It was hard for Miku to sleep the night before her class trip to the old castle on the beach south in the continent. The trip was meant to show the girls firsthand what the early life for Artemisians was like and how the culture they had now came about. This castle was one of the few remaining structures of Artemis's early days, and so much of the planet's rich history was kept within the walls.
However, that wasn't what excited Miku.
She had been a little girl the last time she had been to a beach. Now she could scarcely wait to see one again. Of course she wouldn't be able to get in the water – proper Cinderellas never swam, especially for recreation – but the sights and smells of the ocean were a treasure Miku could not wait to behold.
After her morning bath, Miku stood on her stool as the Alices dressed her for the outing. It was as her corset was being tied that Miku exclaimed, "Not so tight! Tie it where you normally do. I don't need to look extra thin for this trip."
"Ms. Hatsune," one of the Alices, this one having curly red hair, said as if exasperated, "we are not tying your corset any tighter than usual."
Miku frowned. Her attention briefly shifted to the plate that held the brownies she ordered before bed the previous night. Face hot, Miku said nothing as the Alices finished dressing her and doing her hair and makeup.
Her dress was the color of cream and honey. The sleeves hugged her upper arms with the same fabric as the rest of the dress while lace fell below her elbows and flowed with her arm movements. The skirt poofed out slightly due to the layers of petticoats beneath, and a large ribbon was tied around the neck of the dress. After the Alices twisted Miku's hair into a low bun, a matching hat with just as much frill and lace was placed upon her head. Finally, to complete the outfit, Miku was given white, heeled shoes and a pair of white gloves to wear and a lace sun umbrella to carry with her.
"Don't you look as if you stepped out of a painting," was how Luka greeted Miku when she entered the ladies' waiting room.
"I should say the same about you," Miku replied. "You look like the setting sun itself!"
It was true. Luka's lavender dress, snug on her thin waist as the ballroom skirt dropped to the floor, was the very color of the Artemis sky. Her pink hair, worn half-up-half-down, fell like the clouds down her back. However, it was the beads on the skirts reflecting the light that fell upon them which gave Luka the shimmer of a sunset. Whichever designer who took care of Luka's wardrobe while she stayed at the school was a talented one indeed.
Seeing a familiar face, Miku beamed and curtsied as she exclaimed, "And you look beautiful as well, Ona!"
Said girl didn't so much as smile in return. Her sky blue dress complimented her brown skin, but that was all the fashion put into the design. Ona wore a simple sun dress and had her chocolate hair tied into her signature high bun. With her arms crossed and her expression bored, Ona didn't seem displeased to be the only Cinderella dressed so basically. Trying not to bite her lip, Miku wondered if Ona was assigned one of the least talented dress makers or had instead refused to wear whatever dress was designed for her.
"Must you always be such a stickler?" Luka asked when Ona didn't thank Miku for the compliment nor paid one of her own.
Arms still crossed, Ona shrugged one shoulder. "I am not here to please anyone, nor am I here to make friends."
"Then why are you here?" Luka challenged.
"Why are you here?" A corner of Ona's mouth rose ever so slightly. A smirk. "From my understanding, you don't want what most girls here do. You have . . . shall we say, different preferences?"
Luka's face turned red. "You do not know of what you speak."
"And pray tell, of what do I speak?"
"You're a fiend."
"You're disgusting."
"Can we please not start a fight?" Miku said, moving to stand between the two. "I don't know what's going on between you, but is now really the best time to argue about it? If any time at all?"
"I merely wish to be left alone," Ona said after a deep breath. "The pressures of society are too much to take in so suddenly. With so little down time scheduled to us, I'm not given the proper chance to recover from social interactions. If I am cranky, it is because I am tired."
Without saying anything else, Ona spun on her heel and strutted away. She didn't go far, but she did find a place by a window to stand unnoticed. None of the other girls attempted to speak with her.
"A bringer of chaos is what she is," Luka muttered so quietly that Miku assumed she wasn't meant to hear.
"Let's forget about her," Miku tried and desperately scraped her mind for any type of conversation topic. "When do you think we shall leave for our trip?"
"When Mistress Prima arrives," Luka said, but her mood did not improve. "We shall arrive at eleven, tour the castle, and then have dinner by three."
