Tales Of The Shadows

EARLY RELEASE FOR ALL MY PATRONS!

A shadow play! This is such a neat form of art/theatre and it was so fun to try and tackle it in a Starlight fic!

Threw in fairytales again, but they're a bit different from the fairytales in my other fics~!

Disclaimer: I do not own Shoujo Kageki Revue Starlight.

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                                                       Tales Of The Shadows


There is a telltale excitement in the air about Seishou's acting department today. Once classes have ended, the top nine students of Class A naturally congregate together, knowing that Nana and Junna are withholding the announcement of their new upcoming performance.

"Banana! Jun-Jun!" Karen trills. "You gotta tell us! I've been dying to know all day!"

But after sharing a glance with one another, Nana and Junna shake their heads.

"Not yet, Karen-chan!" Nana smiles. "We're going to discuss it just between the nine of us. And I'd already prepared some snacks back at the dormitory, so...~"

"Snacks?!" Karen squeaks. "Sounds great! Let's go!"

Mahiru sighs. "Karen-chan, you never change." Beside her, Hikari's stomach growls, and the girl has a quietly-ravenous look in her eye. Mahiru chuckles. "You too, Hikari-chan."

"Oh?" Claudine perks up in mild interest. "This is rare. Typically we'll all have our meetings together with the rest of the class."

Junna catches her eye with a smile.

"Well, let me just say there's a reason only the nine of us need to be involved."

Her comment is suggestive enough, but even so, Kaoruko feels the need to blatantly blurt out the implications.

"Oh~! I know what that means! So then some of us are being given roles then, hm?"

"No auditions?" Futaba asks. "Wonder why."

"I suppose we will have to wait and find out," Maya concludes.

So the group of nine exits the main school building together and begins their walk back to Starlight Hall.

All the while Karen is slyly trying to make Nana and Junna 'spill the beans' about the new play, while Mahiru multi-tasks and tries to both calm her down and entertain Hikari's questions about one of their classes earlier.

Kaoruko is listing off the possible roles she thinks she might've landed, while the others do the same, though they keep their thoughts private for the time being.

By the time they make it back to the dorms and eventually their lounge, everyone is eager for answers.

As they all settle in on the couches and chairs, Nana retrieves a tray of pre-made scones and cookies and brings them over to share. They all thank her before taking their first bites and focusing up.

Junna sifts through her school bag and pulls out a small stack of papers, and everyone tenses in anticipation.

"All right everyone," she says. "Let's get started. So as you know, Nana and I discussed everything with Class B and the instructors already, and the decision was made about what kind of play we'll be putting on. It's a little different than anything we've done before, but everyone was in agreement that they'd like to give it a try, and we're confident you all will as well."

"'We all'?" Claudine repeats. "So then are we safe to assume we've all been given parts in it?"

"That's right!" Nana beams. "All nine of us will be acting in this performance!"

"Really?!" Karen blurts out. "That'sh sho cool!"

"Karen, don't talk wiff your mouff full."

"Y-You too, Hikari-chan..."

"All of us indeed!" Kaoruko sighs dreamily.

"That's somethin' we don't see every day," Futaba hums.

"Right?" Junna takes another bite of her scone before rifling through the papers on her lap. "But before we reveal the roles to everyone, I've got to explain the performance first." She pauses for dramatic effect, and all the other girls lean in a little closer. "Everyone, we will be putting on a shadow play!"

"Whooooa!" Karen cries out. "That's so neat, Jun-Jun! …Um, what's a shadow play?"

"Geez, Karen-chan…"

"A shadow play?" Kaoruko repeats. "I've heard of them, but we've never done one, to my knowledge."

"I've seen a few back in England," Hikari mumbles. "They're very unique and memorable."

"Wait!" Karen says. "So is it like a giant puppet show? Like shadow puppets? I'm really good at making the dog one." She starts curling her fingers to demonstrate, and Nana bursts out laughing.

"Hold on, Karen-chan," she chuckles. "That's not exactly, it. Although, I guess in a way you could think of it like that."

"Indeed." Everyone looks to Maya as she speaks up now. Sitting up straight and calmly, she'd probably appear ten times more refined if not for the half-eaten chocolate-chip cookie in her hands. "Shadow plays are a very specific art form. While there is often narration or dialogue from the characters themselves, the only visual aspect are the actors' shadows and the shadows of props to create the scenery. The audience is seeing nothing but figures and an occasional change in lighting; no colors, or facial expressions. The expression must come in body language."

"Well-said, Tendo-san," Junna nods.

"Oh?" Claudine tilts her head curiously. "Why do you know so much about shadow plays?"

"I may have been cast in a few in the past," Maya explains.

"Really?" Mahiru asks, wide-eyed. "I've never been a part of one."

"Me neither."

"Or me."

"Same."

Everyone else agrees this will be an entirely new experience for them. As Claudine takes another bite of her cookie, she gives a slight huff at the thought that Maya is already one step ahead of her with this sort of play.

"That's all right," Junna says. "Nana and I have never been in a shadow play either."

"Question," Futaba raises her hand. "So if most of us have never done one before, how come we were all chosen for the roles without auditions?"

"Good question, Futaba-chan!" Nana says. "The decisions were made based on how expressive the candidates' body language is. The instructors chose us based on our grades from previous plays and classes."

"Oooh!" Karen marvels at the images in her head of what she expects a shadow play to be like. "So then, do we have any speaking lines?"

"I'm glad you asked." Junna goes through a few more papers before pulling up one of them. "To answer that question directly, no, the characters won't have speaking lines. But first, let me explain how we're doing this.

"Specifically, we'll be doing ballets. For a shadow play, a screen will be set up onstage with lights projected from behind, and in some cases from various other angles. Depending on the events of the scene, the lights might brighten, dim, or change colors to help match the mood. The actors will perform behind the screen so the audience will only see their shadows."

She pauses, checking around the circle to make sure everyone is on board so far, then continues.

"As you can all probably guess, we won't be having all nine of us onstage at once. Instead, we're going to be dividing the performance into four smaller plays. Classic fairytales, to be precise."

Kaoruko makes an excited little squeal, no doubt hoping she's been cast as a princess.

"Fairytales for a shadow play, hm?" Claudine says. "Interesting."

"Four fairytales!" Karen agrees. "That's gonna be so cool! Which ones, which ones?"

"Karen-chan, I'm sure she's about to tell us," Mahiru says.

"Right." Junna looks down at the paper in her hands before reading aloud. "The first fairytale will be a modernized version of Sleeping Beauty, which will be the only ballet to include three actors, along with one narrator. For the role of Princess Aurora - Aijou Karen."

"Whoa!" Karen blurts. "...Wait, who's that?"

"Karen!"

"That's Sleeping Beauty's name!"

"You're the lead, dummy!"

"Waah!? For real?! I'm the princess?!"

"Congratulations, Karen-chan!"

"She sleeps for half the play," Hikari says. "It suits you."

"Hiiiikariiii-chaaaan!" Karen pouts and everyone laughs.

