Breathless
Summary: After a breathtakingly beautiful performance during a charity talent show, Yuu becomes overnight famous. Concerned for her future and well-being, Vil takes on the responsibility of guiding her through the idol world. Unfortunately for the prince of beauty, an untamable beast has his eyes set on Yuu as well.
Chapter 1: Secret Songbird
Yuu sat amongst the other first years with Grim in her lap. She was flanked by Ace and Deuce who were in a heated debate over the latest incident at Heartslabyul. Epel and Jack sat behind her ignoring the banter and discussed subjects such as Spelldrive and Track. The entire student body had been gathered in the assembly hall for a special announcement. After the many various events she'd already experienced as a Night Raven College student, Yuu was both curious and a little wary of what was to come next.
When the big double doors opened and Dire Crowley strolled in with a pep in his step, Yuu's nerves shot up another inch.
"Good morning, students! I have wonderful news!" Crowley exclaimed with clear excitement. He practically skipped to the podium and turned to address the room. "Night Raven College will be the Venue for the Annual Charity Talent Show!"
"Talent Show?" Grim crossed his arms. "What's that?"
"It's a lot like the VDC. You perform as individuals or groups on stage, but instead of just music you can display any kind of talent. You can perform stage magic, dance routines, acrobatics, ventriloquism, you name it." Ace explained, clearly interested.
"Oh! Sounds like fun!" Grim clapped his paws together.
"As hosts of the talent show, it has been decided that one group per dorm will perform in order to show off the talent of our student body. The performance can be anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes long and all prefects are required to participate."
"Hah? Seriously?" This from Leona who slumped into his fist. "What a pain."
"Performing in front of a bunch of people? Oi, oi, oi, I didn't sign up for that. Isn't it bad enough I had to do that stupid star ceremony? Now this?" idia agreed in a series of mutters and mumbles.
"I expect each and every dorm leader to take this responsibility seriously, or the repercussions will be monumentous…" Crowley warned with thick sternness. "So figure out what kind of performance will best display you and the dorms you represent. The skies are the limit!" He waved his arms out, pausing for a long moment for effect. "Ahem… That is all."
"Well that was a short exposition…" Yuu muttered as Crowley brushed off at any attempts to argue.
"If you have any questions or concerns about the event, go to Mr. Shoenhiet for the details." Crowley added last minute and scooted out the door. "Dismissed!"
"I will never understand that man." Yuu sighed and shook her head. She stood up with the rest of the students and tucked her tongue in her cheek. "Prefects are required to participate, huh? Guess that means me too."
"No worries, Yuu, the Great Grim will perform with you so you don't embarrass yourself. Nyahaha!" Grim jumped out of her arms and did a little spin. "I can do anything after all."
"Except stay awake during history class." Yuu teased earning a grunt.
"Any ideas on what you'd like to do?" Deuce asked as the four of them walked back to class as a group. "If you want we can help out.
"Hey yeah, I'm sure King Riddle won't mind since it's just you two." Ace added.
"I appreciate the offer, but it's probably for the best if Grim and I do this one alone. Maybe we can do kind of a twist on a lion taming gig and I'll make Grim jump through a hoop." Yuu giggled and earned a glare from her dorm mate.
"I heard that! If anyone's jumping through a hoop it's gonna be you!"
"Hahaha, well the offer still stands." Ace patted her on the back and they all took a seat and prepared to be bored senseless as Professor Trein started his long lecture on royal lineages and noble families.
~Sometime later~
When Yuu and Grim finally settled back in at Ramshackle Dorm, Yuu was already tossing around ideas for the talent show.
"I suppose I could sing… I did a bit of choir and acting back home, but it was never really a passion of mine." She tapped her pencil on the notepad. "The question is what song to choose, and how to incorporate you into the performance."
"If you're doing the singing, then how about I do the dancing. I did all that practice with Ace and Deuce for the VDC, I may as well put it to use."
"Yeah, we can do that… the only question is, what song to choose. I'm not really familiar with any of the music or popular media here." She set down the pen and pulled her legs up to her chest. "The only movies and music videos I've seen are the ones Vil gave me to-" she paused as something came to mind. "Hey yeah! I know what we could do…"
She leapt from the couch and began digging through a collection of discs on the TV stand.
"I'm pretty sure I still have his copy of- AH HA! This is perfect!" She turned and held the video case out. "You remember this movie, don't yah Grim?"
