A/N: I appreciate the reviews/comments from last chapter. It warms my heart that there are still Kaleido Star fans out there. The characters are so great and I'm really excited to help them evolve with this lovely story. And it is so much fun writing Sophie and a more mature, confident Sora (I hate when she's a push-over).
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Chapter Five:
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That morning, they would run through the show in its entirety. Sora had to flip a switch in her mind to shut off all thoughts of mermaids and instead focus on being the object of Dracula's affection.
Leon was the perfect actor for a role like Dracula — obsessive, arrogant, determined, entitled. He was also physical perfection with his leanly muscled body, silky inhuman hair, piercing intense gaze, and a bitter cruel heart.
Sora and Leon stood together, his arms wrapped around her from behind, his long hair falling across her chest and brushing against her cheek. The last note lingered in the air as the lights dimmed signaling the end of the second act. "Do you improvise because you do not remember the script, or because you think you're a better performer than what was approved for the stage?" Leon hissed in her ear.
"It's your timing that I'm having to improvise in order to match. You're the one not sticking to the script," Sora retorted.
"That's because May and I had made minor alterations," Leon defended, stepping away and releasing the embrace.
"My primary focus for the past month has been the successful mermaid show I created," Sora whispered heatedly. She didn't want to upset the rest of the cast, though she was pretty sure they already knew Leon was throwing one of his tantrums. At least the third and final act would involve Van Helsing. While she and Leon were off stage in the second act, Yuri introduced her character. He was marvelous and it really did bring hope to the story.
"Mina is supposed to be in love with Dracula," Leon protested. He started to climb down from the elevated platform. Sora waited a few moments and then started down herself. She didn't care if it gave the jerk a view of her bottom. It's not like he'd be able to see past his nose to appreciate her derrière anyway.
"Mina is not in love with Dracula," Sora argued. "His passion and obsession has drawn her in and enchanted her. She's attracted to his mystery. He's the ultimate bad boy — that's not love. If you'd ever been in a healthy relationship you'd know the difference."
"You know nothing about me," Leon growled as he stepped off the ladder.
Sora released her grip on the ladder and landed gracefully in front of him six feet below her position. She turned to peer up into his icy eyes. "Vlad had love with his wife and Mina may be her re-incarnation or it could just be a woman that looks like her. He's imprinted his very real feelings for his wife onto this Victorian stranger. Her fiancé is boring compared to the Count Dracula. Why settle for a bookkeeper when you can have the man with the castle? She's blinded by a greed for excitement. A true relationship is a partnership — two friends that care for one another and uplift one another. These fiery affairs are just that, they are affairs that end with mutual destruction."
"You have quite a strong opinion about Dracula," Leon mumbled.
Sora shrugged. "Bram Stoker wrote an entertaining story. My opinion is in regard to romantic relationships. I've seen plenty of families broken up by divorce or good friends having their hearts stomped on by devoting themselves to someone that never cared about them, but enjoyed a little excitement."
"Oh yes, the innocent femme who is destroyed by the terrible man," Leon scoffed.
Sora laughed. "There are just as many cases of the fiery woman destroying the sweet, mild- manner man." She gaze drifted past Leon and she saw Ken's retreating figure as he busied himself with the crew preparing the stage for the third and final act.
Leon followed her gaze and frowned. "Is she talking about Ken?"
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"This is beautiful work," Debra said, admiring the costume.
Sophie brushed her palm over the velvety material. She was pretty proud of the costume herself. The colors would be especially flattering for Yuri's complexion. She chose a slightly different color scheme for the female version of Van Helsing that would compliment Sora's coloring.
Reluctantly, Sophie placed the costume onto the clothes hanger and slipped it inside the protective garment bag for Debra to take to the circus.
"You sure you don't want to come along? See how Mr. Killian looks in the finished work?" Debra asked.
"No, I have more work to do for my admission project for the school I'm applying," Sophie answered. She didn't think she could handle seeing Yuri again with his friendly, perfectly platonic smile.
"Don't you fret about Ms. Naegino's costume. I'll do her final fitting and finish it up in a day or two," Debra vowed. "Will you be attending tonight's performance?"
"I don't think so," Sophie said apologetically. Her gaze landed on the ticket to Yuri's personal box two. She'd be there alone watching her friends perform while feeling even more aware of her useless legs and the wheelchair prison that had become an extension of herself.
