Kaleido Star: Legendary Rose

Part 24: "Amazing Final Preparations"

Grand Canyon Training Facility

Rosetta and Layla danced around like little girls at the news.

Not only was Ken now all right and on his way, with Sora and Kate, to join them, but Sora and Ken were going to get married after the Legendary Great Maneuver attempt.

Rosetta had worked so hard in the days that Sora was absent (including at least two that she watched over Ken's speedy recovery). She couldn't wait to show Sora how much she had learned!

The whole matter at the hospital culminated, at the front door (after Ken was discharged), with Yuri (having briefly come over after hearing the good news) presenting them another gift from Kaleido Stage - twin engagement rings of 24-karat gold.

Of course, this was not lost on the paparazzi, and the committee back in Paris was wondering what was with Sora Naegino.

But the Fool knew.

If the Legendary Great Maneuver is a faith in life so strong that it keeps death at bay, then the only thing that "is with Sora Naegino" is a faith so strong that it will keep the Devil himself at bay.

Now, it is just up to Rosetta…

Kaleido Stage Training Facility

Of course, there was one other problem.

Since most of Kaleido Stage was solidly in Sora, Rosetta, and Ken's corner, this left the defending champions in quite the situation.

Of course, this unleashed a tiger in May…

"DOUBLE DEMON CORKSCREW!"

The two spun in uncontrollable twists between the ropes and trapezes set up.

"DOUBLE DEMON CORKSCREW!"

The next attempt was even higher, faster, and stronger.

"DOUBLE DEMON CORKSCREW!"

And then May hit the ceiling, she had gone so high…

May: "OUCH!"

Of course, that brought the trainers, Yuri, and Leon to the nets to see if May was all right.

May: "I'm OK! Geez…"

Yuri: "I hope you realize that we had to check on you."

May: "Yeah, yeah… I know…"

May slammed the net furiously in disgust…

Yuri: "You're angry… Aren't you, May?"

May stammered for a moment, then admitted the truth.

May: "Yeah, I am. I mean, we are the defending champions of this thing. We won this thing three years ago when Sora quit… And now all I'm hearing is: 'Sora and Ken this. Sora and Rosetta that.'"

"God, it makes me SICK!"

And then May barked as she always does to underscore her exasperation. Even though Sora is the Kaleido Star, May feels she and Leon should be the ones getting most of the attention because this was not just simply Kaleido Stage.

This was the Paris International Circus Festival, where Leon was king and May was queen.

But now it was out in the world that Sora Naegino was pregnant and engaged. It created a storyline that ESPN latched onto for their coverage leading up to the event.

But Leon knew what he had to do with his fiery Chinese partner…

He kissed her.

And everything stopped…

Cold.

May (after several moments to compose herself): "Why did you just do that?"

Leon: "To underscore a point, May… You gave me so much too. I walked into Paris three years ago with something to prove and with everything to lose."

"You gave me that chance, May - and we won and I was able to avenge a whole lot of people over there."

May: "So you did that just to show appreciation?"Leon: "Appreciation you don't understand right now. Yes, even if we perfect the Double Demon Corkscrew, the arrangement is that if Sora and Rosetta complete the Legendary Great Maneuver, they win. But that does not mean we shirk our responsibilities as former champions."

May: "But why does everything have to be about Sora?"

Leon: "Sora's that kind of girl, I guess… I had to learn that too, May."

"Remember what Layla told you in New York… Be you."

May then looked to Yuri, who smiled.

Yuri: "I cannot lie in saying that I would love to see Sora and Rosetta do the Legendary Great Maneuver, but, if nothing else, you have to set the bar high."

At that, May sprang up and off the net…

May then said: "Well, then, what are we waiting for?"

Leon even smiled at that one. May was going to be fine.

Grand Canyon Training Facility

The day the whole complex waited for was here. Sora's return.

It would be so good to see Sora, but she was told to be ready - the resumption of her training would be almost immediate.

So Sora was stretching out in her workout clothes, even on the plane (or at least as much of that as is possible).

Ken and Kate were watching over her. The Fool had quickly returned to the Grand Canyon to check on Rosetta.

When the bi-plane came to the complex, all workouts stopped and it was like Layla and Rosetta looked to the sky together. Rosetta had just one thought in mind:

This was going to be so great!

The plane then landed.

Almost immediately, Kate got off the plane with Sora and Ken's things. A couple of the Hamilton Foundation support staff quickly got the luggage and pointed out where Ken would be sleeping.

And then, the future husband of wife of Kaleido Stage stepped off the plane.

A gasp caught in Rosetta's throat. Layla was already walking, arms outstretched to Ken.

Of course, then Rosetta had to do one of her running glomps, almost bowling Ken over.

Rosetta: "Welcome back!"

Sora: "Thank you. Did you practice hard while I was gone?"

Layla: "And how… You might well have to catch up to her at the rate she's going…"

Sora: "Well, maybe a little…"

The four laughed heartily as Layla instructed Sora to join them on the rock face.

And, with that, the final weeks of preparations, around the world, for the Paris International Circus Festival went into full swing.

Kaleido Stage - Yuri's Office

Yuri had to finalize all the plans. A simulcast of the remainder of the ESPN telecast would be broadcast at Kaleido Stage, and advertisements were already all over the world at the newest attempt at the "Rare Stunt".

Yuri ran into one technical glitch as they did a mock set-up of the situation - if the large screens were going to be where everyone could see them, how could they set them up without interfering with the Legendary Great Maneuver?

