(A/N: Okay, so who's ready for more hilarity and gags? Good! Enjoy them for now because you can expect complete Mood Whiplash by the end of this arc XD)
Disclaimer: Fairy Tail and Code Geass copyright their respective owners and YES this play is based off of Zelda which is copyright Nintendo
"Putting on the production was easy compared to everything we had to go through to get it set up."
—Makarov Dreyar
11 Days Before Opening Night
Costumes had to completed and finalized. Designs had already been completed, but measurements had to be taken of each cast member to get them properly fitted into their outfits. Guinevere, of course, was first in line.
"Wow, Guinevere," Cecile complimented as she measured the lead actress' waist, "You have such a nice figure. I'm really jealous."
"Of course big sis has a really nice figure," Carine said. "She's like five, no ten times prettier than all of you!"
"Now, now Carine no need to rub it in everyone's faces. True beauty knows its beautiful and doesn't have to point itself out," Guinevere said, puffing her chest out.
"Let's see, twenty-nine inches. That should be perfect," Cecile said.
"Let's just hope we can stretch out the fabric enough to pack everything the fetching young lass is packing up top," Lloyd joked.
"Excuse you," Guinevere crinkled her nose, "And aren't you in charge of music now."
"Yes well, only while we're practicing. Till then I'm helping you fine ladies and gentlemen get your costumes together."
"Well I could do without your commentary. Still," Guinevere smirked at her bosom, "I suppose I do fill out rather nicely."
"Yeah way to make us all feel inadequate," Bisca remarked.
Guinevere chortled, "It's hard being beautiful sometimes. Really, it is."
What I wouldn't give to cap her one, Bisca stewed.
"Okay Guinevere, I think we have you set. You can go back to the stage now. Just leave everything to us," Cecile told her. "Loke, you're next in line."
With Guinevere back on stage, Lelouch could continue his run through of the scene with Linkette and Angela's grandmother.
Of all people, it had been Euphie's performance that had had Lelouch in stitches. Hunched over with a walking stick, the color mage proved to be an effective actor as she forced a crotchety, elderly voice.
"Angela!" Guinevere called as she, as Linkette, entered the Inn as she entered from back stage.
"Rita, is that you?" Euphie said, already with her stick and hunch. "Are you back from school? Let mama tell you a story." Euphie stepped slowly towards Guinevere's personal space.
"M-ma'am."
"Grandma!" Levy exasperated coming in from stage right. "What are you doing out of bed?"
"I ain't no one's grandma, you darn hayseed! Leave me be!"
"Ugh, I'm so sorry about this Linkette. Grandma's having another one of her episodes," Levy apologized as she tried to steer Euphie away from the acting heroine.
"Fear not, fair maiden, I do not balk at the elderly for their shortcomings. You are very fortunate to have your grandmother still with you."
"I ain't old enough to be a grandma, now let me go!" Euphie whacked Levy over the head with her cane.
"Ouch!" Levy rubbed her head.
"Fie, now where's old Sam to get me the paper?"
"Grandma, grandpa's been dead for years."
"Horse pie!" Euphie shouted, raising her cane towards the ceiling before balancing on it again. "Sam's as healthy as an Ox. Why I remember when he climbed his way up to the Stone Tower Temple all by his lonesome self. Stuck the fabled Blade of the Rift he did in that darn temple, Angela." Euphemia paused dramatically. "Oh horse pie."
"Come on grandma, let me get you some cabbage soup."
"Wait," Euphemia fought back in vain against Levy's "grip". "Wait! No! I'm fine!" Euphemia coughed twice. "I'm in perfectly health condition! Please! Young lady! Help meeeeeeee!"
Lelouch could barely keep his composure as Euphie was dragged offstage. "And scene. All right, that'll do for now. Levy, go get your costume measurements. Everyone take five!"
Euphie slid off the stage and waltzed over to a lounge chair that Suzaku had laid out for her completely of his own accord. He had lemonade and a towel waiting for her to dry off the sweat from the sunlight beating down on her face.
Euphemia cleansed her sweat drenched face and sucked on the lemonade through the straw as Suzaku held the glass. She then collapsed in the lounge chair and her boyfriend massaged her shoulders and neck.
"You're doing great, Euphie. You're going to leave them rolling on the floor."
"I sure hope so. I'm really nervous every time I get up on stage. That's why I'm sweating a lot more than usual," Euphie replied.
"Why? Normally you're so comfortable in front of an audience," Suzaku said to Euphie.
"Well," Euphie stood up. "It's because this play is so important to Cornelia and I want it to turn out well as well. I barely knew Estellise when I lived on Sylvas. I hardly remember her. I was really little."
"Right, you told me as much."