"If you change your mind, I'm sure Mr. Kalos can arrange transportation for you." Debra draped the garment bag over her shoulder and collected the material for the second costume. Sophie saw her to the door.
Her phone chimed with a text message from her brother. His costar May was sick and he was being forced to work with that insufferably optimistic Japanese girl and the arrogant prick that owned the circus.
Sophie's pity party ended abruptly as she broke into laughter at Leon's expense. Maybe she would attend. Though, she didn't need a car to pick her up. This was California! There were wheelchair accessibility ramps, elevators, and public transportation. She could navigate her own way to the circus. She might have a physical disability, but she was far from helpless — it was time that others realized it too.
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Sophie had memorized the bus and train routes needed to get to Kaleido Stage. First, she needed bus 732 South, then off at Westinghouse station to ride the Green Line east. She'd just exited the station and was taking the pedestrian crowded sidewalk when a tall, older man in a suit fell in step beside her.
She glanced up and met the be-speckled gray gaze of the arts critic Elijah Cruz.
He smiled genially down upon her. "Mademoiselle Oswald, I am Elijah Cruz. As I believe we share the same destination, will you allow me to escort you?"
"Mr. Cruz, it's an honor to meet you," Sophie said, smiling shyly. She'd read his work and was a little surprised that he knew her. It had been years since she'd been in the eye of any critic.
"I admit to having ulterior motives," Elijah confessed. "I had hoped to write a piece about you and your brother coming to California. I sincerely hope that tonight's performance will be improved upon yesterday's. I'm not sure how a little last minute script revision will help."
"It's more than that," Sophie assured him. "This revision was an idea of Sora Naegino from before the first performance. My brother wanted dark and since she was the understudy at the time and more involved in the Sensational Splash, she didn't really press the issue."
"I see. And seeing how amazing her children's show reached the masses compared to the dreadful Dracula, I'm a little more eager to see tonight's version," Elijah said, his lips thinned thoughtfully. "I received an updated program from Mr. Killian. It seems he'll be involved in tonight's performance as well. He hasn't performed publicly since he and his past partner won the international championships." He nodded towards her wheelchair. "The same time since your accident I believe."
"You seem to know a lot about us," Sophie said quietly.
"A good reporter does their research," Elijah said. "A good critic must also be a good reporter. In this new program, you are listed under costume design. You weren't in last night's program."
"I created the costume for the new character," Sophie said. They paused at a crosswalk, waiting to cross traffic. She held up her hands. "My fingers are full of needle holes to attest to my dedication."
Elijah chuckled. "Mademoiselle Oswald, I sincerely hope I'm able to write a nicer review so that your abused fingers will have not been injured in vain!"
"Me too," Sophie mumbled. She'd have faith in her brother, her friends, and in her own costume design. Otherwise, they'd all be in trouble soon. A circus needed an audience to survive.
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Yuri went over ticket sales with Kalos. The night's performance was only at seventy-five percent capacity. Hopefully, it went well and word of mouth would draw back the crowd. He'd learned that Box Two had two very important guests — Sophie Oswald had showed up on her own, surprising him, and the critic Elijah Cruz. The latter had accepted Yuri's invitation when he'd told him of Sora's performance as Mina and of his own as a new character on their revised script. The old man had been reticent, but Sora's performance with the children's show was enough to spark an interest.
"So, do you think Dracula and Mina will survive the performance or will they kill each other before the finale?" Kalos jested. He set down his pen and closed the ledger where he recorded ticket sales. "Or will it be Van Helsing that finishes Dracula?"
"Very funny," Yuri grouched. He did a few above his head stretches, trying to jostle his role as owner and performer efficiently. "Would it be over the top if I had flowers sent to Sophie? Or a bottle of champaign? Or maybe some chocolates?"
"Does she even drink alcohol or eat candy?" Kalos asked, raising a dark eyebrow. "I mean, naturally, such a gesture is blatantly romantic and sickeningly sweet. I think the flowers and a drink would be nice. Though, if she wants to give the champaign to the critic, he might write something more favorable."
Yuri rolled his eyes. "Why do I even bother to ask you?"