Now Luka smiled, albeit a small one. "I hear the cheesecake is to die for."
"If it's that good," Miku replied, gripping her sun umbrella in both hands, "then I'll jump into the ocean just to have a bite."
Rin smoothed her gray skirt down as she and Gumi walked towards the hovercraft. She, Gumi, and about half of the Juliets were assigned to go on the trip to the beach to clean the docks for the Cinderellas' dinner after their tour of the castle.
At least, Rin thought as she and Gumi stepped outside, the weather feels great today.
"Isn't this the kind of day that makes you glad to be alive?" Gumi asked, voicing Rin's thoughts and speaking quietly as to not be overheard. The Juliets were not supposed to be talking. They were never really allowed to speak unless spoken to, especially in public. Yet Gumi didn't seem to care enough to not take any chances.
Rin, not as brave as Gumi, nodded.
"You know," Gumi continued, grinning, "whatever's left over from the dinner will be given to us as a thank you meal for cleaning the docks. Trust me when I say you have to try the roast. It just melts in your mouth, and the spices make your mouth water at how rich and savory the taste is. There isn't usually much left over if any, but if you can get one bite, you should go for it."
"So it's totally worth scraping bird poop of the docks for?" Rin asked when she was certain no one would hear her. She giggled. "You're not pulling my skirt, are you, Gumi?"
"It's worth selling your soul for," Gumi answered in a whisper, her tone serious. Then she cracked a grin. "But I'd pick scraping bird poop over selling my soul, so I say it's a great deal."
Since the Juliets didn't need to board yet – as long as they were out of sight before the Cinderellas prepared themselves to board, the Juliet's could stay out as long as they wished – Rin looked up and allowed herself to feel the warm embrace of the sun kissing her skin before sinking to her bones. She hadn't been outside since coming to the academy. Funny how a few weeks trapped indoors could make one forget how wonderful it is to soak in the sun and breathe fresh air.
Looking at her hands, Rin softly said, "I used to have darker skin. From all my days spent outdoors."
Although she never truly had a rich, attractive tan, her once sun-kissed skin was Rin's favorite feature of her appearance. Now, after weeks in the academy and weeks before that being transferred as cargo from her district to this one, her skin was pale. Not pale like the Cinderellas, who even the darkest among them had skin like porcelain, but a sick kind of pale. The kind of skin that was not properly nourished.
"Since my father couldn't afford to hire many hands," Rin continued, even softer now, "I spent most days tending the fields. I never minded, though. I got to be under the endless sky. It made me feel small, but not in an insignificant way. I felt small in a way that told me there was more to the universe than I could possibly imagine, and if the world I live in is limitless, why can't my own life be?"
Finishing, Rin looked to Gumi. She was worried when the greenette didn't reply to any of the things Rin said, but now Rin knew by the studious look on Gumi's face it was because Gumi feared to speak lest she break whatever spell Rin was under. Not knowing why, Rin smiled at Gumi.
Gumi returned the smile and accused, "You talk like a dreamer."
"I talk like a fool," Rin corrected, but she didn't sound hateful towards herself as she said it.
"Artemis needs more dreamers," Gumi said, standing closer to Rin so she may speak quieter. It would be time to board the hovercraft soon, and once inside, no talking was permitted.
"Dreamers, or those who actually get out of their comfort zone and do something?"
"Both. It's important to dream, but it's even more important to work to make your dream into a reality."
"Except I'm a Juliet," Rin reminded her friend. "Juliets don't change the world. Our purpose is to serve those who do."
When Gumi sighed, it sounded almost sad. "What about that limitless life you just mentioned?"
"A fairytale I tell to falsely convince myself that maybe the life of a Juliet isn't as meaningless as it is," Rin said.
"But does it have to be?" Gumi asked just before they were ordered to board the hovercraft. Rin didn't get the chance to answer before they were surrounded by listening ears.
Gritting her teeth, Miku decided she had a new enemy. Stairs. Ever since arriving at the base of the castle, they had to climb stairs to exit the hovercraft, climb stairs to reach the castle, and climb more stairs as they toured the structure. Of course, Miku wasn't the only one who suffered.
