Once upon a time there was a dancer who longed for attention. Her parents were always busy and never acknowledged her, so she worked to dance the best she could so they would praise her. One day, the dancer walked through town and saw a puppet show. She marveled at the applause the puppets received, and at last decided she wished to be a puppet herself. The dancer met an old witch for help, and the witch granted her wish, and the dancer finally received praise for her art…but, with a puppeteer controlling her, was her dancing really her own?


Act 29: Gypsy Performances

(((Lucy Meets Mr. Tumnus)))

Fakir and Ahiru walked into the Kinkan Town Square to find it entirely swamped with people. Even though Fakir was not a short person, he still found it difficult to look over everyone's heads, and he saw nothing of what was making the onlookers "ooh" and "ahh" as they were.

"Damn it all," he muttered under his breath, moving his head back and forth in an attempt to see better. "What is going on?"

Ahiru looked from Fakir to the ankles of the swarm of people blocking them from the action, quacking determinedly and squeezing through the gaps in the legs toward the front.

"Ahiru!" Fakir hissed as he shoved past people to follow her, obviously worried that she might get stepped on or get lost in the crowd. "Baka, get back here!"

Ahiru ignored him. When she reached the front of the crowd, she quacked incredulously. Fakir caught up to her and, if he were a duck, likely would've imitated her reaction.

Surrounded by dancing gypsy ballerinas, a band of small clown puppets danced clumsily down the street, tripping over their strings, which were dragging on the ground instead of being moved above them by a human puppeteer.

"'Make her puppets dance without moving their strings,'" Helios recalled what Clara had said mildly. "I suppose it is true after all."

"But where is this 'Madame Ruza?'" Fakir muttered suspiciously.

"Quack!" cried Ahiru, pointing her wing toward the back of the procession.

A middle-aged gypsy woman with dark violet hair, brown eyes and a tan complexion made her graceful way down the cobblestone street. She reached into her sleeve and pulled out a beautifully made ballerina puppet with short chocolate hair, blank purple eyes and a white leotard and tutu.

Very abruptly the woman let go of the ballerina as if not concerned about breaking it, but as the puppet fell, it twirled and pirouetted gracefully until it touched the ground and began dancing by itself. While the clowns ahead of it kept tripping over their strings, the ballerina danced flawlessly, avoiding its strings and moving around the clown puppets like a real human prima donna.

The crowd cheered and applauded, and some of the kids started chanting "Madame Ruza!" in an excitable, repetitive rhythm.

Fakir scoffed. "What's the point of ballet without personalization by each performer? And there's no way that her 'magic' is real…"

"Quack!" scolded Ahiru. "Quack quack quack, quack-quack!" 'It's Madame Ruza's talent that matters; she's really good. And magic's not real? Look who's talking, Mr. Write-The-Story-of-Kinkan-Town!'

The ballerina puppet gave a great jeté and soared through the air so high her jump reached the height of Fakir's waist, before she touched the ground again, gave a grand five-twirl pirouette and stopped to bow with the clown puppets.

The onlookers burst into applause; even Ahiru clapped her wings together.

"Well, that was a waste of time," Fakir growled, turning to go. "Here I thought this might be something to worry about…but no, it's just a traveling puppeteer desperate to show off…"

"Quack, quack," Ahiru reproached exasperatedly. 'Heaven forbid you have some fun every-so-often, Fakir!'

"She's crying," whispered a distant-sounding voice from Fakir's bag.

Fakir and Ahiru both looked at Helios in bewilderment.

"What in the world are you talking about?" scorned Fakir. "Ahiru's fine."

"No, not Ahiru-san," argued Helios, sounding impatient for the first time since the two had met him, before his tone became its usual sad, "The ballerina…"

"What?"

Fakir turned to look at the puppet as it straightened up by itself, and realized that human tears were falling from its eyes and down its wooden cheeks.

"Quack…" Ahiru breathed in sorrowful awe.

Her male friend's eyes were narrowed. "Looks like I spoke too soon…I think I'm going to have to have a talk with this 'Madame Ruza.'"


Meanwhile, far below the Kinkan Town Square in the dirtiest of sewers, lay the Kingdom of Mice, and that very moment, a funeral was being held.

A black female mouse with brown eyes and adorned in a black royal cape and crown looked on emotionlessly as a small casket with a gold crown etched on it was lowered into a grave amongst crying and mournful singing.

"We, the Kingdom of the Mice," stated the brown mouse preacher, "now lay to rest our 1,782nd king, King Anatole, and wish him the most restful of deaths. May he find much rotten food and garbage in life after death, and may we live our lives in his memory as we continue under the rule of our noble Queen Nezumi."

A dark brown mouse next to "Queen Nezumi" by the name of Reepicheep looked at her concernedly.

