ReLive: The Unreasonable Routes To Redeeming The Villainess (ch2)

EARLY RELEASE FOR ALL MY PATRONS! THANK YOU!

Wow, I'm blown away at how excited people are for this story! 0mn had some specific ideas in mind for this, so I hope you'll all enjoy how things play out! This chapter rewinds a bit to tell things from Maya's perspective of what happens to her and the other girls.

Disclaimer: I do not own Shoujo Kageki Revue Starlight.

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                                              Chapter 2. Deal With The Devil


It's been four days since Claudine had left for France, and Maya has to admit her partner's absence is affecting her in more ways than she ever thought it could.

Even though she knows Claudine isn't even in the same country right now, Maya still finds herself stealing glances at her desk, or turning in the lunchroom to talk to an empty chair, or seeking her out during dance lessons before she remembers.

And she truly hates to think she's being rude to consider it as such, but she feels she has to hold back in her dance lessons when partnered with her other friends and classmates. Though she knows it's insulting to them not to be constantly giving her all, she does feel she needs to restrain herself to some degree, because no one else can match her quite like Claudine can.

It all feels a bit strange. Claudine had left for France in the past, but that had been over spring break when they'd all been on vacation from classes, visiting their own homes. However, this is the first time Claudine has been absent from classes for so long, even if it is under a legitimate excuse.

It makes Maya a little happy to see that the others are constantly seeming to forget that Claudine isn't here at the moment as well; Futaba keeps opening her phone to text her before remembering Claudine won't receive the messages internationally, Nana keeps making the usual nine muffins instead of just eight, Kaoruko keeps to her own space on the couch as if still subconsciously expecting Claudine to be taking up the spot next to her, and Karen keeps calling out her nickname as if she's standing right there with them all to engage in the conversation.

They all miss her, and they all just can't wait for her to come back in three more days' time.

That Wednesday night, the eight of them are relaxing together in the lounge after their showers, winding down and preparing for bed. Maya does her best not to lean into the space beside her where Claudine should be as she flips through a book without really reading it. She tunes in partially to the conversation her friends are having around her.

"I wonder what time it is for Kuro-chan right now..." Karen hums.

Junna heaves a sigh.

"Karen. I've already told you a thousand times. Japan is ahead of France by seven hours. So if it's 8PM for us now, then for Saijou-san it's…?" She trails off, hopeful Karen can deduce that much on her own. Karen rolls her knuckles against her temple in deep though.

"Seven hours, right? Hrrmm so eight minus seven is… Ah! So it's noon for her, right?"

"…How did you make it to high school…"

"You were close, Karen-chan," Nana says, giving her disgruntled roommate a pacifying pat on the shoulder. "It's actually 1PM for Kuro-chan right now! If I remember correctly, today is the day of her cousin's actual wedding! I bet Kuro-chan is wearing such a pretty dress and singing for everyone right now~!"

"Ahh, I'm envious," Kaoruko sighs. "Futaba-han, when can we have our wedding so I can wear a fancy dress?"

"How about 'in your dreams'?"

"Why, I never!"

A light-hearted chuckle goes up around the room, and Maya finds herself smiling as well.

It's then when a sudden haze blurs her vision without warning. She blinks and rubs her wrist across her eyes, but it doesn't clear up. At the same time, she hears her friends' laughter fading all around her.

"H-Hey-" Mahiru yawns. "Karen-chan, Hikari-chan… you guys can't fall asleep here…"

"Kaoruko…" Futaba mumbles. "Get up…"

"Nana," Junna drawls. "Hey, C'mon. We gotta get back to our room first…"

As Maya lifts her gaze now, she can see all her other friends nodding off without warning, as if their energy has all been drained and sapped away in an instant. She feels the same way and, before she knows it, her eyes are falling shut against her will...

.

.

.

When she's next aware of her senses, she already knows exactly where she is, even long before she opens her eyes. She can already hear the low groaning sound of the Korosu as they clatter along the stage.

Maya forces herself awake and pushes herself up.

But she doesn't find herself at the underground stage she's expecting, nor in the same outfit.

Rather, she finds herself in what seems like another world entirely.

There is a massive building that seems more akin to a castle, with tall iron gates all around it. Green forest extends in every direction surrounding the massive property, which is spotted with statues of dragons and gargoyles.

