((A/N: Okay… yet another chapter! (BTW, is anyone even reading this fic?) I didn't make it quite as long as I'd hoped but I think it turned out okay regardless… sorta…

It's still lotsa fun to write this fic, so I'm happy :3

Oh yes! Remember! If there's anything you dislike about the characters(original or not) feel free to inform me! I would adore a critique for this fic!

Enjoy!

-Muse-chan out!))


Heartless

Sora

Mukashi, mukashi…

There was a lonely lake who was unable to attract any creatures to it.

One day, a voice came to it and told it how it may find company but the lake could not find out how to go about it.

When all truly seemed lost she heard another voice, laughing and then asking if it would like him to get her company.

The first voice warned it, "Do not listen to the laughing voice." But the lake would not listen.

Laughing all the while, the second voice gave it a name and a single inhabitant…

The lake was happy and sure that its loneliness would recede.

The lake didn't even wonder why the first voice begged it not to listen to the laughing man.

...

A day was plenty enough time to pass for Fakir to worry himself to death. Sure, Ahiru would likely realize how serious the situation truly was and listen to what he said for once… but what if she didn't? Worse yet, what if Drosselmyer came to her?

Yes, Fakir was sure it was connected to Drosselmyer. He wasn't sure how, but he was sure it was. Autor was still skeptical, it was wise of him to be so Fakir supposed, but Fakir couldn't help but be annoyed that the other boy wasn't listening to his opinion.

That wasn't what was on his mind though.

It was nearing the end of his detention but he still couldn't help but feel compelled to rush out like a bat out of hell. Ahiru couldn't defend herself well as a duck. What was she supposed to do? Squirt duck poo at her enemies?

He glared darkly at the mop before him at the unpleasant memory.

As if that wasn't enough, all throughout the day Jaegar had taken every chance he could to annoy him. It was infuriating since the guy seemed to get a kick out of Fakir's death glare.

Fakir sighed; he didn't recall the guy being so annoying before…

…before?

Fakir blinked, he couldn't place exactly when Jaegar had started classes there. It was impossible to trace.

But he knew that Jaegar hadn't been there for the last story. Mytho and he had been the only male ballet students in that class…

So when did Jaegar start taking classes there?

After the story, certainly, but how long after?

Jaegar hadn't been the only new student after Drosselmyer's tale had finally ended, but he could place when the other students started.

Was Jaegar involved in the story…?

And there it was; a horrible, head-splitting headache. The mop hit the floor with a clatter and Fakir clutched his head in vein. The pain shot down his spine and even caused his legs to crumple.

It was quite some time, a half hour maybe, before Fakir had enough sense over the agonizing pain to think straight.

But he could not think of what caused the headache.

He narrowed his eyes, whatever he had thought, wherever his train of thought had been… that was something important to Drosselmyer's new tale.

…but what had he been thinking of?

Fakir let out a long string of curses.

...

In all his days, even during the period of time that Mytho had been attending the academy, Autor was sure he'd never seen anything quite like this.

The squeals from the crowd, mostly girls, were ear splitting.

Even with the weird scene, he normally wouldn't mind…

but they all happened to be crowding around the entrance to his absolute favorite place.

Annoyance grew in him, who did they think they were? Crowding up the entrance to the library like a group of flies on a pile of dog… he hesitated for the next word, before finding suitable replacement; excretion.

"Oi!" Autor jumped, he had intended on speaking soon, disrupting the gaggle of girls, but someone had managed to beat him to it.

Turning around, he was met with disturbingly purple eyes glaring darkly. Luckily, in his opinion, they were directed at the girls and not himself.

The girls immediately directed their attention to the new speaker. Autor was surprised he had that he managed to shut them up so quickly.

"Get away from my book bag."

Autor stared for a moment, book bag…?

The girls parted like magic, leaving a path for the glowering male. One of the girls tripped and Autor was finally able to recognize the group.

They were from the drama school.

Autor directed his attention to one standing at the far end looking like a dear caught in the headlights. In her hands was a simple black book bag.

The boy strutted up and snatched it from her.

"Morons…" he muttered, glaring at the females until they scattered. Finally he turned and walked past Autor again, all the while not giving him even a passing glance.

