Hello all. Thanks for clicking on my story. The pairing in this fic is Mokuba x Rebecca. This story is different from the Disney version. I didn't just copy the lines and enter different names. It's the same basic story, just written with some attempted comedy. If my fic isn't funny, then I'm sorry, but I hope you enjoy it anyway. Please R&R!
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-gi-oh! Or Disney's Cinderella.
A Cinderella Story
She kneeled on the down on the hardwood floor with a scrub brush in one hand and a pale of soapy water in the other. The blond girl dressed in the same blue and white dress she had to wear day after day while she did the housework was scrubbing the floor after her aunt and two cousins who sat at the table eating dinner. The young girl knew she couldn't eat at the same time as her family, but she enjoyed the look of satisfaction on their faces from her cooking.
Rebecca Hopkins did indeed have a hard life. She had to cook the meals, wash the dishes, do the laundry, clean the house, and go out and run any of the errands her family wanted her to do. Her life wasn't easy, but she was content with it. She promised her grandfather on his deathbed that she would take care of them. Her own mother died when she was a mere child, but her father remarried soon after because he didn't want Rebecca to grow up without a mother. Her father died shortly after her grandfather; her aunt told her it was because he was sick, but Rebecca knew the truth, he had died of a broken heart for losing his first love and for losing his father.
Rebecca shook her head and continued to scrub the floor in small circles. Even though her past was sad, she was a strong girl and had made it this far. She only had one more year in the house then she could leave. She was seventeen, and when she turned eighteen she planned to go to school so she could become a psychologist; she just wanted to help as many people as she could. Yes. One more year then she could runaway and never look back. As she smiled slightly at that thought she noticed a new spill beside her.
"Hey Becky! You missed a spot!" Tanya laughed hovering over her deliberately pouring the wine from her glass on the floor. Tanya was a beautiful tall blond, the complete opposite of her plain looking cousin. She was the oldest and the snobbiest one between her sister, Alex. She always had to have everything thing her way, which meant complained about everything her cousin did wrong in her eyes. "Did you hear me?"
Rebecca nodded. She dumped the brush into the water, which accidentally splashed a few drops on her older cousin's bare feet.
"Ah!" Tanya shrieked and dropped her wine glass. "Mother! Becky got me wet on purpose and made me break my wine glass."
"No, I didn't!" she retorted quickly.
"Yes you did. I saw the whole thing," Alex chimed in. She was Tanya's echo, she had always been, every since they were younger. She was a blond as well, not naturally like her cousin, her hair had been dyed more times than a middle-aged women trying to cover gray. "Mom. You should punish her."
"Now, now girls… don't worry about that right now," Sandra said as she stood up from the table. "Have you forgotten about tonight?"
"Oh! I almost forgot! We have to get ready!" Tanya said as she flaunted away.
"Yes! We do!" Alex said trotting off behind her. "A party in a mansion. We are so lucky to have a mother in high society."
"Come on Rebecca. You must help your sisters get ready. You can finish your chores after we're gone."
Rebecca nodded and wiped her hands on her dress as she stood up. She followed her stepmother into the room. The party they were referring to was the gathering at the Kaiba mansion. She only knew about it because she read the invitation when it came to the house, otherwise she wouldn't have even known who was hosting the party. She really wished she could go with her stepsisters but she knew she wouldn't be able to go because her stepmother always told her she was too young to go anywhere with them. She promised her once she turned twenty-one she would be allowed to go everywhere with them; little did they know Rebecca planned to leave when she turned eighteen.
"Rebecca!"
"Yes?"
"Fetch a needle and thread. Alex needs one of the seams in her dress to be sewn up."
"Ok." She searched in the desk by the window for the supplies she needed to fix her sister's dress. Rebecca stared out at the night sky. The moon was full and the night sky twinkled with a sea of stars. She made a silent wish that she would be able to go to the party that night, even if it was only for a little while. She just wanted to see all the ball gowns and enjoy the atmosphere of going to a high society party.
"I want a new dress mom. This one is so tacky!" Alex pouted.
"You liked it last week when we went shopping for it," her mother said calmly.
"I don't care! I don't like it anymore!"
"Oh stop pouting Alex," Tanya complained sitting at her vanity mirror putting on makeup. "You're acting like a child. This is exactly why you won't find a husband tonight. While I Tanya Hopkins will soon become Tanya Kaiba."
Alex gasped. "Really sister? Don't you think he is too young for you?"
"Not Mokuba! Seto!"
"Oh…" she nodded.
"I want to outlive my husband," Tanya smiled. "You can try to rope Mokuba if you want, I have no interest in him."
Alex wrapped her arm around his sister. "That would be perfect! We both would be Kaiba's!"
"That's the plan."
"Hurry and get ready girls we want to be only fashionably late," their mother reminded. "And hurry up with that seam Rebecca, your sister needs to get ready."
"Yes, ok." Rebecca sat on the corner of the canopy bed as she listened to her stepsisters talk about their lives as Kaiba's while she worked on the seam of the pale green ball dress on her lap. She remembered trying on the dress while no one was in the house, and glided around on the hardwood floor pretending she was dancing with a rich man who could sweep her off her feet. Maybe one day her dream would come true; as cliché as it sounded. "I'm done Alex."
"Finally sheesh. Took you long enough," she complained as she snatched the dress from her.
