Chapter 2
Training Hall
The day had started as any other. But now many more performers started practicing. As a result the old shifts had to be reapplied. May and Rosetta anxiously waited their turn and where determined to complete an act at the end of this day.
However there was still a good hour and waiting was neithers strong point. With nothing else better to do they started randomly talking.
Rosetta however was keen to adress a certain subject, but she saw that the chinese still felt unconfortable and when Mia, Hannah and Marion joined them she relented. The small group started talking all nonesense and somehow the conversation turned as May started telling stories about her grandmother.
The elderly woman had visited the stage once and Rosetta fondly remebered those days. Despite her old age she had a stubborness and strength which somehow explained May's. No one caught her name as she insisted wanting to be called grandma by everyone. Everybody was surprised to see the elder held his ground as she turned out to be quite a skilled fighter, even Sarah had a hard time keeping up. Whilst others of her age would probably be in a rockingchiar she had kept much of her strength and was not as senile as one would expect.
Her strong will was also accompanied by a sharp tounge as she could outtalk everyone. Not even Leon could rival her. Trough her long life she picked up a lot of wisdom and was more then capable of standing up for herself. At that visit everybody was happy that Layla was not around as they surly would have entered a tense and long debate. Rosetta noted the she must have been May's rolemodel and was quite taken by the elderly woman. Her grandparents had died before her birth and even if she had them she would have been to busy practicing diabolo to even notice them.
'Then she turned to the salesperson grabbed his arm and flung him over his stand.'
For the last halfhour the chineese had retold countless stories.
'After that she got the man in a headlock.' continued the girl gesturing the restraining maneuver which then was followed by a imitation of a noogie.
'Then he took back calling her old.'
Mia, Hannah and Marion had patiently listened all her stories, but started to grow tired by them, however none of them had the nerve to interrupt her. Rosetta on the other hand was pleasently surprised that if properly motivated May could turn into quite a talented storyteller.
She was quite taken by her tales and could have listened all day long. She keenly awaited for another memory to come to May and the chinese enjoyed seeing at least someone was giving her undivided attention.
But even if the other girls would have listened more fondly it wouldn't brighten her too much as she seemed somewhat keen to entertain and impress the redhead.
'Ohh, and then there was the time someone on the street tried to sell her a cane.' The chinese felt joy seeing Rosetta's eyes lighten up with excitement, but was interrupted when Mia summoned enough courage.
'Come on May, don't you know any other stories?' Marion joined in. 'Yeah, something romantic.' ...' I konw tell us about your first crush.' completed Mia leaving the chinese to think about such an event, it seemed to have been a long time ago.
Now the redhead changed from complete attention to a dismissive nature as the prospect of hearing such a story with her friend she did not find at all entertaining.
It took May some time to remeber and when she finally was ready she stopped briefly seeing how Rosetta now looked anywhere but at her trying to ignor her.
"How cute." she tought and an impish smile came over her as she wanted to toy a bit with her partner.
'My first crush ...' she hummed which annoyed the redhaired girl even more.
'Let's see. If you can call it a crush.' The other three girls now awaited anxiously to hear the story. These three pairs of eyes that where locked on her didn't mean as much to her as much as Rosetta who was still looking at her trough the edge of her sight, not wanting to appear interested
'Ah yes. I think it was when I was about seven or eight. I was getting better and better at skating. One day Meryl told me about a boy who comes daily and rents skates for an hour but never gets on the ice. Instead she told me he was watching me day after day.'
Mia and Marion where lavishing over the story as this a perfect foundation for romance. Rosetta was much less enthusiastic about the whole deal, but still was curios how she handled the fan-boy.
'So then one day after a few good hours on the skate the little bugger comes to me and just stands there in front of me and I go like 'If you don't have anything to say get out of my way.'
May chuckled just as she did then seeing her words rhymed. Mia and Marion now where slightly deterred but pressed on. 'Then what happened?' asked both in unison.
May folded her arms and faked a girlish dreamy expression and also a slight blush which got the two more excited and Rosetta the more annoyed.
'So he took my hand and before I can react he gives me a kiss.'
That was too much for the redhead as she was now directly staring at the chinese. Again in unison the little blond and the strawberry haired girl talked.
'Awwwww ... how cute.' 'The boy had his eyes closed and I had mine wide open dumbstruck by what had happened.' continued May still playing the role of the shy little girl.
