Revival of the Raven~Chap. 6

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Revival of the Raven: Chap. 6 ~Trinity Cross

 

Author: I’m soooooo sorry everyone! Lots of things have happened since Aug. 31! I got promoted in JROTC and now I’m a captain! YAY! Oh and my muse apparently wanted to take a vacation! I didn’t like my last chapter I posted because I felt that I deterred from the true plot in the beginning chapters. So as for a make-up to you and my bruised ego (Drosselmeyer-sensei) I am making this chapter longer! YAY!

Drosselmeyer: Well, you finally decided to update! How dare you make me wait! Do you know how boring it is to converse with time deities and chibi-Edel!?

Author: I know I’m so sorry! But I promise to make it up to you, so wait!

Drosselmeyer: Ah, to be young and inspirational! If only I were still alive, what fantastic tales I would weave!

Author: Okay! So as a warning to all of you Autor fans, I have to say that he will show up in at least 3 chapters to this story; however, I’m not too fond of him, so I will need some help from all the fans of this character!

Disclaimer: I do not own Princess Tutu or any of the merchandise, but I do own Lede of Nevar and the clothing choices of my new character and Ahiru!

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As the sky returned to the sunshine and blue skies, Ahiru felt a sudden chill and shivered. Her thoughts were muddled with a faint whisper of mirth and betrayal.

“What was that strange feeling? It’s as if someone murmured a wicked secret in my ear. Maybe I’m hearing things or something!? Oh no, I need to hurry so I can meet Pique and Lillie! They’ll be so shocked by my arrival!  She giggled to herself at her last thought and continued toward the dorms.

She turned her face against the onslaught of the breeze and long strands of orange tickled her nose and mouth. Ahiru put her hand against her hair as she walked up the stairs toward the girls’ dormitory. She arrived to her friends doors and gently knocked on them, and the first one to pop her head out was the purple-haired girl, Pique. Ahiru silently laughed at her friend bedraggled appearance as she stepped out of her room to greet her.

Pique’s mouth had dried drool on the right corner and her hair was spiky and unkempt apart from how neat her hair usually is during school or in the afternoon. Her nightgown was wrinkled and had a bit of a spot on the top button where the collar resided. Pique sleepily rubbed her eyes and yawned; “Good morning Ahiru-chan,” and then her eyes bulged out of her sockets and yelled, “Wow, you look amazing! I love your hair!” Pique stepped back to fully inspect Ahiru’s person, however, before she even got a chance to hug her newly transformed friend, Lillie pounced on poor Ahiru!

“OOOOOOHHHH! Look at how cute and womanly my little Ahiru looks this morning!” Lillie screamed into Ahiru’s ear. Ahiru felt crushed and breathless as her blond-pigtailed friend embraced her while complimenting her hair and dress. Pique managed to save Ahiru from the “friendly suffocation” of Lillie and held her back as she did a retake on Ahiru.

“You look beautiful, girlfriend!” she cried and slyly asked, “are you trying to impress someone today!? If so you gotta spill or I’ll turn loose Lillie!”

Ahiru physically cringed at Pique’s threat and implication for she knew that Lillie would kill her once again with her insane hugs!

Ahiru softly chuckled, “No, I’m not trying to impress anyone. I just felt like it was time for a change I mean we are getting older and it’s time to stop looking like children, right?”

Pique and, surprisingly, Lillie stopped smirking and yelling at Ahiru’s new appearance and fully stood shell-shocked of what their friend said. It was true that they had been acting a bit childish ever since they got the “en pointe” class, but to see Ahiru looking so feminine and grown made them feel embarrassed for their behavior toward her earlier.

Lillie settled down and shyly said, “You look absolutely beautiful, Ahiru. We’re just so shocked to see you like this. I mean look at you! You look like a beauty from one of those fairytales!”

Pique shook her head in agreement and gave Ahiru a full-blown smile of pride toward her new attitude. Pique knew Ahiru longer than Lillie and knew of her friend’s sad past and how much damage it did to Ahiru’s self-esteem, but now looking upon Ahiru she felt so proud and happy of how much her friend has grown; a tear escaped her and Pique hugged Ahiru tightly.

Ahiru was in awe over her friends’ emotions toward her new change! She assumed it was just something that friends do when they’ve been together so long.

