Disclaimer: I will never own Princess Tutu, but fortunately I own my mind...I think.
Thank you Hyperpegasi and Winter Snow for supporting me so far!
This is an AU fan fiction. There are no heart shards, instead there are unlucky spells floating around that need to be broken. Drosselmeyer doesn't write stories, but he does carve "curses" into an old oak tree that always come true. None of the people are animals...or at least not originally...there is the girl who becomes a duck, and the boy who becomes...well, I'll let you wait and see. Rated T just to be safe.
Mostly cannon parings (I might throw in a couple extras!), and as close to character as possible. They might act a little differently, but that would be because the storyline is different, thus tweaking their personalities somewhat. I apologize for anything anyone might find worth getting upset over. I'm really hoping people like this!
Chapter 2: Secret
A new day has begun, and magic from a time long ago has awakened. Will the day be bright with victory? Dark with despair? Or maybe...
Blurry eyes opened slowly, 'Huh...where am I...'
"Quack!" a yellow wing came into focus.
Ahiru the duck began to panic, 'Oh no! What happened?! Why am I in the woods?!"
She noticed her pendant on the ground and quickly flipped it back over her head and around her neck.
'Whew, I can't lose my pendant!' she thought to herself in determination, 'I don't want to be stuck as a duck!"
"Ahiru!" a soft voice called.
Her head shot up to the direction the voice had come from, 'Adel-san?'
"Ahiru!" the voice came closer.
"Quack!" Ahiru cried, running toward the voice, 'I'm coming Adel-san!'
"There you are," the woman came into view. She had pale green hair pulled up and out in a unique fashion, both uncovering and framing her beautiful face. A small, sprout like tuft stood at the peak, almost unnoticeable. Her eyes were a blank, dark blue and she wore light make up over her pale, doll like features. The dress and accessories were somewhat eccentric in style, but looked quite good on her. From the strange box she carried out in front of her, she conjured out a canteen and twisted off the cap.
"Qua-" Ahiru lowered her head as water rained down on her. A red glow rose about her from her pendant and stretched her form upward. When the light left, Ahiru the girl stood where the duck had, but without cloths.
"Here," Adel handed her a school uniform.
"Th-thank you Adel-san!" Ahiru stuttered slightly, a bit embarrassed.
"What happened?" Adel asked as Ahiru swiftly pulled her cloths on.
"Well, I got up early this morning to look for this injured wolf I found the other day. Then I saw Mytho jump from his window to save a baby bird and as I ran to save him my body grew warm and I suddenly wasn't myself," Ahiru finished dressing and stood to look at Adel, "I was in a ballerina outfit and I called for flowers and they made a soft landing for him. It was so amazing! I've never moved so gracefully before! Then he asked me who I was, but I was so startled in not knowing who I was that I qua-uh you know."
Edel closed her eyes briefly after hearing this, then she turned away and started walking, "Come to the shop after school...we'll talk about that then."
"Alright," Ahiru walked beside her, "Maybe Drosselmeyer-san will know something."
"Perhaps," Adel's face revealed nothing.
"Eh heh," Ahiru laughed slightly, "I'm sure it's not a bad thing. It was really kinda nice."
Adel said nothing for a moment, then changed the subject, "I'll explain to your teacher why you were late. Try to be more careful next time."
"Alright," Ahiru nodded, determined, "Thank you Adel-san."
"You're welcome Ahiru," Adel said.
With that, they walked into the school and headed for the ballet studio.
Ahiru stepped into the studio first, not noticing the ballet teacher was waiting by the doors.
"Is there a reason for your tardiness, Ahiru-san?" he asked suddenly, making her jump and whirl around.
All of the classmates paused to see what was happening.
"Eh ah, well I-ah," she waved her arms in nervousness.
"Forgive her sir, she was with me, " Adel stepped in, shocking the teacher considerably.
"Wh-who are you?!" the teacher demanded shakily, 'What a beautiful young woman!'
"I'm her guardian, Lydia Adel," she answered, "I apologize for the inconvenience. We were discussing an important matter and lost track of the hour."
