Chapter 14: The words of a witch
Once upon a time there was a knight who had followed a princess into a land of mysterious birds where the princess lived in luxury, but she had all but forgotten about the brave knight and her time with him. With a little assistance though the knight was able to get close to the princess and after a trial of the heart realized his love for her, a happily ever after.
But was it? For the princess and the kingdom were all still chained to a witch's spell…
Ahiru still in the arms of the boy she had met and danced with blushed like mad as she felt his hands on her back pulling her to him. Against his chest she could feel a gentle strong heart beat. She paused as she felt the heartbeat as though she'd felt this somewhere before.
Hesitating slightly she moved closer to the boy to feel his heartbeat better settling her head against it she listened to it's strong rhythms.
Fakir felt Ahiru get closer to him and he blushed like madly himself as he widened his eyes slightly the flush on his face becoming deeper. He felt nervous but yet excited he held her fast as he closed his eyes and quietly waited for what would happen.
The scenery unbeknownst to the two of them began to change slowly.
As Ahiru rested her head against Fakir's chest she listened to his heartbeat, she noticed that as she did so it seemed to beat a little faster, for she guessed he must be feeling similar to what she was feeling. Which was very embarrassed at being so close to someone she didn't know, but yet she felt this was right somehow.
But as she listened to his strong heartbeat she cringed slightly as she felt her headache once again in full force. It was the worst she had ever felt and it made her dig into Fakir's back as she clung. Something inside her was beginning to crack like some kind of wall.
Fakir felt Ahiru's nails digging into his back which made him open his eyes to look at her, he saw that she seemed to be in some kind of pain as she shuddered slightly. He looked at her with wide eyes.
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In the darkness of Ahiru's mind she could see some strange bubbles that were floating all around her, all of them shimmered slightly with moving images as Ahiru watched them. Some of them suddenly started to come towards her.
Ahiru looked at the floating images wide eyed as one of them came near her as it started to encircle her and reveal it's tale to her.
"You'll have to teach me Un Pointe too!" Ahiru said as she then started to walk tiptoe her arms waving around awkwardly.
Rue stared at the strange girl in curiosity, "Why should I?" She asked her.
Ahiru smiled as she looked at her, "because we're friends!" She answered happily.
Rue was then immediately annoyed at Ahiru's familiarity; "You have absolutely no shame do you?"
As Ahiru looked at the imagery she was completely puzzled but then before she could even wonder any further another image caught her eye as she then looked at this one's tale.
"You don't know what it means to like someone?…Mytho sempai?" She asked saddened by the thought of not understanding such a positive emotion.
Mytho turned from the bottle in his hand and looked at Ahiru walking over to her he then spoke, "Mytho's fine." Then not noticing he scratched his hand on a nearby twig.
Ahiru then immediately pointed at the prince's injury, "Uh ah Mytho sempai! I mean uh Mytho!" she gasped out in distress.
Mytho looked at his hand only just noticing the wound he looked at it with indifference feeling nothing.
"It… it doesn't hurt?" She asked him absolutely shocked at his inability.
"No not really," he answered her.
Ahiru blinked after seeing the imagery as she then asked aloud 'What are these?' Then as she did so another bubble came rushing towards her, she was then drawn into another tale.
Ahiru looked into the classroom and saw that Neko-sensei was busy with the piano, she opened the door a little wider and accidentally made a creak. She froze and watched Neko-sensei for his reaction. He only twitched his ear.
Seeing this she then slowly started to try and tiptoe her way further into the classroom, "softly…" she whispered as she went.
"Ahiru-san…the lesson, " She quickly then stopped as she then stood up straight as she then started to try and find a suitable excuse for why she was so late.
"Ah, yes! I got out of the dorm at the usual time …But while I was on my way, there was this flying cow in the sky, and so…"
Neko-sensei his back still turned was clearly annoyed by this pitiful excuse as he then continued to say, "Ahiru-san you seem to be very relaxed as usual. Just like the people in the advanced class, are you not?"