All the girls shone with a thin layer of sweat. Their dresses were too thick and the fabric too tight for their skin to breathe properly in this humid environment. Only Mistress Prima, who must have long since grown accustomed to these types of trips, glowed as if the heat and humidity made her sparkle with radiance.
Of course, Miku thought when she saw one other Cinderella treading this tour like a proper lady, Ona is doing well.
Indeed Ona was. Her simple sun dress was light enough to keep her from overheating in the stuffy castle. The more time passed with Ona being the only girl to not suffer in sweat, the more Miku was convinced Ona willingly chose to dress this way on their trip. No designer would ever prioritize practically over fashion. Or at least that's what Luka whispered to her when Miku pointed out how Ona faired better than the rest of them.
Nonetheless, Miku didn't let her discomfort ruin the tour. The castle, though old and possessed only a few small windows, was a grand thing to walk through. The furniture and decorations displayed what a simpler time the early inhabitants of Artemis lived through, yet there was beauty in the simple. The rugs and bed coverings were mostly solid colors, and the furniture was made from the once abundant but mostly dull Diane wood trees, but the castle felt like a home.
Miku frowned. This old castle, in all its simplicity, felt more like a genuine home than her own exquisite, gold and silver filled mansion ever did. Even the academy possessed more grandeur than she thought a school capable of having.
"Interesting," Luka mused as the group was led from the bedroom to another room.
Frowning, Miku asked, "What's interesting?"
Luka raised an eyebrow. "Were you not just paying attention?"
"I'm afraid I was lost in my own mind."
"The guide just explained that this castle was built roughly a century before the caste system was introduced," Luka answered. "It was after Artemis began worshipping the goddess and discovering the fates of daughters through the stars did Cinderellas, Alices, and Juliets come about."
"That's right. I learned something about that once." Miku desperately tried to take a deep breath, but her corset didn't allow her lungs to expand as much as she needed them. The Alices must have been playing a cruel joke. There was no way her corset would be so tight if they tied it the way they normally did.
"Just think: a society ruled by men, and all women are equal." Luka snorted. "I'm glad I was born in this era. To be the same as a Juliet is the most disgraceful thing I can possibly imagine."
"Are Juliets really so bad?" Miku asked, recalling the blonde Juliet she always looked for whenever she entered a new room in the academy. All the other Juliets looked the same to her, but the blonde one stood out in a way Miku herself didn't understand. Maybe it was because she was the first Juliet Miku had ever seen, but she had no way of knowing for sure.
"They have been cursed by the goddess," Luka answered. "Their lives are destined for tragedy, that is why a blood flower is tattooed onto their wrist."
"I don't think being cursed necessarily makes someone a bad person," Miku muttered, unheard.
They climbed stairs upon stairs upon stairs until they reached the top of the castle and walked onto the roof. The girls all gasped as they beheld the ocean churning far beneath them. As far as the eye could see, ocean and sky stretched over and beyond the world and met in the middle. Salty air blew from the sea and kissed each Cinderella's doll-like face. Few closed their eyes and took a deep breath while the rest fussed over their possibly ruined makeup.
"Isn't it a sight?" Luka sighed contently, she and Miku standing close to the edge. "I hope to one day live on the ocean."
"I can't breathe," Miku gasped in response.
"It really is beautiful."
"No." The word was strangled. Miku had been unable to take any deep breaths as they climbed the stone steps, and the heat and humidity were finally getting to her. Miku tried one last time. "I really can't breathe."
Luka snapped her head in Miku's direction and stared at her in concern. Or, at least Miku thought it was in concern. The black dots had grown too large for Miku to really see.
Her friend opened and moved her mouth, but Miku didn't hear anything Luka said. It was as if the pinkette spoke underwater. The world was spinning.
Wanting the world to stop going by so fast, Miku closed her eyes. The ground fell away from under her. A blood curdling scream was the last thing she heard before she fell into the void.
In so many ways, it felt great to work under the sun. The sky was clear, the weather warm, and the ocean breeze a salty comfort. Even as she wiped sweat from her brow, Rin didn't desire to be anywhere else.
She and a few other Juliets were scrubbing the dock one last time while the rest began to carry out and prepare the tables. The tent wouldn't be set up until closer to when the Cinderellas were to arrive, but Rin preferred it so. After spending weeks indoors, she was grateful to be under the open sky again. The longer she could be under the sun's warming rays, the happier she would be.
