Once upon a time, long long ago, there was a girl named Miu, who was very poor and had to steal for food. That might've bothered a normal person, but Miu saw it as 'living on the edge'. Every day she just barely managed to escape the cops.
Today in particular, Miu sole some fresh fruit from a street vendor. She hid it in her sack and started to casually walk off. But someone had seen her take the fruit.
"Thief!" someone yelled. "Somebody do something!"
Miu ran. She could hear the cops right behind her. She managed to lose them by running into an alleyway, then started off for home.
'Home' was a tiny place with a nice view of the city. Miu sat down beside the window and grabbed an apple from her sack, biting into it.
"Cops'll never catch me," Miu said proudly to herself. "Yup, I'm pretty sneaky." She smiled, then sighed, but it wasn't a happy sigh. Miu didn't want to admit it, but she was lonely. She'd lived all alone since she was twelve years old, when her parents had lost her. Since then, she hadn't even had a proper conversation with anyone, and as a result, she had developed a habit of talking to herself.
"I should at least have a pet or something," Miu mumbled. Then she straightened up. "What am I saying? I don't need anyone to keep me company!" Miu groaned.
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On the other side of the city lived a much more fortunate girl, a princess, named Chika. She was sitting on the edge of the fountain in the big castle yard, playing fetch with her dog, Satake. She heard footsteps and looked up at her sister, Nobue.
"Hi Onee-chan," said Chika, her tone bored.
"Hey," said Nobue. "You bored?"
"Kinda," said Chika.
"Well... I wanted to talk to you about something," Nobue said.
"Oh great," Chika said. "Not this again."
"How do you know what I'm going to say?"
"You're always saying it."
"Well, it's true," said Nobue. "You must have a husband picked out by your eighteenth birthday."
"Yeah, yeah," said Chika. "I'll choose someone eventually."
"Chi," said Nobue. "You never show interest in any of the princes who offer to marry you. Some people are starting to think you're-" Nobue paused.
"Think I'm what?" said Chika.
Nobue sighed. "Nothing, nothing. Point is, you need to hurry up and make a choice. Your birthday is in a month."
"Does my choice have to be a prince?" Chika asked.
"Yes, that's the law," Nobue said. "What, did you want to marry a commoner?"
"Well, sort of..." Chika said. "I mean... well..."
"That's just not proper," Nobue said.
Chika huffed. "Proper, huh?"
"If you don't make a choice, I'll make a choice," Nobue said.
Chika just groaned.
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That evening, Chika put on a long coat with a hood that made her harder to recognize, and snuck out of the castle. She did this often, and it made her happy. She didn't like to be a princess all the time. Sometimes it was nice to be more like a normal person. She walked down the street and soon heard screams. She turned towards the direction of the noise and listened.
"She stole my bread!"
"Hey, get back here you little runt!"
"Thief! Thief!"
Chika soon saw a girl about her age, holding some bread and running from the police. She expected her to be scared, but the girl was smiling mischievously. Does she not realize how much danger she's in? She's like a little kid...
Chika, curious, decided to follow the girl. She ran after her, and soon managed to catch up with her when the girl stopped to hide in an alley.
"Whew," the girl said. "That was close."
"Hi," Chika said.
The girl flinched. "Oh, I thought you were a cop!"
"No, I'm just... a commoner..." Chika said. She looked down at the bread in the girl's hand. "Did you steal that?"
The girl smiled proudly. "Yup! I'm Miu, Master of Thievery!"
"Why'd you steal it?" Chika asked.
"'Cause I don't have money," Miu said.
"I see," said Chika. "Must be a hard life."
"Kinda," said Miu, shrugging. Then she perked up a little. "Do you wanna see where I live?"
Chika wondered why Miu would suggest that. "I guess so," she said.
"C'mon!" Miu ran deftly away. Chika hurried after her.
Once they got to Miu's home, Miu threw her sack down on the ground and sat down on the window seat. "It's not much," Miu said. "But it has a nice view, don't you think?" She tore the bread in half and handed one of the halves to Chika, surprising her.
"Why are you giving some to me?" Chika asked. "You're so poor and scrawny. You should eat everything you can get."
"No, I insist!" Miu said. "I'm really happy to have you over! So you can have it!"
"Why are you so happy just to have me here?" Chika asked.
"I haven't ever had company over, so it's exciting!" Miu said. "You see, I can't stop shaking! I'm not used to talking to anyone either."
"You seem nervous," Chika said.
"I always get nervous talking to cute girls. I mean! um, I'm kinda shy," Miu nervously rubbed the back of her neck, blushing, and Chika blushed too, surprised by that first sentence.
