Disclaimer: I don't own 1/2 prince I just love it!
That Wednesday I decided that I wanted to let all hell go loose, but my brother was so busy that he was nowhere around at that moment, which gave me time to calm down and feel that even if it was really his fault, he meant no harm. I remember that in the past he was very unconcerned about me, he studied abroad from the time he was fifteen until the time he was twenty. Considering that we have a ten year age gap, I practically met him when I was 10, and by that time my personality was pretty much settled into a very unapproachable one. He didn't pay me much attention right away. But when he finally started doing so I was really happy. Nevertheless I have lost the count of the times I regretted my wish coming true, not long after he started giving me attention he started to become increasingly pushy and overbearing. I could still never wish for a better brother, though. I love him, I really do! I just feel awkward around him a lot of the time. I guess I won't take my revenge and leave the issue at that. After all, if I make my brother give father more trouble with his brother complex he will be in trouble, and so will I, 'the source of all troubles.'
It was a bit too early to log on, and I didn't feel like reading at that particular moment, so I turned on my computer and started making bets online, It was one of my most secret hobbies, one that I haven't told a soul about. All my pocket money, birthday money, and savings were all spent betting online. I have always found it more thrilling seeing my little money grow and becoming a little fortune than spending it, I don't want to boast about this but I do have a lot of knowledge about a lot of things I shouldn't. So I'm very wise in my bets.
Looking back I was a really shady kid. I was alone way too much and I had too much free time. I started this betting hobby when I was eight, I made up a male alias, pretended I was 18 and played around with virtual money that was really worth nothing, like in the game "monopoly," but I could only play little games with that, and got bored quickly. I wanted to be where the good stuff was, so after doing my fair share of researching I found a way to put my little money into the internet and accessed casinos and all sort of places. I really am lucky that I wasn't caught by the police for doing something so illegal and at such an early point of my life. Yet I can't say I had no help on the matter whatsoever since one of my virtual pals of that time was a hacker, and he did teach me many useful things when I chatted to him. My hobby somehow grew and I jumped into investing in the stock market, and built a little fortune, but I ran out with ideas as what to do with the money soon after; I already had subscribed to many online sites, where I could learn all kind of martial arts, and my father bought me so many books that buying them was pointless. So I started investing my earnings in many companies here and there just for the heck of it. To my surprise when I was thirteen one of them was a colossal success and in the short spam of five years it grew so much that now it has become one of the top corporations in the country.
When I first invested I kind of bought around one third of the actions, but now I'm basically the owner of it… If it was leaked to the media that I started being such an important businesswoman at the age of thirteen I don't know if I would be put to jail, or if I would be killed by all those hardworking people who would get offended being involved in such a cruel child's play. For this reason only a handful of people in the company know my identity (it would be unwise not to let anyone know since an impostor could appear) I didn't do anything at the beginning, however since the company had not much to offer and the banks didn't bother with it had bleak and unstable future. Being so unstable it was about to fall apart made the value of the actions hit rock bottom, so I bought almost all of them. It pained me a lot to see them go bankrupt, and see all those people losing their jobs, so I supplied the funds that were needed for it to come around out of my pocket declaring it as something obvious to do since the company was now my responsibility.
Getting on board a sinking ship requires a lot of courage, and I showed them unwavering trust, so for this reason, and by my risking so much for the sake of each project, earned me the trust of the higher ups in the company. So despite of me being an underage girl they treat me as an adult and ask me for my help and opinion when needed.
If anyone outside my top workers, especially my family knew, it would be really bad; after all my brother is overly protective and my father is very old fashioned, and is convinced that a girl belongs in the house, he even took the liberty of finding me a fiancée, and forced me into a "Bridal training" since I was small; well at least he tried. Unfortunately for him I'm tone deaf and have no musical talent whatsoever, I can't do flowers arrangements, I can't dance, I don't have social skills and children hate me. Many teachers quit trying to make me "lady-like", and in order to preventing me to shame him any further my father gave up on that. Good thing I have good manners, posture, good grades and a serious dignified personality; at least as a daughter I had nothing for him to complain about.
