Disclaimer: The Beauty and the Beast song and story isn't mine.
A/N: This is it guys...the fairytale ending. This is undoubtedly the most revised chapter of all. I had been tweaking it over and over until I finally decided to upload it here. Next chapter will be the Epilogue and some stuff I need to say like thanks and synopsis…now, if you have questions, ANY at all, regarding this fic, ask about my opinion on a subject, ask about anything under the sun (which I encourage you to do so) then do so because I'll answer them all on my next upload. AND for those who had been secretly reading this fic and have not said anything at all…please say something! I'm curious to know what's going on through your little minds…Huhuhuhuhuhu…
A Fairytale Ending
Chapter 17
The clouds parted at the distant horizon breaking into hues of pinks and greys. At the first spot of sunlight, Seifer opened his eyes and rushed to the cafeteria where they were supposed to have their final conference before the play that late afternoon. He wiped the freshly splashed water off his face with the sleeve of his trench coat as hastily strode through the halls to get to the cafeteria. The meeting was supposed to start at 6:00 a.m., making him twenty minutes late.
"Hey..." Seifer greeted, waving his hand at Quistis who quietly sat at one table, eating a piece of bagel.
"Hi…morning." She warmly greeted back with a smile.
For a moment, he looked at her to relish that smile but then he frowned when he scanned around and saw the cafeteria empty of people.
"Where's everyone?"
"It's six in the morning. You know how it is on the weekends, no one comes until nine." She answered his question with a bit of concern at how frustrated he seemed to be.
"I thought we have a meeting!"
Realizing the concern he was pressing, she giggled, "Selphie cancelled it on the last minute, says it would be better if we have the meeting an hour or two before the play."
"Dammit! I woke up six in the morning for nothing!" He banged his fist on the table, aggravated by the news.
"Seifer, it's too early to be grumpy...reserve that for later, when we're on stage." She winked and made the slightest contact on his fist.
At the touch, he took a deep breath and exhaled hard releasing all his tensions along.
"And so the beast was tamed."
She chuckled at his words.
"Sit down Seifer."
"Yes ma'am." he saluted before he sat down.
o O o
The rest of the day they spent their time together reviewing their dialogues to make sure they had mastered their lines, and by how their conversation was turning out, it seemed like they have absorbed not only the words but the tone and expression of each line as well. By the strike of the clock on the seventeenth hour, Selphie gathered them backstage. Just a few minutes more before the curtains would part open for the play. Some people who wanted to get better seats had already arrived at the venue restlessly anticipating when the play would start, while a lot of fuss was going about for the final touches on stage.
Selphie raised the script and began in the most encouraging tone. "This is it guys, this is where all our blood, sweat and tears would fall into place...let's put justice in all the hard work we've been doing for the past two and a half months. Just so you know, I'm very proud of all of you, it's a job well done." Slowly, her tone became more high-pitched and ecstatic as she peered at her cast and crew. "Guys, let's do this for Trabia, if not, let's do this for LOVE!" she shot Seifer and Quistis a quick grin who blushed at the sight. "Now let's get out there and give them the show of their lives! And anyone who makes any mistake during the play won't be allowed to join the party tonight!" she threatened, the last statement she did with an impish glare.
The show started at 5:59 p.m. as fashionably planned. It was a sold out show, the seats were jam-packed. There were even those who didn't mind sitting on the floor while others were willing enough to occupy the standing room. A clamour of voices was beginning to become restless with wait. It was the first time the Garden had gathered in multitude for the Garden Festival.
The curtains rolled out. A dim light bordered the edge of the stage just so a silhouette of the background could be seen; the crowd and the rest were pitch dark. The moment Selphie came out on stage the audience grew quiet, just the clanking of Selphie's footsteps walking across the wooden panel was heard. She too was the only one seen, with the spotlight aimed at her, every eye followed her, while every ear waited for words to be spoken.
With a palpitating but thrilled heart, she looked at the audience, bowed, then began to narrate.
"It is a story of a change. It is a story of friendship. Fairytales and happy endings, a beauty and a beast; it is a story of love." Taking a glimpse on her script for a pause, she smiled and looked up again, and continued. "Once upon a time, in a faraway land, a young prince lived in a shining castle. Although he had everything his heart desired the prince was spoiled, selfish and unkind."
