Chapter 11

Ocean Star

The huge restaurant was just off Monteray Park and was quite an impressive building. It had the reputation of being capable to hold a large number of diners and was the only chinese restaurant that could claim that. Outside a large number of cars were parked hinting that the family had arrived.

The two got out of their cab, but stopped for a brief moment.

These people meant a great deal to May and they felt nervous having to reveal their relationship to them. But this was one of thing they would eventually had to face and so they ventured inside, however with their hands unjoined. There was this tiny bit of fear inside both.

Once inside they where led to one of the adjacnet halls. It had been reserved just for this occasion and had been elaboratly decorated. In the center tables where aligned in a big U-shape.

At the head apparantly sat the elders, then the rest of the families followed in a strict hierarchy. As they progressed May's parents where the ones to greet them.

May's mother hugging her daughter then Rosetta also, congratulating them on their recent accomplishemets altough not shouting for the rest of the extended family to hear.

Both parents noted the calm and warm aura that emaneted from them, but also the slight nervousness. At first neither of the two elders figured out why Rosetta had a blue orchid painted on her cheek, then however realized that it represented their daughter, a telltale sign that the relationship was not to be taken lightly.

'Sister, Rosetta, lets go meet the others.' said one of the chinese smaller siblings wanting to drag them to a adjacent table where the younger members of the family were sitting, children and teenagers. May's father however intervened.

'The'll be sitting with us today.'

May quickly turned, she was surprised to hear that she and Rosetta were to sit with the elders, it meant that the family was ready to welcome them into the rank of the adults.

The redhead also noted the gravity of what the man said and was honored to have been allowed between them, despite only barly being eighteen herself. Others would still consider her a child.

After all the introductions were made the two sat next to the two parents which were directly sitting next to the elders on one side. The rest of the people where composed by more mature people, some married couples, some not.

The waitors desperatly tried to calm the children down and after they did, the courses could be served. May hadn't met some of the relatives for years and caught up with most of them.

Some however she noted had come despite having missed out on the funeral. She tried to hide her disgust for them, as they had just come for the reading of the will and to pick up their inheritance. However this feast was not just about sharing a meal with the whole family but to discuss all manner of things inbetween them.

Next to May and Rosetta, the side where her parents where not sitting were some of May's aunts and uncles which were curious about Rosetta.

They somehow grasped that there was something between them, but just couldn't put their finger on it, however the redhaired girl seemed to be very good company.

But discussions quickly sprung and died down again and soon the two girls altough being surrounded by many found themselves talking just between the two of them.

Some of the elder started to take notice just how leasurly they felt with eachother and how together they forgot about the rest of the world. It was not what they talked that hinted them, but the way that they talked. Even if they were the best of friends no one would ever allow a friend to put their hand on their knee, let alone cover it with their own. One of the elderly man talked with another next to him about the subject.

They remebered the redhaired girl from the funeral and how she was there for May when she needed her. Could the two have shared a relationship since then?

The old man wondered. Then leaned to the man next to him, who was May's father, whispering to him so that the others wouldn't notice.

'Do you know about your daugther and her friend?' The younger man noded. 'Yes.'

That is all everything the elder wanted to know, he knew just what a stable person May's father was and would have never allowed it unless it was truly worth it, so if May's father would aprove so would he.

The final course was served and during that time the news about the newest couple in the family spread trough the elders who all systematicly agreed to accept it, however one of the younger ones overheard one of the elders and quickly spread it to the rest.

Some of them were appauled and looked at the two with a clear disgust. They whispred amongs themsleves.

'What?'

'Those two?'

'Is May out of her mind?'

'Do her parents know?'

'This is unacceptable.'

May and Rosetta however didn't notice a thing as they where talking away looking at eachother with loving eyes, having lost all their nervousness. They only snapped out of it when one of the younger adults cought in his hand trying to get their attention.

As the two came to they where a bit surprised how the room had become silent and how they hadn't noticed it at all.

There they saw the same thing they had seen on the street yesterday. Everybody stared at them and they soon realized that there was no more secret about them. They didn't know what to respond and noted the stares they got. Like yesterday they where divided into those who accepted it, like May's parents, the elders and some other relatives and the aunt sitting next to them, but the other looked at them in a displeased manner. May gulped.

