I was faster this time! And I gave you guys a SUPER long chapter. Yeah. 3900 words-ish. I stayed up waaay past my [metaphorical] bedtime proofreading it, too. X3 Tying a few loose ends. A transition chapter, if you will.

…

Romeo and Cinderella

Chapter 14: In Light of the New Year

I didn't sleep that night. I tried to process what had just happened and how I felt about it. I tried to start out with the simple things; Len killed my sister, I don't know how, I don't know why, and I didn't listen when he tried to tell me. I didn't want to try to explain it, but I tried anyway. It certainly wouldn't be for vengeance, and, so far as I knew, he wasn't crazy. Could it have been an accident? How would he accidentally shoot my sister?

That's all I could think of. How did that happen?

And how the hell did I feel about it? I tried to be sad for her, but I couldn't bring myself to any tears. I couldn't feel happy. The truth was that, under the circumstances, I had no right to try to feel anything. I should have listened when I had the chance.

…

The clock struck noon. I hadn't moved an inch since the night before, not even for the bathroom. But something about the clock striking made me think I was forgetting something. I used that small thought as an excuse to walk (to the bathroom) and try to remember that I forgot I was going to Miku's manor tonight for dinner and would probably be staying over so I wouldn't get lost and die or something. Oh.

When I returned to my room Luka did that impeccable maid thing and magically showed up right behind me.

"I have mildly important information for you, Lady Rin," she informed me, leaning against the doorframe and picking at her nails, which was rather strange because Luka was never that ill-mannered when speaking with me. "I just know you'll be thrilled to hear it."

"What is said mildly important information?" I asked.

"Your father is wondering if you would like to personally deliver any invitations to your 'Winter Ball' to anyone who was not already on the list and, if that is the case, how many?" she explained.

Well that was nice of him, probably trying to make up for when I essentially called him the biggest asshole in the world. I thought about it for a moment. There were a few, two people in particular, that I was pretty sure would not be on the list that I would definitely want to include. "Give me three invitations," I concluded. Luka reached into a pocket in her apron and pulled out the number I'd asked for. I noticed there were no extras left inside. "Ah, Luka you read my mind."

"But of course, Lady Rin. It's my job, isn't it?" Luka seemed a bit irritated. Unfortunately, it was unlikely that I would get to ask her why, considering I'd need to eat, then prepare for dinner immediately after, then ride Joseph to even pray to get to the Hatsune Manor at a decent hour.

So I did just that. Right after dinner I decided to join the protest against corsets and go without one of those for a night. Instead I wore a lovely pearl-colored dress with hints of pink in the right light. I didn't want anything too loud, but I didn't want to look like a hobo off of the street or anything. I pulled a fur cloak and called Neru to prepare Joseph for me, including a satchel with a blanket in it for the cold night. I made sure to remind Luka as to where I would be and she waved me off nonchalantly. Was she ill or something?

I walked with Joseph out to the market. There was a bit of business I needed to care to before setting off. I made my way to the jeweler's stand where the woman, Haku, worked. She was an old widow, always wearing black presumably for the mourning of a dead husband. Her hair was a faded white, her skin very fragile-looking, and her eyes red and bloodshot. She smiled at me with her thin lips as I approached, pulling an invitation from the satchel on Joseph's back.

"Good afternoon, milady. What seems to bring you here?" the old woman greeted me.

I handed her the invitation and she took it in her bony fingers, examining it questionably. "If you would, please, pass this on to Len—the blonde boy—the next time you see him?" I requested.

Haku looked down at the invitation, then back up at me with a hint of mischief in her eyes. "Okay. I'll ensure this gets to Len safely." She ended her statement with a wink. I smiled politely at her then waved her a goodbye and thank you, hearing her sigh something about young love as I walked away. I took Joseph to a clear spot, mounted him, and rode away as the clock struck three.

…

The ride was much shorter on horseback, taking only around forty minutes compared to a regular over-hour journey.

I arrived at the Hatsune Manor at about seventeen 'til four o'clock. I stopped Joseph and tied him to a tree, taking out the blanket and draping it over him for the night. I took the satchel, now much lighter as the bag weighed more than its contents, and was greeted by two servants that seemed very excited about the occasion of my arrival but didn't appear to know very much German. At first it seemed strange to have Miku's servants greet me until I realized that it was customary for servants to get the door in noble manors. Mikuo had been at the door every other time.