'Then what? Did the two of you become a pair?' asked Marion curious to see how she had handled her first kiss. The innocent expression was quickly erased and replaced by a devilish smile, but the two didn't notice.
Rosetta was now intrigued as she couldn't figure out why she was grinning.
'So I take his hand and lead him too the entrance to the skatingring.' 'And you asked him?' said Mia enchanted so far by the story.
'So I take this boys hand.' She mimicked holding someone hand and gestured to some pivotal moment, but then unexpected she flung her hand in a wide arch.
'And I threw him onto the ice and he slid all the way to the middle knocking someone down in the process.'
The expression on Marion's and Mia's face changed from delight to pure dissapointment, with a 'I should have known.' look. Seeing them like that made May laugh obnoxiously seeing how easily she had led them.
Rosetta also laughed but more softly into her palm.
'The poor boy.' sighed Marion.
'Oh do you want to hear another one?' asked May grinning as she had had similar experiences in her past.
Mia shook her head violently, she had always liked nice lovetales and what she had heared was just plain mean. Trying to wave out the subject she noted that it was time for the shift.
'Look! It's your turn now.' May turned around and signaled Rosetta to follow only adding when she turned around. 'I'll tell you later.'
The two girls quickly got up and warmed up in a few moments.
'So what now?' asked the redhead gaining momentum. 'Lets ad-lib then we'll see what we have at the end of the day.' Rosetta noded and both got up to a booming start.
Usually routines would be slowly built up preluding a grand moment, but the two only after a few minutes had the stuff to make more then one show. Sora was quite taken by the act, but this premature rush wasn't quite to her taste.
However she also knew that both where impatient and as long as this was practice she had no reason to interfeer. Getting more and more elaborate, both started showing their strength.
Rosetta had kept most of her armsstrength since the maneuver with Sora.
May on the other hand had a quite unique ability. She could spin at incredible speeds without any sign of vertigo. This talent must have been adopted from ice-skating, and gave her an advantage. However concentrating on their strenghts Sora saw how they avoided doing anything else.
'You can't just repeat the same routine.' she yelled at the two who slowed down seeing how their specialisation had made then unversitile.
However neither would let that stand in their way. The redhead started slowing her movements and make them more fluid, whilst the chinese started to use her legs more to propell herself.
Things continued in a similar way with Sora giving a pointer here and there. As the day drew to a close they had a pretty good routine going, which yet again lacked a finale, but Rosetta was determined to finish this and May sparked an idea.
May was on a higher trapese gaining momentum and waited for Rosetta to signal with her body a jump. The redhaired who was on a lower trapeze intended to jump to another which close to May's. She didn't even notice that the blackhaired girl had started swiniging in sync and jumped.
May seeing her arching her back ready to jump did the same. In unison both let their bars go May however had more speed then the other girl and wanted to see if her idea would work.
For Rosetta everything was supposed to be a normal long jump, but reaching halfway she was suprised feeling as a pair of hands grabbed hers. It was May who had coming faster from the opposite direction had grabbed her in mid-air.
Even Sora gasped out at this bold now maneuver. Having a much greater speed then her partner the chinese had propelled both to Rosetta's initial bar and also due to the speed did both did a full revolution leaving May to grasp the bar with her legs. Rosetta was quite shocked by the unanticipated maneuver and couldn't belive how easily they had done it together.
If it haden't happened so quick she might have reacted to violent and drop both of them. Looking up at her partner the redhead saw a content smile on the other girls face.
'That wasn't halfbad.' she said leaving May to bask in her glory, but as she started to fell that they where gaining momentum it seemed that the redhead didn't consider their act complete. 'What are you doing?' she asked, but then started to aid in ganing momentum.
Rosetta just simled up to her as now it was her turn to surprise. Getting higher and faster May started to wonder what she was up to. She clearly wanted to grab the lower bar she had aimed for earlier, but she didn't understand why she wanted so much momentum.
'What are you trying to do?' she asked as they where starting to get very huge arcs in their swings. 'Just a little higher.' she said as she strained to get a strong start.
Altough a bit concerned the chinese was also curious.
'Ever heard of overkill?' she asked as they got dangerously high.
