Ashes ~ Jolie Ruewen

Special Part 2

The Dance

Jolie had just opened and put on her Foxfire Opening Ceremonies costume. It was a gremlin of all things. Why couldn't the Level One mascot have been a kelpie- or a suncatcher, something actually beautiful like that.

She was very happy she had made it into Foxfire, though. All three councilors had voted her in and then she heard those three wonderful words, Welcome to Foxfire.

Anyway, the headband for the ears wouldn't stay on, she had to wear a strap-on nose (the nose was actually cool because it actually enhanced your sense of smell), and it was baggy. It was a onesie type thing, so of course, it would be loose on normal people. But she wasn't normal, she was short. And it made everything so much worse.

So of course the legs of the costume pooled at her ankles, and she was sure she would trip on them at some point in the near future. This was the dilemma of being shorter than the average dwarf. That was one reason why Jolie preferred dresses or tunics over pants. Also, she had to roll up the sleeves. Those got all bunched up and annoying and then they looked weirdly puffy.

And it was so, so itchy. The fur was bristly, but the undercoat was super fluffy. As Jolie ran her hands through it, she realized it also shed, just like Maurice. Not to mention the black fur completely clashed with her blond hair. She had just painted her nails an amazing lavender color but now that was gonna have to go.

And then there were the pockets. So. Many. Pockets. And she had no idea what they were for. And she really wanted to know why.

Basically, Jolie had just put on the worst thing she had ever worn in the history of her whole entire life.

Oh, the shame of wearing that ragged bundle of fur someone had the nerve to call a costume. Her hands were just begging to be popped at this point.

She started walking reluctantly towards the door of her room. Punctuality had never been her strong suit, so today she was really trying to be on time.

"AAAHHHH!" A scream pierced the air, the blonde whipped her head towards the direction of the wail. Vertina's face had a look of absolute horror that would have made more sense if Jolie was being murdered. But maybe to Vertina, she was being murdered.

Something thundered up the stairs and Dad rushed into the room shouting, "What's wrong?"

"This!" The mirror shrieked, it looked like Vertina was short-circuiting as she stared in repulsion. Her usually beautiful sapphire eyes bugged out and her digital jaw practically unhinged. Was it possible for spectral mirrors to have an aneurism?

Jolie nodded with despondent agreement. Even the ears of her costume drooped pathetically.

"I don't think it looks that bad," Dad commented unhelpfully. "Besides, it'll keep that Brant boy away from you."

She looked down, shame, a twinge of annoyance, and mostly embarrassment flooded through her. Her face surely turning red from all three emotions.

"Oof," She looked up, seeing Dad rubbing his arm and Mom gazing at her with the strongest type of love that only mothers could feel for their children.

"What your father meant to say," She elbowed Dad again, "Is that you look beautiful no matter what, the inside is what matters most. Also, I think you look adorable." She booped the tip of Jolie's "adorable" gremlin nose.

"Anyway, we should probably go, kiddo. Maybe we'll finally be on time. Also, don't forget to get your goggles." He pointed to the foot of her bed.

There. Were. Goggles? She didn't know why she was even surprised, but this was getting ridiculous. Dad had to have been kidding, there was no way in all the Lost Cities that her costume had goggles. She walked over to her bed. Sure enough, there was a pair of shiny black spectacles that looked too much like Elwin's for Jolie to have a good feeling about them. On the side of one lens was a small dial, but she didn't have the slightest idea of what it was supposed to do.