Title: Not Very Classical
Summary: Different versions of two fairy tales with the main characters of Gintoki and Kagura, yours truly.
Author's Note: I don't know where this came from.
Disclaimer: Gintama belongs to Sorachi Hideaki and Cinderella (does not) belong to H.C. Andersen.
(EDIT 2013/07/12): I just found out on Wikipedia that Cinderella does not belong to H.C. Andersen. It belongs to the world, and we should thank Charles Perrault and Brothers Grimm for re-telling it for the people living in the modern days.
Chapter one: Cinderella
Cast:
Cinderella – Kagura
Fairy Godmother (The Wizard) – Gintoki Sakata
Prince – Sougo Okita
/
Midnight, midnight; she would meet her prince again.
…If her Fairy Godmother didn't mind paying her another visit.
"Dozing off while mopping again, dear?"
She turned her head. "Fairy Godmother!" So her dear Fairy Godmother was very nice after all! She–
–Oh wait, her magical companion was a he.
"I told you not to call me that," her companion reminded, popping a bubble with his wand. "I am a wizard, and wizards are not called 'mother' by the people who need them."
"But everyone gets a Godmother!" she protested, "Why am I the only one who got a wizard?" The wizard continued to pop the bubbles with his wand, choosing not to answer her question. Her pouting face reflected on the bubbles, and he couldn't help feeling that the bubbles would explode if he continued to pop them.
"Not fair," she mumbled, leaning on the mop's wooden handle, staring up at the ceiling so intensely as if she was praying. "Dear God, please send me a kinder Godmother."
He clicked his tongue in response of her words, and made all the bubbles pop in a flick of a wand. He let out a laugh when she rubbed her eyes vigorously.
"You bastard! It got into my eyes!" she screeched, opening one eye which looked like she hadn't got enough sleep. The wizard snorted, and laughed once again. "With that language of yours, I doubt you will get anyone better than me."
"Oh, shoo, just get out of here. Mother Otose-sama will nag at me if I didn't finish the floor tonight."
"Chasing me out now, aren't you?" he said, amusement in his tone, "Have you forgotten who I am?" With another flick of his wand, all surface of the floor gleamed like mirrors. In return, she gasped.
"Wizard-sama!"
"So, who are we talking about again?"
"Shh," she hushed him in response. She looked around frantically, her eyes peering in every direction. Suddenly, she grabbed his hand, and her other hand pointed to a direction. "There! There he is!"
Behind the crowd of women buzzing on the dance floor, the wizard could easily spot the only male (aside from himself) of the rather large group. "Hmm. Kind of too short for my tastes."
She hit his arm lightly. "You're so tall; of course he seems short for you! And besides, aren't you older than him? Look at your hair, they're grey already."
The wizard looked at her with his eyes wide, feeling insulted. "Excuse me," he huffed, "my hair is silver in color, and they are in their natural state, thank you very much."
She placed her hand on her hips, smiling playfully. "Oh, really?" she asked, before realizing something. "That doesn't really matter right now. Now, shush."
"Why you–!" He didn't have the chance to continue his sentence as a sandy-haired man approached the Cinderella. The prince himself. He nodded at the wizard, and bowed to the wizard's 'partner'.
"You look very beautiful tonight," he said, loudly enough for the crowd to hear, "may I have this dance?"
"Yes," she whispered breathlessly, and took his hand. The prince led her to the center of the dance floor, the music played, and they started to sway.
The prince eyed the Cinderella curiously. "Have I met you before?" he asked her, staring at her face thoroughly. She let out a giggle, and smiled sweetly at him.
"I'm sure you must've been mistaken."
No one noticed how her eyes avoided the prince's for the rest of the dance, except for the wizard.
"How long are you planning to do this, Kagura?"
She looked up at the carriage's ceiling with a dreamy look. A few times of experience made her realize that it was best to leave the castle at eleven thirty, because she would reach home before midnight. "He is just so handsome," she sighed.
"Look, I'm being serious here."
"Whatever are you talking about?"
The wizard rolled his eyes. "Don't play dumb. You know what I mean. All this, the déjà vu– I have a feeling this isn't going to turn out well. We magicians can't alter people's mind perfectly." He patted her shoulder. "You should just give up on the ball. He is going to marry you in the end, after all."
Her face turned solemn, and she looked like she was about to cry. A sob escaped from her lips while her hands moved to cover her face, making the wizard astounded.
"Wh-what's wrong?"
"You don't understand anything," she cried, her words muffled by her sobs. "You came after the announcement. Of course you don't know anything."
The wizard leaned in front of her, trying on get a look on her face. "…What do I not know?" He lifted one of his hands to remove her hands away from her face, and when he was done, she glared at him with her swollen eyes.
"You don't know that the prince was engaged already."
