Chapter Two: The Announcement
Sakuno immediately rushed around the room. "This can't be happening! It can't!" Sakuno had realized that everything outside her window was different as well. Under her bedroom was a small lake leading around most of the house, and in the distance, she saw a small village bustling with activity. She was torn away from her daydreaming when she heard the continuing screams of a booming voice. "CINDERSAKUNO! GET A MOVE ON OR I SHALL BECOME ANGRY!"
Sakuno was afraid to anger this voice, for it sounded deep and very mature. "I guess I have to play along for now...Don't I?" Sakuno quickly made her bed and went to pick out her clothes, but when she opened her dusty drawer, all that was there was an old raggedy kimono. It was a tan brown and had rarely been washed. Sakuno looked down at it for a few moments as tears formed in her eyes. What do I do? This all seems so...scary...I don't know if I can do it.
Sakuno then heard tapping at her window, and when she opened it, the room filled with small birds. She gasped instantly as the birds nudged her behind a shade and poured water down her frail body. "WAHHHHH!" She cried out, but seemed to relax as the birds helped her dress, and tied her hair into two perfect braids. "At least I have some friends..." She smiled and opened the wooden door. The loud screaming of the deep voice continued to call out to her, and she had to find out who it was.
She hurried up an endless number of stairs until she reached a large door. She was almost afraid to knock, but she did. "GET IN HERE!" The voice boomed and Sakuno immediately ran in. "What took you so long CinderSakuno!" The voice questioned loudly. Sakuno tried to see who could have been calling her, but the bed's canopy was hiding the figure completely. "Bring up breakfast and get to your chores immediately!"
Sakuno didn't wait a second before hurrying down the stairs. "OH! What to make! I can't cook!" "You can do it CinderSakuno!" Sakuno felt a small arm wrap around her leg and she yelped. Once she looked down, she saw a small orange tuft of hair. She grabbed hold of it and pulled it up close to her face, and once in view, she blushed quickly. "OH MY GOD! A LITTLE NAKED CHIBI!" She squeaked. "HEY! LEMME GO LEMME GO! YOU MAY BE CUTE BUT IT DOESN'T GIVE YOU THE RIGHT TO SQUEEZE MY HEAD!" Sakuno suddenly realized who this little chibi was! He was the boy who she'd met on the courts that one day! The pervert! "SENGOKU!" She cried out. "YES!" He smiled. "How did you…What are you doing in this story!" "Story? What are you talking about? I'm one of the members of the Yamabuki chibi! We're one of the many chibi villages living downstairs in your basement wall!" He said with a grin. Sakuno felt the room spinning. Small…naked…chibi? Sakuno became dazed and slumped down, with little Sengoku on her knees. "Hey! What's wrong CinderSakuno? You sick?" She didn't respond…All she did was pass out roughly onto the floor.
"CinderSakuno? CinderSakuno wake up!" Sakuno heard a whole chorus of tiny voices calling out to her, as she slowly woke up. "W...What?" Sakuno slowly sat up and then heard a group of loud screams. "WHAT!HUH?" She looked to find several small little naked chibis just like Sengoku sprawled all over the floor. "I'm sorry! Did I push you all?" They all rubbed their heads as Sengoku climbed back onto Sakuno's shoulder. "Hey CinderSakuno! You woke up! FINALLY!" Sakuno didn't answer, for she was in complete shock. She knew all of these people! She could recognize them all! There they were… Dai…Even Jyousei! All there…in little chibi form…She almost passed out again but Sengoku slapped her face. "NO NO NO! YOU CAN'T!" All the chibis looked terrified. "Why not? I'm a bit sleepy…" "Because!" A little Gakuto chibi flipped on her other shoulder. "If you don't make breakfast then they will be mad! Mad mad mad!" Sakuno felt like crying. What were they talking about!
"Your evil stepmother and stepsisters! They are so scary!" Sengoku explained. "Who are they?" The entire cluster of chibis shivered, but before any could explain, there was a loud scream. "I AM LOSING MY PATIENCE YOU WENCH! DON'T CROSS ME!" Sakuno instantly stood. "I have to make something! Anything!" Sakuno burst into tears as the chibis crowded to comfort her. "Hey! Here! I made this recipe!" A tiny little pink haired chibi said. "M…Marui?" Sakuno said through tears as the small chibi handed her paper. "GO FOR IT CINDERSAKUNO!" The chibis cheered as she got herself together and went upstairs.