But the intrigue was gone as they reached the start of the final swing. Everything happened very fast, but to May it seemed that the world had slowed down. Forcing one hand out of the blackhaired girls grip Rosetta arched her body in a unique way. However May quickly recognized the posture
"The devils spiral." she tought as her eyes widened, but before she could react it was too late as due to the fast pace she had already let go of the redheads hand. A sense of horror filled her as she knew that she was too late. Rosetta in air converted the speed she had gained into revolutions as she started spinning out of control.
Altough diffrent in posture it was faithfull to the original but one thing was missing. This time there was no partner to anticipate her moves and as she was heading towards the designated trapese.
However Rosetta trought the years had aquired a sense of position as she knew she was on the righ trajectory.
No! yelled out May as she noticed a major flaw.
Rosetta however couldn't abort and headed closer to the trapeeze. Her spins correct she had the posture, now all she needed was to grab the bar. But as she beheld her target her body too was coursed with a feeling of fear as she was too low. The speed of the act made her not just miss the bar, but also only slightly skid the net which led to her hitting wall. The impact was quite severe and Sora was quick to jump to her aid.
May was still frozen on her trapese hanging from her feet. In her mind only one thought resided. "I have let her go, it is all my fault. I should have stopped her."
Rosetta passed out from her injuries, it was not the worst accident, but that didn't make it any less worrying. An ambulance was quick to call and luckily a hospital was near. May who looked at the girl felt horrible not just for what had happened, but for being unable to help.
She would have run carrying the redhead to the hospital, but she didn't know her injuries. This feeling of guilt only deepened her sadness as she silently tried to keep her tears. Sora who had finished calling an emergency saw the chinese and looked at her slightly furious.
'Don't just mope around, this is when she needs you the most.'
May snapped out of it and as the ambulance arrived hitched a ride with the medics. On the way none of them could get the image out of their head, how confident she was before jumping, how eager she wanted to perform to her fullest. Sora was desperatly talking to one of the paramedics to save her constantly mentioning Kate's name.
May on the other hand was uncharacteristicly calm, looking with tearfilled eyes at her partner. There was nothing in her mind but the girl. This deciectfull tranquill look was more then she could bare, if something had happened to her she didn't know if she could remain at the stage, or if she could ever live a normal life. These thoughts where interrupted as she realized what she was doing.
"Rosetta is the one in pain and all I am doing is thinking about myself. I must be the most horrible friend."
She tried to brush herself up and erase such thoughts and started doing something she had never done. Folding her hands May for the first time prayed. Sora who was besides her was surprised at first.
She didn't know if people living under chinese beliefs resorted to prayers, but it seemed that in desperate times no matter how strong everyone resorted to asking for mercy. However the chineese prayer where not just asking for mercy she was asking to recive her pain, that it should be her in that stretcher. Her aching heart was somehow reliefed as she started remebering that this particular girl had fighting spirits to match her own so she would not give up.
Cape Mary Hospital
Outside the operationroom May and Sora sat quitely. After the chinese apologised a dozen time to the lavanderhaired girl both had nothing else to talk about, their minds concerntrating on one thing, Rosetta.
But whilst Sora was worrying way too much May was still accusing herlself for all that had happened. She remebered what she told the redhead when they started. "Lets ad-lib then we'll see what we have at the end of the day."
She smiled sadly to herself. "Now at the end of the day look where we are. And its all your damn fault." Just as she was ready to burst into tears she removed her sight from the ground as Kate came out of the operation salon.
Sora and May shot up and in unison asked. 'Is she alright?' The elderly woman noded and smiled.
'Don't worry, it was not that severe. However she will have to stay for a week or so and then after another week of training will she be able to stand on stage.' The woman was cut off by Sora. 'Can we go and see her?'
The woman noded but added. 'I'm sorry but hospital rules specify in her case that you can only enter after a couple of hours only one at a time. She still is weak after what happened.'
The two girls then sat themselves back again, determined to see their injured friend. Sitting there Sora was nervously kicking her legs studying every inch of the room, even reading the medical magazines before setting them down seeing some photo's of rare diseases. Looking over at May she was starting to get a bit concerned. For the last hour she had done nothing but stare blankly into the ground.
'You ok?' she finally asked when the blackhaired girl snapped out of it and quickly replied. 'Yes ... Yes of course.'