One servant took the satchel from me and went upstairs, I assumed to a room that they would have me say in, and the other led me down the main hallway, which actually had its candles lit in contrast to its usual dreary appearance. At the end of the hall was a lounge with many bits of furniture draped in Asian silks scattered around in pleasant patterns as well as lights brightening up every corner of the room. Many maids and servers sat or stood around the room holding trays with various foods and beverages. The Hatsune family sat on the left side of the room; the couple I assumed to be Miku's mother and father dressed in clothes traditional to their culture while Miku and her brother were adorned in German styles.

Miku's mother just about had a freaking seizure as soon as she saw me. Her dark hair fell straight down her back—I could see that her children had gotten their father's fair hair color—and her eyes had crinkles at their sides, looking to be from smiling so much.

"You must be Riiiiiiin!" she squealed, getting up and trying to make her way over to me as quickly as she could with all of the fabric she was carrying behind her. Her husband merely smiled behind her as she put her arms on my shoulders and asked for permission to hug me.

I found myself in an airless squeeze for a few moments until Miku got up and saved me.

"Mother, please don't suffocate my friends," she requested.

She released me and turned to Miku. "I'm sorry, dearest! I just get so excited sometimes." Her mother returned her attention to me. "Miku has told me so much about you. Come, sit! Let us converse before dinner."

Miku's mother had very good German. She must have had years of practice, maybe even lived here before. She introduced her husband and her favorite maid then began asking me about my home life.

"So what is your marital status, Miss Rin?" Miku's mother asked me.

"Mother, I don't know if Rin wants to talk about that—"

I cut into Miku's sentence: "It's a bit complicated. I am engaged. To a man of great status, even. He's to be prince of another German state soon. Probably after the marriage."

"Oh, my dear that must be rough, going into a life with so much work involved," Miku's mother commented.

"Work?" I asked aloud, though I was sure it was only in my head. "Don't you just have to sit around and look pretty?" I added with confusion.

"It's much more than that, darling. I learned that the hard way the first time I moved to Europe, years and years ago."

So my suspicions were correct. No wonder she had such a good grasp on the language. "Well, my mother never really gave me many lessons on anything. I was sure she didn't do a thing, honestly…"

"It's much more than that my dear. You're comfortable, right? Good, good. Well the whole idea of being a lady in this day and age is making social connections. I really can't believe your mother never informed you of this! It's so bizarre. She must be mad. Anyway, you just need to make nice with the wife of 'the boss' which, in your case, you are—will be—the boss's wife, so you need to make an impression on the people making nice to you. In organized circles you'll have your day at home in which everyone in your circle will visit you as they go through their daily routines and often they'll leave a note with their off day on it so that you can visit them when they're at home, give them a note, and the process falls into a never-ending hate spiral. It's quite tedious work, I must say. In fact I remember one time when a woman didn't give a card…" Her story trailed on for a while and I found myself fading in and out, commenting when appropriate, of course, but the story really didn't interest me. I'd gotten the information I needed (including my mother's incompetence at being a mother), so I left myself to process.

Food was prepared, set out, and eaten. It was quite delicious, even; a mix of German and Asian cultures done in a way that was not unsatisfying. We returned to the lounge again afterwards to wait for the approaching midnight hour. At around eleven thirty, a special sake brew the Hatsunes had kept from their home was poured and passed around. It was around that time that I remembered the invitations for Miku and Mikuo in the satchel in the bedroom upstairs.

"Excuse me," I called to a servant that appeared to be European.

"Qu'est ce que c'est, mademoiselle?" he replied. Oh, God he was French.

I used my mad translating skills and asked him to fetch the satchel from the room that I had apparently been designated to earlier. He gave a curt nod and trotted out. I was sure that I accidentally cussed the guy out or something. Either way, he was back very quickly and holding exactly what I needed.

"What's that?" Miku asked me.

"Oh, just something," I said vaguely, digging inside the satchel and pulling out two cream-colored envelopes. "These," I began, gesturing to the invitations, "are for you and your brother."

"Ooh," Miku sang, taking the slip from me rather cutely, like an excited little puppy. Mikuo more politely let me offer it to him. Miku opened the invitation and pulled out the card, reading aloud: "'You're invited.' Hm. Sounds fancy. 'This note invites you to attend a Winter Ball in honor of the marriage between Lady Rin Kagamine and Prince Kaito Shion on Wednesday, January 4th. The Kagamine family would be flattered to have you attend.'" Miku looked up at me. "Oh, Rin! Thank you so much! We would both be honored to attend." She threw her arms around me in embrace. I saw Mikuo smile and nod toward me from behind her.

Miku eventually let me breathe again. "I'm glad," I sighed. "I'll need as much… support as I can get." I flashed a meek smile before Miku's mother chimed in:

"One minute before midnight!" she called.