She is wearing a black vest and tailcoat over a white button-up shirt and pants. There is silver tulle at her hip, almost like that which adorns her revue skirt. A blue tie is fastened at her chest, and her hair is loose all down her back. Clearly, she is being made to play a specific role.

All around her, her seven friends are waking and rising to their feet as well, dressed in similar, lavish outfits. Nana's outfit is similar to Maya's own, only her vest and cloak are gold instead. Junna is wearing a teal gown with intricate yellow lace embroidered along the edges. Futaba is dressed in a grey suit of light armor with a purple cape around her shoulders and a sword at her hip. Kaoruko adorns a lavish pink layered dress. Hikari's formal dress is dark blue, while Mahiru's is green, and finally Karen's is mostly red, accented with both white and gold.

They are all costumes for a certain play, though Maya can't recall the title just at the moment. She checks her hip for her own sword, but evidently she was not given a weapon of any kind for this role.

"Wh-Where are we…?" Mahiru's timid voice is the first to break the silence. "What is this place…?"

"The hell is this?" Futaba spits. "A ReLive?" She draws the sword she'd been given, but then seems to realize she is the only one prepared for battle. "O-Oy! What am I, a knight or somethin'?"

"It would appear so," Kaoruko agrees, admiring her own gown. "And though it isn't exactly a wedding dress, I'll take it!"

"This play…" Maya and the others look to Hikari now as she speaks for the first time in what seems like hours. "I remember it. It's 'Ashes of the Phoenix'."

"Ah! You're right, Hikari-chan!" Karen blurts. "We read this one before! It's like an otome game! Where the new girl in this big prestigious medieval magical school gets bullied by the villainess, falls in love with the prince-like character, and then she and all her friends end up giving the villainess her just-dessert in the end before living happily ever after!"

"That's right," Junna says. "We read this in class a while back, a little after Kagura-san transferred in. Though we never actually performed it."

"But…" Nana glances around nervously. "There were nine characters in this play. We're… missing someone…"

Maya has already noticed it herself as well. She remembers this play very well now. And just as Nana had said, it is a play that requires nine roles, nine actresses…

Suddenly, the low growling that's been humming in the backs of their heads rumbles louder, interrupting the peaceful breeze of what's meant to be the magical school's campus. The eight of them turn with the same dread in their eyes.

As feared, the shadows are coming alive, and Korosu are appearing before them and slowly advancing.

Maya bites her lip.

"They're here…"

"H-Hey!" Kaoruko wails, scurrying behind Futaba. "How are we supposed to fight them exactly? Only Futaba-han has a weapon!" She points fearfully at the monsters from behind her roommate.

But then suddenly, a flash of pink light bursts forth from her finger and shoots straight out at the Korosu she'd been pointing at, illuminating it in a bright flash before the creature dissipates.

Everyone blinks in shock.

"Whoa!" Karen squeals. "Kaoruko-chan, that was amazing! How did you do that?"

"I-I have no idea… But I think I'd like to do it again-!"

Another Korosu comes charging at them, but this time Nana throws herself in its path.

"I've got it!" She, too, holds her hands up and seems to concentrate, and in seconds a beam of yellow light flies forth and shatters the Korosu to pieces.

"I-Incredible!" Mahiru cheers.

"This is a magical world, after all," Junna says. "Or, at least, 'Ashes of the Phoenix' was set in a magical world. So if that's the play we have to act out…" She imitates pulling back an arrow on a bow, and a teal streak of light materializes out of thin air and strikes down another Korosu.

Maya looks down at her own hands now.

"I see… so we are in the world of that play then, acting out its roles… But Saijou-san isn't present to fulfill hers…"

This hasn't happened before - not in the same way, at least. Maya herself had taken the burden of performing an entire play on her own once before, and thus nearly gotten erased from her world. She might still be stuck there now, acting all on her own, if it hadn't been for Claudine who had remembered her and jumped onto that stage to save her.

But this is the first time most of them have been onstage together like this while lacking one required person.

/I'm not certain this will work-/

"Hyah!"

"Take that!"

By now, all of her friends have begun wielding the magic this world has bestowed upon them, casting out beams of colored light as their weapons to strike down their enemies.

Maya shakes herself off for the time being and focuses on the Korosu before her, joining in with the rest of them. She finds that casting her magic is very simply a matter of giving form to her emotions and intentions until they materialize and do her bidding.

