Karasu

Summary: A forgotten story and the quest for the hidden pages on familiar grounds with familiar faces, his and her encounter in a different light and a missing Ahiru.

I know it's been a long (x4) since I've updated, I'm sorry...

Fakir: Suspicion

When the new student was introduced in the ballet class Fakir was a little surprised, but nonetheless he didn't let it show. His surprise turned into suspicion when she approached him, Mytho and Rue, and assured them, "Don't worry, Ahiru's fine, nothing bad has happened to her."

What Ahiru said surprised the three and when she introduced herself as Karasu, Mytho and Rue became worried.

"Karasu... meaning raven" Rue said aloud.

"Do you think she's..." Mytho wondered.

"I don't know but there's something strange about that girl" Fakir frowned.

He went back to their conversation, but his eyes trailed Ahiru's retreating form.

Sitting in the library, Fakir was browsing some books looking for something anything that can help him write her story, a clue or even just a plain sentence written in black and white. From time to time he would stand up and get another book from one of the shelf while returning another, as expected the book entitled The Prince and the Raven was nowhere to be found, he sat down again and continued what he was doing. Moments later he was distracted by the small chatters on the first floor he looked down and saw Ahiru, she was still with her friends. Pique and Lillie's prattle vanished as he concentrated his sight on the raven haired girl.

A few moments passed and he caught himself, he shook out of his trance and went back to his books then the chatters became louder as he realized that they were coming up, but he ignored them. They passed him and Fakir followed Ahiru with his eyes. He saw her stop by a shelf, she didn't move for a while then she stumbled a little but immediately caught herself, she was using the side of the shelf for support then rubbed her eyes.

As those things occurred and as she stood there for a moment just a moment he could have sworn he saw Ahiru's face, the real Ahiru, his precious little duck. He closed his eyes and blinked a few times and returned his gaze to her, it was the new student he saw, not Ahiru. It seemed that she took out a book and was now holding it with both hands; he saw her move her lips reading the title, his eyes widened and he immediately stood up, he approached her and snatched away the book from her hands.

He couldn't believe it the book was entitled The Prince and the Raven, he didn't move or say anything; so many thoughts were running through his head at the moment, but were disturbed by the surprised Ahiru "Hey, what's the matter? Are you okay?"

Fakir turned to her with his usual scowl and turned away saying, "I'm taking this." before he left.

Fakir wanted to read the book in private, but everywhere he went there were always some people doing something unimportant. He was still walking around looking for a place to quietly read, but he caught sight of Ahiru again, she was walking towards the boys' dormitory curiosity sparked and he followed her. When he got close enough he saw her looking up at where his and Mytho's previous rooms were, then something floating down caught his eyes. It was a piece of paper landing on Ahiru's head.

He saw her took and looked at it. That's when he decided to approach her.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" he asked, looking intently in her eyes.

Ahiru's reaction was one of surprise, she stuttered and rambled at the same time, but didn't answer him then she ran away. Fakir watched her run away again; he sighed and dragged his eyes to the same direction where Ahiru's was. A long time had already passed since he had first encountered Ahiru and Princess Tutu, finally he decided to go on with his business but not before he noticed the piece of paper Ahiru left behind. The content puzzled him, but something inside him felt like he should keep the composition.

--

The audition for the school festival was today, but the one's who forced or made him audition wasn't his classmates, but the teachers so now he's here looking at the stage where people were fixing the necessary things. The audition were full of people in the ballet class, and in the corner of his eyes he saw Pique and Lillie pulling and pushing Ahiru up and towards the platform. He could tell that standing there on stage was against her will, but still she danced anyway. The way she danced made him feel that Ahiru was the one on stage and not the new raven haired student, her clumsy and ungraceful motion on the stage was just like his little duck.

These last few days Fakir was getting more confused about the raven haired girl, every time she does something she would always drag Fakir's attention; he didn't like that feeling it somehow made him feel vulnerable.