"Alex come here," Tanya motioned with her hand. She whispered something in her ear. "Ok?" Alex nodded. "Mother? Could Becky come with us?"
"Yes mom, we really want Becky to come."
Rebecca blinked. "Really?"
"You both know she is too young to come with us. Alcohol will be served and you know she won't be able to join us."
"But mother, couldn't we lie?"
"Yes, you are well known. You could convince them that she's twenty-one."
Rebecca smiled. She knew deep down her stepsisters weren't as bad as they seemed. "You really want me to go with you?"
Tanya and Alex burst out laughing. "Hell no we don't want you to come with us!"
"Yeah, we just wanted to see your face," Alex laughed.
"Oh…" Rebecca said solemnly.
"Go make sure our shoes don't have any scuffs on them," Tanya commanded still snickering from her cruel joke.
Rebecca nodded and left the room. She opened the hallway closet and took out the two boxes of new shoes. She knew they were already scuff free, but she was going to act like she just cleaned them so she could have a moment to herself. She sat on the floor and carefully took the lid off the boxes. The shoes her cousins picked out were very beautiful; they came from the most expensive store and were decorated with diamonds. She sighed knowing it would take a long time for her to buy shoes that expensive. She wiped a tear rolling down her face. Even though she was used to her stepsisters teasing her about any and everything they could think of, a part of her wished they didn't tease her about wanting her to go with them; because she really did want to go.
"Let's go mother. I wouldn't want to keep my soon-to-be husband waiting," Tanya called standing by the door with her sister. She wore a white, low-cut ball gown with a white rabbit stole around her shoulders. True, she was beautiful on the outside with a pure white dress but on the inside she had a heart of pure black hatred. "Shoes Becky! Shoes!"
Rebecca stumbled to stand up and ran to stand before her stepsister. "Here Tanya." She carefully kneeled down and set the shoes down in front of her.
Tanya used the top of Rebecca's head to stable herself so she step into her shoes. "Hurry up and tie them!" After she made certain her heels were tied perfectly, she pushed Rebecca to the floor. "Stop gawking. They'll never be yours."
"Let's go Tanya," Alex said looping her arm in her sisters. "Come on mom."
"I'm coming sweethearts," their mother called emerging from the room in her burgundy floor length ball gown. "We don't want to be late. Who knows? I could even find a husband tonight."
"I think you need to mom, you've been alone for too long."
"Yes, it is time to forget the past… well not completely… it was my late husband who had the fortune for our family. Rebecca?"
"Yes?" she answered keeping her head down as she stood up. She didn't want her stepmother to see her hurt expression as memories of her father flooded her mind. Was she only after his money? That's it? She didn't love him like her mother did?
"We will be back late tonight, so you better have all your chores done by the time we get home. Do you understand me?" The small blond nodded. "Good. Then we are off ladies," she smiled as she opened the door.
"Sandra?" Rebecca asked as they stepped out onto the porch. Her stepmother turned to acknowledge her but she didn't speak. "Could… I mean… just this once… could I possibly go as well?"
Sandra along with her two daughters laughed at the girl. "Rebecca, honey, you really don't think they would let you in dressed like that do you? Why, if you showed up like that you would ruin our reputation, and my girls' chances of catching their husbands, even possibly mine. So no you can't go."
Rebecca was a little afraid but her father always told her to never back down. "I… I… I could wear one of Alex's old dresses."
"Why, Rebecca, you know it would be too big for you."
"Mom! Are you calling me fat?"
"You are taller dear, that's what I'm implying."
"Oh… Yeah!" Alex sneered sticking her tongue out at Rebecca.
"Now then, let us go. The limo is waiting."
"But Sandra! Please? I want to go just once!" Rebecca demanded. "I won't make a sound… I'll stay off to the side… I won't talk to anyone or say that I even know you… just please let me go with you," she pleaded almost in tears. She was willing to do anything to join her family at the Kaiba mansion, she just wanted to hear the music and see all the happy dancing couples. "I'll do anything…"
"Hmmm… well if you finish your chores, get cleaned up, and get dressed within the next thirty seconds, then you can go," her stepmother smirked.
Rebecca's heart sank; she knew she couldn't do all of the things her stepmother asked of her in that short time. "I can't…"
"Then the answer is no. N.O. Got it? Come girls, we are running late thanks to her."
Rebecca watched them all get into the limo and drive off. She knew she was mature enough to go the party; she was plenty smarter than her two stepsisters and had a lot more class. She wasn't the one who snuck different men in and out of the house at all times in the morning just to have sex, but she did get blamed for it.
"It's Becky! She's the one…"
"It's all her fault they show up here! She has to pay men to be with her…"And the worst part was… Sandra believed those lies.
Rebecca sighed and headed back inside the house. It couldn't be helped, to her stepmother; her daughters were perfect little angels who could do no wrong. Well it didn't matter now anyway, there was no possible way she could make it to the party, or borrow one of her sister's dresses, even if she did, their shoes were too big for her. They had won and she had lost so she decided to finish her chores. She still had to mop the floor, clean the dishes, and do the laundry.
