I know much time hasn't passed yet, but it still remains unclear to me what Mythos has actually been *doing* in Ginkan.

I love this idea: "He wanted to stay away from humans as much as possible. Otherwise, if he wasn’t careful, he might become more and more like them, until one day, he might actually become one of them." because in so many ways it evokes and yet inverts Rue's fears and what happened to her in the anime. I had thought that Caras was *a* raven, but to find out that he is *The* Raven was quite a shocker and I'm really quite taken with his personality and his dilemma and his angst over having a human heart. This is an absolutely fascinating turn.

Ah, the whole thing with the Lake spirit was so intriguing. I still can't decide if it's all Fakir's doing or if Drosselmeyer's meddling with his gears and feathers had a hand in it too.

OMG pervert!Autor was absolutely hilarious. I could not stop laughing at the idea of Autor and Fakir as roommates. Really, Fakir should look at the bright side! At least, it's not Femio.

But that scene between Ahiru and Fakir-her guilty confessions, his being upset that she worried about such things-it was so sweet!

"unofficial inspiration-retrieving leave" Oh, god I wish I could get me one of those ;;

I'm a little surprised Pique and Lillie haven't shown up given how much of this was set back in the Academy and we saw so many other of students.

Since I couldn't review ch. 1 on this read through, that first:

I'm curious to find out how much Karon remembers about Ahiru-does he know she is more than a duck or that she was Princess Tutu?

You've got me really intrigued about the mystery with the town and what place Mythos and Rue have in it, Drosselmeyer's plotting, and the raven attacks. I can't wait to see where you go with this!

Mental image of Fakir with Ahiru on his head: priceless!

I'm struck by how besides Trutho, all of your OC's have curiously Japanese sounding names-I can understand Sagi given you are going with "Ahiru" rather than "Duck," but Takako etc. it seems a little odd to me.

Ch. 2:

This had me chuckling: "Fakir, remembering old tendencies, lightheartedly checked to be sure the window was too high for him to climb up and jump off before he settled himself down into his chair." Really, Fakir should cut Mythos some slack! He seems to have gotten over the pantless thing just fine XD

Also, I can't believe Mythos didn't tell Rue about his secret mission and Trutho as stand-in! It seems very in character of him to me, because at the end of the show, there's something about his love for her that rings a little...hollow is too harsh but something along those lines. As if even with his heart back, he doesn't quite get it. Well, I hope Rue will give an ear-scorching lecture when he gets back.

Oh, Uzura, never change! Loved this: “Tussle-mayor’s coat is getting caught in the gears-zura!”

You are fleshing out Trutho's character in intriguing ways and I can just imagine the coldness flowing through Fakir and Rue's pas de deux!

And of course, I'm very curious to see what you will do with the Fakir/Ahiru plot.

‘He’d also like to find out more about the situation, but not at the risk of their safety, especially Ahiru’s. If anyone should be investigating, it should be him.’

Opening my next review with one of your own quotes, I’m just going say about this one that I love how you made Fakir wonderfully caring and self centered all on one string of thought.

Fakir’s and Trutho’s relationship is also something great. On one hand Fakir still responds to him in many of the ways he did to Mytho, what with checking that the window is secure and lunging forward to break his fall (which I found very endearing), and on the other hand there’s the comedy. Comedy. The most you got of that with Fakir and /Mytho/ was at the beginning of Season Two when Fakir saw Tutu… no… a crocodile… no…A FLIYING COW! It was funny then, but the prospect of it being a constant element in the story just makes me glow now. The comedy-falling was cute and amusing and so very un-debonair (which more Mytho and Fakir were… usually), and Trutho’s sticking his tongue out at Fakir’s back brought out a fun childish side to the both of them. If Fakir was a keeper to vegetable-Mytho, he’s something of a big brother to childlike Trutho. The relationship between the Knight and his prince’s little brother is just wonderful. Farik baby-sitting… just makes me grin!