'Is there something wrong?'

A silence filled the entire room, just a minute ago it was buzzing with joyfull activity, even the children sensed a pivotal moment and were quiet.

'Do you take us for blind?'

The chinese girl was terrified where this conversation would lead to and saw that other relatives joined in.

'I don't know what you mean.' Now an uncle from her side of the table answered.

'How can you do such a thing? You bring shame upon our family with your blasphemous infatuations.'

Rosetta felt as if her heart was pierced for she was the reason that May was despised by her relatives, how could she live with the burden of having exiled her? Soon after that half of the middleaged joined in.

'We can't aproove of this.' ... 'You know our traditions.' ... 'You must abide by them.' ... 'This must stop.' ... 'The family name has been dishonored.' ... 'We can't allow you to be involved with a deviant like her.'

As they found support from other family members they continued to pound the two girls, it quickly had become a verbal battle, but more of a siege to their relationship.

Tormented as the two were the only reaction that calmed them down and made them capable of enduring their harsh words was to grasp eachother hand, finger inbetween finger, palm against palm, their hands bound with unyielding strength. At that the protesting part of the family became more riled up and mercelessly continued.

'You should be ashamed of yourself.' ... 'Its good your grandmother isn't here to see this.'

At that remark May put her fist down and got up, all the other comments had made her feel ashamed, but the last one fired her up. With her hand still having a firm hold on Rosetta's she loudly exclaimed.

'That's enough!'

Everybody now clearly saw that May was not uncertain about her relationship and with her free hand she pointed menicangly at her relatives.

'I've always tried to please my family in the best way I could, but I won't have any of you scold me for having found someone who I truly love.'

Some of the adults saw the fired up look in May and settled down. but the initial starters of the confrontation still refused to accept.

'Love? Love you say? Your so confused in that regard you can't even tell whats right or wrong.'

Another one continued. 'Do you really think you love onanother? Don't be simple.'

May's parents felt uncomfortable that it had come to this, indirectly their spite was also directed at the, but they knew that only May and Rosetta felt the full gravity of their harsh words.

The chinese girl was now even more determined to proove them wrong and forgot all boundries and values that had ever existed between her and those familymembers.

But Rosetta couldn't take it anymore and stood up with her sight in the ground, having been beated down to a new level of sorrow. If she was the reason for this feud in the family then she saw just one possible outcome.

With a shaky voice hinting at the held back tears she said.

'I'm sorry for having caused a fight between you, I had hoped to be accepted amongts you, but it seemed I was wrong and if my departure ends this, then I shall do so.'

With those final words she quickly ran away from the table throwing back the chair and somehow managed to slip her hand from May's tight grasp.

The blackhaired girl, could not belive what she had just seen, it had been months almoast years since she had seen Rosetta this sad. At first she thought that the redhead had given up on them, but then realized just deep her love transcendet as she was ready to do anything to keep her happy and she knew just how much family meant to her.

'Good that that's over.' said again one of the adults.

Now that the redhead was gone their mood miraculously changed and they became pleased with themselves having broken them apart.

May never rembered to have felt such anger within her and strained not to make a scene on front of her parents.

'How could you? How could you sadden her so much?'

The certain adults didn't see any imorality in their actions.

'Its for your own good.'

The chinese girl now put both her fist down.

'How could you be so cruel to her? How could you be so cruel to me?' she said with tears slowly starting to flow, but her voice strong as ever, angry with her relatives.

'Is this the family that loves me as much as it claims?'

The elders where surprised to see May's will not having suffered from the hounding she had just recevied, if she could shatter the middleaged closed mind she might just get the acceptance she seeked.

'For if you truly were you would never stand between me and the one thing that truly makes me happy. Is this the kind of family I have been born in? Full of machinations and manipulation?'

The younger adults were starting to get really intimidated by her as they realized the full extend of their actions.

'But May, traditions clearly say ...'

