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This is the last chapter. Thanks for everyone who got here.
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Epilogue
Once he undertook the role of Kaleido Stage CEO, Yuri had acquired the habit of going through the application files to every new audition himself, so that he could choose the evaluation board.
More and more newcomers had been trying to present their own renditions of previous famous manoeuvres, such as The Golden Phoenix, or even the Angel manoeuvre. Hence why he usually put some of their original performers amongst the judges.
He identified two of the applicants' names. As expected, they came from the Phoenix Academy, which Layla had set up in Paris with Kalo's help, part of an initiative to expand Kaleido Stage to European grounds. Mikhail and his mother had become ballet instructors there.
The door from his office was slowly opened, revealing his wife's silhouette. She made her way to his chair, wrapping her arms around his neck from behind. "Aren't you done yet?" She yawned.
"Almost…Go already, I'll be there in five." He kissed the back of her hand.
"That's what you said half an hour ago. You owe Laura a bedtime story. Don't forget that." She rested her chin on top of his head, eyes barely open. "By the way, how's Fianna doing?"
"Same as always. Sometimes, she behaves just like you… Others, you could mistake her for being May's daughter. You could visit her more often, she'd like that." He laughed. "You're sending three performers this year. I can't put you on the panel that way. People would say we were favouring them."
"Two."
"That's what I thought." The Russian man sighed, rubbing his temples. "Take a look at that."
It surely seemed like her signature, but that handwriting wasn't hers.
Staring at it more closely, that calligraphy was familiar. She had read it over and over before, in notebooks and tests. "Eh? You've got to be kidding me, right? He could simply have asked; I would never deny it!"
"Let him be… He must have his reasons." The blond rose from his chair, taking her on an embrace, as they walked towards their suite.
As a child, their son had loved following his mom over to the Phoenix Academy, while she had been establishing it, and his father to the Kaleido Stage. He barely performed live though, having always been very shy.
At home, though, he was always throwing small shows for them. He had been taught ballet by his grandmother and uncle very early. When Layla had taken Fianna under her guidance, he'd helped the girl learning the basics, despite being way younger.
Being born with high abilities in both intellectual and physical domains, it all came very easy to him. Still…They wished his social skills were a little better.
The main issue began around when they had moved back to Cape Mary, where they their fame heavily preceded them. Inevitably, people had started comparisons, making the boy excessively insecure over it all. He should have been around eight.
He had completely closed into himself, dedicating more to school, even growing closer towards his maternal grandfather. Mr Hamilton had been quite pleased since his daughter had no interest whatsoever into following his steps.
What had made him change his mind though, to apply to the auditions, was a mystery. Considering his behaviour, they could hardly have anticipated that.
"You're too flexible regarding him." She leaned against his chest. Deep inside, he knew she was thrilled about it.
The door to Aaron's room was a little open. The teenager snored lightly, his glasses still on, a fairytale book splayed beside his head. His little sister clung to his pyjama's shirt, soundly asleep, a broad smile plastered onto her face. Laura had probably gotten tired of wating for him and convinced her brother into reading her a story.
"Can you really blame me?" He couldn't believe their baby boy was already fifteen.
"Guess not." She giggled, putting the book and his glasses aside, dotingly kissing his forehead, while Yuri gently lifted their four-year-old daughter, to take her into her own bed. She stirred in his arms, still dead to the world. "I'm disciplining him after this is all over, though. Don't even try to stop me."
"Alright, Princess." He covered their daughter gingerly. "You know… Maybe he wants to keep his promise."
"Yuri, he was six. I don't think he even remembers that."
"Still a promise." He taunted. "Wanna bet?"
"Hurry up, Yume, you slug!" Fianna practically dragged the Japanese girl to the audition room. "Let's take a look at the new meat, as May says." She laughed manically. "Also, Ms. Layla is going to be there, I really want to see her."
