prince charming
Lightning was intrigued when her teacher, Ms. Aeris, walked into the classroom with a dark-haired boy in tow that morning.
There was just something about him that seemed to draw her attention. A boy with dark, weird spiky hair, pale complexion, and mysterious amber eyes who was standing beside Ms. Aeris as she told him to introduce himself to the class.
She ran a hand on the glossy page of her picture book. It showed an image of a prince in shining armor, standing bravely before a dragon with his big sword in hand. Her mommy had bought the picture book for her fifth birthday a month ago, and she had brought it everywhere with her ever since. She loved the prince.
The new boy in front of the class shyly introduced himself as Noctis Lucis Caelum. But then came the twist.
"Prince." Ms. Aeris added cheerfully. "Prince Noctis Lucis Caelum."
And the whole class gasped in surprise.
Vanille, her orange-haired, bubbly friend who was sitting at the front row, had looked the most expressive. Her eyes filled her round face as she stared unblinking at the boy, her palms were cupping her chin. Then she yelled. "A prince!"
Ms. Aeris laughed at Vanille while the prince had blush adorning his cheeks for all the attention that he got from the class. Their brunette teacher told him to sit next to Prompto, the most energetic boy in the class.
Lightning frowned, looking down at her picture book, then to the new boy in class who was now conversing with Prompto four seats away from her.
Prince Noctis... He did not look as brave or tough as the prince in her book.
She decided that she liked the one in her book better.
.
.
Noctis' addition to the class changed everyone. He was like a magnet that pulled everyone to him. He was never alone. Boys and girls would crowd his table, they followed him everywhere, listened to every words he said, treated him like the prince he was.
But she was not one of them. She acted like usual, like before he came to their school.
"I touched Noctis' hair. It's really soft!" Vanille gushed one day. "It's softer than my mommy's hair!"
Lightning kept quiet, but her eyes strayed to the boy and his hair.
"You should try it, Light. He won't mind." Vanille suggested excitedly.
"No." She muttered, going back to her drawing.
She had always loved to draw princes; ones like from her picture book. But now, she was unhappy with the prince in her drawing book; drawn in colorful crayons. She paused, frowning. Then, she turned the sheet to a blank new one.
She took a blue crayon and started drawing the sky.
.
.
Noctis was very rich. He came to school in a very shiny black car that looked exactly like the king's car that she saw in TV once. He came with many people.
Lightning wondered why Noctis had so many men in black waiting for him outside of their school everyday. She asked Ms. Aeris out of curiosity. She said they were his bodyguards; they were there to protect him.
But in her book the prince protected his people, she wanted to say, not the other way around.
Noctis' driver was tall and really big, but the maid that waited for him outside of their classroom everyday was thin and beautiful; almost as beautiful as Ms. Aeris.
When it rained, his driver would bring a big umbrella with him. He made sure not a single drop of rain would touch the prince's head. He walked beside Noctis, along with the maid who was carrying his blue backpack.
Lightning walked alone a ways behind, carrying her own pink umbrella and backpack. Her mommy only took her until the school gates.
They were in snacktime one day when Noctis sneezed loudly. His maid scurried inside their classroom not even a moment later. All eyes turned on the young woman as she pulled a silk white hanky out of her small bag and wiped Noctis' nose with a worried look, asking him if he was feeling ill.
Lightning chewed her cookie noisily. She could wipe her nose alone, unlike him.
The prince heard the noise she made and turned his gaze on her. The unfriendly look she gave him must have come across, because the boy quickly looked away. She thought he was blushing but she was not sure.
.
.
Lightning was sitting in a swing set, swinging herself high, high, and higher while Vanille played in the slide nearby. The boys were playing cops and robbers. Ignis was playing the cop while Gladiolus, Snow, and Prompto became the robbers. It should have been unfair in number but Ignis was scary, serious, and smarter than the trio combined so he didn't complain. In fact the robbers were scared shitless of the bespectacled boy who was chasing them with his hands that were shaped like a pistol.
"Stop running, you fools!" The cop yelled. "Surrender yourself!" The robbers cried girly screams as they ran faster.
She thought Ignis was taking it too seriously. Maybe he wanted to be a cop in the future?
"Hey, Light!" Rygdea called, running to her. The dark-haired prince followed slightly behind him.
She slowed to a stop, but still sitting on the swing set.
"Come join us! We're playing cops and robbers!" Rygdea said enthusiastically. "You and Vanille can be the cops with Ignis, and Noctis and I will be the robbers. It's really fun! Come on!"
Vanille had bounded over to them from the slide. She agreed quickly, jumping up and down excitedly.
Noctis was looking at her. They all did, waiting for her answer.