She first cleaned up the mess Tanya left on the floor from earlier that night. She swept up the glass and tossed it away in a separate bag. She went through the house and gathered up all the dirty clothes left on the floor of the bathrooms and bedrooms, and just about everywhere else but the laundry bin. Rebecca went into the garage and separated the clothes before she put them in the washer. She turned on the water and placed a cup of detergent in with the load. "Ok… what next?" she asked herself as she went back into the house. She went into the broom closet and picked up the mop so she could clean the floor. She only scrubbed the floor when her family was home to make Sandra think she scrubbed the floor everyday. She never noticed, so she just cleaned the floor the easy way.
As she mopped the floor she began humming a love song. She stopped for a moment and rested her head on her hands holding the top of the handle. "It must be wonderful to fall in love… to have someone who tells me that he loves me everyday… and say how pretty I am… and take me away, far away from this life and show me…" Rebecca shook her head and continued mopping. That was never going to happen, she needed to stop daydreaming and get her work done.
Little did she know someone was watching her, and on this particular night, that someone wanted to play matchmaker.
After Rebecca finished mopping the dinning room floor she went to go check on the clothes. They were finished so she quickly unloaded them so she could start the next load. After she was done, she returned to the house so she could do the dishes. She glanced at the clock as she stacked up the plates from dinner; it was after ten. Her stepsisters were probably sipping wine and mingling with everyone they could and dancing with every man they could. They always came home bragging about their night out and all the good-looking men who wanted to be with them. Even though she hated all the boasting, she did enjoy hearing about the atmosphere, the way the mansion looked and the classical music. Though, her stepsisters didn't know anything about classical music, she just imagined the violins, cellos, and flutes playing soft music in her head.
Rebecca rolled up her sleeves and turned on the faucet so the water could get warm. While she waited for the water she stared out the window at the quiet street. Everyone was probably at the Kaiba mansion, everyone that is, except her. She began washing the dishes with the soapy water in the sink, then placing the clean ones on the drying rack. In the corner of her eye she kept noticing what looked like blue sparkles falling from the tree in the yard. She shrugged it off; it was most likely a reflection off of something in the street.
"Poor girl… you don't deserve to be here home alone…"
Rebecca's head shot up. "Who said that?" she asked out loud looking around cautiously.
"I did!"
She jumped and continued to search around the house. "Who's there? Where are you?"
"Outside… over here!"
Rebecca opened the front door carefully and peered around the yard slowly. She didn't see anyone or anything out of the ordinary. She was about to close the door but then she noticed a silhouette of a person sitting in the tree. She slipped on her flip-flops and swallowed hard before she left the safety of her home. She was a little afraid; however there was something inside her telling her it would be ok. She walked across the lawn, stood in front of the tree, and looked up at the figure sitting on the branch. Since it was hard to make out any details in the dim light of the suburban street, she could only tell that the person was a woman.
"Hello Rebecca. I've been watching you."
She squinted. "Who are you?"
The woman in the tree stood on the branch as she spoke. "Well Rebecca, I am your— Ah!" The branch below her suddenly gave out and she tumbled into the bushes below. "Ouch…"
Rebecca rushed to her side and attempted to help her up. "Are you ok?"
The woman bounced up. "Yes! Fine! How embarrassing for me." She smoothed out her skirt and straightened out her hat. "Think we could continue this inside? It's cold out here."
"Yes, ok." She headed back into the house, but when she looked around she noticed she was alone. Did she just imagine the whole thing?
"Come on Rebecca! I have to get you ready!" the woman called from the doorway.
"How did she?" She shook her head and hurried inside the house. She closed the door behind her and looked around for the mystery woman who fell out the tree and somehow beat her back into the house.
"Doesn't make sense does it?"
Rebecca screamed and backed up into the back of the Victorian style couch in the family room. She stood against the couch awestruck at the woman floating in front of her. She was dressed in a blue and pink low-cut, short dress, with a matching large cone shaped hat that sat perfectly on her blond head. In her hand she held a blue scepter. "What… what…"
"I know what your thinking, but my outfit is skimpy because a man created me."
"How are you flying? What are you? What do you want?"
"I want to help you Rebecca." She let her boots touch the floor. "I am your Fairy God Mo—well actually I'm not a fairy, I'm a spellcaster… hmmm… so that title wouldn't work. What would you call me?" She began pacing around the room.
Rebecca sweat dropped. What was going on? Why did she let this strange woman into the house? If her family came home saw this she would get into so much trouble. "Listen… I don't know who you are, but I think you should leave."
"I've got it! Just call me Mana! My true title is Dark Magician Girl, but I'm done living in my teacher's shadow. I am spellcaster! A good one at that, and I'm here to help you Rebecca!"
"Help me with what?"
"Don't you want to leave? Go far away and never look back? Go out and find love?" she asked with small tears in her eyes.
"Yes I do! I mean… no… I can't, my family needs me. My grandfather told me to take care of my family," Rebecca replied softly. She sat on the couch and grabbed a pillow.
"I'm sure your grandfather didn't want you to be unhappy and taken advantage of." Mana flipped over the couch and sat next to her. "What would make you happy Rebecca? Going to the party your stepfamily went to?"
"Yes," she blushed. "That would be wonderful, but I still have the dishes to do, and the laundry, and finish mopping the floor, and no dress to wear, and—"
"Ok… Ok… one problem at a time ok?" Mana stood up and tapped her chin with her index finger. "Now how did that spell go? Something that rhymes with floor… Oh! I know!" She cleared her throat and swung around her scepter. "To make this child sad no more, please clean up this dirty floor!"
Rebecca looked around perplexed; nothing happened.
