Danse · Macabre;

Yes, I did it. I stole the hearts. Surprising, isn't it?

[It seems to be a dark spot in the underground, only light shining is red, red glow of hearts, sometimes they flicker and take the appearance of the people they belong. She's not looking at the camera, she doesn't want to show her face, full in grief and shame. Her arms are still shaking.]

I didn't realize I kept these with me when I left them to Princess Tutu. I thought I had returned them all. Their owners or friends could retrieve them, I will return them. I know what is to be without a heart, too.

[She pauses.]

Why did I do it? Maybe because I was cursed, no, because part of me always wanted to do it, but I can always stop myself. The curse just took away my choice and my control. Because I wanted my friends, all my friends, understand and be close to me. I would have returned their hearts after I made them understand. [She chokes here, because she knows what that implied: taint them as she has been tainted, as she had tainted Mytho.] Then surely, I deluded myself, they would come with me to Mytho's kingdom. We could soothe our pain together, we would fight the darkness better if we were many, instead of two.

Because without my Prince, I can't continue.

After the first hearts were taken, it was no longer about what Rue could have wanted, but what Princess Kraehe craved for. The hunger for hearts took over. That's why "I" kept thieving, out of control, targeting perfect strangers. They loved and "I" wanted that love for myself, I yearned for it.

I will only apologize to my friends and to Todd because I targeted him because he's a friend's friend, even if I'm not proud or innocent for the other crimes, because I don't feel guilty about the strangers attack. Do I feel bad for everything? I do. And, of course, you're all angered about this, so I am because I am sick and tired of being toyed this way. Go ahead, take your anger at me, I deserve it. I'm enraged too, at this City, at our writers and at myself for being so foolish and weak. You can hate me, who would blame you? I already hate myself.

But I don't want hearts. I just want... to not lose the people I love again.

I hope none of them were hurt while they lacked a heart. You had no idea what I was going to do, at least none of them-

You have no idea how unforgivable it would have been.

...

I'm sorry.

( Dark Magical Girl Cut )

If you consider yourself unlucky in love. Think again. It is pleasant to know that after everything you went through for the man you love, he returns your feelings, off we ride into our happy ever after in his kingdom. What a better ending than becoming Mytho's Princess? Then this City tears me from his arms, cages me away from him.

This City brings him from the past, heartless, and staring me with a blank look in his eyes as he repeats he loves me because I told him to. He leaves and my heart aches at his absence, even though it hurt worse to see him as a puppet directed by my strings.

There's the best part to come, indeed the plot thickens and how. My Prince returns to me, with his full heart and his love, he proposes and we marry because I would never deny him, then he leaves me months after that. He leaves and returns without memory of being here to propose marriage again, to celebrate another wedding, to depart in the same manner.

[Her voice turns sharper in her bitterness, she laughs to choke up the sobs.]

I lost the two wedding bands, the two engagement rings and the reminder how this place taunts and baits me with a happily ever after that won't come: how it rewinds and repeats again in a cycle that only fills me with an uncontrollable pain and anger. Maybe I do deserve it because someone like me couldn't have been the Prince's true love. It's just like my "Father" said, I was simply not born to love and be loved by anyone; I thought I had challenged that Fate.

Love hurts the most when your heart is tainted like mine, even joy and happiness are shadowed by despair. Hmpf. I loathe this month and this curse. I want to come back, but I don't want to leave my friends. Why I can't have both?

FML.

Is there somewhere else I can buy ice-cream? Hmpf. When I tried to purchase a scoop from those rude vendors in the Square, they asked me the most ridiculous prices. "The price we charge you for one is to eat ice-cream". I don't know if my sense of humor is lacking.

And another asked me a price I wouldn't pay even for this nuisance craving. This must be my "welcome back" curse.

Forget about my Prince for one day! Hah! I'll have the ice-cream and Mytho. They ignore that what I want, I take, by force if I must.

Wasn't today one feverish summer day? Mn~ To all my dear friends from Opera Abandoned and those who stay outside, I brought something that would alleviate the heat:

Most assuredly fresh and delicious from the market. Eat freely~ Tutu Ahiru and useless knight Fakir, specially you two, you have practiced so much this morning. You can take as much as you want. They are my treat.

