For some reason I wanted to write a fanfic that takes place several years after the end of the show with Ahiru (referred to in the fic itself as Duckie) back to being a girl. So, here's a little one shot for fluff's sake. ^^

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A New Beginning

A young man of about 17 or 18 with dark hair and green eyes stepped from the locker room and headed for practice room, it was early morning and he liked to start stretching while he was still fresh. He opened the door to find that the barre already had an occupant. A slip of girl with strawberry blonde hair and bright blue eyes was just going from first position to second when she heard the door open and looked up. "Good morning, Fakir."

"Good morning, Duckie. Practicing for tonight's performance?" He stepped up to the barre next to her and started stretching. "I didn't realize Clara needed pointe slippers."

Duckie just stuck her tongue out at him and continued to practice. "I'm just practicing my pointe work. As Professor Cat once said: 'Neglect your practice one day and you will feel it, neglect if for three days and your fellow dancers will feel it, neglect if for a week and the audience will feel it.'" Fakir chuckled a little, the giant talking cat who had once been their teacher was more amusing as part of the past. "Just because I'm not dancing en pointe for the recital doesn't mean that I should stop practicing en pointe altogether." As if to prove her point, Duckie moved from the barre out into the center and began practicing her turns.

"I would have thought you'd be happier to get the lead roll, doesn't that make you the prima ballerina?"

"Clara doesn't do much dancing, it's more like acting, any of the drama students could have had the part. Especially since we're performing the version where Clara spends the whole second half just watching everyone else dance. I'd rather be one of the background dancers for the Waltz of the Flowers than just sitting around like that. Besides, you got the real lead role. You're playing the character the ballet is named after, oh Nutcracker Prince." Duckie made an overly fancy bow towards Fakir then straightened up.

"I just found out something that might cheer you up. There'll be a surprise for you during the recital."

"Oh! What is it?!" Duckie bounced around excitedly, all the grace and posture from her years of ballet training forgotten in a moment of eager anticipation.

"If I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise." Duckie just growled at his response and stormed out, leaving Fakir to practice alone.

-----

The whole school was buzzing with expectation as everyone was preparing for the Christmas recital. The music department was the orchestra, the drama department helped make the costumes and build the set, the art department had helped the drama department, and the ballet department was, of course, performing the dance. Duckie was feeling the expectation more than anyone else, this was her first time playing such an important roll and as much as she loved her friends they weren't exactly helping her.

"Who would have that that simple little Duckie would get the leading role?! And you practiced so hard but there's no way you can make it through the whole performance without messing up somehow. And we'll be right here to comfort you." Lillie was fawning over Duckie's hair while Pique was trying to help her into her costume.

"Isn't her dress pretty? You get to wear such pretty clothes as Clara. There's the party dress, the long nightgown, the Toyland gown... I'm so jealous!"

"But you both have such pretty dresses as guests at the party. And uhm... shouldn't you be getting ready?" Poor Duckie was trying to get out of Pique's grip and finish dressing, the curtain would be going up soon and she had to be ready to go right off the bat.

"Oh, we do have to go get dressed. Have fun failing!" With that cheery parting Duckie's two best friends ran off to change. Duckie straightened her costume and finished putting it on, she knew that her friends meant well but some of Lillie's happily pessimistic advice was really getting to her. I don't even know why they chose me for Clara, how did I let Lillie even talk me into trying out? More like pushed me, but really... There are plenty of other girls in class who dance so much better than I do. All that bravado this morning with Fakir was so fake...

"Duckie, what are you doing here? The curtain is going up and you're going to miss your cue if you don't go to the wings ring now!" One of the drama department girls who was helping behind the scenes grabbed Duckie's hand and dragged her to the stage. It seemed that Duckie didn't have any more time for self doubt.

-----

Once she was actually out on the stage Duckie felt a lot better. Well, perhaps more detached, but at least she wasn't feeling so negative. The music was lovely and she got to dance on stage in a pretty dress with her friends, it was all pretty good.

Duckie, her friends, and one of the boys from the younger class who was playing Fritz got into place for the kindly godfather's entrance. It was a fun scene, the music lulled, the stage darkened a little, a spotlight came on, the godfather entered, and they ran over to swarm him. Only when he entered Duckie faltered and nearly ran away, she gasped and stared in wide eyed horror. "Drosselmeyer!"

"Yes, Drosselmeyer. That means we go." Lillie practically dragged Duckie, but she was so numb with shock that she didn't really resist.