KABOOM! The concoction Sakuno had tried to scrape together exploded right in her face! She'd been working for at least an hour! "Wh…What do I do now?" "CINDERSAKUNO! HERE! HERE!" Sakuno looked down to see the small chibis bringing her three platters of a lovely meal, as Marui and Jiroh led them. "We tried our best…" Jiroh said sleepily. "Now hurry up!" Sakuno happily took the plates in her hands and hurried up the dark stairway. She reached the first door and entered to find Ann Tachibana in a large bed. "Ah…ah…" Sakuno couldn't believe her eyes. "Finally! Hurry it up! Bring it here! I have a lot of planning to do today!" Sakuno hurriedly carried a platter over to her bedside and stretched her arms forward. "HOW DARE YOU! ON YOUR KNEES BRAT!" Sakuno immediately obliged as she sank down and looked at her knees. "That's better."
She snatched the food from her and began eating. "Mmm. This is better than you've ever made it before," Ann laughed. "T…Thank you…v…very much…" Sakuno felt her hands shaking from her presence. "Leave me! I have a lot of things to do today." Sakuno rushed out and went into the next room which was much brighter. "There you are! Geez! You klutz! I can't believe you took this long just to make breakfast!" Sakuno gasped as she heard the voice. "T…Tomo!" "Shut up and hurry CinderSakuno! I am very hungry and VERY impatient!" Sakuno did the same thing she did in Ann's room and left just as quickly. The last room…Who was that mysterious person behind the canopy. She slid into the room and noticed that it was completely dark. "Come forward. Hurry!" Sakuno rushed to the bedside, and the curtain was moved. She found Hanamura Aoi, the Jyousei captain in the bed. "What took you so long you brat? I expect nothing less of perfection from you!" Before Sakuno could respond, she was being slapped to the floor. The food spilled all over her.
"YOU DO NOT EVER MAKE ME WAIT! JUST BECAUSE YOU WERE ONCE SPECIAL, DOESN'T MAKE YOU PART OF THIS MASTERPIECE NOW!" Sakuno felt the sting of her cheek and began crying. She was smacked around violently for a few moments until the angry beauty stopped. "LEAVE ME! I am no longer hungry!" Sakuno crawled out of the room and cried terribly. She was terrified! I want to go home! I don't belong here… I don't want to be Cinderella anymore! She stumbled down the stairs and into the basement. She slumped down, rubbing her eyes rapidly as the tears continued to fall from her red face. The small chibis soon heard and came out of the walls to slowly crowd around her, hugging her knees to comfort her. "You're still beautiful to us! GORGEOUS EVEN!" Cried a tiny Atobe. After a long cry, Sakuno began giggling. "You are all so dear…I'm glad I can have some friends…"
Sakuno sighed as she stood and walked out into the backyard. There she found several lovely looking animals running around. "Come CinderSakuno! We need to feed the animals!" Her chibis cried as they ran around, throwing kernels of corn everywhere. Chickens and hens crowded, pecking at the grain, and fighting off the chibis to get more. CinderSakuno laughed as the feisty chibis swung tiny tennis rackets at the greedy chickens. Just then, Sakuno heard a small yip and a neigh. Turning around, she gasped. "WHAT! Katsuo! Why are you wearing a horse suit…and….and Kachiro! Why are you dressed like a dog! Kachiro responded with a bark and Katsuo with a neigh. "Oh my gosh…How strange!" Sakuno didn't want to overwhelm herself, so she put down a bowl of water for Kachiro, and fed Katsuo a few bunches of hay. Then an annoying hiss rang out.
"A cat?" Sakuno swung her head around, and looked down to see her chibi friends fleeing into the holes in the wall. "What?" Sakuno began after them when a blur ran by her, sending her onto her backside. "Oh ow!" She saw a cat scratching at the walls, and when it turned, Sakuno looked shocked. "HORIO IN A CAT SUIT!" She shivered as the strange creature crawled up to her. Before she realized, it had scratched her leg and placed a bowl at her feet. "Oh! Ow…" Sakuno rubbed the bleeding scratch mark and bent down. "What do you want kitty?" It hissed loudly and scratched at her feet until she fell upon a table with a jar of milk. "Oh alright you fat old cat!" She filled the dishpan and watched as Horio swallowed it up quickly.