And they all seem to be casting good amounts of magic, too, save for Karen, whose character is not quite as gifted as the rest.

Maya herself, along with Nana's and Kaoruko's characters, are exceptionally gifted, a bit more so than everyone else.

But no matter how long they cast their spells for, more Korosu keep appearing.

Karen runs out of fuel first, and Mahiru isn't far behind her.

"It's no use…" Karen whimpers. "I've got nothing left!"

"Me, either…"

The two of them fall back to hide behind the others, but it isn't long after that when Junna reaches her limit, and then Futaba, too.

"This is bad," Junna grunts. "Using too much magic all at once depletes our energy…"

"Damn it…" Futaba spits. "I can't even lift up my sword now…"

Maya continues striking down the advancing Korosu, but she can tell her friends are all gradually being pushed back against the gates. A moment later, Hikari staggers back into Mahiru's and Karen's arms.

"Hikari-chan!"

"S-Sorry…" she mumbles.

"It's okay! You did your best."

Now it's only Maya and the other two gifted characters left. Kaoruko is pouring everything she has into her spells, but she's beginning to tremble, and Nana's accuracy is starting to falter as well. Maya curses to herself as her own vision starts to get blurry.

/This isn't going to work. Not without Saijou-san to fulfill that final role… We need a way out of this-/

There's only one thing left she can think to try - and she isn't even completely certain that it will work.

She flashes Nana a glance, apologizing that she'll have to leave things in her care now as Kaoruko finally slumps into Futaba's arms. Nana gives Maya a quick nod, and instead of attacking the Korosu, she now uses her remaining power to create a defensive barrier around the girls.

Only Maya is excluded, as she tears herself away and starts dashing off into the forest, away from the main 'setting' of the play.

If anywhere, he'll be somewhere off to the side, somewhere unimportant to the scene.

Using her remaining strength, she draws in a deep breath and shouts at the top of her lungs.

"Giraffe-!"

She hears a fluttering sound, though there are no stage curtains visible. She pauses as a strong gust of wind cuts through the trees, causing dozens of leaves to rustle free.

Maya turns around and spots the giraffe standing there amongst the trees that are taller than even he is, far out of reach from where the others are fighting for their lives to protect this play. Maya squares her shoulders and faces him with an intense gaze so hot she likes to believe that's what makes his ear flick.

"Tendo Maya-san." He dips his head, his voice as calm and unhindered as always. "Why is it that you have called me here? It is my job to observe, not to interfere."

Maya is painfully aware that Nana's barrier must be running thinner by the second. But she doesn't turn back, fearful that if she takes her eyes off the giraffe for even a second longer than it takes her to blink, he'll vanish for good.

"We can't go on like this," she declares.

The giraffe merely blinks.

"Then I suppose the play 'Ashes of the Phoenix' will be lost to the world forever. What a shame. It shall be the first play you Stage Girls will have ever failed to save. I understand."

"No." Maya doesn't waver. She stands firm and keeps her voice level. "We won't let that happen. We will have our ninth actress. We just need to wait for her."

"Wait for her?" he repeats with feigned incredulousness. "The stage waits for no one, Tendo Maya-san. You, of all people, know that best, do you not?"

"I do," she nods. "But there must be some way to make an exception, just this once. Kagura-san always said you would never give special treatment, and yet you did as much for her and Aijou-san, did you not?" She turns his speech pattern right back at him with unwavering eyes. He blinks, realizing who Maya is referring to.

"Perhaps… there is one way to place everything on pause. Though I must warn you, should your ninth actress never come to fulfill her role, the rest of you shall remain trapped in the world of this play for eternity. It very well may be that putting yourselves and 'Ashes of the Phoenix' into such a stasis may erase your existences from the world you once knew.

"It is all too likely that Saijou Claudine-san may forget that any of you or your shared ReLives ever existed at all. If she does not come to find you all here, you will never be set free." He stares down at her from afar and blinks again slowly. "Are you truly willing to gamble everything for such an uncertain future, Tendo Maya-san?"

He gives her the logic of the play, of the ReLives, of the stage itself, and of this other world she is now a part of. He gives her the rationality of the twisted laws of the performances in which they act.

Maya knows the dangers herself. She had been 'erased' once before.

But even in spite of all that, the possibility that Claudine might forget them doesn't even register in her mind. When asked to weigh her options, and if she's willing to put herself and her friends at risk, to have all their lives balanced on the precarious hope that is Saijou Claudine…

To Maya, there is only one answer.

