Performance day.

Our group's scene went smoothly, almost uneventfully. Though I can say with confidence Marion's act as Oberon instilled a LOT of fear in the hearts of our classmates. You know what they say; it's the silent ones you have to watch out for. I hang around Yoh-kun's group, while they get ready to put on their act. I know Anna-san and Hao would rather me not be there, but today they don't inhibit me as much (as usual). I sit around Yoh-kun, who has a happy buzz around him.

On the contrary, Ren-kun couldn't have been angrier looking. Anna-san wordlessly lent him a dress, which he accepted with a gaping mouth. He was about to throw a tantrum, but Yoh-kun and Hao soothed him into wearing it. Ren-kun was cornered against the wall, trapped by the smiling twins. It's moment like this, when the twins want to achieve the same goal (ie see Ren-kun in a dress) they have the best teamwork. I suppose it's because they're twins. Damn scary. Ren-kun gives in eventually to the persistent twins. Well, with these two twins trying to convince you at the same time, I don't think anyone could put up much resistance.

"Ready for the performance, Ren-kun?" I ask the sulking Ren-kun. He mutters something, but then looks at me with squinty eyes.
"No."
"Aw, come on Ren, it's not that bad…" Yoh-kun says, and tries to cheer Ren-kun up. "Anyway, Midsummer is meant to be a comedy, right?"
"So you do think I look stupid in this dress." Ren-kun says scathingly. One point down for Yoh-kun it seems.
"Ren, don't sulk." Anna san says curtly. "Things could have been worse."
"Yeah Ren. You've got a serious part, at least. Imagine having to be the donkey man." Hao pipes in. Ren-kun narrows his eyes at Hao. I guess Ren-kun's still a bit iffy about what happened between him and Hao yesterday…I would too (but something tells me that I don't have to worry about that.)

"Come on, our turn now…" Yoh-ku whispers. I totter away towards the audience, and give Yoh-kun a thumbs up. He thumbs up me back. I give Ren-kun a little wave as well. He glanced at me and looked away. I totter over to our group, Marion, Matilda and Lyserg.

"How's Ren-kun coping?" Lyserg whispers to me.
"OK I guess…" I say, unsure if Lyserg-kun is asking me about what happened yesterday, or about wearing a dress…
"Do you think Hao-sama will do that today?" Matilda asks us excitedly. I'm assuming that is referring to the little exhibition Hao had yesterday…All off us pointedly ignore Matilda.

Yoh-kun's group goes straight after the pervious group in order to maintain the flow of the play.

"And those things do best please me that befall prepst'rously." Finishes Chocolove (he makes a brilliant Puck), and we applaud. Following shortly, a gruff looking Ren-kun stumbles on, and feverishly strides away from a following Yoh-kun. A few squeals can be heard throughout the audience, at the sight of Ren-kun. Most of them are from girls (ie the little shounen-ai fan girl sitting next to me), but I think I heard a couple of guys squeal… Seems Ren-kun is quite popular… Ren-kun maintains the gruff look, but somehow it looks more like a pout. Yoh-kun has a silly and slightly flimsy, grin on his face, following Ren-kun. I can't quite tell if Ren-kun is acting or not…then Yoh-kun spoke.

"Why should you think that I woo in scorn? Scorn and derision never come in tears." I doubt my own ears for a split second. Make that ears and eyes. I see Yoh-kun in the classroom, looking sincerely at Ren-kun, lightly touching his arm. He's got a soft, yet sad expression shadowing his face, as his voice has a hint of pain and desperation.

"Wow, he's good." Matilda whispers.

