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 five of Let's Do the Wacky. I now understand what the Hits and Visitors meant on the Stats and I seem to get a lot of visitors from the United States and surprisingly one from Qatar. Hello! 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!

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Chapter 5: An Amazing Declaration

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She was distracted and frustrated. There wasn't any progress or improvement with her performance, she was dormant (her phoenix hiding in its ashes). Her mastery of the techniques is perfect but they feel empty like she couldn't put her heart in it, no matter how hard she tried. She had been like that the whole day and it was sheer luck that she hadn't fallen into an untimely death or broke her back on the tightropes.

So she stared up at the lights of her training room, her eyes straining to see the ceiling or anything beyond the painful glare of the light. She didn't have the energy to get off the net or even continue training.

"…and fierce Leo staggers for its missing heart that lost and stolen away by swift Sagittarius."

"Fool?" Layla sat up and found the spirit hovering in front of her. She had last seen the little man on Swan Lake. That day had been memorable and had left a mark right into her very soul. "I'm surprised that I can still see you."

Fool bowed and smiled at the blonde. He wondered if the blonde heard what he said or she simply ignored it. "It's good to see you back."

"Thank you but… I'm starting to have doubts."

"ahh but the stage still has much to show you."

Layla chuckled. "I see but so far I haven't seen anything special."

"Ahh but patience-"

"-is not my virtue." She interrupted, jumping off the net and checking her phone for the nth time that day. No new message. A wave of disappointment came over, she sighed. Sora had only given her a brief message that she was alright and that she didn't know how long she will be away, after that she didn't receive any new message from the girl.

"Fool, can you reach Sora from here?"

Fool followed the blonde. He sat himself on her shoulder, looking over a picture of Layla and Sora in the blonde's phone.

"No she's too far…" He lied. Sora was close, closer than the blonde thought. "When was that taken?"

"I…" She frowned. "I don't remember really."

She stared at the picture; it was different from the previous one she used the other day as she had the tendency to sporadically change it. Her hair was cut short in the awkward way that Sora did but she found it quite…charming. She was standing behind Sora, her left hand wrapped around the shorter girl's shoulder while Sora's hands were holding on to her arm. Behind them was the New York sky line, the sun had just set so it was dotted with lights.

I see… I remember now.

"I miss her, Fool." She put her phone down. "I was hoping to perform with her again but she had to go home and then a total stranger suddenly appeared… and… and… I hate him, Fool. I hate him so much."

"Why so?"

"…because he seems to know Sora more than I do and… I already feel empty, like my heart was missing…and he… he's making it worse, he has something that I don't. Something that I want so badly but I can't take because he has it… he has her and I…what do I…" She wondered where this sudden outburst came from but she didn't stop it, maybe she needed it.

"Are you sure?"

"I don't know…what am I doing at the stage, Fool? She's not here… and I can't find another reason to perform. Why do I feel this? Why does she make me…" She trailed off, feeling a sudden surge of unidentified emotions. It coursed through her like water spilling off a broken dam that she couldn't discern what they were. It made her feel restless like she needed to run until her legs ached and punch anything until her knuckles were raw (red and bleeding).

Fool watched, he had lost the blonde to her own thoughts and let the catharsis happen. He wished to help but he cannot interfere and can only stand as a guide for those chosen by the stage. So he jumped off her shoulder and leaned against the wall.

She turned and ran, somersaulting up to the closest tightrope she could reach. A pain started in her gut, it tightened and contracted. The emotions continued to bombard her, churning and swirling under her skin and she let it show in her actions.

What is this?

She did a basic cartwheel, followed by an aerial half twist before jumping up to the next tight rope. The pain spread, moving up to her heart. It clenched painfully as if a hand reached inside her and squeezed (choked) it for all its worth.

My heart…

It thudded inside her wildly, pumping blood and adrenaline into her veins. She performed several stunts, each one becoming more reckless and energetic. At the same time her emotions became more defined as each seemed to die off.

Another surge of emotions overwhelmed her and the clenching (choking, tight) pain moved to her throat. She swallowed but her mouth was dry, there was nothing to help ease the pressure. She could almost pinpoint what these emotions were but it seems her mind refused to make it easy for her.

She shook her head.

She moved, slowly losing herself into the fleeting sensation of flight and becoming unhinged, uncontrollable and free. The composure and perfection she had worked so hard to keep during her performances cracked. She felt like Salome but more. She is Juliet, making one last desperate act. She is Cleopatra, taking her own life. She is Isolde, dying of an incurable disease. She is Guinevere, longing for someone she could not have. And now she is Brünnhilde, wishing to join her beloved.

She reached the topmost rope. Sweat was now pouring out from every pore of her body and her vision blurred. She had never experienced having emotions affect her so much almost to the point of crippling her.

She looked down, the tightropes formed a basic star pattern and from her vantage point she saw the pentagon it formed. When the time comes a pit of fire will be in its place and Brünnhilde will jump to be united with her love.

Her body compelled her to jump but she couldn't; something was stopping her, making her grasp at something she couldn't see.

It was quick, elusive and almost within her reach.

Her fists clenched, nails digging deep and knuckles white. It hurt. It hurt so much but she needed it to keep her in track. She closed her eyes as tight as she can, until they hurt. This physical pain felt different from the pain suffocating her. It cleared her mind a bit and distracted her from the suffocation.

"No, you're not my dream anymore. You are my pride and joy."

She gasped.

"Alright then! I'll do it. I'll show you that I can do the Golden Phoenix!"

Her fist unclenched, blood dripping from the cuts on her palm.

"…and from now on I think I'd like it if we didn't keep secrets from each other."

"No I didn't! Please let me do this Miss Layla and I'll show I can do this right!"

"It doesn't…I just wanted to tell you, I'm quitting."

"Happy birthday, Layla! From all of us!"

"I know that I could do it with you—that we could do it together!"

She opened her eyes. The suffocating pain was gone now and all that's left is the blissful feeling of clarity. She understood now, her dream wasn't just to be on the same stage as Sora and to perform with her. Her dream was to win the girl's heart just like Sora did years ago. She spread her arms, stared straight ahead and fell forward.

A slow foolish smile formed on her lips as a thought came into her mind.

I will possess your heart.

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Tenshi stopped, a sudden feeling of… he didn't know but the closest thing he could think of was 'prey'. He rested a hand on his chest, trying to calm the nervous muscle within. It was thumping so loud the others could probably hear it.

"Tenshi, come on! We're hungry!" Anna tapped him in the back, throwing him out of his trance.

"R-right!" He caught up to them, giving the night sky and his surrounding fleeting glances. "I'm coming!"

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Author's Notes: Kind of a strong chapter, eh? Layla's part is based pretty much on my experience. There I was a time I was torn between two choices. I didn't know what to do so I just went for walk to think and it ended up with me going on a full blown sprint. I stopped when my stomach hurt and my legs gave out on me and all of a sudden I had an epiphany. The last part, 'I will possess your heart' doesn't sound too cheesy or anything right? I'm just going with what I feel, not much direction with the story. I remember in the series before Layla and Sora started to prepare for the Mystical Act (Legendary Maneuver if you want) the two of them were thinking of the same thing or going through the same train of thought. And near the end of it Layla seemed to have sensed Sora's determination for them to perform it together. I loved that part (it's second to the one where Layla sees Sora's 'angel' when she fought for the role of Odette); it truly showed that they had some sort of connection that may have gone beyond the stage. I wanted to add the Ring of Fire scene but I don't think my heart could take it. :P anyway, the next chapter might be up soon. Also, school starts soon so I won't have time to write as much as I want too.