Chapter Four: Magic until Twelve
CinderSakuno had been crying, while the light behind her grew. "Sakuno, Sakuno…" The voice whispered. "Huh?" Sakuno lifted her head from her arms to see her grandmother standing behind her. Ryuzaki was a fairy! "Grandma! What are you…" "Ah ah ah! That's FAIRY grandmother to you! And I'm here to help you go to the ball!" Sakuno felt terrible. Just hearing the word ball upset her. She couldn't go like this. She had no way to get to the castle…and just look at her! Her dress was ruined, for her sisters selfishly tore it apart. "I don't want to go anymore," Sakuno said sadly as she sat on the bench. "What? But the whole reason you've worked so hard was to go to the ball! You deserve it!" Her grandmother retorted. "I can't…even if I did, I'm not perfect enough to be with a prince."
Ryuzaki watched sadly as Sakuno hung her head and began crying again. "Looks likes I'm taking over then." Ryuzaki tapped her chin as she looked around the garden. "There we go! Sakuno, bring me a watermelon!" "A…a watermelon?" Sakuno wiped her eyes, confused at what her fairy grandmother had told her. "Yes! Hurry now!" Sakuno took off into the garden, searching for the perfect watermelon. "I don't understand…in the story, it was a pumpkin…" Sakuno was in deep thought, and bumped her foot against a large green fruit that would be perfect for her grandmother! "This one is lovely!" She lifted it into her arms and struggled to pick it up. After a few steps, she lost her balance, and the watermelon flung into the air. "Ah, that's perfect," Ryuzaki smiled as she moved a golden tennis racket, stopping the watermelon in front of her. It hovered in the air as she thought. "Hm…should I make it into a bus…a car…no…how about this?"
As she waved her magic racket around, the watermelon grew and grew, until before them stood a large golden carriage. "Oh grandmother! This is so beautiful! How did you do that?" "Just believing can make magic work." Sakuno smiled happily. "Now we need a procession…A really long one…and a coachman… and a horse of course." Sakuno looked around. "But no one is big enough to do anything like that!" She exclaimed. Ryuzaki smiled at her small granddaughter. "You have to think outside of the box." "Um…" Sakuno looked around, and saw the small horse Katsuo. "Katsuo…" Sakuno brought him out and stroked his mane. "He's a beautiful horse, but if he was just a bit stronger, he'd be able to take the carriage. I wish he could go with me…" And the next thing she knew, a light began spinning around the small horse, and Sakuno was soon looking at a beautiful white stallion.
"Oh…Katsuo you look beautiful!" Sakuno complimented as she put her arms around the strong horse. "Now all you need is a little more help! The dog will do as the footman!" Sakuno turned to see Kachiro in his normal human form, dressed in his best. "He looks so wonderful! This is amazing! Thank you fairy grandmother!" Sakuno said gratefully. "Yes. I know, but all that leaves now, is a procession." Ryuzaki walked around the garden with Sakuno following closely behind. They had come upon the chibis who had been worriedly watching their Princess amongst the roses. They all tried to run as the fairy grandmother swung her magical racket about. The glittery sparkles flew around the garden, chasing down all of Sakuno's tiny friends. "OH! Will this hurt them!" Sakuno worried as she found Sengoku. Before she could speak, he was enveloped in the magical glow, and before Sakuno blinked, there stood a tall boy in white dress.
"S…S...Sen…Goku?" Sakuno reached up to touch him. He looked beautiful! She'd gotten so used to seeing him small that she forgot how good looking he was. "Look CinderSakuno!" He called as the other chibis popped up from their hiding places, dressed in beautiful white clothes and reaching their normal heights. Sakuno spun around and her eyes watered up. She knew how badly all of them wanted to be tall. She knew how hard it was for them, and now, just for a little while, they were able to be their true selves. They all stumbled into the center to look at what they were. Tall and handsome. "Fairy grandmother…" Sakuno turned to her grandmother who had been watching them. "Thank you…I think that…You haven't just helped me…but my friends as well…All of them."
Sakuno's tears were now joyful ones. Everything dear to her could finally be happy. "Ah but there is one thing missing in this picture," Ryuzaki hinted. "What would that be?" Sakuno questioned. "A princess." Ryuzaki smiled down at her grandchild and raised her racket. "All you need to do is believe and the magic will come to you." Sakuno found herself closing her eyes and saying the words over and over. She believed them. Believing. Believing is what turned the watermelon into a carriage. Believing turned a small horse and an old dog into a beautiful stead and faithful coachman. And believing turned small scared chibis into fine looking men. It was believing. The racket was waved and Sakuno could feel the wind dancing around her. Moving her hair upward, caressing her skin, mending the tears in her dress, wiping the tears from her eyes.
