Chapter 7
The following day the two seriously slept in.
Yesterdays events had been quite a strain on both of them, but the silence didn't last long. A loud noise could be heard from outside.
Rosetta still sleepy did her best to ignore it and regain her sleep. Usually Sarah would be the one waking them up trough loud intimidation calls which accompanied her early morning training, but today it was something else. The yelling they slowly got used to but outside it sounded like war.
The redhead looked out her window and saw the cause of the disturbance. In close proximity to the traininghall and their dormitory a small army of workers where labouring aparently digging for some long buried plumming.
She closed her window and threw herself in bed and resigned herself to listening to the annoying orchestra provided by the laboureres. Jackhammer, yelling and the occasional small explosion, all composed into some chaotic song.
It was not how she wanted to start her day, but having lived mostly in the big cities in her young years she became used to the hustle and bustle, but that didn't make it any less annoying.
Just as she was on the verge of sleep she recongnized a voice as the workers aparently stopped. There seemed to have been an obstuction, but beneath the sounds the heavy machinery made she heard someone, someone she knew.
'I don't care who your supervisor is.' she heard and imideatly recognized the strong tone in the female voice.
"May ..." she thought as she got out of bed.
It seemed her friend unlike her could not bare to lose sleep and robbing her of it would result in an outburst. She hurried herself knowing once the chinese was on a roll it could easily turn into a rampage.
"Those poor men."
She got out hoping she could stop her before a serious incident. Even she couldn't halt her if May was ticked off.
Outside the dormitories
'The Johnsen Group Maintence company is sorry for the inconvenience.' said a moderatly tall man wearing a yellow helmet holding up a big warning sign sitting behind temporary boundry.
On the other side of the boundry stood a very angry May.
'I won't have you disturbing my rest so I'll ask you once kindly to leave and return at noon.'
The same man answered not looking at her directly, standing like a unmovable structure.
'The Johnsen Group Maintence company must oblige to the contract. Only the owner of this property is capable of aborting or delaying the contract.'
May hated when some was not looking at her when she was talking to them.
'I don't give a damn about your contract, so I'll ask you politly again to leave.'
Polite was not the way the chinese asked as the furios look hinted she was running short on patience.
'Under section 9 pragraph D of the City Maintance Order the Johnsen Group Maintance company has all privaleges of any independat maintanace association. Under subparagraph D15 any nonlegitomised person, civilian or otherwise, are not allowed any acces to any project.'
Having some city oridnances quoted to her was not May's way of getting things done as she became even more annoyed with the man.
'I won't ...' she was interrupted as the man spoke up again.
'If any such person interfeers directly or inderictly with the project, that person's act is considered a criminal offence and shall be trialed accordingly.'
The chinese had heard enough, no longer could she control herself as she lunged at the men with her fist clentched. The worker previously not moving because of his duty was not pertrified with fear.
But to his luck the blackhaired girl was stopped by Rosetta. The man probably thanked the gods for this divine intervention, but backed up a bit as the redhead coudln't fully hold her friend back.
'May, calm down.' the girl tried to reason but with all her force May was slowly progressing towards the man pulling her with her.
'I'll show you criminal offence.' yelled out the girl louder then the jackhammers pounding the concrete.
She progressed even closer and with all her strength Rosetta could not control her, but gathering her might she pulled her and turned her around by her waist.
'May please stop.'
The intent glare and the sixletter word was enought to end her fury quite quickly and the firm grip the redhead had on the girl made it clear to her that she would not stop, the stubborness was just as strong as hers in this regard, but this time it was slightly greater as she gave up, but she didn't want to appear weak in front of the man and added looking at him.
'You were lucky this time.'
Returning her sight on her friend she enjoyed that big smile seeing how the redhead had gotten her way. She also enjoyed having things go her way too, but this smile was much more precious.
The man who had been scared out of his wits took a break and asked his fellow colleagues if that happened often, but it seemed to be a unique case. Then he started asking them if no one would take his shift, but nobody was that dumb, or sucidal for that matter.
The two girls where unaware of the comotion and still looked at eachother. Everything seemed to have vanished and to them it was like they had just woken up. Their minds where blank as they had completly forgetten where they were or what they did.
All they knew was that they had eachother. It was very odd how just this simple meeting had turned into something both could not grasp. It took some time before either of them realized they still held eachother.
Rosetta was the first to realize and quickly jumped out of the chinese arms.
'Oh, I'm very sorry for that.'
The chinese smile grew smaller and she seemed somewhat dissapointed, but as she saw the redhead's flustered expression she started laughing obnoxiosly again. Seeing those fragile cheeks turn red and the shocked expression was something she enjoyed to the fullest.
'Shall we go then.' she finally said not wanting to prolong her friends emberassment.
Because of the odd angle the workers where digging they had to walk around the training hall to get to the entrance. However the small detour wasn't that annoying and after Rosetta got a bit more relaxed the chinese asked.
'Why did you stop me? He deserved it for waking me up.'
The redhead looked at her friend amused as she saw that her cause was in her opinion well motivated even rightgeouss, but Rosetta still found it a bit extreme
'That man was just doing his job, they all did. You can't blame them because they also have families to feed.'
That comment surprised the chinese. It wasn't that insightfull, but in her rage she had not considered the workers to be more then dull puppets.
'Oh, ok, if you put it that way.'
Now it was Rosetta's turn to be surprised. She just learned something new she had never observed about her friend.
It seemed that May was not as stubborn as she thought. If presented with logic and common sense she was quite quick to change her opinion. This fact she needed to remeber for future arguments.
Training Hall
'I really need a rest.' said a lavandarhaired girl throwing herself in a chiar next to Mia.
'Don't worry after this today Leon is returning to the stage. He said that working with Cathy whilst Layla was taking a vacation he reinvented his skills and will bring that show here. Come to think of it Cathy is coming with him.' said the female dirctor.
But today she really was tired out and could help herself and further lamented.
