The next day came once they woke up Estelle told Kate all about her visit with Princess Luna and what she learned.
"Are you sure it wasn't just a dream, Estelle?" Kate asked.
"Trust me, Kate, this is serious, especially since it concerns Angelina." Estelle nodded to her friend.
"Hmm... Well, I guess since we are in a world full of mice that can talk and that wear clothes; I suppose your dream wasn't just a dream." Kate said.
"Trust me, Kate, there's more than meets the eye in some cases." Estelle replied.
"Breakfast!" Mrs. Mouseling called out from downstairs to wake up the girls.
The girls soon came downstairs to have breakfast as it was the most important meal of the day.
"Breakfast, the most important meal of the day." Estelle smiled.
"That it is." Mrs. Mouseling smiled back.
"As long as we don't eat too much," Angelina replied. "Ballerinas usually don't eat before a performance."
"It's just rehearsal, Angelina, I'm sure Miss Lilly will understand." Mrs. Mouseling chuckled to her older daughter as she put Polly into her highchair.
Everyone began to have breakfast and afterwards the girls soon got ready for the day.
"I can't wait to see the look on Priscilla Pinkpaws' face when I get the part of Cinderella Mouse in the Christmas Show!" Angelina beamed as she held a dress in the mirror while practicing some dancing while Henry and Polly played on the floor by Mrs. Mouseling as she used her sewing machine.
"Careful with Cinderella's ball gown, dear," Mrs. Mouseling warned her older daughter. "It's only pinned."
"Don't worry, Mrs. Mouseling your dress is in good and safe hands." Estelle smiled.
"I should hope so." Mrs. Mouseling nodded to that.
"This should do it." Mr. Mouseling said as he set up the tree, but it seemed to tilt.
"It's so gorgeous," Angelina smiled to the dress. "Don't you think it suits me, Dad?"
"Uh, you do have to audition for the part first, dear." Mr. Mouseling reminded.
"Your dad's right, Angelina." Kate said as she helped with the tree.
"But Dad, I'm the best dancer!" Angelina smiled as she twirled. "Miss Lilly says so! I'm bound to get it!"
"Well, don't count your chickens before they've hatched." Mr. Mouseling advised.
"Okay, I think the tree is no longer tilting." Kate said.
Mr. Mouseling smiled as he then stood beside Kate. "Perfect!"
"Yes, it looks great, sir." Kate smiled back to the adult male mouse.
Although, the tree seemed to disagree as it tilted.
"I think you and Kate just counted your chickens before they hatched, Dad." Angelina chuckled.
Everyone shared a laugh as this was kind of funny in a way.
"I just know you girls will love Miss Lilly's Dance Class." Angelina told Estelle and Kate.
"Same here." Estelle and Kate smiled.
Eventually, it was time to go after breakfast and getting ready and they were on their way with Henry, and when they came outside on their way to dance school, there was a poster shown for the Christmas show of Cinderella Mouse.
"Oh, Cinderella Mouse looks so pretty." Estelle commented.
"She sure does." Kate smiled.
"Oh, Alice, you do think I'll get the part, don't you?" Angelina asked her best friend.
"Of course," Alice smiled out of support. "You're a star!"
"If Father Christmas was at the audition, he'd choose you, Angelina." Henry told his big cousin.
"We'll have to see." Kate said.
"She's right, Henry," Angelina agreed. "We have to wait until Christmas Eve for Father Christmas to come-"
"He's gonna put presents in my stocking!" Henry beamed until he walked up to a window. "Ooh..."
Estelle and Kate came over to see what Henry saw and where they saw what it was.
"Isn't that the same stage from the poster?" Estelle asked.
"Yes! It's just like the Theater Royal!" Angelina gasped.
"Yes... Except that the stage is the wrong shape and the curtains are the wrong color." Alice replied.
"Oh, but it's wonderful." Angelina smiled to the stage.
"We should get going, we don't wanna be late." Kate said.
"Maybe Father Christmas will bring Angelina the toy theater?" Henry wondered.
