"You get all of that Marcus!? make sure you've got your "lovers' act" together." says Baku, wanting to know if Marcus overheard the conversation amongst the smokescreen. "Tch, give me a freakin' break here. It's not that easy to improvise on the spot, especially when it comes to acting romance of all things!" says Marc, complaining about the "change of pace", as it were more or less. "Just do it already! you want to get out of here alive, don't ya!? make sure you follow the princess' lead. SHE'S now the star performer for this final act...again, sorry Ruby." says Baku, apologising to Ruby in his head. Ruby herself is still reeling back from the fact that her spotlight was "stolen" from her...by princess Garnet. The one in the same princess of the kingdom of Alexandria that Tantalus sought out to kidnap...at this particular moment in time. Ruby wishes that they didn't kidnap the princess, saying the following words with annoyance "Oh darn hootin' tarnation's! why does it have to be the princess whom steals the show!? she's got enough "spotlight" already!" says Ruby in complaint.
"...You...ready princess?" says Zidane, noticing that the smoke was starting to clear and the stage lighting was returning one light by the next. "...As ready as I'll ever be." says Garnet, waiting and watching for the smokescreen to fully clear. She thinks to herself "Mother...please, forgive me. I know this might be rebellious of me...but. I MUST do this! not just for Alexandria's sake...but, for yours." says Garnet with a solemn expression upon her face, appearing to have some kind of burden that Zidane recognises. Finally...the smoke at last clears. Garnet takes a deep breath...and then-
"FATHER! stop thy madness at once!" says Garnet towards Baku, rather his character King Leo after everyone onstage resumed their proper places before the interruption. "!?" the "King" is slightly taken aback by Garnet's sheer acting skill...but then immediately resumes composure and goes along with the performance. "D-D-Daughter? what...what are you DOING HERE!?" shouts Leo, his sword drifting away from beheading Marcus. "W-Woah..." Zidane stood by, his stature...utterly mesmerised by how greatly the princess' acting was pulling the entire audience in. Marcus too was at a lost for words...but unlike Zidane, he was quick to respond without gawking towards Garnet's character-Cornelia.
"C-Cornelia! you...are here!?" says Marcus, using this moment to break free of the grip both Zenero and Benero had upon him. "Yes...my dear Marcus. I...am here. I...am here, for you." says Garnet, as Cornelia. Nearly convincing everyone that Garnet herself...had become the very character that she was portraying.
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"But...how!? w-why!?" says Marcus in disbelief towards Cornelia's presence at this place and timing, slowly approaching her. "...It was, thanks to your brother here that I found my way back to you. Without him...I would naught be here." says Cornelia, facing Zidane, the former further drawing everyone's attention whilst refocusing half of it all upon the latter. Knowing that this was improve in accordance with Zidane's presence onstage, since his "original Character" is not meant to be there to begin with. The Tantalus troupe go along with it and accustom themselves by adding Zidane into this layer of their performance's final act. "B-Brother! you're-you're here...you're...alive!" says Marcus, struggling to think up words for new added dialogue because of this unexpected situation.
"Y-Yea, go figure." says Zidane, accidentally saying something completely out of character that earns him a secret jab in his side by Cornelia. Because of the mess up, Brahne starts to notice something strange going on with the show. "! … This is, quite odd. How very mysterious...I do not remember seeing THIS as part of Lord Avon's original masterpiece, having seen the work of art countless times already..." says Brahne, stopping fanning herself. Beatrix takes this tone in the queen's voice to mean that something was up, standing from bowing after this whole time. Baku with quite keen sense of hearing could overhear Brahne across at the balcony and knew that something had to be done and quickly too! he winks to both Marcus and Zidane, trying to inform them to literally get their acts altogether now. Less they want to be beheaded...
