Cinder-Mari

A race against time

A/N HEEEEY!!!! It's me, and I'm SO sorry for not updating sooner. It's been crazy around here lately, getting used to my new school schedule, and I finally got down to business and started writing this. Thank you so much for continuing to read this, I hope you enjoy!

"Alya!" Marinette rushed through the crowd, searching for her friends. "Marinette, what's wrong?" Alya asked, but she gasped when she saw that the polka dotted dress was disappearing, replaced with the tattered, old remains of the previous one. "We have to go! Do you know where everyone else is?"

They soon found Juleka and Rose at the punch bowl, and Mylene dancing with Ivan. They too expressed concern at the fact that Marinette's noble facade was slowly fading away with each passing moment. They rushed toward the entrance, pulling open the doors before the servants could even get to them.

Down the steps the five friends went, not stopping to look back. Halfway down the stairway though, Marinette tripped over her own feet and rolled the last few feet to the ground level. "Marinette! Are you okay?" Rose cried out, running over and picking her friend up. "Yeah, I'm fine, Rose. Hurry though, we can't let anyone catch up to us!"

Marinette clambered into the carriage with her friends, and Duusu took off as soon as everyone was safely inside. They thundered down the stone streets of Paris, watching the flame-lit lanterns speed past them. Breathing hard, Marinette leaned back and closed her eyes, but when she did all she saw was Prince Adrien smiling at her.

I cannot believe he was the prince, she thought with reservation as she finally caught her breath. "Marinette, what did you mean about someone catching up with us? Was someone chasing you?" Mylene asked in confusion and worry. "Not exactly. It turns out that the man I was dancing with, was actually the prince."

"Well yeah, we know that part. Alya and I were watching you dance with him, and we all heard the crowd cheer." Juleka said. "What happened though, to make you have to leave in such a hurry?"

"Well, Prince Adrien had to step out to speak with his father. He told me to wait for him, but then my dress started to disappear. I didn't want the king to know that his son was being so informal with a commoner, so I had no choice but to leave as fast as I could." Marinette explained, and her friends nodded, agreeing that was probably the best solution at least for now.

"Oh my, Marinette! It must've been wonderful dancing with one of the most handsome men in France, you're so lucky!" Rose sighed, clasping her hands over her heart as everyone else laughed. It was that moment that Marinette suddenly realized how cold her foot was getting. She lifted her skirt and saw that one of her slippers was not on it.

"Huh, I guess It must've fallen off when I fell." She shrugged. "Oh well, it'll probably just disappear with the rest of my outfit, and I should get my normal shoes back soon." Soon Marinette's dress disappeared, and she was wearing her torn one again. The single shoe stayed for some reason, but Marinette didn't really mind. 

No matter how many years she lived, she vowed to always keep this precious slipper, that will forever remind her of that magical October night when she danced with the prince. The carriage went along with it, and the girls were left to walk the last few miles, gently carrying the newly transformed mice with them.

Nino was just about to go up and ask a beautiful brunette to dance, with cinnamon colored skin and a black and white gown, when she collected her companions and rushed out before he could even blink. He sighed, and went over to Adrien who'd rushed into the room, looking around frantically.

"Uh-oh, what's wrong?" He asked nonchalantly, as the prince bent over to catch his breath. "Nino, did you see a black haired girl run through here, wearing a polka dotted gown?" Nino heard these words with a start, that description exactly fit one of the girls who left with his would-be dance partner.

"Yes, she came in here and left with a few others just moments ago!" Adrien sprang back into action once again, thanking his friend and running toward the main entrance, ignoring any disapproving looks he might've gotten. The servants quickly opened the doors for him, and he raced into the cool night air to see a girl in a red dress trip on the stairs.

He was about to run to her, but she was able to pick herself up with the assist of her companions and climb quickly into the waiting carriage. He ran down and stood in the courtyard, watching it grow smaller in the distance. Then Adrien felt something against his foot, and looked down to see a red fur slipper, which he immediately picked up in wonderment.

"You should use it to find her." Adrien jumped, and turned around to see a tiny Asian man, dressed in a simple green coat and brown pants. "Who are you? Did you see the girl who just left, can you tell me anything about her?" He smiled, and shook his head. "I cannot. However, I sense great magic within that slipper. If your love for her is true, I promise it will lead you to her."

Adrien only became more confused. "How am I to do that, and how do you know so much about this shoe?" The man chuckled, and took the slipper from Adrien's hands for a moment. "Young man, you don't get to be my age without knowing at least some of the mysteries of the world. Simply try it on every girl you can, and I can assure you it will find the one you love." Adrien looked down at the slipper that was given back to him, and shook his head.

"How will that work, though? There must be thousands of girls who fit this shoe." He looked up for the man's answer, but he had vanished. Soon Nino caught up with him, and looked around for the mystery princess. "I take it you couldn't catch up with her?" "No, but there is still hope yet. Nino, how long do you think it would take to get a message to every village and city in France?"

Alya, Rose, Mylene and Juleka dropped Marinette off at her home first, and they all hugged, remembering all the fun and adventure they'd experienced that night. Marinette went inside, taking a basket of bakery leftovers up to her room. There she pulled out a pad of parchment, a quill and some ink, quickly writing down all of her experiences from that night, as if she were telling her parents.

The mice snuggled up to her, the lantern almost burned out and her belly full, Marinette felt happier than she'd been in a long time. She didn't know what tomorrow would bring, or the day after that, but this night was hers. No one, not even Lord Bourgeois or Chloe could take that away from her, and she fell asleep with a warmth in her chest that we all know as hope.

A/N One more thing, before anyone gets snarky in the comments because I made the slipper out of fur instead of glass, I'll have you know that's the way it was originally written. Even so, you have to agree that seems a lot more comfortable and practical, it's a shoe for crying out loud. See you later!