"Kaleido Star: Legendary Rose"

Prologue

This is my first real attempt at an extended fan-fiction for an anime series. My effort to do this was inspired by the rec.arts.anime.misc "New Year's Challenge" for 2007. It got me interested, as did my love for the series Kaleido Star.

I loved Kaleido Star. I really did. But some things frustrated me. The biggest of which was that it really appeared as if there was more unfinished business surrounding the end of season two than there was at the end of season one. You'll see what I mean as you read the different chapters.

This is basically a hypothetical third season of Kaleido Star. It picks up basically right where the "Rosetta OVA" (Episode 52) leaves off. "Legend of Phoenix" has not occurred yet, but will at some point in the storyline. There is a new manga serialization in Japan -- that's not going to be part of this because of two reasons:

1) I don't know which serialization magazine actually has it, so I've never seen it.

And 2) I can't translate Japanese, so I can't get a grip of what is going on, except for some posted generalizations on the official site.

With this story, I have taken some liberties with the timeline, and with a couple with the characters in ways that might surprise you a little bit. I hope you enjoy it. I'm not for breaking the entire Kaleido Star archetype, but there will be some surprises.

Simply as a matter of administration, I don't own the characters nor the anime. ADV, Gonzo, and Sato-san have nothing to worry about on that end. (Besides, if I did own this, I'd have taken a couple of the characters and either moved them in different directions or removed them entirely, because they appeared pointless to me as to what they were doing in the actual anime – and that's why I work on some of that here.) All copyrighted elements still belong to their original owners. All relevant rights remain reserved by them. Does that make the lawyers happy? Please say yes. :)

Please read and comment on these chapters. As of the posting of the first three chapters, I've pretty much written the first five chapters and almost finished chapter six, but I'm willing to listen to ideas and the like. I am looking at doing 26 chapters -- some longer than others, and some shorter.

So read, comment, and enjoy.

Part 1: "Rosetta's Amazing Discovery"

The Present: After the first performance of "The Princess and the Fool"

Kaleido Stage Dressing Room

After their first performance as Kaleido Stage co-stars, Rosetta sat and talked to Sora as she remembered that day…

"It's just my imagination…", Rosetta remembered in her mind of the day she thought she first saw him.

"When was this?", Sora asked.

"It was during Swan Lake." Rosetta replied. "So much was happening at Kaleido Stage, especially with you, that I just couldn't come up and tell you. Besides, I didn't think you'd believe me!"

"That's what I felt at first, especially…" Sora said until she was abruptly stopped.

She could sense him. That baka Fool was going to harass her… again.

"Especially what?" Fool asked as he was looking Sora up and down, like he had many times before.

"Especially when YOU do THAT!!!" Sora howled as she grabbed the Fool and looked for an open window to toss Fool out of.

"You do realize that, now that you have found the path to true stardom…" Fool abruptly changed gears and continued, "… that now I am called upon to find another to eventually pass the dream of being a true Kaleido Star to. And the stage has chosen Rosetta Passel."

"Oh, thank you, Fool!" Rosetta beamed in response.

To which Sora could only tell Rosetta, with some derision: "Be careful what you wish for…"

Fool then retorted: "At least someone is grateful in this room…"

To which Sora then found the open window and chucked the Fool away, as far as the eye could see, and then some. Sora had gotten quite good at throwing Fool ridiculous distances when he was harassing her…

… or being a pervert.

… or both.

Then, Sora and Rosetta continued their conversation.

Rosetta: "A few days later was when I talked to him for the first time…"

Several Months Before -- Kaleido Stage Makeup Room

Rosetta was alone. The Eternal Illusion had taken much from her, especially last night. She had only recently before learned (with much prodding from the insistent May Wong) how to do the Eternal Illusion (complete with screaming the name when they do it), and still had much to learn before she could be the trapeze star that the clock was ticking on her to be.

Still, she was thrilled to be part of Kaleido Stage, and even more so at the inception of the Era of Light, the era of the True Star (not to mention her idol), Kaleido Star Sora Naegino.

But then, an eerie calm came over the room, as if Rosetta was going to pass out. It almost sounded as if light singing could be heard in the distance, but Rosetta knew that Sarah was already back in the dorm, taking care of dorm-mother affairs, like her nightly mission of turning on the lights (complete with nunchakus.).

A small, bright light could be seen directly in front of her, and then…

That form she saw before…

Rosetta jumped back, startled, still thinking that it was just her imagination.

