When a princess is all alone, a handsome prince should come be with her...

Standing on her balcony, Princess Risa stared out over her soon-to-be kingdom. Her eyes lingered over the palace garden, filled with brilliant flowers and tall oak trees. She moved onwards toward the iron gate that served as a barrier between her and the outside world. It was tall, tough, and solid, never to be trespassed or climbed over. And then there was the village, so big and quiet. The townspeople all slept peacefully tonight as the moon hovered overhead.

It was all so peaceful and serene... so much so that it disgusted the fair princess. She was so tired of seeing such wonderful things without having someone to see them with her. There she stood on the balcony, all alone with no one by her side, and this is what upset her the most. Alone - that word, that thought, that fact drove her insane. A princess such as her should have someone to spend time with. Her older sister, Princess Riku, had someone after all. He was a peasant boy named Daisuke. He was tall and thin, with spiky red hair and eyes to match. He was rather ordinary, but her sister loved him so.

Love - that's how she got to keep him. Her parents would have never allowed the princess and the commoner to be together, however, when she confessed how much she loved him, why, how could they turn him away? How could they turn away the boy that kneeled before them and told them that with or without their permission, he would be with his dear princess? He defied them, stepped out of line, nervously and timidly, of course, but he held his ground and promised to love and cherish their eldest daughter. No, they couldn't turn away a boy like that. No... they couldn't turn away a man like that.

So why was it that it was only Princess Risa to be all alone? She was just as kind as her sister, just as well-behaved, just as pretty... the only thing she lacked was Princess Riku's athleticism. She would suppose that it was because she did not dare venture out into the village like her sister did. She had been doing it for quite awhile now and only after the first couple nights of being out did she confess to meeting Daisuke. But Risa was not that brave. Her parents would not approve of both of their daughters to be with, and eventually marry, commoners. However, she did not want to be given away to some random prince of sorts from another kingdom. She wanted to choose her lover like her sister did.

So she waited and waited irritably on her balcony for any sign of what she should do next. Should she go out like her sister even though it would surely mean getting disowned? Should she marry a prince of her parents choosing? Surely love wouldn't just come falling from the sky...

But as she stood there, a swift object in the sky caught her attention. It almost looked like a dove with its wings so white, soaring effortlessly through the darkened sky. Only, it was too big to be a dove, too big to be a goose, and certainly too big to be any other sort of flying bird. So she watched it, hoping it would land some place close by. But it only seemed to linger above the palace. She watched as it flew in circles above her balcony, confused as to what its intentions were. However, it knew that it had been spotted by the young princess and quickly flew off elsewhere.

She tried to call out for it, begged it to come back, but it was of no use. The white-winged creature was gone, out of sight completely, and the princess tiredly leaned over the balcony rails. She sighed disappointedly and went back inside, deciding to call it a night. Little did she know that the white-winged creature soared overhead once more before flying off for the night.

The next night was the same as the last. Princess Risa went about her day as usual and when bedtime rolled around, she went out to stand on her balcony, eagerly awaiting some sort of sign to tell her what to do. The flowers were still beautiful, the gate was still sturdy and impenetrable, and the village was still calm. The moon shone brightly for a second night in a row and the princess could not help but gaze up at it. The mysterious white-winged creature popped into her head and she wondered if she would get to see it again tonight. She doubted it, thinking it must have been a once-in-a-lifetime sort of encounter.

But lo-and-behold, soaring gracefully above the palace was the white-winged creature. It was just as eye-catching as last night, but something seemed different this time. It seemed to be floating slowly closer to the ground, so close, in fact, that the creature was recognizable! Its beautiful white wings were absolutely huge and the creature itself resembled a man. There was no mistaking that this being was male. And this time he didn't seem bothered by the fact that he had been spotted.

Princess Risa tried calling out for him, but he only lingered above, never speaking and never getting any closer. She stared, mesmerized by his mere presence. Surely he must be an angel. A rather handsome looking angel, from what she could see. He was slender, a little on the tall side, with silky dark hair, glistening eyes, and fair skin. Now that, she thought, is the kind of prince she would like to meet.

She went out to her balcony every night since then in hopes of seeing him again. And every night he flew by, floating down just so she could see him. He always seemed to be gazing deep into her eyes. She always tried to talk to him, but he would never say anything back. So eventually she just settled on her talking and him listening. At least, she hoped he was listening. She told him stories from her childhood, embarrassing mistakes she's made, the story of her sister and Daisuke, and, of course, how much she wished she could find someone as wonderful as her sister had.

"Daisuke is just so... so... clumsy. It's really rather cute. And he treats Riku so wonderfully. He's always holding the door open for her, he holds her hand all the time, he never yells, and he kisses her so softly... it's so romantic. That's what I want. I want someone charming and kind, sweet and gentle, and someone that loves me for me. I want someone to stand on the balcony with me."