'Two months and just sunday's to recuperate. If this isn't a record I don't ... oh Rosetta, May!' exclaimed the girl seeing her two friends.
She hadn't talked to them since they came back. After an hour of talk she caught up with most events, but she didn't directly adress any subject as she didn't want to bring up anything unpleasent.
'You two ready?' asked then Mia as it was the two girls shift. The two noded and quickly started. It was the first time they had trained together at full potential as the visit to May's house didn't wear them down.
Even better Rosetta having been surrounded by the choas of family life gained much needed stamina, not to mention patience.
Their performences as always became very elaborate in a short amount of time. But something was diffrent about them. They seemed to understand eachother much better as if mentally they were talking whilst performing.
Intentions read trough bodylanguage it had been quite some time since anyone had seen such a harmonious display.
Even just in practice this little show could rival the angels act in elegance. Mia was very pleased with the two, if they could keep this up after Leon's show it could turn out much greater then anyone would expect.
She started to have an eye for these sort of things.
The two performing girls however didn't look as if they where performing at all. It looked so natural it could just be considered that they where playing.
Sora noted that they finally had progressed and started gaining her level, because performing was not just purly phisical as they had usually known it, but also an expression.
This is what made the shows at kaleido stage more then random stunts, this was the proverbial magic and now together they seemed to have gained it, but she wondered if they could like her employ that 'magic' seperated.
At least for the current act they didn't need to, so she decided not to bring new challenges when there is no need for them.
Rosetta and May started to become more and more joyfull as their session started kicking up a notch. This simple exercises turned into some glamourized game of tag as they where chasing eachother across the trapeeses. Whenever they made contact they would feel that something was diffrent. Hands bound as they where they felt none of that strong grip but more of a gentle one.
May out of all people never could have been this gentle and it was a surprise that she mastered what other called 'holding a bird without crushing it'.
Sora and Mia talked among themselves as they where the only ones qualified to accuratly judge them.
'What do you think?' asked the lavanderhaired.
'Not bad, it seemed that they worked on their partnership the last weeks.' said the orangehaired girl.
'Any ideas on the script?' Sora asked but the smile that came from Mia already hinted the kind of scenario she had in mind. "Another lovestory." she thought.
'Well we haven't done one in a long time, but I was thinking doing a new lovestory.'
Sora laughed softly having her hunch confirmed but then thinking about the plot started considering some things.
'So which one is going to play the male role.' Mia up until now hadn't considered that part as both girls seemed capable of playing either role.
'Hmm, I think May, just because she's a bit taller. Either way I still have loads of other things to reconsider, but looking at them right now I think this will be quite a show.'
Sora noded and continued to watch. She clearly saw a very strong bond between the two, but something was diffrent. Whilst she had a strong relationship with Rosetta herself, there was something else, something she barly knew.
"What is that next step?" She had seen it before, somewhere, but she couldn't rember. "Paris, at the festival, but where?"
May and Rosetta now finished their 'show' with their intended act. In mid air the chinese grabbed her partner which sent them into half a revolution heading towards the redheads original set of trapeeses. Now it was up to Rosetta to grab the bar and finalize the act, which she did. Mia now had all she needed to work with, a finished script was only few days away.
On the ground Sora and Mia congratulated the partners on the good show, however both had not even realized just how well they had performed.
'So how do you call that?' asked Mia refering to their finishing act. May was a bit surprised, they had created this act a few weeks ago, but she had to admit.
'I have no idea.'
Everyone hearing that was instantly shocked, May not having come up with a name for an act was something nobody ever thought possible. The two left leaving Sora and Mia to study the other newer performers.
Outside the hall May walking alongside Rosetta was silent as a grave, concerned over some issue. The redhead saw how much having their act nameless bothered her friend. Maybe she could think of a name. Walking around the building both had the same question in mind, but then the chinese yelled out trimphantly.
'I've got it! Endless Fire Spiral!' She expected her friend to be as enthusiastic as her, but Rosetta wasn't.
'Not good?' asked May, she admitted it didn't fit the act so well, but had no other idea.
The redhead shook her head, but then sparked an idea of her own.
'What about Full Moon Revolution?'
May's eyes widened. "Pure genius."
It was just the name that was on the edge of her grasp. It described much better the intricate shape they created in mid air. Rosetta could see that her friend liked her idea, but boasting about it would probably damage May's ego so she simply said.
'So its settled then.' The chinese however was not going to let her pride come in the way of her friends succes.
'Thats a much better name, I should have thought of that.' This was probably the first time Rosetta had heard praise come from May, especially straightforward praise.
'Really it was nothing.' said the redhead trying to leave it at that, but the chinese once started couldn't stop and continued cheering and applauding her creativity. Rosetta as much as she tried to stop her, because it was starting to make her blush, but still she enjoyed and apreciated it.
As they got around the other side of the traininghall due to the detour both spotted the labourers where still hard at work and would probably continue into the late hours.
May however stopped her praise to Rosetta's relief spotting the man she had met earlier today. She didn't exactly see him as he was hiding behind his warning sign hoping he would be ignored. May stood there for a while silent with her friend waiting for the man to let his guard down and sure enough after a minuted the man lowered his sign.
The blackhaired girl used this opportunity to spooke the man with a short but loud. 'BOO!'
The man almoast jumped away in fear and quickly hid behind dozer.
Rosetta and May started laughing, it was a mean trick, but funny none the less. Parting for their rooms they where glad everything returned to normalicy, if one could call it that.
Outside the residential complex Fool had watched the two the whole day and became more and more worried. His crystal ball was to indecisive to give a clear image so he resorted to his cards. Again the same card as the other day.
"There is potential that they create and harbour something that would be unseen on this stage,but the risk of failure is too great. It won't be long now, I couldn't change a thing even if I wanted."
After todays show Sora finally got the vacation she was promised so long ago. Being a saturday and weekly general maintainence was put on today instead of sunday everybody except some had a normal weekend to spend with family and friends.
This however didn't apply to Rosetta and May who caught on the wave of their first costarring wanted to quickly get prepared and do the little things odds and ends first before, then having more time for practice.