"Hmmm?" Grim read the title. "Belle? Isn't that the one with the beast guy and he beats up all those superhero looking dudes?"
"Is that really the only part of this movie you remember?" Yuu frowned and put her hands on her hips. "It's a really touching story, with great music. Apparently it's based off of an old legend about a girl who frees a prince from a terrible curse that turned him into a beast. The main protagonist helps everyone see that the beast wasn't a monster, but instead a kind and gentle soul that was just protecting what he loves the only way he knew how."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah…" Grim slumped on the couch looking bored.
"Mmmph, fine…" Yuu put her hands on her hips. "How about we do this? You can play the fearsome beast and I'll play Belle. You can transform into your true form and fly around in the air, beating up your opponents."
"Now we're talking!" Grim jumped up, suddenly excited, his eyes sharpening. Yuu beamed a smile at him.
"So it's a deal, then?" Yuu wagged the movie case excitedly. "This is what we're doing for the talent show?"
"Yep! Deal!" He slapped his paw into Yuu's outstretched hand. "I'm gonna need a big billowy cape like he has… oh, oh and I can unleash my fire magic so it looks like big booming fireworks! Nyahahaha!"
"Just don't overdo it, Grim." Yuu's brow twitched with some mild concern. "We don't want to set the entire stage on fire." She turned the movie case around and ran a thumb over the cover. "I just hope I can sing the song well enough to do it justice."
"Don't worry about it. They'll be so blown away by my performance, they won't care if you mess up a few notes." Grim waved it off.
"Gee your confidence in me is so reassuring." She laughed and rolled her eyes. "I suppose we should figure out what to do for costumes. Why don't we go see Vil and the others in Pomefiore? Maybe they'll have some ideas for us."
"Good idea! Let's go!" Grim leapt onto Yuu's shoulder and the two ventured out towards the mirror chamber.
~Pomefiore~
"Wow…" Grim and Yuu stared in awe as the bulk of the Pomefiore students hustled and bustled around them with various tasks. They chittered and chattered about preparations, and discussed the best use of color and light. Many carried various types of fabrics of different lengths, colors, and patterns.
"Guess I shouldn't be surprised that Pomefiore is taking this event quite seriously…" Yuu scooted to the side as someone randomly ran by her. She bumped into someone and she turned and bowed her head. "Oh, sorry!"
"Careful, peasant!" The posh male sniffed and continued moving on.
"Humph, rude!" Grim crossed his arms. "How dare they speak to my minion like that?"
"Not everyone here likes us, Grim. A lot of students think we get special treatment that we don't deserve." Yuu sighed and rubbed the back of her neck.
"Special treatment, my foot!" Grim stamped his feet in protest. "We're the ones who had to deal with all that chaos that went down when everyone was overblotting."
"Let's just find Vil and get what we came for, Grim. No sense is upsetting ourselves with other people's opinions." She picked him up mid tantrum and carried him further inside. She found Vil in the music room with Epel and Rook. The three of them were piling through CDs and movies, trying to determine what to do for the showcase.
"For the last time, Epel, we're not doing an adventure film adaptation unless it is a historical one. We need something with class and grace. Keep looking!"
"Um…" Yuu gently knocked on the open door and carefully stepped in. "Sorry for intruding. Is this a bad time, Vil?"
"Yuu…" Vil said her name with a sigh, obviously relieved at the distraction. "No, I could use the break from this chaos. What can I do for you?"
"Well, Grim and I were hoping you could give us some ideas for costumes." She get Grim down and clasped her hands together. "We picked what we're going to do for our talent exposition, but we're not sure how to start."
"Well, I'm glad someone's motivated." Vil sent a small glare over his shoulder at Epel, who huffed and went back to scour discs. "What have you decided on?"
"We're doing an adaptation of Belle… you know that animated movie you lent me. I'm gonna sing and Grim's gonna do some acrobatics and pyrotechnics."
"Ah! C'est magnifique!" Rook was up on his feet, posing elaborately. "That role is well suited to you, cheri'."
"I agree…" Vil nodded his head in approval, but frowned. "It does suit yours and Grim's relationship… but I worry if you can handle such a big impactful musical number."
"Well I won't know until I try…" Yuu folded her hands together and looked up at him hopefully. "Can you help me?"
"Hmmm…" Unable to resist his fondness for the girl, Vil pat the top of her head then walked to the piano. "Have you done any singing before?"
"A little… though it's been awhile." She stepped up behind him, and lay her folded hands on the glossy black surface as Vil tickled the keys.
