When Celeste, Stella, and Crystal entered the dance studio, the blue-haired girl’s eyes grew wide. A long, gleaming mirror covered one wall, and a smooth, slender barre stood beside it. The light-colored floor was made of polished wood. It seemed to glow and reflect the light from the window almost as much as the mirror, bathing the studio in a flood of light. Florian was there, along with Coraline, who was practicing at the barre. She wore a leotard, an off-the-shoulder sweater, and leg warmers.
Florian greeted Crystal when she stepped inside. “Oh, you’re finally here! Now we can begin the next segment of the audition: ballet! As you are auditioning for a part in a water ballet, it is only fitting you have a clear knowledge of various, pivotal ballet moves. I am going to test that knowledge now.”
Crystal’s eyes sparkled.
“Wow, there’s so much that goes into the art of water ballet!” she thought.
“All right, who would like to go first?” Florian asked.
Crystal waved her hand awkwardly at her rival. “O—oh—um—you go ahead, Coraline!” To herself, Crystal thought nervously,
“...She has to go first or I’m not going to know how to perform a single step…!”
Coraline was only too happy to perform first. Florian stared at Crystal, smiling at her good-naturedness. Then, following Florian’s commands, Coraline executed several ballet moves such as the arabesque, chassé, and grand pirouette. Crystal found herself mesmerized by Coraline’s skill.
“She exhibits so much power! Yet…she is so graceful, too…!”
“Boy, did you see those series of turns?! Crystal sure has some stiff competition…!” Stella told Celeste anxiously.
“Your routine is as flawless as always, Coraline…” Florian said to her. Coraline smiled with satisfaction at his praise, but she failed to notice that there was a hint of dissatisfaction in the tone. He turned to Crystal. “Lilliana, you may proceed. Start with a chassé and end with an arabesque.”
Crystal walked to the center of the room.
“Let’s see, that looks like…” She closed her eyes, envisioning the steps. She nimbly hopped sideways several times, one foot rhythmically after the other. Then, she finished by spreading out her arms. She stood on one leg, while the other was extended high behind her.
Though not as powerful as Coraline, there was an incredibly airy and fluid quality to her dancing. She looked like a graceful swan unfurling its wings as though she would take flight at any moment. This image of the aquatic bird seemed to embody the gentle, lovely woman so well that the resemblance was uncanny in Florian’s mind.
“Pfft! Any water ballerina can pull off those basic moves!” muttered Coraline, seeing her skill, yet refusing to be impressed.
But Celeste and Stella beamed happily. “She looks just like a real dancer!” Stella quietly exclaimed.
“All right, now grand pirouette!” Florian keenly watched, thinking,
“…This will reveal just how high her level of skill is!”
At this command from Florian, Crystal thought for a moment, unsure. Seeing Crystal struggling to remember the dance move, Celeste subtly twirled her finger in an attempt to show her the motion that was used.
“Oh, that’s right!” Catching the movement, Crystal went en pointe and broke forth in a series of energetic twirls, arms raised in an arc above her. Everyone was amazed by the way she was able to spin rapidly without wobbling.
“Once I start, it all comes out so naturally! It’s so much fun!” Crystal twirled so much, though, that she fell to the floor, exhausted.
Celeste and Stella gasped. They quickly put Crystal’s arms around their shoulders while they supported her. Stella chuckled nervously. “Yep, no doubt about it! Lilliana really shines when she’s doing ballet! Looks like she got just an eensy bit too enthusiastic this time, though!”
Walking Crystal to a corner of the room, Celeste whispered reprimandingly, “Crystal, don’t go overboard! This is all new to you, and you don’t want them to get suspicious!”
Crystal smiled wearily. “I’m sorry, but…It’s so amazing to be doing things that were impossible for me to do before! I felt just like a beautiful ballerina or a spinning top the way I whirled and twirled endlessly!”
Noticing the girl’s dreamy, far-off look, Celeste and Stella glanced at each other. Celeste said in a serious tone, “Crystal…I know using your new magical powers may seem fun at first, but be careful. Even your magical strength has its limits.”
While Celeste had been talking, Florian was giving directions to Coraline about where the last segment of the audition would take place. As Coraline was about to walk past the three women and out of the room, Crystal’s eyes lit up. She shyly exclaimed, “Oh! Nice job, Coraline! Your dancing was so wonderful, I couldn’t take my eyes off you!”
Coraline shot a snobby, sideways glance at Crystal and replied, “Hmph! Well, of course! What did you expect, second-rate skills like yours?”
Hearing the conversation, Florian looked up and stared intently at Crystal and Coraline. Crystal’s shoulders slumped as she watched Coraline walk away. “She’s right…Coraline…she really should get the role of the mermaid princess…she’s so perfect for it. I wonder…why does Florian want me with her around…?”
Stella snorted. “‘Perfect’, huh? I don’t think she’s a perfect fit, and I bet Florian doesn’t think so, either!”
