Falling asleep the previous night had been a challenge. After hearing from Duck all about Princess Lapin, a swarm of emotions had begun to flow through me. At first, I didn't know what to think, but soon it had all started to make sense. Why else would I have been dragged into this tragic story? To be an innocent bystander? That didn't seem like Drosselmeyer at all. No, he was much more exciting and cruel than that. Everything had to have a twist, a catch, and a reason. But what was my reason? That was what I still had to figure out.

Duck and I were spending much more time together than usual. Every day we began meeting in town and discussing the story and when I would actually turn into this other princess. It hadn't happened yet, and it didn't seem as if it were going to happen anytime soon.

However, this afternoon, Duck didn't show up. I wondered if she'd had to stay after, which wasn't unusual for her. Mr. Cat seemed to have taken a liking to punishing her for talking in class, being late, and what not. So I wandered back to the school building. I became confused when she wasn't anywhere to be seen inside. I walked back out to the courtyard, wondering if she was hiding behind bushes or looking for Mytho.

Just as I turned a corner, I nearly ran straight into Fakir. My eyes widened, and I jumped back, nearly squeaking. His eyes narrowed at me. "Watch where you're going, idiot," he spat. I swallowed and was about to apologize when my eyes caught something he was holding in a clenched fist.

It was a pendant with a bright red jewel. It looked exactly like the one Duck wore in order to remain human and sense Mytho's heart shards. "Where did you get that?" I asked, pointing to the pendant.

"That's none of your business, is it?" he retorted. I frowned. I would've loved tot ell him how much of my business it actually was. However, I held my tongue and let him continue past me. When I looked back toward the way he'd come, I was surprised to see a little duck, looking sullen, sitting on the ground.

"Duck?" I whispered with wide eyes. It had to be her. Of course it was. But why? Fakir hadn't stolen the pendant from her, had he? Would he do something that mean?

Duck peered up at me, right before quacking up a storm. I blinked at her, not understanding what it was she was trying to tell me. I quickly looked around, making sure there was no one near enough to us to see what I was about to do. When it was clear, I scooped little Duck up in my hands and ran over to a nearby bush. Quietly, after kneeling down on the ground, I let out a little squeak.

I closed my eyes as my body began to tingle. A purple light began to shine through my eyelids for a moment. When I opened my eyes again, I was looking at Duck head-on, and I knew I was a hare. For I could understand her now.

"Fakir has the pendant!" she cried within a series of quacks.

I nodded. "I know," I said with squeaks and snickers. "I saw him. How are we going to get it back?"

She thought for a moment. "Should we follow him?"

I nodded. Maybe, if we could get into the dorm, he'd put it down. Then we could snatch it.

Duck began to run after Fakir around the corner I'd originally come. I hopped along, remaining a little in front of her, the little purple bell on my anklet jingling as I did so. It was very little and very quiet, but I still feared Fakir might hear it. I then began to slow down to decrease the sound.

We both followed Fakir into town and to the Blacksmith. Duck and I shared the same look of confusion. Why would he come here? Our question was soon answered. He was looking for a sword, and a special sword, it seemed. The Blacksmith, Karan, didn't want to give it to him. Fakir seemed bound on the fact that he was the knight reborn from the story of the Prince and the Raven. I peered over at Duck. Could it be true? Could Fakir be apart of the tragic story we were all living?

I cringed suddenly, hearing the sound of flesh hitting flesh. Karan had actually hit Fakir for trying to take one of the swords. I immediately felt sick to my stomach, seeing the look on Fakir's face. He was so devastated. It was horrible to watch.

Fakir then ran out of the building. Duck and I quickly followed. He stopped at a tree in front of a small pond. It was dark out now.

Across the pond, Duck and I shared a look. "He's a whole different person than we first thought," she said in a few quacks.

I nodded. I wanted to approach Fakir. My heart ached as I watched him cry. Duck stayed behind as I scuttled across the grass toward him. He didn't notice until I squeaked and nudged his ankle that I was there. He looked down, right at me, and for the first time, I saw him smile.

"What?" he asked softly. "Are you upset for me?" Fakir then sat on the ground and leaned against the tree. He began to stroke my ears lightly.

On instinct, I couldn't help but hop into his lap. It was warm there. However, he picked me up and looked into my rabbit eyes. At first, I thought- with a bit of sadness- that he was going to put me down and leave. But he hesitated, and then he placed me back in his lap. He stroked my back then. After a while, when I felt it grow late in the night, I fell asleep.

The next morning, I opened my eyes and found myself in a strange room. It was dark, for the curtains were drawn to keep out the morning sun. As my eyes adjusted, I lifted my head to look around.

I appeared to be in a room, but it wasn't mine. I looked down at my body; I was still a hare. I also realized that I was on a pillow, which sat on a bed. But whose was it? I let out a loud squeak, "Fakir!" I was looking right at his dozing face! He must have taken me up here last night. I thought of how nice that was. Just for a moment, I stared at Fakir's face. I tensed when he opened his eyes, feeling embarrassed. But then I remembered I was still a hare and not a girl.

"Good morning," he murmured, reaching over to pat my head. I squeaked and snickered with content.