“My gods, they act like emotional parents watching their child grow up without them or something,” she thought as she watched her friends hug and cry against her.

Pique and Lillie quickly wiped their tears and they told Ahiru to wait for them to get dress. Ahiru brightly replied, “Alright, oh and don’t forget to wipe the drool from you mouths!” She laughed as her friends swiftly ran inside their rooms with a pout.

Ahiru started to stroll down the hall and stopped as she heard one of the rooms doors opening. Out of one of the dorms, walked the same raven-haired prima donna of the Academy, Rue-sempai. Ahiru couldn’t move her legs, but her hands went to her heart in pain and envy as she stared at Rue coming out of her room.

“Oh gods, why is this feeling returning!? What do I have to be sad for? I don’t even like her and she’s one of them who tried to “protect me” from Lede!” Ahiru bitterly, yet annoyingly thought. She saw Rue turn her eyes in her direction and watched her freeze up when she stared into her red eyes.

Rue felt as cold and sad as she stared into the stoic eyes of her dear, amnesiac friend. Rue carefully walked toward Ahiru and said, “Hello, my name is Rue. Although, I think you know that from last times encounter at the lake.”

Ahiru coolly stared at Rue and stiffly replied, “Yes, you dared to touch me and keep me away from my guardian. I did not forget your actions. I must say, you’re a bit bold to place your hands on a stranger.”

Rue stared abashed by Ahiru’s comment and proudly stood her ground and stared equally hard at Ahiru. Ahiru took this as a challenge and glared harder at the prima donna, but couldn’t shake the feeling of anger and familiarity of the stand-off.

As the two former prima donnas had their contest of wills, Pique and Lillie bounded out of their rooms and started to chatter loudly about today’s plans. Ahiru and Rue quickly looked away from each other, both embarrassed and a bit angry at the other’s display of disrespect. Ahiru took one last glance at Rue and turned around to meet up with her friends.

Rue gazed onward at Ahiru’s retreating form and mentally sighed, “Oh Ahiru, how much has that wretched Raven tainted you? You’re not the same girl I befriended and loved to hang out with. It’s like you’re the emotional mirror image of…Princess Kraehe!” Rue mournfully realized.

Rue shook her head of these thoughts and walked in the same direction Ahiru had taken and soon descended the stairs toward the courtyard. “No, I must be strong and help regain Ahiru’s memories! Without them, she will lose herself and be lost to that monster Raven!” With her mind focused on helping her friend, Rue swiftly walked toward the boys’ dormitory gates and waited for her prince and Fakir to exit the building, while hearing the loud drumming coming from the town square outside the Academy.

 

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Ahiru and her friends were having a wonderful time today. The circus was in town and they went to watch the street parade and the circus animals marching through the streets. The girls laughed at the failed attempts of juggling by the clowns and applauded at the tricks the elephants and trained poodles presented. The acrobats were well choreographed and the ring-leader was tall and handsome with the curly mustache. The crowds went wild as the fire-eaters and “freaks” proudly strolled down the avenue showing off their unique abilities and features.

Ahiru’s eyes shone with joy and bliss as she witnessed this spectacular show. Her friends were walking so fast she had to jog so many times to catch up with them. She knew that the circus parade lead to the encampment of the big top and other shows surrounding the extravaganza. Ahiru had yelled to her friends to stop for her sandal strap came loose, but Pique and Lillie didn’t hear her due to the loud music from the circus’s band. Ahiru finished re-strapping her footwear and stood up to find her friends missing!

“Pique! Lillie!” she screamed, but her voice was overtaken by the loud trumpeting of the band. Ahiru nervously bit her lower lip and started to push through the crowd in order to find higher ground and search from up there. Many people were shouting and pushing in the excitement and one of them pushed Ahiru down.

“Ow! That was rude!” Ahiru shouted. Suddenly a tanned hand stretched toward her fallen form and Ahiru looked up to see jaded green eyes, with a shard of red, kindly staring down at her. Ahiru felt her cheeks redden as the mysterious stranger helped her to her feet.

“You should be careful, little one. This type of event usually involves riotous bystanders and someone always gets hurt,” huskily said the emerald eyed stranger, “we wouldn’t want you to be hurt in this type of chaos. Come, this.” With her hand in his, Ahiru followed her odd savior toward one of the cafés and away from the bustling crowd.

