"Wowwww! Isn't this the Orion's arrow! The most finest set of bow and arrows, Yet! "
A little boy's voice screeched out from the multi product store as he looked at the set of Bow and Arrows inside the glass showcase with gleaming eyes.
His little short friends were right beside him leaning against this exclusive archery item and couldn't help but sing praises.
"Yes! You know, My father went to several different auctions to get this! "
"Really, cool! Well did he..? "
"No..not really.. The item didn't yet come to the market yet. There are just promoting it. And, there are only 3 made in the entire country so far! He's not that lucky.. "
"But, they say the arrow never misses it's shot. They say the-.."
"..shots are so powerful that it could go 68.009 seconds per mile and so vicious that you can shoot right on a bird's eye even if you were a bad archer.. Right?"
A slender voice of a young lad suddenly intruppted these children's conversation. And, the owner of the voice said these lines with a flashy wink, pulling the imaginary bow and arrow through her fingers causing a fresh air of excitement to enlighten the kids.
The boys immediately looked at her like she was a popular idol and chanted the information-giver with praises.
"Big brother, You are so knowledgeable.! " One kid said.
"Wow! Are you an archer too, big brother?" The other responded.
"Big brother, big brother.. You will teach us archery right ..someday??" A shy one pulled the lady's skinny pants with a bashful look.
"Aha-ha! Sure. Sure brat!" the young girl laughed again holding her hips and rubbed a little one's curly hair. "If we meet again. I guess.."
"Your clothes are ready, Mister. Can I pack them for you..? " The shop lady said with a light smile and flushed cheeks as she served the person.
"Ya, sure. Just make sure you pack them properly"
I said, being the young lad the kids had celebrated hitherto and turned up to the woman finally revealing that face behind this thick black hood.
My messy red hair tumbled down my dress and the woman including the children widened their eyes in surprise at my form.
"And, Yes.. Er.. I am a girl by the way.. "
Not bothering to explain more, I walked out of the shop's sliding glass door and head straight through the crowded streets where an important person was out on her first town tour after her new married life.
---And, this was me.
I am Anastasia De Rottenstein. Aged 18. And, in a world where fictional characters come alive to re-enact their fairytale.. I belong to the Cinderella Fairytale.
"Do not block the way woman!? "
"Don't you know the town's princess is coming today!!? " The townsmen barked at me for hiding the current celebrity's vision.
"Move over, fast bitch! "
I rolled my eyes and continued scanning for the place I had left my black horse when I finally found her tied up in a certain corner.
"Get out of the way! "
"Ah.. Ow! "
A guy before me suddenly pushed me roughly and I was almost jerked down on the path if I hadn't balanced myself.
I blew the red bangs off my face and glared at him.
"The princess wouldn't disappear if you didn't wait for a second! "
I yelled but the man was too busy to notice the cry of a pathetic young girl.
I shook my head in frustration and cut through the sea like crowd.
---You might probably wonder why I get treated this way though I personally belong to a very popular fairytale, Cinderella..right?
Well, that's because I am not Cinderella.
"Wow! Look at that beauty. She's so gorgeous that I could almost paint her picture and stare at it all day.."
"That's creepy, dude. I think, I could steal her from her Prince Charming and marry her!"
"I will definitely complain your wife about this."
"No!! Please don't! That's just a figure of speech! Hahaha.."
These..pervy bunch..
I narrowed my eyes and looked ahead at the gold and flower jeweled carriage where a girl with pale blonde hair tinged with an adorable beauty, the center of attention stood waving at these wolves innocently.
----Yup,.. I certainly Swear, I Am Not A Cinderella..! Because..
The girl on the carriage's gaze clashed with my sights and she immediately waved at me.
----Well... She is..
My beloved stepsister, Cinderella Glasston ..
I waved back at her meekly.
"Aaaaaaaaaah, she's waving at us.. The beauty is waving at us!!! "
The people behind me roared with a new found energy the moment they saw beauty Cinderella waving. They obviously mistook her guesture directed to me as to them.
Aiish.. Whatever..
I can't even comment, how desperate they are.
I soon rolled my eyes and continued struggling through the crowd.
----So then. What is my role you ask, huh?
"Hey, hey..look at that young man he looks so cool..!"
"Look at her closer, Eli! That is not a man. It's a woman?!"
