When Miku entered her rooms after bidding Luka good night, she didn't wait for the door to close before she began searching for Juliet CV02. The blonde was lying under a blanket on the couch, still pale but less sickly looking. As Miku approached the Juliet, the small girl opened her eyes and watched Miku intently.
"I brought you some gifts," Miku said softly as she lied a bouquet of roses and a box filled with all sorts of sweets beside Juliet CVo2's feet. "It wasn't fair for you to miss out, so I thought I would bring some of the celebration to you. I'm sorry it's not much, but I suppose it's better than nothing."
With those words said, Miku moved to enter the washroom so she could wait for the Alices who would help her undress, bathe, and prepare for bed. However, she stopped where she stood when she heard that soft, bell-like voice say, "Thank you."
Miku turned around, approached Juliet CV02 again, and looked down on the girl as she sat upright and picked up the flowers. Even though she knew she shouldn't, Miku watched as Juliet CV02 smelled the flowers then set them aside to open the box of sweets to inspect. The girl picked up a piece of chocolate, looked it over, and began to nibble on it. Her eyes widened as she processed the taste.
The words tumbled out of Juliet CV02's mouth. "What is this?"
"You never had chocolate before?!" Miku exclaimed, brows raising.
"Is that what this is called?" Juliet CVo2 chewed some more. "It's good."
Mouth agape, Miku was too stunned to move as the blonde continued to nibble on the piece of chocolate until it was gone. Based on the way she ate slowly to savor the taste, it was as if it was the richest thing this girl had ever eaten. For all Miku knew, it was. Somehow, it didn't seem right this Juliet knew nothing of the finest delicacies Artemis had to offer.
Holding out the box, Juliet CV02 asked, "Would you like one of the treats?"
"Oh, um, no, thank you," Miku answered, hand on her tight stomach. "I ate way too much tonight."
Juliet CV02 said nothing else as she stared at Miku before putting the lid back on the box and setting it aside.
"Thank you again," she then whispered. "You really didn't have to do this for me."
"I wanted to," Miku insisted.
"Even after I was so stern with you, Ms. Hatsune?"
"Looking back, I perhaps should have been a bit more considerate." Miku knelt down so that she could speak to Juliet CV02 at eye level. "My apologies if it seemed as if I was trying to get you in trouble. I promise my intentions are only for us to get to know each other better to make this whole situation less awkward."
"I understand." Juliet CV02 sighed. "Perhaps private interactions such as this shouldn't be entirely avoided."
"Don't give in to me because you feel as if you have to."
"Please, allow me to make my own decision on this matter."
"If that's what you desire." Miku wanted to say more, but the Alices chose just then to enter her rooms.
"Ate too much." Rin shook her head, unable to let the single comment go. How many times have I not eaten enough? I bet this Cinderella doesn't know what it's like to be hungry. None of them do.
After the Alices helped Ms. Hatsune dress for bed and left, Ms. Hatsune slowly walked up to Rin and said, "I know it's kind of late, but I'm still wide awake. If you don't mind, would you please play a board game with me?"
Having napped most of the afternoon, Rin wasn't tired either. Yet she still considered saying no if only to spite Ms. Hatsune. Then she remembered Master Tonio advising her to get close to the Cinderella and do whatever she could to befriend Ms. Hatsune, so it was with great reluctance Rin replied, "A game sounds nice."
"What do you fancy playing?" Miku asked as she lead Rin into the game room.
Surveying the options, Rin pointed one out and answered, "Snakes and Spiders."
Ms. Hatsune rose an eyebrow. "That's a strategy game."
"Do you not wish to play it?"
"It isn't that. It's only I didn't expect a Juliet to know how to play. You do know how to play, right?"
Since it was no secret, Rin admitted, "I'm one of the few Juliets who knows how to read, write, and do arithmetic, Ms. Hatsune. Please don't assume I'm too uneducated to play a game that requires I know how to think."
"My apologies. I meant no insult."
"I'm sorry as well. I shouldn't have sounded so rude."
After the game was set up, Rin and Ms. Hatsune spoke little as they went about moving their tiles and forming their armies. Ms. Hatsune was the spider, and Rin the snake. It was almost fitting, really, for Rin to be the snake.