Stella jumped as the water ballet director himself approached them. “...The final segment of the audition is swimming. Meet me in the pool area down the hall once you’ve changed.” Florian seemed pensive as he walked out of the room.
***
When Crystal, Celeste, and Stella reached the indoor pool area, Crystal eyed the glistening water nervously, tightly clutching the Seashimmer Pendant around her neck.
“I—I hope this pendant works its magic again…because I can’t swim a single stroke without it!”
Stella enthusiastically put her hands on Crystal’s shoulders, giggling as she surveyed the girl’s appearance. “Don’t worry, it will! And the Merlala Pact didn’t do too bad a job, either, did it? Isn’t your swimsuit the cutest?”
Crystal looked down at her pink, one-piece swimsuit. It was decorated with white ruffles and a little bow at the neckline. “Yes, it is! The Merlala Pact really is magical! It always creates the perfect clothes for me!”
Stella clapped her hands excitedly. “I know, it’s so crazy good, isn’t it? Hey, how come we coaches don’t get any wardrobe changes? Celeste, how ‘bout—”
But Celeste quickly cut her off. “No way, Stella! That Merlala Pact is for Crystal! Don’t go abusing it by changing your outfit for no reason!”
“Aw, man! I never get to have any fun!” Stella mumbled.
Just then, Coraline walked into the room. She wore a sleek, strappy, one-piece swimsuit and her usual sour expression. Florian, who had been waiting for the two water ballerinas to arrive, thought,
“Now the time has come for the real test!”
Out loud, he said, “All right, Coraline and Lilliana, this is the final segment of the audition. You will now be tested on balletic swimming as well as fundamental swim strokes.” Turning very serious, his eyes narrowed. “This segment, though last, is the most rigorous of all. Not only is it extremely difficult to dance as well as swim in the water, but…” His eyes flashed. “...you will be required to do so under the physical strain of all your previous exercises!”
Florian turned to Crystal. She still looked a little tired from the grand pirouette she had performed earlier. Florian’s face softened slightly. “Lilliana, as Coraline knows, this audition closely resembles our regular practice routine here at Water Lily Productions. However, if you have worked yourself to exhaustion already, I will forfeit the role of the mermaid princess to Coraline.” To himself, he added,
“Though it pains me to do so…”
Celeste and Stella gasped at this proposal. Crystal, though slightly intimidated, thought,
“I am pretty tired, but…I’m confident in the magic that has brought me this far!” She wore a resolute look as she said, “...No need for that, Florian! I’m ready for the final test!”
Pleased with her mettle, Florian smiled again. “Very good!”
Annoyed by Crystal’s confident attitude, Coraline snapped, “Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s get started!” Coraline walked toward the pool, thinking back on Crystal’s ballet routine.
“To be able to pull off such a grand pirouette without wobbling…she’s more competition than I thought!” Smirking, she added to herself,
“...But only a rank beginner would tire herself out like that! There’s no way she’ll be able to perform well now in her condition!”
Once Florian told Coraline what moves to demonstrate, Coraline dove into the pool, then executed the butterfly stroke. To Crystal, Coraline did seem to resemble a lovely butterfly as her arms swung in and out of the water at the same time in a wing-like motion. Then, she did a series of twirls on the surface of the water. It reminded Crystal so clearly of the day she first saw Coraline as the mermaid princess.
“Knowing how to execute these moves well is critical…they capture the essence and magic of water ballet…! I have to watch Coraline closely so I can do them just as well—no, even better!”
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When it was Crystal’s turn, she made her way to the pool. Celeste and Stella exchanged worried glances. “I hope Crystal will be okay, Celeste,” Stella said. “Coraline is so good!” Celeste bit her nail, watching anxiously.
“Do it just the way she did it, and you’ll be okay,” Crystal told herself. She touched the Seashimmer Pendant one more time, then dove into the clear water.
Florian’s serious, blue-green eyes reflected the pool as he waited for Crystal to emerge from its depths. In a sparkling spray of water droplets, Crystal finally emerged, performing the butterfly stroke. She raised both of her arms forward, then behind her again like a bird in flight. She captured the water ballet director’s attention with her skill and swiftness.
“Fantastic! For such an ordinarily slow, difficult swim stroke, she performs it with such speed and grace!”
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Crystal executed the series of twirls lightly as though she were a water lily bobbing softly on the surface of the water. She held one hand up high while the other propelled her to move in circular motions. She dove in and out of the water and continued to twirl and swim like a beautiful mermaid dancing lightheartedly in a lagoon. Her eyes glittered with enthusiasm and her bright, genuine smile was infectious. “It reminds me so much of the night of the water ballet…!” Florian reminisced. Crystal was having so much fun, she forgot how tired she was until she was seized with a sudden pain in her leg. She winced, trying to swim, but she began to slowly sink into the water. “M—my leg—!” she shouted.
“Lilliana!” Stella shouted.