Femio. With his butler. YES! You introduced Femio! The butler’s sprinkling rose petals around was a great touch and was something that would usually be left in the transition from screen to page, or when written, would general only appear in unsatisfactory fan-fictions. However, you pulled it off as naturally as ever and thus succeeded in really deluded the lines between anime and fan-fiction (though by now, as far as your story goes, they’re practically non existent at this point as it is). Femio’s dialogue was fantastically accurate. He and his ‘blushing maiden’ of a stage… I loved it. It made me happy all over again for having found your fan-fiction. As long as there are new chapters to this the characters of Princess Tutu have not had their last lines!

“He’s like some kind of human boomerang…” Femio to a T. Just great.

I like that people such as Helmina are drawn to Ahiru for that kindness of character which always came though for her in the anime. It’s a highlight that is very rarely struck on properly, making Ahiru out to be either all-knowing of human emotion (brick wall that she is sometimes) or just very annoying.

‘Helmina was standing now and extending her hands to invisible images that as of now only Helmina could see.’ This description has vibrant imagery and seemes something very ‘anime-esqu.’ You capture your scenes perfectly.

It was amusing to see quiet, gentle Sagi expressing a desire to read books…for the fish.

You presented a very true-to-heart ‘quiet before the storm’ atmosphere with Mytho in the village. Often, in stories, there is a ‘dark aura’ in a town where there is trouble: the streets are deserted, the dust rolls across the road, etc. What I really liked about your description was that /nothing/ seemed to be really wrong. And that was the most wrong of all. It’s very well presented.

“It always looks like it’s about to rain here,” Mytho grimaced, “if a storm isn’t about to hit.” This is just fantastic foreshadow. And very ironic too.

I found it curious that Neko-sensei remembered his time in the pen-controlled story with Ahiru as a student while neither Pike or Lilie did. Are animals exempt from the rule? Meh. I’m just being picky. Also, when I first heard him speak I thought that was stretching things, but once again you clicked everything into order my explaining that only Trutho and Ahiru could understand him. In fact, I was very happy then! I always found Neko-sensei a very amusing character and I was smiling from ear to ear at your capability as a writer to still be able to bring him back into the story despite his now /true/ cat form.

Dear Fakir: ‘He remembered the days with a strictly duck-form Ahiru. “As much as I would like to.” Heh. Yes, you have a fan to your fan-fiction who is imposing her fandom on your reviews. This is the cost you pay for writing so exceptionally!

Neko-sensei’s kittens are so cute! They bow and curtsy and isn’t he a devoted father, nuzzling them as he does~ And he got a real fox of a wife in the end. I’m so happy for him. I’m exited for his next appearance. As I’ve said before, your wonderful skill of intertwining new characters with old characters without losing any of the story’s splendor in the process is something that just makes me glow with satisfaction.

But Trutho isn’t doing too well today. First he answers a cat, confirming that he is indeed /not/ Mytho, and then he ‘remembers’ the contents of an eavesdropped conversation. Brilliant. Ya. And after such a glowing performance in the pervious chapter, too! Meh, perhaps he’s only human like the rest of us: perform well under pressure.

Fakir’s ‘shivering’ was a wonderful touch. His sixth sense about Drosselmeyer being present was eerie. I remember the part where he saves Ahiru from the writer’s world was one of my favorites in the story. That, and when Drosselmeyer comes to visit Fakir. And he almost makes Fakir write out Ahiru’s death with his own hand! But I’m wandering. Anyway: he is a descendent after all! (And we still don’t know how he’s really responsible for the whole mess arising now, as Drosselmeyer assures he is. Oh god, the suspense!)

Drosselmeyer can dictate the characters’ wills… again? He is controlling the story /that much/? You’re gonna have to explain that! …Soon!... There is nothing more vexing for a lover of happy-endings than for the villain to be back in power where he started, and this time without even his through-death writing contraption! I must and shall read on! Well, one truly great good thing that may come of Ahiru turning into Tutu now might be that it will alert the characters of Drosselmeyer’s presence. …I hope.

