Episode 3: Arietta


Arietta: A short aria (Italian)


A pair of twins were rushing through the empty grand corridor of Crescendo Academy. Obviously, they were late to their very first class. Trying not to gain too much attention, they avoided running beside the class' windows.

They know who they were, and if others acknowledged them at the moment, they would be even more late for their class.

"This is your...damn fault for...signing those girls'...freaking shirts..." the first twin with a scowl, said while panting as they ran.

"What...We have to keep...good image...man..." the other twin gasped. "Save your breath...why is our damn class in...the other side...of our dorm...? Too...damn far...!" he glared at the note in his hand.

"There...it is!" the other twin gasped and they screeched their heels, almost missing the french door from their grasp. Slamming it open, the class fell in instant silence at their intruding.

"Ohh..." they sighed. "We're in the middle of...something...aren't we?"

"Sorry...for coming so damn...late..."

"..."

The twins then noticed that the girls started to whisper to each other. The ginger-haired teacher cleared his throat and sighed.

"Fine, take a seat, Jokers."

Gratefully, the two pulled their chair behind two girls. One with the platinum blonde hair, was gaping at them with flustered face. The other darker blonde apparently didn't give a care at all.

"So yeah—"

"Mr. Gowland!" a girl chirped excitedly, hand up. "Are they really Jokers!?" she gasped.

The said twins exchanged funny stares.

The teacher, Mr. Gowland, half-sighed and half-groaned, nodded to the question. "Yes, yes, they are...Students, those twins are Black and White Joker that you're seeing."

"Oh my God...we're going to the same class with the Jokers..."

"This is the happiest moments in my life..."

"I can now die happily..."

The Jokers chuckled at the female students' gasp and sigh. The boys just gave them annoyed jealous looks, and the platinum blonde before them blushed even deeper, clamping her mouth and then looked away.

"Hey there, guys..." one of them, either Black or White casually greeted.

"Nice seeing ya..." the other one snickered.

The Jokers were famous two-singers band. What made them special was the fact that until today, no one could differ them. They were very identical, no one knew which was Black which was White. However, for the sake of narration, I had to point out their names here.

"Calm down, now, pay attention..." Mr. Gowland said louder through the sudden buzz. "Now let's go back to where we were before. Alice Liddell, will you please come up and tell me what instrument will you play—"

*munch, munch, munch*

"..."

*munch, munch, munch*

"A-Alice Liddell, it is not allowed to eat in the class."

"Okai."

Crysta, the girl beside her, blinked in surprise as for the first time, Alice Liddell spoke. The dark-blonde put down her Koala March box on the desk and sighed as she stood.

"..."

"Phhhffft..." the Jokers clamped their mouths.

The other students either chuckled or giggled as they saw the girl stood up. Crysta had her eyes widened.

Alice Liddell was very short. She looked like...an elementary student. Her face remained unfazed as she nonchalantly walked to the front of the class.

No wonder she didn't came up to pick an instrument! She didn't want to stand up and show her...short-ness...

"Alright, what do you want to perform for us?" Mr. Gowland asked naturally, wasn't bothered at all by the girl's petiteness.

Alice just pointed at a harp which stood beside the teacher's podium. The class exploded into laughter. She was so small, and the harp was so big, it seemed very ironic.

"Hahaha! Hey, don't you think that harp is too big for you, Shortie?" a brunet teased, laughing as he held his stomach in pain.

WHACK

"..."

...

"OW! My face!" the brunet whined in pain and caught a rubber eraser which had smacked him on the face.

Everyone stared and gaped at the short dark blonde who just shot the boy with a...

..Slingshot.

"A-Alice Liddell...v-violence is not allowed...uhmmm...N-Never mind..." Mr. Gowland gulped as the petite girl stared up at him with blank stare.

Crysta blushed at the whole event and sighed dreamily.

"Oh...She's so cool...I want to be her friend..."

The Jokers heard this and exchanged narrowed glances.

"This girl is nuts." White whispered.

"That Shortie is nuts too—OW!" Black grimaced as a rubber eraser just landed his face.

The Jokers clamped their mouth as Alice had released her slingshot again, apparently able to hear them.

Mr. Gowland cleared his throat and shuffled the scores in his hands. "Alice...you may play this for us and I will take note on how well you're doing." He handed a Canon in D score to the short girl, who took it and nonchalantly prepared herself behind the taller harp.

~.X.~

Crysta had never touched a violin before. When she tried to play it, she was told off by Mr. Gowland on how to correctly hold a violin. She had no idea what notes here and there, or how to pick different level of the notes. Crysta knew she was a complete beginner.