Mana huffed and glared at her scepter. "I said clean this dirty floor!" She shook her scepter angrily. "Come on work!"
"Ummm… you really don't have to… whoever you are… I'm used to not going to parties."
"No tonight is your special night. I will get this spell to work. Now then, let me try again. To make this child sad no more, please clean up this dirty floor!" Blue sparkles sprayed out from her scepter and filled the room. When the sparkles settled, they revealed a perfectly polished floor.
Rebecca gasped. "It worked!" She bent down and touched the floor, unable to believe the magic that just spilled through the house.
"Of course it worked!" Mana giggled. "Now what else did you say? Dishes right?"
Rebecca nodded and followed her into the kitchen. "Wow… I can see my reflection in the floor."
"Me too. I never would've thought I could look so good in polished wood." She cleared her throat again. "Ok now what rhymes with dishes? Ah, I know. To fulfill this girl's wishes, clean up all these dishes!" Mana waved her scepter and the blue sparkles filled the kitchen, cleaning up everything and even putting everything away to its proper place. "Ha! I'm on a role!"
"Wow… thank you. Can you do the laundry too?"
"Hey I'm a spellcaster, not a miracle worker. Even my magic doesn't want to touch your family's dirty underwear."
She giggled a little. "I can understand that."
"We'll worry about that later, right now I need to get you to that party before it's over." Mana floated in the air and crossed her legs like she was sitting in a chair. "Don't let me down scepter." She waved it around quickly a few times, then pointed it directly at the young blond.
Rebecca stared down at herself, now in red lace up heels, and a red spandex mini dress. She shrieked and wrapped her arms around herself out of embarrassment. "You can't be serious."
Mana laughed into the back of her hand. "I'm sorry… I must have had it set on whore. Let me try again. Although if you did go like that, you wouldn't have to worry about getting attention…"
"EXCUSE ME?"
"Right… right… changing…" She waved her scepter again and out came blue sparkles. The sparkles changed Rebecca's skimpy dress into a beautiful floor length, form fitting, evening gown. The front of the dress had a v-cut, which made the back of the dress bare. "There! It's beautiful!"
"Yeah… it is. I love it!"
"I wonder if black is the right color? Maybe I should change it…"
"No! It's fine Mana. Really."
"You have wonderful curves, I'll bet your prince will love to hold you."
"Prince?"
"Haven't you ever read the story of Cinder—uh… never mind. Let's find you a ride to the party."
Rebecca took a step and realized just how painful her shoes were. She lifted her dress a little so she could get a look at them. "Glass slippers? I know you don't expect me to dance in these."
"Hey it's either those or nothing, I'm not changing your whole wardrobe again." She waved her scepter and disappeared in a cloud of smoke.
Rebecca left out the door after shutting off most of the lights in the house. She still didn't know exactly what was going on, but she just assumed it was some kind of weird dream. She just hoped she wouldn't wake up before she found out what happened in the end.
Mana coughed and waved the black smoke out of her face. "I should stop doing that, it probably isn't good for the environment." She looked up and down the street. "Which one of these expensive cars do you want to show up in?"
"You can make a car appear?"
"No… I was gonna hot wire it. Duh."
"You can't do that."
"Yes I can."
"I mean, it's against the law."
"I almost forgot, in this world there's a bunch of useless laws. Ok, so when do one of those taxi cars come by?"
"They don't come down this street," Rebecca explained. "We would have to call for one."
"Oh I get it. TAXI! TAXI! HELLOOOOOOO TAXI!"
"Mana! That's not what I mean." She sighed. "Can't you use your wand?"
She snorted. "And pay roaming charges? I don't think so." Mana thought for a moment. "Ah! I know! How else to call a taxi but to whistle." She placed her thumb and index finger in her mouth and made a sound so loud that it echoed throughout the cul-de-sac.
Rebecca sweat dropped. "Isn't there an easier way to do this?"
"Shh… listen…" She leaned toward the street and held out her ear. "I think that's your ride coming. Almost on cue a yellow taxicab drove up to the curb. Mana smiled at her success. "Well there you go."
"How could I go to that kind of party in a taxicab?" She asked slightly confused.
Mana rubbed her head. "You know for a poor girl, you are very high maintenance. Since this girl didn't like what I did for her, make this car into a limo with a chauffeur!" She waved her wand and the yellow car morphed into a black stretch limo with her driver dressed in a black suit holding the door open for her. "Is that better?"
Rebecca nodded. "Yes! Thank you so much for what you've done for me." She was about to get into the limo, but she remembered something. "They won't let me in. I remember my stepmother saying that the party is only for those twenty-one and older."
"Rebecca. She was lying to you. But to make you feel better: Bibbity… bobbity… boo… give this girl a bigger set of bo—oops sorry. Wrong spell. Let me try again. To make this girl calm and carefree, allow me to create a fake I.D."
A small black purse dropped into Rebecca's hands. She opened it and picked out her newly made I.D. "Hey! I don't weigh one-thirty," she complained.
"I guessed ok?" Mana giggled. "I should get rid of those glasses on your face. Allow me to fix your vision."
"No! Mana… really you've done enough. I wouldn't want you to use all your magic tonight. Or make me lose my vision completely."
"You know… that only happened three out of five times I tried that spell."
"Yeah… that's comforting."
"Miss? If you want to make it to the party before it finishes, I suggest we leave now," her chauffeur said politely.