Quistis looked at the clock as it kept on ticking to the minute she was about to present herself onstage as Belle. Time was a cruel thing, it never stopped even for a second, and her heart grew wilder and wilder with anticipation.
"It's alright." A warm-loving voice whispered to her ear. "We'll get through this alive. We had worst scenarios before and yet we survived, this will be no more than a walk in the park." She spun around and saw Seifer with a sweet-cocky smile. He held her hand and kissed it. "Like Director said, let's do this for love."
His words came so unguarded that she choked on her breath. Her choking made her release her tensions that she was able to calm down.
Looking at Seifer's waiting face, she chuckled in sarcastic tone, "I'm doing this for Trabia."
Back on stage, Selphie finally spoke the last few lines, "...for who could ever learn to love a beast?"
o O o
A seven-minute intermission began to sprawl on stage with vivid neon-colored costumes of different variations on Selphie's concept of dancing tablecloths. They swirled and swivelled their loud costumes in the air, entrancing the audience with awe. It was a spectacle of colors and patterns.
Backstage was a different story, the crew were busy preparing the two lead cast for their big dance scene. On one corner, several young cadets of Quistis' fanclub scurried about the room to pick up stuff for her overall look for the scene. Two girls were doing the curls of her hair while another one on her makeup. Another girl was hastily strapping her corset around her waist as another one waited so that she may fix the ruffles on Quistis' gown. It was a beautiful white brocaded gown, almost looked like a wedding gown on her in fact, with the all the silver beadings and layers over layers of chiffon, the only thing which made it look less of a bridal gown was for the fact that she wouldn't be walking down on a red-carpeted aisle with a veil on or holding a bouquet of roses.
Seifer looked at her as she was being dressed up, his heart skipping a beat or two every second. Damn was she beautiful; if not mistaken for a real princess, surely she was an angel who descended from the heavens. She was glancing at him every minute or less, and when she did, he felt his breath would stop at the sight. The seven minutes dragged on not too long for Seifer to faint at the lack of oxygen. It wasn't long before their names were called to get ready for their dance on stage. Seifer stood up and straightened his vest then slowly walked up the staircase where they would be positioned to enter the stage.
Finally, he stepped on the final platform on the top of the intricately adorned staircase. When his head looked up to see the woman from across the other end of the staircase, immediately his pulses shot up. Luckily, a soft melodic sound of an antique piano began to fill the air and his blood rush came to a halting stop when Selphie signalled them to enter the stage. Once again he looked at her and never failed to feel so in love the moment she met his gaze. Each step they made took them closer to each other, and walking down a long staircase he simply wanted to run down that he may feel her hand and hold her close. Time didn't seem to lapse as both were entranced in each other's locked gaze.
At last, they stopped right in front of each other at the center of the stage, feet just inches apart.
"Belle...you look beautiful." he uttered, thinking it could have been better without the beard on, but still, Quistis could clearly see his smile from below the bushes.
"Dance with me." She sweetly requested, her voice as sweet as her smile.
He vigorously shook his head but his eyes never departed from her. "I can't dance."
"Oh, it's easy. Now, come on." She took his hand and placed it around her waist, hers, she placed on his shoulders, while the other tightly held his right.
When they positioned themselves as cue to start dancing, a beautiful mellow voice began to sing. Her voice echoed from all corners of the auditorium like a siren. It was soft and innocent that when everyone turned to see who it was, they were surprised that it was Rinoa holding onto a mic and singing.
"Tale as old as time...
true as it can be..."
"It thought she can't sing?" Quistis couldn't help but recall her cracking voice at the audition.
"She was only fooling around with us. She can sing...it runs in her blood." Seifer answered, amused at Quistis' reaction.
"Oh...right."
For a moment, she looked down and tightened her grip on him.
"Barely even friends...
then somebody bends...
unexpectedly..."
His knees weakened at her touch. "Quis..." he whispered to her ear.
"Hmmm?" She looked at him, wondering what he might say.
Their feet began to move about the floor in circles.
