#because the glee of the narrators telling you 'hey. here's what gonna happen at the end. good luck :)'

[liesonthefloordramatically]

okay, Midst is very good, PLEASE listen to it, but also I realized that part of why I am so gleeful about Midst is that it not only features one of my favorite things (unreliable narrators) but also features one of my other favorite things (the narrative standing directly behind the characters with a gun)

case in point: spent the entirety of the episode last week feeling an intense amount of dread because I DID see the narrative standing directly behind the characters with a gun and then this week felt an intense amount of vindication when the gun fired

Rowan has said before that I am way too good at picking up on foreshadowing (I think I am a normal amount of good at it, but also recognize that I seem to correctly predict where things are going substantially more often than many of my friends), but also I am so gleeful that A. Midst does occasionally manage to clothesline me anyway (yes! it's fun to stop dead in the middle of the street due to Events and Revelations!) but also B. the narrative is built to be even more enjoyable when you pick up the foreshadowing because then the narrative is making pointed eye contact with you while standing behind the unsuspecting characters with a gun

anyway, this metaphor is getting away from me, please listen to Midst, I'm having a GREAT time

[currentlyreadingmanga]

Toilet-bound Hanako-kun Chapter 18: Mitsuba (Part 1)

Previously: we wrapped up the little mermaid arc. Hanako and Yashiro’s relationship continues to evolve while they figure out where they stand and how they want to move forward. In relation to that, Hanako confirmed that the person he killed was his younger twin brother and he promised to tell Yashiro the whole story in the future. We also met what I assume will be our complete group of antagonists (at least for the time being): Natsuhiko, Sakura and Hanako’s brother. Their dynamic so far seems to be (surprisingly) quite playful and lively, but also Hanako’s brother murdered the puffer fish with such glee that I just  (;;⚆_⚆)

Now onto the next chapter!

Welp, I didn’t intend to take another long break but life happened and I have the attention span of a goldfish. As a way to also make myself stick to a schedule, I’m gonna try my best to do these recaps as regularly as possible. We’ll see how that goes.

This time we open with Kou and his friends talking about a rumor that says that the entrance to the middle school is haunted. I’m guessing this means that this arc will be a little more Kou-centric? Especially since he and Hanako were the ones in the cover of this new volume. I wonder if he’s gonna do his own thing with Hanako and/or Yashiro chiming in like in The Young Exorcist Arc, because that would be cool.

Okay, so apparently the ghost grabs you when you’re changing your shoes. And judging by the ominous “Hey” speech bubble, I’m guessing this rumor is true just like the others, then (not like I was expecting anything else, but still) Also Kou’s friends are very cute, they look like they deserve hair ruffles.

(ﾟдﾟ；) Σ(ﾟДﾟ|||) JFC that’s much more terrifying that I thought it would be. Also!!! does that head angle give anyone else crooked man vibes? no? because it’s giving me some horrible flashbacks to that game.

The chapter cover page here is that image (from ch 16) that has our three babies looking ready to tell some ghost stories. I wonder if it’s something that this site did or if the volume itself repeats this page. Nevertheless, I still love this page, they look very very cute.

The title this time is “Mitsuba”, which sounds like a name and I’m only saying that because I think I might have heard of another character with that name. Then again, my japanese is very limited, so I could be completely wrong. If it IS a name, I’m guessing it’s gonna be our crooked man’s over there since most chapters so far were named after the different supernaturals. 

Moving on, Kou shows the ghost that he decided to mess with the wrong guy by promptly throwing them against the shoe lockers. RIP ghost (again).

Oh! Kou says that the ghost is wearing a school uniform, so he was possibly a student here. Interesting! Now, we don’t know when this boy died, but this means that Hanako isn’t the only ghost that has an attachment to this school. The question then would be why this boy is here specifically and not somewhere else.

OH!!!!!! There he is!! He’s the pink-haired boy, right?? Okay, so, it’s been a while, but I mentioned that I had seen two spoilers when my instagram feed decided to betray me. One was Hanako’s brother and the other was this boy here! I saw him two times in two pieces of fanart with Kou. I didn’t know he would appear so soon! Ohhhhhh that’s exciting! I’m guessing he must be important in some way, right? He looks really cute! and now I feel bad about the crooked man comment (even though his neck really looked kinda funky in that one panel). Are they gonna become friends?? Is Kou gonna expand his friend list to two (2) ghost friends?.......oh, god, I hope Teru doesn’t object to this one too. Well, no, I don’t think he would; he wants to exorcise Hanako because he considers him a danger to the school (and I’m not saying that Hanako doesn’t have the power to hurt others but like…….his brother really seems like the bigger threat right now ngl……...Although, do they even know about him? Because we know that Kou’s grandmother (?) was the one to seal Hanako away and his family knows that he killed “someone”, but do they know about his twin?)

Hey, there’s my other two children! So they are gonna be involved in this arc as well, cool.

OMFG KOU! Sweetie, no! Like, I get it, he’s a ghost that tried to grab you and he could have hurt someone but he looks so helpless, like a scared puppy! I get tying him up but was the duct tape on the face really necessary? I mean, no one else besides the other supernaturals and Yashiro and Teru would have heard him, right? I can’t even be mad at him tho, look at how excited he is about catching a ghost  ಥ‿ಥ    

Anyway, it seems like he went to Hanako to check how he could deal with the ghost. And awwww!! It’s because he doesn’t want to exorcise him, either! He’s really committed to this new path, huh? Good on you, Kou, I’m so proud. 

Hanako gives the boy a long silent look and tells Kou that since the ghost is there probably because of some unfinished business, that means he should help him solve whatever they are. I mean, if countless movies have taught me anything, it is that this plan should probably work.

Omfg Kou just keeps yanking this little ghost boy around. Please be careful with the ghost child. Yashiro shows her concern over the idea (understandable, Kou can be overly enthusiastic and we don’t know anything about this new boy). Hanako says it’ll be fine and he also confirms that the boy is not really dangerous now (the “now” is kinda concerning, though (⚆.⚆) …..but then again, since I saw him and Kou in fanarts, I’m guessing things will turn out okay), and that if things take a turn for the worse, it’s just more work for him because he’s the mediator. Hmmm, that’s quite a solemn look on his face. I think he mentioned this when we met the mokke as Yousei-san, but he wants to avoid killing/getting rid off apparitions whenever possible, right? That’s why having Yashiro as his assistant works in his favour. So that means that he probably doesn’t want to have to “deal” with this ghost, but since that’s the nature of his role, he has no other choice if push comes to shove.

(ALSO, this is a side note but it just hit me: since Hanako doesn’t seem to know this ghost, that means that he’s new? or maybe that he recently acquired the ability to manifest? could it be because of the rumors? like, he was just doing his own thing and suddenly the rumors forced him to haunt the entrance?)

Anyway, we cut back to Kou and ghost boy.

Omfg this poor child. Kou, please untie him before he starts crying.

