Yo everyone,
Here's your fourth chapter. Honestly didn't mean to be this long, but hey whatever. You love me anyway, ne?
RxExR
Chapter 4: Glamorous
G-L-A-M-O-R-O-U-S
We flying the first class
Up in the sky
Poppin' champagne
Livin' the life
In the fast lane
And I wont change
By the Glamorous, oh the flossy flossy
Okay here's something scary for you. Me, yeah that's right me. Sakura Mikan in the branded uniform of repression and slavery. What the hell am I talking about?
Gakuen Alice School Uniform.
Last night Anna with help from Nonoko transformed me into one of the wicked witches. But don't take my word for it.
Yesterday After School
"Run this by me again." Anna said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
As usual the three of us were in my room. I had just explained my three part plan to them. Nonoko was a bit upset and Anna a bit confused. Anna was in her favorite hip hugger blue jeans and a hot pink "Happy Bunny" t-shirt with the words 'Bite Me' on it. Classic. Her pink hair was loose amoung her shoulders. Nonoko in her regular torn-in-the-knees jeans and my MCR t-shirt. Anna was sitting upright on the edge of the bed and Nonoko was laying on her back.
"She's dropping her morals and values." Nonoko spat in distaste.
"Noko," I said, using her nickname when I wanted her to agree with me. "Don't be like that. I'm using the ultimate battle tactic."
Nonoko looked amused. "Explain."
"Simple battle strategy. What did the Greeks do to defeat the Trojans?"
Anna raised her hand. "Does this history lesson have a point?" she asked.
I threw a pillow at her. "They appeared to give up. The pulled back their ships and gave them a 'peace offering'" I explained, emphasizing my words with air quotes.
"So?" Anna stated.
I chucked another pillow at her. "It means if I appear to give up, invade and plant myself deep within their territory I can win this battle."
"What do you need us for?" Anna questioned. "You seem to have this all figured out."
"I was getting to that. Anna you will be my Attack General. You will be in charge of transforming me into one of them. Nonoko you will be my Strategy Tactic Adviser. You will be helping me hit them where it hurts. While Anna helps weigh down physical barriers you will be helping me with any internal resistance."
"Ok I don't get all this mumbo jumbo, but seeing as we're doing somewhat of what I wanted to do in the first place. I'm in." Anna giggled, not hiding her excitement.
Nonoko rolled onto her stomach. "Me too. Things were getting a bit boring anyway."
Half an hour later, Nonoko was typing away at my keyboard, while Anna was preparing her self in my bathroom. She said she didn't want me to come in until everything was perfect. So I was laying on the couch watching Inuyasha. Another fifteen minutes passed and Anna finally reentered my bedroom.
Her long cherry blossom pink locks were pulled into a bun at the back of her head, with stray strands framing her face. She was wearing a beauticians uniform (a dress-type coat that buttons down the sides with big pockets) with combs and brushes and scissors sticking out of the pocket. She had square frame glasses on the bridge of her nose and kinda reminded of Dr. Hyuuga only stricter like a Sunday School teacher.
Anna had this look of complete seriousness on her face. She lowered the glasses down further on the bridge of her nose.
"I'm ready for you Miss Sakura." she said, not sounding like Anna at all.
I followed her anyway and stared in awe at my renewed bathroom that was now a torture chamber. Shampoos and conditioner and bottles of hair stuff I didn't recognizes lined one side of the counter and the other was lined with facial products, that I also did not recognize. She sat me down into a chair that was probably from the study room. I padded across the tile floor and sat down.
"Remove your jacket please." she said in her authority voice.
"Sure." I agreed.
I pulled off my red hooded jacket and tossed on the floor. She pulled my hair tie out ,letting my obscenely long hair that I never cut, loose. She drove a brush through the tangles, which hurt like a bitch.
"Ow!" I screeched.
"Well if you take better care of it, you wouldn't be in pain. Seriously Mikan your hair has so much potential." Anna said in her Anna voice again.
"Whatever." I huffed.
If you're wondering about the threee witches. They were having one of their oh-so-spectacular sleep over at Ashley 'Always get her man' Makato's house. Ashley is the perfect example of a modern day gold digger after growing 'bored' with rich high school boys, she started going after rich older guys. No one has turned her down yet. Disgusting they all were probably sitting in a circle talking about how far they've gone. The thought made me shiver.
Anna clicked on her radio and popped in a CD. The music filled the bathroom.
Are you ready?
If you ain't got no money take your broke ass home
You say: If you ain't got no money take your broke ass home
G-L-A-M-O-R-O-U-S, yeah G-L-A-M-O-R-O-U-S
Anna was washing my hair with fierce concentration and dedication. She shampoo rinse and repeated. Then conditioned it with three different types of conditioner: Regular for silk and shine, Supreme for volume and strength and Leave-in conditioner for manageability. After soaking in the last set of conditioner she put my damp hair in a loose ponytail and began to analyze me.
