DISCLAIMER: If I owned Final Fantasy IX it'd be recreated for the PS3 with voice acting AND have a sequel by now.
It is a beautiful day today. Walking around my kingdom is simply relaxing. Although I cannot say I enjoy my company.
"Princess! Why did you insist on going outside?"
"Steiner," I sighed. "It is my birthday. Don't you think I have the right to do something I want for once?"
Captain Adelbert Steiner. Captain of the Knights of Pluto. Overprotective. He walks in his rusty armor all the time. You can always tell if he's around if you hear loud 'clanks'.
"Well... I suppose, Princess... But why did you want to go alone?"
"I wanted to enjoy myself," I answered bluntly.
"Well, Princess, if I may say so, you can still enjoy yourself without going alone. Besides, who knows what kind of trouble you would run into without me!"
"What makes you so sure?" He is really starting to irk me.
"You cannot trust anyone who is not royalty or noble!"
I smiled. "Ahh, I see. So I cannot trust you then?"
"Your Highness... Please do not toy with me. That is not specifically what I meant..."
I groaned. It is true that Steiner is strong but it is very annoying to have to be accompanied by a guard at all times--especially when the guard is him. If I must be guarded then why must the guard be him? I want to go back to the castle now... I attempted to say hello to a few people but Steiner pulled me away saying that I 'should not waste a perfectly nice walk to chat with common folk who may intend to steal my pendant'. As usual, he's jumping to conclusions. No one is noticing us anyway, they are all too busy getting ready for the play. Even though I really wish I could go back... Something is stopping me. Maybe it is... a feeling? Yes, that is it. Something is going to happen. But what could it be? Why do I have this feeling?
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I finally finished sweeping the mess. I put a closed sign in the front of the shop. Right now I'm walking around just because I need to work out a little. If I sit in the shop and do nothing I might become stiff due to the injuries caused by the beating. And I really don't want that. I decided to wear a long brown cloak with a hood just in case Madame's around. It's a nice day outside. I look around and notice children running around.
"I saw the Nobles first!"
Nobles? There're more here? Oh yeah. Today is Princess Garnet's birthday too...
I snap out of my thinking only to find that I'm in a completely different area and have no idea how long I've been walking. Great. I try to remember only to bump into someone wearing armor. I bounce back and fall on the ground--hitting the back of my head in the process.
"OW!" I shouted. I rub my head and start to apoligize only to be cut off by the person I ran into.
"Watch where you're going you insolent peasant!"
"Hey! I didn't do it on purpose!" I countered. "I wasn't watching where I was going so I'm sorry. I know it's my fault."
"Well then... at least you know your place," the man said with approval.
Oh, brother. It looks like a guard for Alexandria Castle. Just my luck.
"CAPTAIN ADELBERT STEINER!"
The yell made me jump. I look over to see a woman yelling at him.
"I am appalled that you would treat a poor innocent person like that! Apoligize this instant!"
Yeah like he's really gonna liste--
"I apoligize..."
What? He listened to her? But that could only mean...
She walks over to me and helps me up.
"I am terribly sorry. Why don't you come back to the castle with us so you can get cleaned up?"
It's the princess of Alexandria. I'm speachless.
"I-I... No! Um... Thank you, Your Highness, but I'm sure you're really busy..." What am I saying? Of course I want to go!
"Nonsense," the princess said. "Come."
She grabs my arm and starts walking back to the castle with the angry guard stomping behind us.
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When I saw her bump into Steiner my feeling got stronger. I thought maybe she is what my feeling is about. I still do not know why... But I intend to find out. We're in the castle now and I am leading her to my chamber. I look back occasionally and she looks absolutely awed. I do not know why. This is my home. Then again, she's a peasant so she probably has never been in such a huge and beautiful place. I notice she has a horn on her head. It's kind of strange... We finally reach my chamber. I dismiss Steiner and shut the door.
"Is this... your room?" she asks.
"Yes, but I prefer to call it a chamber."
"Oh, sorry..."
As she is looking around I notice she seems very tense and nervous. I wish she'd take off her hood but I decide not to be impolite.
"There is no need to panic," I say. "I just thought you may want to clean up and relax. I do apoligize for Steiner's irrelevent behavior. You did not deserve it. But please do not take it personally... He is like that with pretty much everyone."
She becomes less tense and answers without looking at me. "Except you and the queen, right?"
She is bold to say that to me of all people. It makes me a little uncomfortable. "Right... Well... Why don't we chat for a while?" I say, changing the subject matter.
"Uhhh... Okay then... What do you want to chat about?"
I gesture to the table. "Here. Sit."
She slowly sits down as if she's about to sit on a boiling hot surface. I sit next to her.
"Well... How old are you?" I ask.
"I'm sixteen today. Just like you."
