CinderAmity

Back Home

By the time CinderAmity finally made it home, it was already twenty-five minutes past twelve; she still wore her torn and stained outfit from earlier. She practically jumped off of her staff and rushed through the backdoor of the manor. She sped through the halls and collapsed onto the lavish sofa in the east drawing room, gasping for air.

"Phew! We made it." CinderAmity heaved a sigh of relief before she gave her palisman an apologetic look. "I'm sorry. I guess I forgot about everything, even the time. But... the energy, the people, the music! Tonight was amazing! And the Princess?" She sighed happily as her mind whirled with memories of the Ball and Princess Luzura; her cheeks turned red as her lips curled into a huge smile. "I'll never forget this. Everything was just so... so... wow." She paused as her face fell; she sat up straight. "Oh well. It's over now, so..."

Her thoughts were interrupted when Ghost started meowing and batting at her left foot with her paw. CinderAmity looked and saw that she was still wearing one glass slipper. Her eyes brightened as she took it off and held it. She turned to the window behind her before noticing her reflection; she also still had her purple hair. Ghost hopped onto the sofa and purred as she cuddled on her mistress's lap.

"Thank you, Eda." She said with a smile. "Thank you so much for everything."

But then she noticed something approaching the house; it was a carriage. Her eyes widened in terror and realization; Lord Belos is coming back.

"Oh no! Oh no oh no oh no! Titan, Belos can't see me like this! If he does, he'll kill me!" She cried, jumping up from the sofa. She looked at the slipper. "I gotta hide this somewhere! Somewhere he can never..." She then turned to Ghost and gave the slipper to her. "Go hide this, girl. Make sure Belos doesn't find it."

Ghost smiled and nodded before taking the slipper in her teeth and running off with it. The moment her palisman was out of sight, CinderAmity heard the carriage pull up at the front door. Thinking fast, she plopped back onto the sofa, covered herself with a blanket, and pretended to be asleep just as she heard the front door unlock and open. But as she heard Boscha and Bria's laughter and three sets of footsteps draw closer, she realized she forgot something else: her hair. How was she going to hide that? But she had no time to think of a plan; she remained still and silent under the blanket just as Boscha, Bria, and Belos entered.

"Did you see that guy whistling through his teeth?" Bria chortled as she took her mask and hat off.

"Yeah, I know! He was such a loser!" Boscha laughed as she took off her own mask.

"What a night." Belos sighed as he cracked his back and took off his cape. He then noticed a pale hand sticking out from under the blanket on the sofa and smirked. "Well, well, what have we here?"

CinderAmity faked a yawn, pretending to just wake up from a restful nap, and sat up, making sure the blanket over her head showed her face but completely covered her hair. She wiped her eyes and smiled.

"Oh, welcome back." She greeted.

"Hey. Make yourself useful and go get us some Apple Blood." Boscha ordered.

"Yeah, and make us a snack too while you're at it. We're hungry." Bria added.

"And try not to take too long. I'm tired and I don't have all evening." Belos demanded as he sat down in a nearby armchair; he took off his own mask and set it off to the side.

"Uh, sure. Right away." CinderAmity said as she tiptoed to the doorway. The moment she was out of sight, she dropped the blanket and sprinted towards the kitchen, hoping they didn't notice her hair.

"Now that we're back, we have a little time for what really matters... Penstagram!" Boscha exclaimed as she and Bria each took out a purple scroll resembling a cell phone and sat down on the sofa; their palismen settled in between them. Belos rolled his eyes and picked up a book from the coffee table; he never understood the appeal of Penstagram.