Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ Corrupt Principal ❯ Puppet Prince ( Chapter 4 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

By: MellyN

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Corrupt Principal

By: Melissa Norvell

Chapter 4: Puppet Prince

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He sat in the dark, damp room as he heard the water drip occasionally. Each drip grinded on his anticipation and sanity. Dressed in the same generic straight jacket that his prince wore, the feminine baron sat on the old, wooden bench that had aged and molded from being constantly damp. Melancholy, he frowned as his expressive eyes caught what little light had been produced from a single, far away window. His arms hurt, from being forced back at the elbow, but it didn't match the pain in his heart.

If he had known that his prince would have been taken away from him in such a manner, then he would have spilled his guts to the royal man, telling him how he had felt about him, before his sexuality was mocked by Kuromoji, but now…now, all he could do, was sit there and ponder when his death would come. 'My prince…I knew I had a bad feeling about this…What do I do? I should have kept you from going, instead of letting you go anyway. Why didn't I speak out more?'

His form was bathed in light as he saw three silhouettes, standing in the door. A girl with strangely colored hair, dressed in summer attire, was shoved inside of the cell with him. The girl stumbled and did a belly flop at his feet. Being of a kind nature, he wished that he could help her up, but his hands were tied in every literal fashion of the word. "Who are you?"

Arising and dusting herself off, the strange girl stared down the miserable baron and introduced herself in her usual stand-offish heir. "You may call me Cenecah."

"This is the execution chamber," Yayoi informed the girl of her location.

"Yes, both of us are set to die," Jia-Jing agreed. She knew what the room was, and what it was about. She didn't need to be informed, but, since this would be the feminine man's last moments of life. She decided to grant him mercy by not dealing him any sarcastic remarks.

"Who are you? What's going on?" Yayoi looked up to the blue and orange-haired girl. She had not been present at the time of the possession, so what relevance did she have in all of this? Was she simply a part of Kuromoji's master plan, or had she been held prisoner here for a while?

"He's plotting to destroy Titannia. He'll eliminate the royal family one by one…Even a peaceful ruler like Prince Prussia will fall to him. With this power, there is nothing he can't accomplish," she stated the truth. After all, Jia-Jing wasn't one to dance around the details. Yayoi needed to know what was going on, the full extent, not some sugar-coated lie founded on sympathy.

"Power? You mean his possession?" Yayoi inquired.

"Yes."

"How? How in the world is he able to bend wills like that? What do you know about this power?" If the girl was being imprisoned with him and sent to her death, then she obviously knew more than she was letting him know. Before he died, Yayoi at least wanted some answers. He knew that he wouldn't die happy, but he could at least have some peace when he rested.

"I gave it to him, but it wasn't supposed to be a power. It was supposed to be a curse," Jia-Jing remained silent for a moment, after she had spoken that phrase. Quiet misery hung in her mind briefly before Yayoi replied to her statement.

"A curse?" The male voice echoed her own, but intoned the words differently to make them sound like a mere inquiry.

"It was my curse, but I made it his," she elaborated on what she had meant by her previous statement.

"Who is he? What is his goal, besides the annihilation of Titannia and the execution of the royal family?" It was one of the main things that wreaked havoc on the baron's brain. Everything happened for a reason, but what were this youth's reasons for wanting to rise up against a nation?

"His name is Kuromoji Kihara, and I don't know all of his plans, but from what he's said, I can only tell you the basics," the girl informed. There was nothing that could be done about it from their current position anyway, so there was no harm in letting the baron knows a little more than she should wisely divulge.

"Kihara?" The silver-haired baron seemed a little transfixed on that name before it hit him like an anvil. "That's the name of the Prime Minister!"

"Yes, he's the Prime Minister's son," Jia-Jing confirmed the feminine male on who exactly he was dealing with.

