Konnichiwa! Chapter 3 already? Don't worry. This story isn't that long so it'll all be over soon. I'd just like to point out who got which item from last chapter...

Francis: The Buddha's stone begging bowl, from India
Gilbert: The jewelled branch, from the island of Hōrai
Antonio: The legendary robe of the fire-rat, from China
Ivan: The coloured jewel, from the dragon's neck
Matthew: The coloured jewel born from the swallows

Let's see how they did!

Tanoshimu!


Don't even dream of going to beyond,
For not all is as it seems.
Once you're there, you'll find you were conned,
And left with broken dreams...

"I zought zat I could do zis..." Francis muttered.

"But it's completely..." Gilbert growled.

Impossible!


"The first suitor has arrived Igiko-chan." Yao explained.

"Good. Let's see if they've managed to collect those items." Igiko whispered.

At the gate stood Francis Bonnefoy, the first suitor. In his hands he held a stone begging bowl which was what Igiko had requested: the Buddha's stone begging bowl. It looked both extravagant and luxurious, just as Francis had pictured it to be.

Igiko walked out into the courtyard to meet Francis. He got down on his one knee and held up the stone bowl to the beautiful girl that stood in front of him. She wore a light pink kimono, with a pink sash that was just a shade darker and in her hair was an accessory made from cherry blossoms.

"For you my princess." Francis whispered and then he looked up. "Or should I say... My bride?"

Igiko took the bowl and examined it, tilting the bowl from side to side as she did. No expression crept across her face, well none that Francis had hoped for anyway. He had expected her to smile and they would share a passionate kiss in the courtyard, under the cherry blossoms but no such luck. Igiko stayed there with that unimpressed face and as she continued to examine the bowl, her face darkened with a frown.

"It is... To your liking, right?" Francis asked. "The Buddha's begging bowl I mean."

The beautiful princess took a few more seconds to study the bowl before she looked up at Francis with a slight glare and threw the stone bowl aside making it shatter into a million pieces, much to Francis's surprise.

"The bowl does not shine with holy light." She frowned.

"What do you mean?" Francis asked.

"That's not the real thing. It's a fake, a forgery." Igiko explained.

"...'Ow could you say zat? It is ze real zing for sure!" Francis gasped.

"Don't toy with me frog. I know a fake when I see it." Igiko growled.

"F-frog?" Francis stuttered, taken back slightly by the princess's sudden harsh tone of voice.

"Igiko-chan, the second suitor has arrived." Yao explained.

"Oh good. I can only hope that his endeavours were more fruitful than this surrender monkey's." She sighed sarcastically.

The critical princess walked around the devastated Frenchman, acting as if he wasn't there. He was truly shocked by the girl's sharp, insulting tongue. Frog? Surrender monkey? It wasn't the type of behaviour that he had expected from such a beautiful and noble princess, yet still he was infatuated with her and was deeply ashamed for trying to fool her with a forged stone bowl.

The second suitor, the one with the seemingly red eyes and white hair, was strutting up to the neutral princess. In his hand he held the jewelled branch from the island of Hōrai: just as Igiko had specified.

"Hey it's me! I've returned awesomely vith zis jewelled branch zingy!" Gilbert declared.

He thrust the branch out to the girl and again she took it in her hands to inspect it. He put his hands on his hips impressively and laughed warmly at the incredible feat that he had performed.

"So! Ve are engaged now so I have von right? It's because I'm awesome Gilbert und ze ozer suitors are not! I-"

"It's a fake." Igiko mumbled bluntly.

"Vat? But- how did you..." Gilbert stuttered.

"Both of you underestimated my intelligence and you overestimated yours. The third suitor is here now and I can guarantee with certainty that he has made the same mistake, just you watch." Igiko explained.

As Igiko had said, the third suitor had arrived. He looked extremely happy and carefree as usual with his eyes closed and mouth slightly open as if he was in his own world. The first two men had already witnessed the other side of the princess but the Spaniard had obviously not, so as Igiko pushed Gilbert away to position him next to Francis, they watched with anticipation wondering how it was all going to unfold.

"Hola princess!" He smiled. "I got your legendary robe right here!"

Like before, Igiko took the robe supposedly belonging to the fire-rat of China and examined it. She looked up with the same blank expression that she had shown to the two other suitors.

"This is a fake isn't it?" She asked.

"Well yeah, I just kind of got some spare material that I found lying around the palace to make it. Work of art isn't it?" He beamed.

"At least you were honest." She sighed.

Igiko stared at the three lying suitors that stood before her. They had all told lies in an attempt to win her hand in marriage, for the tasks that she had set were just impossible to do.

"Tell me, what happened to the other two?" She asked.

"Vell Ivan gave up after coming across a storm I heard." Gilbert explained.

"I see, and what of Matthew?" She asked.

"'E... Did not make it 'ome..." Francis whispered.

"I'm sorry to hear that but none of you have completed the tasks that I have set and as a result, I shall marry none of you." Igiko explained.

Disappointed, the three men headed home to tell their families and other nobles of their defeat. It seemed that none could satisfy the desires of the famed beauty. No man would ever turn out to be her husband. She was unattainable, impossible to win over.

Those were the thoughts going through her head as she stared up at the moon that night. Tonight it was a half moon, destined to become larger and eventually transform into a full moon. It was as if this moon was missing something, like the moon had lost its other half. It was certain that it would soon meet its missing piece, but could the same be said for Igiko?


I'm so sorry for Matthew but hey he's not officially dead right? That's a bonus!

Canada fangirls: *Gets hockey stick*

Neko: G-guys?

Canada fangirls: Get her!

?: Whoa that's rough. Anyway I'm the next suitor and I should be appearing next time to seek Igiko's hand in marriage! We've purposefully toned down my normal speaking habits so you can't guess who I am but it's pretty obvious anyway!

Igiko: Yeah since Neko loves pairing us together.

?: Whoa you're pretty! Will you marry me?

Igiko: ...

Neko: Tune in next time to see Igiko's response! Also, let me point out that in the original tale Princess Kaguya is not that harsh. That's just England's mean twist on things. It just isn't England when it's not being mean or sarcastic.

Sayonara minna-san!

~Neko