“Seriously, how do they expect me to move in this thing?!”
Akane laughed heartily, crossing her legs and leaning back in the red velvet plush chair just outside the large dressing room where her fiancee currently struggled with the aid of an assistant. “I’m not entirely sure they do, Ran-chan.”
“Well, I gotta at least be ab… hurk! Hey! That doesn’t have to be so tight, ya know?!”
Again, Akane cackled loudly, never more grateful to be wearing a pair of threadbare jeans and a Minato University Athletics tee shirt. “You know what they say, honey. Beauty is pain. Besides, when you’re a mermaid princess, who needs silly things like oxygen?”
“Keep laughin’ out there, and I’m gonna cram this tiara up your ass, Akane!”
Tiara? Akane’s cheeks bulged and her lips puckered tight, but try though she might, she could not hold it in. She surrendered to another uproarious bout of laughter, kicking her legs up over the gold trim of the red plush throne on which she awaited her fiancee.
“Alright, I’m coming out, and I swear, Akane, if you laugh…”
The light mauve-colored wooden door swung outward and Ranko stepped through it, trundling several layers of massive skirts around her. The dress was a soft pink, with an even lighter, almost baby pink underskirt that was visible through the nearly waist-high slit in the front. White petticoats peeked out from underneath, just barely missing the ground thanks to the six-centimeter pink heels she wore. The waistline was cinched tighter than Akane thought possible without violating the laws of physics, and silver piping formed both a soft scoop at her neckline and a sharper chevron about her waist. The tight pink sleeves ran all the way to Ranko’s wrists, but along the entire length of her forearms, they were puffed out until they were almost the size of her head, with more of the lighter pink layer underneath showing through several vertical slits in them. Her hair waved behind her in cascades reaching to the small of her back. She wore a pair of large pearl earrings, a silver tiara inlaid with light pink costume gems, and the most immaculate makeup job Akane had ever seen. Rankos hands were clasped together as if protecting something precious between them.
Akane wanted to laugh, but when she saw her beloved so perfectly adorned, not three weeks removed from her wedding day, all she could do was smile.
“Ranko… my gods. You’re…” Akane covered her mouth with both of her hands.
Ranko’s cheeks were definitely more rosy than her dress. Be careful, Akane. Remember, they think we’re cousins. “Did I clean up okay?”
“I just… I have no words. You are so, so, so beautiful, Ranko.” Her eyes were distant and starry, as if she could not comprehend the radiance she was experiencing.
Ranko wasn’t sure whether she was blushing more because of what she was wearing, because Akane had called her beautiful, or because she didn’t want to admit that she loved it when Akane did so. If only the dress wasn’t so tight, and so, so, so damned itchy. The petticoat material wasn’t intended to be seen, so it was constructed of low-quality organza that scraped at every centimeter of her skin below the waist, which had only just recovered from the torment imposed upon it by her biological mother at a beauty salon.
“I… they won’t let me keep these on for the pictures. Could you…” Ranko reached her hands out, revealing her silver dragon bracelet and both of her engagement rings. Fortunately, the long sleeves of the dress obscured her scar well enough.
Akane nodded, unclasping the bracelet. She slipped it through both of the rings and latched it tight, putting the collected jewelry in the right pocket of her jeans. “Of course, I’ll keep them safe for you.”
The cast member that had helped Ranko dress slipped out of the changing room behind her, a bright green bundle of fabric in her arms. She swished through the costumed singer’s wide skirts as she passed. “We have a locker back here where we can put your purse and your dress while we do this, Miss Tendo.”
“Great. What do we do now?” Ranko could barely lift her arms to shrug.
Finishing the securing of Ranko’s belongings, the cast member motioned to a double door leading out to the park proper. “You greet your subjects, princess.”
Shaking her head, Ranko stepped toward the door. I mean, it’s no Firebirds, but…
The assistant reached around Ranko’s shoulder, rapping twice on the closed double doors. Not a moment later, both of them opened outward in perfect synchronization, and two tall men dressed as castle guards in blue and gold livery held the doors open. They bowed at the waist in unison as Ranko passed. She entered a large brick courtyard just in front of the massive castle dominating the center of the park, which had been roped off to create some space for the photo shoot. Several cameras, both still and video, were arrayed throughout the courtyard on tripods, as well as diffuse lighting panels and other various related equipment. Ranko’s eyes widened as she saw the sheer crush of people outside the red velvet rope; she and Akane had arrived at the park before opening, so she had never seen it when it was full of a day’s attendees.
