Tales of Lithium

A Cinderella Story (Cause Why Not)

Cindy groaned as she stared at herself in the mirror. The dress looked crooked, even with the corset and ribbons and gloves, it didn't sit right on her stocky shoulders. It didn't brush the bottoms of her toned knees and it stopped short above her ankles without the heels she had searched so long to find. Tears were welling in her eyes as she seethed at the flawed vision in the mirror.

She looked like a woman, she had be ridded herself of the short stubble with the closest shave she could possible get away with, sparing from nicking her cheeks, and had bathed away any remnants of the soot and ash that would cake on her now glowing and raw skin. Her short blond locks were carefully shorn to hide their boyish bob and form a curled halo covering her annoying perky ears.

She felt beautiful, staring at herself in only the clothes her step sisters had thrown down into the cellar after her father had died and hell had become her home. But those clothes didn't make her womanly, they were meant to exaggerate her lack of femininity and she had prayed for days on end that the dress her mother had worn so lavishly would give her what she had craved. The endeavor of even being able to make herself ready, collecting the myriad of lentils from the ash with only the most help three mice she'd cared for could give her had taken hours but had been completed with ease when compared to second half of her requirement to be taken to the ball. To appear womanly.

A sob ran past her lips as she begged herself to swell, to form the crest of womanhood she so longed, to have a stomach that would grow with child from a love she would never met with this disgusting body with its foul appendages and rough outline. A creak sounded and she whipped around to meet her stepsister's wide, green eyes. A sigh ran through her at the sight of the kinder and more understanding Alena. "Goodness... What have you done with your waist?"

Cindy allowed the tears to stream from her eyes, gripping her hair in anguish as the brunette ran over to her.
"No, no don't cry! Look, I promise you haven't done anything badly," she fussed, trying to see Cindy's watering amber eyes. She sniffled as Alena clutched her hands, flashing her a kind smile. "Listen, you look positively gorgeous, darling. But I think your corsets's on wrong."

Cindy sniffled, leaning into the kind hand as her usually sweet chime of a voice came out frail and weak. "Then...Would you please help me? I tried doing what I did for you but... But.."Alena shushed her as she wiped away the slowing tears. Alena hurriedly untied the back of her dress and got to work on the corset lacing, muttering endearments at how beautiful she was as Cindy let a weak smile grow on her lips.

"See, you weren't tight enough. I used to do the same to my sister's. This may be hard to breathe in, but you'll look fantastic." Cindy chuckled, clutching a chair in anticipation.

"Do you truly think so?"

"Completely," Allie said with a grunt as she tightened the strings, Cindy letting out a high gasp. "Almost there, don't worry." With three more pulls and a stomach that felt uncomfortable for even a snake, Cindy was left wary, standing on unsure limbs to see her new figure.

Her fingers glided over her now curved sides, her eyes wide at the sight of her body. Alena smiled beside her as she turned to see the dip her back formed, to see how her shoulders raised slightly and to watch the ease of her hips.

"Alena? Promise me I am not dreaming."
Her sister chuckled, squeezing the other's strong yet petite hand.

"You are quite awake my dear sister, and you look so beautiful that my mother will only have one thing to tell you once you slip into that dress."

Cindy honestly wanted to cry again but she hid it in a bright laugh as she clutched her sister. The two threw the gown back over her, grinning at the way it spun with her as Cindy laughed.
------------------