I need the help/advice of a Fruits Basket/Furuba fan for my Generations fic (summary in bio). I am basing everything I know off of the manga, so it would be beneficial if my helper was familiar with that as well, simply because I don't know how much the anime changes, if anything. If interested, say so in a review or email me, I would really appreciate any help offered.
Alrighty, chapter six has arrived!
Trilinka- I would say that you and Trake are probably the closest so far. Don't worry about having read the books though, really all I took from them was the idea of dragons taking princesses.
MystDragon2k- of course you're good enough for me, I love all of my reviewers! I'm sorry, have some cookies! (Gives cookies)
Black RoseReina- Will Jeremie figure it out? Wait and see...Oh, and am I correct in assuming you're a .hack fan?
animesk8ergeek- You'll see!
Luna- Yay! it is returning! I watched Teddygodzilla! Did anyone else see it?
aZn SiStEr- Don't worry, I don't think Jeremie's looking to see if Yumi's a princess or not. (Slaps self) No giving away my plot! Must watch what I say...
Mewberries- You seem to be close also, you just haven't made the connection yet...
Wind91Rider- Thanksgiving dinner? For Yumi's sake I hope not, lol.
Trake (of evil laziness! MWAHAH!)- In a way I hope you do have it figured out, I'd hate to think that my writing is so bad that people can't keep up with my plots, lol.
Kay- Deeper and deeper still, I assure you...
Not Your Average Fairy Tale by Ransomed Heart
Chapter Six: In which Yumi makes a formal call
"Time to wake up!"
Yumi ignored the voice, instead rolling over and burying her head under the pillow, groaning her disinterest. Moments later she felt something poke her in the back. Slapping at it angrily, Yumi was forced to roll over and glare at the doorway, from which Ulrich had inserted his tail to poke her. The rest of his body wouldn't fit inside of the human-sized room.
"Go away," the maidservant snapped irritably while waving the dragon away sleepily, apparently having forgotten that she was addressing a dragon.
In response Ulrich roared loudly, causing his captive to sit up suddenly as glare at him even harder. "You have to meet King Jeremie today, remember?"
Yumi found herself jolted awake by the thought. That was right, she had to meet Jeremie! She leapt out of the bed and made an effort to shove Ulrich's tail out of the room.
"Get out, I have to change," she snapped, causing the dragon to laugh.
"As you wish, Princess," he said gallantly as he vanished from her room, causing Yumi to blush slightly. She reminded herself sharply that he was only calling her princess because Ulrich thought she actually was a princess. Yes, that was most definitely it.
But his comment the night before had an impact on Yumi. It felt good to be appreciated, a sentiment rarely expressed to servants. She was beginning to think that maybe, just maybe, Ulrich wasn't so bad after all.
The maidservant shook her head and flew over to the wardrobe, ruffling through the dresses until she found a scarlet silk one. "This was obviously not meant to be worked in," she observed, twirling slightly with it and enjoying how it looked, but wincing when she stepped the wrong way and a jolt of pain shot up her ankle. "Definitely a dress suited for meeting a king," she said aloud as an attempt to ignore the pain.
Yumi washed quickly in her basin and changed into the dress, running a comb she'd found in the dresser through her raven hair.
"You look...nice," Ulrich offered weakly when she stepped out of her room. Yumi smiled, maybe he did have a good side. "Are you ready to go? I'll fly you."
Yumi shook her head. "I can walk."
Ulrich looked bemused. "Like how you walked yesterday? Don't think I haven't seen that ankle of yours."
Yumi blushed slightly, jumping to defend herself. "Well, it wouldn't have happened if you hadn't been acting like such a jerk!" Bad words, she realized too late.
"Well maybe if you would butt out I wouldn't have to act like a jerk," Ulrich snapped back. So much for him not being so bad.
Yumi resisted the overwhelming urge to slap herself. That one was most definitely her fault. "Look, you can fly me if you want, okay?" Letting him think he'd won was probably the best course of action at this point.
"Then let's go." Ulrich bent down so that Yumi could climb on his back. She scrambled up and adjusted herself until she was perched uncertainly between two of Ulrich's scales. This already promised to be a much more comfortable ride than her last trip with Ulrich.
Sure enough, the flight was smooth and relaxing. Yumi found herself constantly looking over her shoulder though, half expecting a foreign dragon to swoop down upon them. It made her a little antsy, and Yumi was grateful when they soared down into another cave.
Aelita emerged out of one of the side cavers, looking pleased when she saw who her visitors were. "You made it," she gushed as she walked towards the pair. "No attacks, I trust?"
"Not so much as a dragon in the skies," Ulrich assured her.
"Good, Jeremie's warning must have worked then." Ulrich grunted in a noncommittal fashion as he bent to let Yumi off of his back, swishing his tail uncomfortably.
Aelita noticed his actions, waving a pale hand at him. "I don't care whether you want his help or not. It's part of the contract, so you will just have to live with it."
The deal again. Yumi was getting more confused by the second, but Aelita ripped her out of any time she would have had to think things through. "Well, come on, Yumi." She took the older girl by the hand and led her towards an archway. "Jeremie is very eager to meet you. Remember your manners now, he is the king of the Dragons after all."
Yumi decided that she didn't need to be reminded of that, she could already feel the knots growing in her stomach. "Wait here, Ulrich, Jeremie wants a progress report from you."
"A what? If he thinks he can just stick his nose into my-" Aelita turned and cut the dragon off with a mere glare.
"Take it up with the King, not with me. Now, if you'll excuse us..." She trailed off, forcing Yumi forward into the next cavern.
It was darker, and Yumi's eyes took a moment to adjust. When they did, she almost gasped out loud. Before her was by far the largest dragon she had seen yet, and he was a sparkling sapphire blue. It was all she could do to keep her mouth from hanging open, and it took several seconds for her to come back to herself and curtsy.
"Ah, you must be Ulrich's princess. Aelita has told me much about you. It is Yumi, isn't it?"
"Y-yes sire, my name is Yumi."
The King showed several rows of long white teeth, and it took Yumi aback until she realized he was smiling at her. She shifted under his gaze, he had a look in his eyes that she simply couldn't place.
"Well then, Yumi, how do you like being a dragon's princess?"
Yumi considered that for a moment. "It's not so bad."
He looked more than a little shocked. "Doesn't the work bother you? It must be hard to adjust."
Yumi shifted her weight from foot to foot nervously. If he only knew..."Not at all. In fact, when we get home I had better sweep out the main cavern and the kitchen, they've gotten rather dusty."
Jeremie laughed, shaking his head. "Aelita was right, Ulrich made a good choice. How are you and he getting along?"
Yumi snorted. "We fight, all the time. But after last night he stared being nicer to me, and this morning he was even teasing me a little." Now that she'd said it, his actions confused the maidservant even more.
The King nodded, smile growing wider. "Well, it seems he is making an effort at least.." Yumi coudln't think of a response to that, but after a few seconds she decided he hadn't been speaking to her anyway. The look in his eyes was distant now, as though he was musing to himself.
After a few moments he seemed to come back to himself and smiled at Yumi once again. "Well, it was good to meet you Yumi. Aelita, would you show her back out, please?"
Aelita emerged from the side, and Yumi realized that she had forgotten the younger girl was even there. She curtsied to Jeremie and allowed Aelita to lead her back out of the cavern.