AN: That's right, I'm back with the next chapter already! I'm really inspired to write this and try my hand at an epic story, so I hope you'll be following along with me! This chapter is still PT-verse for now, but I think you'll find a few surprises in it. :D

Summary: The truth isn't always what we expect or what we can easily accept, but a story's birth is a new beginning. Accept your role? Defy it? A choice must be made, for the phoenix has risen, but darkness looms on the horizon. - Princess Tutu/Mother 3 Crossover

Disclaimer: I do not own anything from Princess Tutu or Mother 3. All rights to their wonderful creators. I am merely borrowing them to weave a story.

The Pillars of Light

Chapter One: Endless Blue

Fakir cursed himself for not having started his search sooner. Letting his guard down always seemed to be a mistake. And now that he couldn't seem to find even a sign of Ahiru around the lake anywhere, he was starting to feel a familiar panic-like sensation form in his chest.

What if it was too late? What if he had wasted too many days not keeping a better eye on this strange habit of hers? What if she was... gone?

No, dammit! He wouldn't let himself think like that. She was here somewhere. Maybe she had just wandered a little further than usual. She was fine. She was.

Growing frustrated with himself and the doubtful turn his thoughts were taking, Fakir turned and ran back to his cabin, heading straight for the small shed-like building alongside it. Throwing the door open none-too-gently, he received a high and startled whinny from his horse. All he could spare her was a small pat as he moved to untie her reigns, though. There was just no time to waste when Ahiru was out there somewhere, alone and quite possibly in trouble.

Pulling open the stall gate, he gave his horse one more quick rub along the side of the face in apology for his brashness before he snatched the saddle down from the wall and buckled her down for riding. Then, when he decided the saddle was sturdy enough, he lifted himself right up onto her back, taking the reigns into his hands. Having a horse would increase his range a great deal - he could move faster and see further. This was just what he needed to find that idiot in a hurry.

With one swift thump of his shoe into the horse's side, the animal took off right out of the shed, knocking the door to the small enclosure aside and galloping through the tall grass around the cabin and out toward the edge of the lake. Fakir kept tight grip on the reigns, mostly from nerves and the heightening tension.

After that dream or vision or whatever it was that he had, there was an immeasurably bad feeling spreading from the pit of his stomach. The end of all things? A traitor? He didn't have a damn clue about what any of that was supposed to mean!

And why, after everything she had already been to, was Ahiru being dragged into it? Hadn't the duck suffered enough already for the sake of others? Couldn't she have a quiet and safe life now?

Have you ever taken into account what she really wanted? His mind seemed to taunt him from a far corner of his conscience. Or have you just decided that you wanted things to be that way?

Lips tightening just as his fingers did upon the reigns, he shoved those irritating thoughts away. Of course he wanted her to be safe and she would understand that. And now, he needed to find her to make sure that she was all right. Nothing else mattered until she was found, not even that damn dream or speaking with the Oak Tree.

Growling under his breath, he gave the horse another jerk to the thick hide of its side with the heel of his foot, urging her to go faster - which she did. Yet there was still no sign of the yellow duckling anywhere that he could see. Not on the lakeside, not in shrubs near the thick of trees to the west...

Where was she?

"Ahiru!" he called out loudly, his tone carrying every ounce of the worry he felt. "Ahiru, if you can hear me, answer me! ...Dammit!"

How far could she even have gone? Whether a duck or a girl, she was beyond clumsy. There was no way that those little feet of hers could have taken her too far, even if she had left hours prior, right? And he had to immediately banish the thoughts that she could have been kidnapped or worse. Thinking like that wouldn't help anything.

And no matter how much he roared her name across the fields and through the trees, there was no quacking of a reply or anything that might give him a clue to where she was. His heart was beating faster and faster, thumping with the fall of the horse's hooves on the un-level ground.

Would she have gone into town? Ahiru never wandered in that direction before during one of these disappearances, but that didn't mean she couldn't have changed direction for some reason. Perhaps he ought to at least check. He wasn't making much ground here, anyway.