……………………………...oh my god. I- well, I expected many things but this was not one of them. Like, he has every right to be angry but wow this child has a mouth on him. But also it could be because of the way it’s translated but it’s very funny to me that his insults range from “i hope you drop dead” to “dummy head” pffft.

I-..... He’s really nothing like I expected omg what. Sweetie, breath, trust me when I say Kou would be one of the last people to even think about doing something like that.

OMFG I JUST SCROLLED

Pffffffffft why is that so funny?? I can’t be the only one that  read that in the spongebob narrator voice.

But yeah, it looks like he got it all out of his system. Now Kou is trying to maintain his “cool guy facade” so that ghost boy will respect him (I think it’s gonna take more than that to achieve it, but we’ll see). He also tells him that he comes from a family of exorcists but that backfires spectacularly because the boy basically calls him an otaku. RIP Kou, he really can’t catch a break pffft

Ghost boy keeps being sassy and that makes Kou threaten him with his staff. Good thing he doesn’t know that it’s sealed and that it doesn’t really work.

Hey! His name really is Mitsuma (thank god, I can finally stop calling him ghost boy). He really isn’t the cooperative type, huh? Also what’s that bottom left face omfg Please just let Kou know, he just wants to help.

Like, I know they’re brothers but wow Kou looks so much like Teru right here, scary face and all. But yeah, anyway. A picture? Like, he lost a picture that he treasured? Or maybe he wants to take one? Or he wanted to take a picture with someone else?

Ohhhh, okay. So he was part of the photography club and there was a picture he wanted to take before he died. Or so he thinks. So like, do you lose part of your memories when you die? If so, could it be because of the passage of time or as defense mechanism of some sort? If his camera is still at the club, then that probably means that he was a student here not too long ago.

We cut to Kou helping Mitsuba take some pictures (and being attacked by birds in the process), And from the looks of it, it’s all on purpose and Mitsuba is having way too much fun with the power he has lol Kou, in turn, keeps zapping him with his staff when Mitsuba gets too cocky. Boy, these two already have quite the dynamic, I can’t even imagine how chaotic they’re gonna get in the future.

Kou then points out that Mitsuba has taken pictures of scenery and animals but none of people. Mitsuba admits that pictures of people are better if you want to win awards but then cuts himself off. Hmmm. Does he like to take pictures of nature better because of his artistic style or could there be a deeper meaning behind it? 

Here’s your reminder that I really really love Kou  ಥ‿ಥ He’s such a good boy I just  ಥ‿ಥ  ಥ‿ಥ 

“I’ll pass” PFFFFFFFFFFT these two give me whiplash, I swear. Mitsuba is freaking brutal (and I’m kinda living for it ngl).

Hey, one of Kou’s friends, Yokoo, is back! 

Oh????? Did Mitsuba went to the school recently? Were they in the same year??? Kou didn’t look like he recognized him, so maybe he was in a different class?

Ah, they actually were in the same class during their first year. Is Kou in his last year of middle school? So….they were in the same class two years ago? 

Oh no. Mitsuba died sometime last winter in an accident. It looks like he has a big scar on the back of his neck; if that’s how he died, it seems like it was quite painful. This poor child ;; Yokoo mentions that they weren’t really that close to him (and that’s very clear considering Kou’s reaction). I wonder why Mitsuba didn’t say anything. But then again, Kou didn’t really give him any signals to work with, I guess he just decided to keep quiet.

Oh! It looks like Kou is remembering something now that he’s been reminded. 

oh my god…...look at them…….babies ;;; they look so young ;;;;;; what happen??? why did they stop talking?? just because they were in different classes?

Oh, that’s…….that’s heartbreaking. To desperately reach out, again and again, and to come out empty handed every time. And I feel like it’s such a common fear too, the possibility of being forgotten by everyone you care about. That would be such a hit to your own self-worth. Oh, sweetheart….This poor baby needs so many hugs.

[bluephoenixdruidicprincess]

Legacies 1x13, The Boy Who Still Has a Lot of Good to Do -- Review

Yup, we're here with another Lega-Trash episode. This came a day later than it normally does on the account of me being sick. I was on Nyquil and I didn't want to watch and review this episode while my mind was in that kind of groggy, cloudy, addled state...if I did, I might've thought this episode was actually good and we can't have that, can we?

This is going to be an honest review of my thoughts and feelings regarding Legacies, the spin-off of a spin-off that should never have come to pass. But here we are. I'm not a fan of this show, have never pretended to be one so if you're looking for Legacies positivity, this is not the place for you. Move along, this is not meant for you. I'm very critical about this show. Keep in mind these are my thoughts and feelings about this mess of a show. Opinions are never right or wrong. I'm not telling you how to think and feel. You don't have to agree with ny opinions but I would ask that you respect them, please. Also, spoilers for the episode. So if you haven't seen the episode yet, watch the episode and then come back...otherwise read at your own risk. But let's be real here. I'm sure my followers who end up reading this have no desire to watch this show and use my ramblings in these reviews as a substitute for actually watching the show...those selfish jerks -- just kidding, I love all my followers and please, only watch the show if you really want to. I'm making a sacrifice watching the show so you don't have to.

So, this episode takes place immediately after the last one. Everyone is back at the school but they notice that Rafael, Landon, and MG are missing. They find Rafael who has no memory of what happened. So the entire episode is spent trying to figure out what happened. Through some magical potion Hope concocts (because of course she does) Rafael is able to remember more but it's only until they find MG who is suffering from a werewolf bite Rafael gave him that we truly understand what happened. Upon hearing that MG's relationship with his father is non-existent, Landon urges MG to meet up with his father, MG eventually does and when his father realizes MG is a vampire, he doesn't take it so well and this distresses MG immensely so in his anger towards Landon for thrusting this on him, he goes all ripper and kills Landon. Rafael bites MG in retaliation. And we're back in real time looking for Landon's body, we find it, everyone's sad, and then it catches on fire and Landon rises from the ashes still in the same clothes he was wearing despite the clothes being burned in the fire...YA nonsense, what are you going to do? So we realize here that Landon is supernatural, he's apparently a Phoenix.

Alright, so this episode...it actually could've been competent, maybe borderline good. Except it takes entirely too long to get to the climax. There really was not enough story for 42 minutes in this episode so they just kept on splicing in parts where Rafael suddenly starts remembering and then conveniently forgetting and then also conveniently falling unconscious. Instead of telling a cohesive story throughout the entire episode using the concept of unreliable narrators throughout and then having the two stories meet and through that meeting, you're able to figure out what happened, we end up getting a very choppy episode that only barely makes sense, convenient amnesia, convenient hallucinations and it was all very boring to watch unfold. This episode would've been better served had Rafael and MG both been found by separate parties in the beginning of the episode, throughout the episode the two groups are moving towards each other in the woods all the while getting these individual stories. But the problem is that they're unreliable narrators and they're only remembering the events in the manner they want to remember. Until they finally meet and see each other and that's when they can finally remember everything that happened. That's how I would've done it but hey, Legacies writers, you do you. I'm not going to tell you how to do your job, I'm just telling you a more interesting and more interactive way to tell this story.