"And that's why I want her soul to rest easy. Even from another world, I want all of my sisters in all timelines to know that I wish them well."
Suzaku sighed with a smile. "Oh Euphie, you're so silly and considerate, but that's what I like about you."
Euphie turned around and smiled. "And your nobility and consideration is what I like about you, Suzaku."
The two looked around, making sure no one was going to see them—as they were in public—before moving in to share a quick kiss. However, the sound of gunfire drew them both away and upon following the noise, the two of them found Bisca chasing down Lloyd with her machine guns. Lloyd was running away using an ex-quip armor of his to give him eight extra legs, spider style, along the ground.
"I AM NOT FAT! YOU TAKE THAT BACK!" she shouted.
"All I said was that your waist was bigger than I—" A bullet took off one of Lloyd's robotic legs, "Yie!"
"WE'LL SEE WHO'S FAT WHEN I GET MY HANDS ON YOU! YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO GET OUT OF BED FOR DECADES!"
"Let's go find your sister or Schneizel," Suzaku said.
"You do it. I'm paralyzed with fear."
10 Days Before Opening Night
"There!" Natsu declared. "It's finished!" He had finally put the finishing touches on one of the walls to the barn for the scenes that took place on the Creamy Milk Ranch. "Now to bring it to the stage." Natsu picked up the large prop and carried it towards the stage only to bump into something else and chip the wood at the edge.
"Hey! Watch where you're going?"
"I know that voice." Natsu dropped his prop and craned his neck around it. Gray! You damaged my prop!"
"That's my line you shitty flame! What gives wrecking all my hard work on that inn wall I just finished!"
"If it was finished it wouldn't have broken like that slush head!"
"Oh you want to make something of it, flame head?"
"If the wood fits, ice bucket!"
Suddenly both boys were lifted into the air, pinched delicately by the backs of their shirts as though a giant invisible hand was hoisting them into the air. Schneizel stepped in between them.
"Gray, Natsu," the stage manager said calmly, "I already had to pull you two off of marketing duty because of your rambunctious behavior. Must I inform your master about your behavior again, hmm?"
"No, no sir," Natsu squeaked.
"We'll behave," Gray shuddered.
"Very good then," Schneizel let both of them go.
"So what do you say, Gray best old pal of mine!" Natsu said with a forced, big grin, putting his arm around the ice mage, "Shall we get these props fixed and bring them to the stage?"
"You bet, Natsu best buddy!"
Manipulation is so easy when threats are involved, Schneizel smiled. If only everyone in this guild was terrified of at least one person.
"Hey! Schneizel!" The blonde looked over to see Nonette carrying a stack of lumber three times her size as though it was child's play. "Where do you want this?"
"Uh," Schneizel stammered, "Uh, b-bring it to Gajeel and Tohdoh. They'll sort it out," Schneizel said.
"Kay," Nonette said and walked on.
Okay she doesn't count, Schneizel remarked in his head.
9 Days Before Opening Night
As Lelouch choreographed the climactic battle between Linkette and the Mask of Malevolence, Loke and Levy chatted backstage.
"So, Levy," Loke said with a smile, "Think you might want to practice our big moment for when we get married."
"Loke, it's just pretend," Levy told him.
"Hey, come on. Things like this bring people closer," Loke said getting in her personal space.
"I think I have to disagree," Levy said, taking a huge step back.
"Aw, c'mon practice makes perfect." Loke took a step forward.
"Actually, practice makes perfect practice," Levy stated.
"We gotta do it anyway."
"But if we do it offstage it's not acting."
"Aww come on, do you really dislike me that much?"
"Well no it's not that."
"Then what is it?"
"It's…well it's what you are."
"You mean a celestial spirit?"
"I mean a philanderer," Levy exasperated and held her arms wide out down at her sides. "If you start making out with a girl that isn't your girlfriend, people might get the wrong idea. Next thing you know, I'm knocked up and some pretty dame you have relations with will cut off your head and stuff it in a handbag for me to come find before I drag it onto a yacht with me after going insane."
"Well…when you put it like that," Loke said rubbing his head, "Kind of makes me feel like a dick now."
"Don't worry though," Levy said with a smile. "You're a good kisser, Loke. You don't have to worry about messing up on stage."
"Heh, good to know I still have it."
8 Days Before Opening Night
"Okay, that'll do for now. Everyone take a break. When we cut back we'll do the duet: Ghost Aliens of Watchfall." Everyone scattered offstage and white noise of a multitude of conversations soon filled the September air.
As Lelouch leaned back in his director's chair, he sighed with annoyance.
"What's the matter, Lelouch? Everything looks like it's coming along rather well," Cornelia said.
