Madame Natasha sat in the audience seats and began to watch her students at work, telling them what to do. "Dakota arms! Casey, where are you looking? Gabrielle, smile! And a-one-two-three, and three and four! Head up, Casey, watch the audience! Now on the beat! Perfect! Head direction, girls, lean your arms and a-two, a-three, and four!"
"And a two, a two, a three, and four." Kristyn from earlier and a boy copied as they waited backstage.
"How many times have they practiced?" Estelle asked Kristyn.
"Feels like forever," Kristyn replied. "Madame Natasha expects perfection. I can't believe I remember every single move of this dance." she then smiled as she began to demonstrate.
"You did it like six years in a row or something, right?" The blonde boy asked as he was being measured.
"Seven." Kristyn corrected with a smile while dancing.
"Whoa... Seven years?" Estelle smiled back.
"That's right." Kristyn smiled back.
"Do all boy ballerinas wear this?" Lee asked as he came in a white T-Shirt with black pants and shoes.
"Yep, it's all part of tradition." The blonde boy told him as he wore the same thing.
"Just wanted to know." Lee said.
"Dillon, since your arms are cleared up; it'll take your courier to the whole next level." The seamstress told the blonde boy.
"Shh!" A voice hissed at them.
"Oh, uh, sorry..." Ramona said, seeing it was another girl around their age.
"Who's she?" Estelle whispered to Kristyn while pointing to the other girl who hissed at them.
"That would be Tara." Kristyn informed.
"Since when are you the Shush Monster?" Dillon asked the brunette.
"I'm sorry guys, I've got three solos to do so can you just focus, please?" Tara replied.
"Three solos?" Estelle asked.
"Dillon, Tara, you're next!" Someone called out.
The blonde boy and brunette girl soon took their leave for the stage.
"My guess is that they're doing the Black Swan scene." Ramona whispered to Estelle.
"That's what it looks like to me too," Estelle replied to her. "Aunt Cherry told me about a whole ballet movie called The Black Swan."
They were both of course right. The younger girls continued to dance until Dillon and Tara came into the scene.
"It's close, girls, but continue to dance downstairs with Madame Marguerite." Madame Natasha told them.
One of the girls looked a little sad.
"You need to focus on every single step, Holly." Madame Natasha told her.
Estelle could tell that this little girl needed a little confidence boost.
"I-It's Hannah..." The girl told her instructor.
"That is right, my dear," Madame Natasha said before pinching her cheek briefly. "Every move must be precise! Exact! Controlled! You will be perfect."
"Yes, Madame." The blonde girl said before going to collect her bag with the other younger girls.
"I thought her dancing was great." Ramona said.
"Well, that's good for you, but I am in charge." Madame Natasha told Ramona.
"Yes, ma'am, of course." Ramona gulped.
Estelle had a small frown as Madame Natasha seemed a bit too strict.
"Last rehearsal before the show, Dillon!" Tara beamed to the boy with her. "Let's make magic!"
The two soon went to go off onto the stage.
"Ugh, she's so obnoxious, and so dramatic..." The seamstress muttered.
"You've got that right." Estelle said.
"So, you're the new students, huh?" The seamstress asked.
"That's right," Estelle smiled. "Who are you?"
"Oh, my name is Hailey." The seamstress replied.
"It's nice to meet you, Hailey." Estelle smiled.
"Oh, you're sweet," Hailey smiled back. "It's nice to meet you too."
"Hello, there." Lee smiled.
"My, don't you look big and strong?" Hailey commented.
"I do tend to work-out." Lee said.
"Are you two together?" Hailey asked.
"Yes," Estelle smiled. "He's my boyfriend~"
"Aw." Kristyn smiled back.
Tara and Dillon soon began to dance together for Madame Natasha.
Lee soon tried to copy Dillon's moves as he wasn't as into dancing as much as Estelle was who seemed to had been born with the gift like she was destined to become a ballerina. He seemed to get it down perfectly.
"Wow, Lee, you're doing great." Estelle smiled.
Lee smiled back to her, a little bashfully.
"So, what are our performances going to be?" Ramona asked.
"Estelle and Lee are Princess Tutu and Prince Mytho and your performance is Princess Kraehe." Kristyn told them.
"Oh, how lovely." Estelle smiled at the names.
"Oh, uh, I hope that I can do it..." Ramona said as she tried to shake her nerves.
"You'll do fine." Kristyn said.
Tara and Dillon soon finished their dance and the man in the audience applauded for them and even whistled to them.
"You were amazing!" Kristyn smiled to Tara and Dillon as they came backstage.
"Yeah, simply amazing." Ramona added.
"Oh, of course we aren't going all out saving something for the show tonight," Tara replied. "It's why those positions are so sloppy, right Dillon?"
"Sloppy?" Dillon frowned to that.
"How were they sloppy? I thought your positions were perfect." Estelle said.
"Hmm... Maybe some work couldn't hurt." Tara replied.
Kristyn just shook her head about how Tara was acting.
"At least that Mr. Pennington guy liked it." Lee commented about the man in the audience who smiled.
"You got that right." Estelle said.
"Let's have the milkmaid number. Lower the cow!" Madame Natasha commanded.
"Hailey, where's my bucket?" Kristyn asked her friend.
"Check," Hailey smiled as she handed the bucket to the blonde girl. "Dance like nobody's watching."