Online:
After pending such a long time in the wild, being alone started to lose its charm, so I wanted to speak with someone. In the middle of my thinking a sudden voice came out of the open channel.
"Windy" a girl's voice called out to me.
There is only one girl that I have met so far in game "Star Light?" I asked cautiously.
"So you are out there, it has been so long but you haven't contacted me at all" she said reproachfully;
"Well, I have been busy, and it's not like you contacted me sooner either…" I defended myself.
"I have also been busy, being a game master and all… by the way I heard a rumor that some player has been triggering a lot of random events. I almost died of shock when I found out it was you"
"How did you…?" I haven't told anyone about it yet.
"I'm a GAME MASTER! How else do you think?" She screamed super loud.
Is she trying to make me go deaf?
She calmed down after a moment and kept talking, this time more quietly "It's a fact that, as employees, we get info of the events and player's activities; and you happened appear in an abnormal amount of them."
I was shocked for a moment, so they are looking at us somewhere? How scary! "You are spying on the players?"I asked with disbelieve.
"What do you mean by spying? We only get info of the events outcomes in order to spot bugs."
"Oh! That's how it is!" I felt relieved at that.
"You have a persecution complex, you know that?"
"I guess I do… Hey want to join me? I'm in my way to Star City!" I invited her cheerfully, "I'm so tired of playing alone, I have been training all by myself non-stop the entire week."
"Sure, we can meet there! I don't have a team either, so it would be only the two of us for the time being."
"See you soon then" I closed the channel and started making my way to the city, as fast as I could, with my agility at full speed it would take me only an hour to reach, being this close…
Upon reaching Star City I saw many people talking nonstop about a tournament that was going on at the city. Most of them were discussing about their past battles, their next conquests and how much they have been training for the event.
I PMed Star Light and asked her to meet me at the gates. But while I was waiting for her a mysterious unknown girl approached me. She had a long dark blue hair that matched perfectly with her dark blue eyes, fair skin, and mysterious demeanor. She was wearing a long blue dress with fine gold detail which was mostly covered by a matching dark cloak. She was also carrying a long golden staff, inlaid with a lareg silver stone that had a tinge of blue.
She was completely stunning; there was no doubt that she had beautified herself.
When she approached me she put her pale hand in my cheek letting me see some dark blue nails that were as sharp as claws. Scared that she would accidentally left a mark in my face I froze.
"How beautiful is this evening, sweet Lady of the Wind?" she drawled her mouth close to my ear as she slid her claws to my light blue hair and twirled it around, playing with it.
"Are you…"I began when the another pale hand left my cheek and found its way to the top of my mouth, covering it softly .
"Our reunion is nothing but fate, and thus it can't be ignored… Let me lead you to a place where we can exchange the bond of friendship," she said in a cryptic tone. And not caring if I got what she meant of not, she moved the hand that was covering my mouth and dragged me over to the forest.
I was pretty sure that this weirdo who dragged me with her had made a mistake.
When we were out of sight her hand left mine, she turned around revealing an overjoyed expression "Kyaaaaaa" she screamed in a way that didn't match her outward appearance at all. Then in a matter of seconds I found myself covered in a tight hug, "We match, isn't that awesome? And where did you get that dress? It's a lot alike mine!"
As soon as she spoke I felt that her voice was oddly familiar. "Star Light?"I asked doubtfully.
"Windy I had been waiting for an hour near the entrance, why did you make me wait for so long?"
"What's with your behavior? And your appearance? I didn't recognize you!"
"Ufufu," she laughed in a sneaky way "I'm obviously playing the part," she began as her eyes were set on the horizon "The mysterious magician who lives her life as a lonely beauty. She is eyed and desired by many, her way of speaking is solemn but bewitching and her touch is something that is so very desired. She has gone through many hardship and betrayals so she wants to protect herself and thus she has closed her heart to men. But she is still hoping someone capable to pull her out of her solitude and let her body burn with a passionate love…Only then will she show her true virtue to the man she loves, with a never-stained pure soul," she then looked at me with glittering eyes "Isn't my look perfect for a fairy tale love?"
