CHAPTER WARNINGS (DON'T READ IF THESE MAKE YOU UNCOMFORTABLE): Foul language, mentions of an attack, slight nudity
(I think that's it)

I do not own Twisted Wonderland. It belongs to it's respective owners. I only own my oc.

Enjoy the next chapter!

Chapter 3: How lemons can heal the cracks in the rock

Both Vil and Rook looked on in horror at the sight of Tanza's back, the branding upon her skin looking infected as the scent wavered in the air.

"How did this happen, Tanza? I need an explanation" Vil said as he covered his mouth and nose.

Tanza paused before taking a deep breath, "The one who I replaced in NRC did this to me. He's been harassing me since childhood, seeing me and people like me as below him and nothing more than heaps of earth to search for gold from. However, after it was discovered that he wasn't a full blooded son of our village leader, but rather the child of an affair between his mother and a handsome servant….he snapped and, pardon for the cursing, went batshit crazy" she explained, her tone quiet but bitter, "First it started with kidnapping me, taking me to a barn, held me down on my knees in front of a mirror while holding my head so I was looking at myself and literally branding me as nothing but the scum of the earth. 'For the daughter of a slut is a slut herself' as he said. The pain was insufferable and I couldn't bare it. The last thing that I can remember was looking at the mirror before me and 'him' saying, 'Every time you deny what I say you are, your pain will grow until you finally give up or…it kills you. You slut', before passing out. The next time I opened my eyes, three weeks had passed and I was in the home of our village leader where a doctor was by my bedside and looking after me. He told me that after I had passed out, 'he' went on a rampage and destroyed everything that was supposed to be his, including priceless family antiques and treasures of the past that are now lost to history…anyway, for his actions, he was put on trial, was found guilty and was banished from the village, all that occurred in the three weeks I was out cold from the pain. That was two months ago, and not even the finest doctors in my village could figure out why this won't cure…but I think I understand now why that is" she said.

Vil and Rook watched and listened as she turned her head to look over her shoulder.

"Being at an all boys school doesn't make me a slut" she said, almost as if she was giving a direct argument.

Just then the mark on her back began to glow bright red and a small amount of black mist started to come off her skin, as if the mark was fresh once again. Tanza gave a hiss as the pain came back to her, the smallest of tears forming on the corners of her eyes as she tried to fight back. Eventually the burning subsided and Tanza panted a little from her struggle.

"I think it's a form of unique magic that is keeping this fresh…" she said, stating her theory.

Vil and Rook watched on in horror but then their faces changed to serious determination.

"Vil, isn't this...?" Rook asked.

"Yes, this is no doubt the work of a unique magic. It appears to be similar to what my unique magic does where I can place a curse on anything that I touch. Tanza, do you remember anything else?" Vil asked, his tone serious, laced with concern.

Tanza thought back to that day, "All I remember is that I heard something like 'Taxes or Ashes'…but don't remember much else…" she said, her voice trailing off a bit.

"Very well, hopefully some important details come back from that time later on, but for now, we need to see about stopping that magic from harming you any further. This might get tricky, but," Vil then gave a smirk, "I don't mind a challenge when it comes to improving myself. I'm certain that I can at least make a counter-curse, but it's a big risk. However, I do believe that it can be met with my conditions and should stop the pain. We'll need to work fast though" Vil explained.

Rook nodded, "Oui, we need to get that wound cleaned before we do anything else. And it's clear that it smells of an infection. I should have a potion that heals burns and such in my room. Would you like me to fetch it, my queen?" he asked Vil.

Vil gave a nod, "Yes and hurry back" he told him, and the blonde hunter quickly left the room. "As for you, Tanza, follow me to my bathroom. That wound needs to be looked at closer" he said as he gently led her to his private bathroom.

Tanza followed, grabbing her undershirt as a cover for her breasts, and sat herself on a nearby stool, placing the shirt against her chest area. She was a bit surprised by all that she could see in Vil's bathroom, but she didn't look around too much out of respect of Vil's privacy. Vil then grabbed a clean cloth from his cabinet and wet it with a bit of his own brand of soap, which was gentle on the skin. After he got the cloth ready, he had Tanza lean forward a little bit.

