This is a short fanfiction I wrote on a whim while letting Paige get ready for TAT's 16-2, after reading Long-Lost Bride by Day Laclaire (oO probably spelled that wrong). In it, there is a Cinderella Ball, which is a ball where you go to it single, and end up finding your perfect partner and getting married there. I thought it was a cute concept, and thought to try writing a short story with it myself. Thus, here we are, and I welcome you to read…
- Masquerade Wedding -
The evening sky was a perfect black, the stars shining brightly with no interference. The building was decorated in soft lights and ribbons, while pokemon grazed around. People were lined up at the front, wearing clothing that varied from fancy dresses to stunning tuxedos and suits. No one was recognizable; masks hid all their faces.
It was a masquerade ball. However, this one was not a normal masked ball. Everyone's masks resembled a pokemon in some way, with glitter, bells, and other trinkets to adorn them.
Inside the lights were turned down, candles on all the tables and lights strewn along the walls, giving the place a romantic feel. Across one wall was a long table with different foods and delicacies for the guests, with waiters carrying small trays for those that didn't want to walk over for their snacks.
Soft music played while the guests danced with the strangers they met with. Near the entrance, the host, Professor Samuel Oak, watched them. With his grandson's insistence and help he had planned and executed the ball. "She hasn't arrived yet," a voice said.
He looked in the direction he heard them. Gary walked toward him, his face hidden by a Charizard-like mask. His eyes showed he was worried. "She will be here," the elder replied calmly, smiling, "I believe that's her now."
They both turned to look out. Coming up the path was a young brown-haired girl, her skirt flowing around her legs fluidly with each step. Her mask covered only the top portion of her face, with ears attached at the top. Mew. She smiled in greeting to them. "Hello Gary, hello Grandpa."
"What took you so long, May?" Gary asked, his hands on his hips and his head tilted. May laughed, lovingly hugging them both. The two men looked at each other over her head.
"You don't know anything about women, do you? Unlike you, we can't just slap some clothes on, brush our hair, and walk out." she said, eyeing them, "What is this about anyway? I know you two didn't do this for kicks."
Gary and the professor looked at each other warily. "No reason. Just thought it'd be a change," they lied.
May pursed her lips, watching them with calculating eyes. When she seemed satisfied with the answer, she looked toward the guests. "Well, whatever. I came to have some fun!" and with a laugh she started to run off.
"Don't forget, sister," Gary said after her, "This is a come and wed Ball." She turned and looked at him, before nodding and continuing off into the gloom. They sighed in relief.
When the Ball was well underway, May edged around the dancing couples, smiling politely when someone asked to dance or talked to her. In most cases, she refused. She looked toward the glass doors leading out into the back yard, and headed toward them when there was movement beyond them.
Outside, the air was cool from the rain earlier that day. She stopped just outside the door, watching the still form that stood only feet from her, the tilt of their head showing they were looking at the sky. With delicate caution, she went up beside them, and turned her head slightly to the side.
It was a man. His hair was a deep black and somewhat spiky, and his ball mask was that of a Raichu. When he noticed there was another presence, he looked at her, his mouth a thin line. May stared back at him, holding the gaze with mild uncertainty. "Um…"
"What's your name?" he asked, looking toward the dark lawn. May swallowed nervously. After several minutes of silence, he looked at her again, this time with curiosity. "Well?"
"…May. Yours?" She looked away, focusing her glance onto the lights on the bushes nearby. She could almost feel the stare she was getting from the stranger.
"…Ashura." May looked at him, and couldn't help mirroring the grin he had. He had mimicked her silent pause. "You look a little young to be here. How old are you?"
The question threw her off guard, and she stared for several seconds before replying. "I'm 19. Where're you from, you don't sound familiar…" May said.
Brown eyes blinked behind the Raichu mask. "I'm 21. Oh, I'm from here, I've just been gone for a while for pokemon training," Ash replied, before smiling at her. She felt like melting on the spot.
"You didn't just return for this, did you?" Ash shook his head, returning to looking at the sky. "See your family then?"
He nodded. "I'm still wondering, why did you come? Surely not to get a mystery husband?"
May couldn't help but laugh at the question. Ash frowned at her, wondering what was so funny about it. "No. My grandfather and brother are running this, and they invited me to come, so I thought, why not? It could be fun to meet some new people."
"You're Professor Oak's granddaughter?" That had Ash's mind reeling; he never would have guessed it. May nodded quickly. They both turned when the door behind them opened and a couple walked out. The music inside followed as they went down the path that wound around the building, before the door shut. Nervously, Ash looked toward the building, his eyes lidded. "Do…you want to dance?"
