Bippity-Boppity-Boo - 1. Bippity-Boppity-Boo or How Charming Fell For Cinder

Or

How Charming Fell For Cinder
by Lugh
Once upon a time a long, long time ago…

Heh, yeah right. All good tales begin that way or so they tell me, but this isn't a good tale… it's a true tale… and it didn't happen all that long ago either.

You see, it all began when Teddy Humphrey arrived at his auntie and uncle's home after school one day and found a very strange man talking with his auntie and uncle, both of which should have been at work at this hour.

"Is this the boy?" the man asked Teddy's uncle while indicating a photograph.

His uncle nodded his response. "That was taken a bit over a year ago."

"He will have to submit a DNA sample for comparison and proof, but there is a bit of a family resemblance."

"Are you sure it's he you want?" Teddy's auntie asked her voice pitched high, nearing a wail.

"Well, the only way to be absolutely certain is for him to be tested. When will the boy be home?"

"That should be him now," his uncle said as Teddy attempted to sneak past the room to the stair to find his bedroom. "Teddy, come here, please."

Teddy poked his head into the living room, and saw the visitor. Panic welled up flooding his system with adrenaline at the same time that gorge threatened to spill upwards from his stomach and out his nostrils and mouth. Teddy looked from one adult to the next then attempted to dart back out the door, but something -- invisible -- held him fast. The man rose from the chair and walked over to him.

"What is frightening you Tarquin?"

Teddy struggled against his invisible bonds, but the man just waited patiently for him to stop.

"What have you done to him?" Auntie wailed, bolting across the room to verify that her nephew was unharmed.

"Done? Nothing, dear lady, just holding him still so that he can be tested." At that, the man pulled a small device out of one of his many pockets and pricked Teddy's earlobe. Lights flickered across the small screen then turned green. The man's eyes showed a bit of shock then he smiled, a toothy grin that spread from ear to ear. "You will have to forgive me, Tarquin, but it was necessary to verify that you were he whom we sought."

"Is he?" Uncle asked.

"He is," the man grinned. "You said his mother died?"

"She did. When he was but a wee little lad and with no other relatives and absolutely no word from his father… well, we took him in."

"Excellent, most excellent. I'll be taking care of him now."

Uncle huffed up and frowned. "You will, will you? We've provided the boy with food and clothing and a good education, and now when he's near full-growed you come along and would be happy to take him off our hands without so much as a by-your-leave? What if the boy doesn't want to come with you?"

"I'm afraid he hasn't much of a choice, he is needed," the man said solemnly.

"Well bully for him! Where was he when the boy needed him?"

"There were exceptional circumstances," the man assured them, then he turned to Teddy, "You will be coming with me, young sir, and no trying to run. Now that I've found you I can track you anywhere you might decide to hide. I'm going to release you, and you will retire and prepare for travel. We leave in half an hour."

With that, Teddy was released and able to speak. "My friends? Won't I be allowed time to say good-bye?"

"I'm sorry, Tarquin, we have no time…" the man said as Teddy fled from the room, up the stairs, and into his bedroom, slamming the door behind him.

Half an hour later, though, he dutifully stood in the living room of the house he grew up in, and hugged his auntie and uncle good-bye. Then he followed the man sent to retrieve him from his childhood home and into the unknown.

Teddy sat beside the man who had taken him from his Auntie and Uncle's house with their permission and studied the landscape as it passed.

"So where are we going?"

"Home, Tarquin."

"We just left my home, and I wish you would call me Teddy… my mother… well she didn't like the name Tarquin although she named me that out of respect for the man who fathered me."

"Tarquin is a good, solid, family name in your father's line."

"Which is another reason to detest it," Teddy replied flatly and stopped attempting conversation at all with the man.

It was well past dark when they pulled into a well-lit parking lot. Teddy was half asleep and walked drowsily behind the man who had yet to introduce himself formally. His only baggage was his school backpack, which had been pressed into use as luggage. The man went to take it from him, but Teddy refused to let it out of his hands.

"Fine, have it your way, Tarquin. Come, they await."