Finally, on the actual /plot/ instead of the little details: I really like your idea of it being the Raven’s heart that needs collecting now (though I do hope Ahiru will not give up her pendant this time around). As with everything else, it’s linked neatly in with the anime, yet have many original aspects. For one, why does he have the new heart? (I’m going to point fingers and blame Fakir for his human body). Also there was that conversations he had with Sagi which intrigued me. I wonder how ‘evil’ he really is…

Well, I expect it /is/ truly painful to, rather than having Tutu who was created for the purpose, have King Raven himself tarring out a peace of heart from the chest. Ug. As ever, wonderfully crafted, and wonderfully effected.

Anippe.

Again, I found the Trutho/Rue relationship highly amusing. Poor boy: so very afraid that his sister-in-law will kill him on a whim. Really great development, finished off with a perfect truce where she saves him from the dreaded female lot! That was really a fantastic way to clinch it. I’d been expecting something fluffy, only to have you turn it so that Rue, the one he feared so, turned out to be his savior in the end. Wonderful.

I think I really adore Sagi. You used my most beloved theme that I can ever hope to find in a story and put it to her character: the power to see the flip side of the situation. I was smiling from ear to ear as she discussed the ravens, and how they scavenged to survive, and how they really were solitary creatures. Yes, grinning adoringly, I tell you! (And I’ll gush out my thoughts on Mysterious Rue-like Caras later. You have been warned.)

“And if she could call Lysander, then I could call Fakir!”

Don’t mind me. This is just my sad little mind making parallels~

I found it curious that no one remembered anything of their time under the story’s control, though I suppose it makes sense. In the credits at the end of the anime it almost seemed as if Pike and Lilie were trying to remember what they’d forgotten (Ahiru) but this aspect was really nicely presented; another detail which a lot of fan-writers fail or neglect to include, and is just overlooked by the fans.

Komaro’s caution was wonderful! What a tentative, smart boy. If I was ever to travel incognito, I have to say that I’d feel safest with Konaro. You really made a very reliable, stable character. I love reading your story. I love it because all those character that cropped up in Chapter One are becoming more and more developed, and yours is a story where new characters are a wonderful refresher to the older tale.

Now, Trutho’s character: Nothing short of ‘fantastic’ will suffice. I mean, my /god/ what an awesome guy. Perhaps it’s because, as a Tutu fan, I’m just /so/ used to a vegetable-like Mytho, but Trutho was really, really cool! His avoiding discovery when surrounded by the ‘devilettes-in-training’ was nothing short of smooth! Yes, I say that Trutho could make dramatic screams of pain and sprinting haphazardly to washrooms smooth. He’s just that good. Also, when confronted with Caras, and given the situation, his excuse for not knowing his way was /pretty/ damn good! I was terribly impressed. And to cap it in the best of all possible ways you reveal that the guy’s got a wry sense of humor. Ha!

‘Next time, I’m not bothering to check in the mirror. I’m just going to swab a liberal amount on my face and hope that wherever Mytho-san got the dust from has refills…’

You’ve done it now. I am in sincere danger of liking a fan-made character more than most of the cannon characters. Trutho is Fantastic.

And finally…Caras. (And here comes a monsoon…) So, in the pervious chapter I grew anxious at one point, thinking that you were about to inexplicably make Drosselmyer all-powerful again. That time I was proven wrong within a few lines. Now, as the story followed Caras about I have to say that I was harboring similar doubts. He seemed a little too much like Rue, and the idea that the Raven (somehow alive) might have adopted another child seemed exceedingly hard to swallow. (Please don’t be insulted that I should believe you capable of such a drab rehash!) However, mine was a doubt that would not leave me.