"I thought that the Prime Minister wanted to become allies with Titannia. Why would they do this?" Had this been something that was staged from the beginning? Did the Prime Minister of Japan secretly want power over the Titannian government somehow? It was a great deal to think about. While Yayoi had not known the Prime Minister directly, he had always had the understanding that Kihara was a pacifist and didn't like wars.

Perhaps all of his information had been false. What was real and what was a delusion? It seemed, for now, that the Titannian government had been walking on cobwebs, and Kuromoji was simply waiting for them to pit fall into the spider's fangs.

So far, that plan had worked marvelously.

"It's no longer the Prime Minister's decision."

"What do you mean?"

"He's dead."

Yayoi's face lit up with surprise at the sudden revelation. "So, that means-" Before he could get his sentence out, the doors opened to reveal soldiers of both Japanese and Titannian ethnicities. They brought guns with them and held emotionless looks of cold steel on their faces.

This was the marking time of their death. It was time to stare the grim reaper straight in the eye with a lifeless expression. Defiant to the end. That is what he would be. That is what his doll-like prince would want from him, and even if he were to go down, he would go down serving him with just as much faith as he had when they first met in that frigid garden in Neo Siberia.

"Of course, one would be drawn to that conclusion," Jia-Jing told him, with slight amusement to her voice. Even if the situation seemed impossible, there was nothing that she couldn't overcome. After all, she had ulterior motives and means to escape the situation and she would definitely use them.

"What?" Yayoi questioned as his expression took on a bewildered state. The situation looked futile, and there seemed to be no escape. Even a prodigy like himself had tried to calculate a method of escape as he sat in the room, thinking about his upcoming death, but nothing came to his mind, so how was this girl so confident of herself?

"I have a better conclusion to the problem. You see, I don't desire to die," Jia-Jing stated as the soldiers drew close to them, ready to take the two of them off to be executed.

"I don't have a choice in the matter. I'd rather die a traitor them go on suffering with this guilt. I was Prince Schnitzel's downfall." For committing such a horrendous crime, and for the treason he inadvertently committed against Titannia, he had accepted his death with grace. Yayoi knew that he was going to go down despised and with many regrets. He was fully prepared to accept his fate.

"You lose sight of your dreams too easily. You do know that Prince Schnitzel isn't dead," Jia-Jing informed as the soldiers took the two of them and walked out of the room.

"Yes…I know…but there's nothing I can do…Kuromoji has already possessed him," the defeated baron hung his head in defeat, his long bangs and airbrushed tendrils hung over his face and swayed with each step he took.

"Just as easily as he can possess him, you can save him. He is simply a puppet prince, who dances along the strings of anyone who gives him the same commands him. He'll obey you just as easily." In order for the prince to be stopped, someone had to have faith and know of the ways to prevent him from falling completely under Kuromoji's control. As long as there were opposing forces in the world, then she could feel as if some change was being made. However, if people gave up hope, the royal family was as good as dead.

"What do you mean?" Yayoi cast his miserable gaze towards the girl in question. Possession usually meant that the one who was possessed completely belonged to their master, mind, body and soul, but what made this scenario so different?

"There is a severe drawback to Kuromoji's powers. He can only give one command and anyone who gives him the same command, he'll obey."

"So, he could be used against Kuromoji," Yayoi got what she meant. If someone decided to command him to do something that went against the Prime Minister's son, the willing prince would blindly obey their command. Just as easily as he could obey the boy, he could also obey anyone who simply commanded him.

"Yes, you could even command Prince Schnitzel not to listen to certain people, and their commands wouldn't faze him. You have been commanded as well. You were instructed to seduce Prince Schnitzel and as a result, anyone who gives you that command, you will obey. No matter how much you don't want to do it, you have no choice," the blue-haired girl reminded him of his own unfortunate problem.

It struck a sorrow deep in his eyes as his gaze returned to the floor. "That's why I can't go back to him. I don't want to be used against him again." For that reason alone, his death would be his ultimate proof of his subordination. Even though Schnitzel was a doll, he was still Prince Schnitzel, the man he trusted, the man he served, the man that he loved. He could not face him, knowing that there would be a question of whether or not his love was an orchestrated session of seduction, or his true feelings. The sheer thought that he was given the power to toy with his lover's emotions in such a way sickened him.

