Author's (quick) note:
AHH HI…
First of all, just a quick introduction one-liner of Yuu/Yulia in this version:
She's a Singaporean Chinese (yes, you read it correctly) who wants to find her missing older brother in this unfamiliar world without caring much about her own future (more on that in future chapters…)
Reasons being: I just want to imagine how much the story would change if there's a Singaporean version of Yuu, y'know? Anyways, because Yulia tends to use Singlish and Chinese at times, I will mark such words out with a * and explain their meanings at the end of each chapter in order of 1st appearance. Singapore-specific words will be done this way as well. We gd? okay.
Next:
I will be referring to both JP and EN game versions mainly (will refer to the novel manga as a last resort since both only has Heartslabyul arc done) I do not know how to speak Japanese (and only have Google to help me out) so do forgive me, if I have used a contextually wrong word.
Lastly:
It's my first time writing fanfiction (the very first!), therefore I do welcome constructive feedback, so do leave a review after reading this chapter! Thank you :)
Without further ado, let the twisted fate of Yulia begin…
[Disclaimer: Disney Twisted Wonderland does not belong to me. All rights belong to Aniplex and Walt Disney Japan. I only own my original character(s): Yulia, Yulian, and their parents throughout this story]
Chapter 1: A Black Carriage Arrives… (4100+ words)
8 years ago...
"Korkor*! You bodoh*! You're late today!" A raven-haired girl in her school uniform pouted with her little arms folded as she turned away from an older-looking boy, who had the same jet-black hair as hers. While giving the female teacher who had stayed back to look after Yulia, an awkward smile, he slowly crutched down to his sister's eye level.
"Sorry, sorry, little sis. I made you wait too long ah? C'mon Yulia, face this korkor. Don't you want to start celebrating my birthday as soon as possible? Then we need to walk home quickly!" The 176cm-tall boy bent forward, patting Yulia on the head with his left hand. Though… technically 5 minutes isn't that long… but she's 9 so as a 19-year-old brother, I should just give in… to this bodoh.
Yulia turned a bit to peek at her brother, seeing her ebony-coloured eyes reflected in his hazel brown eyes, before saying 'Hmph, bad Yulian!' while suddenly grabbing his hand with her right hand. As she began walking and pulling her brother along out of the school gate, Yulian turned his head to thank the teacher.
"Thank you for waiting with her and I apologise if she caused you any trouble, Mdm!"
"It's alright lah*! Just be careful on the way back home!"
After crutching down to carry his sister, Yulian asked the same old question as per usual; "Eh, what did you do in school today, Yue Yue*?", knowing full well that she will start rambling at a fast pace, with a few words being unclear due to her picking up Singlish. I hope she did not fight wi–
"Oh yeah! I punched his cheek, kor*! My punch was quite light though…" She actually did it AGAIN?!
"Why did you do that and who was he?"
"He's Kai. He snatched Ann's candy, and aiyoyo*… clumsily dropped it, so I had to punish him for Ann!"
"Alamak, Yue Yue… That's not right, violen–"
"...Violence is never the answer. But, it is the question and the answer is yes. I did wrong meh*!"
"Where and when did you even hear about that bull- quote? Anyways, let the teachers handle it next time lor, okay? I hope they let you off with a warning this time as well…"
"They gave me a badge, korkor! And Ann got a bigger candy in the end!" Wait, what– I thought Mum was joking when she claimed she found the 'perfect' primary school for little sis… due to some weird award system or whatever…
Yulian inspected his sister's uniform collar, noticing it had a shiny golden pin with the words 'Student of Justice'. He gave Yulia a kind smile and said, 'Good for you!', while internally cringing at the phrasing. Well… Yulia does takes after our mom, so it's a good thing she won't scold her… right before my birthday celebration lol.
Before Yulia could continue sharing about her day, Yulian gently let her down on the pavement as they had already reached the last traffic junction to be crossed before reaching the HDB block* their housing unit was in. Just before he had pressed the button at the traffic light…
Rattle– Rattle– Rattle– Thud–
Yulian glanced up in the direction of the strange, rattling sound, finding the source.
"...!" What in the world–?
