4

"Welcome to the Dulcis Mendacium Villa, otherwise known as the Dul'Men Villa," they said. "This is where the boss has planned for you to stay. Everything provided here is for you. We'll be back tomorrow around noon to inform you of further instructions. For now, settle in."

It was a beautiful house. It really was. It was only slightly smaller than a mansion, but it was still the kind of house that only those who could afford real diamonds and pearls could buy. Everything on the inside and outside was white—so bright and pure like the first fall of snow. The architecture of the house was rectangular, with large, white opulent pillars that surrounded the house, holding up the roof. There was even a mini pool in the spacious backyard. The grass surrounding the house was so incredibly luscious and green, and there were rose bushes with fully bloomed flowers so rich in crimson color that outlined the entire base of the house. Already, in that single space belonging solely to the Dulcis Mendacium Villa, there seemed to be so much more color and life than what existed in the red-light district.

Already, Mirajane was in a completely different world.

Who knew that a forty-five minute drive could bring that much change? Was paradise really that close by? Or was it really that far away? At that moment, Mirajane wasn't quite sure what to make of it all. Everything had already altered so much…and more changes were surely to come.

This was what happiness was: a large, beautiful house, one's own walk-in closet, full of luxurious things, a large fur rug, softer than any other animal, a music room, pool, and basically everything a person could ever desire. It was all here, inside the Dulcis Mendacium Villa. And now, it all belonged to Mirajane, if not for just this time period she would be living here.

So, then why was it that as Mirajane sat alone on the king sized bed, having already explored the entire grand house, regardless of her circumstances, she felt so incredibly unhappy? She pursed her lips and dared to look up from her hands she had been fiddling with. The large bedroom was dark, with only the moonlight shining in through the glass balcony doors to her right. Left on the ground, near the open door to her left was her old luggage that held the few items she owned. Directly across from her was a large vanity mirror and fancy makeup desk. In the mirror, she could see herself sitting on the white comforters of the large bed, and she suddenly felt so small.

In her black dress, Mirajane stood out clearly against the white. But she appeared only as a small black spot, ruining the purity that surrounded her. She dropped her gaze and looked at her new large sleeping space, beginning to run a hand over the soft surface. Then she began to wonder how her younger siblings were doing. Was Elfman using her bed? Was he sleeping better? How about Lisanna? Was she awake now? Were they going to be okay without her there? Yes. Elfman was there. He could take care of them both. She knew he would—but that couldn't stop her from worrying. If only her siblings could live with her here…

Mirajane slid her hand down further across the surface until she was lying down and closed her eyes for a little bit. She could feel the bed molding itself to her entire body. It was so comfortable. She opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling where a medium-sized chandelier hung; there were a lot of those throughout the house, varying in size and design, but all quite beautiful. She inhaled deeply, releasing the air in a long drawl. The air was clean here. There wasn't any particular scent inside the large house when she walked in, making her believe that no one had been living here for some time now.

It must be hard to be a house, was what passed through Mirajane's thoughts. There were so many things houses experienced. They were like a treasure chest full of so many magnificent memories, but they were also like a locked up dungeon full of horrible, dark secrets and awful terrors. And then, like the house she now resided in, they must be so very lonely. No matter how many fancy, expensive decors that embellished the house on the inside, it could never fill the empty void of having nobody living inside of them. That's why it was a good thing houses weren't actual living entities. But I am, she ended the thought.

Mirajane rolled to her side, bringing her knees close to her chest. She was very well aware of the open air that surrounded her. Of the silence. She really tried to ignore it at first, but there was absolutely no denying it. It was very lonely here—something she knew she now would be for quite a while. Too bad the house wasn't actually a real living thing.

Nighttime passed.

The sun began to rise.

Time ticked by.

However, it all happened at an insufferably, surreal slow pace. Mirajane did everything she could to not lose her mind by going through everything inside the house. From looking through all the expensive dresses in the walk-in closet, to opening every drawer she could find, as well as picking up every weird little object and examining it closely, she was sure she now knew this house like the back of her hand. She never thought she'd actually find true joy for when the time finally came to meet with the men in striped suits, but once she heard the much awaited knock on the white front doors, she started to believe that maybe…just maybe…

When Mirajane opened the front door, her small distaste she had grown for the Black Dragon's minions stayed the same. She supposed some things just could never change. Maybe it was because she knew they were monsters. But even so, she was still a bit pleased to see that they didn't choose to arrive in the late afternoon. There were two of them who stood at the front porch, and one of them she was surprised to see that she recognized. The man to her right was the same tall man who had accompanied the shorter one the first night they approached her and brought her to their boss. This was just one of those things where you didn't need to see someone's face to just know it was them based off of their physical characteristics. The man beside the taller man in stripes to her left was the one who handed her an envelope and spoke to her, though.