"This might sting, but it'll be necessary. Brace yourself" Vil warned, "One, two, three" he said as he put the wet soapy cloth against the burned area, earning a hiss of pain from Tanza but she stayed strong through the pain. Vil then went on to gently wash the wound. "Once Rook comes back with that burn healing potion, I'll put a counter-curse on the wound to prevent further damage to your skin. It will leave a scar, something that I do not approve of, but for your case, I think this scar will be necessary to show how strong your spirit can become" Vil said with a small smile, going back to the sink to wash out the previous soap and water.

Tanza didn't say anything at first, but then she turned around to look at Vil, "I agree. But honestly, I'm surprised that you would help me with this…I thought this might've gone down a different path…" she said, her tone hinting at both slight surprise and uncertainty "because I honestly thought….you might've agreed…at me being that word….for attending here" She paused.

Vil paused in his cleaning of the cloth and turned to her, "Why would you assume that?" he said, his tone stern and slightly offended.

Tanza jumped at bit at his tone, holding her hands up and waving them a bit, "Ah, at first I thought of that, but after thinking about your words at the entrance ceremony, I figured that I had nothing to worry about….I'm just glad I was right about that…" she said with a nervous chuckle.

Vil relaxed a little at that and continued to wash her back, making sure not to get her bra wet. Tanza then turned to look at the ground.

The silence became awkward for a bit but then Vil finally spoke up, "For someone to just flat out do this to you…this doesn't seem like something that was just from someone snapping and lashing out. This seems deeper than that" he said, stating what he gathered from their earlier conversations.

Tanza went silent for a bit, fighting the lump that was forming in her throat from the pain of the last few years. A shaky breath left her body as she told Vil her inner truth.

"It's always been like this…" Tanza started, her voice somber, "Ever since my mother entered my village 17 or so years ago, I've been fighting to show that neither us are…or were, sluts. I've been fighting that interpretation my whole life…fighting everyone…be it with actions or with physical combat…it's always a never ending war with the labelling…which eventually lead to….that" Tanza paused, pointing a hand behind her back to the burning brand on her back. When she retracted her finger, she let out another shaky sigh, her voice barely cracking but enough to notice, "And being here doesn't help that….it just confirms that they were…" she paused, knowing what she was about to say and what it would mean, but she swallowed her words, "No….I have to prove them wrong….I have too…I have to win...but…..when will it end? No war can last forever….and no solider can fight forever either….so…" Another sob emanated from her throat as she tried to hold in her cries. Once again the brand started to glow and the black mist once again appeared, fighting her will to prove others wrong. Tears were now pouring down her cheeks as she gritted her teeth, the pain growing more intense with her emotions.

After placing a cold cloth on the now reheated burn on her back, Vil stopped and heard her words. When he thought she was about to say that 'they were right', he gave a frown as he didn't like the idea of people giving up, but when she stopped herself and chose to keep going, he relaxed a bit. He could empathize with her a little on the terms of fighting interpretation, as he recalled times in his own past where he had to fight that as a child. But Tanza's story was different, what with what happened with her mother and all that has occurred here so far. He can hear her fighting spirit but he can also hear the exhaustion from her never ending struggle. Sure, his fight to always be the most beautiful was ongoing, but his fight always had rewards for the hard work. But for Tanza, it was another story, as no reward was going to come from a battle of interpretation, no matter how much effort you put into it, at least not the reward she was looking for in this fight. He gave a sigh as he placed a cool rag on the brand to try and ease the pain, placing a small hand towel around her bra to keep it from getting wet before moving to kneel in front of her. Taking his right hand, he gently moved to her left cheek, moving the back of his pointer fighter under her eyes to move a tear from falling, though he knew that it was pointless, but the movement could speak wonders to the right person.

Tanza felt his finger move a tear from her eye and slowly looked up at him, blood red, exhausted tanzanite blue eyes meeting his light purple sympathetic gaze, a hint of a smile gracing his lips.