Ahiru took notice of her new friend and found his jet black hair and mystifying eyes handsome, yet wicked in a sense of him being a bad boy. Ahiru blushed at her thoughts and lowered her head as he let go of her hand and they both stood in front of the other and alone near the café.

Fidgeting with the edges of her short sun dress, Ahiru rapidly stammered, “T-thank you for the help, I r-really didn’t look w-where I was going and I-I hope I didn’t hurt you! B-but that would be silly c-considering t-that you helped me up a-and I was wondering what is y-your name!?”

The handsome young man smirked at Ahiru’s flustered speech and smoothly replied, “My name is Dante Orez and I just transferred from a ballet academy in another town in the north. And may I inquire as to who you are?” He winked at her when he asked.

Ahiru’s head was still down thinking about gorgeous he was, “Dante Orez! Wow, such a cool name! And he’s new in town and learning ballet! Awesome!” Ahiru didn’t hear his last statement and gawked at how he placed his right hand under her chin to lift her head up.

They both gazed into the other’s eyes and then Dante spoke in his timber voice, “Well princess, are you going to tell me your name or will you leave me with this necklace as a remembrance?” He lifted up Ahiru’s duck-shaped jewelry and Ahiru’s eyes widened at the trinket.

“I didn’t even feel it fall off! Oh wow! It’s a good thing Dante picked it up, I don’t think I could face Lede if I ever lost that!” she thought while reaching for the locket and telling him her name.

Dante smirked even more and pulled his hand back while Ahiru moved forward, while not realizing her face was still in front of his! Dante’s free hand roughly, but softly grabbed Ahiru’s waist and pulled her in for a kiss!

Ahiru’s mind went blank as her entire body was lit with a fiery euphoria; her hands went to her sides as Dante’s locket-clutched fist opened to touch the back of her hair. As her eyes were closed in bliss, Dante’s intently gazed at her face with trickery and waywardness as he silently watched her fall into his charms.

“Well, this has proven entertaining! So much emotion from something so menial! Ah, I can see her memories and I must say Lede has done an excellent job of Princess Tutu’s memory wipe! Her heart is beating so rapidly and turning even darker….good!”

Dante’s eyes glowed red as he felt the imprisoned heart grow sorrowful and malicious, and he smirked inside his head. He enjoyed the feel of Ahiru’s small, yet curvy body against his tall, malevolent form, but he knew he couldn’t let this last for he sensed the accursed trio of heroes coming closer to where they were.

Ahiru felt Dante’s lips pull from hers and she unconsciously licked her lips at the vacant feeling. Dante gave her a small smile and leaned down to whisper,

“Well that was entertaining, Ahiru. I shall look forward to seeing more of you.” He discreetly loosened his grasp on Ahiru’s waist and hair and gracefully walked into the crowd and out of Ahiru’s sight.

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“Ahiru! Ahiru! Ahiru, where are you!?” Pique and Lillie cried out. Ahiru’s mind suddenly cleared from her blissful daze and quickly turned her head to see a purple-haired bun and blond-pigtailed heads dashing through the crowd.

“I’m over here near the café!” Ahiru hollered at her concerned friends. When she saw their head turn toward her, Ahiru braced herself for the onslaught of Lillie’s “concerned” hugs/crushing-the-lungs technique!

“Oh la! Ahiru, you made us so scared that you were killed or worse finding a date!” gently chastised Lillie.

“Um, she’s fainted and wasn’t that a bit too exaggerated?” confusingly asked Pique.

“No way!” pouted Lillie as she and Pique dragged their passed out friend toward the circus’s big top.

Ahiru finally awoke and found herself sitting in the middle of Pique and Lillie and under the Big Top of the circus. Her eyes and ears focused on the ring-leader, who was yelling in his microphone about the next act coming up. Ahiru couldn’t help but smile at what happened to her. She felt her entire face grow hot and silently prayed that her friends wouldn’t notice. Luckily for her, Pique and Lillie were busy looking at the performance to even glance back at her pleasant flush.

“And now ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls! The next act, Cannon Girl, will begin in 20 minutes! So please enjoy the refreshment stands and lavatories as we set up the stage for our most explosive event!” announced the moustached ring-leader.

Pique and Lillie went to the lavatories and asked Ahiru to watch their purses. Ahiru laughed in her head for neither gave them to her! She stood up from her seat and stretched her legs as she watched the circus staff set up the cannon and gunpowder for the performance.

