Prologue

Sunako waited patiently for him to answer her. The boy glared at her behind his glasses. "I hate ugly girls," he snarled at her.

Sunako blinked, feeling her heart shatter. "But I…"

"I don't want to repeat myself," he growled. "I hate ugly girls, got it?"

"Sempai, I…"

He spun on his heel and left her standing there.

Sunako stayed rooted to the spot watching him go. She heard a door close and her legs gave out. She forced herself to stand and ran out of the school. Tears cascaded down her face as she ran.

It was raining outside and she kept going, no matter how many times she slipped and cut her hands and knees.

She forced herself to stand and walked slowly. As she passed the elementary school, she picked up an anatomical doll and carried it away, taking it home with her.

Sunako set her new doll, which she had named Hiroshi, against the wall of her room.

Looking around, she began to tear down her posters of boy bands, girls she admired, and broke her vanity mirror. She threw away her makeup.

Once she finished, she collapsed onto the floor, biting her nails as tears spilled out again.

"Hiroshi-kun," she said to the model, "my chest hurts like something awful. I feel as though I've been branded…everything I've done for him isn't worth it anymore, is it?"

Hiroshi didn't answer her.

Sunako heaved and forced herself to breathe, though it hurt…

Light Yagami collapsed onto the floor, pasty and perspiration dripping down his face as he clutched his heart.

"Checkmate," L said, staring at him, "Kira."

"Damn you!" Light shouted, staring at him and Ryuk. "Both of you! You were supposed to be on my side, Ryuk!"

"Sorry, Light," Ryuk said, clapping the Death Note shut and putting it in his pouch. He spread his wings and flew into the sky. "I never made a promise to be on anyone's side. Thanks for the entertainment."

"YOU BASTARD!!!"

Ryuk returned to the Shinigami Realm and L breathed a deep sigh. "You were supposed to be my friend."

"Go to hell!"

L masked his pain at the words and spat, "After you, Light-kun."

Misa screamed.

Light breathed one last breath and stopped moving.

L turned on his heel and walked out the door.

Light's father grabbed L's arm. "Are you just going to walk away?"

"What else can I do?" L asked. "I'm hurting too."

When Light's father released him, he walked out.

"Goodbye. Maybe we'll meet again."

L left the building with Watari. Once in the safety of their car, L hugged his knees to his chest and hid his face.

Light was his first real friend—and yet, L knew that Light was Kira, and that Kira was his enemy. But even so, it hurt too deep for words, this betrayal.

Chapter 1: Once Upon A Time…

Once upon a time, there was a beautiful princess…

Before this princess was born, her mother and aunt, the Queen and the King's sister, the Duchess, were speaking. It was a beautiful winter day and the queen accidently pricked her finger with her needle.

"Oh, sister," the Duchess said, "Are you alright?"

"Yes, sister dear," the Queen said.

A drop of blood fell onto the snow that had come inside—it was quite warm inside, and the Queen opened the window to cool down.

An idea struck the Queen and she looked at her sister-in-law.

"How grand it would be," she began, "if I were to have a daughter with lips as red as the reddest rose, skin white as snow, and hair as black as the ebony wood."

"That," the Duchess said, "would be grand indeed. If need be, my dear Sister and Queen, I would gladly take in your daughter and school her to be a proper princess befitting of my brother's kingdom and I will also find her a valiant husband. If you would will it so."

"I would be honored to have you school my daughter."

In time, a princess was born. Her skin was white as snow, lips red as the reddest rose, and her hair was as black as ebony wood.

The Duchess, when she saw her niece, was overcome with deep love for the babe. "Dear brother," she said, "What will you name her?"

"Her name," the King said, staring at his daughter with the deepest love only a father could have for his daughter, "is Sunako."

Sunako grew and with each passing year, she became more and more beautiful. She was doted on by her aunt the Duchess and her parents, the King and Queen. She grew up believing she was beautiful.

But one day, she spied a handsome knight and after much pining after him, she confessed to him.

But her heart was shattered by the knight, who rejected her affection in the harshest way possible.

When her heart was shattered, it was shattered beyond repair and the cruel witch, Venita, placed a curse on the princess, sealing away her beauty. For the knight was Venita's servant, sent to break and destroy the beautiful princess.

And why is Venita enraged at the sweet, innocent Princess?

Whenever Venita looked in her magic mirror, she would recite the magic rhyme: "Mirror, Mirror on the wall, who is the fairest one of all?"

And it was not until the birth of the princess did the mirror change his answer: "It is true that you are fair and beautiful, o powerful Venita. However, there is one who is fairer than thee."

Venita fumed and demanded the identity of the one who was more beautiful than she.

"The princess who bears hair black as ebony wood, skin white as snow, and lips red as the reddest rose."

Venita had heard of no such princess and looked for her. When she discovered the princess, she howled in rage and sent her knight to the princess.

After a long year, the knight's goal was reached with the words no true knight would say: "I hate ugly girls."