"Just a little change...
small to say the least...
both a little scared...
neither one prepared...
Beauty and the Beast..."
"This song...it always reminds me of...of us." He said smiling down at her.
She smiled back. "You think so too?"
"Ever just the same...
ever as surprise...
ever as before...
ever just as sure...
as the sun will rise..."
"It's almost like our very own little fairytale song." He grinned, squeezing her palm a little tighter.
He's cute…when he tries to be romantic.
"Tale as old as time...
tune as old as song...
bittersweet and strange...
finding you change...
learning you were wrong..."
She beamed up at him, her arched eyes almost closed with delight. "And this feels like our very own little fairytale story."
"Certain as the sun...
rising in the East...
tale as old as time...
song as old as rhyme...
Beauty and the Beast."
"Yeah...only thing missing now is a fairytale ending." He gulped at his own words when he realised how close it was before the big finale. Just a few scenes more and he would be kissing her for the first time, something he had been longing for to do for so long now but never really mustered the guts to.
"A fairytale ending..." she mumbled beneath her breath when she too realized how close they were to kissing each other, and her, to say 'I love you' to him.
They both grew silent at the thought and simply looked lovingly at each other with beaming eyes.
"Tale as old as time...
song as old as rhyme...
Beauty and the Beast..."
The music went on in instrumental tune as she made him sway her around the stage floor. The audience grew still when the lights dimmed and the background music mellowed down to create a romantic atmosphere. After two minutes or three of fluid dancing, they slowed their pace, simply swaying each other's body back and forth to the music's tune. She looked at his seemingly sparkling eyes and pulled him closer to a sweet embrace. He looked down and was supposed to give Irvine and Zell, who was then Lumiere and Cogsworth respectively, the biggest grin in his life, but instead he held her closer to embrace her back.
"Seifer, you're supposed to smile at Zell and Irvine." Quistis muffled a whisper on his shoulders.
He held her even tighter and whispered back. "It's alright, it's not every day I get an excuse to hold you like this."
With his reply, she couldn't resist and snuggled in his arms. "I suppose we can delay the play a little bit more."
He chuckled, and for a while, they simply stood there enchant by the moment. But when Seifer spotted Selphie's stare began to turn into a murderous glare, he released her from his arms and led her to the balcony.
From there on the play didn't drag and the audience began to sit still, absorbed in all the wonders of the play. As the story was told further and further it became obvious how engrossed the audiences were. Not a single soul left his seat, not even for a potty break. Everything was perfect, the lights, the sound, the mood, the timing, and most of all, the chemistry of the two lead cast. How they looked at each by the near end of the play, like true lovers, it was evident, everyone could see, they were really in love.
o O o
After all the scenes had been done with passion, this was it, she was about to speak the line Selphie never permitted her to say until they stood on the final stage. Belle was supposed to say 'I love you' to break the spell. Since it was such a big deal for Quistis to say those words, even when acting, Selphie made it her decision not to let her speak the line throughout the rehearsals as well as the big kiss and saved it for the actual play for it to have a real impact, not just for the audience, but also for the two.
She looked at him, his seemingly lifeless body looked so real, she wished it were true. If she said those three words, for certain he would be alive enough to hear it. Her sobbing took a while, she was gathering the courage to say it and at the same time, with authenticity. After some time of taking deep breaths to calm her nerves, she took the deepest and exhaled all her tensions.
It was time.
"Please...please, please don't leave me...I...I...I-I love—"
"I love you." Seifer whispered, pressing his finger on her lips to keep her from saying anything more, he spoke again, "Quis, I'm so in love with you."
The words came to Quistis with two points, one, that wasn't on the script and the other, did he just confessed that he was in love with her?
"Don't you mean, Belle?" she whispered back, partly confused, while the rest of her felt anxious as to what he was trying to do.
"Don't be silly...I'm not in love with Belle." He chuckled as he got up to sit and face her.
At the side of the stage, Selphie saw Seifer got up but never heard him speak.
"What's he doing!" she hissed at Xu whose jaw was drooping.
"L-let's hurry and turn him to the prince before he does anything stupid!" Xu quickly figured.