"You win," Rin announced minutes later after they set and revealed their tiles. Hornets and bees made up the vast majority of Ms. Hatsune's army. Rin's tiles were not as advantageous, her only good one being a rattlesnake.
"I only won because you let me win," Ms. Hatsune called out.
"Please, Ms. Hatsune, do you truly think—"
"Reveal the tiles you cast aside."
Knowing there was no way out of this, Rin sighed and revealed the tiles she didn't put into play. Amongst them was the black widow, an instant win against the spider just as the king cobra was the instant win against the snake.
"I won't hit you for winning," Ms. Hatsune said. "Nor punish you in any way. Don't go easy on me because of what you think I might do to you."
Rin didn't blink. "I didn't fear being punished, ma'am."
"Then why are you trying to not upset me?"
"As a repayment for the flowers and chocolates," Rin replied, the lie smooth as silk. To follow along with Master Tonio's plan, she needed to get on Ms. Hatsune's good side. Letting Ms. Hatsune win seemed like an excellent start. Rin didn't anticipate the Cinderella figuring out that Rin cheated.
"A proper repayment would be respecting me enough to let me win on my own." Ms. Hatsune began collecting her tiles. "We shall play again, and this time you will not simply give me the victory."
They played three more times. Rin easily won the first, prompting Ms. Hatsune to try harder the second round. She won, but only barely. The third round was a tough match, but Rin strategized against herself near the end. She was more careful this time, and when Ms. Hatsune won, she accepted the victory as hers without realizing Rin cheated again.
As Miku waited for the Alices to help prepare her for the ball, she looked up from her computer and at Juliet CV02. The girl hid with Miku in the study, sat on the big chair, and devoured the novel she placed in her lap. After Juliet CV02 admitted that she knew how to read, Miku gave her permission to browse the mini library her suit – as with all the other Cinderella students' suits – came with. To her surprise, Juliet CV02 didn't hesitate to pick something out and read it whenever Miku painted or worked on one of her assignments like now. Even more, as Juliet CV02 sat in on Miku's classes, she learned the same information the academy was teaching Cinderellas. Despite the faraway look Juliet CV02 displayed in the classroom, she listened to and retained the knowledge, so well in fact she was able to assist Miku on an assignment whenever Miku asked for the help.
She's smart, Miku silently observed. If we were classmates instead of whatever this relationship is, would we have been friends?
"Do you wish to attend the ball tonight?" Miku asked, turning away from the computer screen. She was supposed to be typing a history paper, but instead she spent the past half hour staring at a blank page. Focusing was impossible.
"I must be there to remain by your side," Juliet CV02 answered, dodging the question.
"I won't be alone at the ball," Miku said, but her heart ached at the fact Mr. Kaito would not be there. "It won't be necessary for you to follow me around when I'm already surrounded by others and not likely to be in a dangerous position."
"With all due respect, why are you asking, Ms. Hatsune?"
"Miku," said girl corrected with a sigh. No matter how much Miku insisted, Juliet CV02 would not address Miku by her given name. "I'm asking because the last time you attended a ball, you seemed to not have had a good time." You came back crying. . . . "Your presence won't be required, so please don't feel as if you have to attend out of a sense of duty."
"Won't my absence be noticed?" The way Juliet CV02 asked the question gave Miku the impression it was a challenge and not a real question at all.
"I doubt it will," Miku answered confidently. "Everyone will be too busy eating, drinking, socializing, and dancing to take notice. However, if you truly wish to attend, you may come along. I only wanted to give you the option to either stay or go."
Pursing her lips, Juliet CV02 returned to her novel. She hadn't read long before Miku asked, "May I have your help?"
To answer, Juliet CV02 set the book aside and walked up to the desk. When she looked over Miku's shoulder to see the screen, Miku's heart began to beat rapidly. It didn't make sense for this girl's close proximity to make Miku react the way she did, but Miku tried to keep her face neutral despite her burning cheeks and neck.
"You have nothing written," Juliet CV02 observed aloud.
"Yes, that's why I'm asking for help."
Instead of asking what the assignment was, Juliet CV02 reached over, grabbed the mousey, minimized the page, pulled up the class website, and read the task.