The teacher nodded somewhat meekly before he straightened up, his eyes closed, and extended his hand,"Perfectly forgivable Edel-san. I'm Ahiru's instructor, Felix Machol, though please, feel free to call me Felix."
"Nice to meet you Machol-san," Adel was already turned back to the door, "Goodbye, have a pleasant day."
Machol-sensei was left frozen by her words, "Ha-have a pleasant day."
"See you later Adel-san," Ahiru said before going to sit with her classmates.
'Why,' Machol-sensei's universe spun, 'Why did it happen like that?!'
"Oh," Pique whispered in Ahiru's ear, "Your guardian gave Machol-sensei the cold shoulder!"
"He's in a state of shock and wounded pride!" Lillie chirped in her other ear, "How tragic!"
"Eh heh heh," Ahiru laughed uncertainly, not quite knowing what to say.
After school, Ahiru walked alone down the schoolyard. She found herself walking past Mytho and a girl with long, bushy brown hair, and accidentally heard their conversation.
"So will you go out with me, instead of Rue?" the girl asked.
"Ehh?" Ahiru stopped walking altogether.
"Alright," Mytho answered in his expressionless voice.
"Ehh?!" Ahiru gawked before hurriedly rushing away when the girl turned to look.
Then, of all people, Ahiru saw Rue heading their way.
"Quack!" Ahiru covers her mouth a little too late and plunges herself into a bush. A moment later Ahiru the duck hops out and frantically quacks at Rue, trying to stop her.
Rue was surprised for a moment, but soon smiled and continued onward.
'Oh no! She'll be so upset when she sees that!' Ahiru panicked before realizing, 'That's right! I'll turn back into a girl and stop her from seeing that!'
She ran full speed to the fountain and hopped into the water. Only as she leaped back out as a girl did she realize her condition and, "Ah! Quack!"
As a duck she zoomed back, grabbed her cloths, ran to a bush, hid the cloths there, jumped in the fountain, turned back to a girl, hopped out and into the bush. Finally she jumped out of the bush as a girl with cloths on and ran to intercept Rue. Unfortunately, Rue was already close enough to see Mytho and the bushy haired brunette stand up from the ground, hand in hand.
"Ah!" Ahiru popped up in front of Rue and started waving her arms wildly, "Er, um, ah-"
"Why hello Rue-san," the girl spoke, catching both Ahiru and Rue's undivided attention.
"I'll inform you now that Mytho-san has just agreed to go out with me," she smiled, a small red glow appearing in her brown eyes, "It's clear who's ahead now isn't it? Later."
The girl walked smugly away with Mytho.
Ahiru looked back at the somewhat surprised looking Rue, "Ah, I don't think that's right, er, um it isn't, ah-"
Rue smiled gently, "You're a kind person, aren't you?"
"Huh?" Ahiru blushed.
"I'm not worried by this," Rue continued her walk, true to her word. Ahiru looked after her with amazement.
'Of course, Rue-chan is a true Prima Donna!' Ahiru thought to herself as she walked through the streets on her way to the shop, 'But why would someone as nice as Mytho-sempai be so cold toward his girlfriend? I don't understand!'
Soon she came to an old, but well kept shop on the street corner. The interior was dimly lit, and the objects on the shelves crowded each other. There were odds and ends hear and there, but there was mostly jewelry, stones, and watches in the shop.
"Why hello Ahiru-chan," a man suddenly appeared behind Ahiru.
"Qua-" she slapped her hands over her face before she could utter the traitorous word, "Don't do that Drosselmyer-san!"
Drosselmyer was interesting to say the least. His crazed brown eyes were wide and round, and one might worry they would pop from his large, wrinkly head. His long white hair curled up at the ends under his odd looking hat. His cloths were rather odd, bearing some bright colors here and there. Even before hearing his creepy laugh, people would believe he was a senile old man.
"What? All I did was say hello," he held his gloved hands out and shrugged at her as if genuinely perplexed.
"You don't have to sneak around like that!" Ahiru shook her finger at the elder.
"But that's what I do best!" he chuckled to himself, "Among other things..."