"Ooish, korkor! There's a black carriage with a scary-lookin' horse! But ah…" There's no one in that glass carriage. And it's just 5 feet away from us!
"Meimei, close your eyes, and don't run onto the road!" Swinging his large messenger bag around, Yulian hurriedly grabbed his little sister, hugging her tightly, making sure that she would not be hit directly by the mysterious house-carriage duo.
Whiny—
If birthday wishes do ever work… in exchange for Yulia's safety, ANYTHING can happen to me, that's all I wish for! Yulian's left hand subconsciously grabbed the rose-gold coffin-shaped family locket dangling from his necklace. That wish better damn work!
–Gling!
The last thing Yulian saw was a bright blue glow before everything faded to black. Yet, he still felt a small hand grabbing his hand ever so tight…
At the present...
"Gah!" 17-year-old Yulia woke up with a start. Why did I remember that? It has been 8 years ever since korkor… went miss– no, left.
She looked around, realising that she was on the living room floor, surrounded by her mother's belongings. Right… I was sorting out, I guess I must have dozed off by accident.
She tucked away the few strands of hazel-brown hair behind her right ear while inspecting the mess she had laid out a few hours earlier. Yulia sighed, deciding that her parents' matching pairs of wedding amethyst crystal drop earrings with a hint of light blue at the tips and their proposal rings would be sufficient to serve as memory keepsakes of her Dad and…
Mum… I know she had done it for a good reason, saving those kids… but I do wish I could turn back— Gosh, Yulia! The more important thing to focus at hand now is to clear my mind first… and the best way to do that is a walk around the neighbourhood. And then… I need to focus on what I need to do at hand… preparing for my O Levels*…I just need a breath of air first.
"Aiyo… now where did I put it?... Ah! Found it!" Yulia grabbed and slinged a small pouch with a complex design over her right shoulder, then placed the earrings and rings inside. As she did so, her late father's words resounded in her mind; 'You can put anything in this pouch, there's no need to worry about the space running out!'. She chuckled for a moment, recalling the item she decided to keep in memory of her brother when he mysteriously left. Sighing once more, she threw the remaining mess on the floor into the trash bag and hogged it over her shoulder, before leaving and locking the door.
Well… That dream did bring back the last good memories I shared with Yang Yang, Yulia thought as she was in the lift, going for a short walk around the HDB block, after she had thrown away the trash bag rather aggressively. I guess I needed to remember my brother more often, since… Mum has for– No, Father and I believe that she still does… in her heart…
Upon reaching, the nearest traffic junction to her home, the red traffic light was reflected onto the family locket, causing her to look at it, remembering bits of the aftermath on the day her brother was gone…
"Mmmh…" Yulia stirred awake, finding herself back in her bed.
"Honey, come quick! Yue's waking up!" "Dad?" She blinked at her father, as he reached out for her small hand.
"Yulia! Thank goodness, you've woken up!" Mother rushed into her bedroom, with an expression on her face that Yulia had never seen before. Her ebony-coloured eyes did not have the usual twinkle, and her eye brows were furrowed. "Mum?"
"Are you feeling alright, my girl?" Her parents asked, yet Yulia did not answer. Something didn't seem right. Someone did not call her by her last nickname. Someone was missing.
"...Where's korkor?" The different expressions on her parents confused the little 9-year-old. Her mother's eyes were full of shock. Her father's smile was…sad?
If they had found her, then her brother ought to be at home as well… right?
"Wa-wasn't he with me? W-when the scary huge black carriage with horses hit us?"
"Yulia, what do you mean– you're our only chi–"
Huh?
Thud– Her father abruptly pushed a black pen off her side table and dropped onto the floor.
" –Honey, are you alright?"
"Just an accident. Cynthia… did you for—no, could you leave first, honey? I need to speak with Yulia.. Alone."
Mother hesitated for a moment before she finally hugged Yulia and left the room silently, slightly less shaken.
"I really did see–" "We– no, I believe you. Yulia, don't worry about korkor, he just went to live in another place for an unknown period of time. Anyways… I need to pass you gifts."
Her father placed 3 items that looked slightly familiar to her.
"Aren't those brother's?"
