[May 10, 2007] [Princess Tutu] The Happy Discovery and the Disturbing Realization

[haleysings.livejournal.com]

Title: The Happy Discovery and the Disturbing Realization
Day/Theme: May 10: the understudy
Series: Princess Tutu
Character/Pairing: Johanna (OC), Autor
Rating: G



It had bothered Johanna since her very first morning back home, but she hadn’t wanted to bring it up to Autor. It really didn’t matter, in the scheme of things. She was just happy to be home, and happy to see her son again, as awkward as it was after so many years. She really shouldn’t have been bothered by it.

But she was. She couldn’t help but notice that it was missing. Her tea set—the one she used to use every morning, decorated with yellow flowers and green vines that twisted around the cups and saucers. She was very fond of it—in fact, it had been a wedding gift from a good friend of hers. So when Autor served her tea every morning in a set adorned with large pink roses and a scalloped edge, she couldn’t help but notice and be bothered by it. Particularly since she didn’t even like pink. She didn’t hate it, but she much preferred the bright yellow and greens of her favorite set.

After a week of drinking her tea out of the rose teacups, she got up early one morning and volunteered to make the tea. Autor put up a polite protest at first, but it wasn’t long before she convinced him to let her give him a break. As soon as he was out of sight, she marched into the kitchen and began to pull open the cupboards and look for the missing set.
She wasn’t exactly surprised that she couldn’t find it. What did surprise her was that there was not only ONE set decorated with pink roses—there were two. What possible use could Autor have for two identical sets? As far as she knew, he didn’t have frequent tea parties that would call for the need of that many cups…

That’s it, Johanna decided. I’ve got to figure out what happened to my teaset.
She found him in Uhrmacher’s old study, bent over pages of notes and some sort of chart that when she looked closer proved to be a family tree. Come to think of it, she had seen that family tree several times already, but hadn’t paid too much attention to it…

She cleared her throat, and Autor jumped in his chair, turning to give her an irritated and slightly dazed look that reminded her of someone that had been woken up just as he was beginning to fall asleep.
The look didn’t slow her. “Autor, what did you do to my tea set?” she asked.
“Your tea set?”
“Yes. The one with the yellow flowers.”
Autor sat up straight in his seat, adjusting his glasses in a way that reminded her of Uhrmacher. “Don’t take this the wrong way,” he began, speaking in a tone that made her sure she wasn’t going to be happy with his explanation, “but it was unsatisfactory for writing.”

Well. That was an odd response. “What do you mean? It’s a tea set, not a quill.”
“It’s not that it’s not a cute little set, it just…doesn’t get your creativity flowing, don’t you think? The new set is much better at that.”
“So…you threw out my favorite tea set because…you liked this set better for writing.”
“I didn’t throw it out! I just boxed it up and put it away. But yes, that’s correct.”
“I thought you were in the music division at your school.”
“I am.”
“So…why do you need a tea set for writing?”
Autor stared at her for a moment, looking appalled. “I’m a descendant of Drosselmeyer! Why wouldn’t I?”

Johanna would have laughed if her own son wasn’t saying this, looking up at her with a look that showed he was completely serious. Was that what this was about? “Autor, dear, you write with a quill and paper. Not a tea set.”
“It’s more involved than that, you know. Powers like Drosselmeyer’s aren’t that simple. Although I suppose I shouldn’t expect you to understand.”
Now that wasn’t funny at all. Did he just imply that she was stupid?! “Why wouldn’t I understand?”
“It’s alright, Mom. I know you can’t help it. It’s just a matter of bloodline.”
“Of what?”
“Your family. Your ancestry. It must be difficult to understand to someone that doesn’t come from his bloodline.”
“Who’s bloodline? Drosselmeyer’s?”
“Of course.”
“…If I’m not a descendant of Drosselmeyer, then how are you one?”
“Through Dad, of course.”
This time she did laugh. “Uhrmacher isn’t—wasn’t—related to Drosselmeyer. He just loved his books!”

The temperature in the room might have plunged below zero with the icy glare her son gave her as she leaned against the doorway and continued to laugh. He turned his back to her, pretending to once again focus his attention on the family tree in front of him. “Laugh all you want, but I have the power. I’m sure of it.”
Johanna’s laughter died. “Oh, I hope not.”
“What do you mean?? Are you that unsupportive of me?”
“No. I just wouldn’t want you to have to have that responsibility.”
“I can handle myself. I’ve lived alone for three years.”
She winced. Did he resent her for that? “I don’t care. It’s dangerous.”
“It’s thrilling! The power to control an entire town…even after you’re dead…it’s magnificent! I’ll take the danger if I can get the power along with it.”

Johanna felt a bit of a chill up her spine when he said that. The tone of his voice, the gleam in his eye…it all reminded her of…
Uhrmacher.
Did he do this? Is this what happens when she isn’t around to keep an eye on things? He turned her son into a Drosselmeyer-obsessed maniac?
Oh, if he wasn’t already dead, she would kill him herself!

“How long have you been doing this sort of thing?”
“What do you mean?”
“The writing. How long have you been trying to write?”
He hesitated, his shoulders tensing and revealing his agitation even though his face was still turned away from her. “About ten years.”
Since she left, then. “Did Uhrmacher put you up to this?”
“When I was younger, yes. But not now. I chose this on my own. I want to carry on the proud tradition of his ancestors.”
“They aren’t his ancestors,” she said with a sigh. “And it’s not a proud lineage. Not at all. I’d get rid of it, if I could.”

Johanna wasn’t sure how she was expecting Autor to react to what she said, but she certainly wasn’t expecting him to suddenly jump up from his chair and run over to her with a wide grin on his face. “Are you saying you are Drosselmeyer’s decendant?!”
“Well…yes, but—“
His voice raised an a octave, and he ran back to the desk, quickly riffling through pages of notes.“Then all this time…THAT’S why I couldn’t find enough evidence! I was looking through the wrong branch! It all makes SENSE now!!”
“Autor—“
“Magnificent! It was right under my nose the entire time!”
“AUTOR—“
“What time is it? Ah! The library opens in ten minutes! If I hurry, I can arrive there as they’re opening the doors—“
“Autor, STOP!” She grabbed him by the shoulders, pulling him away from the desk and turning him to look at her. Good Lord—he was SHAKING with excitement! Not even Uhrmacher was this bad…”You can’t do this!”
“What? Why not??”
“It’s unhealthy! You haven’t even had your breakfast—“
“I don’t need it! I’ve skipped breakfast before! This is more important!”
“Darling. Please. Come sit at the table and I’ll fix you some breakfast and then maybe you can calm—“
“No no! No time for that! I’m sorry! I’ll be home before dinner!”
“Dinner?!”
He was already running out the door, the family tree in one hand and a quill in the other. “I’ll see you tonight! Thank you for telling me!”
“Autor, WAIT--!”

And with that, he was out the door and jogging down the street towards the Academy, leaving Johanna to stare after him with a bewildered look.
This wasn’t good.
She would have to give him a nice, long talk when he got home…