Title: Let's Do the Wacky
Author: Wingweaver
Disclaimer: Kaleido Star and its characters all belong to Junichi Sato and Gonzo Digimation Holding. No copyright infringement was intended (I merely borrowed the characters for a spot of fun).
Author's Notes: Well, well, well. Here's chapter one and my muse is still buzzing, this onetakes place a few days after the Prologue. I have some ideas in my head on what to do with this story especially on certain scenes, if you have some with you; feel free to share. The rating is T for now, it might go up as the story goes and doesn't Miss Charity remind you guys of someone? Oh and before I forget: thoughts, "normal dialogue", "flashback dialogue", 'emphasis or quote' and scene flashbacks will be indicated by something but you'll know when you find it. Anyway, on with the story!
01010011 01110100 01100001 01110010
Chapter 1: An Amazing Scheme!
01010011 01110100 01100001 01110010
Layla had wanted so badly to perform immediately on stage again but her injury stopped her. So she ended up going on a temporary leave, performing on Broadway to compensate and getting the medical treatment needed for her shoulder.
Performing on Broadway had been an amazing learning experience (she had played roles and acts she never expected to) but during those times she never felt that indescribable (but amazing) feeling after every performance. Because no matter how loud the audience would applaud or how many times they yelled 'encore' and 'bravo' she was never satisfied. The only time she felt such applause affect her so much was when she performed the Mystical Act with Sora. Even through the haze of pain and exhaustion she felt their applause thunder through her and she felt truly happy.
Now eight months later with her shoulder healed and determined to take a leading role with Sora, Layla Hamilton is ready for the stage.
The only thing needed to be done now is approve the script proposed by Mia.
She reread the summary again, the story was interesting and something that Kaleido Stage hasn't done yet. It was a modified Norse Myth, a tragic love story between Sigurd and Brünnhilde.
01010011 01110100 01100001 01110010
Brünnhilde was a Valkyrie tasked to decide a fight between two kings, Halmgunnar and Agnar. She knew that her father, Odin, preferred Halmgunnar over the other. Yet she decided that the battle was for Agnar. Because of this Odin stripped her of her immortality and condemned into an eternal sleep in a ring of fire until a hero of courage would rescue her and awaken her from her sleep.
Sigurd, a hero and slayer of the dragon Fafnir, was able to pass through the ring and awaken Brünnhilde. The two fell in love and would have had a happy ending if Gunnar, a king jealous Sigurd's accomplishments, challenged Sigurd in a fair fight because wanted to take Brünnhilde as his wife. Gunnar was able to kill Sigurd but not without the help of Hagen, Gunnar's brother.
The gods were furious of Gunnar cheating and sent Valkyries to strike him down.
Brünnhilde was in grief and with her love gone she willed herself to die. When Sigurd's funeral pyre was alight, she jumped into it—thus Brünnhilde and Sigurd passed on together to Hel.
01010011 01110100 01100001 01110010
She placed the script down and looked at Kalos, who still hadn't finished reading. So with nothing to do but wait, Layla closed her eyes and pretended to think. Yuri thought it was a ridiculous habit and teased her endlessly about it.
He was just jealous that he couldn't pull it off and look cool while doing it.
The blonde was about to nod off when she heard the sound of Kalos's chair squeak and papers rustling (she has an amazing sense of hearing, developed from 'accidentally' eavesdropping on conversations backstage, especially when the topic was about lilac haired Japanese girl). She opened her eyes and looked at Kalos.
He was leaning his back comfortably against his chair, hands folded in front of him and his eyes obscured by the light reflected from his glasses. For all the time that she'd known the stage owner and former magician, she had never seen him go anywhere without his glasses. Even indoors, especially backstage where the lights where slightly dimmed and several dark corners can be used for spying or lurking (it's not as if she knew all the good spots) those glasses were 'always' stuck to his face.
An image of Kalos sleeping and doing other mundane activities with his glasses on came unbidden into her mind's eye. She had to suppress a grin and cover the resulting grimace by straightening her back.
"I assume that Sora will be taking a leading role as well." Layla stated, never one to ask questions (unless necessary).
She can already imagine Sora as Brünnhilde and her as Sigurd. It didn't matter that Leon was still part of the cast. The silver haired man can play Gunnar or a rock for all she cared (which isn't much) and if he tried to audition as Sigurd, she'd just kick his ass all the way to Fr-
"She won't be part of this production. Sora left for Japan a few days ago due to a family emergency. You will play as Brünnhilde and Leon will take Gunnar."
Of course, with her as Brünnhilde and Sora as Sigurd it would be—Wait… what?
"Sora left for Japan?" The blonde said slowly, attempting to process this new found information.
Kalos raised an eyebrow. "Is something wrong, Layla?"
"No…" She coughed. "Nothing. I was just surprised." And utterly disappointed of the news. She had missed the girl during her time away from the stage and the visits (no matter how long or short they were) weren't enough.
"If you're sure—" A knock interrupted the stage owner. "Come in."
"Oh Kalos!" Sarah entered.
"Hey boss!" Mia followed after the dorm manager while dragging a young man along by the hand.
Mia walked up to the chair opposite Layla and pushed the young man onto before moving to stand behind his chair. Sarah, on the other hand, went and stood next to Kalos's chair. Layla was curious and stared at the person opposite her.
"Layla this is Tenshi Azamuku. He'll be replacing Sora for the time being and will take the role of Sigurd."
A tic started on Layla's brow as she stared at the 'substitute'. His hair was a light shade of brown and with his head bowed she couldn't see much of his face, except for the large blush he was attempting to hide. She noticed that he was a little scrawny, as if he had never touched or lifted weights.
This boy needs to eat. A lot.