With that established May and Rosetta pursuaded one of the dressers to fit May's new costume. It had been a while since the chinese had worn a something skintight so new measurments would need to be taken.
Rosetta base from her previous costume could be used so there was no need to make a new one, but she still tagged along with May to the dresser.
Out of all the workers she was the most underapreciated, no one ever asked her for an autograph or complimented her work. But the performers always apreciated her efforts and she always would listen to the newer member anxieties and try to calm them down. This and seeing her work completing the show was more then enough to keep her happy.
To most of the performers especially the female ones it was lucky that she was a woman.
They wouldn't have entrusted their bodies to anyone else, but those delicate artistic hand also had quite a grip.
May quickly found a good base and tried it on. Darkcolored as usual it complimented her black hair, but just like her hair it had a small hint of blue in it. She hadn't worn such a thing since the angel's act.
There where only her unique odds and ends that needed to be sorted out, but the skilled dresser which most knew by the name of Luis was more then up to the challenge.
There even was the ongoing joke that she could make a napcin into a fancy tie. Whilst the newer members found it to be a good joke, the older ones including May and Rosetta however knew better.
'All done?' asked the redhead after having testfitted her new costume, it was still rough and lacked detail, Mia would have to give some directions before it would be complete, but as always it looked beautifull but didn't lack practical use at all. It was just as confortable as the training suits.
'Almoast done, hop on May.' said Luis signlaing the chineese to a circular platform.
The blackhaired girl sighed and stood on the device.
'You know how much I hate this thing.' she complained.
'Stop your whining, I can only get ideas this way.' Rosetta always enjoyed when May got on the special dressers disk.
It slowly spinning would leave the dresser free to observe everything and come up with good details. Of course she could have just walked around the girl, but as long as Luis was head dresser of the stage they would have to oblidge to her request.
Altough revolutions where second nature to the chinese due to her iceskaing skills it usually involved fast spins whilst this was terribly slow. Nausea was setting in and she groaned displeased.
'Ok, thats enough.' the elderly woman said.
'Thank god.' she said accomodating to the now not spining world.
Rosetta surpressed her laughter, it was always funny to see May like that. Probably this was the only kind of phisical weakness she ever noted in her friend, but it was always funny to see her recouperate.
This was the only time she ever was dizzy, a few minutes more and May probably would have hurled.
'Now lets start.' Luis added getting out her trusty tools of trade.
Adding patches of diffrent color and texure it wasn't long after she sarted measuring and prepaing accesories, but Mia still left the main part of the costume open as she was not yet sure how the male role should look like, a prince, a peot, a warrior?
The dresser was nothing but not meticulous and stared at the same patch of covered or uncovered skin for some time before deciding what to do.
However Luis was not the only one staring at the roughly dressed chinese.
Rosetta had also looked at her friend for the whole time. But unlike deciding on clothing the redhead was somewhat keen on studying this body.
"All we have been trough, all the shows, all the tough times and only now I notice."
It seemed that May's strong will was accompanied by an equal strong phisique, something she clearly knew, but as much strength she radiated there was that everpresent, but often overlooked element.
Something which was always there, which she always knew but never seized.
"She really is pretty."
Luckily May was uanble to move under the strict orders of Lius so she indulged in the aweing sight for a little while more.
However the lecharous look was not missed by the dresser and to her it was very funny, but she also was in a important part of the costume and couldn't allow herself to lose focus.
She struggled between laughing and sowing, but she had always been easy to amuse and her shaking hands led to her stinging May with the needle.
'Ow damn it! Watch what your doing!' The girls outburst made Luis now laugh fullheartedly.
'What are you laughing at?' May asked then set her sight on Rosetta and noted the strange persistant stare.
'What are you looking at?'
Until now she was at ease studying her friend anatomy, but now having been found out she felt again as the blood rushed to her head and the anxiety overwhelmed her.
Seeing her friend blush again as had happened so long ago and the contagious laugh from the dresser was something even she couldn't resist as she started laughing just as obnoxious as Luis.
Rosetta on the other hand didn't find it at all amusing and excused herself. She needed to get out of the room now and escape those laughters.
They where not mean or illfated laughs just so emberasing too bare. This was the second time something like this happened, but unlike the first time she got nervous only after she was caught, if nobody would have spotted her she would have continued.
She admitted that there was that feminine effect thats so elusive in May that mostly no one would notice, but it still was there.
Now she understood what all the fanboys in the chineses childhood saw, but never would she think it had such an effect on her out of all people. She settled her thoughts considering that they where simple admirations that she had felt towards Layla and Sora later on.
Nothing amounted out of those imature adorations and she was sure that this time would be no diffrent.
After she recovered and got back to the dresser section May was already done and changed.
'I'll have it done after I talk to Mia.' said Luis packing the raw costume and stowing it in some drawer.
Then all three left the stage. With it being saturday and everybodies day off Luis was keen to return home to her family. Being head dresser was maybe one of the best paid jobs the stage had to offer, but the tradeoff wasn't that enjoyable.
Luis called a cab and parted from the two. May now expected her friend to be silent all the way not wanting to be rembered of earlier events.
The redhead however did the opposite and openly started talking. However she knew how to manipulate their conversation in order to avoid that particular subject. The chinese was astounded just how quickwitted her friend actually was and how vibrantly Rosetta could talk about subjects she no idea of.
The strategy worked and the redhead by the time they got to their dormitories almoast completly erased the event out of May's head.
Rosetta's Room
'I just have to some washing up then we'll go training.' said the redhead getting into her small kitchen.
If she had bad habits this was one of them. She detested any chores like that, so the dishes would pile up to the point she had no more clean ones, the term some was lightly used as the mountain of plates was quite impressive.
May sat down and trough the open door saw the daunting pile of porcelan.
'You know you could just ask me for help.' The redhead knew it was a sensible thing to do but refused.
'They're my dishes so its my chores.'
The chinese sighed, she would have probably washed them in under a minute.
