Revival of the Raven Chap 11
Revival of the Raven~ Chp. 11
“All Hail the Princess Aalina”
Author: Oh my, it’s almost time for Christmas or for everyone else, the Holidays! Right now I have at least 1 day until school is out and then it’s time for VACATION!
Drosselmeyer: *Sigh* I need a holiday from you, my apprentice. Correcting your mistakes and re-writing my own characters for your benefit is taking a toll!
Author: I know and I do thank you for your help, Sensei; but don’t worry, after this last chap. You get to have a two week vacation!
Drosselmeyer: Good to know, oh well at least the last one we did included my favorite element, alchemy! So evil, yet amazingly simple for retrieving the Prince’s sword.
Author: Thank you Sensei! Anyway, this is to everyone who has reviewed and added this story to their alert and favorite! On with the show!
Disclaimer: I do not own Princess Tutu© or any merchandise, but I do own Dante Orez, Dia Ble St. and Lede of Nevar
Everything hurt, her head, hands, feet, lungs; everything seemed to be on fire! Voices were floating around her reddened ears and one of those voices struck a nerve within her, and suddenly her eyes opened and everything turned Red!
Ahiru woke up to find herself in a white, sterilized room with the smell of alcohol and fresh bandages. She realized that someone put her in the infirmary, but the question was who? Ahiru slowly arose from the white bed and swung her feet to reach the floor. When she attempted to stand, a hand shot out to stop her movements.
Ahiru looked up to see the same boy from the circus tent, Fakir. She ignored his warning about getting up too soon, but then she froze when he said she attacked someone. Ahiru turned toward him, attention fully on Fakir and asked him, “Who did I attack?”
She heard the name Rue and gasped out loud, but for some reason Ahiru felt happy and a little bit naughty. When she heard nothing but silence, Ahiru laid down and covered her eyes with her arm, she felt Fakir sit next to her on bed trying to comfort her and telling Ahiru that it wasn’t her fault.
‘Ha! Not my fault, what if I wanted it to be MY FAULT!? Ever since I read Lede’s message and held that pendant, it’s like a bright fire has awaken within me! I wonder…’ CAAAAAAA!!!!
Ahiru swiftly got up and turned toward the window to see a few ravens crowding around the courtyard, and they all were looking at her!
She turned her eyes from the window to Fakir and saw his face turn grim with distain toward her ‘brethren’. Ahiru scoffed at his expression while watching him get up and open the door for her friends who came in with drinks in hand.
Lillie quickly crossed over toward Ahiru, “Ohm Ahiru-chan! How are you feeling?”
Ahiru suddenly arose from the bed and embraced Lillie, “I’m alright, Lillie, Pique. I just needed to rest, with everything that’s happened my mind just shut down all of a sudden. But I feel fine now.”
Ahiru felt Lillie and Pique hug her from all sides, but her eyes were on Fakir, who seemed to have left them to talk to somebody outside. While her friends tried to reassure her, Ahiru listened to Fakir and the mysterious people outside talking it sounded like they were discussing her!
‘Well, isn’t that just rude! No, I must not think about my pride, but of my family’s honor. Pique, Lillie I’m sorry but I can’t be involved with you, not anymore.’ Ahiru sadly thought as she felt her friends release her.
The door opened to reveal Fakir, Mytho, and slightly hesitant Rue. They walked toward Ahiru and asked if she was alright. Ahiru scowled on the inside, but the trio only saw her smile and says that she is fine.
Ahiru felt her heart beat rapidly and mind growing darker. She knew she was about to change, but into what…she did not know. ‘I need to get out of here and away from THEM! I need to find out more about the Ravens and who I am….what’s this!? The pendant feels hot!’ Ahiru looked down as she placed her left hand on the chest where the pendant resided, and then she ran…
Out of the infirmary, out of the boundaries of the Academy; Ahiru just bolted away from everyone she knew without so much as a backward glance. She felts no tears in her eyes, as her legs sped her through the town and toward the forest. Ravens followed above her head while the darkness kept creeping further into her mind; however, Ahiru was not afraid, for she embraced the darkness with a sigh escaping her lips.
Fakir watched Ahiru turn in her sleep for what seemed like a lifetime for him. Here she was, the girl who used to bring laughter and joy to everyone, and the one he fell in love with; however, after seeing her ferocity against Rue and himself as he struggled to hold her…it was too much.
He closed his eyes in remembrance and pity for how fragile she looked after he knocked her unconscious. All of a sudden he heard Ahiru gasp for breath and his eyes opened to gaze into azure irises filled with confusion and weariness. When Ahiru tried to get up in a hurry, he stopped her with his hand, “Whoa, hold on there! You shouldn’t try to get up so fast; you were unconscious for a few hours so you might feel a bit dizzy.”