"This is from the boss. It has instructions on what will happen the next few days. When the night comes, we'll be back here to escort you to your first task," he stated.

Then, while Mirajane had her eyes on the envelope in her hands, the two men whose faces remained concealed began walking away to a black glossy car. When she looked up to ask them a question, she could only stand there, holding the envelope dumbly as the black car began to drive out of the roundabout driveway. Her vision of their car was soon blocked by the large water fountain that presented itself grandly in the center of the roundabout. Now, as she stood there alone, all that remained present with her was the sound of trickling water from the water fountain. So…this was all that she waited and agonized over for these past few hours. It took her a moment before she could break out of her frozen state.

When she closed the door, making sure to lock it, Mirajane opened the letter immediately. The smell of ink was stronger than last time. She unfolded the thin piece of paper, finding familiar, neat cursive handwriting, but the words she found on it weren't exactly what she was hoping nor expecting to find:

1:00 P.M. Practice with Vidaldus
4:00 P.M. Lessons with Ichiya
Friday at 6:00 P.M. — Laxus
Be ready.

"I don't get it," Mirajane voiced. To say the least, she was perplexed. Was she supposed to already know what these times and dates meant? And where it mentions "Friday," did that mean this Friday? Meaning that since today was Sunday, she had five days before she was to meet Laxus? Or what did that man even mean when he wrote Laxus' name? Who was Vidaldus? Who was Ichiya? She certainly didn't recall ever hearing their names…

Mirajane pursed her lips. Now that she thought about it, that night when he explained his plan to her, all he talked about in detail was what he wanted her to mainly do when it came to Laxus. As for the actual process for her to reach that goal, he merely briefly told her that he'd provide her everything needed in order to accomplish what he wanted, and not to worry, but just follow his guidance. Then he went on to explain how she would have to leave everything behind in order to embark on this offered job of his. For, as the Black Dragon had said: "If you are to capture Laxus' attention, then you must play the part properly. Men like him don't waste their time around scum."

She had to play the part properly. Which was why she was to live in such a grand house, with so many grand things inside of it. But that didn't automatically make her ready. It simply gave her a powerful jumpstart. Considering her background, Mirajane didn't know anything about the upper-class world. If she was to play the part properly, then that meant—

A set of strong knocks suddenly sounded off at the front door behind Mirajane in a melodic beat, making her jump. As Mirajane turned her head to look at the door with a confused look on her face—maybe it was the men in stripes realizing they forgot to tell her something very important?—the great grandfather clock that stood against the wall in the lounge room to her right abruptly sounded off its hourly tune. Her head snapped over to the antique, and upon looking at its rustic face, seeing the time, her deep sapphire eyes dropped down to the paper in her hand. It was 1:00 P.M. Then she turned to look at the door. So, who stood behind the door was…

Upon opening the door, Mirajane found not two men in striped suits, but someone completely new: He was maybe a couple inches taller than her, with a masculine stature donned in a black three piece suit and red necktie, his face expression was serious, he had dark bushy eyebrows and long, sleek black hair, parted down the middle, tied back in a low ponytail. In his hand, he seemed to be carrying a leather briefcase of some sort. She knew she'd never met him before, but somehow, the man before her looked familiar. Where had she seen him? In the newspaper? That didn't seem right, though…

"Are you Ms. Mirajane Strauss?" the long-haired man asked her. His voice was smooth and calming.

"Um, yes…?" Mirajane confirmed. "And you are…?"

"Oh, yes. Please excuse my rudeness. I am the one you have been expecting, Vidaldus Taka, the renowned musician from the musical group Trinity Heaven," Vidaldus stated. "We typically perform at formal events and restaurants, such Dieux Saints. My last event was for the wedding of millionaire, Benjamin Realight's daughter."

"Oh…?" Mirajane said in awe. She still wasn't sure what to say to him, nor was she sure if she should let him into the house. He could always be a fraud, but he didn't seem like it. Plus, if the name on her paper was right, then this was the man she was supposed to be expecting, apparently.

Vidaldus simply stared at her pleasantly, almost expectantly, and that's when Mirajane finally opened the door wider and invited him in. "Please," she curtly said, giving him a smile.

