A/N: No, this isn't a Princess Tutu twist, I just thought the quote fitted. But congrats if you recognised the quote all the same.

This is based on another fairytale story, but since the first chapter kind of gives it away, there will be no cookies - or whatever - given out for the person who guesses correctly. Yes, it's Sleeping Beauty, and although I have seen the Disney version, I am also aware of the tradition and ballet versions too. I probably will point out as I go along where the other versions come in. This is my second fanfic (my first being Lying Truths) - again, based on The Cat Returns - so please feel free to review and leave constructive critism. However, since everyone was so supportive in their reviews for Lying Truths I don't know why I'm asking, but better safe than sorry I suppose.

Wow, today's been weird. Snow, snow and more snow. Everything finished early as the snow came down; everyone was getting picked up, and the phrase "headless chickens" comes to mind. Anyway, managed to get out, and that's why this is a few hours early. Happy advent everybody, hope that wherever you are on this fine December day, it's nicer than where I am.

Right, author rant now over. You can start reading now. =^^=

Chapter 1: The Christening

Some girls are given blankets or engraved keepsakes or personalised jewellery for their christening. Not Haru. But then, curses are not what you'd commonly give to a baby girl. It's not what many people would call a 'good start' to life.

But she wasn't just given a curse, she was given blessings as well.

The affair – the christening of Haru Yoshioka – was a grand event. A typical princess christening, where the young princess was presented to the court and kingdom. Where the baby girl was cooed over by royals from other kingdoms, and just about everyone important received an invitation. It wasn't expected to be different from any other celebration.

"Oh, she is just adorable," fussed Rei Itsuki.

Naoko stood beside the crib of her child, smiling. "Isn't she just? We've invited the fairies to arrive around now to bestow gifts on her, I assume you're staying for that?"

"Most certainly." Rei tickled the baby princess's cheek, making her giggle. "I wouldn't miss this for the world, certainly not for my goddaughter's christening."

"You're sure you're fine about being her godmother?"

The taller woman laughed, waving it away. "It would be an honour to be the godmother of my best friend's baby girl."

Naoko picked up Haru in her arms, gently rocking her so that the baby was lulled to sleep. "Speaking about children, how's Machida doing?"

"About the same for any infant boy. I think Jirou's still in shock at being a father, and you'd think he'd get over it by now."

"If it helps, Daichi is also taking time to get used to the idea of being a father. You're not alone."

Rei laughed again. "Daichi never was an automatic father, was he?"

Naoko leaned over to her life-long friend. "Not really. I know we have maids and nurses and all, but from the fuss he makes, you'd think I'd ask him to do all the jobs. However, he's trying his best. He was born to be a king, not a father."

"Is that the excuse he gives?"

"He loves our daughter, and that's what really matters."

"I know, I know."

The lights round the hall flickered several times dramatically, thunder rolling round, despite the clear day outside.

"Oh, here come the fairies," said Naoko. "I asked them not to be over-theatrical. But, it seems my request went unnoticed. Again."

"Did you send invitations to them all?"

"Almost."

"What do you mean 'almost'?"

"I mean we didn't get an invitation to them all. We missed Sora."

"You did what?" hissed Rei.

"She hasn't been seen for fifty years," the redhead mother muttered quietly so not to raise interest from nearby people or to wake Haru. "We tried to track her down, but no one knows where she is. Or even if she's still alive."

"She better be dead," Rei grumbled, "or she'll never forgive you for this."

"Rei!"

"What? It's true. You'd be better off with her dead, so she can't cause any trouble over the fact she's been forgotten."

"She hasn't been forgotten," Naoko corrected through gritted teeth. "We just couldn't find her."

"She'll count that as forgotten. You know the stories of what she last did the last time she was uninvited to such a major event."

Naoko gripped her child closer. "She's not turning Haru into a swan."

"No, she might have thought of something worse in the fifty years she's been absent."

"Thank you, Rei, you're really helping."

Their whispered discussion was brought to an end by two fairies appearing in the middle of the court, their light temporarily flooding the hall before dimming to its usual level.

"And they're showing off again," sighed Naoko.

Rei was more bothered by something else though. She nudged her friend. "Naoko, there are four main christening fairies... who's missing apart from Sora?"

Naoko sighed again. "That'll be Hiromi. She's still got the mentality of a teenager, I swear. She's probably going to be late. As usual."

The smaller of the two present fairies stepped forward and bowed to the young king and queen. "Kotone," she introduced herself. She wore a light sun-yellow dress with matching-coloured wings and had a lilting, melody voice. "I deal with music."

Naoko nodded and placed Haru into the crib, stepping back to let the fairy do her work. The christening fairies, as they were commonly called, were known for bestowing gifts upon princesses or princes when they were summoned to such events. Four gifts – beauty, musical talent, kindness and wit. Four gifts, one from each of the fairies.

Kotone stood over the baby, smiling contentedly at the girl. "Princess, my gift is the gift of song. Singing and music shall come to you as easily as walking or speaking and your abilities will be well known throughout the kingdom. Your voice will be compared to the nightingale and your music to the melody of the dawn chorus."

