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Ahiru spent all that afternoon at the barre. She went through the basics over and over, continuing long after her muscles ached and begged her to give it a rest. Anything, anything besides thinking about that....

She was still going at it, in fact, when the voice of her instructor greeted her with rare praise. "Miss Ahiru, this is quite a change! I see I've finally gotten through to you... !"

"Ah--!" she paused in the middle of lifting her leg in an arabesque behind her, not quite completing the pose and so making a rather awkward show. But Mr. Cat was not deterred.

"You have found your true motivation, haven't you? Could it be--could it be, you are working yourself to the bone, trying ardently to impress me, because you wish--"

"Mr. Cat," Ahiru interrupted, a pensive look on her face.

He looked a bit put out, but responded in a calmer tone than he'd had before, "... Yes, Miss Ahiru? A question for your teacher? Could it be about mm-mar--"

"Mr. Cat," she went on, as though he hadn't spoken, "is it... is it possible to love... more than one person at the same time?"

"Of course," he replied gravely. "Giselle allowed the affections of both Hilarion and Albrecht, after all. That was why the ending was so unfortunate."

Ahiru had sat down underneath the barre without quite realizing it. Her brow was furrowed, her face serious. "So, it's a bad thing, then. I knew that, but...."

"It is not so simple, Miss Ahiru," Mr. Cat began, but Ahiru was on her feet again. Her face had scrunched into a determined pout.

"It's definitely, definitely bad--it can't happen!"

And that was all she would say on the matter.