"What?" I asked, squirming under her gaze.
"I'm making a mental list of things that need to be done." she explained. "Nonoko get in here."
We flying the first class
Up in the sky
Poppin' champagne
Livin' the life
In the fast lane
And I wont change
By the Glamorous, oh the flossy flossy
The glamorous,
The glamorous, glamorous (the glamorous life)
By the Glamorous, oh the flossy flossy
Nonoko entered with a clipboard a pen and they both gave me analyzing stares. I was about to ask them what are they staring at when they went off into twin mode. When Anna and Nonoko get interested in something or excited about something they go into, what I like to call twin mode. Pay close attention and you'll see what I mean.
"Her skin is-" Anna started.
"Not in too bad condition although it wouldn't kill her to use-
"Some serious moisturizer. Like the one-
"You got at that boutique on-
"Kyoto Boulevard. Yeah it works wonders on-
"Black-heads, pimples and messed up pores, but what about her-
"Nails I know positively atrocious. What do you think is-
"Her best color is definitely lighter ones. Although she's wore dark colors so long it might-
"Work out perfectly if we find her right color. Next her-
"Wardrobe is a serious malfunction we'll definitely need to do some shopping. Although with the school uniform policy doesn't really matter. What about her-
"Hair. It's so long and has some much potential. I was thinking-
"Curls maybe the-
"Big ringlets with-
"Smaller one's thrown in. And we should definitely try-
"Straightening. That would be nice on her too. Her make-up would definitely be-
"Totally experimental, but we should use our better judgment."
"Let's get to work."
Did you pick up on that? Ok here are the three things you should have noticed.
Number 1: They pretty much read each others thoughts and finishes each others sentences.
Number 2: They pretty much are unaware of anyone else in the room.
And of course
Number 3: Even if they are fully aware of your presence you'll be completely ignored while they're in twin mode.
Wear them gold and diamonds rings
All them things don't mean a thing
Chaperons and limousines
Shopping for expensive things
I be on the movie screens
Magazines and bougie scenes
I'm not clean, I'm not pristine
I'm no queen, I'm no machine
I still go to Taco Bell
Drive through, raw as hell
I don't care, I'm still real
No matter how many records I sell
After the show or after the Grammies
I like to go cool out with the family
Sippin', reminiscing on days when I had a Mustang
And now I'm in...
I kept completely still as Anna applied some pale, green goop to my face. She spread it around my face evenly and put some kind of fruit over my eyes. Someone was clipping my nails and filling them over. I let myself relax a little they're my best friends they know what they're doing.
Fifteen minutes later they washed off the goop off my face and dabbed my face with a towel. Anna refused to let me see myself until after her work was finished so the entire time I was turned away from th mirror. Nonoko was blow drying my hair while, Anna was applying clear polish to my toenails. After she was finished, Anna washed her hands and opened a red pouch inside were some funny looking tools.
She pulled out a pair of tweezers and analyzed my face, but didn't meet my eyes. She told me to close them and I did so without thinking. I was about to ask her what she was doing when she yank an eyebrow hair out.
"YE-OUCH!" I screamed.
"Beauty is pain. Now such your mouth and let me do this."
I mumbled a streamline of curse words, as I endured five agonizing minutes of Anna plucking hairs out. Then she pulled out something that looked like a handheld automatic screwdriver.
"What's that?" I asked.
"Nose hair trimmer." She answered nonchalantly.
"You can't be serious." my expression was incredulous.
"As serious as a heart attack." she answered with a smirk.
We flying the first class
Up in the sky
Poppin' champagne
Livin' the life
In the fast lane
And I wont change
By the Glamorous, oh the flossy flossy
The glamorous,
The glamorous, glamorous (the glamorous life)
By the Glamorous, oh the flossy flossy
I will not describe what happened all you need to know was that it was not very comfortable. She applied her 'moisturizer' to my face and left it there.She and Nonoko were speaking in hushed tones after Nonoko put in some conditioning creme into my hair and a set of rollers.
"Ok what's going on?" I asked finally annoyed.
Anna and Nonoko looked at each other then me. I hate it when they do that.
"Mikan remember when I said 'Beauty is pain'?" Anna asked.
Nonoko was holding something behind her back and brought it forth for me to see. It was filled with some orange goop.
"It's about to get a whole lot worse." Nonoko finished, smiling deviously.
