Thanks again to WilyGryphon for their review of the last chapter. This chapter will have quite a bit of Disney and a few real world references. So, whoever gets them...well, the most I can do is a shoutout. Anywho, onward with the next chapter!

-miano53

"Look—whoever you are—you don't know the first thing about him. We'll always be a team. You trying to pick a fight or what?"

Chapter Fifteen: Cinder(Ella)

"Um, who?" Roxas asked.

He looked at a blond teenager around Axel's age and he sighed as the redhead was already trying to make moves. Their azure-haired friend, Saix, grumbled, saying, "He's always like this. We're supposed to be protecting the songstress, not trying to hook up with her."

"Hey, I'm just trying to make her comfortable during this job. She's new to Zanarkand, so I thought I'd show her around," Axel claimed.

"Uh huh…And her looking terrified at you is normal. Perfectly fine," Saix said sarcastically.

Their protectee, Ashley Avignon of Francisca, gave a small smile. She still looked uncomfortable around the trio and Roxas said, "Don't worry. If he tries anything, Saix here'll smack him upside the head with his claymore."

"Wow. Violent much, Rox?" Axel told him.

Ashley gave a wider smile, laughing and saying, "Thank you, Roxas."

World of Dreams, countryside chateau…

"A dream is a wish your heart makes, when you're fast asleep…"

"Mmm?" Ven said, stirring awake.

"In dreams you will lose your heartache. Whatever you wish for you keep. Have faith in your dreams and someday your rainbow will smiling through."

"A dream? What kind of…?" Ven muttered.

"No matter how your heart is grieving, if you keep on believing…the dream that you wish will come true."

"Ven! Ven! Ventus Albini!"

Ven eyes popped open as he felt something fall onto his chest hard. He saw that it was only Paolo, the hawk Animus glaring as the boy hadn't waken up. With another plop, he said, "What's wrong with you? Why didn't you wake up? I woke up!"

"Um, sorry?" Ven told him.

He then noticed that he was in a cage, but…

"Somebody tell me how I got so small!" Ven screamed, holding the bars and seeing that he was about a few inches tall.

He remembered getting knocked off his glider by a dark force, most likely Heartless, as he was travelling. But what happened to his height? He was so tiny compared to before and the furniture and various items in what seemed to be the parlor looked to be several stories high. And the cage was on the floor, so everything was terribly huge.

"Yeah, we better get out of…whoa! WHOA! Big lady! Big lady!" Paolo screamed, getting his feathers ruffled.

A blonde woman dressed in a tattered, black and white maid's uniform had picked up the cage. She gave a small smile and the white hamster Anima on her shoulder hopped into the cage after she opened it. Sniffing Ven, she looked to the woman and said, "Ella, je ne pense pas qu'il soit une souris. Il ne sent pas comme un."

"Uh, what?" Ven said, not understanding her.

The hamster Animus jumped out of the cage, quickly turning into a dove and then into a white snow owl. The blonde maid groaned, telling her Anima, "Pourquoi fais-tu ça? Il pourrait être un sans coeur!"

The words "sans Coeur" meant "Heartless", but Ven hadn't learned any other language. But…the Keyblade did give its wielder the ability to learn. So, maybe he had to listen in…?

"So, il n'est pas un, Jacqui?" the woman asked.

"Non. He's not. He smells more like vent et lumière," the Anima, Jacqui, told the maid, apparently named Ella.

Helping Ven and Paolo out of the cage and onto the floor, Ella said, "Oh. So, I guess he's inoffensif."

"So, 'harmless'? Yeah, I am," Ven told her.

"And you understand Franciscan. Kinda surprising. But how did you get so small?" Jacqui asked, diving down towards the six-inch-tall Ventus and turning into a small Terrier.

"Um, it took me a while to. And I dunno how I got this way," Ven said.

"Well, you look like a small bird to me, but you don't smell like one. Nor like an Animus. More like a human," Jacqui said.

"Because Ven is human!" Paolo said.

