Chapter 6: Wildest Dreams

Lugia Board hummed as she walked out of her dad's department store a few minutes after six. She had just finished a long shift and was ready to get out of there. She loved working as a manager of the makeup department, but it could be taxing at times. There were at least three snobby twos in today and sometimes they just pushed her over the edge.

She stepped out onto the street and looked down at her phone. She was supposed to be playing Dungeons and Dragons at a friend's house in three hours. If she was quick, she should have enough time to stop by the Province Services Office to drop off her form on her way home. She had filled it out the day it arrived, but she hadn't had time to drop it off yet.

She stopped at the corner, putting in earbuds and turning on her favorite song before slipping her phone into her pocket and heading towards the PSO. She considered stopping for a cup of coffee, but she knew she didn't have a whole lot of time before she was supposed to meet her friends, especially if she wanted to film a vlog before she left. A cup of coffee did sound good though… Maybe she would pick one up on the way home.

Or maybe not…Lugia sighed as she turned the corner onto the block where the PSO was located. There was a line of at least fifty people stretched out the door, and it did not seem to be moving very quickly, if at all.

When the form arrived in Luigia's mailbox, she had not hesitated for a moment. This was perfect. It was her dream. Living in an actual palace? Yes please! Even if it was only for a few weeks, it was still the opportunity of a lifetime. She could become friends with Prince Gunnar or Princess Kat. She could get her name in to get a job. That would be incredible. Not to mention the large stipend that came along with it.

After almost an hour standing in line, which at least provided some good time for vlogging, it was finally her turn. She handed over her form and ID and waited while the six looked over her papers. She smiled when the lady handed her a form to sign and handed it back, not before filming a tidbit of her signing it. She then stepped over to the corner to have her picture taken. She smiled brightly and the camera flashed. The cameraman, a bored looking five, signaled that she was done, and she made her way out of the PSO. She looked down at her phone, checking the clock. Did she have enough time to stop at Starbucks? Of course she did, there was always time for Starbucks!

She ducked into the Starbucks on her way home and ordered a double espresso with cream, whip, and rainbow sprinkles, because who doesn't want rainbow sprinkles? She stopped outside the door to take a photo and hurried home as quickly as she could.

"Hello, fellow humans! It's LugiaButNotThePokemon, and there is big news here in Illéa! Our very own, and brand new, King Nils is hosting a Selection! Think the Bachelor starring Cinderella." Lugia paused for a moment to take a sip of her coffee. "So, when I heard about the Selection, I was obviously like, 'Um, yes please, where can I sign up?' I mean, who doesn't want to go live in a palace? Of course I filmed the whole process, so those of you who want to enter but haven't yet can see how it works! I would definitely suggest going early, the line was very long."

Lugia stood up from her desk and turned off her camera, noticing the "storage full" light was on. She would have to remember to check that when she got home. She looked down at her phone, she only had fifteen minutes before she had to be at her friend's house. She gulped down the last of her coffee, texted Issac that she would be out late, and headed out the door.

...o0o...

Clara Hamilton opened her phone after pouring the popcorn kernels into the pot on the stove. Benjamin and Adrianna were in the living room, curled on the couch with their eyes fixed on the tv. The Selecting had been going on for about forty-five minutes, and Clara could not understand how they were still so interested. It was so boring. All it was was the prince drawing slips of paper from baskets and announcing the name written on it. How could that possibly be so interesting?

She peeked into the pot to see if the popcorn was anywhere near ready. Seeing no change in the kernels, she looked back to her phone and opened Instagram. She sighed as she scrolled through post after post talking about the Selection. She honestly didn't understand why people care so much. Couldn't they tell the whole thing was rigged? Did they really think it was random?

Despite her criticisms, Clara herself had entered, but that was only because she had bet Benjamin and Adrianna $20 she wouldn't be picked. She had no idea why they agreed, it was a stupid bet. But hey, if it got her $20, she wouldn't complain.

The sound of popping started in the pot, pulling her attention away from her phone. She pulled a big bowl down from the shelf and pulled the butter out of the fridge. Once the popping slowed, she pulled off the lid and emptied the contents of the pot into the bowl.

"Clara!" Benjamin called from the living room, "He's pulling Lakedon, you only have a few minutes!"

"Coming!" she called back, pouring the melted butter over the popcorn.