Panicked that he had forgotten what he was supposed to do, Selphie immediately gave the signal to the dancers whose role was to remove all his facial hair at the same time distract the audience from seeing his transformation.
Seifer was about to kiss her when a group of dancers came from all corners of the stage waving long white flowing fabrics. They began to ballet around the stage, whirling around and circling around Seifer to one by one remove his facial hair. While Seifer was distracted and annoyed at the dancers who kept pacing about to 'transform' him, Quistis was left flabbergasted at the man before her. She was locked staring at him as he slowly turned from a beast into a prince. The dancers, the background, the audience, everything was a blur, he was the only thing clear to her. He was no beast, he was a man simply covered with fur. The moment it was all removed, she clearly found the picture to be true. At that moment, she realized how much has changed to the man she has fallen in love with.
"That's better." She heard Seifer's mumble, and the next thing she knew, she was up on her feet standing next to him holding his hands.
She felt dazed when he turned his eyes to meet with hers. His eyes were smiling together with his lips. He looked more gorgeous than ever, now that he was no longer with hair extensions.
"Now where was I?" he said, holding her close and giving her a cocky grin.
"We can't hear you!" Selphie demanded, shouting a whisper from the side of the stage.
He gave Selphie a quick side glance before proclaiming to the whole audience, "Quistis Trepe, I'm in love with you!"
His words, though almost came out yelling, to Quistis' ear, it couldn't be more tender and sincere that when it reached to mingle in her ear, her eyes began to glisten with tears. It was then she realized that Seifer was no longer acting, he was finally admitting, in front of the whole Garden, he was in love...with her.
"I give up. I know I told you this was just a game and that we're just suppose to play along...but I can't play any longer, not when I'm serious about loving you. So please, consider this beast who's fallen so in love with you..." he said again, this time proclaiming to no one but her.
"You big dummy...you're no beast, you're my Prince Charming." She giggled, wiping the tears off her cheeks.
The audience couldn't react, they simply stood there astonished and glad, though doubting, patiently waited for the kiss. The stage dimmed, darkening the entire auditorium along with the audience. Only a single spot light focused on the two, allowing the couple to turn their attention to just each other and perish the thought of being onstage with hundreds of spectators. Even the wind seemed to be silenced by the moment as the anticipation of everyone grew.
Gently, Seifer wrapped his left hand around Quistis' waist, drawing her even closer to his chest. His right gently caressed her blushed cheek with lover's ardour, and his thumb lightly stroked her warm lips. Her arms gently tucked around his neck as she looked at him simply waiting to make a move. Noticing the quiet gesture, he lowered his head, little by little closed his eyes as their lips came closer and closer. When he got enough distance, he tilted his head a bit to the right and finally pecked her just beside the lips.
He opened his eyes and saw her stare at him was shrouded with confusion, their lips just millimetres apart.
"Just kidding." He said with a crooked beam and took a second breath, this time unable to resist, softly he tilted her chin, his fingers tentative, guiding her face to move a bit to the right and towards his own. And finally, closing his eyes again, pressed his lips with hers, giving her a long tender kiss.
She closed her eyes at the wonderful sensation felt by her lips. Drawing herself closer to kiss him back, she cupped his face for a tighter, more passionate press.
After a few seconds which seemed eternity to them, their lips departed, this time expressing their love through a sweet embrace.
"Hey! That's not in the script!" Zell complained.
"Works for me!" Rinoa cooed as she began to clap enthusiastically with all her might.
"WOO-HOO! I just got a free pot and 50,000 gil richer!" Selphie jumped with glee and ran out onstage, took the mic and exclaimed, "Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the new couple, Seifer Almasy and Quistis Trepe!"
A brief second of silence, the emotion of the play suspended, and then in one gasp, all hell broke loose. The whole auditorium broke with tumult as screams and cheers and hoots and roars and howls of the audience reverberated the air with clamour. Everyone stood in standing ovation, extending their applause for several minutes at the new couple.
Quistis, turning her face from the crowd to face Seifer, she sniggered to his ear, smiling, "You just had to do it on stage, don't you?"
He stared back at her, amused by her words, he smirked raising his shoulders lightly, "Hey, I always have to do it BIG!"
