Chapter Four: Part of Their World
"I have an idea, my dear Sue," Drosselmeyer said, looking through his clockwork palace at the goings on. It had now been three days since the arrivalof New Directions and meeting of them and Princess Tutu's companions, and all ready, Kurt and Duck were getting closer and closer. Kurt was even there as Princess Tutu filled in for Rue when dancing against a ghostly woman for Mytho's future. She got the heart shard of sorrow for it.
"What is it, Herr Drosselmeyer?" Sue asked. She had never really been attracted to anyone as she was attracted to Drosselmeyer. Sure he was older, but he had a mind that could put even herself to the test.
"This Kurt Hummel… if I split Princess Tutu's heart shard of hope into two, then I could make Kurt into Prince Tutu… a brotherly companion to Princess Tutu. Though the tragic end to Princess Tutu would be doubly so, for a brother shall lose a sister in the end when the Prince chooses him over her…"
Sue sighed fondly and nodded, "That would be most sublime, my friend. Make it so…"
"If I do, Blaine and Kurt will have to split…" Drosselmeyer thought, putting his hand to his chin in and thoughtful pose.
"That… that flamboyant fellow… Femio? He and Blaine are quite alike…" Sue said, waving at one of the gears which was showing Femio, who was doing his act in the presence of some lovely townsgirls.
Drosselmeyer smiled at his companion and nodded, "This is precisely why I chose you to be my co-author, my dear…"
The Fire Festival was coming up, and Rue and Fakir were steaming that Princess Tutu/Duck was doing this, and that these new kids were prancing around, all for it.
Rue didn't want Mytho to change because now that he was gaining more emotions, he was looking around at other people: not just girls. That Kurt Hummel was one of the people Mytho seemed to ask about, even when in the company of Rue, who was supposed to be his girlfriend.
"But do I really love you, Rue?" he had asked. The nerve of him!
Fakir had outwardly spoken of shattering his heart again. Fakir wasn't sure if he liked the control he had over the other boy, or if he genuinely wanted to keep the boy from getting hurt. Without emotions, he couldn't have his heart broken by anyone else.
Rue was looking at Fakir more and more as an ally, and vice versa.
"So, the Fire Festival is sort of like Prom to you guys?" Kurt asked of the redhead.
"Lillie and Pique said something like that. It's a special dance where couples dance around and the best dancers get a prize," Duck said. "Rue and Mytho have won the prize every year for a couple years now."
"Most of your group isn't going due to evening classes," Blaine said, putting his hand over his boyfriend's. "You don't have an evening class, do you, babe?"
"No…" Kurt replied, "But you do."
Blaine grumbled, "I can't believe Drosselmeyer showed up and gave me a schedule. It's so… full!"
"I thought you liked the idea of a full summer? So you could be like the rest of us?" Kurt teased.
Duck giggled at the show and then her eyes went wide for a moment, "You could be my partner, Kurt…" she said suddenly, "Only… only if you want to…"
Kurt thought about it, "Hmm… Everyone in New Directions has evening classes except Lauren, Artie, and Karofsky. But I don't think any one of them likes the Dance Department enough to participate…" he said, stroking his chin thoughtfully.
"Oh, stop teasing the girl, Kurt," Blaine said, poking his boyfriend in the stomach as he laughed at Duck's red cheeks.
"Be nice, Blaine…" Kurt said gently, putting his free hand over Duck's, "I'll be your partner, Duck… but that means we have a day to get something together…"
Duck blushed, "If only I could turn into Princess Tutu… then we could just improvise…"
"We can just improvise… have you forgotten who you're talking to?" Kurt asked, laughing slightly.
"Yes… the boy who managed to get in to the advanced class a day after being enrolled in only the beginning class," Duck was reminded. "I wish I wasn't just a duck…"
"Being 'just a duck' is not limiting your abilities as a ballerina, Duck… you have to feel passion and use that to hone your determination in getting better," Kurt replied, massaging the crook between Duck's thumb and first finger with his thumb.
Duck smiled at her friend and laughed quietly, almost nervously, before she looked off to the side, "Yeah… you think you can make me into a pretty good dancer before tomorrow night?"
Kurt stood up, jostling Blaine off his lap as he pulled his redheaded friend up, "Come on. We start now. We have no class thanks to everyone preparing for this thing, so lets get going, mmkay?"
Duck nodded and allowed her flamboyant friend to drag her inside to 'get started,' leaving Blaine quite alone under a willow tree.
"How rude," he said, dusting himself off and moving to a standing position.
"I should say so," a new voice said.