"Okay, okay, I'm coming!" She followed the energetic teenager. Yume, like her older sister, couldn't care less about competition onstage, but the auditions were necessary for choosing the new performers.
She had been accepted as part of their team two years prior. Time really had flown away. And now, they would be welcoming the new beginners. Or better, she would, while trying to prevent Fianna from scaring them away.
The first thing both girls noticed upon entering the audition area, was that they had changed the evaluating panel out of the blue. Ms May had become one of them, as well as Leon Oswald and the previous owner, Kalos Eido. Yume's sister, Sora, sat on the front line, besides Rosetta Passel and Marion Benigni. Fianna sighed as her teacher was nowhere to be seen. Sora motioned both girls into sitting next to them.
"That's odd, I thought Ms Layla had come to be one of the judges." Fianna commented. "And where is the boss? It's unlike him to miss the auditions. They say he even reads every single file before allowing anyone to participate."
"He said he had an important place to be." Timothy, the current lead male stated. "I heard him and Ms Layla talking about some kind of conflict of interest. Apparently, some friends of yours from Phoenix Academy applied this year, following your lead. Hence why she couldn't be at the evaluation team."
"That's bullshit. I'm going to have the responsible for that burning in hell." The silver haired tomboy barked. The older performers couldn't help but laugh at that statement. "What's so funny?" She sulked.
Kalos Eido took the microphone. "Welcome to the second part of this year's audition. You've been selected after careful consideration from the basic assets committee. Today, we will be evaluating you regarding your specialties. We expect nothing but excellence, in this last step. As you may have noticed, the evaluating committee today will be composed by myself, May Wong, Leon Oswald, Timothy B. Tonssi and Marion Benigni. You can choose either the trapeze, diabolo, trampoline, or juggling."
Fianna was bored to death with the first contestants. None of them seemed to get her attention. Not that they weren't good… They just weren't amazing.
"Number 11, step inside please."
A tall, slender, black-haired lad confidently made his way in, accompanying a witty redhead.
"Says here your main specialty is the trapeze, and you are going to show us May and Leon's Demon Spiral, is that correct? You are still allowed to change if you'd like."
They assented. The duo had Fianna's full attention. One must be nuts to perform such a high-level manoeuvre at an audition, with their creators as judges.
"I know those two. They are from the Academy. Alex is ridiculously skilled, but really stuck up. Eileen used to be the closest thing to a rival I had back in France. That's going to be interesting. So, they are the reason my teacher had to back off." She rolled her eyes.
"Wait. Remove the safety net." Leon Oswald demanded. A choir of "oohs" followed. "The Demon Spiral has always performed without one. Of course, taken everyone else agrees. And we may as well follow up the auditions without it, to be fair. Whoever wants to leave, do it now." No objections were presented, and the device was taken away.
"That's fine, by us." The lad scoffed, defiantly, hands into his pockets.
"Good. You may proceed." The silver haired man stated.
Their manoeuvre wasn't really a perfect Demon Spiral, but comparing to the previous displays, was enough for them to shine. "As expected from Layla's students." Sora commented, Rosetta nodding beside her.
"Right?" A beaming little ash-blonde haired girl, who couldn't be more than five, popped out of nowhere, covering Fianna's eyes with her small hands. She wore a white linen dress, which really favoured her violet-blue eyes, a red hairclip poorly holding her bangs. Yume had the vivid impression she had seen those somewhere else.
"Laura?" The tomboy grinned, putting the girl on her lap. "What are you doing here?"
She smiled spiritedly, hanging her tongue out. "Hi auntie Sora, auntie Rosetta!" She whispered, waving at the others.
"Hi sweetie! What have you been eating? You are growing too fast! Where are your parents?" Sora asked, patting her head. "Oh, there is someone I'd like you to meet. This is my sister, Yume; Yume, this is Laura."
"Hi! You look like auntie Sora. Nice to meet you. Mama and Papa are up there." She giggled, pointing at the control booth. Yume blinked. Only a few people, even amongst them, were usually allowed to be there.