“Something’s wrong!” Celeste panicked. Even Coraline was alarmed. All three of the women ran to the pool. But they were beaten by Florian. Seeing Crystal flailing helplessly, he kicked off his sneakers, tore off his jacket, shirt, and sweatpants, and, wearing only swim shorts, dove swiftly into the disturbed waters. As she was about to be completely immersed in the water, he wrapped a firm arm around her and swam to the edge of the pool.
With Celeste, Stella, and Coraline crowding breathlessly around them, Florian dragged Crystal out of the water. Then, he gently laid her on the floor, face up, as he pressed his hands down on her chest several times to remove the water from her lungs.
After choking and spluttering on water, Crystal finally managed to say, “M—my leg! The muscles feel tight!”
“You have a muscle cramp! Don’t worry, everything will be fine!” He gently massaged Crystal’s leg. Then, he directed Coraline to get an ice pack from a first-aid kit nearby. After applying it to Crystal’s leg, the pain steadily eased, and her face grew more relaxed.
“Th…thank you, Florian and Coraline. I—I think I’m beginning to feel better now.” Everyone’s concern melted into relief.
Florian said to Crystal in a soothing voice, “If you can, try to gently stretch your leg. This will help to further relieve the pain.” As she followed his instructions, he explained, “Muscle cramps are dangerous to experience in the middle of swimming. They’re most often caused by overexertion.”
Crystal recalled with regret the grand pirouette she had performed earlier as well as her highly energetic swim routine. She jerked her leg suddenly and winced in pain. Tears formed in her eyes.
“Did I ruin my audition by being completely careless?” she thought.
Now that the shock of Crystal’s injury was over, Coraline leaned over with her hands on her hips to look at Florian. She triumphantly said, “Well, I think we all know who passed this audition with flying colors today! Go ahead, say it, Florian! It’s yours truly, isn’t it?”
Seeing Crystal’s tears and sensing her thoughts, Florian softly told her to stop stretching. Then, he silently stood up. Facing the pink-haired woman, he solemnly said, “Coraline… “It’s true that it’s crucial in water ballet to be able to perform to one’s best ability while maintaining stamina. However…” His eyes glinted like blue fire. “...in your nearly flawless performance today, you were lacking one very important thing…the art of inner beauty!”
“—What?!” Coraline said, confused. Celeste and Stella glanced at each other and smiled while Crystal looked on curiously, waiting to hear more.
“The art of water ballet, like all other art forms, showcases the execution of outward beauty through skillful displays of swim, dance and storytelling. But what’s the point of such skills without meaning? Our experiences, our joys, our sufferings, our virtues, even our vices…as artists, we take what is inside us out onto the stage for all to see. And the audience senses who we are through them. So, if we don’t cultivate the beauty of the heart, how will we ever touch the hearts of others on a deeper level through water ballet?”
Florian closed his eyes and spoke earnestly. “As I watched you and Lilliana during your auditions, I was looking for something more than merely a flawless execution of skills. I was searching for something much harder to find—the beauty of the heart. Inner and outer beauty—it is these two traits combined that make for the perfect water ballerina.”
Florian’s face glowed with warm satisfaction as he offered Crystal a hand. She took it and slowly stood up, wondering what would come next. “While Lilliana proved to be a little too overeager in her performance today, there can be no doubt of her high level of skill. Her grand pirouette, her butterfly stroke…each movement so incredibly light and delicate. Yet, in each motion, I saw such sweetness and purity…yes, and, above all, her sweetness shone in her behavior toward you, Coraline, even when you did not reciprocate. These are the reasons why I have ultimately chosen Lilliana to be my water ballerina.”
Celeste and Stella were overjoyed by these last words and rushed to Crystal’s side to hug her in congratulations. Crystal laughed in relief and happiness. “I did it…! I passed the audition!!”
Coraline was speechless for a moment. She remembered how mean she had been to Crystal, but she couldn’t understand why it cost her so much. She fell to the ground and pounded her fists on the floor as frustrated tears welled in her eyes. “It’s not fair! The role of the mermaid princess should’ve been mine! I only lost on a little technicality!”
Crystal couldn’t help but feel a little sorry for her rival.
“Coraline seemed to want this role so badly…I feel as though I don’t deserve it…”
Even Florian looked at Coraline with pity.
“...But there is always room for improvement…” he thought. He knelt beside her and gently placed a hand on her shoulder. “Coraline…this outcome may not have been what you wanted, but I would welcome such talent as yours in another role for my water ballet.”
The words ‘another role’ meant a more minor one and were like salt in a fresh wound to Coraline. She tore his hand off her shoulder, jerking upright again. “Whatever! I’ll take what I can get! It would be stupid to turn down a job from such a prestigious water ballet company!”
She took her bag and walked sulkily off as Florian looked on, smiling calmly.
“Good…I hope you continue to learn from Lilliana, Coraline…” he thought.
As Crystal prepared to leave the Sea Star Aquatic Center, she happily mused,
“I can’t believe I actually passed my audition! Still…” She touched the Seashimmer Pendant.
“...I know this is just the beginning...I wonder what else lies in store for me as a water ballerina...?”
