Chapter 50
They performed and all the observers love it. They cheered and clapped. They praised Vil for what he came up with.
"Thank you all, we all put in the hard work for this performance." Vil said giving all the reporters his best Hollywood smile.
'That's one way to put it.' Odette thought as she overheard the conversation from the side of the stage as the others came towards her.
"We're going to put a ten second clip on Magicam. Would you like to preview it Mr. Schoenheit?" A producer asked?
"Yes please." Vil said.
They released the clip and displayed the clip on the giant TV that was hanging above the stage.
"It's weird to see myself perform." Deuce muttered as they watched the clip.
Odette glanced away from the clip to see Vil pull out his phone and ask it a question.
"Mira Mira, show me the results for most beautiful." He whispered.
"The results for most beautiful is Vil Schoenheit." The phone tells him.
Vil grinned as he put his phone away.
'He looks happy.' Odette thought as the crew called for the next group.
"Royal Sword Academy you're up next!"
"They're next!?" Ace gasped as the group sat down in a row of seats near the back of the large set up.
"You can't be serious. Who set it up like this?" Odette groaned.
Neige took the stage and called out the rest of his 7 dancers.
"Hey it's those dwarfs we helped." Grim whispered to Odette. "Maybe we shouldn't have helped them after all."
"No we did the right thing and I would have still helped. They don't even know they're apart of this." Odette whispered back as the second group began to perform.
Odette tried to play attention to the performance but song began to flood her mind. She began to see flashes of what she thought was a movie. 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs?' Odette thought as she closed her eyes to focus on the flashes.
The song had barely ended when the applauds began.
"Wow what is this song? It's so catchy. It's already stuck in my head." Kalim said.
"It's an arrangement of a Pyroxene's children song. Even I heard it and I'm from Sunset Savanna I'm sure it's famous." Rook explained.
"All those dance moves are so simple anyone could do them. They're not even in sync." Ace said looking annoyed.
"One of them even fell and Neige helped him up." Grim pointed out.
"Frankly the quality is nothing worthy of note." Jamil shrugged.
"You can't even call this a competition. Am I right or what Vil?" Ace asked as the group turned to a silent Vil.
Vil looked to be is shocked, he's very pale. "We've been outplayed." He muttered.
"Huh?" The entire grouped exclaimed.
"Listen." Vil ordered them.
Down at the stage all the reporters and producers were gushing about Neige's performance.
"This song really takes me back." A film crew member said.
"Just watching those cute wholesome kids makes all my stress melt away." Another replied.
"Neige LeBlanche has everyone awe stuck." Deuce commented.
"I never knew 'charm' could come off like that." Epel muttered.
'This isn't good.' Odette thought as she glanced between her team and the one still on stage.
"Thanks everyone!" Neige called out and waved as he left the stage.
The crowd cheered and waved back.
"Get in touch with his agency we're running this tonight on the evening news." A producer ordered his lackeys.
"Yes sir." A lackey answered.
"What a coup we just witness. Have you seen an image so perfect for a whole family? He definitely earns his title as most liked celebrity Hits aren't just made by teens but by everyone of all ages." The producer said.
On the side of the staff the news crew was interviewing Neige. "What made you choose this song?" They asked.
"I wanted to have fun and share it with everyone watching. I figured something familiar would be the way to go. The reason why I decided to take part in this year's SDC was because I wanted to share some special memories with my friends at school. And I thought that if we could get the whole world singing along with us. It would be an experience we would treasure forever." Neige answered with a smile on his face.
"So you were thinking of your friends and fans. I have to hand it to you Neige. We just uploaded the clip to Magicam. People are replying already on how cute it is. I think you have a good chance of taking 1st place." The reporter informed him.
"Oh, you never know with these kind of things." Neige replied.
Vil is silent and Rook is calling his name and he finally zones back in. "Huh?"
"What's the matter? You look pale still. Are you feeling out of sorts?" Rook asked.
"No, I'm fine Nothing's wrong. It was a school play hardly worthy of my notice. I'll be the dressing room." He answered then left the group.
Odette watches him leave and her dream flashes across her mind again, the neon green poisoned apple the queen made. 'So Vil is the queen and Neige is Snow White?'
"Odette you're staring out into space. Are you alright?" Epel asked.
"What's wrong getting hungry?" Grim asked floating in front of her.
"Projecting much Grim?" Ace sighed.
"I, myself, am hungry through. Let's get something to eat before showtime. Let's go grab a bit." Deuce confused.