"I don't want to. It's hot. Running around will make me sweaty." She told them.
Their face fell.
"Aww! You're no fun." Rygdea whined.
Just then something seemed to catch the little prince's eyes. He bent down, picking something up from the ground. "What's this?" He mumbled.
Lightning glanced, then gasped. It was her picture book!
"Don't touch it!" She cried when Noctis had just turned the book's cover.
No one touched her picture book. Everyone but the prince knew that. She ran to him and snatched her book away. Without thinking, she shoved him, hard.
Noctis fell to his butt, blinking confusedly on the sandy ground. Collective gasps could be heard in the playground.
"Ouji-sama!" Noctis' maid ran to him frantically. She pulled him up, dusting off his shirt and pants.
Seeing the commotion, the boys stopped playing cops and robbers and ran to them. Then Noctis' burly driver came too, inspecting his little employer for injury.
Lightning never felt as guilty in her whole five years of life as she did right then when accusing eyes turned her way.
"I'm… sorry," she whispered, unsure. "I didn't mean to..."
That day, she got her first bad stamp on her behavior chart book.
.
.
"Claire, baby, you left your picture book." Her mommy reminded her when she was about to close the car door.
Lightning looked down at her feet. She had got a bad stamp because of that book. Well, not directly, but still.
Looking up at her mommy's expectant face, she said quickly. "I don't like the prince!" She didn't know whether she disliked the prince in her picture book, or the real one in her class. Maybe both?
She pushed the car door close then ran past the school gates until she reached her classroom. She had reflected on her bad behavior last week. She was determined to please Ms. Aeris!
She drew a beautiful flowerbed in her drawing book. They were yellow and white lilies. When she was done, she looked around at her friends. They were still busy drawing.
She stood from the table, taking her drawing book with her, and walked to the front of the class.
"Ms. Aeris." She called, standing by the teacher's desk.
"Yes, sweetie?" The beautiful brunette smiled at her.
Lightning showed the drawing. "I drew this."
"It's very beautiful! Are they lilies?" The little girl's eyes went alight instantly. She nodded her pink head in answer. "But - you didn't draw the prince anymore? You love princes, right?
The young teacher had noticed the change in her pink-haired student's drawings. Before, she always drew princes. Lightning loved drawing princes as much as Stella did princesses, but recently she had seen mountains, beaches, houses, Doraemon, teddy bears, cookies, robots, and many other things but a prince in her student's drawing book.
"I don't -"
"Ms. Aeris?" A new voice interrupted Lightning.
It was Noctis, with his own drawing book in his hands.
"Yes, Noctis?" Ms. Aeris turned her attention to him. Lightning frowned.
"Look." The boy showed her his drawing. He drew a big sword, planted on what looked like a hill. On the side was a – what was it… A dog?
"That's so cool! A sword, and uh... A raccoon! That's really interesting!"
"It's a wolf, Ms. Aeris…"
Lightning could not help the giggle as she watched Noctis visibly deflated, disappointed that his wolf was mistaken as raccoon.
"O-oh, it's a wolf?" Ms. Aeris looked nervous. Heaven forbid she hurt her future emperor's feelings and get remembered as his meanie kindergarten teacher. "Well, it's a – a cute wolf! Maybe you could draw another one and give it to me? I'll hang it in my apartment's room!"
Noctis perked up instantly. "I'll draw the best wolf for you!" He promised, taking his drawing book away then went back to his table, but not before giving a shy smile to Lightning who was still standing beside Ms. Aeris.
Lightning was puzzled. Shouldn't Noctis still felt angry with her—maybe even sending evil looks her way—for the shove she gave him last week? Why did he smile at her?
She found herself stealing glances at Noctis for the rest of the day.
.
.
They were dismissed early from school today. Ms. Aeris had called and informed their parents about it.
Lightning was sitting alone in her classroom, waiting for her mommy to pick her up. She said she was going to be late.
All of her friends had gone home now, and the school was almost deserted. She was tapping her feet on the floor, bored.
What if she could go home by herself? She looked outside the window absently, at the school gates. Mommy would be proud of her, wouldn't she?
She looked outside the window again, thinking. She always watched the roads they passed by through the car window when mommy took her to school everyday. She remembered them!
Ms. Aeris was in her office now…
Shouldering her backpack, Lightning walked to the door. She shoved her head a little to peek the hallways. It was empty.
Her heart was beating wild as she steeled her resolve. She took a small step out of the room, then stealthily, she ran outside the school building, and out the opened gates.
It was… fun! She grinned. She was like an adult now, going home by herself!
She walked down the street in high spirits. Her steps were strong and sure, just like a soldier.
Lightning was about to turn to a left corner when she saw it. A street parade; people in flashy, colorful, and pretty costumes were marching down the street. Loud music accompanied their march.