"So, a report on one of the ruling queens before Artemis became a republic," she said. "Who did you pick to do the report on?"
"Queen Michaela II." Miku tapped her finger against her chin. "Queen Elluka was my first choice, but Luka wanted to do the report on her since she was named after her, so I let her have that queen. Queen Michaela II was my second choice."
"Why?"
She fought for equality in Artemis, Miku thought. She tried, and failed, to ban the caste system. It was often rumored that she had an affair with her Juliet bodyguard Riliane, but nothing was ever proven.
"Queen Michaela survived a civil war," Miku chose to say aloud. "It was during her ruling that women – Cinderellas, Alices, and Juliets alike – could join the military. She herself was a warrior, fighting on the front lines."
Juliet CV02 nodded, the response satisfactory. Not for her, but for Miku's professor.
"She still isn't a popular figure, though," Juliet CV02 reminded Miku. "What she believed, what she stood for – it's no wonder Artemis barely mourned when she died in battle and celebrated when Michaela's more conservative daughter took the throne."
"Only Clarith proved to be a weak ruler, and it was during her reign the queendom fell." Miku shook her head. "Anyway, that's not the point. She might have not been popular, but Queen Michaela still did a lot for modern Artemis. Before her, Cinderellas didn't have the opportunities to become lawyers or politicians. They could only marry men with those statuses and work alongside them. Now there's no barrier to keep us from achieving those goals, and I want to celebrate Queen Michaela for that in my paper."
Juliet CV02 smiled. "See? You don't need my help with this paper. Look how much you already know. Transitioning your thoughts to words on the screen shouldn't be hard once you figure out how to start."
With that in mind, Miku felt determined to begin her paper. Juliet CV02 returned to the big chair and again picked up the novel. Miku nodded to herself, cracking her fingers in an unladylike fashion before placing them on the keyboard. The opening paragraph ran through her mind. Miku exhaled, ready to start.
Then the Alices entered her rooms, ready to help Miku prepare for the ball.
Rin remained in the cozy chair, reading the thick novel, as Ms. Hatsune was bathed, dressed, and prepared for the ball. Ms. Hatsune sat in practiced stillness as one Alice did her makeup and the other braided her hair. Shaking her head, Rin wondered how anyone would willingly submit themselves to being dressed like a little girl's doll.
By the time Rin finished the book and set it back where it belonged, Ms. Hatsune was ready to attend the party she had been looking forward to all week. The Alices left, and Ms. Hatsune gave Rin a questioning look.
"I shall escort you," Rin said, "but I won't be staying. Not if my presence is as unneeded as you say it will be."
"I meant no insult," Ms. Hatsune said, rubbing her sides. Her clothes were getting too small, yet it seemed she was in no rush to buy new, wider dresses. No wonder she passed out that day on the beach.
"None taken." Rin slightly bowed her head. "Now, lead the way."
After she walked Ms. Hatsune to the ballroom, Rin stalked down the halls into the Juliet quarters. She sighed with relief when she found Gumi in their previously shared room. Based on her sweaty face, Gumi had just finished cleaning the ballroom for the party beginning very soon.
"Rin!" Gumi exclaimed when she saw her friend. "What are you doing here?"
"If I'm going to attend the ball, I'd rather go with you." Rin hugged Gumi despite the other girl's smell. "Unless you plan on staying in tonight."
"And miss seeing Ms. Megurine. I don't think so." Gumi giggled, a blush creeping up her face.
"Why does that not surprise me?" Rin smiled as she rolled her eyes. Personal feelings for Ms. Megurine aside, Rin loved seeing Gumi so happy. Rin feared what would happen if Ms. Megurine ever found out the truth about "Gumo," but for now, Rin would share in her friend's excitement.
"I'll need five minutes to wash up," Gumi said, "but I already have a change of clothes in the dresser. I want to wear the pale pink suit. Everything else is available for your choosing."
"How do you have so many men clothes?" Rin asked as Gumi left the room to go to the bath.
"I've had a long time to start a collection!" Gumi answered, shouting over her shoulder.