"Then let's start with some basics. Scales and Arpeggios… Begin at middle C." Vil played the note and demonstrated. "Do…Re…Mi…"
"Do… Re… Mi…" Yuu sang quietly, nervous.
"Project! You need to be heard from every corner of the room, or you won't be serenading anyone but yourself. Again! Do… Re… Mi…"
"Right, sorry…" Yuu took a deep breath and lay a hand on her stomach. Closing her eyes she let out the breath, and then inhaled again. "Do… Re… Mi…"
"Much better, now the full scale." Vil took her up and down the scales, over and over. His brows knit together as he listened to the tone of her voice. It was so pure, he thought… perfect for such an emotional ballad. It surprised him.
"Pretty…" Epel complimented with a smile. "Her voice is so clear and there's no stammering or quivering between inflections."
"Oui, it's truly angelic." Rook wiped a tear from his eyes and applauded. "Brava, Mademoiselle!"
"That was good. I have to say I'm quite impressed." Vil said simply and had her smiling. She knew that was the best kind of compliment from him.
"Thank you, Vil. That's really encouraging to hear. Now about those costumes…"
"Rois Du Poison… Vil, why don't you continue to work with our secret song bird here whilst Epel and I take Grim to the costume department?"
"Very well, but once we're done we have to come to a decision about our own showcase." Vil warned.
"You know…" Yuu poked her fingers together nervously. "If you're looking for something historical with adventure, why not try "All for One?" I read the book in the library, and it hits all the marks. Adventure, drama and they use the older romantic language verses rather than modern day speech."
"That's a great idea, Yuu-san. What do you think, Senpai?" Epel looked to Vil hopeful.
"Well…" Vil rubbed his chin, mulling it over. He did quite enjoy the play he'd seen of it. "Epel would be quite suitable as the young titular character… and I could play opposite him as the head musketeer which would benefit from our different viewpoints and bickering."
"Then it's settled, I think it would be a grand showcase, and show off Vil's incredible talent and Epel's budding charisma." Rook smirked at Yuu, approving of the way she handled the problem. It wasn't the first time he thought she displayed the kind of beauty and grace a Pomefiore would be known for.
"Yes, alright, go on now." Vil shooed them off and took a seat back down at the piano sighing. "Why do I feel as if I just had my arm twisted?"
"Sorry…" Yuu rounded the piano and sat down beside him. "I was just trying to help."
"Well what's done is done… and it's not a bad choice for us." Vil had to agree and he played the first few chords of her song choice on the piano. Yuu watched him with great interest and then lay her hands beside his and met his chorus with the matching harmony. Vil's hands stiffened in surprise when she quickly picked up the tempo.
"You play piano too?" He stopped playing. "What other hidden talents are you hiding from us, Yuu?"
"I'm not hiding anything…" Yuu lifted her eyes to him, the way she smiled with her bowed lips and teasing eyes reminded him of the cat that swallowed the canary. "This school revolves around magic as does most of this world. I don't really get the chance to show off my natural talents because in the thick of it they're not all that impressive compared to what the rest of you can do. I dabble, I'm a jack of many trades, and a master of none. It's not that impressive."
"That's where you're wrong. You could be a master of all if you took the time to perfect each skill you've grasped." He kept up the tempo, doing a quick shift and watching her match him. Something stirred inside him, something he hadn't expected… a kind of kinship. "You know… with your talent for music I'm surprised you didn't try out for the VDC with Ace and Deuce."
"I wasn't really interested in performing myself. I was more worried about keeping those three out of trouble." She admitted. "Besides I'm not nearly as good as you're making me out to be."
"No… but you can be." He stopped playing altogether and scooted off the bench. In a swift move, he yanked her to the center of the bench, making her squeak in surprise. "Can you read music?"
"Um... Yes?" She glanced over her shoulder at him.
"Good… play this." He tapped a finger to the sheet music in front of him.
"I thought you were helping me with my showcase." She frowned up at him.
"I am, don't argue with me. Now play." He tapped it again impatiently.
"Alright, alright, as his Majesty demands." She tossed her hands up, wiggled her fingers and began to play the song in front of her.
~Later~
When Rook and the others returned to the music room, arms loaded with clothes, boxes, and fabrics, Vil was putting Yuu through the prices of the song. He had her standing in the middle of the room, his hand pressing on her belly as he told her to breathe and hold the note.