And as she talked, he took in everything she said. He made mental notes to remember her childhood stories, he inwardly laughed at her mistakes because of how cute she made them sound, and as lovely as the story of Princess Riku and Daisuke was, he wanted her to have an even better one to tell. One of her and her own Prince Charming.

So every night, after she talked to him for hours, it was time to say goodbye. They had gotten into a routine of talking and saying goodnight. She would always end the night by reaching out her hand and thanking him for being there to listen. She told him how happy she was to have someone next to her on the balcony, even if he wasn't really by her side. He never took her hand, but oh God did he want to. When he didn't respond, she withdrew herself, took one last look at him, and closed the door. And then he flew off.

"So, how excited are you for tonight, Risa?"

"What do you mean?"

"Tonight's our party! The ball is being thrown in honor of our birth. Aren't you excited?"

"I... I don't really know."

"Oh, come on! Who knows, maybe you can finally meet your one true love."

"I doubt it, Riku. Mom and dad only invited royalty to the celebration. I've met all of these people before and there's nothing special about them."

As the girls bickered back and forth, the music played loudly in the ballroom. The king and queen sat high up on their thrones, enjoying brief conversation and the opportunity to see who all would show. There were princes and dukes from all over the countryside gathered on the ballroom floor. They danced quickly with the young maidens, all while eagerly awaiting the arrival of the two princesses. They all knew, of course, about Princess Riku's relationship with Daisuke. As appalled as they were, they still wanted to dance with her. However, the main focus was on Princess Risa tonight. They all wanted to take their shot with her and see if the king and queen would find them a fitting match for their daughter.

And finally after the music stopped, everyone made way as the two lovely princesses made their entrance. Princess Riku was escorted down the long staircase by Daisuke. She was wearing a gorgeous blue gown with a few ruffles, a dark silk ribbon to go around her waist, it was sleeveless, but the would-be sleeves draped over her shoulders. It was rather simple, but elegant at the same time. Her hair was curled and she wore a matching blue ribbon as a headband with a beautiful blue flower on top of it. All of the attention was on her, of course, so no one paid much mind to Daisuke. However, their attention was diverted once again when Princess Risa descended the stairs.

Her dress was cream colored, it was poufy, but it lacked ruffles. Hers had a split in it and white roses went all along with it, and there was matching cream lace underneath. Her gown truly was sleeveless and she had a few small white roses towards the bust of her dress. It had such a complex design on it, especially towards the hem, but it was the most elegant, gorgeous gown you would ever see. Her hair was completely curled, with the top half of it pulled back and held together with a white ribbon. Her hair magically suspended small flowers in it, and with the fair tone of her skin, she looked just like a porcelain doll. She truly was the most captivating woman in the room.

And when she made it to the bottom of the stairs, the music started up again. The princes and dukes were practically pushing each other over to get to her. She danced with as many of them as she could, not finding any really pleasure in doing so. After about an hour of relentless dancing, she was finally able to escape to the hallway for a moment. She leaned against the wall to rest, but as she did, she heard some footsteps. She feared it was another prince to come ask her for a dance.

It was a young boy, about her age, with brilliant blue hair, sapphire eyes, and the most charming appearance she'd ever seen. He seemed oddly familiar. He stared at her, almost shocked to see the party's guest of honor. He soon came to his senses and bowed, while Princess Risa smiled and attempted a weak curtsy. He chuckled and brushed some hair out of his eyes before speaking.

"Pleasure to meet you, Princess Risa. My name is Satoshi Hiwatari. May I ask for what reason you are in the hallway instead of the ballroom?"

"Oh, the pleasure is mine. I was just trying to get away for a moment. Those boys in there are quite persistent. I just wanted a minute to rest before I had to go dance the rest of the night away."

"How odd, the party has just begun and they've already worn you out. True gentlemen know how to dance properly and if they did, they would know how to lead and keep their partner from wearing out so quickly."

"Oh, is that so?"

"Of course."

"So are you a true gentleman, Hiwatari? I apologize, I have no title of which to attach to your name."

"No need for apologies, princess. You may call me whatever you like. And yes, I do believe myself to be a true gentleman."

"Well, Satoshi, if you don't mind, I would like some proof for your claim."

"Why, of course."

He bowed again and grabbed her hand, leading her back out to the ballroom floor. The other boys were eager to ask her to dance again, but they all had to wait until after they were done. They all seemed to be rather confused at who this blue-haired fellow was, for none of them had seen or heard of him before. Even the king and queen seemed to be confused and they quickly tried to gather some information on the young man. But it wouldn't matter, because the band played another song, and Satoshi spun Princess Risa around to face him. He grabbed her hand while placing his other on her shoulder and he led her in their dance.