Rin laughed softly before she looked through the clothes. In the end, she picked sky blue trousers, a matching coat, and a cream button up shirt. The brown shoes Gumi hid under the dresser were a little tight, but they would do. Lastly, Rin tried to tie up her hair. Grunting in frustration, Rin realized she couldn't tie it up anymore. The Alice who did Rin's hair cut the blonde locks to Rin's chin, and the length was too short to tie back.
Remembering what Gumi did when they went to a ball together the first time, Rin ruffled her bangs until they stuck out in different directions that defied gravity. It wasn't much, but it was something. The small mirror in Gumi's room reflected someone who looked a little like Rin, but hopefully not enough.
Taking a deep breath, Rin prepared herself to be Len again.
"Oh! I love your dress, Miku!" Gakuko exclaimed as she ran her fingers down Miku's rose pink gown. "You must tell me the name of the designer."
"A Tone Rion, no doubt," Luka said, wearing a pink dress of her own. Unlike Miku's, which was a frilly and lacey ballgown, Luka's was a trumpet dress with a low V-neck and sleeves that hugged her slender arms all the way down to her wrists. It went well with the way Luka held herself upright and head high; her confidence made her look mature and sexy.
"Actually, um," Miku bit her lower lip, "no, Luka's right. This is a Tone Rion."
"How exquisite!" Gakuko squealed. "My dress is a Luo Tianyi."
"That is obvious enough," Luka said, smiling. "Mistress Luo is best known for her wide fitted dresses with oversized sleeves. Not to mention no designer pulls off the ombre of colors as well as she."
"You certainly know your designers!" Gakuko laughed. Her blue, pink, and purple dress was styled in a way that none of the colors clashed. Although Gakuko stood out in the sea of dresses, it received the kind of attention that had others wanting to do a double take to see who she was.
"Luka knows fashion," Miku pointed out, smiling proudly for her friend. "She helped me pick out this dress."
"She did well," Gakuko complimented. To Luka, "How ever did you decide?"
"It's all in the face," Luka began. "See how sweet and innocent Miku's face is? We don't want to pick out something that will contradict her most prized feature. So, soft colors and laces it is.
"As for the style of dress, I went with something that best flatters Miku's body." Luka placed her hands on Miku's waist. "You don't ever want something that hugs curves in all the wrong places. A slim fit, for example, would have done just that. However, this ballgown does an excellent job of showing the best of Miku's soft body."
Cheeks starting to burn, Miku muttered, "Soft?"
"Come on, Miku," Luka said, smiling sweetly, "anyone with working eyes can see you put on a little weight."
This had Gakuko snorting, "A little?"
"That's absurd!" Miku exclaimed in a whisper. "I'm still wearing the same size I was when I came here."
"Miku," Luka shook her head, "you must be unaware I had the tailor loosen the waist of this dress to better fit you." Hands still on Miku's waist, Luka felt around and mumbled, "Although it wasn't loosened enough."
"Stop saying such things!" Miku pulled away from Luka's reach.
"Miku, I meant no insult," Luka tried, but Miku excused herself and stomped away.
"The nerve of her," Miku muttered, face aflame. Without thinking about it, she placed a hand on her midsection. Not only did she feel pressure on the inside, but she felt how the fabric stretched around her. Perhaps there was truth to Luka's words after all.
"What to do, what to do," Miku muttered, looking around the crowd. Seeing a familiar face, she exclaimed, "Mr. Kagamine!" and approached said boy.
"Ms. Hatsune," Len greeted, seeming happy to see her. His friend Gumo stood next to him. "It's so good to see you again. How have you been fairing?"
"Let's skip the pleasantries and cut straight to the dancing," Miku replied, taking hold of Len by the wrist and dragging him to the dancefloor, all the while ignoring Gumo.
"Is something the matter?" Len asked as he stumbled along. He regained his balance and took large steps to keep up with Miku's quick ones.
Miku shook her head. "Please, be quiet and dance."
To his credit, Len didn't question her further. He lead her into the next song, and the next, and the next after. Miku eventually lost count. When each song ended, Len asked if she wanted to dance again. She always answered with a nod. She didn't trust herself to speak lest she cry. She didn't trust herself away from the dancefloor lest she binge.