'Oh well, have it your way.' Rosetta picked up her sponge and started.
'Besides I may master new acts, but I also have to get to hang of such redundant tasks.' May understood then remebered.
'Speaking of which, you haven't broke a dish in months. I must say I'm very impressed.'
The redhead hearing praise again felt herself at large again.
'What can I say I'm full of sur...' just as she became confident a dish felt out of her hand. But unlike what the chinese expected seeing the slip-up the dish didn't shatter. May looked a bit at her friend then realized and started laughing.
'So that's why you haven't broken anything.'
The hardplasitc plates had the same shine as normal ones so she didn't recognize them at first.
'You know you can't lie to save your life.' she then added leaving her friend to pick up the plate in defeat and resume her task, she expected to be scolded by her friend, but it didn't seem May was upset, she was more surprised.
Half an hour into washingup and the mountain had gotten considerably smaller. May was bored out of her mind, there was nothing interesting but the racket the workers where still doing outiside.
"Maybe I should go and scare that guy again." she thought but decided to stay put, not to waste her energy before they start training. With nothing else left May looked at her friend. It was humurous to see her do her best washing up. Those hands might be good at performing but they lacked the dexterity to do the job properly.
Still this blind strength which she used to accomplish such task never seized to amaze her.
Some would call it stubbornness, she called it willpower.
May started rocking in the chiar trying to overcome her boredom .Not having anything else to study she looked at her friend. Unlike Rosetta she was never one to be shy about matters of phisique and almoast like a doctor studied this soft female body.
Rosetta out of all the girls was the most intriguing in this regard.
She had never met someone so lightly built, she could almoast be called fragile, but May knew better just how much strength this smaller frame had. Still whilst her own body was much more well built in a way only Sarah matched the redheads feature where quite sharply defined and even altough she never noticed she had some sort of inborn grace that however was underdeveloped.
"A strong will has a strong body, but what sort of essence does this body suggest?"
Rocking her chiar to the limit so she could fully see her friend she continued to wonder.
"Even tough not as young as she first was she still looks somewhat like a child. Everyone does say she is cute. She really is pretty."
May never was unsure about what she thought, what she saw with her eyes is what she belived.
"Even I admit that she is quite a..." her thoughts ended as she had been to deep in her thoughts and had forgotten she was on the chair and trying to get a better view of her friend resulted in her tipping the chiar and falling.
'Are you ok?' asked Rosetta having heard the blackhaired girl short yelp and the loud sound she made hitting the ground.
May slowly recovered from the impact covering her head but noticed that her face had considerably light up. It made her blush as her previous thoughts had wandered so easily. She calmed her breathing and hoped her friend had not noticed.
To her luck Rosetta belived it due to her fall. May getting back into the chiar contemplated her latest thoughts. She had considered her fellow female performers pretty.
"No use in ugly people on the stage." she thought and people like Layla she openly admitted to be beautiful, but never before had she considered anyone attractive.
"Snap out of it. This is not the time for such things." she tried to refocus herself knowing that now the stage was the priority.
After the show would end she would reconsider her thoughts.
Finally Rosetta finished and they headed towards the hall. The workers where still busy and it seemed that they where also getting closer to completion.
Training Hall
The two entered the hall and where surprised to hear so many people, but as they got inside they saw what all the comotion was about.
The entire area was packed with people, newcomers, veterans, stageworkers, Sora, Mia, Kalos, all their friends.
'What's going on?' asked Rosetta unsure seeing how most of the stage was here, but nobody trained, only their trapeses where set up and the big safetynet.
Kalos spoke up getting up reaveling next to him an older man was sitting.
'Mr.Kenneth arranged for you to be tested for the new production. You are to perform in a few minutes in front of everyone.'
May and Rosetta where a bit surprised and didn't correctly now how to respond. A quite loud voice sounded from across the room.
'We're here too you know.' said a the woman who turned out to be Cathy.
Next to her was Leon, it was true then, both had returned with a new production that was to prelude their first costarring. Altough the silverhaired man deadpanned as he always did, if he wasn't genuinly intereseted he wouldn't have come at all.
With so many to judge their trainingsession turned show they needed to leave a good impression, but neither seemed scared, more riled up then frightened, altough a bit nervous as usual.
Sora and Mia dressed casually came to them and took them to an adjacent room where they could warm up without the entire cast observing them.
'Do your best.' said Sora encouraging her friends.
'Why didn't you tell us earlier?' asked May doing her stretching exercises.
'We didn't know until an hour ago. Now I know your show is very well figured out and you've practiced your routine a lot, but ...' that word always sprouted concern in the two girls, especially because the strawberryhaired girl had become quite the director in the last five years.
'The problem is neither of you have practiced your roles. The other day you preformed very good, but the story is about two lovers not friends, you think you can manage a more dramatic and slightly romantic show?' she asked expressing the only real concern there to the show.
Rosetta and May where a bit surprised, in all the comotion in training neither had considered the nature of the roles but looking at eachother they knew neither would back away, especially now. Just trough a simple exchange in glances the both knew that they where ready. May said smiling in a covert manner.
'I think we'll manage.'
Rosetta saw the awkward smile, it was rare to see her like that, May wasn't what one would call subtle or provocative, but if they where going to play the role of lovers they would fully play it and so she returned the smile in a similar way.
Both returned to the big hall after a few minutes and had no sign of nervousness in them, even better they now knew what would make their show even more complete. Both thanked the crowd that had gathered for coming and got up to the opposing platforms ready to give it all.
The newcomers where burning with anticipation like the rest. These kind of improvised tests is what the stage stage was known for. Most considered them just to be rumour meant to encourage and slightly frighten the performers, but now that would truly see such an event.
There was no dimmed down light this time, no props, no music, there was nothing that could help their show, but together both knew they didn't need anything else.
They started at a rather slow pace, but with nobody to prelude them they couldn't just start off to lavish as may look uncoordinated and more of a showoff then a real show.