"You don't seem like the shy type," Chika said.
"Okay, well maybe I'm not usually shy, but, uh..."
Chika couldn't help but find Miu's nervous behavior amusing. "Um, you're right, it really is a nice view," she said, trying to change the subject.
"Oh yeah?" Miu said. "I like how you can see the castle from here. It sure is pretty. It sure would be cool to live in a castle, wouldn't it? I'd love to be royalty."
"I'm sure it's not all it's cut out to be," Chika said. "Did you know that the princess has to choose a husband by her eighteenth birthday?"
"Really? I've never heard that," Miu said. "I guess that would be bad."
"And he has to be a prince," Chika said. "She can't marry a commoner."
"That would certainly limit options," Miu said.
"And if she can't choose, someone else would have to choose for her."
"Eek... how is it on the prince's end?"
"Princes need to find a princess who agrees to marry them. They have to travel a lot and present themselves to princesses everywhere. The princess stays at her own castle to await the visits," Chika explained.
"Travel, huh?" Miu said. "That might be cool... Maybe I'd rather be a prince then."
"But you're a girl, aren't you?" Chika said, a bit confused.
"Yes, but... Well, rather than marrying a prince..."
"Do you mean to say you'd rather marry a princess?" Chika said.
"Maybe," Miu said, blushing. "Is that weird?"
"No, not really," Chika said. "I kinda understand."
"Oh?" said Miu. "Would you marry a princess?"
Chika blushed, looking away. "If I were a prince, I could..."
Suddenly, footsteps could be heard, and some police appeared. "Ha! We've found your house!"
Miu jumped up. "C'mon guys, we can talk this out!" The cops pointed guns at her. "Heh... heh... C'mon!" Chika got up and the two of them ran away.
"Don't look back!" Miu said to Chika.
"I'm freaking out!" Chika yelled. "I can't believe you do this every day!"
"I'll protect you, don't worry!" said Miu confidently.
"After them!" a cop yelled. Chika's heart was racing. She tripped over a rock and fell on the ground.
"Agh! Are you okay?" said Miu. She stopped to help Chika up, and soon handcuffs were being placed on her.
"Ha, we've finally caught her!" one cop said. "Now we can question her on her crimes and decide on a suitable punishment!"
"I won't talk!"
"Yes you will!"
"I have the right to remain silent!" Miu stepped on the cop's foot, and he screamed.
"Sir, how about we just kill her?" one cop said.
"Death isn't harsh enough!" said the cop who'd handcuffed Miu.
"M-Miu-san," said Chika. "I'm so sorry... I slowed you down..."
"No, it's not your fault!" Miu said. "Don't be sad!"
"No," Chika said. She stood up shakily, and then pulled off her hood. "I'm the princess... and I demand you to release her!"
Miu and the cops gasped.
"No wonder you knew so much about castle life!" Miu said.
"Chika-hime-sama, we still have to take her. She-"
Miu kicked the cop who was holding her in the leg, making him scream again. Then she slipped her tiny wrists out of the handcuffs and grabbed Chika's hand, pulling her away. They ran as fast as their feet could carry them. Chika found herself staring at their intertwined fingers.
They ran up a staircase and were standing on a balcony of a public building. There was nowhere to go. They looked frantically around and soon the cops had caught up with them.
"There's nowhere to run now," one cop said.
Miu turned to Chika. "Do you trust me?" she said.
Chika blinked. Trust a thief she'd just met an hour or so ago?
"...yes."
"Then jump!" Miu grabbed Chika's hand and the two jumped off the balcony.
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Miu escaped and Chika went back to the castle. Nobue scolded her.
"You may not leave the castle without my permission!" Nobue said. "And why would you go into the house of a criminal? Do you have any idea what could've happened to you?"
"Blah blah blah," said Chika.
"I'm serious! Such an improper girl will never find a suitor!" said Nobue. "If you don't find a husband by your birthday-"
"I know."
"You'd better!"
The next day, Miu, who was too afraid to go back to her home and risk being caught again, was hiding in an old abandoned building.
"I can't believe she was the princess!" Miu said to herself as she paced back and forth. "And I talked to her... and held her hand..." Miu looked at her hand. "I wish... I wish... I wish I could be a prince. And marry her." Miu was surprised with her own words. "Yes... I want to be with her." Miu found herself fantasizing about Chika, and she sighed, realizing how hopeless it was.
"I'm just a commoner," Miu said. "A nobody. So she wouldn't love me. No one loves me."
