Me: Okay, so this one took a while, I actually started it before Cinderella, but put it on hold because I wanted to finish the other first. This is in no way based off of the Disney version but rather the summary of one I read on Wikipedia, I've seen the movie all of once when I was about four so all I really had to go on was a book based on Sleeping Beauty that I read called A Kiss in Time and the Ludwig Kakumei(also called Ludwig Revolution) version of it.
List of Characters:
Zakuro as - Briar Rose
Berry as - Lady-in-Waiting
Pai as - Prince
Kish as - Prince's Servant
Ichigo as - Pink Fairy
Retasu as - Green Fairy
Minto as - Blue Fairy
Deep Blue as - Evil Fairy
I tried to put the other characters in as well, but there just wasn't that many characters in the story. And if anyone is wondering, yes, I can explain why Deep Blue was selectable -to me- to be a fairy/witch. For one thing, Minto wouldn't do that to Zakuro if her life depended on it, and about two years ago, me and my friend were having this argument with her little brother about weather or not guys can be witches. He was saying no, they can't and that guy witches are wizards, and we were saying yes, they can because girls can be wizards to, and this went on for about thirty minutes until I declaired that from there on guy witches would be man-witches to stop the argument from continuing any further. It worked. I know that fairies and witches are not the same thing, but...I just thought if would add a bit of humor.
Disclaimer: StrawberryKousagi does not own Tokyo Mew Mew nor anything related to it. StrawberryKousagi also does not own Sleeping Beauty, neither does Disney but we won't get into that.
{Flashback}
"And I shall name this child Zakuro!" The king held up his beloved daughter, a newborn and his only child, with his wife standing next to him, tears of joy welling in her eyes.
The king placed the small babe in her bassinette so she may sleep peacefully as the three fairies each blessed the child with a gift.
"I bless her," The first fairy, Ichigo, said, "with the gift of beauty."
"I bless her," The second fairy, Minto, said, "with the gift of intelligence, so she may be schooled well and become multilingual."
"And I," Said the third fairy, Retasu, "bless her with the gift of-"
Sudeenly, the door burst open, causing everyone to gasp in surprise and spin to face to door, seeing who it was.
"Having a party without me?" It was the evil witch, Deep Blue. "I do hope you realize that my not being invited will surely be punished."
"Please," The queen begged, "please forgive us, but you see, there was simply not enough room!"
"Excuses," Deep Blue said, walking further into the room. "A punishment is require and there will be no getting out of it."
"Whatever you do," The king said, "do not hurt our daughter."
Deep Blue smiled a wicked smile, gazing down at the child in her bassinette, "Ah, yes, the babe. Nay, I know just what would suit for a proper punishment." The queen whimpered, clinging to the king's shoulder. "I shall give the child my own gift, and it shall happen. On her sixteenth birthday, she shall prick her finger on a spindle, and she shall die!" Everyone in the room, save for the evil Deep Blue, gasped and the witch disappeared in puff of black smoke.
"Do not fear!" The third fairy spoke up, smiling brightly, "my gift for the child shall alter the witch's spell, and so it will be, on her sixteenth birthday she will prick her finger on a spindle, and fall into an ageless sleep, only to awoken by true love's first kiss."
{End Flashback}
Zakuro sat on the windowsill bench in her bedchamber, staring out at the backyard of her father's castle, as her Lady-in-Waiting, Berry, brushed her hair out gently.
"'Tis a special day, Princess Zakuro," Berry said. Zakuro merely shrugged, not making much that it was her sixteenth birthday party she was getting ready for. "Oh, but it is, Zakuro!" Berry insisted, "Your sixteenth birthday! Imagine-"
"Imagine what?" Zakuro interrupted coldly, "Pricking my finger on a spindle?"
"Princess, your father has made certain that there is not a single such item in all the kingdom of Tokyo!" Berry said, "So you need not to worry, for if there isn't one than how shall you ever prick your finger?"
