She had asked him to write a story for her again, one last time. Her hope being that with their powers combined they could save Mytho. She would give up her pendant and he would take up the pen. When that happened, she would be giving up the entire life she had begun to build here. And when the nightmare was over, it would be like Ahiru had never been a part of Kinkan Town at all.
And she was at peace with it. Truly, he thought she was. The time had come for the story's end and they were to go back to being their true selves. He would go back to being a boy and she would go back to being a simple duck.
They had managed to get back to Charon's without any problems. It seemed as though pretty much everyone in town had been turned into a crow. The sky was red, the colour of blood and the town was in ruins. Drosselmeyer sure was pulling out all the stops for his tragedy, Fakir would give him that.
His thoughts turned to Mytho, trapped by the Raven, waiting for Princess Tutu to come to his aid. And Rue, imprisoned inside the Raven's stomach in the utter depths of despair. They were their only hope now. The situation was looking rather bleak.
Autor was waiting for them, at least he hadn't been turned into one of those things. They went over the details of the plan. Everyone knew their role to play; he was write the ending, Autor was to ensure that he did and Ahiru was to go save Mytho. The fate of an entire town rested with a little duck, who knew?
She shrugged, not wishing to prolong the inevitable. "Well, I guess there's no time to lose."
That was the moment it hit him. This was the last time he'd ever see that face, the last time he's ever hold that hand, the last time he'd ever hear that voice. Here he was about to lose her and he had nothing to offer her in condolence. No way out, no heartfelt confession, no sincere thanks. There were no words.
He had never seen her with her hair down. An odd thing to grieve at a time like this, but sad all the same. There were so many things they had left to do and to say and to be. And now they would never get the chance. Sure, it wasn't as if she was going to her death. She wasn't going to die on him. But he was still losing her, at least this part of her, all the same.
He didn't even realise that he was speaking up until she was looking at him, her blue eyes expectant. God she had such beautiful eyes. In the corner of his eye he noticed Autor averting his gaze, wishing to give them some level of privacy.
"Are you going to be alright?"
"I'll be fine, really. All I've got to do is give Mytho the pendant. Even I can't mess that up." She chuckled, trying to make the situation seem less dismal than it really was. It wasn't working. "It's you who's got the hard job." And there she was again, putting other people first.
He grabbed her shoulders, looking sternly into her eyes as he did. "Don't you worry about me, worry about yourself you idiot." His collected demeanour began to crack ever so slightly as he implored her. "Don't you dare die on me, understand? Don't you fucking dare."
He wanted to tell her so many things. I'm sorry. Don't go. I need you. Stay with me. But what good would it do her now? What comfort would it bring either of them? This was their story, and tragic as it may be, this was how it ended.
She hugged him then, wanting to cement this moment in her mind, to take it with her somehow. Ahiru knew that she was prolonging the inevitable, but she didn't care. One more minute, with all she was about to give, was that too much to ask?
His voice barely rose above a whisper as he confessed. "If it were me, I would have picked you." And he meant it, he really did. Because this was the last chance he would ever have to say it, so he was going to be bloody take it.
Fakir was unable to see this, but she smiled at that. And with tears in her eyes, her voice cracking slightly, she found his hand and gripped it tight. "I would've picked you too." And with that they both understood and nothing else needed said.
She pulled away, holding on to his hand for as long as she could before he let go and let his drop to his side.
The moment that followed seemed to last an age as they stood there, seeing each-other for the last time. A duck and a knight about to save the world.
"I'll be back." She smiled, meaning to go. But a solid tug on her skirt pulled her back and she looked down to find Uzura, who had been quiet up until now, gripping it tightly. "Uzura." She murmured, not really knowing what else to say. How could she explain this to a child? But before she could anything else, Fakir rested his hand on the girl's head and she understood, letting the hem fall from her hand.
And so she ran, off to rescue the prince. About half-way down the street, she heard the familiar drum beat and turned around to see the little drummer-girl delivering her send-off. "Hey, Ahiru! Do your best-zura!"
Of all the things to do, she laughed. Because what else can we do in the face of tragedy? So she gave another wave and as she did her eye's met Fakir's one final time. And while of course there was no way he could of heard her, he knew.
"Goodbye."
And with that Ahiru was gone in a flash of blinding light. And Princess Tutu faded into the fog, determined to return the final heart shard. And the knight retreated back into the cottage.
She wanted him to write a story for her, and so that was exactly what he would do.