Back to basics

Bianka smiled up lovingly at her mother and then back at Bailarino who was now sporting her very own original outfit which Bianka had designed and her mother had made.

Lene' received her daughter's hug happily and turned to clean up the scraps of cut off materials lying around the sewing machine.

Bianka had done the doll's hair early that morning before going to school. It was a mink black wig, styled so that the hair hung in long spikes -up to shoulder length- near the front and gradually shortened and softened into short fluff nearing the nape. A blood red silk ribbon, which her mother had fished out from her accessories box, was tied around the doll's head. Tiny lolly pop earrings hung from equally tiny earlobes and a small pearl (her mother had happily given up to Bianka) swung from a white silken choker that fit snugly around the delicate neck. The sleeves of the white ballet half-top hung to the doll's knees and the sleeve ends were sloppily cut and frayed purposefully. The leotard underneath was like a swimming costume, and a deep, almost, maroon red. A transparent short skirt made from one square piece of white gauze was wound securely around the hips, and tied together via a piece of red leftover ribbon, the skirt of which looked flappy and easy to move in. Bailarino also wore a pair of white stockings and blood red ballet points.

"She looks like Snow White, minus the modern tan," Lene' said finding it hard not to be proud of her work. Lene' was and has been a genius with doll's clothes since she could sew.

"Ja, that was really an impulsive decision on my part. I just wanted her to look a little bit like me. It doesn't make her seem so alien." Bianka blinked and for a moment it seemed as if the doll winked. But she dismissed it; and thanking her mother once again she ran upstairs. Time to program Bailarino.

"Yada, yada, yad yad." Bianka muttered offhandedly. She had inserted the disk into the Angelic Layer's small and slim notebook laptop that came with every doll. Then her doll was levitated and scanned between two circular metallic rings, one that stayed stationery on the table, the other rose up into the air and a wall of light emitted from the disks and encircled Bailarino. Now she just had to get through the program and...

Her Angel's name was asked first and Bianka typed in 'Bailarino' keeping in mind that the 'do Luna' would only be known to her as a matter of personal preference.

'Is your Angel going to be light weight, middle weight or heavy weight? Please take the Angel's model into consideration before choosing.' For a moment Bianka sat staring at the screen and then typed in, 'Light weight.'

'Please choose three attributes from the list below that you wish your Angel's skills to be focused on.'

Hmm...Bianka then clicked on the given: 'Defence, speed and agility.'



'Please choose five personality traits for your Angel from the list below.'

Wow! Bianka scanned the long list, not understanding how this step in the programming was actually necessary considering the fact that she would control the doll. How was a mindless toy supposed to be 'Cheerful' for crying out loud? She sighed and chose four positive attributes: 'Fair, honourable, peaceful, playful,' and only one negative 'introverted.' She didn't understand why introverted was under the negative list as she herself was an introvert. She shook her head angrily and continued on up to the last question.

It was already dark when, with a sudden yawn, Bianka, closed the program and lifted her finished Angel out of the ring of light. Bailarino looked...more real now, scaringly so. Bianka expected her to snap her eyes open any minute and shout "Boo!" But half relieved and half disappointed she got into bed that night easily falling asleep despite her excitement.

The last day of school dawned and slowly Bianka crawled out of bed and landed with a thud on the carpeted floor followed by Bailarino who decided to join in the fun and also tumble out of bed. The doll smacked the slightly winded Bianka in the face and rolled off her face onto the floor next to her. Bianka rubbed her offended nose which was turning red.

"I never realised how big and...heavy these dolls were," she said picking up Bailarino. The doll looked delicate and breakable but Bianka had seen via Angelic Layer tournament videos how one doll could seriously damage another and she knew that on the Layer they could do much more damage than fall on someone's nose. She was actually scared for Bailarino's part.

At school, sitting in register class, Indwe once again joined her and they got to talking about Angelic Fights.

"I've got a brilliant idea! How about you and I head down to the Angelic Layer Stadium to practice, or in your case get your very first feel of how to control your Angel on the Layer," Indwe suggested, both she and Bianka having told each other of their dolls.

"Uh," the invitation caught Bianka surprise and for a moment she sat mulling it over. "Yeah, that sounds like an excellent plan. When though?"

"Hmm...Today actually. I'm there every Friday afterschool anyway for an hour or two so around the time the school closes today will be okay with me if it is for you?"

Bianka nodded. "Yes, of course. Umm...Where is the Stadium exactly?"

Indwe faked a disappointed sob of disbelief and threw her hands up theatrically in the air.

"You drama people, seriously," Bianka said giving way to a rare smile.

Indwe folded her arms and pretended to look offended. "You're one too you know." They both laughed at this unaware of a certain sniffling mousy person listening.



The Stadium was massive...and the amount of people in comparison to the buildings size was sadly disappointing. But Bianka shook this thought from her head and drank in the strange foreign quality of the Stadium. It couldn't have been designed by a South African. As one walked in through the large arched doorway the Tournament Layer lay in front, a large circular structure encircled by a pavilion that could probably fit thousands of people easily. A few steps from the entrance's right a doorway cut into the pavilion and stepping inside Bianka found herself in a well lighted corridor that smelled of fresh paint. She continued down the corridor and came to what seemed like a dead end.