She broke into a peal of giggles at his answer. When she had somehow regained an air of composure, he came closer to her ear and whispered, "You know, I could have said I love you under the rain last night, but then I realized I actually wanted to say it, OUT LOUD—in front of the whole Garden and if possible, scream it to the whole world."
She blushed and murmured back to his ear, "I love you."
"What? I can't hear you!" He teased, though the words were very clear.
"I said, I love you." She reiterated, a little bit louder to his ear the second time.
"What!" he teased again, cupping his ear and pointing at the audience, he asserted, "They can't hear you!"
Realizing what he was trying to do, she took in a deep air and yelled, "I LOVE YOU!"
Though her voice was loud, not everyone heard her with the clapping and cheering and all, but to those who did hear, wheezed with emotion.
Pleased with what she did, he smiled at her like he never smiled before, and both savoured the moment until Selphie called for a curtain call. One by one, the cast and crew got up on stage, hand in hand and filled with pride, bowed before the audience at Selphie's cue.
o O o
Right after the whole ruckus and the audience had left, all cast and crew were left in the auditorium to clean up the remainder of the mess, but they were more celebrating than cleaning. A couple of responsible Trepe's started to dismantle the stage, while major casts simply chatted with each other about their bloopers and the strains they felt on stage a while ago. Several lights had been switched off, just a few stage lights and side bulbs gave the room a luminous glow. At one corner, Seifer stood alone staring at his new lover who gave him several smiling glances as she spoke with Xu.
He looked at his watch, just a few minutes until midnight.
He approached her, and whispered to her ear, "Come with me."
When he gripped her hand, she hesitated and gave Xu an apologetic look.
"What are you waiting for? Get outta here! You're too distracted to talk to anyway." Xu insisted for she knew Quistis only needed a push.
Taking her by the hand, she and Seifer slipped away from the auditorium passing through the back door entrusting Xu with the job of making sure that no one followed them—but then again, although everyone noticed them leaving, no one really bothered to stop them. There was nothing more to know, save the thought that they were in love.
"Where are we going?" Quistis had to ask as he dragged her through the dimmed and emptied hallways.
"It's a surprise." He glanced back at her with an excited expression.
Without saying anything more, in case she might spoil his surprise, she quietly followed him from behind with a throbbing heart.
Seifer suddenly stopped when they reached a large wood-carved door. He opened it and motioned her to follow him inside. She did so and was immediately struck with awe when she saw the ballroom glittering all over with the silver specks of the night sky. The crystal dome ceiling gave way for the moonlight to enter and reflect a dim luminescent glow on the marbled pillars and floor.
Seifer closed the door behind them and led her to the center of the room.
"You said you wanted a fairytale ending." Seifer sweetly uttered, then gazed around the emptied ballroom. "So far, this is the best I could do...but just give me time, someday...someday I'll give you a fairytale ending no book could ever even dare to imagine."
With their costumes still on, it was as if ripped out from a fairytale book. Looking at her with intent eyes and a silent smile, he opened his mouth and spoke the most tender words, "But at the moment, this is it."
Warmly looking up at him with beaming eyes, she chuckled shaking her head, "So is this where I say, and they lived happily ever after?"
"Not yet..." he pressed his finger on her lips, then when she grew quiet, he took her hand and inserted the ring to her left ring finger along with his most charming cocky smile and said, "We'll have to see first to find out."
"Yeah...let's see this through."
He took her hand where the ring sparkled and kissed it, turned to lock his gaze at her with lips stretch to his ears, he whispered, "And by the way...remember when I promised I'd someday tell you all about my epic ending?" He paused and saw her nod, then he gave her a quick smirk, "Who knew? It ended a fairytale."
"I guess it did."
Her beautiful face tinged all over with blushes, she threw her arms around him, tilted her ankles and gave him the sweetest kiss. He kissed her back, lifting her off the ground with his strong arms. Her knees bent as they fell deeper into each other's embracing lips. In an eternal moment of bliss, he finally held her down to depart their pressing lips. With another salient smile, he took her hand and slowly swayed her to dance.
~ The End ~
A/N: "And they lived happily ever after..."
…Or did they?