He nearly dropped his wand. "Then why did he invite all the country's girls to attend a ball?"
"I don't know," she sobbed louder, "But it wasn't supposed to be like this, I know it wasn't. We were supposed to dance, fall in love… and marry, right? We were supposed to be together and live happily ever after. Yet, I don't know why he had this stupid ball, I don't know why I fell for an owned man, and I don't even know whether he loves me or not!"
They reached home, sat on the bench near the well, and she wept on the wizard's shoulder with his hands running up and down her back soothingly. After a good half an hour of crying, she finally stated her reason honestly.
"I asked you to turn back the time because the ball's the only time when I can meet him."
"You've had your ball, my son."
"Yes, father. I thank you for your kind approval."
"Now, are you prepared for the wedding waiting for you in a few months?"
The prince hesitated for a moment, but decided on an answer.
"No."
The king, surprisingly, smiled at him. "I knew this would happen," he said with a tone very far from accusation. "Your mother and I also are very much in love, and we never understood why you never seem to be attracted to any princesses we've introduced to you."
The prince's lips quirked into a thin smile, and the king smirked.
"We even once thought that you just don't like girls–"
"Father, please stop."
The next morning, she did everything quickly. A little bit of cooking, some washing there, some sweeping here; trying to get everything done in a short time. The wizard stepped into the hallway and looked at her.
"Erm, why in a hurry?"
She replied without looking up from the half-scrubbed floor. "I'm going to the ball again tonight."
"Tonight?!" He nearly yelled at her. This girl was absolutely insane. "You just met him yesterday!"
She sighed and looked up to him, her eyes filled with anxiousness and despair and desire, and it made his stomach twist in a feeling he couldn't quite describe. Perhaps pity? No, it wasn't just that.
"This would be the last," she whispered, and her words choked him. His stomach twisted again from hearing her hoarse voice as she tried to choke back the tears, and he spoke without further thinking.
"I can just make him fall in love with you."
Her eyes widened, but just for a moment before they returned to their normal size. She shook her head in disapproval. "No. It'd be meaningless if he didn't fall in love with me for real. And seeing him this much already is enough for me." She smiled at him, tears emerging from her eyelids. "I don't know if I can ever thank you enough for all you've done."
His heart clenched, and he had nearly pulled her in a hug when suddenly, loud noises could be heard coming from outside.
"The Prince has come!" one of her step-sisters announced, "He's coming to choose his bride amongst us!"
"The Prince has come!" her other step-sister repeated, "Get us our best dresses at once!"
Kagura jumped on her feet and dashed to the dress room, with the wizard following her from behind.
"I thought you said the prince is engaged!" he said, sounding surprised and annoyed at the same time.
"He is!" she replied, sounding just as surprised as he was, but without the annoyance. "At least I thought he was, whatever changed his mind now?"
They reached the dressing room, pulled a few expensive looking dresses, and ran towards the bedrooms before a voice stopped them.
"Please wait," said a handsome, sandy-haired man from the bottom of the main staircase. He was the prince.
"Yes?"
The prince climbed up the stairs, took her hand, and kissed it. "Just by one look and I know. You're the girl, the one who danced with me at the ball, aren't you?"
"Um, yes…"
"Very well then," the prince replied. He knelt down on one knee, and took out a velvet box. He opened the box, revealing a diamond ring inside it.
"Will you marry me?"
Everyone in the room gasped.
"M-me?" stuttered Kagura confusedly. "Marry the prince? Are you sure?" she asked him, feeling nervous. The prince nodded at her. "Yes, you, Miss…"
"K-kagura."
"Yes, miss Kagura. Will you marry me?"
Kagura didn't immediately answer. Instead, she looked at the wizard with a confused look, like asking his opinion or permission to answer the man in front of her. The prince noticed where her eyes were looking, and asked her: "Who is that?"
She turned her attention to the prince again. "He, um, is my friend, your majesty."
"I see," he replied, sounding satisfied with her answer that indicated that the wizard was nothing more than a buddy. "Then I suppose that you will want to exchange a few parting words before you are brought to the castle. I give you five minutes," he said, and exited the hall.
She didn't realize that they were still holding the clothes until he saw him. Her step-sisters were nowhere to be seen, too, while some wails could be heard coming from upstairs. It seemed that they were going to lock themselves in their room for a while. Kagura stepped closer to the wizard, her grip on the clothes tightening with each step. She took a deep breath, and spoke.
"So… This is it, isn't it?"
He could hear his own voice waver. "Yes, it is. You've got what you wanted."
She sighed again. "Yes, I know… It's just… It's unbelievable."
"Yes, unbelievable, but not impossible," he replied. "I kind of knew that this would happen. I told you once that I cannot alter people's minds perfectly, didn't I?" he reminded.