"Sakuno. Open your eyes," her fairy grandmother whispered happily. Sakuno's eyes slowly opened. Sengoku and Ryuzaki were standing before her, smiling. Sengoku slowly lifted a mirror to show Sakuno. Her heart leapt. "Is this…me?" Sakuno reached across the mirror, as the image followed suit. She pressed her hand to it. "Is this…me?" Sakuno's braids were tied up into a bun on the top of her head, and her dress, once torn was now made of a silky pink fabric. And her shoes, her shoes were the most beautiful pink sandals she'd ever seen. "It is you Princess," Sengoku whispered. "You were always this beautiful. You can just see it better this way." Sakuno smiled. "Thank you." Her grandmother wiped the tears from Sakuno's eyes as she spoke. "Now go to the ball. Go to your dreams, but you must remember…you must remember this crucial detail. After the fireworks at twelve o clock, everything will be as it was. Everything."
Sakuno nodded happily. "Alright. Then tonight, I will make my dream come true." Everyone smiled at her. "But there is one thing you still need," Sengoku said as he looked her over. "What?" "Here." Sengoku turned her as each of her friends gave her a different flower from the garden. Soon enough, she had a bouquet of the prettiest flowers she'd ever seen in her life. "Wait! There's one more!" A small voice called out. The others parted the way as Dan came running to Sakuno. "Dan…" Sakuno smiled as the young boy stood before her. "Here." He placed a small pink rose in her hair. "This one is like you the most." He smiled innocently at her. "Oh…you guys…" Sakuno pulled them all into a hug as tears stream down her cheeks. "Okay. Now go Sakuno," Ryuzaki whispered. Kachiro helped Sakuno in the carriage and they were off. The procession led as the horse pulled the carriage. Sakuno looked back at her fairy grandmother and waved. "Thank you! Thank you so much!"
The carriage approached the castle, and Sakuno looked out the carriage window at Sengoku and Dan who had been walking on the side. "I don't know if I can do this…What if I trip or say the wrong thing?" "Just be yourself babe. You're great on your own. We love you, and so will everyone else," Sengoku reassured. "Yeah, and I don't think the prince wants the other girls. He's just waiting for someone like you," Dan stated, "You've never hidden yourself, you are kind and sweet and funny and you're a one of a kind person. He'll love you." The carriage soon came to a stop, and the door was opened. "Ready?" Sakuno had reached the steps that would lead her to the door, and she looked back at the procession. "I love you guys. Thank you for everything…" They all smiled and waved to her, and in she went.
The room was filled with merriment. Music and dancing, and in the middle of it, was Prince Ryoma. He was forced to dance with girl after girl, each saying the same thing over and over again. Once he finished a dance, he moved quickly to his guards. "Can I please go now? I am bored to death! They're all the same!" "AW! Come on! You haven't found one yet?" Eiji asked as he played with Ryoma's hair. "They're all the same!" Ryoma growled as he sat in a chair. "I'm sorry that you have to go through all of this but your father…" Oishi began. They all looked up at King Nanjirou, who was laughing and enjoying himself quite much. "Your father just wants you to be happy." "How can I be happy like this?" "Hm…I think that your father believes happiness comes from relationship," Inui explained. Ryoma wished that what his father said wasn't so important. "It's just in his best interest," Tezuka explained.
Their words still couldn't convince him. "You might want to look less pissed, he's coming," Kaidoh whispered and Ryoma immediately straightened. "Hey! Ryoma! Why aren't you dancing?" Ryoma went through his mind, trying to figure out an excuse. "His feet are tired," Fuji smiled. "I'm sure he'll be alright in a little while." "Alright, but don't take too long! There are a lot of fish in the sea my boy, and you have just the right bait to catch any one of them," Nanjirou joked as he left them. "This is so annoying!" Ryoma had become frustrated. A few moments later, Momo looked up at Nanjirou. "Ah…Ryoma…he really wants you to dance." "Screw him. What does he know?" He crossed his arms angrily. "Here. Maybe if you eat, he won't bother you," Taka offered. Ryoma took some sushi and looked it over before eating it, and that is when she entered. The whole room seemed to turn as the most beautiful girl in the world entered.