Teddy followed up a ramp, down a corridor, and into a small chamber with a couch along the back wall and several chairs throughout. The man escorted him to the couch and bid him to sit, then strapped him in, pressing a drink into his hands. Teddy drank thirstily and fell asleep immediately. He never realized the ship left the ground…

Sissy woke before dawn to an awful stench. It smelled as if something died. With a sigh, she got up out of bed and opened the door to her little sleeping closet. The stench grew stronger. Daring Mother's wrath she turned on the lights and searched for the stench. Three steps into the room her foot squelched. She looked around and found a leaking pipe. Dark muck dripped down in globs. Sissy sighed, and then squelched across the muck to find the repair kit and android.

Dawn came and with it, the bell in her room rang, summoning her upstairs. With muck covering most of her body, Sissy ignored the summons, and worked along side the droid to finish the repair.

Three rings later, the door leading to her dungeon was flung open and Mother screamed down, ordering her to get her lazy ass out of bed and up into the kitchens to fix breakfast.

Sissy sighed, set the droid to finish the repair then clean the floor and moved over to the utility sink to wash off as much of the muck as possible. The water was tepid at best, but it washed the shit off well enough. Sissy sighed, she was sure it did little for the stench. Clean, but naked, Sissy rummaged through a basket of laundry to find something to cover herself with and came up with a pair of panties and a longish t-shirt. It would have to do, as she was not going to squelch back across the muck for something as trivial as clothing.

Upstairs the twins were already at the table, as was Mother. They were wearing thick, warm dressing gowns against the chill in the air. Goosebumps appeared along Sissy's arms and legs as her damp feet hit the cool flooring. With a shudder, she headed over to the kitchen area and flipped some switches.

"I want pancakes this morning, with sausages, Sissy," the first one whined.

"French toast for me, with bacon, and fresh squeezed orange juice… and I want to see the peels!" the second one squealed when she saw Sissy.

She didn't have to hear Mother's request as her breakfast hadn't changed in all the time Sissy had been making it: two eggs over easy with a thick slice of honey seasoned ham and a half of grapefruit, slightly sweetened. Sissy sighed and got busy.

An hour later and Sissy was alone in the house, with Mother off to work and the twins off to school. She still had a list of chores to do, and her schoolwork too, but she was now free to do them at her own leisure and not at the beck and call of the other people she was forced to share her home with. After fixing and consuming her own breakfast, Sissy went back down stairs to check on the droid. She found the floor clean and the room smelling of disinfectant.

"Good job, Bip! Please go upstairs and execute Program A," she called out as she walked fearlessly across the muck-free floor to her room where she changed into clothing that was more appropriate for upstairs. It wasn't new, or even first-hand. Mother would never purchase Sissy anything as trivial as clothing, so Sissy had been wearing the twins' cast offs for as long as she could remember. A short time later she was headed back upstairs to begin her coursework for the day.

She noted with some sense of satisfaction that Bip and Bop were both busy working on the chore list. If Mother ever found out about them, she would be in serious trouble. She had saved Bip's program from the house android they had before Father died. It had been put in storage in the basement and as far as she knew, Mother was not aware of it being there. Over the years, Sissy tweaked the programming, and then duplicated it to create Bop. Their bodies had been salvaged as well, and while functional, were not the best. That was her current project -- finding Bip and Bop new housing.

She sat down at the computer and smiled as she checked her email. There were only a few messages, and most of them were related to her coursework, but among them was one she had been looking forward to, and one that surprised her. She opened the surprise first.

Then she opened the email she had been looking forward to, it was a reply to her inquiry concerning new bodies for Bip and Bop. It seemed that someone who knew someone would be able to get her at least one of the bodies she needed for little more than a song. Sissy smiled, sent off a reply to that one, too, and then, with a self-satisfied grin, she settled down and began her schoolwork.

Several hours later she rose from the chair and started supper, content to know she still had a few hours of solitude before the twins arrived home. She sent Bip and Bop to task B of their programming and continued on with her daily chore list, whistling as she worked.

