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Chapter 1
Noël, 1924
"Urg! I-it's too tight! T-the macaroons are going to... Come up!" Victorique could barely manage to tell Kujo as he fastened her corset tighter. He placed his foot to her back as she braced against the wall, as he continued to tug the corset strings. "Victorique, you've eaten so many sweets, you've probably put on weight!" He told her with the laces finally being tied. Just as he almost finished she jabbed her elbow in his nose. It was not enough to make it bleed, but to make it hurt. "That's too much, coming from a herbivorous mammal like you!"
"O, for the love of...! There there, it's on." He tied it and stepped back as she went to put on the dress they received from Sophie and Cécile. Now fully dressed in the pink and fuchsia dress she examined herself in the full length mirror. "More and More lace, all over the place... " She did a small dance in satisfaction. Just as she came to a halt, the clock tower chimed. "I think it's starting." Kujo told her, he had to be one of the only guys she knew that would smile while wearing a big whit bunny suit. He held his hand out to her, Victorique looked at him curiously. "What's this?" The full moon illuminating the grounds around. Them, and the clock tower still chimed in the background. "I'm your escort." She gave a small amused Hn, before reaching for his outstretched hand. He smiled as he began leading her to the Saint Marguerite Christmas Festival.
The path leading toward the festivities were lite with Light posts, Candles and Miniature Chrismas Trees. Within the Court yard of the school students stood around the large decorated tree, which was surrounded by a large eloquent feast. Queit a few students noticed them upon arrival. "Hey it the 'Monstre Charmant'!" One young man called. "Oh what a beautiful dress!" One of the elder girls called out. Kujo and Victorique were soon crowded by praise and conversation. Many young girls clung to Victorique complementing every aspect of her attire, even beginning to caress her hair, much to her chagrin and protest.
One student approached Kujo, clamping him on the shoulder. "Reaper, even you aren't scary when you're dressed as the Rabbit." A confused Kujo tilted his head in question. The Orchestra began playing. "You'll dance too, won't you, Reaper?" The young man asked. The girls guided Victorique to Kujo expecting them to dance with one another. The stood and looked at on another, before bursting out in goodnatured laughter.
Everyone grabbed a dance partner, and switching every few steps. 'They aren't afraid...of the Reaper in Black and the Golden-haired Fairy...' Kujo thought to himself as eventually his dance partner became Victorique. It felt good to know that for once they were treated as normal.
"Your attention Please! The Christmas Presents I gathered from everyone are now decorating this tree! Please take which ever one you like!" Cécile announced in her panda suit, with oddly large black shades. "Let's go Kujo!" Avril called coaxing him. He nodded, turned to Victorique. "You too, Victorique!" She stayed rooted to her spot. "No, I'm fine."
"You sure?" He asked her decision not swaying, Avril dragged him away. He was bumped and pushed till he was just behind the gift crowded. All the remaining presents were now small and getting smaller. When a Black box rapped with a white ribbon, caught his eye.
He took Victorque with him to the terrace. "Are you sure? After all this Ms Cordelia's ring..!" She looked over the rail finding no reason to look at him. "Is there a problem with that?" She asked nonchalant as if she hadn't offered up on of her mothers treasured possessions. "It's a big problem!" He argued. He could tell that it meant a lot to Cordelia and Victorique both. He couldn't comprehend why she'd give it away. "Putting something as precious as this out there! Anyone could have picked it up!"
She tilted her head, partially placing him in her vision. "Kujo. You're 'The Reaper Who Comes In The Spring.'" Grabbing the damaged ear of the suit he tugged it. "No. Tonight I'm a Rabbit!" He protested. "When all is said and done, you hold back and choose your present after everyone else. Most people pick the biggest, fanciest present they can find. What's left are the small, plain-looking gifts. And also ...black and white lace evokes someone."
