Meera: *in a creepy voice* I'm back!

Juliet: Yes, go on and creep out the readers. That'll make them like you more.

Meera: I'm pretty tame compared to the stepmother in this movie so I don't think I'm the one who's gonna be creeping them out.

Juliet: I never found her that creepy actually.

Meera: Really? You never thought that part where her eyes glow green was creepy.

Juliet: Not really, I mean quite a few of the Disney villains do that.

Meera: Yeah, but she doesn't have any power.

Juliet: I thought she did, she kinda ran everything in the house.

Meera: I meant magic powers like abbra kadabra.

Juliet: Whatever, let's get on with the story.

Meera: Yeah! Story time!

Juliet: We don't own anything. Cinderella belongs to Disney. Enjoy.

The Shoe Doesn't Quite Fit

Upon entering the portal, Meera found herself in another meadow. Much like the one in Snow White there were a bunch of forest critters, but these were gathered round a newborn deer. "Bambi!" she thought excitedly and began to head closer when the scene jumped ahead and it was winter. Meera heard a shot and the scene jumped again. This time it looked like she'd entered an animal porn film, but then there was fire and panic and then finally calm. Meera saw Bambi's two offspring before suddenly falling forward.

She hit the ground with a thud and stifled a groan. She prayed fervently that she was back at Disney, but a quick glance at her surroundings told her she wasn't. She sighed and stood up, brushing herself off, noticing that her clothes had changed once more after glimpsing her reflection in the very clean floor. She took a step into the parlor and then immediately ducked back around the corner.

"Holy shit!" she thought. "I'm in Cinderella." She peaked around the corner again and watched Cinderella cleaning the floors. She shook her head. She couldn't believe this was still happening. Meera had no clue what to do. She couldn't just walk up to Cinderella in her own home since she hadn't been invited in. And she was fairly certain that if she pretended she was lost Cinderella stepmother would never take her in, she wasn't exactly the generous type. Sighing, Meera turned her attention back to the scene in front of her. Cinderella was in her own world and didn't notice Lucifer, the cat, lurking at the top of the stairwell and continued singing:

Sing sweet nightingale

Sing sweet nightingale

Oh sing…

"Oh Lucifer!" Cinderella cried when she realized the cat had made a mess of her just cleaned floor. "You mean old thing! I'm just going to have to teach you a lesson." And she started after the cat but a knock at the distracted her and Lucifer ran off. Meera watched as Cinderella opened the door.

"An urgent message from his Imperial Majesty," the Royal Postman proclaimed. Meera took advantage of Cinderella's distraction to silently run up the stairs where she slid into a room next to where the evil stepsisters were having a … singing lesson. Meera almost wished the walls were sound proof but since she couldn't let anyone in the household know she was here she would have to sleuth around to get know what was going on at any given moment. Through the thin walls she heard the Stepmother scold Cinderella for interrupting her lesson.

"But this just arrived from the palace," Cinderella explained.

"From the palace," Meera heard the stepsisters cry in unison.

"Give it here!" Drizella ordered.

"Let me have it!" exclaimed Anastasia.

"I'll read it," the Stepmother said ending the squabbling of her two daughters. "Well! There's to be a ball."

"A ball!" the stepsisters cried again.

"In honor of His Highness the Prince," continued the Stepmother.

"The Prince!" the stepsisters exclaimed together. Meera couldn't help but think they sounded like parrots.

"And by royal command every eligible maiden is to attend," finished the Stepmother.

"Why, that's us!" Drizella said stating the obvious.

"And I'm so eligible!" Anastasia proclaimed.

"Why, that means I can go too," Cinderella said. Meera winced from the other room at Cinderella's naivety.

"Ha!" Drizella laughed. "Her? Dancing with the Prince?"

"Well, why not?" Cinderella asked firmly. "After all, I'm still a member of the family. And it says by royal command every eligible maiden is to attend."

"Yes, so it does," the Stepmother said seeming to agree. "Well I see no reason why you can't go… if you get all your work done. And if you can find something suitable to wear."

"I'm sure I can. Oh, thank you, Stepmother!" cried Cinderella excitedly. Meera felt sorry for her. She couldn't believe that Cinderella couldn't see through her nasty Stepmother by now.

