Hello! A little thanks to my reviewers:

Pichicha123

seqka711

Fakiru 4 Ever

JMichellex

You guys are awesome~ ((ya know, cuz you've reviewed at least once. Some of you though are over achievers, hint, hint))

AND, Disclaimer ((I almost forgot this, bad Minatu-chan, baaadddd))- I don't own Princess Tutu! :)

I can't believe I actually had time to post a chapter so early today! I even found my PS2 and Final Fantasy XII, so I've just been all kinds of lucky today!

Oh, and I've also gotten over my writer's block. This chapter is actually a plot developer chapter! YAY!

ONWARD!

Chapter 5

Ahiru smiled when she looked out the window to breath in the cool, October air. The leaves were tinged with a warm red and a blazing orange. This was her favorite time of the year, autumn. It was amazingly beautiful out, and it was just the right temperature outside to feel cool, but not cold. It was quite refreshing.

Ahiru changed into her school clothes and went bounding out the door, almost running into Pike and Lillie, who'd come to wake her up as they usually did. The strawberry blonde girl smiled at her ginger and blonde best friends before skipping down the hall.

"Aw! Our little Ahiru is so happy today! I wonder if she's trying to hide how horrified she truly is about the tryouts for the ballet, The Nutcracker!" Lillie squealed, "Poor Ahiru knows she'd never get the part of Clara, who would be Mytho's partner!" Pike sighed.

"Yeah, or she's just being optimistic," the ginger replied. Lillie rolled her eyes and refused to listen to Pike. The two followed after the less enthusiastic Ahiru.

"Oh... The tryouts are today?" she asked, swallowing back her surprise. Pike sighed and Lillie squealed.

"Oh, poor Ahiru! She'd completely forgotten about the ballet!" Lillie cried, seeming to sympathize with the strawberry blonde. Ahiru groaned loudly, her shoulders slumped slightly when they entered their class.

"I'm from the lower class, of course I wouldn't get the part of Clara," Ahiru told her friends. She at least thought that realistically.

"Don't worry Ahiru! You'll probably get to be a lowly mouse that is righteously slain by Mytho!" Lillie cheered Ahiru on. Ahiru's shoulders slumped over even more.

"I think that's the opposite of what you should've told her," Pike pointed out to the blonde girl, who looked back at her with innocent eyes.

"Really?" she asked sarcastically. Pike rolled her eyes as Ahiru began to put on her pointe shoes. The other girls from their class began to slowly trail into the room or prepare for class.

"Alright class! Today is the tryouts for The Nutcracker! If you don't practice hard in class today... I'll have you marry me!" Mr. Cat called out to the class. A few girls squealed in disgust. Ahiru stood at the bar, ready for whatever drill he had prepared for them that day. Mr. Cat called out his instructions, and Ahiru followed them easily. She'd practiced her pointe in her room the night before. She was already adjusted to them and able to move smoothly through the main movements that Mr. Cat had taught them. It seemed that everyone was surprised that she was actually good at pointe. She'd normally done terribly.

Ahiru wasn't really sure what had changed, but she was doing better in ballet, so maybe she'd be able to receive a good part in The Nutcracker. By the end of their class, it seemed that Ahiru had managed to outshine all of the other girls in the basic class.

"Good job today, Ahiru," Mr. Cat praised her in front of all the other girls, "If you fall anymore behind Ahiru, class... I'll have you marry me!" Several girls let out cries of horror, and Ahiru sighed, glad that the phrase wasn't directed toward her that time. She left class with a wide smile on her face. She walked toward the tryouts with the talkative Lillie and shocked Pike.

"I'm so sad! Our Ahiru became good at ballet!" Lillie cried fake tears. The blonde would seem depressed to anyone but her friends.

"I'm surprised, Ahiru... When did you get that good at ballet?" Pike asked curiously, trying to shrug of the initial shock of her newfound ability.

"I practiced a lot... That's all," Ahiru replied, shrugging her shoulders.

"You practiced a lot before... So this is just some crazy epiphany of talent, huh?" Pike reasoned, crossing her arms across her chest.

"Our poor Ahiru still won't get the roll of Clara though! What use is that talent then? She used to be so useless! What did you do with our old Ahiru?" Lillie complained sadly. Ahiru stared at the blonde for a moment in shock.

"I'm still the same, Lillie..." Ahiru assured her blonde friend, "Just a little more 'able' to do ballet." Lillie ignored this and continued on crying until they reached the area where the tryouts would be held.

"What are you doing for you tryout?" Pike inquired suddenly. Ahiru jumped at the sound of her voice since they'd been silent for a little while.

"Umm... I'm not sure," Ahiru replied, "Maybe the dance Clara does in the beginning of the ballet with her new doll, the Nutcracker."

"That would be a good one," Pike encouraged her friend gently.

"Oh, poor Ahiru! What if you mess up? Then you'll never get a part!" Lillie cried, placing her hand on her forehead dramatically. Ahiru sighed.

"I'll just have to try won't I?" she told them. Pike nodded, smiling slightly. She was glad that Ahiru was beginning to have a little self-confidence.

"NEXT!" a voice cried, and it was Ahiru's turn. The strawberry blonde nervously padded out onto the stage to meet the eyes of the director herself, Ms. Edel. The green haired woman stared back at Ahiru with a pleasant smile gracing her pale face. Her assistant, Uzura, was the one calling next. She also had green hair and seemed to be a playful young child. Ahiru bit her lip. She could hear her heart pounding in her ears. She took in a deep breath. It was now or never. Here goes nothing...

Please Review~ I'd be happy to hear your thoughts on how I'm doing. If you have an idea, I'd be happy to consider it too.