"Really?" I gasped. "That is amazing!" Someone else with the same birthday as me? How ironic.
She shrugs. "Well I hope you enjoy your celebration, Princess. I'm guessing that's why all these Nobles are here."
I smile. "Yes. A theater troupe called Tantalus is performing a play in my honor. It starts at eight-o-clock tonight. Would you like me to give you a seat? And by the way, you may call me Garnet."
"Um... Sorry... Garnet... I can't," she says. "I have to work."
I am puzzled. "You have to work? I thought everyone was closing early to see the play..."
She shook her head. "I doubt everyone else has to work for a mean boss."
I suddenly become intriged. "Tell me about it."
She looks shocked for a moment. "Well... Okay... Uhhh... Well, I work at Madame Eclair's Dress Shop--"
"Really? I love her dresses! They're so exquisite!" I interrupt.
She smiles. "I made the one you're wearing."
I look down at my dress and look back up to her. "Really? It is so pretty! Although it doesn't fit me quite right... I guess it is the material or... something..."
"Oh well. Not every dress is perfect..." she says unsure of herself.
"Tell me more."
"Well... She makes me work constantly and she always yells and criticizes me. I actually make all the dresses. Sometimes she beats me for no reason..."
I feel my eyes widen. "Beatings? How cruel! No offense but you look really weak!"
"Yeah, Madame says that to me a lot..."
I frown. "I thought Madame Eclair was nice..."
She laughs half-heartedly. "To everyone else maybe."
"Is that all you do? Work? Don't you get a day off for your birthday?"
"I've never gotten a day off. All I do is work pretty much. But let me guess... You have millions of servants and hardly have to do a thing?"
"On the contrary," I say sternly. "I am learning the art of ruling a nation. My life becomes easily dull. I am hardly allowed anywhere without guards. I really do wish for a break from everything."
She becomes silent. As if she's in deep thought.
"I have an idea," I say to break the uneasy silence. "Why don't you take a bath? I'm sure it would feel nice. The tub should already be filled for me. I don't feel like bathing today."
Before she objects I grab her arm and pull her to the master restroom. I push her in and tell her to use my bathrobe and to enjoy herself. And that I would be waiting for her.
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I stare at the bathtub and without a single thought I strip and get in. Oh! It feels amazing! The warmth curves around my body and tingles my sores. I could stay in here all day. I start thinking about this whole situation. It had happened so fast. She must think I'm pathetic! Bumping into that guard, not objecting to anything... Why did she insist that I come to the castle? I'm a peasant! What could she be thinking? Sure I've noticed she acts a little snooty but she must have some sort of unique thinking process for all of this... I notice next to me that there's soap and without hesitation I scrub myself until every last speck of dirt is gone from my skin and hair.
While scrubbing, I think about what she said. She actually has to work? I always assumed that all royalty gets pampered and that they don't have to do anything. That's what servants are for, right? She obviously gets pampered but she actually works? Well, whatever work she does, it's most likely nothing compared to what I have to go through every day. I'm pretty sure she doesn't get any beatings. And why do I get to call her Garnet? I have no special status.
The water is now neutral. I look down and the water is all brown. Gross. I had no idea I was that dirty. So that's what happens when you don't bathe for a long time... I step out, grab a towel sitting on a chair and dry myself. I put on Garnet's bathrobe. It is silky white and oh so comfortable! I automatically feel cleaner and I look at myself in the mirror that's part of a vanity. I notice the difference right away. I didn't know I was that pale... I take a minute to gush over it and then I slowly open the door and see Garnet laying on her bed across the room. I decide to tell her about the bath water.
"Sorry, Garnet, but the water's all brown now..."
She sits up and looks at me with disbelief. "What? How long has it been since you've had a bath?"
I think for a moment... And I'm not really sure... "Well, I can tell you one thing, it was longer than a few months ago."
She's obviously trying to mask her discust.
"And it's not my fault," I quickly add.
She gulps and makes an uneasy face as she's thinking of what to say. "I suppose... it cannot be helped..."
Why is she being so nice to me? I'm about to go back in the bathroom when she asks a question. "By the way, I didn't get your name. What is it?"
My back is turned to her and I look down. I might as well tell her the truth after all she's done for me so far. "I don't have one... At least not that I remember."
There's silence. But then I hear footsteps walking toward me. "How is that possible?" she asks with pity in her voice.
I hesitate but decide not to tell her everything. "I think I lost my memory. I know I had a name and a family... but I don't remember it. The only thing I remember is that today is my birthday."
I turn around to see she's right behind me.
"Wow... I am sorry..." she mumbles.
"Don't worry about it," I reassure even though this very subject has always bothered me.
Her mouth drops suddenly. "Oh my!"
"What?" I ask with concern.
"Why haven't I noticed this before! We look exactly alike!"