Ryoma's eyes widened as she began down the stairs. "Who is that?" He asked in fascination. "I…I don't think she's ever been in the village before," Eiji said as they all watched her. "What are you going to…" Before he could finish, Ryoma was on his feet, and walking towards the angel descending the staircase. "Oh! Prince Ryoma I…" She bowed but his shook his head. "Don't do that…you don't have to…" He admired her. She was remarkable. How could he have not seen someone so beautiful before? "Would you care to dance?" He offered and she gladly accepted his hand. Around they danced, Ryoma looked into her eyes. "You're beautiful…" "Oh! Thank you so much! And you look very handsome…but you don't look happy." Ryoma was shocked! None of the other women had talked to him in such a way! "I just hate doing this…I'm not shallow enough to marry someone just because they are pretty…I just…" "You want to find someone on your own…Someone special…just for you. The only one you want to be with."
The two conversed as they danced around, and it seemed as though no one was there, even though everyone was watching them. "Who is she! We never even danced with the Prince!" Ann cried. "I've never seen her in my life!" Tomo said. "How dare she come in here like this…" Aoi mumbled angrily. "It looks like Prince Ryoma finally found his fish!" Eiji laughed. After the crowd turned their attention elsewhere, the two danced away from the crowd and outside. "Wow. What a beautiful house this is!" Sakuno whispered in amazement as the two stopped dancing and began walking. "It's too big…" Ryoma mumbled. "Too big?" "There's no one in it…its lonely sometimes. My dad gets annoying…" Sakuno giggled. "I guess I enjoy a small house. Whenever I'm sad or something goes wrong, I just run to the basement, and I can be content." She smiled up at him as they continued and he blushed. I'm blushing…how I can be…blushing? They had started down a group of steps, Ryoma stopping at the bottom, watching her walk when suddenly… "OH!"
Sakuno caught the bottom of her dress, and tripped. OH NO! I can't believe it! He'll hate me! I'm a klutz! Sakuno shut her eyes and felt herself fall into Ryoma's chest. "I…I…" Sakuno was sure he would criticize her like every other person she'd met. She began to pull away, but a pair of arms wrapped around her, pulling her back into the man she loved so much. "Don't run away from me like that…" Sakuno pressed into him. "I'm sorry." "Don't apologize…just don't run off like that again."
The two continued around the garden, conversing and admiring the flowers. "Oh! Look!" Sakuno leaned down, and Ryoma watched from afar. "This flower is really little…it looks sad…" Sakuno looked around the garden and soon saw another flower, just as sad and alone as the first. "Here." She gently picked the second flower, bringing it to the first and planting it beside it. "There. Now you don't have to be lonely. See, everyone has a match somewhere, but sometimes it takes a little believing and a little magic to find that match. Sakuno moved to a nearby fountain, scooping water into her hands and pouring it softly onto the flowers. "Everything will feel so much more contented around that person. Life will be worth living. And the feeling you get will be the most wonderful thing in the world."
Sakuno stood and sat by the fountain, looking down in the reflection and smiling. "Sorry. I guess I kind of went off a little bit…I guess I'm used to talking to things like that. Everything needs someone to talk to. Someone to love them I guess." Ryoma listened to every one of the words this young girl spoke. Her tender love and compassion for something as small as two flowers touched him. He'd never heard someone say the type of things she did. She was original. She was genuine. She was everything… Sakuno had seen Ryoma looking at her in the reflection of the water as he approached her, and she turned to him. "Prince Ryoma…" Before she could question him further, he pulled her into his arms, bringing his lips to hers. "Ryoma…" "Don't say anything…Not now. He took her in his arms as he ran through the garden. Sakuno was surprised when he began climbing the vines of the large castle. Sakuno was afraid, but when she looked up at the young prince holding her, she felt better. He was handsome and strong. His arm clung to her tightly. He would never let her go.
He opened a window, letting her inside before climbing in himself. He shut the window and moved towards the door as Sakuno looked around. This room is so large…yet it seems so lonely. Ryoma must be in here a lot. She heard a click as the door locked and Ryoma started towards her. He reached her quickly, and smiled at her. She knew he wasn't going to say anything either, and she smiled back. She knew what he was planning on doing, and she wanted to do it as well. She was in love with him, and he was in love with her. Words didn't need to express this. All they needed was each other. Sakuno suddenly felt the urge to make him want her more. She began walking backwards as she slid out of her sandals and past the canopy hiding the bed. She was out of Ryoma's sight. He wasn't sure what she was doing until he saw her kimono sliding down the side of the bed. He immediately followed, stripping himself of all of the clothing he wore, until he was bare. He slowly parted his way into the canopy, seeing the beauty untying her hair as it gently floated down around her body. She knew he was watching her, and she heard him growl with desire and she smiled to herself. As she looked up, he moved closer and kissed her.