Sitting on her knees to pause for a moment, Rin looked up towards the castle. The Cinderellas had just now reached the top. Instantly her eyes landed on the familiar turquoise-haired Cinderella. Rin didn't hesitate to get back on her hands and work on the wooden boards.
Pleased with her work, Rin stood to return her tools and begin placing the chairs. However, she paused when a sharp cry cut through the air. She and everyone else on the docks turned in time to see a Cinderella fall from the top of the castle and hurl towards the ocean a hundred feet below.
Whispers flew from a number of mouths.
"Is it a suicide?"
"Can a fall that high kill?"
"Why has no one put railings up yet? It's like they were asking for this to happen."
Rin's whispers were kept in her head. That's Ms. Hatsune, was the first. The second, Nobody's diving in after her.
No other words passed through her mind. After her second observation, an old memory surfaced. Tears stung the back of her eyes. Rin functioned on pure instinct alone, doing something she should have done years ago. Not that the past would ever change, but she was not about to witness a repeat of it.
Dropping everything, Rin dashed towards the edge of the dock and dove into the water. She emerged just in time to see where Ms. Hatsune landed and began swimming towards the area. They were yards apart from each other, but Rin was a strong swimmer. Months of pushing herself and practicing every day after the incident made certain of that. As she pushed herself harder and harder with each stroke, Rin arrived before Ms. Hatsune sunk too deeply.
Rin took a deep breath and went under. When she reached Ms. Hatsune, Rin tried to pull her up only to find that the Cinderella was too heavy.
Stupid dress, Rin cursed as she found the zipper and undid the outfit. While Rin tried her best to remove the attire, Ms. Hatsune's bun came undone. Removing the clothing took up time Rin was not comfortable giving, and Ms. Hatsune's now loose locks did little to help as they occasionally clouded Rin's vision, but she got the job done. Without the layers of fabric, Ms. Hatsune was easier to carry.
Her aching lungs nearly exploded with relief when Rin broke the surface and inhaled deeply. An unconscious Ms. Hatsune was kept above water by the arm Rin wrapped around her waist, but the battle was only half won. Gritting her teeth, Rin began to swim towards the beach as she carried Ms. Hatsune's dead weight along with her.
Upon reaching the shore, Rin dragged Ms. Hatsune a few feet from the waves. She lied the Cinderella on her back and checked for breathing. There was none.
Rin bit her lip, displeased with what needed to come next. Working fast, Rin grabbed the top of the corset and ripped it apart. She was met with resistance, but the fabric gave way to her adrenaline.
Still in motion, Rin angled Ms. Hatsune's head, had second thoughts, then leaned forward to cover Ms. Hatsune's mouth with her own. It had been years since Rin had to give the kiss of life, but she flowed back into it as if it were second nature. She alternated between giving breaths and pumping on Ms. Hatsune's chest.
There was no warning of any kind, although Rin would have seen it coming had she not been too focused on reviving Ms. Hatsune. One second she was breathing air into Ms. Hatsune, and the next she was thrown onto the sand. When she looked up, two guards stood over her.
Neither said anything as one slapped Rin so hard across the face that her mouth immediately began filling with blood. The other kicked her in the ribs, causing her to fall completely over. Then she was grabbed by the hair and forced to sit up.
"How dare you filth assault a Cinderella!" he snarled before slapping her again. "You shall receive the maximum number of lashes for your unforgivable crime."
The blood flow in her mouth was so violent that Rin was unable to stop the blood from shooting out of her mouth when she gagged on it. She coughed, trying not to choke. Except to the men, it looked as if she spat at them in defiance.
Thrown down in disgust, Rin tried to curl into herself. It was no use. Again she was kicked in the ribs, and the other stomped on her hand, forcing Rin to cry out. She was kicked a few more times. It took all she had to not cry despite the excruciating pain.
Then the first roughly grabbed her above the elbow and hauled her up. He slapped Rin again, as if for good measure.
"You little worm," he snarled. "Don't forget where you belong, or we will remind you just how disposable your kind really are. Truly, who would miss you if you just disappeared?"
Don't cry, Rin told herself, looking at the guard who held her but showing no emotion. You are Kagamine Rin. You do not cry.