Boy, was she sure surprised at his skills as a dancer. He was so graceful and he made everything look so easy. He danced slowly enough for her to keep up but fast enough to go with the music. Her feet followed his automatically and she was in awe at how right he was - dancing was less tiring when dancing with someone who knew how to lead. After seeing how comfortable she was, he quickened their pace a bit, and led her all over the dance floor, spinning her and dipping her, watching in enjoyment as she laughed and smiled with every step they took. It was perfect.

When the music stopped, so did they. The entire room erupted in applause and Satoshi bowed and lightly kissed Princess Risa's hand. She blushed and curtsied, finding everything about him so familiar. She had almost figured it out when the swarm of young men flocked around her, now asking for her hand in a dance yet again. She quickly became overwhelmed and went to see if Satoshi would dance with her again so she could get away from all of them, but he was nowhere to be found. So she sighed and took some random duke's hand and began the tiring dance yet again.

After the ball was over, Princess Risa quickly scurried up to her balcony, hoping she hadn't missed her usual meeting with the white-winged man. She pushed the doors open and almost fell backwards in shock. There, floating over her railing, was him. His wings were effortlessly flapping to keep him afloat, while he stood up perfectly straight in front of her. His face was masked by the darkness, but his attire suggested that he had just exited a formal occasion. Knowing he wouldn't answer, she asked him anyway.

"Well, aren't you dressed up all fancy tonight? Was there a special occasion?"

Well, even he was full of surprises.

"Why, yes, in fact, I just came from one."

That voice! It's so familiar...

"Your voice sounds very familiar. I'm surprised that you're actually speaking. Where is it that you came from?"

A smirk formed as he prepared his answer. Princess Risa's eyes were lit up in excitement as she awaited his response. This was the first time he actually was able to speak with her like this. It made him rather happy as well.

"You know, it's funny - I just came from a rather elegant birthday party. Two young princesses showed, both looking lovely, but one of them stood out. Oh, she really caught my attention."

Confused and not sure how to respond, Princess Risa tilted her head and waited for him to continue. Funny, she thought, how two princesses shared her and Princess Riku's birthday.

"She was absolutely gorgeous in her white gown, with her brown curly locks and rosy cheeks. But what really got me were her eyes. Her sparkling, breathtaking, chocolate brown eyes. They lit up with such joy when we danced that I thought my heart would stop. You have very pretty eyes, Princess Risa. I'd like to see them shine like that all the time."

Her heart skipped a beat as her winged friend stepped onto the balcony, into the light, and showed himself. She gasped at the sight of his blue hair, his pools-of-ocean-blue eyes, and his cute little smile. Yes, it was undoubtedly him - Satoshi Hiwatari.

"Satoshi... it's you."

"It is."

"I... I didn't know you were a prince! And you have wings! Real wings!"

"Ha-ha, well... I'm not exactly royalty. But yes, my wings are very real."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't come from noble birth, princess. I just... I listened to all of your stories. I listened every time you told me about your sister and Daisuke and how you wish you could find your own Prince Charming. So I thought that, maybe, I-"

Before he could finish speaking, Princess Risa threw her arms around him and screamed. Her only words were "yes!" Surprised, yet ecstatic, he returned the embrace and buried his face in her hair. They stood like that for awhile until Satoshi finally pushed her away. He held her hands and gazed deeply into her eyes before speaking.

"Princess Risa, a woman such as yourself should never be lonely. So, if you'll let me, I'd like to be your Prince Charming, and stand by your side to be with you. Will you please allow me that honor?"

Without giving a verbal response, she grabbed his black jacket and yanked him towards her. She threw her arms back around him and kissed him square on the lips. He quickly responded to her abrupt actions by wrapping his arms around her waist and kissing her back with just as much passion and force. They were both so happy - truly, without a doubt happy - and they planned to stay that way forever.

Now the princess would never be alone, because her handsome prince would always be with her.

A rustling noise brought Risa out of her dream world when she realized that she had dozed off in the chair by the balcony. She blinked a few times and tried remembering her dream. It had been so wonderful that she was almost angry that it hadn't been real. Although, she really had to wonder... why Hiwatari? For what reason was she dreaming about him? Even more so, why was he her Prince Charming? Oh, and she kissed him. Why?

It wasn't that he was bad looking. He was actually very attractive, even with his glasses, she hated to admit. But he always seemed so cold and distant that she never even really considered him. He was no Dark, after all. Suddenly, though, Dark didn't seem all that great. He was nothing like the man she was dreaming about. Then again, neither was Hiwatari. So why did she fixate on him? Well...

The rustling noise caught her attention again, and she walked out on the balcony. She looked all over until she spotted someone walking across the grass to go towards the beach. It was Hiwatari!

"Hiwatari..."