'Traditions? You dare to tell me about traditions, where in the old ways does is stand that I am disallowed to be happy? Where in the traditions does it say you are allowed to enforce your opinions on me? Why can't you see how much I care for her?'

These questiones had dwelled inside her since this whole argument started and now got out in full measure.

The others where surprised, now just one of them summoned enough courage to speak.

'What about your family, don't you care about us?'

May laughed mockingly.

'Care? Yet another thing you can't comprehend. You think I don't care about all of you? But what do I see? My so-called caring family which I have always respected doesn't care enough to see just how much I love Rosetta. And this sort of family I should value above all things? One that refuses my right to chose and be happy?'

The middleaged suddenly seemd to realize just how much May felt and the errors of their ways dawned on them.

'I admit, I have always tried to please all of you, to live up to your expectations, but it seems all those years have been a complete loss. I have always bent myself to acomodate your will, but now that I whish to exert my will and chose you hound me just because you find it inconvinient?'

May really was riled up and continued.

'And now I ask you once to abide to the choice I have made and you turn around, scold me and hold me and my parents in dishonor, just because you question my intergrity. If this is what family is supposed to mean that I don't see any precious reason to bother. And if crossing you would bring me the one thing I truly love then it is my choice that is right, not yours.'

'In fact caught inbetween so many manipulations I see now what I should have realized a long time ago. If you can't accept me and my love then I shall depart just as she did and leave this family.'

With those last words May left and went the way she saw Rosetta run.

After she too left the silence prevailed until one of the elder ones who hadn't stopped eating finished. Putting his fork down and softly wiping his mouth covered with a long beard he said.

'She has become much wiser in the last years, her grandmother would be proud.'

That one adult that had started the whole argument still wouldn't let it die down.

'But grandfather how can ...'

'Silence. I must say I'm really dissapointed with some of you. I never would have taken you for so closeminded. I think May should have joined the rank of the adults a long time ago and some of you should be reconsidered. All of you, we elders have talked amongst ourselves and came to the conclusion that May and Rosetta's bond should be acknowledged.'

At first Rosetta tried to find a way outside the building, but it had been locked down to ensure security. In the main hallway however she found a secluded spot where she sat curled up trying to restrain her tears.

But she couldn't take it anymore, only a few times in her life she had felt this intense sorrow. She had tried to prepare for such an event and be strong, but in the end May came trough for the both of them, but she couldn't be tough enough to stand at her side. In the end she concluded that all the chinese problems had been brought by her, if she hadn't accepted her love she might have never defied her family and this all would have never happened.

But as much as she openly withdrew from the family leaving May was too much for her and the wounds inflicted to her heart would take a long time to heal, maybe never heal at all.

Alone as she was behind one of the colums in the hallway she tried her best not to draw any attention and was glad that there was no one else to see or hear her. Yesterday she had no problem spiting the people that they had met in the park and felt afterwards really good having shown them just how much she loved May.

She really did come trough for the two of them, but today she had been overwhelmed by a more hatred then she even imagined of feeling and was unable to contain her sadness. In the past she would have sulked for a few moments then quickly get over it, but this time she wondered if she could ever move on.

As she started hearing footsteps she did her best to avoid being spotted and hid behind the colum masking her cries. But the footsteps drew closer until they stopped and she had to face the person that had found her.

'May? 'she quitely asked.

'Who else?' answered the chinese kneeling next to her.

'I'm sorry for what have happened, I should have never run away. I thought that I could handle it, but in the end I really am weak.' May stopped her hand before she could remove the tears in her eyes.

'You may be weak sometimes, but that still doesn't mean that I love you, we are both weak, only together can we really be strong.'

She said those words with a soothing voice which worked wonders to brighten up Rosetta and stop her tears. But the tears that had flowed had mixed with the paint from the orchid on her cheek. May rembered having a napking and genlty wiped the blue smudge of her.

'Too bad I really like how it looked.'

Rosetta promptly smiled.

'We can always have other ones done.'

May now made it clear where her priorities lied and wanted to make sure the rest of the family would understand so together obviously as a couple they decided to depart and with a heartfilled goodby.

Not all of the members had been cruel to them and so at least they deserved to be treated respectfully. As the two came back the room had again miraculously slipped into silence.