"I-I'm sorry…I don't mean to-" Tanza said as she tried to dry her tears. She also tried to sit up, but the rag was keeping her from doing so, which was for the best.

Vil then shook his head, "Don't be. It's clear that this has been eating at you for some time and I can hear that you're tired of this. But, sometimes, life is a never ending fight" he started, "I know this as I always fight to stay the most beautiful of them all. From using the best products to eating the healthiest food, to constantly exercising to keep my figure, it's always a fight to maintain this beauty" he paused, "But for you, it's been like an uphill battle to try and fight back. But…what you're fighting to obtain might be a goal that is not quite possible on the path you're going on. Is it the right path? Maybe, or maybe not. But it's been hard to tell as it was the only way you have tried" he explained, "Have you thought of another way?" he asked.

Tanza looked at him confused, "What do you mean?" she asked, her voice still shaky.

Vil was about to speak but then he paused, thinking about how he would explain things. However, he recalled that sometimes actions speak louder than words, as she showed him with her mark, so maybe a visual lesson was needed to explain things. He looked around for something that might make things easier to explain when he caught sight of a small bowl holding a couple of lemons that he had planned to use for the tea from earlier, and an idea was born.

"Wait here a second" he said as he got up. He then went over to the table and picked up a lemon and quickly returned to the restroom where Tanza was sitting. Kneeling in front of her again, he then handed her a tissue to clean her nose and eyes and then held the lemon in front of her.

"Now, what is this?" he asked her.

Tanza raised an eyebrow after cleaning her face a bit, "Um…a lemon?" she said questionably, unsure of what he was getting at.

"Yes, now, what's one word that comes to your mind when you think of lemons?" Vil asked.

Tanza gave a questionable look to Vil, "They're a fruit?" she replied.

"What else?" he asked her.

"Umm…..they're sour?" she replied.

"Yes. That's what I was looking for: By themselves, lemons are sour. That's a well-known fact, correct?" he asked her, earning a nod from her.

"Now, what's one way to make a lemon not sour?" Vil asked.

Tanza thought about it, since there were many ways to do that with lemons, but she figured that Vil didn't want her to think too hard about it, so she just went with the first thing that came to her mind.

"Make lemonade?" she said with uncertainty.

Vil nodded, "That's one way, and that works. Now, imagine your battle of trying to fight everyone's interpretation of you and your mother is like fighting the fact that a lemon is sour and you've been working hard to try and change that. Sure, you can try to persuade the people that a lemon isn't sour, but it's not working well because it's just how things are, so you try to prove them wrong by making lemonade. But no matter how hard you try, even after making lemonade so many times, the people will still see a lemon as sour because that is a fact. Interpretation is hard to change, even if you put all your effort into changing their minds, a lemon is sour and you can't change it. Yet there are many ways to make a lemon not sour, as long as you put the effort into it, which you have for many years" he paused, making sure that she was following along. Once he was sure, he continued, "But is lemonade the only way to make a lemon not sour?" Vil asked, a small smile forming across his face.

Tanza shook her head at that, "No" she answered.

"Tell me another way" Vil said.

Tanza thought about it and thought of other lemon-themed foods, "Lemon tart, lemon cake…" she started.

Vil nodded, "Good, but you don't always have to go with the sweets. Lemons are used in other dishes. Such as baked fish with lemon and garlic, for example" he explained, "There's also grilled chicken breast with lemon sauce, lemon rosemary salmon and-"

"Lemon curry chicken?" she asked.

"I haven't tried that one but yes, lemons can be spicy too" Vil said, glad that she was able to catch on. "But the point of this conversation is that you don't always have to go with the same way when you want to prove to others that they are wrong about you. Back in your hometown, you've only turned lemons into lemonade, going with the same routine, haven't you?" Vil asked.

Tanza thought about the past years of her life and all the fighting she has done, which was very much the same, every time. She then looked up at Vil and nodded, "Yes, more or less" she replied.