Without thinking about it, Risa quickly changed and put on her shoes. She scurried out the door and down the stairs. After running through the lobby and getting scolded for it, she finally made it outside and wandered off the direction she saw him go. And there he was, just sitting on the shore, waiting for the meteor shower to begin.

I guess even Hiwatari likes to see these sort of things.

She slowly walked over to where he was sitting and stood beside him. He looked up and was surprised to see that it was her, of all people, there.

"Is there something I can help you with, Miss Harada?"

"No, not really."

Confused, he just nodded and kept looking out at the water. The shower was still a few minutes away from happening, so he just enjoyed the sound of the crashing waves and cool night air. Risa seemed to be doing the same, but she could feel the awkwardness radiating from him because she was just standing there. So she sighed and sat next to him, still not really sure what she was doing.

"I hope you don't mind if I sit with you. I want to watch the meteor shower as well."

"Of course, but wouldn't you much rather watch with your friends? What about Miss Harada?"

"She ran off awhile ago with Niwa. Besides, my friends are all watching from the resort and all the lights will be distracting. I would much rather watch from a place like this."

Still confused, he just sort of accepted her answer and looked onward. As he waited, he could feel something build inside of him and he finally broke down and faced her. He cleared his throat, gaining her attention, and tried to figure out what it was he was trying to ask her.

"Miss Harada... is there... is there a particular reason that... that you're sitting here... with me?"

"Do I make you uncomfortable, Hiwatari?"

"Uh, no, it's not that. I just feel like there's a reason you came out here."

"I see."

What the heck am I doing? He clearly doesn't want me to sit with him. But, he hasn't shooed me away or anything. He's been really nice about it. It almost seems unlike him. I'm surprised he hasn't told me that he wanted to be alone and that I should go somewhere else to sit.

Noticing her slight shivers, Hiwatari stood up and shook off the blanket he had been sitting on. After doing so, he draped it around her shoulders. She blinked, highly confused, and looked at him.

"You were shaking. I don't really need the blanket, anyway."

He really is kind.

She was starting to believe that he really was like the man she dreamed about. Yes, it was him, obviously, but he was acting more like the Hiwatari in her dream. Kind and polite, charming, in his own way, and he was just as handsome.

He doesn't have wings, but... oh, who am I kidding? I'm trying to make him seem like that when he really isn't.

"Penny for your thoughts, Miss Harada?"

"Huh?"

"Is there something troubling you? I'm not sure why you would come to me, but... I will listen"

It was truly amazing. The fact that he didn't tell her to get lost, leave him alone, or ask her to remain silent was shocking. But even more so than that was the he was encouraging her to talk, he wanted to hear what she had to say, and he would listen. Was the universe splitting in two?

"You... you're not telling me to go away?"

"Why would I? You're drawn to me for some reason. So, please, go ahead."

Wow.

"Well, I don't really know how to explain it. I had this dream... of a man with white wings. I was a princess and I was lonely. He came to me every night and I just talked to him out on the balcony. He never said anything to me. Then there was a ball for Riku and I's birthday. I danced with a lot of suitors, but then there was this one guy... he was so familiar. I danced with him and it was amazing. Then he disappeared. When I went out to my balcony that night, the winged man was there. He was dressed just like the guy I danced with. Finally, he showed himself and it was him. He told me how beautiful I was and that he loved my eyes. Then we kissed. He looked...he looked like... like you, Hiwatari."

A blush appeared on both of their faces and Hiwatari's eyes were wide. He took a breath, unsure of how to respond, and Risa hid her eyes with her bangs. She bit her lips out of nervous habit before laughing slightly.

"See, that was really stupid. I'm sorry I said anything. I know this must be awkward for you. It's just... when I saw you walk out here, I just had to follow you. I guess I just wanted to see if you were anything like the Hiwatari I dreamed about. I'm sorry for being so awkward and forward, but... I just... I don't know."

He had to blink a few times and take in all the information she just gave him. He was her Prince Charming? They kissed? How did she know he had white wings? Did she see him transform? Aside from all of his worries, he was stuck on one other thing she said. He loved my eyes. Well...

"Hm."

Risa looked over to see Hiwatari looking to the sky. The meteor shower was starting. She looked up too and became mesmerized by how beautiful it was. While she was lost in her surroundings, Hiwatari quickly glanced over at her and said,

"You do have lovely eyes, Risa."

"A/N: Oh, my God! This took forever to write, but I really like it. How was the ending? Was it too OOC? I hope not, I tried really hard to keep them in character. Obviously not in the dream, but afterwards. I based this whole idea off of the beginning line, which is a direct quote from the anime, and the song Pretty Eyes by Alex Goot. This is also clearly a different version of episode 18. I made a video of these two to that song. I'll link it in my profile. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this story, it's been forever since I've written a DN Angel story and I just had to write this. Please leave a review and tell me how I did."