Decided on the matter, he pulled back on the reigns to slow his horse, bringing her to halt before he tugged off to the right, turning her back the way they had come. Then, he lifted his foot, gave her a quick kick to get moving and-

"Quack!"

It was soft, but as if reacting to that sound instinctively, Fakir yanked roughly back on the reigns in his hands, forcing the horse to stop just as soon as she started to run and pulling a very displeased whinny from her as she reared back, making him slide to the back of the saddle. "Whoa, whoa-! Dammit - easy, dammit!"

"Quack!" The familiar noise was coming closer. "Qua-quack quack!"

Managing to get enough control of her not to fall right off of her back, Fakir wasted no more time in turning her straight back around again, his eyes wide and searching the ground in the near distance. "Ahiru? Ahiru, you moron! Where-"

He cut off when he saw the clumsy bird ambling forward through the grass that was taller than she was, flailing her wings wildly and quacking almost non-stop. Something obviously had her in a flutter-panic, but Fakir couldn't spot any sort of injury. Had she possibly seen something relating to...?

Hopping down off of the horse's back, he hurried forward to collect the scrambling and quacking duck up into his arms. However, even once Fakir lifted her, Ahiru didn't stop her spastic quacking. At the very least, she didn't seem to be half-asleep or out of it this time. She was very awake and alert. And she seemed to be... pointing a wing off the way she had come?

Trying to hold her still as she persisted in flapping about, the ex-knight finally resorted grabbing hold of one of her flailing wings. "Calm down, moron! I can't-! Stop fidgeting!"

Finally, with his insistence, she relaxed a bit, her feathered chest still heaving. Fakir brought her over to the saddle and placed her on the leather seat, allowing her to catch her breath for a moment as he crossed his arms, looking her over to make certain that she wasn't harmed. Something had obviously startled or shocked her, but... damn, if only he could understand her better!

It was then that the little yellow bird reached her beak out to snag a hold of his sleeve, blue eyes wide and one wing pointing insistently back the way she had fumbled from. Fakir followed the direction with his eyes, which narrowed slightly. He couldn't see anything out there.

Ahiru wouldn't act like this for no reason, though. And if time was as short as he feared, he had best check it out - whatever she saw or found could be important.

"Alright," he conceded with a short pat to her head when she gave another small quack. "I'll head that way. This better not be a pointless waste of time." With that warning and lecturing look he gave her all too often, Fakir hefted himself back up onto the saddle behind her, taking her up into the crook of one arm and reaching for the discarded reigns with his free hand. Grasping the leather strap tightly, he tugged off to the side again, turning the mare around to face what looked like no more than an expanse of tall grass and trees sloping slightly upward.

Making certain he had an unshakable grip on the little duck, he hit his foot into the horse's side once more and sent her off into a quick gallop, steadily gaining speed. He couldn't imagine what Ahiru wanted to show him. Fakir had never been off in this direction before, but what could have warranted her freaking out like this? And why had she gone this far in the first place?

Questions that a duck couldn't answer for him, unfortunately. Snapping the reigns down once, he urged the horse to go even more swiftly, maneuvering her through the trees and underbrush with ease. Still, he saw nothing that stood out. Everything looked normal and-

"Qua! Quack! QUA-QUACK! QUA!" All too suddenly, the bird started going amok from within the crook of his arm and Fakir had to struggle to keep her from dropping right off of the racing horse.

"Stop! STOP, DAMMIT! What's gotten into you!" It was getting incredibly difficult to keep a hold on her and the horse's reigns at the same time. Was she going crazy?

The quacking duck did not relent, though. And it almost seemed like one of her wings was reaching to grab the reigns of his horse. "What-"

Whatever Fakir might have said next was drowned out by the loud and almost frightened whinny of his horse as she tried to stop herself abruptly. The rearing back was too much for Fakir this time. With his already-waning grip on the reigns, he lost hold and tumbled right down off the back of the horse, a squawking duck held protectively in his arm and up against his chest as he crashed down into the ground. Pain shot up his back and shoulders, and it took a good few moments before he could lift himself up far enough to release the duck and glare down at her heatedly.