Holy crap.
Shielding her eyes from the mid-morning sun with her left hand, Ranko stepped out to the cheers of the assembled onlookers. There was no public event scheduled, but apparently the roping off of one of the park’s main landmarks had garnered no small measure of curiosity among the park’s guests.
“Now, that’s what I call marketable.” A distinctive snicker came from Ranko’s left, and she looked up to find Nabiki smirking at her in a black-and-white striped shirt and a pair of blue jeans. She was holding a large square cardboard tub full of buttered popcorn.
Ranko turned, her eyes narrowing. “You knew they were gonna make me wear all this, didn’t you?”
Nabiki chuckled mirthfully, holding up the red and white container in her hand. “Hence the popcorn.”
“Why you…”
Ranko had only been half-kidding, but Nabiki tittered softly in reply anyway. “Hey. I knew you were living at a bar as a freakin’ pop starlet and kept my mouth shut for over a year. You owe me at least a little fun, kid sister.”
Ranko started to glower, but Nabiki waved the back of her hand at her with a shoo gesture. “Go on, you. I think you have some babies to kiss or something.”
What the… Ranko bit her tongue, starting to walk around the rope line and wave gently to the people in front. Seeing how excited they were, especially the children, made it easy to smile even through her nerves and discomfort. As she did, Akane was ushered off to the left side of the cordoned-off area to wait. Neither girl saw Nabiki motion the young cast member who had helped Ranko get dressed over to the rope line, whisper something into her ear, and slip something into her hand.
“Your Highness, we’re just about ready to start.”
Ranko kept waving to the children gathered at the velvet rope’s edge, having brief conversations with a few about what they were wearing or some other quick detail, trying to engage with as many as possible. Her smile was positively scintillating.
“Your Highness?”
Ranko blinked. Oh, shit, I think he means me!
Her face absolutely aflame, Ranko retreated to the center of the cordoned-off area, greeting a pair of young men who stood behind the cameras. “I’m sorry, guys. You’re ready for me?”
As she watched her bride work the crowd with a soft smile on her face, Akane felt a tap on her right shoulder and turned to find the cast assistant behind her. “Yes?”
The young blonde smiled brightly at Akane. “So, I hear it’s your birthday?”
Blushing, Akane nodded. “Yep! I’m twenty today.”
A wide smile came in response. “Well, happy birthday! Could you come with me for a second?” She motioned Akane with an open hand back toward the double door they had exited leading into the dressing room.
“I thought I was gonna get to watch the shoot.” Akane motioned toward Ranko, not wanting to miss a single moment of the coronation of the princess that was once Ranma Saotome.
“Oh, you will. We’ll just be a few minutes, and we’ll be right back. Please?”
Nodding slowly, Akane followed her back into the dressing room.
Ranko followed along as the photographers guided her through a series of poses, most of them involving looking off wistfully into the distance or playing with the fifteen kilograms of dress she was wearing in some way. While the mechanics of the process felt very similar to what she had gone through at Takao Tashima’s agency, there was a deference and respect about their treatment of her that gave her comfort.
This… actually isn’t all that awful. Uncomfortable as hell, but, otherw… wait. Who the fuck is that?
Ranko stepped back, watching cautiously as a tall, Western-looking man with black hair approached. He wore knee-high black riding boots over a pair of blue trousers, and a white button-down coat with large gold buttons, gold tassels draped over the shoulders, and navy blue trim at the collar and cuffs. It had white tuxedo tails draping behind him almost down to his knees. The outfit was strikingly similar to that of a character she’d seen in the preview copy of the movie that the Disney staff had sent her on VHS. She’d only just gotten to watch it last night.
“Give us just a moment, please, princess?” The photographer motioned for her to step back, and Ranko retreated to the corner of the rope line where Nabiki had entered it. Her future sister sat cross-legged on a concrete planter, enjoying her popcorn.
“Uh, Nabiki? Who the hell is that?” Ranko motioned toward the strange man, who was now posing for a series of photographs of his own.
Swallowing, Nabiki gave a devilish smirk. “You can’t very well be a princess without a prince, now, can you, Ranko? What kind of happily ever after is that?”