"It's true," Mahiru says. "But Karen-chan has gotten a bit better with not sleeping in on school days anymore!"

"That's character development right there," Futaba laughs.

Once everyone has had their laugh, Junna goes on.

"In this version of Sleeping Beauty, the princess has a maid - a girl her own age named Lyla - who is her caretaker and childhood friend. She eventually develops feelings for the princess. Lyla will be played by Kagura-san."

There's a small round of applause for Hikari as Karen hugs her, and everyone nods in agreement that the roles fit them both perfectly.

"Finally," Junna says. "The third acting role will be that of the Prince, who has been told his whole life about the cursed princess and has loved her before he's even met her. The Prince will be played by Tsuyuzaki-san."

"Ooooh!" Karen chirps. "A princely Mahiru-chan! I can't wait to see that!"

"E-Eh?" Mahiru blushes and shuffles her feet. "I'll do my best…"

"You can do it," Hikari says. "Prince Mahiru."

"E-Eh, H-Hikari-chan, don't call me that! It's embarrassing!"

"I think it's cute."

"Me too!"

As the three of them get lost in their own conversation, Junna passes out their scripts.

"You can start looking things over. Oh, and I'll be narrating your play."

"And!" Nana adds on. "Like Junna-chan said, this version is different from the one most people are familiar with. It'll surely be a nice and refreshing story!"

With the first fairytale and group of actresses revealed, Junna now continues on to the next reference sheet.

"Now then, the second fairytale will be a version of Cinderella. For this one, we'll be having two main roles, along with several minor ones. The evil Step-Mother and Step-Sisters will be played by Nana, Saijou-san, and Tendo-san respectively, and I'll be the Fairy Godmother.

"We've done this because, given the nature and order of the plays, the four of us will be starring in the third and fourth plays, so we'll have plenty of time to change outfits and get ready before we have to go on as main roles. As for the leads of Cinderella, we've cast Isurugi-san as the title character, and Hanayagi-san as the Prince."

"Eh?!" Kaoruko blurts out. "I'm the Prince? And Futaba-han is Cinderella?"

"Oh." Futaba blinks in surprise. "Well that's a twist. Never really get to be the princess too much. Guess it works though, since I'm the one always doing all the chores and stuff." She gives a pointed glare at her roommate, but Kaoruko acts as though she hasn't heard her.

"Anyway," she says flippantly. "I look forward to seeing you in a ballgown, Futaba-han~"

"And I look forward to seeing you in a suit, Kaoruko."

Maya and Claudine, who've been given the roles of the Step-Sisters, accept their scripts from Junna.

"So," Claudine says as she scans it over. "This isn't the version where we're forced to wear burning shoes and dance until we die, I suppose?"

"Nor do we get our eyes pecked out by the birds living in the tree Cinderella's birth mother left her?" Maya guesses.

"Nope," Nana replies. "In this version, the Step-Mother and Step-Sisters turn over a new leaf! In the end, they apologize to Cinderella and give her their blessings as she goes off to marry the Prince!"

"That is refreshing," Claudine says.

"Who will be our narrator?" Maya inquires.

"Oh, right." Junna pulls out another piece of paper. "Our narrator will be Tsuyuzaki-san."

"Got it!"

There's another moment of chatter as the girls read through their scripts, then Junna announces the third fairytale.

"After Cinderella, we'll have Thumbelina, who will be played by Nana. And the fairy Prince Cornelius will be played by yours truly. The woman who finds and raises Thumbelina will be played by Kagura-san."

"Wait, really?" Karen pipes up. "Banana is gonna be the two-inch princess? But she's the tallest one!"

"Perhaps Futaba-han would fit the role better~?"

"Kaoruko, why you-"

Claudine restrains Futaba before she can lunge. Junna cuts in to dissuade the situation.

"Right, well of course we'd considered the issue of height for this play. But being it's a shadow play, we'll be able to accomplish the effect of Nana and I being very small, which is something we couldn't ever do in a normal play. Kagura-san's character is a normal-sized human, but by positioning the lights at certain distances and angles, we can give off the illusion that we're much smaller than her. We'll have some other props and objects like tables set up for comparison. Our challenge will be that Nana and I will be standing at different distances from our props to make them appear larger than us."

"Wow! That's so cool!"

"I agree, Aijou-san," Maya says. "It is an effect that can only be successfully achieved in a shadow play by expert positioning of the lights and precise movements on the part of the actors."

"I'd actually wanted to do The Princess and the Frog," Nana admits sheepishly. "But being we wouldn't have costumes the audience could see, it would be a little difficult to try and make me look like a frog. So we went with Plan B!"

"I'm sure it'll look fantastic, you two!" Mahiru smiles.

"Thanks! Oh, and we'll have Kaoruko-chan as our narrator."

Once again there's a brief moment of chatter before Junna finally reveals the final fairytale.

"And of course, our last play will have Saijou-san and Tendo-san as the leads. They'll be performing a modern version of The Swan Princess for us. Saijou-san has been cast as Prince Derek, and Tendo-san will play Odette. The evil wizard will be Isurugi-san."

"Hm," Claudine mumbles. "A swan sure seems fitting for you, Tendo Maya…"

"And a prince seems to suit you just splendidly, Saijou-san."

"Hold on!" Karen shoots her arm up into the air with a question. "Banana, you said you couldn't do The Princess and the Frog because someone turns into an animal and it would be tricky for the shadow play, right? So how can Tendo-san turn into a swan, then? Are we gonna bring a real swan onstage?!"

"Not exactly," Nana chuckles. "You see, we decided The Swan Princess was all right, because we can give Maya-chan wings and a feathery dress. And since it's a ballet, it will be much easier for her to move in swan-like motions than it would be for me to move like a frog throughout half my play. So we decided a swan was doable."

"That makes sense," Mahiru agrees. "Tendo-san is graceful enough to begin with. Putting feathers on her and only showing her shadow will easily let the audience's imagination turn her into a swan."

"Karen," Junna says. "You'll be narrating for them."

"Oh boy!"

Claudine and Maya finally get to read through their script, noting the changes in the more modernized version of the story.

"This is interesting," Claudine hums. "I'm looking forward to it."

"As am I," Maya agrees.

"So," Junna claps. "Any questions? I know this was a lot to throw at you guys, but I think we'll be able to put on quite the show! We're starting practice tomorrow."

"Oh!" Nana says. "And there's one last thing."

Everyone looks up at her curiously. She ponders for a moment on the best way to say this.

"Well, you see... all of these stories involve romance in some way - the kisses of true love, right? In regular plays, we could conceal our mouths with our hands or place our thumbs over our lips so we wouldn't actually have to kiss onstage. But for a shadow play, it needs to be clear what's happening. So all kisses are going to be real! That's why we cast people who we knew would be most comfortable doing those things together."

She blushes as she reveals this note, and little by little, all of her friends start turning pink as well.

"R-Real kisses-?" Mahiru squeaks.

"Well…" Kaoruko grunts. "I suppose that shouldn't be much of an issue…"

"Right," Claudine grunts. "It's just an act, anyway."

"Pff, okay Kuroko. You and Tendo act that out as much as you want."