"Why thank you, the heat was beginning to get to me," he said with a laugh.

Mirajane hesitantly closed the door behind the man once he stepped inside, catching a glimpse of a much too familiar black car out in the driveway, and as she turned to him, she stopped. His hair. It wasn't simply long—it was incredibly long, reaching way past his waist. This man had hair longer than hers! She blinked, beginning to wonder if her image of the upper-class this whole time was correct or not, but before she could delve too much into her thoughts, Vidaldus spoke up.

"Ah, so this is what the Dul'Men Villa looks like on the inside," he said in wonder. "It's quite lovely, indeed, just as people say. I heard its design was inspired by the Greek temples, and I can see how it is…" He then turned to face Mirajane. "Especially the outside. It looks just like a Greek temple."

"Um…yeah!" Mirajane agreed. Her brain was running slow with his words. "Uh…" She sighed heavily. "Okay, I'm sorry, Mr. Taka, but could you please remind me what you're purpose here is?" she asked with a tight smile. She didn't care what he thought of her, all she wanted to know was what his purpose coming here was.

"Please, call me Vidaldus, and oh!—your uncle didn't tell you?" Vidaldus exclaimed.

Uncle? Mirajane pursed her lips. Was that what the Black Dragon had referred himself as? Her uncle? But…she supposed it was better than calling himself her father or brother. She could accept uncle.

"Well," Vidaldus continued, "he told me that you apparently had been asked on such a short notice to perform at the famous Italian restaurant, Rosa Nera, as a guest solo singer for this Friday"—Mirajane could only nod her head slowly, as if she knew what he was talking about—"and so, he asked me to come help you practice and act as your voice instructor so that you may give the audience an unforgettable performance."

"Oh! I see…" Mirajane graciously said, momentarily glancing down at the letter in her hand before quickly folding it back up and placing it back inside the envelope. She then nonchalantly clasped her hands behind her back, switching hands the letter was in, before directing Vidaldus straight across the room with her free hand where some double doors were left wide open, leading to a spacious room with a glossy grand piano in the corner. She was now beginning to understand what the names, times, and date meant on the letter, and she had a fairly clear idea of what was expected of her, but there was still one thing that she wasn't sure of. It was the other unknown name on the letter.

"Ah, splendid! You have a music room!" Vidaldus was saying with a large smile on his face as he entered the bright, sunlit room. "This is perfect," he said, walking straight over to the grand piano and setting his briefcase atop the red-cushioned piano bench.

Mirajane, who followed slowly behind him, watched as Vidaldus opened his briefcase excitedly, humming some unknown happy tune, and pulled out a bundle of music sheets. He went on to hand her a set of papers while setting up four other pages on the piano music stand. When she read the title at the top of the first page, she gritted her teeth. "'The Heart of a Damsel,'" she said aloud, the words coming out more as a question than how she meant for it to.

"Yes, isn't that what you were planning on singing?" Vidaldus asked, closing his briefcase and setting it down on the white marble floor as he sat down on the piano bench. "I think it's an excellent choice. It is a classic song, after all, coming second to 'Magnolia's Anthem.' Everyone knows it. You really can't go wrong with it."

"Yeah, I suppose you're right," Mirajane said quietly. "Everyone loves it." While she absolutely hated it.

"Well then, shall we start practicing it?" Vidaldus asked much to Mirajane's dismay.

She knew the words well—in fact, perfectly. So, practicing the song wasn't very hard for her to do, at least, it shouldn't have been. But her voice was strained as she sang, and Vidaldus wasn't having any of that. But how could she possibly sing a song she hated absolutely everything about? She hated the tune. She hated the title. And most of all, she hated the lyrics. "The Heart of a Damsel" was exactly about what the title was implying. The only thing wrong with it was that it was forgetting the words "in distress" at the end of the title.

This song was incredibly well-known among all the girls in Magnolia, and if possible, even more so to those who lived in the red-light district. There was hardly ever a day that passed where Mirajane didn't catch the tune or words of the song somewhere, haunting the filthy streets. However, while the lyrics remained the same, there was a completely different meaning to this song for those belonging to the lower-class, compared to those in the upper-class. It was a much darker meaning, which was why it was the starring song at the Roxanne La Sanguine, sung by the one and only: Aphrodite. The girls always knew that a special client was in the crowd when Aphrodite was on stage to perform "The Heart of a Damsel."

"No, no, no, no, no! You're doing it all wrong!" Vidaldus exclaimed in frustration. "You sing from the bottom of your tummy at this part! It's supposed to be long and beautiful, like my hair! I don't know how, but you're making it fouler and harder than it should be! If you weren't actually good at singing, I'd have long abandoned you!"