Ella and Jacqui didn't seem to hear the little Animus and Paolo yelled, "Hello? I'm right here! Yo!"

"Um, I can hear you and I see you, little um…" Ella said, taking Ven up into her hands.

Ven looked to Paolo and said, "I don't think she can see you. She probably think I'm being snappy."

"Yes, I do, but…I kinda see a small bird. On your shoulder," Ella said.

"I don't. I just see some kind of human-like guy with wings. Looks like…her…but without the horns and the black wings," Jacqui told her.

'Black wings? Horns?' Ven thought.

Ella shook her head and said, "If he was with Maleficent or was among her kind, I'm sure he would've alerted her by now about me."

"Maleficent?! No way! I wouldn't be caught working for her! If anything, she's pure evil!" Ven blurted out.

"Oh! Is that so? Well, then…I guess he can help us with the…thing," Jacqui said, looking to Ella.

"Cinderella! Cinderella! Get up here!"

Various people called for Ella, apparently given the name 'Cinderella', and she said, "I guess that'll have to wait. Can you lead him upstairs? He'll be safer up there."

"Um, aren't you afraid that…?" Ven asked.

"No. Jacqui can go far from me while we're here in the house. I'll be fine. I just have to see what my stepmother and sisters want this time," Ella, or Cinderella, said.

She placed Ven back onto the floor and left the parlor, shutting the large doors behind her and Ven asked, "You don't feel a painful tug or pull at your heart?"

"Nope. Unless Ella leaves the house, I'll be fine. Anyway, you have to go upstairs, right?" Jacqui told him.

She changed back into hamster form and said, "Follow me, please."

The little Anima led him to a mouse hole, which had many platforms and small devices that helped Jacqui ascend and descend. When Ven asked about it, she said, "Well, you know how Animi are the hearts of people, right? Um, well, after Ella's father, Lord Soubirous, died, Lady Tremaine, her stepmother, took over the land and spent all the munny that belonged to Ella on gambling and parties. And then the house started to fall apart and we couldn't afford the staff that used to work here. And…"

"What does this have to do with you using mice holes?" Paolo asked.

"I was getting to that, mister…" Jacqui said.

"Ventus. But you can call me Ven. Anyway, what happened afterwards?" Ven asked.

Hopping onto a barrel, the hamster Anima said, "Ella wanted to help out around the house more, so she started doing some of the work. That some turned into all as the girls refused to do the work and Lady Tremaine claimed it helped with her grief. Then when Ella noticed they were using her as their maid instead of the heiress she's supposed to be, the physical abuse started. Lady Tremaine's Anima, Lucille, would attack me, especially whenever I turned into this form or smaller. Then the mental abuse."

"Mental abuse?" Ven asked.

"She would tell Ella that the Heartless are always outside, waiting to devour her heart…me. That scares her every day. And then, Lady Tremaine changed her name to Cinderella as Ella is always covered in soot and dirt from the fireplaces and the places in the chateau she forces her to clean day in and day out. Then the girls would parade around in their finery, things that Father's munny paid for…So, I take these small routes to protect myself against Lucille and the girls' Animi," Jacqui explained.

'Wow, that…sucks…' Ven thought.

The hamster Anima stopped in front of a mousehole with light pouring out of it. She turned and said, "Here it is. Step on through to safety."

Soubirous Chateau, Lady Tremaine's bedroom…

Entering the dark bedchamber, Cinderella gave a curtsy and said, "Bonjour, Madame."

"Bonjour, Cinderella. Now, I trust that you looked over the list of chores for today," the still in her pink and white nightwear Lady Tremaine said.

The older woman laid underneath her bedcovers, holding a cup of tea and having her cat Anima, Lucille, next to her. She looked up at the young woman with disdain, as the girl reminded her too much of Lord Soubirous' first wife, the woman who still had the man's heart until he died. That and she was constantly reminded on how much that man dotted after his daughter, instead of her and her girls. But, she had control of the estate now, so all memory of that and the offenses were forgiven…mostly. That and she had control over what the Kingdom of Rêverie needed most, a way to combat the darkness.