Fakir observed his Ahiru gaze into his eyes and then she laid down upon her bed, putting her arm upon her eyes with a tired expression. “Ahiru you attacked someone today and I had to knock you out in order to stop you from hurting them,” Fakir whispered sadly. When Ahiru asked who she harmed, Fakir told her it was Rue. Hearing her gasp in horror for what she unconsciously did, Fakir tried to comfort her while sitting on the side of the bed.
Then, he heard cawing coming from outside. ‘Damn that demon, he’s watching her with those ravens, just as Rue used to do in the past.’ Fakir ruefully thought as he missed the emotion flash on Ahiru’s face.
He heard Ahiru’s friends walking toward the door and he left Ahiru’s side to open it. They rushed passed him, drinks in hand, and he turned to see Ahiru enveloped into a bear hug from her friends. Fakir quietly left the room to give the girls privacy after hearing Ahiru reassure them of her health.
“Fakir how is everything?” said Mytho while holding Rue’s hand. Fakir stared at Mytho for a second before answering.
“Ahiru is fine, although she looks tired. She says that with everything that’s happened her mind just took her down for the count. Rue, you know Ahiru would never hurt you or anyone for that matter. It’s that woman, Lede! She and the Raven King have their minions outside watching over Ahiru. I think she is being controlled and we need to find out what that device is.” Fakir spoke while shaking with anger toward their foes’ actions.
He contemplated how they were controlling their Ahiru and then it hit him! ‘The pendant that once belonged to Princess Tutu! Of course, it all makes sense!’
“Mytho, you remember how Princess Kraehe tainted a piece of your heart with the Raven King’s blood?” Fakir analyzed, while mentally apologizing to Rue for bringing up her alter ego, “this is what has happened to Ahiru! Her pendant was worn by Lede and the last I’ve seen it was upon her corpse! I believe that is how they are controlling Ahiru and changed her.”
“We need to find that amulet, in order to change Ahiru back and defeat the Raven King once and for all.” Mytho proclaimed. Rue agreed fervently to this piece of information and Fakir touched her on the shoulder in concern over the affect the Ravens had on Rue, but she shook off his concern and put on a determined look.
“We have to save our friend, Fakir. It’s no use of comforting me, I got out of it. But Ahiru is still trapped within their world and I am ready to fight them again. Ahiru has always been there for us and it’s time for us to return the favor and get our Ahiru back!” Rue exclaimed. The boys felt her strength and all of them turned toward the door that held their friend.
Fakir, Mytho, and Rue walked in to see Ahiru clutching her chest, which was glowing red! They saw how Ahiru’s head bowed down and the tremors racing throughout her tiny frame. Pique and Lillie stood to the side, afraid for their friend but uncertain on what to do.
Rue reached out to Ahiru, “Ahiru are you okay? What’s happening to your heart?” And then, Ahiru ran away from them, still clutching her heart.
“That glow must be the pendant, and it’s penetrating Ahiru’s heart!” Fakir shouted toward his friends. The trio ran through the Academy to find and rescue their possessed friend. When they stopped outside the village walls, Mytho said, “Since Ahiru used to be a duck, my guess would be that she is heading back home…to the lake.”
The trio took his advice and went toward the lake and they saw their friend crouched over the misty water, still clutching her lost pendant against her chest. Fakir and Mytho crept slowly toward Ahiru while Rue went around the other side as to catch her should she run from them once more.
Suddenly, Ahiru’s head shot up and turned around to see the two boys slowly approaching her. “Ahiru, we’re not here to harm you, we want to help!” shouted Fakir. Then, the orange-haired child slowly stood up and turned toward them, her eyes glowed with blood and hate, and then she spoke,
“Well well, all hail the Prince and Princess and the Fallen Knight,” Ahiru turned her head to identify Rue, who was standing still at her voice change, “I’m glad you have come for my revenge will soon be complete!”
The trio was shocked with how their sweet Ahiru changed into a spiteful puppet of the Ravens. “Who are you? Is that you, Lede?” Rue demanded. The controlled lass turned upon Rue and swiftly flew toward her and grabbed Rue’s hair and swung her toward the lake. Mytho ran into the lake and caught Rue while falling into the watery depths.
Ahiru’s eyes glowed brighter and she grasped the pendant tighter drawing blood in the process. Mytho and Rue looked into the other’s eyes to make sure they were alright and then they gazed up toward Ahiru’s floating form above.
And out of the blue, Mytho released Rue and pulled on Ahiru’s foot, which pulled her down into the water. She began to fight his hold upon her arms, but he was strong for his gender. Rue joined in with Mytho’s actions, but this just made Ahiru fight harder.
“Release me! Now!” she screamed. A group of Ravens and a murder of crows appeared in the sky and flocked toward the children within the lake. The Ravens carried Ahiru away from Mytho and Rue, and the crows attacked Fakir, who fought them off with a long stick he found.