With nothing prepared they resorted to adlibbing the first few acts, random jumps and spins, however it looked very well planned. This small prelude was quite good and it showed the two characters as good friends.
Mia worried that they couldn't progress beyond that point, but was proven wrong as something had changed in their performance.
Now they truly started, the routine they had been working for so much time. As the day before the show became a game of chase, but now it seemed to be more of a teasing game as Rosetta had taken the lead not wanting to be caught, but also enjoyed being pursued.
May saw her intention and was not one to shy away from this new type of challenge. For a moment she could forget who she was and truly become the prince, but this resembled none of the old tales.
If the princesses heart was to be won she would have to prove her worth, and if the prince couldn't keep up with her why should she bother?
Even tough they where still doing a show which meant that at some point they had to end it she was not about to spoil the pursuit, but with her moves getting wilder and wilder starying from the original routine it seemed she wasn't about to let May ever get her.
In the audience all looked baffled, even Sora and Mia who had seen the routine a couple of times saw the abrupt changes initiated by the redhead which was followed by May just as unique. "
The princesses heart, her most prized posession, she may be the owner of it, but she is also its protector. There is nothing else of value to her and it can only beat for one other person besides her, the prince. However should the prince fail she will not mourn his loss and continue her search, for there are many princes, but there is only one who can become her love." thought Mia narating, getting many ideas by this display.
It should have been a simple show in which two souls find eachother, but this conflict and strife could make the script even more dramatic.
Everybody wondered how May would react. Even if it was just a play Rosetta was a tempting prize and the chinese was determined to get her, she blamed it on not wanting to lose, but that still made all of this exciting and quite fun.
She started to follow much more intent anticipating moves, countering with her own, but she knew just how resilient her friend was and after many very near misses saw that this could go on for much longer, however she wanted the game to go her own way, as she started slowing down landing on a central trapeese not mooving an inch.
Rosetta was suprised by this sudden change of tactics, she thought she may have pushed her luck too much and quickly wanted to make amends and join her on the upper trapeese.
"Now feeling undesired the princess sees how close she is to loosing her only chance of happieness. Being caught up in this game of teasing she had forgot her true purpouse and saw with unblemished eyes, that there before her was the only one her heart beat. And now pounding in her chest in fear she saw that her heart now had stopped beating for her and now desired only the prince." Mia further narated. This was turning out to be much more then she had originally planned.
As Rosetta grabbed the bar May was standing on she couldn't help but be reminded the first time they performed together, how the chinese had trained her and how together they shined on the stage of the Swan Lake.
But all that were distant memories those feelings replaced by something new, now they where not mutually helping eachother to a better performance, but where acting out their roles as if they truly belived their roles.
But May now seemed not to share the redheads enthusiam as she jumped down to a lower trapeese and set of to distance herself from Rosetta. The redhaired girl could not belive how close she had just been and this minor setback altough nervewracking would not keep her down for long as she quickly followed.
May gently but coldly swept across the bars whilst Rosetta was fuled by a inner rage that was sprung by her own disperation.
"Feeling the loss more then ever the seeked becomes the seeker as the princess desperatly is trying to find his true love. Blinded by the prospect of happiness she has become the persistant suitor, another pawn of love."
In times like this Mia came up with her best ideas but this blew away all her expectation. She saw how wrong she had been, they had played their roles better then what she had expected, she was wrong to doubt them, but how could they have so spontaniosly perfrom so absorbed?
This was the one thing they had not practiced, the only possible flaw in their show, was there more at play then met the eye?
Now locked in a new chase, May found the game of teasing quite to her liking, she understood now just how fun it was and altough new at it was quick to master it.
Seeing the desperate expression in Rosetta's seagreen eyes was something quite new for her and altough with no malicious intent, it resonated deeply within her as she could do more to prolong this. The redhead started to grow more extravangat, trying to pull her in, spark her interest, change the game in her advantage once again.
Only now did she feel what cruel a torture it was and whatever it would take to end it, she would do it and, the only remedy however was May herself.
The chinese now much more in control trough small moves avoided her friend, Rosetta became more and more enraged as May seemed to mock her efforts. But after yet another failed attempt she slowed down realizing that she had exchanged roles with the blackhaired girl. On opposite trapeses both looked at eachother.
Now having played the part of both prize and persistant suitor, both wanted to become the prize, but also knew the other just as skilled. Fearing to be turned into a pawn again they simply stared at eachother, trying to come up with new ways to initiate a new game, but looking across the huge chasm that was between them they felt an inpalpable tingle, as both realized another possibilty, the true way.
Now they neither chased as they jumped and made their way to the inner trapeeses. This time they rushed to meet and started to perform together building up tension amongst the viewers. And with a newfound possibility wouldn't take long for them to reach the climax.
"Having played the game of love, princess and prince realize just how well matched they where, but dropped the play, because now they remebered their original objective. Their yearning for the other one revealed that love had settled without them realizing it. If that was true, then what was the use of all game? There was none. Seeing unblemished the genuine affection, both just had to accept eachother." Mia further commented.
She watched intently seeing how well they played a couple.
Looking at eachother at each jump, complementing moves, not outshining the other. Mia couldn't help but reminded of May's first stages with the same theme, she never managed to spark similar feeling with Leon on the Dracula stage, and even on in Swan Lake she still played more the role of rival then lover. Even Romeo and Juliet performed by Layla and Yuri couldn't fully convince the crowd, however it made their show more like a fairytale, irealistic but beautiful,whilst May and Rosetta could have been considered a real pair.
The newcommers where quite taken by this display and could have belived them to truly be in love, if they hadn't known them personally.
Now the moment ripe on their designated trapeses some distance away from eachother they where ready to reveal their newest grand move.
Mia and Sora instantly recognized the climax to be near just by looking at their postures. The got enough speed, with May slightly faster and realeased the bar simultaniously shouting.
'Full Moon Revolution.' However in midair they changed the nature of the act. The prince would not simply snatch his love out of the air, but both would meet for the first time. In the center of the hall they then met and the maneuver unfolded. May due to her faster speed and slighlty heavier propelled both of them to a central trapese, but this time it was much slower making their single revolution much slower and all the more aweinspiring.