"... His birthday wish was that you receive them instead of him, okay?" "Okay…"
"First, extend out your palm."
Father then placed a black pen with a light blue gem at the top on her tiny hand.
"Do you feel anything weird?"
"No? But this pen looks weird eh, Dad." –Chuckles "Good to know that. It's a unique pen that you may need in the future, you see. Now, for the next gift…"
Father then brought out a greyish pouch with a sling.
"Why is there a huge circle, with odd-looking shapes and arrows… is it a fairy ring like in those fairy tales?"
"Well… you could say that. This fairy ring made this pouch special, you see. You can put anything in this pouch, there's no need to worry about the space running out!"
"Can I put lots of chocolates in it?"
"Yes, as many as you want. But, eating too much of those will give you toothache, Yue! And lastly…"
Father took off the rose-gold plated family locket necklace from his neck and placed it on Yulia's side table.
"Remember to wear this every day, everywhere you go, okay? There's also a fairy circle in it to protect you!"
"Did the other one protect korkor?" "Yes, I believe so."
"Protect us from what—?"
Rattle– Rattle–
Wait…that sounds familiar… just like 8 years ago—
Rattle— Thud—
"...!"
The raven-coloured, short-haired teen turned quickly, having a sense of deja vu as she recalled what she had witnessed 8 years ago playing out again. "Whiny—," was all that she heard as everything blurred out, with a tiny bright blue light shining in the darkness.
Yulia found herself in a room. No, a small hallway… and there's something at the front… Upon feeling more chilly as the seconds went by, she willed herself to move towards it, unfazed by the darkness that seemed to envelope around her with each step she took.
Ah, my loveliest highness…
A mellow, and eerie voice whispered out of nowhere. Yet, Yulia found it oddly comforting in the fact that she wasn't alone. She quickened her steps, following the direction of the voice. The air passing by her light, pale, and yellowish skin began to feel warmer. The voice was gradually getting louder.
Dignified in all your nobility, a most wicked flower,
You are truly the fairest of them all.
Finally, she found the source of the voice. A floating mirror reflecting green flames? Yulia's right hand traced the engravings of the gold frame lining around the mirror. She almost let out a gasp, noticing there were seven coffins floating around her and the mirror.
—Mirror, mirror on the wall, reveal this to me…
—Of all this world, who is…
An image of a black transparent carriage carrying a coffin flashed across Yulia's mind. Blinking a few times and rubbing her eyes with her left hand, the greenish inferno in the mirror had disappeared. All Yulia could see was her reflection, albeit the image of her onyx eyes that stood out faded quickly with the rest…
—Thee, whose image the Dark Mirror did call upon,
Follow thy heart's bidding, take the hand of the one reflected in the mirror.
…into a hand that slowly reached out to her. Yet, when Yulia extended out her hand towards it, her hand became as small as a child's upon a mere touch. Before she could react, the fingers of the mysterious hand wrapped around her small palm.
As flames reduce even the stars to ash…
The hand faded into a crimson flame blazing intensely in the mirror. Heat suddenly radiated from the mirror, yet… It's not burning my hand? Why is everything getting more and more cheem*?!
As ice imprisons even time itself…
A diamond-shaped glacier soon formed, and the warmth was ousted by a raging chill, forming frost at the edges of the mirror's frame. Yulia quickly drew back her right arm, having returned to her current 17-year-old self.
As great trees swallow even the sky…
Ah! Sudden gusts of wind blew many of Yulia's raven-coloured hair strands about her face, just as the mirror revealed a green whirlwind of small leaves swirling in circles with a great force.
Fear not the power of darkness,
Come now— manifest your power.
Black voidness took over the mirror…
To me. To them. To yourself.
The hour grows long, and time is scarce for us.
…and was outshone by a scintillating white radiance that filled Yulia's view to the fullest extent.
—So no matter what may come
… never let go of that hand
"Aughhh…," Yulia groaned while her eyelids fluttered open, before being greeted by, well… nothing else save for black all around. Cautiously, she moved her hands to get a better sense of her surroundings, though soon she realised it was still back to square one.