Naoko smiled at the fairy's words, and Rei grinned across at her. Everything was going fine.

The second fairy came forward, her face more sincere. She was stunningly beautiful, her eyes a captivating forest green and her cheeks a delicate shade of pink, like a china doll. Her dress was more styled to her figure, a rose-red colour and low-slung at the back to let her wings flutter free, which were also the same scarlet shade as the dress. She lowered her head respectfully to the king and queen. "I'm Masami," she said softly and walked over to the crib. Her jade eyes softened as she saw the girl. "To you, I bestow the gift of beauty. You shall be as radiant as the morning sun, a jewel of the palace."

Rei's grin widened and she – rather unorthodoxly – sent Naoko a thumbs-up from across the front of the hall. Naoko smiled at the informality of her friend, rolling her eyes gently.

The lights flickered again, accompanied by a greater peal of thunder than before, making several of the guests jump. Daichi walked over to his wife, placing a hand on her shoulder. "That should be Hiromi," he said.

She frowned and shook her head. "No, I don't think so. Hiromi could never be bothered with the light show."

Daichi's grip tightened. "But then that leaves only one other christening fairy..."

In the middle of the hall, another fairy appeared, but instead of flooding the room with radiance, like her predecessors had done, the room fell into darkness. Panic began to seep through the court, but the light returned before full alarm could break out. Now there stood a tall, slim fairy, in a long, icy white gown and pale, frosty blue wings. "Why was I forgotten?" she demanded, her voice low but able to sweep the entirety of the room. "Why was I ignored?"

Naoko stepped in front of her child. "It was my fault, Sora," she said quickly. "We couldn't find you, please don't punish our daughter for our mistake."

"Someone needs to pay for this insult," growled Sora. "I will not stand by and allow this offence to go by disregarded!"

"Please, Sora, don't harm Haru. Anything, but that," Naoko begged. "I will do anything."

Haru? Is that her name?" The fairy flittered around the mother to the cot. "What a pretty name." Her fingers curled around the side of the crib.

"If you dare harm her–" shouted Daichi, running up to Sora.

Sora sighed and flicked her wrist, sending a bolt of lightning from her fingers into the father's chest. He was thrown back into the wall and slumped to the ground. "Don't worry; I'm not planning on harming her... yet anyway. Maybe in eighteen years," she simpered.

Naoko hesitated, torn between running to her husband and running to her child. There were tears welling in her eyes. "Please, not my baby," she whimpered.

Sora gave the child a cold stare. "Little princess... I have a special gift for you. You will indeed become beautiful and talented, and all that which Masami and Kotone said but before your eighteenth birthday, you will prick your finger and die." She turned to Naoko. "There. I've been very good to you; you'll have eighteen wonderful years with your daughter now." She laughed and disappeared.

Naoko screamed and ran to the cot, cradling the child in her arms. Rei came to stand beside her. "We have time, we can prevent this from happening."

The redhead was holding her daughter to her chest, shaking her head. Her eyes widened and she darted across to Daichi, still holding her child. There was a cry from the young queen as she knelt over the limp body of her husband. "No! No, please, no!"

Rei closed her eyes sorrowfully, imagining her own grief if Jirou had been the one lying broken on the floor.

A hand gently clasped Naoko's shoulder. "I'm sorry," a young voice said. "I really am."

Naoko looked up to see another fairy standing beside her. "Hiromi, you made it." She suddenly stood up. "You can undo Sora's spell!"

Hiromi looked pityingly upon the newly-formed widow. "I cannot. Sora has more magic, she is more experienced than me."

"You must be able to do something!"

The fairy saw the young woman's grief, and her heart cried out. "I will try," she said softly and took the child from Naoko. She placed Haru into the crib, watching the baby who was oblivious to the curse she'd been given. "Haru, you will indeed prick your finger before your eighteenth birthday, but you will not die. Instead you will fall into a deep sleep, as will all in the castle, and sleep you will for a hundred years until a prince wakes you with a kiss. That is my gift."

Naoko returned to the cradle. "A hundred years?"

"I'm sorry," apologised Hiromi, "but Sora's magic is so strong, that's the shortest I can make it. I cannot do anything more."

Rei turned to the young fairy. "Wait, aren't you the fairy that bestows kindness upon people?"

Hiromi nodded. "Yes, but I can only give one gift, and that was used to soften the blow of Sora's curse. If you want her to be kind, then you must teach that into her yourselves. It might be better for her that way anyway."

Rei gave a sad smile. "I'll make sure she learns to be." She hugged Naoko who was still sobbing. "Naoko, we can't give in yet."

"Daichi's dead, my daughter's cursed, what can I do?"

"As I said, we have time. We can make sure Haru will never be able to prick her finger. We can make sure she'll be perfectly safe so that Sora's curse can never come true."

Naoko nodded tearfully, but to her side Hiromi's heart moved with sympathy. Sora's curses were too strong to be put off by simple safety precautions. Haru would certainly prick her finger before the end of her eighteenth birthday, no matter how hard her family tried otherwise.

It was going to be a long eighteen years.