The first class she was in, was a Homeroom. It was to determine how far a student's awareness of notes, which explains why they could pick random instruments. Crysta wished she could pick the piano, but she was too late and got the violin.

And she sounded horrible.

As she watched the others played,though, she realized that in the class, there were many kinds of students with different levels. There was that brunet, he played the cello expertedly.

Or that albino boy, he played the piano with eyes closed! There were other younger twins, they played clarinet well for beginner level.

But then, there was that short girl, Alice. The class fell silent and no longer laughing as she started to pick the strings gently. She metamorphosed into a different figure. No one payed attention at her size at all. She became one with the angelic instrument as she picked the notes of cheerful and warm Canon.

"That's very good." Mr. Gowland held his hand after the middle part, and then took his violin. "Let us see if you can do the duet." He nodded to her. Alice closed her eyes again, and they started to play.

Crysta blushed at the view. Mr. Gowland had always seem timid and jumpy, but as he picked his violin, he also turned into a different personality. His eyebrows were firm above his closed eyes as the soothing Canon played from his instrument on his shoulder.

The two harmoniously played the music. Alice picked up the fast pace while Mr. Gowland softly played the main notes, both performed repetitiously through the end. The melodies resonated through the class.

'They are beautiful...' Crysta thought warmly. 'Can I ever play like that? What do they feel? Do they know that they're very beautiful when they play?'

With one last pull and some more pick on the strings, the Canon ended. There were milliseconds of silence, and the class then burst into a polite clap. Mr. Gowland bowed, and Alice stood up, curtsying with bored face.

Crysta blushed again. "Awww! She's so cute!" she cooed at how the Mini Blonde curtsied.

"Hm, not bad..." White nodded, still clapping.

"Not bad at all..." Black nodded, crossing his arms.

Mr. Gowland chuckled. "You students may not realize this, but Alice Liddell is the little sister of Lorina Liddell and Edith Liddell."

...

"Wha—Sister!?"

"Those Lorina and Edith!?"

"The Contrast Divas?"

"Hey! Hey! Are you for real—"

*munch, munch, munch, munch*

Alice had appeared back on her seat beside Crysta, munching her Koala March. Crysta dropped a sweat, laughing nervously. Sure enough, no wonder she looked familiar.

The Contrast Divas; Lorina and Edith were famous solo singers. They were known as siblings but they had chosen different style. Lorina was the soft and warm styled singer, while Edith chose the sassy modern singing style. Like comparing Taylor Swift to Lady Gaga. Though both were loved.

Hardcore fans would knew that they had a little sister, but...

"Alright, alright, keep it down, students. Now, as for you, Jokers." Mr. Gowland succesfully calmed down the girls at the mention of the Jokers. "Are you just coming here for the Vocal class or are you going to pick an instrument major as well?"

White hummed, tapping his chin. "Yes or no...We still have much time to pick, since our main major is Vocal, yes?"

"Probably just join the clubs..." Black smirked, and the girls aww-ed at that sexy smirk.

"Fine then." Mr. Gowland smiled and then took out his notebook. "Now that the testing session is over, I will announce who will have to start from the Basic Class." He stood behind the podium and wrote on the white board.

"Basic Class is a morning class where you will have to learn from writing and reading musical notes, memorizing Italian music terms and the right keys on the instrument that you've chosen as your major." He explained to the confused faces. He then looked at his notes.

"Delaney and Adam Twelves—"

"Next time just call us Dee and Dum Tweedles!" the dark-haired twins on the front corner exclaimed quickly before the others could remember their real names.

"S-Sure...Oh yeah, for those whom I don't call, check out the list on your tables, and choose your main major there, as well as those whom I call. Next, Albus King..."

Crysta sighed sadly as she realized she would be called for the Basic Class. Then again, she really had no idea about music until she came to this stared at her major list. The majors were classified into Strings, Harp, Piano, Brass, Vocal and Winds.

Some majors were taught by names that Crysta were familiar with.

Strings were the group for violin, viola and cello, led by Mr. Gowland. Winds were for clarinet, flute and oboe. The Brass section included saxophone, trumpet and trombone; she knew that Mr. Jericho Bermuda, the playa jazz artisan was in charge of this major.

Piano was categorized into elaborate plays, classical and vocal piano, and Crescendo Academy was famous for their teacher, Gray Ringmarc. Vocal class was teamed according to student's voice range. Harp was the only one which wasn't divided, and Crysta was surprised to know that Julius Monrey was in it; he was more known as a viola player, even more than Mr. Gowland.