"I see!" a sweat drop ran down my face and the ends of my mouth started twitching unnoticeably. Thank goodness she decided to hide her true self, if she were always to behave the way she is doing it now that wouldn't be good.
"So you understand! I knew you would, it's obvious that you decided to change your outer appearance so you could find the prince too!" she squeezed my hands tightly into hers.
Somehow she dragged me unto her pace "But won't we end up fighting for the love of the prince then?" I pronounced, and then realized that it was such a stupid question. Yet she answered in a very serious way "Of course not! My price will be one that after falling in love with me would try to melt the ice of my unapproachable heart and melt it with the flame of love, while yours will be a lonely person who has always being misunderstood and lives trapped in a painful love. He will fall in love with you for being the one who always stood by his side after realizing that the one he loves will never be his. So in the end he will love you for being you despite your average looks."
I felt extremely offended at this; she was implying that I will be the consolation prize. If she is going to offend me like that I can't stay quiet, "So you are looking for a handsome guy who will fall for your looks enough to put up with your messed up personality, that's so cruel of you." I retorted, giving her a super sad look.
"It's not like that. How can you say something so cruel" Tears began welling on her eyes.
"And what about what you said about me? I'M GOING TO BE THE NOT SO PRETTY GIRLTHAT SOMEONE IS GOING TO SETTLE WITH!" I roared with all my might.
"I GAVE YOU SUCH A WARM SETTING, AND A MAN WHO WILL DEPPEND ON YOU, WHAT'S THERE TO COMPLAIN ABOUT" she roared back.
"ALL OF IT" I screamed so aloud that some birds that were resting on the trees started to flew away.
…the stupid discussion kept going and when we finally managed to calm down. Our throats were so strained and raw that our voices could barely come out, so we called a truce.
After being unable to speak normally due to our own stupidity we entered the city once again. I adopted a calm and cold, yet composed, attitude, and Star Light started acting all mysterious.
We were a bit eye catching; us, two girls, a holywoman and a demon, both with blue hair, mine light blue and hers a dark shade of blue, wearing similar long dresses, mine was light blue and hers dark blue. Both our hair lengths were the same and our silent demeanor made us seem like we were the perfect balance of light and darkness. I had to hand it to her, we did match.
Not too long after entering the city Star Light's stomach started to make noise. It was not surprising, we were yelling on top of our lungs for about two hours! After her stomach grumbled, mine did too. We looked at each other and quickly decided to look for a restaurant.
As soon as I stepped into the restaurant, I couldn't help but notice a bizarre scene. The most handsome person I have ever seen was there; an elf with short white hair, and red eyes but he seemed to be talking with a... meat bun?, next to him there was a rare beauty that gave me the chills for some reason; a small angel girl that was eating a huge amount of food, and finally next to them there was an elegant girl that was flirting with a two meter tall wolfman covered in grey fur. They were such an eye catching bunch! I couldn't help but stare.
When I turned around to see my friend to see her reaction, it was full of disgust. How unexpected! Shouldn't her reaction be one of surprise, maybe of puzzlement, but why would she get mad at it? I raised one of my eyebrows and she turned to look at me gritting her teeth. I don't get what's wrong with her. I looked around and saw that most girls were seeing the handsome elf with heart shaped eyes. Ok I now know for sure that her reaction is not normal.
"Do you know them?" I asked in a hoarse, quiet voice. In response she looked at me, narrowing her eyes as she spat with disgust. "Odd Squad"
Odd squad? They are certainly odd, but…could that be the team's name? If so they are aware of their own weirdness, still I don't see why my friend would get mad. It was then that I followed her line of view and saw a tall handsome demon with long hair, and purple eyes, yet another bishie, but wait… isn't that… professor Gui? I felt happy to see him here, maybe I should get close to say hi, and apologize properly for today's absence. But before I could move myself I saw his aloof expression changing into a goofy one and got an extremely bad feeling.
"His most gracious highness" he jumped pulling the elf onto his embrace and squeezing him. At this a vein popped over the bishie's head and in the blink of an eye he started to trash him with no mercy. I stood there blankly and my legs started to lose their strength making me fall down to my chair again.