“Please tell me you didn’t…” Ranko looked up at her sister-to-be pleadingly.
Nabiki cackled, popping another few kernels of salty popcorn in her mouth. “Hope you’ve been working on your slow dancing, Ranko.”
Nope, just freakin’ ballet. I can’t believe this. What am I gonna… She turned to search for the one true source of security and safety in her life, but Akane was nowhere to be found.
What she did find, however, was the young man dressed as Prince Eric, offering her his hand. “Would you care to join me,” he said with a suave stage voice.
I would rather burn in the white-hot fires of hell for all eternity.
Turning her eyes back at Nabiki with disgust in her eyes, Ranko reached behind herself and placed her hand in his. She was gently led back to the arc of cameras, her eyes flashing around at them as if she expected them to begin firing poison-tipped barbs at her.
“Okay,” the lead photographer said, pulling his hands together until his fingers meshed. “How about we start with something easy. Can we get a nice hug?”
Ranko’s spine went as stiff as a board as the tall man’s arms engulfed her waist. Omigodomigodomigod… get me out of this…
“Smile, princess!”
Ranko cringed. If there was one thing that both the experience at Tashima’s and her life as the youngest of five sisters had taught her, it was that when a person behind a camera told her to smile, whatever was making her frown in the first place would not end until she did. She started trying to will her lips to curl upward as she faced the camera, terror in her unblinking eyes, but she felt a gentle hand on her right temple and looked up to meet its owner.
The young man playing the prince peered down on her with gentle eyes. “Hey. Relax. It’s just an act. I promise I’m not gonna do anything disrespectful. Just try to pretend. It’s okay.”
Ranko sighed, closing her eyes for a moment. He’s right. It’s just an act. Just like Eiji. He knows I don’t mean anything by it. He doesn’t mean anything by it. It’s not like I’m really… with… a boy. If his hands go too low, I can break them just fine, even in all this getup. Where the hell is Akane, anyway?!
Her hands trembled as she rested them on his chest, but she turned to her side and managed a passable smile as the click-click-click of rapid-fire cameras surrounded her.
“That’s great! Now, can we just get a little closer?” The photographer gave a reassuring thumbs-up.
He’s already hugging me! How the hell am I supposed to get clo… huh?
She felt the tall man’s hands on the back of her head, and he gently but firmly pulled her neck forward until her cheek rested on his sternum. It felt not unlike it did when Akane held her, and that realization sent a shiver of disgust up her spine. She managed to tensely hold the pose for a few moments while the cameras got their fill, but stepped back the second she was given permission to do so.
“Fantastic! Great job, you two. Now, Eric, can we get a bow?”
Ranko found it easier to smile as he released her and she stepped backward to give him more space. He bowed regally at his waist, his right arm resting on his abdomen as he bowed over it to the applause of several rapidly shuttering cameras.
The photographer grinned brightly. They warned me this shoot might be a little challenging. Not too bad so far, though! “Okay, and now Ariel, a curtsey?”
A what?!
Ranko reached for her skirt, trying to do what she’d seen in any number of anime, but there was just too much dress for it to be effective. How the hell do you even…
The dressing room assistant, who had been missing from the photo set for some time, approached. “Here, honey. If you pinch it here and here, you’ll be able to move it all enough to bow. Give it a try.”
They need to give you freaking classes just on how to wear these stupid dresses. I am going to murder Nabiki for this. I don’t care how fucking pretty it is.
Ranko did as she was instructed, lifting both layers of dress and all four layers of petticoats and bending at the knees as she extended her arms. She bowed her head slightly, looking down at his feet rather than having to look up into his eyes.
“That’s great! Just perfect.”
Ranko let go of her skirts, but snapped her head around as she felt someone grab and lift her left hand.
The man dressed as the prince held her hand limply in his right hand. “Absolutely enchanting to meet you, miss.” He lowered his head stiffly, kissing the back of her hand with a regal flourish.
Her skin crawled as if a swarm of rabid ferrets had been unleashed in the tight confines of her dress. You said you’d be respectful! What the fuck! How you gonna just kiss me like that, man? In front of all these people? And the cameras, too! Are you out of your damn mind?!