"It's not that," Lelouch responded. "I know Loke and Levy are really trying." Lelouch sat up straight in his chair and turned to face Cornelia, "But they lack that real dynamic Juvia and Gray had when they were on stage. I mean, don't get me wrong, all four of them act well, but Juvia just blew Levy away even before Levy had some assistance and I know Loke's doing his best, but the relationship just seems awkward. I'm not getting the "they really love each other feeling". I mean, they're faking it well, but…"
"Don't worry, Lelouch. I understand and if you'll excuse me, I have a plan." Cornelia saluted to her younger guild member. "Today, I Cornelia Heurassein swear to do my best to cure Gray Fullbuster's stripping habit once and for all."
Lelouch opened his notepad and began to scribble on the current page he had reached. "Good luck with that. Trust me, you're going to need it."
Ignoring Lelouch's lack of faith and walking with confidence in her step, Cornelia went and found Gray continuing to work on helping to build the set. Right now he was busy painting a fence for the opening scene. Natsu was nearby acting as an artificial kiln. His flame was being used to help construct the Mask of Malevolence. The Mask was supposed to float in the climax as an animate-inanimate object. Schneizel would take care of the special effects and Guinevere would do battle with the mask. Lucy and Natsu were in charge of the mask's finishing touches.
"Gray," Cornelia called out to the ice mage. "Just the mage I wanted to see."
"Something you need?" Gray asked as he continued to paint.
"As a matter of fact there is. Come with me. I need you for something."
"You can't have Gray-sama, he's mine!" Juvia exclaimed, jumping out of a nearby barrel.
"Where the hell did you come from?" Gray exclaimed, even though it was obvious she had been in the barrel the whole time.
"Juvia, I really need Gray. If what I need him for works, you two will be on stage together."
"On stage? You mean Gray-sama can go back to being Juvia's romantic partner in the play?" Juvia asked, her heart aflutter.
"If what I need him for works," Cornelia repeated.
"Take all the time you need. Do whatever you need to! Okay, maybe not anything you need to, but as long as you don't violate Gray-sama," Juvia got right in Cornelia's personal space, "I give you my blessing and full permission to mold him into Juvia's proper lover."
"Wait, where did that come from?" Gray exclaimed.
Off away from everyone else working on the play, Cornelia marched around Gray, explaining her plan. "Lelouch won't let you on stage because he's afraid you'll wind up stripping and ruining the emotional moment mid-scene. However, he believes you're better suited for the role than Loke. To that end, you and I are going to spend all day working on getting rid of that habit of yours."
"Um, I don't think this is going to—" Gray started to protest only to receive a glare from Cornelia. "I-I mean, let's get started."
Cornelia continued to pace around the ice mage. "The easiest solution is a method that was first used in the early age of magic. It was a method to make magic wrote in the minds of its earliest practitioners. The same concept was adapted from teaching pets tricks. Later the same condition was taught to people to remove habits or teach new ones. It's also now a torture method." Gray gulped at the mention of torture. "The best way to rid you of your stripping habit would be to use a negative stimulant every time you stripped. Thanks to Schneizel, I have one. Now, we're just going to take a walk through those woods," Cornelia held up a photo with the picture facing away from Gray. "And every time you strip I'm showing you this picture. Trust me when I say you don't want to see it. Now let's go."
"Okay."
Following Cornelia through the woods, Gray walked with her around in circles and through trees until Cornelia noticed him strip down to his boxers. She then whirled him around and flashed the picture in his face.
"AAAAAAAAAAGH! MY EYES! NO FAIR! I'M GOING TO BLIND CORNELIA!" Gray screamed, dropping to his knees and covering his face.
"Not such a good idea to strip if every time you do it I'm going to show you your rival in a speedo, now is it?"
"Ugh."
"Now put your clothes back on. We're going to keep doing this until you don't strip. What's the longest time you've ever kept your clothes on?"
"I dunno…five hours maybe."
"Then we'll shoot for six."
Cornelia spent all day following Gray around and flashing him the photograph of Natsu in a speedo every time he stripped down. However, by the end of the day, no progress had been made. The end result just simply wound up with Gray crouching on his hands and knees and covering his eyes after stripping down.
"Well…that backfired," Cornelia sighed. "Don't worry, I have other methods. We'll cure you of your habit yet. We'll start tomorrow, give you time to erm…not think about today."
One Week Before Opening Night
The next day, Gray found himself in an unused bedroom inside Knightmare Frame. He was laying down on the bed with CC sitting in the desk chair. She was wearing glasses, had a clipboard and was dressed in an low-cut blouse and skirt.
"What am I doing here again?" Gray groaned.