"H-Hey! I don't want to hear that coming from you!"

"This is great!" Karen cheers. "I get to be kissed by Hikari-chan and Mahiru-chan onstage! We can finally do it in front of people now!"

"K-Karen-chan-!" Mahiru yelps.

"Huh? Was I not supposed to say we already do it when we're all alone?"

"Karen-!"

"I don't think Mahiru wanted you to tell…"

"Oops…"

"Hah!" Futaba laughs. "It's fine, Karen. We pretty much knew. Hoshimi and Nana, too."

"Wh-What?" Junna stutters. "N-Nana and I don't-"

"That's right!" Nana beams. "Junna-chan and I are together-together!"

"N-Nana-!"

"Kuro-chan and Maya-chan are too, right?"

"Haaah?! No way! We are not- …I mean… maybe technically… b-but that doesn't-!"

"My, Saijou-san? I think you may just want to stop before you hurt yourself."

The nine girls share sheepish, knowing, and blushing glances around at each other, but eventually they all smile in understanding.

After enjoying some more snacks, they eventually get ready for bed, excited to begin training for their new play starting tomorrow.

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For the next several weeks, the girls practice with their partners for their respective mini plays. Those who have parts or lines in multiple plays divide their time accordingly.

They work together with the girls from Class B, who give them instructions on how things will be set up and give them pointers on the most effective ways to move with the lights.

In only one week, all the actresses have learned their roles and lines by heart, so the final week before the performance is spent practicing on the stage itself. In order to get used to the lighting, the screen, and how the props will be arranged, they practice run-throughs of each play as they would perform it in front of the audience.

With the girls from Class B directing them on how, when, and where to move in accordance with the lights and the props, the girls of Class A learn their range and positioning of where their shadows will be displayed most clearly.

The girls train hard for this unique performance, putting more effort into their body language instead of their facial expressions. Accompanying background music is played during certain scenes for them to dance their ballets to.

A few days before the performance date, they do an entire run-through for their classmates and teachers, and receive high praise all around.

And finally, the big day is upon them…

"Ooooh I'm so excited! I can't wait!"

Karen expresses with words how everyone is feeling this evening. They're told a full house awaits them on the other side of the curtain, as the premise of a shadow play had enticed a large audience.

Presently, Karen is wearing her pink Sleeping Beauty dress, while Hikari is dressed as the maid Lyla, and Mahiru as the Prince.

Maya currently adorns a ballgown, a dress that she can use in the next play as a Step-Sister, and then she will have time to change into Odette's dress during Nana and Junna's play.

Like Mahiru - Kaoruko, Junna, and Claudine are all dressed accordingly as princes - though Junna has wings as a fairy - while their partners are wearing gowns or dresses as the princesses.

Everyone is ready and excited for their first shadow play together, though it warrants jitters a bit differently than other plays typically do.

"Mahiru," Hikari says. "Sorry I always cry at the end. I'll try not to…"

"It's okay, Hikari-chan!" Mahiru smiles. "The audience won't be able to see, so if you get swept up in the emotions, it's okay if you cry a little!"

"It's the same for me, Hikari-chan!" Karen wails. "The ending is just so touching! I hope we surprise the audience real good!"

"I'm sure we will."

Beside the three of them are the second act.

"Futaba-han!" Kaoruko frets. "How is my makeup?"

"Kao-ru-ko!" Futaba says, lightly bonking her on the head. "For the fifth time, it's a shadow play! No one is gonna see your face!"

"Oh, that's right…"

Futaba sighs, taking her hand.

"We aren't going on till second, so you've got time. Just take a breath."

"Uuu… I never was the best at ballet…"

"You'll do great, Prince Kaoruko~"

"I do hope so. Though either way, I've got to admire the sight of you in a dress while I can."

"It's actually more comfortable than I thought."

"I could say the same about the suit."

Junna and Nana are probably the most relaxed of the bunch, and are presently practicing some of their dance together.

"Are you excited, Junna-chan?"

"Of course! This is going to be a first for all of us together. I'm glad we drew in such a crowd."

"Me, too!"

"Junna-chan!" Mahiru calls for her. "We'll need you soon!"

"Coming!"

"Hold on." Nana stops her for a moment, giving Junna a tug on the wrist. She leaves a sweet little kiss behind on her cheek. "For good luck," she says.

Junna turns bright pink; it's a good thing no one will be seeing her face in this play.

"Th-Thanks, Nana." Junna dips her head and hurries off, with Nana waving after her.

Claudine and Maya continue rehearsing and re-rehearsing until the final moment.

"We'll make a grand finale," Claudine decides.

"Indeed we shall." Maya smiles, putting and arm around Claudine's back to twirl her a little. Claudine humors her.

"I'm glad they gave us modernized versions," she says. "It's always nice when all characters actually think for themselves."

"I agree. I very much prefer your version of the Prince in this play. It truly brings out the genuine feelings of the characters. I must say I am very much looking forward to the ending in particular."

"Mechante va. You just want a kiss."

"My, did I say that?"

"No, but I can practically see you thinking it."

Maya chuckles, but she can't deny the accusation.

A moment later, the voice of their instructor comes over the microphone to welcome the audience to tonight's performance. She explains the premise of the 4 mini shadow plays, and the fact that they will follow a ballet formation for the most part.

The girls who will be performing first get into position behind the screen, where the lights are all off for the moment so nothing can be seen.

When their teacher is done speaking, a small applause rustles through the crowd. When it dies down, there's a moment of pause, where all is quiet and the stage is dark.

Then, the lights onstage turn on, revealing the lone figure of a girl.

"Once upon a time," comes the narrating voice. "There was a princess named Aurora..."

As Junna speaks, Karen moves in time with her voice as a soft tune begins to play. The music is of violins and piano, giving off a sad and haunting feeling to start.

"Due to the mistakes of her parents, Princess Aurora was cursed at birth by a witch. The curse cast upon her demanded that when she came of-age at 18, she would prick her finger on a spinning wheel and fall into an eternal sleep…"

As she speaks, Karen's figure moves across the stage in a slow, methodical dance. The shadow of a prop spike is projected and enlarged, promoting a sense of fear and dread as Karen shrinks away from it. The music slows to a pause, and eventually Karen cautiously stands upright once again and continues her dance.

"Fortunately," Junna narrates. "The King and Queen were not so willing to let such a fate befall their only child. And so they found her a friend - a girl her own age named Lyla, who would befriend Aurora and eventually grow up to be not only her maid and caretaker, but her best, most loving friend. Her purpose was to keep a watchful eye over Aurora when the King and Queen were not present, and to prevent her from pricking her finger at all costs."

Here, Karen's shadow pauses as Hikari's figure enters the stage. Both girls bow to one another before taking each other's hands. They begin to dance around in merry circles, and the music becomes light and spritely to match their glee. There is a moment without narration, where Karen and Hikari dance playfully together, twirling around one another to display their friendship.

"In addition to finding Aurora a maid," Junna goes on. "The King and Queen also found her a future husband. A prince from a neighboring country. The Prince was told of Princess Aurora all his life, and knew everything about her. He loved her very much without even having met her yet."