The boy stood up (head down) and bowed towards Layla. "I-its nice to meet you, Ms. Hamilton. I'll do my best as Si-sigurd!"
How old is he? Layla crossed her arms, eyes still scrutinizing the new comer.
"Kalos are you sure that this boy can perform as Sigurd? He looks skinner than Ken and from what I understood on the script, Sigurd's part includes a very dangerous stunt!" She said with a stern voice, the one that she had used on Sora many times before. Have I apologized to her yet?
It's not that she didn't like the boy (maybe she dislikes him a bit) but he looks like he might break. She didn't want anyone (especially an amateur) to injure themselves just so they could show off.
"Ms. Hami-Layla!" Tenshi suddenly looked up and Layla was taken a back. The boy's eyes were the same shade as his hair but what surprised her was the resolute look on his face that she had seen so many times on Sora. She felt her heart skip a beat. "Ms. Layla, I may not look much but I know I can be your Sigurd! I'll make sure of that and I'll do whatever it takes to perfect any stunt you give me!"
The two leads stared at each other both unwilling to look away and only did so when Kalos stood up.
"It's settled then. Tenshi will be Sigurd, Leon as Gunnard and you, Layla will play as Brünnhilde." The stage owner walked towards the door. "Mia stay for a bit, I need to talk to you about the supporting roles. The rest of you may leave."
Layla was the first to leave, walking away in a brisk pace and slamming the door on her way out. If she didn't have any dignity and wasn't supposed to act like a debutant, Layla would've thrown a temper tantrum. She didn't even say goodbye!
Sarah was the next one to leave but not before delivering a clothesline to Tenshi, dragging him along (the young man screaming like a girl) and rushed out in a blur of gold and brown.
Kalos hummed quietly to himself before turning to face the young script writer. This will be interesting.
01010011 01110100 01100001 01110010
A Few Days Prior
01010011 01110100 01100001 01110010
Sora shivered as the cool sea breeze brushed against her neck. It was a strange but pleasant feeling and was something that she'd have to get used to, since it might take a while for her hair to grow back. She peered around a slanted column and eyed the entrance. It was several meters away and if she made a front handspring step out, round-off back handspring step-out, round-off back handspring and a-
"Yoo hoo! Soraaa!"
Sora stood up straight, someone had seen her and the boss specifically said that no one was supposed to. She heard footsteps approach her rapidly from behind before she was glomped by a very energetic and karate adept blonde.
"There you are! I've been looking all over for you!" Sarah heard a squeak from the Japanese girl and pulled away. "Hmm… What? What did you say?"
"C…air…can't breathe…need…" A blue faced and half-dead Sora wheezed.
In all her life the young girl never imagined that this was how she would spend the last moments of her life; held in the embrace of a beautiful blonde woman (but not the one she preferred) that just happened to be the one killing her. C'est la vie.
"Oh! Now why didn't you say so?" The blonde said and let go.
Sorah breathed in the much needed air, her face slowly recovering its natural color.
"Sarah…" She looked at the British woman. "How did you know it was me?"
The blonde chuckled as if nothing happened earlier (as if Sora nearly didn't choke to death from her surprisingly strong arms).
"Oh, it was easy!" She paused. "I'd recognize that ass of yours anywhere and other than Rosetta and Marion you're the shortest one here!"
What? The shortest… am I really that small? And how does she recognize my ass? It's not that fat isn't it or too skinny? I don't think it's saggy, either.
"But that doesn't matter. Come, I need to bring you to your temporary room and make sure you're dressed for this occasion. I'll also have to make sure no one sees you!"
But wait! If she knows my ass, does the same thing apply to my bre-
"Dressed? Dressed for what?" Sora snapped out of her inner tirade and noticed the British woman backing away from her. "Sarah, what are doing?"
"Let's go!" The Karate expert clotheslined Sora and ran off in a blur of blonde and brown.
I-I'm gonna die…
01010011 01110100 01100001 01110010
"What!" Sora slammed her hands on Kalos's desk. "I can't do that! That! THAT!"
"And why not?" Kalos said, not at all surprised at Sora's out burst.
"Because…because…" She tried to think of a reason, a good and valid reason that's reasonable enough to convince the sometimes unreasonable stage owner. She tried, she tried so hard but the aluminum foils still attached to Kalos's hair distracted her, blinding her with its shiny-ness.
"I just CAN'T!"
Kalos stared, face stoic (as usual). "Not good enough."
Sora groaned, unceremoniously plopping herself down in a chair. She winced slightly, the bandages were too tight. Maybe she'd ask Sarah to loosen them up a bit later.
"Sora Naegino will leave for Japan due to a family emergency because of an upcoming production we had to find a temporary replacement." Kalos explained.
"And I…" Sora paused. "Tenshi Azamuku will take Sora's place for the time being."
"Correct."
"Why am I doing this, again?" Sora or rather Tenshi asked. Will I ever get to live my life peacefully?
"Every performer has their own way of portraying the role they play, some are desperate, some graceful and some unpredictable. They sometimes base these on their own personality or on someone they admire." Kalos's glasses obscured his eyes, once again. "I want you to become someone else, literary, and create a new identity."
Sora blinked. This is just like the time when she played the Mermaid but this time… a new identity. I guess I won't be Sora Naegino for awhile.
01010011 01110100 01100001 01110010
Author's Notes: There goes chapter one! The Norse Myth used here is part of the Volsunga Saga which includes the origin and destruction of the Volsung Clan and part of it is the story of Brünnhilde and Sigurd. I modified it a bit, okay a lot, so that it'd be easier to include it. If you guys remember the prologue I mentioned that this story is set after season one and New Wings may or may not happen. Well I changed my mind, Let's Do the Wacky is set after New Wings. Are the OVAs included? Yes they are but they won't affect this fic much. Is anyone even reading the author's notes?