I was confused, that was for sure my professor, I turned around and saw the bloody pincushion twitching painfully on the floor… no he can't be my professor, I refused to believe it! He must have a twin or something, That was it! An openly homo and very masochistic twin.
"That is Gui" proclaimed the flaming demon girl by my side, I jumped in alarm, was she reading my mind?
"You know him?"I asked and felt as my mouth was filled with the slightest taste of blood. I must have hurt my throat more than I presumed.
"He is very annoying, that demon bard Guileastos; He keeps pestering and annoying the Prince…"
There she goes with her obsession about princes. I took out a potion and gulped it down hopping to lessen my pain, surprisingly it helped, and I felt as I could speak normally once again. Still I didn't feel like talking, and took out a notebook and a fount pen that I had gotten as a reward in one quest.
"What do you mean by annoying the prince? Isn't he a normal player? Don't tell me that you fell for him, and that bard is your love rival?" I passed the book and in a likewise manner she returned it to me after a while, "Of course not, he is not my type, besides it's not like I feel like dying any time soon; the blood elf could kill even a woman as beautiful as me in a blink," I saw the fearsome one giving the girl a cold look, he was undoubtedly making that point go across. "If he is that frightening why did you call him a prince, you made me think you had a thing for him…" she snatched the notebook away before I could finish what I was writing "That's his name! Prince…" we both looked up and our eyes met, then she continued "If a handsome man such as him chose such a name, it's more than obvious that he is searching for a princess to have his own fairy tale love story. A prince and a princess should be together, and that bard is trying to make him loose his way, and as a fellow princess I have to protect their happiness." Figures, it did have to do with fairy tales, she is even more obsessed than I suspected. How in the world did she manage to become a game master?
The odd group was long gone by the time our food arrived and we started to eat with similar painful expression as we gulped down the cold soup. I wrote in the book once more "Lets promise that the next time we fight about something stupid we won't end up like this," I wrote. "Agreed." She replied quickly in her delicate handwriting.
We were close to end our meals when two beautiful girls approached us and sat down across the table. "Rose, Fair Sky, to think that I would see you girls here. You haven't been coming to the reunions anymore." she said in with an almost reproachful tone. (I don't think that I will get used to her changes of attitude any time soon.)
"Star Light, we need to talk…" said the girl that was addressed as Rose, while the other one nodded fervently.
"I wouldn't deny a request from my sisters, but let's look for a more discreet place," she turned around, took my hand and, dragging me away, we left the restaurant before paying the bill.
"We are going to disband the group, we realized that our meddling would only hurt Prince." said Fair Sky. Rose agreed, "It really is pointless"
Group? What group? I didn't get what was going on, but I could feel the tension in the air.
"It is but a shame, if you want to leave there is nothing we can do about it."
We? Is she including me in this?
"We are really sorry." they said in unison, and the tension thickened, I had too many questions and the silence was becoming more awkward (if possible) as the minutes passed.
"Um, excuse me…" I interrupted, breaking the silence "Can someone explain me what's going on?"
"Oh! I'm sorry my dear companion, this ladies and I are members of a support group."
"A support group? I didn't know they had those in Second Life, but since you are all in one I was obviously mistaken" I said expressionlessly.
"Let me enlighten you, we formed a group for the sake of the women around the world, but it seems like these two want to betray our bonds of womanhood and leave." Star Light explained coldly.
The two girls flinched and shame was clear on their faces.
That piqued my interest; maybe I could join the group and try to find a more normal female friend there, "What is the name of this group?" I asked.
"Rescue-the-super-handsome-bishie-Prince-from-thedemonic-clutches-of-the-gay-Guileastes-and-help-Prince-understand-the-goodness-of-woman-once-again support group." Declared Star Light proudly, all in one breath. "We are a very big group. We have over two-hundred members."
My heart dropped, how can so many girls join a group with such a weird name? Thank goodness that I have so many years of displaying a stone face, otherwise I have no idea what my face would have looked like then.
"But we were wrong; we approached this situation the wrong way. And even if you helped us with it for the sake of our feelings, we need to stop this now."
Star Light looked nothing but offended as she quickly left, refusing to listen to any reason and disappeared from our sight, not even looking back.
