The Prince and the Raven; many wonder if the story is but just that. I would disagree. Maybe it was because I awoke this morning not recalling any memories of a real childhood. I blinked a few times while sitting in bed and recalled that I was a gymnast trying to be a ballerina. I also knew that parting with the band around my ankle meant parting with my human existence. One might wonder, "How bad is it to be a hare?" Well, it wasn't that bad, and when I was first added to the infamous story I was confused. I still was, even in bed this morning.

But the entire tale will be revealed in time. And I thought this as I stepped up out of my bed. Opening the window, I looked out at the sun, half way up in the sky. My face rested in my hand then, and I began to imagine a dream while remaining there.

"Good morning, Ahira!" A high, cheerful voice called to me. I turned to face Duck, who was also looking out her window. My lips curved into a cheery smile.

"Hello, Duck," I replied. "How are you?"

"Great!" she cried. "How about you?"

"I'm good," I said, the smile remaining. "I'll see you later today, huh?"

"Hm, really?" she asked. Duck and I were in different classes and only got to see each other during times when my advanced class gave demonstrations or joined practice. One of which was happening today.

"Yes, we'll be dancing on point for you guys today and remaining to watch practice."

Duck ooh-ed and smiled. I giggled a little and waved before shutting the window again. Duck and I were good friends, better than, dare I thought, her, Pike, and Lilie were. Mostly, it was because our life situations were very similar. She was a duck. I was a hare. Both os us were turned into human girls for the amusement of the author, Drosselmeyer. Both of us also had secret loves that weren't really secret. Whether hers or mine was more complicated was the debatable part.

Once dressed, with my medium length, blonde hair tucked back into a bun, I headed out to the ballet rooms. I was just able to remain in the Advanced class, for I had more power than I did grace. With the genes of a hare in my body and the background of a gymnast, my legs were powerful, not gentle. I wasn't stick skinny like Rue or Duck. I had a bit of a bust, and I liked it that way. I wasn't a plastered copy, and I was still as good as the others, as good as Rue, just not as graceful. Today, I wore a purple leotard and matching tutu. It always bothered me that everyone except Rue wore the same colors. It was like they wanted her to be noticed above the rest of them. So today, I was purple. My point shoes even matched.

Did I get along with the others in the advanced division? Definitely not. The others there eyed my entirely different body type, either envying or disgusted that I appeared so different. The original four girls and Rue stood practicing on the bar against the wall. The Advanced group of boys stood against the opposite wall.

Immediately, my eyes went to Fakir. He was sitting down, not bothering to stretch. The girls were the ones giving the demonstration. Of course he didn't have to worry about anything.

I didn't go over to either side of the room, but stayed in the middle. Sitting down on the floor, I parted my legs into a front to back split. Leaning down toward the ground with my hands touching my foot, I closed my eyes. I could feel others looking at me, and I ignored it.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" called Mr. Cat into the room after a few moments. "Please come to the beginners' room to demonstrate!"

Those of us on the ground stood up, and all of us followed Mr. Cat into the connected room.

"Now, today we will be shown a presentation from the Advanced girls on point, followed by a surprise presentation, picked by myself!"

My eyebrows furrowed in confusion. The cat hadn't warned us about a second performance. However, I shrugged. It wouldn't be that hard to do, whatever it would be.

The six of us lined up in front of the beginners. We stood on point and danced. There were twists and turns, leaps and spins. When we ended, the shorter girls would automatically be positioned in the front, us taller girls in the back. The tallest just happened to be Rue and myself. When the dance ended, we were back to back, with our heads held high and one arm up above us. On the last beat, we turned our heads to face the audience. The mood was to be intense. My lips were tight knit, my eyes half-narrowed. As I expected of myself, my eyes seemed to snap automatically onto Fakir. What I didn't expect was him to be staring right back. However, to move my face even a little would ruin the mood, so I didn't until the beginners' applause began. It was mere seconds, but it felt like much longer.

"Brilliant, ladies," called Mr. Cat. "Simply brilliant! Now, for my surprise, I would like to select a couple to present a Pas de Deux."

