The Pixie Princess
Mikan is a bird in a cage; locked away in one room just to make someone else happy, even at the cost of her happiness. But can Mikan break free of her prison and spread her wings and fly? Can she finally fly in the sky and be who she wants to be, with no rules or boundaries, and with the freedom to choose the man she loves...? NXM
Dislciamed!~ I do not own Gakuen Alice or faeries, I just own the character Kina~
Thank you for choosing this story to read! I really appreciate it! Your support means so much to me, and I love you all! Remember, support the other great writers on as well!
For this chapter, I wrote out the first few paragraphs, deleted them, started again, then deleted those and here is what you have now! I think it turned out better than the first few trys :)
This chapter was inspired by these songs; Sansan Gogo and Mizuiro Melody, sung by MilkyWay and Koharu Kusumi
SORRY FOR THE LATE UPDATE! I went on vacation without realising I had the sories on my USB stick, so I am updating a few NOW!!!
Chapter Eight: Bird in A Cage
Keeping a bird locked in a cage just so that you can hear it sing is cruel; the bird will become lonely, and soon it will get sick and it will be so unhappy that it stops singing forever, and will only be a bird in a cage. You need to let that bird out, to spread its wings and fly, and to share its song with everyone around you. Being selfish and keeping the bird all to yourself won't make you any happier. So, if you let the bird out, then you will not just make the bird happy, you will also make yourself feel much happier, because the bird will finally be free, and it will sing its song loudly and proudly to the entire world and the person who set it free...
The second Mikan returned from the fields, entering via the window of course, she was confronted with the one person she had run away to avoid; Prince Kaname.
"Where were you!?" Kaname cried, standing in front of Mikan as she stared at him in surprise and horror. She hadn't expcted him to be there, waiting for her on her return, Nobara, yes, but not Kaname... Mikan stared at him, silent as she tried to string her words together.
"Well?" Kaname demanded, and for the first time within the week that Mikan had spent with Kaname, she saw his angry side - and he was scary.
"I was... I went to one of the fields. Did you think that you could keep me locked in here?" Mikan was quiet as she closed the window, then turned and fully faced Kaname who couldn't hold an angry look, and just sighed, shaking his head as his face softened,
"I expected you to do as I asked and stay where you were... you shouldn't disobey me, Princess. I'm the prince." he told her as Mikan bit her lip and stared at the ground. Kaname watched her, then saw that Mikan was shaking her head.
"No... I don't have to do whatever you say... I'm not a part of your kingdom," she whispered, and looked up at him, her eyes sad and lost as he stared at her, then took a step forwards as Mikan stood still, watching him warily.
"But you will be... tomorrow, when you finalise your decision." he said gently as Mikan blinked, wondering what he was talking about. Then she remembered - she had promised to either refuse or accept his proposal at the end of the week. Mikan had been so happy at the prospect of returning to the Wizarding Kingdom that she had forgotten she had to give Kaname a definite answer.
And she already knew what it was - she had all along, but it seemed to have taken her under a week to realise how much she missed one certain person, how much she loved him.
And she knew that Kaname couldn't stop her from leaving the kingdom the next day, not for all the flowers in the world, and not for the prospect of many friends, because all Mikan wanted was in the Wizarding Kingdom. And he was...
"Princess?" Kaname said, and shook her shoulders. Mikan snapped out of her thoughts, blinking rapidly as she focused back onto Kaname who was staring at her with worry. He was sweet, but he was far too reliant on his title, and thought that he could control any situation because of that very title. Mikan didn't like that.
"Kaname, what if I refuse your proposal?" Mikan asked, but Kaname just smiled, shaking his head as he stared at Mikan with caring eyes. However, there was no love in them - compassion, yes, but love, no, and that was what Mikan was searching for.
"But you won't, I know you won't... you love this kingdom far too much." he smiled as Mikan stared at him, unsure of what to say. "No wonder you always run off to the fields! You enjoy the wild flowers, just like a flower faerie." he sighed, happy as Mikan stared up at him, then stepped back and shook her head.
"No... I run away because you're caging me, Kaname." Mikan whispered. Kaname's eyes panned out slightly, but he shook his head and returned to his smiling self.
"But... it was for your own good, Princess... I asked you to stay in here, but you refuse to do so, so I needed to keep you in somehow... it worries me so when you run off like you do." he said quietly. Mikan stepped back when Kaname tried to step forward to hold her hand. She shook her head.
