Drosselmeyer's Finale: The Mouse, The Princess and The Curse

Chapter two: The New Boy

"Okay people. According to what I heard around campus, your last director had you doing partner work...which is interesting considering some of you need work on your soloist work alone. However, considering the girl to boy ratio in here is pretty even I'd like to see what you can do today."

"Hmm I wonder who Fakir will partner up with..." Pike said with sarcasm, nudging Ahiru who blushed.

"Oh and too even off the girl-boy ratio we happen to have a new-comer to our class." Director Setsuna said.

"I thought our girl-to-boy ratio was always even." Autor said quietly behind them.

They shrugged it off. Ahiru was curious to see who the new boy was. Fakir was too. He'd sat a little farther off today. Since Ahiru's return, he'd wanted to make sure Pike and Lillie became friends with her again. It seemed as if much of Ahira's damage had been partially forgotten...same with everyone's knowledge of the Swan-curse and Sorcerer Kuro's damage.

"His name is Kokuouja Nesumir. Please welcome him with kindness. Now does everyone have partners?"

The class just paused at the presence of the new boy. He seemed strange. Well he was handsome according to most of the girls. His longer tangled mousy grey-brown hair fell over his face...it was a lighter brown, than most. His eyes were behind a pair of glasses that hid much of his identity. Had he not had his glasses covering his eyes, Fakir wasn't sure he would be able to recognize him at all...and yet something about him seemed familiar. As if he hand't just appeared from nowhere. As if maybe ... he'd seen the kid before... although he seemed different. Still he had no name for the face, so Nesumir would have to suffice for now.

The crowd started to move about, looking for partners. Lillie and Autor grouped together. Pike had always just partnered with whoever she'd find...although she'd always wished for a more permanent one.

Ahiru got up to find Fakir when she turned to see the new boy in front of her. His eyes seemed to catch hers, although she couldn't see them clearly through the glasses. He pushed them up.

"Would you be my partner?" His voice was surprisingly...or unsurprisingly un-shy and rather smooth.

"Ah I-" Ahiru started unsure of how to turn him down without making him feel left out.

"She actually already has a partner." Fakir said appearing behind Ahiru. He wasn't one to be possessive, but he couldn't help but want to stay her partner...among other reasons.

"Why don't you dance with Pike?" Ahiru smiled. "She needs a partner too."

"I see." He said rather quietly and Pike in turn blushed at the sight of her mysteriously handsome partner.

"Now, according to his notes...or what few the past director left behind...I've begun to understand Swan Lake was the theme...let's start with that one then. Next week I'd like you all to think about other pas-de-deux that can be done and rehearsed. I'd like to try partner-work for a while. Then we will go back to technique and solos. Any questions?" Director Setsuna, had black hair held up in pretty curls on her head. She always reminded Ahiru of an angel or fairy...she was much sweeter than Director Kuro or any of the others, and so they rarely ever defied her. She was still firm at times but her kindness was her foothold.

"Great...we all know who's going to out-dance us with this one..." Pike whispered loud enough so Ahiru and Fakir could here, along with Lillie and Autor.

"Why's that?" Nesumir asked.

"Oh well Nesumir was it?" Pike asked.

"Call me Nesu." he said quickly.

"Oh...well uhm Nesu, it's because they just are. When our last director...I don't really remember his name just that he had silver hair and stuff...well he asked us to perform the dance of the Prince and Odette from swan lake...especially the first week, they really performed well. They're kind of a pair Ahiru and Fakir." She sighed a little. She was happy for Ahiru. She kind of had a connection to her that made her feel like they'd been friends before. But she'd had a long running crush on Fakir and now she was kind of stuck.

"Hmm." Nesu looked over to Fakir and Ahiru who were already practicing along with a few others who looked pretty well off...well minus a few.

"So uhm should we dance?"

"Sure." Nesu moved her rather effortlessly around him, however at times was rather forceful, as his attention remained on the pair. He'd felt it. He knew it was them. He felt a strange feeling inside of him; something was taking over. If only he hand't gone to the forrest...

"That's all for todays class. Remember my homework; come up with other famous Pas-de-Deux we can work on please?"

With that the class dispersed quite quickly. Fakir and Ahiru left together, and on the way our Fakir bumped into Autor.

"Sorry-" Fakir started.

Autor looked at him. "It was a simple accident." He shrugged it off. "Did you ever find what you were looking for when researching Drosselmeyer? I haven't seen you in the library."

Fakir looked at his inquisitive eyes and sighed. "Yes, more than I had hoped for." He recalled the whole endeavor of Drosselmeyer's prologue; while it gave Ahiru here freedom back to being a girl, it had been both stressful and dangerous."

"Well enough. He is a strange character isn't he? He had always struck my fascination too." Autor then left as Fakir watched him leave.

"Fakir?"

He looked down to see Ahiru on his arm.

"We can go back now." He nodded and the two walked off.

"What ballet are you going to choose for the pas-de-deux?" She asked after they had walked in silence for a while.

"I'm not sure. I hate to say it but Swan Lake is a bit much now..."

"I know what you mean. Even though I am basically the Swan Princess I totally understand." Ahiru nodded admittedly.

"We have practiced Sleeping Beauty before." He shrugged.

Ahiru recalled the pas-de-deux he'd performed with her on stage before they'd really ever been friends.

"Hmm, but theres also Cinderella...the Nutcracker...Giselle...and what about-"

"Since when did you become so educated?" He asked, teasing.

"Hey I know enough!" Ahiru said as they walked off to his cabin.

However, oblivious to their own surroundings, a boy had followed them out.

"It must be them. I knew it since I saw her...she was the girl from the lake." He said before he felt a pain in his chest. "Agh...what am I talking about? What's going on with me?" He cowered in pain, in an inner struggle, before he rose again. He stood up and took off his glasses and stepped on them purposefully. "I shouldn't be needing those anymore. And soon if I play my cards right, I won't have to fight this any longer." His eyes shined, as his mouth formed a sly smile as he headed off in the other direction waiting for the right time to strike his war.