"Like turning ducks into girls and then messing with their heads to your hearts content?" Ahiru rattled off easily, most likely having had conversations similar to this on many occasions.
"Now Ahiru-chan," he frowned at her, "Messing with just one person's head isn't enough to content myself with."
"I know, you'd mess with the whole town if you had the chance," Ahiru leaned against a shelf.
"Now there's an idea," Drosselmyer laughed to himself quietly, too quietly for Ahiru to hear.
"Well, anyway," Ahiru spoke again, "Did Adel-san tell you what happened today?"
"You became a princess who saved her prince?" his back was turned to her.
"Eh, you know what's going on Drosselmyer-san?!" she asked, hope in her eyes.
"Your pendant knows," his face cracked into a wide grin, though Ahiru couldn't see this.
"The pendant?" Ahiru blinked in confusion.
"It has more than just the power to turn a duck into a girl."
"Really?" Ahiru looked at it closely.
"It has chosen to help you, but in return it will expect your help," Adel spoke as she walked out from behind the shelves.
"My help?" Ahiru turned her attention to Adel.
"Yes, it has it's own desires, and the only way to obtain them is through you," Adel ran her hands through a pile of jewels and stones.
"What does it want exactly?" Ahiru asked.
"To right wrongs from long ago," Adel answered vaguely, "It's past is veiled in mystery."
"What am I supposed to do?"
"You will know when the time comes," Drosselmyer said as he vanished into the shadows chuckling, "And that time isn't that far off, Ahiru-chan!"
"Be strong Ahiru," Adel led her to the door, "Fate has spun a new story. Don't let it overwhelm you."
"I don't completely understand all this," Ahiru turned to look at Adel, "but, thank-you for the advise, I will do my best!"
"Good luck Ahiru," Adel stood in the doorway as she walked down the sidewalk, "Sleep well tonight."
An incomplete moon hovered in the evening sky.
"Bye!" Ahiru called back with a wave before running back to the dorms.
She was taking a short cut through the park when a sudden feeling made her stop. Her pendant was glowing brightly, "The pendant..."
Then she saw the black wolf dart across the walk a few yards ahead of her, carrying something long and slim in it's mouth. It didn't notice her.
"Ah! The wolf's alright after all! Thank goodness," Ahiru smiled as she stared into the darkness it had vanished into.
The pendant's glow flickered, as if trying to catch her attention.
"Ah! Is there something I need to do?" Ahiru tried to understand what it wanted.
The ground shook beneath her feet and she heard shouting come from the same direction the wolf had taken. She noticed her pendant seemed to be reacting to it and ran to see why it was so determined for her to go that way. As she came closer to the noise, she felt a rush of wind and had to shield her face with her hands. Her pendant's glow was the brightest she'd ever seen it.
"Drosselmyer said I'd know what to do, but..." Ahiru held the pendant to her heart and closed her eyes, "I don't know."
"Mytho!" Ahiru's head shot up at the sound of a masculine voice not far ahead of where she stood.
'That voice sounded like...' She ran forward till she reached the clearing it had come from. Her eyes grew wide at the scene before her. Two men that seemed to be made of earth fought a young man dressed in black. In the last of the day's light, she recognized his dark hair and fierce gaze. It was Fakir.
'I knew that voice sounded familiar!' Ahiru thought, turning her attention to the others in the clearing. Mytho was being restrained by the girl he'd agreed to go out with earlier that day. The two of them were surrounded by more of the earthen men, but it was clear they weren't attacking. The girl was glowing red.
'Why is the light around her like my pendant?' Ahiru thought.
"Finish him!" the girl ordered, her voice different from before, sending a shiver down Ahiru's spine. More earthen men attacked Fakir, he was in danger.
"Fakir!" Mytho tried to pull away.
'I have to...' the pendant's light overwhelmed her, '...save them!'
"Stop this!" the princess cried as she leaped into the clearing.
Everyone froze and turned to look at her. The prince's eye's lit with recognition.
"It's you."
The princess nodded and danced her way to the girl and Mytho, the guards stepping aside for her, "Why are you doing this?"