"Why would they not be down here with everyone else?" Fianna asked dumbfounded.
"Ooopsie, got to go! You'll know when you see it!" She ran towards the place where her parents seemingly were.
"Gosh, last time I saw Laura, she was a baby!" Fianna stated.
"Who are her parents?" Yume asked, obliviously. Her friend stared at her gawkily, her sister and Rosetta laughing. "What?"
"That would be Ms Layla and Mr Yuri." The diabolo performer answered.
"Eh?" So that's where she had seen those eyes before. They were just like her father's. She didn't even know they were together. But the boss did wear a wedding ring. He was very discreet with his private life, not having even changed their last names, seemingly.
Yume's line of thought was interrupted by the almost fall of one of the contestants onto the hard, cold floor, which had been prevented by… Another rookie?
It took a lot of skill to jump out of nowhere right on time to save someone you apparently had never worked with. The performer wore a hooded jacket, obscuring his face. He was about to leave the competition area when he was prevented by this year's chairman, Leon Oswald.
"Where do you suppose you are going?"
"Ah…" He answered unsteadily. "Since I invaded the stage, and it was not my time yet… I am declassified, aren't I? I'm… leaving…"
"You should be… But I'd like to see what we will be losing if we keep you away. Takes some talent to do what you've just achieved there."
"Okay…" He tremblingly hopped on stage. He had a slender but muscular complexion. Judging by his build, his specialty should probably be the trapeze.
"Oi! Please take off your jacket, so we can properly see you." May growled, impatiently.
"Is it really necessary?" He reacted warily, head down.
"Do as said." Kalos stated.
"Fine." Timidly, almost reluctantly, he removed the piece of clothing. His face clearly reminded her of their boss in his younger days, except for his cerulean blue eyes, partially hidden by glasses, and paler skin. They were surely related. Maybe a younger brother? Wait a second. His eyes were just like Ms Layla's… Could it be...?
A choir of shrieks from the female audience made him go bright red. Yume couldn't blame them; he was indeed charming. Yet, she was sure he would rather be buried in a hole than up there.
Fianna had her mouth agape, blinking incredulously, a very clear rouge tainting her tanned skin, as she glared intently at the fangirls behind, nearly barking at them.
"So, what are you going to show us?" Timothy asked him eagerly.
"Hm… It's an excerpt from Arabian Nights." He rubbed the back of his neck, running a hand over his messy flaxen hair.
"Suit yourself." Leon instructed. "But I'd recommend removing your eyeglasses first." The silver-haired man initially deadpanned, sporting a smirk on his lips right after.
"Unbelievable." Fianna facepalmed, shaking her head back and forth in disapproval. "That nerd."
"Oh…Riiight." He clumsily did as he was told, chuckling nervously. "I always forget them… Thanks un… Mr Oswald."
"That's alright." Marion tried to calm him. "Whenever you are ready."
All his ineptness dissipated once he began. The Japanese girl recognized the choreography as Sinbad's act. No one could take their eyes out of him from beginning to end of his routine. He was amazing. There was no way he wouldn't be in.
"That concludes our auditions for today. We'll deliberate. You may all change and wait for the results on the next room."
"You surely are enjoying yourself." Layla teased her husband. "He gave a perfect 'Yuri Killian-like' move over there."
"I always do. Seeing the newcomers is energizing. You know that." He laughed inwardly, embracing her from behind. They were the only ones at the control booth.
"I'd have declassified him. Glad Leon has a heart."
"Classic Layla Hamilton… That's why you're not down there in the first place. Still, you're proud of him, anyone can see." He playfully patted her head.
"I'm baaaack!" The five-year-old blasted inside, jumping straight onto her father's arms. "I said I would be the fastest! Aaron didn't even get a glimpse of me."