"Coward, you'd just abandon your prince when he's helpless," Jia-Jing's words were sharp and cold. "I despise people like you." She spat as she flipped a soldier over her head with great force, causing the man to land on his back a couple of feet away. The mysterious girl waved an arm as the hallway began to glow in a blinding white light.

Yayoi's eyes widened in surprise, as everything was consumed in the blinding light, even his body. To experience such an awesome power was truly shocking. Just what kind of girl was this, anyway?

She was anything but human.

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'He's controlling me, manipulating me to bend to his plans. My body will obey him, no matter what and now…I have no choice. Who is the guy, and what does he want? Why did he kill the Prime Minister? What's his aim? What could he possibly be trying to achieve?' The prince wondered as he heard the door creak open. Glancing to the brightly lit opening, he saw the possessed Titannian guard walk in. Navy blue hues followed his movements as he walked up to the confidently seated youth and presented him with the current news.

"Sir, the prisoners have escaped."

Kuromoji frowned, not pleased with this news at all. Not only did he have to worry about keeping the rebellious prince under his possession, now he had to deal with a prison break too? "Well, how inconvenient," he remarked coldly as he stood to face the guard, leveling him with a cold expression. "Which prisoners are they?"

Schnitzel glanced over at the two, listening carefully to their conversation. 'He has more than just a few. I wonder who all he took prisoner.'

"The blue-haired girl with dual-colored eyes and the baron that were in the execution chamber," the guard informed as brown eyes widened upon hearing such news. This was not what he wanted to hear. It could have been anyone but that girl.

'That girl…' Prowling down the four stairs that led to his magnificent throne, they would be ruler looked most displeased. "What!? What are you doing? Find them and kill them! Make sure that they are dead!" He commanded with tenacity as the guard complied and darted off to inform several of the squads to form search parties for the two missing persons.

"I can't have any more people standing in my way," he snarled. 'Especially not her. She is the only one who can foil my plans. I should have dealt with her long ago. Then, none of this would be happening. The threat wouldn't be there. What an error on my part.' Kuromoji's thoughts scolded him for his prior mishaps before that infamous arrogant smirk crossed his face as he closed his eyes. "No matter, it will be wonderful to make my first move in eradicating Titannia. Now that Prince Prussia has arrived, and made such a profound statement about helping the Japanese, I can plot his death. I want to see that look of horror light up the skies. The horror of Titannia, trembling in my grasp."

'Prussia…Why? Why did you come here? Is it because I went missing? Who knows how long I've been here. You're a peaceful ruler. You aren't meant for this kind of position. I can only hope that you don't get possessed, as I have. Please realize what your enemy is doing before you get killed.' Schnitzel thought as he watched the sandy-haired youth break out into another fit of insane laughter at the possibilities of his well-constructed plan.

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Prussia took a sip of wine as Ulysses approached him with a solemn expression and deep-set frown. The elder's head was slightly lowered in submission and disappointment. Blue eyes followed the man's form to his side as he heard him utter 'Prince Prussia' in a tone that seemed to invite bad luck if he questioned him.

"What is it now?" The prince questioned in his usual tone of irritation. "Why do you look like a beaten puppy? If it's bad news, then just come out and say it." At the point in time, bad news was the only kind that Prussia had anticipated.

"Your majesty, we the Titannian army, as well as the Japanese army, has performed an extensive search on the peace hall," the white-aired man informed as she placed a hand over his chest and gave the young prince a slight bow of respect.

"What have you found?" Prussia asked in a droll tone. He knew what was going to happen. He knew what to expect at this point in time.

"It was a massacre in there, sir. Both Titannian and Japanese have been killed. We also found the Prime Minister," Ulysses informed.

"Is he dead?" The blonde prince knew the answer, but he wanted to confirm it for himself.