"Don't call me princess," Mikan whispered, shaking her head still. "I'm not a princess anymore, and I'm not your bird!" she suddenly yelled. Kaname didn't know what she was talking about, but asked her,
"I never thought of you as a bird, Princess! You're special, a wonderful person with beautiful wings and a wonderful dancer! You're perfect in my eyes." Kaname told her, but Mikan wasn't listening to him,
"Kaname, listen to me! You're caging me, locking me up and throwing away the key so that I can be here for you and only you! It's like I'm trapped all over again... like I'm back where I started." Mikan told him as he shook his head,
"Princess, you aren't being fair. I have to keep you in here, I have no choice when you disobey me the way you do. I am not caging you, I promise." he said in that gentle voice of his, so sweet and soothing.
Unluckily for him Mikan never fell for it, she seemed to be immune.
"You can't promise that, Kaname, because you are locking me away! You're keeping me in here, against my will, threatening me with the guards and locking the bedroom door! I don't want to marry a man who treats me like his personal pet!" she yelled, tears falling from her eyes as Kaname's eyes widened, and he stumbled back slightly, realising what Mikan was saying.
"Are you... rejecting my proposal?" he whispered. Mikan sniffed, looking away, but nodding. Kaname then clenched his fists, but his face showed no anger at all, however, he was boiling inside, because he knew who's proposal Mikan would gladly accept.
"But... I have admired you for so long, I am an eligible, sought after bachelor... isn't there anything you like about me?" he asked in a whisper, barely audible as Mikan looked towards him, crushed.
"I only see you as a friend... how could you possibly think that I would fall in love with you within a week, Kaname...? It's not possible... we're completely different." she said gently. He shook his head, denieing it.
"No... you like the kingdom, right? You can stay here longer, we can get to know each other, then marry later, how about that, princess?" he asked her, smiling, but he was sad and angry inside. Mikan shook her head.
"You promised I could return after a week, and tomorrow I will go back to the Wizarding Kingdom... I live there." Mikan said. Kaname denied that, too.
"But you don't belong there, Mikan! You're a faerie among Wizards in that kingdom, it isn't your place! There is no place in a kingdom full of wizards for a faerie such as yourself!" Kaname snapped out, and Mikan started to remember the taunts, the rumours and the hurt she had experienced. Years of cruelty came back in mere seconds, and she couldn't contain the flood of tears that spilled down her rosey cheeks.
"You mean a faerie with Pixie Wings... someone who's different to everyone else." she whispered, then turned her back on Kaname.
"No, Princess! I never meant to say that! You just don't belong there, you belong with me and the flowers! You are not a wizard, you're a flower faerie!" Kaname cried out loudly, but Mikan just turned and glared at him, shaking her head vigorously.
"Just leave! I don't want to speak with you anymore!" she cried, and pushed Kaname out of the room. However, before Kaname was thrown out of the bedroom, someone quickly rushed off, new information in their hands. Kaname was then shut out of Mikan's bedroom, where she slowly slid down the door and let her head fall into her hands, crying silently, shoulders shaking as Kaname sighed, then slowly sloped off to his own bedroom.
He had a lot to think about...
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"Natsume, isn't it fabulous, Mikan is returning tomorrow!" Aoi cried out happily, running towards Natsume like when she did as a child. Natsume didn't show it, but he was quite happy at the prospect of Mikan returning, however there was one little detail that got in the way of his happiness,
"What if she decides to marry that fruity faerie prince?" he asked, staring at Aoi intensely as she frowned, shaking her head. She couldn't believe Natsume, he was already being a pessimist when he should have been happy that Mikan was coming back.
"Don't dampen the happiness, Natsume! I think we both know that Mikan won't marry Kaname, he's too sweet, and even if she is lovely, bubbly and sweet, she's far too clumsy, air-headed and stubborn to be a Queen of a Flower Faerie kingdom... and it's Faerie, not Fruity!" Aoi scolded as Natsume rolled his eyes. He then started to look at Aoi more closely, leaning in close and squinting as she leaned back.
"Er, hello, personal space! You have it, so that means I have it, too!" Aoi cried out, shaking her head. Natsume sure was acting weird lately.
"You look like mom," he then said, and Aoi's eyes widened. She blinked before blushing, staring at her feet. Natsume had never told her that she looked like their mother, and it was strange that he would bring up the one topic he tended to avoid around Aoi - he had always been afraid that she would get heard if he talked about her, because Aoi never really knew her.
"... you're a great person, Natsume... you just don't let it show." Aoi whispered as Natsume blinked, turning to face his sister. She was smiling as she stared at him, small tears leaking from the corners of her eyes. Natsume then shook his head, scowling.
"Don't talk nonsense, Aoi." he muttered, turning away, but his younger sister shook her head, and threw her arms around Natsume, embracing him. They hadn't embraced since before their mother died.
"But you are! And only a few people can see that... and one of those persons happen to be Mikan... ever since you first met, she saw your greatness, and it has left an impression on her... and she left an impression on you, big brother." Aoi whispered, then kissed her older brothers cheek before skipping off to find Youichi. Natsume sat there, thinking about what his sister had said, before standing up and walking towards the private study area that had been built for his mother.
