"I swear I saw them go out the door!" Chibiusa wrinkled her nose. "I know I did! Fakir even nodded to the side like he knew something was up. I just can't figure out where they went!"

"I checked the clinic already, because I was pretty sure they were there when I heard what happened but nothing there either," Duck shook her head, worried.

"There's something about that guy in my class, the one that seems to attract all the girls," Chibiusa added. "He started shouting and Miss Illia didn't look well. That's when Fakir indicated I should follow them."

"I bet there's a story at play here too," Duck reasoned. "Fakir probably realized what it was, but I'm still not sure what it could be."

"I can't think of any legends from home that would cause someone to faint," Chibiusa shook her head. "But even so, we need to figure out where they went, and I think we need our magic to do this."

The two nodded both transforming in a flash of light and ribbons.

"I think we should get a higher view," Chibi Moon suggested, leaping up towards the roof of the building. "They couldn't have gone far, we should be able to see them." She worried for the worst. That Gene person was pretty obsessive. If he was now pursuing them to fulfill a role in a story, this could be dangerous for both Illia and for Fakir. They had to find the pair fast.

Tutu nodded, pirouetting upwards as well, trying to get a better view. They had to find Fakir and Illia somehow. The sooner, the better.

...

"Just how long do you think you can keep this up, Fakir?" Bunette taunted as she and the other girls were pirouetting in circles around him like wild animals surrounding their prey.

So far, Fakir had managed to keep them occupied, but there were just so many of them, he wasn't certain how long he could keep this up. The girls behind him whipped their legs out, striking him in the back as they turned and eventually pulling the stick from his hand. He'd been hesitant to fight them with his full strength. It was much easier to fight the crows and manifestations of stories, but these were his classmates simply fulfilling the roles of errant stories. He didn't care much for them, but they were still unwillingly cast in the part.

So he simply continued do what he also knew best, and that was to dance. They were acting as part of a ballet, so a stick for a sword naturally wouldn't do him much good. He could outdance the lot of them, but only for so long. Hopefully Chibi Moon and Princess Tutu would be able to locate this forest, if it weren't just outside the door still. He spun around, leaping backwards to evade their assault and grand jetés.

"Where is she?!" Bearella demanded, lashing out at Fakir with her claws. "Bring her to us!"

He dodged several times, but with the last swipe, she managed to snag his leg, causing him to lose his balance as the claws ripped right through the tights. His knee buckled, quickly taking him to the ground. "You won't find her that way." He attempted to push himself back up, but his knee was badly damaged. This was much easier when he still had his sword, but that thing was long gone, lost in another story.

"You don't belong in this story," a voice hissed. The girls ceased their pirouetting, separating to allow a boy in the school's uniform approach.

"Gene," Fakir hissed. "Or should I say, the Genie of the Forest? You can call off your little Dryads. You aren't going to get Illia."

"You're hardly one in a position to tell me what to do!" Gene boasted. "Damage that leg anymore and you won't be able to dance ever again!"

Gene wasn't wrong. Fakir's leg was badly damaged to a point he may have to withdraw from the performance. He stared down at the dirt for a moment. At this rate, they'd probably take his leg and Illia with it even before Tutu and Chibi Moon had found the forest.

He stared at the dirt some more. He wasn't completely defenseless right now. The entirety of the dirt was his canvas, the forest floor a veritable page to be written upon. Sticking his finger in the dirt, he scribbled several lines quickly. "Don't think this is over just yet, Gene, or have you forgotten how the story goes?"

Gene leapt forward, pressing his foot down on Fakir's hand. "Don't think some little chicken scratch is going to save you! Now tell me where Illia is!"

Fakir laughed. "Oh what am I thinking? Of course you don't know, yet, do you?"

"WHERE IS SHE!?" Gene repeated himself.

Fakir glared up at Gene, knowing full well how the ballet was progressing. In the original story, the mortals came and chased off the woodland creatures and dryads, the Genie fleeing deep within the forest when Ilka was rescued rescued. Fakir had been inserted into the story accidentally due to his involvement with Illia and his attempt to uncover the true story controlling their actions. But Fakir was a Spinner. He could alter stories to a certain extent, and that extent had just arrived.

"Stop!" Princess Tutu leapt over the dancing forest creatures and dryads, landing next to the fallen Fakir and in front of Gene. Chibi Moon hadn't been far behind, using her gained strength as a sailor guardian to follow quickly and leap over the gathered dancers as well.

Tutu wound her hands above her head before offering one to Gene. "Gene, won't you dance with me?"

Gene attempted to protest but quickly conceded, taking Tutu's hand and beginning to dance a ballet waltz with her to some unheard song. The gathered girls began to mimic the actions, dancing solo waltzes in a circle with them.