Now it dawned on Sora just who had similary performed.
"Mute and Alice."
They where the only performers that truly was a couple. After having seen the two once on a show it was clear that they used their love to enchance the stage.
Many belived that such feelings should be abolished in such a profession as it could lead to unfocused performances, but the french pair managed.
Strangly enough with none of the background the two had Rosetta and May performed sparking just such feelings.
Exchaning position it was up to the redhead to grab the bar which she did.
They had succeded, but felt that this was not yet the ending and by sheer compulsion May grabbed the bar with one hand after having been propelled by Rosetta and realeased her other hand.
With both now safly suspended they stunned the whole crowd by embracing eachother. The two almoast fused in the strength of their final act. It was quite unexpected and both couldn't think past the moment as it had been induced almoast purly by instinct.
If there was any other show of true affection this was it. Many of the female crew and even Mia and Sora slightly blushed at the display. No one ever suspected their move and saw just how well it fitted the ending.
The silence lasted quite some time and it seemed both partners would only seperate when they would be showered with their earned applause.
Cathy was the first one to come out of sturpor and couldn't quite put in words the amazing show she had just seen.
Holy ... she next word was unheard as the untamed applause filled the whole room.
Rosetta and May now released eachother, but unlike what others expected had no flustered expression. But their joy was boundless as together they had created their first show and the cheering audience was testimony to its greatness.
Back on the floor many swarmed them expressing just how good their performance had been. Even Cathy was quite impressed, not being a fan of sappy romance. Mia in contrast who always liked the theme was overwhelmed just how well everything went and admitted never to have seen something that came close.
Mr.Kenneth was pleased and allowed them to continue with just one condition, to make the first official show just as good.
May and Rosetta were determined not to dissapoint. It took some time after everybody was done praising and cheering. The two partners had nothing against it, but it was quite overwhelming and tired them out.
However only after Sora congratulated and acknowledged them did they truly see the quality of the show. In all the heartfilled moments they failed to notice the effect their where having .
After everybody left they too decided to return to their rooms. It had been a amazing but tiring day and they desperatly needed rest.
Outside the training hall the sun was setting and the cool breeze soothed the two girls after their performance. With everything tinted in orange by the setting sun they couldn't help but feel that at the end of this day they had accomplished what they had strived for.
After all they had done together it felt incredible.
Again having to go around the building due to the construction project they passed by the lonely bench.
'Let's sit here for a while.' said Rosetta sitting herself on the bench. May noded, all of the events had taken quite a lot out of them and they could spare a few lonly minutes recouperating.
The chinese only inches away from the redhead stretched her arms and legs out and yawned deeply and so contagiously that Rosetta also yawned.
They laughed at their syncronized yawning then settled to simply view the ocean from where they were sitting.
It all seemed so beautiful with the fading sun, some persistant stars trying to appear and the ocean sparkling just as the stars did.
Neither had the habit of observing the majestic beauty in sights like this, but now they did.
May turned towards Rosetta carefull not to hit the other girls knee
'We finally did it. And its all because of you.'
The redhead was deeply moved by such praise, but still felt unsure about accepting it.
'You mean us. We both made it.' The blackhaired girl laughed softly.
'Are you saying there is no more me or you? there is just this us?' Rosetta noded.
'That's how partners are supposed to be.' The redhead altough appearing calm innerly was getting a bit nervous. Why was May so subtle and secretive?
A silence settle between the two as they resumed watching the sun set.
Alone as they where nothing filled eachother heads then the two of them, their minds recalling all the past events. Rosetta's injury, May's loss.
Each time they together sat here something monumental happened and they wondered if it would be the same again.
'You know ...' said the chinese still looking out into the ocean.
'It took quite some time get to where we are now, and I honestly belive I couldn't have done it with anyone else. Not Leon, not Sora, not even Layla.'
Rosetta was surprised with this deep confession, even tough they where very close friends hearing May say such things never ceased to astound her.
And then she again felt the same thing, the same sensation that words couldn't describe, as yet again the chinese opened her heart, but unlike the other times this time there was something there.
Gone was the weak and untouched lonelyness, there was just this incredible warmth and strength, and after so much many times it had been revealed it seemed to have lost its troubled nature.
The redhead felt a bit sad, because now she didn't see any weakness she could have soothed. And spiritually looking she saw just how much power emanted from it but also saw a that there was something still missing.
Rosetta wondered if that place could possibly be reserved for her.
Neither realized just how long they just sat there and looked at eachother with caring eyes, which however seemed to light up as the sun had competly set.
'Altough Sora and I were partners I must admit that only performing with you gives me this feeling. I don't know what it exactly is about you ,but whatever it is I'm glad its there.'
May's smile grew bigger as she that both had this unique abilty to reveal themselves as this hearfilled confession suggested. Raising a hand to stroke Rosetta's cheek gently she without words expressed just how happy those words made her and then softly said.
'I am glad to have met you.' if she was surprised before Rosetta was now stunned as she almoast thought she was dreaming, hearing just how much May cared about her filled her with imeasurable joy.
She had suspected it, but only now did she know for sure.
Looking at her friend and feeling the warm touch to her cheek she felt again this same feeling she couldn't comprehend, which she somehow compelled her to something she had searched for a long time, but this desire was also acompanied by a nameless dread.
May felt the same as she gazed wonderously at her friend, also fearing something bad was about to happen that had the potential to either destroy or elevate them.
But this wanting seemed to eclipse the dread as Rosetta and May together surrounded by nothing but the night and the stars felt, that here alone on the bench, with nothing but eachother were just on the verge on something that would change them.
And with her hand still on the redheads cheek the chinese slowly brought their faces together. Rosetta didn't object and let herself be guided, closer to the blackhaired girl then she ever rembered.
Acting on their purest and most inner feelings the distance between them closed as desire overshadowed everything else and had taken over.
