Aneko: Hello! I'm very happy right now, which seems very illogical for a Monday…(but by the time this goes up, it probably won't be Monday any more…)

Disclaimer: I do not own Princess Tutu.

Chapter 10

"Well you two, it was nice talking to you, but I've got to get back to work." Charon said, standing up from the table. "Take care, Ahiru-san."

"Thanks, I will. You too Charon-san." Ahiru said, smiling and waving as the older man left the room.

She cupped a coffee mug filled with tea, in her hands. Ahiru looked around. "Sitting at this table makes me think of Uzura-chan."

Fakir paused at the stove, where he was making more tea. "Yeah."

"I wonder why she went with Drsselmeyer-san?"

"Who knows." Fakir said quietly.

"I really miss her." Ahiru said, looking up at the ceiling. "Even though she could be a bit annoying, she was sad that I wasn't going to be human again."

Fakir returned silently to the table. Once he sat down, he looked at her. "It must have been hard."

"Eh?" Ahiru met his gaze.

"Knowing you could never be human again."

"Well…yeah," Ahiru admitted quietly, looking at the table, "but you know? I couldn't have done it without you, Fakir. It was easier to bear when I knew I wasn't going to be alone." Ahiru looked up again, smiling warmly. She thought of warm days spent at the lake with Fakir, though she couldn't talk to him. She also thought of the cold rainy days, when Fakir would take her to Charon's house to get out of the rain. That had been in summer and fall. Winter was almost here now, and the air was quickly getting cold.

"Though, I am happy to be human again." She said.

"And this time, it's not for the entertainment of a freak like Drosselmeyer." Fakir's face darkened as he said Drosselmeyer's name, like it was filthy.

"Though, we are in another fight now."

"We have to bring this one to a happy ending as well."

Ahiru wasn't sure why he sounded so determined (not that it was a bad thing), but she thought of something else. "Speaking of happy endings, do you know how Mytho and Rue-chan are?"

"No. I haven't heard anything from them yet, but I didn't check yet for today."

"Do you think they'll send a letter."

"I don't know." Fakir shrugged.

They had not gotten any news from Mytho and Rue since they had left. Ahiru found that understandable- they were running a kingdom after all.

"I wish we knew what to look for- it would make it easier."

"They'll write." Fakir said with certainty.

Almost right after he had said this, there was a knock at the door. Fakir got up to answer it, with Ahiru following curiously behind.

When Fakir opened the door, he looked around, but noi one was there. Ahiru looked down. "Fakir, look!"

On the front step of the house was a white envelope. There was nothing writeen on it except Fakir's name, in an ornate, flowing script.

"Do you think it's from Mytho?"

"Yeah." Fakir picked up the letter and they took it inside. Once they sat down again, Fakir flipped it over, looking at the blue wax seal a moment before slitting it open. He set it on the table so Ahiru could read it too.

Dear Fakir and Ahiru,

I hope you are both doing well. I'm sorry for not writing sooner, but there were a lot of things to do once we got back to the Kingdom. Rue and I are very happy now. I'm glad that Rue seems to like it here, though she does miss Kinkan Town, as do I. We'll have to visit some time, of you visit us. We would love to hear from you, so you can send a letter back with the dove that brought this letter. I'm sorry this letter is so short, but I'm being called to some other business. Please respond soon.

-Mytho.

"Dove-?" Ahiru questioned. There was a tapping at the window, and they both looked up to see a white bird fluttering by the glass. Fakir got up to let it in, and it flew in, perching on the back of one of the empty chairs at the table.

"Can we write back now!" Ahiru asked excitedly, her eyes sparkling.

"Sure." Fakir went to his room to fetch his ink, quill and paper. Ahiru picked up the letter and read it again. Her face broke into a bright smile.

I'm so happy for them both. Ahiru took a quick peep at the dove. It sat, very docile, on the chair back, occasionally preening its feathers. It looked like the ones that had reformed Mytho's sword.

Fakir came back, spreading the paper and inkwell in front of him. He dipped the quill in the ink, then paused, hovering over the paper, before addressing it, "Dear Mytho."

"It would feel kind of weird to call him Prince Siegfried after knowing him as Mytho for so long, wouldn't it?" Ahiru said, watching. Fakir nodded, then continued writing.

Dear Mytho and Rue,

I'm glad to hear from you and know that you are doing well. We miss you here, as well- it would be nice to have you visit some time. I wish things were as peaceful here as they sound over there. We are facing another enemy. Don't worry about us, though. We have some powerful allies. We will call you for help should we need it.