"Your brother not seeing us is precisely the goal, Laura." She fixed her daughter's hairclip, shaking her head. Yuri lifted the child up onto his shoulders, so she could get a better view. "I hate that hoodie; it makes him look like a delinquent. Remind me to burn it once we get home?" She pinched her nose, while he only snorted.
They watched as he nervously made his way upstage. Although they had never pressured him into being a performer, it came along naturally.
He never told them he had applied for the auditions. But, as the rumour had it, Yuri did check the application files one by one. Recognizing his son's handwriting, as well as 'her' signature, had been no difficult task whatsoever.
Which led them to the present moment. He had been obliged to take off his jacket, revealing himself for the first time to the other novices since the beginning of the auditions. She doubted any of them knew him as their son: he seldom appeared as such; yet anyone could hint he was somehow related to the current CEO.
"Mama, he looks like he is going to explode." Laura commented, worriedly. Unlike their oldest, she always said whatever was on her mind. "Do you think he can do it?" She rested her arms onto her father's head.
"Couldn't he have worn contacts?" Yuri loudly said to himself, nearly activating the microphone to remind his son to retrieve his eyeglasses. Ever since Aaron began requiring them, he had broken at least a few. He was even more anxious than their son. Luckily, Leon had saved the day.
Once the boy started though, he flawlessly reproduced Sinbad's act, previously performed by his father, years ago, on Arabian Nights. His stage presence was, like his parents and grandparents, enticing. Yuri had told the panel not to go easy on him; he needed not to have worried about it.
"Papa… Why are you crying?" Laura noted, rubbing the tears from his cheeks, while he sniffed. He was crying nearly as much as when their son had been born. "Softie." She poked his cheeks with her small hands, earning a watery laugh from him.
"That's my line, young lady." Her mother remarked, leaning onto his shoulder, a proud grin on her face.
He changed into his clothes, escaping from the curious stares of the other possible newcomers, heading towards a secret path that connected the changing rooms to a corridor that lead straight to the exit. He hadn't seen his parents over there, so he was probably safe.
"Seeing you here is unusual." He froze at the sight of his grandfather entering the study. He was pretty sure the man would be working somewhere else at that time. "You could get in trouble by trying to reproduce your mother's signature. I found a piece of paper with it in my paper bin, a while ago. What are you up to?" He gazed at him sternly.
"I… Wanted to give it a try at the auditions this year… But I don't want them to know." He flushed, looking down. "What if I mess up? I don't want them to be ashamed."
"You would never." The man sighed, patting the teenager's shoulders. "I was shocked once you said you would stop performing. No matter how much you denied it, you obviously love it. You'd never be happy here. You belong at the stage, just like them. Now, where is that application form?"
"Huh?" His grandfather demanded the document he had been trying to hide away.
"I can get away with it. I know you'll feel guilty for the rest of your life if you do that. Besides, Layla's signature is very similar to my own."
"Pretend you don't like the stage and run for your life, that's obviously the best choice." The floating Spirit of the stage reprimanded him, taking the teenager by surprise.
"Geez, Fool! You scared me!" he shivered. From the day his grandfather had signed that form, he had started seeing that little man. He had heard the stories regarding him and the true stars. He was sure that the ethereal being was wrong, though.
"HALT! You stop right there, nerd! What makes you think you can throw a party like that and just vanish without even knowing your scores?" He knew that voice.
Oh no.
Before he even realized, his childhood friend was dragging him towards the control room.
"Let go, Fianna. They don't know I'm here; I must get back home."
"Yeah, and I'm the Queen of England. Of course they know, dumbass. Your dad goes through every form, forgot about it?"
Shit. If his father had seen his form, he also saw the fake signature. He hoped he could keep it a secret.
"Found him!" She proudly announced, leaving him the room alone with his parents, closing the door hastily. "Good luck."
His mother gazed at him sternly. Oh, he was in trouble.