Autor was reminded of Rue.

In every way, of Rue.

The raven colored hair.

The disdainful glare.

And how many times, could he count before his single encounter with Rue, had she passed him as if he wasn't even there. But she always caught his eye.

The only thing that didn't scream Rue were the purple eyes.

But they did scream 'raven'. At least in Autor's mind.

He gulped and turned around hurriedly, unable to contain the question.

"Who are you?"

The boy stopped and turned slowly, his glare was still prominent but there was a small amount of amusement, "Drago. Drama school." And he walked away.

Autor wouldn't voice his idea, he didn't know why but he just couldn't voice his idea…

…but something about this 'Drago' was definitely wrong. He couldn't place it, but there was something completely creepy and…

Autor blinked, 'and…?' 'and' what? What else…?

It seemed wrong. Odd.

He looked like a perfectly normal student, but for some reason the idea of him looking…

…human?

Human, yes. The idea of him looking human seemed… horribly wrong.

Autor stopped his train of thought there.

He hadn't been concentrating nor had he been putting energy into that. He could only see things that were odd if he truly tried… and even then it was rare that he could.

His eyes widened, there was only one possibility if his train of thought was true.

He wasn't ensnared by the story.

...

Jaegar was having fun in a way.

Fakir's reactions were utterly priceless.

It was true that he was just a bit sadistic, but it came with the territory. He really didn't want to be here…

…if it hadn't been a direct order…

Jaegar sighed and got up from where he sat by the fountain, ready to head for a walk…

He crashed into somebody before he got far.

They almost fell but he decided to have the better part of valor and steady them. He really hadn't been watching where he was going.

He was met with ruby red eyes.

He knew immediately what he was faced with. He couldn't help but smirk nonchalantly at his good luck.

He found it.

It was only another moment before the girl backed away from him and apologized for bumping into him. He recognized her as a member of the special class.

Heidi.

"It was my fault entirely, I'm sorry to have distressed you Heidi-san."

She blinked, surprised, but then she recognized him, smiling apprehensively she nodded slowly, "It's alright… I'll be going."

He let her leave.

It didn't matter. He'd found the ravens daughter.

...

Fakir was relieved when he entered the dorm to find Ahiru curled up on his bed. Smiling slightly he went to take a shower before bed. Mikhail probably used most of the hot water though… he sent a small glare at the motionless napping boy. He always did go to bed early…

He was interrupted by a small quack.

He turned but Ahiru still appeared to be asleep. Confused he approached her, another quack escaped her.

It was a distressed quack.

'She's having a nightmare…' Fakir bit his bottom lip and touched the ducks head, stroking her feathers lightly and hoping it would help her calm down.

It took awhile, but Ahiru began to calm down little by little. If his eyes weren't deceiving him, Fakir could have sworn he saw her beak twitch as if smelling something before she finally seemed totally calm.

'I wonder what it was about…' he would likely never know. She couldn't tell him after all. He sighed, it was getting dark out and he was tired. Glancing down at the ever inviting bed he decided the shower could wait until morning.

When he'd settled into the bed(as quietly and stealthily as he could), he felt Ahiru snuggle closer to him. Smiling softly, he brought the duck into his arms, ready for a good nights sleep.

...

"Ahhh! Ahiru! Get off my finger!"

Mikhail sighed, pulling the covers closer. Just another day.

…she bit his finger today?

Mikhail let out a snicker.

At least it was Saturday and he only had morning classes.

Fakir had afternoon so he was on his own with the ravenous duck.

Fakir growled in annoyance when Mikhail abandoned him to take a shower… and steal all the hot water!

"Curse you Mikahil!"

Mikhail snickered again on the other side of the door.

...

Autor didn't know much about Fakir's schedule, but he did know that he had no classes Saturday morning. It was unfortunate for Autor that he did have two. Still, he would have two and a half hours to talk with Fakir after his classes.

It was better than nothing.

He did quite a bit of thinking and research the previous night. One of the many things he came to realize was it did not take him effort to notice the gate had not opened. A few months prior and it would have been an extraordinarily difficult task.

It was this and many other troubles that finally led him to conclude to the idea that had been nagging at his thoughts since he'd noticed something odd about Drago.