She was ready to go on her way, but then she noticed two figures walking side by side in the parade. It was Prince Charming and his princess. There was even the green dragon walking behind them!
Full with curiosity, her feet took a different turn, and she started following the handsome prince around the city from the sidewalk.
.
Lightning realized she was lost when all she saw around her was big, tall buildings, and the sidewalk was full of bustling people. She didn't recognize this street. Where was she?
Instead of staying put or asking people for directions, she started to walk again, in hope of seeing something that she recognized. But all it got her was nothing but aching calves and hungry stomach. She panicked, unshed tears filled her eyes. She was walking slowly now.
Mommy always told her to never talk to strangers, but - what about now?
She stopped before a fine-looking restaurant, looking around the foreign street sadly. What if she couldn't get home? What would happen to her? She wanted to see mommy so bad. And her little sister, Serah. Who would play lego and Barbie with her if she could never go home again?
So drowned in her sad thoughts, silent tears started to trickle down her chubby cheeks.
"Lightning!" A soft voice she knew well called her.
She turned around to the owner of the voice. She never felt so happy to see Noctis before.
"What are you doing here? Why are you crying?" He was followed by a big guy in black suit, one of his bodyguards.
Lightning wailed. She was flooded with relief. "I'm lost! I can't find my way home. I want to see mommy!"
Noctis' amber eyes were wide in surprise. Then, a beautiful woman came from behind him. She kneeled before her, wiping her cheeks.
"Don't cry, sweetie. Are you lost?" She nodded in answer, still sobbing. "Poor girl. It's okay, I'm Noctis' mother. We'll call your mommy and tell her to pick you up, okay?"
.
It turned out Noctis was having lunch with his parents when he saw her crying through the restaurant's big window. They took her to their table and offered her to eat with them while they waited for her mommy to arrive. She was hungry but she just didn't feel like eating.
Her mommy cried, scolded, hugged, and kissed her face all at once. She had been searching for her desperately, along with Ms. Aeris and the school's staffs. Her daddy even clocked out early to help in her search.
Lightning felt so guilty. She promised mommy—and later daddy too—earnestly that she would never make the same mistake again.
Her mommy had stuttered her sincere thanks to the king, queen, and the little prince. Lightning did the same. She was smiling ear to ear as she thanked Noctis, and the boy had turned red in the face.
That afternoon, Noctis had become her hero, just like the prince in her favorite picture book.
.
.
Ms. Aeris waited for her at the school gates the next morning. She pulled her into a hug, apologizing repeatedly for being a bad teacher.
Lightning hugged her back. She told Ms. Aeris that it was not her fault. She promised her favorite teacher too that she would never repeat her mistake.
Vanille, always so dramatic, had burst into tears when she saw her in the classroom. Her classmates were crowding her desk too, worriedly asking if she was okay.
She was feeling so loved and embarrassed at the same time. Her little bravado had turned to naught, and she even caused big trouble for everyone. She wasn't proud.
It was recess. She approached Noctis who was sitting under a tree with the boys, folding colorful paper cranes.
"Noctis," she called him.
The boy looked up, curious. Lightning never talked to him before. Never voluntarily, ever.
She smiled, passing over her picture book. "You can borrow my book. It's a good story!"
He extended his hand, taking the book away from her.
"Thank you." He said, looking down at the book that had caused quite a commotion several days ago. It was a beautiful book, he decided. He would ask mommy to buy him one.
"Can I join you?" Lightning asked again.
Noctis never smiled so wide before. "Sure!"
.
.
Aeris watched her students from the window in her office. She giggled behind her hand. This was the first day the dark-haired prince and the pink-haired girl sat and played together in harmony.
She was happy.
She, as kindergarten teachers should, had observed her students diligently. Noctis had been looking longingly at Lightning when he thought no one watched him; he really wanted to be friends with her. Lightning on the other hand was too engrossed in her book; in her fake prince in shining armor who had slayed the dragon so bravely.
But now, Lightning had finally seen the real prince; one that would surely grow strong and brave in his own way. And who knew, maybe the pink-haired girl had unknowingly played a part in it, because the shy prince had grown less dependent on his maid and driver now.
Aeris skipped to her desk.
After all, the prince had been carrying his own blue backpack for some time now.
::
- Ouji = prince
- Noctis' drawing was a reference to the scene in Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children/Complete. The wolf was Fenrir, standing by Buster Sword in Zack's dying place outside Midgar.
- Lightning's drawing of lilies flowerbed was definitely a reference of the same thing in Aeris' church.
.
Disclaimer: Final Fantasy © Square Enix
Unbeta'ed
—April 3, 2013