Natsume, once in the private study, went straight to the desk where a copy of the Faerie Tales was layed open, and then next to it was his mothers' diary, a precious memory for both himself, his father, and Mikan's mother, Yuka, who had been good friends with Natsume's mother before she died.
He sat there and stared at the Faerie Tales book, and began to wonder what life would have been like if he had never met Mikan, the ditzy faerie.
It was guarenteed that life would have probably been easier if she had never turned up. He wouldn't have someone flitting above his head, complaining, whining and dropping him into a fountain if he annoyed her. He would be at peace, he wouldn't be looking through a stupid book of Faerie Tales, and he wouldn't be thinking about that dumb Pixie Winged faerie who he loved so much...
but if she had never turned up, then he wouldn't be the man he was after he had met her. His magic was stronger, and even if he didn't show it, he was happier, because he knew that she was there, ready to light a path on the dark road that had been his life up until he realised he liked the girl. Natsume sighed.
Love was so complicated, and it kind of hurt to know that Mikan wasn't there to annoy him and poke him, asking what he was doing. Her curiosity, though annoying, was relaxing in a way.
And as Natsume stared at the book of Faerie Tales, he wondered if Mikan was finishing off her own story, and finding her own Happy Ending...
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Mikan was still leaning against the door, tears staining her face as she looked around. Trapped between four walls once again, just like the bird she used to be. Mikan sighed, shaking her head slowly, then stood herself up and sighed, walking towards the bed. When she sat down on the soft mattress that didn't sag beneath her like the once back at the cottage did, she started to think of all her friends and how much she missed them. She wanted to be back in the Wizarding Kingdom so badly, and a day seemed like many years away, it was far too long.
She inwardly groaned, and fell back against the bed, only to fall off from the other side.
"Owww." she groaned, hitting her head on the floor softly. She sat up and rubbed her scalp, then blinked when she saw something on the floor. It was the old Faerie Tale book she had been given from Misaki. Mikan picked it up, then remembered that she still had her own story to write... but with no happy ending, how was Mikan going to write a Faerie Tale story? She sighed, shaking her head, and threw the Faerie Tale book down.
Maybe this was one Faerie Tale that wouldn't end happily...
Bird Cages
I once read a story as a little girl, about a bird locked away in a cage. A wizard who enjoyed music once went out to find the bird with the most beautiful song, and when he finally found the bird, he caught it and locked it in a cage, then took it home so that he could forever listen to the birds song. However, the bird he had caught was not a bird, but a young faerie who had been cursed to live her life as a bird, singing her sad songs until she was finally set free from the curse.
The Wizard never knew, for he thought that this faerie was a singing bird, and he wanted to listen to her song every day. So, each day the bird would sing her song, her tune sadder with each passing day, but the Wizard never noticed, for he was too selfish to realise that this bird was actually dieing.
But one day, the bird, weak, alone and sad, decided to tell the Wizard what was happeing to her through a song that humans could understand, and hoped that the Wizard would hear the sadness, the curse and the true story of who the bird really was, and why she sang such beautiful songs, and it went something like this;
"Once upon a time I sang
And many heard my tune
Far away and nearby
And so very soon.
But one day, I fell into
A trap and I was cursed
By a witch with selfish deeds
And a song I rehearsed;
Oh help me please,
Gentle man,
For I am now a bird
Doomed to sing this saddened song
To never speak a word.
Faeries dance as I sing
But non know who I am
For all you hear is this song
And not the word of man."
But the Wizard was far too content with hearing the beautiful song the trapped faerie was singing, and never noticed her saddened words of help, and so the bird continued to sing for the selfish Wizard, but each day her voice grew weaker, and her life was decreasing, for this faerie would die if she was not saved after a year of being cursed to be a bird.
One day, the Wizard awoke and could not hear the song of the bird he had captured, so went to see why it was refusing to sing its beautiful song. However, when he found the bird laying on the bottom of the golden cage unmoving, he became worried and opened the door of the cage to pick up his singing bird. However, once he touched the soft feathers, a soft glow formed around the body, and the bird was revealed to be the faerie who had been cursed, having to sing to try and save herself from the terrible curse which had killed her. The Wizard was horrified, suddenly realising that he had not listened to the bird for he was far too immersed into the song she sang, and had not helped her and saved her life. He became deeply saddened, and cried for the small bird which had sang such a beautiful song. But when a small tear fell atop the faeries head, her eyes opened. She had only been asleep, exhausted from singing so much, but she was surprised to wake up to see human hands and feet. She was once again a faerie.