"No, Henry, it's too big to fit into a stocking." Alice smiled as they walked down the street to dance class.
"Unless she gets a really big stocking!" Henry replied.
"Or he leaves it for her by the Christmas Tree." Estelle said.
"Wait for me!" Angelina called out as she went to catch up with them.
They soon came into the dance school, and they began to change clothes with the other young mice who were in the class, and where they were soon introduced to Miss Lilly.
"So, you are far from home, and you're staying with Angelina?" Miss Lilly asked.
"That is right, ma'am." Estelle replied.
"Well, my class is pretty full, but you are welcome to join in on the dancing, my darlings," Miss Lilly smiled. "Nothing would make me happier."
"Thanks you, Miss Lilly." Estelle and Kate smiled back as they curtsied.
"Do you two have colors that you like to wear?" Miss Lilly asked as she came to check the closet for spare tutus and slippers for them to borrow.
"Pink, please." Estelle and Kate smiled.
"Ah, fantastic, darlings, you're in luck, we have two left just your size." Miss Lilly smiled back as she brought out the tutus.
"Wow! What a lucky break." Estelle smiled back to that.
"I'm afraid we only have one pair of slippers left though." Miss Lilly said.
"That's okay, Miss Lilly, I never leave home without my own." Estelle replied as she brought out her special pink shoes.
"My... Those look magnificent, Estelle." Miss Lilly smiled.
"Thank you, Miss Lilly." Estelle smiled back.
Estelle and Kate then went to get dressed with Miss Lilly's other dance students and Angelina helped out her little cousin.
"Watch out, young mouselings!" Mrs. Hodge-Podge scolded as she walked by with a tray.
"Hello, Mrs. Hodge-Podge." Kate smiled after getting dressed.
"Mrs. Hodge-Podge, what are you doing here?" A boy asked.
"I might ask you the same question, Sammy Watts," Mrs. Hodge-Podge retorted. "Have you taken up ballet?"
"No! Miss Lilly wanted me because I'm so good at gymnastics!" The boy smirked before demonstrating a cartwheel.
Kate soon helped Mrs. Hodge-Podge with keeping the tray from being knocked out of her hands.
"Oh, thank you, dear." Mrs. Hodge-Podge said out of relief.
"So, what brings you here, ma'am?" Kate asked.
"Oh, Miss Lilly wanted me because I kindly volunteered to make cabbage jelly sandwiches and nettle tea for all the rehearsals!" Mrs. Hodge-Podge replied.
Sammy soon gagged at the mention of cabbage jelly sandwiches.
"I'm sure they'll be delicious." Kate smiled.
"She is new around here." Sammy muttered about what Kate said.
'I can't wait to show up Priscilla.' Estelle thought to herself.
They soon came into the dancing room once they were all dressed and ready to go. Mrs. Hodge-Podge handed a cup of tea to the pianist so that they could get started.
"Quiet, please, my darlings, before we start, I'd like to introduce two new mouselings to our class: Kate and Estelle." Miss Lilly began at first.
"Hello." Estelle and Kate smiled.
The students all greeted Estelle and Kate.
"They're staying with me at my home for the time being." Angelina then spoke up.
"How generous of you, Angelina darling." Miss Lilly smiled to that.
Estelle and Kate soon joined the rest of the class.
"And now, my darlings, you must all be on your very best behavior," Miss Lilly told her students. "Because this year, for the very first time, we are going to be performing for our dear queen, Sarafina."
This caused the class to get excited.
"A Queen..." Estelle smiled.
"And to help me to produce the best Cinderella Mouse, that has ever been seen in Mouseland, I have the greatest pleasure in introducing the world-famous composer and musical director: Mr. Ivor Operatsky!" Miss Lilly continued.
"Lilly! You are too kind!" An adult male mouse with his whiskers styled like a mustache soon came into the room.
'That must be the special guest.' Estelle thought to herself.
The class got excited again.
"Oh, my hero~" Mrs. Hodge-Podge swooned.