You know, for a split second in this episode, it felt like Landon was actually going to be dead for good and I had almost a modicum of respect for the show, I almost started tearing up a little at the end. But then Landon caught on fire and I realized they were doing the whole Phoenix myth and that basically ruined it for me. I originally thought, "oh shit, Landon is dead. Is he the final key to opening Malivore? Is the apocalypse going to start next episode? Is MG actually going to have character development? Is Landon's death going to be something that's going to haunt him?" But no, Landon comes back, basically no consequences. Yay.

Although, didn't TVD already do the whole Phoenix myth thing? I honestly don't remember the season too well but there was something about a Phoenix slaying vampires. Is Landon gonna get a hard-on for killing vampires? If so, I imagine that's going to make breakfast at the Salvatore boarding school cafeteria a little awkward.

And with every episode, I just continue to despise Penelope that much more. So in the beginning of the episode, Hope couldn't track the boys because Penelope gave them a cloaking spell as a gift for Rafael breaking up with Lizzie on her birthday. Does this woman's spite have no limit? I'm certainly not going to say that Rafael is in the wrong for breaking up with Lizzie on her birthday. It's kind of mean, sur,e but as opposed to his heart not being in it and potentially leading her on, I respect Rafael a little for it, and I think at the end of the day, Lizzie is probably better off for it. But Penelope taking glee in something like this, something that has nothing to do with her, it's just her getting off on someone else's pain, is truly horrible. She is a horrible person and while I may not particularly enjoy the way Josie is written, Josie deserves better. I'm honestly beginning to wonder if Penelope is a psychopath. The thing with Lizzie is that while she does selfish things, hurting people is never her intention. Penelope does the things she does because she wants to hurt them. I'm pretty sure the show is trying to say, "Look, how bad-ass this girl is, she's a total bitch and she doesn't care." Being a bitch may be the "in" thing to do these days but there's being a bitch because of your own desires and the things you want to gain and then there's being a bitch for malicious intent.

And on the note of the twins, it's super weird they weren't in this episode at all. Especially since supposedly both the girls have a thing for Rafael. It was just really weird. Hmm, almost like the show doesn't have that big of a budget and couldn't afford to have all of the actors in this episode. This kind of thing happens a lot on networks like the CW. The beginning episodes typically have the most budget but usually it's the middle to tail end of a season where the budget starts failing, they still have money but they're going to save that money for the finale. So sometimes actors get cut from the episode or the special effects take a bit of a dive.

All in all, this episode was really boring. It gets a C. It does what it needs to do and it's just kind of there.

[scarletraven1001]

Retribution: 6

[Book 1] [Chapter 6]

Summary: Vegeta finds himself depending on Bulma, and she realizes that she may be the only one who could tame the darkness in his heart. As they move closer to what the Saiyans had been searching for, Bulma makes a request that may be difficult for Vegeta to grant.

A Vegebul Mafia AU Fic, for the @vegebulocracy Big Bang Challenge, 2018

Story Rating: E

Chapter Warnings: Violence, Swearing, Angst, Fluff

Also on Ao3

All Chapters: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8

8-8-8-8-8

Notes: Chapter 6! I have to say, this chapter may be one of my favorites, so I hope you like it, too!

8-8-8-8-8

Chapter 6

8-8-8-8-8

A week.

She had been declared as missing, for a week.

Her face was displayed on newspapers and on the internet, with articles narrating sparse details on the kidnapping of ex-Senator Dr. Trunks Briefs’ only daughter.

The press was trying to get interviews from Dr. Briefs, who had obviously declined to comment.

Now, the police was on their tail, and this was made exceedingly worse by the fact that half of West City’s police force was being financed by a furious Frieza Kold.

Bulma was worried about her father, but she knew that he would be safe, for now.

Frieza was a calculating bastard who would undoubtedly know, that killing Briefs when the media spotlight was on him, would be a tremendously stupid move.

Another problem though, was that Frieza now knew that Vegeta and Goku were alive, and probably knew that Raditz was somewhere out there, as well.

Vegeta and the crew had to be more careful, because now, the West City Syndicate was actively hunting them down, and definitely using their more substantial resources to also track down Raditz.

They were in a race now, and they were all running short on time.

Most of the information that they had mined from the papers in the warehouse were dead ends, and they were all on edge at what they all perceived to be a lack of progress. The pressure was beginning to get too much…

It was a good thing, that Bulma Briefs thrived on pressure.

She was nearly done compiling the data she had extracted from the diskettes, and her worm for the Oasis was also almost done.

She just needed to perfect her codes, and she could hand the files off to Goku.

She was watching the progress bar on the computer when she heard the door open, and in strode Vegeta, brows knitted together, lips in a vicious frown.

Bulma sat up in alarm. “Vegeta? Is everything alright?”

Vegeta stared hard at her, but his eyes were glassy, unfocused…

“Hey,” she called again, slowly getting up to reach for him, instantly worried by the look in his eyes.

He was usually so intense, so determined, but at the moment, his glum eyes reminded her of a lost little child, the same child that he had been when she had known him, before he had been taken away from her all those years ago.

Before he was harshly stolen from everything he held dear, apparently trained to become an efficient underground criminal with the sole purpose of avenging his fallen bloodline.  

His hands were in tight fists, knuckles red, and she gently moved towards him, taking his hand in hers, and she lifted it, soothingly running her fingers across the back of his hand.

His fists loosened marginally as he looked down at her, his gaze following the movements of her thumb across his fingers, but he remained tense, so Bulma offered him a small, timid smile.

“You gotta relax, alright? You’re gonna use up all your energy being so tense, then you won’t be able to focus on our little mission here,” she said softly, but as brightly as she could. Then, with a saucy wink, she added, “We’re gonna find Raditz. Then, you three will kick Frieza’s ass, just like that prophecy said you would.”

That seemed to grab his attention, and he looked up, staring into her eyes with such fierce intensity that she felt her very bones shudder, and unwilling to back down, she stared back…

The anger in his eyes slowly melted into melancholy beneath her gaze, and he sighed, heavy, pained, hopeless.

“Bulma,” he whispered. “I… I am worried about Raditz. What will happen if we do not find him in time? If they find him before we do…”

“Hush. Don’t you think that way,” she admonished. “We will find him. I know it seems tough right now, but you’ve gotta remember that Frieza probably isn’t any closer to finding him than we are. He knows nothing right now. Plus, we have these files, and we will crack these in no time.”

She lifted a hand up, intending to rest it comfortingly on his shoulder. However, her hand hovered, hesitantly, and she found it raising up, slowly…

She looked into his eyes, searching for a sign of rejection…

And when she found nothing but acceptance in his obsidian gaze, she let her hand wander until it was gently laying upon his cheek.