The lights shift to Mahiru's shadow now, refined and pining in her affections.

"The King and Queen planned for the Prince to come and take Aurora away the day she turned 18, so she would have no chance of falling victim to her curse. She would be passed from Lyla's care to the Prince's, so she would always have someone watching over her to keep her safe."

The three girls stand equal distances apart now and dance separately for a moment, sometimes coming close to each other, but never quite touching.

"Aurora knew of her betrothal to the Prince, but she never spoke a word of it to Lyla. For she knew that Lyla loved her in the same way that the Prince loved Aurora, and she didn't have the heart to tell her best friend that she would one day be leaving her to marry the Prince. And so Aurora kept it secret from her friend until her 18th birthday…"

Now, Karen stands alone on the stage, and the projected light behind her is changed from the default white to a slightly red tint.

"On her birthday, the day the curse was meant to claim her, Princess Aurora heard voices calling to her from the attic. With her Prince yet to arrive to whisk her away, and Lyla busy in the kitchen preparing a cake, Princess Aurora had no one to help her fight off the whispers of the curse…"

At this point, Karen's lone shadow begins dancing aimlessly in the red light. The shadow of the stake appears again, sharp and pointed. Dizzily, she spins toward it, drawn in by her curse.

"Unable to fight her curse, the Princess Aurora stretched out her hand, and then-"

"Kyaaa!"

The audience gasps in shock when Junna's calm, objective narration is cut off by Karen's sudden scream - the only line the actress had uttered, and it had been one of pain and terror. Karen slumps to the floor and lies still.

Junna's voice continues.

"Princess Aurora fell to the attic floor - eternally asleep. Lyla, who heard her princess' scream, rushed to her side, only to discover she was too late…"

Hikari's distraught figure appears onstage, and she hurries to Karen's side. She falls to her knees, covering her face with her hands to weep. The music becomes sad and helpless, and then the red light fades and the stage turns dark.

A moment later, the scene reopens, with the princess' figure lying in bed and Lyla standing over her.

"Lyla had failed her best friend," Junna says sadly. "Her purpose had been to keep Aurora safe, and she had failed. It was then when the Prince arrived, intending to take Aurora away and marry her, to keep her safe."

Mahiru appears, standing tall and proud, excited to finally meet the princess of her dreams - the girl she's loved her whole life whom she could finally meet and marry today.

"The Prince was shocked to find his betrothed princess limp and bedridden. When Lyla tearfully demanded who he was, he explained he was Princess Aurora's husband. Furious to think he was lying, Lyla tried to chase the Prince away, refusing to let him touch Aurora…"

Hikari's figure rounds on Mahiru's. She takes up a prop that had previously been out-of-sight on the bed, and her shadow now wields a dagger. Mahiru draws her sword to defend herself.

"The two who both loved Princess Aurora so dearly then clashed in a dangerous battle. Lyla - with the dagger she kept in order to defend her princess - and the Prince - with the sword he had trained his whole life with in order to protect his future wife. And all the while as the fought, they accused the other of lying. The Prince claimed he had never heard of Aurora having a maid, and Lyla claimed she'd never heard of Aurora having an intended husband…"

Hikari and Mahiru clash weapons, gliding around one another as they engage in a swift and dangerous dance.

"Their fight lasted for many hours, until both became so wounded they collapsed at the same time. It was only then that they both realized this could never be what Aurora would have wanted of them. They both knew of a girl who would only want them all to be happy. She would never have wanted her best friend and her betrothed to fight. That was why she'd kept them secret from one another, because she'd never wanted either of them to get hurt… and yet upon their meeting, they've only caused harm to one another…"

On their knees now, Hikari's and Mahiru's figures look to one another. Then, both bring their hands to their faces to weep, dropping their weapons in the process.

"It was then both Lyla and the Prince realized the other loved Princess Aurora as much as they themselves did, and that Aurora loved them both equally. And so, Lyla and the Prince helped one another to their feet and treated each other's wounds."

As the narration goes, Hikari and Mahiru assist one another, then begin to slowly dance together until they've found themselves back at Karen's bedside.

"Riddled by grief and loss, both Lyla and the Prince leaned over their sleeping princess to kiss her cheeks, putting their differences aside. With their hearts now void of any ill feelings, their love combined to create some sort of magic…"

Now, a pattern effect is projected onto the screen, like the fluttering of butterfly wings.

"And then - miraculously - Princess Aurora woke with a gasp, as if from a terrible nightmare. Both Layla's and the Prince's reconciliation, and their love for her had broken the curse."

As Karen sits up in bed, Hikari and Mahiru throw their arms around her joyously. The music becomes lighter, the lights become softer, and the final image of the three characters gleefully in love lingers.

"And they all lived happily ever after."

The lights go out, concluding the first mini shadow play. A loud and steady applause follows.

Behind the stage, Karen hops off the rolling bed and throws her arms around Hikari and Mahiru in a big hug.

"We did it!" she cries. "That was amazing, you guys!"

"You were amazing too, Karen-chan!" Mahiru smiles. "And you too, Hikari-chan!"

"Thanks…" Hikari sniffles, emotional about the happy ending. Mahiru chuckles.

"Geez… Hikari-chan, you're crying again…"

"So are you Mahiru…"

"Eh?" Mahiru puts her fingers to her cheek to find she's right. "Ah, oh no…"

"Aww!" By now Karen is crying too. "Y-You guys are s-so cute… eheehee…"

Their friends come over to congratulate them during the brief intermission. Kaoruko wriggles her way in between the trio and pulls Mahiru out.

"Come now, Mahiru-han! You've got to narrate for us in a moment! You can't be crying for that!"

"S-Sorry, Kaoruko-chan! I'm fine!"

"You three did wonderfully," Claudine praises them. "And of course, Junna's narration was perfect."

"Thanks," Junna smiles. "I think it all looked really great, you guys. The audience loved it."

"We have a tough act to follow, Princess Futaba~" Kaoruko smirks. "Are you ready?"

Futaba smooths out her dress cooly and joins her prince.

"Hell yeah."

"Futaba-han! You're a princess!"

"Oh crap. I mean uh… yes, indeed I'm ready…"

"Pff."

"O-Oy! Don't laugh!"

But everyone ends up giggling at that, and they're all glad for it.

As soon as the second play is set up and ready, Futaba gets into position first, and Mahiru begins her narration.

"Once upon a time, there lived a beautiful young girl. Her father had remarried to a wicked woman, who had two terrible daughters of her own…"

Futaba takes the stage to begin, standing still as her shadow is projected on-screen. But almost immediately afterward, Nana, Claudine, and Maya take their places all around her. Their shadows surround her, looming over her in hungry, menacing postures, with their arms outstretched toward the poor Cinderella. Futaba shrinks away and drops to her knees as Mahiru continues.

"The wicked Step-Mother and her daughters forced the girl to do all the chores of the household, constantly bullying her and doing no work themselves. They would even dump lentils into the fireplace just to make her pick them out of the cinders one by one. That is how she earned the name Cinderella."