I laid face down on a folding mat, on the floor of my bedroom, wearing nothing but a white towel. Nonoko applied the very warm orange goop to my legs, very carefully with a small stick, as Anna covered them with strips of some papery material. I don't know why people complain about waxing, it's very relaxing.
"Ready Mikan?"
"For what?" I asked still enjoying the tingly feeling in my legs.
"1." Nonoko said.
"2." Anna continued.
"3!" they both said in unison as they yanked two strips off my legs.
I didn't know I could screamed that loud for so long. Good thing aunt Yumi and uncle Prissy-Pants were out at a company dinner party or else they might have barged through the door.
"Don't worry Mikan just a couple more to go." Anna said assuringly.
The next hour was a very loud one.
I was sitting in my bathroom again. My body still stinging from my first waxing experience. Nonoko had applied some home-made remedy of hers and rubbed it on where I was in pain. It dulled a little, but still stung.
The two evil twins were now going through my hair. Nonoko snipping and trimming here and there and Anna preparing the utensils. Big curlers, little curlers, straighteners and crimper. Nonoko made me some decent bangs as Anna curled and straightened. As Anna did whatever it was she was doing to my hair Nonoko sat in front of me applying substances from different colored jars, to my face with a brush.
I kept my eyes closed the whole time. I coughed when Anna sprayed some stuff in my hair. It wasn't a good idea to open my mouth because then I got to taste some. Yuck. Then she and her partner in crime did my face.
After another hour and a half they were done. Anna wiped some sweat off her brow as they both examined me. Nonoko handed me some clothes and left me to change.
A few minutes later I entered the bedroom and both their eyes popped out of their head and their jaws were on the floor. Anna fell off the window seat and Nonoko rolled unto her stomach on the bed.
"Hubba hubba." Nonoko said.
"What have we created?" Anna said, feigning horror. I noticed she was in her regular clothes.
"You did it! Is it that bad?" I asked, suddenly self-conscious.
"Take a look for yourself." Anna said, smiling up at me.
I walked over to the vanity and nearly passed out as I saw myself. The person that was gapping at me in the mirror definitely wasn't me. The person looking back at me was someone I didn't recognize.
My usually hidden or pulled back into a ponytail hair was let down and curled. Big ringlets of long brunette hair tumbled down my back and ended at my hips. Some of it fell onto my shoulders. and the bangs fell right above my eyes. My eyes looked brighter and so does my skin. My usually pale cheeks looked rosy and my lips that were coated in a thin layer of pink gloss, look full. My nose, that I always thought was too big, looked average sized.
The school uniform looked good on my new body. It complimented my shape pretty good. My usually uneven dirty finger nails were now trimmed, shaped and sparkled with clear polish on them. I actually could past off as one of them.
"And ze piece of resistance." Anna said digging through her bag.
She pulled out a red head band and slipped it on my head. Then rested her hands on my shoulders.
"You look great. You'll have the whole school eating their hearts out." Anna giggled.
"I highly doubt that."
"Well I have you're first battle tactic if you'd like to hear it." Nonoko said, holding up a manila folder.
I turned away from the mirror. "Lay it on me."
"Okay first you've got to break into the inner circle. So you'll have to act like the new girl." Nonoko said, eyes down on a piece of paper.
"Shouldn't be a problem." I sighed, sitting on the bed.
"Secondly make sure you warm-up to everyone." Nonoko urged.
"Everyone?" I groaned.
"Yes even the three parasites." Nonoko pressed.
"Fine. What's next?" I sighed.
"Detach all old habits." Nonoko declared.
"Meaning you and loner boy can't be anything alike. So everything you use to do you must erase." Anna elaborated.
"And I'm putting you on a diet." Anna finished, flipping through a magazine.
"What?! What for?!" I cried.
"Mikan, a girl has to maintain her shape. You constantly consume junk food and it won't be pretty when it catches up with you." She answered not even looking up at me.
"It wouldn't kill her to exercise more." Nonoko agreed.
"Yeah, but what sport?" Anna asked looking at her sister.
"Something challenging where she's forced to-
"Get along with others." Anna finished.
"Right." Nonoko agreed.
"Don't I have any say in this?" I asked.
"No." they both said.
"I thought this was about getting back at Hyuuga." I continued.
"It's a two-for-one deal." Anna grinned.
"Nonoko I thought you were against this." I pressed.
"Don't give me that. Besides it might be nice to go out with you in public for once." Nonoko said defensively.
"What's that suppose to mean?!" I hollered.
"Whatever. Just follow the plan OK? Tomorrow innocent new girl right?" Nonoko dismissing the subject.
"Whatever." I huffed.
Anna looked at her watch and paled. "Shoot it's past nine. Mom's gonna kill us."
"You're right. Gotta go Mikan." Nonoko said.