“Wow, so the act is a family business,” Ahiru thought as she observed the staff wearing the same costumes and the little girl saying “Momma” and “Pops” to the adults handling the equipment.

Ahiru felt a twinge of envy as she heard the small child’s laughter when her father patted her head in a loving way. “Well, I guess I got the short-end of the parent choosing stick when I was conceived,” she bitterly thought while remembering her father’s version of “loving encouragement” for whatever she did when she was little.

As Ahiru watched the display of affection on center stage, another pair of eyes was watching her. These eyes squinted in joy of the sharp emotions being transferred from the orange-haired girl to a small mirror in the back of the large tent.

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“Aw, my sweet little ward! Are you jealous of that child’s life? I bet you wish you had someone to love you or at least pretend to!” evilly laughed Lede as she looked through her mirror at her lair. Lede twirled the ends of her hair while teasingly biting her index fingernail in excitement.

“Father, your performance was excellent! Now that’s the magnanimous ruler I adore and obey!” Lede gleefully thought while observing Ahiru’s movements in the Big Top.

“Now, where are those meddlesome heroes? Ah, they are in the Big Top as well!? This is getting better and better, and Father is there as well! Ahahahahaha!!! Delightful, such a disastrous situation!”

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] Fakir walked out the dormitory and headed toward the entrance where he met up with Rue. When they both reached the front of the gate they saw Mytho and ran toward him; however, when Rue greeted Mytho he only looked dazed and didn’t respond.

“Mytho are you okay?” asked Rue as she gently touched his face to turn his gaze toward her.

Mytho realized his friends were staring at him and immediately greeted them with a sad smile. “I met up with Ahiru and I was surprised by her appearance. Her hair is so long and beautiful, her outfit made me think of how she used to have such grace as Princess Tutu.” He softly declared.

Rue recalled when she met the “new Ahiru” and she had to agree with her Prince that Ahiru still had that same grace that she used to have as Princess Tutu. “I met her as well when she visited her friends in the dorms; we had a brief conversation and then…well, let’s just say she still doesn’t trust us after that incident near the lake.” Rue dejectedly evoked to her friends.

Fakir’s eyes held some sadness at the news his friends reported, “But, she is still our Ahiru who is being controlled by Lede and Drosselmeyer! And just like before, we can defeat them both and take control of our lives, and this time Ahiru will never be alone once we get back that pendant from that raven minion.” He affirmed with confidence and anewed vigor. His friends, inspired by his speech, eagerly agreed and with that they headed into town.

“I heard that there is to be a circus performing in the town square! I bet that will lift our spirits and perhaps Ahiru will be there. I can see her now, laughing at the jugglers!” excitedly stated Rue.

The trio all thought of Ahiru’s smile and they hurriedly ran toward the center of the town. There they observed the large crowd of townsfolk cheering the large carnival of music and animals and performers. Mytho anxiously looked at the crowd and he caught sight of an orange hair-lick with a hint of white on the tip of it. He watched it sway back and forward and then the crowd parted a bit to reveal Ahiru, in the same sun dress and heeled-sandals, shouting and cheering beside her two close friends.

Fakir noticed Mytho’s gaze and turned to see Ahiru and he was shocked. “Wow! I know they said that she looked different, but that is just far from the description of different! She looks hot, no, beautiful!” he thought as he watched her turn toward her friend, Pique, and smiled.

The boys felt that warm feeling and they knew that she was having the best time ever. “My Ahiru/Princess Tutu” both males thought while lovingly observing Ahiru’s excitement toward the music.

While the boys were looking at Ahiru, Rue’s attention was more focused on a certain male that just stood away from the crowd. “Hmm, why does he look so familiar? Could it be Autor? No, his hair is jet-black unlike Fakir’s and Autor’s which are dark green. His eyes look so cold and vengeful! I wonder where he is looking?” Rue followed his gaze and it stopped dead on Ahiru’s contented form. Rue’s eyes widened in surprise to both her former friend’s happiness and the realization of danger headed toward Ahiru from the strange lad!

The trio’s eyes followed Ahiru’s unaware figure, but they lost sight of her when the crowd began to swarm in large numbers. “Oh no! Ahiru” Fakir cried out, but his voice was overtaken by the loud music coming from the band. Rue turned away from the mob and back to the young man’s spot, only to find that he went missing as well!