But before the two could say a thing one of the elders stood up and greeted them cheerfully.

'Finally! Where have you been? We can't read the will without all the familymembers present.'

That simple sentence made them realize what the decision that the family had taken and altough at that point it didn't matter it made them feel a whole lot better knowing that May didn't have to forsake her family for her love, she could have both.

After they had seated themselves the middleaged adults that had hounded them officially apologized for their harsh actions.

May never would have thought them to give up their pride and respectfully accepted as did Rosetta.

With peace restored they could proceed to the actual reason that they had come. A lawyer came on front of the assembled family and presented the will to the oldest of the family who after putting on his glasses started reading.

May's grandmother had never acumulated a great fortune but had some prized posession that she had distributed equally, it was more of a sentimental inheritance then a monetary one, but nobody minded. After that there was a last page to the will, where the elder woman left a small piece of advice for everyone on the paper. Finally the old man got to the last two.

'Fung, I told you before and I am telling you again to keep off the red wine. May, always rember to follow your heart wherever or to whoever it will lead you.'

After that everybody realized that the woman if she had still lived would have been proud of May for having found her love and they now in turn were proud of her.

One of the hardships had been endured and it was very close to breaking them apart, but as it didn't, it only enchanced their relationship. Cruel the fates hand been to them, but in the end had acted only to aid them. As the family departed again into all the corners of the states they would remeber today's events for some time.

Rosetta and May returned to the dormitories in the late afternoon, but just as they where about to call it a day Sarah informed them that Kalos whished to see them and discuss their current show.

In all the comotion they started to forget that there was little then a week and a half before Leon's special stage would end and he would go out on tour again. They hadn't practiced in some time after their recent revelations, but to them there was no reason to worry.

Nothing would stay in their path and how could they not perform a couple on the stage? They at least changed and hurried before the sun would set, but strolling at steady pace to the stage became a charming little excursion, as it always did.

In fact after having finally dealt with one of the major concerns they now walking hand in hand were not at all nervous. Together they seemed to place eachother on a pedastle and whoever saw them was torn between the two unable to decide as each had its own unique charm and beauty. On the way they discussed whether they weren't hurrying thing a little.

Only a couple of days had passed and they already would cross everything for eachother. Somehow they knew this was not some premature infatuation, but as real as it presented itself. To them they reached apex of their relationship, they where a couple accepted by people they cared for and fiercly loyal and loving.

Both however knew that their relationship wasn't perfect, each had their own little quirks and an occasional tantrum, but they started to really enjoy them, so maybe not perfect, but the next best thing to it.

The Bosses Office

It had been some time since any of them saw the owner, but entered happily clearly displaying their relationship.

Kalos to them was one of the fatherfigures around there, just as much as Sarah was a motherfigure. He was one of the last persons who had not yet expressed his toughts on them, but it had been known for quite some time and he remained uninterested.

However they had to be carefull around him, he was to decide over their show and if they somehow displeased him it could mean the end of their first costarring.

As they entered the big office they saw the darkskinne man looking out the circular window from his chiar. It was painfully obvious something was not right, even tough the man usually deadpanned and his thoughts were difficult to decipher they had learned over the years and this from the begining was a dire omen. Could he have something against them being together? He out of all people being the only other real pair they knew besides Kate and Jerry, he out of all people?

'How did you enjoy your extended vacation?' the man asked and both man gulped. 'You know exactly what it is I want to discuss with the two of you.'

In just two sentences this man had the ability to frighten them, but they together where not that intimidated by them as they had been. Rosetta was the first to answer.

'You have something against our relationship? I think we would have found out by now, everyone including Sarah has nothing against it.'

The man smirked, something he rarly did and the annoyed manner hinted they should choose their words carefully.

'Sarah is just too goodnatured and couldn't bring it over her heart to tell you. She puts your needs in front of any other, that is why she's the best choice for supervisor, but I have to put the needs of the stage in front of anything else, which brings me to my earlier question. How did you enjoy your exteneded vacation?'

The two girls couldn't answer as he continued.

'Because in the last couple of days you've been to preoccupied with yourselves and missed out on practice.'

