A/n This is my first Princess Tutu fanfic based on the anime. Even though I'm not done watching the series completely (I'm on episode 23), I felt like writing this fic. I know what happens at the end, but I don't like it, because Ahiru didn't get a happy ending she deserves, because she gave up everything for her precious Mytho, and he goes ahead with Rue, which is okay, but Ahiru just goes back to being a duck. How sad, to consider the feelings of an anime character...anyway, I hope you enjoy this story.

Disclaimer: I don't own Princess Tutu.

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Prologue

The bright orb that was the sun beat down on the busy little inhabitants on Kinkan, the foretelling of a summer that was sure to be it's hottest that old-timers in the town ever believed. This is unrelated though, because we shouldn't be observing the weather, since it's about as unpredictable as...well...you get the picture.

Anyway, maybe if the little townspeople noticed, they would have noticed the serenity of the nearby lake, its crystal-like surface, delightfully disturbed by the presence of a simple yellow duck.

Dancing.

Dancing?

Yes, dancing, across the lake. Rather awkwardly of course, but projects a range of emotions as she dances to her story, a story that became finished, and everyone seemingly received their perfect "happily ever after."

But her ending isn't that happy, now is it?

Yes, this little duck was part of a much greater story, full of tragedy and woe, and her role was valued as worthless. Mentioned in only a few sentences, she was hardly there, barely mentioned; one would wonder why an author would bother writing about a character such as hers.

But that only makes her so much more admirable, which is why she deserves the ending she should have gotten. If one were to look into her peculiar blue eyes, they could see the melancholy within, the sadness for memories past, for this specific duck was once a human girl.

A girl who was the Sacred Ballerina, Princess Tutu, who longed to see the Prince of the story that they were spun into smile. She, in layman's terms, was in love with the Prince, the boy who lacked a heart, Mythos.

Though she could never speak of her love for the Prince, she gathered up the shards of his heart, despite any challenge that came her way, from bloodthirsty ravens to an ominous story-teller, to her marriage-obsessed ballet teacher to a failed knight who pushed her away for his own selfish reasons.

Then came the great battle between the Prince and the Raven, and she sacrificed her will to be human in order to return the last piece of Mytho's heart. She became a duck once more, and once the great battle was done, she returned to the lake, her only companion, the failed knight.

The ex-knight vowed to stay by her side and protect her, even though she was only a mere duck. He visited her everyday by the lakeside, telling her stories, feeding her breadcrumbs, even trying, though rather hopelessly, dancing with her so that she wouldn't forget how. Every time she'd end up smiling, and even the young ex-knight would smile gently at her silly antics.

But no matter how happy or content she appeared, the young man could see through the illusion and see that she wasn't truly content. His heart pained for her, no matter how much he wanted to admit it. He stubbornly tried to convince himself otherwise, but to no avail.

Despite his own stubbornness, he began to spin another story, one specifically made for this duck so that she would receive the ending she so rightfully deserved.

But, in the back of the young man's mind, he felt wary. His fingers could not be stilled, and as he wrote, the words flowing onto the paper, he wondered with severe worry if his writing was for her sake...

...or for his own?