Cinder-Nagisa
~Part 1~
Once upon a time, there was a little boy named Nagisa. His parents were kind and loving, but tragedy struck. His kind mother fell ill and passed away. Nagisa cried and cried, but was nevertheless hopeful about his new mother.
However, his cold and cruel stepmother horrified his father greatly, and led to him moving away. Poor little Nagisa was left home with his stepmother and two stepbrothers: Hiro and Utsui. They were horrible towards him, teasing him about his weak physique and girl-like appearance. Nagisa worked every day, scrubbing the fireplace earnestly. Cinder and ash was always stuck on him, and that earned him the nickname of Cinder-Nagisa.
Cinder-Nagisa was truly girl-like. He was very petite, and his aqua blue hair had grown long because his step-mother did not allow him to cut it. It wastes money, she says. Cinder-Nagisa just endured the abuse quietly. They were occasionally pleasant to him, leaving him a cookie or crumb for dessert.
Cinder-Nagisa was dusting the windows one day when there came a knock at the door. He opened it, and in front of him stood a yellow octopus (?). It wore a long black cloak and had a grin on its face.
"Nurufufufu… I am the royal messenger of the King. This message is delivered to every household in Village E."
The octopus creature was gone as soon as Cinder-Nagisa took the paper. "What is this?" He looked it over. "Princess Kayano is looking for a husband! Attend the ball starting at 8:00 tonight!"
"What is that?" Hiro and Utsui stood in front of Cinder-Nagisa. They snatched the paper from his thin hand. "Hey, isn't Princess Kayano the cutest girl in the royal family?"
"Yeah! We could snag a princely life. Mother!"
Their mother came with a smile on her face. The two boys showed her the paper, and she approved happily. "Sure!"
"Mother, can I go too?" Cinder-Nagisa's timid voice got everyone's attention. "Hmmm, maybe when you pick these up."
The stepmother was holding a pan of beans, and she dumped them in the fire. "Now, get them and make a soup. Then you can go."
Nagisa was left staring at the fire. He poured water on it and tried to pick up the scorched beans. It burned him, and he fell back with a cry. The stepmother and stepbrothers giggled as they went out to buy suits.
What will Cinder-Nagisa do?