"Because, of the two of us, I'm the one that's married to a wonderful wife," Kalos retorted.
"I don't know what Sarah sees in you. She's such a classy lady and you're— you."
Kalos waved his long, dextrous fingers. "Magician hands."
Yuri groaned. "TMI!"
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The lights dimmed and the buzz of the audience faded. Leon watched from behind the curtain as the show began. Sarah Dupont, Kalos wife, began by singing the opening number — a hauntingly beautiful song. Personally, he thought the song would sound better in French, but Kalos didn't want to risk getting sued by Cirque du Soleil. Leon thought that was ridiculous — it wasn't like that Montreal circus could lay claim to the French language.
He scanned the audience and was surprised to see his sister— her pale, wavy hair luminescent in the ambiance of the stage's lights. He scowled upon seeing the familiar critic sharing Sophie's box. If it wasn't for that crotchety old man, he wouldn't have had to change his performance.
"You're taking your character's brooding a bit too far," Sora teased, coming to stand beside Leon.
He glanced down at her, but said nothing. However, he did relax his expression to be a careful neutral. May was pretty in Mina's attire, but Sora was ethereally majestic. He could very well imagine how an immortal, jaded creature like Dracula might be enchanted by such a person. Hopefully, the audience felt the same way.
Leon watched as Sora made Mina's entrance at the beginning of Act One — an innocent, lovely, Victorian young woman excited about her upcoming wedding with the respectable bookkeeper, Jonathan Harker. In their version, Harker wasn't played by a person, but is kept to a shadowy reference. The focus of the program was on Dracula and Mina — and now Van Helsing.
He hated to admit it, but the show had a much more exciting dynamic with the introduction of Van Helsing. There really did need to be three major characters — protagonist, antagonist, and love interest. And while Harker wasn't portrayed by anyone, his character completed the love triangle.
Leon waited his cue and then from the top of the traipse swung onto the stage, scooping Mina into his arms and carrying her off into the starry night to begin Dracula's seduction.
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"The dynamic has completely changed," Cruz said. He typed quickly on his tablet, keeping notes throughout the performance. "The chemistry between Dracula and Mina has an exciting romantic undertone — there is passion and anger between them and the technical skills weren't lost. While this young lady isn't quite as polished as the other one, her explosion of passion more than makes up for it. You'd think she was becoming enthralled by Dracula's seductions. And Van Helsing —- wow! Yuri Killian on stage — such a treat! The antagonism between him and your brother is so natural."
Sophie smiled, amused by Elijah Cruz's observations. He was spot on and she was so glad that she didn't miss this performance. It was mesmerizing and she wasn't just thinking about Yuri. The exercises she recommended to Sora had been making a difference as well. She was more than just raw talent, she had finesse. There was still room for improvement, but not much! Sophie would see to it that her friend was just as polished as May before long.
"And Mademoiselle Oswald, you are responsible for Van Helsing's costume?" Cruz asked.
"Yes, sir. My hands finished with those seams just this afternoon," Sophie admitted.
"Amazing," Cruz mumbled. "I've never seen someone take my words to heart and remedy the flaws in a performance so immediately." He chuckled in bemusement. "I must be careful to not let the power go to my head."
"I suspect your thoughts happened to echo what Mr. Killian was already thinking. He was already leaning towards incorporating the Van Helsing version, but Leon wanted to try the original script first," Sophie explained. She picked up the bottle of champaign Yuri had sent to their box and poured a fresh glass for herself. She offered it towards Cruz.
"Out of respect for the writer?" Cruz asked. He shook his head at the bottle. "No, thank you. My old liver cannot handle more than one glass these days — even when its something light like the bubbly."
Sophie nodded, though that wasn't really the truth, in regard to his question. Leon didn't care about hurting anyone's feelings. He liked the dark, brooding, depressing version of the show. And until ticket sales reflected that everyone else preferred something a bit more optimistic, he'd refused to budge on the issue.
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It was the grand finale of the performance and Sora was looking forward to the end. Van Helsing and Dracula had just wrapped up their duel — and it was beautiful. Frankly, she'd prefer to be Van Helsing in this production than Mina. Playing the love-sick, enthralled woman really made her mad. She couldn't relate to the character betraying her fiancé for the thrill of Dracula. It was so obvious that the count didn't love her, but of the woman she reminded him of — his wife from centuries before.