He was warm… so, so warm, his skin smooth and supple against her touch, and her palm cupped his sharply angled jaw, her thumb coaxing the tenseness away after she felt how tightly he had been grinding his teeth in his agitation.

She let her hand move to hold his face, her fingers gently brushing against his ear, and slowly, she felt him begin to relax, startling her when he… nuzzled… into her touch.

Bulma watched as his own hand lifted, observing in breathless anticipation as he held her hand to him, slightly turning his face to her touch, the edges of his lips brushing against the bottom of her palm.

Tiny shocks of electricity erupted throughout her body from the soft touch of his hand and lips, and Bulma sighed, stepping forward, moving closer to him with utmost care, almost as if she was afraid to scare him away.

They were toe to toe, and she could almost feel his breaths fanning across her cheeks…

His hand against her tightened, in what seemed to her like compulsive need, before she felt him bow his head, letting his forehead rest upon her temple while he sighed heavily against her.

She felt the edges of her eyes fill with tears as she felt the weight of his quandaries in his heavy breaths, in how they sounded almost like stilted sobs as he closed his eyes in agony.

“Bulma,” he breathed, and she felt her heart pound at the rawness of his voice, at how he said her name with that unique lilt that no one but he ever did.

She moved closer, and suddenly, she felt him release the hand that held hers, only to roughly pull her to him, his thick arm wrapping around her waist while his breath continued to rush roughly out of his lips.

“I… I am trying very hard,” he started, “to keep this group together. They depend on me. And I… I cannot afford to fail them.”

She gulped, nodding against him, moving her now free arm to wrap around him, splaying her fingers against his lower back.

“I cannot let them see that I am worried,” he nearly growled the words out. “I lead them. I must stay in control. Yet-”

“I know,” she murmured. “You need to show them strength. You need to be their hope…”

“How can I give them hope as I begin to falter with mine?” he asked, and his arms tightened, pulling her closer.

She could feel his heart pounding beneath his thick chest, the heat of his skin searing her in a most delightful way, as his loose button-down shirt gave her a glimpse of the bronze skin underneath his clothes.

“You can’t… you can’t lose hope. We will find him, Vegeta. We will win,” she said, feeling her own determination surge.

“I do not… in front of them, I…” he stuttered, before, with a defeated sigh, he said, “I do not want them to see me being weak.”

His words shocked her to her core.

Did this mean that he… needed her?

Trusted her, in spite of his earlier reservations?

She trembled beneath his embrace, and she pinched her eyes shut to stave off the tears that threatened to overwhelm her.

Alone with him…

If he can’t be strong, she will be strong for him.

“Be weak, to me,” she whispered, her blue eyes boring desperately into the bottomless darkness of his. “You can be weak, to me. I can… I can understand. I will support you… And I will do everything I can to make you strong again.”

“Swear to me,” he said, his voice urgent, demanding. “Swear to me that you will stand by me, Bulma.”

She choked, and she felt a single tear roll down her cheek as she held him tighter, her own resolve solidifying in the face of his doubts.

He needn’t have asked…

Because she will. She always will.

“I will stand by you, Vegeta,” she promised. “Always. I promise.”

He tightened his arm around her, his lips moving gently against her palm, and she felt his mouth open to speak, when they were interrupted by a loud “ping” from the computer.

They both startled apart, and Bulma smiled as she saw a soft red hue on his nose and cheeks.

His eyes still looked glum, but it was with satisfaction that she noted that they didn’t look quite so… dead… as they looked when he first came in.

She pulled away, leaving him with a shy but bright smile of encouragement, before turning away to face the computer.

She felt a wide grin spread across her face as her eyes moved across the screen.

“Vegeta, come look at this!” she cried excitedly, raising a hand to vigorously gesture at him to move closer.

His brows furrowed, and he hurriedly stepped forward, peering anxiously into the computer.

Her grin widened as his eyes did, while they both read through the information that had been revealed after Bulma’s encoding program was done with the diskettes.

“This… this is…” he said, awed.

She nodded happily. “This is a paper trail that tells you about Raditz’s last known whereabouts.”

“Bulma,” he said, before he turned to her, his eyes so wide and euphoric that she almost laughed in glee.

She had not seen him like this, not since they were little children…

“Could this,” he started, “Could this truly be the lead we had been waiting for?”

“It could be,” she said. “Shall we find out?”

She felt his hand cover hers from where it rested at her side, giving it a firm squeeze as his eyes shone with his gratefulness, the thanks that his pride refuses to let him speak out screaming from the gentleness of the smile that formed on his lips.

8-8-8-8-8

“Can Raditz really just be this close, now?” Kakarot asked incredulously while he stared at the printouts that Bulma had made.

Based on the documents, Raditz was last handed off to a very small orphanage within the rural areas of South City. Nappa had done some further digging, and he had found that the documents discarded by the orphanage had been thrown into a small structure a few miles further away.

“We will find him soon, Kakarot,” Vegeta answered, giving his brother a firm squeeze on the shoulder.

“The timing is excellent,” Lapiz commented. “Bulma is just finalizing some lines of code on her worm, and it will be good to go. Goku, is your contact ready?”

“Absolutely, and she is really looking forward to it,” Kakarot answered. “Her family’s entire estate was seized by the Syndicate too, and she has been dying to take them down for years.”

“That’s great then, because I have the files ready.”

Vegeta turned at the sound of Bulma’s voice, and he smirked as he watched her approach, her hips swaying subtly, her tiny waist evident from the thin pink shirt that she wore loosely over her denim shorts.

She had the longest legs he had ever seen, and some part of him still had a hard time reconciling the seductive shape of her now with the rather lanky form of the girl that he had left behind, decades earlier.

Bulma sat fluidly beside him, holding up two flash drives, no doubt provided by Lapiz.

“We do have a small issue,” she said. “If I had more time, I could probably refine this, but Lapiz and I have been working non-stop on this virus, and this is the best we can do.”

He felt his eyes narrow on the two drives. “What is the issue?”

“These are two files, on two separate drives. There are two main terminals holding the data of the Oasis,” Bulma explained. “Now, each of these, has to be planted on one terminal each.”

She held up the red drive. “This has to be implanted on Terminal A, as this is the virus that will steal their data and send it to us.”

Vegeta watched as she then lifted the black drive. “This one has to be planted on Terminal B. This is the file that will destroy their mainframe, starting from bank transactions to international dealings regarding their flesh trade. But these have to be planted at an interval. I need to explain this to Goku’s insider.”

He sighed. “Kakarot, can you call your contact to meet with you?”

Kakarot nodded. “We had been planning to meet today. Bulma can come with me.”

Vegeta looked intently at Bulma, trying to decipher her intentions.

She had promised… she had promised…

Perhaps, he should learn to trust her word…

“Alright,” he nodded. “Both of you meet with Kakarot’s contact. Piccolo and I will scope out the files from this orphanage.”