Ahiru laughed awkwardly as she rubbed the back of her head unsure if she was getting a compliment or a threat, "Ahh, I don't think I'm that relaxed…"
She then jumped as suddenly a huge bang on the keys could be heard obviously Neko-sensei had reached his breaking point.
"If you are going to be late to the class again…Shall I have you fall back to the apprentice class again?" Ahiru then realized she was in deep trouble as she backed away from the oncoming gloomy atmosphere.
"And…and then you'll have to marry me!" The teacher spoke out his face in a scary expression sweat covering his features.
But Ahiru was not in his line of view, and then he turned his head and saw that she was already starting her exercises.
Pique then started to speak up for Ahiru, "She's working really hard already. So please forgive her!" She spoke quickly.
Then Lilie continued for her, "the apprentice class is fine, but please excuse her from the marriage!" She also spoke quickly.
Then idiotically too similar to a cat Neko-sensei started to roll around on the ground in a circle.
After seeing that last bubble she gazed at all of them as she then asked another question, 'are these all my memories?' Then as she said this the bubbles that surrounded her suddenly all rushed her as they started to enter her body. Her headache then grew incredibly worse.
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Fakir watched as Ahiru's shuddering got worse as she then suddenly sank to her knees she gasped loudly in pain. Her clinging hands slackening as they fell to her sides.
Fakir was now sick with worry as he then sank down with her he didn't know what to do, he held her close to himself, was it possible to feel pain in a dream? Was she in pain because of him? He didn't want to think he was the cause of this, he refused to believe that. Instead he whispered to her praying she could hear him, "Ahiru come on, I'm right here for you! Come on!" He told her desperately he wanted of all things for her to be all right.
The scenery around them was beginning to glow.
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As all the bubbles rushed inside her, Ahiru felt a horrible pain as all kinds of images entered her mind all of them of Mytho Rue, Pique and Lilie. She felt the wall in her mind beginning to collapse more and more in her mind, she then opened her eyes as she then saw the wall where the bubbles were leaking out.
She reached her hand out even though as she walked towards it; it was painful with every step almost as though her mind were being torn in two. But she had to see more of these memories for they were a part of her true whole self that she had to get back no matter what the cost.
After struggling with the pain a few steps she then reached it collapsing down in front of the cracked wall, she felt there were more memories on the other side but yet how could she get to them?
As she leaned her head against it she prayed for anything to help her, anything at all… "What can help me?" She asked herself.
Looking at the crack again she then suddenly saw a bubble that was barely outside the crack in the wall. Ahiru looked at it painfully wondering if that would be the one that would help her. Looking at it she squinted at it painfully.
Then reaching her hands out to touch it she suddenly felt a painful attack in her hands as though they had been electrified. She drew her hands back quickly, they were ice cold she looked at her hands painfully wondering what had caused it. Was it the wall? Was it trying to stop her?
Looking at the bubble as it glowed she was desperate to know what was so important it had to be hidden away from her. Gathering her hands once again she wasn't going to be scared off by it. Reaching her hands out once more out to the bubble she immediately was struck again by the electricity. But this time as she reached further and further to the bubble it paralyzed her back and gradually her legs however despite all the pain she was able to reach out to it. Then finally she touched the bubble.
The memory came immediately.
"Ahiru!" A voice screamed in the darkness as suddenly a light appeared before Ahiru's outstretched arms.
Ahiru's eyes widened with recognition as she heard the voice screaming out her name, she then called back to the voice she knew so well," Fakir!"
The light then flowed with feathers as though gaining strength from the very word she had cried out, she called out the name as it once again gave her strength lifting her out of the dungeon of clogs and wheels.
"Fakir!"
As Ahiru followed going into the source of the light she flew towards its centre as she did the feathers flowed out on all sides of her and in front of her was the one person who saved her from the darkness. His face lit with recognition as he then suddenly reached his hand out to her she too then reached out her own hand and cried out his name as well,
"Ahiru!"
"Fakir!"
Her hand outstretched she grasped his hand as she was then pulled into a strong warm embrace feathers and paper floated all around making a heavenly atmosphere.
Ahiru opened her eyes and asked with a small smile, "did you write my story for me?"
Fakir didn't open his eyes "Yeah," he answered.