What's going on? He's here and time's still going and the story's over and and... What's going on?! Fortunately, since Duckie had practiced so hard it was really easy to just follow the others while her thoughts whirled around at a startling rate. She swarmed the man who was supposed to be dead, Where is Armadil- I mean Armond? He was supposed to play that part, she marveled as he brought out the same toy castle from the dress rehearsal, At least had hadn't replaced the props, she sat and watched as one of her classmates came out dressed as a doll and danced for them, and then her chance came. This was the part where Clara was going to ask her kindly godfather where her gift was, but since it was a silent ballet Duckie only had to look like that's what she was doing. So she shyly stepped up to Herr Drosselmeyer and whispered, "What are you doing here?"

"Now, now, Duckie, you don't want to ruin the performance." He winked and pulled out the nutcracker doll and handed it to Duckie. It was frustrating, but he was right. Duckie wasn't going to ruin everyone's hard work, but she was getting desperate to know what was really happening.

So Clara danced while cradling the doll like it was her most cherished possession, Fritz stole it and broke it, then she scooped it back up and ran to Drosselmeyer. "Just tell me, what's going on here?"

Drosselmeyer pulled out a handkerchief and tied it to the doll. "No time for that now, the show must go on," he winked and moved off stage as the rest of the guests left, the party was over. Clara and Fritz put away their new toys and were shooed off to bed. The scene was over and Duckie only had a few minutes to change for the next one. She ran back stage as several drama students, along with Pique, immediately pulled off her party dress while another set of drama students, along with Lillie, pulled the nightgown onto Duckie. Before she had time to react her hair and make up were touched up and she was pushed back towards the stage. The lights had dimmed, the stage was empty, and the music started.

Clara stepped hesitantly onto the stage, she snuck out into the center and creeped open the cabinet where the toys were put and pulled out the Nutcracker. She danced with it, then lay down near Christmas tree and closed her eyes like she feel asleep. The tree began growing, the drama students had worked very hard to make the very large plywood tree and it was actually unfolding in slats as it was being pulled up. Clara opened her eyes and looked up in awe, leaping away as the tree finished its transformation. The Mouse King jumped out and threatened her, Fakir in his Nutcracker costume jumped out to defend her, and Clara got to just stand back and watch. It was hard for Duckie not to snicker as she pulled off her slipper and threw it at the Mouse King, but somehow she managed. Fakir finished off the Mouse King and Duckie ran up to him and kissed him on the cheek, she always found this part a little embarrassing and couldn't help flushing as he put an arm around her. Not that she didn't like it, he was warm and felt very safe with his arm around her...

Duckie shook herself out of it, this was no time to fall into a reverie. The Nutcracker motioned to a carriage that had just been pushed onto the stage. It wasn't a real carriage, just a pretty front with a frame for support behind. The Nutcracker led Clara to the carriage and as they made to sit the curtain closed, end act one.

-----

Before something else could happen Duckie had to talk to Fakir, "Was that the surprise?!"

"What are you talking about?" Fakir looked at Duckie quizzically, nothing special had happened yet.

"You didn't see Drosselmeyer?!"

Before Fakir could respond they were interrupted, "Come on, Duckie. We have to get you changed for act two!" The drama student who had helped her earlier grabbed her hand and tried to drag her off.

"No wait, I have to talk to Fakir about something. Intermission's fifteen minutes long, there'll be plenty of time to change in a minute or two. Please?" The girl simply nodded and left, off to make sure the others were ready. Fakir watched her leave, then turned back to Duckie.

"Yes, I saw. Though I must say that costume is much better than the one he was wearing during dress rehearsal. I wonder what caused the sudden change?"

Duckie was dumbfounded, How could he not recognize Drosselmeyer? That wasn't just some student in a costume, it was the real deal! Hadn't Fakir seen the man before? Unless... he really hadn't. Duckie thought back to several years ago, when she had become a princess to save a prince who wouldn't choose her. No, she couldn't think of one time when Fakir had actually met the creepy ghost of the dead author who had been controlling their lives. "Fakir, you don't understand. That wasn't Armond, that was Drosselmeyer. The real one, the one who wrote The Prince and the Raven!"

Fakir's face paled and his expression changed to one of horror, "That can't be. Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure! No one looks anything like him. But I've never seen him in the real world without time stopping."

"Did he say anything?"

"No, not really. Just that I shouldn't ruin the play. I have no idea what's going on."

"I don't either. But if he's still here he's going to be backstage with the other danseurs. I'll go look there, you stay here and change. Keep your eyes open for anything strange, okay?" Duckie nodded and Fakir left for the boys' changing area. She went to the girls' changing area and slipped into her dress for the second act. Normally she would take a minute to admire the lovely dress, it was all white with gold embroidery in swoops and swirls along the bottom half of the skirt. But now was not the time, instead she quickly hurried out and began hunting around backstage. Maybe she would be lucky and find Drosselmeyer and he could tell her what he was up to, but more likely he had just gone back to that world he lived in, the one full of gears and puppet strings.