"The witch will come himself to do so," Zakuro said, "To make absolutely certain I fulfill my fait, which is entirely unavoidable."
Berry sighed and shook her head, putting the brush down, "Your hair is finished, now we must find you a dress. What color do you prefer? The king has ordered several country's finest tailors to attend this ball just so you may have the loveliest dress."
"You know my favored color," Zakuro said, now following Berry out of the room.
"Of course," Berry said, "Purple has always suited you."
The ventured several rooms filled with numerous gowns of various colors, all colors you could possibly think of! Pinks, reds, oranges, yellows, white and black, grays, even blues which were of most difficulty to find, and with all the dresses and tailors, not a single purple dress was to be found.
Walking down the hallway now, Zakuro sighed. "Berry," She looked up at her Lady-in-Waiting.
"Yes, Your Highness?" Berry said.
"Might I continue the search alone?" Zakuro asked politely, "I think I would rather like to be alone with my thoughts for a bit."
Berry bit her lower lip, not sure if such an idea would be a good one or not, but succumbed to the princess's wish, "Of cours, m'lady." With a small curtsy, she wandered off to talk a palace guard, Tasuku, who she seemed to favor of all.
Zakuro walked down the long hall, not a sound being made, and searched only a few more rooms until she came upon a set of stairs she hadn't noticed before.
"I wonder," She thought, "Where could this lead?"
Without a second thought she began up them, and once she reached the top, a silent gasp escaped her lips for only a few feet in front of her were the most gorgeous purple gowns she'd ever seen. She walked up to one and gingerly traced the black lace trimming with her finger tips.
"Do these suit your fancy?" She looked and saw an old man sitting on a nearby bench, fiddling with something she'd never seen before.
She flashed him a rare smile, "Quite, actually, these are the finest dresses I've seen all day."
The old man smiled, "I am glad."
"Pray tell," Zakuro said, "What is it that you are holding."
His smile grew, "Would you like to try? If you do, you may make a wish."
"Wish?" Zakuro thought, oddly enchanted by whatever it was the man was holding. Aloud, she told him; "I would like to try it."
"Very well," He said, standing, "Have a seat then." Zakuro did as she was told and sat on the bench, "Here you are," The elderly man handed her the wooden object, "You hold it like this…there you go…and spin it like this, and…there we are, perfect!"
Zakuro sat there, the wooden thing in her hands as she spun the string round and round until- "Ouch!" She flinched back and watched as a small, red drop fell from her finger and onto her skirt. She looked up at the man, realization washing over, and saw that he was laughing as she toppled over, passing out.
One hundred years later…
"Paaiiiii!" Kish whined. "I'm bored! How long have we been riding already?"
"Be silent for once, Kish," Pai said, "We are almost there." Kish pouted and stared off into the passing forest.
Pai, the prince of a kingdom some miles away, and his childhood servant, Kish, were riding on horseback to the kingdom of Briarbara, where he was to see about marrying a girl there his father found would make a suitable queen.
They stopped at an inn just within the kingdom, not to far from the castle, tying their horses up in the stable.
"Oi, Pai," Kish said as they walked in, "Why not stop at the bar, eh? Grab us some ale and celebrate the last night you'll be a free man!"
"Nonsense, "Pai said, "That is fool's play."
Kish pouted for the second time that day, "Aw, you're no fun!"
Pai sighed, smiling on the inside, "Go if you wish, and get yourself something to drink, but I will have none of that." He flipped a pretty gold coin into Kish's hands.
"Thank you, my prince!" Kish beamed a smile and headed for the bar, leaving Pai to pay for their room and something to eat.
It was a while later when Pai had found Kish was still at the bar, he tapped his on his shoulder, "Kish?"
The servant spun round in his barstool to face Pai and shouted, "Ah, Pai, your royal m-majesty!"
"You are drunk." Pai stated.
"Ampf not!" Kish slurred, turning back to his mug of ale.
