Title: From Lady to Tiger

Author's note: "The Lady, or the Tiger?" parody/AU, original by Stockton for "Kyoko's Fairy Tale Challenge". And yes, I realize it's not an adaption of a fairy tale but...oh well? (I'm not updating the other stuff I posted...wek. Sorry. This just popped into my head, I can't help it!)

Disclaimer: I own neither the fandom this is written in nor the plot this is based off of.

Chapter 1

Once upon a time...was a girl. A girl who was called beautiful inside and out by those who knew her, and plain and boring by those envious of her. She strived for perfection in everything she did and came close; within a hair's reach of it. All those efforts for the woman she called mother, all those efforts for naught.

Or not. Kyoko Mogami was the definition of a lady, the perfect princess. She believed in fairy tales where she would find her true love in a prince and they would live happily ever after. So even when her noble mother left her for a man from another kingdom, Kyoko didn't let her hopes die out too much. Not that she could even if she wanted to, considering the couple who took her in as if she were their daughter: the Hizuri king and queen.

Many women protested to Saena's child being taken into such luxury, until most of them were charmed by the girl's personality. Somewhere, the genetics must have strayed, they said after meeting her. She was studious, respectful, and hardworking, so it wasn't really surprising when the gossip about the king's court came about.

Princess Kyoko - they got used to calling her - was rumored by some to be engaged to the King's wayward son, but was found out to be in a relationship with a boy of common bloodline. Word of this reached Kuu and the boy, Fuwa Shotaro, was sentenced to a ruling at the king's court within one week. No matter how Kyoko, and even Queen Julie, tried to protest, the decision still stood and preparations went on without disturbance.

One week and many happenings later, the whole populace gathered at the king's court for the monumental event. Not once had a commoner tried to love and be loved by a prince/princess; Kyoko included, who was only of noble blood but was "adopted".

Kuu looked around the stadium from his seat as the crowd roared loudly, especially at what lay behind two doors in the arena. During the week, officials inspected the cages for the most ferocious tiger to eat the boy if the door was opened, and the fairest damsel to wed him if her door was opened. This, in short, was the fair justice of the Hizuri's, and provided entertainment for the people.

Meanwhile, Kyoko gripped the armrests of her seat as she ignored the commotion around her. Behind one of the doors was the worst beast the kingdom owned in its various cages, and the other was a lady of the court. She clenched her hands tighter until her knuckles whitened; oh, how she hated the trembling damsel behind the door! Yes, she knew which door held which fate. Through her determination and position, she had broken the usual history of the king's court and gained the knowledge of the doors.

For seven days and nights, she had tossed and turned about what she would do. She had to know what door had which, but she didn't want to know. Sometimes, she would dream of him opening the door to the tiger, and being eaten alive like the other victims, screaming and even pleading for help. But how could she stand to see her beloved to even look at her while he was eaten, with her unable to rush and save him. Nevertheless, she couldn't live seeing him open the other door and- then she would try to stop.

Would he stare at Nanokura Mimori and fall head over heels in love with her as he wed her? Would she have to watch her beloved belong to another woman, who often pined for him? Indeed, she saw Mimori's gaze of adoration at Sho, but did nothing of it in the past. And what could she do now?

Snapping back to reality, she missed the fanfare but saw him. Sho. Her lover, who was about to have his fate decided. Momentarily, the crowd was stunned. He was handsome, and many pitied him. He probably had been a great pair with Princess Kyoko, but because of his low blood, was about to face his fate, whatever it was.

She saw, and knew. He walked to the current royalty - the king, queen, Kyoko, and a few others waiting on them - held his gaze, and bowed. He wasn't doing it for anybody but her. Their bond told her that his gaze was practically screaming "Which?" and she knew she had to respond just as quickly. He knew she knew, and he trusted her. She trusted him. She loved him. She had spent so much time on this decision.

And she knew what she was going to do. Raising her hand up to her face as to make it look like she was leaning it, she subtly gestured the the right, and gazed back.

He stood up and strided to the doors with purpose. Without hesitation, he opened the door on the right as the crowd waited with baited breath. She had lost him. No, she had never had him ever since she had met him that fateful day. But still, she never regretted her decision.

She loathed her decision, down to every fiber of her being.

Wek. I didn't explain the king's arena/court and went weird. Oh well. And feedback (please) on the controversial question this whole time since the original story: the lady, or the tiger? Hope you enjoyed this!

~Jydaria