Rebecca nodded. "Thank you so much Mana. For everything that you did for me, I don't know why you wanted to help me but thank you." She hugged her tightly.
"Oh stop, you're going to make me cry," she sniffed. "You deserve one night of fun. Just remember, every flower turns into a… wait no… that wasn't it… um… after the rain stops the clouds will… wait… that's not it either… every swan turns into a… hmmm…" She threw her arms up. "Oh you know what I mean, every dog has it's day I guess…"
"Ummm… yeah thanks…" She slowly stepped into the limo and the driver closed the door, hopped behind the drivers seat, and then took off. Rebecca sat back on the leather seats and stared out the tented window at the lights of the city. She smiled at the thought of what she would see that night.
"I almost forgot to tell you something Rebecca," Mana said suddenly appearing next to her.
She jumped. "You should really stop doing that."
"Doing what?"
"Disappearing and reappearing randomly."
"You know… you aren't the first one to tell me that. Isn't that funny?" she laughed.
"Well?"
"Well what?"
Rebecca sweat dropped. "What did you forget to tell me?"
"Oh! That the spells I cast will only last until midnight."
"Oh. Is it because it will be a new day?"
"No." Mana laughed nervously, "It's because my spells only last about an hour, hour and a half tops. Sorry, I haven't learned everything yet, I'm still an apprentice."
"That's ok, I think the party breaks up around twelve anyway," she assured her.
"Make sure you leave when the clock strikes twelve because otherwise you will have to pay the cab driver at three-ten a mile."
Rebecca opened her purse to see if she had any money. She saw lipstick, a small bottle of perfume, a compact, and… "Condoms? You put condoms in here?"
"Hey you never know… you could meet the one tonight." Mana leaned over and knocked on the window. "Hey driver! Take her to the Schroider mansion ok?"
"No Mana, it's the Kaiba mansion."
"Kaiba? Are you sure?"
"Positive," Rebecca replied.
"You know the first time I saw Mokuba I thought he was a girl. He really needs to cut that hair of his. To the Kaiba mansion then!" Mana glanced at the girl sitting next to her. "Well its time for me to leave you. Have fun my dear!" she winked.
She sweat dropped. "Ok…"
Mana disappeared in a cloud of smoke and hovered above the moving limo. Rebecca stood up through the moon roof and waved at her while smiling. She waved back then flew high up into the night sky. She waved her wand and spread burst of multicolored fireworks across the sky then vanished within the lightshow.
He stood outside on the veranda that overlooked the pool. The party that was currently taking place inside was in his honor because he had just turned nineteen. His brother told him that it was time for him to start looking for a woman to become his wife.
Mokuba wasn't for the whole idea of marriage so soon. How was he supposed to fall in love with someone he barely knew and spend the rest of his life with her? And besides that, his brother wasn't even settled down with anyone yet. Why was he the Kaiba that had to wed first? He shifted his weight on his other foot; the stuffy suit he had on was starting to get uncomfortable. He then noticed fireworks shooting into the sky, he wondered why, but then figured it was probably just left over from the Fourth of July.
"Mokuba! What are you doing out here?" Leon asked walking out onto the veranda with him. He was Mokuba's good friend and one of the only real friends he had in this high society world he lived in. "Come on all the ladies are asking about you."
"I don't feel like it."
Leon sighed, "What's the matter?"
Mokuba glanced at his friend. "I gotta ask you something."
"Wait a minute. You're not coming out of the closet are you? Why does everyone have to come out to me?" he complained.
"No!" He narrowed his eyes. "Who's come out the closet? Actually don't answer that. Anyway what I was going to ask was do you believe in love at first sight?"
"Now you're sure you're not coming out the closet?"
"Leon damnit! I mean in a general sense!"
"Oh. I guess… but it probably is lust at first sight." He rested his arms over the banister. "I only say that because you talk to someone based on looks, so that's not love, that's lust."
"Then how does my brother expect me to find a wife?"
"I don't know. I think if a philosopher spent their whole life trying to figure out Seto Kaiba, then they would die of frustration," he laughed. "I'd consider yourself lucky, my brother doesn't even want me to think about women until I finish school."
"Good thing he doesn't know about your late night entertaining in the pool huh?" Mokuba snickered.
"I told you that in good faith you wouldn't tell anybody."
He shook his head. "Marriage is just so final."
"So don't get married. What's he gonna do cut you off from the family fortune?" Mokuba nodded. "Ouch. Really? He went that far? What's the big deal?"
"I think he just wants me to spend the rest of my life with a family since I didn't grow up with one," he explained. "Oh well… I guess it's for the best."
"Right. Let's go back inside. And if doesn't work out, you can always get divorced," Leon joked trying to liven up the mood his friend was in.
Mokuba entered the ballroom again. A song just ended so the hall was full of applause and chatter. The older couples on the dance floor took notice of his reappearance by pointing briefly then clapping in his direction. The women that were lined up to dance with him cheered hopefully and outstretched their hands to him.
"Dance with me Mokuba!"
"We love you Mokuba!"
Mokuba cringed at the thought of dancing with another thirty or forty women before the night was over. He felt odd being only man dressed in an all black tuxedo while everyone else was dressed in white. His brother warned him not to wear such a dark and unapproachable color, but Mokuba was convinced black was his lucky color. He swallowed hard then started to walk over to the line of women.
