XOXOXOXO

Disclaimer: I do not own Kaleido Star

XOXOXOXO

Kaleido Star- True Love

"Hey everyone! Kaleido Star is about to start! So make sure your room is brightly lit and that you're not sitting too close to the TV!"

Chapter 1- The Amazing Almost Kiss

The tired audience watched in awe as the climaxing scene of Swan Lake was drawing nearer. So far the entire production had been executed perfectly, and everyone watching had not been disappointed or angry for coming to such an early show. Not one person's eyes left the view of Rosetta the Angel of Light which led Odile, played by May away from her envious and angry heart, as they preformed their beautiful Eternal Illusion.

As Rosetta and May's trapeze swung back to its starting place and they left the stage, Sarah appeared singing the song that everyone knew would signal Sora and Leon's appearance on the stage. The entire back wall of the Kaleido Stage opened revealing the dark early morning sky and the entire crowd sucked in a deep breath. A silence fell over everyone and everything as Sora was seen jumping high into the air upon the trampoline.

Sora jumped up to her partner's waiting hand, and he pulled her up into the air, giving her the appearance of pure weightlessness. Leon looked on lovingly as the beautiful Sora Naegino floated up above him posing as the maiden she was, as her swan feather costume fell away to reveal the angel that Odette, Sophie and Sora truly always were. The sun rose behind her, and the hazy pink and purple sky gave the appearance of a halo as she floated above them. Leon's heart began to pound in his chest as he started to perform. He flipped to the next trapeze and caught Sora with his ankles lifting her back up into the sky. He watched her, as she flipped from trapeze to trapeze with great balance and ease, his eyes filled with all the love he had ever felt for Sophie. However, this was something different. Leon was treasuring every moment on stage with Sora and as she flew towards him with all her grace, he leaned in for a kiss. Leon felt she had leaned in as well, and he was sure that he would get what he had always wanted from her, but she pulled away just before their lips met and spun up into the air in a way that reminded him of Sophie. The show went on and Leon smiled, Sora felt so much pride within herself that she was the cause of his smile.

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The beauty of the Angel's Maneuver had awakened everyone's angel heart, and all the performers whose hearts that Sora had ever touched, felt the need to perform on the stage with her. Suddenly everyone was performing and doing what they knew best for the audience. It was exactly what Sora always wanted. It was what Layla, Leon and everyone else never thought was possible. A stage with no competition, no conflict, just everyone together doing what they knew best, was the happiest thing she could ever see in her life.

When she finally floated down back towards Leon she could feel his strong arms wrapping around her and she looked up into his smiling and content face as the crowd roared into generous applause. Everything was perfect.

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Sora ran backstage and was trampled by all of her friends. She could feel her lungs being crushed.

"Please guys stop it. You're going to kill me!" her voice strained.

"We're sorry, but we're just so happy, Sora!" Rosetta exclaimed.

"Yeah," Mia interjected, "Everything was perfect, even better than I envisioned it!"

"You think so?" Sora looked up serenely at her friend, she smiled warmly.

"Oh shut up," A strong French accented voice said as Leon Oswald emerged from the shadows.

"Huh?" Sora questioned turning towards him.

"Hey Leon…aren't you supposed to be nice now that you and Sora are partners?" Anna shouted glaring at him.

He rolled his fiery silver eyes and walked toward Sora as she rose from where she sat on the ground. "The performance this morning was…adequate," he told her, glaring down condescendingly, "But do not forget, we have to do it again this afternoon, make sure it's perfect by then." He walked away towards the dressing room not even bothering to look back. Sora stared at him as he sauntered from her and when he had finally passed the double doors, fell to her knees.

"What's with him?" May asked loudly. "We were perfect…you were perfect Sora. Although, if I had been giving the chance…"

"Can it May," Anna said before she could finish.

"The nerve of him," said Sarah angrily. "He should be hung up his ankles and fed to a raving animal."

Marion and Jonathan looked up her, "uh huh," they said nodding their approval.

"Great job everyone!" Everyone looked up to see Ken running towards them waving his hand excited.

He looked at Sora, who was still on her knees upon the floor, her head hung low in defeat. "Huh? What happened?" He bent down dropping his clipboard to grab her hand.

"What…did I do wrong?" she whispered, not attempting to grab Ken's hand. "Everything was perfect…I just wanted everyone to be happy…"

"Don't you know already?" Anna said picking Sora up. "Leon is never happy."

"But, don't you see Anna," Sora said passion flaring in her eyes. "I won't stand for that. I made a promise to myself. I promised that I would make Leon see me as an equal and good enough partner for him."