Mirajane concealed her grimace behind a sweet, apologetic smile. "I'm sorry. Today is just not my day…" They had been practicing for almost two hours already, and her voice was becoming a bit coarse. "Maybe if we took a break for now, and got back to it tomorrow, I'll do a lot better…"

Vidaldus really must've just about had it with her, for he agreed all too quickly and was just as fast to leave. When Mirajane opened the door for him, waving him goodbye with the most pleasant of smiles, she released everything in a heavy sigh as his car drove away. Finally. She could breathe and drop the polite act. Her deep sapphire eyes stared at the clear aquamarine water that poured out of the overflowing ruffled bowl in the middle of the large water fountain of the roundabout. The water from the bowl flowed down to the large base of the fountain which ceramic mermaids swam in, where water that sprayed upwards in an arch from the top out of fish mouths landed in.

She pursed her lips.

"'Like my hair,'" Mirajane sneered, closing the door gently and starting to run her hands through her own starlight hair. She knew not to take her frustrations out on people or things. She also knew why Vidaldus seemed familiar to her. The truth was that she had in fact seen him before, and in person, too. He was the voice instructor at the Roxanne La Sanguine, who tutored Aphrodite. That was one thing he forgot to mention during his little introduction of himself earlier, and it certainly had to be secret business. Although this sort of thing really shouldn't surprise her, so she chose not to let it.

Mirajane let her hair slip out of her hands and she gazed over at the great grandfather clock in the lounge room. Then she turned and headed back into the piano room where her own copy of "The Heart of a Damsel" laid on the piano bench. She picked up the set of papers and stared at the words and music notes that lined the lyrics in its all too dreary tune. It was no wonder why Vidaldus got so upset with her when she purposefully sang it off course, but not out of tune. She really did hate this song. She almost felt like the Black Dragon was trying to turn her into Aphrodite, but in a classier realm. Her lips turned downwards. She didn't want to become another Aphrodite.

So, she simply wasn't going to. She wasn't going to sing this song at the Rosa Nera. Instead, she was going to create a new role for herself to become: Persephone.

With that finalized and set in stone in her now allaying heart, Mirajane ventured out of the room and down the hallway to a room she remembered where a polished wooden work desk with some fine ink pens and paper existed. Once she gathered everything she wanted, she headed back to the music room and sat down at the piano bench, setting the blank sheets of paper on the piano music stand with a fountain pen ready in her right hand. Instead of singing what she couldn't bear to sing, she was going to create something she could sing. Something she could sing from the bottom of her heart and give the audience an unforgettable, authentic performance. Something that could capture their hearts, and if not everyone's, then at least his heart. After all, this performance was for Laxus. Was it not?

Anyhow, Mirajane always secretly wanted to become a singer, so this was the perfect opportunity for her to give it her best shot.

Time passed again.

This time, it flew right on by, and before Mirajane knew it, there was another set of knocks at the front door and the great grandfather clock was sounding its hourly toll. It was 4:00 P.M. Now, it was time for her to finally meet this Ichiya-person and find out what their purpose in coming here was. She took in a deep breath and set the pen down. As she stood up and headed to the front door, she fixed up her black dress and pushed her hair back behind her shoulders so that it was out of the way. What waited at the door for her, however, was something she wasn't sure if she could possibly forget. Ever. And she quickly found that out the second she opened the door, ready to greet whoever it was with her charming smile—

The strongest smell of men's perfume had crashed straight over her like a tsunami wave once the door had cracked open. And it didn't simply stop there. Oh no. The scent had apparently flooded the entire front area of the house the second she opened the door, and it only spread further the moment she invited the four men who stood before her in stylish suits inside. She learned her mistake later that next morning when she found their perfume had lingered—and ever since, she made sure to open the windows whenever they came over, and leave them open until the night breeze had swept everything away with it into the mysterious dark world.

"Men!" was the starter to their first meeting and conversation.

Mirajane gritted her teeth, but her smiling face remained the same.

"We have been blessed with a true, natural goddess! Let us make sure we take very good care of her! For, she is after all in the best hands of beauty and etiquette in all of Magnolia, and perhaps even Fiore itself as a whole!" the shortest man of the four, who seemingly was the leader of the other three men, dressed in a white suit coat and pants with a blue rose pinned to his left breast, but no dress shirt underneath, whose head maybe reached Mirajane's waist, stated confidently, striking a pose.