"Wait a second...why are drums and guitars aren't here?" Crysta asked to no one, but almost jumped when Alice suddenly spoke.

"Those instruments aren't suited for aristocrats." The short girl spoke, drawing a check for the Harp section. "Crescendo provides studio for pop and jazz but mainly classic. They always import guitarist and drummer."

"Damn, that's lame." Crysta heard one of the Jokers scoffed. Glancing over her back, she saw the two had Vocal Major checked.

"Nothin' new...Sidney Black hates rock and band stuff." Black rolled his eyes.

"That brat probably had no idea how to enjoy life." White chuckled.

"Hmm," Crysta shrugged. "Not that I can play any instruments..."

"Why don't pick vocals then?" the brunet in front of their seat—the one got hit by Alice's rubber eraser—he grinned at her. "Your violin was terrible. Obviously that's the first time you held it."

Crysta blushed in shame. "Sorry about that..." she apologized awkwardly.

The brunet chuckled and turned his gaze to the munching dark-blonde. "Hey, that hurts a lot, you know? Why are you carrying a slingshot? Are you five or some—"

WHACK

"Ouch! Not again!"

The Jokers burst into laughter as they watched the brunet whine in pain. Alice put down her slingshot and returned to eat her Koala March as if nothing happened.

"A-Are you okay?" Crysta awkwardly asked, unsure if she should side with Alice, but rubber eraser could hurt a lot in short distance.

"Hahah!" the brunet winced as he threw away the rubber. "Ace Leopold is known for his hard-head." He smirked to Alice. "You're such a different Liddell. Still can't believe it. And you? Your name?" he turned and winked to Crysta.

"Crysta Snowpidgeon..." she murmured shyly, rubbing the back of her head. "Oh, I still don't know what to pick. I can't pick Vocal Class since my mother wants me to learn instrument."

"Oh, you're one of those girls..." the Jokers gasped. Crysta turned at them in confuse.

"You're here for Sidney Black's requirements, aren'tcha?" she turned to Ace, who had a naughty grin on his face. "Sad, sad, sad~ What's the point of playing music if you don't go for the fun?" he hummed, turning his back to them.

"W-Well, but I—"

"No wonder you have no idea what to pick..." White sighed.

"You probably have no idea what you're doing when you hold that damn violin." Black shook his head.

Crysta blushed and looked down silently. Well, part of that was true; she had no idea of anything, and she was there because her mother's order. Now that true Musicians had pointed that out, Crysta felt very ashamed of herself. She was tainting a great music academy with selfish needs.

"That isn't any of you idiots' business." They quickly turned to Alice, who had pulled out another box of Koala March and tore it open.

"Whatever reason you have to play music, you will always have fun doing it." The girl said, plopping the biscuit into her mouth. "Even if you play bad or can't hold an instrument right, just touching it already makes you excited." Alice then stopped saying anything as she was busy munching her snack.

Ace scoffed. "Well, that's kinda true..." he admitted.

"True," White nodded.

"True," Black closed his eyes.

Crysta blushed, feeling as if Alice could read her minds. She was right. The first time Crysta held a violin, she was very excited; what to do with it? This instrument could create melody! Could she spend more time with it? Those were her feelings.

Besides, as she realized, that she was surrounded by a group of true music lovers, she wanted to focus to spend more time with the violin. She then stared at Mr. Gowland, who was packing his violin.

There was a wish in her heart. Crysta wished she could have a duet with Mr. Gowland's violin. She didn't know why, she just wished...

"Crysta Snowpidgeon?"

"Y-Yes!" Crysta abruptly stood.

Mr. Gowland raised his eyebrows, faint flush on his face. "You're taking the Basic Class. Have you decided on a major?"

"Yes, I'm going to learn violin." Crysta said with determination.

For now, she wanted to keep the fact that she had to learn music instrument for Sidney Black. Her adrenaline was rushing for no reason, as she eagerly waited for the day she could duet with many great people. Accompanying the Jokers' song, playing alongside Alice's harp...being in the same orchestra with Ace...

She wanted to play along with Mr. Gowland the most. Crysta secretly smiled to the short, silent but soft-hearted girl beside her. Alice might seem cold, harsh and kept eating all the chance she's got, but Crysta thought there was more to see than the eyes. Like a short aria, it was a flash melody, but deep. Just like what she said, and Crysta would held onto her words;

'Whatever reason you have to play music, you will always have fun doing it.'


Elise: This probably sounds irresponsible, but tomorrow Duck and I are having the test of our future, so...we can't help but hand out the next chapter for Cat.

Alice is a combination of Hotaru Imai, Youichi Hijiri and Edward Elric here.