…And then you revealed his true identity. OH MY GOODNESS! That was just so brilliant I haven’t words for it! (Meh, I’ll improvise them as I go.) Never, never could I have imagined /that/ (which perhaps speaks about a lack of creative spirit on my part, but I prefer to just attribute it to your genius). My /God/… now I really want to know whom he was looking at: Trutho, whom his subjects abducted in infancy (if that is really the case, what with the ‘double sided’ aspect of the ravens that you’ve given us), or Rue… the daughter who forsook him. And to sacrifice his human heart to himself? Twisted? brilliant? For goodness’ sake, all of the above! And the best is that now, what with the unveiling of Caras’s identity (I hesitate to call him villain after his exchange with Sagi,) my curiosity has been hipped to an unbelievable level! First Fakir set it up, and now…

Wait a moment. That boy that Fakir cured from a slight cold… (This is occurring me as a write, by the way). Oh my goodness. Fakir, the /loyal knight/ of the Prince and the descendent of Drosselmyer has aided the return of the Raven. …!... Please, and I am imploring you now, write on. The more I read, the more amazed I am by your story.

Finally, the one thing I saw fit to criticize in your previous chapter is now revealed to have been a criticism given before it’s time. You’ve included all of the translations at the end of the ‘act,’ explaining the animals that were each character. So that’s that. You’ve taken the only fault I’ve found in the text and turned it to nothing – something that has never before happened to me when reading a fan-fiction, and rarely happened to me when reading an actual novel.

All the best to you and your extraordinary literary mind,

Anippe.

I never thought I’d be so very, very ecstatic to see Autor. He in comic relief is just priceless. I always thought that he /might/ be fun as a slapstick character, but the closest the anime ever got to that was when Drosselmeyer un-froze time after his audience with Fakir and dear Autor fell flat on his face, legs up in the air

He nose-bled. No, forget the nose bleeding. Had it been nothing more than that I might have glanced over it. But the flourish of the handkerchief, which he had at the ready, was just too much! And of course, with his usual character-dissecting shrewdness he came out with ‘a sadist for a lake spirit.’ That entire snippet had me in giddy amusement. Really just fantastic. I’ve never before seen a write who could so appeal to the fans, yet keep every character so utterly in form. I’m awed and delighted!

“…An’ sombhow I neber figyad dis out befoe…”

Perfect! You’ve pointed out so many errs that have just been taken for granted (adding to the humor). That meticulous, nit-picky Autor should have missed out on vital point that Ahiru was a duck (and should say as much though a bloody nose) is both understandable and infinitely satisfying.

That was on Autor. Now, on to Fakir and Ahiru.

You could not have made their first conversation more in character, flustering, or delightful. I challenge any and all who say they could have done better. Ahiru’s gush of little concerns – this ink bottle, that quill – acting as a symbol for all the things that could not be said between them when she was a duck, was sublime. It was so wonderfully human that you made every concern so little and ordinary and close to her heart and her daily life with Fakir, an aspect truly highlighted by her words.

Fakir’s rebuke is perfectly in character. And then, as his response begins trickling back, I melted. “…If it is bothering you that much, then help me get the quill out from under my desk when we get back and we’ll call it even.” … “…I’m glad that you liked the new quill.” His pacing quickened to a brisk march.’ In character is one thing, but this was a strike to the heart. Uncertain, offhanded, and so very, very like the Fakir of Season Two. This first exchange between them is utterly and incandescently beautiful.

‘Goes to the /frogs/.’ That was just amusing. It made me feel all over again that: ‘Yup, Ahiru is back. Yes.’

I’ll take a moment to say that I really love Sagi in her human form, so contrasting yet similar to Ahiru. I also love the distinct quiet character you’ve given her. I’ve always found it very hard to write quiet characters without ending up giving them a little more oomph than is needed, and I’m very impressed how well you’ve pulled it off. And I love Ahiru’s absolute rapture at the possibility of being made human again (for the very reason that Fakir wished it; so that one might talk to the other again). The scene was very lovely and sweet.

“But, maybe I’ll start again, since you’re going.” Ahiru glanced at him. She smiled.’ Again, wonderfully endearing! [I did warn you that I liked the two of them together so forgive the inexplicable attachment to certain lines while offering up no constructive criticism or praise in my defense.]

British phone booths? In Germany? Alright. Alright. I’ll only say this much: only /you/ could have pulled it off. Only you.