The faerie soon returned to her original size, and sat on the floor of the Wizards' home and watched him cry before asking him '"Why are you crying?' and he answered,
'Oh, a beautiful bird that is a faerie was cursed, and I never listened to her sad song, so now she is dead,' he wept. The faerie felt happy that the Wizard had worried for her, and smiled. 'But I am not dead,' she said, and the Wizard looked up to see the faerie smiling, aline and glowing, 'I am alive, because you freed me from the cage. Your tears awakened me, and I thank you, for I was on the rbink of death before you unlocked the cage... thank you.' she said, and then kissed the Wizard before singing him a beautiful song of thanks, and the Wizard was suddenly filled with happiness.
And after that day, the Wizard never locked a bird in a cage just to hear its song again, for he wished for everyone to hear the beautiful song of the birds and his beautiful wife...
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"Father, I need to talk to you." Kaname walked into the study room where his father was signing important papers. His father gave Kaname a concerned look, but dismissed his helped who closed the door behind him, and he leaned back in his chair.
"What is it, my son?" he asked. Kaname breathed in, and then said the one thing he had never wanted to say;
"Mikan shall be returning home tomorrow," he stated, and his father leaned forward briskly,
"What!? Just yesterday we were discussing plans for your marriage, we have the potion, my son! You can not let a rare flower such as Mikan slip through your fingers!" the King roared. Kaname knew this, but he shook his head, saddened by his own decision.
"Of course, father, however, Princess Mikan is sad, she does not wish to be here any longer... she misses her friends from the Wizarding Kingdom." Kaname explained quietly as his father shook his head, and stood, his hands resting on the desk lightly.
"Kaname, son, she does not belong there, she is no Wizard... she is a faerie, and by blood, a flower faerie, just like you and me. She belongs here, with you." the King stated, but Kaname shook his head.
"She refused my proposal. She will be leaving tomorrow, as promised." Kaname whispered, his voice shaking as his father stared at him, then walked to the window, back turned to Kaname, and sighed, hands clasped behind his back.
"Kaname, my boy... you must take life by its hands, and right now, that is what you must do... for years you have wanted to wed Mikan, and now is your very chance... she is like a bird. Ready to escape, flitting about, excited, trying to out-fly you, but all you have to do is catch her, put her in a cage and lock her in, giving her no chance of escape." the King explained, adn turned to face Kaname again her stood there, not saying or doing anything. "Do you understand?" the king then asked, and Kaname blinked before nodding.
"Yes, I do, but Mikan told me she did not like to be treated that way." he started, but his father interrupted him with a sincere smile.
"My son, she does not know what she wants, she is still a child, and it will take her some time to get used to the idea of being your wife, but she will get used to it, I know she will." the King sounded promising, but Kaname was weary of his father. His father smiled pleasantly, "Listen, Kaname, she is just under a lot of pressure. She misses her friends, so why not let her dwell on the idea of marriage for a while, let her return to her kingdom, and she may come around."
He then steered Kaname towards the door, and Kaname stared up at his father.
"What if she never accepts my proposal?" he asked silently, but his father just tutted,
"You must be positive, my son. There is no room for pessimism here." the King said, then swung the grand doors open, and Kaname walked through them, but turned back to his father who nodded, hands behind his back still, "I guarantee that she'll find the right answer, may it be tomorrow or another day," the king stated, before Kaname walked off and the doors closed.
The King then clenched a hand before flexing it, and he breathed in deeply,
"You were right... she's far too unwilling to marry, just as you had said." he muttered, and in a flurry of red petals, Luna suddenly appeared, leaning against the study desk, smirking.
"Of course I was. My crystal ball never lies... she's been like this for a while now." Luna explained as the King turned around, and gave Luna a small smile, putting his hands together as he stared at the russet haired beauty,
"So what do you propose we do, your highness?" Luna asked him, smirking as his smile widened a little, and his eye glinted in the light that poured through the only window in the entire study.
"I suppose you still have the potion?" he asked her, and Luna nodded, suddenly producing the small bottle of purplish pink liquid. The King nodded as Luna set it onto the table, and it glistened in the sunlight. The King then picked it up and examined it.
"We will give this to her tomorrow, and then she will become infatuated with my son and marry him the day after tomorrow... and you, Miss Luna Koizuma, will then take your rightful place as Queen once we... dispatch the princess." the King smiled widely as Luna giggled, then flipped her hair as her beautiful eyes glistened darkly.
"Of course," she said wickedly, before disappearing in a tornado of flower petals...
Not how I expected it to end, honestly. I thought I would go with what I had planned, but I turned the King into a bad guy! Originally, he just wanted his son to get what he wanted, but I guess I made him Luna's henchman, wanting her on the throne, but looking like Mikan or something. I originally intended Luna to poison Kaname with the Love Potion and make him marry her. It seems cooler, now...
Lots of love, Blue!~