The room suddenly became filled with energy. One minute. Just one more minute and the New Year would come. One more minute and I could put this behind me. It would all be over. I could move on and be happy again. One minute. The power to change my whole world in just one minute.

"Ten. Nine. Eight. Seven. Six. Five. Four. Three. Two. One. Happy New Year!"

I heard a bell chime in the distance. The room was filled with happiness and celebration and drinking. All the ingredients for one badass party, if I do say so myself. It was all so… good.

But I didn't feel any different.

I was supposed to have this magical sense of relief. Somehow, this New Year was supposed to make change. My problems would dissolve like sugar in water… Maybe I just needed to sleep. Surely I was just tired. My new feelings would envelope me in the morning, a warm blanket of reassurance. I decided to retire for the night. Miku walked with me to show me where I was to stay.

She let me tuck my satchel inside the front of the room, but stayed to wait as if she had a question for me.

"Can I interest you in, perhaps, a spot of tea?" she said. By the way she asked the question I could tell she really didn't have any interest in a cup of tea, but rather it was an excuse to speak to me. "Here, let me show you to our study."

Miku led to a room at the end of the hall. She opened the door slowly so it wouldn't creak so loudly and stepped inside. I closed the door behind me. The study was not as large as the one at my own manor, but it was big enough, and that wasn't what made it so spectacular. The ceiling was a glass dome, letting in faint starlight from a cloudless sky. Miku did not light any candles. It appeared that she knew her way around by heart. I followed her slight silhouette to a round table with two chairs on either side of it. She sat first and saved me the trouble of decision.

She let a silence drag out before speaking. We didn't look at each other, and we wouldn't see anything even if we were to try. "You've seemed so distant tonight," she observed. I waited for her to add on but she didn't.

"I guess I have some explaining to do, then," I inferred. Again, I was met with silence. She didn't seem angry, but there was an air if disturb around her. "I've… told you of my sister, Lily, haven't I?"

"Bits and pieces," she said. "You mentioned her that morning. Just once… What about her?"

"Well it's," I breathed a little shakily on the sore subject, "her death. She was very dear to my heart, even though there were a lot of issues with her and me and, well, our parents. And I just found out something that just may have ruined my day." I looked over at Miku, staring hard at the side of her face, as she was still turned.

Miku didn't ask any questions. I guessed I assumed she didn't want to push anything out of me that I didn't want to share.

"Len told me he loved me," I said. Miku turned her head toward me. "I've been through this obsession over him and wanting to be with him all the time and when he said that I knew I loved him, too. Then… and now I just don't know anymore."

She turned her head back away from me.

"He killed my sister."

I took a long pause, trying to let the words sink in.

"He told me that and I didn't even let him try to explain. And now I'm mad at myself because I did that. He deserved to tell me but I don't deserve to know."

I was done talking. I fixed my gaze on the watery stars flickering across the sky. It was like an illusion that you could just barely see through.

"Do you remember what I told you?" Miku inquired.

I nodded, still focused on the stars. "Yes."

"I'll talk to you at the ball, then." Miku stood and walked out of the study. I listened to her light footsteps to fade into the background then stayed a few more moments, not really thinking about anything, just staring at the illusion overhead.

When I did finally stand to leave I found a servant waiting for me outside to lead me to my guest room.

"Oh, let me get that for you," he offered, though I could not tell what he meant before the tip of his sleeve wiped my cheek.

"Thank you."

He silently walked me back to my room. "Is there anything else I can get for you, Lady Kagamine?"

"A glass of water would be lovely, please," I requested.

"Of course," he said then left.

I dressed myself in a light garment set out for me to rest in, trying to take my mind to a less serious realm; I thought of the Hatsune parents. It was very kind for Miku's family to let me stay, though after a certain recent incident it seemed only necessary merely to avoid dangers of the street.

I paced around the room a bit, taking in the style of it, still fighting the numbness. I couldn't see the colors very well for the only light was a small lantern on a table next to the bed and dim starlight, but I could see the shapes. It was very simple. The floor was made of polished wood and there was a rug in the middle of the rectangular room. There was one squeaky board right next to the bed, suggesting it had been well used by the previous owners of the mansion. There was a small closet across from the bed and a vanity next to that. I tried to resist snooping in the drawers, but alas, I couldn't stop myself. There were three small doors on the vanity, of which only two opened. The first was empty and the second seemed to be the same until I saw a little chain shine under the light filtering through an uncovered window by the bed. I picked up the delicate string and stared at the details on an oval locket. Tiny flowers were engraved on the surface of one side, the other side smooth, as if someone had rubbed off the impression. I was just about to open the locket when the servant knocked and let himself in.

