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May and Leon had signed in before coming into the main dressing room for the contestants.
The Chinese acrobat adjusted her devil's horn on her head as they walked. People got out of their way, which wasn't anything new or upsetting. On the contrary, May liked it.
They should get out of the way of the new star.
Her smug smile waned a little as she spotted a figure in white and a magenta coat coming from the other end of the hall. Soon after her phone call about the listing of the competitors, Leon had explicitly told May that if she were to approach Sora any time before or during the festival, he would drop out and leave her without a partner.
She had been upset about the order, but wasn't stupid enough to test it out.
Her eyes glinted as Sora approached them. It doesn't count if she's the one that comes to me.
IN
Sora nervously tugged at her top part of the costume, making sure that the clear strap she had for one shoulder stayed in place.
I hope it doesn't snap during the performance.
She was shrugging the jacket back onto her shoulder when a familiar voice called out from the other entrance of the hallway.
"Well, well. Look what we have here," May drawled with her arms crossed haughtily, "a rogue performer that doesn't know how to lose gracefully."
Sora frowned at the insult. "I'm here through proper means, May." She stole a glance at Leon and then looked over May's shoulder. "You have your partner and I have mine."
May scoffed. "You just want to get the trophy from Layla."
That information made Sora's eyes widen. "What?"
"Don't pretend to be ignorant." May tilted her chin up. "I'm going to win and everyone will see Layla giving me the trophy."
Sora blinked. So Layla's here…
Footsteps sounded behind Sora; she turned her head slightly to see Yuri coming up. Since her head was turned, she missed the chilling glare that Leon shot Yuri.
"Well, I can't say I expected for us to meet again," Yuri said.
Leon's eyes narrowed even more. "It would have been a mercy if we hadn't."
Sora looked over at Leon and then at May. The blue eyed performer seemed to be shocked by Leon's response as well.
"Come now," Yuri said with a forced smile, "let the past stay where it should be."
Yuri stretched a hand out in offering. Leon stared at it as if it were a sickly thing.
"I'll let it stay," Leon tightly said, "when the damage has been undone."
Yuri's hand fell down at that. The two bystanders shared a look as Leon passed by them all and walked into the communal waiting room. Yuri walked in, leaving the two alone in the hallway.
May was pensive as she stared at the open doorway. Does this have to do with that 'Sophie' character I keep hearing about? Whenever she introduced herself as Leon's partner, the others would laugh and say that none had been his partner but 'Sophie.'
From what she gathered, 'Sophie' was the last long termed partner Leon had before he started searching for a partner. Hardly anyone talked of 'Sophie' without some sort of respect.
When Ken came over, both girls snapped out of it.
"Hey Sora, are you ready?"
May strode into the room. For once, Sora was envious that she couldn't do the same.
"Oh, I guess so," Sora said with a slow inching towards the room.
Ken followed her inside; she nearly whined out loud. Why isn't he with the others?
IN
The festival was underway.
Sora stretched out while they waited. She frowned as she caught a performer moving her suitcase in the way as another performer tripped over it but managed to not fall down.
"Watch it!"
"So sorry," came the woman's cool voice as she continued to put on her makeup. "It's pretty crowded in here."
Sora looked away as she spotted movement in the back. May practiced on the swing in the room and Leon stood nearby as he stretched his arms out. Suddenly, some swishing sound cut through the air towards Leon; Sora started and had her lips parted to warn him, but Leon swiftly caught the item.
Sora's face paled as she noted that it was a throwing blade.
"Must have slipped," sneered the man who had thrown it, "but judging by your fast reflexes, I can see why only your partners are the ones that get injured."
The man proceeded to laugh in a cynical sound.
Sora shuddered upon hearing it. Is everyone like this?
Her frown smoothed when she shook her head to and Alice have been more than kind in helping; they were the proof that not everyone was like that.
"I guess you always have to be on guard," Ken noted from his seat over by the wall closest to her.
"Yeah," Sora idly said as she looked over to the doorway.
"You keep looking over there," Ken said with some curiosity, "are you waiting for something?"
Sora blinked out of her thoughts. "Oh, I'm just worried about Mute and Alice," she turned towards Ken, "they were so helpful with our training, I would feel bad if something happened to them."
"You're not as sweet as I thought," May said from behind her.
Sora turned towards her, seeing the full black and purple outfit she had on. "What do you mean?"
"Abusing the goodwill of other contestants in order to give them less time to practice," May shortly clapped with a devilish expression, "I gotta hand it to you, that's not half bad."
Sora's jaw dropped. "That's not what I did at all!"
"Please," May said with a wave of her hand, "I highly doubt they'll see it in a good light."
From the other side of the room, Leon frowned as he took in the appalled expression on Sora's face. He walked over, picked up his jacket from a chair and gave May a sharp look.
"Let's go."
May wanted to argue, but his earlier threat came to her mind. With a huff, she grabbed her jacket and slipped into it jerkily.
"Don't make too many enemies now," May sang as she closed the door behind her.
Leon inwardly cursed as the girl shot that last jab at Sora.
I should have gotten May out sooner.
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