"How honored I am that Queen Sarafina has asked for me to come with you to work on your show," Ivor told Miss Lilly. "A show full of surprises. I was the first surprise, yes? And here is the second one!" he then smiled as he opened up his bag to show a little model with a golden coach ride. "We will build this for the Theater Royal, and Cinderella Mouse will have a coach, just like this one!" he then set it on top of the piano before sitting down.
"Now, my darlings, I have some ideas of who should dance each part for the show," Miss Lilly told her students. "Mr. Operatski agrees with me, so first, we would like to see Sammy and Alice. Miss Quaver, play, please."
The pianist sipped her tea before setting the cup down and began to play some music. Sammy and Alice began to roll together as if they were a wheel.
"Nice, straight legs, Sammy," Miss Lilly coached as the two rolled around the room. "Now, nose over tails. Together! Excellent."
"Oh, roly-poly mouselings." Ivor commented.
"I thought it would be most unusual to have a gymnastic twist." Miss Lilly told him.
"Original!" Ivor seemed to approve.
"He's got such style." Mrs. Hodge-Podge whispered to Miss Quaver.
Miss Quaver seemed to continue to have the hiccups.
"Oh, really." Mrs. Hodge-Podge complained to her.
"You next, Penelope." Miss Lilly said.
"Oh, this should do it!" Mrs. Hodge-Podge glared, slapping Miss Quaver on the back to stop her hiccups, and where that seemed to work before Miss Quaver began to play the piano for Penelope's role.
"Oh, yes... Penelope... Just like a Fairy Godmouse..." Miss Lilly smiled to the mouse girl as she danced. "Lovely pose please."
"Where does Father Christmas live, Alice?" Henry asked his cousin's best friend.
"At the North Pole." Alice told him quietly.
"Oh, doesn't your little cousin ever stop talking?" Priscilla smirked to Angelina.
"Oh, shush, he's just curious." Kate told Priscilla.
"Does he know the way to my house?" Henry continued.
"Yes! Now hush!" Angelina replied.
"Your turn, Henry, my darling." Miss Lilly called for the little mouse boy.
Henry soon came up to take his turn.
"I would like you to dance the teeny-tiny beetle who turns into a proud coachmouse." Miss Lilly told him.
"Guess they can't use mice in this version of Cinderella." Kate whispered to Estelle.
"Looks like it." Estelle whispered back.
"Beetle?! Inspirational!" Ivor replied.
"Now, crouch down, Henry," Miss Lilly instructed the little mouse boy. "And when I say so, leap up! Tall! Like a proud coachmouse! Wiggle your arms... Now, nod your head."
Miss Quaver then began to play the piano again.
"Does Father Christmas ring the doorbell, Miss Lilly?" Henry soon asked.
"Still curious." Estelle sighed quietly.
"Concentrate, little mouseling!" Ivor told Henry.
"No, Henry, he comes down the chimney," Miss Lilly answered, though quickly as he had to focus. "Now once more."
"You must be so embarrassed by him." Priscilla smirked to Angelina.
"Do you have any other emotion other than stuck-up?" Eastelle whispered to Priscilla.
"Excuse me?" Priscilla glared. "Do you really think you can talk to me like that?"
"Did I stutter?" Estelle asked.
Priscilla looked shocked and outraged. Miss Lilly continued to teach Henry as he had a big job as part of the show.
"What if he gets stuck in my chimney?" Henry soon asked.
"Stop! Stop the music, stop everything!" Ivor demanded. "Stop! Stop! Stop! This teeny-tiny beetle will need a lot of work, Lilly!"
"I know, Ivor," Miss Lilly replied. "But with patience, Henry will be fine. And wait 'til you see his cousin, Angelina. She is best dancer. Angelina and Priscilla? There are two parts left: one of you will play the Wicked Step-Mouse and the other will play Cinderella. Priscilla, you first, darling."
'Now's the time for Estelle to step in.' Kate thought to herself.
"Lilly, isn't there another part?" Ivor reminded.
"Is there?" Miss Lilly replied before remembering. "Ah! Yes, yes! How could I have forgotten? Cinderella's step-sister... Hmm... Who else to audition though?" she then looked around before pointing to one girl. "Estelle."
