Yay hooray *applauds all five chapters*
Um in short I guess you did well author.

Oh, wow.

This really is quite amazing. =] I like the Ahiru-Fakir scenes. They're very in-character, and the development between them is subtle, yet very apparent. And Scheherazade is a well-developed OC. Great job!

Oh no, I cam back to read this again and I took a look at your reviews. This thing ate up practically my whole review and left only the first part of what I'd meant to say. >.< So sorry. I'll try writing it again.

First of all, I commend you for the detail that you put into your writing. You really explained how and why everything happened. If you had Drosselmeyer's power, you'd probably have no problem at all with having your story pulled into following reality, and you'd probably be able to toy around with people's lives if you wanted to (not saying you would, just saying you could XD)

You spelled pendant "pendent" in the last part of the third chapter. Also, I had a hard time figuring out what you meant by your sentence "Fakir finally snapped out of his daze and as the light swallowed Ahiru, he suddenly felt the cold fingers of something unpleasantly familiar grasping at him." Or maybe that was just me ^.^;;

That's probably the only mistake I found. Yaay good for you! Practically everything's flawless.

Also, I loved it that you used the name Scheherazade for your OC (I happened to have read that particular story when I was younger and I loved it) but it must be a big pain to type (I mistyped it twice while typing this XD).

That's about it, really. But maybe in the future, you would make Fakir a little less mean to Scheherazade? XD By the way, if you could take the time, would you read my fic? I'd be really happy if you did. I'd like to know what a good writer thinks of it since I'm not really that good ^.^;; thanks a lot!

Update soon! I'll be waiting for the next chapter! :D good luck with your graduate school applications too! I know how you feel, only I'm applying for college XD

~akaiihana

Interesting storyline. :D update soon!

omgomgomg, you UPDATED! xD
I won't be able to sleep now (midnight over here). lol

Hmm, where to begin? Where to begin?
Kya~! I just loved this chapter!
Hmm, ok, ok, Ahiru is half-girl again! Woot! *celebrates* && I don't care what Fakir says. Scheherazade is leik awesome. Hmmyea.

Alright, fangirl moments aside for a moment, I really, really loved this chapter. I know I said it before but it isn't just the plot and the interactions between the characters (which are, btw, superb and so well...hmm, I don't have a right word for it but can I say, "displayed"? Ack, that's not the right word for it...*continues to think*) that are so great. Your story's structure is wonderful and the details and descriptions are extremely lovely && I just envy your talent and wish I could write at least a fraction as well as you do. ^^

Oh, and I knew it!
I had this theory pop into my head a while back when I was thinking back to your story about Scheherazade having the power to manipulate reality with her voice and you could imagine how ecstatic I felt when I read this chapter. && it all fits since the real Scheherazade told stories orally.
Hmm, just...wow, yea...
But I'm glad she's not mute! I would love to hear her voice and I wonder which voice actor would best suit her. Teehee! ^^
Furthermore, her past was very beautifully described though it's almost tragic about her unrequited love.
Oh, I want to point this out since it's been scratching at the back of my mind. When she was telling them about the king and how he fell in love with the fairy/woman with the purple eyes, I thought the term "purple" seemed too...er, forgive me if offend you b/c I have no intention of doing so, bland. I thought "violet" would be more appropriate for story-telling but that's just my opinion.

& Fakir’s reaction was very well done. In fact, too well done, but I guess it’s a part of his character. Lol
His protectiveness of Ahiru is so admirable (aww! *squee!* xD) but at this point I kinda see it as a more of a older brother to little sister protectiveness than a romantic one (though there are potential hints ~_^) Can’t wait to see how you’ll develop that.
But whether Sheh-chan did the wrong thing or not, I couldn’t refrain myself from yelling “Fakir, ya FOOL! How dare you make a girl cry?!” Oic…lol. I mean, he’s a knight, right? Or former knight, anyway, but still…aren’t knights suppose to show respect towards women? Is chivalry really dead? (I’m being dramatic. Just ignore me. ^^;)

&& Ahiru! I want to hug her! She’s so sweet and cute! Gotta love her! I think even all of my own future original characters would all grow to love her (except maybe one…ha, I’m so excited! *just wish I could have the time to write it*). She is our angel from above, our saint, our shining H.O.P.E. *adds sparkly stuff to it* Hmm…if everyone in some way like Ahiru, it’d be the ideal world.