One thing about Trutho which I brushed on in my other comments but never elaborated was that I love how you intertwined him into the story. Not only is he a well developed, believable character, but he’s also of ‘The Prince and the Raiven.’ The downfall with many fan-fictions is that they don’t link well enough to the original anime. (It’s understandable, considering that the plot has already finished.) By including Trutho into the prologue of the original book you made fantastic links to the actual story that the anime is initially based upon. It’s also wonderful irony that the anime should deal with how the story would end and you, in The Chapter of the Bird, should deal with characters from the prologue, and how it all began. Again, wonderfully crafted.

Ha! Fakir enters his home ‘minus a duck and plus two girls.’ Oh goodness, what does his old man think of him? Sorry… random out burst with more method save madness…

‘Unofficial inspiration-retrieving leave’… You came up with a bureaucratic name for skiving off. You are now my immortal hero. Yes. Yes you are.

AUTOR! again. I’m sorry; you’ve created a monster. Every time I see him in your text my heart hops with joy now. Roommates. Oh dear god. I suspected as much when it was dropped that rooms would be shared but… The Terror! I feel like a flesh and blood Drosselmeyer: I can’t wait for the mayhem to launch from this.

Bringing characters like Arukuimi and Waniko back was a great idea. The one thing I might mention is that it would be a good idea for you to remind the readers just /what/ kind of animal everyone was. That way, readers aren’t becoming distracted with ‘Oh, wait, what she was again? I bet the description would make sense if I knew. Gah! Don’t remember!’ Trivial as it sounds it’s something that might concentate the central theme of the story, if only a little. Bare with your readers’ bad memories and ADD. :]

A raven in the window of practice room? Oh dear. The pendants become /dark?/ A new twist! I love it all, and I’m riveted for the read!

“And much of it was thanks to that young descendent of mine…”

My heart leapt up onto my throat at that. What has he done? I’m actually anxious. Yes, /anxious/ over a fan-fiction! Your skill with words has taken just that strong a hold! I want to know what Fakir has unwittingly concocted! Did Ahiru’s transformation come at a price? I want to know so very, very much!

Drosselmeyer is writing again and is not a spectator anymore? When I first realized this I had to give it a moment’s thought. You see, for one dreaded instant I thought that you had done something ‘ordinary’ by just bringing him back as the narrator with no plausible explanation, what his world-controlling machine being broken. However, as I read on, I saw my fears were groundless, and I’m sorry to have doubted you. The method you’ve devised with his writing through the different feather quills is an interesting new turn, and an interesting new alternative for his control (seeing as you say it will only work on those who’s feathers he has,) now that we the readers are led to believe that these quills are greatly thanks to ‘that young descendent.’

As before, a wonderful chapter.

Anippe.

Also, just one more thing I wanted to mention about Chapter Two: I really loved how you depicted Fakir’s dance with Rue. We’ve seen Mytho and Ahiru/Tutu dance, Fakir and Ahiru dance, and even Rue and Ahiru dance, but ever once do Rue and Fakir dance together in the anime.

The way you depicted their dance was really wonderful. I loved that they were both exceptionally proficient, but that their dance was fueled on raw technique alone – no deeper emotion whatsoever. In Season One, before Fakir joined forces with Ahiru, one got a feeling for Fakir and Rue’s grudging peace pact to share Mytho. It was great to get another look at that relationship between them: duty bound. No more. No less.

Really exiting! Goodness do I love your story!

Right… chapter two! First and foremost allow me to say that I love the humor. I love how Fakir actually has an innate sense of guarding against Mytho’s suicidal tendencies of falling out windows, and I love how, in the middle of his story’s resurrection Drosselmeyer’s cloak got stuck in the hinges. Pop! goes the drama filled maniacal laughter.

Also, to reiterate how wonderfully you’ve included new characters into the story. Komaro and Sagi were beautifully written, as was awkward, sheepish Trutho, which brings me the character interaction. I truly like how Rue and Trutho really don’t get on. I was expecting something of a big sister ‘aw he’s cute’ reaction from Rue, but this is infinitely better. The idea that the woman, so stylish and fine, who had won Mytho’s heart would do anything but for his younger brother is really human and nice.