The music accompanying Futaba as she pretends to scrub the floors and hang laundry and dust every inch of a castle is hectic and quick, giving off the impression that the poor Cinderella is wearing herself thin day by day in order to appease her new family.

"Then, one day, there was news about the town that a neighboring country's prince would be hosting a ball in a few nights. Cinderella begged her Step-Mother to let her go, but her Step-Mother refused, proclaiming she would only be bringing her own two daughters."

Here, Futaba's shadow pleads with Nana, hands clasped together hopefully. But Nana waves her hand dismissively and turns away, instead putting her arms around Claudine and Maya and walking off-screen with them. Futaba crumples to the floor, and the music wilts with her.

"Cinderella wasn't allowed to go to the ball… But then, the night when it would occur, once her Step-Mother and Step-Sisters had left, something strange happened. Out of thin air, Cinderella's Fairy Godmother appeared."

The music takes on a tinkling piano now as a pattern is flashed across the lights, and then Junna's shadow appears in a poofy, impish dress. Futaba turns to her hopefully.

"The Fairy Godmother granted Cinderella her wish. She gave her a beautiful gown, diamond jewelry, and glass slippers to attend the ball in. She even turned a pumpkin from the garden and four mice from the attic into a carriage and four white stallions."

For this sequence, simple toys of horses and a buggy are moved in front of the lights, projected at just the perfect distance in comparison to Futaba to make them a realistic size to Cinderella.

"But the Fairy Godmother warned Cinderella that she must be back by midnight, when the spell would wear off. Cinderella agreed, and with that she was off to the ball."

After another brief scene change, the music picks up to give off a festive atmosphere. A new figure stands at the center now, clad in a suit and cape with a sword at her side.

"The Prince hosting the ball had done so in hopes of finding himself a suitable bride to help him rule his kingdom. As such, he mingled with the guests all night, getting to know each of them as efficiently as possible. He even spoke with Cinderella's Step-Sisters, but their overbearing and greedy personalities turned him away rather quickly."

Kaoruko slowly dances her way across the stage, but as she comes to Claudine, Maya, and Nana, her body language shows her disinterest. She bows her head in sheepish apology before quickly hurrying off. Mahiru narrates her struggles.

"All evening long, the Prince searches for a person who strikes his fancy. But it's just when he's almost given up hope when the final guest enters."

The lights shift to highlight Futaba's shadow, her dress now having been adjusted to appear more festive and also to reveal the important heeled slippers she's wearing.

"Cinderella was so beautiful and vibrant - such a drastically different girl from the servant kept at home - that neither the Step-Mother, her daughters, or anyone else recognized her. The Prince, like everyone else, was drawn to her beauty, and he asked her to dance. Cinderella accepted."

Kaoruko extends her hand to Futaba, dipping low in a chivalrous manner. Futaba takes her hand, and they begin to twirl around each other.

"For the remainder of the evening, the Prince never left Cinderella's side. They danced, and they told one another about themselves. The Prince fell in love not only with Cinderella's beauty, but also her strong sense of justice, and her charming humor. These were the very same things Cinderella came to love about the Prince. By the end of the evening, it was clear who the Prince had chosen to marry.

"But then midnight struck, and Cinderella remembered the spell. She left without an explanation, so swiftly that one of her glass slippers was left behind…"

Futaba turns and hurriedly dances offstage, and the lights focus on the single shoe she leaves behind. Kaoruko's figure picks it up and holds it high.

"The Prince decided he would not rest until he found his love again. So the following day he began traveling the town, asking each and every young maiden to try on the slipper. But none of them were a match. Not even the wicked Step-Sisters who tried to squish their feet in were successful.

"Meanwhile, Cinderella returned to her humble life of chores, where her step family continued being cruel to her. But even though she'd had to turn and leave the love of her life, Cinderella remained as cheerful as possible. Her kindness even eventually began rubbing off on her Step-Sisters…"

As Futaba's shadow continues scrubbing floors and folding laundry, little by little, Claudine and Maya begin to help her with her chores.

"And then one day, the Prince arrived at their castle with the glass slipper in his hands. And yet…"

Now, Kaoruko's shadow appears, and all else fades but her and Futaba. There's a brief moment of pause as a hopeful and happy tune begins to play. Kaoruko drops the glass slipper and hurries to Futaba, opening her arms wide. And Futaba runs to her as well. They meet in the center in a joyous embrace as Mahiru explains.

"Instantly, upon seeing one another again, the Prince and Cinderella knew who the other was. The Prince had come to know and love her so much that as soon as he saw her again, he no longer needed to fit the slipper in order to confirm his feelings. His love for Cinderella was deep enough that he knew her even without her beautiful dress and jewelry.

"And Cinderella was overjoyed to know he would accept her as the humble girl she was. They were soon engaged to be wed."

The silhouettes of the Prince and Cinderella come together as Kaoruko and Futaba share a brief but genuine kiss. Little by little, Nana, Maya, and Claudine move in beside them.

"Cinderella and the Prince were married, and the Step-Mother and Step-Sisters who had slowly been changing their perspectives, soon came to love and cherish Cinderella, too. And they all lived happily ever after."

The five shadows come together in a friendly hug and move off one by one, until only Cinderella and her Prince remain. They kiss once again, and the lights go out.

As the audience begins to applaud, Futaba and Kaoruko hold their kiss for a moment before stepping apart as everyone begins setting up for the next play.

"My!" Kaoruko sighs. "Somehow we managed to pull it off."

"Whadda you mean 'somehow'? We worked our butts off for this."

"And it shows!" Mahiru smiles. "You guys looked amazing!"

"And you sounded amazing, Mahiru-chan!" Nana praises her back.

"All right. Nana, come on," Junna says, ushering her over. She's already put on her set of wings to become the fairy prince. "We've gotta get ready for Thumbelina."

"Ah, me too!" Kaoruko says. "Futaba-han, be a dear, would you, and get me some water before I start narrating?"

"Yeah yeah… Now I really know how Cinderella felt…"

"Hikari-chan!" Karen says from nearby. "You're going on soon! Are you ready?"

"I'm ready."

"Tendo Maya, let me fix your dress for you."

"I appreciate it very much."

The girls bustle about for a moment as they prepare for the third play. Once the girls from Class B give the OK signal, Nana and Hikari move into position, with Nana standing farther away from the lights so her shadow will appear much much smaller on the screen when it's time for her to emerge. Kaoruko swallows her water and clears her throat before speaking into the mic just as the lights come back on.

"Once upon a time, there was a woman who lived in a cottage in the middle of the wood. She had no spouse nor children, only a dog and a garden."

Hikari begins the play, gliding across the stage very slowly. The projected images of trees and flowers show that she is in a forest, and having so many trees around her only highlights the fact that she is all alone.

"Then," Kaoruko continues. "One day while she was tending to her flowers, the woman stumbled across an amazing sight. There, tucked away within the petals of a rose, was a tiny, tiny girl…"

A prop rose is held in front of the light positioned on Nana. With the precise distance calculated, from the audience's side, it appears as though Nana's tiny shadow is stepping out from the flower. Hikari's shadow puts her hands to her mouth in clear astonishment.