"This is such a beautiful view…" Sakuno exclaimed as the two fully dressed lovers sat by the window gazing out at the wonders past it. "You can see the whole garden, and your kingdom, and even the village!" Ryoma smiled as he watched her admire everything. "I guess its okay." "Hee. I've never seen something like this. It must be pretty amazing here." "It can be…if I could see it more." Sakuno looked over at Ryoma. "I guess being royalty isn't something everyone wants. They think they do, but I guess once you are there…it doesn't seem as great. You can't do everything you want to, you always have people watching you…You can never be yourself." Sakuno had continued watching Ryoma as he turned to her. "You're right…You're always right…" Their lips came together as the fireworks began. They watched them for awhile as Ryoma rested his arm across Sakuno's shoulder. "But maybe if things keep going the way they do…then it won't be so bad…" "Huh? The way they are going?" "I'm in love with you…that's what I mean." Sakuno felt her heart leap as the boy's intense stare continued and the fireworks glowed brightly. "I love you too." So long had she wanted to say these words, and finally, finally she could.
The two watched the fireworks until Sakuno silently gasped. After the fireworks at twelve, everything will be back to the way it was. The last of the fireworks had come, as the applause of the crowd came. "I have to go! Goodbye!" Sakuno tore out of the room. "NO WAIT"! Ryoma was instantly behind her. "Come back!" Sakuno tore through the halls, running down the stairs and out the front door. Ryoma was caught in the crowd, trying endlessly to get by the swarms of people. "Wait!" Sakuno burst out the doors, running down the stairs as one of her sandals slid off her foot. "Oh! My sandal!" She turned to go back for it, but Sengoku called out to her, "We don't have time! Just leave it!" Sakuno nodded as she hurried into the carriage. The procession ran as the carriage started quickly behind it. "CLOSE THE GATES!" Ryoma screamed to the gates men outside. The procession and Sakuno just barely slipped past the golden gates as they took off into the night. "You must go after her! You have to! NOW!" Ryoma begged his men. Moments later, the gates opened again, and the thump of horseshoes filled the evening air.
The carriage was already close to home, but something was wrong. It began shaking. Soon enough, the carriage shaped into a watermelon, and exploded. Sakuno fell to the ground as the noble steed became an old horse, and her footman became her dog. The procession stopped to help, but just when they reached her, they shrunk until they were the size of Sakuno's fingers. They all stared at the ground as the last of the magic flew away. Soon enough, the yells of the castle men and the thundering sound of horses came into play. "Oh my god…Hurry!" Sakuno led her animal and chibi friends into the nearby bushes and they all crouched down out of sight. The horses raced past, demolishing what was left of the watermelon. The night was over.
They reached home. Sakuno led the horse into the barn, and then went into the basement along with her chibis and her dog. "It was wonderful while it lasted…" Sakuno whispered to them. "The prince was the most wonderful man you could ever know. We danced…We talked…We did everything…" The chibis smiled as they sat around their princess, who spun a wondrous tale of the evening. "CinderSakuno! LOOK!" Sakuno turned her attention to her shoe, to find a light pink sandal on her foot. "It's still here! It's still here!" She slid it off and clung to it tightly. "Let's hide it okay?" She handed it down, and the chibis carried it into a larger hole they had made in the wall blocked by the broom. "Let's get some rest. We had such a perfect evening," Sakuno smiled. They all curled up amongst the soft pillows and blankets near the fire, and fell asleep peacefully.
The magic that the fairy grandmother blessed the garden with was magnificent! Turning a watermelon into a carriage! An old horse into a valiant stead! A tired dog into a polite coachman! A whole group of small chibis into a handsome procession! And best of all, a plain young lady into the most beautiful princess ever seen. But to every good, there is a bad. For after the fire display at twelve, the spell would dissolve into the night. Off to the ball they went, and there, the very lonely Prince Ryoma saw the gorgeous CinderSakuno enter the ballroom. The two immediately fell in love, dancing to the delight of everyone's pleasure. The two escaped into the garden, and soon up into the Prince's bedroom. The two made love for the first time. As the lovers watched the fireworks, the unknown Princess fled. Young Prince Ryoma chased her down, but lost her, as Sakuno lost one of her pink sandals. Down the road she fled, and the magic ended. Everything had returned to the way it was, and home they went. The matching sandal was hidden, and the tired family fell asleep. Little did they know what would happen to the sandal that had been left hurriedly on the stairs. What would happen to this sandal?