Hello again! Whoo, I'm in Colombia now, I visit Medellín for the first time and it was great during the Feria de las Flores (Festival of the Flowers). And Now, I'm in my parents' hometown, Cali. During some adventures, I barely have enough time to continue my stories during my stay until I return home.
Now, this chapter is my own original of this story, I want to put this to be inspired by how I'm starting to like ballet more.
This chapter is inspired mostly from the movie, Leap. For one scene. I recommended that if you are interested to watch this movie.
Enjoy!
I do not own Miraculous, only Thomas Astruc himself. I only own my OC.
Chapter 3: First day of Ballet School
Normal POV
López Estate Mansion; Flora's room
As the soft piano music for ballet plays from her phone on her bed, Flora happily humming while packing her ballet uniform in her new personalized blue ballet duffle bag; It has a picture of pink pointe shoes with little light pink opening rose buds and her name 'Flora' written in cursive on right side of the picture. Kammah was swaying a little into the music in the air.
"I see that you are enjoying this, Kammah." Flora said with a gentle knowing smile.
Kammah stopped without knowing that her owner is looking at her, "Uh-why yes-I (Groans in shame)."
"Hey, it's okay to sway for a while until you can encourage yourself to dance your way. I know I did when I was little." Flora kindly said as she pets her arctic wolf kwami's head.
Kammah returns the gesture with her small wide smile showing her white fangs. But suddenly, she heard something coming from the door and hides in Flora's hair braid.
"Flora!" Miguel called before opens the door.
"Sí, papi. (Yes, daddy.)" Flora said.
"C'mon, cariño (sweetie), you don't want to be late on your first day of ballet and keep letting Miss Daisy wait for you." Miguel said before leaves and left the door open.
"Ya voy, papá. (I'm coming, dad.)" Flora said, grabbing her duffle bag to rest on her shoulder. "Come along, Kammah, my ballet class awaits."
She zips open her bag and Kammah flies in it before she leaves the bedroom, and heads inside the Bentley car with her father, aunt Monica, and John as they drove off.
9th arrondissement (district); Palais Garnier
It was a nice day on the streets for people to walk around and sees the outside of the opera theater for attraction to take pictures. The Bentley car just arrived in front of the theater for the young brunette to step out and be amazed at it.
"Woah..." Flora said with her eyes glimmer in astonished.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" Miguel said as he also looks at it through the open window of the car.
"Sí, pero estás seguro de que este es el teatro y la escuela donde mamá aprendió ballet? No se parece mucho a la foto que mamá tomó. (Yes, but are you sure this is the theater and school that mom learned ballet in there? It doesn't look much like from the photo that mom taken.)" Flora curiously asked as she takes out the old tattered photo from the side pocket of the bag and looking between the photo and the theater to find the matching building part.
"Seguro que sí, hija. Tu madre hizo esa foto cuando llegó aquí, pero claro, tenía prisa en ese momento en el que casi llega tarde a clase. (I'm sure it is, daughter. Your mother took that photo when she first arrived here, but of course, she was in a hurry at that time when she is almost late to class.)" Miguel answered while Flora tilt her head to one side in a cute curious gesture. "Este teatro es también aquel en el que viste bailar a tu madre por primera vez en uno de sus ballets. El Lago de los Cisnes, de hecho. (This theater is also the one when you saw your mom dance for the first time in one of her ballets. Swan Lake, in fact.)"
Flora smiled as she remembered that moment when she was little, it was so magical.
"Sí, papá, antes dijiste que era la quinta vez que protagonizaba el cisne blanco y negro. (Yes, dad, you said before that it was her fifth time she played the leading role as the white and black swan.)" She said before has a little frown. "Pero aún no recuerdo toda su parte en solitario de la escena del tema del cisne. Apenas recuerdo el interior del auditorio. (But I still can't remember all of her solo part of the swan theme scene. I barely even remember the inside of the auditorium.)"
"Así es y no te preocupes, una vez que entres, te refrescará la memoria. (That's right and don't worry, once you go inside, it will jog your memory.)" Miguel said.
"Okay." His daughter nodded.
"Well, you better get going or else you'll be late." Miguel continued.
"Yes, I'll call Oliver when I'm done. (then runs to the front entrance) Bye, dad, have a good day!" Flora called, over her shoulder.