"Her?" Priscilla asked, almost haughty.
"Yes, she will dance after you and Angelina." Miss Lilly decided.
Estelle knew of what she would have to do.
"Yes, yes, hurry now!" Ivor demanded. "Play please, The Mousechovsky Waltz, Miss Quaver with fully."
Miss Quaver sipped more tea and then began to play her piano again. Priscilla smirked as she began to dance her very best. Estelle saw this coming, but wasn't intimidated.
"Very nice," Ivor clapped for Priscilla. "Yes, good."
"She's dancing really well." Angelina whispered nervously.
"But you'll be better." Alice whispered back out of support.
Priscilla continued to dance until finally, she was finished.
"Oh, yes! You have great talent." Ivor told Priscilla.
"Oh, thank you, Mr. Operatski~" Priscilla smiled as she walked with a small bow.
"Your turn, Angelina, my darling." Miss Lilly told her favorite student.
Angelina began to take her turn. Estelle and Kate smiled as Angelina danced quite wonderfully.
"Superb!" Ivor beamed. "Charming... Bravo!" he then cheered once Angelina finished. "You are certainly the best mouseling to dance the part of Cinderella Mouse."
Angelina smiled smugly to that with a glance to Priscilla who just harrumphed in response.
"And now, Estelle, my darling, let's see what you can do." Miss Lilly told the new girl.
Estelle nodded before taking her turn to show her amazing dancing. Her shoes seemed to sparkle and glow with her dance steps, but she didn't transport anywhere as they seemed to be helping her with her dance steps.
"Amazing, my dear, very extremely excellent!" Ivor seemed to really like Estelle's dancing more than Angelina and Priscilla's.
Estelle's dancing amazed everyone in the room.
"And... Rest..." Miss Lilly told Estelle.
Estelle soon finished the dance once she was asked to.
"Amazing, simply, and wonderfully amazing." Ivor smiled.
Estelle smiled back as she stood back up.
"She might be better than you." Penelope told her twin sister.
"Penny!" Priscilla glared.
"But now, we must see who is the best mouseling to siiiing~ the part." Ivor then told the students.
"Sing!" Priscilla gasped with a smile.
"Sing!" Angelina gasped out of dread.
'I knew this was coming.' Estelle thought to herself.
"Yes!" Miss Lilly replied. "Sing, my darlings!"
"At the Queen's special request, she has always much admired my music, so there will be a song for Cinderella Mouse and a song for the Wicked Step-Mouse, my very own composition." Ivor smirked.
"Have a cup of nettle tea, sir," Mrs. Hodge-Podge told him, handing him a cup. "You must be very parched."
"Yes, thank you." Ivor told her as he accepted the cup.
Mrs. Hodge-Podge looked at him like she had a crush on him.
"Ooh..." Ivor said after taking his drink.
"Miss Lilly!" Angelina whispered fearfully to her dance teacher. "I can't sing in front of everyone! I get too nervous!"
"Of course you can, Angelina." Miss Lilly coaxed.
"Miss Lilly's never heard her try." Priscilla told her twin sister before the two of them laughed.
'Oh, I can't wait to show her up.' Estelle thought to herself.
"Around the piano, my darlings!" Miss Lilly told her students.
"How was the tea, sir?" Mrs. Hodge-Podge smiled to Ivor.
"Oh, I don't tell surprises." Ivor whispered to her.
"Oh, just like your own show then." Mrs. Hodge-Podge said before laughing as she left.
Ivor glanced at her.
"Come on, my darlings!" Miss Lilly called. "It's time to hear Cinderella Mouse singing like an angel."
Angelina looked nervous as everyone looked at her while the piano was being played, and she tried to sing, but just like with singing Christmas Carols with the others, her singing was a little low.
"Um, not quite the angel I had in mind," Ivor commented before pointing to Priscilla. "Now you."
The song then started over as Priscilla sang louder and better than Angelina.
"Oh, yes! Beautiful!" Ivor approved before looking to Estelle. "And now you, my dear."
"Yes, sir." Estelle replied.