"Yes, my lord. He had been shot in the chest. It was a direct blow to the heart. These were no way that he could have lived," the general regretfully informed the prince of the unfortunate incident.

"Whoever did this was definitely not prejudice. They slaughtered both forces," Prussia stated the obvious, and even though it was just that, he pondered over Kanon's story about his brother and to his knowledge, the facts were adding up in a frightening fashion.

"Correct, the casualties were in the two hundreds, your majesty."

"What do we do now? I doubt the Japanese know that they have no Prime Minister," Prussia rested the side of his face on his gloved fingers.

"We could take over immediately and liberate Japan," Ulysses suggested. If they were to act, jumping in and taking control would be the prime idea to expand their axis.

"Do you know how bad we'd look, or how much speculation would be brought up regarding our intentions? I want to have a meeting with anyone who was involved with the Prime Minister who is still alive. We need to choose another quickly and before too many more rebellions flare up. I'm trying to keep the number of wars down, as well as the number of enemies," Prussia stated. He wanted to keep things on the down-low for now. The less people knew, the less they could have an involvement. It was a dangerous and unstable time, so he wanted to make sure that nothing significant would come up and bite him on the ass.

"I hate to say this, sir, but you can't just sit back and rule peacefully. This isn't like your peaceful axis, this land is unstable and-" The lecture ground on the prince's nerves like sandpaper to an infected wound.

"Yes, I know," Prussia sighed in exasperation. "I've heard it all before. You forget that I was once in this position as well. In order to bask in the glory, one must first bathe in the blood. I have done a lot of that lately, so I am accustomed to being a blood-stained prince." Even though it had been a long time since he had been put in that position, the gentle man had been in that predicament before.

How he hated wars with a passion. This was nothing but a big headache, not to mention the fact that it would reflect on his status as being someone was had the adoration of the majority.

"Prince Prussia," A Japanese soldier with short, black curly hair and hazel eyes marched into the room, interrupting their conversation as he saluted and bowed to the beautiful man, "I am Private Suzuki Ringike of the fourth Japanese Division of Imperial Soldiers. I wanted to report that there were only ten survivors of the massacre. Six of the ten are in critical condition. There were three Japanese and seven Titannians. We've questioned those who could be examined. Nearly all of them state the same thing. The realization is quite disturbing."

"What is the consensus?" Prussia asked. Now was the time. Now he would know the details, and see if they matched up to the story that Kanon had told him in her hospital room. From this point on, he could develop a plan of action.

"They all conclude that it was Prince Schnitzel who shot them," Suzuki informed in a cautious manner. He had no idea how the prince would react to his brother being accused of such an act.

"What? Why would my brother do such a thing? Wait…"

'I think he was possessed.'

Prussia was quickly reminded of Kanon's words as he took on a look of perplexion. "Maybe she's right…I wanted to think she was crazy for uttering such a thing…but now it doesn't seem so far-fetched." Even if he didn't want to believe it himself, there was no way that he could argue with the concluded opinions of the ten people who survived, not when they all had said the same thing.

"Prince Prussia, do you really think that your brother was behind this? Has he gone completely mad?" Ulysses couldn't believe that Schnitzel would do such a thing. The fact that he massacred that many people was beyond him. Such a powerful rule was made into a disgrace to the family crown in a mere instant.

"We have been left with a mess on our hands."

"What do we do about all of this?" The white-haired general asked as he looked to his prince in question.

Prussia arose and walked regally over towards the young private, with no flaw to his effortless gait as his long, white cape and extravagant coat tails flowed behind him. Everything about the royal's presentation was flawless, not a hair out of place or a single button undone. The perfection of such a man caused Suzuki to stare in awe. It was as if a god, brilliant and beautiful, had come to life before his very eyes.

"Private Ringike, make sure that you tell your army to take the dead back to the Japanese government and have an autopsy performed. The same goes for you, Ulysses," cerulean eyes darted back to his advisor, who nodded in synchronization with the Private. Both males turned to leave but Suzuki heard his name called by the prince and stopped, glancing over his shoulder at the regal man as he acknowledged him.

