Flagrant Fragrant by Heron Djenne Canvasback

In Vain (fantasy-drama/ vanitas/ modern fairytale)

             The only thing Ann, the abandoned seventeen-year-old daughter of Medusa and Hermaphroditos, wanted was to be beautiful. She wasn't old enough to get plastic surgery, and the surgeons told her there was nothing that they could do to help her.  She went to the costume store one day, and the only mask the storeowner would sell her was the ugliest on in the town; it wouldn't even he considered during Halloween. She found a doll that matched it in the thrift store. Everyday everyone bullied her, including the adults and tourists.

            She walked through the doors of a robotics company a few towns over. Their specialty was humanoids. She thought that if they could transfer her soul into a beautiful robot, everyone would love her. She passed exhibits of past breakthroughs all the way back to the early 1800s. The employees covered their eyes from the ugly girl.

            "I have an appointment with Dr. Hotoshiro," she said.

"What is your name?" The blind secretary felt the list for that day.

"Ann Gizbo. The appointment is for 4:12."

"Yes, go ahead to room 345. Here's a map."

            Ann knocked on the door with her very future on the line.  A humanoid opened the door, and Ann walked inside almost having a panic attack. There was an operation table with a machine with long rays and needles over it. Under the table was the body of a beautiful woman in her early twenties. Ann smiled.

"Excuse me, why are you in here, and who are you?"  Dr. Hotoshiro asked gasping at her ugliness.

Ann hugged the doctor. "Ann Gizbo. You're supposed to make me attractive."

"Oh, lie down there." The doctor strapped her in. "Are you sure you want to go through with this. It's the invention's first trial. Did you fill out the papers?"

"Yes." A gas mask lowered on her face, and the operation began when Ann went to sleep.

It was dark outside when Ann's eyes opened. "A mirror, I need a mirror!"

"Ann, calm down. You need to go through the physical therapy session." Two hours later she let Ann get up, put on the scrub pants and shirt, and converse: all in an ugly bright green. She told Ann her new body's measurements. Finally, she let her look in the mirror. She envied the reflection before she processed that it was of her. She danced around the lab, and ran to the mall. Everyone bowed and curtsied to her. When she came out the mall, she had thousands of followers. The got rough and pulled at her silky flowing brown hair. She fell back, and they pulled at her clothes, kissing the torn pieces.

Minutes later, a handsome young man rescued her from the crowd and swarm of admirers. He splashed through the river, outrunning two-hundred-thousand men and lesbians on the riverbanks: with Ann on his broad shoulder. He whisked her into the woods and into a mystic door in a tree. The door vanished when they entered. Inside the tree was a tunnel that led to another door.

When they crossed its threshold, they were in a parallel world. He had brought her a magical forest with, Hamadryads, Dryads, Corrigans, Sprites, Oakman, Sidhe Draoi, and other forest and earth fairies. He set her down on a bench shaped stone with vines hugging it.

"Will you be my wife, Ann?"

Ann's heart froze, and then beat four times faster. She blushed and kissed the earth fairy's hand. "Yes, my savior! But what is your name?"

He kneeled. "Seoirgi, my bride."

"Where's the nearest chapel?"

He stroked her hair. "Not far from here, my love. Selisuc will perform the ceremony, Fiona will prepare the food, and Guennéan will make your dress. I want this to be a day you won't forget."

She hugged him "Now I have everything I ever wanted." Her tears of joy rained on his shirt.

They were married until Ann turned forty, and Seoirgi found another young beautiful bride. Ann found a way back to earth, but a hundred years had gone by on earth. Medusa and Hermaphroditos came and told her that that they always love her, and that she didn't need to change anything about herself.