"Yes you did," she agreed, staring at his feet. "I shouldn't have asked you to turn back the time yesterday."
"Hey, why the sad face? This is what you wanted, right? The one thing you dreamed of," he said, trying to convince her, trying not to sound disappointed, and then wondering why he was feeling disappointed in the first place. "You should go, Kagura."
She gulped. "Yes, but… What about you?"
"Me?" the wizard asked, smiling at her. "Why, I think I'd go back to my house, and live a peaceful life there until somebody needs me."
"Then, should I–"
"Yes, you should say 'I do' before he runs to another girl," he said, dropping the pile of dresses to the floor and then pushing her down the stairs. "Look, he's coming. Say you will marry him, alright? I won't forgive you if you don't."
She grimaced, trying to dig her feet in the floor's carpet. "Can't we talk longer?" she pleaded, "I think there's still time–"
The prince cut her off. "So, Miss Kagura, will you marry me?"
The wizard's grip on her shoulder tightened. "Kagura, say yes."
They stopped right in front of the prince as she said: "Yes."
The prince smiled triumphantly. "All right, let me take you to the royal carriage now," he said, pulling one of her hand, trying to take her outside. But Kagura pulled to the opposite direction, trying to stop him to do so.
"Please wait, I haven't said goodbye to my friend–"
"Goodbye, Kagura."
She stopped on her tracks. She whipped around just to see him, who was standing behind her, now covered in white lights. He grinned, and mouthed some words to her just before he disappeared.
Be happy.
"Wow," the prince said, not trying to hide his amazement, "Your friend's a magician?"
Suppressing her tears, she didn't trust her voice to answer him. So instead, she nodded.
"Cool. Now, let's get going," he said, and he pulled her hand again in that hurried, hasty motion once again. And this time, she went along with him.
A tear slipped down her cheeks, but she wiped it before anyone could notice.
He was a fool, he decided. A fool for trying to see Kagura for one last time on her wedding day. It wasn't the thing gentlemen would do.
But he was no gentleman. He was a wizard, he jokingly thought to himself.
Feeling quite silly enough (and also a little bit guilty), he peeked from the opening of her dressing room. And he saw here there, in the middle of the room, all ready and pretty in her wedding gown.
She was absolutely breathtaking. Her skin glowed, and the red roses in her hair didn't clash with her bright, red hair either. She's beautiful, he thought. She was stunning. She wasn't his – he cursed himself for thinking about it when he wasn't even allowed to – and she was alone in that room. It was honestly tempting to just walk into the room and grab her, but he fought hard and was winning successfully, before he tripped on his own robe and stumbled on the room.
Kagura turned her head and gasped.
"You…"
He grinned, feeling guilty for being found out. "Hiya," he greeted, standing up from his humiliating position on the floor, "Just checking if everything's all right on your biggest day– Oof!"
Kagura crashed into his chest, and before he knew it, he was lying on the floor again with Kagura on top of him. "Kagura–"
"I don't want this anymore!" she cut him off, her hands grasping his robe tightly while her face was buried against his chest, wailing loudly. "You won't believe what he is actually like– I can't believe what he's actually like! He's so horrible, I saw him punishing his servants in a really, really horrifying way, and the horrible way he treated me, that– That sadistic jerk!" She pushed herself up from his body and sat on the floor. "I never thought that he would be this kind of person. I guess I was only in love with his appearance all along. I didn't know a thing about his personality," she admitted.
"But you!" she continued, pointing her finger at him, "This is also your fault! Saying goodbye all of a sudden, wishing me happiness and all! It was you who made me accept his proposal, just because I thought you would be happiest if I married him!" Tears started to roll down her cheeks already, and she used her palms to wipe them away. "Don't make it sound as if we are never going to meet again, you idiot."
The wizard pushed himself up. "Um, sorry about that," he apologized, a part of him not knowing anything better to say, another part of him feeling guilty for not having the courage to see her say 'yes' to the prince.
"It's no use in saying sorry!" she hollered, pounding her fists on his chest. "I'm crying, my make-up is ruined, and I don't want to be here anymore!"
He looked at her for a moment, scratched his neck, and asked: "Uh, so… What are you going to do now?"
"Take me away from here."
He stared at her. She stared back. Silence filled the room, and the world seemed to stop turning. And at that moment, they knew.
"Well," he finally said, "I am a real, living man, and I already own a nice house far away from here…"
Kagura held her breath. "So…?"
The wizard stood up, and reached his hand out to her.
"Elope with me."
Her breath caught in her throat, and took his hand.
"Yes," she answered breathlessly.
It was the answer of her dreams.
And they lived happily ever after.
Oh, and the prince married an equally sadistic princess from the neighboring kingdom.
The End.
Reviews are very, very much appreciated! Cheers!