Once he had said this to the princess, Venita placed a spell on the princess so that the princess would no longer believe in her confidence and beauty.

She also sent the princess vassals to keep her from realizing her beauty.

But one day, the Duchess found out about Venita's curse that was poisoning her beautiful niece. She instantly put her plan into action.

Among the Duchesses servants were four handsome men, two princes from neighboring lands and two squires.

The Duchess was their guardian and made a deal with them.

If they could break Venita's spell, she would erase the debt they owed her. If not, the four of them would have to pay triple the amount the debt was originally.

With little choice, the four boys agreed. By that time, the princess was deep into the curse and her beauty had been sealed deep inside her broken heart.

She could not bear to be around the princes and the squires, especially the squire who was the strongest and would earn knighthood soon—if he learned to keep his anger in check.

But their task proved more difficult than battling a dragon, for they might as well have been given Medusa to save instead of a princess.

Meanwhile, there were two princes of vast wisdom beyond their years.

The younger prince was manipulative and murderous. He was wedded to Delilah, the lying whore, and had poisoned a maiden to work alongside him. Though his name was Light, he took the title of King Kira.

The older prince was virtuous and chivalric, and he was a Black Knight for his true identity would never be revealed to even those he deeply trusted. Though he was a knight of virtue, he dared not save the Maiden, who was so enraptured by King Kira that she dared not leave the King's side.

At the decisive battle between the prince and King Kira, Delilah—as she had Samson, her hapless lover—betrayed King Kira and killed him.

The prince, after the battle was decided with him as the victor, he left King Kira's once domain and returned to his own land in deep sorrow, for he once considered that king of murder and deceit his dearest friend.

And since then, the Black Knight who was a prince was seen no more.

~Three Years Later~

The scariest girl in all of Tokyo stepped into her school, followed by four boys.

The first to step in was Yukinojo Toyoma, sweet faced and adorable with wide eyes and a kind smile.

After him was Ranmaru Mori, a prince straight out of a fairy tale if not for his crude mannerisms.

After Ranmaru was Takenaga Oda, a boy fit to be a great modern day Shogunate or Feudal Lord in the future—well learned and polite, Takenaga certainly had a bright future ahead of him. Pity Feudalism was old news…

Following Takenaga came the stately gangster Kyouhei Takano, whose handsome features could never be marred by his scowling or glaring.

And the girl who led them inside the school—the scariest girl in Tokyo—was their landlady's niece: Sunako Nakahara.

Sunako was actually very beautiful, but she had frightened everyone so terribly, that it was nearly impossible to tell what kind of beautiful girl she really was.

The four boys that came with her knew quite well, as well as Takenaga's girlfriend—whom would not mind to be called his bride-to-be—Noi Kasahara who held the title of the most beautiful girl in Tokyo.

Noi was envious of Sunako's great strength and confidence (in all but her beauty).

It had been a long, hard year for all six of them and now they graced the halls as sophomore students at Morii High School.

Sunako's beauty had been seen at the rarest times and usually the oddest times as well. She had dark, silky black hair and pale skin—marred only by her lack of care of it—not to mention full pouting lips the color of a dark red rose even without lipstick which she rarely ever wore.

She entered her new classroom and took a seat in the back. She wore a hat to hide her face. She picked at the dirt under her fingernails and waited for class to start.

The door opened and Noi came inside. "Sunako-chan! Are you in this class too?"

"Eh? This is your class, Noi-chan?"

"Yes, it is," Noi said, taking a seat on Sunako's right. "I'm so happy! I'm with both you and Takenaga-kun, Sunako-chan!"

Oh joy, Sunako thought. She smiled at her friend. Last year I was able to avoid being in the same classroom as them and now…

Sunako sighed and looked out the window.

"What is it?" Noi asked, frowning.

"Nothing, just staring into space," Sunako answered.

Noi grinned. "Thinking of Kyouhei-kun?"

"Nope," Sunako said bluntly. "Why would I?"

Noi pouted. "Don't you love him?"

Sunako raised an eyebrow at her friend.

"I mean, the two of you should get together! It'd be the cutest thing ever!"

"Not a chance in hell," Sunako muttered. Sunako took out her notebook and began to doodle skulls all over the front page.

"Eh, who's that?" Noi said, looking out the window.

Sunako looked up and went to look outside the window.

There was a limousine in front of the school and a man stepped out. He wore loose, faded jeans, large shoes, and a white sweater.

"He stole my style," Sunako joked.

Noi giggled. "Yeah, he did. Look at that hair!"

"What's wrong with his hair?"

"Absolutely nothing…I just think it's funny how much he looks like you," Noi said.

The man walked up to the school grounds.

"I wonder who he is."

"No idea."

Sunako took her seat again and the rest of the students poured into the room.

Takenaga sat on Sunako's left.

Sunako wondered if she was going to die being so close to both Noi and Takenaga.

The bell rang, but the teacher did not come in.

"What happened to Sensei?" Noi asked Sunako.

"Maybe he ran off scared," a girl, Karin Tanaka, said, turning to look at them, "Because of her," she pointed at Sunako.