Meera heard Cinderella leave the room and immediately Drizella began to whine, "Mother do you realize what you just said?"

"Of course," the Stepmother replied calmly. "I said 'if'"

"Oh…" Drizella said grasping on. "'if'" Meera sighed in her room as she heard the three laughing from the other room. She hated what she was about to do. She had never liked the Stepmother. To her, she had always been evil for no good reason. The movie never really explained why the Stepmother had hated Cinderella so much, and Meera couldn't understand why Cinderella's stepmother had treated her so badly. She also thought that the Stepmother was probably one of the creepiest Disney villains. So she wasn't too keen to help her with her evil plan. However, she was keen on getting the Prince for herself.

She thought she stood a pretty good chance if she could keep Cinderella out of the way. She was certainly pretty enough. The evil Stepsisters were just as inferior to her as they were to Cinderella, although Meera was a completely different kind of beautiful from Cinderella. She had long, curly black hair that complemented her caramel colored skin, and intense black eyes that made her appear exotic to most men. Maybe the Prince would think so too, and take the bait. However, despite the fact she wanted the Prince there was a part of her that was loathe to take part in the Stepmother's evil plot, she did have standards after all, no matter what Juliet or anyone else thought. Sighing, Meera slid out of the room and began her work.

After spending the day making small messes for Cinderella to clean up Meera was getting ready for the ball in a room next to the Stepmothers. Meera had discovered that if she wished for something to happen it would magically occur and decided to wish for a gown to wear to the ball. She had spent the past three hours getting ready for the ball, and giving Cinderella a better chance to get her work done if she was being completely honest. However, it seemed like her generosity hadn't helped Cinderella at all when she saw her walk sadly to her stepmother's room.

"Yes?" the Stepmother asked when Cinderella knocked on her door.

"The carriage is here," Cinderella replied quietly.

"Oh…why Cinderella!" the Stepmother cried in mock surprise. "You're not ready child."

"I'm not going," Cinderella answered sadly.

"Not going?" her stepmother questioned. "Oh what a shame. But of course there will be other times and…"

"Yes, good night," Cinderella interrupted before walking away. Meera couldn't feel sorrier for her if she tried, but her absence left Meera free to get the Prince. When Cinderella had completely disappeared from the hall Meera slipped out of her room and then out of Cinderella's home. She stepped into the carriage she had wished for herself and rode off to the palace.

When she arrived she followed a line of girls who were waiting to be introduced to the Prince. It took a while but eventually the Herald announced her name to the Prince, "Mademoiselle Meera Garcia." Although, the Prince smiled at her and kissed her hand Meera saw that he was not in love with her, yet she didn't feel disappointed. In fact she almost felt relieved. She realized she would have been disappointed if he had fallen in love with her at first sight. She couldn't explain it but she wanted to earn his affections.

She had been wondering around the ballroom for some time when the Stepsisters finally arrived. Meera watched in amusement at the pure look of disgust on the Prince's face as they curtsied before him. She had to give him credit, he was just as polite to them as he was to her, at least until he noticed a very beautiful young woman enter the room. Meera glanced over and saw that it was Cinderella. She couldn't be mad and slipped into the courtyard so she could watch them. It didn't take long for them to come waltzing outside singing a love song to each other:

So this is love Mmmm

So this is love

So this is what makes life divine.

Meera couldn't help but feel a touch of longing as she watched them. She had been in love once. She had thought he was her Prince Charming. He'd been perfect. He was beautiful and an unfailingly kind person. He'd written her love letters and wrote poems for her. Once he even sang a love song to her. She had fallen for him in a heartbeat. Until she met him, she had never believed in love at first sight, but he had come along and changed her world into a world she actually wanted to live in. That should have been enough for her to know it couldn't have lasted. She had been so sure that he didn't love her as much as she loved him that she had pushed him away in the best way she knew how.

She knew it was her fault that he left her. Everything was her fault. People left her all the time. Why wouldn't they? She wasn't worth anything. She had no value. Her Prince Charming had seen that. Meera kept waiting for Juliet to discover this about her. She kept waiting for the day when Juliet would realize what a worthless, pathetic person Meera was and decide she wasn't worth her time anymore. Meera knew this would happen because everyone she had ever loved left her. Meera caught a tear that had run down her face and then the clock chimed midnight. She glanced over at Cinderella, who was staring up at the clock in horror.