The story wasn't controlling him. Autor was free of whatever tale was being spun.

Why? He still didn't know. But he was certain it had something to do with Drosselmyer.

Another thing that was nagging at him was the sealed gates.

Last time they were sealed it was because of the raven and it was the heart shards sealing it.

Had Mytho lost his heart again?

The prospect wasn't exactly unpleasant to Autor but he knew it would not make Rue happy in the least. After quite the recap of her life story he had long decided that she didn't deserve more drama.

Had someone else sealed the town? Was it even with the use of heart shards?

He needed to talk to Fakir.

...

When Mikhail came back from his morning class he hadn't expected Fakir to still be there. His class started in a half hour and he usually left early.

He also hadn't expected the air to be horribly thick.

There was a foreboding silence that remained prominent in the room. Fakir looked several shades paler than he should. Autor looked as if he was at a funeral. Even Ahiru seemed upset.

When he closed the door, Fakir finally looked at him before straightening into a standing position. After letting out a calming breath he spoke seriously to Mikhail.

"If she leaves, it's your head."

Mikhail knew he meant Ahiru. Despite how confused and worried he was he simply nodded, unwilling to fight with Fakir when the guy looked like he was either going to rip off someone's head or curl up into a ball of hopeless despair… or both.

Mikhail nodded and Fakir walked out, Autor stumbling after him.

"Well… I guess it's just you and me, ne?" he asked with a strained tone, hoping to lighten the mood.

...

Messy purple hair matched with mischievous green eyes gleamed as she watched yet another chaotic event unfold.

Standing up, Kaethe began towards the library. She'd been almost everywhere else in the school but the library.

A student, taller than her but still short, bumped her to the ground. Looking up, she was met with a cheerful group from the drama school.

They apologized and she acted as any normal, level-headed person would. One of the more friendly ones asked which school she attended.

'None.' She smiled and replied without hesitation, "Fencing."

...

There were two things Mikhail had learned to fear in his life.

One, of course, is Ahiru's flying bird kicks of rage. The other being his little sister's safety.

The girl had a way of getting into endless amounts of trouble.

But, as she matured, grew older and wiser she managed to stay out of trouble for the most part. It didn't stop him from worrying, being as she was a ballet student and he was on the other side of campus in the fencing school, but it was a small comfort at least that she wasn't the same troublesome girl she was.

Well, at least he knew she didn't seek out trouble anymore.

He sighed and leaned against the window. Ahiru was asleep in his lap and he had that feeling again.

The one where he knew, he just knew that Hiedi had found herself some prime trouble to tackle.

He shook off the thought; he was probably just being paranoid because of how odd Fakir had been acting earlier. Whatever he and that 'Aotoa' guy had been talking about obviously had him shaken and just a bit paler than he should be.

He let out another sigh and glanced out the window.

Ahiru hit the floor and quacked in indignation but Mikhail paid no mind, his face practically attached to the window.

There was his precious little sister, raven hair sweeping the wind, walking towards the forest…

…with some random guy!

…and he looked older than her!

"Oh hell no!" There was no way he was letting some suspicious guy lure his baby sister alone in the woods! Glaring darkly out the window for another moment he bolted out of the room, not even bothering to close the door all the way.

Ahiru blinked in surprise, worry crossing her duckish features. She'd seen Mikhail upset(he hadn't been happy the day she bit his toes instead of Fakir's) but she'd never seen him quite so panicked. He always seemed to have a calm and friendly nature to him.

Completely disregarding Fakir's earlier orders, she made haste to follow.


((Ending Notes: I dislike how this chapter turned out… I totally feel like I'm rushing things but I need to get to the actual plot, you know? I can't stay in the introductory stages much longer…

T.T! But it feels so rushed to me! :(

Ah well, I've introduced the last of the original characters(there will be no more) :3

Okay! So we have…

-Heidi; black hair, red eyes, Mikhail's little sister. I forget what the name means… -.-'

-Drago; black hair, purple eyes, a big meanie and super suspicious looking.

:3 I like Drago, he's got some fun moments ahead… XD

The next chapter is when the plot should really start going so stay tuned! :)

Thank you very much for reading!

-Muse-chan holding a sleeping cat.))