Closing their eyes both suspected what was about to happen and were terrified what would ensue, but also just as eager.
They could feel their warm breaths crossing as they where only a hair away from eachother.
If this is what they truly wanted then they would accept it as frightning and daunting as it may be.
Neither had any previous experience in expressing desire for somebody else, not truly having met such a person. But now there, in that moment, they saw a person that could fill the gap they had ignored for such a long time.
But as anticipation and fear where locked in undisruptable balance and as the tense moment prolonged itself the outcome was ultimatly clear.
Both hesitated and in doing so tipped the balance as fear was now taking over.
Face to face they felt as their breaths got colder and started shaking. Rosetta felt May's hand termble and the chinese in return felt the redheads face getting tense.
Opening their eyes slowly they where shocked to see how close they had ventured to eachother and just how close they have done something neither was prepared for. Gazing in eachother eyes they could mutually read the fear that had taken control of the bodies, and the strong blush which hinted the intense longing was however not that noticed.
Locked yet again in an awkward moment both wondered if they should try again, but May came to her senses first and quickly got of the bench sharply saying.
'I'm sorry.' then running just as quickly as she apoligized.
Rosetta remained on the bench for quite some time and was dumbstruck but what had just happened and what almoast had happened.
Never before had she ever shared such an exciting but frightening moment and she clearly felt her heart pounding.
"Why did I just do that? Why did May just do that?" She speculated what the motives behind their intimate moment was, but knowing just what a traditionalist person the chinese was and came up with just one conclusion.
"We both were just to happy after today's events and nearly lost it."
The redhead convinced herself that to be the only reason, but she was unsure. So deciding that she alone could not solve this mystery wanted to clear things up with May and slowly walked towards her room.
Fool had been watching from a distance and altough a bit enticed by the nature of the two girls relationship, but he was much more concerned. He summoned his ring of tarot and was quick draw a card.
"The Lovers. Yet again, why do so many card reapeat themselves lately? What an ominous sign."
He was not at all surprised ,the last couple of times the same card had appeared. It all had started when Rosetta and May returned to the stage. If this future would remain unchanged it had the potential to bring them joy and defeat. Neither was an acceptable choice as far as the stage was concerned so he had his hands tied and had to try to push things so they wouldn't get involved in something both would regret.
But he knew just how willstrong the two were so it seemed a daunting task, but despite that he needed to at least to try.
May had run as fast as her legs carried her and went to the only safe place she knew, her room. Quickly locking the door she tried to catch her breath, but after she settled down she couldn't help but notice.
Her heart even now was pounding away in her chest as if wanting to get out. She also felt the heat that had covered her body and looking in the mirror noticed just how flustered she was.
"What am I doing?" she asked herself. Somehow she knew the answer, but at the moment she couldn't admit it to herself not fully recognizing her own longing. She washed her face with cold water trying to get herself stable again and calmed herself sufficiantly and sat down.
"What is wrong with me? Was I about to do?" she pondered intently then seeing just how obvious the answer was fawned.
"A kiss? Was I about to kiss someone? Rosetta? Was I about to kiss Rosetta?"
May couldn't figure herself out.
What made her act like this? The answer was easily seen but she was oblivious to it and tried to find a logical explenation. In the end she came to the same conclusion as Rosetta.
"It was just a spur of the moment. We were just too happy about what happened today."
The chinese felt a bit more relived.
"Yes. That's must be it."
Altough thinking she had found the answer she heard outside someone she reckognized and was quick to pin her ear to the door. It was Rosetta who also still troubled over what happened was mumbeling to herself, draging her feet lost making her footsteps audieble.
'Was it just me? Or May? What could this mean?'
The blackhaired girl heard the girl and was surprised to hear that they shared the same line of thought. But what next happened started to scare her. She heard how the footstep where getting closer to her.
Rosetta had her room on the other part of the dormitory so it was clear where she was heading and if she was unsure the redheads mumble confirmed that.
'I'll go ask May and clear this up.'
As the redhead was getting closer to May's door, the chinese wanted to run away in fear, but that same dread also kept her frozen. As the sound of the footsteps where getting closer and closer the blackhaired girls heart started pounding furiously as did Rosetta's.
As the footsteps receded May knew Rosetta had arrived and was not just inches away separated only trough the door. She worried that her beating heart would give her away and tried to calm herself .
But this time knowing the redhead was so close to her she couldn't and she started feeling as her face warmed up under an intent blush.
She just couldn't bring herself to either run away or face her friend. Rosetta on the other side had her hand raised ready to knock. She admited to herself that she was terrified but also wanted an answer.
Both girls got more and more nervous and where getting more and more flustered. May was about to run out past her ready to avoid and escape her friend.
In the past she would have confronted anyone head on, but now the only way she saw was the one runnig away, but a wave of relief struck her as she heard Rosetta's footsteps again now however distancing themselves.
She sighed in relief and felt how a huge weight had fallen from her heart, but she also felt slightly dissapointed as she could have solved this problem just now.
So it seemed that Rosetta was also not ready to move on just as much as she is and in their similar thoughts they came to one course of action.
"I'll stay away from her for the time being." Neither realized that their decision was based on fear, but they felt slightly better now that they would solve their problem in due time.
Rosetta's Room
The redhead passed the mirror next to her coatrack and noticed just how strongly she was still blushing.
Unlike May she knew just what this meant, she had always been a bit confused in this regard. Some time ago she might have felt similary towards Sora, but only now towards May she felt it clearly.
It reminded her of a saying she heard as a small child.
"Your only in love when you admit your in love."
But even so she felt unsure if this was not just a mistake she made and rather belived it to have been a spur of the moment. But she couldn't help remembering todays show, how she teased May, how she was lured, how they easily they slipped into their roles and for the last part of the show how they fully belived in their roles.
And even the final embrace seemed to have been deeply routed and being part of the show it seemed that in the boundries of the script she expressed her own feelings.
That however brought up the question if May did the same. Did she do the same or was she just simply a good interpretor?