They must have danced for over an hour. Both were covered in sweat despite the cool air circulating the room. Len's face was flushed, just as Miku was sure hers was. Her heart beat rapidly, and her knees were growing weak. Miku would have kept dancing till she passed out. She almost did.
"I think that's enough," Len said, holding her upright. Miku struggled to breath, and the world spun too quickly for her to grasp which way was up and which way was down.
"We need to keep dancing," Miku insisted, her words slurred.
"You need to sit down and drink something," Len argued. "Here, lean on me. Let's go someplace you can rest."
Miku didn't argue with Len. Instead she let him lead her to a table in the back corner. When she was seated, Len left and returned with two glasses of water. Forgetting proper manners, Miku drained her glass in one gulp. She then slammed the cup onto the table and sighed loudly.
"What's wrong?" Len asked, showing genuine concern as he looked at her.
Although it wasn't the proper thing to ask someone she didn't know too well, Miku still found herself blurting out, "Have I gained weight?"
All words were lost to Rin. Is she just now noticing? Opening and closing her mouth a couple times, Rin finally got out, "I may not be the most skilled in social situations, but I do know you never, ever comment on a woman's figure."
Sighing as if defeated, Ms. Hatsune replied softly, "That's as good as a yes."
"May I ask what this is about?"
"All men want a petite wife," Ms. Hatsune said the words as if she was quoting someone. "A controlled appetite is a controlled life. Your waist needs to be so small a man can wrap his arm around it."
Rin was confused. "Am I supposed to know what those words mean?"
"No," Ms. Hatsune spat. Then she apologized. "I'm sorry, Mr. Kagamine. I'm not upset at you. It's just . . ."
"You're feeling insecure about your figure?" Although Rin didn't have to ask, she still phrased it like a question. Ms. Hatsune's only answer was a nod. "Why?"
"Why not?" She laughed without humor. "Every small voice in my head is my mother telling me to watch everything I eat."
Confusion overcame Rin, and she had to remind herself that she and Ms. Hatsune came from very different worlds. Rin grew up with a eat everything you can while you can mindset, especially since until she came to the academy, a next meal was never promised.
Maybe it's different, Rin tried to reason with herself, when you don't have to ever worry the next time you eat will be.
"I don't think you have anything to worry about." Rin looked around the room and pointed out a few women. "See? Not every Cinderella is slim, and nobody thinks they are less beautiful than the smaller ones."
"But most Cinderellas are slim," Ms. Hatsune noted. "If I want to get married, I must be attractive. Slim is attractive."
"I believe that depends on whom you ask," Rin stated, careful to say the right words. "The man you marry should love you for who you are, not who you're 'supposed' to be."
Staring at the table, Ms. Hatsune picked at the tablecloth.
"Eating makes me feel comfortable," she said softly, as if admitting something she never wanted to ever say aloud. "I was always under a lot of stress growing up. You know how for a few years nearly two decades ago, parents would bribe the Sisters into giving their daughters the silver crown tattoo no matter what the stars declared the girl's caste to be? Those who were caught, if not turned in by the Sister after she took their wealth, were executed, their daughter with them. Even after the bribing has stopped, there are still families getting executed when their Cinderella daughters don't seem to be 'proper' Cinderellas.
"My parents always feared such. They promise my tattoo was not bought, and I believe them. However, who's to say we would be thoroughly investigated before the punishment is fulfilled if someone gets suspicious? It's happened before. Many times. It's why I was always under so much pressure growing up. 'Act this way.' 'Talk like this.' 'Ladies behave in this manner.' Being a natural klutz didn't help either."
Ms. Hatsune shook her head. "I'm speaking like a fool. Poor little rich Cinderella. Who am I to complain when this is my life? Certainly many Juliets would agree the price I pay being where I am is worth it."
"They probably haven't stopped to think there even was a price to pay," Rin said before she knew her mouth was opening. To keep Ms. Hatsune from thinking about what she said, Rin asked, "So, you grew up in a strict household?"
"Most certainly," Ms. Hatsune answered. "My parents were so extreme, they never let me near a Juliet. We never allowed them in the house, leaving all the chores and such to hired Alices. My parents always insisted they didn't want me catching a Juliet's misfortune. The only place I could escape was food. That aspect of my life couldn't be controlled, right?