"Scorn and derision never come in tears. Look when I vow, I weep; and vows so in their nativity all truth appears. How can these things in me seem scorn to you, bearing the badge of faith to prove them true?"
"You do advance your cunning more and more." Ren-kun hisses scathingly. OK, now I really can't tell if he's acting or not. It's as if the lines Ren-kun is saying are exactly what he is thinking. Well cast. Yoh-kun on the other hand… Wow, Anna-san's Spartan training yesterday must have really helped. For those who didn't know better, it sincerely sounds as if Yoh-kun loves Ren-kun. Hahaha…

"O Helen, goddess, nymph, perfect, devine!" Hao begins his lines by waking up, and glancing up at Ren-kun. I pull a face. Good lord, I hope he really doesn't have that exhibitionist streak in him…Ren-kun pulls a face as well, and backs away from Hao instinctively. I really don't blame him.

"To what, my love, shall I compare thine eyne? Crystal is muddy! O, how ripe in show is thy lips, those kissing cherries tempting grow…" Thank goodness Hao doesn't do what he did yesterday, but he does wrap one arm around Ren-kuns waist and draws him in, caressing his lips gently. I can hear Mati beside me having a fit of joy, whilst Lyserg-kun is restraining Marion with all his strength.

"You are unkind Demetrius;" Yoh-kun says, with a hearty laugh, and pulls Hao's arm off Ren-kun, and eyes Hao levelly. "be not so, for you love Hermia -this you know I know -"

Dear God. These twins are NOT acting. They are SINCERELY saying their lines. Unbeknownst to most…

"Lysander, keep thy Hermia. I will none." Hao smiles back to Yoh-kun. VERY coldly. I shudder. I think Lyserg-kun's caught on to my vibe, and Ren-kun is looking very uncomfortable, stuck between the twins on stage. If this goes on, like a normal argument of the twins…all hell will break loose. Dear lord…

"Manta-kun…" Lyserg began, and I looked up to him, sheepishly. "Is…are…wait…" Lyseg-kun rubs his temples. I laugh craggedly. I think he's caught on. I always thought Lyserg-kun was perceptive…

Yoh-kun's group's act goes on. Anna-san and Ren-kun's bitch fight was scary. Like, REALLY scary. Anna-san's scary as it is, and Ren-kun was on the verge of exploding. Suppressed tensions were coming on the surface, it seems.

"Why, get you gone! Who is't that hinders you?"
"A foolish heart that I leave here behind."
"What, with Lysander?"

…Anna-san…

I'm sure Marion's act instilled more fear, but Anna-san's act just reinforced it. Their group's act seemed to knock the awe out of everyone. At the end, there was a HUGE applause.

***

"See, that wasn't too bad, was it Ren?" Yoh-kun beams at Ren-kun, after all the acts had finished. Anna-san had disappeared somewhere, and Ren-kun, Yoh-ku, Hao and myself were left in an uninhabited classroom.
"Wasn't too bad…?" Ren-kun rolls his eyes, and takes a gulp out of his bottle of milk. "Wasn't bad? It was the most humiliating thing I'd ever…"
"But you looked so good." Hao laughs airily. Ren-kun shoots him an angry glare, his spike stretching. (^o^) "Come on, the auience loved you. You were so gorgeous." With this, Hao, again, so inconspicuously, slides his arm around Ren-kun's waist. He slowly leans into Ren-kun. "Though I must admit, I don't like sharing you with the rest of the class…" Hao smiles intimately. He is completely ignoring Yoh-kun and I. Ren-kun looks troubled, but then roughly pushed Hao away.

"Sexual harassment!" Ren-kun screeched. Hao just smiles.
"Hao," Yoh-kun begins, and stands beside Ren-kun. "Just leave him alone, OK? I don't think he's really interested in you…" Yoh-kun places his hand on Ren-kun's shoulder, rather protectively, and slightly possessively. Hao raises an eyebrow. Silence reigns.

"Are you, Ren?" Hao suddenly asks Ren-kun.

"Huh?"

"Are you not interested in me?"

"…"

…

Shifty silence…

"I …" began Ren-kun, then he blushed and looked away. "Ineedtogohomeithinkmysister'smakingdinner." And with that incomprehensible verbal soup, Ren-kun fled the classroom. I stand there and gape. Hao shrugs, but has a smile tugging at his lips.