"Cornelia believes your stripping habit to be subconscious," CC said, affixing her glasses. "It's up to me to find the root of it and strike it out."
"Is this really necessary?"
"Do you want to be on stage?"
Gray sighed.
"Depending on what I find I might just block it out until we're done performing rather than just erasing it whole."
"Uh-huh, though you mind telling me what's with the outfit? Your vision is fine so what's with the glasses."
"Oh, this? It's just something I had Cecile stitch together for me yesterday. Now, stay on your back and let me probe your mind."
"Okay."
"Every year they come to steal the cows and chickens too. From an eerie orange light they descend," Kaguya was currently singing the beginning to her duet with Guinevere. It was the second song in the show titled "The Ghost Aliens of Watchfall."
As she sang, Lelouch continued to take notes. "See and this is why Kaguya has the role rather than Wendy. Just listen to that vocal range she has."
"Don't let Gino hear you say that or he'll start going on a crusade that Wendy's voice is better," Cornelia stated.
"Whatever," Lelouch grumbled. "Although, no Gray today? I thought you were going to cure him of his stripping habit."
"Oh I left him in CC's care. She's therapeutically curing him as we—"
"I SAID I'M NOT TO WEAR THE LOBSTER COSTUME!"
Cornelia sighed, recognizing Gray's voice. She slowly got up from her chair and turned around to see Gray carrying a spiked club made via Ice Make as he chased CC across the town swinging wildly at her. CC was doing her best job at evading him, ducking every so often to avoid debris.
Cornelia slowly advanced to see what the trouble was all about and cornered CC after she lost Gray and the green haired witch had secured a box of pizza from off the buffet table.
"All right, what happened?"
"I think I probed a little too deep. All of a sudden he started talking about his mother and a lobster costume and then well…"
"NO! ALL ALIEN LOBSTERS MUST DIE!" Gray shouted.
"Is he…"
"He's having a psychotic episode or, in more specific terms, hallucinating."
"Shouldn't you do something about it? Rather couldn't you have done something about it before you dragged him all the way into town."
"Oh, but I figured as long as he was going to chase me I'd come get some pizza," CC said and then snapped her fingers.
In the middle of town Gray became conscious of himself and saw what he had been doing. He backed up nervously only to back up straight into Erza who glared down at him having witnessed his actions.
"No! Wait! Erza! Give me a chance to explain! Nooooooo!"
An hour later, Cornelia had Gray sitting on a crate with an ice-pack of his design held over his eye. Medical from Wendy and Cecile had patched him up rather nicely for the most part, but he was still in quite a bit of pain.
"I should've never have left things to CC," Cornelia sighed, palm over her eye. "Ugh, just thinking about the repair bill is going to give me a headache."
"No sweat, we'll pay half. Or rather master is going to make most of that come out of my wallet, I'm sure."
Cornelia sighed again. "Regardless, I've tried both of my best weapons in my arsenal for this." She then began to walk away. "Nothing for it then. Wait right there. I have one more solution."
"I have a bad feeling about this," Gray sighed. He sat there in apprehension when Cornelia came by with a silver armband on her wrist. However, closer inspection revealed not an armband, but tape, Duct tape specifically. "Why do you have duct tape?"
Cornelia pulled out a strip smiling with malicious glee. "Desperate times call for desperate measures. I'm going to strap your costume directly to your skin if I have to."
"Uhhhhhh, Cornelia, you're scaring me."
All the gunslinger did was laugh.
"AAAAAAAAGH!"
"Linkette!"
"Who's there?"
Using levitation magic, Schneizel lowered Marianne down from above. He used an illusion to make her appear ethereal. "I am the goddess of time and I have seen your plight and selfless heart. I now bestow upon you a gift. Do not squander it."
"I don't understand."
"You will momentarily."
"Aaaaand, fade to black," Lelouch said from his chair. "Next scene!"
As the stage was being put together to set up the scene back at town, Cornelia walked up behind Lelouch and tapped him on the shoulder.
"Oh, Cornelia, there you are. Any headway?"
"Yes, I think I finally have a solution." Cornelia slowly turned to look at Gray as she said, "Say hello to the new and improve—" Frame turned to look directly at him, Corenlia just stared. Gray himself was bleeding along his torso and legs—not too badly, but blood was still drawn. Behind him, duct tape still attached, were the articles of clothing that Cecile had stitched together to make his costume. "I…I…buh…wha…" Cornelia stammered and then looked at Gray. "HOW DID YOU STRIP?" she then noticed the only article of clothing he was wearing. "AND WHY ARE YOU WEARING A SPEEDO?"
"Huh? I am?" Gray looked down. "Oh, hey I am. How did that happen?"
