Ars Amatoria Romance Theme Challenge

Time Frame: N/A

Fight

Rose's POV

Part Three

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As we danced (and Mack can dance. Who knew?) I felt the last dark strings that attached me to the Prince leave my mind. I was me again, and I knew what I had to do.

-----PROO-----

"Are you ready for this, Rose?" Mack asked me anxiously as I slowly took off my shoe and sock.

"Yes, Mack." I smiled at the concerned look on his face. "I'll be fine." I took as deep breath and looked at the clock. 11:30; hopefully that would give me plenty of time. The rest of the team stood around me.

"I sure hope this works." Ronny murmured.

"Don't worry," I smiled reassuringly at her. I stepped forward and took hold of the slipper. When I touched it, I could one again hear it.

So you came back, eh? The voice was the same as before, but it was different now. Harder. They always do. Do you like the Prince I chose for you? Yes, I can see in your mind that you did. Are you ready to spend eternity with the man you love?

"Yes," I whispered as I gently slipped the enchanted shoe on.

-----PROO-----

"What took you so long?" The Prince smirked as I appeared before him. I ducked my head as if embarrassed and moved my arms behind my back.

"I – there was another man." I whispered.

"WHAT?!?" He exploded. "You're not supposed to be here if you're with somebody." His eyes narrowed and moved upwards. Discretely, I looked up as well and I gasped when I saw what was standing at the top of the grand staircase.

"Don't blame me for this, dearie." It floated down the stairs, an old decrepit woman in a worn and tattered ball gown. She had glass slippers on her feet as well. "I just find 'em. YOU're supposed to finish the job,"

She came over to where we were standing and she put her hands on her hips. "But now that you've failed, I'll have to finish it for you." She raised her arm, index finger pointed straight at me.

"Wait!" I shouted, making sure that my hands were still behind my back. "What do you mean by 'finish'?"

"Why, you of course." The old lady leered. "Aren't the glass slippers lovely? Simply everyone is wearing them. Aren't they to die for? Of course, what we fail to tell them is that with every step some of their life energy is drained." She waved her hand. I followed the gesture with my eyes, and found myself looking up at the crystal chandelier, which was really a large bowl. Inside was a glowing golden liquid.

"Aren't you being drained then?" I was stalling, trying to get the final details of the new plan figured out.

"No dearie, mine are different."

"Who are you?"

"Why, I'm Cinderella."

"But that fairy tale is hundreds of years old," I protested. The pieces were beginning to fall into place.

"Don't you know that behind every fairy tale is some truth?"

"Why are you doing this?" I whispered.

"Well, after a few years of happiness with my Prince, I got sick. The sickness drained me of my beauty." All of a sudden she looked very old and frail. Steady Rose, she's trying to play you.

"My Prince never came to see me anymore. I just knew that he had a mistress. I implored my fairy godmother to help me, but all the said was 'you're beautiful just as you are.'" She gave a snort of disgust. "She even tried to tell me that my Prince wasn't visiting me because the country was at war and he was away fighting, but I knew better. So one night, I snuck out of the castle and went to see a sorcerer. He told me to take a potion that he'd made and to pour it over an article of my clothing that I loved dearly, and that by doing so I could secure a means of keeping myself alive and beautiful. So I –" She broke off and glared at me.

"You're trying to trick me," she hissed. "Get me talking so that I'll forget about killing you. Oh no, it won't work. Not on me."

"Now why would I do that?" I said calmly. "When I can just shoot you?" I quickly brought my Drive Defender out from behind my back and pointed it straight at her. I had only felt the familiar weapon materialize in my hands a moment before.

"No! It's impossible!" She screeched.

"You didn't think you were the only one who's able to send things through dimensions did you?" I lifted my hand and brushed away the hair that was covering my ear, revealing a tiny earpiece. There was a light that was blinking red. "My friends tracked my location and were good enough to send this to me. You're not going to hurt anyone ever again."

"But I'm trying to help them! They're all happy. You were happy too." She grabbed the man beside her and pushed him forward.

He smiled at me and I could feel the magnetism oozing off of him. "Come on, Rose. I love you. We're perfect for each other. Remember the other night?" He whispered softly.

My hand wavered as I remembered the wonderful time we'd shared the evening before. He was right, I had a great time. I remember being in his arms and how divine it felt.

Then all of a sudden the memory of his arms around me was replaced by another's. Mack. His face floated before my eyes and I suddenly realized that I could never be happy with this charlatan. My hand steadied again.

"They're better off this way. You'd be better off this way." The Prince had stepped aside and in front of me was the old lady. "I know what it's like to be alone. I know what it's like to feel different from everyone around you. I know what it's like to be different. Rose, I know what it's like to be you."

As her liquid voice spoke, I found myself fighting. My emotional side wanted to believe her. My logical side reminded me of the chandelier hanging above our heads, filled with the life force of many other girls who had fallen under her spell.

My logical side always wins.

I pointed my Drive Defender at her and fired.

-----PROO-----

"No!" Cinderella yelled. At her feet the glass shoes lay in tiny fragments. She started to come after me, but as soon as she took her first step, she turned into dust. One by one, everything faded away until suddenly I was back in the Command Centre.

"Rose!" Mack yelled. He stepped forward as I fell to the ground. I lay there in his arms, content to rest there and be near him.

It was worth the fight.

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A/N: Final part. Based off of a Boukenger episode.