'Ever since Anatole-san was killed, Nezumi-chan hasn't been the same…she was always so happy and full of life…and now, it's like her heart has grown cold. I know she loved him very much considering they were betrothed…but I have never seen her this…blank before. I haven't even seen her cry…'

"Thank you, Minister," Nezumi said crisply, stepping forward to take his place at the stand and blocking the new grave from sight. "I promise you, citizens of the Kingdom of Mice, the death of our dear king will not be condoned. I know who is responsible for this crime, and I assure you, he shall be properly punished."

The mice applauded her short speech as the Queen left the stand and walked back toward the palace, Reepicheep walking alongside her.

"Your Highness," he whispered to Nezumi so that the citizens they were passing wouldn't hear them, "may I ask how we will find this criminal?"

"Simple," answered Nezumi without looking at him. "You and the Mouse Army will surround and search the town. There will be nowhere for him to hide…"

Reepicheep tried not to gulp at the oddly heartless tone in the Mouse Queen's voice. "And…may I ask who we are chasing for the King's death?"

Nezumi gave him a quick, cold look, before snorting slightly and answering, "The Nutcracker Prince Helios."


Drosslemeyer laughed as he watched the image of Nezumi and Reepicheep.

"Oh ho, ho, ho! What do you know? The Mouse King's wife wants vengeance! So much for trying to make everyone happy, you silly Nutcracker! So determined to protect foolish little Clara and break the curse you didn't think of what enemies you could make…and you can't run from Nezumi's army, can you, Helios-baka? Ahiru-chan and that silly Knight can't protect you from her forever! Ha, ha, ha…"


Ahiru followed Fakir as he walked up to the door of the caravan marked with the large colorful heading "Madame Ruza and Her Magical Troupe" left on the outskirts of Kinkan Town.

The writer raised his hand to knock, but he froze as a voice from within called,

"Come in, young writer. I am here."

Ahiru quacked in surprise. 'How does she know Fakir's Kinkan Town's writer?'

"Well…now we know why people call her a witch," Helios stated mildly.

Fakir's eyes narrowed in suspicion; he pulled the door open and prudently stepped inside, Ahiru following him worriedly.

The caravan was comprised of two rooms: one large one that you stepped into upon entering the caravan and another that had its door in the left corner hidden by a barrier of beaded, red silk drapes.

The woman known as Madame Ruza was sitting with her back to Fakir in front a round table with a crystal ball in the center and the prima ballerina doll from her performance lying on the edge.

"I see that you have come here to receive answers to your questions," Madame Ruza murmured in a very misty tone, "questions that are troubling you because you are afraid someone might mean you or your friends harm again…"

"If you're so good at predicting things," Fakir interrupted her coldly, "then you know that I don't trust you at all and want to know how you know who I am."

Madame Ruza chuckled quietly as she turned around to look at them.

"Tell you what, Fakir-chan; I'll leave Demi-chan here," she patted the puppet gently, "so Prince Helios can have some fun with her…and you and I can step into my office," she gestured to the room in the left corner, "and chat a little."

Fakir looked Ruza hard in the eye for a moment, before he placed Helios on the table by the ballerina puppet and started to walk toward Madame Ruza's "office."

Ahiru made to follow, but Fakir stopped her with a subtle gesture of his hand.

"Stay with Helios and the puppet," the writer muttered under his breath.

"Qua-" Ahiru tried to protest, but the look in Fakir's eyes told her he was asking it of her out of concern for Helios, and she decided to do as he said.

'I just hope Madame Ruza doesn't try to hurt Fakir…she seems good…but I can tell Fakir's suspicious of her…'

Madame Ruza held up the curtain for Fakir as he walked into the other room and then, flourishing her hand toward the table and smiling wryly at Ahiru, followed him inside and closed the curtain behind her.

Ahiru looked up at the table, to see magic dust swirling around Helios and the ballerina puppet. Quacking in alarm, she flapped her wings to heave herself up onto the chair and then onto the table beside them.

Helios, while still a wooden Nutcracker, blinked his painted eyes and held his head in his normally immobile hand as he found himself able to move. The ballerina, too, blinked as she found herself to be mobile, and flexed her limbs, before bending her knees in a plié toward Helios and Ahiru as a kind of curtsy. Ahiru gave a "Quack!" of hello and Helios gave a bow in return.

"May I have your name, Ballerina-san?" the cursed prince asked politely.

"Demi," the ballerina puppet answered, giving him another polite plié.

"Demi," Helios repeated as if tasting the name. "I am Prince Helios."

"I know," Demi answered, before rushing to apologize for her slight abruptness, "Madame Ruza called you a prince…I heard her."

Helios smiled at her, obviously not offended. Instead, he held his arms above his head in third position, circling his hands before reaching a hand out to her.