"But if it hasn't happened yet after all of this-"

"If it hasn't happened yet after all of this, then I just haven't been trying hard enough!" Sora interrupted her. "I'll be in the dressing room…" Sora said walking away.

"There goes Sora again," Marion sang, "Always trying to make someone happy."

Jonathan barked in agreement.

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Sora grievingly walked into her dorm room after the congratulatory party and threw herself upon her bed. Leon had failed to show up.

'What is going on?' she thought to herself. "During this afternoon's performance, Leon didn't look at me the same as before. He didn't even come to our party. Did I anger him? What am I gonna do?" She looked to her right, the Spirit of the Stage in her full view. "Fool what am I doing wrong?"

"An angel heart is a beautiful thing that should never be left alone." He said to her matter-of-factly.

"But what do you mean? I'm not alone. I've got all of my friends here at Kaleido Stage not to mention my family."

"There are some forms of loneliness only a certain person can ease." He floated above her, "Your sign is unsure where it should be aiming it's arrow at this moment. Now that you have mastered both the Legendary Great Maneuver and the Angel's Maneuver your heart is unsure what it wants next. Until Sagittarius can figure out what is in its heart it will be unable to aim for anything."

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"I was afraid you'd say that." The Fool said exhausted at his attempt, a bead of sweat coming from his brow. "Perhaps a bubble bath would ease your confusion…"

Sora stretched her arms above her head, "Yeah maybe you're right…a bubble bath would do me some good."

"Wait. I'm…right?" The Fool said to himself in amazement.

"Just as soon as I get you out of the way," Sora grabbed the fool gently by the hair as he struggled and placed him into her draw and as she hummed a tune; she twisted the key in the lock and placed it unto her dresser. Sora walked toward her bathroom slowly stripping off her clothes.

"Man I never get a break," said the Fool disappointed.

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"No! No! No! That's not right!" Cathy shouted up Sora and Leon causing them to stop and look down at her. It was three weeks since the original airing of Swan Lake, and the passion and emotion, from the days before seemed to be slipping.

"Where's the passion from the first performance?" Cathy inquired placing her pen behind her ear," Sora you look like you're a million miles away, and Leon you just look bored."

"Quite frankly…I am," he said scowling at Cathy.

May looked intently at the couple. "Yeah Sora, you should keep Leon entertained, or I might just come up from behind you and steal your role."

"That won't be necessary," Layla's voice came from far up in the seats, stunning everyone into silence. "Kalos told me you'd been having trouble, so I had to come see for myself, Sora. I have to say, I'm disappointed in you. This is not the Sora I was compelled to watch during our audition. I know you can fix this, so get on with it."

"I'm sorry Layla, Cathy, everyone, I promise I'll try harder…" Sora said tiredly. "I just wish I had more cooperation from Leon," she added sheepishly.

"More cooperation from moi?" Leon jumped down from his trapeze in quick fluent motion. "You need to get Odette right…and I mean more than just your perfect Angel's Maneuver, until then I won't be happy. I've said it a million times before and I shall say it again. I can do this show by myself!"

"There's no way you could!" Sora shouted back at him. "What about your promise to Sophie?"

"What about my promise? The Angel's Maneuver has been perfected. I have no farther need for you." Leon turned around and walked out

Sora dropped slowly from her trapeze and landed gently on a trampoline. She looked at everyone waiting for someone to give her an answer. No one spoke, she felt humiliated. How even after all that they had been through could Leon not accept her as his partner? She thought of how he had looked at her during the first showing of Swan Lake, how soft and warm his hand against her face had been. How safe she felt in his arms when it was over. But what she remembered most was how they almost kissed. Sora's cheeks became red just as she thought of this. His silver eyes were filled with so much love, she remembered wanting to look into them forever. The only other time she had ever felt that way was when he climbed to the top of his trapeze and forced her unto to the stage to be his Juliet. Both times she was confused and didn't know what to do. Where had that passion gone? And why did she miss it so?...

"So Sora?" Cathy's voice broke through her day dream. "Aren't you going to go after him? He is after all, your partner."

Sora looked at Cathy the strength returning to her big brown eyes. She nodded, "You're right. He is my partner, and I've gotta do my best to bring back the Leon we were finally starting to like."

Sora flipped off of the side of the trampoline and exited the room through the same door Leon had left through. In the distance Sora could hear Cathy say, "Okay just 'cause they're gone doesn't mean your rehearsal is over! Keep going!"

Sora traveled down the corridor to Leon's room. She knocked on his door shouting his name, hoping he would pay mind to her. When he didn't answer she decided it was better to go to her room and get some rest. She entered her dorm room and laid on her bed, before long she was asleep.