"Can you see me, Rosetta?" Fool asked.

Rosetta stood up, as if to retreat into the corner. She had heard talk of the Spirit of the Stage, but never thought they would see each other face to face.

"Don't fear me, Rosetta Passel. You have been chosen by the stage. I am the Spirit of the Stage. My name… is Fool." Fool announced.

"Oh my God…" Rosetta replied. "It's really you."

"Yes it is.", Fool said. "And I trust you know what that means. You probably also have an idea that I helped guide Sora to being a Kaleido Star. And now I can tell you that you've been chosen to be the next…"

Rosetta screamed in exultation at that. She knew precisely what that meant!! She was going to follow in her idol Sora's footsteps. She was going to be able to fulfill her dream from the time she first stood on that stage with Sora during the Diabolo Battle, basking in the applause. She knew she would have the opportunity to be with Sora, and to eventually perform the Legendary Great Maneuver with her!

She ran to grab Fool and almost squeezed the breath out of him…

"Rosetta… I… can't….. breathe….", Fool huffed as he gasped for some air.

Rosetta screamed "THANK YOU!" about 100 times as she bolted from the door.

The Present

Rosetta: "But then I began to think… 'What if she doesn't believe me???'"

Sora: "I would've believed you. Although I would've warned you about his penchant for seeing women and girls naked…"

Fool, returning: "Hey, I resemble that remark!"

Sora went after him again, but Rosetta stopped her.

Rosetta: "But I've already learned so much from the Fool…"

She recounted the story as Sora chucked the Fool from the room again.

Two Months Ago, Rosetta's Dorm Room

"Understand this, Rosetta." the Fool said with some insistence. "Though I know you want to follow in Sora's footsteps, the road to that is a very hard one. You will encounter many hardships that will make the tears you've already shed here at Kaleido Stage seem minor in retrospect."

Rosetta nodded, and the Fool continued.

"There will be days that you will want to quit. There will be days that you just can't take it anymore. But if you really want to be a Kaleido Star…

If you really want to be like Sora…

Then you will listen to what I have to say."

"Yes, Master Fool…" Rosetta replied. It was the first time she would refer to him as such, and it would not be the last. It brought a smile to Fool's face.

"So, let's retire to the bath and run some water and get you cleaned off…" said the Fool, knowing that his intention was to see the young diabolo prodigy naked.

Just then, Ken burst in and said that it was time for her to practice some more with May.

Back to the Present

At this, Sora was absolutely steamed.

"So not only is he a pervert, but he's a pedophile too?? Just where did this idiot come from??" Sora roared.

Fool was crawling back toward the window to the room in question, and Sora slammed it shut.

"You really have to watch yourself when he's around, Rosetta. I know you are happy in your discovery of having a teacher as well as having me as an idol to look up to. The problem is, though, he's a handful to work with. You may be young, but you can't defer to him." Sora advised.

Rosetta pouted like only she can. She really liked the Fool, warts and all. She just wishes she could understand him more…

A few days before, on the road to the airport, after Sora and the crew saved Rosetta from her self-doubt

"I appreciate the kiss, Rosetta, but I think that you and Sora might want to know why I left you." Fool said after re-introducing himself to Rosetta.

"Yeah! Why would you scare HER like that?? She doesn't know you as well as I do…" Sora retorted.

"Let me explain. When I first knew of you, Sora, there was no doubt that you had the smile and the personality, along with the talent, to be what I was looking for. The problem is that Rosetta is often possessed with the same doubt you had when you went to perfect the Legendary Great Maneuver."

Sora: "But that still doesn't explain…"

Fool: "To be a Kaleido Star, as you well know, takes every bit of dedication that one can have. I needed to be sure that I could even start with Rosetta down that process, and her self-doubt, probably from her years of being simply a Diabolo Machine, continued to come into play. So I, as for her role, wanted to see a real smile."

"And you just gave it to me, Rosetta…"

For that, Rosetta blew the Fool another kiss. Ah, the passion of the French…

The Present

Just then, Ken called out: "Sora, Rosetta… It's time for the opening night party. May has cooked a feast for you."

That brought both the girls up with a start, and they ran out, giggling, knowing that the world lay in front of them…

But now Rosetta was the challenger and pioneer who could be called the fool for trying to be like her idol. And the Fool, the Spirit of the Stage, knew of the challenges which would await…

Or did he??

And were they all for Rosetta??