Kaleido Star: The Amazing Ascension
I'd be lying to say I ever planned to write a sequel to "Legendary Rose", but it just finally came time for me to do another significant fan-fiction project.
In fact, probably two... I will be posting at least two stories, and probably three, to this website over the next number of months. This story is a direct sequel to my 2007 posting of "Kaleido Star: Legendary Rose", itself a direct sequel of the Kaleido Star television anime.
So my first piece of advice, even if you read it before, is to (re)acquaint yourself with "Legendary Rose" before you start this. This story starts about six months after the end of "Legendary Rose" – at least two years, now, after the television series.
I do not own Kaleido Star, nor it's characters.
Enjoy, read, and review.
Chapter One: "Only In My Dreams"
Cape Mercy, California – Kaleido Stage Complex
One Year After Sora and Rosetta's Victory in Paris
It was a crisp morning in Cape Mercy.
Rosetta Passell had yet another dream of that day – now precisely one year ago...
She was flying...
On a day in which she would fulfill her dream...
Fly to her destiny...
And to do it all with her best friend...
And then the alarm woke her, to the day she awaited several months for...
Sora Robbins-Naegino was due to return from maternity leave to the Kaleido Stage practice facility for the first time since taking leave to have her baby with Ken – Hope Robbins-Naegino.
Rosetta had had this dream for many nights of the last 365...
Sora's positive presence was why Rosetta wanted to be at Kaleido Stage for so long, running from her loving mother to recklessly challenge the rigorous Kaleido Stage programs.
That was also why Rosetta exulted when she found out that she had seen The Fool.
So she wasn't too alarmed that, after her shower, The Fool was waiting for her...
Fool: "You know I hate it when you successfully lock that door."
Rosetta (giggling and smiling while drying her hair): "Yeah, Master Fool. But you know I have to be careful..."
Fool: "Why?"
Just then, the door to Rosetta's suite opened, and May and Mia were waiting for her.
The December breeze knocked The Fool into the edge of the bathroom door Rosetta had just opened, knocking him temporarily senseless.
Mia: "Can you believe it?"
May: "Sora's coming back today! And they're bringing the baby, just in time to open their new living space!"
Rosetta: "I can't believe it. And it's like we're all going to get to be in the little baby's extended family!"
Leon: "Just as Sora would want it..."
Leon had been Rosetta's male partner (though Rosetta continued to work with May a lot more often) in Sora's absence, and had joined the other two ladies walking toward the practice facility, when they decided to pick up Rosetta, who had been starring on Kaleido Stage in Sora's absence.
Soon afterward, they proceeded to the facility, where a meeting for 12 noon had been called, even though it was a Sunday.
No one minded. Though Kaleido Stage was still on solid footing, The Era of Light was set to begin anew.
Practice Facility
They got there just a few minutes before noon, and a veritable mob of people was near the front of the large room where the meeting was to be held.
Makeshift signs welcoming Sora (and a few for Ken, too...) back to Kaleido Stage abounded. Today was going to be a very happy day.
Sora and Ken were in the middle of that mob, accepting all forms of congratulations, hugs, best wishes for the family, and innumerable presents, most of which would quickly be donated to worthy local charities by the happy family as a Christmas gift to the city of Cape Mercy.
After several minutes of maneuvering to get through, the ladies and Leon came to see the happy Robbins-Naegino family.
Rosetta: "Sora!"
Even at only a few months, it appeared as if little Hope smiled and raised up a bit at Rosetta.
Sora: "Hey, Rosetta!"
It was as if she never left.
May: "I can't believe how much the baby has grown. She's beautiful."
Ken wiped a small tear of pride from his face.
Sora: "Aw, Ken... You're part of this, too. It was a two-person effort."
Ken: "I know, but she has your fiery eyes and already a hint of that hair of yours..."
Mia swooned.
Anna soon joined the crowd.
Anna smiled and pinched Hope's cheeks, which made Hope cry a bit...
The entire group laughed. There was no room for sadness on this day.
The True Star, the True Kaleido Star, Sora Robbins-Naegino, was returning to begin work on her return to the stage which made her famous, happy, and complete.
