-Dream-

"Ahiru!"

Fakir was running towards the dancing figure in the distance. Calling out Ahiru's name was doing no good; he did not receive any answer. They only things she spoke of were her thoughts.

"Fakir, why weren't you there for me?"

He stopped dead in his tracks. His heart started to hurt from these words.

"Why weren't you there to save me?"

Fakir was silent. He didn't know what to say. The words that he wanted to speak to her were just flowing away. No, the words had already disappeared long ago.

"But, I wanted to save you!" he shouted at her. Ahiru just looked like he didn't know that he was right in front of her.

"Why?"

Both Ahiru and Fakir's eyes were becoming glossy.

"Why didn't you keep your promise to protect me?" she asked.

Drip. Fakir's tears started falling faster than hers. The more she asked of these types of questions, the more it hurt. Did he really fail again?

"Moron! Can't you understand anything that I'm saying to you? Can't you hear me?" Fakir queried.

Her image was beginning to break, just like broken glass. She was performing a pirouette.

"I don't understand, Fakir," she replied. With those words, the image shattered. Then, the black Princess Tutu appeared.

"Give up. You've already failed."

-End of Dream-

Fakir swiftly rose from his sleep, panting, sweating, and crying all at once.

"It was…just a nightmare," he thought repeatedly, trying to get back to his senses.

Fakir noticed that he was in a rather large bedroom, and he was lying on the soft bed. The floor, walls, and ceiling were marble. On one of the walls was a sword that the prince used. There were several stained windows with colors shining from the sunlight.

"Ah, Fakir, you're awake!" someone said cheerfully. It was Mytho. "You must've had a horrible dream. And why were you…" He started snickering. "Why were you calling out Ahiru's name in your sleep?"

Fakir started blushing and gulped. "I-I-I-I was w-w-what?" he asked, nervousness and embarrassment in his voice.

"You just won't accept the fact that you love her, will you?" Rue asked, coming out from the door. She went over to Fakir and patted his forehead with a damp cloth.

Fakir couldn't protest anymore. He didn't like her, he loved her. "Just…please promise you won't tell anybody, okay?"

Rue and Mytho both nodded. "Anyway, what happened to you? We found you unconscious on the floor," Mytho said, worried.

"It was Ahiru. She was kidnapped, and then I saw her the following day. She was in Princess Tutu's form, but she didn't act the Ahiru we know," Fakir explained, still remembering that gruesome image.

Suddenly, a raven appeared in the room. Everyone was astonished, since they've already defeated the monster raven. Fakir grabbed the sword on the wall and pierced the raven. The remains of it were only a letter, sealed by trickles of raven's blood.

Fakir picked it up, opened the envelope and read it. He crumpled up the letter with anger.

"What did it say?" Rue asked. He didn't answer that question. Instead, he threw the letter at Mytho, which he caught.

He smoothed out the wrinkled paper. It read:

Dearest Knight,

I have your princess in our possession. If you dare to save her, you must come to the courtyard at Kinkan Academy at dusk. We will request the price from you there. Your princess awaits your arrival.

Truly yours,

Princess Envy

"I'll go with you, just incase it's a trap," Mytho replied.

Rue tugged his sleeve. "I should go. I don't want you doing anything with the ravens. You've suffered enough," Rue said sternly. She kissed him on the cheek.

"But…"

"I'll be fine."

Fakir was staring out the window. The sun was almost about to set. It was a few more hours until they meet again.

"No matter what the cost, Ahiru, I will save you."

XXXX

Rue and Fakir set of to Kinkan Academy. Dusk was near.

When they reached the courtyard, there was nothing there. Suddenly, a whirl of black wind appeared, knocking both Rue and Fakir over.

Princess Envy appeared, along with Princess Tutu engulfed in roots.

"Tutu!" the two of her friends cried. He and Rue tried ripping off the roots, but they just kept on redeveloping themselves.

"As you can see, knight, it is no use," Envy replied. She had dark brown hair with green, piercing eyes, staring right at Fakir and Rue's.

"What did you do to her?" he asked. She shook her head.

"She is fine. Now, you must pay the price I have asked for," she answered.

"What is the price?" Rue asked.

Envy's eyes narrowed. Her index finger pointed at her, causing her to be inside a black, egg-sized container.

"Now, knight, you would do anything for Tutu, right?" Envy questioned Fakir. He nodded in reply.

"Then, the chosen price is…your heart."

Fakir stuttered backwards, but kept his balance. "Is that really the desired price?"

"Yes."

Fakir took a deep breath. He was about to cry, but held it in. "Fine. Take it, but let Tutu and Rue go first."

"As promised." Envy snapped her fingers and they fell to the floor, not hurt in any way.

Envy vanished and reappeared in front of Fakir. She traced a heart-shaped pattern on his chest. "Give your heart to me."

A bright, cerulean light appeared from his chest and his heart appeared. His heart was the color of blue. She held it to her cheek.

"How warm your heart is," Envy complimented. Fakir's eyes had no emotion in them, unfortunately. His eyes were just glossy, lonely.

Tutu's outfit changed into her original color. Her eyes fluttered open and immediately saw what Princess Envy was doing to Fakir.

"STOP!" she shouted, but it was too late. They had already vanished into thin air, only leaving ravens' feathers behind.