Poor girls. So they basically fell in love and didn't know what to do with their feelings, and so they were dragged into this weirdo's bizarre hobby. I had to help them. "Don't worry," I put a hand on each of their shoulders, making my making unapproachable aura vanish. "Let me handle this, everything will be ok," I let out my most warm smile and like a spell the heavy atmosphere was dispelled, as it was never there. "Don't move from this spot, we will be back in a minute."
I started jogging and quickly caught up with my fleeing friend, "What took you so long?" the cheerful expression that she displayed before when we were alone was nowhere to be seen.
I had to choose my words wisely, and after analyzing what to say in the short pause I started to give a 'convincing' explanation, "I was just so moved at the situation, that I couldn't help but walk slowly."
"What do you mean?" she asked me, furrowing her brows.
At this point I started to made up stuff like crazy, "Two girls that fell in love with the wrong prince united in bond of friendship in order to rescue him from the claws of a seemingly cruel beast. Even if they could bring him back to his senses and rescue him from the spell it casted, they realized that this could only bring more pain to his lost soul. Then they decided to leave him, even if this broke their maiden hearts and now they are going to move on trying to find their own happiness, even if they have to carry the guilt and the shame of their failure each day… In the end they will fall in love for a man that will teach them to forgive themselves and bring them to understand love and will guide them to their happily ever after…" as soon as I finished I realized that I had gone overboard. I turned back to look at her and her face was far from cheerful. I failed. To think that I had had the hunch that this would work, of all things. Star Light clenched her fists with anger and her voice seemed to tremble.
"You are right, they deserve our pity," she paused "It's obvious that there is only a prince like that, and even if there is more than one they, as friends that are always together, are fated to fall in love with the same man and live a painful love. We must be there for them!"
She missed the point completely, maybe I didn't convey what I meant properly, and after all I don't have much experience talking in such a weird way… Oh well, if it works it works.
I played along, "We should go back and give them our support!"
"You are right, they need to know that we are there for them, so when the time of their despair arrives they can count on us!" she wiped some tears of the corners of her eyes and started walking back.
"Star…" the girls approached us with relieved faces as they saw me smiling beside Star Light.
"I'm sorry for overreacting, I'll help you girls take care of everything and talk with the girls so the support group can be disbanded properly," she looked towards the two with eyes full of compassion and forgiveness. "I shall leave now," and, looking at me, she gave me a simple command, "Stay behind, this is an issue I will tend to by myself." I nodded at that, still smiling widely, and she disappeared in the distance.
"How did you do that!" the girls shouted in surprise, "What did you do to convince that person to forgive us?"
"I just spoke with her, she is very understanding and won't hold it against you so don't worry about it." I tried to convince them, but they looked at me with disbelief.
"You are amazing! To think that someone could make that person change her mind" said Fair Sky with the slightest admiration, "We would like to do something for you as a thank you."
"It was nothing" I assured them, "However, I'm afraid I have something that I must attend to by myself now. I hope we can see each other around some time," Then I headed back to the restaurant to pay the bill.
To be continued…
AN: In the past chapters I felt that something was off with Alice's character, a person can't possibly spend so much time for so many years reading novels and practicing martial arts. So I decided to find her another hobby, a rich girl with no friends that chats a lot with strangers and spend most of her time alone in her room… then I started thinking, what can you do in the computer besides reading, that is listening to music, watching porn and betting. I don't listen to music myself so I don't know many things about singers and themes (especially Chinese's) and she wasn't watching porn for obvious reasons. So I decided to make her bet, and from there on. Besides I wanted to give her another good point, and since I have never won a bet in my life (not that there was any money involved) she is really lucky and super good at it, besides as the say goes "Luck with money, but no luck in love" or something, after all even if that's is going to change 18 years having mostly virtual friends, and having your only real friend betray you and push you down is a bit depressing.
Also I had originally planned to make Alice a member of the support group, but she met professor Gui first and by that time the messed up group was already formed. I don't like interfering with the main story so I couldn't change the story line, I may stretch it here and there though.
Give me tons of reviews, and I'll give you bonuses. Yep I'm working of them, and holding them hostage (-~ J ~-)
