Nezuko and the Glass Sandal

Nezuko lives as a servant in her own home, forced by her stepmother and stepsisters to sweep the floors and carry the water. She wears a patched-up, faded pink apron dress and keeps her iconic bamboo muzzle tied with a simple twine ribbon. Her long, black hair is tied back loosely with a scrap of fabric, but her kind, wide pink eyes still shine bright despite all the soot from cleaning the fireplace. Her stepmother, Kanae, looks elegant but stern, wearing a dark, high-collared gown patterned with ghostly butterfly wings. Kanae always maintains a gentle, eerie smile on her face, even when she is giving Nezuko a long list of impossible chores. Meanwhile, her stepsisters are a handful. Shinobu wears a sharply tailored, purple-and-black dress with a giant butterfly bow; she looks perfectly neat but constantly makes passive-aggressive jabs and insults Nezuko’s cleaning skills with a polite smile. Mitsuri wears a wildly bright, poofy dress in shades of pink and green that bursts with too many ruffles and sparkles, and she constantly whines and complains about her own looks. Nezuko just hums quietly through her bamboo muzzle and does her work. One day, an invitation arrives for a grand royal ball hosted by Prince Zenitsu, who is looking for a bride. Kanae forbids Nezuko from going, leaving her behind in tears as the family departs in their carriage.Suddenly, Kanao the Fairy Godmother appears in the kitchen. She shows up in a quiet flash of light, wearing a shimmering white cloak and holding a coin instead of a wand. She has a peaceful, blank expression and, without saying a word, Kanao flips her magical coin to decide what to do. It lands on heads, meaning she will help. With a wave of her hands, Kanao transforms a pumpkin into a wooden box carriage, mice into helpful attendants, and Nezuko’s rags into a breathtaking, glowing pink ballgown made of pure silk. Kanao hands Nezuko a pair of delicate glass sandals and warns her that the magic will break precisely at midnight.At the ball, Prince Zenitsu is hiding from all the guests. He wears a flashy, bright gold royal suit with a matching cape, but he spends most of his time crying, trembling on his throne, and weeping into his hands because he is too scared to dance. But when Nezuko walks into the ballroom, his face completely lights up with dramatic love and he freezes in awe. He rushes over, completely smitten, and asks her to dance. They spend the entire night together, with Zenitsu swooning and Nezuko happily twirling.Suddenly, the clock begins to strike midnight. Nezuko gasps and runs away, rushing down the castle stairs. Zenitsu chases after her, screaming her name, but she disappears into the night, leaving behind nothing but a single glass sandal.The next day, Zenitsu takes the sandal to every house in the kingdom, vowing to marry whoever fits it. When he arrives at Nezuko's house, Shinobu tries to squeeze her foot into it while making a sarcastic remark, and Mitsuri tries to force it on while crying about her feet being too big. Finally, Zenitsu spots Nezuko hiding in the corner in her faded pink apron. He insists she try it on. The glass sandal fits perfectly! Zenitsu explodes with tears of absolute joy, and Nezuko happily smiles through her muzzle. They return to the castle and live happily ever after