"Your water, Lady Kagamine," he announced. I jumped and dropped the locket. It landed with a little clatter "Um… are you okay, Lady Kagamine?"

I fiddled with my hair and rushed toward the servant. "I'm doing just fine, thank you. And thank you for the water." I took the glass from his hand and smiled before closing the door on him.

I know, it was probably an overreaction to the whole situation, but I really shouldn't have been probing in the first place… though it was really going to kill me about what was in that locket.

A sudden wave of tiredness hit me and I decided if it was still important to me in the morning, it would be safer to look at it then anyway. I crawled into bed and let my dreams take over.

…

I walked through a dark room, random patterns of light being my only reference for where to go. I came to a spotlight with a white figure crouched underneath. It was a little girl singing to herself. Her Voice was so beautiful…

I am just your rag doll.

Do with me what you want.

Looking for me hide-and-seek.

Let's play pretend.

Always here the favorite.

Be the girl, or the toy.

I am just your rag doll.

Play. For. Me.

It was such a strange song for a little girl to be singing. She sang in rounds, her Voice becoming shakier and scratchier as she sang. The key fell to a minor. It became uncomfortably stirring. I started walking toward the girl to ask her what it was she was doing, what was wrong. She heard me coming and stood up, turning around in the process. My breath caught in my throat. She had no face, only bleeding scars. A scrape ran across her forehead, scratches danced on her arms. The figure still continued to sing without a mouth. I wanted to stop walking forward, but I couldn't. I walked until the figure and I stood face-to-face. I saw myself reflected into the beaten little girl, then I became twisted. My skin began to bruise and bleed. Pain shot through my face as my scars began to mimic the little girl's. I tried to scream, but my mouth was gone. The figure stole my face.

…

I succeeded in shrieking in the waking world, though the sound of my own voice was not what woke me up.

Mikuo stood panting at the door in his underclothes. "What's wrong? I heard screaming," he breathed, a wild look in his eyes.

I felt a tear roll from my eye as a choked sob let itself out.

"Lady… R-Rin, are you okay?" he asked, moving to stand next to me. I shook my head and he sat down. I let him move the hair out of my eyes as another tear fell. Then another, and another, occasionally paired with a sound of distress. "Was it a nightmare?" I nodded slowly and found myself slipping my arms around Mikuo's torso. He paused then continued to awkwardly stroke my hair. "I-it was just a dream. No need to worry. It was only a dream. Just a dream." He chanted this for a while until I was able to calm myself down. However, all composure was immediately lost as soon as Mikuo tried to move away.

"No. Wait. Please stay," I begged, pulling him down crying into his sleeve again. "Please stay. I'll have nightmares again…" I whispered.

"I…" he started

"Please."

"O…kay," he breathed.

I kept my death grip on Mikuo's arm and started to lay back down again, bringing him with me. He stayed above the sheets, somewhat stiff, obviously unable to get over his discomfort at the situation, but I eventually felt him relax. As soon as he was settled I found myself feeling groggy again and let my mind pull me into dark slumber.

…

I was not sure what woke me. I opened my sleepy eyes and found the room illuminated in morning sunlight, the door closed. The events of the previous night were all a blur to me in the morning. I vaguely recalled feelings of terror followed by sadness and relief in the form of a faint light.

I roused myself and found the clothes I had worn the previous night lain out neatly on the vanity. I dressed and checked my appearance in the mirror. The action reminded me of the locket that I had dropped carelessly back in the vanity drawer before sleeping. I checked inside the door that I was sure I had left open earlier, but it was empty. I checked in the other compartment, around the vanity and on the floor; nothing. I sat back on the bed with disappointment. Now it was definitely going to bother me.

I looked up into the mirror and felt a pang of emptiness. I could not tell you what it was from, but you still had yet to notice me, anyway.

…

A/N: Anyone else notice Rin talking to "you" a lot lately. Now I wonder, who could that possibly be? *hint hint*

^actually that's only important if you're into this huge symbolism stuff I've been including lately, so ya know, if any of you English fanatics want to have an uber-nerdy conversation with me about the metaphors and points I'm trying to get across here, I'll talk for days. x3x3

So I hope you enjoyed the chapter and still have a lot of questions and mild depression about everything! If that is so, then I have done my job.

Thanks for reading! And reviews would be lovely~ :DD ^^;

Anonymous:

Sadako: GAH I KNOW RIN WHY YOU DO THIS THING. At least now she kinda sees her mistake. Thanks so much for reading and reviewing and everything~~