The Knight and the Duck

~19~

On the other side of the lake, Fakir was met with a similar experience

But the story of the other side was not as scary as his, life and death was solved easily, and Ahiru and Fakir never had a connecting moment besides when he saved her.

And then, when they saw each other

Other Fakir didn't look so different from him. A slight change in bangs, a more refined, withdrawn attitude.

But Fakir had tried to get out to switch to get back- but other Fakir only looked at him and shook his head.

"I'll take care of her until we switch."

And then Fakir was back on the dock, light wind and flowers drifting about.

"No no no no no," Fakir stumbled about, falling on the dock, clutching at the water of the lake. "Please, I'm begging you," The lake failed to suck him in,

but the reflection of the lake glimmered softly, and slowly forms began to take place. It was their former group; Rue, Mytho, Duck, and Fakir.

It was his Duck too, not the switcheroo.

She was crying into the other Fakir's chest hugging him close.

Fakir sat there completely defeated.

Had she given up? Thought he was dead?

Why was she crying?

The water didn't clear the scene but Fakir got up and walked away. Whatever that other Fakir was doing, it didn't look good. To convince Duck that he was gone?

To make her cry?

How awful. He HAD to switch Duck back.

Fakir decided not to go to school, which meant he couldn't practice dance.

Instead he was going to write.

His desk was a bit messy, a few bottles of ink, some feathers, some pencils and two empty pens.

He cracked open the page and set to work.

The tiny duck found herself floating within two worlds,

One world is where the pages of her previous story turn, while the other is being written

She is

Fakir bit his lip, fumbling for words now. He didn't know he didn't have Ahiru with him, he didn't know how she felt.

The duck isn't the only one who exists in this world. No, there are many worlds, many little ducks. And right now she finds herself in one world.

But the characters she is with now, lest they unwravel their parts in their story ..

It will unwravel their very life force

A shaky breath exhaled from Fakir and he set down his pen, mindlessly tracing the starry scar on his hand.

Unwravel their very life force?

He hadn't meant to write that and yet that's what came out.

What did that even mean? It seemed very Drosselmyer-like. His world had been broken from that spell. Was he orchestrating a new story with a sad ending?

Fakir shut his eyes tight and massaged his temple. None of this felt right.

He just wanted Duck back safe and sound. That was all.