Imperial Entanglements

Disclaimer: I do not own SkipBeat! or any of the characters from the Manga. This story is entirely fictional and is not meant to cast aspersions on the true Japanese Imperial Family in any way. None of the names, personalities, or events in this story reflect true events in any way. The true Japanese Imperial Court is intricate and complicated beyond the easy understanding of a foreign commoner such as myself. Nevertheless, I'm confident that someone will still be offended by my characterization of this fictional family. For that I can only apologize.

Summary: There is a black sheep in the Imperial Family, and he is making life difficult for everyone. In desperation, the Empress decides to settle her youngest son down by forcing him into a political marriage to a commoner. He fights back by choosing, Mogami Kyoko, someone who he believes that his family will hate.

Chapter 1 – The Imperial Brat

Takahiro, Royal Prince and fifth in line for the imperial throne of Japan, stubbed out his cigarette, kissed his girl-of-the-moment, and leaned over to sight in on the 9-ball. Confident of his shot, he surveyed the rest of the board so that he could plan his next shot. Satisfied, he applied left-English on the cue ball and used just the right amount of force to slide the 9-ball into the side pocket. He didn't even bother to watch as the cue ball banked off the side and slowly curved into the perfect spot for his next shot.

The girl (he'd forgotten her name again) gushed cutely over his skill and he smirked. His eyes caught the movement of another girl, clad in knee-high leather boots and a loose sundress. Hmmm, perhaps it's time to move on. He had already been with no-name for a week… or ten days… well, it didn't really matter anyways. Now he was bored. Actually, seven to ten days was better than average… not that it implied any special quality on no-name's part… it just didn't really matter to him one way or the other.

Takahiro was twenty-one. In a few years his family would choose his bride and force him to marry. Until then he didn't see the point in becoming attached to anyone. His family and the royal retainers attempted to tame him from time-to-time, but they never enjoyed any success. Takahiro didn't see the point. His oldest brother, the Imperial Prince Regent was healthy and fit, as were the other three males before him in the line of succession, so there was no chance that Takahiro would ever rise to the throne. Besides, the Prince Regent fit the part perfectly: he was studious and serious, intelligent and calculating, well-behaved and boring.

No-name leaned affectionately on the Takahiro's shoulder, blowing suggestively across his ear. He looked at her, smirked, stole the gin from her hand, and said, "Take a walk. I have another appointment." And then he shrugged the bewildered girl off. By the time she had processed his words, Prince Takahiro was already heading towards the new girl across the smoky room.

The Empress and the Imperial Matriarch sat and listened to the Prime Minister with horrified interest as he read through the latest public opinion polls concerning the Imperial Family. The Imperial Family was a constitutional monarchy, meaning that the family acted as a symbol and a figurehead for the government, but had little or no real power. That was not always true, of course. The parliamentary government was dependent upon the will and support of the people of Japan, and the people of Japan still held the Imperial Family in respect bordering on awe… at least, that was how it had always been in the past.

More recently this had changed. The modern Japanese populace, like much of the rest of the plugged-in, information-saturated society, had a short attention span. The Prime Minister struggled to explain, "Your Highnesses, the current generation stepping into the work force hasn't had enough exposure to your family, and as a result they question the need for an imperial family. We have to restore respect and interest, or we might end up with a groundswell movement to end the constitutional monarchy. And…" he hesitated to revisit a sore subject, "Your Highness, your youngest son isn't helping matters."

The Empress sighed, "What has Takahiro done this time?"

"There isn't any one incident that stands out, thankfully. It's more a matter of his day-to-day lifestyle which has become fodder for the tabloids."

The Imperial Mother leaned in and set her cup down, "Why do I suspect that you've come to us with a proposal for how to tame our young prince, Prime Minister?"

The tall, handsome politician cleared his throat before answering, "Actually, I do have a suggestion, one that might answer two needs at one time. Have you read about the Yoshida Protocol?"

Both ladies thought for a moment. The Empress raised an eyebrow in surprise, but it was the Imperial Mother who spoke, "You're speaking of the commoner principal? That was agreed upon, but never put into practice. Are you suggesting that we exercise that idea now… with Prince Takahiro?"

"It would accomplish two things. First, it might settle the young prince down. Second, it will catch the attention of the populace. Imagine one of their own becoming a member of the Imperial Family. If you choose carefully, it could completely revitalize interest in the constitutional monarchy."