Blaine turned to the source and saw the dark-haired boy with the flamboyant airs. "Femio, right?" Blaine asked.
"Ah, yes. I see you remember a sinner such as moi," Femio replied, putting a hand to his head.
"A sinner? Why are you a sinner?" Blaine asked.
"Because I cannot make the ladies of the school love me!" Femio cried, falling to the ground. "I am a true Prince, and a Prince must love his subjects and vice versa!"
"Femio, darling," Blaine said, feeling the other boy's airs rub off on him, "I understand making the ladies love you, but… aren't you forgetting a rather large demographic?"
"What demographic? Ladies of all shapes, sizes and colors intrigue my dear heart," the flamboyant teen replied.
"But what about the men! The young men who are attracted to Princely characters like yourself!" Blaine cried, putting the dark-haired 'Prince's' hands in his own. Their faces came quite close.
"Blaine, is it?" Femio asked, touching noses with the curly-haired Warbler.
"Yes."
Femio went down on one knee, and Blaine's heart fluttered. He pulled a Kurt Hummel for a moment and almost—almost—forgot that he all ready had a boyfriend. Almost.
"Blaine, my light, my savior, my darling… will you become a Prince with me? Together we can charm the men and women of this school together…"
"Together?" Blaine asked, "Like…"
"Only you," Femio replied, still clutching at Blaine's hands. He was referring to Blaine's sex, "But the first rule is not to attach yourself to any one man… or woman, in my case…"
Blaine blinked, "Then… to be your paramour, and the boys of the school's Prince… I must break up with Kurt…"
Femio raised an eyebrow, ripping his hands away from Blaine to put them on his forehead, "Oh, you poor sinner. Try not to break the poor boy's heart!"
"How can I? This boy is clearly in love with me," Blaine said, putting his hands together as if in prayer.
Femio gasped and took something out of the pocket of his uniform jacket. He handed the token to Blaine, who gazed at it. It was a simple red jewel on a cloth string. "An old man and blonde woman gave this to me. They said to find a Kurt Hummel and bestow it upon him. It is the perfect gift to a heartbroken boy."
Blaine nodded and took the jewel and ran off in the same direction Kurt and Duck had gone, Femio looking around him, bowing to no one, and running after him.
"Good, Duck, good!" Kurt said when the aforementioned redhead had done a perfect leap. The last few times they had tried, Duck had made them both topple over into the piano player, who was doing a version of Humperdink's "Suite from Hansel and Gretel."
"I think it fits," Kurt had said about the music. Little did he know that Hansel and Gretel would fit even more…
That's when Blaine crashed in, followed by a bull, an older man waving around some fans and rose petals, and that Femio character they had met only a few days prior.
"Kurt, I have an announcement!" Blaine said, bowing low as Duck and Kurt parted and looked at each other with incredulous expressions.
"O… kay…" Kurt replied, before Blaine presented him with the necklace.
"We have to break up," Blaine said quickly.
The old man threw some rose petals as Kurt took the necklace. It glowed, causing Duck's necklace to glow as well. Deciding to keep the dreadful sign to an ended relationship, he held it by the cloth string. "Why? Blaine? Why are you breaking up with me?"
"Because as a Prince along side my dear Femio, I must not be attached to any one man, just as Femio must not be attached to any one woman," Blaine replied, right as Femio climbed on a bull and was thrust out the window. Blaine glanced at the happenings, and shouted, "Wait for me, my brother!"
As the lackey cleaned up, Kurt's knees gave out and he sunk to the floor, "That's… a terrible reason to break up with someone," he said, eyes filling with tears.
Duck sunk down with her friend and hugged him, "I know… but break-ups are part of life… and he was a good first boyfriend, even though the break-up was sort of tough… now you know what to expect, and you'll be better in the next relationship…"
Kurt shook his head, "I just thought… with Blaine tying me down, I wouldn't get so heartbroken over Mytho being with a girl. How come all the guys I tend to like have girlfriends?"
Duck blinked, "Mytho's pansexual. Especially without a heart. I mean… he went out with Anteaterina a couple weeks ago when I was just starting out as Princess Tutu… And… I don't think Rue and him will be a couple for very long… as soon as I find the heart shard of love he might… he might choose you…"
Kurt looked at his friend and tried to smile, "Don't… don't get my hopes up…" he replied sadly.
Duck pulled the boy closer before she remembered Blaine's odd break-up gift. "The necklace!" she cried, pulling at it.
It twinkled lightly, winking at its partner around Duck's neck. "What… what does it mean?" Kurt asked, rubbing the tears from his cheeks and he studied the necklace.