Miu eventually got bored and began to look through a wooden chest. She found a golden lamp.
"Eh? What's this?" said Miu. She began to wipe some dust off of the lamp, and it began to glow. Then, out came a genie!
"Who are you!?" said Miu, dropping the lamp in shock.
"I'm Matsuri," said the genie, smiling. "And I will grant all your wishes!"
"All of them?" said Miu. "Anything I want?"
"Well... not literally," Matsuri said. "You can't wish for someone to die, for someone to fall in love with you, for a dead person to come back to life, or for more wishes. You have a limit of three."
"Only three?" said Miu, sitting on the ground. "You're a pathetic genie."
"Eh!? I-I'm sorry! I can only grant three per master!"
"Ooh, master?" said Miu. "I like the sound of that."
"S-So... any idea what you want to wish for first?"
"I wish I could disguise as a prince and win Chika-hime-sama's attention!" Miu blurted out excitedly.
"Okay," said Matsuri. She snapped her fingers, and Miu was dressed in a nice suit, and her hair was cut short.
"Can I pass?" Miu said.
"I think so," Matsuri said. "You look like a boy to me."
"Awesome!" Miu said. "Let's go to the castle, Matsuri-san!"
"Right away," said Matsuri. So the two set off for the palace.
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At the palace, Chika was sitting in the main room, bored, as princes were presented to her one by one.
"This prince is attractive, don't you think, Chi?" Nobue said. Chika wasn't paying attention. "Chi!"
"Eh? Are you talking to me?" Chika said.
"Yes!" said Nobue. "Just look at this prince? Isn't he hot?"
"Sure," said Chika.
"You didn't even look at him!"
"Hm."
"Chi!"
"I don't care what he looks like."
"Okay, well what about his personality?"
"Boring."
"What traits would you want in a suitor?" Nobue asked.
"Gotta be exciting," Chika said. "Like... a rebel..."
Nobue gave her a look. "What? You mean you like bad boys?"
"I guess..."
"Most princes aren't like that. Princes are dignified." Nobue rolled her eyes.
"How many more suitors will I have to look at?" said Chika.
"Just one more," Nobue said. "His name is Matsuoka-ouji-sama."
"Okay," said Chika, relieved that this was almost over... for today.
Fanfare could be heard, and then the doors swung open and Miu appeared. Outside, a bunch of teenage girls were screaming and throwing roses and money at Miu. Miu laughed, blowing a kiss to one of the girls, who promptly fainted. Chika rolled her eyes. How arrogant, she thought.
"Heh, the girls are all over me," Miu said, blushing a bit. "Pleased to meet you, Chika-hime-sama."
Chika rolled her eyes, not responding. Nobue coughed. "She's being difficult today," she explained. "Chi, why don't you greet the young man?"
"Hi," Chika said coldly. "I'm very pleased to meet you."
"Matsuoka-ouji-sama, do you have any admirable qualities?" Nobue asked.
"Well, I'm totally hot," Miu said.
"Besides that."
"Uh, I can dance really well?"
"Interesting," said Nobue. "Do you have any questions for Matsuoka-ouji-sama, Chi?"
"Yeah," said Chika, straightening up a little. "What's your first name?"
Miu stiffened. "Um... Mitsuo?"
"Are you asking me if that's your name?" said Chika.
"N-No! That is my name!" Chika didn't look at all interested, so Miu quickly said, "Um, can I come back later?"
Nobue looked confused. "When and why?"
"This evening. Because I want to talk to Chika-hime-sama privately."
"Oh, okay," said Nobue. Chika looked annoyed.
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That evening, Chika sat in her bedroom, mumbling to herself.
"I didn't like any of those princes," she said. "I must be hard to impress." Then, a gentle wind blew in from the balcony, and Chika turned to see Miu, standing on a magic carpet- her second wish, intended to impress Chika.
"M-Mitsuo-san?" Chika said.
"Please, call me Mitsuo-kun," Miu said, stepping off the magic carpet.
"Mitsuo-kun," said Chika, "is that a magic carpet?"
Miu was grinning from ear to ear. "Yup! Want a ride?"
Chika looked nervous. "I... I don't know..."
"It's safe, really," said Miu. "Don't worry. It's fun!"
"What if you fell off?" said Chika.
"I like taking risks," said Miu.
"Eh? Really?" said Chika.
"Oh yeah," said Miu. "Totally."
Chika, who was becoming just a little bit fascinated, said, "I guess I'll take a ride, but my sister can't know. I'll lock my bedroom door." She walked to the door and said, "Onee-chan, Mitsuo-kun is here! We're just going to hang out in here for a while!"