I do have good news, though. Ahiru had regained her human form for good. It was a generous gift from a friend. We are waiting to hear from you.

-Fakir.

Ahiru couldn't help but notice that while Mytho had nice handwriting, Fakir's was even nicer.

I suppose it's because he's a writer. She thought.

Fakir folded the letter and held it out to the dove, who clipped it in its beak, then flew out the open window. They watched it until it was too far away to see.

"Isn't it about time to go meet Kange and Koeko-chan?" Ahiru looked at Fakir.

"Yeah, you're right." They got up, Ahiru smiling as usual, with a calmer Fakir behind, and walked out the door.

Juniper watched the waters, looking at Ahiru and Fakir as they walked to go meet Koeko and Kange.

"Reiko." He said,

The woman appeared behind him, out of nowhere, bowing on one knee with her arm across her chest.

"You called for me" She kept her eyes down and closed.

"Yes." Juniper didn't move. "Look."

Getting up off the floor, Reiko came forward to look in the pond. She looked questionably at Juniper when she saw Fakir and Ahiru.

"Those two are going to visit our old friends…perhaps you should pay them a visit as well."

Reiko's face returned to its smooth, expressionless state. "Of course." She bowed again and disappeared.

Juniper continued to watch the duck and the writer. Ahiru was smiling brightly as she talked to Fakir.

"Those two seem close," He murmured. "I wonder…" His eyes narrowed in cold calculation. "What would she do if something were to happen to her knight?"

"Fakir, when this is over, are you going to write their story fown?" Ahiru asked-she was talking about the Lions.

"Probably."

"I just feel like they should be remembered somehow. I think they deserve it."

As they got close to the music wing and opened the door, a strain of piano music drifted toward them. They could also hear a high voice singing, though the words were a bit sad:

Though the world keeps moving on

And it seems no one will realize

I will sing this song alone

Because I remember and cry

"There." Ahiru whispered, pointing to a door that stood ajar. They went in quietly, and saw Kange playing at the piano. Koeko stood in front of it, her eyes closed and hands clasped in front of her chest as though in prayer. Neither of them noticed Ahiru or Fakir, and continued the song.

Do you remember me?

Because I remember you

Remember joys and fears and laughs and tears

Precious memories so few

And when I think of you I'll smile

Until after the day is gone

Though someday I know we'll meet again…

…A duet is so hard to sing alone.

She left the last note hovering in the air as Kange finished on the piano. When the music stopped ringing, Ahiru began clapping. Kange and Koeko looked up, startled.

"That was really beautiful." Ahiru said truthfully.

"I don't really want to sound rude, but-what did you two come here for?" Kange looked confused.

"We just decided to come meet you after the tryouts." Ahiru said smiling.

"Oh…thank you very much." Kange smiled. "Shall we go?"

"Who wrote the song?" Ahiru asked.

"I wrote the lyrics," Koeko said quietly, "and Kange wrote the music."

"Wow. That's cool!" Ahiru was amazed.

"It's…cool?" Koeko said, like she was trying out the word for the first time.

"Many people who can play an instrument or music still can't write musid. "Fakir out in, "I know Aotoa can't."

"Are you enjoying your classes?" Ahiru asked curiously.

"It's fun." Koeko smiled, and Kange nodded.

"You two must be very good students."

Kange laughed, and Koeko blushed as he patted her head. "Koeko is the best student in her class, though she's the youngest." He said fondly.

Ahiru was about to reply, when a violent rumbling came from beneath, and they were all thrown to the ground. They were getting up when the rumble came again. The boys had the sense to brace themselves, but Ahiru and Koeko fell again, and they were caught by Fakir and Kange respectively.

"Who's there!" Ahiru called.

Silently, a figure descended from above, standing on the air as though it were solid ground.

"Reiko." Kange growled. Ahiru looked from Kange up to the woman who hovered some distance above their heads. She had brown hair in a braid to the middle of her back, and dark gray eyes. She wore a black skirt that came down past her knees, and a gray top, with sleeves that came to her elbows, and ended slightly widened. A black velvet ribbon was around her neck, tied in the back, and her erma were crossed as she looked down at them.

"So, those are the two new members." She said softly, as though Ahiru and Fakir weren't there. "Well then," she raised her voice. "I guess I'd better get on with it."

Aneko: I'm really getting bad with the cliffhangers…Well, honestly, I think this one ends at an even weirder spot than the chap before…