"Oof, General Vil at work again…" Grim grumbled.
"No, no, no you're too tense! Relax your shoulders, all the tension has to come from your core! Do it again!"
"I'll relax when you take your hand off my stomach!" She shoved him off and took a deliberate two steps back. She shook off the tension, rubbing the muscles in her neck and shoulders. She eyed the others and offered a smile.
"How did you guys fare with the costume search?"
"Very well…" Rook unfolded and spread out a large white gown that shimmered with the glittery rainbows of various prism crystals. Yuu made a sound that was pure female delight and she ran to it.
"Oh wow! It's beautiful!" She held it out smiling and then pressed it to herself.
"I'm glad you like it… I made some alterations from the original costume which was shaped more like a robe." He turned her towards the wall of mirrors and held it up for her. "It suits you well, I think… and for Grim. Epel found the perfect materials to recreate the beast's cloak."
"This is wonderful! Thank you Rook, Epel…"
"You're welcome, Yuu-san." Epel smiled warmly at her.
"Happy to put a smile on that lovely face of yours, Cheri." Rook took her hand and kissed it. "Now then, I take it the practice is going a bit rough."
"Some, but she's progressing far more quickly than any other plebeian." Vil took the dress himself to admire it. "Yuu… I want you to come back here everyday for morning practice. Be here by 6:30am sharp."
"6:30am?" Yuu looked at him wide eyed and held her hands up. "Vil, it's really not necessary for you to help me THAT much. You should worry about your own rehearsals and-"
"I don't want any excuses, Yuu." He scowled and placed his hands on his hips. "You asked for my help, and I'm giving it to you. The only thing I ask in return is that you show me a performance full of dedication and passion." He took her chin lifting it up so their eyes would meet. "You've got great potential, Yuu. You could become an amazing talent, if you would only put in the effort. For that alone, I'm going to make you shine brighter than any diamond."
Yuu blushed at this and she shifted her eyes to the side and took a step back holding her cheek.
"Well, when you put it that way…"
"Oi, oi, oi, I hope you're not expecting me to keep up with your hectic schedule. No way am I waking up at the crack of dawn to practice, especially since we don't have to go to classes for a week."
"If you want to be a hindrance to Yuu, that's your own business Grim… It's your own fault if you happen to look the fool while she steals your spotlight." Vil antagonized and had him bristling.
"No way! I'm gonna be the star! I'll give you a performance that'll knock your pretty priss socks off!"
"Humph… I look forward to it." Vil smirked and looked back at Yuu. To soothe any ruffled feathers he patted the top of her head. "We've done enough for today, Yuu. I'll see you bright and early tomorrow."
"Mmm…" She looked up through her eyelashes at him. "See you tomorrow. Come on, Grim." Yuu walked briskly to the exit with Grim at her heels. Vil waited for Yuu to be all the way down the hall before he pulled out his cellphone.
"Rook, spread the word about our chosen piece, and tell them we'll be hold auditions for the various parts tomorrow at noon. We three will be the main leads, but we'll need a cardinal, a King, and several guards to complete the segment I have in mind."
"Oui, Mon Ami!" Rook bowed. "Epel, come with me and assist."
"Mmm, okay!" Epel got up and followed Rook out just as Vil held his phone to his ear. The number he called rang several times before the person on the other end finally picked up.
"Hello, Father. My apologies for calling you so late, I know you've rehearsal in the morning. I wanted to ask you for some favors, if you will."
"Of course, my Vil. What can your papa do for you?" The voice on the other end said with a chipper projection.
"That role that you and Adela asked me to take a look at… you said that it was a duet piece, am I correct?"
"Yes, the main characters are brother and sister so the directors and producers have been seeking out pairs with good chemistry and a familial bond. I've asked a few of your previous co-workers to train with you in preparation for the audition but-"
"There's no need… I believe I've found the girl I want to co-star with. She's an unknown, and undiscovered talent… but she'll be making her debut very soon. At least, with your help she will be."
"I see…" Eric smiled on the other end, sensing his son's plans. "It's not often you ask me for special favors, Vil. You much prefer to do things on your own. This girl must be something special."
"She is…" Vil admitted stepping over to the piano, gently brushing his long artistic fingers over the keys. He recalled the stirring he'd felt earlier sitting beside Yuu. The only time he'd ever felt that was when he'd worked side by side with his father. It was a bond and a link that couldn't be mimicked by any actor.
That feeling… of family.
"I want you… to adopt her."