"Oh my goodness!" Cinderella exclaimed.

"What's the matter?" the Prince asked.

"It's midnight," Cinderella said.

"Yes, so it is but why…"

"Goodbye," Cinderella cried standing up and beginning to leave.

"No, no wait!" the Prince said. "You can't go now it's only…"

"Oh I must!" Cinderella panicked. "Please! Please I must!"

"But why?" the Prince asked bewildered.

"Well, I, I…" Cinderella stuttered trying to come up with an excuse. "Oh the Prince! I haven't met the Prince."

"The Prince? But didn't you know…" he started to explain but Cinderella cut him off once again.

"Goodbye," she said again and ran off.

"No wait! Come back! Oh please come back!" the Prince cried chasing after her. Meera was left alone in the courtyard. When her Prince Charming had left her Meera had lost all her senses. She couldn't hear anything except him telling her he couldn't stand being with her anymore. She couldn't see anything but his back as walked away from her. She couldn't taste anything but the bitterness of regret. She couldn't smell anything save for his cologne, a painful reminder. The only sense she was left with was touch. Her tears had felt like fire burning down her face. She had felt cold even though it was mid- July and the weather was insanely hot. Her heart had felt like it had been broken into a million pieces before it obliterated completely and then she felt nothing, just emptiness, and it consumed her. Meera had spent the every day since then trying to feel something again, but nothing she tried ever worked. She was broken beyond repair. Meera slipped back inside and grabbed a glass of Sherry from some servant. It was going to be a long night.

The next day Meera woke up to the Stepmother's sharp voice calling for her daughters to wake up. "Get up!" she cried. "Quick, this instant! We haven't a moment to lose."

Meera leaned up against the wall to hear them better. "Huh?" she heard Anastasia yawn. "Oh, what for? Why?"

"Oh everyone's talking about it," the Stepmother said eagerly. "The whole kingdom! Oh hurry now! He'll be here any minute!"

"Who will?" Drizella asked confused.

"The Grand Duke," explained the Stepmother. "He's been hunting all night."

"Hunting?" Anastasia replied questioningly.

"For that girl, the one who lost her slipper at the ball last night," the Stepmother filled them in. "They say he's madly in love with her."

"The Duke is?" Drizella asked stupidly and Meera tried to get the visuals out of her aching head.

"No, no, no, the Prince!" the Stepmother cried exasperatly and then Meera heard a crash. "You clumsy little fool! Clean that up, then help my daughters dress."

"What for?" Drizella sighed.

"If he's in love with that girl why should we even bother?" agreed Anastasia.

"Now you two," the Stepmother ordered. "Listen to me! There is still a chance that one of you can get him."

"Huh? One of us?" the Stepsisters asked together. They really had a knack for doing that. "Why, Mother, what do you mean?"

"Just this: no one, not even the Prince, knows who that girl is. The glass slipper is their only clue. Now the Duke has been ordered to try it on every girl in the kingdom. And if one can be found whom the slipper fits, then, by King's Command, that girl shall be the Prince's bride," Cinderella's stepmother explained hurriedly.

"His bride?" Cinderella asked.

"His bride!" the Stepsisters cried excitedly.

"Cinderella! Get my things," Drizella ordered.

"Never mind her," Anastasia said. "Mend these right away!"

"Not until she irons my dress," Drizella replied.

"Uh, uh, uh! What's the matter with her?" Anastasia sighed.

"Wake up stupid!" Drizella exclaimed insultingly.

"We've got to get dressed," said Anastasia. "Mother! Did you see what she did?"

"Are you going to let her walk…" began Drizella but her mother cut her off.

"Quiet!" she ordered and Meera watched as the Stepmother followed Cinderella up to her room. For a minute she thought about running to Cinderella's rescue and stopping the Stepmother from locking her in. But then she thought that she stood a chance of fitting into Cinderella's glass slipper. She could have another chance at love. She couldn't bring herself to help Cinderella if there was even the slightest chance she might have a chance at being happy again. It had been so long since she felt truly and completely happy, no matter what she fooled others into believing. So instead of following after Cinderella and her stepmother she slipped down the stairs to wait for the Duke.

