Subject Zero: CONFIDENTIAL (Short Stories)

SMILE: Long Live the Queen (4)

February 22, 1980
The Royal Manor
Mirror World

Third Person's POV
Ares was roaming the Manor, but heading over to a door upstairs. She seemed a bit nervous, but tried not to show it. She knocked on the door with no hesitation.

"Come in!" she heard a woman call out from the other side of the door.

So Ares opened the door, and saw the Queen, Aisling, braiding her hair.

Aisling was beautiful, and Joplin thought so, as well. She had dark brown skin, and her right eye was entirely black, but in certain lighting, her eye looked to be full of stars. On the left side of her face, she had a mask covering that half. The mask was a smiling mask. She had long, curly, midnight blue hair that reached her knees, and her hair was in three large braids. She had stitches all around her body; her torso, wrists, shoulders, neck, knees, and ankles. She wore fancy black gloves and wore a deep purple dress with ruffles and puffed sleeves. She looked to be in her in her late-twenties.

"Oh! Ares, it's you!" Aisling said in surprise, since she was expecting Joplin to be at the door instead of Ares. "How are you?"

Ares nods her head. "I'm doing well, but I was wondering..."

Aisling looked at her with a curious expression. "Hm?"

"...Can we do the 'hanging out'? I hear they finally got rid of the fence around the edge of the world, and I'd like to see the view!"

An excited expression grew on Aisling's face. "Oh! Yes! Joplin took those down yesterday and said we can go at anytime. We can go now, if you'd like!"

Ares softly smiled with joy. "Okay!"

Aisling stood up. "Okay! Come on!"

Aisling excitedly stepped out of her room, followed by Ares. She went down the stairs and saw Joplin entering the Manor.

     "Darling, Ares and I are going to see the edge of the world!" Aisling told him as she and Ares headed toward the door.

Joplin looks at her with a soft smile. "Be careful," he tells them.

Aisling quickly kissed his cheek before following Ares out of the Manor. She looked back to tell him, "We'll be back soon!"

[ Minutes Later ]
Forgotten Forest

Ares knew Aisling didn't know the way to the edge of the world, which is why she was leading her there. Or at least that's what she wanted Aisling to think. At the moment, they were only in a very isolated part of the forest. It was quiet.

After a moment, when they reached a certain point, Ares stops and says, "We're here."

Aisling was instantly confused. "What?"

When Ares tried to walk away, Aisling gently grabbed her hand.

     "Where are you going?" Aisling asked her, in a confused tone. "This is not the edge of the world... Who were you talking to?"

     "Please, let go of me-" Ares told her.

Suddenly, Liam appeared and grabbed Aisling's arm. His sudden presence startled her. He forced her to let go of Ares' hand, then Ares quickly backed away. Miyo walked out from behind a tree, running up to Ares to stand next to her.