"You're positive she went here? Tell me the truth solider."

"Y-Yes, Your Highness. Followed her and the young man."

"Dismissed. Now…advisor, tell me what to do next."

"Hohoho…"

"What?!" Ahiru squawked rather loudly. It reminded her of the times she'd quack just before turning into a duck. Ahiru braced herself for a transformation. Nothing happened. Wait, she thought, I'm not a duck anymore. She noticed that Fakir and the other man stared at her. It was just then she realized her arms where crossed over her face, a defensive position. Habit, she guessed. Putting her arms back by her side, she stood up.

A neighboring kingdom was attacking? She had to guess it was her father's works. He must have guessed that they path she and Fakir had began to travel was the on towards Kinkan. Or maybe something that Fakir left back at Saraocia. It sent a chill up her spine. Did her father really want her that much? Ahiru hugged herself with her arms and sighed. If it was a war her father wanted, it was a war he was going to get. She lived a horrible life already. She just wanted to live with Fakir. Live a normal life. One without any princesses and magic. One where she could be Ahiru. Not Princess Tutu, of either life.

Ahiru felt Fakir's arm wrap around her waist. He spoke softly and gently into her ear: "Ahiru. We should go." She looked up at him, slightly confused. Go where? Go help fight? Run away? Her confused look told him everything and he sighed from frustration. "What do you want to do?" he asked her.

"I-I guess…I want to…" What did she want to do? She may want to stay with Fakir- something she knew her father wouldn't live with knowing- but she didn't want to fight her father. Then again, was he really her father? She spent so much time as a duck in Kinkan, not knowing she had a father or anything! Heck, she didn't even remember most of her life as this "Princess Tutu" over in Saraocia. Why was that? If that was her true self, then wouldn't she remember it? Why? Why. "I want to fight," she told Fakir. She wanted to stay. She wanted to be here. Her "father" didn't matter. Fakir did. She loved Fakir. She loved him.

"Alright," Fakir said. He turned to the man. "Now what do we do?" he asked the man rather sternly, scowling slightly. Fakir didn't like the idea of fighting. He wanted to keep Ahiru safe, out of danger.

"W-Well, if you're going to fight, we're gathering in the town square. S-see you there!" he said as he ran off, probably to tell more people of the attack. Ahiru looked up at Fakir, Fakir looking back down at her.

"We should go now," Ahiru said, taking the lead and beginning to walk off first.

"No, Ahiru, wait…please," Fakir said. He had grabbed her hand to stop her. It worked. She turned around to see Fakir's head hanging shamefully. "Please…I just want to say, if you really mean getting into this…this war…

"I mean, I know what you must be feeling. Trust me. It's human to want to fight back, just promise me…promise me you won't do anything to get yourself unless you can prevent it. Please?" Ahiru leaned forward and kissed his forehead. He looked up to see her smile. Her cute little smile.

"I promise, Fakir," she said. Her voice, it sounded proud. He lifted his head up and smiled.

At the town hall, many men crowded the area. Ahiru was pretty sure that she was the only girl here. That was, unless Autor was planning on helping out with the war. Other than that, Ahiru felt a bit out of place and strange, but felt relieved that no one was staring at her and it gave her a small sense of relief.

Finally, someone called this bumbled mess to order with just her voice. Ahiru turned her head to see Rue. Actually, not just Rue. It was also Mytho up there on a stage. Ahiru hadn't remembered a stage in the town hall when she was…her former self? Maybe they added it just for this event, but that didn't really matter.

"I said, hello?!" Rue shouted over the crowd. Rue didn't look like she was in such a good mood. Ahiru wondered why. Mytho, on the other hand, was utterly calm, but that didn't seem to affect Rue much. Ahiru smiled at the sight, thinking it was slightly funny. She wondered how the two would react to find her like…this. Not really Ahiru. Not really Tutu, or the other Tutu. But she doubted they knew about the other Tutu.

So, after Rue had shouted, the crowd seemed to be a bit more orderly and calm. Then Mytho stepped forward.

"Good evening everyone," Mytho said. "I'm quiet sure you know about the attack on us, now. Though the other kingdom has yet to attack up, I want us to be ready for it. We will need all of your help. Hopefully, I'll be able to solve this before any conflict." Ahiru could hear some kind of groan from some of the men here. Did they want a war? Or did the just want some action? Wasn't the monster Raven enough for them? Well, Kinkan was sort of…actionless, but that's what made the place so peaceful. So nice to stay. Unlike Saraocia. Saraocia always had some conflict, but she now thought she knew why. Because the rulers there in Saraocia in were so…egotistical.

