Flight of Cendrillon

Chapter 17: The Clock Tolls

Infiltrating Vedunia alone had been surprisingly simple. Miku still remembered the escape routes given to her by the Godmothers by heart. Slipping through a standing army was only slightly more difficult – to get attention away from her breach point, she'd had to resort to setting her car on fire.

She wouldn't need it anymore. If she was right...

... she was about to end the war herself.

She was about to save Kaito.

She carefully traversed the streets – at this hour curfews were still in place. Yet she noticed something strange – a lack of civilians entirely.

'I know there's a curfew, but shouldn't they at least be in the houses?'

But she saw the great Clocktower spiraling up into the Vedunia skyline and she returned to her focus. If the intel she stole from Akiko was true... then she knew where the Grand Godmother would be hiding out. She had to end all of this.

There was always a chance this information was planted. That Miku was walking into a trap set especially for her. But she couldn't ignore the opportunity when it presented itself. If it was a trap, she would just have to fight her way out of it. If it was real... she was willing to risk everything, including her life.

She breeched the tower, opening the doors and looking inside. The ticking of the great clockwork mechanisms sounded out a beat matching Miku's footsteps upon the black and white checkered marble floor. Vedunia's great Clocktower was a national monument of Estmarch and was thus dressed up on the interior as if it was a gorgeous manor. Even at such a late hour, illuminated candles hung along the walls. A great red rug spread out before her, framed by two curving white stairs. She could see glimpses of moonlight peeking through slit windows, casting silver light beneath them.

Clearly someone had ensured that even in the chaos of coups and war, the Clocktower remained immaculate.

Miku's soft winter shoes made no sound along the floor as she ascended the stairs, still watching for sudden movements. Now the ticking of the clocks felt like a pounding heart as she passed under rows of red velvet curtains, continuing her climb as she approached a great white spiral stair once she reached the second flood. She cast her eyes up, drew her gun and began her next climb, the hall silent and making her all the more aware of her nerves as the clockworks continued their march forward in her ears.

Her finger reached the trigger of her gun as she held her breath then ran up the last steps, rolling out of the stairwell and to her side to avoid a potential gunshot or throwing knife. Coming out of her roll, she took a crouching position to move quickly, her gun held out in front of her...

... and pointing at a red-headed girl in a red and white maid's dress with a skirt that hung just past her knees. Her red hair was tied by a black bow, the peaks of the bow almost reminding Miku of cat ears. Another smaller red bow was clipped to her temples. Her white gloves were tipped with red claws.

"Well, you weren't that stupid, I'll grant you that," the Cinderella purred as she curtsied to Miku, "I was hoping you'd provide a good fight. The Mistress has been waiting for you."

'She's here... she's really here!'

The Grand Godmother had baited a trap... with herself.

"I don't want to kill you," Miku said solemnly, "But I must reach the Grand Godmother. If I'm left with no choice..."

... she could accept just one stain on her soul if it meant ending the war.

The maid curled one of her gloved hands near her chin and giggled. " Well, Miku Hatsune, I'll dispense with facades." she said, "The Cinderellas know me as Catherine Noir, but my true name is Iroha Nekomura."