Then suddenly someone new showed up. It seemed that showing up late didn't bother her because her smile was lighting up the room. She wore a simple but elegant ballroom gown, which was different from all the other women who showed up with very extravagant, couture style gowns.
And the most intriguing thing about the girl was that she was wearing Mokuba's good luck color…
Mokuba immediately walked over to the blond girl and held out his hand to her. "Will you dance with me?" The blond blushed then took his hand. He led her over to the center of the ballroom, and then placed his hand at her side and began slowly gliding her across the dance floor just as a new song started. "I've never seen you before, are you new in town?"
"Oh no. I've lived in Domino for quite some time now," she replied politely.
"How come I've never seen you before?"
The girl giggled a little. "You've probably seen me before, just don't remember."
"I think I would've remembered you." Mokuba couldn't get over how beautiful she was. She wasn't desperate to gain his affection like the other girls lined up to dance with him. She also wasn't just rambling on about how she would be the perfect wife for him. This woman was definitely different, and he was starting to instantly fall for her.
He dipped her by the waist then spun her around into his arms. "What may I ask is your name?"
"Rebecca."
"Does Rebecca have a last name?"
"I do, however I would prefer you call me by my first name."
"Fair enough." He pulled her closer to his body. "I'm Mokuba."
Rebecca blushed at the closeness of their bodies, but she didn't feel nervous next to him. For some reason she felt safe. "Everyone knows who you are," she smiled.
"I can't get over the fact that I've never seen you before." Mokuba gazed into her light colored eyes and smiled. "You have such pretty eyes."
She giggled a little. "I'm sure you say that to every girl you dance with."
"Only you," he assured her.
After the music finished the ballroom filled with applause, however the couple in the middle of the room kept dancing despite the fact that there was no more music. It was strange really, they both hadn't known each other for mere minutes but there seemed to be chemistry between the two that was indescribable. Maybe it was the fates that brought them together, or maybe what brought them together was in fact love at first sight.
"Come with me," Mokuba whispered in her ear. Rebecca complied and followed him outside to the veranda that overlooked the pool. "What brings you to my party Rebecca?"
"The atmosphere really. I love seeing the ball gowns, listening to the music, and just the whole ambiance of being with high society. This is my first time at a formal dinner party and I'm having a wonderful time." She stared up at the sky and sighed happily. "I don't want this night to end." Rebecca glanced at him. "I'm sorry… I guess I was rambling. It's just… sometimes I wish I could leave the life I live so that I could find love. She laughed half heartedly, "But that will never happen, I have to stay here for my family."
Mokuba stared at the girl looking out at the city. Was she being genuine or was she just trying to gain his affection like the other women in the ballroom. His heart was telling him that this girl was different. Was she? Was that the reason he was feeling an instant connection between them? Was this truly love at first sight? "Can I ask you something?"
"Of course."
"Do you believe in love at first sight?"
Rebecca turned to him. "I think it's possible. After all the eyes are windows to someone's soul." She blushed when he took her hand telling her to continue. "You can tell someone's true intentions just by staring into their eyes."
Mokuba lifted her chin gently with his free hand. "Can you tell what my true intentions are?"
She suddenly flushed with embarrassment. Did this man want to kiss her? Why would Mokuba Kaiba want to kiss her? She wasn't special in any kind of way; she was just a plain girl who was too short to receive any man's affection according to her stepsisters. If that was true then why was he inching closer to her?
The sudden sound of the clock striking midnight reminded Rebecca that her night out wasn't going to last forever. The spell was going to end soon, which meant he was going to see her as she really was. If he knew who she really was, he wouldn't look at her the way he was now. "I'm sorry, I have to go." She withdrew from him and quickly ran back inside.
Mokuba stood on the veranda a little confused; he thought she liked him, was he wrong? "Rebecca!" he called after her following her back into the mansion.
Rebecca thought about staying, but Mana told her to make sure she was gone by midnight. There was a chance the magic could last longer but she didn't want to risk it. If only she had gotten to the party earlier, then maybe she could have had her first kiss. Maybe this wasn't her night to find love; only experience it.
Mokuba pushed through the crowd of people searching for the girl that had suddenly captured his heart. He couldn't let her get away; there was something about her that he couldn't explain. Several of his guests were appalled by the way he walked through the ballroom shoving through them without pardoning himself, but he didn't care, he kept his pace until he reached the front of the mansion. He stopped on the steps outside the mansion searching frantically for the young blond girl in the dimly lit courtyard.
Nothing. The courtyard was empty. She was gone.
Mokuba slowly walked off the stone steps and began walking through the courtyard. Why did she leave? Was it something he said or did that scared her off? "Maybe it wasn't meant to be…" He was about to kick at the ground but then noticed something glittering in the moonlight. He picked it up. "A slipper? A glass slipper?"
-:0:- -:0:-
Rebecca woke up early the next morning, as she did every morning so that she could make her family breakfast. She stared out the attic window letting the rays from the sun wake her up fully. It was another beautiful day; the calmness reminded her of the previous night. She even dreamt about him last night when she went to bed. She rather enjoyed hearing her stepfamily talking about the mysterious girl Mokuba was dancing with only because she knew it was her. She laughed a little, what if she told them it was her? What would they say then? "One night of beauty…" she sighed to herself. "I was so close to my first kiss, but I… ran."