"Then prove it," Pai ordered, "Get off your stool and walk in a strait line."
"Fine!" Kish slid off his barstool and attempted to walk in a strait line, as Pai had said, from the bar to the nearest table, but collapsed after merely four steps, on his hands and knees. "Whoa…see? Not djrunk!"
"Yes, you are," Pai said, "Now come on, we've got a long day tomorrow and I you mustn't have a hangover through the whole of it." He grabbed Kish's arm and pulled it over his shoulders, slipping his other arm round his torso, though it was a little difficult with Kish trying to grab his drink before Pai could drag him off up the stairs for sleep.
Kish groaned as he held his head, still lying in his bed. "My head is pounding!"
Pai chuckled quietly as he slipped his boots on, "Perhaps you should not have drunken so much, then?"
Kish rolled onto his side, one arm hanging off the edge of the bed, and made a face at him, "Oh quiet, I think you aught to loosen up a bit and have some fun once in a while! Hangovers might be a downside to drinking but everything else is an upside!"
Pai smirked and stood, walking to the door, "Oh, so then waking in some poor stranger's bed is an upside, as well?"
"That never happened to me!" Kish exclaimed, shooting upright.
"Oh? Then what of that pick fairy girl you met the last time we were here?" Pai asked.
Kish blushed and looked away, swinging his legs over the side of the bed and standing, "I'm getting dressed now."
"Very well," Pai said, letting the matter drop, "I shall meet you downstairs." With that Pai opened the door and walked out, heading to the front room.
It wasn't long until they were once again riding their horses towards the castle, but half way there their horses seemed to hesitate near a tall hedge of thorns.
"Wow," Kish said, looking at it, "Would you at that thing?"
Pai didn't answer; instead he dismounted his horse, all the while staring at the thorn hedge, and walked up to it.
"Pai?" Kish said, raising an eyebrow. He decided to follow, sliding off his horse and walking up behind the prince.
"There is…something about this place." Pai said.
"Yeaaah," Kish said, "Like, the fact that it's a ten foot tall thorn hedge?" Pai drew his sword, beginning to chop the thorns.
"Um, Pai?" Kish said, "Don't we have somewhere to be? Why are you even doing this?"
"Ah!" Pai swung at the hedge again and told Kish, "Shut up and help, Kish! Make use of yourself!" Kish sighed, shaking his head, and drew his own sword, beginning to cut the thorns as well.
"I will never, ugh, understand…you!" Kish grunted as he swung his word.
They fought their way through the thick hedge, their arms and faces now decorated with scrapes and cuts and bruises, both panting, as they stepped into the undiscovered, unknown town that is…
"Where are we?" Kish asked.
"Somewhere in Briarbara, I presume." Pai answered. "Though, this place…it looks as though it has lived a hundred years with not a single caretaker."
"Weird…" Kish said. "But if that is so, then that castle…it shouldn't still up still, yet it is."
Pai nodded, "Come, Kish, let us find out why."
"I thought I was supposed to be the one who did stuff I wasn't supposed to?" Kish said, and ran after Pai who had gotten quite a few feet ahead, "Hey! Wait up!"
They reached the castle merely a few minutes later, staring up at it. "It looks…old." Kish said.
Without answering, Pai continued forward, pushing open the large, double wooden doors with a bit of difficulty for they were very heavy. Kish followed him in, looking all around the place, and spotting something on a nearby chair.
"What is that…?" He said, squinting his eyes in the dark place. He walked up to, Pai watching him, and reached his hand out, jumping back in fright when he found it to be a skeleton and fell apart at his very touch.
"T-t-that was a…" He trail off.
"Skeleton." Pai finished. Kish nodded hastily and ran back over to Pai.
"Let's get out of this place." He said. His voice was airy.
Pai looked around once more and sighed, "Yes, we have other matters to attend to." He turned and walked out of the castle, Kish close behind. Once back out, they got back on their horses and rode off again, heading for the castle.