"Yes!"

Her voice carries on the wind through the trees, reaching the giraffe and causing his ears to flick again, proof that he had acknowledged her answer.

"Are you certain?"

"Yes!" Maya shouts again. "I have the utmost faith in her. I know Saijou-san will remember us. I know she will come to our aid."

"You speak from the heart," he warns. "And while it is true that this stage responds to emotion, it does still obey an order and logic of its own. Simply hoping your friend will remember you is a dangerous game indeed. It may be true that she remembered you alone once before, Tendo Maya-san. But the effort it would take for her to remember eight erased Stage Girls lost in this play would surely be impossible, regardless of how strong your bond might have been. At that level, it is no longer a matter of remembering you; you never existed to her at all."

"No-!" Maya glares furiously up at him. "She won't forget us. Or even if her mind does, her heart never will. It may take some time perhaps… but she will come for us! I'm certain!"

The giraffe swishes his tail this time and finally lowers his head.

"I understand. I accept your decision, Tendo Maya-san. From this moment onward, I shall lock 'Ashes of the Phoenix' and all its present cast members into a state of stasis. The Korosu will not be able to enter, nor will any of you be able to leave. Not until the ninth actress has arrived to fulfill her role and finish this play."

"Very well," Maya agrees.

"Until then," he says. "The rest of you must perform the play as it is meant to be, though I'd imagine that will be quite difficult with one major character missing. Reenact what you can, and hopefully it will be enough to satisfy the desires of the stage. But if your performance is lacking for too long, and the Korosu manage to break free, I will not be able to interfere on your behalf a second time."

Maya tenses, but nods. They have no other options at the moment anyway. If they don't 'pause' the play right now as she plans to, the others will be overcome and harmed by the Korosu right away. Her plan of holding out hope - of waiting for Claudine - at least buys them a bit of time. She's certain not too much time has passed in the real world by now. In only a few more days, Claudine will return.

/She will return. And she will remember us. I have faith in her heart./

And so, Maya has made her deal with the devil.

The giraffe lifts his head as high as it can go, contributing his will unto the stage.

Maya turns back toward the direction she'd come, hoping her friends are all right. When she turns again to look for him, the giraffe has vanished.

She hurries back toward the castle of a school where she'd left her friends. The seven of them are huddled together and weary, but unharmed. Nana's barrier had held out until the last second. The Korosu are at bay now, though steadily advancing.

But before any of the girls can speak, there is a loud grating sound as the tall iron gates creak open.

"Go!" Maya urges them. "We must!"

And so the eight Stage Girls run through to the other side of the gates, and the hard metal slams closed behind them. The Korosu clatter to the iron bars but can't get through. Though with their weapons and armored bodies, it would surely only be a matter of time before they eventually started sawing away at the iron.

But for now, Maya steps back with her friends and turns to face the massive castle before them.

"From now on," she explains. "We must live in this world. We must act out this play to the best of our abilities. And we must wait for her, no matter how long it may take."

"Wait for her?" Nana blinks. "Duchess Tendo, who are you referring to, exactly?"

"Eh?" The Duchess shakes her head, and suddenly she can no longer recall what she'd been talking about. "Pardon me, Marchioness Daiba. I must have been daydreaming."

"That's rare of you," Baroness Hoshimi chuckles. "In any case, we should be off to class now."

"Oh boy!" The Village Girl Aijou claps her hands together in glee. "My first-ever day of magic classes! I can't wait!"

"Do your best," Dame Tsuyuzaki smiles.

And just like that, the Stage Girls forget who they once were in order to fully assume the roles they were given.

For the sake of committing themselves to the play, they lose all previous memories, and are given the artificial thoughts, lives, and fates of the characters which they now play.

The giraffe had known this would be the case, but he hadn't mentioned it to Tendo Maya.

Because he wanted to grant this wish of hers and see what would come of a play where the eight actresses no longer knew of themselves, and where their remaining ninth would return and should no longer hold any memories of them either.

It will surely make for an interesting and unique play - even if it is doomed from the start to end in tragedy.

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A/N: Hopefully this clears some things up, even with the stage's twisted logic. It should've been that Claudine forgot her friends like the rest of Seishou did, to the point where they never existed at all. Yet somehow...