"Thank you for helping Titannia in our efforts to get this mystery solved. I appreciate your cooperation," Prussia smiled gently at the boy, amplifying the fact that his words were sincere and earnest.

Suzuki turned to face prince with a stern expression. It showed no emotion of happiness nor did it show one of disgust. "It's not a problem. This is an affair that involves both countries; however, don't go thinking that I support Titannia."

"Oh?" Prussia's expression took on one of anger at the fact that the boy would dare make such a remark to someone like him. Outraged and endangered by his lack of respect, the blonde prince patiently awaited his answer.

"Forgive me if I don't agree with your government. If any change is to occur, then it will be from the inside out. A monarchy like Titannia can do good, but only if the changes occurs inside of the government itself. The least harm is done that way," Suzuki criticized, staring the ruler down; unafraid of what he had to say regarding the manner.

"You don't even know how I rule, and yet you make such an assumption?" Prussia's voice was cold as he held his composure.

"I have heard things, both good and bad about Titannia, your majesty."

"Right now, I'm the only form of government Japan has," Prussia held that fact over the boy's head. Like it or not, he would have no choice but to deal with him.

Suzuki's hazel eyes narrowed and his frown deepened. "You're untrustworthy, due to the evidence I've gathered from the wounded soldiers. Your official went on a massacre when they were supposed to be making a peaceful alliance. How do I know that your intentions are any better?" The Japanese had already put their trust in one Titannian figure who had betrayed them, what was going to stop this prissy prince from going awry as well? To Suzuki, the Titannian Royal Family were nothing but a bunch of shady con-artists who used unfair methods of rule and warfare to take over countries and beat them into submission.

"You cannot judge me based upon the misdeeds of another. I assure you that was not my brother's intentions." Prussia tried to assure the boy that he was not to be compared to someone like Schnitzel. Just because he was a Titannian prince didn't mean that they were the same person.

"If you can prove me wrong, Prince Prussia, then maybe I'll trust you, but for now, I hold you in contempt. This is Titannia's fault. You're no less of a tyrant than your brother," Suzuki replied. No matter what Prussia said, he would not be swayed by the prince's sly words. Prussia would have to prove himself to the private before he could judge him properly.

"You know nothing of me or my method of rule. You are stepping over your boundaries," the prince's defense was the same as if had been since the beginning of the argument.

"Is that what royalty say so they can avoid hearing the truth?" Suzuki shot at the blonde, who was silent to the question. All the royal man could do was stand there, frowning in disapproval. "How typical. You just shut your ears to your own failure. I have no respect for anyone who isn't willing to listen to the people's opinion, no matter how bad it is."

"I do listen to the people. That's why I'm working with you," Prussia tried to hold his growing anger, but at this point, it was beyond simply talking things out with the boy. He was beginning to detest him. "Incase you're not familiar with me, I tend to let the people rule themselves with their original form of government intact. I simply oversee them," the blond told him with superiority, establishing himself as a higher figure than the mere private who dared to challenge him verbally.

"You…You are the second most powerful figure in the world. You have one hell of a mess on your hands," Suzuki backed down knowing that he would only anger the prince further and the results of that argument would be a loss of his life or a potential war with Titannia.

"Yes, I realized that when I came to Japan. I promise you, I will do my best to make the people here happy." It was all that Prussia could offer at this moment in time.

"You're going to have a lot to prove to me, Prince Prussia Vi Cossattia. I just hope that you don't disappoint me," the private turned away from the prince and exited the throne room, leaving the beautiful man to ponder over what to do next.

It was time to go and revisit one of the tragic lives that had been ruined due to the carnage.

He sat in the hospital room, with one leg crossed over another and an arm hung over the back of the chair in a relaxed manner as he sat at Kanon's bed side as he explained to her what the consensus from the Japanese and Titannian armies were. All of their stories matched up perfectly to her version. The prince has also come to ask the pink-haired woman a favor.