Realising the dire on Baku's expression, Zidane becomes surprised...before resolving himself. "I-I mean yes! thy brother! I am here. I have brought the princess Cornelia back to you...though. Blank...and Cinna too. After Blank had a change of heart and Cinna then came to our aid...us three...were...ambushed! by the men of the foul rotting king here!" says Zidane, as he points towards king Leo with fierce anger. This was the signal needed for Marcus to push forth with the show's performance, responding towards his "brother" with the following. "!? W-WHAT!?" shouts out Marcus at this top of his lungs, unbelieving...at this revelation. "After we discovered the king's nefarious ploy, me and our brothers went forth to rescue the princess from here fate...but. Only I...only I...TCH!" Zidane faces away in shame from Marcus, having returned as the sole survivor...of Marcus' remaining kin of brotherhood. "N-Nay, this...cannot be. Tis a lark, a lark! … n-nay? Zidane? …" Marcus was in denial...but knew that Zidane was never the kind of person to earnestly lie (even out of character performance).
"Tis not, my betrothed. Your brothers...gave their lives in valour...so that...we could...reunite. I am free now, thanks to them..." says Garnet, her honest character portrayal continuing to amaze not just the audience...but the Tantalus gang, as well. "!? C-Cornelia. No...NOOO!" Marcus falls upon his legs before slamming the ground in despair. Seeing this acting from her balcony...Brahne decides upon her next course of action. "...Hmm. Hold Beatrix. There shall be no need for Save the Queen. Let them continue. So far...this has turned out to be quite intriguing." says Brahne before letting out a very haughty laughter. Beatrix thusly remains on standby...her hand removed from her sword's hilt.
"P-Phew! that was close. Looks like the queen's eating this all up! now then, we just need a clincher to this. Boys! make a show that the viewers will give their hearts out to!" says Baku in thought, winking to Zidane and Marcus that they were now momentarily safe from Brahne's suspicions. Because she was amused by the tragic act unfolding...in a way, Garnet could not help but become upset from how her mother revelled in this improvised tragedy scene of their shared favourite play. However, it had also meant that the queen was less to become wrathful from suspicion and instead, she would practically fall over in laughter at "the insanity of everything". Taking this one and only chance...Garnet had no choice on her part...but to bring out the best of Cornelia. In order to avert the constant prying eyes of her mother...
"Mother..." thought Garnet to herself, as she laments her mother's behaviour whilst continuing acting. "Marcus, my love. Please...stand. Do not let the throes of hatred and revenge consume you! that is not whom you are!" says Cornelia, trying to help Marcus up to his feet. "W-Wow, gotta say this. The princess is HECK lots've times better then I would act out the role! why, she's a natural charisma towards it!" says Ruby backstage, although initially in denial about the sudden actress change. She now applauds Garnet as her "acting double". Ruby had an eye for the fine arts, at least for playwrighting qualities. Writing, casting, directing and rest of the whole needed skillset. So when recognised a stellar performance in front of her eyes...it was bound to be true. Ruby watched...and saw something that she never expected to see.
Without the usage of fake tears...Garnet was instead using her real ones of both heart and soul...to convey the feelings of her character. Indeed, to Ruby...Garnet had the stage presence to enthral everyone towards her acting. And...not only did Ruby recognise this trait...but Zidane, too. Even if he didn't have the same amount of interest, nor was invested compared to the rest of Tantalus when push came to shove surrounding their acting and character portrayals. Even the monkey like youth could see...real quality of acting performance presenting itself. Garnet had continued to cry away...her feelings concerning her mother serving as the clutch, needed...to carry the princess forth with resolve. Albeit shaking...the princess of Alexandria still continued to persevere, not allowing doubt to seep in. In truth? she was...inspired.
Inspired by the way how Zidane stood his ground against Steiner earlier and even spoke up on Garnet's behalf. How could Garnet herself turn away from that and not live up to it? thus she decided. To honour the integrity of that moment Zidane had provided for Garnet...by giving it her all upon the stage in front of the public masses. "Please...Marcus. Do not...let anger consume you!" says Garnet in her role of Cornelia. Relating the actress' feelings of sadness and heartbreak to how her character would perceive Marcus, his character of the same name starting to lose heart and giving away inside...towards darkness. Marcus then grips his sword...the said grip ever tightening, second by second.