"Why..." the girl stared at her, her eyes confused,"Why..."
The princess smiled, twirled her arms above her head and then outstretched her right hand to the girl, "Will you dance with me?"
The glowing girl blinked before nodding slowly. She placed her hand in the princess's and they danced together.
"Why are you so upset?" the princess asked.
"I...I've been so frustrated recently," the glowing ebbed, "Rue is the best, Rue is so beautiful, everyone looks up to Rue. I'm so sick of it."
"You want to be recognized?" the princess asked.
"Yes, why is it everyone idolizes Rue when there are so many others that are still very good?" a peaceful expression had begun to replace her pained one.
"Does that really matter? As long as you focus on your dance, and pour yourself into it, I'm sure they will recognize your feelings," the princess brought the dance to a close, "Don't let frustration control you like that, be strong and have faith in your abilities. You are a wonderful dancer."
"...thank you," the glow left the girl and flooded into the pendant. All the earthen men vanished back into the ground. When the girl fainted in exhaustion, the princess caught her.
"Who are you?" the princess turned to see Fakir step between her and Mytho.
"I..." she looked down, "I have no name."
"What?" Fakir hadn't anticipated that response.
"I have yet to be given one that I know of," she pulled the tired girl's arm over her shoulders, "My past has been lost to me."
"...Princess Tutu," both of them looked up at the sound of Mytho's voice.
"What?" the princess asked in confusion.
"Will you take that name?" Mytho asked.
"Mytho, what are you-" Fakir frowned.
"Is that really alright?" she asked, as a blush began to stain her cheeks.
"Yes," Mytho nodded, "Thank you for helping us, Princess Tutu."
Her face reddened and she bowed her head, "And thank you for the name. I will cherish it."
"What is your purpose in helping us?" Fakir asked in a low voice, still suspicious.
"Fakir-" Mytho protested lightly.
"My purpose is to right wrongs from long ago," Tutu said, half carrying the girl to the edge of the clearing, "I know no more than that."
"Don't expect me to trust you," Fakir warned her, "I won't hesitate to protect Mytho."
"I have no intention of bringing anyone to harm," Tutu said after a slight pause, "Goodnight."
Moving steadily, she left with the brown haired girl. Mytho and Fakir watched her go, both wearing unreadable expressions.
The next day before school, Ahiru watched as the girl approached Rue.
"Rue-san, I must apologize for my behavior yesterday," the girl said in a straightforward manner, "It was wrong of me to try and ruin you and Mytho-san's relationship. There is no excuse for my actions."
"I knew all along that you had no interest in Mytho," Rue said, "It was an underhanded and malicious act that you committed Naomi-san."
"I will never again revert to such ugly methods," Naomi stood tall, "From this day forward, I will pour myself into ballet. I will show everyone what a great dancer I truly am."
"Then I will look forward to it," Rue turned to leave, "Good day Naomi."
"Good day," Naomi nodded as they went their separate ways.
'Thank goodness,' Ahiru thought to herself, 'Things are back to normal!'
"Ahiru-san," Machol-sensei apeared beside her.
"Ah! Good morning Sensei!" Ahiru said nervously, "I was just on my way to class."
"I'm sorry to inform you that your test results from yesterday dropped you to the Apprentice class," his almost smug expression contradicted his words, "If you don't improve over the next week, I will have to meet with your guardians."
"Quack?!" Ahiru was so horrified that she didn't cover her mouth in time. She made a dash for it and ran away before anyone could see her transformation.
'I have to hurry and change back, before I'm late to class again!' Ahiru the duck cried in dismay.
To be continued...
Please forgive me for all the strange names, I was trying to turn it a little more to German type names instead of Japanese. I know Ahiru is still Japanese, but I just couldn't bring myself to give her a different name! I also realize that I've somehow managed to mix in japanese terms such as -san, -chan, -and -sensei while still writing the family name last and the individuals' names first. Sorry if I caused any discomfort or confusion!
The story is starting to come together, what do you all think so far? There's more to come! I hope to do even better with the next chapter!
Wow! I beat my deadline! Hope you enjoy it! R&R pretty please!