"Okay!" said Nobue. Chika locked the door and walked back to Miu.
"Hey, you're taking a risk too!" Miu said, laughing. "If your sister catches you, she'll be so angry!"
Chika laughed before she could stop herself. "Yes, she certainly has a temper."
Miu's eyes widened a little. "I made you laugh!"
Chika blushed. "Heh, so what?"
"You seemed so bored earlier today," Miu said. "Like the type who never laughs."
"I'm not really like that," Chika said.
"I see," said Miu. She held out her hand. "So, do you trust me?"
Chika stared at Miu's hand for a few seconds, then nodded. "Yes." She grabbed Miu's hand, and off they went.
As they flew through the night sky, Miu sang a song for Chika, and Chika couldn't help but notice how feminine Miu's voice sounded. She also noticed two small bumps on her suitor's chest.
Mitsuo-kun is... a lot like a girl... Chika thought. Is he transgender or something? A cross dresser, trying to trick me? Chika also couldn't get that phrase out of her head. He asked me if I trusted him... like Miu-san did... Chika tried to shake these strange thoughts out of her head. Surely I'm just being paranoid. It must be my imagination. It has to be.
Meanwhile, Matsuri was in her lamp, just sitting around, when she felt the lamp be picked up.
"Ooh, a lamp!" a girl's voice said. The girl rubbed the lamp, and Matsuri came out. It was a blonde girl with blue eyes, who looked slightly younger than Miu.
"Woah! Are you a genie?" the girl said.
"Y-Yes," said Matsuri. "I'm Matsuri. And you are...?"
"Ana," said the girl. "And since I rubbed your lamp, you have to grant me three wishes, right?"
"Right..." said Matsuri.
"Oh, how cool!" said Ana. "I wonder what I'll wish for first!"
Matsuri gulped worriedly.
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Miu and Chika had stopped on the roof of a building, and were talking.
"Um..." Chika said, "I was wondering... are you...?"
"Yeah?" said Miu, a bit worried.
"Um... well you seem a bit like a... like a girl..." Chika said. "I mean, not to be offensive or anything!"
Miu blushed. "Um, well..."
"And you remind me of someone," Chika said.
"I do?" said Miu, sweating with worry.
"Yeah," said Chika. "Are you really a prince?"
Miu sighed. "Okay, fine. I'm not a prince, okay?" She looked away, embarrassed.
"Then who are you?"
"My... my name is Miu."
"I knew it!" said Chika. "Why did you pretend to be a prince?"
"Because I thought maybe you wouldn't like me since I'm just a commoner... and a girl..."
Chika slapped Miu, startling her. "Why would you think that!?" said Chika. "Why would that matter to me!? I like you just the way you are! If I didn't like commoners, why would I go over to your house!? I trusted you! So just be honest with me! Baka."
"But what about the fact that I'm-"
"A girl? I said that didn't matter to me, didn't I?"
"Maybe..."
"Even if I didn't directly say it, didn't I at least imply it? Whatever! Really, I don't care if you're a boy or a girl! You're much cuter as a girl anyway!" Chika blushed. "S-So... it's okay."
Miu's eyes widened. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have lied," she said. "But from now on, I'll be honest with you."
"You'd better," said Chika. "I would never choose a liar as my suitor." She scooted up against Miu and rested her head on her shoulder. Miu smiled and wrapped her arm around Chika.
"You make a handsome prince though," Chika said. "Who says a girl can't be a prince? Being a princess doesn't suit you as well. You act like a guy anyway."
Miu laughed. "I guess that's true."
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Back in the castle, a servant approached Nobue.
"Nobue-sama, Chika-hime-sama and Mitsuo-ouji-sama have been in Chika-hime-sama's room for over an hour and the door is locked," the servant said.
"Huh!?" said Nobue. "What are they doing!?"
"I don't know. They don't respond when I knock on the door."
"Then bust the door down!" said Nobue.
"Right away!" said the servant.
Back on the balcony, Miu was saying goodbye to Chika.
"I'll come back tomorrow," Miu said. "You won't tell anyone I'm not a prince, right?"
"Of course not," said Chika. "Don't you trust me?" Miu smiled. Chika leaned over the balcony and kissed Miu. Miu was caught by surprise, and almost fell of the magic carpet. But then she was blushing and kissing Chika. When the two separated, Chika shyly waved goodbye, and Miu waved happily back. She was in such a good mood she did flips in the air on the magic carpet as she flew away.
Then, the door fell down.
"What?" said Chika. One of the servants was standing there.
