Al ran to the back of the stage where he found Paul standing with his arms folded, tapping his feet. Lily was on stage practicing one of her songs and the music was almost deafening from where Al was now standing. He looked on and watched her as she danced around the stage. She was now dressed in a sleeveless grey shirt, edged with yellow and a matching micro skirt over black hot pants. Can you wear any less legally in this country? Al wondered. He watched her provocative movements that she danced to the imaginary crowd, she ran her fingers slowly through her hair, then down her body and then bent down to run her hands over her legs as well and Al gulped as he watched. He was swiftly brought back into the real world by a karate chop to his head

"OW!" Al yelled "The hell was that for?" he shouted over the music

"Back in the room lover-boy, this is her last song, so you're on to rehearse as soon as she's done" Paul yelled back. Al growled and bared his teeth.

Al looked over to the other side of the stage and saw Gakupo watching and applauding Lily's performance and Al closed his eyes. This woman had driven a wedge between them and both of them were helpless in her power.

"La belle dame sans merci"

"Excuse me?" Al replied

"La belle dame sans merci, the beautiful woman without mercy" Paul repeated himself

"I don't know what you're talking about Paul, I'm just trying to set up a duet" and Al walked on to the stage and offered Lily the paper with his quickly written lyrics on them and Lily laughed at them but agreed to do them. Al instructed Paul to play a track that he had produced, and he was hoping the words would fit. We'll see he thought.

Al checked his headphones were connected with a "one, two, one, two" and the music started playing.

"I won't sing this time Al, but let me control the dance here" she said with a smile and Al knew it was bad news, but nodded anyway. He took another look over at Gakupo, but the samurai was nowhere to be seen. That's probably for the best, Al thought to himself.
The music began playing and Al began improvising with the song and started singing, placing the words in with the music, then Lily grabbed his hands.

"Time for me to take charge Al-san!" She said to him and, still holding his hands, turned her back to him and fell back onto his massive frame, crossed his arms around her and began to run them down her body, Al carried on singing, but his heart was pounding. The heat from the lighting set was making them both sweat heavily and they continued to dance. Lily took Al's hands off of her, threw her hands around his neck and jumped up on to him, wrapping her long legs around his waist and he pulled her body in close to his and he span them around. Al's heart was set to racing, he could barely concentrate on his singing, he was lost in this girl's movements and he just wanted to hold her body close to his and not let go of her.

The song and dance was over too soon for Al, the music stopped and there was a round of applause from the production team.

Lily was out of breath "Well, that's me all done then Al-san, I'll meet you when you're finished" and she walked off stage and Al's eyes followed her as she went only to be interrupted when a piece of paper was shoved in front of his face

"Only a duet huh? Could have fooled me big guy! Now I know what you're so moody about at least, that was HOT!" Paul said and Al flushed red and grabbed the paper from him

"Is this my set list" Al asked him, trying to hide his now bright red face

Gakupo was beginning to lose his temper. Damn that American he thought he's going to ruin everything for me and Gakupo cursed the day he met Al. He stood at the side of the stage and watched as the giant made his way over to Lily and Gakupo turned on the spot and stormed off. Why does she want to do a duet with him and not me? Gakupo felt dejected and he knew he was rapidly losing the girl he loved. Enough, I have to settle this score with him. Gakupo walked over to Al's dressing room, finding the pen and paper in the room, he wrote a note for Al and left it on Al's dressing table.

"Let's see who's left for her to love when I'm finished with you, you American dog". Gakupo said aloud, consumed with hatred and he turned and left the room and the arena.