He looked around at the determined faces surrounding him, and he smirked.

“Good luck, to all of us.”

8-8-8-8-8

Bulma didn’t take it against Goku that he had blindfolded her as they left the hideout.

She was just bored, with nothing to look at out the window, but she understood that he was being protective of his contact in the Syndicate.

After all, what if she were to suddenly turn coat? Then the contact was as sure as dead.

When the car finally stopped, she felt Goku reach around to remove the blindfold, and as she shook her head to fluff her hair up, he stood to let her out of the car.

It was already dark out, and Bulma stepped slowly out of the car, carefully watching her feet as Goku led her down a small hill.

In the middle of a narrow plot of land, stood a tiny, brick house, that had a very sparse spot of light coming from the inside.

Bulma stood back as Goku knocked twice, but she heard nothing from the inside, not a single rustle.

Goku cleared his throat, before he spoke, softly, but clearly, “I flew upon Kinto-un.”

Bulma’s brows raised. A what?

She heard a click come from inside, and as she saw the door swing open, she realized that what Goku had called out were code words, apparently a signal, to let the person inside know who it was that had come knocking.

They entered, the small door creaking softly, and as they walked into the center of the house, Bulma’s eyes adjusted slowly to the dim light, allowing her to see the lone figure sitting on a chair in the middle of a small living area.

She was a tiny woman, with subtly muscled arms and thick dark hair pulled up into a thick bun atop her head. She was wearing a long, blue sleeveless dress with high slits, her shoes encased in delicate red pumps.

Her face was round and cute, with wide dark eyes and a small mouth that twisted into a happy grin as soon as she laid her eyes on Goku.

“Goku-sa!” she exclaimed, and Bulma watched her launch herself at Goku, who laughed as he easily caught her in his arms, the impact of her embrace seemingly nothing to the tall Saiyan brother.

“I’ve missed you!” she whispered, and Bulma turned her eyes away from the emotional reunion as she realized…

This woman was not simply Goku’s contact.

She was his lover.

It made complete sense now, why Goku had been utterly paranoid about the meeting.

She spun around, allowing the couple a moment of privacy, only turning back to them when Goku called her name.

“Bulma,” he said, a wide smile on his face. “I would like you to meet Chichi!”

Chichi bowed low, and Bulma, flustered, returned the gesture.

Goku laughed, making her look questioningly up at him.

“Sorry Bulma, I know you’re not used to this kind of greeting,” he said, before he turned to Chichi. “She’s from West City, Chi.”

“Oh, I know that,” Chichi responded. “But regardless of their customs in West, I choose to stick to our old village practices.”

“Chichi and I grew up near each other,” Goku said to Bulma. “I used to see her a lot when we were kids, but we only got married three years ago.”

Bulma froze, jaw falling open in shock. “M-married?!”

Chichi snickered, while Goku grinned.

“You didn’t tell her, Goku-sa?” Chichi asked.

“Nobody in the group knows, Chi,” Goku said. “Only Vegeta, and now, Bulma.”

After the initial shock of the revelation had worn off, Bulma began explaining the mechanics of the flash drives to Chichi.

Chichi was a smart woman, Bulma was glad to note, and the petite woman nodded at her instructions, only pausing to clarify some things, before she took the flash drives from Bulma, stuffing them into a pouch she had hidden in her blouse.

“This will not be too difficult, I hope,” Chichi said. “Oh Bulma-san, Goku-sa… I just want this all to end.”

“We all do, Chichi,” Bulma agreed. She tried to keep her voice steady, but the sadness showed in her voice, making her words tremble.

“And it will, very soon,” Goku said, twining his hand with Chichi’s.

Bulma watched as the two shared a soft look, and she knew, right then, that they had no choice…

The Syndicate must fall. And it will fall by their hands.

8-8-8-8-8

The building was old, decrepit, and like their intel had revealed, was completely abandoned.

The search had been more frustrating than difficult, but Vegeta, Piccolo and Lapiz quickly go through the various files that remained.

Vegeta was going through a particularly dusty old box, swiping angrily at the thick dust that covered his hands, when a particular file suddenly caught his eye.

Amongst the boxes upon boxes of beige, manila folders, there was a lone green plastic folder, with a single letter written on the edge of an outer tab.

R.

His heart nearly leapt out of his throat as he pulled out the very old file, his hand trembling as he stared almost reverently at the documents within.

A stack of papers, with redacted information, all greeted him as he opened the file, but the one thing that captivated his eye was a single image, photocopied in black and white onto a sheet of bond paper.

It was the picture of a child, a boy, of about two years old. His entire face was blacked out with marker, but his hair stood out, on end, a distinctive feature of all three Saiyan children…

He ran a shaky finger down the image, lingering on the tip of the hair that had grown long, past the boy’s shoulders…

It was him…

It was Raditz!

He could not possibly be mistaken!

“Pi-Picollo!” he called out, his voice breaking in his euphoria. “Lapiz! Come and look at this!”

The two rushed over to where Vegeta realized that he had fallen to his knees, while his hands held the most important set of documents he had ever laid his eyes upon. Within those files, he could find the way to Raditz…

He could finally find his brother!

Fumbling slightly, he lifted the folder out, finding another floppy diskette taped onto one of the documents.

Lapiz’s eyes were wide when he turned to him, and Piccolo had a half smile as he looked at the big letter “R” on the folder.

They all nodded to each other, gathering themselves up to run back into their awaiting car.

When they arrived at the car, Lapiz took the wheel, Piccolo sitting shotgun, while Vegeta sat alone in the back, tightly holding the folder to his chest.  As he sat alone with his thoughts, he felt a near-compulsive need to pull out the sheet of paper containing the image, the one that he was sure, was the image of Raditz.

He took the sheet out, staring in amazement at the photo, and as he gazed at the picture, his thoughts brought him back to that fateful day twenty years earlier, when his life, as he had known it, was suddenly shattered.

He had gone out into the city that day, something his father had told him to never do alone. But he had to go alone, because if he went with his parents, then they would know what he had planned, and it would not have been a surprise anymore.

He had told no one but Bulma, who had agreed to keep his secret.

The problem was, he had gotten lost, and as the darkness thickened, he knew that he had to give up and call for his father.

His father had a cellphone, one of those models with the square, black and white screens, and he had the number written into one of the pockets of his bag.

He had called, gotten an earful, but was told to stay put so that his father can come and get him.

They had been on their way home when Vegeta Sr.’s phone rang again…

The person on the other line, who he later learned had been Nappa, was frantic, screaming, and as he spoke, Vegeta watched his father’s face grow paler and paler, his eyes filling with utmost rage, the likes of which he had never seen before.

i-i-i-i-i

“I… I am coming. They will pay, Nappa. They will pay for what they did to my Gine!”