"Well, what do you make of that, Mr "I-understand-what-Ren s-feeling"?" Hao says to Yoh-kun mockingly. Yoh-kun just smiles.
"I'd say he he was embarrassed at being asked a question related to romance." He replied simply. Hao maintains a cool face, but I think I saw his upper lip twitch slightly…

"I think he's interested in me." Hao begins.

"Maybe only because you look like me." Yoh-kun smiles.

"No, you look like me. I'm older."

"Yeah, but he likes me, so you look like me."

Suddenly, the lights in the classroom disappear.

"What!? WHAAAA…" I begin to panic, and bump into Yoh-kun. He just chuckled.
"It's probably only a temporary blackout."

Then, a blinding light appears in the door way of the classroom.

It's as if eerie vocal music is playing in the background (insert X-Laws theme song thing). Smoke made from dried ice gathers around the feet of the SRC members, and a bright light is shining behind them all. Hao's pretty theatrical when he appears, but this is waaaay up the scale in (melo)dramaticness. I bet that Marco guy rehearses this holy entry afterschool. Iron Maiden Jeanne is standing in the center, looking serene as usual. Her faithful followers all stand behind her like some army, with the SRC arm bands gleaming silver.

"Hao and Yoh Asakura." Jeanne starts, in her soft, innocent sounding voice. "You two, are vile."

Yoh-kun grins, and Hao raises an eyebrow playfully.

"You two are, according to sources, competing as to who can obtain Tao Ren's virginity first." At this accusation, Yoh-kun's face becomes jumbled.
"What do you mean virginity? I don't know about Hao, but that's not what I'm after."
"You mean that's not only what you're after." Hao breathes. I think Yoh-kun heard him.
"Either way, you two are both striving for an unnatural copulation, which is against God's will. Those who practice sodomy will fall to Hell."
"Thanks for the warning freako girl, but I plan to do whatever the hell I want to, and no one is going to stop me, least of all you SRC jerks who have no life." Hao says smoothly, raking his long hair up and scratching his head.
"Freako girl! How dare you insult Jeanne!" Marco yells, the four cornered anger mark imprinted on his forehead.
"Nah, Jeanne, do you really think that me wanting to be with Ren is wrong?" Yoh-kun addresses Jeanne, pointedly ignoring his twin and the yapping glasses guy.
"It is unnatural, it should not happen, therefore it is against God's will, therefore it is evil." Jeanne plays her logic out. Yoh-kun nods.
"I see. But that's the way you perceive the world, and that's fine with me as long as it doesn't bother me."
"I think you misunderstand me." Jeanne smiles serenely. "I cannot allow this filthy competition to go on. I cannot allow you two to drag Tao Ren down the path of corruption and evil. I shall ask him to the Student Council , where he will be clean and safe from harm."
""WHAT!?"" Hao and Yoh-kun synch. I still think it's very wrong when these two synch.

"Harm? You call us harm?" Yoh-kun asks, devastated, and panicky. "And you aren't harmful? Brainwashing people, using violence on people just because they don't think the way you do?"
"We are doing it for their best interest. We wish for the best of all man kind." … People like this are so hard to work with…

"… I think there really isn't any way to get across a point to people like this, Yoh." Hao sighs out, and turns his back on the SRC to retreat.
"Where do you think YOU'RE going?" Marco calls to Hao. Hao stops, and turns around to face him.
"Wherever the hell I want to go. I get you're point, and frankly, I think it's a load of bullshit. Just don't mess with me if you know what's best for you." Hao's last sentence was spoken accompanied by the darkest smile I'd ever witnessed…and I have witnessed quite a few of those in my time.