"Buena suerte, mi dulce bailarina! (Good luck, my sweet dancer!)" Miguel called back before close up his window and left along with Monica and John.
Flora stopped at the grand double doors for a moment as she stares at the door, gripping her right hand on the shoulder strap, and took a deep breath.
"Well... this is it. All my life I have been learning how to dance since I was a baby and now, I'm going to follow my mother's footsteps. And of course, other kinds of dances I know, like Flamenco from dad." She said.
Kammah popped her head from the side personalized picture pocket of the duffle bag, "I'm sure everything will be just fine. Go ahead and enjoy yourself and make friends!"
"Hopefully, I can make friends here other than my other temporarily dance schools. All they ever do is trying to be friends with me because I'm you-know-who. But I think this one will be better, besides, Miss Daisy is my dance teacher. With her by my side, I feel comfortable." Flora said to her.
Kammah giggled and went back inside the pocket. As she quickly did the sign of the cross, Flora took out her admission letter and entered the opera house.
There are many people in the lobby, including workers. Four adult female ballerinas in their white and gold performance tutu gossiping and giggling while walking forward to the exit, Flora nervously just walked right pass them with her letter holding in both hands. She never felt bit on the edge as she is looking around the area, she didn't even know this area in the daytime, only nighttime. As she is looking for Miss Daisy, she cluelessly ended up walking to the left side of the hallway.
"Um excuse me, mademoiselle." A slight grumpy voiced said.
The brunette turned to see a elderly man in a janitor uniform with a brown beard. He had a grump suspicious face as he went closer to her face eye to eye 'Hmmm'.
"What are you doing here? This hallway is for students and professional theatre staff only. And it looks to me, you don't belong he-"
"No, sir. You don't understand, I am a new student, miss Flora Beaulieu-López." Flora explained.
Then suddenly, they heard someone operatically singing coming their way. They turned to the source and saw a tall gentleman, he has light skin, dark brown hair with a beard and curl mustache and dark brown eyes. He wears a navy blue long-sleeved dress jacket with back buttons over a golden waistcoat of black buttons and a maroon red button-up top, white nizi pants, and black dress shoes. He then notice the commotion.
"What's going on here?" He asked in German accent.
"Ahem, she said she's Flora Beaulieu-López." The janitor said, holding Flora by the shoulder.
The latter gently gives her letter to the German man, he takes it and holds it out with his left thumb, index, and middle finger while reading it.
"Hm, are you Flora Beaulieu-Lópezzzzz?" He eagerly asked.
"Uuuuh... yes." The brunette sheepishly answered.
"Hm?" The suited German had a suspicious face at her then later gives a joyful expression. "Hahaha! She is Flora Beaulieu-López!"
"Eh-hah-hah-eh..." Flora nervously laughed.
"Haha, how could I forgotten the face of the daughter of my favorite dancer of all time? The one. The only. Charissé Beaulieu! You've grown a lot since the last time I saw you as a little rose bud." German tall man said then to the worker. "Return to your post, my friend."
"Alright. My apologies of my rudeness, miss Beaulieu-López. If I have known you, I would have caused a scene." The janitor said before he leaves.
Grinning, the German man walks forward then turn to grab Flora's left hand as his right arm was behind his back, "Welcome, Miss Beaulieu-López! Charmed."
When he kissed her hand, Flora giggled and returned the gesture, "Chaaarmed."
"I am Gustave Hubert Rousselot, director of the Opera. (turns around to walk through the wall and Flora followed him) You are here because I promised your mother and father to send you here to the best ballet school of all. And of course, your mother serves the best prime rib in Paris once. Oh! I hope you dance as well as your mother was." German tall man introduced.
"Um, yes of course monsieur." Flora replied with a smile.
"Excellent! Now, let me show you where the classes are." Gustave said.
They continued to walk through the hall. Gustave placed his hand on one of the back shoulder of Flora, which her smile went wider by that kind gesture.
5 minutes later...
After finding where the classes are, Flora went into the dressing room, its filled with other ballet uniforms hanging with hangers like what Flora has, the waistbands have different colors in each. Much to her choosing the uniform of a different color waistband, she'll stick to the one she has in her hands, and consider the others as a substitute in case something happened to her original one. On the other side of the room, has a shoe wall shelves with golden pointe shoes of each size. She picked one of her size off the shelf then puts her bag down to start getting dressed.