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Rue begin to step forward. It didn't go unnoticed. "Not today, Miss Rue," Mr. Cat said. "I'd like to see a new couple dance today." My head snapped up. That wasn't normal. Rue and Mytho always danced together for stuff like this. I swallowed hard when I saw my teacher's feline eyes turn to me. "Ahira," he said my name, gesturing for me to come back to the front of the audience. I did so, feeling a little numb. When I remembered that I needed a partner, I cringed mentally as I guessed exactly whom the love-obsessed cat was going to pick to dance the Pas de Deux with me. "Fakir," his voice rang. "You will be dancing with Ahira the Pas de Deux."

Everyone went quiet. Fakir didn't look at me when he stood up, nor when he walked toward me. I couldn't help but tense when my crush stood behind me with his hand on my waist.

"You already dance like a stiff doll," he said harshly. "Don't add to it." I relaxed my body without saying anything, though in truth I was hurt. My eyes moved to Duck, who looked at me with confusion as I bit my lip and held back a breath of sorrow.

Once the music began, I did my best to change my stance and attitude, feeling the melody flow through me. I became determined to show everyone that any girl could have the grace of a prima ballerina. Fakir spun me to face him and then back around. More and more, I spun on point. Even the air around Fakir had changed. Both of us gave off a romantic essence, as if we were really a couple in love, dancing together. Though I was sure it wasn't and would never be real. However, if only for the moment, I didn't care. I danced the Pas de Deux in a way I'd never before danced in class. The peak of the music came, and Fakir lifted me into the air, as if I were as light as a feather. I curved over him in an arch as he held my waist. Following that were more splits, twists, spins, and jumps, but nothing as beautiful as the lift had been. At the end, Fakir's hand was curved around my waist again, and we stood so close together that our bodies touched. Fakir was taller than me. My head arched up just a little, so I could look into his eyes and give off more of that romantic essence. Slowly, our arms reached up, exactly opposite each other, meeting in the air. And then it was over.

The applause was much louder than it had been when I performed with the girls. When the sound hit my ears, I nearly jerked back from Fakir. I looked at the ground then, not daring to peer at my crush again.

"Marvelous!" cried Mr. Cat. "You have greatly improved on grace, Ahira." I didn't look back up.

"Thank you, Sir," I mumbled, and I went back to sit by Duck. She put her hand on my shoulder.

"What's wrong? That was amazing." She whispered to me.

"Nothing," I lied. Half of me didn't know. It had to do with being near Fakir. What, exactly? That I did not know.

I thanked God for the freedom students had after classes were over for the day. I went into town for a walk on my won. I walked up and down the cobble stoned streets for hours, just thinking. Things had become so different. Fakir had become closer to Duck than he'd ever been. Princess Kraehe had showed up and tried to take over Mytho, who was slowly but surely gaining back his heart, thanks to Duck. It was times like this, when I was alone and my mind was free, that I remembered that I was just part of a story, and originally just a bunny rabbit.

"Ahira!"

I nearly squeaked. Just in time, I was able to throw my hand over my mouth. It would have been really stupid of me to give myself away like that. However, when I turned around, it was only Duck. I sighed in relief. If I had made the sound that turned me back into a hare, I would have been okay, at least.

"Yes?" I said, smiling.

"I wanted to talk to you."

I tilted my head a bit, a bunny habit I hadn't been able to shake. "About what?"

She showed me the book. The Prince and the Raven. "Have you ever read this, very carefully?"

I shook my head. "Not very carefully; why do you ask?"

Duck was panting a bit, her hands on her knees. She must have been running after me for a while. "It tells of a friend of Princess Tutu. Her name is Princess Lapin. She comes in right before the end, where it cuts off!"

I raised an eyebrow at her. "What's your point, Duck?" I laughed a little.

She stood up straighter and looked at me. "Lapin is the French word for rabbit!"

My smile faded. I looked at the book. "He just won't stop playing this game, will he?" I asked. Duck didn't speak. " When does she appear?"

"It says she begins to help Tutu right after Kraehe makes an appearance. Have you been feeling weird at all lately?" Before I could answer, Duck started lifting up my arms and my hair, as if looking for something. She walked all around me.

"What exactly do you expect to find on me that represent evidence of becoming this… Princess Lapin?" I asked, raising a brow again.

"Oh. Uh, I don't know," she stammered. "It'd just, you know, be nice to finally have help. I don't feel so alone anymore."

I smiled, wondering if, finally, I'd get to join this battle inside of a story. "You were never alone."