"Um, I did, stepmother. And I was wondering if I could…" Cinderella said.

"Could what?" Lady Tremaine asked, taking a sip of tea.

"Um, I was wondering if I could…go to the ball. With you, Anastasia and Drizella, of course. Certainly not alone," Cinderella told her.

Lady Tremaine nearly dropped her cup, asking, "Why on earth would you want to do that? Heartless are outside, waiting to attack at every turn."

"But, if I go with you, then I'll be safe, right? Um…and-and you'll have guards," Cinderella said.

"No," Lady Tremaine answered.

Cinderella couldn't believe it. So, she asked again. Her stepmother replied again with, "I said no. Or do you want another demonstration as to what the Heartless could do to you?"

Remembering the various beatings and destruction of her favorite dresses, Cinderella backed down. Lady Tremaine, pleased, told her, "So, add to your list to do the laundry, with the whites separated from the colored clothing, sweep the three chimneys, check on the horses and feed them, polish the tables and the silverware…"

She went down a long mental list and Cinderella figured that she wouldn't be able to finish in time. A tug at her heart and she felt Jacqui tell her that she could get done and that her dress would be done in time. All Cinderella would have to do is sneak out and take a crystal compass with her. Its light would protect her and she would find her way to the king's palace, the Crystal Palace of Francisca.

Cinderella's (Ella's) room…

"Okay, so, why do we need this giant pearl?" Ven asked, rolling a blue pearl across the bare wooden floors.

Jacqui, sitting on top of Cinderella's bed, said, "We need it for the dress on that manikin over there."

She jumped off, morphing into Terrier form and running towards it. Ven followed and Paolo asked, "Why are we helping in making a dress? We're supposed to…What are we doing here again?"

"Well, we got blasted out of Traverse Town by Master Matoya's crystal eye and wound up here when those Heartless attacked us in the Lanes. So, we'll just help as best as we can and protect Ella from Maleficent," Ven said.

"C'mon! Hurry up!" Jacqui yelled.

"Coming!" the boy told her.

He looked around the sparse bedroom, seeing that it was the literal bare minimum. There was a bed with tattered sheets and cover, a small wardrobe with a changing screen, a lone window overlooking the grounds that made up the Soubirous estate, a few candelabra and a lamp to give light and the large door that was the entrance. At the right wall was the bed while the left wall had a stool and a small, table with a mirror and washbasin. In the corner next to it was a small shrine with a golden star in its center and various cards and letters.

"Oh! That's Ella's shrine to the Light. She keeps her prayers and her dreams there," Jacqui told Ven.

"Huh. So, she's…?" Ven asked.

"A devout Sanctum believer? Yup. So, was Father. But Lady Tremaine is kinda…not. If anything, she entertains the clergy with parties and dinners…despite us being broke. I guess she thinks she could get her daughters to marry rich clergymen or the nobles they know," Jacqui replied.

Ven finally made it to the dress and saw that it was half complete. The top was done, but the bottom was nonexistent. A basket of yarn balls, needles and thread were next to it, along with rolls of pink fabric, the dress' color, and white lace. It looked like a simple dress, nothing compared to things he saw in some of Master Matoya's books about other worlds.

"Almost done and she can go to the ball," Jacqui said.

Ven wasn't a designer, not by a long shot, but it looked like it would take hours for Ella to complete the dress. That and she hadn't returned to her room yet. So, what was taking her so long?

"She's almost done with feeding the horses. But while she's doing that, we can help with the dress," Jacqui told him.

"How?" Paolo asked.

The Anima changed to a mouse and said, "You have hands, right? Then help me get this thread in the needle. We'll make sure that Ella gets to the ball and finally see the outside world for once."

Ella had finally given the horses their day's worth of hay, saying, "There you go, Frou-Frou. I hope that's enough."