]Nekozawa[

Do you truly worship the darkness? Because the darkness demands her tribute and has little patience. If you don't as I say, you will be out of favor. Rejected by light and darkness, what would you do?

( ]Private[ )

(ooc; Rue doesn't really hate Nekozawa, she finds him annoying, so she sees him as ally/minion instead of friend. ( Don't eat the apples! )).

Edited: ]You better stay away from my friends and family! I am sure you thought yourself very clever to injure someone who has their back turned at you. Although my brother is a moron to give you the benefit of honor.[ If he would have taken up my offer to help him.

Frilly domestic clothes, Fakir? I'd thought you liked ducks be... [soft whistling snore] Honestly, where does that noise come from? I heard it last night too. Hmpf. I had seen green things crawling out from the underground trains and some suspicious lights in the sky today. What a nuisance. The City is louder than usual, at least this is not another invasion. The stewards were not an improvement from our puppeteer "deities".

I will let anyone know that as one of the judges of the swing contest, and unlike Blue, I have an eye sensitive for aesthetic care in dancing couples. So, be sure to-[This track begins to play.] What is it now?

]Private to Ahiru[

Ahiru, do you know anything about... witches?

(ooc; Turns up Suspiria is a B-movie to some. The Opera Abandoned is moar sinister today. She's doing the dumb cursedthing and wandering in the dark places ._.

Deleted provocation after chat with Fakir).

heard something... Red hair? [Huffing] What a nuisance. Is Ahiru shedding instead of molting? [Rustle of her feet on the floor, a quick surprised gasp.] What is this? Who-What is that?!

[Her pace has picked up, trying to rush out of there. As the hair wraps around her ankle, she loses her step and falls in a bump.]

AAAAAAAAAAAAiiiiigggg

[Her frantic scream is muffled by the strands closing in her neck.]

Get off! Get off!

...AahNgnnn...

[Suddenly static and silence.]

(ooc; Rue will be transporting herself in a futile attempt to get the rid of this hairy situation. Autor and lemon cakes to the rescue. ;P Voice for others, assume happened after).

--they are jealous and can't accept my-

...what? Autor? Where are you? We're a little old for hide-and-seek games and Professor Penguin will be mad if we're late to the class. Aren't you clever for hiding so well?

[nervous. The sound of water is heard.]

This doesn't look... Impossible! This isn't Kinkan!

(ooc; What if Rue hadn't been kidnapped by the ravens? ( TL;DR changes )

[crash over the keyboard]

Q-Qua-?

...

...


QUACK!!

Text added few minutes later][

bird again. veryfunnycity. so if Im ahiru, I need to find the jewel to be girl again.

Hmpf. I'm an ungraceful mess. How can Ahiru even dance like this? But I feel a lot more... Oh Oh.

ahiru. . where is she/? is important1!

(ooc; Tying with beak. Strikeouts = thoughts).

Where did the audience go? [Mutter] This isn't--can't be the royal theater, the stage isn't so ill-kept and the decorations aren't as morbid as these ones. Hmpf. Where are you, Prince?

[Rustle of the curtain. Silence]

P-Prince? Prince! Tell me you're here. Where was I taken and what is that? [gasps] My words! All I speak is appearing in this. Is it bewitched? Are we in another story? Oh no... Oh no. PRINCE!!

[Horrified, leaps down the stage to flee]

(ooc; Voice/audio answers or comment log).

...i-it's cold. W-Where are all the flowers? [Sniffle] I'm lost again, I cannot heard Father. I remember the ticking of the invisible clock.

F-Father? Father! I'm so-sorry! I was a bad girl. Please, talk to me! I promise I won't be bad again, just don't abandon me. Father...

If this isn't Kinkan... Kinkan is never so white!

Are you here, Prince? I'm cold! My fingers are frozen; I can't keep myself warm. Prince! PRINCE!! I am not alone, I am? [Sob] You said you'll love me. I believed you, Prince!

K-Kaoru? Is this the place we met? We promised to be friends and eat... eat...[Sniffle] uh... i-ice-creams? But it's so cold now. It's never so cold in Kinkan... there's white everywhere on the flowers and the trees? What is called? [Teeth cackling] U-Umn. S-Snow? Like in Snow White tale?

(ooc; Kinkan appeared trapped in eternal spring/summer, chibiRue's lack of warm clothes+cold = one frozen little matchLESS girl. Edit; Awake!).