"Like the woman, the tiny girl was all alone. And so the woman decided to take her in and raise her. The girl was only the size of the woman's thumb, therefore she called her Thumbelina."

Hikari kneels down in her place farther back onstage, and Nana looks upward from her place farther up. The image their shadows produce makes it appear as though they are right in front of one another, one being only a fraction of the size of the other. The two of them stay at this distance as Kaoruko narrates their life together.

"The woman took great care of Thumbelina. She protected her from all the dangers of life that posed a threat to one so small. She kept her safe from strong gusts of wind and from mice and from too much water. She prepared small meals for Thumbelina's supper, and read her stories every night before bed.

"By far, Thumbelina's favorite tales were those about fairies; tiny winged people just like her. And though she'd never met one, Thumbelina hoped beyond hope that they existed."

The slow and gentle music drifts across the stage as Hikari blows a kiss to the tiny, yawning Nana before taking her leave. Now, Junna enters from the same perspective as Nana.

"Then, one night, a fairy Prince appeared at Thumbelina's window. He'd been chasing away hornets from his kingdom in the forest and had chanced upon Thumbelina's room. Shocked and nervous and excited all at once, Thumbelina wasn't sure whether to run to or from him. But the Prince was a charming and good-natured fairy, and he made sure not to frighten her."

Nana's and Junna's shadows step tentatively closer together. The shadows of Junna's wings are a purposeful focus to highlight Nana's lack thereof. The music gradually picks up tempo as Junna offers her hand and Nana accepts.

"The fairy Prince introduced himself as Cornelius, and Thumbelina gave her name as well. She was of course baffled to finally see someone else her size, but what astounded her the most were the Prince's wings. Thumbelina didn't have wings, and she expressed her sadness to him. But Cornelius replied with a smile and took her hand to bring her on a marvelous flight through the night…"

The music takes up a light, peppy melody of fluttering flutes to give off the impression of wings. Junna leans Nana across the stage in a springing dance as patterns of flowers and butterflies are projected all around them. The girls' shadows are light and airy, and their movements very clearly express their glee.

"Cornelius and Thumbelina fell in love at first sight that evening. But before they could even get the chance to talk things through, the creatures of the forest took interest. Thumbelina had stayed indoors most of her life, as the woman who raised her only wanted to keep her safe.

"But now, all of the frogs and insects and birds of the forest saw her, and they all wanted her for themselves. So they attacked the couple, tearing them apart. The first creature to snatch Thumbelina away was a bird, followed by a toad, and then a cricket…"

As Kaoruko narrates, a prop toy of each animal is projected on-screen, towering over Nana's tiny form.

"Prince Cornelius desperately tried to follow Thumbelina's path and rescue her from her captors, but each time he caught up, someone else had taken her…"

As Junna uses her sword to slice through the shadows, Nana always remains just a few inches out of her reach. The screen swirls into blackness briefly to change scenes, once again revealing Hikari now.

"The poor woman who had raised Thumbelina was devastated to find her missing. She searched the entire cottage and as much of the forest as she could manage, calling for Thumbelina every day and crying herself to sleep every night."

Hikari dances aimlessly across the stage, left, right, and left again searching. But soon, she falls to her knees.

"Eventually, she was so heartbroken she couldn't bear to think of what might have become of her beloved Thumbelina. The poor woman gave up her search, and sadly returned to her garden…"

When the scene changes again, Junna's shadow is still chasing Nana's, and still just shy of reaching her.

"Meanwhile, Prince Cornelius was running out of time. With winter approaching, his wings would soon freeze over if he did not seek shelter. But he refused to give up on finding Thumbelina.

"At the time, she was being held captive by a terrible mole who wanted her for his bride. Thumbelina did her best to outsmart each and every one of her captors, and after realizing the mole was blind, she managed to slip away from him. She did not know this, but Cornelius was only a name's call away. But in order to keep safe from the mole's good hearing, she didn't call for the fairy prince. The two missed each other by mere seconds…"

Now, the music becomes dizzying in an array of crescendos and decrescendos, giving off the impression of wind. Junna's movements become stiff and awkward, and eventually she drops to her knees.

"The prince's wings finally froze over, and the ice covered him. Thumbelina only found him when it was already too late."

Nana's shadow cranes over Junna's in grief, bringing her hands to her face to weep. The flurry of shadows like leaves and snowflakes continues around them in the haphazard windy music. The lights are changed to blue.

"Thumbelina wept for her prince, who had seemingly given his life to find her. But then, something amazing happened. The warmth of Thumbelina's tears - her tears of true love - began to melt the ice surrounding him. Little by little, Cornelius was freed, all the way to the tips of his wings. The two kissed and shared a joyous reunion so warm that it brought on the thaw of spring."

Junna and Nana stand together and kiss, and gradually the music begins to slow down. The flurries of projected snowflakes soon turn into blossoming flowers, and the cold blue light that had been used to give off a chilling affect is replaced with a warmer golden one.

"Once his wings were healed, Cornelius flew Thumbelina back to her cottage, where the dog barked happily to signify her return. The woman rushed to see Thumbelina, gently picking her up in her palm to kiss her."

This trick is one Hikari and Nana had worked hard on. Although they are standing far apart on the stage, they move very carefully together so their shadows align. Hikari kneels down, and the shadows of her hands merge with the shadows of Nana's shoes to make it appear as though Nana is standing in her palm as Hikari kisses her head. Kaoruko continues.

"The woman was overjoyed to know Thumbelina was alive. And she was even happier to see that she had found someone like her who loved Thumbelina dearly. And so she said her farewells to Thumbelina, though Thumbelina promised to always visit whenever she could. Thumbelina and Prince Cornelius were married, and they all lived happily ever after."

The lights go out, and the applause begins again.

Nana squeals at the success of their play, throwing her arms around Junna and kissing her again. Junna blushes and gently pries her off.

"Good job, Nana…"

"You were wonderful, Junna-chan!"

"Gah!" Kaoruko sighs. "My throat was starting to get sore."

"You did a great job, Kaoruko-chan!" Karen smiles. "And Hikari-chan, I could really feel your emotions, even though you had no lines at all!"

"Me, too!" Mahiru agrees. "You were really expressive. All of you were."

"It's a bit condensed from the original version," Claudine says. "But I liked that Thumbelina's love was warm enough to bring the thaw."

"Indeed," Maya says. "Quite a romantic touch. Certainly something that can only be achieved in a fairytale. Well done."

"Thanks, you guys!" Nana happily scurries offstage for now. She, Junna, and everyone else not involved in the final play move away to observe from the sidelines.

The main actresses for the final mini play of the night get into position. Maya and Claudine stand at opposite sides of the stage as they wait for the lights to come on and for Karen to begin the narration.