She stood there, feeling increasingly stupid and confused. On impulse she took a step forward and a red laser passed over Bailarino quickly and it appeared as if the wall just slid away. She realised that it was just a sliding door cleverly designed against people who: "Just want to take a look around." Looks as if Bailarino is my access card in these kinds of places, she thought. This technology was really amazing and she supposed that the entrance doors, as well, had only opened because of Bailarino. She stepped into a spotless white corridor lighted by green fluorescent lights and, at the indication of an arrow on the wall that read: Practice Rooms beneath it, she turned right into a room that could've fit most of her house. The sound inside was almost deafening and with the arrival of a few more people it could've been overcrowded. Bianka even spotted another room that led form this one which also seemed packed.

There were six circular tables around the room that looked like mini versions of the one in the Stadium itself. There were about twenty people cheering or jeering at every table and when Bianka neared one of them she could make out two people sitting on a chair thing fixed to the ground. They had these funny helmets with wings and transparent visors on their heads and they were watching the table top, the Layer, with rapt attention as their dolls battled and fought.

Amazing! Bianka thought watching the dolls weave and spin, jump and tackle each other with no apparent effort. Suddenly she came to, as if from a dream, when she heard her name called. She turned only to be almost knocked over by a boy slightly taller than her.

"Sorry," she heard the boy say quickly.

For a few seconds she struggled to get back her balance and composure. She was blushing furiously thinking of what could've happened if she had been unbalanced. She could've fallen straight onto the Layer table behind her, putting the fight to an abrupt halt. She was too angry to confront the boy knowing she would put up a scene if she did. She kept her burning face down, ignored the boy who was still apologising and stormed into the other practice room she had spotted earlier.

Disappointed, Etienne watched her go.

"Bianka!" Someone grabbed her arm and she came face to face with a broadly smiling Indwe, her perfectly white teeth in stark contrast with her dark glowing skin. "Finally, I thought I would have to settle for a match with that brat of a nine year old at the info desk, who just because she has an Angel she thinks she's entitled to scream and throw a tantrum because she can't make her do tricks like mine on her first day." Indwe rolled her eyes and steered Bianka to an isolated table near the wall. She pushed Bianka into one of the chairs and grabbed something off the table.



"Here," Indwe handed her one of the strange headgears. Bianka put it on and pressed the button on either side- so that an Angel wing unfurled on each side- as she had seen people do. Indwe looked slightly impressed and sitting down as well she put on hers.

"Now, you can say an Angel prayer thingy every time you throw your Angel onto the Layer, but I suppose you don't have one yet-."Indwe began.

"I do. Remember, I've been interested in Angelic layer almost since the day it came out in Japan and I've watched many tournament videos, researched it..." Bianka cut in, staring at the Layer which was now activated.

"You know I liked you better when you didn't say anything at all," Indwe replied grinning. "In that case all that remains is that we begin."

Indwe whispered something in Xhosa and threw her doll onto the Layer. Bianka watched entranced as Indwe's doll, Molo (A middleweight Angel with black hair braided with beads, wearing a short skirt, a glittery tank top with a plunging neck line, knee length boots and hoop earrings) spun in the air twice and landed with her knees bent, one hand on the Layer top her head bowed. With no warning Molo sprang up and grinned up at Bianka who was still clutching Bailarino.

"I forgot how much it scared me that they can actually have expressions on the Layer." Bianka muttered glaring at Molo who only grinned back. Hesitantly, Bianka half whispered her Angel prayer, feeling very self-conscious, "Let the silver moonlight bring radiance to your dance, Bailarino." She gently threw Bailarino onto the Layer and that's when Indwe started laughing.

Bianka felt the blood rise to her face. "What? Did I do something wrong?"

Indwe was clutching her stomach so hard she was laughing. After a while she stopped and wiped a few laugh tears from her cheeks. "Besides the fact that your Angel isn't moving at all, no, nothing's wrong. And I would never laugh at a Newbie anyway. I was laughing at Sniffy who seems to have acquired a dangerous and teary opponent." Indwe tipped her head to her right.

Bianka looked at the table next to them and only just managed to stifle her own laughter. Rachel, AKA Sniffy, was looking very depressed at the Layer in front of her where, what seemed to be her Angel, was currently being whacked and pummelled by the doll of her nine year old opponent who was smirking insanely, happy at last in the knowledge that she could beat up an older person's Angel. Sniffy's jaw dropped as her Angel was sent out of the Layer with a simple kick.

"If your Angel exits the Layer's boundaries your opponent immediately wins," Indwe said. Bianka only nodded at this. The little girl squealed in delight, stuck her tongue out at Sniffy, and, skipping, left the room with her doll tucked under her arm.

"For your sake I hope I won't beat you that easily," Indwe looked back at Bianka.

"For your sake I hope you won't lose that easily," Bianka retorted, but her face softened and she smiled. "Thanks again for offering to teach me."

"No problem."



Unnoticed by them, someone edged closer to their table to better watch the fight.

(Ja: Yes.)

((A/N: Ack! This story is going very slowly and languidly at the moment, even I have to admit, but don't worry, the beginning is boring I know but it gets much better as the story proceeds. There are more of the things of what the summary said and I might bring in a very interesting character and one or two rivals. I just like explaining and given a description of everything, but I'll try to minimise the amount of descriptions and get more dialogue...interesting dialogue that doesn't bore you to tears. Bye bye for now))