After Rebecca finished getting washed up and dressed for the day, she went into the kitchen and took out the pots and pans she needed to make breakfast for her family. Alex only ate her eggs if they were boiled, Tanya only ate them if they were scrambled, and her aunt Sandra only ate them sunny-side-up. Sometimes she wondered why she went through all the trouble, it wasn't like they ate all of her food, and they always told her it wasn't healthy to eat so much for breakfast, but always wanted their plates full. She shrugged, she didn't understand a lot of things her family did, she just knew she had to do what they asked. As she mixed the batter for the pancakes she heard her family waking up; she knew it was because of the aroma pouring from the kitchen. "Good morning Sandra."
She rubbed her eyes as she sat down at the table. "Turn on the TV Rebecca," Sandra scolded. "You know I watch the news in the morning."
"Yes Sandra." She walked into the dinning room and switched on the television that her aunt could've easily turned on herself.
"Is my coffee ready?"
"Coming up."
"Girls! Get up! Too much sleep isn't good for you!" Sandra yelled.
"Coming mother," Tanya said emerging from her room with her sister. "Where's my coffee Becky!" she yelled angrily as she sat down.
"Right here," Rebecca said quickly as she entered the dinning room carrying two mugs of steaming coffee. "Here."
"Turn up the TV, and bring me my orange juice," Alex commanded sleepily.
Rebecca turned up the television, gave her stepsister her orange juice, and then returned to her cooking duties in the kitchen.
"Did you see the way Seto looked at me last night? It was definitely magic," Tanya giggled.
"Oh please… he didn't look twice at you."
"Mother? Alex is bothering me."
"Shhh… I'm to hear this."
"…Our sources say that Mokuba has chosen a woman to be his wife. He has told us that she is a blond girl with light colored eyes. Mr. Kaiba isn't releasing her name at the moment, but he says that he found a slipper that he belongs to this mysterious woman, and that he plans to visit the homes of some of the women on his guest list until he finds this woman. Well it sounds like to me that the younger Kaiba will be hearing wedding bells real soon. We'll bring you more on this story as it develops…"
"Did you hear that girls? One of you made an impression on the young one," Sandra smiled.
"It was probably me."
"Yeah right… he's too young for you remember?" Alex countered.
"Mother Alex is bothering me again."
"Girls. Stop bickering and go get changed into your best dress. You want to look presentable for Mr. Kaiba."
"Yes mother!" they chimed together.
"Rebecca!"
"Yes?" she called from the kitchen.
"Clear the table. I wouldn't want my future son-in-law to think I keep a dirty house."
"Yes Sandra." Rebecca entered the dinning room and sighed unhappily at all the wasted food; to think someone else was starving at that very moment. She shook her head and stacked up the plates. Was the news she overheard true? Was Mokuba really looking for her? Why would he go through all that trouble for her? There were prettier girls out there and they could give him more than she could. "All I could give him is my love…" She gasped, was she really thinking about love? No, it was certainly too soon for that.
As Rebecca put away the food she used that morning, she noticed that her stepmother stood in the kitchen doorway watching her. Why was she looking at her? Did she know that it was her who was dancing with Mokuba last night? She couldn't have known, could she? "Do you need something Sandra?"
"I was just thinking," she smiled as she walked towards her. "That maybe you would like to join us."
"R-Really?"
"Yes Rebecca honey, I think we should show Mokuba that our family is close." Sandra touched her shoulder. "How about you go up to the attic, get dressed, and bring down some family albums?"
Rebecca studied her. Something was telling her that she could be lying, but why would she? It wasn't like Mokuba would look twice at her if he saw her how she truly was. It was possible that she was just having fun with her. "Ok," she nodded. She walked past her stepmother and went down the hallway to where the stairs of the attic was located. She pulled down the rope and climbed up the stairs. She didn't even realize that her stepmother was right behind her until she heard the door lock. She turned around quickly. "No…" She got down on her knees and frantically tried to open the door, it was no use. It was locked from the other side. She stood up slowly then walked over to her bed. "She must know, why else would she…" Rebecca plopped on her bed and cried into her pillow; she now knew she wouldn't see Mokuba ever again.
"Come on Mokuba this is like the fiftieth house we've been to. Are you sure you didn't imagine her?" Leon asked trailing behind his friend. All day they had been going from house to house to try to find the mysterious woman Mokuba claimed to have seen at the party last night. Day was turning into late afternoon and there hasn't been any luck so far.
"I didn't imagine her, and I will find her no matter what it takes," Mokuba countered. "If you want to go home then go, but I'm still going to search for her." He rang the doorbell. Even though he didn't say it, he was starting give up hope as well.
The door swung open and the lady of the household smiled politely at the two boys. "Hello Mokuba. Hello Leon. Please come in."
"Good afternoon Ms. Hopkins," Mokuba said entering the house. "I assume you know why we are here."
"Yes, let me go get my daughters."
"Mokuba, we both know what her daughters look like," Leon murmured.
"I know. But I need to check every woman to see if she fits the shoe. It's custom made so I'm sure I'll find her."
"Here they are," Sandra announced as she reentered the room. "Tanya and Alex."
"Good afternoon."
"Good afternoon," they said in unison.
"I won't waste your time, I just want to see if the slipper I found fits."
Alex sat down on the couch. "You can do me first."
