Kori looked boredly at the slowest moving clock she had ever known. It was her last hour before school was out, and World History was never one of her favorite subjects. She puffed a piece of ruby hair out of her outlandishly tan face.

She anticipated school's release today more than usual because it was rehearsal day for the upcoming musical "Hannibal". She hadn't gotten the lead part of course, she was only a sophomore. Her older sister, Kiona, who was a senior, had gotten the lead role. Again.

Nevertheless, she was in the play, and that was all that mattered to her. She was, after all, a chorus dancer, which she enjoyed playing. It was somewhat the beginning of the year, and "Hannibal" was the first out of the three musicals that would be performed during that year. She had a small hope she could get a bigger part in one of the next upcoming plays.

RRRIIIIIINNGGGG

Kori jumped. Class was over. She quickly grabbed her things and walked over to the auditorium, where the rest of the cast members would be waiting for rehearsal.

As she walked through the door, she heard her name,

"Kori, Kori over here!"

The redhead quickly turned her head to see her friend Jinny. They weren't especially close, but they were partners in Latin class, and she was a chorus girl as well. Because of this, they had become well acquainted with one another, and pretty good friends.

Jinny, who liked being a little rebellious, had dyed her hair pink, and Kori found this amusing. Jinny was always up for a good laugh, and always wanted to have fun.

"We should get dressed in our costumes," Kori said.

The girls walked over to a girl dressed in black.

"Hello, Raven. We aren't late, are we?"

The gothic girl looked at them flatly,

"No, you're right on time.You'd better hurry, though, Henry isn't in a good mood today."

Jinny spoke up, "Yeah, you would know. You're like one of the main stagehands."

"I'm only in charge of the ballet dancers, nothing big."

The two girls shrugged and got into their costumes, which were old fashioned to make them look Greek. Kori put on her ballet shoes carefully,

"Jinny, I haven't been able to get the dance right, have you?"

"It isn't really that hard. Maybe you're just under a lot of stress, that always gets me."

"Maybe."

When all was ready, the two girls watched as the leads began to perform.

Kiona was playing the part of the queen of Carthage, Elissa. Hannibal himself was being played by a boy named Steven, also a popular senior.

Henry, the lead thespian and director of the play, began to describe the scene to them.

"Steven," he said pointing to the giant elephant on the left side of the stage, "you and your army are coming to save Carthage from the Roman invasion,"

Steven nodded. Henry then turned to Kiona, "you are waiting for the approaching Hannibal, and he has sent you a present that shows your people are at peace."

Kiona simply stared at the prop given to her, "It's a severed head." She held it out away from her, her long envied black hair falling to one side.

"Just sing the song." Henry rubbed his temples in frustration; sometimes she acted too much like a diva.

"Action,"

Kiona's strong, powerful voice echoed off the dark walls of the auditorium as she sang, the severed head still in hand,

"This trophy from our saviors,
From the enslaving force
Of Rome!"

Kori, Jinny, and the other chorus girls stepped up around Kiona and joined in, dancing the ballet routine.

"With feasting and dancing and song,
Tonight in celebration,
We greet the victorious throng,
Returned to bring salvation!"

The men's chorus came in as well.

"The trumpets of Carthage resound!
Hear Romans, now, and tremble!
Hark to our step on the ground!"

Then, with a giant breath, the entire group sang all together.

"Hear the drums-
Hannibal comes!"

Kiona sang louder than the rest, holding the last note as long as she could. Then, as scheduled, Steven strutted onto center stage, and stood next to the popular girl. As the carrot-haired boy sang his part, half the girls swooned at his voice, as it was for good reason he was chosen for the lead.

"Sad to return to find the land that we love
Threatened once more by Roma's far-reaching grasp."

Henry cut in, interrupting him,

"Steven, remember…its "Rome", not "Roma"."

Steven apologized, a bit embarrassed,

"Sorry, I'm so used to saying it that way, I have to get out of that habit."

"Try your best. Alright, once again, then. If you please, Steven, "Sad to return…""

All at once, a boy with sleek black hair appeared in the doorway of the auditorium.

"This way, guys." Alan said to a boy with dyed green hair and a tall muscular boy.

"We're starting rehearsals for the new production of Chalumeau's "Hannibal"."

Alan, leading the two boys down the aisles and to the stage, cleared his throat to get everyone's attention.

"Guys…guys…HELLO?" everyone was finally quiet.

"Thank you. I know some of you already know Gar Logan and Victor Stone."

Henry, again, frustrated, interrupts them,

"Sorry, Alan, but we are rehearsing. Could you give us a minute to finish until we can stop at a breaking point?"

"Sure."

"Alright, then. Right where we left off, "Sad to return…", Steven,"

Alan rolled his eyes and looked at the teens beside him,

"That's Henry, the director, and chief repetiteur. Much more of a tyrant, in my opinion."

Gar and Victor just looked on and smiled. Although he probably was a tyrant, it was still funny to watch him.

Steven then sang back where he left off,

"Sad to return to find the land we love,
Threatened once more by Rome's far-reaching grasp.
Tomorrow we shall break the chains of Rome.
Tonight rejoice-your army has come home."

On cue, Kori, Jinny, and the other ballet girls began their dance. Alan lead the boys up to the stage to watch the ballet. Getting in the way, Alan continues to explain the cast to the boys.

"That is Steven, our main tenor. He sounds awesome when he is contrasted with Kiona's voice."

Raven, noticing they were in the way, walked up to them to shoo them off the stage.

"Sorry, but you'll get in the way of the dancers. If you could just stand over there…"

"Oh!" Gar apologized immediately, "Sorry. We were just…um…watching."

She looked at him, as if he had said nothing, and continued with her practice.

"Who is that?" Gar asked eagerly.

"Her? Oh, that's Raven, the lead ballet instructor. She would kill herself before she did any of the dances herself, but she does know how to supervise and instruct really well."

Alan continued, "We also have a very good ballet group."

Victor, seeing Jinny do a beautiful spin, looked to Alan,

"Who's that dancer?" he asked, "She's really good."

"That's Jinny. She's a very promising dancer, she could get far with that talent of hers."

Kori continued to dance, but then became prominent above the rest. She suddenly fell out of step, then quickly got back again. Raven called to her,

"Kori, concentrate!"

"Sorry." She said, almost flustered. Jinny said to her quietly,

"Kori, is something wrong?"

"No, I'm fine," she said quietly back.

"Who's that one?" Gar pointed to Kori.

"That's Kori Anders, another great dancer."

"Anders? I've never heard a name like that before."

"It's foreign."

"Is she related to that violinist guy?"

"Yes, she was one of his two daughters. She always has her head in the clouds, though." Alan responded.

The chorus then began to sing again,

"Bid welcome to Hannibal's guests-
The elephants of Carthage!
As guides on our conquering quests,
Dido sends,
Hannibal's friends!"

The giant elephant was mechanically put onto the stage, and Steven then climbed onto it, as Kiona finishes her solo,

"Once more to my welcoming arms,
My love returns in splendor!"

Steven approached her, and then continued.

"Once more to those sweetest of charms,
My heart and soul surrender!"

The chorus then sang the climax of the song, louder than ever before.

"The trumpeting elephants sound-
Hear Romans, now, and tremble!
Hark to their step on the ground-
Hear the drums!
Hannibal comes!"

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