"Maybe now I can sit down for a w…" "CINDERSAKUNO! MOVE IT! WE'RE GOING INTO TOWN!" "Sakuno immediately jumped to her feet, and ran up the stairs. All three of the cruel tenets were standing by the door. "HELP US WITH OUR COATS!" Aoi ordered. Sakuno rushed around, trying to find coats for each of them to wear. "THIS DOESN'T MATCH MY OUTFIT!" Tomo cried out, throwing her jacket roughly at Sakuno as she searched for a new one. "Open the door for me CinderSakuno! You can't expect me to myself!" Ann ordered. Sakuno stumbled around the room doing everything at once, and finally opening the door. "Come! The carriage awaits!" They stepped outside and waited. Sakuno knew what to do this time, and she opened the carriage. After the three gathered in, Sakuno went to slip in herself, but a hand stopped her. "What do you think you are doing! You think you are worthy of this?" Aoi asked. Sakuno felt a lump in her throat as she moved a few feet away. The carriage door slammed and the horses began trotting. Sakuno had to walk a few feet behind, and as she turned, she noticed the only friends she had waving to her. "WE LOVE YOU CINDERSAKUNO! KEEP UP YOUR HOPE!" Sakuno looked back, but still couldn't cheer up. "DREAMS DO COME TRUE BABE!" Sengoku cried out. Sakuno couldn't help but smile then, and she blew a kiss to her small friends as they soon looked like specks when she was far enough away. At least there are still some things I can rely on.
Aoi, Ann, and Tomo walked proudly through out the town. People admired them. They were beautiful and they dressed like queens, but a lot of people were also shocked to see the skinny peasant like girl carrying a whole tower of packages. "Who could that be? She looks horrible! Poor girl!" Sakuno heard the people whispering…and that was only the nice things…Sakuno kept her eyes on the ground, for she couldn't bear making eye contact with those people. She was too embarrassed. "OH MOTHER! These stores look wonderful!" Sakuno's stepsisters cried out. "Yes they do," their mother said happily, but she snarled "WALK AROUND UNTIL WE COME BACK!" at poor Sakuno as the three left her in the square. "What do I do…?" Sakuno whimpered as she struggled with the packages. "I just can't seem to please them…I'm so afraid…" Sakuno had seen a small fountain in an abandoned alley where no one was, so she decided to go towards it and sit down, but just as she was about to reach it, she tripped, dropping all the packages and falling into a strong pair of arms.
"Oh my god! I am so sorry! It was all my fault!" Sakuno bent down quickly and had begun picking up the packages. "OH! I'm missing one…" She looked until she saw the parcel in the hand of another and as she stood she was face to face with the most beautiful young man ever! "RYOMA!" Before she could say anything else, he had put his hand over her mouth. "SH! Don't say that so loud!" Sakuno quickly apologized as she took the box from Ryoma and put it with all the others as she sat down on the stone surrounding the rushing flow of the petite fountain. Ryoma silently sat beside her, and watched as Sakuno had begun crying. "Why are you doing that? Kind of weak…" Ryoma said bluntly. "I shouldn't have run into you! I don't want to you to be angry! I keep getting yelled at! It's all my fault! So please don't…" The young boy turned to the girl, and wiped her eyes with his soft thumb. "Hey, I don't go around hitting girls and stuff. That would be dumb."
Sakuno couldn't help but smile. Ryoma Echizen was there with her. He touched her face. He was being so kind to her. "So what's your name?" "Um…Sakuno…but everyone calls me CinderSakuno…" She looked down again. "Why would they give you such an ugly nickname?" The young boy questioned. "It's because I'm always in the dirt...Always working in the dirt…" Sakuno felt the same lump in her throat that she felt earlier that morning. "I think I'll stick with Sakuno then…" Sakuno looked up at Ryoma and smiled. The only difference in him was his clothes. They looked like they were from the early times. A man's kimono. Ryoma turned to look in the fountain. "Do you see anything?" Sakuno asked. "Do you need to ask such an obvious question?" Ryoma mumbled sarcastically as his eyebrow raised. Sakuno looked down again. "Stop doing that, it's annoying. Look me in the eye."