Takenaga frowned.

Noi seethed.

Sunako just shrugged.

"What did you say about Sunako-chan?" Noi growled.

"What are you going to do about it, Kasahara?"

"Is there a problem?" The class whipped their heads to the front.

It was the man that Sunako and Noi had spied outside.

"No, sensei," Tanaka said.

He looked at Noi, "Is that right, Kasahara-chan?"

"Y-yes, Sensei."

"Nakahara-chan?"

"Yep."

"I see. Does anyone else want to lie to me?" he said, quirking an eyebrow. "No? Alright. All three of you ladies can stand in the hallway until I call you back in."

Noi, Sunako, and Tanaka left the room, completely shocked.

Takenaga bowed his head, trying to be inconspicuous.

They stood in the hall, lined up against the wall. "Nice going, Tanaka," Noi growled. "You had to open your trap."

"Noi, stop," Sunako hissed.

Tanaka opened her mouth to retort, but Sunako sent her a chilling glare and she silenced, shivering at the look in Sunako's eyes.

One word and you're dead, Sunako thought. She wondered if Tanaka understood, because she avoided eye contact with either of them or spoke a word.

The door opened and Sensei came out. "So, would you like to tell me the truth now?"

"Tanaka-chan was badmouthing Sunako-chan," Noi squeaked.

He looked at Tanaka. "Is this true?"

"N…yes, Sensei—but look at her! She's just so…so creepy and ugly—"

"Tanaka-chan," Sensei warned.

Tanaka's voice caught in the back of her throat, her eyes wide.

He turned to Nakahara-chan. "Stand up for yourself more, Nakahara-chan."

"Why? She's telling the truth."

Sensei blinked, taken aback, "How so?"

"I am ugly," Sunako said. "Maybe you need glasses, Sensei."

"I'm quite certain I don't. All of you, back in the room."

The three girls filed into the room and took their seats again.

Sunako only half paid attention to the lecture; it seemed that he and Takenaga had gotten into a battle of wits.

And as far as Sunako could tell, Takenaga was being bested.

The bell rang for lunch and Noi tapped Sunako's arm. "Yes?"

"I think we're all in trouble, Sunako-chan. Sensei just outsmarted Takenaga without batting an eye—all with that creepy smile and stare."

"What are you getting at?"

Noi pointed at the teacher's desk, where Takenaga and Sensei were talking.

"WHAT!?" Takenaga shouted.

The room silenced.

"But I thought my theory was flawless!"

"You're theory was for trying to turn Nakahara-chan into a lady. You can't change a person like that, Oda-kun."

"B…but what about the rent!"

"Rent?"

"Oh…damn…"

"Oda-kun, what are you talking about?"

"Er…well…"

Sunako approached the desk. "He and my housemates made a deal with my aunt," she explained. "They have three years to turn me into a lady or they have to pay three times the rent."

Sensei was frowning. "I'll call your aunt," he said. "She's no right to exploit children."

Takenaga sputtered, but Sensei stood and walked out the door. "So dead…I'm so freaking dead…I'm ten feet under as I'm standing here…"

"Don't worry, Takenaga-kun," Noi said, hugging him. "Maybe it won't be that bad."

Fifteen minutes later and with only ten minutes to go for the rest of lunch, Takenaga's phone rang. "Hello?"

"TAKENAGA ODA!!!" Obachan's voice screamed. Takenaga dropped the phone and tried to hide himself in a corner. "YOU ARE GOING TO BE BURIED ALIVE WHEN I GET HOME!!! ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME, YOU BRAT!?!?!"

Sensei strode into the room and picked up the phone, holding it strangely. "NAKAHARA-SAN!!" he shouted. The class—Sunako included—jumped a foot into the air. The phone was silent. "Next time, you threaten a student I'll have to call the police." He hung up the phone and took it to his desk. He looked at Takenaga. "You can have it back after school."

"Yes, Sensei," Takenaga said with as much awe as the rest of the students.

Sunako was frozen in place—no one had ever dared to speak that way to her aunt before.

Sensei looked at Sunako and smiled.

Sunako felt her heart jolt. Who is he? She asked herself.

Once upon a time, there was a beautiful Princess who was cursed to see herself as ugly by the evil witch Venita.

Her aunt, the Duchess, tried to help her break the spell with the help of two princes and two squires of handsome visage.

But one day, a Black Knight that was a prince in disguise came to her amidst her four protectors one day after having vanished for three years since his victory over the evil and manipulative King Kira and vanished the debt the four boys had with the Duchess.

With one look at the princess, he seemed to say to her, "Fair, beautiful princess with skin white as snow, hair black as ebony wood, and lips red as the reddest rose, do not despair. I will break this spell that Venita has cast upon you. And be assured when I do, I will make you feel as beautiful as you truly are in my own way. Just wait and see, beautiful princess. Even when the world turns against you, you can count on me to stand beside you, for now, and forever."

a twist to a classic tale. Thanks for reading!