"Clara Hamilton, get out here!" Adrianna yelled at her.

Clara grabbed the bowl and walked out to sit down with them. "I'm here, I'm here, no need to freak out."

Adriana grabbed a handful of popcorn and handed the bowl to Benjamin as Clara turned her attention to the tv. All three royal siblings were seated in a row in front of thirty-five baskets, each filled to the brim with white envelopes. She watched as a young man in a butler's uniform walked over to one of the baskets, drew an envelope, and walked over to the siblings. He bowed as King Nils took the envelope from his gloved hand. The king meticulously opened the envelope and read the name before looking up to the camera.

"From Likely, Lady Sybil Son." The king smiled, and his siblings clapped politely while the butler walked over to the next basket and the process was repeated again.

"From Midston, Lady Eloise Birdsall."

Adrianna grabbed Clara's hand and grinned at her.

"Here it comes!" She exclaimed, Benjamin beaming right alongside her.

"Oh my God you guys, it is not a big deal. Do you really think I am going to be selected? Let's be real," Clara sighed, rolling her eyes and pulling her hand out of Adrianna's. Despite her doubts, she felt a few butterflies in her stomach as she leaned forward to watch as the butler bowed and the king took the envelope from his hand. She could feel Adrianna take a deep breath and hold it as King Nils read the name and looked at the camera.

"From Ottaro, Lady Clara Hamilton."

"OH MY GOD!" Adrianna and Benjamin screamed, both jumping up from their seats. Clara, pure shock written across her face, fell back into her sean, her mouth agape. She tried to form words, but she was so in shock that all she could do was sit there as her friends danced around her, screaming and shouting.

...o0o...

Kesa Jimenez stood, the way she had told so many of her own clients to stand in front of a long mirror as three people bustled around her, taking measurements and muttering to themselves. The past week had been the craziest and most chaotic of Kesa's life. There were more people coming and going from the Van Alen house than Kesa or her mother had ever seen. Her days were now full of interviews, doctor's appointments, fittings, and endless phone calls. She was exhausted. All she wanted to do was to sit down with a pencil and paper or relax with Louise.

She looked up from the mirror as Caroline Banker, her case worker, stepped into the room. Caroline was the woman who was now, seemingly, in charge of Kesa's life. She had been at the Van Alen house every day from six in the morning until six at night for the past week. She had been explaining all the ins and outs of the Selection, explaining the rules, tutoring Kesa in etiquette, managing interviews and fittings, and generally preparing Kesa for life at the palace.

"Lady Kesara," Caroline nodded to her before turning to the seamstress that was currently measuring Kesa's waist, the one who was, supposedly, in charge of designing her ball gowns. Caroline began speaking to the woman in rapid French. Kesa sighed, clearly they did not want to include her in whatever they were discussing. She turned her focus back to the mirror and let her thoughts wander to where they had been going most often since her name had been drawn: to what her life would be like from now on.

Obviously she and her mother would no longer have to work for the Van Alen's, but would they choose to leave? She had lived with them for as long as she could remember, Louise was like a sister to her. She couldn't imagine what it would be like to live anywhere else. Then again, she was about to move to the palace. Even if she was eliminated in the very first round, she would still be there for at least a week. A week at the palace, the palace where the Royal Family of Illéa lived. She could hardly imagine it. In a week's time she would be living in the same building as the Royal Family.

"Lady Kesara? Lady Kesara!"

Kesa looked up from the mirror, surprised to be pulled from her thoughts. "Yes?"

"I asked you which you prefer, maroon or indigo," Caroline sighed, exasperated.

"Oh, maroon, sorry," Kesara blushed.

"Don't let your mind wander, that kind of behavior will not be tolerated at the palace," Caroline snapped, turning back to the seamstress, and returning to French.

"Yes, ma'am," Kesara whispered, sighing herself. Who knew there were so many ways to do break "protocol," and to think, she wasn't even at the palace yet! She closed her eyes, pushing away the stress of it all and picturing instead all the reasons she was happy and excited about being a daughter of Illéa.

Hey all! I'm so excited to introduce Lugia, by Milly; Clara, by Shadowbird38; and Kesa, by Sylea! The SYOC is now officially closed and I have all my characters, so that is very exciting. I will be posting brief descriptions of each of them on my profile sometime in the near future. As always, thank you to those who reviewed the last chapter!