Duck and Chibiusa stared. They stared and stared and stared.

Chibiusa finally spoke first. "What are you doing?"

The two had left campus for a short while, travelling towards Edo for art supplies. But their plans had been derailed when they saw a familiar weirdo standing in only tights, covered in green glitter body paint and sporting a pair of wings held onto his shoulder with a green ribbon. "It's art, Chibiusa," Femio proclaimed, standing on one foot with a bent leg, the other attempting something that neither girl could actually identify.

"I don't get it," Duck tilted her head.

"You're just not cultured enough," Femio stated arrogantly.

"I'm pretty sure that's not it," Chibiusa wrinkled her nose.

"He looks like a fairy!" Diana pointed out, peeking out of Chibiusa's bag.

Femio suddenly shifted, placing both feet on the ground and leaning backwards, placing a hand on his forehead. Rose petals fluttered out of somewhere, though Chibiusa was certain she caught sight of his assistant with a folding fan and a basket behind the columns up the stairs. "I'm a sylph, not a fairy."

"Riiiiiight." Chibiusa really didn't buy it.

"Surely you know how sylphs are alluring," Femio continued. "I hope to attract the attention of Princess Tutu once again. Surely I'll make her my love."

"Yeah, I don't think that's happening," Chibiusa wrinkled her nose some more.

"Tell her I'll be waiting near the old windmill at the edge of town!" Femio added, dramatically posing in the sunlight.

"Femio!"

"QUAAAAA!" Duck clamped a hand over her mouth as someone appeared in the entrance to the performance hall. If the shouting hadn't frightened her, it was the source that did. Standing on the top of the stairs was some odd mishmash of a carp and a man, colored brilliant orange with white and black spots, a fish face, and a more human-like body.

Chibiusa had to clamp a hand over her mouth to keep from shouting as well.

"Femio!" the fishman boomed. "You're supposed to be advertising the upcoming student ballet, not prancing around like a fairy!"

"It's art, Mr. Fishman!" Femio protested. "I am an alluring sylph, not a fairy."

"Go hand out the fliers else you won't get paid today!" Mr. Fishman shouted. He frowned with his big fish lips, watching Femio prance off down the street. He strode down the stairs with his human legs, approaching the two girls. "I hope he didn't cause you both any trouble."

The two quickly shook their heads in unison, not saying a word.

"I swear he'd flirt with a windmill if he had the chance," Mr. Fishman dug into his pocket, producing a billfold for the pair. "I'm Gurn Fishman. I hope you will attend this grand performance put on by the school."

Chibiusa moved first, taking the offered billfold. "Princess Kaguya. Hey this is the one that Fakir and Helios are in!"

"I didn't know they were doing it here in the main theater," Duck peered at the billfold over Chibiusa's shoulder.

"You should come to the pre-show party," Mr. Fishman invited them. "It's tomorrow night. Please come with your friends. We'd be happy to have you along." He waved the two off, trapsing back up the stairs and into the theater.

"That was... interesting," Chibiusa nodded, staring down at the paper in her hands. "Are fish people normal here?"

"Nothing is normal," Duck shook her head. She stared at the stairs again. "Chibiusa, there's something I should tell you. I'm really a-" She cut herself off as a rush of rose petals overtook them both and Femio pranced in the distance.

"Something wrong, Duck?" Chibiusa knit her bow in concern.

Duck frowned. "It's Femio again. Let's just head to Edo." She grabbed Chibiusa's wrist, heading off to the forest torii that lead into Edo. She couldn't tell Chibiusa about her true self with Femio prancing around like some weird glitter fairy.

After everything that had happened a few days ago when the story had turned violent, Duck resolved to tell Chibiusa about herself. Her real self. They'd spent months together, and Duck still hadn't told her. But now that Duck had learned more about Chibiusa, she felt that Chibiusa should learn more about her.

She stopped in the forest by the torii gate. Caws crowed in the distance. Wind rustled the trees and bamboo. Somewhere in the distance was a chime bell. "Chibiusa I need to tell you something."

Chibiusa knit her brow in concern again. "Something's bothering you, isn't it?"

Duck nodded emphatically. "I well... ever since a few days ago..."

A few days ago, the day Chibiusa actually died. Again. She'd had her heart pretty much ripped out by Mistress 9 before, but this time felt different. It felt like someone or something was purposely trying to target her with stories. If it hadn't been for Duck and Fakir, the spinner would've won. "If it's about the deadly stories..."

Duck shook her head quickly. "No it's not about that at all. Well kind of it is, since that really made me feel like nothing is going to be permanent with this world, not that I actually expected it since all stories come to an end and all."

"Breathe, Duck," Chibiusa attempted to slow her friend down.

Duck sucked in a deep breath for a moment. "Okay, it's about what happened after. You told me your real name, but really I haven't told you about me. There's more to me than just Tutu and all."

"Of course there is," Chibiusa smiled sympathetically. "It's not like we have to tell everything right off the bat. Where'd the fun in that be?"

"Well, it would be a one-act ballet at that point," Duck pursed her lips for a moment. "But but but that's not the point. I want to tell you about the real me, the me I'll return to once this story ends. I'm really a-" she quickly cut herself off as she heard the familiar sound of a barrel organ playing in the distance.

"What is that noise?" Chibiusa's attention darted around.