Vegeta felt the fear grow in him while the person on the other line spoke, terror filling him as his father’s own face began to twist into the most poignant expression of shocked agony that he would never, ever forget.

“The children…?”

Silence, as his father listens…

“I have to go back!” Vegeta Sr. growls.

He revved the car, and Vegeta was thrown back into the seat as his father frantically accelerated.

“No!” Vegeta hears, shouted from the phone, before the man on the other line begins talking in a softer voice again.

What… what was happening?

“Father…? Father, what is happening?” he asked, voice small as he felt his hackles raise amidst his fright.

Something was very wrong…

Vegeta Sr. ignored him as he continued to speak to the other man, before his eyes fill with a heavy resignation that scared him even more.

“Yes. Yes, I understand. I will be there in five minutes.”

Cutting off the call, Vegeta Sr. made a sharp U-turn, causing Vegeta to reel back into his seat and clutch the seatbelt tight. “Father! What is going on?”

Vegeta Sr. was pale, drawn, as he spoke. “Vegeta. You know Nappa, right?”

He nodded. “Yes, the big bald guy…”

The older man took a shaky breath, before he cleared his throat, and spoke, “I am going to take you to him. And you will go with him. No questions, alright?”

Vegeta panicked. It was his father’s ‘serious voice’. The one he knew to never argue with.

They weaved madly in and out of traffic, and Vegeta felt the dread build in the pit of his stomach with every sharp turn, every red light that his father recklessly ignored.

“Nappa will take you with him, and you need to go with him,” his father instructed. “I… I will catch up later. Do you understand, boy?”

They finally stop near the end of a short street, a dark alley facing between several large buildings. Vegeta Sr. hurriedly leapt out of their black car, and Vegeta followed, jumping out of the passenger seat to run to his father who had already circled back to catch him.

He was nearly dragged away until his father nudged him towards Nappa, who gave him a grim look before turning back to his father.

“King,” he said, and Vegeta recognized the nickname that all of his father’s coworkers called him.

“Nappa, don’t let him out of your sight,” he instructed. “Take care of Vegeta. Don’t let anything happen to him.”

“Vegeta,” his father called as he turned back to him. “You are safe with Nappa. I entrust you to him.”

Vegeta nodded, mouth gaping as he remained at a loss for words, confused by all that had happened in the past few minutes.

When he finally managed to drag his voice out he called, “Father-”

BANG!

A loud, deafening shot cut him off, and before he could understand what had happened, he heard screams erupt from around him, but his eyes were glued only to his father…

Vegeta Sr., stared blankly at him, his hand clutching weakly at a spot on his chest…

Vegeta watched as a deep red tint began to bleed onto his father’s light yellow dress shirt, and in his shock, he could do nothing but stare, a sob lodged in his throat.

Nappa yelled, and Vegeta felt himself lifted off his feet when the large man suddenly yanked him off the ground, and he struggled weakly, his eyes still glued on his father.

His father, who had fallen to his knees, as blood began to spurt out from the edges of his lips…

“Fa-” he stuttered.

Sudden movement from somewhere behind his father caught his attention, and he glanced up, only to see the retreating form of Bulma’s father, running madly into the side of a nearby building.

He had been holding a gun…

Vegeta looked back at his father, who by then had fallen down, face-first, onto the ground.

“No!” he cried, his mind finally moving past the shock and denial, making everything clear to him…

His father…

“Father!” he yelled, struggling against Nappa, while the man did his level best to carry him, kicking and screaming, away from the fallen body of his father.

“Let me go!” he screamed, fury rising in his chest as the man stopped him from going back.

“Let me go! Father!” he yelled again, his heart beating madly in his chest, refusing to believe everything that had happened, even though he had been right there.

“Father!”

i-i-i-i-i

He had blacked out at some point after that, and when he awoke, it was in a dank motel room, where Nappa had been standing like a sentinel beside him in his sleep.

The man had then explained to him everything that had happened: How his father had been a part of the West City Syndicate, and on the night, the Boss had ordered that he be taken out. When Vegeta Sr. fetched him in the city, a signal had gone out to the hitmen, who had stormed their home and mercilessly murdered his mother.

Kakarot and Raditz had both gone missing, and he had called Vegeta Sr., in an effort to keep him away from the chaos, to try to keep him and his only remaining son safe.

Unfortunately, they had also been spotted, and his father had been killed. He would have been next.

Vegeta clenched his fists as his fury took over once again. He carefully placed Raditz’ picture back into the folder as he mulled about his desires to destroy every single person who had ever had a hand in his parents’ death, in the abduction of his brothers, and in his being sent to live out his life like a fugitive, whose sole reason for continuing to exist was to exact his vengeance upon all who had wronged him.

Nappa had raised him, trained him, and as he did, had continuously provided Vegeta with all of the information he could possibly need about the elite circle of traitors who had gone after his father.

Kold.

Briefs.

Nappa had been diligent on keeping him abreast of all the underground activities, particularly focusing on Briefs as he rose up in the ranks, took over the Saiyan’s estate, and won the Senatorial elections.

While he received intel on Briefs, he also became privy to the pampered life of Bulma, the lovely only-daughter, who had begun to catch media attention as she, from the toothy-grinned bossy little girl, gracefully blossomed into a woman.

He had watched her as she grew up in the spotlight, listened to the commentaries on her beauty, and Vegeta realized with a jolt that he had always hated those articles that spoke lasciviously of her because in his mind, they had no right.

They had no right to treat her like nothing more than a sex object.

Not when his very soul cried out that, that beauty, was his.

He had truly never wanted to believe that she was involved in any of the Syndicate’s activities, because his Bulma was not evil.

Not like them.

Not like him.

8-8-8-8-8

Bulma held the diskette in one hand, while she stared silently at the redacted black and white photo.

She was positive… it was Raditz. Vegeta was right.

“What do you think?” Vegeta asked impatiently.

Bulma beamed brightly at him. “This is Raditz. I can recall his hair… He was a very big kid. This is him, I’m sure!”

“Alright!” Goku whooped. “We are so close! We’re gonna find him!”

“Do not rejoice quite yet, Kakarot,” Vegeta said. “All those papers have redacted details, and the information stored in that diskette is surely encoded, as well.”

“That isn’t a problem, though,” Bulma said. “I can crack this. I’m sure. You’ll have Raditz back with you in no time!”

Vegeta smirked, his eyes catching hers, and the almost mischievous look in his eyes made her heart pause.

He was so… attractive.

“Let us sleep on it for now,” Vegeta said. “It is nearly morning, and we need to rest for the day ahead.”

All nodded, and Chaotzu, the little man who had been placed on guard duty outside her door every night, approached her, about to herd her back to her room.

“Wait,” she said. “I need to speak to Vegeta.”

She rushed out after Vegeta as he turned to leave the room, calling out, “Wait, Vegeta!”

He turned to her slowly, a brow raised in question.

“What is it?” he asked.