"You idiot!" he bellowed in anger, reaching a hand up to rub at his sore shoulder. "Are you trying to get us killed?"

The duck didn't look apologetic or anything, though. In fact, as soon as he released her, she stumbled her way up to the horse and past it, up to a little cliff, where she pointed and quacked repeatedly, flailing her free wing around. Far from being in the mood for this nonsense, Fakir lifted himself back up to his feet with a grunt, wincing a little from a sharp sting that ran up his spine. He swore, if she wasn't pointing to dragon or something, he was going to get even more furious than he already was.

However, when Fakir climbed up alongside her, ready to berate the duckling, his mouth suddenly went slack at what he saw before him, eyes wide in disbelief. His gaze drifted left and right and then straight again.

It was clear why the horse had stopped so suddenly now and why Ahiru was throwing such a fit about what she found. It was hard to believe, but the side of the cliff they were standing upon sank right down into a body of water - one that seemed to go on forever. And the land on either side curved around, tapering off into that ceaseless expanse of liquid.

"How..." Fakir couldn't make sense of anything he saw before him yet. Kinkan Town didn't have a huge lake or anything here before, did it? He had never come far enough to check before, but... this was disturbing. Where did the water end? Just how big was this?

Wordlessly, Fakir crouched down and picked Ahiru back up, settling her back securely into his arm and hopping back up upon his horse's saddle. He had to see for himself, he decided. Something about this... it made him think of the dream. It made him think of the changes since the story ended...

No one came to Kinkan from anywhere else. More species of animals didn't show up to inhabit the lake or the forests.

Swallowing down the dryness in his mouth, Fakir set the agitated horse into another swift trot along the water's edge. He was going to find out where this led. It had to be important. Perhaps going to the Oak Tree for answers now would be best, but he wanted to see for himself. He had to.

The ride lasted for hours. No matter how far the young man went on horseback, he couldn't find the water's end. And to make matters even more confusing, he could swear that he wasn't moving in anything like a straight path, either. It was always curving, further and further. And nothing ever appeared beyond the expanse of water - no land, nothing.

Fakir thought that the little duck would have dozed by now, but she was just as awake as he was. She seemed tense, too. Something was very wrong about this - they could both feel it.

As though in some form of mild comfort, he stroked the feathers on the top of her head. "I think we should head back," he informed stiffly. By now, too much valuable time that could have been spent talking to the Oak Tree was wasted. There was no sign of an end to water or to the curved path the horse trod over.

It didn't seem possible, but... could Kinkan Town have been on an... island?

His gut strangely clenched with that thought. It would explain why no one from the outside came even when the magic barrier faded. Had this been Drosselmeyer's last little trick of the words? Was the town still eternally imprisoned from the outside world even now?

There was too much to think about.

Rearing the horse to face inland, Fakir leaned forward and snapped the reigns to force the horse into a fast gallop once more. He thought he could feel a few of Ahiru's feathers touch his face as she gave a quack, but he paid her no mind for the time being. The Oak Tree was his goal. And figuring this damn mess out.

Disruption of balance...

The end of all things...

Would this body of land collapse and the town sink into the water until it was no more?

Fakir urged his horse to run faster.

Whether he was being rude and disrupting the town or not by riding a horse straight through it, Fakir didn't give a damn. He ignored every outraged cry and every person scrambling to get out of the large animal's way as he barreled through the streets. A cart of hay was turned on its side on a particularly sharp turn, but the ex-knight didn't even glance back over his shoulder. He kept going and going until he spotted the familiar building - the one where he knew there would be an arrangement of rocks out back. And one rock in particular...

Riding right onto the lawn, he finally slowed his horse once he came to the right area and hopped off of her back, carrying a now-complacent (thankfully) duck with him until he came to the small stone he had communicated with the tree through during the story. Taking a deep breath, he lowered himself down to sit on the ground, letting Ahiru free from his arm. She settled herself beside him, looking to and from him and the rock. "Quack?"