"Once upon a time, there was a magical land. It was a land of dragons and sorcery, equal parts dangerous as it was beautiful. In one kingdom lived the young Princess Odette, and in another lived the young Prince Derek. Their families had decided from the beginning they would be betrothed one day to join their kingdoms together. So they were introduced as children at the age of ten…"

Maya and Claudine enter the stage from opposite sides. They move with a refined sort of energy, like children who had been raised to be proper, but still had far too many things they needed to explore. When they finally meet in the middle, they tilt their heads at one another, then promptly turn away. Karen elaborates.

"For various reasons, Odette and Derek did not get along. Their ideas of having fun were drastically different, and for many summers their families feared they would never fall in love enough to be wed when they were older."

Maya's and Claudine's shadows begin to dance separately on either side of the stage, moving to their own rhythms. They pass by one another, dance on the opposing side, and then return.

"But eventually, the young Odette and Derek began to grow closer. When he was old enough, Prince Derek would go off to fight dragons, and Princess Odette found she was beside herself with worry for him."

Accordingly, Claudine draws her sword and begins to dance as though doing battle with some unseen force. Maya lingers at the corner of the stage, fretting for her safety.

"When Prince Derek would return to her, Odette would welcome him with open arms and heal his wounds."

Claudine's weary shadow comes limping home, and Maya runs to her, embracing her gently and letting her lean on her. They become very close - almost inseparable.

"As the years passed them by, the day they could be wed approached. But on his final expedition across the lands, Prince Derek angered a very powerful wizard..."

The music and lights change suddenly, become ominous and reddish-purple as Futaba's shadow appears, clad in long robes.

"The wizard used a crystal ball to spy on Derek until he returned to Odette, and once the wizard saw her, he wanted her all for himself. So he placed a curse upon her, so that she would turn into a swan by night."

Here, the lights shift and more patterns appear on-screen. Maya is given her wings, stretching her arms wide to reveal the feathers. She dances with the graceful awkwardness of a swan who was once a human girl, conveying the confusion and torment of her character. When Claudine re-enters the scene, she walks right past Maya without giving her a second glance.

"Prince Derek had no idea that Odette had been transformed. He'd thought she had run out on him, or worse, been kidnapped. So he left the castle in search of her, never knowing that she had been beside him all the while in the wrong shape. By morning, Odette returned to her human form and wept."

Maya figure loses her wings and crumples to the stage in grief as Claudine turns away and doesn't turn back. Instead, Futaba's shadow appears and covers Maya with the black cloak.

"The wizard appeared that night and stole Odette away to keep her for himself. Whether she was a swan or a girl, she was the most beautiful creature in the world, and he refused to let anyone else have her…"

Futaba whisks Maya away, farther and farther from Claudine. When the lights dim in nighttime, Maya gets her wings back and dances for the wizard in a grieving flight.

"He kept her locked away by day, and watched her swim all alone on the pond by night. He had cast a spell to prevent her from flying to escape. And every morning when she returned to her true form, he asked her to marry him. And every time she refused, claiming that her Prince would come for her yet. The wizard laughed, and told Odette she'd wither away and die of old age before the Prince ever came in search of a swan."

As Futaba drags Maya away, Claudine returns to the stage. With her sword-in hand, she dances wearily and heavily.

"But Prince Derek had never given up on his search for Odette. He'd traveled all of his kingdom and hers and many others in search of her. And every day, he missed her more and more greatly, and loved her more deeply. He fought his way through several wars in search of her, but even when he was bloody and wounded he did not rest."

Claudine's dance becomes wobbly and unsteady. She stumbles several times, using her sword as a crutch. The music that follows her is weak, and the lights around her are bleeding red.

"By the time Prince Derek finally arrived at the wizard's castle, he has almost no life left in him. He arrived at midnight, when Odette had already taken the form of a swan. Derek staggered to the pond, desperate for water, and that is where he spotted the glowing white bird trapped on the water."

Claudine drops to her knees, her shadow to one side of the stage while Futaba's is on the other. Both of them are gazing to the center, where Maya is dancing with her wings outstretched.

"The wizard and Prince Derek locked eyes from across the water. The wizard shouted to frighten him away, but Prince Derek didn't hear the threats. His eyes were drawn to the beautiful swan, and in an instant he knew it was Odette.

"The first night she had been transformed, he hadn't recognized her because he had not yet missed her for more than a day. But now, in her absence for so long, he had come to love and long for her so terribly that his ache for her surpassed the wizard's spell, and he recognized her even as a swan. And so Derek threw himself into the water, calling out her name."

Claudine drops her sword behind her and leaps forward toward Maya. In turn, Maya begins dancing toward her.

"Odette and Derek finally recognized one another again, and their love transcended even the wizard's spell. But this angered the wizard, so much that he created an arrow from a bolt of lightning. He declared that if he could not have Odette in her beauty, then no one could. The wizard thrust the arrow toward the swan, intending to kill her so no one could take her from him…"

Futaba's shadow draws out a long spear-like prop. She rushes in from behind Maya, attempting to run her shadow through with it.

"But Prince Derek saw what Odette could not see behind her. With a desperate cry, he leapt into the water behind her and took the arrow through his own chest."

Claudine interferes with a desperate leap, and Futaba runs her shadow through instead. The music screeches to a halt, and the lights turn red once more. Claudine falls to the floor and lies still.

"Only when it was too late did Odette realize what Derek had done for her. She flew to his body and screamed, wailing in such terrible grief and anger that it frightened the wizard. This screeching, ugly bird - overcome by loss and rage - was not the beautiful thing he desired. In his fear, his spell weakened under Odette's fury and love. All at once, she was transformed back into a human girl."

A burst of golden light spreads across the stage, and Maya loses her wings. Now, she gathers Claudine's shadow into her arms and kisses her. Futaba staggers back.

"Odette's anger and rage terrified the wizard, who only expected her to be beautiful and compliant. The power of her love was much stronger than the power of his magic. With it, she reduced the wizard to nothing more than weeds on the water."

With a swirl of the shadows, Futaba disappears from the stage.

"The wizard's remaining magic found its way to Prince Derek, and Odette used it to her will. With a kiss, she revived him, and the curse was broken."

Claudine's body heaves, as though breathing again for the first time, and Maya locks her in her arms. Slowly, they help each other to their feet, and begin to dance together as the light around them turns warm and golden.

"With the curse on Princess Odette broken, and Prince Derek spared from the brink of death, the two returned to their kingdoms to be wed. And they lived happily ever after."

The play concludes with Maya and Claudine sharing one last kiss, and then the lights go out.

The two girls hold their kiss for a moment as the applause registers in their heads.

"Uh, guys? You can give it a rest now."

Only when Futaba approaches with a laugh do Maya and Claudine quickly scramble apart.

"T-Tendo Maya!"

"I was merely making sure it lasted until the very end of the scene."

"Mechante va, I swear…"

"Oy, Kuro!"

"Tendo-han~"

"Karen-chan! Great job!"

Futaba, Kaoruko and Mahiru scurry over to congratulate them.

"Thanks!" Karen sniffles, then turns to Claudine and Maya. "You guys, that was amazing! I was so mo… movied!"

"Karen-chan, I think you mean moved."

"Yeah, that!"