Ballet slippers? [Murmur. Disbelief] That's it? That's all you curse me to lose today? [Bitter laughter. Drawls] Ohh, I remember why I don't mourn dancing for a day. I am missing my partner to dance with.

There's nothing else you can take from me, mn? Nothing that would leave me to care more or less at this point. Nice try; the choice is wildly unoriginal. [Apathetic mutter] A prima donna without dancing shoes. I think I'll be staying in bed, regardless. It was a nuisance to be waiting outside, in the cold, last week over nothing.

Hmpf. Fakir and Ahiru could take care of the classes and Sleeping Beauty as they were supposed to do.

(ooc; Rue's reaching an apathetic bottom after the shadowplay curse emotionally drained her. She'll be colder and more collected, plus a wee more indifferent to people around her, BFFs aside. Her keyboard remains broken, so all are voice replies).

...I'm older than last time. Thirties? Hmpf. Oh well, if my feet can still grace the basic steps of ballet, I'm not hindered by an aged body. But I have no memories because my body will never age.

How do I look, Prince? Your opinion matters the most to me.

Maestro Erik is gone he was miserable about his loneliness, but I'll miss him. He was... like a father (?) to me, this leaves me in charge of Opera Abandoned to administrate. If you want to argue about this, go ahead, I am a gracious hostess and I'll listen to all your objections. There won't be a name changing, Rosette. Opera Not Abandoned, Ahiru? That's a... Oh, forget it. And that isn't a girl thing either, Fakir. Look at Rosette, she doesn't act very lady-like to be gender-exclusive. Hmpf. Everybody knows this place by that name and is older than our residence. We can't change names that aren't ours.

Private to Kaoru;

How... How are you? After that curse... You and your brother must be still shaken. Did you spend time with Hikaru?

I had to leave that place. There was a crowd and I'm not used to be around so many people.

A-Ah. P-Prince? Come out, Prince! I've been looking for you. It's hard to track you when we don't have a special tree we could meet. I've been practicing all day so we could dance together. K-Kaoru will like to see us dance! He's my friend! My first real friend We'll be getting ice-cream. He's looking for someone, too.

I wonder if the lavender haired Prince is feeling better. He looked so tired last time. He reminded me to y-you, a little. When we met and you were weary and torn. Do you remember him, Prince? I told him to rest under that tree that I'll look after him. I'm worried. Princes shouldn't suffer so much. They are too beautiful and kind, unlike us, ravens. Un...I hope he's healed.

Stop hiding, Axios. I only want to introduce you to someone special. My Prince's soul, a pristine white swan to keep you company. Hmpf.

My feathers aren't well-groomed enough! She can't see me like this. Why didn't you warn me in advance.

Oh, please, she would like you regardless of how you look.

The word of a girl who spends an hour in front of the mirror to comb her hair correctly.

That is different! The Prince can't see me... Oh, fine. Hmpf. I will help so you would look majestic only you would quit fussing already. Don't forget you are a swan and not a peacock.

Birds known by their elegance. Bring me the cologne. She must love me.

Qua--!

[A series of bumps on a wooden door]

MYTHO!!!

You... HOW COULD YOU LOCK ME IN HERE?!!

[Swift kick]

Augghhh... Let me out! Let me out! Let me out! Let me OUT!

[stops]

EEK! ummm...mmmm. Th-There's a spider in here! I-I don't think I'm safe... HELP!!

((OOC: Rue-Ahiru switch & Fakir-Mytho switch. She's lying about the last thing. Rue's STILL a little shrew >>; Mytho locked her up in a closet to avoid her getting in trouble)).

Eww.

...Couldn't anybody buy real ice-cream instead of going to lick people you don't even know? It isn't very expensive. I don't understand what's the thrill to go and taste strangers.

((OOC: Bittersweet chocolate))

Do you still keep your camera, Uzura? I think we should snap a memorable picture of today. Why Mytho must be a swan in moments like these. Hmpf. We need a reminder of how we are today for posteriority. Hurry up all of you! We meet at the stage.

And Fakir, I think you and I need to talk.

( Private//Hard to Hack//but cursed against the Tutu crew out of caution )

((OOC: Sorry about the two entries today :( Rue looks like these images only with red eyes)).