It was true and both where surprised how easily it had happened without them noticing. May now had her turn to talk.

'We assure you it won't happen again, its one of those thing that happen once.' Kalos smirked again.

'Is that so? How long do you think I have been running the Kaleido Stage?'

Rosetta didn't understand the question.

'You're its founder.' The man noded.

'Exactly and in all these years don't you think I had to deal with premature lovestories between castmembers?'

Rosetta still didn't understand where he was going.

'We don't know, we never heard of anything.'

They both gulped as they realized.

'Exactly, I've ended most of them before they could start. In all those years if there is one thing I learned after Cynthia's death is that love no matter how strongfounded is the biggest hazard for any performer.'

The two rembered the accident Marion's mother had and it seemed to have been the catalyst to his harsh actions. May however saw it however as a direct attack.

'Is this about us being samegendered? Is this what it's all about?' Kalos looked peeved.

'You think that matters to me? I think it may just cause some bad press here and there, but nothing serious. Its not that, its the fact that I can't allow juvenile infatuations to interfeer with your preformance.' Rosetta now spoke up again.

'You think we are uncertain about how we feel? Juvenile? I thought you would at least understand.'

The man sighed annoyed.

'I understand just too well what you feel, thats just the problem, this is not going to die down and interfeer with your careers. Even now and in practice you have lost all professionalism. I've seen you can't emotionally detach yourselves. This time the stage would benifit from your relationship, but what about the next? Do you think we can always have you play the lovers? After this show everytime you will however play that role over and over again without even realizing it. Try to understand I am also trying to fufill your needs, but my main objective is the stage and I can't abide just because you two share something special.'

Rosetta pressed on starting to get angry but also nervous. She rembered Fool's words, how the stage had no eyes for love and would not interfeer with it, but how with closed eyes may avert them indefinatly. It was slowly starting to appear as if their first costarring would be their last show at this stage.

'We will detach ourselves, you haven't given us a chance to prove ourselves. I've been on the professional circuit since I was five, don't you think I have proven myself already?'

May continued equally determined to prove him wrong.

'And I have also participated in regional competition for ice-skating since I was little. True that I never went international, but I still know how to leave my emotions aside.'

The man now was getting frustrated with the two and slightly raised his tone.

'Is that so? You can forget about your feelings on the stage? You can forget about eachother? Do you take me blind, you can't even let go of eachother in this moment.'

The two were stunned and looked at their conjoined hands. They could not deny it, after all the hardship they had endured their unison they held above all things and now their hands seemed to have been fused together. Both wanted to prove him wrong, but just couldn't let go. They went silent and Kalos turned around not facing them anymore.

'Go and practice for the show. After the two weeks I will decide your stay at this stage. You may leave.'

The two girls didn't say another thing and were silent all the way back to their dorms. They would forsake everything for eachother, but even the stage? The only thing they ever loved until they had found eachother. The stage that united them in the first place and set them on the treacherous path they still followed. They wondered if they could have both, but this time it seemed a choice would be made, neither outcome pleasent.

After the two left the stage they went where they always went when troubles seemed to overwhelm them. The lonly bench in the back of the traininghall overlooking the ocean. They both sat down still having their hands joined, desperatly trying to find a solution.

'What do you think we should do?'

Both would find that leaving the stage would be the ultimate proof for their relationship and quite a romantic idea.

'Its not like I don't know what we would chose ... but do we have to chose? Most of our friends are here. Should we join another stage?'

Rosetta also didn't see a answer, when it came choosing family over love they were prepared to put their love in front of anything else, but the stage had also been a major part in their lives.

'I don't know, I could find us a place at another stage, but if here we aren't accepted for what we are, where would we be accepted? Nobody would want that kind of reputation. I could always return in the diabolocrucuit, but it wouldn't sustain us for long. Maybe I could get another ...'

'No.' said May. 'Let's not think about that until the show is over. We still don't know how Kalos will decide, but he knows just as well that we can't leave of feelings behind, in the end we should forget about this whole deal and make the best possible show.'

Rosetta looked at her girlfriend amazed, these kind of words usually would come from Sora.