I'm stunned to hear this. I wasn't paying attention to her looks before but now that she mentions it I realize she's right! There are a few differences I notice, like my hair is slighty longer and darker, she's thin but not as thin as me, and I'm thinking I may be a tiny bit shorter than her. We stare at each other for who-knows-how-long. It's as if we're looking in an invisible mirror. All of a sudden Garnet's eyes light up and she smiles. "I have an idea."
"What?"
"We can switch places!"
"WHAT?"
"I'm serious! Think about it, you deserve pampering and I deserve a break! It all makes sense!"
"That won't work! You won't be able to handle everything I do!" I protest. Is she crazy? She really has no idea what the real world is like! But I guess that's not her fault...
"I can teach you to be me and you can teach me to be you!"
"That'll never work!" I protest some more.
"Please?" she says, bending her knees and putting her hands on my shoulders.
She's practically begging now. And to me of all people. I can't just say no to someone who ranks higher than me... Who knows what'll happen to me! But then again, this could be a golden oppertunity for me. "...You're not gonna let me say no are you?" I finally say.
She takes her hands off my shoulders and stands up straight with sparkles in her eyes. "No! So will you oblige?"
"...Fine," I say, defeated. I really hope I didn't just make a mistake I'll regret for the rest of my life...
She pulls me into the bathroom--why does she keep pulling me?--and we start to switch clothes. She shrugs out of her dress and starts to put on mine. I take off her bathrobe and start to put on hers. Garnet obviously isn't a huge fan of silence.
"I usually wear a bun but since it is my day off I'm not wearing one right now... Not until the play starts."
I twirl once and say "Okay, I'll keep that in mind..." She then all of a sudden skips over and drapes her necklace over my neck.
"I never take off my Silver Pendant and neither will you," she warns. It almost sounds like a threat...
"Don't worry," I attempt to say cheerfully.
We're done and we now stare at each other. Me wearing her blue dress and silver heels and her wearing my yellow dress, brown cloak, and brown shoes. It doesn't look like we changed clothes at all. Not a change has been made, not really. Garnet smiles but then adjusts my dress.
"Something wrong?" I ask.
"This dress is a little too small..."
"It's funny that you say that because your dress fits me perfectly," I say.
"Does that mean you're thinner than me? How extraordinary... How is it so?"
"I don't get a lot of food..."
"What?" she says, appalled.
"Well... If we're gonna switch places then it shouldn't be for very long..." I say ignoring her outburst.
"How about... Umm... We'll switch back the day after tomorrow?" she suggests nervously.
"Okay."
Her eyes widen again. "Your horn!"
I completely forgot about that. "Not to worry," I say proudly. I put my hands around my horn and close my eyes for a few seconds. I open my eyes again to see the princess looking stunned.
"That green energy... Was that magic? How did you learn magic?"
"Yeah, but I don't know. It's something I've been able to do," I tell her truthfully. I put my hands around her forehead and more green energy appears. A white horn slowly appears on her head.
"Ummm... How long does this last?"
"Until the day after tomorrow."
All of a sudden we hear a knock on the bathroom door. "Princess?"
"Oh! That's my maid and lady-in-waiting, Eva! I think I should go now!" she whispers quickly.
"Wait! Tell me one thing," I say slowly. "Why do you want to do this?"
She answers as slowly as I asked that question. "You deserve to be pampered and to get away from Madame Eclair and I deserve a break from all of my duties and my mother." Garnet then runs to the door and opens it. "Sorry," she says to Eva. "I'm leaving now." She waves and walks out of the bathroom. She then makes her way out of the bedroom altogether.
I have a feeling things are about to get interesting.
Author's Note: I had MAJOR writer's block with this chapter! What do you think? Did my suffering pay off? lol. I stole/paraphrased some lines/scenes from The Parent Trap, Barbie as The P&P, and Twain's original story. Oh, Twain. The concept of your story is awesome but sadly the story itself is not. The prince and pauper switched places and the prince is trying to convince people that he's not the pauper! And the pauper is all scared because he's around royalty! Why did Twain make them idiots? They look alike so OBVIOUSLY people will think they're the other person! And If you look alike and switch places: OBVIOUSLY you have to act like each other! *sigh* Anyway, I'm playing Final Fantasy IX. I haven't made it all the way through the game and the only reason I know what happens is cuz I watched it on youtube. I got the game a few years ago but the PS1 wouldn't save and I died fighting a plant thing in Evil Forest, while fighting Baku, and while trying to get past the Black Waltz #1. (Pathetic right?) Then I decided to start it again recently (it still took me forever to get past the Black Waltz #1 but I finally did! :D) and all of a sudden the PS1 magically decided to save. How weird is THAT? Now I'm right before the Festival of the Hunt. Ugh... I really wanna win... Wish me luck! :/