Kaleido Stage Dormitories Terrace

"Here?" asked a black-haired girl pointing at an empty spot on a desk.

"A bit more to the right actually." said another girl guiding the pointing hand.

"So he's standing there right now?"

"Yes."

"You told him not to move, right Rosetta?"

"Why do you all of a sudden want to see him, May?" intervened a third girl who was the only one seated.

"Because I want to convince myself that this 'Fool' exists and that you two are not as crazy as I think you are."

"Layla could also see him and I don't think she, out of all the people was crazy."

"Exactly! That's just why I want to see him, if Layla could, then there has to be something to this spirit after all."

With that the young Chinese girl became silent and locked her sight on that spot on the table, slowly raising her hand. As she got closer Fool couldn't keep his nerve and asked frightened.

"Sora what is she doing?"

The lavender-haired girl was equally confused. "What's wrong May?"

"Shhht." she quietly said. "I don't want to scare him."

With one final step May had gotten close enough. She maintained her focused posture. Fool on the other hand was at the end of his nerve and started shaking, gulping nervously.

"HA!" yelled out May as she violently brought her hand down making a loud sound.

Both, Rosetta and Sora, flinched as it happened. The umbrella attached to the table shaked violently for a few seconds, but still couldn't regain its right angle. It remained inclined and was testimony to May's strength. The Chinese raised her hand. There was a visible dent where her palm had just been.

"Why did you just do that?" asked Rosetta holding her hand on her pounding heart after the slight shock.

"You two are crazy! There is nothing here."

Sora also calmed herself. "After a hit like that, I don't think there would have been anything left. It's a good thing he vanished in time."

"What!? I didn't know he could disappear like that."

"Of course I can! And I'll do it again if she tries something like that again."

Sora quickly turned and spotted Fool next to her, who had reappeared. He too hand his hand on his pounding chest after almost being flattened.

"Are you all right?" she asked concerned over the spirit.

"I've been better."

Rosetta also looked over to Sora's shoulder. "At least she is not …"

"Don't move Sora." interrupted May, after having crossed the line of sight of her two friends, deducing the spirits position.

"…going to try again." finished Rosetta sighing. Why does she always have to exaggerate?

Sora and Fool were terrified seeing May cocked like a revolver, with her hand raised, ready to fire any minute. If May ever set a goal in her head she would not back down until she accomplished it. The outcome looked inevitable for Fool and Sora as they were only inches away from certain doom.

"Oh for the love of god." said Rosetta having run out of patience.

She quickly grabbed Fool and took off her orange wristband. It was a simple piece of thin colored cloth. Rosetta quickly and quite skillfully tied the wristband around Fool's neck, even making a nice ribbon. Sora upon seeing him couldn't contain her laughter. A fool's job may be to bring laughter to the crowd, but this is the first time the fool turned into the clown.

"What? What's wrong?" asked the spirit, but no answer came from the Japanese as she couldn't stop laughing.

"Now, either I am a magician or there is something." said Rosetta.

May gulped, she expected Fool's existence to be true, but this was the first apparition she ever witnessed. As a child she never believed in ghosts or any supernatural beings, but now she had proof. She poked the floating ribbon, feeling the general size and shape. After she was done she also took a seat, pleased to have found an answer, but still a bit surprised.

"So you two aren't crazy after all."

"You could have believed us from the start, not go out ghost-hunting." added Rosetta still a bit annoyed by the whole incident.

"I needed to know for sure."

"You always like to exaggerate."

"Exaggerate!? I'm merely doing what I think is right."

A new argument began between the two, each one bringing up valid points, but neither backing down. Sora had seen it all before, it was the second time today.
At first they fought over Fools existence which led to the preceding event; now they couldn't agree on giving all you've got, with May constantly repeating, "If it's worth doing, it's worth overdoing."

The Japanese could do only one of two things. Let them wear each other out, or break them up, but at the moment it was too soon into the argument for her to put an end to it, so she resolved to stay put.

If Layla was here she would have easily stopped the two. I miss the times where she easily took over control and set things right. I still don't have that commanding aura that she has … I might never. If I think about it, I don't think I've met someone with equal strength.

She might have told me back then that everyone is weak at times, that I've added to her strength.

But the image in my head is still the same … the always strong Layla Hamilton.

"Hello?" said Fool waving his hand on front of her. "Are you alright Sora?"

The girl snapped out of it. "Huh? What were you saying?"

"I was just concerned; you seemed lost there for the past minutes."

"I was just thinking."

"Pleasant thoughts?" teased Fool. Seeing the confused look on Sora's face he added, "Because you were smiling before I drew your attention."

Smiling? Odd … Why would I do that? I wasn't thinking about anything pleasant in particular.

"I was just remembering some past events."

"Don't get caught in the past and look towards your future."

"I know, I know …How is the argument going?" asked Sora referring to Rosetta and May.

"Still as strong, if anything it has gotten a lot more intense in the last couple of minutes."

"Question is, how to stop them?"

Sora thought about it for a bit, then came to the only solution at hand.

"So May, is that all you wanted to know about Fool?"