Knowing May for the past five years she always suspected the plain answer to be one that applied.
"So May was just performing." she thought, which made her sad.
Her sorrow ended as Fool made his appearence.
'Where have you been?' he asked not wanting to reaveal having spotted them, curios if she would admit to him.
'Uh ...' she became speechless as tried to think something up, but as just as May said "you can't lie to save your life".
So instead of lying she decieded to give him other truths.
'I just came from the training hall after having performed for the sponsor.' she said changing for bed.
'I saw that, you performed well today.' Rosetta stopped. "God I hope he didn't see anything else."
'Are you praising me Fool?' The spirit smirked, her tactics were obvious she tried to quickly change the subject.
'Yes. But what is this? 'said Fool starting to float around her examing her, then started laughing.
'Could it be? My, my, now theres something I haven't seen in a while.'
Rosetta looked at him suspecting.
'What is?'
Fool laughed softly as she was trying to play dumb.
'Could it be our little Rosetta has taken a shine to someone?' The redhead just couldn't think something up, deception was something she despised and never practiced.
'Why do you say that?'
The spirit started laughing harder pointing at her face which still had a strong blush across her face. Just a simple thought about May and she already became flustered. She turned around so that Fool could not see her like that.
'So who might I ask who has captured our young stars heart?'
The spirit was really enjoying probing the girl as she wasn't a challenge at all.
'That's none of your buisness.' said Rosetta still not facing the spirit.
She barly admitted liking May to herself and she wasn't even fully sure herself, but admitting it to someone else was something she was uncapable of. Fool stopped laughing, but still had a stupid smirk on his face.
'Aw you can tell me. I can keep a secret, what man is blessed with your infatuation?'
Rosetta cringed as it dawned on her. She wasn't just yearning for someone for the first time, but that person was a girl just like her. That would make things a lot more complicated.
Fool knew just how deep his question cut her, but she needed to become clear about things or she wouldn't progress.
The redhaired girl turned around still with a flustered expression, but trying to look angry so Fool wouldn't notice.
'What do you care? As long as it doesn't involve the stage I see precious little reason for you to bother.'
The spirit wasn't deterred by the menacing glare, if that he was more amuzed by it, but he knew he had wore out what little patience the girl had.
'Actually it does concern the stage. Oh very well I was hoping for a little honesty, but one can't always have what one wants.'
Rosetta started seeing the possibility that Fool may know more then he was telling as in that masked proverb he was refering to her and her partner.
'I saw you and May today.'
It was confirmed and the redhead was terrified of someone else knowing and looked into the ground waiting for Fool to either argue with her or humour her. The spirit knew just how frightning everything seemed to the girl and tried his best not to encourage or deter her.
'I'll be honest. I know this all seems very scary to you, but I know that as scary as it might be just as rewarding.'
Rosetta realized just how odd her situation was
'Do you belive that? Fool noded. Emphasis on might. But whatever the outcome I will tell you this, the stage has no eyes for something like this, so you could play things out, but with closed eyes the stage may also walk away from you.'
The redhead had no patience left for his wordgames.
'What are you saying?' Fool said summoning his cards.
'In simple terms you will have to choose between the stage and May.' He took one card and showed it to her.
'The Lover, a telltale sign and a confirmation of what you are going trough. But what is this?' said Fool seeing that for the first time since a long while he had drawn two cards, but he remebered picking just one.
'A double reading?' That hadn't happen a long time ago. He rotated the card in his hand reavealing the second one.
'The Hanged Man. Tough decisions, this card means that one will have to consider and make lifechanging choices. I think that confirms what the stage expects from you. Next time try to think more about what it is that you want.' ended Fool observing that the two cards in his hand where unseperable, which meant that both applied at the same time and involved not just Rosetta, but May as well.
The redhead became troubled over this sign.
'But I can still see you, so doesn't that mean that I still belong here?' The spirit noded.
'Yes. But you haven't chosen yet.' Unsure about what to do next Rosetta went to bed and fell a sleep. She loved the stage more then anything, but now it seemed that her new infatution with May could cost her that, but she wasn't yet sure just how serious it was. She knew exactly how much she loved the stage, but was unsure about the chinese. So with a heavy heart she decided.
"I'll remain at the stage and stop anything else before I can no longer control it. I choose the stage."
May in her room had similar thoughts, there where parts to her she didn't understand and this was one of them. Unlike Rosetta she didn't consider that she might have a real crush on someone. Not even her chinese proverb books could get her some insight into what happened. She desperatly tried to find a answer, but all the time she searched for it she came up with nothing and it had alreadly been morning and she still hadn't mentally progressed beyond yesterdays events.
"I need help." she thought, but who could help her in this regard? If she would have asked Sora she might have bumped into Rosetta, so she resorted to the other person everyone went when they had troubles.
Indeed she was the only one who could help.
The chinese just hoped she could help and got changed determined at the end of the day to have an answer. However as she opened her door she did it slowly in covertly just in case Rosetta was nearby.
She thanked the gods that she was so precatious as on the other side of the dormitory was the redhead standing waiting to be let in.
She closed the door as much as she could not to be seen but didn't close it fully as she couldn't take her eyes of Rosetta. But as Sora finally opened she hid behind her door and hoped she had not been seen.
A few minutes later she was sure Rosetta would stay longer and quickly made her way one floor lower where the only person she knew could help her in this regard.
Out of all the rooms this was the only one who had a doorbell and as it loudly rang she heard footstep running towards the door, but also a short yelp as that person seemed to have slipped and slammed into the door. Then after the female voice stopped whining she finally opened the door.
'May?' she said surprised to see the chinese. May still couldn't belive what she was about to do but she couldn't sit idle.
With her head staring in the ground she simply greeted the woman.
'Sarah.'
The british woman knew just too well how selfsufficiant May and was unsure about the visit.
'Is something wrong?' she asked which made the chinese look at her. Sarah was quite amazed seeing somewhat of a desperation in those blue eyes. 'Please help me.'