The young man who would be prince released her hand, giving her a low bow at the waist. “Have a wonderful afternoon.” And with that, he turned on his heel and began walking toward the double doors on the opposite side of the courtyard.
“What fresh hell do you have for me now,” Ranko asked the photographers, but it was the dressing room assistant who answered from behind her.
“Well, it doesn’t just take a prince to give a princess a happily ever after. She needs friends, too.”
What fortune cookie did you get that out of, lady? “Huh?”
As Ranko turned to face her, the blonde cast member stepped to her side with a soft smile, gesturing behind her to the wooden double doors. Behind her stood… another princess. She was the spitting image of Disney’s Cinderella, in a sparkly pastel blue ankle-length gown, immaculate makeup and a pair of what appeared to be glass shoes with two-centimeter heels. The only difference was that the young woman wasn’t blonde – in fact, her hair was jet black, and cut short around her ears.
“A… Akane? But… what…”
Akane giggled, covering her mouth with her pale blue opera-gloved hands. “They did it for my birthday. Do you like?”
Ranko grinned. “I mean, it’s no beige gi, but…” She nodded approvingly as she stepped closer, biting her lip in contemplation. “It’ll work.” She leaned in to her lover, giving Akane a tentative hug while trying not to step on either of the gowns. “Do you have any idea how bad I want to kiss you right now,” she whispered, turning into Akane’s shoulder to ensure her lips could not be read.
Akane blushed. “If you want to kiss me while I’m all dolled up, you’ll get your chance in twenty-four days, love.”
The redhead dressed as Ariel groaned with an impatient exasperation in her eyes. “That’s about twenty-four days too long.” She straightened her back, releasing Akane from her grasp with a bright blush. “I don’t know if we’ll be able to do too many rides like this.”
Akane shrugged. “I’m not as worried about that.” She smiled sweetly into her fiancee’s eyes. “There’s just something magical about all of this, just being here like this with you.”
“Well,” Ranko said, trying to ignore Nabiki’s gesturing over Akane’s shoulder to get them to pose for her Polaroid camera. “It’s your birthday, so we’ll do whatever you want. I have to do a few more pictures, and they want me to change into a different outfit first, but after that, I’m yours until the show at six.”
Shaking her head, Akane leaned forward again. “You’re gonna be mine a lot longer than that, missy.”
Ranko blushed, nodding with a soft, blissful smile. “I promise.”
“You sure?” Akane motioned off to her side at her actor companion with a mischievous smirk. “You’re not gonna leave me for some strapping prince, are ya?”
“Never.” Ranko blushed. “Come here, you. Let’s let Nabiki get some pictures before I change, or nobody will ever believe this happened.” She reached out, taking Akane’s hand and leading her to her sister’s place at the corner of the courtyard contained within the velvet rope line.
“Gotta say, you kids look cute.” Nabiki grinned, snapping photos as fast as her camera would spit out the little squares of film.
Ranko motioned over her shoulder at the door with her thumb. “Pretty sure I saw a Snow White dress back there, if you want in on this, Nabiki.”
Nabiki scoffed. “Oh, not a chance, Ran-chan. Especially not in this heat.” She rarely wore dresses or skirts anyway; Izumi had already played hell getting her to even try on her bridesmaid dress for the wedding for fitting and alterations.
“Ranko? We’re ready for you.” The singer looked up as the cast member that had helped her get dressed rested a gentle hand on her forearm.
With a nod, Ranko blushed at her bride and her sister. “Guess I’ll be back in a few?” Giving Akane a coy smile with just the right corner of her mouth, Ranko winked and turned back toward the dressing room door.
Some twenty minutes later, Ranko emerged from the dressing room again, accompanied by her Disney cast member handler. She now wore a blue-and-teal dress with a black boned corset overtop. The outfit was completed with a large blue bow perfectly matching the wrist-length sleeves of the dress. It held a portion of her hair back, which wrapped around her skull to secure the rest of her otherwise loose red coif behind her head. The outfit was finished with a pair of black ankle boots with a short heel.
“Well hey there, cute stuff.” Akane grinned as Ranko rejoined her and Nabiki near the edge of the rope line; Nabiki remained in the cordoned-off area as befit her position as Ranko’s business manager.
“Hey there yourself, your majesty.” Ranko giggled, giving Akane a little wave. “Nabiki, you wanna get a few more shots before I gotta get back to work?”