"It's a heart shard. My necklace is the last heart shard I give to the Prince… this must be another one… maybe… maybe you take a spot in the story too!" Duck said, yanking the necklace from Kurt and putting it over his head. Twin shards twinkled at each other, and glowed for a second before they stopped. "We'll see when another shard shows up," Duck added.
Kurt hid the jewel under his shirt, "In the… meantime: Let's continue practicing so we have a chance to win something at the Fire Festival…"
"Right!" Duck replied with a little too much enthusiasm: she managed to crash into the piano man once more before dusting herself off and taking her partner's hands to dance.
The dancers were all beautiful, and the dancing hadn't even started. All were wearing Victorian garb: the ladies in poofy dresses and the men in top hats and bowties. Kurt and Duck were no exception: in the Acting Department they managed to find themselves a white and orange dress for Duck, which "matched her wonderful hair" (Kurt's exact words), and a black top hat and black vest for Kurt. He wore black pants and an orange/pink polka dotted tie to match his lady's dress.
As they began their dancing to the tune they were given for all couples ("We'll have to quicken the routine… are you ready?' Kurt asked. "Oh dear… I'll try not to trip over your feet… or my feet… or (pointing to a random girl) her… feet? Hooves? Oh goodness she's a horse," Duck and replied, staring at the horse girl for a minute before Kurt elbowed her into getting into position), Duck suddenly stopped and turned to the entrance. Rue, dressed in a dark dress and matching cape, ran to the floor and looked around wildly before seeing Fakir at the edge of the clearing. She ran to him, and they seemed to get into an altercation: Rue swearing he was the last one to have seen Mytho, and Fakir denying everything.
Duck and Kurt turned to each other, and ran out of the clearing, thinking Mytho's safety was a little more important than winning some lame award. They ran up to the dorms: trying to find Mytho in Fakir and his room. When he wasn't there, Kurt took out the jewel Blaine had given him. Duck looked down at hers. They were both faintly glowing. "There's a heart shard around here…"
They ran out of the room and followed the glow, playing a magical game of "Hot or Cold" before the game led them to a closet, and within the closet, a trapdoor. Kurt lifted the floorboards and went first, followed by Duck, who was caught by surprise as they went down. She turned into a duck and landed on top of Kurt, who caught her in his arms.
There was a droplet of water, as they were in a basement of some kind, and Duck turned into a girl, still clutched in Kurt's arms. He blinked, but averted his eyes as the girl jumped out his arms and put her dress back on. The necklace glowed bright, and suddenly lanterns lit all down one odd corridor. "You are in a cold house in the winter. It is dark. You have one match. There is a candle and there is a wood-burning stove. Which do you light first?" came a disembodied voice.
Kurt and Duck blinked, walking down the lighted corridor. "Uhm… The wood-burning stove, because then you could light the candle off of that," Duck said.
"A perfectly good answer, but no…" the voice said. She (for it sounded like a girl) sounded affectionate and kind, but Kurt had his doubts. "How about you, young man?"
"Uhm… wouldn't you light the match before you light either one?" Kurt asked.
"You are correct… But another riddle to test if you are worthy… A man while looking at a photograph said, 'Brothers and sisters have I none. That man's father is my father's son.' Who was the person in the photograph?"
"Uhm… his… father?" Duck asked.
"No," the voice giggled. "Young man?"
"The man's son?" Kurt asked.
"Correct… two very different siblings you are…"
"We're not…" Kurt started to say, but the stones around their necks glowed deeply as they came upon… a lamp. But curled around the lamp was—"Mytho!" Kurt cried, moving forward to touch him. The lamp suddenly sparked, and a young woman emerged.
"You are not that worthy, my friend…" the woman said, though her voice was still friendly. "He's my friend. I love him too much for you to take him."
Duck blinked, "But… he has other friends who love him and don't want him to be locked away. Like me. And Kurt…" she said.
"But I've always been so alone…" the lamp near-wailed, moving back to Mytho's sleeping form.
Kurt and Duck looked at each other, raised their brows at each other, and then, as if possessed, touched fingers. As soon as they did so, egg shapes surrounded them, and they were transformed. Like Princess Tutu, who stood before him, Kurt was dressed all in white. But he was wearing a jacket that was clasped with what looked like large gold bars. He was wearing a white scarf that was clasped with a brooch that held his red heart shard. A tiny crown was on his head. He looked in a mirror-like piece of glass and saw his bangs and tip of brown hair were tinged with white, like Princess Tutu.
