The Knight and the Duck

~17~

Fakir wasn't going to his dorm though, he was heading back to the lake to solve this problem.

It would make sense that Duck would have the same worries as him. About a new story beginning. And yet

how come she didn't take me with her?

Fakir couldn't figure it out. Didn't she trust him?

The lake was the same as usual, calm, slightly foggy. But without the usual yellow duck.

Fakir bit his lip. How was he supposed to get to her?

"Hello?" Fakir called out.

Nothing

"UGH. Duck where are you??" Fakir called out again. But, no response. "Lake Ghost? Are you here?"

Meanwhile, on the other side of the story, Duck and Rue had also dragged Fakir and Mytho to the lake as well. To explain what had happened.

Unfortunately everyone was a bit confused, even Duck, who the incident had happened to.

"Like, like this!!" She reached into the water and dragged her hand. " And then VOOM I was sucked in and ended up here."

Rue nodded but her face was kept blank. She didn't exactly understand.

Mytho was just excited for everything

Fakir was grumpy.

She figured she'd tackle Fakir first since it didn't seem right to bother Rue and Mytho.

"Look-" Duck grabbed his arm and began pulling him toward the water.

"HEY! Just cause you're buddy buddy with the uh, other Fakir, doesn't mean you can do that to me." He tried to pull away but her grip was firm.

"No! You gotta get some tough love. Now come here-" She pulled him roughly to the edge of the dock. "Have some fun will you? Even if it's to help me, a stranger, you should try and have fun more often." Duck ran her hand through the water. "See? Nothing to be afraid of."

Fakir grimaced. "Running my hand through the water is silly."

"Would it kill you to try???" Duck looked over at Mytho and Rue. They were sitting on a bench, not looking. Rue looked so happy and for a moment Ahiru's heart ached. She desperately missed this.

"Am I going to get sucked in?" Ahiru let go of his wrist and he folded his arms, looking away.

"Fakir. I promise no harm will come to you" Ahiru said it softly. Her Fakir would be worried too. "I can look away if you're worried about looking silly."

"Hmph...really?"

Duck nodded. "Yeah."

"Okay fine, I'll do it." Duck turned away, but didn't want to bother Rue and Mytho so she sat at the edge of the dock and looked in.

Right now I'm not just a duck. I'm me, Ahiru Arima. But then, why do I miss

"DUCK!" she whipped around to see Fakir trying to pull his hand out

"Fakir!! Are you okay?" Dashing over to him Duck grabbed his waist and tried to pull him out. And then he did.

"HA I was just messing with you." Fakir looked worried and confused though. So Duck didn't rule out the possibilty that he actually was stuck.

Fakir wouldn't ask her for help first thing, he'd have to be panicking.

"Well okay whatever you say." Duck gave him a small smile.

To her surprise, he smiled back.

"I missed you."

"WHAT?" Duck scrambled backward like a crab and stood up, her face red. "Who are you? Rue? Mytho? Fakir is acting different."

Rue and Mytho popped up and looked over at Fakir who still sat at the dock, now running his hand in the water again.

"What do you mean?" Rue but her lip

"How is he different?" Mytho wasn't scared like the other two and went over to Fakir who had stood up.

"Fakir? Are you sick?" Mytho asked worriedly.

There was a moment where Fakir's heart seemed to leap out of his chest. Surprise lighting up his face, then concern, but mostly surprise. Then a huge smile stretched across his face.

Duck was flabbergasted and honestly so was Rue.

"Does he smile like that usually?" Duck asked.

"Never." Rue replied

Fakir wrapped his arms around Mytho and pulled him into a close hug to which Mytho returned gladly.

"Mytho-how are things with Rue?" Fakir let go of him and held him at a short distance, the smile had faded to his usual disposition but the joy was still there.

"You know, Duck has asked us the same thing, are you perhaps her Fakir?"

"Her Fakir?"

Mytho smiled softly, "She really worries for you, Fakir." They turned around and held out his hand towards the two. "This is Rue. We aren't dating but we are dance partners. This is Duck, except she's from a different story, where she turns into a duck. We don't know what happened to our Duck."

Fakir nodded but his eyes were set in Duck. She was okay, nothing hurt, things were safe and yet they still had to get back to the other side.

Instead of Ahiru though, Rue approached him.

"SO judging by the reaction, you're her caretaker huh? Well take good care of her. Don't break her heart. Or I'll come after you! As Kraehe." Rue raised her arms all scary-like but she was giggling as she said it. "But I'm serious. Don't hurt her."

"Ah, I wouldn't dream of it. She's clumsy enough that it's more like she'll hurt herself."

"Fakir? It's really you?"

Fakir couldn't even get a sentence out before Duck slammed into his chest squeezing him so tightly, light sobs hidden in his school uniform.

"Duck!!? Are you alright?" He tilted her head upward, tucking a piece of her unruly hair behind her ear.
Her big blue eyes were full of tears and she smiled sadly into his hand.

"I am now." She hugged him again, then wiped her tears and stepped away. We still need to switch the other Duck and the Other Fakir back to this side though😤"

Rue nodded. It's nice to spend more time with Mytho but in fact, I do miss the competition a bit."

"They aren't dating?" Fakir asked Duck.

The group began walking back to the school. Darkness was descending on the town, small stars drifting across the sky.

"No they aren't, it was a shock to me too to be honest." Rue looked at them both and then held hands with Mytho. Still trying to gauge a reaction from Duck. But Duck honestly wasn't too concerned.

Duck yearned to hold his hand, to interlace her fingers with his and swing them around and hug him and just be close. But she couldn't

She wouldn't, not yet

Fakir was usually all business when things were happening. He wasn't the type to jump into love.

So it was better

It probably isn't love anyhow. I wouldn't want to bother him with these notions of lovey dovey stuff.

So I won't make any moves, until it's all over.

"Duck!"

"QUAmph" Ahiru startled, covering her mouth.

"Yeah?" It has been Rue to snap her out of her reverie and Rue motioned to the stores around.

"We should go shopping sometime! It'd be nice to send you back with some clothes."

"That'd be nice! Thank you Rue." Duck grinned.

Once at the Dorms, Duck and Rue waves goodbye to Mytho and Fakir and they parted ways.