The Empress regarded her Prime Minister emotionlessly. He was a good man, and a good politician… as much as that combination was possible. He was also a man who was very aware of his own political self-interest. He had risen to power as a conservative and a supporter of the status quo. His current front-running opponent was making headway by focusing on issues such as the "useless waste of valuable funds on an antiquated and defunct dynasty." If the Prime Minister wanted to stay in power, it was imperative for him to revive interest in the constitutional monarchy.

After a long period of silence, she nodded, "I suppose that you have a list of girls in mind?"

"Mo! Snap out of it already… or just call him!" Kanae demanded impatiently.

"Call who, Moko-san?" Kyoko asked innocently.

Kanae snorted. She was tempted to say "your boyfriend," but she knew that it would only set off a string of denials and possibly even a total meltdown which would take hours to undo. Instead she gritted her teeth and said, "Your sempai."

Kyoko's eyes grew wide with alarm. "Oh, I couldn't do that! He's too busy and that would just be wasting his time. Besides, it would be inappropriate for a kohai to call her sempai for no valid reason."

Kanae took note of the fact that Kyoko never said that she didn't want to call him. She decided try a different tactic, "Oh well… I guess that if you really want to risk him getting angry at you…"

"Angry?" Kyoko asked with evident alarm, "Wh-why would he be angry?"

"Well, if I remember right, he did come into our room and specifically ask you to call him. I assume that he was worried about you and he wanted to make sure that everything was okay… but I guess it would be better if you let him know that you don't need him anymore…"

"Moko-san, how can you say that! Of course I need him…" her face flushed as she heard her own words and she quickly moved to correct her error, "I… I mean… what I meant to say was… it wouldn't be right for a kohai to turn away from her sempai… it's unthinkable. If… if he doesn't want to help me anymore… Owwww!"

Neither Kanae nor Kyoko had been paying attention and Kyoko had walked right into a young man in his early twenties. He was not hurt, but he automatically jerked away, sending her back on her bottom. Kyoko quickly backtracked, stood and bowed repeatedly, "Gomen. Gomen nasai. I should have been looking where I was…"

"Back off, freak!" The two LoveMe girls immediately recognized Kawagoe Michika, one of LME's supposed stars. When Amamiya Chiori first joined LME, her first task had been to view and critique Kawagoe Michika's romance movies. Kyoko was prepared to reserve judgment, but Kanae and Chiori had already decided that the girl was a talentless hack who was only making it on the beauty of her face and body. Although Michika was a part of LME, she seldom went there, but she did know who the LoveMe section members were, and she considered them a blemish on the entertainment world. "Do you losers even know who you just bumped into? Probably not, since you're part of LoveMe."

The young man sneared at Kyoko, but he ran his eyes up and down Kanae suggestively. Kyoko was long past the point of allowing herself to be bullied, but she usually tried to be polite. "Forgive me, sir, for bumping into you. I was distracted and wasn't looking where I was going. Now, my friend and I will be going now." She had seen the leering way that this man was checking out her best friend, and she didn't like it at all. He reminded her too much of Fuwa Sho.

"Calm down, Michika. I'll forgive the orange haired one if this one will go on a date with me." He took a step forward, but Kyoko interposed herself and glared at the man with the full power of her Mio. "That's okay. I'll get along just fine without your forgiveness." She was frankly surprised that Moko-san hadn't torn the man to shreds already. Kanae had zero-tolerance for this kind of man. She grabbed Kanae's hand and walked away.

Kanae was strangely silent but she still followed along. Once they were out of earshot, Kyoko began muttering about visual kei types and bad manners. Kanae laughed and Kyoko looked over at her. "Do you know who that was, Kyoko-chan?"

"No, he's probably some new visual kei musician type. They all seem to come out of the same mould."

"Wrong. That was Royal Prince Takahiro, of the Imperial Family." Kanae watched to see what Kyoko's reaction would be. Kyoko froze and turned mechanically back toward where they had come from.

Her face was white as a sheet, but it didn't stay that way for long. After about thirty seconds, a tear ran down her cheek. Alarmed, Kanae asked, "What's wrong, Kyoko?"

Kyoko looked at her best friend with sad, watery eyes, "Another of my childhood fantasies has been ruined forever. I always hoped to meet a real human prince or princess. I thought that they must be wonderful… and this is what I get. Moko-san… is nothing sacred?"

"Let's just hope that he doesn't cause us any trouble. He's the type who likes to push people around." Kanae was normally quick to take offense when a man looked her over in that way, but she honestly felt a little intimidated by the idea of challenging a member of the Imperial Family. She might be a modern girl, but there were still framed photo's of the Emperor and the Imperial Family prominently displayed in her parent's house.