This wasn't the first time I'd met Fakir as a rabbit. He's pushed me away, warned me to stay off the school ground, and even fed me. However, he'd never kept me before. He'd never held me until I fell asleep and then brought me home to rest. And suddenly, I began to wonder if life as a hare would be that bad. I wondered what it would be like to stay and be his pet for a little while. And so that is what I did.

I stayed in his bed until the end of the morning, when Fakir gave me a midday meal of lettuce leaves. Then he took me outside, and I followed him as he walked through town. He talked to me as if I were a human friend instead of a bunny rabbit. He told me about growing up with Mytho and stories about his parents and even what he thought of Princess Tutu. It wasn't very good that he didn't trust her. However, there was nothing I could do. He'd have to learn. And if he could trust Princess Tutu, maybe he could trust Lapin, and then maybe me, Ahira.

That night, while he lay in bed, I rested on Fakir's stomach while he stroked my back, head, and ears. Mytho was there too. I watched and listened as he talked of giving a gift to Tutu and asking him to leave her alone. I frowned, for he did not promise to do so.

"But she's my friend," I squeaked, looking at him angrily.

"Go to sleep," he muttered. Eventually, I was able to do so.

"WHAT?" shouted Duck in my face a day later. I left Fakir, deciding to live my human life for a bit. I told Duck the whole story, everything I did with Fakir, everything he did, and everything I heard.

Both of us jumped as we heard Fakir and Mytho. Mytho was running into town, and Fakir must have been trying to call him back. "He must be going to find Tutu," I whispered to Duck while we hid from them. As son as I uttered the words, thunder rumbled across the sky. Duck then decided she should bring him an umbrella. I let her go and decided to approach Fakir, for once, as my human self.

"What do you want?" he asked, bitterly.

For a moment, I felt angry, but then I remembered everything from the day before. My anger faltered. "I came to say hi," I smiled.

He gave me a strange look and said, "Hi."

While still smiling, I asked, "How are you?" Trying to start a conversation. He didn't respond this time, but just looked away and started walking in the other direction. I followed. "It was just a question, Fakir," I bravely continued, nearly amazed with myself.

He turned back to me and began to retort, "Look, I don't know what you're-" He was suddenly cut off. We both heard a painful cry in the distance. Dark light was shining above the trees.

My eyes widened as I heard the voice. "That sounds like-"

Fakir cut me off. "Tutu!"

I gasped, for I was about to say 'Duck.' Before I could do anything, Fakir ran. I stood completely still for a moment. What could I do? I was either a girl or a hare, neither useful in danger. However, if I could become Princess Lapin, I could help. I had to try. My best friend was in danger; my love was in danger!

"I want to become Princess Lapin!" I cried into the night, desperate.

It worked. I stared down as the bell on my anklet rang three times by itself. I hadn't moved, yet the bell jingled as if I'd been running. My eyes closed, and the tingle of transformation ran through my body again. When I opened my eyes and looked down, I was awestruck. I wore a tutu, of course, and slippers. They were a mixture of purple and periwinkle, two brilliant shades that covered my clothes in a swirl of color. I ran to the fountain ahead of me and looked at my reflection in the clear water. My hair had even changed; purple streaks decorated it. My hair was made up in a tiny bow out of a half-ponytail, with the rest still hanging down. I also had a purple paw print on my cheek. I frowned as I recognized the rabbit paw. However, I didn't dwell on it and quickly ran after Fakir. I felt near tears that I couldn't find him. He couldn't have run this far that fast. When I heard his shouts of fury, I was thankful, but worried. It was easy to find him, but he was in trouble.

I gasped at the scene in front of me once I got there. Kraehe, who was fighting off Fakir, had trapped Princess Tutu. Mytho stood idle on his knees, his heart shard protruding from his chest. My instincts led me straight to Tutu. She called out to me as I reached her, knowing immediately who I must be. "Princess Lapin!"

I reached out for the rope of crow feathers, planning on setting her free. I cried out when they instead spread to my wrist and then up my arm. I tried desperately to push the feathers away, but they spread more and more until I was trapped as well.

"No!" I cried.

I must have caught Kraehe's attention. "Another princess?" She questioned as she approached Mytho. "Are you in love with the prince too?" She laughed a cruel laugh.

I took in the question and looked toward Fakir. There was a terrible look of fear on his face, one like I'd never seen before. It nearly broke my heart.

"Oh, no," said Kraehe. I turned back to her and saw her smirking at me. "You love the worthless knight?" She giggled evilly. "That could be fun."

Horrified, I watched as she tore Mytho's heart shard right out of his chest. She lay a single kiss on his lips. I could hear Tutu's objections, and the cruelty of Princess Kraehe angered me.

I looked back at Fakir, who was trying to fight off the ravens set on him by the evil princess. I regretted thinking of wanting to help him more than Princess Tutu and the prince. However, as Princess Lapin, the crush I felt seemed to bloom into much, much more.

When I felt a cold hand on my wrist, my head snapped back to Kraehe. She stood next to me, holding my arm tightly. She stared at Fakir, who was fighting to stay conscious, it seemed. He was looking between the crow and me.

"It seems you have a fan, sir knight," crooned Kraehe. "Why don't you come rescue her along with prince? Show her how much you love her in return?"

It was a cruel thing to say, for I knew Fakir didn't love me back. He never would. The last thing I saw before Kraehe took me, along with the prince, was the look of shock on the knight's face. For a love of his own wasn't in the story, and that was dangerous.