Teddy sat in his nicely decorated suite and looked out his east-facing window at the sunset. Here the sun was a bit redder than back home, but not too much so, it did make things look a little different though. The biggest difference was the greenish cast to the sky instead of blue. He vaguely remembered arriving with Alfred at his side. He did remember being space sick. It kept him cowering on his bed for most of the voyage barfing into any available receptacle and not wanting to eat much at all. As a result, he had lost several pounds and now looked even more thin than normal. He had learned a few things over the past few weeks, important things, like his great-uncle, Perriquin Charming, was king here. Perriquin's nine sons had never lived long enough to be moved from the nursery. His Uncle Tarquin had been the heir until a few months ago when he died suddenly and unexpectedly upon hearing the news of both of his son's deaths in a bizarre accident, which somehow placed the position of heir-presumptive on his shoulders. His father, it turned out, had died before his birth and his mother fled back home with him still tucked safely in her womb. Great-Uncle Perriquin had not known if he had been a boy or a girl, but sent Alfred to find him and bring him home by any means necessary. So here he was, for better or worse, Tarquin Charming.

Teddy frowned.

His great-uncle had informed him earlier that day that he would be having a natal day celebration and that all the boys and girls of the realm who could possibly make it would be attending. Everyone wanted a look at their new prince, and mothers would have their daughters on display. It was explained to him, by the ever patient Alfred, that he would be dressed up and expected to preen like the little lordling peacock he was and that attracting a mate would be high on the agenda of the evening.

Teddy didn't have the heart to tell either of them that no girl would turn his head, much less catch his eye. Invitations had gone out and he was expected to behave himself and above all else… be Charming!

At the appointed time, the door flew open and the twins entered squealing with glee. Their exuberance was not missed by Sissy who happened to be sitting the table, nor was the way they flew up the stairs to their room chattering like chipmunks.

Mother entered a short time later and Sissy served dinner to the three. The whole of the conversation was wrapped around the upcoming natal day celebration of the newest Charming.

"So do you think the king finally managed to raise a son and not tell anyone of it?" Cybil asked Sharice.

"No silly, they had to hunt through the family tree for this one. I've heard he wasn't even aware he was related to the king until they brought him to the castle."

"Not even aware? How could that happen?" Cybil asked half in shock.

Mother smiled at them, her mouth barely turning up at the corners. "Darlings, it's totally possible for one to be raised not knowing their own heritage if a person does their best to keep him from knowing it."

Sissy had retreated to the kitchen to prepare the second course of their meal, but she heard, and she wondered again about… things. They hadn't always been like this, she was certain. Hefting the platter, she re-entered the dining room, and the twins burst out in laughter. She ignored it and life continued on…

It was several agonizing weeks later that the package arrived for Sissy. Luckily, it arrived while Mother was not home. She wrestled it down to her room and unwrapped it carefully. It was a fully mobile true-to-life, anatomically-correct boy body. Sissy sat for a very long time pondering the "boy body". It was like hers, and she was a girl. At least she had been told she was a girl.

It took four long nights to transfer Bip into his new body. Four long nights of wondering about his boy-parts and four long days of working with Bop to do the chores that Bip would normally do. On the fifth day, the twins arrived home at the same time the mail carrier came. Chattering again, they retired to their rooms and when Mother arrived, they cornered her in the library -- the one room in the house that had a door too thick for Sissy to listen through.

Dinner was served exactly on time, but Mother and the twins had not come out from the library. Sissy wasn't sure what to do, they were never late for dinner. Then they came in, the twins all smiles, but Mother was frowning. Sissy knew frowning was bad, and when Mother's frowns occurred at the same time as the twin's smiles, it was often very bad.

"Sissy, it seems you received some mail today," Mother intoned.

"I did?" Sissy asked, her voice soft.

"Yes, your sisters were nice enough to bring it to my attention," Mother held out the opened envelope, and Sissy took it and opened it carefully. It was a personal invitation to the Charming Natal Day celebration. Sissy smiled to herself, then looked up to Mother, who was still frowning. "Don't think that just because you received an invitation that you will be allowed to go."

