The Knight and the Duck

~15~

Rue had decided to have everyone meet at a small cafe near the lake, and while Fakir wasn't excited to come, Mytho was happy to see the girls again.

"Rue! Duck!" Mytho hugged them both, illiciting a flustered laugh from Rue and a small smile from Duck. "So! are you excited to try pizza?"

Rue nodded, and Duck caught Rue's eye. This was so different. She'd never been able to spend time with Mytho with memories, the only time had been in peril. Fighting, always fighting.

This was a different type of relaxation.

They sat down and for a moment silence made Ahiru squirm uncomfortably. She either said something now, or she kept quiet. Either way she needed to figure out a way back to her life!

Rue, sensing Duck's uneasiness, took over the conversation.

"Okay here's the deal" She splayed her hands, then took Mythos and held hands. She shot a look to Duck.

"You keep looking at me like I'm going to react but you're literally dating in my world so" Duck grumbled.

Rue shrugged and smiled, happy that Duck meant what she said. "WELL anyhow so here's the deal, this isn't our Duck"

"What do you mean?" Fakir raised his eyebrows.

Duck locked eyes on him. He looked like Fakir. But his stance was suspicious. He was still not trusting, his true side hidden.

"I came through the lake." Duck said firmly. "I was looking in, and then I got sucked through. I'm going to assume that the Duck that belongs in this world went to mine....I hope that she and Fakir are okay.." Duck bit her thumb.

She was very worried, and the entire group noticed her discomfort.

"Well, how can we help you go back?" Mytho asked.

"I......Don't know." Duck held in tears. This was so wonderful, sitting with everyone. But this wasn't her life.

"Hmph. You're kinda stupid, getting sucked into a lake." Fakir grumbled to the group.

Rue frowned at him. "Fakir, be nice. This isn't your normal Duck." She let go of Mythos hands and put an arm around Duck. "See, in her world, Fakir is absolutely wonderful they're like dating."

"WHAT" Duck and Fakir turned on Rue, standing up in protest.

Rue laughed lightly. "Im just kidddinngggg. But! Fakir I do mean it, Duck's Fakir is nice, so you have to be nice."

Fakir rolled his eyes. "I don't have to listen to you, bitch. I'm just here because Mytho dragged me."

"Oh that's right!" Mytho motioned to Fakir. "I don't know how your world is, but we're childhood friends. I know Fakir seems like he's a bad guy, but he's actually quite caring."

At that moment the pizza came, and Mytho and Rue dug in.

Fakir seemed to be thinking deeply about things, brows still furrowed.

"Childhood friends, huh? So like, in my world you guys aren't...Well...Fakir is but Mytho isn't." She pointed at them each. "But also you Fakir,"

"What??"

"I know youre kind, I saw it once."

Rue and Mytho turned surprised. "How??"

"One time, when I was Princess Tutu, I lost my amulet, and I turned into a Duck with no way to transform back. Fakir saved me, and later, when he felt bad, ah, well I tried to comfort him and he gave the amulet back."

Rue and Mytho shared a glance of confusion.

But Fakir just looked extremely surprised and a bit worried too.

"You...turned into a duck?"

"Well in my world I'm always a duck, with human girl tendencies."

"Princess Tutu turned into a duck one time!! While she was helping me." Mytho grabbed another slice of pizza. "It was a corrupted amulet from Kraehe, but from the Raven."

Duck nodded exhuberantly. "Exactly!!! My situation was similar!"

Fakir shook his head. "You mean to say, I saved Duck?? Because she is Tutu??" He kept frowning. "Dammit. That stupid girl, always drowning. Of course she'd almost die, ugh"

Duck saw a glimmer of her Fakir in the words.

"Well, see, here's the most important thing!" Rue had finished her pizza and was ready to dish out the important information. "In Ducks world, she is always a duck, while in our world, Duck is herself! But recently she has been able to turn into a girl cause her and Fakir are you know😏"

Rue left it to that and Fakir turned bright red. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN 'YOU KNOW'??? and besides!!! That's not me, it's some other me." Fakir was flustered enough, but he hadn't left yet, which Duck took as a sign that he wasn't completely mean spirited.

"They have to kiss!! Like the princess and the frog!!" Rue was still so excited over the whole story.

"oh noo I'm not doing that." Fakir finally stood up, surveying the group. "Clearly, I'm not the right person for this job."

"There's no job!!" Duck grabbed his hand hard enough he couldn't pull away. "I just need to stay here long enough to get back to him. Please Fakir"

He hesitated at her pleading stare. This really wasn't the Duck that he fought with at a daily basis?

He narrowed his eyes

"How do we know you're telling the truth?"

Duck let go of his hand and slumped in her chair. "I can't prove it to you Fakir, but I'll stay with Rue and Mytho for the time being. At least I can count on them to help."

She was annoyed. Duck had forgotten how annoying the old Fakir had been. If there was some way to gain his trust, that soft side of Fakir. This didn't have to be love!

There just had to be a way