Once she's done with a complete set, Flora looks at herself in the mirror stand, now fully dressed with her hair held up in a bun, she smiled in joy. Kammah pops up next to her and gently clapped with giggles. Then, Flora stood outside with her bag looked at herself once more and later saw other girls in their uniforms passing by her, chatting and softly laughing. She curiously looked at them and thinking that those group of girls could be her dance classmates.
The bell rings and the girls are hurrying to class. Flora follows them too, but she didn't notice a tall handsome slender man with a formal demeanor and has a cane in his hand, walking and saw her with a raised eyebrow.
Dance Room #1
Flora slowly walks upstairs, peeks a little from underneath the rails, and saw other girls stretching and warming up, also some are talking and delicately rubbing one pointe shoe foot. She smiled at the sight of the room, but frowns a little of how to make a first impression to them. Taking a deep breath, Flora continues to enter the room.
"Hi! Hello! (Some girls curiously looking at her then move back to their practice) Eh-heh-heh-eh okaaaay." Flora sheepishly said.
She then walks to the wall of shelves where the bags from dancers are and put hers in one of them.
Kammah popped her head from the side pocket and whispered, "Good luck, Flora."
Her owner nodded then turns around and exhale.
"Super." Flora said in sarcastic as she walks around a little. "I'm Flora!"
Just she was about to take one more step, she almost bumped into one of the girls who looks like she's African American. She has almond brown eyes, brown Hair with rose gold highlights in a bun; three strands of hair are dreadlocks in it, and medium dark skin. Wearing the ballet uniform with a lilac purple ribbon waistband.
"Flores, you say?" She said in American accent.
"Oh sorry, didn't mean to almost bump into you. And no, no, no sorry. I'm f-friendly, ever so friendly. And my name is Flora." Flora said.
"Seems to me that you are new here. Okay then, I'm Vanessa. Vanessa Anne Williams." The African-American introduce as Vanessa, stick out her hand for a handshake.
Flora gently smiled and return the gesture of her own hand, "Nice to meet you."
"Hey, you should warm up. You don't want to be clumsy for this lesson." Vanessa said before walking away.
"Oh! Um..." Flora said.
She just shrug her shoulders expression and went down to the floor to start a side stretch, one leg extended to her right side and tuck the other in across the mid-line; stretching on her right with her left arm over her head. Everything is going well so far until another interesting moment happened.
"Oh my!" A sweet Russian accent voice heard.
"Huh?" Flora spoked, raising her half body and letting her legs remain the same position.
She sees a pretty Russian girl with sweet personality in front of her on the floor with fair skin, cornflower blue eyes, and auburn hair in a bun; leaving two small wavy strands framing on the face sides close to her ears. She's in a middle split stretch position while leaning forward with her elbows touched the floor and hands on her cheeks. Wearing the ballet uniform with a light pink ribbon waistband.
"That is some crazy legs you have. I'm guessing you're new, my darling." She kindly said as she battle her eyelashes.
Flora move her legs to sit on them, "Oh um you can tell that? Well, thank you, I guess."
Then suddenly, a door from one side of the room opened and reveal to be the handsome slender man. Appearing short groomed black hair and goatee, brown eyes, and light skin. Wearing a white collared shirt and a thick maroon red ribbon tied in a bow attached to the collar underneath a red waistcoat with golden buttons and scribble designs on it and dark-gray dress jacket with pockets on the waist gold buttons, black dress pants, and black dress shoes. He carries around a cane that he uses to point or swing it around.
The girls except Flora softly gasped of his approach and rush over to the barre that is close to the windows then take their preparatory position. When Flora saw him, she sharply gasp and runs over to to the barre as well, in between, Vanessa is in front of her and the sweet Russian girl is behind her. The man walks over to them on their side while tapping his cane one by one.
"Who is he?" Flora questioned.
"You are joking, right? It's Charles LaFromboise, co-ballet master, world-famous choreographer, the man who performed the most fouettés ever in a single solo." The Russian girl whispered.
"Um?" Flora uncomfortably said.
"Turns. Really difficult turns." She answered.
"I know what fouettés are, I'm not a beginner." Flora softly argued.
"I apologies." The Russian girl giggled.
"He does difficult turns, huh?" Flora continued.
"Hundred and eighty-seven in total, and right after, he vomited!" Vanessa whispered then funnily groaned at the last word.