“I need to ask you a small favor, but could you promise not to get mad?” she said, and right on cue, she watched his brows furrow low over his eyes.

“The fact that you need to ask me not to get mad is already making me angry,” he quipped.

“Please?” she tried again. “Coz it might sound like a really absurd request, but I promise you that there is a reason, a good reason, for it.”

He sighed, “I am exhausted, so this had better be good. What is it that you need?”

Mustering up the brightest, most disarming smile she could possibly summon, Bulma took a deep breath…

“I need to borrow a phone. I have to call my father.”

8-8-8-8-8

To be continued…

 Read Previous

[themurphyzone]

His World: Fairy Tale Act 2

Suggested by @universe-queen-melissa! Strangely picking the fairy tale for Act 2 was tougher. Especially because I needed one that had a female in the main role, but not the kind who chopped off guys’ heads because they didn’t answer a riddle correctly or something. Picking the tale for Act 3 was much easier. 

Part 1

Lydia changed quickly, swapping her regular outfit for a ragged gray dress and wooden shoes. She could hear Amanda summarizing Zack and Bradley’s tasks backstage, telling them to keep everything structured so everything ran smoothly. 

“Can I dry off now?” Bradley asked. 

Lydia stifled a laugh. One day she would have to ask Melissa about those doe eyes. They could easily come in useful whenever she had to convince the drama club to follow her lead.

“Go ahead,” Amanda replied. “And please refrain from starting musical numbers.” 

There was a knock on the door. “Just a minute!” Lydia called, stumbling over her wooden shoes. “Dumb shoes.” She hated how they threw off her center of gravity, making her stumble on even the tiniest steps. 

“Lydia, can I come in? I think I left my hat in here,” Chad asked. 

Lydia opened the door, almost tripping on a mannequin stand behind her. “Is it the one for the prince costume?” she asked, stepping aside to let him pass. 

Chad ruffled through a large cabinet. “Yes, I have no idea where it went.” Now that his back was turned to her, she could see the red sash for his prince costume was twisted in the middle. 

“Hold still, Chad. Your sash is crooked.” Lydia almost fell twice as she made her way towards him. She examined the twist for a few seconds before flipping it to the right, carefully smoothing out the wrinkles. 

“Thanks! I found the hat. It was behind the trench coat,” Chad moved back, directly into Lydia. She couldn’t avoid him in time, and grabbed hold of the nearest object to break her fall. Unfortunately, the nearest object happened to be his sash and she accidentally pulled Chad down with her too. 

“Please get off,” Lydia wheezed. Chad scrambled off her stomach, reaching down to help her up. He blushed, hiding his face in his hat to cover it. 

She was about to ask if there was something wrong, but the door suddenly slammed open. “Lydia, we’re starting!” Amanda burst in, grabbing her hand and dragging her to the stage. “The intermission’s over!” Lydia mouthed a quick apology to Chad, who shyly smiled back. 

Lydia knelt in front of a female mannequin, giving a thumbs-up to signal that she was ready. The curtain rose, revealing the young audience’s eager face. She took a deep breath. She could do this. 

“Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, and-” a tan dog with brown spots sat next to Milo, his tongue hanging out. “Diogee? You’re not supposed to be in this play. Go home!” Diogee whined, miserably trudging backstage with his tail in between his legs. “As I was saying, we present Fairy Tale Act 2 to all of you!” 

Clearing his throat, Milo began the story. “Once upon a time, a rich man’s wife became ill. She called her only daughter to be by her side, wishing for her to remember all she had taught her.” 

Lydia took out a handkerchief and sobbed. Good thing she could cry on command. 

“Then she died,” Milo said in a near whisper. He wiped his face on his own shirt. “Sorry. I always get choked up when a parent dies in these kinds of stories. Anyway, one day the girl planted a sapling on her mother’s grave. She visited every day even through the bitterly dark, cold winter.” He sniffed, wiping a tear from his eye. “It’s-it’s kinda sweet when you think about it.” 

Lydia knelt in front of a tombstone, continuing to weep. She threw herself on the tombstone desperately, tightly hugging the cold surface. 

“One day, the rich man remarried a widow, and she brought two daughters into their new home,” Milo said. 

Mort led Crystal out by the hand. They were followed by Melissa and Amanda, who both wore ridiculously large wigs. Mort knelt in front of Crystal, who smirked as he put a ring on her finger. 

“Though they were beautiful, their hearts were filled with greed and jealousy,” Milo announced. 

Melissa gently pushed Lydia, who toppled over as if she’d been forcibly shoved. “Hey, maid girl!” she said tauntingly, thrusting a basket of dirty clothes at her. “Wash this basket and have them ready by evening!” She ducked her head, whispering. “Sorry, Lydia!” 

Lydia paused in her crying, glaring at her. “Don’t apologize! Chase, if I have to tell you to stick to the script one more time I swear-” 

“But we’re being really rude,” Amanda noted. 

“You’re the evil stepsisters! Of course you’re supposed to be rude! It’s just a play, continue!” 

Nodding, Amanda jabbed a finger at Lydia. “Maid girl, dust the mantle and ready supper.” 

As Lydia set the table with wooden bowls, Milo narrated. “Life became difficult by the day. She did all the chores without a kind soul to talk to, washing, cooking, and cleaning without complaint.” 

Melissa and Amanda tossed peas into the fireplace, then jeered and taunted Lydia as she crawled in and picked them out from the ashes. Lydia cupped ten peas in her palm and threw them in a small wastebasket. 

“There was no bed for her,” Milo said, his voice soft. “She had to sleep by the hearth by the cinders. Because of this, she was given the name Cinderella.”

Lydia coughed, stirring up the cinders. She regretted rejecting Amanda’s suggestion of using cotton balls rather than real dust. It clung to her face, staining her skin and leaving gray smudges. 

“I’m going to the fair,” Mort announced. “What do you wish me to bring back for you?” 

“Beautiful dresses and precious jewels,” Melissa and Amanda chorused. 

Lydia shrugged. “The first twig that brushes your hat on the way home.” 

“Their father kept his word,” Milo said. “He bought dresses and jewels at the fair, and as he rode home a twig knocked his hat off.” 

“Give that branch back!” A goose fluttered on stage, carrying the prop twig in its bill. It let out a muffled honk, flapping straight towards Amanda. Zack ran on stage with a net, attempting to catch the troublesome bird. Milo pulled Amanda out of the way, getting hit in the face by a webbed foot.

Zack swung wildly, knocking over a table and almost stirring up the ashes in the fireplace. “Guess it’s a waterFOWL,” Milo joked. 

“Jar.” Melissa held out a container labelled “Bad Puns”, and Milo dropped a dollar into it. 

“Zack! Watch where you’re swinging that thing!” Lydia ducked, barely avoiding the net. 

“I caught it! I caught...Milo?” Milo tried to cut the mesh with scissors, repeatedly snipping at the same spot, and finally cut off one strand. 