Aww man, this review is just too random. Ack, sorry! I guess I’ll end it here. I should probably go to sleep anyway. :P Lessee, did I leave out anything?
Oh yes, I noticed this one sentence: “None of us was any the wiser about it, and we lived life according to the dead man’s wises.” Did you mean “wishes”?

Hmm…yeah, that’s about it. Again, very awesome chapter. I will be patiently waiting for your next one, which will be awesome, too. ^^ And *le gasp* you have graduate school applications?! Geez, are you a junior in college? D8 Well, good luck on that. Must be stressful. It makes me fear sophomore year. T.T
Anyways, take your time w/ your next chapter and keep up the great work. *still waving fan support flag* xD

Bai~!

x.j.

This is incredibly well-written. I especially liked the part where Scheherazade mimed her own story. Really, it's hard to find things this well-written in fanfiction (and boy have I been waiting a long time for you to update! lol). Thank you for adding! I can't wait for the next chapter! I wonder what the moving gears will bring...

woo... i can't wait to read the next chapter!

totally awesome! i love this story! please update!

OMG, I wondered when you'd update. This story is so touching, but I wish you'd have updated sooner. Anyway, try to continue more! ^^

Brilliant chapter (This thing ate my review once already, so hopefully this one goes through). I love the way you're building story progression and character interactions at the same time (that can actually be pretty difficult to pull off, from my experience), and the pace is level enough that nothing seems rushed or abrupt. You're working Scheherazade's character in nicely, too - and I'm not getting any Mary Sue vibes from her. She's interesting, but I think most of us are being a little cautious like Fakir, cause there's still that mysterious air and a lot of things we don't know. And I'm so glad you included the fire festival in this (I always thought that was a cute idea). Fakir and duck!Ahiru's interactions are fun to read and the one scene with them by the window was very solemn - but it was nice to hear Fakir voice his thoughts for once...and then realize what he was blurting out. XD I'm really surprised how well you're managing to keep both Fakir and Ahiru in character (their inner struggles and feelings, interactions with each other and other characers). I'm really impressed, since I think they're two of the hardest characters in the series to pin down that way. You're doing a great job. :D And I really like how you executed Scheherazade's dance/singing. ...But you left off on such a cliff-hanger, darnit! XD Hope you continue soon!

Yay! New chappie! Very awesome one, too, btw. ~.^

Aww man, I wanna go grocery shopping with Fakir! xD lol
Hehe Anyways, glad that Sheh-chan is getting more accustomed to her stay in Kinkan. I can picture he character. She'd look so cute. ^^
Hmm...snakes, huh? *wonders if has any relation to the creation story/Adam & Eve*...*is thinking too much* ^^; J/k! J/k! Well, in some religious scriptures or whatever, snakes are symbols of evil, right? That just popped up into my head. *ish also a person who goes to Catholic school* So I wonder how they will affect the story but yay! Now that Ahiru is finally human again, she will be at least a little less vulnerable?...Unless she quacks, then she'll have to run really fast. (Why is the image of a gigantic snake chasing duck-Ahiru stuck in my head? Urgh!)

Ok, putting all that aside *Yuuko "aside" gesture* yay! FakirxAhiru moment, though it was kinda short but sad and sweet, nonetheless. Yeah, Fakir really does seem to be really reculsive than before. He's such an angst bucket. :P
But at least his thoughts are for Ahiru && aww, they just make a lovely couple. *thinking ahead again* *starry eyes*
Oh, screw the real self things! It's not like she's not going to lose her existence as a duck or whatever if she does become human again as long as she realizes this but she does deserve happiness! Which is why Sheh-chan is so awesome! *has no clue how she did it but it was just absolutely cool*
Hmm, about her voice...maybe she can only sing at night?
Haha, I can totally picture her with that cute, determined look on her face. How old is she, btw? I imagine her as around the 15-18 age range but I could be wrong.

&&...wow, Fakir has really good hearing. xD
So does that mean that Drossel-brussels is going to appear soon (or maybe he already has *can't remember really well if he did* oic!)?
&& hmm, wonder how Fakir will react to all this.