Hao has retreated, Yoh-kun and I stand there taking in the full glare of the SRC. I gulp.
"Is there no way I can convince you to stop this meaningless opposition?" Jeanne asks Yoh-kun softly. Yoh-kun smiles, and shakes his head.
"I can't help the way I feel about Ren." That's such a Yoh-kun thing to say, and I smile in relief. He'd never buckle under pressure from people like this. And I guess that's why he can go up against Hao as well…
"That is unfortunate." Jeanne closes her eyes, looking very sad. "If we cannot convince you through words, we must convince you through actions." With those very dangerous words, Jeanne and the SRC members left. All except Lyserg, who stood there looking at Yoh-kun.

"…so it is true that you're after Ren-kun." Lyserg starts softly. "Ahh." Yoh-kun admits. "Why, though?" Lyserg looks at Yoh-kun straight in the face. "Like Jeanne-sama said, it's unnatural. Besides, Anna-san likes you. She's a nice person, and she thinks well of you…"
"I don't know Lyserg." Yoh-kun grimaces, but smiles breezily. "I don't care whether it's natural or not in the eyes of the world. It feels natural to me, so that's OK."
"…" Lyserg doesn't say anything back.

***

"What do you want?" Hao asks the shadow standing behind him. Hao was sitting alone behind an old shelter shed, thinking when his train of thought was interrupted by the presence of an unwanted character. The shadow approaches Hao, and the figure of Anna Kyouyama appears.

"It's unlike you to ever approach me. What is it that you want?" Hao smirks, but doesn't look at the girl. Anna doesn't move. The relationship between these two is kind of strange. Ages ago, Hao did try his luck with Anna, but was rewarded with an almighty slap. Both acknowledge the power each possesses, and to an extent, respects it.

"It's about Yoh." Hao doesn't look back, and sits there for a while.
"Why should anything about him concern me?"
"Because it involves Ren."

Hao's attention seemed caught, as he turned his head slightly to the direction Anna was standing.
"I know you and Yoh are competing to see who can get Tao first. But I have no intensions of letting Yoh get Tao. Or Tao get Yoh." Anna closes her eyes, and folds her arms across her chest.

"So you're suggesting an alliance?" Hao asks, amusement seeping into his voice. He still doesn't face her.
"I want Yoh, you want Ren. Yoh wants Ren. I don't see any reason why we shouldn't band together. We really don't have much to lose."
"How do you suggest we carry out this alliance?" Hao finally turns around to face Anna. His face is serene with a hint of amusement, but underneath god knows what emotions and thoughts are raging.
"Who knows? When the time presents itself." Anna shrugs, somewhat nonchalantly. "But I know that when we go on our Biology field trip in a weeks time, it will rain, heavily then. We can use that to our advantage." Hao raises an eyebrow. "You're creative Hao. I'm sure you can spew up something."
"The compliment is flattering, really." Hao smiles. "So you say we each lead the other off, and assist each other in doing so?"
"In a nutshell, yes." Anna affirms with a nod.
"Isn't it interesting that you should come to me with a proposition." Hao laughs, leaning back. "Fine, I'll go with this deal. But if you ever interfere with me…you understand, right?"
"Sure." Anna nods, and the deal was set. Anna departs te scene, leaving a contemplative, yet content looking Hao alone.

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Oooops, I realised that the last bit was in third person perspective, not Manta. o_0; Oh well...

The performance section dragged on a bit I feel...I was really running short of ideas, but now we hit into the second part of the test against charms, THE BIOLOGY FIELD TRIP! :3 Thanks to all those people who have reviewed, and all those people who've followed this since...like August. I'm slowing down on the update, but hopefully this will keep going...until I really run short of ideas.

And who's winning at this point in time? I have no idea. I CAN'T CHOOSE! *dies* And the X-Laws have made an appearance! *dum dum* The X-Laws story is a lot different in the manga, but I'll stick with the anime guidelines, because it makes things so much more simple. ;D And I feel that some of the characters are OOC, but IT'S ALL GOOD! I'm having fun, so it's all OK! :3 Hehehe, SRC Marco...