Cornelia dropped to her knees, face in her hands.
"Feeling like giving up?" Lelouch asked. Cornelia just whined in acknowledgement.
6 Days Before Opening Night
In addition to being an understudy for Kaguya, Wendy was also going to be part of the orchestra. She even had the perfect instrument suited for her talents: wind chimes.
As she practiced for the opening number of Welcome to Watchfall, Carla kept critiquing her while standing on a crate near where Wendy was practicing.
Meanwhile, Happy was walking by eating some fish that had been put out on the buffet table. He then noticed Carla and just stared from afar. He would've kept staring if someone hadn't almost tripped over him.
"Waaa!" Lucy interjected nearly stumbling, but managing to keep herself upright without dropping what she was carrying. She looked down. "Happy you shouldn't stand in the middle of the pathways like that. People are liable to trip over you. What are you looking at anyway?" Lucy asked only to notice Wendy and Carla. "Oh hey isn't that Knightmare Frame's newest dragon slayer." She then felt Happy's paws on her leg.
"Lucy!" He exclaimed. "I'll give you some fish if you tell that vision that I haven't been neutered yet.
Noticing the angle Happy was looking up, Lucy's only response was, "Keep looking up my skirt and you will be!" She then thought of a killer idea. Happy had pestered her with her supposed feelings towards Natsu for the umpteenth time now, but now the shoe was on the other foot…so to speak. It's about time the little guy got a taste of his own medicine. As she watched Happy struggle to keep his composure she put down the box she was carrying, but on the sleaziest face ever and went, "You liiiiiiike her."
"That's my shtick copycat and I don't look nearly as creepy as you when I do it!" Happy exclaimed.
"What's going on?"
Lucy and Happy looked over to see Gino walking by, towel around his neck. "Hmm, oh yeah, Wendy. Ain't she adorable?"
"Say, Gino," In the time since production Lucy had managed to make more an acquaintance with Knightmare Frame, "what do you know about the cat with her? I think Happy's in L-O-V-E, love," Lucy sniggered.
"Hey I said cut it out!" Happy protested to Lucy making fun of him, despite what she said actually being true.
"Not so much fun when you're the one on the receiving end now is it," Lucy said haughtily, hands on her hips.
"Oh, Carla? Not much I'm afraid. She was with Wendy when I found her."
"You…found her?" Lucy asked, confused.
Gino sighed and rubbed the back of his head, "Well, long story short, Anya takes me on these wild dragon chases of hers, saying Geora, her dragon parent, is calling to her. Every time it always winds up a dead end, but this time we found poor little Wendy covered in muck and face down in the dirt. Carla there was trying to rouse her and it's likely the poor thing might've died if we hadn't found her. So, I did the same thing I did when I found Anya: picked her up, cleaned her off," Gino smiled goofily, "took her home, gave her a bath and a place to sleep. She's been with us ever since."
"Wow, kind of makes you sound like an older brother to her, doesn't it?"
"Heh, well," Gino said, rubbing a finger under his nose, "I do like to think of myself as such to her yes. Besides, I bet, just like Anya, in a few years she'll look absolutely gorgeous." Gino's head went into the clouds as he tried to picture Wendy and Anya looking the same age as Erza.
Lucy picked up her box and whacked Gino in the side of the face with it. "Ugh, great, last thing I needed to hear, pervert. I gotta go get this box of confetti to Schneizel, see you two idiots later."
Gino rubbed his cheek as Lucy walked away. "Damn, she's got a nice ass."
"I heard that!" Lucy exclaimed.
5 Days Before Opening Night
"No, no, no!" Carine chastised, looking at the poster to be plastered from here to Magnolia, "This will never do. Big sis doesn't take up nearly enough of the poster."
"But she's dead center and seventy percent of the focus," Reedus said to her. The poster that Reedus made had Guinevere, as Linkette, facing towards the left of the poster, staring at her sword. She was only drawn from the ribcage up. On either side of Guinevere was Levy as Angela and Loke as Kalleem. Makarov, Jeremiah, Euphemia, Mirajane and the others all were scattered about the poster, drawn in small stature so as not to take away from the important members of the cast. The Mask of Malevolence hung over head like a looming figure of doom.
Carine sighed, holding her hands up, palms to the sky. "I knew it was foolish to leave it in the hands of a so-called professional. That's why I made my own poster." She held up her poster which had a portrait of Guinevere, once again as Linkette, facing forward and looking up and to the right with her whole body taking up the poster. The Mask of Malevolence was the backdrop with none of the other cast members on the poster. "TA-DAH! Big sis is the lead so she should be the poster's focus."
"Hey! You can't do that!" Jet exclaimed.