"Prince and Princess Tutu, siblings in a rivalry for the Prince's heart. Too bad Princess Tutu will still turn into a speck of light and vanish if she tells the Prince of her feelings for him. Prince Tutu will have to witness his sister's suffering. So which is worse? Vanishing into thin air, or watching a family member disappear from this world forever?" came Drosselmeyer's voice.
"Wait! I'm competing with Princess Tutu for his affections but she still dies? So who does Mytho choose in the end?" Kurt—Prince Tutu—asked, spinning around to find Drosselmeyer.
But Drosselmeyer didn't answer him. Princess Tutu put her hand on her brother's shoulder, "Don't dwell on it, Prince Tutu… we have a job to do in the here and now…"
Prince Tutu nodded and turned to the lamp, who giggled and went to them, "What a funny pair you are!"
"Dance with us, lady?" Prince Tutu asked, holding out his hand. He felt much more dashing as Prince Tutu then he ever did as Kurt. Like he hadn't just broken up with his first boyfriend. That everything was as it should be.
"Yes, dance with us," Princess Tutu echoed.
The lamp spirit smiled and took both of their hands and twirled them with shocking strength. "I just want a friend," she whispered.
"You have us," Kurt said, twirling her over to Princess Tutu, who began a complex Pas de Deux with her before it became a Pas de Trois as Prince Tutu joined.
Finally, the lamp thanked them as she went back into her lamp, and just a red spirit of the heart shard remained. "I am the heart shard of affection," it said, smiling and hugging them both before turning into the shard.
Princess Tutu smiled and handed it to her brother. "You do the honors, brother…"
Prince Tutu curtsied (yes, curtsied) and took the shard, closing his eyes and willing the shard to go to Mytho. It obeyed, and Mytho woke up. "I feel… strange…" he said. He looked up at the pair. "There's a… Prince Tutu as well? Which… which one of Duck'ts other friends are you?"
"Kurt," Princess Tutu replied, humming happily, "Let's get you back to your dance partner, my Prince…"
Mytho nodded, taking the girl's hands as she led them out.
As Kurt and Duck turned back into themselves back at the top of the tunnel, Mytho glanced outside, "The Fire Festival is over. Looks like Charles and Horsetta won…"
Duck looked, "That's the horse girl from earlier…" she mumbled, but Kurt elbowed her before he said, "Too bad… we would have won for sure had Mytho and Rue actually come together."
"You… won't tell Rue that Fakir locked me away?" Mytho asked, "He's sleeping at the mill just in case but…"
"We won't… in fact, I'll go keep her busy!" Duck shouted, running down the hall (and stumbling over something. She bounced back fast, though).
Kurt noticed he was alone with Mytho and started a little. "I should go. Big day tomorrow… back in classes and all that."
Suddenly a hand clasped around his own, "Something's bothering you…" Mytho said.
Kurt paused and sighed, "Blaine and I… broke up," he said. He looked back at Mytho, who pulled Kurt into a backwards hug. "Because…" here Kurt's voice hitched, "he wanted to be the school's Prince along with Femio… for the boys…"
Mytho's face pouted as he looked at them in the mirror, "That seems… unfair…"
Kurt shook his head and pushed Mytho away, "And now I'm Prince Tutu and at the end of the Story I'm gonna lose Duck… and… and I'm thousands of miles away from home and… and I'm not sure this trip was such a good idea—"
Mytho had pulled Kurt back into his arms, which launched them both into a comfortable chair. Mytho's arms stayed strong against Kurt, but he no longer struggled. "The heart shard of affection…" he murmured, pushing up only a little as he got comfortable in Mytho's lap.
"Is that it? I knew I felt a warm feeling when I woke up and saw Prince and Princess Tutu… like I liked them, and they liked me back…"
"Affection. We're your friends, so of course… of course you feel that way," Kurt explained.
"And now I want nothing but to share that warm feeling with you, because you seem sad…" Mytho said. "I've only had sad feelings and painful feelings restored to me, so this one ray of… affection is wonderful… and I want to share it with… with you, Kurt."
Kurt's breath hitched, "Won't… Rue and Fakir… be mad?"
"Like I said, Fakir is spending the night at the mill tonight… and Duck just went to go keep Rue busy. I don't see what's wrong with comforting a friend, though," Mytho replied.
Kurt blinked, wiping under his eye with the sleeve of his costume, "Th-Thanks, Mytho," he said, putting his head on Mytho's chest. It might have been his imagination, but he swore he felt Mytho's heartbeat quicken as he cuddled into the white-haired boy's chest and closed his eyes, clutching the front of the other boy's shirt…