May's eyes widened slightly, as the question hung in the silence between them, which lengthened from seconds, into minutes. She flushed in embarrassment, noticing the questioning expression Ash had gotten. "All right," May said, mentally chastising herself for waiting so long to give some sort of response.
Ash took her hand in his, and led the way back inside. May looked around for Gary or the professor, but didn't see nor hear them. It wasn't that she wanted them to know she was going dancing; it was that she didn't want them to know. She'd never hear the end of it if they did.
The song playing was just as quiet as the one that had been playing when she first arrived, and just as slow. Neither Ash or May got out of it without hurting at one point or another, since neither of them had actually danced to a slow song until then. Laughing it off, they danced to the next song also.
May relaxed, the steps coming easily enough by then, her head against Ash's shoulder comfortably. Some of the people around, who she would have recognized had they been unmasked, looked approving at them, their smiles reassuring and alarming at the same time.
When the third song ended, they glided off the dance floor together, holding hands. May saw Professor Oak sitting at one of the tables, leaning in his seat. He looked in their direction, and nodded, his lips twisting into a warm, grandfather's smile. She returned it, and went to sit with Ash.
She watched him as they sat curled together on the floor in one of the corners. May bit her lip, a gesture of both nervousness and fear, as she wondered both what he looked like under the disguise of the mask and what he was thinking. The thought gave her a warm, tingling feeling.
Ash glanced at her, when she held onto his arm tightly, her head on his shoulder again, and her eyes closed. The movement was both innocently cute and provocative. He hesitantly looked away, his eyes going wide, before turning to May again. The candlelight from the candles on the tables around the room barely reached the corner, leaving long shadows to dance and add to the scene.
Swallowing the shyness that threatened to take over, he reached to cup May's chin in his hand and make her look up at him. Swiftly, their lips met, neither knowing quite what to do, but both enjoying it nonetheless. One thing became clear, and May knew there was no way out, even if she wanted out; she was caught by the man she had only met a little over an hour before.
The only thing that broke the two apart was the voice that announced it was time for the unveiling, and that everyone that was paired up was to get back together if they had separated for something. Ash helped May up, his eyes glistening in what little light the candles provided. She couldn't tell if he was happy or upset, or if it was something else altogether. They went to join the throng of people that surrounded Professor Oak.
"After you all have revealed yourselves, you still have time to decide on what you want to do," he said, his hands together in front of him, "Marriage is a wonderful thing, and we do not want you to do it with regret. So, make sure you have thought it over."
The near silence of the guests was broken as they started talking again, pulling their masks off. There was gasps and giggles from some throughout it. May slid hers off, taking care not to mess up her hair doing it. She waited for a reaction of some type from Ash, as he watched her. Without a word, he did the same.
The mask off, he had a boyish look to him, though there was something about him that was also sensual. May stepped into an embrace from him, her mask hanging from her hand behind Ash's back as they stood in understanding silence. Neither of them had to state what they already knew; they were not leaving separately.
"Hey, sis!" May felt Ash go tense, his muscles going taut with strain. She frowned worriedly at him, seeing the dark look in his eyes as they narrowed to slits. Gary walked up to them, his eyes mostly focused on the girl. "Who-"
Gary was cut off when he recognized Ash. The two stared at each other, not knowing what to say or how to say it. "What is up with you? You know each other?" she asked.
Ash nodded, relaxing slightly at the sound of her voice. "May…" Gary started, disapproval dripping from his voice.
"Don't even start." May could see the two men didn't get along. "I decided who I want to be with."
Sputtering, Gary looked between Ash and May, his eyed widening. "You…! Him…! No way-"
"I said don't start. You can't tell me who I can be with and who I can't." May looked Gary in the eye, her green eyes glittering dangerously. Gary's shoulders slumped in defeat, knowing she was right. That was the arrangement with the whole Ball.
Gaining his pride back, Gary shot Ash a look. "If…if you even dare hurt her, I'll kill you with my own hands. Got that?" he said.
Ash nodded, getting an understanding look. Gary returned the nod, and walked off to tell Professor Oak. When he left, May jumped up and flung her arms around Ash's neck, kissing him on the cheek. "See, that wasn't so hard!"
"…That's easy for you to say. Now I'm going to have my rival breathing down my neck because I'm married to his sister." Ash sighed, but smiled at her. "It's worth it."
"Uh-huh. Let's go find grandpa and get this over with so we can get on with business," May said, taking Ash's hand and giving him a wink, the two of them laughing as they edged through the crowd.