Liar, Liar, the Mage's Desire Vol. 1 (A New Oumeno)

A DanganFairy tale: Himipunzel (11)

   "Well, okay, then," Kaitonius said. "Guards, unshackle the prisoners!" The guards released Kichi and Tenkodil from their shackles. Tenkodil ran to Himipunzel to give her a hug. 

   "Himipunzel, you don't have to do this!" she cried.

   "Nyeh...if it'll keep you and Kichi safe, I'll do it," Himipunzel replied. Tenkodil looked at her with tears in her eyes. Kichi walked up to her with a proud smile.

   "I'm proud of ya, Punz," he said. 

   "Ugh...all of this is making sick," Queen Makiana scoffed. 

   "YOU'RE NOT TAKING MY SISTER AWAY FROM ME!!!" Tenkodil suddenly shouted. She did a twirl/kick combo and knocked out the guards. Then, she grabbed Himipunzel's wrist and ran away with her out the throne room with Kichi following behind.

   "H-Hey! Come back!" Kaitonius shouted. 

   "They're not coming back, you idiot," Makiana sighed. "Just get the other guards to go after them."

   "I know that!" Kaitonius pouted. "And don't call me an idiot! That hurts my feelings!" Soon the guards began to chase the trio around the castle until they came to two different stairways that led in different directions.

   "Which way do we go? Which way do we go?!" Tenkodil asked frantically. Kichi sighed and rolled his eyes. 

  "You and I will take this stairway," he responded, pointing to the stairway on the right. "Punz, you take the other. We're really the ones they want, so we'll lead them away from you while you find a way to escape, okay?" Himipinzel nodded fearfully.

   "Um...Kichi?" she asked shyly.

   "Yeah?"

  "Well, I uh-" she began. 

  "There they are!" A guard shouted, pointing at them. 

   "No time! Let's split up!" Kichi said. They went their separate ways and, as Kichi had predicted, the guards followed him and Tenkodil. Himipunzel took the stairway that led her to the top of a wall outside the castle that led from one part of it to another. Looking down, she could see Kichi and Tenkodil being chased by the guards until they were completely surrounded. 

   "Kichi! Tenkodil! Up here!" Himipunzel shouted at them. Kichi and Tenkodil looked up to see Himipunzel letting her hair down for them to climb. Tenkodil grabbed her hair first and began to climb with Kichi right behind her. The guards followed suit and began climbing as well. Tenkodil soon reached the top of the wall, but Kichi was holding back a bit, looking down at the guards every few seconds who were quickly inching their way to him. Kichi looked up at Himipunzel who was looking at him expectantly. Kichi reached into his pocket and brought out the rapunzel flower he had shown her back at the inn. He reached it out to her.

   "Himipunzel, I need you to take this," he said. 

   "B-But, Kichi, it's for your friends," Himipunzel said. "I can't take it from you."

   "Take it to them," Kichi continued as if she hadn't spoken. He looked down frantically at the guards who climbed closer and closer. "There's a small cottage in the Dreary Forest outside the kingdom of Haru. Go there and give this to them...for me."

   "But...what about you?!" Himipunzel asked Kichi as she reluctantly took the flower. 

   "Himipunzel, you're the sweetest person I ever met," Kichi said. "Promise me you'll never change."

   "I p-promise, but..." Himipunzel replied, tears forming in her eyes. Kichi smiled peacefully back at her. He leaned in close to Himipunzel as if her were about to kiss her until he pulled a small knife from his pocket and cut her hair which was now shoulder-length. Kichi, along with the guards, were sent plunging from a great height to their death.

   "KICHIIIII!!!!" Himipunzel screamed out in desperation, tears now streaming from her eyes. She ran back down the stairs and out of the castle to where the guards lay dead on the ground. Because Kichi was above the guards when they all fell, he ended up landing on one of them, which broke his fall, but not enough to survive. Himipunzel found him rolling from on top of the guard and onto the ground. She ran to him. He was wheezing and coughing up some blood. 

   "Kichi! Kichi!" Himipunzel frantically knelt beside him and lay his head on her lap. "You're okay, you're okay. I have the power to heal, remember? I just don't know how. But if you stay alive long enough for me to figure it out, I can-"

   "Himi..punzel..." Kichi wheezed. 

   "Wh-What?" Himipunzel whispered tearfully.

   "Tell...me...a joke," Kichi responded. Himipunzel opened her mouth to speak, but she shut it again in thought. 

   "Um...why did the girl with the long hair fall for the jester?" Himipunzel asked in a shaky whisper. 

  "Wh-Why?" Kichi coughed.

   "Because he fell for her first," Himipunzel finished, her lip trembling. "W-Was that okay?" Kichi gave her a faint smile.

  "It's...the best one...I've ever heard..." he whispered. "Because...it's true. I...love y-hhhhh." He let out a final breath as death took hold of him. 

   "Kichi! Kichi! No! Come back!" Himipunzel pleaded. "Please, please, please! Don't leave me!" She sobbed as she brought her forehead close to his. Tears fell onto Kichi's face and seemed to dissolve into his skin. "Please! I love you!" Tenkodil walked slowly up to Himipunzel and watched her holding Kichi with sadness. All was silent for a few moments as Himipunzel sobbed over Kichi. As Tenkodil watched, she suddenly noticed Kichi's limbs twitching. 

   "Himipunzel!" Tenkodil whispered to her sister, gripping her shoulder. Himipunzel looked up at Tenkodil and noticed her pointing to Kichi. The blood in Kichi's mouth began to disappear, and she heard Kichi breathing, his breaths become more steady and strong each second.

   "K-Kichi?" Himipunzel whispered with faint excitement. Kichi looked up blearily at Himipunzel.

   "Hey, Punz," he whispered. "Did I ever tell you I got a thing for short-haired girls?"

   "KICHI!!!" Himipunzel laughed gleefully and jumped into his arms. She embraced him before giving him a big kiss on his lips. He was surprised at first, but he kissed her back, gently holding the back of her head against his.