I feel as if I'm standing, so… I guess that's the only way out of whatever this cramped room is… or is it a human-sized box? Don't tell me…Eh, nevermind, lemme geh-kiang* abit.
Without a moment's hesitation, Yulia was about to raise her right leg when—
"Nyahah." Nia? Nya? What's making that sound?
"I better hurry up and find that uniform before someone spots me… I got my mind made up. This here's the one! Urgggh... This lid weighs a ton!" Well, thanks for lifting it up, and you're weak… I rather just—
"Mya-ha!"
"...!"
The sudden sight of blue flames made Yulia jerk her leg, causing the lid to be kicked out… and smacking a black furry cat-like head causing the blazes to die down quickly. She 'calmly' stepped out (or rather, stepped down) and upon glancing back…
"So… me got* stuck in this coffin for that long… but why so atas*?!" Yulia covered her mouth the moment she processed what she just said, Aish… Bleh, my grammar went haywire… Meh, who cares, it's just a typical Singlish! But, those coffins…
The coffins were in a hexagonal shape, instead of the usual rectangular-shaped coffins she had seen back at those funerals held occasionally under the void decks on the way to school. There was a golden keyhole on top of the glossy ebony varnish lid on each floating coffin. Wait, floating HEAVY coffins? Just where am I? …Or am I drea— Okay, those coffins are definitely DANCING up and down while carrying people, cool… And I feel like I saw them BEFORE, just where— Wait, I'm not hearing that little adenoidal AND anno—
"Nrgh… my goods… EEEyahhhh! What?! You aren't supposed to be awake!" Oh there it is… from somewhere below? Yulia lowered her gaze, looking at the source of the voice.
"Aww… you're so cute leh*! I always wanted a cat, but dang, taking in a talking cat is sure shiok*!"
All that Yulia could see was a large ash grey cat-like creature, sitting down on the ground and rubbing its head with its left paw. She roughly got an estimate that this little creature could possibly reach her knees when it slowly got up. What caught her eye was the ears of that flurry. They are literally on flames, just a very miniature version of the aqua flames that startled her earlier. And as for the reason why it looked cute to her… the cat's neck was adorned with a relatively large black-striped white ribbon and it had a pure white fluff at its chest. The grey cat narrowed its aquamarine-coloured eyes, directing a fiery glare at Yulia the moment she tried to extend out her hand to touch it.
"H-how… DARE YOU! I am no CAT! I'm the great Grim-sama, sorcerer extraordinaire!" The cat-like creature stomped with large force repeatedly, as it smacked away Yulia's hand. Ouch… rejection at its finest… you're DEFINITELY a cat to me! Grim summoned his azure blue flames as he continued as he closed the gap between them with his short hind legs. Grim-sama? Am I in Japan now? Wait… if I don't know Japanese, how the heck am I understanding him then?!
"Tch. Whatever. You… human! Just gimme your uniform, and be quick about it! 'Cuz if you don't… you're gonna re—"
"Where are we? Eh, you have magic as—?"
"Rude human, we're in a school of magic, so OF COURSE I got magic! Stupid hu—
—Bonk!
"YRGH! Where did you get that from?"
"A sling pouch."
Yulia held her brother's copper-blue metal bat in her right hand, while she patted her grey pouch with her left hand, thinking, Thank goodness, Father's pouch… no, those items are still with me. This is real, I'm NOT dreaming. She glanced down at the stunned Grim, who was frozen in his spot. A rather small bump had appeared on the right side of his head. Moments of silence passed between them and…
"WAHHH, I'm not gettin' my goods from this SCARY and CRAZY human!" Grim abruptly turned and started to run on all fours. A little smile formed at the corner of her mouth as Yulia started chasing him. She had missed out on the fact that she was no longer wearing her school uniform; a white shirt with a round collar and a pleated skirt but in its place was a dark, black robe with gold thread embroidering the sleeves in intricate designs. A violet cloth belt was holding the robe at her waist not-so-tightly with a golden clip in the center. The large sleeves and the bottom half of the robe flapped around as Yulia ran in a pair of black pants and purple Oxford shoes with bits of gold lining out of the room through the only opened door.