"For a beauty like her, I'll tend to her any day!" the dirty blonde-haired boy in a coral button-up shirt and black slacks and vest with wings on it, who was about the same height as Vidaldus, standing behind the shortest man's right shoulder, agreed, posing.

"You can count on us, Miss!" the next shortest with golden blonde hair, dressed in a pastel yellow button-up with a striped tie and black slacks, standing to the left of the shortest man's shoulder, said, posing.

"Does she really even need our help?" the tannest with dark brown hair, dressed in a cotton candy blue button-up with a black suit coat and matching slacks, about the same height as the other taller boy, standing slightly behind the golden blonde-haired boy, questioned, posing.

Mirajane was…speechless. She had never come across men like them before. She had certainly seen weird, strange, and creepy, but this—what was displayed before her—was a brand new level of a word she wasn't even sure how to describe them. Somehow, despite their cheap words and cheesy stances, the four men managed to carry a certain class and elegance about themselves. She was sure that somewhere miraculously everywhere out there, these four men were quite the lady-killers. Even the shortest, with strawberry blonde suave hair, and not quite a nearly as handsome and young physique the other three men had, was surely charming in his own ways…

"Men!"

But she was seriously going to have to reconsider everything in order for that to be true. Was it really necessary for him to keep saying "men" like that? And she really didn't need to see any part of his bare chest.

"Let us not be rude and introduce ourselves properly," the shortest man claimed. He pulled out a red rose from inside his white suit coat and handed it to Mirajane. "I am Ichiya Vandalay Kotobuki, pleased to be at your service," he said with a gallant low bow. "There will be no need to be formal with us, so you may just call me Ichiya."

"Oh?" was all Mirajane could utter, managing a pleasant smile on her face.

Then the dirty blond-haired boy swept in, handing Mirajane another red rose as he caressed her face with his other hand, feathering his touch against her porcelain skin as his fingers brushed down to her chin and gently lifted it so they were eye to eye. He was slightly hunched over and his face was incredibly close to hers. In fact, too close. "And I am Hibiki Lates," he said in a hushed alluring tone. "For you, I'll do anything."

Sounds weren't even possible at that point for Mirajane. All she could do was manage communication with her facial expressions. Her heart was pounding hard.

Before Mirajane knew it, the golden-haired boy was standing in place of Hibiki, and he had her free hand in his while his lips pressed gently against the back of her hand. "Miss, nothing can make me happier than to be of your service," he said. "I am Eve Tearm." He then handed her another rose.

Finally, it came to the last guy who hadn't introduced himself yet, and he had shown up at Mirajane's side with an arm draped over her shoulders, making her jump. It took every ounce of control she had in herself to not shake his arm off of her, steal her hand swiftly away to her chest when Eve had kissed it, and shove Hibiki out of her personal bubble when he appeared in front of her. The only one who had the courtesy enough to respect her space was Ichiya. Now she was beginning to understand how he ruled higher than the other three men, despite every appeal he seemed to lack as a man; and if there ever was a day she had to choose between the four…she might just actually choose Ichiya.

"Here, I picked this rose just for you," the dark brown-haired boy was saying, handing Mirajane another rose to her now small bouquet of red roses. "Its beauty enraptured my heart…but as a secret between you and me," he said, now becoming bashful, "yours overpowers it." He cleared his throat and looked away, as if to hide his face—he was actually blushing?!—then he said: "My name is Ren Akatsuki. I hope to be of perfect service to you."

Now, all four men stood in sync before Mirajane and bent down on one knee in proposal, and in a chorus they said: "We are of the Blue Pegasus beauty and etiquette services!"

"As requested by your uncle, we will help you become…" Ichiya began.

"…even more beautiful…" Hibiki continued.

"…informed of the upper-class society…" Eve went on.

"…educated in proper mannerisms…" Ren added.

"…and, most importantly, everything else necessary to transform you into a proper lady of real class," Ichiya ended.

"We look forward to working with you," all four men said together harmoniously, bowing their heads with their right hand over their heart and the other behind their backs.

That was when Mirajane noticed some pruning shears left carelessly out in the open on the grass, and one of the rose bushes nearby seemed less plentiful in flowers compared to all the other rose bushes. Her grip on the roses in her hand tightened. Oh boy. This was going to be interesting…

Without further ado, Mirajane finally reined in her poise and said with a sweet smile gracing her features: "Welcome! I'm Mirajane Strauss. I look forward to working with you as well!"

Thanks so so so much for reading! :)