"You are aware you should have been declassified, right? You are lucky both your dad and your godfather are softies." Yuri chuckled. "What were you thinking?"
Aaron lowered his head in shame. "I'm sorry mom. But I wasn't the one to fake it, grandpa signed it for me! And… I couldn't just let that girl hurt herself." His father seemed astonished by the last statement. It was expected. He had never fully forgiven him for the way he'd treated his mom a while before he had been born; but he had remained civil, at least, most of the time.
Next thing he knew, he was caught in a cuddle. "Why didn't you tell us? Goodness me, you were amazing!" She was beaming, sniffing. And that was something you'd hardly see. "We are so proud of you!"
"You watched it? How? When? Where?"
"Hey, I am utterly offended right now. You forget who I am? We saw it all from here, silly." He was easily lifted from the floor, smashed against his father's chest.
"Hey old man, I can't breathe! Put me down! You are going to have back pain later." He skirmished, trying to break free. "I'm not five anymore." He scowled.
"Sometimes, I wish you still were." He messed up the teenager's hair. "Let's go, baby boy. Results must be up." He elbowed him, narrowing his eyes. "For the record, your grandfather is old. I'm pretty much in my youth, you little punk. You've spent far too long with Mikhail." It was his mother's time to laugh, a hand over her mouth.
"I was afraid I wouldn't be good… That's why I didn't tell you… I didn't want to embarrass you." He explained. "I don't even know if I can really do it… I mean, I get so frightened. I'm not like you two, Grandma Nadja, Aunt Sora, or Fianna."
"We all get stage fright, Aaron. Besides, you have a promise to keep." His father winked mischievously.
"Hey… Nerd?" Fianna punched his arm, distracting him from reading the programme. They were waiting until his aunt Anna's presentation began. Grandma Nadja, Mom, Fianna, him, and Dad, on that order. "Thanks for the help… Ms. Layla says I have improved. And it was all because of you."
"That's good." He blushed. "And stop calling me that!" He crossed his arms over his tiny chest.
"I heard you and your mom will be moving away to where your dad lives." She whispered gloomily. True, his father had moved back to Cape Mary months ago, and they would follow in around half a year time. "Do you think you can be my partner when we grow up and are both at the Kaleido Stage?" It was unusual for her to blush. His dad coughed, earning a stare from his mom and grandmother. Nothing escaped his gossipy ears; Aaron knew it all too well.
"Huh?" He gaped at her surprisedly. "It's not like I am thaaat good… But … Okay, I guess?"
"It's a promise, then!" She grabbed both his hands on hers.
"Right!" He assented, enthusiastically.
"What? No... I mean, how do you even remember that?" He tried to lie, failing miserably at it. When his dad had told him she had been accepted as a member of their team, he couldn't help but recall her request.
His father triumphantly grinned ear to ear, while his mother slowly exhaled. "Seems like I win… Way to go… Romeo."
Of course, he would have bet that. He hated how well his father knew him.
"UNCLE MISHA WAS RIGHT! I HATE YOU, DAD!" He screeched, stomping his way outside.
"Actually… It's more like BOSS for you now! Mwahaha. This is going to be so good. Ouch!" The Russian squealed as his wife squeezed his right ear with one hand, getting a hold of her son's wrist with the other.
"Behave, the two of you." Layla wrapped an arm around each of their shoulders, pulling them close. "And Aaron… You're grounded… For the next fifty years."
"Papa…Uhh…Help?" He begged, with the biggest eyes and pout he could ever muster, earning a destructive side eye from his mom.
"I don't know about that…I thought I heard you saying loud and clear that you hated me seconds ago." He shrugged his shoulders.
"Oh, Come on!"
"And so, a new, amazing Fool was chosen by the stage." The Spirit of the Stage recited to himself.
AN: I know, if you look into it, Layla's mother's name gets like "Rola", but I have changed it to Laura... Yes, their children's names were hommages to their parents.
Thanks again for reading!