"Me too, let's go." Epel said.
"Alright." Ace sighed as he follow Epel and Deuce towards the exit.
Rook, Kalim and Jamil look worried as they look in the direction of the dressing room.
"Do you think he's okay?" Kalim whispered and Jamil just shook his head.
"Do you feel it too?" Odette asked as she glanced between the three of them but no one answered her question. 'Maybe we can stop it this time.'
In the coliseum's backstage hallway near the dressing rooms Vil took his phone back out. "Mira mira, tell me something. Who is the most beautiful of all?" He asked.
"Displaying results, the most beautiful is Neige LeBlanche." Mira tells him.
After a few deep breaths he growled. "Ngh! Neige!" Then crushed his phone in his hand. Unknown to him over blot begins to form in his pen gem.
"Hey, what's the deal? We're done with rehearsals; we're allowed to go eat. So why are you following Vil?" Grim asked as he and Odette entered the coliseum's backstage hallway.
"I'm getting a bad feeling so I want to check on him." Odette said.
"Oh hey, Vil stopped in front of someone's dressing room, who's he visiting?" He asked.
"Shh!" She hushed him.
Vil knocked on the door he stood outside of.
"Coming!" A sweet voice called out, the door opens to reveal Neige. "Oh hi Vil. What's up?"
"We didn't get much of a chance to talk before because of our rehearsals. I was hoping we might chat a bit more." Vil stated.
"Oh of course, I was thinking the same thing." Neige smiled at him.
"Where are your little friends?" Vil asked looking pass Neige to the empty dressing room.
"Oh Dominic and the others went to check out some exhibit booths. Those guys can't sit still for a second." Neige laughed.
"Oh so you're a lone? Your rehearsal was splendid. You have a way of captivating everyone around you. You always have." Vil said.
"Your performance was incredible too you know. I could never pull off a song as cool as that one, and your dance moves were in such perfect sync. My eyes were glued to the stage." Neige confessed shyly.
"Well, thank you. I suppose we both want what we don't have. Say Neige are you thristy? I brought you some apple juice. I've been quiet taken with this brand recently." Vil said holding up a bottle he had in his hand.
Odette gasped but quickly covered her mouth, she didn't want her cover blown.
"Oh that's the one you posted about on magicam. I've been wanting to try it. How nice of you to being me some." Neige said as he took the bottle from Vil.
"By all means then drink up." Vil encouraged him with a smile.
"Don't mind if I do." Neige said as he began to twist off the top.
Odette called out Vil's name but her voice was drowned out by Rook's voice calling out Neige's name.
Vil looked shocked as he looked in their direction as Rook raced passed Odette who was now out of the shadows.
"How long has he been here?" Grim asked looking as shocked as Odette and Vil.
"My apologizes for interrupting your chat but the staff was looking for you. They have questions about the main show performance." Rook explained as he approached the duo. "Oh. I'm parched from running around looking for you. That apple juice you're holding looks so cold and refreshing. Might I trouble you for to let me have it?" Rook asked pointing to the now open bottle.
"Of course. It's all yours." Neige said as he headed it to Rook.
Vil still looks shocked as he watched this interaction.
"Thank you Roi De,… Neige. You should hurry on to the stage. And I suggest not coming back here again." Rook said as his face changed. He was starting to look mad.
"Huh? What do you mean by that?" Neige asked looking very confused.
"Go on, off with you now. Away." Rook shouted.
"R-right!" Neige muttered then ran off.
"Ah! Rook why?" Vil snapped finally coming out of his stupor.
"Ah that sweet, tart apple aroma. It makes me envies a bright red apple just waiting for me to take a bite. Epel's hometown specialty it's truly magnifique. I shall drink it to the last drop." Rook said ignoring Vil and holding the bottle up.
"N-no!" Vil and Odette shouted but someone was louder then both of them.
"Rook don't do it!" Kalim shouted as he appeared rushing pass Odette and Grim. He yanked the bottle away and threw it to the ground.
Chapter 50! Jeez! I didn't think we would get this far and part 16! Well we're finally on precipice of the overblot. Thanks for sticking around. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I original wanted Odette to fight with Rook about drinking the poison but I like the how the game plays out so I left it out. I mentioned before how I wish the player got more agency in the story. This is my attitude for the rest of the arc and this is the last time I'll mention it. I wanted Odette to step in but it just didn't fit. If I give writing another long running story a try I'll probably change this part a bit.