"Then perhaps it's time you did something different to fight back against that interpretation. However, as you have said, the first thing that people think of when a girl is in an all boys school, it's often those first two things. But at this school, you have a chance to prove that you're better than either of those. So don't see this as another battle ground to where you have to fight the same old war in the same old way. Rather, see this as a chance to not only find another way to fight back, but also as a chance to start anew" Vil explained. "After all, in most small towns, once you make an impact, positive or negative, that is how the people view you or expect of you, correct?" he asked her.

Tanza thought about it, thinking back to how her village reacted to anything that was strange and she nodded once again. "I can agree with that" she said.

Vil smiled, "Then there should be nothing holding you back from trying something different" he said.

Tanza smiled back and nodded, "Very well…but I'm not sure where to start…" she said, thinking deeply.

Vil then turned his face to something more serious, "For one thing, as a member of Pomefiore, you'll have to learn specific manners and certain lessons. This past week was originally an adjustment week, but I will work with you to mprove not only your body from the inside out, but also help with your overall confidence in talking with men. As a lady, you'll have specific requirements to meet if you are to follow Pomefiore's overall outlook and appearance" he said. He noticed Tanza getting a little tense, but he gave a soft smile, "But we'll work things out one at a time. And besides, not only are you already on a good track of improving yourself, you seem to be able to learn quickly when it comes to certain situations. But this is from what I have seen so far, so I will presume that you'll be able to learn certain things on your own. But I don't want to see you slacking off in improving yourself. No more returning to that nervous state that I saw you in at your entrance ceremony. And if any high school boys give you trouble or cause that…'anti-harassment' device to activate, you report to me immediately, in person or on the phone. Understand?" he said, his 'overprotective parent' gaze meeting Tanza's.

The curly haired girl gave a nod, "Yes, Vil-san" she said with a smile.

Vil nodded, "Now what is taking Rook so long with that potion?" he asked, his tone growing a little annoyed.

"Worry not, I've been here while you two exchanged your thoughts on lemons, which was both beautiful and refreshing" Rook said, the smallest hint of mischief in his tones.

Tanza was surprised at first but then she relaxed and snickered a bit at Rook's words.

Vil just gave a huff, "Well if you have time to listen, then let's go ahead and treat this" he said.

Rook nodded as they both moved to Tanza to help with her burn.

-*v*v*v*v*v*-

After a good half hour of ensuring that the counter hex was working, which quickly took care of turning the curse of burning Tanza's skin into a slow numbing-style healing method, she redressed herself. But as she did so, something fell to the floor with a small thud, a noise Rook picked up on quickly.

"Hm?" he said as he looked at the ground. He then saw something beside Tanza's feet. Moving to it, he picked it up and examined it.

It appeared to be a bolo tie with a blush rose pink string as the wrap and a yellow green pendent set in silver, the border looking like a piece of twisted rope.

Rook stood up and held it for Tanza as she finished buttoning her shirt before she put on her kimono-style coat.

"This is a beautiful piece of jewelry, Tanza" he said as he handed it back to her, "I believe your mother's eyes had the same color?" he asked.

"Yes, she did" she said with a small smile, "I got this not too long after my mother died, so this is one of the last few gifts I have of her" she said as she worked on putting the bolo tie on under her collar. "I know it doesn't match well, but I was told to always keep this with me, no matter what…" she said as she moved her hand to the pendant, "This way, even when I feel alone, she's always there. I know that sounds childish, but…" she said, looking to the side, realizing how embarrassing she was sounding.

"Non, non, I find it a wonderful way for you to remember your mother" Rook said.

"I'll let it pass. It is something important to you after all, and I respect that. Your lessons on etiquette and table manners will begin tomorrow after school. Do not be late" Vil said, his usual stern mom attitude coming out. He then gave a sympathetic smile, "You've had a long day, but be sure to wait at least an hour and a half before you shower, as that will allow time for the curse to sink in. If it starts acting up again, be sure to let me know and I will do what I can" he added.

Tanza smiled back, "Yes, Vil-san" she said as she gathered up her photo and her book.

"Ah, and one last thing" he said, making Tanza stop, "Should you feel your emotions rising up again or you feel bottled up about anything, be sure to come and find me, or even Rook. It's not good to hold these emotions in, as it will cause an overblot if you don't do anything about it" he said.