"Actually I had a few other questions." said the Chinese, easily breaking up the argument. Rosetta also didn't pursue, she too felt as it could have lasted for another hour and still without a clear winner. If she thought about it, all fights with May ended that way.

"Well ask away."

"For starters, now that we've established that he exists, how does he look like?"

"Hmm, that's a bit complicated."

"Just a rough description."

Sora also didn't know how to properly describe the spirit.

"Well, he's tiny, as tall as my palm is long."

Rosetta continued. "Long hair …"

"Blond, but not a very bright color …" Sora said, the description switching between the two.

"Wearing a grey suit …"

"…with a vest. "

"That's right, a dark vest with golden ornaments."

"A big thing, I don't know what its called, over his shoulders."

"…red with golden strands hanging from it."

"A white mask covering one of his eyes."

"Don't forget the red ace of diamonds on it."

"Oh yeah, that too."

"What else?"

"Something like a circlet with a pink crystal on it."

"Golden armbands."

"His vest stretches on the back and hands around in a spiral."

"Is that all?" asked May already confused by the image.

"I think that pretty much sums it up." said Sora taking one last look at Fool so that she did not forget anything. "Ah, yes and wearing an orange ribbon." She started laughing again.

"Ha-ha, very funny, now help me take this thing off."

"I think it suits you."

"Stop joking around and help me with this."

Sora however wouldn't comply. He struggled to take it off.

"A little help here Rosetta?"

"No. I agree with Sora on this, it does look good on you."

Fool saw that he would not receive help so he flew away annoyed.

"Did he just leave?"

Rosetta and Sora laughed a bit, always amused by playing with the spirit like that. They didn't do it with a malicious intent, it was just too fun.

"Well is there anything else you want to know?"

May became a bit serious. "Yes. Why can you see him?"

Sora answered. "As far as he has told me, only those who are destined to be on the stage can see him."

The lavender-haired girl didn't see how she did it, but her answer brought May's mood down. Rosetta however knew what the problem was and quickly tried to set things right.

"Now don't think that you don't belong on stage. I, for a matter of fact, know that he watches over all the performers of the stage, including you."

"Yes, that's small consolation, but how do you think I can become as good as Layla if I wasn't called to the stage like the two of you?"

"Just because you were not called does not mean you don't belong here. I think it's quite amazing that you came here, because you chose to. It doesn't matter if you see him or not. What matters is to do what you came here to do; perform for the crowd."

Just as quick as the frown settled in, it miraculously lifted as the Chinese girl's good disposition returned. "If you put it that way."

Sora was surprised, never before had she seen Rosetta like this, she didn't even notice what May's troubles were. Rosetta however did and dealt with them so quickly and skillfully that it restored May's confidence.

How did she just do that? I never heard Rosetta speak like this to anyone. Where could she have picked something like this up? The only other person who was able to something like this was … an image flashed before Sora's eyes so quickly it disappeared before she got a chance to blink. But the image was unmistakably clear. …Layla.

Could Rosetta have developed the same confidence-giving aura as Layla? There were other occasions with other where just that was needed, but it failed to show. Could she have adopted this recently? Or is it because of May?

"Now that we cleared up that little misunderstanding, we should be going to practice for the next show." said Rosetta, pleased to have prevented May to slip into self-accusation.

"Very well. Sora, will you join us?" said May looking at the Japanese girl.

But once again, Sora was lost in her thoughts; she had been surprised by Rosetta's recent behavior, but didn't quite understand where it came from. If the red-haired girl had become so tuned with May's thoughts then why didn't she end their initial argument? She was starting to think that both girls fought each other simply for fun. Since Swan Lake, Rosetta and May had become quite close, although you would not have guessed it by the way they were communicating earlier.

"Sora?" repeated May.

"Huh? You were saying?"

"That's really a bad habit, daydreaming like that."

"I'm sorry, I just can't think straight today."

"I was saying that we were going to go training."

"Would you care to join us?" repeated Rosetta extending a hand towards Sora.

"I'll join you in a few minutes; I have to clear my head for a bit."

"Ok, but don't skip on practice, there are still two days till vacation." reminded May.

"I won't."

And with that Rosetta and May left. Sora couldn't explain herself. Today started like any other day, but now the last hours spent with Rosetta and May seemed to have provoked something in her. She felt troubled, but she didn't know why. Replaying the recent discussions in her head she further contemplated.

… we should be going to practice for the next show … Would you care to join us? …

'we' … 'us' … Why do I feel like those words mean something to me? Why does it seem that they were talking only like partners? … Come on, where's your head? They've performed flawlessly together in the last couple of shows, better than what I managed with Leon.

I perform very well with him as well, but why doesn't our partnership seem as deep as the one between Rosetta and May?

There is never an 'us' or 'we' between me and him. It's just Sora and Leon. But I've felt such a deep partnership before … with Layla.

Sora got up and started walking towards the hall.

Why do all my recent thoughts end in Layla?

Thanks for reviewing. Yes, it is SoraXLayla fic, although not as obvious at first.

BIG thanks go to FallingAwakefor proof-reading.