EXTRA 1
"Ren wake up, wake up!" shouted an overly excited Kyoko, "Come on! Corn promised to see me today!"
Whining the oversized dog rolled off the princess's bed and stretched on the white furred carpet. Yawning Ren slowly stood. Licking the nine years old girl a good morning, he moved to sit in the corner as he watched Kyoko go to her closet. Ramping through her variety of princess dresses.
"Is there a lot of snow outside Ren?" she asked as she pulled out a fluffy cotton coat.
Raising from his sited position the loyal shadow dog trotted to the window, and looked outside. The forest was covered in white. Barking an affirmative to the princess he returned to his corner to resume waiting.
"Thank you." Kyoko said.
Slipping out of her winter night gown, she quickly wiggled into a pair of fairly thick white tights and a mid thigh length navy blue dress. Carrying the tan colored coat and equally tanned boots to her bed, Kyoko made her way to the dress. Sitting on the pink cushioned stool she quickly went to work on her black hair, it had grown to her tail bone. Combing through it, Kyoko slowly began to braid it. Soon the black hair was braided thickly and placed to rest on the princess's small left shoulder.
"Come here Ren, your turn." she said picking up a dog brush.
Huffing, he moved to sit in front of the girl. Shaking her head fondly she began to brush his black fur. Ren's tail started to wag gently against the floor creating a soft thud, a sign that he liked it. Giggling Kyoko ran her fingers through his fur. Finally done with grooming him, she stood and walking to her bed.
"Ren, can you help me with my boots?" Kyoko asked.
Tilting his head to the side he slowly walked over to the girl. Biting down on the shoe laces Ren pulled and loosened the bow, picking up the little boot he carried it to the princess who was putting on the warm coat. Nudging her side with his head, Ran whined and jerked his head up.
"Thank you." She said happily taking the offered shoe.
Sitting on her bed, the girl slipped her foot into the boot and began tying it as Ren untied the other one. Slipping into the next boot and tying. Resting her hand on the dog's back, as she normally does, the two trotted to the kitchen. Upon arriving the mast chef had their dishes already set for them to eat.
"Thank you Mr. Taishou!" Kyoko called from the kitchen door before leaving.
She and Ren walked side by side into the dark forest, where the tree goblin that had given Kyoko a gift waited. Seeing the little thing first a low growl came from Ren. Laughing, Kyoko patted him on his head and smiled at the goblin.
"Good morning friend." She greeted cheerfully.
It nodded and presented the light princess a gift wrapped nicely in oak leaves. Smiling and accepting the small gift, Kyoko carefully removed the wrapping finding a wooden box hidden underneath it. Opening it up a small blue fairy sculpted out of a sapphire gem began to twirl around as a soft melody played. Petting the tree goblin's head gentle, the princess continued to search through the gift. In the left side of the music box there were little gems of different colors and sculpted into different creatures, the gems had been woven into different pieces of jewelry.
Inside the far right box was a palm sized mermaid sea shell picking it up carefully, Kyoko held it to her ear. Mermaid shells were very rare. On those rare occasions, normally in winter, they would wash up onto shore. Only if the mermaid that had owned the shell either lost it or passed away, these shells capture the songs of the mermaids. Those lucky enough to have one could listen to the mermaids' songs.
"You're giving this too me?" she asked in the goblin in disbelief as it nodded, "These are very rare."
Goblin smiled at her happily as she accepted it and gently placed it back in the box.
Looking in the middle Kyoko saw a small tiara, it was beautiful. Made out of the black ruby gem, and embedded in it were gems that she had never seen before. They held the same color of her fairy prince's eyes. Smiling as she placed it on her head, the princess knelt down to the tree goblin and hugged it gently. It purred as it returned the hug by wrapping its tiny arms around her neck, or as much as its arms would go.
"Thank you, I'll treasure these beautiful gifts always my friend." Kyoko said setting the goblin down.
Smiling at the light creature, the goblin bowed and scurried up its tree. Not long after it had disappeared Ren began to growl and sulk. Looking to the tree and scowling at it, turning to butt Kyoko's side the jealous shadow dog pushed her out of the dark forest. Barking at the princess and motioning for her to stay, Ren turned and ventured into the forest before coming back with a package. Grumbling as he walked over to the princess who was placing the beautifully sculptured tiara back in the equally beautifully sculptured music box.
"What's that you got there Ren?" she asked once he appeared in front of her.
Grumbling once more he dropped it on to her lap, and growled at the tree goblin's gift. Shaking her head and smiling at her jealous companion Kyoko opened his gift. Inside she found a black whistle and rare Black Lillian Roses.
"Oh Ren, these are wonderful!" Kyoko said happily.
…
As they walked farther into the forest, they finally came to their clearing where Kyoko saw a single person waiting in the shadows. In her excitement she did not realize that the shadowed figure was a girl. Upon reaching the person, the young girl throws herself at the figure that had a slim waist for a 'boy'.
"What the hell do you thinking you're doing?" the too feminine to be Corn voice asked with irritation.
"Oh my, I'm sorry... I thought you were someone else." Kyoko said sheepishly.
"Clearly."
"Um, I'm Kyoko." She said new person.
"Kanae." She replied clipped.
Ren walked next to Kyoko which made Kanae jump and scream about how dangerous Shadow Dogs were.
"No, it's okay Ren wouldn't hurt gentle people or those I like." Kyoko reassured her.
"Fine, but keep him away from me." Kanae ordered which Ren growled in reply.
"Be nice both of you." Kyoko said.
Kanae and Kyoko talked for a few hours as they waited, the light princess discovered that Kanae was a princess of the Northern Dark Kingdom known as Bitter and that she was here to attend Kyoko's slumber party. They talked more until Ren notified them to a new presence. Stepping out from the shadows was none other than Corn, but Princess Kanae knew him by a different name; Dark Prince Kuon.
"Corn, you here!" Kyoko exclaimed happily and hugged him.
"I promised I'd come, didn't I?" he said as he hugged her.
"Hello, Prince K-" Kanae had begun to greet him but Kuon throw a glare, "Corn."
"Princess Kanae, what a surprise."
"You two know each other?" Kyoko asked feeling slightly jealous.
"Not really." Kuon said as he smiled to Kyoko.
Once greetings were done, Kuon pulled out a small box and presented it to the light Princess.
"Open it, I want my present to be opened first." He said warmly.
Smiling at him, Kyoko gently ripped the wrapping and was presented with a velvet ring case. Blushing, she glanced at a smiling Kuon and opened the lid slowly only to be greeted by two beautiful rainbow fairy earrings.
"*Next time, my Kyoko I'll bring you a ring.*" Kuon whispered in her ear and gave her a chaste kiss on the cheek.
"T-thank you Corn." She replied embarrassed to have thought that there was a ring in the box and for what he had just said.
"Well, I must be going know…" he said remorsefully.
Hugging Kyoko tightly and bowing to Kanae, Kuon left.
…
"That was the first time I've seen Prince K- Corn show an interest in someone." Kanae said.
"What do you mean?" Kyoko asked curiously as she put Kuon's gifts on.
"Prince Corn hardly talks, much less touch, other people." She replied.
Kyoko smiled happily and blushed with embarrassment. She had been happy that her new friend told her that Corn seems to like her more than a friend. And the Northern Dark Princess noticed.
"Oh, you like him!" she said and thus an unbreakable friendship bloomed.