"What? She's a woman!.. Oh my.. If she's a woman, I am sure she looks too ugly! Ugh, I can't look at her she's a disgrace to all other ladies in the town.. "
"And, that's her role. She is the ugly stepsister of the beautiful Cinderella. Just look at that face behind the black hood and her clothes...
Seriously, a shirt with tight pants and heavy boots? I am sure she's wearing them just to hide her flat chest and ugly freckles.. We can understand why she's called like that.. Barf! "
I hear people talk behind me with a strong sense of disgust on their faces. And, I do nothing to talk back but just search for my black horse when... Eureka!.. I finally find it.
----And, you know why I did that..?
It's because..
I climb up my black horse whispering to my most loved vehicle. "Did yu miss me, grl..? Well, I did mmmua.." I kissed her neck and adjest my position behind her back. ".. You are the only person who judges me based on my character.."
I pull my horse's reigns with a "Ye-ha!" And soon ride her out of the crowdy market into the fresh wild wilderness.
I cross the grasslands, the town dwelling hub, the Fairytale's enormous grand royal castle.. And, pierce through the deep dark enchanted woods behind which my lovely home, The Rottenstein Estate is situated.
The dark woods is definitely a scary place where no ordinary people could get in that easily. And I know that.
I looked at the scary figured trees, I was surrounded admith.
Few florescent eyes looked straight at me from no where. A strange eerie ghostish sound itself was hissing on the background but, I wasn't scared of any of that. As a matter of fact I was actually used to all these.
Because ..by now through the path my life has put me through.. I know, the people out there are more scarier than the wild animals in the forest.
I tie Grape, my horse on a certain tree and walk towards a little brook that was running gently on land. I cup the water through my palms.
I drink it and splash it on my face wetting my hair and soak my hood.
The disturbance I had created on this brook slowly cooled down and soon reflected my reflection on the water.
A red haired girl with freckled cheeks, flat chest, gwanky feet and an abnormal girl height stared back at me. She looked very very far from the normal beauty standards of the country.
The term beauty still was an alien to my appearance.
And, looking at her, I understood exactly why I did not reply anything back to those extremely rude comments I had back in the market.
---- And, it's because..
I disturbed the brook and washed my face again.
--- I am indeed that Ugly Stepsister of heroine Cinderella, people!
And, I could do nothing about it.
I am not your typical heroine at all! As a matter of fact, I am the villainess..
Yes, you think right.
The villainess of the Cinderella Fairytale. The evil stepsister. The daughter of the evil step mother who literally lives to ruin Cinderella's happily ever after.
And, should have done that but..
strangely, didn't when Cinderella went missing..
I saved her along with my childhood friend, Sir Nozen a.k.a. Zenon Charming and the Fairy Godmother, Farala-samma.
That episode was definitely the most strangest adventure I had ever had throughout my all Cinderella reincarnations and fortunately we succeeded in rescuing her.
Personally, I did "not" do it because she's my adorable little sister.
But, instead only.. because, Cinderella was my favorite character written on my favorite story book, The Grim Tales.--Something my mother bestowed to me before she died protecting us when Cinderella was kidnapped..
I smiled at her memory and soon climb up to a large rock that was just above this little lotus leaved brook and sit on it with my legs crossed.
I soon poked my hands inside my bag pack that contained the new clothes I had just bought and take out my Grim tale book along with my pencil and flip it's pages.
The pictures of various fairytale characters, like Cinderella, Snow White, Beauty and The Beast, Sleeping Beauty were all written inside this book.
Maybe it was because I had the collection of these fairytales since the time I was a 5 year old kid, but I never knew how powerful the book really was, in a land where these stories actually came alive, until I just accidentally restarted a Fairytale of the Sleeping Beauty and sorta magically looked into the happenings of Fairyland's Queen Sofia life through this mysterious book.
Creepy, I know.
But, I bet that's the truth and that is why.. I flipped more pages and turned the Grim-Tale book to it's last page.
----
The brand new story of Anastasia De Rottenstein -The girl who would finally become the heroine of her own fairytale, like.. Umm.. specifically a beautiful fairytale 'princess'.. and have everyone on the Fictional World acknowledge her, for who she is.
----
I wrote my dream on the book and bit the pen's nib thinking more thoughts when.. The creepy ghostish laughter suddenly surrounded me again.
It was still a hot day but, yet for some reason the sky sparwled with dark clouds.
The winds started to howl like a ravenous wolf searching for it's prey. The first crack of lightning followed by an angry thunder roared above me.