To that end, Yuri, now head of Kaleido Stage (as Kalos was still working on the ever-expanding Kaleido Stage International – now not only training academies, but now even two stages preparing to open, one in May Wong's home of China, and one in Leon Oswald's home of Paris), finally had the unenviable task of breaking up the welcoming party to bring this most unusual Sunday meeting to order.
Yuri: "I realize we could all fawn over the kid all day, but we do have business to take care of."
The large group of performers groaned. They much rather would have wanted to fawn over the kid all day, even though many had seen her a number of times over the first few months of her life.
Yuri: "Let's bring this to order, because there is much we wish to do in the next month or so before annual maintenance sends us our separate ways for much of the winter."
"First, I think we all need to officially welcome back our Kaleido Star, Sora Robbins-Naegino, to Kaleido Stage."
The building erupted in applause – her husband, Ken, the loudest of all.
Yuri continued: "It was one year ago today that Sora and Rosetta surpassed all boundaries and continued Kaleido Stage's tradition of excellence in Paris..."
Another round of applause, and many hugs for Rosetta Passel as well!
Yuri: "So it is now the holiday season, and we want to give thanks for all that we have, all that we love, and all who love us."
"And, to that end, we aren't going to put on a strenuous performance for this year's holiday season, for we realize the strain many of our Cape Mercy friends and fans are under, as well as our fans around the world."
"So we will simply perform in thanks and joy to this joyous season..."
Layla (who was just walking in to the room to join Yuri): "And the Hamilton Foundation and Kaleido Motors will pick up the tab, for performers and audience alike..."
The entire crowd gasped... Not only was the audience going to be able to see Kaleido Stage for free, but the ensemble was still getting their regular pay for it?
Yuri: "We are recognisant, in this economy, of the costs to see Kaleido Stage. It is not only the least we can do for our fans, but for you as well."
"We will have one production around the week of Christmas to honor the birth of our Lord and Savior, and then a celebratory New Year's production to take us a week into next year."
"So, as Sora might say, let's make this the Happiest Kaleido Stage Holidays ever!"
Sora beamed. She knew Yuri was right.
Later that evening – the new Robbins-Naegino Family Suite
Rosetta: "And a heater for your baby bottles!!"
No one spared any expense for the Kaleido Star's family. Though maybe not to Layla's standard of living, it was the home a Kaleido Star's growing family would deserve, right down to the crib for little Hope...
Mia: "The mobile looks like the Angel's Maneuver trapeze..."
Layla: "That's right. Three of my former assistants were in the audience the day Sora and Rosetta won the Paris Festival at Kaleido Stage, and decided to make that as a measure of thanks."
Hope was already playing with it when Sora hugged Layla for the touching gesture.
Sora: "And please be sure that those three are told how much I appreciate their gift."
Layla: "I will let them know, Sora. Thank you."
Anna was playing with Hope too (with, now, much better results), while May and Rosetta just smiled at the whole spectacle.
Rosetta: "Did you ever think we would all be so happy?"
May: "This was the dream Sora was trying to show to all of us those years ago, and I never believed it was possible..."
Rosetta: "But she made it real, for all of us."
"For you, to find your place here and be happy."
"For me, to fulfill my dream with her with the Legendary Great Maneuver."
"For Kalos and Sarah, to find peace."
"For Leon and Yuri, to find closure."
"And for Ken, to find love where it always was."
Rosetta smiled, nodded her head, and completed the thought by saying: "That's our Sora."
May put her arm around Rosetta and agreed: "Yep, that's our Sora."
Sora smiled at the two over all the discussions of her new living space for her, her husband, and the next generation.
A few hours later – Rosetta's Room
Rosetta was having that dream again.
Today was a day full of dreams, not only for Rosetta, nor only for the rest of Kaleido Stage, but for the Robbins-Naegino family as well.
For the latter was truly home.
That was not lost on Rosetta's dream. Rosetta was flying again.
She was reliving that moment, like she had for most of the past year.
But, all of a sudden, the face she saw next to hers was no longer Sora's.
It was the Fool, and he had something to say to her:
"Now that you have grown to legendary heights with The True Star, the day must now come that you surpass her."
Rosetta blinked her eyes, whispered "No.", and began to fall from the heights of Kaleido Stage.
She woke in a cold sweat, and went out for a late-night walk.
The rest of her night was dreamless and restless. What was the Fool trying to tell her?