Once they got there, their horses were taken to a stable and they were led inside. As were most, the castle was huge, with a large front room and a red runner down each hall. Kish whistled as they were led to their room.
"A fancy place, this is." He said quietly.
"Of course, Kish," Pai said, also quiet, "It is a castle."
That night at dinner, Pai and Kish sat at a long table in the dining hall with the king, queen, and the woman Pai was supposed to be seeing about marrying. Though she wasn't a princess, she was a fairy, and a royal one at that, having been attending to the kings and queens of the kingdom for centuries, and thought it was high time she settled down.
"So," The king began, "What fancies you?"
"Well," Pai said, "I rather like to read, though with it being as it is to obtain books, I rarely ever do so."
"Hm, interesting." The king said.
The night passed with much of the like, simple questions being passed around about various things and such about the other, and the time seemed to pass slow, yet fast all in the same time. Pai's mind wasn't on the fairy, Retasu, nor the king and queen, but rather the destroyed castle he and Kish had come upon on their way to the main, royal castle.
"You are still thinking about that, eh?" Kish asked that night as he crawled into his bed, "I wonder, have you ever heard of the tale of Sleeping Beauty?"
"Kish, honestly," Pai said, "I think both you and I are far too old for bedtime tales."
Kish laughed, "Yes, I quite agree, but still…I wonder if there is a girl up there?"
"Is that all you think about?" Pai asked, "Girls and ale?"
"No," Kish said, "I think about many other things!"
"Like what?" Pai asked, rather amused that his friend would think about anything else.
Kish stared up at the ceiling, "Oh, just…nothing."
Pai stood there, in a grass field dotted with a million tiny white flowers.
It's safe to say I'm lonely now…
A place called home is just a memory away…
I know I've done this all before…
A thousand silent voices begging me to stay…
A sweet-sounding voice sang, and Pai followed it right to the center of the field. Trapped in what looked like a large thicket of thorn vines was a girl with long, purple hair and amethyst eyes.
Apologies left unsaid…
Secrets better left unspoken…
Dreams laid down and put to bed…
Rumors stirred and reawaken…
She sat there, calmly building a daisy-chain, and seemingly not noticing Pai, so he stood still and listened to her singing. A beautiful it was, really.
If I try to get away…
How long until I'm free…?
And if I don't come back here…
She looked up at him.
Will you remember me…?
"Who…are you?" Pai asked, kneeling down to look through the thorn vines better.
"I am the one you lost…" She answered.
"What?" Pai was confused.
She leaned over and grabbed the vines with one hand, using the other for support, the vines pricked into her hands but she didn't seem to care or even really notice, "I am already gone, yet you still must discover me…"
"What are you talking about?" Pai asked, "What does that mean?" She began to vanish like air. "Wait!" He shouted.
The next morning, Kish was shaken rather roughly awake by Pai. "Ergh…what is it? It's barely six!"
"Get up, Kish," Pai whispered the order, "I want to go to that castle again."
Kish looked up at Pai, "What? Now? Are you mad? Dawn has just broken!"
"Up!" Pai ordered.
Grumbling, Kish obliged, tumbling out of the bed and getting dressed. "Oh, bloody hell!" He swore, looking out the window, "The sun isn't even all the way up yet!"
"No matter the case," Pai said, "We're going." Kish rolled his eyes, following Pai out as quiet as they could be, and sneaking down the hall. Why did the prince have to take interest where he took none?
Once in the stables, they untied their horses and mounted them, riding off past the palace guards and towards the hidden castle. They reached after only twenty minutes of fast riding, slowing only when need be, and then got off the horses to resume their previous search of the ruins.
"I still don't understand it," Kish said, "Why must I come with you? I could very well have stayed back at the castle."
"She is here." Pai said.
"Who is?" Kish asked.
"The Sleeping Beauty." Pai said.
"Oh, Pai!" Kish said, "You don't honestly believe that old child's tale, do you?"
