Hello all of you beautiful people. I'm serious this time, all three of you who reviewed are beautiful and stunning and wonderful. Especially I've Perfected Imperfection and KidTantei. You've given me a HUGE ego boost (as said before.) I thanks you. -bows deeply- xDDD I learned a new word from a dictionary website. It's in the chapter title. I think I've used it correctly. If not, please tell me. I put it there because of Mikan starting to forget her bet with all the ruckus around. It makes sense to myself, but I'm not sure about others. xDD
Disclaimer: is implied.
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Cinderella 7: You're so anacoluthic.
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Mikan wasn't allowed in Aoi's room until 8:00 pm. She felt a bit lonely, but the girl had to go and clean up and cook for her family, even if she didn't love them with all her heart. She cleaned, cleaned, did the laundry, clean, and before planning to leave at 7:00 she made dinner for the family. She was going to tell them about her going to the ball.
"Absolutely not," Yuka said as she wiped her mouth with a napkin.
"But the prince himself invited me mother!" Mikan stood a metre away from the woman, protesting.
"Why would the prince invite a failure like you to such an extravagant ball?" Luna sneered.
Then why are you going? You're basically just living off of my father's money right at the moment. Mikan swallowed those words and politely replied, "Because his highness cares deeply for his kingdom, and has allowed many unworthy commoners and servants come to the ball." Like you. "I feel as though I must accept his invitation to my best, even if I must walk on my own two feet, else I will be insulting his highness."
Luna rolled her eyes. "I don't believe I've heard of this invitation," she scoffed.
The brunette quickly dug around in her pocket to find a piece of paper. "Here it clearly says, as this was given out to people by the messenger guard nearby."
"Do you mean the cute one that goes by the name of Kokoro?" Sumire asked with interest.
Mikan slightly raised an eyebrow and quickly nodded. "I believe he'll be looking for a fiancee during his time at the ball," she said. Hint, hint. The faintest blush appeared on the greenette's cheeks. The brunette started to suspect that her step-sister had a thing for the smiley messenger. After all, they had been having morning conversations everyday, and Mikan often saw giggling and scratching of heads; indicating awkward exchanges of discussion.
"Then... I suppose this information is true," the girl with a bad perm muttered.
Yuka grunted, "But I still will not allow it."
"Why ever not?"
"Because you'll need to clean the place after we've done cleaning up ourselves. The car will pick us up at around 6:00 o'clock in the afternoon."
"What if you go to the salon and clean up there? Surely given a makeover by a professional is much better than having mine."
"True," Sumire added as she checked her nails. "Besides, we definitely will outshine Mikan at the ball with our beauty. As our make-up is done by professionals, and our dresses are silk. I don't believe there is a need to worry, am I wrong mother?"
"Sumire-"
"Or are you saying that our beloved step-sister is much more beautiful than Luna and I?" She still faced her hand, but looked over to her mother.
"No, not at all sweetie," Yuka admitted defeat.
Luna glared at Sumire, and 'hmphed.' The blonde then excused herself from the room, having Mikan clean her place and wash the dishes.
The greenette subtly winked at her step-sister, and gave her a face saying for telling me about Koko. The brunette started to think that her green-haired step-sister with a bad perm wasn't as bad as she thought. The girl was just very proud.
"But, we will not be taking her with us to the ball. She will just have to find her own way of transport. Surely she will somehow find a way to go to the ball by herself, isn't that right, Mikan?"
The girl mentioned merely nodded, but hiding under that calm facade was a girl ready to burst into song and dance, thrilled to be able to go to the ball. "Thank you so very much step-mother. I am so very grateful that you would grant this humble wish," Mikan added in order to stop Yuka from changing her mind, "You are very well one of the best and beautiful women I have ever met." To Yuka, that was saying something. The brunette had met many beautiful and charming women up until the age of thirteen, so the compliment was like kissing her ass- literally.
"Well," Yuka cleared her throat to avoid showing any pleasure and followed with a artificial calm voice, "This is your very chance to meet a baron or merchant and marry. I would recommend that intern under that scientist, oh, what was his name, Misaki? I suggest you would make your move then Mikan."
Thanks, but no thanks. I'll be talking to the princes. "Thank you from the deepest parts of my heart. I will not cause you any disquiet." She bowed, and the two other people in the room left to go to their rooms. Mikan quickly gathered the dishes, wiped the table and floor clean, and washed the china. Then, she instantaneously ran up to her room, dressed herself with the clothes she was given from Natsume, and dashed out the out the door. The sneakers she wore were practically dilapidated. If that made sense. Mikan had just seen it in the worn out dictionary she had and decided to put it into some good use.
