"Chorophobia is the fear of dancing and is something that, unfortunately, even alcohol can't fix. It also manifests itself into a fear of any situation, event or person that is associated with dancing. The phobia is usually associated with social phobias – particularly fear of crowds"

Anzu called out, fearfully. Around her, everyone was collapsed, face-first on the ground. Now that she looked at it, the ground of this room was weird.

It was wooden and polished.

On second look, why was there a red curtain?

And a big, scary looking machine that loomed feet over her head?

Anzu shook her head, when she entered the room moments earlier, it didn't look like this! It was white and..normal at this point!

This would be the point where you'd try and run, right?

She didn't. She didn't even try.

"Why won't they wake up... I'm not leaving without them!"

She declared to nobody.

I mean, they don't know I exist~

"Good luck out there, Miss Masaki."

She snapped her head to the side, staring in shock as a little cardboard cutout wheeled their way over to her.

The speaker on the cardboard spoke,

"Do not fail this performance. It is the most important of your life."

Anzu stayed silent, feeling small and suddenly really cold.

She could hear cheering slowly playing outside, quietly, and as it grew louder, her anxiety grew harsher, more intense.

The cardboard cutout pushed Anzu backwards, into the machine. The little cuffs clipped in and tightened.

"Break a leg."

It took me longer to get that machine than it did to build the damn rooms. Do you know how long it takes to deliver from China?!

The curtains slowly pulled over and made her heart stop.

She recognised this scene.

There was a crowd of cardboard cutouts. In the crowd, there were some desks with potted flowers wilting sadly.

The petals fell to the floor one by one.

Anzu screamed,

"No! No, no, no, no, no!!! I'm not doing this again I-!! I'm never! No!!!"

The machine ran, moving her arms and legs in time to the music. Everyone cheered. She started crying, shaking her head violently and refusing to do this again.

"NO!!"

She tried to struggle free, but soon froze in place.

Because, she fell.

The machine released her and pushed her off the little stage, making her fall to the ground and hurt her leg from landing on it.

Everyone laughed loudly, screaming with laughter. One by one, trahs started being thrown at her, each of the throwers making a new, insulting comment.

"Wouldn't want a fat bitch to do Broadway anyways!""I knew she was gonna fall!""Dumb kid, she'd never make it in the dance world."

Cameras flashed.

She felt so shaky. So numb. So sick. Anzu sat up and immediately threw up all over the wooden floor.

Rude.

Her breathing sped up quickly, her hands sweating intensely and tears rushing down her face.

" I'm never doing this again... NEVER...!"

She screamed, as everyone else continued to laugh.

She put her head in her arms, her soft brown hair drooping down and soaking up the wet tears.

"Anzu..?!"

Someone's voice called from behind the curtain. They held the red curtain and slowly made their way to the messy figure on the floor. They stuck to the wall, before finishing their way to her and kneeling down and asking if she was okay.

"No... I'm not okay...I'm dying... I... Everyone... But.. I.. You..."

The other placed their hand on the others head and gently pet them.

"Shh, I don't know what happened, but you are not dying. You are okay. I'm here for you."

Anzu looked up and the girl, the small, pretty, bandaged girl.

"I'm so worthless..."

"No you're not! If it weren't for you, I'd never have been able to get around here!"

Shizuka giggled, hugging Anzu quickly and, after realising her, handing her a handkerchief.

"Let's go.."

She smiled, Anzu nodding and standing up.

I'll admit.

They're strong girls.

Good on them.

"Miss Masaki." the cardboard cutout from before spoke, " You completely failed. I am sorry but, get out of my sight."

Anzu whimpered, looking down again and receiving comfort from Shizuka.

"How did we get here?"

Anzu asked after taking a moment to breathe. Shizuka shrugged, saying that she didn't know where she was because she couldn't see.

Smartass.

The brunette kicked the cardboard cutout down and slowly ran over to the group of people who were still collapsed on the ground.

Anzu and Shizuka knelt down and started trying to wake them up. The only response they got out of it was a clear visual discomfort from Yami, but it was obvious that it wasn't because of them.

I needed an excuse to test those drugs!

I was glad they worked so well!

"What do we do.. They're not waking up.. What happened??"

"I don't kno--"

I let the little machines inject the drug into their arms again.

I was bored. So, very bored.

They fell to the ground after a moment of weakness, holding each others hands tightly.

What pitiful friendship.

After a moment, their body's were all transferred to the next room via the employees I asked ever so kindly.

They lay, limply on the ground. The camera zoomed out and showed the entire, empty room.

The group probably hoped that, once they woke up, they would be nice and happy.

But no,

I'm not gonna release them that easily.

One of Boss's main man's came into my monitoring room and told me that I should go home sometimes and that the funding for this is slowly going down.

I didn't care.

This is almost nearing the finale.

So close.

I'm so, so close..

To reaching the goal I wanted.