"But Mother, it says I'm invited. This is the King's own seal!"

"You haven't anything proper to wear," Mother stated to the twittering of the twins, "Now serve us our supper before it is inedible."

"Yes, Mother," Sissy said as she left the dining room to retrieve the food from the kitchen. She would not cry. Would not. As she cleared the last of the dishes, she looked again at Mother, "If I were able to obtain the proper clothing…"

The twins giggled, but to everyone's surprise, Mother nodded. "If you are able to get all your chores done, and your course work, and find time to find a proper dress…" she smiled, the sides of her mouth barely twitching upwards, "then you may go."

"Yes Mother, thank you Mother," Sissy nearly fell over herself in her efforts to get to the kitchen to begin the dishes.

The fifth of May. The fifth of May. The date kept running around in Sissy's head. Then she gasped, that was only next weekend! She hurried downstairs after finishing all her upstairs evening chores and plopped down on her bed to fold the baskets of laundry Bop had washed while Mother remained blissfully unaware of the laundry being done. Excitedly she chattered away to Bip and Bop about the coming party and how she managed to obtain permission to go. Then she fell into a restless sleep, the folded laundry still on her bed.

Bip looked at Bop. Both droids moved as one as they removed the folded laundry from the bed and arranged Sissy in a more comfortable position. Then a control panel on Bip opened and a wire flopped out. Bop took it and connected it to himself, and the two droids communed each with the other.

Teddy pouted as he was fitted in the traditional garments of a young man of the royal line.

"If the other boys had to wear this, no wonder they chose death," he grumbled just loud enough for the tailor's apprentice to hear.

"Tis not so bad, honestly," the boy said through the pins sticking out from between his lips.

"You don't have to wear it," Teddy grumped.

"You will be most handsome," the boy assured Teddy.

Teddy did not believe it. He had never been so embarrassed by clothing in all his life. The shirt was rather full and hung to his thighs, cinched in at the waist with a wide belt. Over the shirt, he would wear a richly-embroidered, padded vest. There were no proper pants, instead he would be wearing hosiery that were made in such a manner that the inner seam was not connected at all -- the undergarment, which he was told they called smalls, could be seen in the gap. The boots were nice though. They covered his calf in soft leather, although getting them on over the hose was a trick. Teddy shook with laughter the first time he saw himself in the mirror. He was so very glad his friends could not see him now. Yes, it was a good thing his friends were so very far away.

After his fitting, he had an audience with the current king, a daily event as he adjusted to his new life. In the morning, he had tutors to help him become familiar with the land and the people, but in the late afternoons, his head was filled with law and jurisprudence.

"Great-uncle? Must I truly have a wife as they say?" Teddy began the day's lesson with his very serious question.

The king looked him over, "What objection could you possibly have in a wife? Did you have a sweetheart from where you were raised? Are you promised to another?"

Teddy shrugged his shoulders and looked at the floor. "It's not that, Great-uncle, it's just…" Teddy sighed, "I don't particularly like girls."

The king stared at him for a while, then sighed. "Ah Tarquin, there is much of your grandfather, my brother, in you. Did you know he hired girls to bear his seed?"

"Bear his seed?" Teddy asked unsure of the meaning.

"Have his children. He never married either, your father was one of them."

"There were others? I have aunts? Uncles? Cousins?" Teddy looked hopeful.

"Well, see that is the problem. Your grandfather's hired girls weren't the most reliable of people and sometimes they would run off with the money and the babe. I would think you might have one or two other relatives out there, but there is no way to know for sure."

"Oh. So I'm stuck at becoming king?"

"I'm afraid so. Just remember, you are Royal. No one will question your choice of a mate, but know this… you must produce a child to carry on the line… a child of your blood, of your seed. You are the last; else, this would not fall so heavily on your shoulders. Would it be so difficult for you?"

"I will do my duty, Great-uncle, but do not think I will enjoy it."

"That's my lad. Now for today's lesson…"

Teddy paid attention as he always did, but in the times between talking, his mind wondered to the fast approaching celebration, and what it might bring.