"How do you really feel about Illia?" Tutu asked, pirouetting as Gene turned with her. "Do you love her?"

"I just want her because she's beautiful," Gene replied without hesitation.

"Have you considered how she truly feels?" Tutu leaned forward into a deep arabesque.

Gene didn't reply, simply frowning instead.

"Perhaps there is someone else there for you, someone who you truly love," Tutu continued, lowering her leg and leaning backwards into a deep bend. "And someone who will truly love you in return. Illia's heart belongs to someone else right now, someone she loves with all her heart." Tutu straightened up, leaning towards Gene once again. "What is it you truly dream about doing?"

"Dream about?" Gene echoed, pondering the question. "I want to paint beautiful things and bring out the beauty in art. That's all I want to do."

Chibi Moon knelt down next to Fakir, helping him to a seated position. "You're badly injured."

"Don't worry about that right now," he protested. "We'll need to stop this story first. It's a ballet known as The Enchanted Forest, and Gene seems to be acting out one of the major parts. Illia seems to be more of a victim of circumstance, caught unwittingly in the lead female role."

Chibi Moon watched as everyone around her danced along. This time, the story was a ballet instead of a Japanese legend. She'd never really heard of the ballet before, not that she was well-versed in classical performances, but people's dreams were being altered. They had to stop this story from progressing too far.

She watched as Tutu danced with everyone, seeing for a moment a second image that looked almost like just a shadow of Gene. "Do you see that? That duplicate?"

"Tutu must've been able to bring out whatever story was controlling them," Fakir reasoned.

Tutu reached forward, touching the double image. "I see that you aren't Gene's true dreams. Won't you come with me instead?" The double stared at her for a moment before reaching out, turning into green glitter before becoming several leaves in her hand. Gene collapsed to the ground, as did the girls who had played the part of the woodland creatures, and the illusion of the forest began to fade. They were on the northern edge of Gold Crown Town just outside the gate. It was a real forest, but nothing quite as unsettling as it was with the story playing out.

"Fakir!" Tutu took a knee next to him. "You're injured!"

"It's all my fault," Illia peered out from behind the nearby tree, approaching as soon as she noticed the battle had ceased. "Because you tried to protect me, your leg is badly injured. I don't want you to drop out of the performance."

Chibi Moon knit her eyebrows in worry. She didn't want Fakir to need to withdraw from the ballet. From what little she'd seen of his dancing, she could tell that he loved the art and she didn't want to see him stop dancing. She tapped her compact and opened it, pulling a brilliant pink crystal from within. "I want to see you continue to dance, Fakir." She wasn't even sure if this'd work. She didn't have as strong healing powers as Usagi or Mama or even that future awoken self she'd heard about. Right now, all she had was her desire to protect people's hopes and dreams.

The crystal began to respond to her heart as she placed it next to his leg. The light was bright and warm with a slightly pink hue reflecting her true self. She wanted to see him dance. She wanted him to be okay after trying to protect Illia and stop the story himself. She wanted to help him. And sure enough, as the light subsided, the deep scratches from Bearella had healed, leaving only an ache from the encounter behind.

...

Chibiusa and Duck watched the practice from the balcony over the ballet studio. Below them, Fakir and Illia were practicing their pas de deux between the bamboo cutter and the princess as the sun shone through the window, casting shadows as they moved.

"I'm so glad that they're both able to dance now," Chibiusa admitted, leaning on the railing. "I was so worried that Fakir would never dance again."

"Wish it were me dancing with Fakir," Duck pouted.

"Oh look at our poor Duck!" Lilie snagged Duck, squishing and pulling her face with her hands. "Such raging jealousy! Your boyfriend is dancing so beautifully with another girl!"

"You're making mountains out of molehills, Lilie," Pike chided.

"No really, I'm okay, Lilie," Duck protested between moments of her face getting pulled. "I'm just happy Fakir and Miss Illia are dancing." Between the story controlling the people involved, Illia's fainting spells, and the injury to Fakir's knee, she was worried that the ballet would be cancelled. Sure, she wanted to dance with Fakir, but she also wanted to be better at ballet before she could dance like Illia could. And for that, she'd have to actually get out of the probationary class and get on pointe.

"Oh look at you dear Duck, trying to reason with things~" Lilie teased.

"Quiet up there!" Mr. Cat hissed. "Because if you don't, I'll force you all to MAAAARRRYYYY MEEEEEE!" But as soon as he'd uttered the words of marriage, the audience had completely fled, leaving nothing behind in their wake.

...

Author's ramblings

Chibiusa's crystal ends up being pink by the time she awakens as Eternal Chibi Moon. I like to think that by the end of SuperS, her crystal starts reflecting her heart and begins to shine pink as well.

I also like to think that by the end of the series, Fakir can write on pretty much everything to spin stories.