Chapter 3:

Magical Mischief

Idol Mind


"So, who are you?" Yumeda asked Takuma and Amelie once they were safely backstage and hidden from sight.

She glanced at Kris for help, but he put his hand behind his head sheepishly, prompting them all to introduce themselves to each other.

Amelie then grabbed the two males and whispered to them, "Apparently there's a missing fairy called Desiree, and she looks like Kanade here." At this, she jabbed a thumb across her shoulder at the idol. "Watch out for any magical mischief, okay?"

Kris side eyed her, skepticism written all over his face, only to get an answer just then. A small creak indicated Quartz had used one of the backstage doors to enter in the middle of the paparazzi kerfuffle.

The redhead gave a small smirk and produced two tiles from a side pocket. "These are what you use as entry for the competition. If you want to look out for magic, a stage view is the best way to go."

Takuma visibly balked at the sight of the tickets, so Amelie took the smaller numbered tile - 19 - with a discerning shake of her head.
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After the paparazzi had settled down enough to resume the competition, Amelie took a seat with the other entrants, scratching her head at what she was going to do.

She hadn't ever done theatre or singing classes before. She'd done piano previously, plus she'd sung and danced in concerts that were a compulsory part of one school's curriculum, but her skills in those areas were now so rusty she was next to useless...(This was a good time to curse, but she held back with every fibre of her being.)

The numbers on the large screens announcing the next performer kept advancing, and after a few numbers had gone, she had a vague idea of what she was going to do. A few more went by as she fiddled around with her phone and made a call home.

Amelie retook her seat once she was set up, watching the final numbers increase with beads of sweat forming on her forehead, her gaze intense. Takuma had gone home as soon as his job was done, content to leave her to the fate she'd chosen, but as he finally bothered to leave, he passed Amelie's mother...

The wavy-haired woman was holding a hemp bag of some sort, but what was in it?