It didn't take long before she and Anastasia saw the Duke's carriage pull up through the parlor windows. "Oh Mother! Mother! He's here!" exclaimed Anastasia.

"The Grand Duke!" squealed Drizella.

"Oh do I look alright?" Anastasia questioned. "I'm so excited. I just don't know what I'll do."

"Girls!" the Stepmother said sharply. "Now remember, this is your last chance. Don't fail me."

And then a knock sounded at the door and the Stepmother opened it for the Royal Postman.

"Announcing His Imperial Grace, the Grand Duke," the Royal Postman said.

"Your Honor," the Stepmother greeted the Duke. "Welcome to our humble home."

The Grand Duke looked around with an unimpressed expression on his face. "Ahem. Quite so," he agreed.

"May I present my daughters, Drizella…and Anastasia," she said nodding at them accordingly.

"Your Grace," simpered Anastasia.

"Oh yes, charmed I'm sure," the Duke said dryly.

"His Grace will read a royal proclamation," the Royal Postman then stated.

"Ahem," the Duke started bringing out the slipper and was then interrupted.

"Well, I like that! I-it's my slipper!" cried Anastasia.

"How can she stand there and deliberately say things like that?" Drizella asked appalled.

"Girls, Girls! Your manners!" the Stepmother glared at the two sisters. "A thousand pardons Your Grace. Please continue." Meera glared in disgust at the the Stepsisters and their mother. They were truly horrible people. Yes, she had every intention of trying on that slipper too, but her reason was much more honorable than theirs. She watched as the group headed into the living room and followed quietly. She could see the poor Duke's servant struggling to get the glass slipper on Anastasia's man sized foot.

The Grand Duke must have been tired of watching though for he cried out in exasperation for the next daughter to try the slipper on. After a few minutes of struggling to get the slipper on Drizella she cried, "Oh of all the stupid little idiots! I'll do it myself. Get away from me. I'll get it to fit."

Drizella managed to squeeze her foot in and her mother cried, "It fits!"

"It fits?" the Duke cried disbelievingly but one glance clearly showed it did not and the Duke announced they were leaving. "You are the only ladies of the household, I hope… uh, I presume."

"There's no one else Your Grace," the Stepmother said displeased.

"Quite so," the Duke sighed relieved. "Good day. Good day."

Just as Meera was about to step out and ask to try on the slipper Cinderella came running down the stair crying, "Your Grace! Your Grace, please wait. May I try it on?"

"No!" Meera cried jumping out into the open as the others stared at her in shock, "I haven't tried it on yet!" And she grabbed the slipper from the Dukes servant and slipped it onto her petite foot. "Yes it fits!" She lifted her foot up quickly to show everyone in the room and then watched in horror as she realized too late the the slipper was too big and it went flying through the air and shattered into a thousand pieces when it crashed to the floor.

The Duke wailed and desperately tried to fit the slipper back together again. Cinderella walked over to the Duke and said comfortingly, "But perhaps it would help…"

But the Duke cried, "No, no nothing can help now!"

"But you see," Cinderella replied calmly. "I have the other slipper." The Duke looked up at her in surprise and then was completely overjoyed when Cinderella slipped it on. It was clear that the slipper was a perfect fit. Meera watched as the Duke stammered excitedly and the Stepmother and her daughters cried out in anguish and couldn't help but feel happy that Cinderella would get her Prince Charming. Just as she was about to leave the Cinderella's home she saw Mickey at the top of the stairs.

"Mickey!" she cried and once again the mouse ran off. "Wait!" Meera ran up the stairs and followed him down the hall towards Cinderella's room. She watched as the door disappeared and the portal appeared and she ran into it for the third time wondering where it would take her next.

Meera: Well that's the story of how I didn't get prince charming.

Juliet: It seemed like a rather sad story.

Meera: Why? Cinderella got her prince.

Juliet: That's not what I'm talking about.

Meera: Well I have no idea what you're alluding to.

Juliet: *sighs but doesn't push anymore on the subject*

Meera: Anyway, if you'd like to see the outfits I wore in the story make sure you check the profile. And please review.