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Rapunzel	By : Johnnyjosh Category: +S to Z > Saint Seiya Views: 2309 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Saint Seiya, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 1
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Rapunzel

By: Johnnyjosh aka Zoicyte
Maxwell

Rating: R/NC-17

Fandom: Saint Seiya.�

Pairings: Ikki/?, ?/Shun.

Warnings: Yaoi, lemon, lime,
language.

Notes: Parody, fusion, AU,
OOC, TWT, PWP, general weirdness.�
Again, another of JJ�s fabulously fractured fairy tales. *chuckles* Just
when you thought it was safe to start reading fanfiction again.

Disclaimer: I don�t own Saint
Seiya, or the tale of Rapunzel.

Archived: Aff.net, MM.org,
geocities.com/johnnyjosh/index.html.�
All others, ask first, and no MST�ing.

Summary:�� I�m sure you�re all familiar with the tale
by now, aren�t you?� Rapunzel, locked
away in the tower by the wicked witch?�
Who will save our dear Rapunzel?��
(Better yet, who did I, in my infinite weirdness, cast as
Rapunzel?)� Read, and find out, if you
dare...

�Speaking�

*Thoughts*

~~oOo~~ Change of scene or
POV.

~~oOo~~

�� Once upon a time, long ago, in a land far away, lived a
woodcutter and his wife who, although they were content together, were never
truly happy.� For their fondest wish, to
have a child, had never been granted.�

��

�� Finally, after several years of longing for a child of
their own, their wish was granted, and the couple couldn�t have been happier,
or more excited.� They busily prepared
for their new arrival, the months seeming to speed by.� They were so busy with their preparations,
they didn�t even give a moment�s thought to the wicked sorceress, whose castle
sat just off in the distance.

�� Their cottage sat
just outside the border of Saori�s lands, which were surrounded by a high
fence, which was constantly overrun with climbing weeds and thick bramble.� The only glimpse to be had past that fence
was from the upper floor of the cottage, in the second bedroom, now set up for
their new baby.� From this window, one
could look out and see into the beautiful garden the sorceress kept, its
enchanted beauty and succulent vegetables were for her enjoyment alone.�

�� The wife would while away the hours of her days knitting
and sewing clothes for her baby, and then take them up to the nursery.� Every time she did, the woman would turn and
look out her window, sighing as she gazed longingly at the vegetable
garden.�� She was especially interested
in the lush bed of rampion, which looked so green, and so fresh, the wife
wished she could have some for herself.��
This began to happen more frequently, until the wife began to spend more
and more time staring out the window, longing for the vegetables, but knowing
better than to send her husband to try and beg some from the sorceress, for the
woman was notoriously selfish, vain, and cruel, never sharing anything she had
with anyone else.� Saddened by this, the
wife began to pine away, refusing to eat anything, merely desiring the rampion
she observed from the window, for several days.

�� Finally, in desperation, the woodcutter slipped out of the
house, under cover of night, climbed the fence, and took some of the rampion
from Saori�s garden.� He presented it to
his wife, and she was so happy, the color returned to her face, as did her
smile, as she quickly made a salad with it, and finally ate, much to her
husband�s relief.�

�� But the man�s relief was to be short-lived, for after her
meal of ill-gotten vegetables from Saori�s garden, the wife only desired it
twice as badly, and once again the woman refused to eat anything else.� The next night, the poor man was forced to
once again slip out, under cover of darkness, and scale the fence to sneak into
the sorceress� garden.� This time,
however, the man wasn�t so lucky, just as he�d filled a small basket with
rampion and turned to escape over the wall, there, before him, stood three
figures.� One was the sorceress Saori,
in a dress of shimmering white, which all but glowed in the moonlight as it
moved with the gentle breeze blowing through the garden.� Her henchman, Tatsumi, a tall, bald man with
beady eyes and a dour expression stood beside her, and on the sorceress� other
side stood a young boy she�d taken as one of her reputed magical warriors,
named Jabu.� The boy was surly, and even
at his tender age, wore an arrogant smirk.

�� What is the meaning of this?�� Saori�s voice was soft, little more than a whisper.