"Uh... just checking on you..." said the servant. "Where's Mitsuo-ouji-sama?"
"He just left," Chika said.
"Oh..." said the servant. "Your sister and I were just a little worried since the door was locked and no one was responding when we knocked."
"Oh, we were... um... playing the silent game?" Chika said.
The servant gave her an odd look. "Okay... if you say so..."
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When Miu got back to her home, she said, "Hey, Matsuri-san!" She walked over to the place she'd left the lamp, and it was nowhere to be seen.
"Where did it go...?" Miu said, worried.
Meanwhile, Ana was trying to think of a good wish.
"Ooh, I know!" said Ana. "I wish I was a princess!"
Matsuri sighed. "Yes, Ana-sama." She snapped her fingers, and Ana was soon wearing a beautiful dress adorned with gems.
"Wow!" said Ana. "Now I will rule all the city! My second wish is to be the most powerful person in the country!"
Matsuri looked worried. "Okay..." she said, snapping her fingers again. Now, Ana was sitting in a throne in the castle.
Nobue looked curiously at Ana. "Who are you?" she said.
"I'm Ana!" said Ana. "I'm in charge now! Guards, get rid of this lady!" The castle guards ran over to Nobue and seized her.
"What's happening!?" said Nobue.
Then Chika's bedroom door opened and Chika stepped out. She saw the guards holding Nobue and the blonde girl sitting in the throne.
"What's going on?" said Chika. "Onee-chan?"
Ana turned around. "You! Clean the floors!" She handed Chika a mop. Chika stared blankly at it.
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Miu was headed off to the food vendors to steal something to eat when she noticed some servants were walking around the city. Why weren't they in the castle? Deciding to find out for herself, Miu ran to the castle.
When Miu got inside the castle, she saw Ana sitting on the throne and Chika mopping the floor.
"Chika-san?" Miu said.
Chika looked up. "Miu- I mean, Mitsuo-kun! What are you doing here?"
"I thought something was going on..." Miu said.
"You do not have my permission to talk!" said Ana. "I am all-powerful!"
Miu noticed the lamp sitting beside Ana, and instantly understood what had happened. Hatching a plan, Miu said, "You aren't as powerful as the genie though, are you?"
Ana frowned. "Well..."
"You aren't."
Ana gritted her teeth. "Matsuri, I wish I was a genie."
Matsuri came out of the lamp and snapped her fingers. Then Ana transformed into a genie. She was sucked into the lamp.
"AGH!" Ana yelled from inside the lamp. "How do I get out of here!?"
Miu grabbed the lamp and threw it out the window into the ocean.
"My lamp..." said Matsuri.
"Matsuri-san," said Miu. "I wish you were free! Human!"
Matsuri's eyes widened in surprise. She snapped her fingers, and was instantly human.
"Thank you so much, Miu-sama!" Matsuri said happily.
"No problem," said Miu. "And the '-sama' really isn't necessary."
Matsuri smiled and ran out of the castle.
"What just happened?" said Chika.
"I was using the genie to wish for things, like the magic carpet," Miu explained. "And now I've set her free."
"Wow," said Chika.
"Hey," said Nobue. "You know, I just noticed something..."
"Eh?" said Miu and Chika.
"Mitsuo-san, your voice is quite feminine," said Nobue.
Chika quickly said, "Um, some guys have feminine voices!"
Miu sighed. "I give up, Chika-san. I'm a girl. And... a commoner."
"Aha!" said Nobue.
"Onee-chan, I love her!" Chika yelled. "Please let me marry her!"
Nobue looked surprised. "You're in love with a cross dressing commoner?"
"Um... yes?" said Chika.
Nobue sighed. "Chi, gay marriage isn't legal, and neither is a princess marrying a commoner. You-"
"You have the power to make it legal, don't you?" Chika said.
"Well... yes... but I shouldn't do that."
"Why not?"
"Because..." When Nobue offered no response, Chika's eyes filled with tears.
"Are you blind?" Chika said. "I've chosen a suitor who I wish to marry!" She walked to Miu and stood right beside her, taking her hand. "Please, Onee-chan." Miu looked hopefully at Nobue, who sighed.
"I see. You two really are in love, aren't you?" Nobue walked over to them. "Then you may marry."
Miu and Chika gasped happily. They looked at each other, and then Miu quickly got down on one knee. "I'm sorry I don't have a ring, but will you marry me anyway?"
Chika was crying tears of joy. "Yes! Of course I will!" Miu jumped up to kiss Chika. As the two kissed, Nobue walked off to pass a new law.