"Thank you…" she spoke softly.
As Ahiru saw the memory her eyes leaked with tears as suddenly all the pain ceased and then the wall cracked more and more. As Ahiru looked at the wall her heart overcome with emotion she whispered, "Fakir…" Then the walls completely smashed as she was bathed in a sea of memories finally remembering all that she had forgotten.
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Fakir still held Ahiru to himself still praying that she would be all right, then suddenly a sound caught his attention, looking up and around he could see that the lake of despair was beginning to disappear. He saw what he could only assume to be like pieces of glass that were glowing with a bright light. As Fakir looked at them he saw that they enveloped the scene making it look as though they'd been placed in a huge mirror. All around him he could see reflections of himself and Ahiru.
But as he looked closer he looked on in shock and surprise, as they were not reflections but recollections, memories of him and her together. He looked on at the scenery wide-eyed as he wondered out aloud, "could this mean that? -" However he was cut off when he felt Ahiru once more, he then noticed as she had stopped shuddering.
He stared down at her as she then started to stand up a little shakily on her legs her face down her arms at her sides, Fakir rose up with her as he watched her, waiting for what would happen next.
Ahiru had her face down as she slowly recovered her lost memories, she now remembered being Princess tutu, Mytho, Rue and … the story.
Looking up she stared at him with shock and realization in her eyes as she then uttered out his name, "Fakir…"
He looked at her in shock he didn't know whether he was dreaming now or truly awake for was it possible that she truly? But he was certain that this was real and as he was about to say something back. When he then saw something that shocked him.
Ahiru had tears in her eyes a sad expression on her face as she stared up at him.
"Ahiru, what's-!" Suddenly then once again she grabbed him as she buried her face in his chest, he could feel her tears soak into his jacket he was shocked by this sudden action and he blushed red a little. But before he could ask what was wrong she started to explain herself.
"I'm sorry!…I'm so sorry!" Ahiru cried as she held onto Fakir.
Fakir stared down at her confused, "What are you so sorry for?" He asked.
Ahiru shook her head as she then explained more still crying slightly, "I'm sorry for forgetting you! I'm sorry for leading you here and now… now you're trapped here… it's all my fault and now you hate me" She cried out clinging to him unable to meet his gaze.
Fakir looked down at her as she relayed her explanation to him, he looked at her slightly annoyed. Though it was true a little bit, there were some things that she had got very wrong. Holding her close he sighed slightly as he then spoke," you moron…"
Ahiru then stopped crying as she then smacked his back annoyance at his reply hoping for something at least a little kinder, "don't call me that! When right now I! –" She then stopped suddenly as she then felt Fakir's hands had moved from her back and had then grasped her face making her look at him. She looked at him her face in shock tears still staining her face and before she could say anything Fakir spoke instead. "Now listen to me, it is not entirely your fault, I'm the one who followed you, I chose this… and besides that I don't hate you."
Ahiru looked at him her eyes wide, he didn't hate her? Then what then?
Fakir paused he was now a little nervous professing what he really felt to her for he was unsure if she would return his feelings but after everything he felt it was right for her to know the truth blushing madly red he then gulped slightly before he started to speak once more, "besides I-" he paused again nervous once more.
Ahiru stared at him and his nervousness she then suddenly felt her heart beginning to beat faster but why though?
Fakir once again stared at her as he stared at her leaning his face closer to her he then began to speak once more unaware that the scenery around them was beginning to shine golden, "Ahiru what I feel is…"
Ahiru now had wide eyes 'this couldn't possibly be?' She asked herself.
"I-"
But then suddenly the world around them suddenly turned black so quickly there was no time to think, when a voice in the darkness uttered angrily; "I will not accept this!"
Then suddenly as this was said Fakir felt Ahiru's warmth disappear from his hands, he was immediately startled, what was going on!
Slowly an eerie blue light began to cover the scenery and all around him he could see that the mirrors had turned into an icy black colour as they showed himself with his confused shocked face.
"Fakir!"