The mare whinnied happily and went to eating. Sighing in relief, Ella, covered in a woolen, tattered black coat and headscarf, saw the four horses in their stables and the six empty ones. When her father was alive, they had ten horses, some used for racing, others used for estate affairs such as wagon pulling, riding and vineyard work. But after Lady Tremaine took over, she had to sell six of them to pay for her and her daughters' continued lavish lifestyle.

Walking out into the cold and shutting the stable doors, Ella wondered how much longer until they really go under. She wanted to hope for the best, maybe Lady Tremaine would have a change of heart and the four of them could take care of the estate and be a real family. Or that if any of them married, they could help financially and stay on the estate. Or maybe, she could leave and find happiness elsewhere.

"Oh, I shouldn't think that. Stepmother will see the error of her ways sooner or later, right? Anyway, all I must do is finish up and I can get to my dress," Ella told herself.

She remembered that she had to see to what was left of the vineyards, a small acre. Without a horse, it would take a while, trudging through the snow. That and she would probably see some winterberries, ice blue fruits that look like raspberries. And if she found any, Drizella told her to give them all to her as they were her favorite. Fitting as she seemed to be cold-hearted.

"Jacqui…stop that," Ella said.

"Why? You know she's terrible. Her and Anastasia. Oh, and Ventus and I are almost done."

"With what?" Ella asked.

Her Anima's voice was chipper and she said, "You'll just have to hurry with the chores to find out."

An image of Ven and Jacqui in mouse form putting the bottom half of her dress together entered her mind and it looked like it was going well. So, that meant that she had to finish as she wouldn't be able to go if she didn't get that dress finished. Heading into the vineyard, Ella started pruning old growth.

Two hours later, early evening…

"And done!" Ven said, cheerful and tired.

The Anima and boy finished the dress on their own, with Ven jumping constantly to hook the thread onto the midsection. The bottom was pink, like the top, and the middle had white lace around it. A necklace of pearls was where the neck was on the manikin and a makeshift coronet of pink fabric, lace and a headband was on the head. It was quite humble in appearance and it didn't look like a ballgown at all.

"It's really pretty," Jacqui said, marveling at it.

"Um, if you say so," Paolo muttered.

The door opened and Jacqui gasped, hiding behind Ven. Luckily, it was only Ella, who looked exhausted. She had an empty basket in her hands and she took off the black coat she had on, tossing it onto the bed. Her weary eyes went over to the manikin and they immediately lit up.

"Oh! Oh, my goodness!" she said.

"See? We're done!" Jacqui said.

"This is so wonderful! Thank you Ventus for helping!" Ella told him.

She inspected it, fixing up a few areas. Once it was finally to her liking, she said, "Now we can go to the ball."

"Are you sure? Isn't your stepmom going to stop you?" Ven asked.

Ella shook her head and headed for the shrine. She grabbed something from behind the star and it was a crystal compass. She opened it and particles of white light floated out of it. The sound of neighing was heard in the distance just as she was about to say something and Ella muttered, "They're off…leaving me behind, again…"

"Aw…So, what's with the compass?" Ven asked.

"We need the compass to protect us from the Heartless. Lady Tremaine hired some guards and have a wagon with light crystals embedded in the wood to protect themselves as they go to the palace. Anywho, remember when I said that Ella was told that the Heartless would attack if she took one step off the estate?" Jacqui said.

Ella's face was flushed and she asked, "You told him?"

"Yes. Especially since he's going to help us get to the palace," Jacqui replied.

Ella sighed, telling him, "This device, it's banned by the Sanctum. A compas de lumière, an Aura Tracker. Something that can help reveal the truths hidden by darkness…and tell you the general direction. And its light had protected me since I was a child. I hold it whenever I feel scared and its light is peaceful."

"Yeah, so that thing is going to help us get to the palace and back for the ball. And you're going to help us," Jacqui said.

"How? I'm tiny!" Ven asked.