Sissy was excited. Although it seemed like she had twice as many chores as usual, she was managing to get everything done with the help of the newly housed Bip and much improved Bop. She even had time during the week to ransack the attic for something suitable to wear. She found trunks and trunks of old clothing up there, including some very pretty dresses that were a close enough fit that she could alter them late in the night.

Saturday morning dawned clear and Sissy rushed through the last minute preparations of the twins, including some emergency mending that just had to be done today. By the time the twins were ready to go, Sissy only had minutes to run down the stair and put on her own gown, which she managed with the aid of Bip. Then she ran back upstairs in the satin slippers she had found to match the gown and announced that she too was ready.

Cybil and Sharice shrieked when they saw her, and Mother frowned. Sissy thought something was wrong with her dress or her hair, which she wore loose down her back. Then they attacked! Yelling at her that this piece belonged to one or the other or even to Mother and no unwanted hanger-on was going to steal it and wear it to such a formal occasion. One of them even managed to knock Sissy down, pull off her slipper, and throw it out the window.

"Enough!" Mother spoke, and the twins stopped.

Sissy was in tears looking at her ruined gown.

"Our ride has arrived. Ladies…" Mother smiled at Sissy, "As for you, clean up this mess and go to bed, obviously you can not go in those rags."

"Yes, Mother," Sissy said softly and walked sedately to the basement door. She heard the front door close firmly. Then she fled down the stairs in tears, flung herself on the bed, and wept until her nose was clogged and red and her eyes swollen.

Bip and Bop eased over to the bed, and Bip rested one human-like hand on Sissy's back. "Sissy," it spoke softly, "Sissy, we have a gift for you."

Sissy sat up and looked at her droids.

"We have this for you," Bip held up a broach. "Wear it here, and they will see you as you truly are..."

"Beautiful," Bop finished.

"What is it?" Sissy asked as she stripped off the ruined dress and looked around for something she could put on instead.

"Wear this," Bip suggested, holding up an old shirt from the trunks.

"And these!" Bop held up some hosiery.

"What you have on will not matter, and it will not be seen," Bip assured her.

Sissy nodded and dressed in the comfortable clothing, slipping on her house-slippers, as she had no other shoes. "Are you certain?"

They nodded and pinned the broach to her shirt.

"Now you must remember, there is a battery inside."

"And it will only last a few hours."

"So when you hear it begin to beep you must leave."

"How long?" Sissy asked as she fingered the device.

"We aren't certain." Bip replied honestly as he was unable to lie.

"But at least until midnight and maybe a bit beyond."

Sissy nodded and gave each a huge hug, then ran upstairs, then back down. "But how will I get there?" she asked thinking her plans were all ruined again.

"They left the keys did they not?" Bop asked Bip, who nodded, then smiled.

"It seems you will be chauffeured tonight also," Bip replied as they went upstairs with Sissy. "I can drive you in the family auto."

The drive to the Plaza was not a long one, but Sissy fretted the whole way there over her clothes. Bop, however, eased her mind when he activated the broach as they pulled up to the curb.

"You will be perfect!" he exclaimed, "and we will be waiting here for you to return before it finishes beeping."

Sissy nodded and stepped out of the rusty old auto. Holding herself as regally as possible, she moved toward the doors, which were opened by another set of footmen, then she took the elevator to the ballroom, which happened to have its entrance on the second floor.

At the top of the stair leading down into the ballroom, Sissy paused and looked out over the dancing couples. She found the twins twittering near the far end where two men sat. The old one looked amused. The younger one looked bored. Sissy blushed slightly as their eyes met across the room just before she began her decent.

"Excuse me, please, great-uncle," Teddy stammered out as his heart lurched at the sight of the most handsome boy he had ever seen descended the stair. He was dressed in a deep blue shirt with white hose, his trim waist cinched with a wide belt, and boots that fit to his calf like a second skin. The top of his shirt was held together with the only jewelry he wore, a simple silver broach that looked ancient. Teddy edged his way through the crowd, and past the girls, smiling and nodding his way through. Then he was face to face with him. The boy smiled at him, and Teddy offered his arm, indicating the dance floor. He took the offered arm and nodded, politely waiting to be led out to dance.

