, the plan wasn't supposed to go this way!

"Oh, taking cover behind a faceless, eh, mouse?" Boris began to go around the pool, a water gun now in hand. Or was that a water gun?

"Eep! H-help me!" Pierce squeaked, and scrambled behind me, gripping my shoulders. We were still on the floor, and I could feel his trembling shake my own body.

"Calm down, he's just an overgrown cat; you're a man, for god's sake! Act like one." I turned to face him, minding my mask. It hurt to be so mean to him, but I had to get him as far away from me as possible. He stared sadly at me, tears brimming in his shiny emerald eyes, and I felt my heart skip a beat. No, this wasn't supposed to happen!

"You won't help me, chu?" he asked, and I could feel my common sense crack bit by bit; this was too much! "Hm…" Pierce suddenly leaned over, wiggling his nose a bit as he sniffed. "You don't smell like a faceless…"

Uh oh… "Really? Perhaps it's that perfume Miss Alice sprayed me with. Isn't it nice?" I lied, the need to grind my teeth together inching. Now it was up to his reaction.

He sniffed again, and this time, his face came closer to my face, as if trying to get a better smell. "It's a nice perfume indeed…" he trailed off, smiling. A smile just for me… I felt happy, but what was this stabbing pain?

He loves someone else.

Someone I will never be.

Someone that will save him.

Someone that isn't me.

That smile faded when Boris' voice brought us out of that moment; that moment that I wished could've lasted just a little longer. "Heh, your time is up, rat! Time to pay!" Boris aimed his gun at Pierce, and I did the one thing I wasn't supposed to: I protected him.

And just for a fact, that actually wasn't a water gun. The bullet shot me in the shoulder, and I felt a cold pain sweep over my arm. Blood started trickling down, a fresh burst of color that I was used to. Torture was inevitable in prison, and this wasn't something new. But why did it hurt this time?

"Ouch…that one stings…" I said, trying to sound nonchalant. It worked, but the faces Pierce and Boris gave me confused me. Why did they look shocked? I was just another 'faceless', after all. Maybe it was Alice's influence…

"You—" they both started, but my smile stopped them.

"Boris, may I advise you to not shoot guns at the swimming pool; the guests are coming soon, and Miss Alice stated to Gowland that she would come here today. What would she say if there was blood everywhere? This time, it's fine." I stood up, gripping my wound tighter to prevent more bleeding. "Could you clean up while I'm gone? Gowland wouldn't be too happy if blood was near his pool." With that, I took my leave, but immediately felt a shaky tug on my unwounded arm.

"I…I'll go with you!" Pierce said, his eyebrows knitted. Stab. Another stab to the heart, and I was done for.

"It's fine. Please stay here and welcome Miss Alice when she comes." I shook his grasp off, and left Boris and him to stare at my retreating figure.

"Alice didn't have any perfume like that on this whole week…" I heard Pierce say loud enough for me to hear.

Looks like today's plan would have to be revised. Again.

End A/N: Aw...I feel all sad now... -_- I was listening to GALLOWS BELL by Hatsune Miku, and it just made me a bit...under the weather. T_T Anyway, I hope you liked it, and it's going to get a bit more interesting soon, so be prepared! xD Until then, bye!

R&R if you can, and thanks for reading!