*wonders how long review is this time* *is pretty excited about the next chapter*
Yeah, I guess that about sums it all up. Hee. ^^
Did I mention this was an awesome chapter?
Can't wait for the next one!
Great job! Keep up ze good work! Looking forward to your next chap! *&& insert fan support flags here* *waves them*

x.j. is such a goof ball.

Bai~! xD

~ x.j.

Wow you're a really talented writer. I love the story, it's really well writen and seems like it will be a good ending to the series, please update soon.
Nini

Fakir, you are such a poo-head. xP

&& Sheh-chan! x3 Luv ze nickname. Really cute.
I wish I knew what she was thinking about.
She's awfully strane. First, Fakir tells her off for staring at him and while he and Ahiru were arguing, she just gets up and starts to dance. Weird...
But really pretty descriptions, I must add. ^^
Aww, poor Ahiru. She wants to dance so badly...when are you going to make her human again, hmm? Hmm? *can't wait for that part* I hope so soon. It's quite disappointing that the main character didn't get a "happy" ending but I guess that's how it goes.

Oh god, it's a snake! *badger badger song coming back to my head* It's going to try to attack her during night, isn't it? And then, Fakir might think it has something to do with Sheh-chan and be all suspcious again and oh, this is not going good and I really got to stop ranting on ahead. ^^;

Great chapter! Can't wait for your next one! update soon! ^^

~x.j.

O, really cool.
Oh, and hiya! xD

Scheherazade! I remember that story! I think I first heard of it on that old show, Wishbone, or something...anyways, totally irrelavent. haha Silly me. ^^;
I really like how you incorporated her into your story and its even more mysterious b/c she is mute. I have this vague idea that someone must have taken out her voice or something b/c the original Schehrazade told stories, right? So since she's so interested in the fact that Fakir writes and all, maybe she has magical Drosselmeyer power, too...or maybe I'm just getting ahead of myself...like I always do. Oic.
But I really like it. And I don't think any of the characters are OOC. I think you portrayed Ahiru especially well since Ahiru has always been the one to show concern for everyone around her. And aww, she's just that nice. ^^ *huggles her*
Hmm...but something about Fakir defending Scheherazade (I need to learn how to spell her name by heart...god, it's a long name @_@) struck me a bit odd. When the men who were chasing her told him to mind his own business, I was surprised he just let them pass. I mean, sure, it really wasn't any of his concern or anything but he should have at least known they probably could have hurt her. O, was that a run-on sentence. Bah, there I go again.
Hmm, but I think that's just me. Don't worry about it. I'm an odd one anyways. ^^;
Oh, I also remembered something. I read somewhere in an interview with Ikuko Itoh (I hope that's right) that name "Fakir" was of Arab origins. He really doesn't strike me as an Arabian...I thought he looked more Spanish at first, actually. :P
So since Scheherazade is of Arabian origins, I made a connection between that and Fakir but I guess I'm probably overthinking it.

Wow, that was quite long. Ack, sorry for shooting off in all directions. Bad habit. ^^;
But I really, really like your story. &&, I can't wait for what you have in store. :D
Ok, onto chapter 2! ^^

~x.j.

I didn't find the chapter too slow, but then I enjoy character development. I have to say, that the focus on Scheherazade was getting to be a bit much, but you managed to turn it to Fakir and Ahiru at just the right moment in that scene with Ahiru missing her human life, so it turned out well. You might perhaps consider putting a bit more of Ahiru's interiority in the beginning of the chapter as well just to make it more well-balanced.

I can't remember if I mentioned this earlier, but I'm glad you don't have Fakir magically understanding Ahiru's speech even though she's a duck. The way you have it, with him getting a sense of what she's saying through context, habit, and tone, makes sense. I hate it when fanfic writers think that Fakir can suddenly speak Duck just because he's friends with Ahiru. Scheherazade's "dialogues" with Ahiru make sense in this regard too.

Not that I want to come across as bloodthirsty, but I do hope you throw something ala Bluebeard in here--a reference to the Arabian Nights would be wasted if you don't have those intensely violent and bloodchilling moments in your tale.