�� Tatsumi smirked,
while Jabu punched one fist into his palm.�
But it wasn�t either of them the husband feared.� No, it was Saori herself, who stood calm and
still as the wind made her long, violet hair billow around her, that frightened
him.� Her expression was serene, almost
benign, but the man wasn�t fooled by it, not one bit.� He knew that the sorceress could be at her most cruel when her
expression was the most sweet.�

�� Please, Saori,� he begged, dropping the basket and sinking
to his knees, bowing down in front of the woman.� �I am sorry I took from your garden without asking your
permission...�� He went on to tell her
about his wife, and how she longed for the rampion that only grew in Saori�s
garden, and how she had refused to eat anything else for days, even though she
was with child.� �In order to ensure her
and our babe�s health, I had to take the rampion, so my wife would finally eat
something.�� He kept his head down,
shoulders hunched as silence greeted his tale, the only sounds in the garden
those of the wind rustling through the nearby bushes, and his own heavy
breathing.� �Please, I am sorry.� Have mercy, Saori.� I promise we will never trouble you again, and...we�ll pay you
for the rampion any way we can.��

�� After a few moments, a smile curled Saori�s lips, and even
Tatsumi and Jabu shied away from her at the sight of it.� The husband looked up, and gasped in fright,
his face paling at the almost joyous expression on the woman�s face.�

��

�� Oh, you will pay, of that you can be certain,� Saori�s
indigo eyes narrowed as she spoke.� �I
should kill you where you stand for daring to steal from me as you have,� she
murmured, stepping forward, a faint, golden glow surrounding her slender body,
as the sorceress placed one long finger under the man�s chin and tilted his
head up, forcing him to look at her.�
�But I will not.� Instead, your
wife may have as much rampion from my garden as she likes.��

�� The husband�s brown eyes widened in fear, for he knew the
woman was up to something, and it must be very dire indeed, if she was making
such a generous offer.� �You...would
allow this?�� His voice came out little
more than a squeak. �

�� Yes, certainly I will.�
In return, when her child is born, I will come and claim it, seeing as
it was my rampion, and my magic that went into cultivating it, that keeps both
mother and child healthy.�� She chuckled
as the man�s expression turned to one of shock.� �Yes, I knew before tonight about your wife�s frail health.� My magic will see to it that all goes
well.� Therefore, in a way, I will be as
much the child�s mother as she is.��

�� But-� the husband spoke, but was cut off as Jabu stepped
forward, and fisted one hand in the man�s hair.�

�� Saori�s offer is more than fair!� You�re a fool to question her!��
The youth raised his other fist, meaning to strike the poor man, but one
slender, graceful hand over his fist stopped him.�

�� Jabu, you�re annoying,� Saori said softly.� �Lower your voice.� We wouldn�t want to disturb his sleeping wife, would we?��

�� No, of course not.�
I am sorry.� Jabu bowed deeply, stepping back and allowing her to
speak.�

�� My servant is correct.�
My offer is very fair.� I will
ensure that nothing goes wrong for your wife during both pregnancy, and
delivery, and she may have all of not just the rampion, but any vegetables she
likes from my garden,� Saori said quietly.�
�I will have Jabu bring an assortment every three days for both of
you.� When the child is born, I will
come to claim it, then our business will be finished, and any future children
will be your own, so long as you never try to steal from me again.��

�� My wife...she would never allow such a thing.� I cannot agree to it,� the husband said,
tears in his eyes.�

�� You have a choice to make then.� Either you agree to this, and I allow you to leave, or you refuse
my generous offer, and you will not leave here alive,� the sorceress snapped,
eyes flashing with anger.�

�� The husband, in his distress, realized the choice he must
make, for he knew if Saori killed him his wife would surely not survive on her
own, with a child to raise by herself.�
The woman�s health was rather frail, and they were already worried about
how she would fare during childbirth.�
�I...very well,� he sighed, letting his head fall forward as his tears
fell.�

�� Then the bargain is struck, tomorrow there will be
vegetables on your doorstep, and your wife will be blessed with the best health
possible through the rest of her pregnancy.�
I will personally oversee the delivery,� Saori said, before she vanished
in a flash of golden light, leaving her henchmen to escort the husband back to
the cottage.�

�� Once inside, the poor man sat down at the kitchen table and
wept bitter tears, knowing he�d have to tell his wife the horrible news, first
thing in the morning.�

~~oOo~~

�� From that day on there was no joy in the woodcutter�s
cabin, only a deep sense of sadness, and foreboding, as the day of their baby�s
arrival drew near.� True to her word,
Saori had sent her henchman, Jabu, every three days to their doorstep with a
large basket, laden with fresh fruits and vegetables, particularly the rampion
the wife loved so much.� And though the
woman had sworn she would eat nothing that came from the sorceress, she found
herself compelled to consume all the rampion, and half of the other fruits and
vegetables in the basket, the other half she always left for her husband.� Both the husband and wife realized the poor
woman was indeed being forced to eat, no doubt by some spell of Saori�s, in
order to keep them in her debt, and further urge them to keep their part of the
bargain.� Also, just as Saori had
promised, the wife was in perfect health all through her pregnancy.� She seemed to radiate a sense of well being,
even though her eyes were pained, and her expression was sad.��

�� Finally, the time had come for their child to be born.� This day was horribly frightening for the
woodcutter and his wife, for Tatsumi and Jabu forced open the door to their
cabin, and pulled the husband from the home, as Saori slowly stepped inside,
her smile wide, and full of terrible promise.�
The hapless woodcutter fought valiantly against Tatsumi and Jabu,
wanting to get back into the house to see what the sorceress was doing to his
wife, for after an initial cry of pain from the woman, there had been no
further sounds from inside.� All sorts
of disturbing images came to the husband�s mind, each more frightening and
horrifying than the last.�

�� After what seemed like hours, there came a thin, reedy cry
from inside the cabin.� The baby was
born.� After a few moments, Saori
appeared in the doorway, a small bundle cradled in her arms.� �The boy is mine,� she said softly, glancing
up at the woodcutter with a neutral expression.� �Our bargain is fulfilled.�
Your wife will be able to carry children from now on without worrying so
about her health.�� A wicked smirk
settled on her lips, as Saori�s gaze fell back to the babe in her arms. ��Of course, should she have need of my garden
again, don�t hesitate to ask, my terms will be the same.��

�� A horrible thought struck the woodcutter then, as Jabu and
Tatsumi escorted the sorceress back to her castle. *She...it was her, she
planted the desire in my wife for that rampion, cursed her so that she wouldn�t
eat anything else.� This was all
just...� Just some kind of wicked plot,
to garner herself a child!*� He raced
inside, charging up the stairs to find his wife curled up on the soiled sheets,
head turned down as she wept bitterly.��
He gently helped her to the bath, and left her to clean herself up, as
helpless anger filled the woodcutter, and he began to remove or destroy any
traces of the once joyous event from their home.� He also boarded over the windows that had afforded the view of
the wicked sorceress� garden, in the hopes that nothing like this would ever
happen again.

�� Saori named the boy Rapunzel, which of course meant
rampion, a fitting, and ironic name, considering how she had planned to acquire
herself a new warrior and servant.� He
was a healthy, happy baby, with ebony hair, and piercing blue eyes, but even as
a small child, Rapunzel had a rather nasty temper, seeming to take an instant
dislike to the sorceress and her minions, particularly Tatsumi.�

~~oOo~~

�� Several months later, the woodcutter and his wife found
themselves with another child on the way.�
Terrified that their earlier tragedy would recur, the husband took his
wife away to stay with her sister and brother-in-law for the duration of her
pregnancy.� He refused to allow Saori to
get her hands on any of his children, ever again.� When their second son was born, this one much fairer and more
delicate than their first child, they were still afraid to return to their home
with him, for fear that Saori might try to find some way to enchant them, or
the boy and take him from them, as well.�
So, despite the wife�s pleas to be able to keep him, the woodcutter left
their son to live with his aunt and uncle for the time being, until some way
could be found to rescue their firstborn son from the sorceress� clutches.�

�� Though the couple was devastated at having to return to an
empty home, once again childless, they took some comfort in the fact that they
could go and visit their second child whenever they liked, and the knowledge
that the boy was being raised in a loving home, rather than being manipulated
by the evil sorceress.�

�� The woodcutter and his wife were never troubled by the
sorceress in the years following the birth of their children, but every so
often, despite the risks, the man would make his way past the fence, and skulk
around the grounds, incurring Saori�s wrath as he knew all-too-well, just for
the occasional glimpse of his son.� He
would bring back to his wife the news that their son was already growing tall,
and strong, with his father�s features, but his mother�s thick, jet-black hair,
and light eyes.� He had a fierce
countenance whenever Saori or her servants were nearby, yet he was still
capable of mustering up a handsome smile when left alone to roam the grounds
and enjoy their beauty and tranquility as he pleased.��

�� He saw some of the harsh training the boy was put through,
as Saori�s henchmen and even the sorceress herself taught him to fight, and made
him learn strange fire magic that frightened the woodcutter terribly.� The man watched in awe during one of the
training sessions as his son conjured a huge firebird and sent it hurtling
toward his opponent, the apparition leaving a huge, scorched crater in its
wake.

�� One day, the woodcutter left a present for his young son on
the bench, beneath a huge willow tree just at the edge of a thick forest.� He knew the boy often went there to sit and
reflect, and that Saori and her henchmen wouldn�t bother him there, so his gift
wouldn�t be found and confiscated.� He
knew this would have to be his last visit for a while, because Jabu had nearly
caught him the last time.� It seemed Saori
was aware of his visits, and he was afraid to incur her wrath again, lest she
take it out on his son.�

�� He set a small, silver locket on the bench.� Inside it was a tiny picture of the
woodcutter, his wife, and their second son, and on the other side, engraved in
tiny letters, was the name that Rapunzel was supposed to have been given when
he was born, as well as a short message:

�� *Ikki, we will bring you home.*�

�� The man didn�t dare stay to talk to his son just yet, for
he knew that if he did, he wouldn�t be able to leave without bringing the boy
with him.� He wanted to find some way to
ward off the sorceress, keep her from trying to come after his family when he
did take his son back and flee.�

�� Rapunzel wandered out of the woods a short time later to
find the locket glinting in the sun.� He
picked it up and studied it with a skeptical expression, certain that Saori was
trying to bribe her way into his private place.� She had allowed Rapunzel this place to be alone when he felt the
need for quite some time now, because the boy would throw terrible fits of
rage, utilizing the powers bestowed on him to wreak havoc if the sorceress and
her henchmen didn�t give him time to himself.�

�� What is this, and why would you think some little trinket
would be enough to buy your way into my sanctuary?�� Rapunzel scowled fiercely, closing his fist around the locket as
if to crush it.�

�� Ah, Rapunzel, there you are,� Saori called, standing off
to the boy�s left, well back from the line of flowers planted around the area,
a kind of unspoken border that neither Saori or her servants crossed if they
could help it.� Her blue eyes narrowed
slightly as she saw the chain hanging from his hand.� She was well aware that the boy�s father had come and left that
here, and she had no intention of letting him try to lure what promised to be
her finest warrior away.� �Hm, I see you
found that chintzy little thing.� Why
don�t you give it to me, and I�ll get rid of it.� Such a thing doesn�t suit one such as you.� I shall find something much more fitting,�
she said quietly, holding out one slender, graceful hand as a faint golden aura
surrounded her body.

�� Rapunzel felt a tug on the chain, and looked over at the
woman, one eyebrow raised. *She�s trying to take it away.� From the look on her face, I don�t think
this was from her at all.� But, if not
her, then...* He grasped the chain securely, quickly opening the locket.� He heard the angry sound that came from the
sorceress, but paid it no heed as the picture inside the locket was seared into
his memory, of a man, a woman, and a small boy with emerald hair and huge,
teal-colored eyes.� There was also a
message on the other side, and he just barely read it, before the locket was
torn from his grasp by Saori�s magic, hurtling across the clearing and into her
palm, where it erupted into brilliant blue flames, and was reduced to ash.�

�� What is the meaning of this?� Who are they, and why does it say �Ikki�?� he demanded,
brandishing a fist and glaring at the sorceress.� �You told me my parents were dead, and you took me in.� Yet, I see the people in that picture--they
are my family, aren�t they?� What did
you do, steal me from them?� Is that why
it says they will bring me home?� My
name isn�t even Rapunzel, is it?!��

�� You little fool, if you would have just given it to me,
none of this would have happened,� Saori sighed, closing her eyes for a
moment.� �Now I can see that I won�t be
able to use you at all.� You are much
too headstrong to suit my purposes.��
She turned away from the boy then, arms folded, expression
thoughtful.� �Yet, because of the
bargain, I cannot just let you go,� a nasty smile settled on pale pink lips as
the sorceress turned to regard Rapunzel with narrowed eyes.� �Very well then, I�ll just have to keep you
confined for the rest of your days.� You
still belong to me, regardless of whether I can actually use you or not.��

�� Rapunzel�s shoulders hunched, the boy falling into a
defensive stance, but he was unprepared for the blast of golden light that shot
from Saori�s hands, knocking him unconscious.�

~~oOo~~

�� When Rapunzel awoke, several hours later, he was surprised
to find himself in a large, circular room, furnished with everything that had
been contained in his old room, inside Saori�s palace.� All his books, the instruments she�d tried
to teach him to play when he was younger, his clothing, the bed, even his two
pets were here with him.� The raven he�d
rescued after it broke a wing, the poor bird still couldn�t fly long distances,
therefore it had chosen to stay with him, and the scruffy, tail-less cat he�d
rescued from Jabu�s cruel treatment.�
�Where...where am I?� He groaned, sitting up and rubbing the back of his
head.�

�� This is your new home, Rapunzel, or would you prefer I
call you Ikki?� You are such a stubborn
boy.� I know now if I leave you to your
own devices, you�ll just try to escape, so now this will be where you spend the
rest of your days.�� Saori stepped out
of the shadows, her expression grim.�
�You are at the top of the south tower, and there are no doors to escape
from.��

�� Ikki looked around quickly, eyes widening as he realized
she was right.� �But...if there are no
doors, what do you intend to do?� I�ll
die without food or water, you can�t just lock me up like this!��

�� Oh, don�t worry, Tatsumi will be sent to climb the tower
when needed, with enough food for several days at a time.� I�ll see to anything else you need that he
can�t carry up,� Saori said, striding over and looking out the window, down to
the ground far below.�

�� Ikki growled as he stepped up beside her, still a full head
shorter than Saori, therefore he had to climb up a bit to look out the
window.� �That idiot�s going to manage
to climb all the way up here?� How will
he do it?� There�s no ladder, not even
decent hand or foot-holds!��

�� Saori merely gave the boy a patient smile, reaching out and
setting one hand on the top of his head. �Yes, I already thought of that,
hence, with a little magic, you will provide the ladder for him to climb.�� As she spoke, her hand began to glow, and
Ikki reached up to scratch frantically at his scalp, which had begun to
tingle.�

�� What are you doing!� The boy bellowed, blue eyes widening
as he felt his normally close-cropped hair was already down past his shoulders,
and growing longer every second.�

�� As I said, Ikki, you�ll be providing Tatsumi with the
ladder with which to climb up here, and deliver your food and water.�� Saori smiled, taking a step back, her
still-glowing hand held up in front of her as Ikki�s hair began to pool on the
floor at their feet.�

�� Ikki looked down and gave a horrified shriek as he saw the
mass of hair accumulating on the floor, spreading further as his ebony locks
continued to grow.� �What the hell are
you doing?!� I�m not a girl, you can�t
do this to me!�� The boy tugged on his
hair, casting about frantically for something sharp with which to cut it
off.�

�� Don�t think of cutting it off, Ikki,� Saori warned
him.� �For Tatsumi will be your only
source of food.� If he can�t reach you,
you will die.��

�� The boy growled fiercely, and ran at Saori, intent on
attacking her, but, unfortunately, he forgot to mind his hair, and ended up
sprawled at her feet after tripping on it.�

�� You will use this,� she pointed to a long length of wood
jutting out from one side of the window frame.�
�Wrap your hair around this when you toss it out, that way it won�t
cause you so much pain when he climbs up.�
Oh, and if you had thoughts of escaping using your own hair, don�t.� The window is enchanted so that others may
come and go, but you may not leave.�
Only this length of hair will be permitted outside the tower.� ��
The sorceress� expression turned almost sad then, as she reached down
and patted Ikki�s head, the gesture making the rapid hair growth cease.� �It�s really too bad you had to find out
about things like that, you can blame your father and his stubbornness, his
refusal to let you go, for your pitiful fate.�
Now, because of him, you can�t have your freedom.� But I�ll make sure the rest of your days are
as comfortable as possible,� she murmured, before disappearing in a flash of
golden light.�

�� Ikki struggled to his feet, leaning out the window, tears
of rage and frustration in his eyes as he shouted; �Saori, you bitch, you�ll
pay for this!��

�� After raging, crying, and screaming himself hoarse, the boy
finally slumped onto his bed, taking little comfort from the scruffy cat that
jumped up next to him, nuzzling his cheek as it meowed mournfully, then curled
up beside him.

�� As promised, later that day Tatsumi came to stand at the
bottom of the tower, calling for Ikki to throw down his hair so the man could
climb up, but in his anger, the boy refused.�
For three days he shouted curses and insults down at the man every time
he came to the tower, until finally, weak from hunger and thirst, he relented,
deciding perhaps it was best to keep his strength up, and try to find a way
out.��

~~oOo~~

�� Five long, lonely years passed, years which saw Ikki grow
into a tall, handsome lad of thirteen, with broad shoulders, and steely blue
eyes that had learned to observe the world around him keenly, like the raven he
sent out daily to bring back interesting things from the outside world.� He�d taken to braiding his extraordinarily
long hair, finding it easier to manage if it was kept bound, rather than
trailing loose around the large, circular room.� He would only undo it when it was time for one of Saori�s
henchmen to deliver his supplies.�� True
to her word, the sorceress had provided food and water, books, writing
materials and other things to keep his mind occupied.� She also gave him clothing, and a large, claw-footed tub that
would fill at regular intervals with hot water and bubbles for him to bathe in,
then be drained and clean moments after he was finished.�

�� Those years were just as lonely for the woodcutter and his
wife, for the man had taken to slipping through the fences, and onto Saori�s
lands once again, to check on his son.�
But, no matter how hard he searched, he couldn�t find any trace of the
boy.� Even the bench at the edge of the
woods where Ikki used to come to find quiet and solitude had been broken, and
nearly buried under the weeds that had taken over the once-beautiful little
garden.�

�� The only conclusion they could draw was that Saori must
have sent their son off for training, in a far away land, as she had with her
other warriors.� The woodcutter and his
wife were greatly saddened by this, yet they refused to give up hope that
someday they would get their firstborn son back.�

�� That summer, despite the woodcutter�s apprehension, their
second son, Shun, came to stay with them.�
He had grown into a fair, gentle lad, with flowing, emerald hair that
fell past his slender shoulders, and sparkling teal-green eyes that danced with
love and laughter.�

�� Shun was curious about his parents, and why he had never
before been allowed to come home to live with them.� He argued that at twelve, he had the right to know the truth, and
so, with more than a little trepidation, the woodcutter and his wife told him
the truth, about Ikki, and the incident with the rampion, and Saori�s evil
influence on their lives.� ��

�� When they were finished, the boy was nearly shaking with
anger.� �Papa, Mama, you just...left him
there?� With her?� Why didn�t you go and take him back?� he
demanded, banging one small fist on the table.�

�� My son, it�s not that simple,� the woodcutter sighed
softly.� �Saori is a powerful sorceress,
and her henchmen are trained warriors, it�s not so simple as just walking in
there and taking him back.� We would
need magic, and a warrior on our side as well, to fend them off.��

�� Not to mention,� Shun�s mother broke in gently, �we would
need to have a plan for getting away before she can come after us.� Her wrath would be great, for I�m sure she
sees Ikki as hers, and anyone who tries to take something from her pays a very
heavy price, as you already know...��

�� Shun sighed and nodded slowly.� �I see.� Well, I�m not
going to rest until my brother is home,� he said, eyes narrowed in
determination.� �I will see him freed
from Saori�s grasp.��

�� The woodcutter and his wife shared a worried look, both
determined to keep their younger son from doing something foolish.

�

To Be Continued...

Well, what did you think of
my choices for cast?� Sorry to all the
Saori fans out there, but I saw nobody else that would work quite so well in
the role.

Let me know how you liked!

JJ
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Rapunzel