Pai stayed silent, not answering, instead beginning to climb a long set of stairs, and Kish followed, as he had since they were children.
They came to a large room that had only a cement bench within it and…
"Pai," Kish said, his eyes wide and his voice airy, "She is…"
"The Sleeping Beauty." Pai finished.
"So she is real then." Kish said, "I wonder…how long could she have been here?"
Pai just stared at the sleeping girl, enchanted completely by her beauty, "Kish, would you kindly go check on the horses?"
Kish looked at him and smirked, "Sure." With that he left Pai alone with the unconscious girl.
He knelt down, brushing a few locks of hair out of her face. Her skin was smooth and pale, her eyes, though closed, he could tell were large, and her lips were a soft red.
Kish stopped and looked around the castle once more. If this was really Sleeping Beauty, how long had the girl been there?
"Far too long." He heard a voice say rather urgently. He looked up and saw Retasu, the fairy Pai was supposed to marry.
"She has been in slumber for far to long," She said, still sounding urgent, "Please, you muse stop him before he-"
"Wakes her up." Kish finished for her. "How long has she been here, sleeping?"
"One hundred years." Retasu answered.
Kish's eyes widened, "Pai! DON'T!" He shouted as loud as he could and ran for the stairs. If Pai was the one meant to wake her, then he was very, very late.
Not having heard him, Pai pulled away from the kiss. She stirred a bit before kissing back, her hands tangling in his hair. When they pulled apart, she smiled at him. "I'm…so happy." Pai gave a small smile back.
"Pai!" He looked and saw Kish just now running in to the room, Retasu right behind him. Kish sank to his knees, "Don't…" He panted.
Time caught up…
And ran its course…
Suddenly, Pai felt the girl go limp in his arms, and when he looked at her…her skin grew cold, her eyes closed, and her pulse slowed to a stop. After a few moments, he slowly lay her back down and stood.
"Lets go." He said, walking past Kish and Retasu.
"Pai…" Kish said, watching him descend the stairs.
"Pa-san…" Retasu whispered, her eyes filling with tears. She looked away, closing her eyes in mourning and sympathy.
If I try to get away…
How long until I'm free…?
Pai replayed Zakuro's voice in his head, over and over, as he rode back to the castle with Kish and Retasu. This is what she had meant, the he had already lost her, in the dream he had.
A funeral was held, the three fairies that had blessed the princess were there with only a few others. Kish and Pai stood side-by-side. Though Pai's face was blank and emotionless, Kish knew he was the one taking it the hardest. Retasu stood between her two fairy sisters, Ichigo and Minto, on the other side of the grave as Pai and Kish. The green haired fairy glanced up every now and again at Pai. She felt responsible for his pain, she was the one who had changed the curse from death to sleep, but if she hadn't…she sighed, what could she do about it now? Nothing.
"Retasu?" Ichigo whispered, placing a hand on her shoulder.
Retasu looked at her and gave a weak smile, "I am fine."
And if I don't come back here…
Will you remember me…?
Me: Okay, so I hope you enjoyed and thank you for reading! And also, if anyone would like, I'd be willing to do any Brothers Grimm fairytale/Tokyo Mew Mew story, just tell me who to put as who and what pairing -if any in the story- that you would like. Just please keep in mind that there are a few certain pairings I won't do, just ask and I'll tell you which ones if you'd like to know.
Song: Remember Meby The Birthday Massacre
A bit about Sleeping Beauty: I wanted to do this with Snow White and Cinderella, but I forgot, hehe. Talia was Sleeping Beauty's original name, given to her by the original auther, Charles Parrault, though it has been changed from that to Brair Rose, one more wellknown, to Aroura, the name Disney used and also, thus far, the most popular. There are several alternate endings to the story, such as the one I used, where she dies rather than stays alive and everyone lives happily ever after, a version where she stays alive just long enough to avenge herself of the evil witch with the help of the prince, and there's probably many more different endings and such to this story but these are the only three that I know of.