Poposi's Ascent (A Prince Series Fanfiction)

Prologue

  From the moment I walked into my new life, I realised that Poposi Academy for Girls was destined to become corrupt. That much was obvious, even as I strolled through the opulent halls of the school on clandestine dropped-petal-sweeper duty. Everything here simply screamed of power and wealth, from the thick, soft lambskin carpet to the radiant Versailles chandeliers, refracting iridescent beams in every direction. Scents of Chanel and Dior, made from species of plants and animals no doubt endangered by now, wafted around the hordes of girls fluttering in and dabbing their makeup surreptitiously with compact powder puffs. Tittering and gossiping, subtle colonies formed within the sea of beauties in mere moments - they bonded over 'How tacky Prada was these days' or how 'hideous' they found the 3D oil paintings adorning the gilded walls.

  Obviously, this was purely aesthetical complaints. They had no inkling of how much dust and insect eggs those things collected given a week to themselves. Why would they? They weren't the ones scrubbing floorboards with thin wipes before the sun came up to prevent the rough filaments on mops from scratching the hand - sponged woodstain, or the ones painstakingly using a tiny vacuum tube to suck up accumulated grime on the carpet, and certainly not the ones arranging easily perishable flowers for hours on end just to watch them wither within minutes.

  It could not have been easier to spot than if you stuck it up my nasal canal - none of them knew of the labour behind the luxuries.

  Who can even see the seamstress behind the 'Trouble' designer dress Power likes to flaunt anyway?

  Before the opening ceremony, I had had to clean the spiky modern sculptures, get down on my knees to cover up the subtle hiding spaces we'd chosen for pest traps to be placed, and wash the curtains three times with lavender. Now, I could only glare as they casually left makeup stains on the curtains (which they used as handkerchiefs), pushed their friends playfully to try and rip their uniforms on the sculptures, and tromped straight for the spaces I'd covered up to throw their trash. Because apparently, walking 5 metres to a dustbin is an unforgivable inconvenience. For royals and politicians, I blasted to myself, they acted more akin to swine. There were photographers, of course, but that didn't deter anyone - it'd probably come over as a boisterous and friendly beginning in the newspaper headlines.

  Ah. Noticing a 15 year old girl stare at me and cowering in fear led to yet another realisal - I had let my inner hatred and discontent slip out all over my face. Taking a quick glance at a nearby mirrored sculpture confirmed it - my countenance was rather terrifying. Hastily, I buried my nose in a bouquet of daffodils and camellias, letting the chilly scent of eucalyptus sprigs envelope and calm me. Drawing upon that strength, my brisk salesgirl facade returned once more. The porcelain mask once again covered a maid with a criminal record and a huge sum of debts to repay...Turning my attention back to my job, I continued picking up petals discreetly as I weaved in and out of the bobbing human tide. Tidbits and snippets of interesting conversation floated into my ears as I passed by their owners, completely ignorant of my presence. No one takes notice of a simple serving girl, I saw with a jolt. I was almost invisible to the upper echelons of society, like a ghost.

  Yet, that made me invincible as well.

 I was 16 at the time. Now, at seventeen, I think it rather ironic - I have returned to an existence of conspiracy, but this time backed by friends who get me. So I have been spying on the Poposi Student Council for four months, infiltrating a corrupt world to topple it and help it ascend from the ashes anew.

 I will bet and gamble with this anonymity and invisibility, and I cannot lose.

MAIN CAST:

Blaise Louison

Cia Fukumoto

Jeanne Ziani

And of course, the star of the show, Antonio.