"Yeah! Levy plays a big part in the play too!" Droy added.
"That's why we made a poster of our own design as well."
Jet and Droy held up their poster, which had Levy and Loke facing each other. The Mask of Malevolence was barely noticeable on the poster and the rest of the cast was shaded into the background.
"Gack! No! This isn't a sappy romance you idiots!" Carine shouted. "The focus should be on the leader character not the romance sub-plot."
"B-b-but, my poster," Reedus tried to speak up.
"The subplot's important to!" Droy exclaimed.
"And so is Levy!" Jet added.
This line of discussion soon broke out into argument with Reedus barely able to get a word in edgewise until a loud, "ENOUGH!" silenced everyone.
Jet, Droy, Reedus and Carine looked over to see a very cross Tohdoh standing nearby.
"What is going on over here?" Tohdoh yelled. Everyone tried to talk up at once. "One at a time! One at a time! Carine, you first."
"Well, Reedus didn't make big sis' portrait on the poster big enough and—"
"Seriously, you're arguing over the poster?" Tohdoh asked only to sigh and palm his face. He then smirked. "Well, if that's all, take a look at THIS!" Tohdoh brought out a poster that made the other four blue with shock. The central focus of the poster was Jeremiah in his postman's hat…and a speedo. Everyone else was brushed off to the side."
"HELL NO!" Jet, Droy and Carine shouted at the same time.
"What's with all the shouting?" Darlton asked as he now entered the conversation. Everyone started talking at once. "SILENCE!" Everyone shut up. Darlton looked around and pretty much got an idea of what was going on. "Cornelia asked Reedus to design the poster. If you all don't like it: tough. I think it looks exactly how Cornelia envisioned it. Now stop arguing and get back to work. Reedus make copies and distribute them back to Natsu and Gray."
"Pardon, but didn't Natsu and Gray work for our advertisement before and not only did they wind up plastering our initial advertisements over a poor old lady in her rocking chair, but also destroyed an entire farm, wrecked a caravan AND a forest before Makarov dragged them off of each other as they started ransacking their guild's own town?"
"Schneizel seems to have gotten them from getting their smallclothes in a twist. Besides, I'm going with them this time!" Darlton declared and then laughed heartily.
"Are you sure that's wise?"
"Oh please, Tohdoh. I might be a spring chicken anymore, but I can keep up with them young as good as the rest of them!"
Seven Hours Later…
"T-time out," Darlton gasped, unable to keep up with Natsu and Gray's fast pace. Neither one heard Darlton and left him in the dust. "G-gonna, collapse." Darlton fell over onto the ground with his backpack of posters. He panted as he lay on his back. "Okay, new rule," Darlton told himself, "no more attempting to run close to the speed of sound. The hell are they teaching mages these days?"
4 Days Before Opening Night
"Erza, I'm sorry, but I've taught you everything I can," Clovis said to her. "If it's not going to work, it's not going to work. I really need to get back to the technical rehearsal. Lelouch needs me next to him and Cornelia to make sure there's nothing wrong last minute."
"But I—"
"Look, stage fright isn't always something you can get rid of in a fortnight. You did the best job you could. We can keep working on it after the play is over. Maybe the next play you perform in you'll do fine."
"But I want to perform in this one. It's not fair," Erza complained.
"I'm sorry Erza, now I have to go," Clovis said, walking away.
Erza stood there brooding, looking for the closest thing to punch.
"Erza."
Hearing her name called out, Erza glanced behind her, her glare piercing into pour Lucy's fragile frame, causing her to tremble.
"I-I'm sorry, I-I just overheard all of that and came to offer my sympathies," Lucy was using some sort of prop that she was holding in front of her chest that was intended to shield her from Erza's stare the way she was holding it.
Erza's rage dropped immediately, realizing what the prop was. "Oh! Hey! Is that the Mask of Malevolence?"
"Yup, it's all done! I just finished drying the last coat of paint. Thanks to Natsu and Reedus this baby's gonna be ready to go tonigh—" The sounds of fighting alerted Lucy and Erza as they saw Natsu and Gray getting in another scuffle. Lucy sighed. "I'll take care of this. Here," she said, giving Erza the mask. "Hold onto this for me for a little bit."
Normally Erza would've switched places with Lucy, but seeing the girl so bravely step into a bristling fight like that gave Erza some pride. Not to mention she had just been handed the most important prop of the whole show and so she intended to milk this moment for all it was worth. Putting the mask over her face, Erza began spouting lines from the script.
"See my visage and tremble Linkette! You are far too late to stop me from destroying Watchfall! WaHahaHAHAHAhaHAHA HA HAhaha!" Erza whirled around one hundred and eighty degrees. The mask completely blinded her since it was never intended to be worn and would just be an animated prop thanks to Schneizel's magic. She didn't notice that Nonette had come to get the mask and was now watching her.