And, if my guess was right, I am sure this phenomenon only occured on this part of the forest, a fact that would made any normal human's spine chill at this knowledge.
But, unfortunately or fortunately that human wasn't me. I just got annoyed at this strange phenomenon.
Damn, my skin is even turning goosebumped by this sudden coldness!
I dropped my pen with a 'click' and said in an utterly bored tone.
"Will you cut it out little Billy.. You know I wouldn't get scared by all of your dramas.. " I said to the scary translucent ghost form that was slowly forming behind me and tried wiggling my hand back to chase the floating smoke away.
The ghost immediately turned into it's 10 year old boy form.
"Aw, Anastasia! You are the only person in the entire forest who does this.. " The ghost complained.
"Do you even know why people don't come to the forest..? It's because, I live here! A ghost!!? Do you even know the meaning of the word..?? "
"Hmm hmm.. Shush.. I am trying to focus.. " I told him and get back to scribbling on my book.
Ghost Billy floated towards me and peered through the book.
"Hmmm.. A princess, Huh? Seriously, What are you? A preschooler? Ha, everyone knows you are just a creepy villaness who has conversations with beings like me."
"Shut up, just because I can see you unlike other people doesn't mean you could bully me, Billy.
Especially when you are not even half as scary as, the ones I saw on the Gallows of Death in Fairyland while saving Cinderella."
"Pfft, showoff.." Ghost Billy muttered.
I continued doodling stars and sparkles on the page.
"No, I am not. I am just advicing you. Why don't you just accept it? You are not scary at all.
As a matter of fact, if people could actually see you.. They would give you lollipops instead of dropping their torch lights." I said nibbing my pen again before doodling more.
"Awh! Anastasia Rottenstein !!!?! " Billy roared.
I smirked.
Ha, I successfully made Ghost Billy mad yet again.
"You.. You.. You..Awh, I give up. There is no winning against you and your words anyway.. " the ghost admitted.
Ghost Billy was frustrated with my words and he soon sat beside me in his ghost form crossing his translucent arms. He complained .
"I would never have to put up with you if I was properly decended to the afterworld. But, too bad I can't because.. -"
"The Three Queens of Fate, Clotho the Spinner, Lanchesis, the Alloter and Atropos, The Queen of Death and Destruction had already broken down when Lady Atropos fell in love with her most insignificant client, The Cursed Prince and caused a pathetic situation to the entire Fiction world, where the souls with untimely and unsatisfied deaths outside their story plotlines cannot reincarnate and the Fairytale characters cannot change what's already written on their books."
I say the same old quotation along with him.
As, This was something Ghost Billy never fails to mention whenever I irritate him, to the point that those lines have almost become memorized on my brain.
Ghost Billy looked at me with narrow eyes.
"Stop mimicking me. You suck in it. "
I grinned widely and soon pack my things.
"Alright I guess, it's time to finally go home before Zeno arrives to drop me at my new school.. " I say to him.
"Zeno?.. Ah.. It's your boyfriend.. "
I blushed instantly.
"H-he's not my b-boyfriend..!" Not yet at least.. I claim at the mention of my crush's name as little ghost Billy made a barfing expression.
"Love! Ew, that is so gross and pointless."
"You wouldn't understand until you fall for it, Billy.." I protest with flushed cheeks as he continues his lament.
"It was love that ruined Queen Atropos! If she didn't like the Cursed Prince, I would never suffer like this, if she never met The Prince even you would be in a position to freely change your fate, instead of being a dorky, hated villainess, Anastasia!" Ghost Billy yelled as I stood silently in deep thoughts.
I do not know why but.. To be honest, when I think about Zeno Charming and being able to be with him..
I couldn't help but think..
I would do the same..
Sacrifice everything just to be with him forever, I mean..
But, I didn't say these thoughts to Billy of course. I knew better than that, especially since he was too young to understand any of these teenager thoughts.
But, though.. It would be very nice if I get to see who, The Cursed Prince and the Queen of Fate, Atropos was..
Farala-san told me they would be reborn once again on some reincarnation. And, it would be great if I could actually meet these legendary figures.. Though their life was actually a tragedy..
And, I don't know why.. But, when I think about these two people.. I couldn't help but.. think.. there might be a piece of a extremely important memory that I.. might have forgotten.. when.. we escaped the Cave in the mountain of Gallows of Death.
I tried asking people but, no one knows about it, even Zeno. So, gradually I concluded I was just imagining things..
But..