As Kate finally returned after another hour she granted them acces to the room but just as they where going to enter the room all three stopped. Remebering there was a one-person limit neither wanted to bugde but both also wanted to see the girl soo bad.
However the problem got solves as May put her arm to Sora's back and gently pushed her forward. The lilachaired was suprised. 'Wait! Are you sure...' 'Yes.' replied the chinese.
She admited to herself that the prosepect of seeing the redhaired girl, the one person she truly cared about and had hurt filled her with dread. She was surprised at how in the last couple of days she had become more true to her own feelings. She had always considered it a weakness, but now she felt as she wasn't lying to herself and she had to admit that this made her feel a lot better.
Now more open then she could remeber spawned a new fear, the fear of being hurt. However considering the advantages she was not about to abandon her new self which meant so much to her and which she also hoped meant something to a certain redhaired girl.
Rosetta's Hospitalroom
The room was tranquil. Kate was busy completing for and adjusting a few things. To her this all was routine, but the concern she felt from Sora was genuine and she didn't want to be intruding and left after a short while. In that time the lilachaired girl had already progressed to the injured girls bed and didn't hesitate to take her hand in a caring manner.
'You really scared us.' Rosetta felt bad having worried her friends like that. 'I'm sorry for that, I just couldn't help it.'
Sora however didn't want to sadden the girl and didn't say a thing.
However their silence was shortlived as a man's voice sounded in the room. I told you to watch out for something. Sora not being imobalized like Rosetta turned and saw the spirit.
'Fool. What do you mean?' The man floated so that he could see both girls. 'I read your fortune the other day and I read the card of death.'
As displeased as the spirit was he wouldn't let him depress her.
'Get over it Fool, we can't changed what happened.' The man sighed as he complied. 'Maybe next time you'll head my readings.'
The redhead noded and just as she was about to add something did a articifical melody cut her off.
Sora quickly was scared but then remebered it was her cellphone and quickly got out of the room before giving Rosetta a sisterly kiss on the forhead. To the redhead that meant only one thing.
'Get well soon.'
Out in the waitingroom May at first was surprised to see Sora get out so fast but then saw as she got out her phone. She somehow was curious if she could have her turn visiting the injured girl. Sora saw her but just as was about to allow her did she start talking with somene.
The chinese troubled as she was didn't get most of the conversation but still heard some bits.
'Yes its me.' ... 'Yes were at the hospital. '... 'What do you mean?'... 'You're kidding. Now?' ... 'No I don't mind losing the days off. Its just that I haven't prepared anything' ... 'Oh. Very well.' ... 'I'm on my way.' ... 'Bye.'
She hung up frustrated a bit.
'What happened?' asked May quickly wanting to get past her to get into the room.
'Kalos called, he sais he needs me to go and see him. He canceled my vacation.' The chinese was a bit curious. 'What? Why?'
She got her coat off the chiar and added. 'With Rosetta unable to perform Kalos asked me to assemble a new stage. Now I know this is sudden, but I want you to step of for once from the role. This time you need to be here for Rosetta.'
May understood and noded. As the lilachaired girl left in a hurry she felt a lump in her throath as she was scared of meeting her injured partner.
To her relief the other girl had her eyes closed. "Probably sleeping." she thought. It took a tremendous weight of her heart, for the inevitable was postponed and she could gather herself more.
However closing the door it made a notable click and awakened the girl. May almoast fell on her back in shock, her fall however broken by the door she just closed. It took Rosetta some time to focus her sight as she had almoast fallen asleep.
After regaining the focus in her vision she slowly turned her head to see who had disturbed her slumber. In that moment both crossed eyes and beheld another kind of image.
Rosetta looked odd at the chinese girl. She saw regret in her dark colored eyes, but why she wondered. "Could it be? Does she regret having me as her partner." This thought changed her expression from curious to sad.
The blackhaired girl saw the sadness in her eyes and it weighed heavily on her. "She hates me now."
And as Rosetta turned her head unable to look her straight in the eyes because of her self-loathing May interpreted it as a sign of hostility. "She won't even look at me." With the seagreen eyes averted from her the chinese felt slight relief not being punctured by their gaze and made her way to a chiar over to her. Sitting down she tried to accept that not just their partnership, but their friendship had ended. "At least I can take my rejections with some dignity." She thought as she opened her mouth slowly.
'I am sorry.'