Sissy could not believe her luck, the prince had come to her and offered to dance, of course, she couldn't say anything, but she did accept his offer. And oh did they dance. She was sure every eye was on them. It was so easy with him. Minutes or hours, she wasn't sure how long she had spent in his arms, then he leaned forward and pressed a chaste kiss to her lips. She thought bells had gone off, but then realized it was the soft beep of her broach. Quickly she disengaged, mumbled an "I'm sorry" and fled.

Teddy was baffled. He had only kissed the boy, and after dancing with him exclusively all night. Then he fled. Not to be flustered long, Teddy gave chase, and nearly caught him too, only the boy had pushed through the lobby doors catching his shirt on the handle. Teddy heard the rip and saw him stumble, then he saw him get up and run to a limousine.

Teddy stood there for a moment as the limo pulled away, and flickered… showing a rusty old blue station wagon and the tags, which read "BLOCK". Walking back into the Plaza, Teddy noticed the length of cloth on the door handle, and just outside the doors was a -- slipper? He took both back inside and decided his mind must have been playing tricks on him about the car, limos did not turn into station wagons -- or did they?

When he arrived back, it was time to open presents. Teddy sighed and did his duty, but his mind kept wandering back to that single chaste kiss… and the boy in his arms.

Sissy sighed happily as she settled back into the back seat of the auto.

"Did you enjoy yourself?" Bip asked.

"Oh, yes! It was so wonderful. A memory I shall always cherish. Thank you for making it possible."

"It was our pleasure," Bip replied, his joy evident in his voice.

It was much later they arrived back home and Sissy went down to her sleeping area with Bip and Bop in their corner, out of the way. She was almost asleep when she heard the twins come in with Mother, and then she heard nothing else until morning.

Teddy stared out the window of the limo as they were driven home for most of the trip, then he turned to his great-uncle with grim determination. "So, Great-Uncle what did you think of the blond boy I danced with most the night?"

"The boy in blue?" Perriquin asked.

"Yes…"

"He was quite handsome. What was his name, we can invite him over?"

Teddy sighed, "He never said."

Perriquin laughed. "I think I know how to settle this," he picked up a telephone and called for one of his household, who met them as they entered the drawing room. "Stevan, can you make an image of the boy Tarquin danced with tonight?"

Stevan nodded and began to sketch as Teddy described his love. While he did that, Perriquin was on the phone with the hotel to get the video recording of the party. They would figure out who this mysterious boy was one way or another.

Sissy had been surprised, as nothing had been said about her going to the natal-day celebration; then again, she assumed that she had not been recognized. Bip had told her that her clothing would not be recognized, and Bop had even repaired the tear in the hem for her. Still, she kept the shirt hidden inside her pillowcase. That way she could smell the prince's cologne while she slept. However, that was in and of itself a problem, both on Sunday morning and on each subsequent morning, as she woke to either stiff or wet sheets.

Sunday morning the twins came downstairs for brunch all atwitter, gossiping between them about the boy the prince had been dancing with for most of the party.

"Why would the prince dance with a boy?" Sissy asked, curiosity getting the better of her.

Cybil and Sharice looked at her and burst out laughing. Then when Sharice had calmed down, she told Sissy that some boys like other boys even though it was queer to do so.

Sissy nodded, but was even more confused than ever. She had danced with the prince most of the night. Why would they think he had danced with some boy? And why did she feel so aflutter when the prince was mentioned? Sissy pushed the thoughts from her head and went on about her chores as usual. It would do no good to ponder the imponderable. She still had her memories of the night, and her dreams. And everyone knew that dreams were wishes the heart makes -- and here lately her heart was making quite a few.

Her schedule returned to normal and by Thursday she felt fairly secure that she had avoided detection. To celebrate, she wore the same shirt she had worn the night of the party.