Finally, Nana and Junna join them.

"That was amazing, you two!" Nana throws an arm around each of them.

"Well done. To all of us," Junna adds.

"Yes, yes," Kaoruko says. "Isn't it about time for our final bow?"

"She's right, everyone. Let's get in line."

The nine actresses take each others' hands, then slowly begin filing out onstage.

As the audience continues its boisterous applause, the girls are revealed to them for the first time tonight. Until now, all they've seen were shadows behind a screen and voices over the microphone, but now the girls stand for everyone to see them.

Their instructor takes up the mic again, announcing their names one by one as each girl bows, until all nine of them take a bow together.

After the girls of Class B and the crew are acknowledged, everyone is wished a safe evening and dismissed from the theater.

Happily exhausted, the girls retreat backstage to start changing out of their costumes.

For nearly an hour, they all chat and discuss the plays with their colleagues and friends; while the crew commend the actresses, the actresses commend the crew. They make sure that everyone who played a part, down to the smallest lighting angle adjustment, knows they played a major role in the success of tonight's performance.

They save the major cleanup for tomorrow, and tonight simply head back to Starlight Hall to eat and shower.

By the time all is said and done it's nearly midnight, but they allow themselves to hang out in their lounge for a while regardless. They sit in their respective seats in their respective pairs and trio as Nana serves a hearty amount of pre-made treats. It's just like the day they'd been given their lines for this play, and though that had been weeks ago, it feels like only yesterday.

The nine of them are winding down now, but still have so much to say about their performance.

"I loved it!" Karen squeals. "It was just so cool and different! I think the audience really enjoyed it, too!"

"I think so, too," Hikari agrees. "And I liked our versions of the fairytales a lot. Sleeping Beauty didn't just fall in love with some guy she'd never met before."

"That's right!" Mahiru smiles. "She knew about the prince all her life, and they had an established relationship. And even though Lyla was meant to be a friend, she and Aurora fell in love too."

"But no one got left out!" Karen exclaims. "It's the first time I've seen a love triangle have a happy ending for everyone! They all came to love each other!"

"I like that a lot," Hikari says, leaning in to Karen's side.

"Me too," Mahiru agrees, and she leans in on Karen's other side.

Karen beams and hugs them both close to her. Hikari and Mahiru hug her back, and make sure to put their arms around each other in the process as well.

Across from them, Kaoruko and Futaba share their thoughts on their own play too.

"Cinderella had quite the favorable ending as well," Kaoruko says. "No one was burned or banished. They all made up nicely."

"And," Futaba adds. "She and the Prince didn't just love each other for their looks. They got to know each other at the ball and fell in love with each others' personalities and stuff. Makes it a bit less shallow."

"Not to mention the Prince knew her without even needing to give her the slipper to try on," Kaoruko says with a dreamy sigh. "Quite the twist."

"I'll say. It made it feel like true love instead of magic, y'know?"

"Cinderella was always such a hard worker, taking care of all the chores…" Kaoruko mumbles. "Perhaps the Prince will help her out from now on…"

She trails off, cuddling up to Futaba's side. Futaba grins and lays an arm around her shoulders snugly.

Next, it's Junna's and Nana's turn.

"Thumbelina was tricky, but we pulled it off. I think it looked great," Junna says.

"Me, too!" Nana giggles, clinging to her roommate's arm. "And it wasn't just Cornelius who saved Thumbelina, but she saved him, too!"

"Right. It's nice when the stories have versions where the women do more than just fall asleep and get rescued," Junna mutters. "And I liked that her love was so warm it brought spring to melt the ice."

"Right? Isn't that amazing? Thumbelina manipulated time and the season for the one she loved!"

"It's really something."

They share a look, one that has too much in it to be explained, and then come together for a soft, quiet kiss.

Lastly, Maya and Claudine discuss their play.

"Derek and Odette," Claudine says. "They were at-odds at the start, but gradually started to understand each other better."

"Indeed," Maya agrees. "And once they had known one another, no one else would do. Not even magic itself could tear them apart."

"And that wizard," Claudine grumbles. "Only wanted her for himself. As a trophy. Something to be shown off and admired. He couldn't handle it when he realized Odette wasn't just some passive, compliant woman. When she could grieve and express her anger and her more powerful emotions, he called her ugly. And yet, that was arguably when she was most beautiful."

"I agree," Maya smiles. "Her love for Derek was unmatched, as was his love for her. He loved her enough to die for her, and she loved him enough to bend magic to her will and break a curse. Truly a fated pair."

Maya gazes into her eyes for a moment, making a silent request. Only when Claudine glances around the room to discover the rest of their friends are indulged in their own affectionate antics does she accept and draw Maya in for a kiss.

All nine girls are enveloped in a warm and comfortable silence as the elation of their success tonight settles in. And a moment later, the clock strikes midnight.

"Well," Junna speaks up. "That's curfew. We should all get to bed."

"Sounds good."

"Okay."

"Good job, tonight."

"See you tomorrow!"

"Goodnight."

And so the nine girls go their separate ways for the night, though they stick with their respective roommates and partners for the.

And they, too, all lived happily ever after.

------------

A/N: Wow! What a unique story to write! I admit, I wasn't too certain if/how I'd pull this off in the beginning since describing a shadow play would be just figures and narration. I had to share my own narration as the author with the character narrating each mini play. It was a balance between my own narrations, the narrating girl's narration, and a description of the acting girls' shadows, movements, and the lights and music. I hope it read all right and that you could envision everything!

When discussing the fairytales, we decided on these (and had to go against Princess and the Frog for the very reasons Nana described ahha) But we wanted each play to reflect each relationship and the girls to some degree.

I wanted Karen to be Sleeping Beauty, and for a new character and the Prince to 'fight' for her affections as Hikari and Mahiru did. One who knew her since childhood and one who met her later in life, but who both loved and needed her.

As for Kaoruko and Futaba, I twisted the usual expectations and let Futaba be the princess for a change, since she's always doing the chores and taking care of Kaoruko. Hence why in the end, Kaoruko said the Prince would help out from now on. (Also, putting Junna as the Fairy Godmother here was because she's the one who warned about midnight, and Junna is typically the one reminding everyone about curfew, like she did at the end here!"

Of course I needed the tallest one Nana to play the tiniest Thumbelina. And Junna had to be the one with wings, as she'd be the one to get Nana off the ground when she felt trapped (by her revues and timeloops). And Thumbelina's tears changing winter to spring and "manipulating time!" I thought that was a nice touch.

And finally, Maya and Claudine being Odette and Derek, who were at-odds in the beginning, but eventually came to understand each other better. Of course Maya had to be the one to turn into a swan, but not just for the symbolism the anime gives us. I made sure to have Claudine explain it in the end: Maya was kept as a prize. A trophy for people to look at and admire. Of course, this is indicative of how her parents allegedly treated her. And Claudine breaks her free from that curse.

Overall, this was a super fun time! I hope you all enjoyed these little fairytales and the neat shadow play idea! These were all combinations of the most well-known fairytales, as well as other versions and my own made-up ones ahah