"And she still can't see Fool?" the redhead wondered, but the spirit once explained that May had been chosen by the stage, but that she never was fated to perform the legenday maneuver and for that reason could not see him.

'I think that the least we can do.' she said then got up and started pulling May with her.

'Where are we going?' Rosetta laughed softly.

'Where else? We're going to practice.'

At this late hour they asked Sarah to give them the key and she oblidged and felt sorry for not having told them about Kaloses strict policy on relationships. The two told her not to worry about it and look forward to their stage.

Training Hall

'Still remeber the moves right?' asked May looking up at the configuration of the trapeezes seeing that they were unaltered.

'Of course.' answered the redhead quickly getting up. 'Let's go.'

And so together as always as they had always know, as they had always done the practiced together. It probably were the late hours they spend together performing by themselves that was the catalyst of their bond which now led to this. This was one of the things the two shared, this habit of exercising until completly exhausted was something both done on their own, but after they started practicing together one would always be the voice of reason and stop practice before it was too much.

Tonight however they would perfect their routine and figure out a way to please everybody, if it was going to be their last stage, it would not contain any sorrow.

As they started again to reinact the energetic chase they also performed the Full Moon Revolution and found it just as exciting as the first time. Everything was still freshly ingrained in their memory and after many hours of practice they saw that they could never leave their feelings behind.

Why did Kalos want that? When Rosetta first came to the stage she was accused of performing to coldly as was May who was accused not being to capable to perform rather then compete. In the years that followed they slowly learned that the stage was about transmitting those feelings to the crowd, but now the basic line was redrawn in an instant, was it just Kaloses whim? Or indeed something capable of ruining their performance.

Maybe Kalos thought that they wouldn't be capable of perfoming with eachother without expressing themselves and he was probably right, but they at least wanted to try to pace themselves so it would not be noticed. But that would be after their costarring, now they would take full advantage of the stories romantism and portray a couple that would leave the wildest fairytales ashamed.

In the end morning broke over the two and they started to show signs of exhaustion.

Outside the training hall Sarah met with Sora and Mia as she was practicing her fighting arts again.

'That's what he said?' asked Sora having heard how Kalos had treated May and Rosetta.

Mia found it downright unfair, but both knew that he wasn't without motives. The only couple that succesfully managed to keep performing was Mute and Alice, but they two got blinded a couple of times and had a series of accidents. It was hazardous, but it somehow was linked with their reputation and even to this day the perform together on various stages as guest performers.

'Where are the two now?' Sarah took a while to consider then rembered.

'Ah yes! Knowing those two their probably still practicing. We might as well go and get them into bed. Seperate beds of course.'

The woman started laughing seeing the peeved looks she got from Mia and Sora.

However as they entered the hall and Mia slid the door open she quickly closed it.

'Whatever you do, don't open this door until I return.'

Sora didn't understand what the comotion was about.

'What's wrong?' Mia pressed further. 'Promise me you won't open the door!' '

Sora vowed and then Sarah did too and quickly the strawberryhaired girl took off to her room and came back with a camera. Sarah looked confused.

'Is Anna in there?' Mia carefully slid the door open.

'Even better.' she said quitely then slowly walked inside the hall not wanting to make any noise. Sora and Sarah followed and then finally understood.

The scene that presented itself was something no one would ever forget and Mia really wanted to comemorate it. She turned off the flash and tried to steady her hand almoast uncapable of resisiting.

In front of them on the bench silently locked in deep slumber were Rosetta and May. The redhead in the past had the habit of falling asleep al out of a sudden because she masked her fatigue, but May was a completly diffrent story.

Sleeping beauty was taking a nap in comparison to the two as they apparently where very deeply asleep their eyes behind their eyelids moving hinting both were dreaming. Both where leaning against eachother, May with her arms crossed, Rosetta leaning more on May.

They deducted that the chinese must have stopped praciting first and then watched her girlfriend for another couple of minutes before falling asleep. The redhead then must have joined her on the bench next to her and probably in the course of sleeping they sensed eachother and leaned on eachother. Tranquill and peacefull was almoast and understatement seeing the two and Mia couldn't even belive what she witnessed and made as many pictures from as many angles until the film was full and she had to stop.