It was Ahiru's voice turning around he then saw that she was struggling against someone who was holding her to them. He looked on in shock, then anger as he ran to stop whomever the stranger was and what he was attempting to do. But as he came in a meter of them he was suddenly thrown back off his feet as suddenly a black shadow appeared from nowhere.
Ahiru hearing the sudden impact turned and looked to see Fakir down on the floor she looked at him in shock and horror as she then called out hoping him all right, "Fakir!"
"Don't trouble yourself over that nuisance for now I am here…" The figure then turned Ahiru to face him she looked at him scared and startled. She had no idea what was going to happen.
The figure then placed his hand on her cheek as the other went to her back, he then spoke to her, his face coming closer to hers, and "I am the prince you will live happily ever after with"
Fakir got up painfully for whatever had thrown him off his feet was incredibly strong, opening his eyes he met a sight that shocked him inside and out. Before his eyes he saw Ahiru being kissed by none other than Fukorou.
Ahiru was in shock as she felt and saw what was happening before her eyes but before she could even react to struggle or to say anything she suddenly felt an icy pain in her heart that hurt and then suddenly with no warning the world faded to black.
Fakir stared at the sight but then suddenly rage overcame him. He then ran towards the two of them, "Stop it right now!" He was going to kill him.
Fukorou holding Ahiru now in his arms looked at Fakir as he came running towards them, he raised his eyebrows and then smiled at him in mockery.
Fakir seeing this clenched his fist together as he was about to land a punch on him when suddenly the shadow once again came back forming a dark shield around Fukorou throwing him back off his feet again like a rag doll.
Fukorou watched as Fakir lay on his back and heard a whisper from the shadow as it began to move to the ground and take on a physical form; it became a tall mass of black. Then from the darkness appeared a white hand with long nails. It touched Fukorou's skin caressing his cheek, "very good young prince… why do you not retire for this evening… while I deal with the pest…" a sweet haunting female voice spoke.
Fukorou smiled at the idea, "yes… I would like that…" he spoke as he then turned with Ahiru whose face had a sad pained expression. Fukorou looked down at her, his own face a little saddened he spoke to her gently and quietly, "let us go now Ahiru…" He spoke as he and she then started to disappear into a hole of darkness.
Fakir got up once more he was sick of being thrown away and being helpless, he looked up once more and saw as Fukorou and Ahiru started to both vanish. He was about to try and approach them once more when before him he saw a black figure. He looked at it with wide eyes as it turned around revealing a woman. The woman had no colour in any of her features her skin was deathly white while the dress she wore shimmered slightly in the darkness. It was the deepest black he had ever seen and her hair was long and flowing in a dark shade too that moved slightly to and throw. The woman was extremely beautiful but she was haunting for no living thing is purely black and white.
Suddenly then before Fakir could even move or speak the woman moved one of her deathly white hands out and in it appeared something that immediately flew towards him, it then smacked into his face.
Fakir then grasped his face as he felt that whatever it was deathly cold and it burned him badly he struggled to get whatever it was off of himself. But it was no use as the effects then flowed throughout his whole being, it hurt him badly.
Then suddenly it all at once ceased, as he looked at his hands he saw that they were covered in feathers, he touched his face and felt more feathers and then the more familiar beak that he was used to. Looking in the mirror shards that were around him he saw that he had been turned once more into 'Taka.'
He turned and stared at the woman who smiled at him as she then began to open out her arms out, Fakir looked at her defensively ready to fight if she tried anything, "what did you do to me?" He asked her in anger.
The woman smiled at him, "I have just done what I always do... only on a little higher level… you will not be able to tell of your feelings nor of who you truly are… for if you do…"
Fakir wondered what she was talking about when suddenly in the mirrors around him, he saw not him as Fakir, not Taka but instead a falcon. It had brown and white feathers but then when he looked into it's eyes he saw his familiar shade of dark green and immediately knew that it was himself.
He then looked down at his hands in shock and then saw all around him shadows that began to envelop him dragging his feet down. He looked at the woman with a mixture of fear and hate as he then screamed out "who are you?!"
The woman smiled at him as he nearly vanished as she answered him; "I am a witch…"
Then Fakir was overcome by the shadows as everything faded to darkness.