"You're going to do great." Estelle smiled at Kristyn.
Kristyn smiled back and soon went to go on stage.
"Because nobody will be watching, except the cow." Tara commented.
"A simple 'Break a leg.' would be nice." Dillon told her.
"He's right, you know." Lee added to Tara.
"Hmph!" Tara rolled her eyes.
"Great, another Tammi..." Lee muttered to himself.
"I'm sure Kristyn will be great." Estelle said.
Lee smiled to his girlfriend as he admired how supportive she was towards others she saw as friends.
The cardboard cow was soon lowered, but not all the way as Kristyn came on stage, setting the bucket down. Madame Natasha soon watched as Kristyn began to dance once the music played. Her dancing was like how it was choreographed.
"Oh, she's so brave." Ramona whispered to herself.
"Nice... Good..." Hailey smiled from backstage.
Soon enough, Kristyn began to feel like making up her own dance moves along the way.
Ramona watched Kristyn, she just wished she could be that brave with public dancing like that.
"Oh, no..." Hailey frowned.
"That's not the choreography," Tara scoffed. "What is she doing?"
"Something totally amazing." Estelle smiled.
"Yeah, that's gonna get her in a whole sack of trouble." Dillon added.
"Stop! Stop the music!" Madame Natasha demanded. "Stop everything!"
Kristyn seemed to continue to dance.
"That means you, Kristyn!" Madame Natasha demanded.
"What?!" Kristyn gasped before she soon stumbled and fell on stage.
"Oh, Kristyn!" Estelle cried out.
"Miss Farraday, this is not the chirography we rehearsed." Madame Natasha scolded the blonde girl as she came up onto the stage.
Ramona would've spoken up, but didn't dare to.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to." Kristyn frowned.
"It is your goal to get the attention to the ballet scouts tonight?" Madame Natasha asked.
"Uh, yes, Madame." Kristyn admitted with a nod.
"Then I strongly suggest you follow the choreography I've given you." Madame Natasha told her.
Estelle frowned as that was rather firm before she noticed Madame Natasha looking at her and Lee.
"Ma'am." Lee greeted as he came closer beside Estelle.
"Perhaps now would be a good time to see what you two can do." Madame Natasha told them.
Estelle soon gulped before calming herself down to not let Madame Natasha's firmness get to her.
"Out on stage now!" Madame Natasha told them. "Remember what I told you."
"Yes, Madame Natasha." Estelle, Lee, and Ramona replied as they soon came out on stage to rehearse what they were told.
"Okay, Estelle... Just pretend you really are Princess Tutu." Estelle told herself, which wouldn't be much of a challenge for her.
Ramona soon took some deep breaths as she did her best as Kraehe while Estelle seemed to be a natural as Princess Tutu. Everyone else seemed to be amazed by Estelle's performance as the princess in the ballet.
"She better not be a better dancer than me." Tara whispered aggressively.
Unfortunately for Tara, Estelle seemed to be a better dancer than her, and where just like Kristyn, she seemed to improvise for the ending of Princess Tutu. Instead of a dance showing her vanishing, it instead showed her with her true love. Lee danced with Estelle once his cue came in after being told about Princess Tutu from his girlfriend. Soon, after their dance, Madame Natasha came over to them.
"That was very interesting, especially considering the ending to the Princess Tutu I know." Madame Natasha stated.
"Thank you, Madame." Estelle replied in respect.
"I don't think she meant that as a compliment," Tara smirked. "You went off the choreography."
"I'm afraid she's right." Madame Natasha agreed.
"Oh... Well... I just thought maybe-" Estelle began with a small smile.
"You must stay on topic!" Madame Natasha scolded.
"Y-Yes, Madame Natasha." Estelle gulped.
Tara hid a small snicker.
"Rise, my dears." Madame Natasha then allowed them to stand back up.
Estelle, Lee, and Ramona soon stood up.
"Never break choreography, it's perfect the way it is, am I clear?" Madame Natasha coldly told them.
"Yes, Madame Natasha." The teenagers replied.
"Good." Madame Natasha nodded.
Estelle looked to the woman before glancing backstage as Tara smirked at her, Lee, and Ramona. Lee soon held out his hand for Estelle and she accepted before standing next to him and Ramona.
"Maybe we should help Kristyn find some new ballet shoes." Ramona suggested.
"That's a great idea, Ramona." Estelle agreed.
"Take five, everyone." Madame Natasha told her students.
Everyone soon left the stage. Kristyn stared down at the floor in melancholy.
"Are you okay?" Dillon asked her.
"Dillon!" Tara called out impatiently.
'Impatient, much?' Estelle thought to herself.
"I'm fine." Kristyn sighed.
"Come on, Kristyn," Ramona smiled to the blonde girl. "We can get you some new shoes!"
"Yeah, there must be some new shoes in your size." Estelle added.
"Come on, I'll help you guys." Hailey offered.
"That's sweet of you." Lee smiled.
"Well, Kristyn is my best friend." Hailey smiled back.
They soon left to get some new shoes for Kristyn. Mr. Pennington soon went to talk to Madame Natasha as the students left her stage.
"I did alright, right...?" Ramona asked about her, Estelle, and Lee's version of Princess Tutu.
"You did just fine, Ramona." Estelle smiled.
"Yeah." Lee nodded.
Ramona smiled as she followed them.