The Black Swan and the Duck (Princess Tutu FanFic)

Chapter 5: Bird of a Feather

Ahiru was having a hard time looking through the books. Autor would be helpful at this time...even though Fakir had acted strange around him. Which was strange, especially since he'd been the one last time to help Fakir write last time against the Ravens. She sighed. She'd only spotted one or two that looked worthy and few of them looked like they had anything to do with black birds. She started to examine some closely when-

"Looking for something?"

Ahiru turned to see Director Kugamaii standing over an isle, holding a book of his own.

"Just a book on birds."

"You have an interest in birds?"

"Oh...not really." Ahiru said, secretly knowing she had more to do with birds than he knew. "Just Fakir found a bird's feather and wants to know what kind it belongs to!"

"Ah, and the feather is?"

"Long...soft...black...kind of slender..." She said thinking.

"Ah, I'm a bit of a bird expert myself. Quite graceful creatures, and yet some can be so...vicious...like a vulture or a raven." He said, pacing around as if he was looking for something. "There is a book which may do you well. You're looking for larger birds, mostly colorless...rare. If the feather is long and black, it won't match to any regular crow or raven...I'd say you're best bet would be to look in this book."

He handed her a thick encyclopedia of larger birds, all of which seemed rare or beautiful. She nodded. "Thank you Director-"

"Kugamaii. Sensei is fine as well Ahiru...does your name not itself mean duck?"

"I think so. Thank you again Sensei." Ahiru bowed slightly and walked off with her book back to Fakir.

"So the Fakir-boy is interested in the feather, and she's got a name of a duck. Quite a peculear pair...a piculuar pair that dances well together. I must keep an eye on them." He said as he walked away with his own book in his hand.

"I found a book on birds Fakir!"

"Does it tell us about the feather?"

"I'm not sure...but I'm pretty certain it will." She said as he looked at the book. Encyclopedia of Rare and Beautiful Birds: From Black Beauties to Exotic Species.

"It seems like a fair try considering we know the bird isn't local."

"The director found it for me...he seems to know a bit about birds himself. Maybe he'll be permanent here?"

"That'd be a first." Fakir said. "Ever since the change back to a regular town nobody seems to like it here...or stay for that matter."

"Why? I like it here." Ahiru said.

"Who knows. We're kind of boxed in from the rest of the world Ahiru. Some of us like it here...people from the outside tend to find our small world strange." Fakir pointed out.

"It's peaceful here though, for the most part. Plus...I like the Academy...and even the magic the town has through Drosselmyer." Ahiru rested her chin in her hands. "Even if it's troublesome at times."

"...I think you're right. But I still think...if anythings going to harm this peace we've had...then maybe it is our place to stop Drosselmeyer's tragedies again."

"Then I'm going to keep looking for the mystery bird!" Ahiru said and looked back to the book.

Fakir smiled at her confidence and hard-working attitude. He continued to study Drosselmeyer's books, to see if he could find anything more about the alleged notebook.

Hours after hours passed as the two looked intently at their books. Soon Ahiru found the text's words to blend together. She yawned as her eyes began to droop.

Fakir hadn't had any luck. Most of his stories took ideas from ballets, old fairy tales and myths and twisted them in ways that either produced tragedy or a miraculous ending. Still he couldn't tell if any of them said anything hinting about where the notebook was. Even his focus was lacking.

"Ahiru do you think we should end it for tod-" Fakir looked over and noticed that Ahiru was sleeping on the book. He sighed and took her and placed her on his back,and bookmarked her book and took it. All of his had been useless as of yet, so he might as well help her look for the bird. He then carried her on his back back to his house. The sun was just setting so he figured it'd make good time to do a bit of looking himself.

He put her into the bed and wondered how someone could be so tired, that they wouldn't even batt an eye. Ahiru really was like a kid sometimes...but she'd grown up while she'd been a Duck. Maybe everything that happened with Mytho caused her to grow up...accepting that she'd be stuck as a duck forever, considering it was mature of her not to fight it or keep the shard in selfishness. She'd accepted that Mytho loved Rue...and seemed to depend on himself ever since...which he'd promised her he'd be there fore her anyway. To be truthful, he admired her strength, and never would have thought she'd be human again, let alone taking his bed for her own. He sighed. There still felt like there was a large piece of this puzzle missing.

He moved to his desk and opened the book on the birds and looked at them. So many exotic birds...so many species going extinct, when all they needed was a simple large black bird. He wondered if the Director actually gave them this book to help them, or if it was becoming more of a set-back. This book contained many species Fakir had never heard of. His own eyes began to droop. He looked at the pages and felt his sleep-deprivation from sleeping on the floor over come him as he let his face sit in his arms, and quickly dosed off.

A small breeze flew into the room through a cracked window and the pages turned, forward to a picture of a bird. A black bird. A long necked black bird, with a red-orange bill, and a sister to the white graceful version of itself. A black swan. Just like the same black swan that was flying over the town in the night sky before landing on the balcony window of a certain Director's room, and turned into a sleeping stone.

"Ah, my little creation's returned." He smiled. "Soon, you will have a form to live as. I now have a way to strike revenge, and take back what was mine." He looked over to a portrait on the wall.

"Years, long before the Raven ever took his reign over my territory, I was going to take the kingdom. But instead the white swan-girl was not protected by the prince she sought, but instead the Knight fought for her. The silly knight who killed my son, to protect a princess who loved a prince who would end up choosing another. My only son, my apprentice in my work of dark magic! I gave up all I had to imprision the one he protected in another form." He was now pacing in anger around the room as he turned to the bird.

"Now I'll make up for my lost time. The Raven's reign gave me enough time to grow stronger. I was the prologue to the Raven's story, and now I can finally have my own story fulfilled. After tomorrow my darling I will be one step closer to taking back what was mine, and finding the two I seek..."