"I learned much later how wrong I was. When I was fourteen, I got really plump in the span of a couple months. It didn't take my parents long to figure out I was sneaking food. After that, even every bite was strictly monitored. I guess when I came here and realized I could have all the sweets I wanted, I gave in to the part of me that aches to control something in my life. Yet even that guilty pressure isn't free from my parents' influence."
"I don't know what to tell you," Rin admitted after a moment of silence. "I suppose it's up to you to decide which matters more – how you look or what you eat. You can't have both."
Sighing, Ms. Hatsune replied, "You're right. I mean, I know that already, but I guess I needed someone else to tell it to me aloud. Anyway, I'm sorry."
"What for?"
"For dropping all that out of nowhere. We barely know each other, yet I felt as if I could talk to you. For one, you're honest, Mr. Kagamine. Also, and I can't explain it, but you're . . . familiar to me somehow. It's silly, but it's as if I already know you. The question is, from where?"
Fear growing inside Rin's chest, she forced a smile onto her face. I can't let her figure out I'm the Juliet ordered to follow her around, she thought. How do I steer her into another direction?
Desperate to try anything, Rin suggested, "Perhaps we were friends in a past life."
"Well, whatever the case, I hope we can be friends in this one," Ms. Hatsune replied. "Thank you for listening."
"Any time." Rin stood. "How about I get us some more to drink? All that dancing has made me incredibly thirsty."
"More water would be wonderful, thank you."
After excusing herself, Rin walked back to the drink table to refill her and Ms. Hatsune's glasses. Her spine stiffened when Master Tonio came for more wine, but Rin did her best to act natural. When Master Tonio asked what she thought of the wine, Rin answered in her Len voice, "Oh, I haven't tried it, nor do I plan to. I don't drink."
"I suggest the pink appleberry, if you change your mind," Master Tonio suggested. His voice then got lower with every word. "It's the richest thing you will ever taste. You don't really want to pass up an opportunity like that, do you, Rin?"
Rin dropped the glasses, and water spilt all over the table. Panicking, she set the glasses upright, grabbed a fistful of napkins, and began to clean the mess. All the while, Master Tonio watched in amusement.
"How did you know?" Rin whispered, no longer disguising her voice.
"These balls aren't as public as you and the others are lead to believe," Master Tonio replied. "You still have to be somebody to so much as enter school property. Who else would these strange, uninvited boys be but Juliets playing dress up?"
"Aren't you going to expose us? Punish us? Make an example of us?"
"What would that accomplish? My dear Rin, even Mistress Prima agrees there's no harm in letting you Juliets have your little fun. After all, you girls give the Cinderellas additional practice in socializing and dancing. Right now, there is no reason to stop you."
"How many Juliets know?"
"Only you, as far as I'm aware, and I hope you will keep it that way."
Once her glasses were refilled again, Rin turned to Master Tonio and asked in her Len voice, "Is there any reason you approached me, sir?"
"Only to say I'm impressed you're using your new identity to continue associating with Ms. Hatsune," Master Tonio answered.
"It's the only way she and I can interact as equals."
"You don't need to, though." Master Tonio grinned. "Rin being friends with Ms. Hatsune might benefit me, but I see no point in Len also being friends with the Cinderella."
"To be honest, I half expected you to tell me to make Ms. Hatsune fall in love with Len."
"Actually, Lord Shion Kaito is already doing a fabulous job at that, and the pair is better for my plans anyway."
At the words, something flared up inside Rin. She felt bitter and angry and sad all at the same time. Not having felt the likes of it before, she didn't know what name to assign the emotion.
If Master Tonio knew what she was feeling, he acted on as if he was unaware.
"Be Len. You have my permission. After all, it's what you do as Rin that matters."
Instead of replying, Rin bowed her head and walked away. When she returned with the glasses and handed one to Ms. Hatsune, the Cinderella said, "I noticed you were conversing with Master Tonio. Did he have anything of interest to say?"
Shoving down every new, strange thought and feeling, all Rin said before sipping from her glass was, "Only that I should try the pink appleberry wine."