"You think you can stop me!" Erza exclaimed. "I could crush you in an instant! No matter your power what strength do you have before a proper god!" Erza took the mask off her face and sighed as she shook her head. "It's no good, no matter how good I am offstage I just can't conquer my fears." Erza hoisted the mask above her head. "AAAAARGH! All I want to do is perform in this play! This one play that means so much to my best friend and I'm just going to let him down! I'm just a stage hand never meant to perform on the stage itself! Curse this mask and curse the day I thought I could act! Aaaargh!" Erza prepared to inadvertently throw the mask onto the ground, but an arm reached out and grabbed her wrist, stopping her.
"Oh I don't know. I think that was a really good performance just now. You certainly have quite a bit of emotion."
Erza gasped and blushed. She whirled around, backing several paces away from Nonette, the mask tucked safely in her grasp. "H-how long have you been watching me?"
"I saw the whole thing, Erza," Nonette said, "And I think you've given me an idea."
Running through the pre dress rehearsal had gone smoothly for the most part. For the entire performance no one had goofed up and now the climax was at hand. Lelouch was looking forward to it since this would be the first time he'd get to see the finished product of the titular mask and Schneizel's illusion magic would let him animate the mask for Guinevere to mock battle.
"Show yourself, fiend!" Guinevere shouted.
The mask was dangled down from above the stage and Schneizel's magic took a hold as feelers dripped down from the mask and its eyes came alive. Lelouch looked at the grotesque creation up on stage. The mask was the shape of a heart with a predominately violet-blue color. A Y-shaped brown color formed around the eyes of the mask with the bottom designed to give the false impression of the mask having a face. The eyes of the mask bulged out from it with orange sclera and green irises. The mask had two horns atop its frame and four spikes along its undersides. It was really creepy looking, especially with how Schneizel was animating it.
"I am the Mask of Malevolence! See my visage and tremble, Linkette! You are far too late to stop me from destroying Watchfall! WaHahaHAHAHAhaHAHA HA HAhaha!"
"You'll never have the world fiend! I shall rid Watchfall of your curse once and for all!"
"You think you can stop me!" the mask balked. "I could crush you in an instant! No matter your power what strength do you have before a proper god!"
"Let's find out!" Guinevere shouted. The battle ensued as Schneizel produced eye lasers from the mask to attack Guinevere. He made sure they would not be enough to damage Guinevere's enchanted swod as the woman jumped using her own skill to attack the mask, but missed horribly. The mask flew out into the audience before returning to the stage. Lelouch raised his eyebrows in amusement. This was good.
As per the script, the mask would win the first round and Guinevere would tumble off the stage. Her costume would be changed in a flash as per the instructions for Linkette to obtain the Goddess of Time's power. "WA HA HA HA!" the mask screeched. "Your pathetic power isn't nearly enough to defeat me! Now watch as I harness the power of the moon and lay waste to Watchfall!"
"You! WILL! NOT! WIN!" Leaping back onto the stage using a stage hand to give her a boost, Guinevere appeared with her blade at the ready. Her hair had been dyed milky white and she had tribal markings painted onto her face. Her costume was also gray now and she had bird feathers strewn about the hems of her outfit. "Behold the power of the Goddess of Time!"
Lelouch watched the second battle unfold, but as he watched he noticed something different about tonight's performance other than the actual mask being able to be used in rehearsal. There was something about the energy Nonette was putting in tonight that seemed different from her usual actions.
As the climax finished, Angela and Kalleem became wed and Guinevere closed the play with the last line of the script, Lelouch sighed with relief at the first full rehearsal of the play being finished without any stops in the play whatsoever. "All right take a break everyone," he told the group. "We'll start up again in an hour and then call it a night."
Lelouch went over to the buffet table and procured himself a snack. As he did, Nonette and Erza approached him. "Oh hey Erza," Lelouch said. Erza just waved back silently. "Nonette, that was fantastic!" he said. "You put in such energy into your performance tonight, where did that come from and where was it before?"
"It probably had something to do with the fact that I didn't do the performance tonight."
"Oh yes, ha ha, the mask was acting on its own," Lelouch said, figuring Nonette's usual quirks.
"Actually," Nonette said, putting an arm around Erza, "Erza here did the performance for tonight."
"Erza did…what?" Lelouch stammered.
Nonette patted Erza firmly on her back. "Go on."
"Well," Erza began, blushing a little, "you…see…" Erza's heart was beating a mile a minute. The fact that that performance had come out of her was one thing, but Lelouch had just described it as better than any of Nonette's earlier performances without knowing it was her. Had Nonette's plan worked?