Tanzanite eyes softened at hearing that as a smile formed, "Understood. And I will" she said. She then bowed to Vil and Rook before leaving the room, muttering a few small words before leaving the room, gently closing the door behind her.

Rook watched her go, but he caught what she said and was about to question it when he heard Vil gave an exhausted sigh, making him turn toward his queen.

"Are you alright, Vil? That was indeed a lot to take in, but I'm glad we got a better chance to learn more about Tanza-kun. She certainly is one full of surprises, and definitely a caterpillar waiting to break her cocoon and see where the world takes her as she spreads her wings" Rook said with a smile as he thought of the earlier conversations.

Vil sighed as he took a seat on his bed, running a hand to his forehead.

"Indeed, she is an interesting one, and it seems there is still more to her than meets the eye. However, the topic of mothers made me had to hold back a bit…especially since…well" Vil said, looking to the side.

"Ah yes, I know it is a bit of a touchy topic for you, but yet, perhaps talking to her about your own mother might help both you and Tanza. After all, like you said, it's not good to keep things bottled up" Rook said with a smile, the smallest hint of a tease filling his voice.

Vil gave a scoff, "Perhaps, but for now, I'm curious about the cheese she brought. Might as well taste it before I set it for someone else" he said. He then moved to the small table where the food still laid out and picked up a small cracker. He then sliced a small piece of the now properly uncovered goat cheese and spread a little bit on the cracker, the hints of cream and a hint of sour filled his nose before he took a small bite. The subtle hints of gaminess and earthy flavors filled his palate as he let the small morsel settle on his tongue. Though a bit on the heavy side, it was actually a very nice silky cheese that melted on his tongue, leaving a small hint of sweetness left behind. This made him smile as he gave a hum of approval.

"Very good. It's clear this was well made" Vil said as he finished his cracker. "I'll have to keep this for the future" he added.

"Oh? Now I'm curious" Rook said as he too took a cracker and put a small amount of cheese on it. He then popped the small appetizer in his mouth and let the flavors settle.

"Oooh, this is très bien (very good), the flavor is rather light and not too overpowering. This would really taste great with a bit of smoked salmon" Rook said as he smiled from the taste, "Or perhaps it would work well with apples…" he said as he took a small apple slice from a fruit tray and took another small slice of the goat cheese and ate the two together. "This is…" he paused for a moment, not saying anything but then his eyes got a clear sparkle to them, " tellement délicieux! (so delicious!) The pairing of the sweetness of the apple and the sourness of the cheese is like an orchestra to an opera. Both of which are just dancing upon my taste buds. This is wonderful!" he said with a smile.

Vil gave an amused huff, "Indeed. This is a great gift to have been given. I may need to request more, but I'll have to see about only using this every once in a while. And Rook, I hope you plan to burn off that extra slice of cheese" he said with his usual stern tone.

"Oui, I plan to do just that. We'll also need to thank Dame au trésor (Lady of Treasure) for this wonderful gift, wouldn't you agree?" Rook asked.

Vil frowned lightly, "While thanks are needed, I have no intention of letting her off easily. As I said, there is no need for slackers in Pomefiore. However, I also believe that a gift received must be met with a gift given in return. I'll have to think about this one. For now, it is getting late and I do believe I need to do my nightly skin care and hair care routine. The leftover food will need to be placed in the dorm fridge for the time being. I might eat at least one sandwich for a meal before I go out for my jog" he said as he looked over the leftover food.

Rook smiled, "I shall take care of the food, Roi du Poison. You take care of that beauty that is you" he said. Suddenly his face grew more serious, "However, thinking back, I am a bit concerned about something I heard from her" he said, which made Vil stop to turn to him.

"Hm? What did she say? I didn't hear anything that sounded unusual" Vil said as he gave a questioning gaze.

"After you told her about how bottling up your emotions can create blot and before she left the room for the night, I heard her mumble something under her breath. It almost sounded like…'I know all too well'…but I wonder what she meant by that?" he said, concern filling his face.