Mokuba shuttered at the mental images he received by her choice of words. He kneeled down and took out the shoe from the box he was holding. He attempted to slip the shoe on, but her foot was obviously too wide and too big.
"Push harder! I know it fits!"
Mokuba yanked the shoe off her foot and fell backward. "I don't believe it was you."
"It is," Alex sobbed. "I think you must have changed it."
He rolled his eyes, how many times has he heard that today? "I better get going. I still have more…" He trailed off as he looked up at the ceiling. He swore he heard something move around… or maybe someone?
Sandra flustered. "Listen Mokuba. You don't have to leave yet. Why don't you consider Tanya as your wife? She's tall and beautiful." She couldn't let him find Rebecca up there, because she knew that it was her who he had danced with. She didn't know how Rebecca ended up at his party, however she wasn't going to let him take her away.
"That may be true, but I don't want a wife taller than me." He glanced at the ceiling again. "Is there someone up there?"
"Up where?" Sandra laughed. "This house is only one story Mr. Kaiba, so of course not. I think it's just the house settling."
"Come on Mokuba, let's get out of here," Leon said walking towards the door.
"Alright. Afternoon ladies."
"Afternoon guys. We can't wait until your next party," Sandra smiled walking them to the door. "Bye!" she waved and closed the door.
"So we can cross them off the list?" Leon asked in a snicker. Mokuba didn't respond. "Come on don't be down, we'll find her… I hope."
"Thanks." He rubbed his brow. He didn't think it would take this long to find the woman. He distinctly recalled her saying that she lived in Domino, and that she had been for years. If that were true then why was it so hard to find her? "Where are you Rebecca? Do you not want to be found?"
"You shouldn't talk to yourself, people will worry." Leon glanced at his friend. "I'm kidding. Let's call it a day and try tomorrow."
"Fine," Mokuba gave in. The more he thought about it, the more he was beginning to think he would never find her. Maybe he should just settle for one of the women he danced with the previous night. Not all of them were irritating; though he wanted to marry for love, he was starting to believe that to be all a fairy tale. He took one last look at the house. As he was about to step into the limo he noticed someone staring out the attic window. She waved to him briefly before stepping away from his view. "Leon did you see that?"
"See what?" he asked looking to where he was staring. "I don't see anything."
"A girl. I saw her in window!"
"Mokuba, first you were hearing things, now you're seeing things. I think you had a hard day today and need to get—where are you going?"
Mokuba hurried back to house and rang the doorbell nervously. Maybe he was losing it, but he had to make sure.
"Mokuba?" Sandra said surprised to see him. "Did you change your mind?"
"Sort of. Who's the girl in the attic?"
"What girl? There's no girl in the attic! This house is old, and might be um… haunted… that's why we don't go up to the attic."
Mokuba narrowed his eyes; she wasn't a good liar. "I still would like to check," he stated entering the house. He looked around the room for a way to get into the attic, he didn't see one, and so he continued down the hall.
Sandra rushed in front of him. "Mokuba! Listen. Are you sure you didn't just see a reflection off the sunlight or something?"
He glanced over her shoulder. He noticed a lock hanging from the ceiling. "Open the attic."
"But Mokuba—"
"Open it."
Sandra sighed and turned around. She stood on a small stool and then unlocked the door.
Mokuba slowly walked up the stairs to the second floor. In the corner of the room by the window sat a girl on her bed looking through an album. Her hair was up in a messy bun, and she was quietly crying to herself. She didn't even seem to notice that she wasn't the only person in the room anymore. "Excuse me, Miss?"
Her head shot up and she covered her mouth in surprise. "Mokuba?"
"Am I interrupting something?"
"No." She wiped her tears. "Would you like to sit down?"
Mokuba sat next to the little blond girl and studied her; why did she look so familiar? "You look… have we met before?"
She stared at him. "I…I don't know…"
He took out the chopsticks that held up her hair. "It is you… Rebecca." He cupped her face. "I've been looking all over for you. I want you to be my wife."
Rebecca looked away from him. "Why would you want me? I'm not as pretty as my sisters. Ask one of them. Alex… she's fond of you."
"And what about you?"
She smiled at him. "I want… I want to say yes, because I think I fell for you last night."
Mokuba got down on one knee and took her hand. "Then will you marry me Rebecca?"
Rebecca stood up and began to cry. "Yes… yes I will."
He stood up and stared into her eyes. "I will always love you." Mokuba lifted her chin, and then softly pressed his lips to hers.
Rebecca giggled when she pulled away. Her dream was coming true right before her eyes, so she couldn't help but cry. "I'm sorry… I'm just so happy."
Mokuba wiped the tear off her cheek with his thumb. "I am too." He took her hand. "Come on, I have to introduce you to my brother."
And that's how it happened: from a young girl with a sad past who lived with a wicked stepfamily, to a young woman who had become a sort of princess in the high society of Domino. Rebecca went on to live with the Kaiba brothers, enjoying her life with her husband and her brother-in-law. Did Seto Kaiba ever settle down and start his own family you ask? Well… no. There wasn't enough magic to change him, he preferred to stay single.
Oh, and if you are wondering about the glass slipper, don't worry Mana made sure Rebecca had a pair for her wedding. Though it disappeared within an hour and a half… the couple still lived happily ever after.
So there it is… my long one shot story. (22 pages) I hope you liked it. If you did, please review, and if you didn't please be kind with your review. Thanks for reading. Bye!