Jade Sky

Cinderella

And the day of our theatre play came by.

I started scrubbing the floor of the stage, as Yoru–my stepmother–watched with amusement, a fan in her hands. My stepsisters, Misaki and Kakeru laughed.

My look of hatred was seen only by the audience.

"Make sure you clean upstairs too, Cinderella," said my stepmother, a mocking tone in her voice. Yoru's acting had improved so much compared to that time he spent as my boyfriend.

"Yes, ma'am."

They left the stage as I continued scrubbing. "I hope they'll at least leave me some scraps from the table tonight. Why? Why don't I even have enough power to run?" I stood up as if I had just come to terms with something. "Because even if I could run, where exactly would I go?" I whispered as if I had just realized.

"Cinderella? Be a dear and go down to town and fetch us our clothes from the tailor. Too bad you don't get to come to the ball with us," said Misaki, giving a laugh worthy of a villainess, as she walked off the stage again. The lights darkened for a second.

I wordlessly wandered around the audience, searching for the tailor's shop, and randomly asked some of the audience, "Have you seen a tailor around? Pink hair, a little noisy, acts like a brat?" Most of the audience shook their head and just smiled back, but one of them held up a Koi-shaped keychain.

"Like that! He looks just like that!"

I headed back to the stage, where I came across the tailor. "Sir tailor, I believe my stepmother ordered some dresses?"

"I believe your stepmother's and stepsister's dresses–which I made, mind you–are the only thing that's going to be pretty about them at the ball," Koi said, before throwing a hand over his mouth.

I smiled in amusement. "Did you say something, sir tailor?"

"Um, I said it will cost you around 10,000 yen."

I handed him the money, and made to go home, where I handed the dresses over as they inspected it.

"You didn't get any dirt on them," my stepmother said.

I rolled my eyes and shook my head, as she ignored me and left.

"The ball is tomorrow night, and I have a list of chores to get done," I said, looking around at the audience. "I could've sworn this was to make sure I wouldn't be able to attend."

I watched as my stepmother and stepsisters headed away to the ball, and I headed to the garden, sat down with my legs dangling off the stage and just sighed. I leaned back on my arms and stared at the ceiling lights, imagining them to be fairy lights.

"What ails you, my child?" I heard someone say as I got up and spun in a circle. Arata was dressed as a very pretty fairy godmother, complete with the wings.

"Who are you?" I asked, standing.

"I'm your fairy godmother," she said, as I simply stared at her like she had said she was a dragon.

"Right. Goodbye," I said, about to leave.

"Wait, don't you want to go to the ball?"

"No, I want power. I want knowledge. I want to escape this household." I said, looking at her. "But right now, I just want to sleep."

"Too much of a pain. I can't be bothered," she said, walking away and hopping down the stage and walking among the audience. She turned back as if there was something she had just remembered. "There's a magician in town who might be willing to help you. I'm going to go find some strawberry milk now."