Thinking the old thoughts almost broke the dam.
"Put her down!"
Rin and the men snapped their heads towards the owner of the voice. Ms. Hatsune glared at the guards. Drenched with sea water, half-naked, but alive – Ms. Hatsune was alive. Sagging in relief, Rin would have fallen back onto the sand had not one of the guards gripped her so tightly.
"Put. Her. Down." Ms. Hatsune repeated the words, her teeth bared in an unladylike manor.
"But, my lady," one of the guards began, "this Juliet was assaulting you."
"Really?" Ms. Hatsune raised an eyebrow. Despite wearing nothing more than a slip – despite sitting on the beach in front of two men while dressed in nothing but her very underwear – Ms. Hatsune threw her shoulders back and said in an even tone, "Since when has saving a Cinderella's life been considered assault? If I recall correctly, anyone who rescues a Cinderella from peril is exempt from any kind of punishment, including Juliets. Anyone who dare harm the Cinderella's savior, however, will be met with forty lashes plus two."
Both the guards were lost for words. It was when Ms. Hatsune ordered "put her down" for the third time that the first guard finally did. Rin crumpled to the ground and curled into a fetal position. Maybe if I make myself small enough, she thought, I can disappear.
"We don't even know if the Juliet truly saved you," the second guard began to argue. "When we arrived, she hovered over you like a buzzard."
"If she didn't save me, then who did?" Ms. Hatsune countered, standing now. "You and your companion are dry as twigs while the Juliet is as wet as me. If she isn't the one who jumped in to save me, then where is the one who did? Certainly nobody would pass up the opportunity to be named a Cinderella's savior."
At the lack of response, Ms. Hatsune ordered, "Leave my presence, and send some of your more capable men to the scene. This Juliet and I will need to see a doctor, and a fresh set of clothes would be ideal. For the both of us." Those last words were spoken so sternly it was obvious Ms. Hatsune was stressing how unacceptable it would be if Rin did not receive something dry to wear.
After the guards mumbled, "Yes, ma'am," and scurried off, Ms. Hatsune's entire posture sagged. When she spoke to the men, she held herself and ordered them around like the Cinderella she was supposed to be. Now, with no one but Rin to witness, she seemed to be what she truly was: a young girl unsure of who she was and what she was doing.
As if remembering that Rin was there, Ms. Hatsune slowly approached Rin, kneeled over her, and asked, "Are you hurt?"
Rin didn't answer, but the way she hugged herself was answer enough.
"I saw them kick you," Ms. Hatsune continued, albeit quieter. "At first I didn't believe it, but the more I woke up, the more I realized it wasn't a bad dream." Now she hugged herself. "I'm sorry."
For what Ms. Hatsune was apologizing for, Rin didn't know. All she knew was without a distraction, the pain in her ribs demanded all her mental and emotional attention. Rin still tried not to cry, but the physical pain gave her a real challenge. It didn't help that her emotional pain over the humiliation was also demanding to be felt.
Rin didn't realize she was squeezing her eyes closed until they flew open when she felt a warm pressure on her shoulder. She was surprised to see Ms. Hatsune sitting next to her, resting a hand on Rin. Then, as if she decided that since she went this far she could keep going, Ms. Hatsune began to rub Rin's shoulder in a back and forth motion. The gentle touch was purely comfort. Even though she had no reason to, Ms. Hatsune was trying to make Rin feel better.
"Someone will be here soon," she said, voice soft and gentle. "I'll make sure a proper doctor looks at you to see if those awful men broke any of your ribs. I'll do whatever I can to make certain you're properly taken care of. You saved my life; if I order for you to be treated just like a Cinderella, then they'll have to listen to me. Everything will be okay."
Then, without realizing what she was doing until it was too late, Rin asked in a whisper of a voice, "Why?"
Why are you doing this?
Why are you being so nice?
Why will everything be okay?
Rin didn't know which she was asking. With that single word, maybe she asked all three. Maybe she asked more than she was in the position to ask right now.
If Ms. Hatsune thought it strange that Rin would pick now of all times to speak to her and respond to what she said, she didn't show it. Instead she kept rubbing Rin's shoulder. When she answered, her words were quieter than Rin's. "I really don't know."