Disclaimer: Satoru Akahori, Ray Omishi, Media Works, Mixx & ADV have the rights to Sorcerer Hunters and Sorcerer on the Rocks (a.k.a. Chivas 1-2-3). The plot is based on a variety of fairy tales. I wish I owned Potato Chips since he's one of the funniest characters I've encountered in anime but I don't; just get rid of Jeeves and he becomes squeezable--perverted still, but squeezable. I own only the story text and concept.
"Hello?" His call went unanswered. "Excuse me? Is anyone home?" He gave a brisk double knock on the door. "Hello?" There was a shuffling on the other side of the door, then a click. A sea-blue eye appeared as the door cracked open.
"Yes? Can I help you with something?" asked the owner of the eye above the whispering of her comrades.
"Who is it?"
"What does she look like?"
"Who cares? I'm bored."
"Shh... Let her speak," came the eye's voice again. "I'm sorry about my sisters. Please come in." The girl pushed the door open all the way and waved for her guest to enter.
Six beautiful women greeted Marron. Heh, it's a good thing my brother and Gateau are not in this dream. These poor girls wouldn't stand a chance.
"I'm Lake," said the speaker. She introduced her sisters in turn. "This is Amore, Barbara, Jenny, Bomber and Margot. We are excavators of precious jewels."
Something clicked in Marron's memory. There was an old story about a princess and a house with seven dwarven jewel miners. That must have been where his subconscious filched this scene for his dream. "Um... Shouldn't there be one more of you?"
"One more?!" asked a startled Bomber. "Oh, you must mean our sister Maris, but... She's not here at the moment. How did you know about Maris?"
"I, uh... didn't exactly." He scanned the room quickly. "It's just that there are seven chairs around your table. I assumed that someone sat in the extra chair."
"Oh, right. Very observant of you," Bomber agreed, but the suspicion didn't really fade from her tone.
Lake clapped her hands. "So, would you like to sit down, uh... What was your name again?"
"Marron. Marron Glace and I'd be delighted to sit down."
"You know," continued Lake after everyone had been seated and Barbara had poured tea, "It's a real pleasure to meet a woman of such beauty as yourself. You rival the best of our stones, but I wonder what a lady of your stature would be doing in the middle of a forest. Are you lost?"
"Uh, woman...?" Marron smiled. "I am not a woman."
"Oh? Then why are ya wearin' a dress?" asked Jenny.
"And makeup, although it is quite tasteful," added Margot.
"A dress...?" Marron looked down and he was, in fact, clothed in a beautiful white dress with silver trim and pearl buttons. The most shocking feature of the dress was the low cut bosom, complete with ample cleavage. All the blood migrated from Marron's head to his feet.
"What... uh... happened?"
Jenny was kneeling over Marron with tears in her eyes and a red ribbon clutched in her hand. "We thought you were gone, princess. It was this," she shook the ribbon, "-this THING that made you faint."
"The ribbon?" Marron pushed herself into a sitting position. "An peddler woman gave it to me, in exchange for directions."
"It must have been your icky stepmother. You need to be more careful, Marron," chided Margot.
Marron felt her face flush. Yes, I should be more careful. Even Margot, who is so much younger than I, wouldn't have trusted that peddler. I will be more careful.
She had met him on a hot afternoon. The Sisters were away at the mines for a week long "Shovel, Sleep and Stash". She had just finished hanging the laundry when she heard his voice, his beautiful voice, call out. He was merely in need of water, which Marron provided, attempting not to blush too much, but when she looked into his eyes... Ah, there he was. At that moment, at that very instant in time, Marron knew that this was the man for her. Her true love.
Her Prince Charming.
Her... Carrot.