Sakuno felt his strong hand lifting her head so her eyes were peering into his. "Um…may I ask what you were looking at?" Sakuno whispered shyly as Ryoma turned his attention back to the fountain. "Just noticing how many wishes people make here." Sakuno smiled down at the structure, moving her hand along the cool crystal water. "Why are you smiling? It's water…" "Oh…It's just…that whenever I pass by a well or a fountain, I love making a wish. It gives me hope…It reassures me that if I believe in myself…then my dreams will come true…" Sakuno watched as Ryoma slowly dipped his hand in the calm liquid, moving it the same way she was. "If I had some money, I'd throw it in…but my stepmother would never give me any money…or anything." "Here…" Ryoma reached into his pocket and pulled out a shiny coin. "Oh! A yen! Thank you!" "Can I ask you something else little girl?" Ryoma looked over at her. "OH! OF COURSE!" "If two people wish off of a coin, does it still work?"
Sakuno couldn't believe it! Ryoma was actually wanting to wish with her! She felt her face flush as his dark eyes gazed over at her. "Y...Yes. I think so…It might even make it twice as strong!" Ryoma stared blankly at her and then quietly ordered, "Let me wish with you." Sakuno immediately agreed, and held the coin tightly in her hand, closing her eyes. To her surprise, Ryoma's hand moved over hers as she felt him leaning into her, wishing right behind her. "What do we do now?" Ryoma asked, and Sakuno felt his hot breath on her bare neck as he spoke. "We….We….We…" "Stop stuttering and tell me!" "We throw it." And with that, Ryoma moved his arm, causing Sakuno's hand to open and the coin flew into the air, twisted and fell into the water. "That was amazing!" Ryoma smiled slightly as Sakuno watched the coin fall. "I call it a twist toss." Sakuno giggled. He's just like the Ryoma I know…
They had sat for a few moments, talking and watching others go by, but suddenly a loud trumpet was heard and Ryoma stiffened. "GATHER ROUND VILLAGERS WILTS I READ THE ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM THE KINGDOM!" A deep voice said. Ryoma and Sakuno gathered the packages and stood at the foot of the crowd. They were all surrounding a small group of steps where nine men stood. "S…Sei…Seigaku…boy's team?" Sakuno whispered to herself. She recognized them as fast as she'd recognized her chibi friends. Inui was on the top of the steps, reading off the list of announcements. The others were listening to Tezuka whisper something to them quickly, and soon enough, the other eight had spread out. "And the final announcement!" Inui called out proudly, "Is that King Nanjirou is hosting a ball to find a young lady suitable for his son. All are welcome to come this Friday night." With that, Inui rolled up his scroll and walked into the crowd. Everyone had been talking and gossiping about what they would wear and how the prince would marry them.
"That sounds fun! I wonder who the prince…" Sakuno turned but noticed that Ryoma was no longer beside her, and that all that was left were the packages he'd carried for her. She frantically looked around, but found him nowhere. "Oh…Ryoma…" Sakuno felt tears in her eyes again. "It doesn't matter…He could never love someone like me…but I'm glad I got to see him in this awful time. I feel so much better when I'm with him…even if it was for a little while." Sakuno sighed lovingly as she heard three voices cry out, "CINDERSAKUNO!" She snapped out of her happiness, and hurried to her stepmother and sisters. "Hurry! We must get home! We need to prepare for the royal ball!" Sakuno nodded silently as they hurried out of town.
"Prince Ryoma!" Several voices called out. Ryoma kept walking, but was stopped by a hand on his shoulder, and turning, his eyes met with Tezuka. "We've been looking all over Prince Echizen. We must return to the castle." "Tsk…Fine, but if dad keeps making me try on clothes, I'm leaving!" The others met up with him and they descended to the castle, Ryoma stuck in the middle of the taller boys.
CinderSakuno had a sad life. All she got was order after order without an inch or praise, but she was not bitter. She confided in her small chibis to comfort her and keep her company. She also enjoyed her faithful old dog Kachiro, and her small horse Katsuo. Even if life was rough, CinderSakuno tried to remain happy. One day at the market, she met a remarkable young man whom she recognized as an old friend. A tiny fountain brought them together for a peaceful moment in time, but all good things come to an end as the young man disappeared, leaving CinderSakuno with nothing but a wish. Little did she know that the young Ryoma she had met was Prince Ryoma of the Echizen empire. It was announced a ball would be thrown on Friday in his honor, and off went the young prince escorted by the Seigaku knights, and off went CinderSakuno, back to the life of a peasant. Will these two meet once again?