She was in the kitchen fixing dinner when Mother arrived home on Thursday. The twins had arrived on schedule half an hour past. Then as Mother was changing into her evening wear and the twins were still up in their rooms, the doorbell rang. Sissy muttered a curse under her breath and went to answer.

"Hullo, miss," said the gentleman at the door, as she opened it. "Is your mum home?"

"One moment please," Sissy said, and shut the door in his face.

"Mother, there is a man at the door to speak with you."

"Don't shout, Sissy, the whole neighborhood can hear you!" Mother scolded as she breezed through the kitchen to the front of the house to open the door.

"May I help you?" she said to the stranger who flashed a badge marking him as a member of the police.

"Yes, ma'am. Are you Mrs. Block?"

"I am."

"Do you own a blue station wagon with the tags, 'BLOCK'?"

"I do believe those were the tags on my late husband's auto."

"And where is this auto now?"

"In the garage. It's not been used in… well, years."

"Do you mind if I take a look, ma'm?"

"Of course."

Mother then led the officer out to the garage and let him look.

"Ma'm, do you have a son?"

"I have two daughters," Mother said with a smile.

"No sons?"

"No, officer, I gave birth to no boys."

They walked back into the house; the twins were at the dining room table, waiting for their dinner.

"These your girls?"

"Yes officer, this is Cybil and this is Sharice."

Just then, Sissy brought in a covered pan.

"And that would be?"

"Sissy."

The officer looked at the young person, she was a near-perfect match of the image his superior officer had shown him earlier that week, but the image was supposed to be of a boy.

"So, no boys reside at this residence?"

"It's just myself, my two girls, and Sissy, officer," Mother told him.

It was about then that Sissy turned and the officer noticed the mended tear in her shirt. It made no sense to the officer, but he had one other card to play.

"Will that be all, officer?" Mother asked as she saw the officer looking at Sissy a bit too closely.

"Cybil, why don't you go ask Sissy to change that awful shirt into something a bit more respectable."

"Yes, Mother," Cybil smiled and headed to the kitchen where she ordered Sissy down the stair to change.

"Where were your girls on Saturday night?"

"All three of us went to the Prince's natal-day celebration."

"And Sissy?"

"Sissy was not allowed to go," Mother responded sharply.

"I see," the officer said, "well, we will be in touch if there is anything else," he said and headed back to the door, letting himself out.

Once back to his car, he radioed in his discovery of the reported vehicle. He also reported that there were no boys at the residence, but one girl who looked remarkably like the photograph. Then he sat in the car and waited as he had been told to do.

Sissy went downstairs at Cybil's prodding, protesting the whole time about having to remove the shirt.

"Maybe I shan't wear anything then!" She protested.

"Fine by me, Sissy, then Sharice and I can tease you for being flat-chested as a boy. I don't know why you wanted to go to the natal-day celebration, you are an ugly girl," Cybil frowned at Sissy and held out her hand. "Now give me the shirt."

"No."

Cybil smirked evilly, "Have it your way then," she said, and proceeded to forcibly remove the shirt from Sissy, tearing the fabric again in the process. With a whoop of glee she charged up the stairs, trophy in hand, leaving a distraught Sissy weeping in a huddle on the floor.

Bip came out of hiding, and led Sissy over to the mirror in her room. "You are not an ugly girl," the android said softly, "look at yourself."

Sissy did as bid and saw a flat-chested girl with a large adam's apple in the mirror. "I'm hideous," she wailed.

"No you are not. Look carefully, what do you see?"

Sissy trembled and looked again. "I'm a girl," she finally whispered, "why is there a boy looking back at me?"

"You are very handsome."

"But the prince kissed me!"

"Goes to show he has good taste."

"But he's a boy!"

"Yes, he is."

"And I'm a…"

Bip just smiled and nodded.

Sissy fainted.

It was after dark when the police officer saw the form of a male in the front window. He radioed in, then went and knocked on the door again.

Bip answered, stepping outside.

"May I help you officer?"

"Do you live here?"

"Yes," Bip answered smiling, "downstairs with my mate, Bop, and our master, Cinder."

"Cinder?"