"Ja ne." I mumbled.
"Remember Mikan I left some things on the counter for you to use tomorrow. Don't worry I left the directions too. Later." Anna said fleeing the room after her sister.
"Mm."
Tomorrow outta be fun, I thought. I laid back on my bed and sighed.
So now here I am in front of my vanity again. Staring at the unknown female in the mirror. I took a shower sing some of the sweet smelling stuff Nonoko made. After carefully reading Anna's instructions, I spent thirty minutes ex-foliating, cleansing and moisturizing my face. Then I carefully applied my make-up: eye liner, mascara, eye shadow, lip gloss and blush.
I spent another thirty minutes fixing my curls, burning myself occasional. I put on my white bra and matching underwear that Anna instructed me to wear. I was buttoning my red shirt when my phone rang.
"Hello?"
"Since when do you answer the phone with 'Hello?'" a playful voice joked.
"Akira?" I said biting my tongue so I didn't sound excited.
"The one and only." he chuckled.
"What do you want maggot-brain?" I huffed.
"That's the Mikan I know." he laughed.
"Why are you calling me in the morning anyway?" I asked, feigning annoyance. I balanced the phone between my shoulder and ear so I could continue buttoning my shirt.
"Just wanted to know if you're still alive." he joked.
"We're speaking aren't we?" I answered
"Yeah I know. Listen we should catch up this weekend seeing as I'm back and all. You can fill me in on what's been going on." He sounded funny as he said it.
"Sure whatever." I said ignoring his weirdness.
"Great so this Saturday at noon. Meet me at the train station." He piped up.
"Alright." I said.
"Ja."
"Mm."
I tossed my phone on the bed and put on my skirt. It was weird of him to call so early. I dismissed the thought and zipped my skirt. I tucked in the shirt and began to tie my tie. I smoothed out my skirt and put on my jacket. I glanced at myself in the vanity mirror and almost laughed at how normal I looked like dressing this way was a normal thing for me.
I pulled on my socks and shoes. After placing Anna's red head band on I began tearing through my closet for the school custom made bag. After about ten minutes I finally found it underneath some old boxes. I went over to my study table and put some books inside. Yes actual books. My abandoned textbooks and workbooks and books for note taking.
Let's see pencils, erasers, pens, highlighter and gum. I packed my sketchbook as well. It felt like my first day of school, but in a way it kinda was. I put on my book bag on my back. Gakuen Alice back packs can go from carry ons to back packs when you adjust the straps.
I stood in my bedroom fully dressed with back pack and all. I stared at my door and then the window.
'Break all old habits.' I told myself.
I repeated it as I took steps toward the door. I gripped the cool knob and turned it. I pulled the door open, stepped out and then closed it again. I released the breath I had been holding.
'Baby steps.' I told myself.
I walked down the hallway and down the stairs. One of the maids I passed by looked at me in confusion probably thought I was an unexpected guest.
I headed into the breakfast area, amused that I still knew where it was. I walked in and got a classic reaction scenario.
Uncle Prissy-Pants: pours coffee on himself.
Aunt Yumi: drops her glass of orange juice on the floor
I groaned inwardly to what I was about to do, but I smiled and did so. I placed my bag on floor by the door and sat at the table and smiled.
"Ohayou." I gleamed.
There was a pause, but I choose to ignore it.
"What's for breakfast?"
"Bacon and eggs Miss." a elderly maid said setting the plate down in front of me.
I began eating as the silence closed in around me.
"Mikan you look..." my uncle started.
"So beautiful. Doesn't she dear?" Aunt Yumi said.
"Yes." prissy said, obviously out of words.
"Domo arigatou." I said bowing my head. Ugh I think I'm gonna up chuck.
My aunt and uncle tried to have a normal conversation, but I could tell that it was hard for them because of my little surprise. I finished eating and stood up.
"I better get going or I'll be late." I said and stood up.
"I'll walk you out." my aunt said following me out of the kitchen and to the front door. There she wrapped her arms around me.
"Thank you." she gave me a longing gaze, kissed my forehead, then walked away.
For the first time in years I really wanted to cry. How do I live with myself now? My aunt thought that I was doing this for her, when truthfully I was doing it to get back at some jerk.
I shook my head to get rid of the thought. This was no time to get emotional, I had a won to win.
Watch out Hyuuga. This little tangerine is about to start an invasion with you as the prime target.
I slid a pair of Sumire's Chanel sunglasses over my eyes, stufferd my hands into my pockets and strutted down the drive way and onto the battle field.
So that was part one of Mikan and the twin's diabolical plan.
What's up next? Well you'll just have to keep reading, won't you?
Lots of Love
Chi-chan