"Ew!" Flora lowly whispered while cringing with a funny face.
"Silence, mam'selle!" Charles commanded as the girls straighten themselves. "First position! (tap his cane on the floor)"
First Position: Heels together, toes pointed outwards to the side. Arms held out in front of the body with rounded elbows in an oval shape, sloping down from the shoulders.
"Second! (tap his cane on the floor)" Second Position: Legs are moved apart, hip width apart, toes pointed outwards to the side. Arms held out to the sides, horizontal with a slight slope downwards from shoulders to wrist.
"Third! (tap his cane on the floor)" Third Position: Feet pointed outwards, one foot placed in front of the other with front heel touching the back foot's instep. One arm held forward in first position, the other arm held to the side in second position.
"Fourth, and rest in fifth! (tap his cane on the floor)"
Fourth Position: First, open feet pointed outwards, with legs in third position but spread apart. Then, Crossed feet pointed outwards, legs spread apart with one foot placed in front of the other, and the front foot is placed opposite the toes of the back foot. One arm held to the side in second position, the other arm raised up above the head, held slightly forward.
Fifth Position: Feet pointed outwards, legs crossed and feet touching, with the heel of one foot placed beside the toes of the other. Both arms raised up above the head, held slightly forward.
After these positions, the girls rest back to their preparatory position with their right hands on the barre.
"Today is an important day. As you all know, we have a new student, who is FAILING to see you." Charles said in seriousness.
But when he stops next to Flora, he looks at her with a stern eye which made her gulped nervously.
"She is well-known to be the child of one of the all-star ballerina in history. BUT! Can she really dance like her mother was or... can she be a failure?" Charles grimly said.
Flora frowned as she worries that in the future she'll fail to get the part of the white/black swan aka Odette and Odile. It's something that she wanted for her whole life.
"Now, Charles, how many times do I have to tell you? Stop putting pressure to my darlings." Miss Daisy who just entered and appeared in the room with a serious face at him. She's wearing the same outfit from hers and Flora's meeting, only thing she changed her boots to navy blue pointe shoes to match her sweater dress.
"Miss Daisy!" Flora exclaimed in joy before she runs over to her.
"Oh Flora darling!" Miss Daisy exclaimed as she hugs her. "I was worried that you won't come."
"And miss the opportunity to get trained by my mother's favorite ballet mistress? Never." Flora said as she finished the hug.
Once they're done, a clear throat from Charles interrupted. Miss Daisy gives him a look that tells him 'Hush you and be nice', in reply, he rolls his eyes.
"Okay, Charles, your work here is done. Please, go to your class so you can teach other classes including the BOYS." Miss Daisy said, smirking and raising her right eyebrow.
Charles gaped, gets his cheeks tinted in pink, and hmphs as he makes his way to exit the room. After that, Flora and Miss Daisy turned to one another and gently smiled.
"I hope Mr. LaFromboise didn't give you so much fragile now, did he?" Miss Daisy said.
"No, no not at all." Flora said as she carelessly wave her left hand.
"Oh that's a relief, usually, he wasn't much like this." Her ballet teacher sighed with her left hand on her chest then turn towards her students. "Darlings, meet your new classmate of this theater, Flora Beaulieu-López, she just recently return from Spain to start a new life here in Paris."
"Flora?" "So that's her name." The girls muttered at each other in curiosity.
"Wait a moment, Beaulieu-López? That name sounded familiar..." A girl with blonde hair said.
"Yes, you see, she is the daughter of my great friend and former star student, Charissé Beaulieu." Miss Daisy stated while turned her head to look at her old student's little shrine against the wall with pictures of other all-star ballet dancers, both male and female.
The girls softly gasped and eagerly looked at Flora more. The brunette shyly looked down while swaying her foot.
"Hold on! If you're really the daughter of the famous Charissé, prove it?" Vanessa deadpanned with her arms crossed.
"Now, Vanessa, that's no way to be polite." Miss Daisy said in a serious frown.
"What? I was just curious, Miss Daisy." Vanessa cluelessly said, raising her hands in disbelief.
Thinking of a way to prove them, Flora looked at the small shrine and saw the similar picture of her and her mother on the night of Swan Lake as a child. She turned back to them and pointed at the picture.
"See the picture of my mom in her Odette costume from Swan Lake with a little girl?" Flora said.