Back in the elevator going up to the actor's department, Michika made a disgusted sound and muttered darkly, "Those pink freaks get on my nerves. I don't know why our president keeps those talentless nobodies around anyway."

Takahiro knew that his flirting with the raven-haired beauty had irritated Michika, but he didn't really care. He had only known this girl for two days and he was already sick of her. She might be beautiful, but she was as otherwise shallow and uninteresting. Now that beauty with the long black tresses and sapphire eyes…

"You wouldn't believe it, but that orange-haired girl is our resident expert on playing bully roles," Michika didn't know what to say to get the prince's attention back, so she had decided to refocus his thoughts away from Kotonami Kanae. "She's Mogami Kyoko the one who played Mio on Dark Moon and Natsu on Box 'R." She snorted in derision. "The company's making a big deal about her, but anyone can play bad girl roles like her. She's more famous for being this company's biggest weirdo. Sometimes she'll just start doing random things that freak everyone out…" she giggled, "… and if you mention the word 'love' she'll, like, totally erupt."

Takahiro was already tired of listening to this starlet, so he didn't pay attention to the rest of the information that the girl was spouting.

Takahiro dropped Michika off early due to boredom. He didn't feel like putting any effort that evening, so he decided to make one of his rare appearances at dinner with his family. He wasn't enthusiastic about the idea. The Emperor was somewhere in Europe at the moment, so he wouldn't be chided by him, but he would have to listen to his mother and grandmother. He sighed in resignation. Well, I can't afford to push it too far or they'll cut off my funds.

His mother, the Empress, eyed him warily as he strolled casually into the dining room and took his seat. At the table with the family he was the epitome of class and decorum. Takihito had been trained to be a prince since before he could speak, and he knew how to conduct himself in front or his parents. Yet despite his perfect manners, he sensed a strong tension in the room. He carefully cut the meat on his plate and took bites while trying to read the expressions of the various family members seated at the table. Most of the seated family, twenty-three in total, seemed fine. It was only the Empress and the Imperial Matriarch who seemed to be tense… and he had the distinct impression that he was the center of their attention.

Takahiro conducted a silent review of his activities for the last month. There was nothing, beyond his usual womanizing, one warning for speeding, and a brief scuffle at a party; much better than his usual monthly catalogue of offenses… so what was his crime? He waited, growing increasingly worried as the meal progressed.

He almost jumped when his mother finally broke her silence near the end of the meal. "Takahiro, please remain behind. Your grandmother and I require a word with you."

Hours later, Royal Prince Takahiro paced back and forth in his spacious suite in a state of dumfounded shock. Marriage? I'm twenty-one! Isn't this ridiculous? Just because I'm a little wild they've decided to tie me down to some… He shook his head in frustration and threw his body onto his plush couch. Unable to think clearly, he grabbed the remote and hit the "ON" button. He sat there, staring off into space until his eye was caught by a frightening young teen girl who pinned another girl up against a wall and stabbed a butcher knife into the wall next to her. The blonde girl who was being bullied had been carrying a small pillow, and she tried to use this to shield her face. The knife ripped through the pillow, dramatically sending feathers floating into the air.

Takahiro watched the frightening girl in fascinated horror… and then his memory clicked. What he was watching was a late night re-run of Dark Moon, the top television drama from the previous year… and that meant that the frightening girl with the scarred face was the girl people called Mio. His tired mind fixated on that information for several minutes, trying to make the connection that was lingering in the back of his mind… and then he remembered the odd, orange-haired girl wearing those ugly pink coveralls… What was her name?

Kyouko. Interesting. That graceless girl doesn't look anything like this. What did Michika say about her? That's right: She only plays bad-girl roles… that is her only talent. Imagine that girl walking around in the Imperial Palace… wouldn't mom and grandmother have a fit…

Takahiro smiled a Cheshire Cat smile. Fine, Mother, I'll play along… why don't we see who backs down first.

Notes: I will first reiterate what I've already written in the disclaimer: This story is entirely fictional and is not meant to cast aspersions on the true Japanese Imperial Family in any way. None of the names, personalities, or events in this story reflect true events in any way.

It just seemed like a fun idea to play with. Life is exceedingly busy for me at the moment, so I make no promises on how long it will take to update this story.

Koshitsu – means Japanese Imperial Family

Yamato – Imperial family name