Bip giggled. "Oh, they don't call him Cinder, but that's his name."

"And what do they call him?" The officer asked.

"Sissy."

The officer looked perplexed for a moment then smiled. "And where was Cinder last Saturday night?"

"Dancing with the Prince," Bip said with a grin.

"I see…"

"Do you?" Then Bip proceeded to fill the officer in on the goings on in the Block household since Master Block died, suddenly and with suspicion nearly fourteen summers ago. When he was finished, he bid the officer goodnight and let himself back into the house. Hopefully the officer would believe the story… and do something about it.

On Friday morning, an announcement was made on all the news stations that the Prince would take as his mate the person who could identify a particular found item, an item that was lost at his natal-day celebration. When the twins came home from school they were beside themselves, of course each had an idea of what the lost item should be…

Sissy paled when she heard the news, then went down to her room and kicked the single slipper further under her bed. Then threw herself on the bed and wept. Mother would never let her be wedded to the prince.

Saturday morning there was a loud knock on the door. Mother opened it herself as she was expecting someone, however it was two members of the royal guard, followed closely by the Prince himself.

"I understand that someone here can correctly identify the lost item?" he asked her as he entered.

Mother curtsied, then called up the stairs to Cybil and Sharice who came bounding down.

Cybil smiled at the prince, and both curtsied.

"What was the lost item?" Teddy asked the girl to the left.

"Well, your highness, I believe I lost a scarf," Cybil began, but he cut her off.

"It was not a scarf."

"Your highness, I have misplaced a pair of gloves…"

"No, no, no…" Teddy turned to Mother, "Is there anyone else?"

"I'm afraid there isn't," Mother said with a frown as Sissy came out of the kitchen.

"Are you sure there is no one else?" Teddy asked while looking at Cinder. It was very hard to keep the grin out of his voice and off his face. Standing before him was the boy he had fallen in love with, even if the boy did not yet know it himself.

"Sissy was not at the natal-day celebration," Mother responded quickly.

"Oh," Teddy sounded disappointed and tried to think of something else to say.

"Will that be all?" Mother asked him, and he nodded, looked wistfully toward the kitchen. "Then maybe you should go to the next house…" Mother suggested, "No sense in keeping them waiting."

"Yes, of course…" Teddy responded a little confused. He was headed down the front walk when something hit him in the back. He turned quickly around and glared. The guard that was walking behind picked up the offending item, a slipper, and showed it to the prince. Teddy looked back up at Mother who was standing on the porch between her two girls. "To whom does this belong?" he indicated the slipper.

"I believe that is Sissy's slipper," Cybil said. "She must have thrown it at you."

"Call her out here." Teddy demanded and Mother hurried to do as he bid, grabbing Sissy a bit roughly, bruising her arm in the process.

"Is this your slipper?" Teddy demanded.

Sissy nodded mutely and wondered which of the two driods had ratted her out.

"Arrest them all!" Teddy shouted, grabbing Cinder by the wrist, "This one will ride with me."

Sissy was wide-eyed as the prince pushed her ahead of him into his car.

"You know you can't marry Sissy; he's a boy," Mother shouted behind them.

Sissy looked from one to the other and burst out in tears.

Teddy slammed the door and gathered the weeping young man in his arms.

"You never told me your name…" Teddy said softly as he produced the second slipper from a hidden compartment and showed it to his love.

"You never asked," Sissy responded, looking at the slipper.

"Well, a very informative droid seemed to willing to part with the information, Cinder." Teddy caressed Cinder's hair. "Would you do me the honor of becoming my mate?"

"You're a boy… and I'm a…" Cinder started.

"boy," Teddy finished. "And it is a good thing too, because I prefer boys, well I prefer one boy," Teddy smiled. "So what do you say?"

Sissy… Cinder… looked at the Prince confused, then nodded. They shared a kiss much nicer than the chaste one they had previously shared at the dance as Mother and the twins were hauled away.

So, there ya go. How Prince Charming fell for Cinder. It's a beautiful tale isn't it? Oh yeah… and they both are living happily ever after!

The End

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