Vil's eyes widened a fraction when he heard that, "That is concerning…but perhaps she will explain more as time goes by. After all, tonight was filled with much information. Best to ask that at another time" Vil said as he stretched himself a little bit. He then went off to take his nighttime shower.

Rook then went on to put the food away for the night, but as he left Vil's room, he looked in the direction of where Tanza's own room was, both concerned and curious. "I'll make sure to keep an eye on you and see how you grow your wings, little caterpillar" he said with a small chuckle as he walked to the kitchen to put the food away.

-*v*v*v*v*v*-

An hour and a half after Tanza was treated, she took her night time shower in her personal bathroom which was built into her dorm by the school ghosts due to her strange situation, and turned to her skin care routine, using the health care products from her village, all made with goats milk and natural herbal oils. Once she was finished, she took a moment to look at her back. After Vil used his unique magic on the potion that Rook brought, making a counter spell that would heal the wound instead of harm, Tanza immediately started to feel a bit more relaxed as the burning sensation that has caused her trouble for the past few months has finally stopped. But the moment she turned her gaze from her brand to the mirror, immediately the traumatic memory of how that scar came to be came back, causing her to go into a panic state. But she then took a small bottle on the sink, a vial of pure lavender oil, and slowly sniffed it a few times to calm herself down. After a few sniffs of the oil, she was once again her calmer self. And with a deep sigh, she returned the bottle to the sink, grabbing her towel and drying herself off before moisturizing a night lotion into her skin.

"Well today was a crazy day, huh Mother?" Tanza asked as she looked at her mother's picture while she changed into her night clothes. A plate of three small potato cakes were set in front of the picture next to a small wooden boat incense burner holding a single stick of burning incense, it's light musky scent slowly filling the room. "But I'm glad I got to talk to Vil-san and Rook-san about you. And I wish you were here to meet them, to see Night Raven College. It's a beautiful place to be at, especially with all the leaves changing on the trees. Reminds me of the trees back in Hollytinne, especially the Grand Willow in the center of town" she said, talking to the picture. She then went over to do her nightly prayers before putting out the incense and then taking the potato cakes and covering them with a white bandanna to keep them from being touched by bugs. Soon everything was finished and Tanza settled down in her bed for the night. But as she was about to settle into her bed, she saw the light of the moon coming through her window. She then got up and went to it to look at the moonlight. It's gentle light pouring into the room and covering her like a thin veil that reached her feet. Tanza then closed her eyes and took in a deep breath as she imagined the moon's warmth.

"Once again the moon has appeared and once again I feel myself enthralled by the waves of it's light. Maybe mother had this strange fascination with the moon? Hard to say…" she said as she continued to look at the bright midnight sun.

After finally getting into her bed, Tanza laid back and thought about what Vil-san asked her to do when it came to her emotions.

"Overblot huh? Oh, I know that all too well. Not just one time, but twice. But I can't tell them that….they'll think me crazy…just hope that this won't cause problems for the future. After all, unlike in Hollytinne, here, blot is considered something that must be destroyed….but quite a shame…they don't know...what they're….missing…." Tanza said as she finally gave in to sleep, her voice and words becoming slurred before the room was filled with the soft sounds of sleep-like breathing as she snuggled under the covers, a new day soon to come and the start of a new way to make lemons not taste sour again.

Author's Notes:

Alrighty, another chapter up. Hopefully you guys liked it. And I apologize if I got anyone out of character, please inform me if I did and I will remember this for the future. Stay in touch to see just how Tanza can turn sour lemons into something sweet. Thanks again!

Now for some fun facts.

- The 'Taxes or Ashes' refers to a specific character from a specific movie. What that character is will be revealed at a later time, so keep watch.

- Since hardly anything is known about Vil's mother, I figured that it might be a touchy subject for him to talk about mothers. It's unknown if he had a good relationship with his mother or not, so better to play it as a somewhat sensitive topic in case something comes up in the future.

I think that's it for this chapter, thanks again for reading. Let me know you're thoughts down below. Thanks for tuning in.