Ahiru smiled; she knew this gesture very well, for she herself had used it as Princess Tutu very often to ask, "Will you dance with me?"

Demi appeared uncertain. "I…I'm afraid I'm not very good of a dancer unless Madame Ruza controls my movements."

Helios gave her a reassuring smile. "It's all right. Goodness knows I'm better at swordplay than ballet."

Demi hesitated, before she placed her hand in his. Helios stepped back in a chassé derrière as Demi stretched her right leg back in a willowy tondu derrière, before Helios treaded forward with a chassé devant, reached his arms underneath Demi's leg and lifted her up so that she was sitting on his shoulder. The Nutcracker twirled her around slowly before she tilted off of his shoulder and he caught her and placed her back on the ground.

As she watched their shy pas de deux, Ahiru noted how well their movements matched each other's. Helios's movements were stiff like that of a soldier and held much sadness, but were helpful and proper; Demi's, while untrained and hesitant, held a look of gentleness and dedication.

'They look like Mytho and Rue-chan…' Ahiru thought, feeling sad both out of missing her friends and of regret she couldn't dance with everyone herself, 'their movements match perfectly…and they're putting all their hearts into their dance, too…'


"Now," Fakir growled tersely, crossing his arms and glaring at Madame Ruza, "tell me what this is all about."

The gypsy witch looked at the young writer seriously. "I am a player in this new story, but I am no villain. I mean no harm to you nor your love, Fakir-chan."

Fakir's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean, 'love?'"

"Don't play coy with me, Fakir-chan," chided Madame Ruza, sitting in a red armchair in the corner. "I know very well of your feelings for Ahiru-chan."

Fakir went red, but his face still retained anger. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Silly boy," Madame Ruza teased gently. "Still determined not to reveal your so-called 'secret' until the most dramatic of moments? You're a true writer."

"How do you know about my writing?" Fakir asked tersely. "You haven't answered my questions."

"Questions you assume I know," Madame Ruza stated amusedly. "Fortunately for you, I do. To the one you articulated, I have studied magic for years, as that is part of the character Drosslemeyer made me to be. To the ones you have not…I left Demi-chan and Prince Helios alone together because I know you want to break the curse on the Prince, and Demi-chan may be able to help him with that. I came to this town because I was looking for business, since my husband and sons' deaths at Drosslemeyer's hands have left me penniless, and upon my arrival, I learned you would be coming to confront me. Demi-chan was crying because she is no ordinary puppet, as I'm sure you realized. Finally, I am here to assist, Fakir-chan. I can only do so much, but I do not wish to hinder your story."

Fakir snorted. "I'm still not sure if I trust you."

"I knew you wouldn't," Madame Ruza replied wryly, "especially since I mentioned your love for Ahiru-chan."

"I am not in love with her!" Fakir snapped, but his blush contradicted his words.

Madame Ruza gave a laugh, before her face grew serious. "Have you decided what to do with her story yet?"

"I thought you knew everything?" scorned Fakir.

"I never claimed to know everything," Madame Ruza pointed out. "Magic only allows so much. You write stories…you should know endings aren't etched in stone. I can only see little beyond the present."

Fakir scowled at her. "Really? Then in that case, anything to do with Ahiru's story is none of your business."


"May I inquire as to the circumstances that you became a puppet, Demi-san?" Helios asked mildly as he and Demi continued their dance. "If you were really a puppet, you would not show emotions such as uncertainty. Were you cursed?"

"Cursed?" repeated Demi, going back in a chassé derrière and her feet moving to third position so she could glide past the Nutcracker in a jeté. "No. I chose this."

"Qua?" quacked Ahiru, sounding a bit horrified.

Helios also seemed surprised as he gave a tours en l'air, twirling in mid-air as he jumped over to her side, and held his arms out to her to tell her to explain.

Demi sighed, arching her arms into third position and circling her leg in the air in a rond de jambe. "When I was a child, I saw one of Madame Ruza's puppet shows…all the children watching her were so happy…"

Moving in a demi-plié and gliding in a sad glissade, Demi danced en pointe over to him, her arms stretched out on either side of her in second position.

"I wished to make people happy like that…but no matter how hard I practiced, no matter how much work I put into my dancing…no one ever noticed me."

She put a hand to her heart and arched her other arm to gesture toward the sky as she stepped back in another chassé derrière, her head back in sad memory.

"One night, I wished on a star to be a puppet myself, so I could dance on Madame Ruza's stage and be appreciated like all her puppets were…Madame Ruza heard me, and she used her magic to grant my wish…"

The ballerina puppet's arms arched up into third position, her eyes traced with tears and her legs bending into a concluding plié.

"…And here I am."