The girls walked over to the small shrine to look at the photo and saw the girl in it. Some were having their eyes bewildered and move their heads to rapidly look back and forth between Flora and her photo child of herself.
"Oh my gosh, it is her! Look at her eyes, they're the same as Charissé's and her physical facial feature!" The Russian girl surprised.
The ballerinas are joyfully muttering at each other "She looks just like her mother" "I can't believe I just met the daughter of my idol", Vanessa change her serious face into calm relief. Next, the girls went to Flora smiling and giggling which made the brunette sheepishly scratching her right cheek with her finger.
"Alright, my darlings!" Miss Daisy called, clapping their attention. "You'll get your chance to get to know Miss Beaulieu-López, but now, let's start our lesson for today."
The girls take their positions in the middle of the dance floor and Flora follows their stance.
"Alright, let's begin, shall we?" Miss Daisy asked to her class.
"Yes, Miss Daisy." Flora and her new dance classmates simultaneously said.
While starting their lesson, Kammah looked at them and shyly giggled then hide in the pocket.
2 hours later...
It's around 3 o'clock, the class is over as the ballerinas are a little exhausted, but having a good time. As some girls getting their bags and some are taking a water drinking break, Flora gets her bag and leaves to walks downstairs. When she walks through the hallway, someone called her.
"Hey, Flora!"
Flora turned to the source and saw Vanessa and the Russian girl, still in their ballet outfit like her, with their bags on their shoulders running towards her.
"Oh Vanessa, and you." Flora said.
"Listen, I want to say I'm sorry for rudely asking for proof of who you are." Vanessa said, rubbing behind her head.
"No, it's okay, I can tell you were just curious." Flora said in a gentle smile.
"Oh good, I'm not so good at making an impression for new people." Vanessa said with a nervous smile.
"Guess I'm not the only one when I do that to tried to make friends." Flora said, frowning a little.
"What?! You don't have any friends?!" Vanessa exclaimed. Flora shook her head 'mm-mm'. "But you're famous!"
"In some way. It's kind of hard to explain how I never made real friends, but just yesterday, I just made two new friends from my new high school." Flora explained.
"Oh good for you then, well, it's time that you make two more friends. I haven't been properly introduce, I'm Tatiana, Tatiana Lebedev, but you can call me Tanya if you want. You already met my friend, Vanessa." The auburn haired girl introduced as Tatiana.
Flora then smiled before took out her hand for a handshake. Tatiana took it with her own.
"Well, the fairy queen, very lovely meaning of your name." Flora kindly said.
"Why thank you!" Tatiana thanked, her eyes closed and smile.
"Whew! You know, all this ballet lesson and introduction has made me hungry." Vanessa said, placing her right hand on her stomach.
"Yeah, me too." Tatiana said.
"Well, I think I know a place where we could have a snack. One of my two new friends lives in a bakery, her parents owns it, Tom & Sabine Boulangerie that's what it's called. We could have some sweet treats there since I haven't visit there. (Checking the time on her phone) I got plenty of time before my ride comes." Flora suggested.
"I've heard about it once, people say it's the best bakery in all of Paris." Tatiana said.
"Okay, I'm in for it." Vanessa grinned.
Flora nodded in agree and the three of them with their smiles walked through hallway to head to the main exit.
"So, where are you from, Vanessa?" Flora asked.
"I'm from New York in United States." Vanessa replied.
"Really? One of my uncles lives there." Flora said.
She continues to talk to her new friends of ballet school as she gets to know them. Due to her praising, she made friends outside of her educated school. And let me tell you, she starting to get to like them easily and she hopes that her greatest wish will come true.
Author's note:
Well, Flora made two more friends outside of school. There's a difference for having friends in different places to her for having non experience communication towards people she met. She never had any friends in grade schools, she had a traumatic moment when she once trusted a few 'friends' back from Spain that made her this way of being majorly sensitive and minor trustworthy now. But you will soon know more of the truth and reasons of her during the future chapters. If you don't understand what I'm saying in this paragraph or I need a different word term, let me know.
Here's what Flora's duffel bag looks like: www dot amazon dot com/Personalized-Ballet-Duffle-Women-Girls/dp/B0BJNFNHLV?th=1
Okay! I'm about to head back to the actual story of the Miraculous show, once I have time from my trip.
See you next time!