The music then began as it was Estelle's turn and she took a deep breath before singing, almost like a Siren. Just like her dancing, everyone was amazed with her singing.
"Angelina, you wanna try again?" Kate offered so that the white mouse girl wouldn't feel bad.
"Yes, try again, Angelina darling," Miss Lilly agreed before offering some advice. "Take a bigger breath."
Angelina nodded as she soon decided to try again, but the singing seemed to be worse, and Priscilla even covered her ears.
"Oh, Angelina." Estelle frowned.
'She's still nervous.' Kate thought to herself.
"Sorry." Angelina frowned.
"Don't worry, darling." Miss Lilly smiled softly.
Priscilla soon sang again once it was her turn again before glaring to Estelle, trying to outdo her.
"Careful, you might hurt your voice if you do that." Estelle smirked.
And where unfortunately, Priscilla couldn't seem to outdo Estelle. Estelle soon took her turn again, sounding quite hypnotic and angelic.
"This is my angel!" Ivor approved. "This is my Cinderella Mouse!"
"Oh, thank you-" Priscilla smiled.
"Not you!" Ivor told her before pointing to Estelle. "Her!"
"Oh, thank you very much, sir." Estelle smiled as she curtsied before smirking at Priscilla.
Priscilla looked appalled and glared for that.
"Priscilla, you will be the step-sister, and Angelina, you will be the Wicked Step-Mouse." Ivor then said.
"Oh!" Angelina cried out in despair.
Estelle frowned as she knew this had to be hard for Angelina.
"I will expect to see you for special practices." Ivor told Estelle.
"Yes, Mr. Operatski." Estelle replied as she looked very sorry to Angelina as she won the role of Cinderella Mouse.
Soon enough, Estelle, Kate, and Angelina were back at her house.
"It's all wrong, Dad!" Angelina complained. "I'm the best dancer, but just because of Mr. Operatski, Estelle's got the main part!"
"I'm sorry, Angelina!" Estelle frowned.
"I know, dear, but when I write the review for the Mouseling Gazette, I'll be sure to say how wonderful the Wicked Step-Mouse is." Mr. Mouseling smiled as he decorated the tree.
"But I don't want to play the Wicked Step-Mouse!" Angelina complained.
"How does Father Christmas get from the North Pole, Aunt Matilda?" Henry asked, taking sandwiches as Angelina's mother set down a plate.
"On a sleigh, dear," Mrs. Mouseling smiled. "Now eat up, and Uncle Maurice will take you home. Angelina, have a sandwich."
"I don't want a sandwich, and I don't want to watch Estelle being the star!" Angelina glared to her new friend.
"Angelina..." Mrs. Mouseling sighed.
"Angelina, I really am sorry, but I just couldn't just let Priscilla try and upstage you and get the role instead." Estelle frowned.
"If you were really my friend, you'd give the role to me!" Angelina glared.
"At least Father Christmas is coming soon with presents for your stocking." Henry told his cousin, eating some sandwiches.
"I don't want a present for my stocking, Henry!" Angelina replied. "The only present I wanted was to play the part of Cinderella Mouse!"
"But didn't you want the toy stage?" Kate asked.
Angelina's parents looked to each other.
"You are not helping!" Angelina glared.
"Look, dear," Mrs. Mouseling smiled, taking a crown off of her younger daughter's head. "It's the Wicked Step-Mouse's beautiful crown."
"It's not as beautiful as Cinderella's, is it?" Angelina glared, comparing the two crowns she had in her paws. As she began to look at both of the crowns, there was a knock at the door.
"Hm... I wonder who that could be?" Kate wondered.
"Angelina, please don't be mad at me," Estelle frowned to the mouse girl who seemed angered that she got the role of Cinderella Mouse. "I just didn't want Priscilla to have the role of Cinderella Mouse because, well, she's the exact opposite of her."
"Hmph!" Angelina huffed.
Estelle frowned as this hurt her, but she now saw that Angelina had to learn a valuable lesson.
"What a tree, eh?" Mr. Mouseling smiled, hoping to change the subject.