"Someone?" Kujo asked. She continued her answer. "It was inevitable that you would choose this box." She turned to him with a proud smirk. "That's right... It's all inevitable." His face lite up. "Victorique..." It was her round about way of giving him a gift. Even after she said she'd never gift another person on her birthday. "I'll take care of it! I'm sure it'll become a family heirloom!" Her tsundere side kicked in. "That goes without saying." He was still smiling regardless. "Victorique, I've got a present for, too!" She smiled a small smile. "That also goes without saying." He turns to leave. "Wait here,I'll be right back with it!" As he left she let her self giggle a slight bit.
Victorique stood waiting on the Terrace, long after the party and well past midnight. Before Cécile, Sophie, and Avril came and told her of Kujo's abduction. They lead her back to the Library.
Le Lendemain de Noël, 1924
Outside in the capitals streets rebels wearing Rabbit mascot heads began to flood the streets. "Monstre Charmant is looking for sinners' blood" is what the 'Rabbits' are saying. This occurred well through the dawn, many students of St. Marguerite Academy where sent home by King Rupert's Demand as many citizens were to evacuate. Within the Grand Library only two remained, Victorique and Avril. Avril tried to strike conversation with Victorque however nothing seemed to penetrate the petrified girl. "It's cold in here don't you think?" She was greeted with silence. "Besides, I think you should change out of that dress. P.U!" She teases hoping to arouse some form of emotion. Even anger would do.
Once again she was greeted with silence., as Victorique gazed a the Pendent that Kujo had left her. "Th-that pendent is beautiful, isn't it? I'm impressed by Kujo..." More silence befell them. "Victorique..." She may not like her rival, she may have even bullied her a bit to gain Kujo's favor. She could not however stand to see that both Kujo is missing and Victorique is just a fall away from Catatonic. "How about I bring you som lunch? I'll get Ms Sophie to make nice warm soup!" She began down the steps when the first words to fall from Victorique's lips that day caught her ear. "Use the elevator..." She turnt around only to see Victorique in the same state as previous she almost suspected she imagined it. She walked back and toward the elevator, she smiled. "Thank you."
Victorique seemed to regain her motor skills without Avril's presence. She took the not from the box, written in Kujo's improved hand writing.
'As long as you have that pendant. I'll come to help you anytime. I'll be by your side always.'
"You're a liar, Kujo... Right now, I'm calling on you desperately, but..." She couldn't find herself continuing. The elevator began rising and as she heard it ding she found her voice. "Is that you Farting Newt..?" It came in a almost whisper as she turned to face who arrived, only to find her elder half-brother, -Grevil De Blois-, walking toward her. "I've come to pick you up... Gray Wolf or rather Monstre Charmant."
"I see. So the time has come at last for the Ministry of the Occult to use me..." She said aloud, not asking but knowing. "Hn." He replied regardless. She stood faced grabbing for the blade she used to open Kujo's gift. The next Grevil knew she held it steadfast to her throat, her hands did not tremble nor did she flinch. "I'd rather end it all here than to become a slave of the Ministry of the Occult!" He stood straighter, he leaned in her direction but did not advance concerned for her next actions.
"Don't be a fool!" He warned her. "In the Face of a war that will shake the Earth, this Country trembles like a leaf! My existence will effect a major change to the balance of this country, won't it? The blood of many will spill, and just like me, children will be born, torn from their mothers, isolated... If that's in store, I'll..." She found her self mute, all sound in the room was muted till all she could hear was a faint melody that seemed to grow louder and louder till it deafens the room farther. Her vision blackens and she finds herself falling to her knees. As she finds herself waking she sees grass and her head was rested on a thin slab of rock, what ever war written on it was eroded off. Light shone from above her and a breeze blew past her, it was not a frigid as a winter wind should have been. It felt like an warily fall wind. She heard a crash and thud.
"Y-young Master Oz, are you alright?" A small voice whimpered in more than likely pain.
"Yeah, how bout you Gil?" 'Oz' responded.
"I'll live." 'Gil' replied.
"Say whose that?" 'Oz' asked, Victorique though barely conscience, concluded he was referring to herself. "I-is she okay!?" Was the last thing she could recall before once again falling un conscience once more.