The Black Swan and the Duck (Princess Tutu FanFic)

Chapter 7: Yin and Yang: The Dance of the Swan, and A Duck in Pain

Ahiru began. She'd get her part right...she didn't want to be the little awkward duck anymore. She took her place in a small patch of bare ground by the water, hoping it would rather help break in her shoes, and breathed. As she rose her head she spotted a single black swan out on the lake. Ironic, she thought, as she still found that even the darker bird had a grace about it out on the water, probably more than she'd ever have.

She began her dance, the pas-de-deux on her own, struggling more than she'd hoped, or at least more than she would have if she was Princess Tutu. But still...she had to keep trying! She danced around as her feet began to cramp, a feeling that had seemed foreign as a duck, but now felt all too familiar. But she wouldn't complain. She couldn't. Fakir or Drosselmeyer let her become a human again, and she would not waist it.

Arabasque, turne, tondue, piroete...and she imagined the song playing in her head. And she noticed, in the corner of her eye, the black swan had come closer to her as if closing in on the water's edge. But she had to focus...she must. She continued, she stumbled, but she continued. She closed her eyes and imagined herself as Tutu. She imagined the music, and the moonlight on the pond. She imagined she was dancing for her prince. She felt stronger this way. She opened her eyes, and it was as if her image in her mind had become reality.

The Moon had set on the pond, and she felt as if she had been dancing like Tutu would. Thats when she continued, and slowed as she saw the black bird now standing adjacent to her as if she was watching Ahiru. She danced like it was an audience...well really it was a performance from one bird to another...Ahiru thought to herself. She danced for it, and watched questioningly as its wings opened, spread wide, and flew towards her. Her first reaction was to crouch, but her legs wouldn't let her stop dancing.

The black bird like a wind, brushed through her like a spirit, and suddenly things changed. Ahiru wasn't herself. She was Princess Tutu, and dancing mirror to her was a girl, who looked like her, but was in a black dress and tutu identical to her own. It was as if she had been possessed by Tutu, her body dancing, her mind aware of the twin, but not questioning its existence.

Around and around they spun. For every pointed toe, for every batmon, they mirrored each other. Soon the forrest was spinning, and as if it was a dream, the last thing she saw was her own face, staring back at her in a blank stare, before it all turned to darkness.

Fakir heard the door open. "Ahiru is that you?"

"Yes, it is."

"Good. I think I figured out what bird left the feather..." Fakir called over from the other room. She entered. Fakir looked over to her as she stared at him.

"...So do you want to know?" Fakir asked.

"Actually I think I know." She said. "Black swan?"

"Yea...how'd you figure it out?" Fakir said the page of the book still open.

"Just a hunch." She smiled with a knowing innocence at Fakir, as she sat down.

"Hey wasn't the bodysuit I bought you blue?" Fakir said eyeing her up and down. Something was off.

"I got another one." She said, wearing a deep green bodysuit, with frilly shoulders.

"With what money?" Fakir said.

"I don't know." She shrugged.

"That woman at the shop probably gave you one for free...or is expecting me to pay for it..." Fakir grumbled. "Well now that you're back I'm going to bed... goodnight." Fakir looked at her, as she smiled back and left to the other room.

She looked at the feather on the desk. She walked over to it and put it in her hand and smiled. Slowly the feather sunk into her skin, and she breathed a sigh of relief, and laid down on the bed, grinning. She would make him proud.

She looked around, as her eyes opened slowly. She was still at the lake...but it was morning? But how? She'd felt herself fall asleep after that strange dream-like trance she was in after she'd encountered that black swan...but how? Ahiru got stood up and noticed something strange...her hand wasn't a hand. It was a wing...but not the little yellow wing she'd normally seen on her hand. It was white. She held her breath.

"Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no." She scurried over to the lake and looked at her reflection. She wasn't a duck anymore...or a human...she looked back only to recognize her blue round eyes, but now she was a white bird with a long neck...a swan.

Ahiru tried to speak but all she heard was a meek quack or honk. Whatever it was it wasn't normal. How? Wasn't she a human the last few days? Was it something to do with the black swan? She had to go find Fakir now. She quickly flew her way out of the forrest and spotted Fakir walking towards the Academy...but he was walking with someone...who?

Thats when she looked down and saw. A girl that looked like her, in a leotard, walking beside Fakir! Impostor! Just like the twin face she saw in the vision! Had it been a vision! She decided to find out for herself and landed infront of the two abruptly.

"Wow an actual swan." Fakir said suddenly surprised by the appearance of the creature. Strange...a black swan feather and now a white swan showing up...some of these things were not just coincidence anymore.

The swan honked at them.

"I'm not sure its safe." Ahira said looking challengingly at the swan. (I'm calling the other Ahiru, Ahira for confusion purposes).

Swan-Ahiru looked at her. The same face she'd seen last night...Impostor she cried again! But it only came out a honk. She'd force her away if she had too.

Fakir watched the bird fly closer to Ahira and start to look a little threatening. "Shoo!" He yelled as he warded it off with his hands, in front of Ahira.

Ahiru didn't like the way Fakir was acting so threatening so she gave up and flew off to the bushes. How could she change this? That wasn't her! Fakir needed to know! Was this the reason why she became human? So she could become a tool for another her to steal the only friend she had left? What was this? She'd find a way back to being human if she had to...one way or another...this duck may have become a swan...but nobody was about to become her other than herself.