As she hurried along the newly made sidewalks, she finally arrived at the back door of Natsume's place. The brunette had seen it before, but the size of damn palace was huge. She punched in the code she had to remember from day one. A voice sounded, "Ni shi shuo nai zhong hua?" Basically a question of what language you would speak.
"Wo jang ri ben, ye jang ying yuu. Wo zhi dao yi dian de zhong wen," Mikan replied, translated into saying that you spoke Japanese and English, and knowing a bit of Mandarin.
"Okay Mikan, your Mandarin isn't as bad as I thought. But the accent is pretty damn painful to listen to," Aoi's voice rang through, and the doorknob made a click. Mikan opened the door, and carefully shut the door behind her.
"Well, we have your dress. You like?"
Blink. Once. Twice. Three times.
It was beautiful. The colours and the cuts on the dress was amazing. The shoes and accessories were beautiful as well.
"I like? I adore!" Mikan sincerely felt like bursting into song and dance. But she thought the author was lazy to actually give details, and draw it out, thus breaking the fourth wall.
"So. Come here at seven o'clock tomorrow night, so that Anna and I can clean you up well," Aoi said with pride and accomplishment. "But try it on now. I'd love to see what I can do with your hair."
"How about I come at 6:30 instead? That should be easier to deal with, wouldn't you think?" Mikan offered.
Anna shrugged in response. "I'm coming too, don't you dare forget. Your dress seemed so hard to make, but you should see the seamstresses and tailors here. They finished it within two hours! Their hands were twice as fast as yours Mikan! Maybe even three times! Aoi spilled some grape juice on the sleeves and front, so they remade it in less than 45 minutes after seeing what would go where. Plus, Aoi's dress is gorgeous, so you better see it," Anna started blabbing on like how your typical teenager would do, and started going into detail for about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, Natsume was in his room with Ruka, talking about a little something that was agreed to two chapters ago. Ruka didn't have anything to do with it- Natsume did it in secret. Mikan being Ruka's fiancee was most likely the reason for his red flushed face.
"I-I'm g-going to m-m-m-mar-marry Mikan?" Ruka sputtered in disbelief.
"Yeah. Why? Is she not good enough for you?"
"N-No! I-I mean yes! I mean... ugh," the blonde reclaimed his composure. "It's just that I do like her, but not in, well that sort of way..."
Natsume stared. Did he think what he thought he heard? The boy is dense. "Ruka, You were talking about her for two hours straight the other day. How can you not like this girl?"
Ruka looked back at Natsume, and raised a brow. "Then how can you not like her? You were the one who was talking, if my memory is correct. Complaining, then pitying, and I remember a bit of pink come onto your cheeks. Natsume, you should be the one marrying her. Besides, if you don't like her, use her. It will be completely approved of if you tell your parents about her situation, and it'll be on the front cover of at least five magazines."
The raven-haired prince paled. Was he really that transparent? Of course, there were times he let his guard down, but that was it. As expected from his royal highness of the Diana region, he's brilliant, not to mention astute, if you take in mind that last comment.
"I have to ask- what made you so sure about my, well, feelings towards... Sakura?"
"Call her Mikan from now on, and I'll be happy to tell you, my dear neighbouring friend," Ruka smugly said, ,and crossed his arms.
"Well, when did you know about me... towards... Mikan?"
"I'll tell you after the ball is over Natsume," Ruka said as he left the room, firmly closing the door and making a dash for it. He ran straight for the washrooms, and Natsume was mislead. He opened every door and finally reached Aoi's room, forcing it to open.
"Aoi! Did Ruka come here by-" those words died on his tongue when he saw Mikan in nothing but underwear with her back turned. Ah, strawberry panties.
Mikan stared.
Natsume stared. He bowed, cleared his throat, and muttered an "excuse me" before locking and closing the door.
"Oh my," Anna and Aoi said simultaneously.
Oh my indeed.
Mikan had her mind blank for 10 seconds before blushing angrily. "Natsume is so dead. I'll bury Ruka while I'm at it," she said as she forced a smile and slipped on a tank and skirt nearby and ran to find and kill the two bloody princes.
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Ah, the cliffhanger came to me after remembering the school office, then when Natsume and Mikan first meet. Ooh, awkward moment much? I'll update in a few days. This practically wrote itself at 2:00 in the morning. :/
Please tell me what you think! A cookie for the first reviewer for this chapter! This was a four page, including the author notes.
~NyaniHenshi