'Question is how do we wake them?'

Sora considered, but knew just what a deepsleeper Rosetta was and suggested.

'Let's carry them, they're too tired to notice. I'll carry Rosetta you get May.'

But as Sora tried to gently remove the redhead from the chinese she noticed something that she hadn't seen before. It had been concealed between their girls and looked immensly adorable. Even in their sleep they couldn't stay away from eachother. Mia cursed herself having used up her film. As quitely and gently as she tried Sora just couldn't pry their hands open.

'Now what do we do?' she asked. Sarah also didn't want to wake them up.

'We can always put them in the same bed.' At that remark both girls shouted at the british woman.

'Sarah!'

It woke up the two sleeping beauties and they only then realized they had spent the night here.

'What time is it?' asked May. Rosetta also woke up and yawned infectuosly.

'Its morning.' answered Mia hiding her camera before the two would see, the probably wouldn't have agreed to having themselves memorialized in those pictures.

'Morning!? Already? Quick we need to practice.'

Sarah however grabbed both by the wrist as their hands as they had woken up had unbound.

'Oh no you don't, you're going to sleep and that's final.'

As if the british woman was their mother she removed the two and dragged them back to their individual rooms, she always did enjoy looking after them. She longed having children, but in a way all of them were her children which she would always look after.

Once back on a normal routine the two were give priority in the hall. Mia now had her work cut out for her trying to find people to fill out the roles of the secondary characters. Luckly Sora now having time off helped her with the judging and after four days the whole cast was chosen. Just some small roles needed considering and the costumes needed finishing.

If people said that Kaleido Stage's glory was whilst they were performing, they should have seen them hard at work preparing. It was rather chaotic, but there was method in madness, which had always ensured them to keep a deadline.

Attention however turned on the main couple who used every opportunity to practice. However they didn't seem to be improving or degrading, no act could be called perfect, but somehow there was no room to improve. Both were phisicly capable having now reached a level only Sora would top, but most of all both they understood their roles fully.

The Bosses Office

'Come in.' the darkskinned man said not removing his sight from his papers. 'You also came to doubt my decision?' he continued as he recognized Sora.

'No...' she answered. '..but you know that they won't be able to leave their feelings aside. Maybe Layla could, but even she changed and I certainly never could and now asking them is pointless in my opinion. Why do you trouble them?'

The man left his documents.

'We're talking about something much bigger here, you know just how dangerous it can be and this stage will not have another casualty.'

Sora understood and took a seat. 'Still both are invaluable to the stage.'

The man looked her.

'Are you saying that from the point of view of top star or good friend?'

The lavanderhaired girl wasn't so naive as she sometimes appeared, in the last years she had led the perfomers firsthand to the glory of the stage, whilst he would just organize it from the background.

'A bit of both. Don't make this personal, I won't get involved. But with them clearly uncapable you sealed their fates and practicly have thrown them off the stage already.'

Kalos didn't agree.

'I beg to differ, I haven't sealed anything, they chose their own way.'

The japanese girl still found it a bit harsh.

'You could be a bit more flexible. Who knows maybe they could adapt to the hardship and still perform just as they used to.'

Kalos turned around.

'They won't, everytime they'll play some partingscene they won't be able to cope with the emotional stress. I think we all know firsthand just how strongly knit they are.'

The owner knew what them leaving would mean, but staying wasn't an option either. Sora also knew this but pressed on.

'You have to admit they there are two very strong girls, I think they'll manage.'

Kalos was also not fully sure if they should leave, altough he never expressed his doubts to anyone else then Sarah.

'Practice, pressure they may handle better then anyone else, but when it comes to themselves they are just too vulnerable.'

Sora got up seeing how she couldn't change his mind, but also knowing he wouldn't decide until the end of the show. Getting out she added.

'They have endure much together in the past day, just because they are together will help them overcome the stage, if they truly whish it.'

With that she left and Kalos continued to ponder if there was a third possibilty to this dilemma, but he couldn't see it and if May and Rosetta couldn't then what hope remained?