Aneko: Squee! This one is back after a much too long absence. I didn't mean to be gone this long, honestly. Life just kind of gang-jumped me. This chapter is kind of short, and I'm sorry, but I believe the next will be longer.

Disclaimer: You know how I roll—I don't own PT.

Chapter 11—Once More

Can you feel it? The feeling of the end?

"Alright," Fakir said, standing up and unsheathing his sword, "I'm going after the Puppetmaster. Kiru, can you get Ahiru out of here?"

"No!" Ahiru said, standing beside Fakir, "I'm going with you!"

"But Ahiru—"

Ahiru shook her head vigorously.

"I made the mistake of pushing you away before. We stay together now."

Fakir looked like he wanted to object for a moment, before he nodded.

"But Hime-sama—!" Kiru tugged on her skirt, "It's dangerous."

"Kiru would you do me a favor?"

"What?"

"Don't call me the princess I have been labeled by the Puppetmaster, but call me by my name."

"…Ahiru?"

"Yeah." Ahiru nodded encouragingly.

"And stop with this "Knight-sama" business," said Fakir gruffly, looking away.

"We'll be back soon," Ahiru promised, and she and Fakir ran off into the darkness.

"Ah!" Kiru watched them vanish quickly. "…be careful…Ahiru. Fakir."

There was nothing to measure the amount of time they walked in the darkness, the sword lighting the way, but it felt long to Ahiru, before they reached an area she knew well.

"This is where the Puppetmaster should be."

There was the raised area, like a stage. The crystal in its stand. The staircase. But the Puppetmaster was nowhere to be seen.

Ahiru started as a marionette fell in front of her, jerking to a halt and dangling before her on its strings. Ahiru looked up, but she couldn't see the end of the strings—they stretched up into the darkness.

"What holds it up" She asked aloud, reaching out. As soon as she touched the chipped paint and knarled wood, it began bouncing, it's ligaments flailing meaninglessly. Ahiru jumped back.

"Qua—mp!" She covered her mouth habitually before she could completely utter the word. She didn't know if she would turn into a duck, but she didn't want to find out.

Two more puppets fell, jangling and bouncing around like the first. Ahiru took an instinctive step backwards, closer to Fakir.

"F-Fakir…"

"Don't worry."

The warmth of his back against hers was comforting.

Eerie laughter, supposedly from the puppets, began to accompany the mad dancing. For a time things continued this way, Fakir and Ahiru staying close together, and the puppets dancing a mad caper in one place.

Without warning it stopped, and the puppets swung gently.

"Welcome to my stage," the puppetmaster said from above, "Let ,e introduce you to my stars. This is the jester."

The first puppet did a little jig and bowed.

"This is Comedy."

The second did a flip and a comical bow.

"And last but not least we have Tragedy."

The only things that denoted Tragedy's difference was two bug blue teardrops, painted one under each eye.

If the situation were not so dire, Ahiru might have found the situation funny; but the word tragedy struck a familiar chord within her that made the situation anything but.

"Be careful—the Jester may be a fool, but he can do some dangerous tricks."

As she spoke, the Jester puppet began to juggle silver daggers, arms moving faster until the blades were nothing but shining blurs which formed a complete circle. Without warning he threw them all. Fakir pushed Ahiru away and deflected all the blades with his own. They fell uselessly to the floor with a clatter, melting into nothingness again.

"Don't forget about Comedy. He is witty, to be sure, but he has a barbed tongue and sharp words."

A lance appeared in Comedy's hand, and he advance on Fakir, thrusting and parrying as Fakir did the same. Ahiru looked over at Tragedy, expecting him to attack them in some way next. So when she looked over, she was surprised by what she saw.

Tragedy stood there, watching the battle with his hollow eyes. He did nothing to help either side, only stand there and weep painted tears. Ahiru was so distracted by the odd puppet that she couldn't look away until the clatter of metal and a shout came from Fakir.

"Fakir!"