Maybe Sora could relate more if she allowed herself to involved in a foolish romance. It seemed impractical to devote oneself to a person that didn't see you as a partner. Of course, there needed to be attraction too. It was a shame she felt zero chemistry with Ken, he was a nice guy.
In the literature, there were different endings for Mina — she becomes a vampire and is cured upon Dracula's death or sometimes remains a vampire after he dies. Dracula's curse over her is destroyed and she becomes human and marries her fiancé Mr. Harker. She dies in an accident, leaving Dracula despondent that he lost her wife and her possible reincarnation all over again. Or the ending they were going with — she cuts ties with her humanity, accepts vampirism, and chooses Dracula.
As the music began and Sarah sang an eerie song about darkness and finding comfort in all the wrong places, Sora entered the stage. Silks fell towards centerstage and as Sora wrapped her arms and torso in the silvery silk — reminiscence of moonlight, she rose higher and higher towards the trapeze where Leon waited.
He swung towards her, nimble as a panther. Their bodies met in mid-air and his character took Sora in his arms and a curtain or red silks fell and cocooned them within. Hidden within the red silks Sora did a minor custom adjustment to represent no longer being human, but a vampire as well.
They emerged from the red silks together, entwined with one another. Leon's strong arm was banded around Sora's waist and her legs were hooked around his hips in a precarious balance that relied on absolute trust.
The curtain fell and the performance was over. As they landed on the trapeze, there was a pregnant pause and then the audience roared with approval. Leon released his grip and Sora stood a few inches apart, as far as the small space on the platform would allow.
Sora peered up at Leon's expressionless face. He wouldn't admit it, but the show had been epic!
Leon's pale eyes met her gaze. "You need to work on your form on the triple twist in the second act around sixteen minutes in from the start."
Sora shook her head and snorted in amusement. It would figure he would wrack his brain for the one mistake she made in the entire ninety minute show. She had been fifteen degrees off for about ten seconds. "At least you're paying attention to your partner," Sora muttered as she started down the ladder. "I hope May feels better soon, then you can have your regular and preferred costar."
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"I'm so glad you came!" Yuri sat next to Sophie in Cruz's abandoned seat. "Did you like the view?"
"It was wonderful. You were wonderful as Van Helsing," Sophie said, smiling shyly. "The show has a completely different tone with the revisions. Even the critic was struggling to find anything to criticize!"
Yuri took Sophie's hands and massaged the backs with his thumbs. "These hands are magic. You really saved me today, Sophie! Did you like the champaign? The flowers?"
"The champaign was good. I'm not sure how I'm supposed to get the flowers home. It's going to be difficult with the bus and train transfers to keep up with them," Sophie explained. "Though, I appreciate the gesture."
"Bus? Trains? I would have sent a car for you. You're not taking public transit home from here. I'll drive you myself," Yuri explained.
"I was planning to go home with Leon," Sophie protested. "I am on his way after all."
Yuri continued to caress the back of her hands. "It was really nice seeing you in the audience." He looked up, meeting her gaze. "Is it hard? To watch?"
Sophie shrugged. "It's nice to perform, but I enjoy watching a good show. I really enjoy watching Sora. She's a good partner for Leon."
"Tell him that," Yuri grumbled.
"But he's not a good partner for her — at least not right now. Maybe one day," Sophie reasoned. "But I could be wrong, they sure looked good together tonight."
"Long term, I think they'd kill each other. Though, I think Sora taking turns with me as Van Helsing will be quite fun for both," Yuri said., releasing her hands and starting for the door. "Do you want me to send Leon this way or do you want to come with me behind stage?"
"Send Leon to me," Sophie said. He wasn't going to ask, but that was fine, the wine and flowers had given her the confidence to ask herself. "However, Yuri, if you would like to pick me up for a date to an art gallery or museum or something, I would be very happy to attend with you."
"Sophie Oswald, are you asking me on a date?" Yuri asked, his eyes twinkling with mischief.
"No," Sophie answered primly. "I'm telling you to take me on a date."
Yuri smiled. "How about tomorrow night? There's no performances on Tuesdays."
"It's a date," Sophie agreed. "You can't call a girl in the middle of the night and get away unscathed."
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