Okay, I finally had the chance to update very soon because I had so much motivation for this, even from the lack of reviews. I guess it's because I started watching Princess Tutu again? Woot! It's soo good. I haven't watched it in a long time, it being my first anime (and glad it was). So I was very happy to watch it again ;) Please review and you will get yet another chapter early.

Fakir's POV

"…OW! FakirFakirFakirFAKIR! That huuuuuurts!" Ahiru leaned on the barre, her face strained as I casually pushed her further. Our ballet teacher, Shirei-sensei, had instructed me to tutor Ahiru on the missed work for the year.

"That's mostly the point of ballet. It hurts." I peered at her, leaning close to her face, and added lightly, "Of course, this is just the warm-up." Her jaw dropped and her eyes glared daggers. "What? Don't look at me like that. You wanted this, remember?"

I sauntered across the room and directed her, "Okay, stop. Get to second position… Revelé… Now, plié… Don't stick your butt out!… Good. I want you to pirouette continuously for me. Let's see how many you can do. One, two, three, four—" An abrupt knock at the door startled her and she fell to the ground, brutally destroying the peace—and her butt. She got up from the ground and began to pirouette relentlessly. Rue and Mytho ambled in unobtrusively and beamed at Ahiru and her unyielding exertion. When she noted their presence, she grinned bashfully and hid behind me. I nudged her.

"Ahiru, I called Rue and Mytho here to perform for you." She clung to me still as they took their places on the floor.

They were dancing the pas de deux. Their dance proceeded at a slow, steady gait. Mytho and Rue's graceful moves caused Ahiru's eyes to widen in admiration. Their dance ended, yet Mytho and Rue took their time rise. They lingered there, Mytho holding Rue positioned in his arms as her leg never moved an inch projected in the air, looking lovingly in each other's eyes.

When they ascended, Ahiru clapped her hardest. "That was great! You were so elegant!"

Mytho clarified, "But Ahiru, the point of the dance is not to be poised. The real meaning, deep inside, is the feeling of love. If you haven't got that, the pas de deux becomes dull. That's why its danced by two persons: male and female."

I piped up, "Right. You should try it, Ahiru. It's exhilarating. Mytho, would you do the honors and dance with Ah—"

Rue interrupted. "Actually Fakir, you should dance with Ahiru. I think it would be a better fit since you knew Ahiru longer. Besides, we're exhausted. It really takes a lot out of you when you dance after not doing it for a time. We got things to do anyway. Right Mytho?" He nodded, his face almost blank. But if you scrutinized him closely, you'd see that he wore a mischievous glint in his eyes and a very slight smirk.

I twitched. Rue was probably doing this to piss me off or wanted Ahiru to remember her past or making her fall in love with me again… Either or, she still did it.

Ahiru shook her head rigorously and prattled on how she couldn't dance with me. I noticed she did this when she was nervous. But Mytho and Rue already were out the door.

I sighed. So it'd have to be that way… "Ahiru. Come." She gulped uneasily. As I stationed my hand on her waist and inclined closely to her face. She blushed at the intensity of our nearness but did not utter a word. My memory flashed back to Ahiru, dancing the pas de deux alone, implying loneliness and despair. It must have hurt seeing the one she loved love someone else.

I think you can relate… My inner conscience spoke after a long while. She loved Mytho, not you. And the only reason why she still doesn't is because she lost her memory. That's all.

I kept my head held high as we preformed the promenade almost perfectly, Ahiru losing balance a bit on her leg. But she continued dancing. I pulled her into a lift and she felt as light as a feather.

Feather. I remember how those ravens who were really humans trampled over Ahiru as if she were nothing. I blocked that thought out of my head and concentrated on the move Ahiru was going to perform next.

The dance was closing and Ahiru made diminutive mistakes. I thought she was done when she executed the leap of faith, a jump when the lady takes off and flips in the air resulting in the lady landing on her head if the male doesn't catch her. I caught her effortlessly.

I gawked into her cerulean eyes as I held her in my grasp. She didn't struggle against me or break my gaze. The soft melody ended but I didn't want to let go. My attention was focused on her lips. I leaned towards her face, the temptation consuming my control, and she closed her eyes, as if urging me to do it. She was enticing, and though there were so many other girls who would kill for her spot, she remained the only one. She tantalized me, knowing that I couldn't have her—at least, not yet. Still, I leaned forward, her lips just waiting for me to capture it, only millimeters away—

"Bravo! That was great!"

Damn it!

She stiffened up, smiling genuinely at Rue, who had came in.

"I thought you had 'things to do.'" I scowled at the raven-haired girl and her companion.

She grinned, but beneath that grin was evil. "I left my sweater here and came back to fetch it." She spoke lightly. I gritted my teeth. She knew this was going to piss my off. She just knew it. I had to invite her back to Kinkan Town, did I? I mentally kicked myself in the balls.

"So Ahiru, how did you do it? To accomplish the pas de deux takes practically months!" Rue gleamed at her, making Ahiru very self-conscious.

I coughed. "Beginner's luck."

Her eyes widened and she still refrained from stealing even a glance at me. "E-Eh? I really don't know how I did it, actually. I danced from the heart, as you told me to…and… I don't know. It was like it happened before." She started excitedly jumping up and down and tug at my sleeve, momentarily forgetting what happened just before. "Could this be telling me something?" Before I could respond, the bell rung.

Rue intervened. "Well, looks like we have to go. People get congested trying to get to their next class. See you later, Ahiru!" She grabbed me forcefully by my arm, Mytho gently with his, and dragged both of us out of the studio.

I looked back at her, silently apologizing, but her mind seemed to be on other things. Our eyes connected for a second before she turned away. I really wished I hadn't done that…

Ok, Shirei-sensei is their new teacher, now that Neko-sensei has been turned into a REAL cat. Shirei means commander, instrucations, directive. Please review!