That was going to be easy, as Jean proposed using the Angel's Maneuver framework (which would still be several stories below the Legendary Great Maneuver) as the means to set up the screens.

A trial run saw that as feasible, and the committee (almost discarding the mere notion that Sora and Rosetta were still going through as planned) went along with the setup.

The tickets sold out on the Internet in 4 minutes - even at a severely inflated price (some to Kaleido Stage, some to the Paris organizers, the rest (after costs) to charity). So now all there was left to do was wait for the day that Sora and the crew would come back.

Leon and May - Training Facility

They had to set up a special apparatus outside Kaleido Stage's roof so that May wouldn't hit her head.

She performed with great anger and passion, as she and Leon prepared the Double Demon Corkscrew. It was far more difficult and dramatic than the Demon Spiral - the former was one movement.

This would be the Demon Spiral multiple times over in multiple different setups.

Leon smiled at May. Years ago, May might've taken that anger out on Sora.

Now, May was taking her anger out in the one place where the anger might work - into energy that will create the greatest single act that the Paris International Circus Festival has ever seen.

But there were even two problems in Leon's mind:

First, he knew that, no matter how well they did, Sora and Rosetta could trump them with the Legendary Great Maneuver.

Second, the day they (and Yuri, who would give the remarks in the place of the defending champions) would leave for Paris would be the day Sora and Rosetta would return.

He knew this would be very awkward.

Sora and Rosetta - Grand Canyon Training Facility

Sora did have a small amount of catching up to do, but not that much.

The training was brutal. Ken winced more than a few times as he feared that the metal balls that Sora had to repeatedly push off again and again might hit about where the baby was.

Layla ensured that the training balls were properly set up.

The two were literally racing each other up the rock face, as both were growing so strong.

Layla pointed out to Ken that Rosetta was becoming unrecognizable from the frail little sprite she used to be.

Rosetta didn't have a care in the world…

Except one - and it was the same care the rest of the complex had…

Sora's morning sickness was becoming a problem. And with the time difference between California and Paris, the latest they might attempt the Maneuver would be about noon. Sora, once her morning sickness subsided, was strong as ever and then some. But one bout of it during the Maneuver…

This concerned Layla, but she knew that no doubt could be around Sora and Rosetta right now.

Because not only did the lives of Sora and Rosetta hang in the balance, but the life of the baby and the marriage of the Kaleido Star as well.

The Night Before the Return

So it all came down to the issuance of two cards.

One had a ram on it.

The other had an archer on a horse.

Aries and Sagittarius had to make the final commitment, tonight.

The one which would say that there was no fear of death nor failure.

At the appointed time, the Fool came to the pair.

Fool: "So the time is here. Tomorrow, you return to Kaleido Stage. Saturday, you will do the Legendary Great Maneuver."

Rosetta: "And we're ready to do it!"

Fool: "So you believe, Rosetta Passel. But I do have one final question for you specifically…"

"Are you afraid of Sora dying?"

Both the women gasped. That was something that Rosetta was not prepared for. The Fool knew that both parties accepted the risks and didn't fear their own death.

But the Fool wanted to be sure.

Rosetta: "We have to be, a little…"

At that, Sora stopped her…

Sora: "He's not going to qualify us if there is that doubt. Look, I would not do this, especially three months pregnant, if I had that fear. You cannot have it."

"So, Fool?"Fool: "Yes, Sora?"

Sora: I'll tell you the same thing I said before the last attempt of the Maneuver: 'We'll do it perfectly.'"

Fool smiled.

Fool: "So that is settled. Rosetta?"

Rosetta: "Let's go for it!"

Fool looked at Rosetta's eyes. So sweet, so innocent, so full of energy.

It was only then that he was certain.

Then his eyes lit up.

Fool: "Then, once again, two have endured many hardships to come to this day. Their faith unshaken, they have been found worthy of all my secrets. I will now tell you everything I know, even though even Rosetta knows most of it from seeing the Maneuver the last time."

He instructed them on the final details of the attempt.

The Next Day - Kaleido Stage Boardwalk

The awkward moment had arrived.

And all parties had to go through with it.

Because Yuri was leaving Ken and Layla in charge of not only Kaleido Stage, but its presentation of the Paris simulcast.

Yuri, Leon, and May stood awaiting the water-plane to land next to the boardwalk. It would take them to the airport.

As it came around in a sweeping circle around the grandeur that is Kaleido Stage at festival, the water-plane landed next to the boardwalk.

The world's media also were on the boardwalk, but were kept at a fair distance to allow the plane to change over.

As Sora, Rosetta, Ken, Layla, and Kate stepped off the plane, Yuri brought Leon and May forward to greet them.

Yuri: "I see you are well, Sora. Are you ready?"

Sora: "As ready as I ever will be."

Leon: "Rosetta?"

Rosetta: "With all my heart! And you guys?"

May: "Ready to go. How's Ken?"

Ken: "All is fine…"

Sora: "May…"

May: "Yes, Sora?"

Sora: "I've heard you're not happy with all the attention and the like on the Legendary Great Maneuver attempt."

"I have but one request for you…"

May: "And that is?"

Sora: "Perform worthy of your championship."

Yuri: "Layla, you are in temporary functional control over Kaleido Stage until I return."

"Ken, you are in charge to make sure that Sora and Rosetta make it to the stage on time."

Ken: "I would know no higher honor."

Hugs were exchanged all around as long-distance lenses allowed some picture taking as the defending champions and the principal head of Kaleido Stage took to the plane before it took off into the late-afternoon California sky.