Ahiru felt a familiar feeling forming inside of her, like she was about to transform into another person! The Ravens began to form a large tornado of dark feathers around her and Ahiru transformed into Aalina, Princess of the Ravens (imagine Rue’s costume, only Ahiru is wearing it). Her eyes are now a darker blue close to black, her hair was braided down her back with specs of black feathers and a dusty gold tiara upon her head.
Aalina floated down and went toward the water to look upon her reflection. She smiled when she felt her hair and laughed at what adorned her head. With a lingering look toward the reflecting pool, Aalina turned toward the trio, who gathered while her transformation took place.
Aalina sauntered toward them with a deviant smile and a swish of her hips. Her ‘brethren’ hovered in a circle above her, watching their enemies shake in fear and anguish over their “new Dark Princess”. Aalina stopped her stalk and smiled toward the person behind the trio.
Mytho, Fakir and Rue were confused as to who she smiled to, but then they felt another presence and turned around to see Dante Orez stroll out from his hiding place, with a smirk etched upon his face.
Dante was surprised by how quickly his “dearly departed” child’s plan has formed into a splendid vendetta. Standing next to the newly altered Ahiru, or as she now calls herself Aalina, he couldn’t help but smirk in satisfaction and a bit of lust.
Dante recalled how this all came to be. From watching the entire violent affair of his pathetic ward and possessed slave princess; witnessing the ex-Knight punch her unconscious, while feeling a twinge of hate toward the Knight but he brushed it off as a side effect from being human; to seeing her run back to where this story began, the lake, and embracing the dark side….it was all too perfect.
To him, Aalina glowed in beauty and power emitted from the same charm that turned her into the heroine, Princess Tutu. And with her help he would defeat his long standing enemy, the Prince, his useless servant, and his traitorous princess!
He felt her power in glorious dark violet waves, pushing the trees and water with such force as to form miniature tornados. Dante sensed Aalina’s magic glide him safely through his enemies and to her. When he landed, Dante saw her smile and he remembered the same child that he danced that Dark Waltz with.
“Ahiru is that you?” he ‘hesitantly’ asked. Ahiru nodded to confirm, but she took his hand in hers and told him,
“My name is Aalina, the Royal Princess of the Ravens. Don’t worry Dante, you are safe with me if you are on my side.”
Dante laughed, in his mind, at her statement and told her that he is on her side. As Aalina gripped his hand tightly, yet gentle, he found himself growing weary for some strange reason. The Earth seemed to sway to and fro and then his world turned black; he fainted in Aalina’s arms.
Aalina held Dante close and angrily gazed up to the trio, who were still in shock for what has happened. Aalina cawed into the sky and her ‘brethren’ swooped down to pick up Dante Orez. She turned toward the heroic trio and said,
“Foolish mortals, I will have my revenge! For my sister, Lede of Nevar and the Raven King! I will remake this place for my banished kin! Long live the Ravens!” And with her final cry to her Raven party, Aalina flew into the sky and disappeared.
Mytho couldn’t believe what just happened. His foe, the Raven King, carried off by his pristine love, Ahiru; his possessed love transforming into the same creature as his friend, Rue, seems to be in love with the same person who she perceived as her Father, when in fact that creature is the reason for her suffering!
By his side, Fakir stooped on one knee in sadness for Ahiru, while Rue seemed to be putting on a strong façade at the same time shaking in terror over past memories spurred by Ahiru’s transformation. Mytho, though wet and exhausted mentally and physically, placed his hands on his friends’ shoulders in comfort and spoke,
“It seems that our Ahiru is truly tied up in the Ravens’ vendetta against us. The Raven King was with us, disguised as that new mysterious male, Dante Orez,” he saw Rue look up in horror over the new info, but he went on, “we must save her. Ahiru believes she is a Raven princess due to that pendant. Once we snatch that pendant and destroy it, we’ll break the curse the Ravens have placed on her.”
“Yet, how do we know that destroying the amulet will return our Ahiru back? It might destroy her or worse change her into an incarnation of our next enemy.” Fakir supposed to the plan.
“It might be a risk we have to take, Fakir.” Rue announced. “Did you not sense that enormous aura emanated from Ahiru? That’s enough power to totally wipe this village from the face of the Earth. We need to destroy it, or our world will fade to black.”
Mytho cringed at the mere thought of losing Ahiru to his foe’s power or to their actions against her alter-ego. ‘I have to find a way to save Ahiru, before we destroy her.”
Author: Thank you everyone and happy holidays! Special shout out to my best friend, Michael. You really helped me out on the design for my character.
Drosselmeyer: Well…that I saw that coming a mile away! Thank goodness you’re going on break, I need to get back to my own work and my home.
Author:
Ah, I bet those dusty clocks are waiting to get tuned up, Sensei. C’mon! You know you’ll miss me! And I promise to send you some scones, I know how much you like them!
Drosselmeyer: *grumbling* Fine, but they better be chocolate!
Author: Yes sir! Anyway, thank you to everyone who reviewed and stuck with my story! Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas!
Signed: Black_Diamond 07