“Does anybody have a sharper pair? These are safety scissors,” Milo asked. 

Growing frustrated, Zack yanked the mesh of Milo’s head. “This is useless now,” he said, dropping the broken net. “Where’s the goose?”

“NOT AGAIN! YOU’LL PAY FOR THIS, MURPHY!” Elliot screamed from the audience, once again exiting the auditorium with an angry waterfowl chasing him. 

“I’ll refund his ticket,” Lydia said once she processed everything. “Later. Let’s just get this done.”

Zack walked backstage, taking the net with him. Mort, who’d been hiding backstage the entire time the goose was terrorizing everyone, gave the branch to Lydia. 

On her knees, Lydia planted the branch in front of the gravestone, silently bowing her head. 

“Cinderella wept so much, that her tears watered the ground and soon the branch sprung into a beautiful tree,” Milo sniffed, wiping a tear. “I don’t know how that works, but it’s actually kind of sweet.” 

Crystal dropped a basket full of dresses in front of Lydia. “A proclamation from the palace, girls,” she announced. “There shall be a festival in honor of the Prince. The celebration shall last three days, and in that time he shall seek a bride. All young maidens are invited.”

Melissa and Amanda squealed in glee, immediately heaping demand on demand on Lydia. “Mother, may I go too?” she begged. 

“You are nothing but a filthy maidservant. The Prince has much more suitable prospects attending,” Crystal sneered, crossing her arms. 

Not letting up, Lydia continued to plead over the ruckus Melissa and Amanda were causing. Finally, Crystal relented. “You may go on one condition. I have scattered a bowl of lentils among the ashes. If you can pick them all out in two hours, then I shall allow it.” 

“Pigeons and doves and birds of the sky, help me with this task before I cry,” Lydia declared. 

Nothing happened. 

She cleared her throat. “I said, pigeons and doves and birds of the sky, help me with this task before I cry and COME BACKSTAGE MYSELF.” 

“The puppets are all tangled,” Bradley protested. “They’re unusable now.” 

“So who’s gonna help me out with this?” Lydia hissed. 

Bradley shrugged. “You could do it yourself and not be lazy about it.”

Lydia pouted. Then Diogee emerged from backstage with cardboard wings loosely taped to his sides, barking. He started pawing through the ashes, flicking out the lentils with his long snout. Lydia carefully cupped them in her palms and placed them into a bowl. 

Two minutes later, she had an entire bowl of lentils, which she displayed proudly to Crystal. Diogee remained in the fireplace, happily rolling through the ashes. “Mother!” Lydia cried. “I’ve done what you have asked of me. May I please go the celebration?” 

Crystal scoffed. “But you have no suitable clothes, nor have you ever danced. You would embarrass yourself.”

“Please?” Lydia begged.

Crystal grabbed two bowls of lentils and threw them into the fireplace. Diogee whined as a few seeds hit his face. “If you can pick all that out in an hour, then I shall allow you to go.” As she walked away, she smirked. “You will never be able to do that.”

“The good ones go into the pot, the bad ones go into your crop,” Lydia recited as Diogee flicked all the lentils out of the fireplace. Once the bowls were filled, she showed them to Crystal once again. 

But Crystal only hurried Amanda and Melissa out the door, all decked out in the finest dresses and jewelry. “We would be a laughingstock if we allowed you to come,” they said. 

Diogee shook himself off, following Lydia to the magnificent tree planted on the tombstone. Well, ‘magnificent’ was too strong a word. It was just a messy drawing of a tree on cardboard with a chocolate milk stain in the leaves. 

“Shake and quiver, little tree. Throw silver and gold down to me,” Lydia cried out. She glanced up, watching Bradley carefully make his way across the rafters above her. He hefted a golden dress over the railing and dropped it. 

Lydia slipped it on over her clothing, also changing her uncomfortable wooden shoes to a pair of sequined slippers. 

“At the festival, the wicked stepsisters and their mother were baffled to see a strange girl dancing with the prince,” Milo narrated as Chad bowed. Lydia curtsied back. “But neither the prince nor Cinderella cared.”

“SO SHE SAID WHAT’S THE PROBLEM, BABY?”

Chad, who was shaking as he took Lydia’s hand, jumped back in shock at the sound of loud pop music being blasted from the speakers. Lydia glared at Zack, who quickly switched off the music. “It’s not mine,” he laughed nervously as he inserted the classical CD he was supposed to use. “Definitely have no idea who owns that.” 

“So I put my hand here?” Chad chewed his lip, placing his right hand on her shoulder. “I don’t dance that well.” 

“I can lead if you’d like,” Lydia whispered.  Silently agreeing, Chad looked down to imitate her steps. 

“You okay? You were crying a lot,” Chad asked. 

Lydia swayed from side to side, almost tripping over herself. “Aside from my nerves being fried, I’m fine. I can cry on command.” 

“I didn’t know you could do that. I thought it was real. You’re a better actress than people think,” Chad said in awe. 

She blushed. “Um, thanks? I guess.” 

“The prince would dance with no other,” Milo said. “He refused to let go of her hand the entire time. They danced until evening.” 

“May I escort you home?” Chad asked. 

“No, s-sorry,” Lydia stammered, rushing off. She threw off her beautiful dress and switched her shoes so that she looked like nothing more than a simple maid. Then she laid down in the hearth as her family opened the door. 

“Similar events transpired during the second day of the festival,” Milo said. “No one could recognize Cinderella. The prince grew more curious every minute he spent with her.”

When evening fell as Lydia and Chad danced on the third day, she hurried away from the festival. In her haste, she left behind a golden slipper. 

“I shall marry the one who can fit into this dainty, golden shoe,” Chad declared, holding it up for the audience to see. 

“The stepsisters were pleased to hear this, and their mother encouraged them to do whatever it took to fit in the shoe,” Milo said. 

“This is kind of ironic considering you actually have the largest shoe size out of all of us,” Amanda muttered. 

“Hey. You two aren’t chopping off your body parts,” Lydia retorted. 

“You are not the true bride!” Chad gasped. 

Melissa smirked. “You said the shoe had to fit. You never said it had to be perfect.” 

“Can I rephrase that statement?” Chad asked. 

“Once a prince makes a proclamation, it is law. You must take her for your bride,” Crystal said coolly. 

“Sorry, Cindy!” Melissa laughed as she led Chad away. 

Taken aback by the ending, Milo fumbled with the script as he hastily improvised a closing statement. “Right, so the prince married one of the wicked stepsisters and, um, I guess Cinderella was still stuck in an abusive household. The end.”

“There’ll be another ten minute break before Act 3, the finale! Don’t miss out!” Lydia called as the curtain closed. “Do you think they liked that ending?” 

“It was a pretty unique spin on the whole shoe thing. Though I don’t think it would be a very happy marriage....” Chad suggested. 

“Speculate later,” Amanda said. “Let’s just try to survive through the next act.”