"Don't come over here!" Fakir shouted. He had fallen to his knees, Comedy's lance close to his throat. Comedy drew back the lance for the final blow—

Fakir closed his eyes—

Ahiru screamed his name—

The Puppetmaster's eyes glittered. "Yes! This is it!"

It flew forward—

"No! Fakir-sama!"

Ahiru gasped—

As Kiru appeared before Fakir—

And the lance pierced his chest.

"Kiru!"

The Puppetmaster growled savagely. "Stupid boy!"

Kiru fell to the ground with a choking sound.

"I'm so glad…I was able…to protect…" A faint smile came to his clouded eyes. His body glowed and dispersed in speckles of white light that floated into the darkness.

"No…" Ahiru whispered.

Comedy was now powerless, and with one fluid stroke of the sword, Fakir splintered the wood into irreparable pieces. Fakir turned to face the Jester, and in a moment it had been disarmed and broken like it's fellow.

"Two puppets, ruined?" The Puppetmaster'd voice echoed. There was actually a taught undercurrent of anger. "It appears I will have to deal with you myself."

A spotlight lit the stairs, and there she was, walkingdown with a dangerous grace.

"You two have caused me no end of trouble, do you know? I try to play nicely, and you throw it in my face."

As she spoke, power grew about her in a white aura. Her hair blew wildly about her, and her eyes glowed.

"So, who should I get rid of first? The loyal knight, or the fake princess?"

She stood there, actually seeming to be thinking it over. She was standing there, hand on chin in thought, when footsteps ran towards her, and a sword swung at her. She dodged it easily.

"Too slow!"

She raised her arm and threw an attack—not at Fakir, who stood before her—but at Ahiru.

"Ahiru!"

It was too late to do anything. She was halfway across the room from him. Ahiru threw her hands up in front of her face and closed her eyes.

The sound of tearing wood filled the room. Ahiru opened her eyes and saw the final puppet standing in front of her, it's chest pierces through with a single hole. It collapsed upon itself and fell to the ground.

"Why?" Ahiru breathed, falling to the ground beside it, "I don't understand."

Her hand unintentionally touched the grainy wood fiber, and she was hit with a multitude of voices, like when she had been under the Puppetmaster's control. Tears, Pain, sorrow. The essence of tragedy.

"Why?"

But she already knew the answer. She had probably really known it all along. The weight of the voices in her mind was almost painful.

"Once more…"she whispered, beginning to push herself to her feet. "Just once more…please…"

"She really doesn't remember…"

"You'll remember when you need to."

"Just Ahiru?"

"No. I was never a Princess. I can't remember because I never was, but…but still! Just once more! Once more—"

Fakir. Kiru. Oran-san. Hana-san. Chare. Iris. Everyone. Help me!

"—Once more let me be…Princess Tutu!"

Once more!

Everyone felt something warm enter their chest.

In the castle, Hana's eyes grew distant. "This feeling…"

"Eh?" Iris and Chare paused in their cleaning, looking at each other.

Out in the gardens, Oran looked up, his eyes widening. "Hikari-chan?"

The soldiers whispered in surprise.

A warmth blossomed in her chest, and Ahiru gasped as a light surrounded her. A face appeared before her, one Ahiru knew very well, now by another name as well.

"Tutu…no, Princess Hikari. Please, help me! I don't want this any more—no more deception, by me or anyone else."

Tutu, eyes shining with some untouchable sadness, nodded.

Ahiru felt the transformation take hold, and in her mind a half formed thought came from Tutu.

Please…tell Mother and Father…

"Hai," Ahiru whispered, tears in her eyes, understanding the unspoken request.

Though the Puppetmaster was beside him, Fakir turned to Ahiru. He hadn't felt this presence for a long time.

"Ahiru."

The Puppetmaster stared.

"Wh—What is this?"

"Puppetmaster-san, on behalf of the real Princess Hikari, and all the people in Rivervale," Ahiru took a deep breath before opening her eyes, "I will stop you!"

Aneko: The next chapter shall come, hopefully soon.