Those three words seemed to cause the redhead sheer amazement especially coming from the chinese and she turned trying to understand the reason of the apology.
'May ...' she said with a weak voice due to her surgery. Looking at the selfaccusing gaze Rosetta now understood that her partner did not regret performing with her, but blamed herself for what had happened.
Deephearted words she tried to find, but the compelling moment was simply to strong and she didn't come up with anything else then and imitation. 'I am sorry.' May dropped her sight as she suspected another reason.
"Here she goes, wanting to blame herself, or even apologizing because she may leave the stage because she is afraid not to fall again." Slowly sitting up she simply added avoiding eyecontact.
'It would be best if I left.'
But just as she was about to turn did Rosetta cut her off, the prospect of loosing her friend like that gave her newfound strength which was cleary audieble in her voice.
'No! Wait!' May hearing that abruplty locked her position pertrified but the surprising words. "Could she forgive me?"
'Don't go.' the redhead continued. 'I don't want you to blame yourself for what happened today. This is my fault, and won't have you taking the blame for it.'
The chinese could not maintain her stance as her knees turned for stone to jelly hearing those words. She slumped on the ground and was trying to understand what she meant. Hope light up inside her as they could possibly save their partnership and most of all their bond.
With a tremor in her voice that hinted at tears being hold back she asked. 'You don't hate me for having led you to this?'
Rosetta wanted to get closer but the medical equipment got in her way.
'No, how could you think that? I wanted to perform like that, just because you let me go trying to help me doesn't mean you are responsible. How could I hate for being such a wonderful partner?'
The word 'partner' resonated deep inside May's heart which filled with an imeasurable joy. The euphoria erasing all her thoughts she couldn't say a thing, when Rosetta added. 'And for being a friend.'
This last word toppled the chinese completly as the long held-back tears flowed. In this weakened state she sunk her head in the matress of the bed unleashing her feelings as she never did before. The redhaired girl was awed of this display.
Of course there where people like Sora that would have shed a tear for her, but seeing May cry her heart out in front of her made her a bit uneasy at first, but the compassion felt made her happy.
Knowing the chinese cared for her as she did filled her with joy and seeing how hard it was for her to deal with these profound feelings she felt the lonly heart again, beating nomadically, shouting for acceptance she wanted to sooth the ailing and altough she had hurt her body the other girl was injured in a much more profound way.
Somehow repelling to others she was captivated by this openhearted display and wanted to be the cure to May's troubles. As much as she would have liked to embrace her in this vulnerable state she was limited and only stroked the blackhaired head that was embedded in the sheets of the bed.
Acting as a key to the dams that she had built along the years the chinese crys where fully unleashed and with a silent soothing voice sounding like a parent Rosetta tried to calm her down.
'There, there. Everything will be alright.' Feeling the gentle head patted her head May lifted her sight and fully understood what had happened. Moving her hand from her head to her cheek Rosetta wanted to leave no doubt that this was her doing and that nothing had changed between them. Their bond untarnished May covered the warm hand with her own.
'True friends.' she said. 'True partners.' added Rosetta.
The door slighly opened Kate had listened in to their conversation. However she had knew better then to interrupt the compelling moment and left. Managing herself back to the chiar not once did May release the hand as if she would never again let go. But one question remained to be asked and altough it might have ruined to tender moment May brought herself to it and asked, still reluctant not wanting to cause any upset.
'Can I ask you why you did it?' refering to the act.
Quite unlike she expected Rosetta's smile deepened as she said.
'I wanted to impress you, because you impressed me.'
May understood now that all this had been the result of them trying to outdo eachother, not because of rivelry, but yearning to gain the other girls amazement. She now understood that there was more spirit to the girl then she had ever thought possible, matching and even outdoing her.
'Never do that again.' finally added the chinese, forgeting all the pleasurable competition that had been at the core of their bond. Now it was replaced by one thing and one thing only. Care.
However both would not forget their fierce competition as it altough replaced was still a part of them.
The moment seemed to stretch indeifinetly as May still had the redhaired girls hand covered with her own two hands. Resting half her body on the chiar and half on the bed both never took eachothers sight from oneaother. The gaze locked in the sweet moment, neither said a thing and the heartfilled moment only started diminishing as May fell asleep tired by all the emotional moments then followed Rosetta who had completly forgotten her pain.