After everyone finished auditioning the judges were given a few hours to decide who plays who, meanwhile they helped in finishing the paint on the stage. Soon the roles were announced, he got the part of the antagonist Von Rothbart, and then everyone and it seems she was also surprised that the role of the protagonist was given to Ahiru. He saw her leave the stage but pressed down the urge to follow her. He went to where Mytho, and an irate Rue was.

"I can't believe it, I got the part of Odile" Rue mourned.

"Don't worry about it so much, Rue" Mytho consoled.

"Yeah, he's right you'll get over it" Fakir said.

"I guess" Rue sighed.

Lunch time came and the three of them went to look for somewhere to eat. He overheard Mytho and Rue's conversation about Ahiru's dancing and Ahiru, Fakir kept an open ear at their conversation while trying to figure out where Ahiru went. His other ear caught the sound of Lilie's high voice; he turned to their direction and saw Ahiru and her friends. The three of them were talking about something and if he had to guess it would have been about the play, he saw her eyes move and knew that she saw him. It didn't surprise him when she stood up and walked to the opposite direction. Fakir looked at her and turned to Mytho "Sorry, I forgot something, you two go ahead I'll just meet you later." Fakir didn't wait for a reply and went ahead.

Fakir found Ahiru under a tree her expression told him that she was thinking of something and it also told him that it wasn't important. The same feeling of vulnerability dawned on Fakir, his thoughts on the suspicious raven haired girl was interrupted when he felt something crawling up his legs, he looked down and brushed the caterpillar off and turned his gaze back to Ahiru, but he didn't see her another unfamiliar feeling like some sort of panic, but not exactly, came as he went out from the tree he was hiding from and went to where he saw Ahiru last. Right on time, Fakir caught her as she fell down.

"What are you doing, moron?" He was more confused when he felt relief wash over him. 'What the—was that relief I felt?'

"Would you stop calling me a moron already!?" Ahiru angrily retorted.

Fakir raised an eyebrow "What are you talking about, I've just called you a moron this once," he said, dropping her.

When silence came, Fakir's eyes wandered, he saw her fidget in nervousness, about the reason why he didn't know, he noticed the paper she was holding and asked about it, just like always she stuttered evaded the question and hastily left.

The next day rehearsals came and Ahiru was under the weather, she was clumsier and more ungraceful than usual. Fakir who was also not in a great mood watched all this by the stage.

'Damn it, it's almost 3 weeks and Ahiru still hasn't shown up' Fakir sighed, 'Everyday, I've been visiting the lake, where are you, at least tell me you're alright.'

Then the raven haired girl's word came to his head. He diverted his eyes towards her again and saw her being scolded by Rue. He called her and she went up, she asked him something but he didn't answer, he pulled her and he began to lead. She stumbled a bit and soon got used to the direction he was going, Fakir and Ahiru's pas de deux consisted of a fouette turn as he guided her movements, he told her something and then they went towards an allegro, his hands tightened around her waist as he lifted her and she made a grand jeté, it wasn't perfect but would have to do, she landed doing a pilé and soon their dance and conversation ended when he called her by Ahiru's name. She wanted him to repeat what he said, but ignored it. He walked away his thought clouded by what went on, the familiar feeling of Ahiru's body reminded him of the time he previously danced with the clumsy little duck. He was approached by Mytho and Rue, "What was that about? It's not like you to offer help like that or even dance with anyone else besides those who are close to you, very close to you." Rue corrected.

"I don't know, I'm going home."

At home, Fakir fell on his bed, his face against the pillow, 'What's wrong with me, why did I call her Ahiru. Damn it, Ahiru where are you!?'

Note: I'm having a major mental block and laziness issue so I'm saying an early apology... yeah sorry

Next Chapter 3: Black Forest "...she turned around and came face to face with the Ghost Knight."

Terminology:

Allegro: Brisk and lively movement including all steps of elevation such as entrechat, cabrile, assemble, jetè - basically jumps and turns.

Fouette turn: A turn in which a whipping motion of the working leg makes the body go round.

Grand jeté: A long horizontal jump, usually forward, starting from one leg and landing on the other.

Pas de deux: is a duet usually performed by a female and a male dancer.

Pilé: Knee bends, done with the legs turned out from the hips.