"...Hark, my beloved. Tis...no turning back for me, at this point. I must...fulfil my duty to my family. For my kin-my mother, my father. My brothers-Cinna, Blank...and Zidane. King Leo...MUST PAY!" shouts Marcus, intending to make the king answer for his crimes with every fibre, every ounce of the former's entire being. Taking this chance in order to use Marcus' rage against him, king Leo speaks once more. "HAR! you make jest, Marcus. What good...will a blade ill of fury do you? you only prove how unsuited you are for my daughter. No...she must have a REAL man in place! indeed. One...slightly older but also vastly experienced. Prince Schneider! I call thee to my aid!" says Leo, walking over towards...Steiner!
The two share of sorts a literal mental warfare conversation, their expressions saying all that the respective other needs to know without giving themselves away towards the audience. "GAH! fiend! SCOUNDREL!" shouts Steiner in his mind whilst Baku in a sense replies "Oh? so you DO know that you're part of the show. That's good, that's good. I'm going to have you act until you're spent away in concurrence with the show being done. Ain't no way you can call on your dear queen and her most trusted general when you're stuck here, standing out like a sore toe. And because of the very bright stage lighting that Zenero and Benero made to the very best of their show quality making. The beauty with the eyepatch on the balcony can't see well with only one eye. Meaning, simply put. You're stranded here in the darkness...ironically, the "darkness of light"." says Baku with Steiner knowing more or less what Baku was conveying through the trading of their facial expressions.
"GEH! I'll doubly make sure to hang YOU! you AND that blasted monkey!" says Steiner under his breath, still sore against Zidane, having "abducted" the princess. "There, there now. We've got performing that needs finishing..."Prince Schneider"." says Baku, as he lets out a small evil sounding snigger from his voice. Zidane is able to hear the snigger whilst thinking to himself "Ugh, talk about poor taste Baku. Letting the old guy act the role? yeesh. Though...I know there's no real helping it. We'll just have to make do with what we've got, until the show's end." says Zidane, knowing what was at stake for both Tantalus...and the princess. "So, Marcus? with Schneider now here by my side, to take back my daughter whom was promised to him. What...ever...shall you do? BWAH HA HA HAAA!" the corrupt king Leo laughs his belly off, ridiculing Marcus and especially the pain that he is currently facing for the loss of family.
"...King Leo...you...have spoke QUITE enough. Before...you told me something. Two things, actually. The first...that. Only the king could decide whom lives and dies. The second was that you were going to kill me once the eve of midnight passes. Let me say something...in counter to those accursed words of yours." says Marcus, causing the king to become shocked. Marcus slowly approaches Leo, the former still tightly holding his sword. "...By logic, you too...should be judged accordingly of living and dying. And, seeing how it is already midnight...I would wager myself a proposal. To be...or NOT. Will I remain standing? or, will it be both you and your hound of a bodyguard-Schneider? there is no point now. No point to hold back...my unbridled anger, that is. Leo...for the very last time...you have...insulted me. Nay...you have...INSULTED MY FAMILY! NOW DIE! YOU MOST HATEFUL BASTARD!" shouts out Marcus, suddenly lunging with his blade, held in both hands.
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The king becomes severely horrified, hiding behind Schneider whom Leo intends to use as a Human shield. "W-WHA!?" Steiner nearly draws his real sword steel against Marcus' prop. Suddenly, however...to everybody's shock. Above all else's, both Vivi at the front of the audience chairs...and most especially, Zidane. Garnet, rather, Cornelia...stands in-between the mortal blow meant for her father! she stands in front of Steiner, knowing that he carried a real sword and not a prop. Marcus, the character of Marcus...was stricken with absolute horror at what has happened. "!? C-C-CORNELIA!" shouts out Marcus, hitting his blade underneath Garnet's arm...but in terms of the show itself. He had now, due to a tragic twist of equal chance and fate...accidentally murdered...his Dearly Beloved.
Part 14 ends...with a truly sadistic expression emitting upon the face of queen Brahne, completely in love...with this tragic turn of events from the play-I Want to Be Your Canary. A story...of star-crossed lovers.
TO BE CONTINUED.