Ahiru smiled at Mytho's words. They were soothing and Rue had smiled too. Oh how she missed seeing the two. The two just looked so cute together. So happy together, like they completed each other.

Mytho dismissed the crowd and the men went back to their homes or wherever else they lived. Ahiru and Fakir, though, stayed. Ahiru wanted to talk to Rue. Fakir, though, just stuck with Ahiru. He knew Ahiru wanted to get some things done since she was a human again. Not a duck. Rue and Ahiru had been "kind-of" friends before. Like before Rue knew she was the raven's daughter. And then after…? Not all that much. He knew Ahiru would be glad to talk to Rue again.

Ahiru took a step forward, but Rue seemed to notice Ahiru before the salmon haired-girl could take one more step. Rue ran of stage and basically threw herself at Ahiru.

"Oh! Ahiru! I've missed you so much! How did you…I mean, did you? Or did Drosslemeyer…Ahiru, I want to know every thing." Ahiru felt shocked at first, hearing so much concern from Rue. Maybe being with Mytho helped Rue a bit be a bit more selfless? Ahiru liked Rue like this. Ahiru smiled, hugging her friend. While hugging her school friend, she saw Mytho come down towards Fakir.

"Hi Fakir. I see Ahiru is back and well. Do I want to know the story?" Mytho asked Fakir. Fakir smiled and nodded. Though it took a while, Fakir managed to tell Mytho the story, summed up.

"So…to put it straight, Ahiru is still Ahiru, but just a bit different? Awe poo, I liked it when Ahiru was clumsy," Rue said with a pout. The clumsy Ahiru was so funny, it made her smile. Now Ahiru was graceful and her hair was short, like Tutu's. Rue had liked it longer, in the braid. It had been like Ahiru's trademark.

"I guess you could say that," Ahiru said with an aqward smile, tugging on the rim of the teeshirt.

"Well, I'll have to be going. A lot of work, you know," Mytho said. Ahiru and Fakir said their good byes and began their walk back to Fakir's place by the lake. Back at the dock, where they were before disturbed, Fakir and Ahiru sat. Her first day back. Truly, she never imagined it like this. It actually felt pretty bad thinking that she might be the cause to Mytho's troubles and concerns for the town.

The two sat on the dock as before, though Ahiru now had thoughts lingering in her head. Fakir, noticing her troubled look wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her closer. The two sat there in silence, Ahiru thinking and pondering on her thoughts. Then, right after the sunset, the two walked back to the house. The silence had lasted so long. Finally, Fakir broke the silence.

"Ahiru, is there something troubling you?" he asked, sounding concerned. Ahiru must be really lost in her thoughts to not have talked in such a long time.

"Uh…no. I just think I have to sleep on it for a while," she said. Later, the two got into some sleepable wear. Ahiru wearing the same teeshirt. Fakir wearing a pair of sweats and a spare shirt. The two, though, not having extra beds, slept in the same bed. They were together, right? Well, Fakir was the only one that seemed to care. His face looked red as the two slipped into bed. Ahiru on the other hand, had been so wrapped up in her thoughts that she didn't seem to notice.

Finally, after a time, the couple fell asleep.

"Uhh…" Ahiru felt tired, sore and cold. She looked around. It was completely dark. Next to her though, she could see Fakir tied in a chair. He looked bruised and beaten. Badly. She tried to move her hands and felt a cold rope binding her wrists together.

"Hohoho…" a voice called out in the dark. Ahiru squinted. She couldn't see anything. "So we meet again, Ahiru."

"Drosslemeyer!"

Wow! I had so much fine writing this chapter, though nothing really happened. I seriously cound't stop writing this! So fun~! Uh, I'll make up action i the next chapter 'cause nothing good happened in this one. heehee, a lot more action. Nothing dirty though. I don't go there.

Dude, I'm planning on drawing something, like a scene from this and show you guys and what not. If you guys want to do the same, send me a note and the link. I'd like to see. anyone that does, though, gets a preview of my next chapter. So...yeah.

3 Katsu