“Guys I think we need to find Ahiru now! I saw this boy and I don’t know why but his aura made me think of the Raven King! It could be another raven minion in human guise and they might be after Ahiru!” Rue cried.

Mytho and Fakir began to fear for “their Ahiru” and immediately searched for her. Mytho went north, Fakir went straight through the crowd, and Rue tried to go up one of the buildings to watch for the little orangish-white cow-lick hair of Ahiru’s.

Mytho pushed through the animated townsfolk as he searched for “his Princess”, and then he caught sight of Ahiru’s dress fluttering past one of the people in front of him. He kept making his way through the mass of people until he finally got on the other side and stood behind a large bush near a café; however, when he peered around the plant he saw Ahiru and a strange, black-haired male staring intently at each other.

“What is going on here? And why is Ahiru blushing!? Who is this guy?” Mytho angrily thought while spying on the couple. He listened to “his Ahiru” thanking the odd man for helping
her and tightly gripped the bush when he saw the guy put his hand on Ahiru’s face. He immediately knew that he must calm down or he would give his position away.

“After all, its not like Ahiru is my girlfriend for Rue is…I think” Mytho regretfully thought. Mytho gazed up and found his mouth dry and his eyes wide with disgust and shock as he saw the guy kiss Ahiru! Mytho’s hand crushed the branch that held the bush up and he quickly ducked down. He heard the “revolting boy” whisper something to Ahiru and angrily watched him walk into the crowd and out of sight! He arose from his hiding spot and found Ahiru being bombarded by her friends and eventually pass out!

 

“How dare he kiss her! Is this the same guy that Rue told us about!? I can’t wait to meet him again, I’ll show him who truly has Princess Tutu’s heart!” Mytho furiously thought while secretly realizing that Rue was no longer the girl he loved and that Ahiru was. “I’m not going to lose her to my old foe! I will rescue you, my Princess Tutu!” He declared.

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Above his head stood Rue who observed the entire event in disgust and sorrow! “My Prince, do you truly still love Princess Tutu!? After all I did to show you my love? Ahiru, I don’t want to fight with you over Mytho’s heart again! We still need to save you from the Raven King!”  Rue thought while confusion and heartache ran loose in her heart.

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Meanwhile, Fakir had turned around from his previous search and decided to go to the Big Top tent to see if Ahiru was in there. When he reached the entrance, a clown pushed him toward the bleachers where everyone observed the show. Fakir climbed to the center of the row of seats and sat down to listen to music of the circus. His eyes scanned the audience and saw that familiar orange white-tipped cow-lick. Fakir smiled when he saw Ahiru awaken from her slumber inbetween Pique and Lillie. “Hehe, still the same care-free expression just as before, my Ahiru.” Fakir thought.

The ring-leader announced the next performance of “Cannon Girl” would take place in 20 minutes or so. Fakir stayed in his seat as the majority of people filled out of the tent toward the concession stands and lavatories outside. He noticed that Ahiru didn’t join her friends and watched as she stood up to stretch her legs.

“Momma, momma I’m ready to do it now!” cried a little girl dressed in a blue leotard with a yellow strip on her arm. The girl’s mother was similarly dressed and gently told the child to wait while she was setting the cannon up.

“Hmm, so this next show is a family performance. How nice of them to do this together, makes me wish my mother and father were here with me,” Fakir forlornly thought. His eyes moved from the tender family toward Ahiru, who was still standing; however, she too was watching the circus family in the center. “Her face, it looks so bitter and stoic. This isn’t the happy go-lucky Ahiru that I know and love! I promise I will save you from that dishonorable villain, my beautiful Princess.”

Fakir began to stand up until he saw this boy at the far right-end of the bleachers. He had jet-black spiky hair and emerald eyes that hinted a bit of red. Fakir felt his skin crawl as he became aware of the look the guy was giving Ahiru.

“Gasp! Is this the guy that Rue warned us about!?” Fakir fearfully thought, “I won’t let him harm Ahiru, not this time!”  

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Author: Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! That’s a wrap everybody! Thanks for the performance and see you next week!

Drosselmeyer: *applauding* Now that was much better! You’re getting better at this, my pupil.

Author *blushing* Thank you sensei!

So anyway, please review and tell me what you think of this new development!?

 

Signed: Black_Diamond07