Ella turned the knobs on the device and more light started pouring out. It swirled around Ven and the light became blinding. Moments later, Ella gasped and Jacqui said, "Oh, so that's how you look like. You're not like Maleficent at all."

Ven opened his eyes, finding that he was back to his normal height. He sighed and Paolo said, "Finally!"

"And that's your Animus, a falcon. Wow, don't really see those with falcon Animi…except for the nomads," Ella told him.

"I'm Paolo! And I'm proud to be Ven's Animus!" Paolo shouted.

"Why are you yelling?" Ven asked.

"Because I was tired of being ignored!" Paolo declared, raising his wings proudly.

"Um…okay. Anyway, so how am I supposed to help?" Ven asked.

Ella kept turning the dials and she said, "Well, I see that you are…a Keybearer? W-What?"

"I thought he would be a regular guy," Jacqui added.

Ven didn't know if he should've ran or stayed put. His answer quickly came as Ella said, "But, I'm not to fear you. I'm to stay with you…That's what I can see from the compas."

"So, we're to stay with a traitor? A heretic?" Jacqui asked.

Ella nodded and Ven thought that Jacqui would turn back into snow owl form and attack. Instead, she said, "Okay. Cool. A walk on the wild side, right?"

"Um, I guess…Let's just get to the ball and get back here safely," Ella said.

Jacqui then turned into snow owl form and shooed Ven and Paolo out of the room.

"So, what is this proposition of yours, Monsieur…?" Lady Tremaine said.

She looked at a rather ugly man dressed in grey and white, a man named Oogie Boogie. It was an odd name, but he seemed to have great influence as he knew of the king and that of Lord Soubirous. Her daughters, Anastasia and Drizella, dressed in their finery for the ball, stared and one said, "Uh, he knows the prince?"

"Yes, I do. I know Prince Jean and what he's looking for. He's looking for a wife this Winter's Ball and you two look like ya fit the bill," Oogie Boogie told them.

"Well, if he's looking for a wife, he doesn't have to look any further than me! I'm a good singer and piano player!" Anastasia said.

Drizella glared and said, "Nuh uh. He'll love my flute playing and writing! I can write great rally songs for the nation against those awful, fun-ruining, event-spoiling Heartless!"

Their cat Animae glared and hissed and Lady Tremaine silenced them. She then asked, "As I've asked. What is your proposition? How could you ensure that my daughters would have a chance at meeting the prince?"

"Not just meet. Marry, the best girl, of course," Oogie Boogie told her.

"It'll be me! No, me!" the sisters argued, fighting.

Lady Tremaine silenced them once more and Oogie Boogie said, "You got another daughter, right?"

"No. Not another daughter. I have a stepdaughter, however," Lady Tremaine replied.

"Same thing! Anyway, you'll just need to get your stepdaughter and that compass that she has. Then, call my mistress by name. Then, you'll be able to get the attention of the prince…if they can't catch him tonight," Oogie Boogie said.

"Well, I'm gonna get him and Cinderella won't be involved!" Drizella said.

"Not if I get him first!" Anastasia said.

"Quiet, girls!" Lady Tremaine snapped.

She took the letter and it had Oogie Boogie's mistress' name, Maleficent. There was also the image of a horned crown on it and it disturbed her. And that was surprising as her life's experiences would've disturbed most people.

Oogie grinned and said, "Well, just get that Cinderella if ya can't get that Prince Jean. Maleficent will take care of the rest."

The carriage stopped and the driver said, "We're at the palace, my mistress. I'll return when midnight strikes to take you all home."

"Thank you, Roquefort. I hope that you'll keep your end of the bargain if I was to…go through with this," Lady Tremaine said.

Oogie Boogie grinned, telling her, "Well, that'll be for Maleficent to decide…if you bring the goods."

He stepped out of the carriage, leaving and practically disappearing in the growing crowd.

Okay, there's chapter fifteen. Wonder if Lady Tremaine will go with Maleficent's offer. And will Ven get Cinderella there in time for the ball? Stay tuned.

-miano53