"Why are you runnin', Grim-sama? I'm not THAT scary and crazy leh!... And please watch where you're tossing those pesky blue flames of yours… don't be so agak-agak* with them!"
"I don't understand ALL of your words, human! And I don't want to!" Despite sending multiple fireballs in Yulia's direction, she had managed to dodge each one or hit it away with her bat with ease. Grim was all the more eager to escape from this intimidating person, feeling more unnerved with the distance closing between them. Slowly, but steadily.
"Then get a taste of your own medicine!" Yulia exclaimed as she shifted her focus from hitting away Grim's fireballs to hitting them back at him. With his tail waving about frantically, Grim yelped when he barely avoided being burnt by his own blue flameballs. "Human, stop! Stop!" He had to resort to running without relying on his own blue flames to slow the raven-haired human. The duo ran through various areas of the school compound, such as a hallway, then past the classrooms, a well-maintained courtyard with a tree and a well.
—Whack —Bonk —Sizzle! At the last sound, Grim turned back to see a large fireball incoming, thinking, 'Wha- Did I ever summon a flame of such a large size bef—?'
"SOMEONE! HELP ME!" Grim screamed as he took a turn, entering a library to dodge the huge flameball. Yet, he tripped on the carpeted floor in the next moment. Then, as Grim got up in a hurry…
—Swing —Piak! "Me-YEOW! That hurt! Crazy human! First a metal bat and now this weird cord?!" Grim yelled out before hearing an unknown male's voice, as a black string-like thing wrapped around him.
"Why you—This is no mere 'weird cord'! This my Lash of Love! Didn't you unleash your magic in such a narrow place? Consider it tough love then."
When he glanced up, a man was standing there, dressed in an eccentric fashion. A black slik top-hat laid atop his head, wrapped around with a nany-blue ribbon that had a small gold-framed mirror and a feather attached to it. He wore a fairly normal suit underneath a large black feather cape. What stood out the most was the brilliant, golden eyes that twinkled behind a raven-coloured mask which had a pointed beak-shaped nose, just like a bird's. By then, Yulia had caught up and she quickly dumped her brother's blue bat back into her small pouch before slowly down to a stop.
"Aha! There you are! I've found you at last!" Yulia glanced up, bewildered as Grim got ready to leap. "Goodness me!"
Yulia jumped abit when the man whipped around and pointed his key-shaped cane at her, "And you!"
"Y-Yes, sir?"
"Is this your familiar? It seems to be poorly trained by you. Nevertheless, feral creatures like that aren't allowed on campus, I'm afraid it's a clear violation of the school rules."
"Familiar?" Yulia blinked as she echoed, while the greyish cat was being suqeezed tight by the 'Lash of Love' whenever the man waved his cane, "As if I'd serve some lowly human! Now lemme go!" The man just carried Grim under his left arm nonchalantly.
"Yes, yes. Rebellious familiars always say that. Do be quiet for a bit, won't you?" The 'well-dressed' man waved his hadn over Grim's mouth, earning an 'Mmmrph!' in response. "Goodness gracious. Of all the students I've dealt with, you're the first to emerge from the Gate all by yourself! And with such great temerity! Don't you have an ounce of patience?" He then walked past Yulia, leading the three of them out of the library while he continued.
"No matter, we need to be on our way. The entrance ceremony has already begun, after all."
"Uh… Gate…? Students?"
"Haven't you awakened in a room full of Gates? All of the students here at the campus arrived by going through them. Although typically the students wait until I open them before waking up."
"So… those coffins are meant to be gateways?" Who came up with such a cheem idea?
"Their design is symbolizing a parting with your former self, and a rebirth into a new one. As such, youths who enrolled in this college undergo transformational change to become respectable mages— a rather fitting path for those full of such brilliant promise, isn't it?"
"Bagus-, wait, sounds good to me!" Yikes… my Singlish slipped out again. Regardless, the man either did not hear or had simply ignored it as he continued conversing without a second beat.
"Indeed, and I believe you're VERY looking forward to our time-honoured tradition."
"..."
The man came to an abrupt stop in the middle of the courtyard, causing Yulia to nearly bump into his back, wondering aloud, "Could it be… you've no idea of what's happening right now?" In return, he received a decisive nod from the raven, short-haired teen.