A hollow sound echoed around the deep forest once again and my horse suddenly started neighing and thomping it's shoes.
I immediately looked at Ghost Billy but, he raised his hands in surrender.
"I am not responsible for it! " He declared as I rolled my eyes.
I know it. Ghost Billy doesn't even know what is the meaning of mysteriousness.
I just looked at him to check if he had noticed it too and by his response I guess, he did.
I ran up to my horse to immediately calm her down and looked around.
A tender wind blew around us and soft ruffling sounds of dried leaves being stomped on the ground was heard from no where. And, then I heard light whimper scurring around me.
I bit my lips feeling a bit scared.
The strange sounds.. I was hearing them again. Someone was watching me from afar..
"Pssst! "
I abrupty turned to the forests darkness and searched it's source.
But, soon found none like always..
"Do you feel anything, Billy? " I asked my Ghost friend.
Billy was amused. "Hello I am a ghost.. I don't feel anything.. ?!" He sang when the leaves rustled again.
"But, I am getting scared of these sounds..! " Billy trembled and immediately hid behind my back. His translucent hands pulled through my shoulders.
I grunted. And, he is supposed to be a ghost..
The wind blew more creepier and when my horse suddenly started neighing at certain direction, I immediately turned to it only to find a little path of blue fire being lit on a certain path.
I slowly walked towards it with crossed brows and tip toed steps drawing my hood more closer to my head.
Ghost Billy finally opened his tightly closed eyes and when he found my form missing before him, he screaked loud in fear.
"Anastasia!!!?! Are you crazy!? What are you doing!? "
"Hey, this thing has been following me for a while.. And, I cannot rest until I find what it is! " I whispered.
Billy was shocked speechless. "The only place you would rest would be the graves if you don't come back!!.. I sense an extremely powerful energy I have felt before as a ghost and I am sure this is a bad idea! "
Oh, please why do every single person I am surrounding with never fail to say those words..
The blue fire led me through a path where I think, I almost saw a little white fox struggling to stump the fire of the path..
But, unfortunately before I could even approach it had already gone and I was standing before an entrance of a giant cave.
With a smirk, I immediately walked inside it when Billy abruptly stood before me and I passed through him.
"Whoa Whoa.. Anastasia, you are too gusty.. do you even know what's inside there!? Do you really wanna suicide!?"
"Billy, can't you see..? I can finally find the thing that's been following me..! And, I think, it might not be that scary after all.. "
I say recalling the image of the little furry animal I saw in the corner of my eye.
"And, besides you already died. Does it matter if you die again? "
Billy shook his head. He knew, I was really being unreasonable.
"I am talking about you, Anastasia! You cannot die! You are the only friend who talks to me and.. It would be too painful if I lose you.. " He tried the all-too-familer sentimental attack method.
"Aw, that's sweet Billy. But, not working. I am going in.. "
"Anastasia! Anastasia! You cannot leave me alone like this! " The ghost yelled when his words suddenly made me fell a strange throb on my head.
'You can't leave me alone like this.. You can't leave me alone like this.. You can't leave me alone like this, Aisa..!'
Extremely weak images of a blonde girl yelling at me and another black haired woman looking at me from afar with a guilty gaze flashed before my eyes.
But, then in seconds, a sharp sound produced a noise of how a tin being banged with a wooden bark would sound like echoed inside my conscience. And, then everything went blank as though something deliberatly stopped this memory from flowing on my mind.
"Anastasia-chan, get out of there.. "
Ghost Billy was still trembling at my atrocious guesture.
I smiled, I wanted to play with him.
"Oh.. Please Billy. Alright.. I'll listen to you. The cave is empty! I only wanted follow that blue fire and now that it isn't here.. All that is left is for me to take a take a turn-"
I say turning my body towards the cave's entrance. "And, walk out before some wild creature like a.. "
"Bear.. " Billy muttered softly looking straight above me in total shock but, I totally didn't catch that.
"Yeah, a bear comes out and-"
And, that's when I gradually felt a strong bad breath of raw meat warm my shoulders as low sounds of soft growls reached my ears.
"It's right behind me, right?"
I ask the startled Billy and turn back to feel a giant grizzly bear's loud thunderstrous roar numbing my eardrums.
I smiled sheepishly.
"Cheese and chocolate sprinkles.. Looks like we had disturbed your slumber, mamma bear.. "
I mumbled to myself when..
"GROWWWWWWWWLLLL! "
..roared the Big giant bear in fury!
***