"Miss Edel!" Duck recognized the tune playing. "She's the only one who ever played that barrel organ."

"The one who gave me the book," Chibiusa recalled.

"She was a creation of Drosselmeyer," Duck explained. "But after fighting Kraehe in a rough battle, she used herself as kindling to create a fire to guide us to safety."

"S-she burnt herself?!" Chibiusa yelped.

"She's a puppet," Duck clarified. "Or rather was. She was supposed to be the narrator but she started developing feelings like a real person. But that's just it, she's Drosselmeyer's character. I don't know what she's doing here."

"Fakir did mention that the spinner was probably intimately familiar with Drosselmeyer's work," Chibiusa recalled. "But something's been bothering me. How was a puppet in Tokyo when my world isn't a story?"

"I don't really know," Duck shook her head. "But I want to find out. C'mon!" Duck took off down the path, through the torii gate and into Edo. People crossed back and forth on the busy main street, carrying about their scripted business. But at the side, standing next to a building was Edel, dressed in a kimono and turning the crank on her barrel organ. "There!"

"That's definitely the woman who gave me Drosselmeyer's book in the library!" Chibiusa recalled. "Though she wasn't wearing a kimono. But I guess, when in Edo, wear a kimono."

Duck wove through the sea of people, Chibiusa following her closely, and the pair managed to reach Edel safely.

"Well hello, Duck, Chibiusa," Edel greeted them both. "It is good to see you both."

"So you remember us then!" Duck smiled a bit. "But why are you here?"

"That is quite the mystery, isn't it?" Edel evaded the question. Fakir may have scripted things out, but she still had her evasive habits. There were things even he couldn't write out.

Duck pursed her lips together. "That really isn't helping."

"Perhaps this will do instead." Edel opened up a compartment, removing a small amber gem that was carved in the shape of a carp. "It is said such carp promote longevity and a healthy life. Perhaps this will protect you in your journey."

Chibiusa stared at the gem. She was familiar with the symbolism, but something about a carp necklace really struck her. She lived a long time due to the power of the Silver Crystal. She was already well over 900 years old, but a few days ago, she felt like her life would be cut short, that she wouldn't live to see 910. She took the carp in her hand, admiring the artistry in cutting an amber stone so intricately to make the scales, the fins, and even the whiskers.

"Miss Edel," Duck interrupted the silence. "Who is pulling the strings?"

"It is a mystery, isn't it?" Edel once again evaded the question. "For now, try not to let the ink run dry. The story hasn't yet concluded, after all. And there are those who wish to see you survive to the very end." She turned on her toes, cranking the barrel organ as she meandered off down the alleyway.

Duck stared for a moment before practically leaping down the road to follow her, but as expected, as soon as she turned the corner, Edel was gone, leaving behind a jade gem carved in the shape of a crouching dragon. She knelt down, picking up the gem. "That was... Is she trying to protect us?"

"I'm not sure either," Chibiusa shook her head. "Everything she said was cryptic."

"That's how she is," Duck admitted. "But she tried to help us before. She helped us escape the underground pond and saved Fakir. Even if the new spinner put her into the story, it seems she's still the same Edel I remember. But it really seems like she is here for someone else, not the spinner."

"Yeah, it really is like she's protecting us." Chibiusa stared at the carp charm. "It's probably a good idea that we keep these gems close to us. Someone sent her here to find us. Do you think it might be Fakir?"

Duck shrugged. "Who can say?"

"Now you sound like Miss Edel!" Chibiusa teased. She slipped the bead onto her necklace next to the time key. "We should go shopping for art supplies now!" She grabbed Duck by the wrist, leading her down the alleyway and towards the art shop.

Duck stopped near the store by the large river. "Hey, Chibiusa. I really want to tell you something."

Chibiusa stopped. She almost forgot that Duck was trying to tell her something the entire journey over. She glanced around them. No one was around. She gave her friend an assured nod. "Okay, now hopefully you won't be interrupted this time."

"Okay!" Duck psyched herself up. Telling someone you weren't actually a girl wasn't exactly easy. "I'm not really a girl, Chibiusa. I'm really a-"

Her words were interrupted by a dozen carp suddenly leaping out of the stream and glistening in the afternoon sun before diving back underneath the water.

"QUAAAAAAAAAACK!" Duck yelped in surprise. She'd said it. She'd quacked like a duck. And sure enough, just like in the previous story, she disappeared.

"Duck!" Chibiusa panicked. She knelt down, staring in horror at the pile of clothes. She nearly jumped in surprise as the clothes began to move and a yellow duck emerged from the clothing. "D-duck?"

"Quack!" Duck replied.

"You're a duck!" Chibiusa stated obviously.

Duck nodded. She paused when Chibiusa didn't say anything.

And she still didn't say anything. She moved, reaching forward and scooping up the duck in her arms. "You're so cute."

Duck sighed in relief, as much as a duck really could. She had no reason to doubt Chibiusa would accept her true self, but there was always that worry in the back of her mind. This wasn't quite the way she wanted to tell her, but at least the truth was now out.

Suddenly a carp breached the river again, splashing water on the pair. Chibiusa now held girl Duck. This was awkward.

...

Author's musings

nothing quite makes a confession awkward as much as Duck suddenly becoming a human girl again dduring a hug.

Femio's affection for windmills is a reference to Don Quixote. He's not really following a story with this one. He's just weird.