"Yes, that's how it went. The soldiers weren't lying," Kanon confirmed as she looked over to him as she continued to explain the situation. "He ordered us to die, and then he went on a shooting spree. Prince Schnitzel didn't kill the Prime Minister, though. It was a Japanese boy, about seventeen in age with sandy hair. He has a special power…He can possess people and bend them to his whim. That' what happened to Prince Schnitzel. It's horrible," solemn eyes glanced to the royal figure with unshed tears.

"That's phenomenal. You mean to tell me that the Japanese have found a way to control minds? No wonder they're holding such a resistance to Titannia. They can easily control our minds, and made an example out of Prince Schnitzel as a symbol of their power and what they are truly capable of. How the hell do we counter that?" Now that the true threat had been made real, the prince was apprehensive towards the situation. He worried about his own state, since his brother's mind had been so easily taken care of. Prussia had to take some kind of precaution against it…but what? What could ensure him that he wouldn't succumb to the same fate as his brother?

"I'm not sure," Kanon gazed at the ceiling in thought. "If we fight against whoever this boy is, then we'll be thrown into a war…Not to mention the fact that we may have to kill the second prince. It isn't fair…It's not his fault. He would never have done this on his own."

"I have to inform the people that Prime Minister Kihara is dead, along with many of the Japanese and Titannian soldiers," Prussia replied. If he didn't, it would be blindsiding the people, not to mention the fact that he would have Suzuki on his ass, judging his fairness as a ruler.

"They're going to think that you killed Prime Minister Kihara, and you're just trying to take over. You'll just look like a tyrant." Surely he wasn't serious about releasing the information so soon! Prussia had no idea what he could have been jumping into as a result.

"I cannot help that. If I am considered that by the people, then so be it. I cannot let this country be out in the open like this. Someone's got to keep them from going in to chaos." Even though he was taking a risk, Prussia was ready to bite whatever bullet flew his way.

After all, it was the job of the ruler to bear the pain of the people. Japan was already painted in blood, and if he had to shed his own for the people, then that was what he would do. As a prince, it was his bound duty to serve his people as they would serve him. If he didn't advance first, then Japan was in far more trouble than if he did nothing at all.

Kanon closed her eyes and frowned. She sensed that nothing but bad could result from the prince's actions. However, she knew that she couldn't argue with him. Once the figurehead had a plan, then no one could speak out against it unless it would 100% kill them or lead them to failure. "You're right. A country without a ruler is worse off than one that has a tyrant for a ruler."

"Countess Kanon Fussinii."

"Yes?" She turned her head towards the prince.

"Since you know far more about this than I do, would you assist me? I'll make you my personal source of data and you'll have top rankings among my armies,“ the promise was huge and one that the pink-haired woman didn't know if she could handle.

"But sir…" Kanon looked down in sorrow. "I failed my last mission and I don't know as much as some of the others. I'm sure-"

Prussia cut her off. "I insist. You were my brother's right hand woman. I'm sure that you'll be of some use to me."

"I cannot argue with you, your highness," Kanon accepted the job. She would report to the prince as soon as she recovered. This would be a great undertaking for her, but it held promising results. If she could find out what the youth's plan was before any more people could be hurt, then it would ease the pain of loss in her heart. From that moment on, she would avenge those who had died as a result in the Massacre Prince incident.

"Then report to me when you recover. I'll need your help," Prussia was pleased with the fact that she'd be helping him. Right now, he needed all of the support that he could possibly get. 'I've got to find a way to undo Schnitzel's possession. I don't want to be forced to kill my brother, but I must do what's for the greater good of Japan…and Titannia.' He thought to himself as he arose from his seat. "I'm going to announce our findings at the peace hall, and alert Japan of the current situation. As of now, I will be the prime ruler of both axis, and I will make that announcement to the world."

…To Be Continued