Fakir ran one hand through his wind-blown bangs, casting a rather unsure glance down toward the little duck. "I don't know if this will work, now that the story is over," he admitted softly. "But I have to try..."

He didn't really expect to sprout his own limbs and branches and turn into a tree or anything again, but as he reached for that simple little stone, Fakir felt his heart start to beat faster again. Would the Oak Tree have answers for them? Could it be worse than the bits and pieces in his dream?

Slowly, his eyes fell shut, the wind lightly rustling through his hair and the leaves of nearby trees. The familiar sensation... yes. He could still reach it. Calm and soothing, the voice filled his mind.

Young spinner, you seek answers. What has come to pass and what will be. I have not all that you seek.

Fakir gave a heavy exhale through his nose.

Look, I need to know if what I saw in that dream is real or not. Is this place in danger again? Is there another threat? What is it?

The answer is not that simple, young spinner. Reality and story are not so different. Story becomes reality. Reality is story.

Ahiru watched as Fakir's fingers tensed around the rock on the ground.

I don't have time for this, dammit! What do I need to write?

Patience, young one. There is a task ahead of you. There is a role for you to fulfill. You must go to Nowhere.

Fakir grit his teeth. Ahiru reached out a tentative feathered-wing to touch his arm, but he didn't even flinch.

How am I even supposed to make sense of this! Where is "nowhere"? What the hell kind of task and role is this?

Creator. You are a Creator. The ancient ones - we - have long awaited you. Long awaited the rebirth. You have proven yourself. The time is near. Do you accept your role? Do you accept the fate of All Things?

...What? You mean as a story-spinner? Are there more creators? What the hell do I have to do?

Nowhere Islands await you. Find the ancient spirits of your ancestors. Their trees have not yet been felled. Your task. Your role. They know. The end of All Things. The beginning.

The islands... in my dream? Why the hell can't you explain-

Not my place. Not mine, young spinner. I am an outsider. Separated. I was taken here. My roots do not intertwine with the ancients as was Meant To Be. My spirit is grounded where my tree was planted. Where my tree has fallen, I remain.

How the hell do I get to these Nowhere Islands, then? Do I have to write?

Words will help you. Words will fail you. Here to there, you may go. There, you cannot use your words. The time must be right. The time is near. Do you accept your role? Do you accept the fate of All Things?

He was getting a goddamn headache again. How the hell was this supposed to make any sense?

This "role"... am I the only spinner that can do this?

Not your home. This is not your home. This island is not their home. You must go. You must accept the fate of All Things. The end of All Things. The end. The beginning. Seek your ancestors. Accept your role.

But-

Accept your role.

Your role...

The voice echoed off into nothingness until Fakir was certain that the Oak Tree's conscious had left him. Slowly, his eyes blinked open.

Could he... accept another role? Could he really let Fate decide his role for him after he defied it once?

Either way, he had to go. These "Ancients" or whatever they were... they would have the answers. Answers that he now wanted - and needed - more than ever.

Kinkan Town was on an island? This was not their home? What did it all mean?

Fakir was drawn from his troubling thoughts when he felt a rather insistent pecking at his hand. Looking down, he found large blue eyes staring back up at him in concern. With a sigh, he reached out to pet her head briefly before lifting her with his hands.

As much as he wanted to keep her here and safe and away from whatever this nonsense was that he was being dragged into, there was no avoiding this. His eyes closed for a moment before they opened and met hers.

"...I made a promise to you. And I'll keep it. We're going to the Nowhere Islands. ...Wherever the hell that is."

AN: Confused yet? :D I hope so. I don't want everything to be clear right away, after all. What's the fun in that? Hahaha.

Anyway, hope you enjoyed this chapter! There's many fun things to come. And in the next installment, you will finally get to meet more of the cast.

I'd love any and all feedback, even if you want to make guesses as to what's going on or beat my head for being confusing about everything. Hahaha

Thanks a lot for reading! Have yourselves a great day!