"Sora?" she heard Mia's voice call her name, as she and Anna opened the door.

She wanted to answer, but felt far too sad to say a word, she turned to her side on the bed and curled up a bit.

"Sora?" Anna repeated, they walked further into the dorm and saw her on her bed. Mia frowned and Anna sat at the edge of the bed.

"Are you still upset about him walking out on you?" Anna whispered softly.

Sora felt soft tears ball up in her eyes, but she wouldn't cry.

"I just can't believe him!" Mia exclaimed, "He's such a creep! He doesn't deserve to be your partner Sora."

"Yeah, and that's his problem, not yours," Anna added trying to be as comforting as possible.

Sora turned over in bed and looked up at the ceiling, "No it's our problem, Anna," she said stretching her arms to either side of her. "We have to work together day after day, and if we can't get along, we're just lying to the audience again, and I don't want to do that. I want the smiles on their faces to be real, and I just want everyone to be happy," she sighed. "I just want Leon…to be…" she whispered mostly to herself.

"Well if you feel so strongly about it, I'm sure Sarah would like to show him a few Martial Arts techniques, she can shove the happiness right up his.."

"Anna!" Mia exclaimed.

"Just kidding!" she said shaking her hands in front of her. "Seriously, Sora, you should talk to him, go to his room demand some answers."

"I tried that," she sighed. "He didn't answer the door. This is hopeless."

"Well I think you should try again," Mia said. "It wouldn't hurt, I have a feeling he'll let you in this time. Anyway, we're gonna go grab something to eat. If you want us to bring something up for you we will."

"No thanks," Sora whispered.

"Okay, we'll see you later," Anna closed the door behind them.

"Mia is very right," The Fool said appearing beside Sora's head. "She seems like a very nice girl, someone who would probably happily agree to a nice mutual bubble bath with you…"

Sora's eye's bulged wide and shoved her big feather pillow down unto Fool smothering him.

Sora decided that she agreed with Mia.

"I'm not gonna let him get the best of me," she whispered to herself. "All his other attempts to bring me down failed miserably and I'm not going to let him succeed this time. He's going to hear my mouth."

She walked down the corridor to Leon's room dreading every step closer.

'Why does he have to be so mean? I thought I had made a breakthrough, I thought he could finally leave the past behind and be happy.'

She stood in front of his dark Mahogany door and sighed, there was no turning back.

She knocked and a male voice told her to enter.

She opened the door slowly, "I'm sorry to bother you Mr. Oswald. But I wanted to ask if you really meant what you said today at rehearsal."

Sora stopped in her tracks, the color rising in her cheeks. Approximately ten feet in front of her was Leon in nothing but a towel which only covered his lower body. Her eyes couldn't help but be caught by the broadness of his shoulders and the perfect chiseled shape of his muscles. She let out a whimpered cough and turned her head away, her blush growing even more red.

"I meant everything I said," He said harshly, causing Sora to jerk her vision back to him blushing again when she set eyes on his frame.

"But why?"

Leon thrust himself toward her, one arm closing the door as he pressed her against it. Sora got the feeling he didn't like being questioned. Sora's embarrassment grew at the closeness of their bodies and Leon's lack of dress, and she would have given anything at that moment to just sink into the door, to escape that room.

'Why is Leon always so forward?' Her blood boiled under her skin and she could suddenly feel his arousal through the towel. His skin was still slightly moist from the shower he had just come out of.

"Leon, I'll go if…"

"You just don't get it do you?" He whispered into her ear. Sora felt his breath against her skin and she could feel her blood grow even warmer. "May is right, you truly are dense."

"Leon, I'm sorry…"

However Sora couldn't finish her apology, she became lost in Leon's eyes. The passion was back in his eyes, but why here of all places? Sora didn't know.

"Leon…" she whispered his name again.

"Sora," he whispered back.

Sora pressed her palm against the doorknob behind her. Why did the door have to open inward?

"Let me go," she finally said sternly.

Leon appeared to be searching her eyes, at that moment Sora wished with all of her might that she could read minds.

"I cant…I…I just want to go," she continued.

He smirked and leaned back allowing her to open the door.

He scoffed and turned around. Sora stood frozen against the door for a few seconds, regaining herself before turning around and exiting.

"I'm sorry!" she exclaimed before running down the hall.

xoxoxoxoxo

A/N: I wrote this story a few years ago, I've decided to revamp it, so I've edited it and I'm combining chapters because before they were hella too short :). I'm adding things that I believe were missing before, and I hope you enjoy it C=. Please tell me what you think.