All too soon one of the stage hands found Duckie and rushed her back to the stage, act two was about to start.

-----

The curtain rose, the audience lights dimmed, the stage lights came on, and the music swelled. The Nutcracker and Clara, both resplendent in their Toyland finery, stepped from the plywood carriage and up to a plywood arch where the King and Queen of Toyland waited to greet the Nutcracker Prince and the lovely girl who had helped him. Fakir leaned over and whispered: "Now this is the surprise."

Duckie looked at him and he nodded toward the King and Queen, she looked at him quizzically but quickly faced forward. As they stepped up to greet the King and Queen Duckie gasped with recognition, instead of her classmates it was Mytho and Rue who stood in the archway wearing the same costumes that her classmates were supposed to wear. They smiled and greeted her and Fakir just as if they had been at the rehearsal, Rue whispered to Duckie: "Now we can sit and chat while we watch everyone else dance. Let's catch up with each other." Duckie smiled and nodded then Toyland's King and Queen led the Nutcracker and Clara to the thrones set up for them near the back of the stage while the beginning chords for the Chocolate dance played from the orchestra.

Duckie was so excited to see her two old friends that she forgot about Drosselmeyer, they talked about old times and what had happened since they last saw each other. It wasn't until she heard the Waltz of the Flowers start that Duckie remembered why she had been so worried earlier. In hushed tones Duckie told them what had happened during the first act and they reacted quite worriedly. They discussed what it could mean, why he might be here. They couldn't come up with anything, aside from that it might be related to Mytho and Rue coming to visit. All too soon it was time for the ending scene, Mytho and Rue bid farewell to Fakir and Duckie. They would be going back to their fairytale after their part in the play. Duckie was sad to see them go but was very happy she got to see them again. The curtain went down for the final scene change as the dancers had their final costume change. Duckie had her dress ripped off and the nightgown thrown back on much like during the first costume change. She hurried on stage and lay down near the Christmas tree again, now back to its smaller, normal size. The curtain rose and Clara lifted her head in confusion, then stood up and looked around as if she had just woken from a dream. The lighting suggested that it was morning and Clara had spent the night down in the family room.

There was a knocking sound coming from somewhere just off stage, which was the cue for Drosselmeyer and Fakir to enter. The rest of Clara's family entered from the opposite side of the stage and they had the touching finale where Drosselmeyer introduced Clara to his nephew who had recently been released from a curse. The curtain fell on the sweet family scene the Nutcracker and Clara held hands and looked at each other shyly. While the rest of the cast came out for the final bow Duckie looked at Drosselmeyer and glared.

"Okay, the play's over. So what's going on?"

"Why don't we ask Fakir? He might know." Drosselmeyer grinned as he gave his cryptic answer.

Before they could talk further the curtain went back up and everyone bowed. The audience was giving a standing ovation; the students felt the performance had been a complete success. The curtain fell for the last time and everyone backstage began the process of cleaning up the set and putting everything away. Everyone except Fakir and Duckie, they had a dead man to interrogate.

"What do you mean I might know? I have no idea how or why you're here!"

"But you do, my boy. Tell me, how is it you had arranged for the Prince and his Princess to make an appearance?"

Duckie looked at Fakir expectantly; she had been a bit curious about it herself. "Well, they're a royal couple from a fairytale, they could come visit us by replacing the actors who were playing that same role."

"So because Mytho and Rue are fairytale royalty, they can come be fairytale royalty in a play?" Duckie asked quizzically.

"Precisely," Drosselmeyer mockingly applauded Duckie's cleverness. "And I didn't want to be left out of the fun, even I like to come visit once in a while. Fortunately there was a character with my same name whose role I could fill. Ah, but the ballet is over and the magic is fading. Perhaps we'll get to do this again sometime in something with a more tragic ending." Drosselmeyer laughed as he faded away, back to whatever world he had come from.

Duckie looked at Fakir and breathed a sigh of relief. "Well, at least that's over with. I'm going to go change and help the others put everything away."

"Yeah, I'm going to go do the same. I'll see you later?"

"Yes!" With that Duckie smiled brightly at Fakir and then trotted off to the girls' portion of the backstage. It really had been a fun Christmas recital and was strangely appropriate for the last one she would perform as a student at the Gold Crown Academy of the Fine Arts. I wonder what ballet we'll perform for the end of the year recital...