The detail was spectacular as well. My breath caught in my chest when you wrote about how Trutho held his utensils incorrectly. I had been wondering what he would do about all the forks and knives, and if he would know what dishes they were each for, when you threw that delightful point right onto the page. It made me grin from ear to ear.

Again, I loved how you portrayed Ahiru, helpful and dear, despite her being a duck now. I’m also really happy that you didn’t make her understandable to all: an animal that Fakir and everyone else might talk to. The ballet miming is an ingenious alternative, extenuated by the explanation of why Trutho /can/ understands her. (Will we be learning more about /why/ later in the story?)

I’ll reiterate also that I really like how you’ve written Fakir: not distraught over Ahiru’s return to duck-dum, but quietly wishing to himself that she might be human again. This really follows the spirit of the anime, and I love his inter conflict about the matter. I’m curious as to whether or not there will me any sort of romance between them later. (Yes, and here I show my true colors. I am fond of this pairing.)

The closer I get to your final update, the more worried I become. I’m being so utterly absorbed by the story that I should be at a loss of what to do if it terminated completely. Ah! Well onward, to enjoying what I can, and hope for the best.

Again, all the best,

Anippe.

I’ve only read Chapter One, but I have to say I really, really like your story so far. The point that has struck me most is your method of reintroducing Drosselmeyer. In all the fan-fictions I have read he has been reintroduced on the basis of ‘never having actually left’ or ‘its being HIS story,’ etc, which all sound pretty lame when one considers how absolute the end of the series was. I really liked how you brought him back in, as a spectator so far, almost accidentally.

Also, it was nice how the story didn’t just double back on itself. ‘Oh! Mr. Cat is back!’ ‘Oh, animals are like humans again,’ and so forth, but actually immediately delved into a plot of your own which still remains connected to the sprit of the anime and is not just a rehash.

I like it that you’re introducing new characters, like the Prince’s brother, and like Ahiru’s friend at the lake. Again, it gives the story a fresh color, yet parallels it to what happened in the series (where the new character in season two was mainly Autor).

Your development of the characters is also really fantastic! Fakir isn’t ‘overwhelmingly sick with love loss’ for Ahiru and Ahiru herself isn’t overly twisted with irritating qualities and klutziness. Everyone is just right! Rue worries me. She’s wonderfully depicted, but I’m worried about that secretive ‘smile’ she gives when alone and practicing her ballet. Oh noes!

Finally, I noticed that you haven’t updated this story since 2006 (though you revised it in January of this year). If the story progresses as well as it has this first chapter my pleas for its continuation will only grow more and more frantic. Yours is a truly wonderful and promising beginning of a story and is something you must let from you mind for all the other Tutu lovers to enjoy! I hope you all the best, will continue reading soon, and hope you write a finally chapter (or perhaps answer this review with at least the assurance of chapters in the indefinite future?) as soon as you are able.

Anippe.

Hey I love your Princess Tutu stories, they give give me the fulfillment that that anime left off after the end off it. But I was wondering if you are done writing them are if there is more? If there is more let me know so I can look for the next one in the future.

whoa!i really like the story(_)especially mytho has a younger brother,trutho,he is so alike him..please update your next i want to know what happen next..

Princess Tutu! I like how it effected Mytho too. The old men are back. They can be quite annoying. So the crow attacks could be an inside job. 0_0 Great chapter, of course. Looking forward to reading more.

Wow...reading this chapter was really rewarding for me. I loved reading about Helmina's plight. Reminds me of fanfiction writers...

I absolutely love this story. No doubt about it, this is probably one of the best Princess Tutu fics on this site (or that I've ever read). The amount of planning and time you spent on this must have been enormous and I'm filled with hope to know that you are still working on this wonderful piece.

Thank you for dedicating your time to write such a beautiful story!

Full marks! ;)

I knew it! The moment he came into the story I knew it had to be him! A nice way of adding him too. More heart peices to gather. Trutho is fun to read about. XD