"It's amazing, Mr. Mouseling." Kate smiled back.
"It sure is." Estelle added.
Polly crawled behind the Christmas tree and soon played with the tinsel which made the tree fall.
"Polly!" Estelle gasped and shook her head. "No! No! No!"
'Oh, Polly.' Kate thought to herself with a sigh.
"Miss Lilly!" Angelina gasped once they saw who was at the door.
"Oh, what a good looking Christmas tree." Miss Lilly smiled as Mrs. Mouseling soon picked up Polly.
Kate soon began to help Mr. Mouseling with the tree.
"Oh, Miss Lilly! Do have a seat." Mr. Mouseling smiled to his older daughter's dance teacher.
"Daaad! You are so embarrassing!" Angelina complained.
"Ah, he is the best father in Mouseland." Miss Lilly coaxed.
"Dads can embarrass us at times, but we still love them." Kate added.
"Now, my darling, we must have a little talk." Miss Lilly told her student.
"Yes, Miss Lilly?" Angelina replied.
"Come on, Henry, time for me to take you home." Mr. Mouseling told his young nephew.
Henry soon left with his uncle.
"Have a safe trip home, Henry." Kate smiled.
"Thank you, Kate." Henry smiled back as he took some sandwiches on the way.
Estelle had a feeling she knew why Miss Lilly was there.
"Angelina, I'm so sorry," Miss Lilly said as she sat down with Angelina on the couch. "I did not know you are nervous of singing in public."
"Well, I am, Miss Lilly!" Angelina replied.
"But the thing is, we must have singing to please the Queen." Miss Lilly continued.
"But the Queen will hate my singing!" Angelina pouted. "It will probably give her a terrible headache... And... Well... It would serve her right!"
"Angelina!" Kate gasped.
"Well, if she hadn't wanted singing, then I could be the star of the show!" Angelina glared.
"Darling, there are many ways of being a star, Angelina," Miss Lilly smiled. "And you will be a marvelous Wicked Step-Mouse."
"No, I won't!" Angelina huffed. "I wouldn't know how to be wicked if I tried, Miss Lilly!"
'You're doing a good job right now.' Estelle thought to herself.
"Just try thinking wicked." Kate suggested.
"Yes, darling, this is about acting," Miss Lilly added as she took the crown. "What you must do is think horrid. Ooh! You are bad! Bad! And dangerous!"
Angelina giggled a little to that.
"You will be a star," Miss Lilly smiled as she put the crown on her head. "And I will see you at rehearsals tomorrow, darling."
Miss Lilly soon left the girls, thinking Angelina would now appreciate the role she was given.
Angelina began to act in the mirror with the wicked crown, but then put on the other crown. "Miss Lilly's right... I will be a star!" she then smiled.
Estelle and Kate frowned as they had a feeling Angelina took it the wrong way of what Miss Lilly was trying to tell her.
Later on, Estelle and Kate sat in the guest room together.
"Oh, Kate, didn't I do the right thing?" Estelle frowned to her good friend. "I thought for sure I had."
"You did do the right thing, Estelle." Kate said.
"I just can't believe Angelina lashed out at me like that." Estelle frowned.
"I know, Estelle," Kate frowned back. "You did do the right thing though, regardless of what she thinks."
"At least Priscilla isn't playing as Cinderella Mouse." Estelle frowned back.
"Yeah... I guess..." Kate replied. "But now Angelina is mad at you."
"That's why I'm worried." Estelle nodded softly.
"Well, we'll just have to hope that Angelina will learn her lesson soon." Kate said.
"I guess so, Kate, I just hope it's all worth it in the end." Estelle replied.
"I'm sure it will be," Kate advised. "Also, nothing can beat the power and magic of friendship."
"Believe me, I know," Estelle replied to that. "I have aunts from Equestria." she then added softly.
Some time passed and soon it was time for bed. Estelle stared up at the ceiling while Kate fell asleep.
'I'm not sure if I did make the right decision.' Estelle thought to herself. She soon turned over and began to fall asleep after Kate had, just hoping it would be better in the morning.