"Erza that was fantastic!" Lelouch said, taking one of the armored magus' hands in both of his, "You conquered your stage fright."
"Oh no, not really," Nonette said, hands on her hips and then smirked, "we cheated."
"Eh?" Lelouch was confused.
"When I'm in the sound booth I don't feel the same fright like I do on stage. The mask does all the moving about and choreography, I just did the voice."
"And what a voice it was," Lelouch said. "Nonette, I hope you don't mind, but I'd like Erza to take your position."
"Hey, fine by me. I'll be happy with my ensemble bit," Nonette smiled.
Erza thought she might pass out. "Y-you r-really w-want…"
"Erza if you can deliver that same performance you did for our last run through one more time you'll erase all doubt from my mind. You can do this. I believe in you," Lelouch told her.
Hearing Lelouch's praise and belief gave Erza a huge well of confidence. "I won't let you down, Lelouch!" she exclaimed.
"Glad to hear it," Lelouch said. He walked farther down the table before stopping to slice something. He returned to Erza, holding the plate in front of her with the most delectable slice of strawberry cheesecake she had ever seen. "Here," he said, "You more than earned this."
In less than the span of a few seconds, Erza gave Lelouch a big hug, grabbed the dessert from him and ran off to eat it. With him and Nonette now amongst themselves, Lelouch said, "Are you sure, Nonette?"
"That was all her, Lelouch. I swear it on Estellise's good, pure name."
"Okay then, but just to prove it you're going to be sitting next to me for this last performance."
"Heh, you always do like your evidence," Nonette chuckled.
Opening Night
As it turned out, Nonette's words rang true and Erza's stage fright was sidestepped by her doing her entire performance from the soundbooth.
The whole town came to watch the opening night performance. Everyone was eagerly anticipating a play that was advertised as a collaboration of Knightmare Frame and Fairy Tail.
The tickets were dirt cheap since so many performances were to be had for the production and a lot of costs were covered by Marianne simply saying "Don't worry about it, it's on me."
Gajeel and Elfman stood at the edge of the "theater's" perimeter, punching tickets.
I can't believe I'm doing this, Gajeel grumbled.
"You're going to be a ticket puncher and you are going to like it!"
Gajeel could still hear Makarov's voice thundering in his ear about the whole ticket punching business.
As Gajeel passed in a nice middle-aged woman and her grandchildren, a short, fat kid stepped up.
"Ticket please," Gajeel said. The kid continued to munch on the chocolate bar he was eating. "I said, ticket please, you're holding up the line."
"You gonna smile?" The kid asked Gajeel.
"What?" Gajeel sneered.
"Ticket punchers are supposed to smile when they ask for tickets. But you're not smiling."
"I don't feel like smiling now give me the ticket."
"Why? Are you upset because your mommy raised a ticket puncher for a living and not something cool, like a dragon slayer?"
"Gajeel, just give the kid a smile," Elfman said to him. Gajeel didn't answer, his face showing signs of his temper threatening to burst. "Gajeel? …Gajeel?"
"All right everyone, gather round!" Lelouch called. He was going to give a pep talk. He then began to speak once the entire cast had gathered round. "I want to thank everyone for putting their best efforts into this production. We've got a lot accomplished in these last two weeks and I know it's been harsh on the wallets of a few of you, but the money we get from these productions is going to get it all back and make a profit on all of us. So now let's get out there and show the audience what amateur theater is all abou—"
The sound of screaming from the audience alerted everyone and Lelouch walked around to see people fleeing the scene and Elfman and Darlton doing their best to restrain Gajeel who was having a temper fit.
"LEMME GO! I'LL PLOW THE GOD DAMN BASTARD! I'LL KICK HIS FUCKING ASS!"
Lelouch sighed. "Well we were doing well on the lack of setbacks."
"Welcome all to curtain call at the opera."
—Ghost Opera, Kamelot"
To be continued…
(A/N: Next chapter I intend to show the actual full production of the Mask of Malevolence. I'll remind you guys again when the chapter comes out, but during production, characters will generally be referred to by character name rather than actor name once I've said who's playing who. I hope you guys enjoyed the hilarity of this chapter cause next chapter's gonna get pretty heavy handed and serious. It'll take me a while to write out the full script. And don't worry, we're going to have plenty of commentary. Gray, Natsu and Lucy are all going to be in the audience and maybe a few other people who will be acting as our Statler and Waldorf of the audience. Miriam's big plan is going to happen DURING the actual play and I am NOT going to spoil when. You guys will just have to sit tight in apprehension and wait, wondering when the other shoe is going to drop).