"You're LUCKY that I am such a kind and gracious Headmaster! I shall explain to you as we continue our way. Currently, we are at Night Raven College, a prestigious mage training academy in Twisted Wonderland, where the chosen few with exceptional magic abilities gather from all over the world to learn. I am Dire Crowley. Ever since I was entrusted with its care by the chairman, I have been serving as the Headmaster."
"Anyone who comes here can become sorcerers and sorceresses? That's coo—"
"Only sorcerers seen as worthy by the Dark Mirror can attend this college. Chosen ones use the Gate and are summoned here from anywhere around this world. Speaking of being summoned, a black carriage containing one such Gate should have come to receive you."
What… did he just say? A black carriage? Does that mean… Yulian might be…? No… it must be a coincidence… WAIT– only male teens enroll here, but I'm a girl… Well, hopefully, it's just a mix-up… it probably won't be an issue… right?
"Eh… I do remember a horse with a scary face…" The horse-carriage combo had haunted me for a while 8 years ago, and it actually came for me the second time, in fact…
"That carriage receives a student chosen by the Dark Mirror and the Gate inside it connects to this college. And as you ought to know, sending a carriage to meet someone on this special day is a time-honoured tradition."
"Siao, that carriage dragged me here, against my will!", was what Yulia wanted to say, yet she was unsure of it herself.
" Mmfff! Mmmmmmfff!" Grim was still struggling under Crowley's arm.
"Ah… here we are, back at the Mirror Chamber. It's finally time to have your dormitory sorting revealed." He then gave Yulia a reassuring smile, before furrowing his eyebrows. "I'm looking forward to which dorm you'll be assigned. After all, it's not typical that we're given a student who can come out of a Gate on their own! I'm sure you're bursting with much more curiosity for it, no?"
No… just no… I rather go back to my mundane life and study for my O's!
Without waiting for Yulia to reply, the untouched door swung open with great force as Headmaster Crowley bellowed, "GENTLEMEEEEEN!"
Yulia's Singlish/Chinese List:
Korkor (or Gor Gor) - is an affectionate term in Chinese which means elder brother
Bodoh - stupid, foolish, idiot
Lah - a suffix used to place emphasis on the sentence or word before
Yue Yue (yuèyuè)- 月月, a nickname only Yulian uses on Yulia, derived from her given Chinese name, Ying Yue 映月 (yìngyuè)
Alamak - Singlish version of "oh my gosh" or "oh man"
Aiyo (or Aiyoh) - An expression of surprise, and/or annoyance. When Yulia used Aiyoyo, she added a '-yo' to add more effect to it
Lor - It holds a sense of resignation and finality
HDB block/flat - Housing Development Board (HDB) flats are subsidised public housing for Singaporeans
Meimei (妹妹, mèimei) - Younger sister in Chinese
O Levels - Cambridge O level examinations that are taken in Singapore have been delinked from the O level exams in the UK, with a grading system of A1 to F9, comprising of only 40+ subjects. It can be assumed that the difficulty remains fairly the same as it was designed for 14 to 16-year-olds as well
Eh - A way to address people or get their attention
Cheem - Something that has one dumbfounded, perplexed, bewildered or confused
Geh-kiang - Someone who acts rashly and without thought or, being reckless
Me got - 'I got' in broken English
Atas - (positive) sophisticated or elegant (negative) snobbish or condescending
Leh - usually used when one is unsure about something – it's more like a question. However, in Yulia's case, she uses it like how 'Lah' is used, to emphasize on the previous word
Agak-agak - The Malay phrase that means estimating roughly
Bagus - Good
Siao - A Hokkien phrase for crazy
I hope I wrote Yulia's personality clearly in this chapter, and I do plan to develop her as the story progresses because this story is going to focus on her growth and how she's going to deal with her own flaws, while she develops friendships and romance between selected characters.
Thank you for reading, and do consider leaving a review :) Stay safe and see you on the next chapter release! ~Ribia74
Chapter 2's one-liner plot: The start of Yulia's problems coming one-by-one just within a span of a day