Ahiru's ocean-like eyes filled with pity. 'She gave up everything just so she could make others happy? She's just like Helios-kun…'

Helios stared at her sadly for a moment, before he moved toward her in a chassé devant, his hand extending to touch her cheek. "By trying to make others happy, you have sacrificed everything you were and can be…I just cannot see how that is right. One with will should always have the chance to fulfill their will."

"Quack," agreed Ahiru.

Demi looked sadly at Ahiru and then Helios, her arms resting in first position. "Well, if I can't make others happy…at least Madame Ruza makes it possible for others to be happy because of me…but yes, sometimes I hate being so helpless…"

Ahiru could easily empathize. When Mytho's incomplete heart was being consumed by the Monster Raven's blood, she felt useless also, as all she could do was return pieces of his heart to him as Princess Tutu.

Helios's gray eyes grew sad as he removed his hand from her cheek and brought to his heart. "I understand your wish, Demi-san…a long time ago, I tried to make the woman I was betrothed to happy…and a magical storyteller, who loved my fiancée and was jealous, transformed me into what you see before you."

Demi's eyes held empathy. "I'm sorry. Even if your fiancée's love was jealous of you, you meant well."

Helios gave her a sad, but grateful, smile. "It has been a very long time since one has truly understood my feelings…it is something I have missed."

The two held eye contact in silence. Ahiru smiled a duck smile, knowing full well that their feelings were not simply of friendship.

'Maybe Fakir can give both of them a happy ending!' she thought to herself excitedly. 'Demi-chan likes Helios-kun, I can tell…she'll break the curse on him, and then maybe we can change her back into a human!'

Suddenly Demi and Helios froze where they stood, their eyes becoming blank once more; Demi fell flat onto the table.

"Quack!" Ahiru quacked in alarm, rushing over to them. "Quack! Quack-quack!"

"Madame Ruza's magic has ended," Helios realized sadly, his mouth no longer moving. "I can no longer hear Demi-san…probably because it is Madame Ruza keeping her this way, and not Drosslemeyer."

"My apologies, Prince Helios," Madame Ruza apologized gently as she opened the curtain to enter the room once more. "My magic only lasts so long…I'm sure you were having a lot of fun talking with Demi-chan."

Fakir came into the room behind her, his eyes flashing in her direction. Ahiru wondered if Madame Ruza had said something wrong in his "chat" with her.

"We'll take our leave, then," the young writer stated coldly, grabbing Helios and putting him back in his bag before opening the caravan door. "Come on, Ahiru."

"Quack," Ahiru assented, flapping after him as he walked out the door.


"Your Majesty," one of the mouse generals reported to Queen Nezumi in the sewers below Kinkan Town, "we've located the Nutcracker Prince. He's staying with a young man by the name of Fakir at the antique seller Charon's house."

"Excellent," Nezumi murmured, her eyes shining with dark satisfaction. "Gather the troops! We capture that Nutcracker tonight!"

"Tonight, your Majesty?" the mouse general repeated, sounding surprised. "But my Queen, with all due respect, we have not prepared any plans or-"

"I don't care," Nezumi retorted, eyeing him with such a ferocious look no one would defy her word. "I want that Nutcracker's head. You need no plan to capture a wooden doll…so do as I command and capture him tonight!"

The general saluted fearfully. "Y-yes, your Majesty!"

Reepicheep started to follow the other members of the Mouse Army out of the sewers, but looked back at Nezumi worriedly as he marched.

'What has happened to you, Nezumi-chan?'

Nezumi caught Reepicheep's look, and the bodyguard quickly looked away, not noticing the odd red glint in the Mouse Queen's eyes as she watched him leave.


"My, my, this is interesting," Drosslemeyer chuckled as he watched gear images of the concerned Reepicheep and the heartless Nezumi. "It seems the Nutcracker isn't the only one in trouble…could you and that worthless Knight possibly give a happy ending to Demi-chan, Helios-baka and the mice, Ahiru-chan?"


I'm afraid that is all for today. Is a fun story awaiting us? A sad story? Or maybe…?


Name Notes:

Demi - French for "half"; used in many ballet movements

Nezumi - Japanese for "mouse"

Reepicheep name of the mouse character in C. S. Lewis's "Prince Caspian" and "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader"

Anatole - the title mouse character of Eve Titus's children's books

Music Notes:

"Mother Ginger and the Clowns": starts at the beginning of the chapter, with Demi's solo starting at 1:05, Fakir's comment of ballet needing personalization at 2:20 and Demi's final pirouette starting at 3:22.

"Lucy Meets Mr. Tumnus": starts when Madame Ruza places magic on Demi and Helios, pauses for Fakir and Madame Ruza's talk at 1:32, and ends after Ahiru thinks of a happy ending for both of them.

The piece "Mother Ginger and the Clowns" is by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and featured in his ballet "The Nutcracker."

The piece "Lucy Meets Mr. Tumnus," is from "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" soundtrack.