Chapter Text
Even as the music played on their formerly silent stage, it wasn’t hard to tell that Ryvin was injured even under the makeup on his face.
Marion had to resist the urge to laugh. Yet her grief kept her from doing so.
What chance should she possibly have against Ryvin.? She wasn't like Seung or AJ who could hold their own in a fight. All she had was her voice, the most vital part of this whole thing that she considered a cruel joke.
She wasn’t supposed to lead the song, but she did, even with the lyrics that felt like she was choking on air.
He didn't have the right to make them so cruel.
As they were forced to write the song together mere hours ago, she didn't know how she suppressed her anger.
It's like he knew about her attachment to AJ, who had failed to beat Ryvin. Perhaps she was a little relieved he lost, so Marion didn't have to face him on their bloodied stage.
How would she be able to face off against AJ if Ryvin had lost? The mere thought of it made her shudder.
Marion had taken over Ryvin’s lines and Ryvin had taken over Marion’s lines. It felt almost wrong, hearing how lovely their voices sounded as they sang in unison. She felt sick.
Why did he sound like him?
The cruelest punishment of it all, she could presume. Nothing could stop her fluctuating emotions from spilling over. Bewilderment and perhaps even a fear of some kind had overwhelmed Marion’s every sense, just keeping her gaze on the audience to keep her rational.
Don’t look at him, Marion. Focus on the performance.
Don’t let him win.
Ryvin’s touch on her shoulder felt like acid, or fire, or paraffin… Something that burned.
As Marion instinctively looked over, she faintly hummed, and even then, the soft tune had faded away as she faced AJ who had taken the place of the man she despised.
Not a single sound escaped her throat as she tried to find her words.
As she was rendered speechless, Ryvin, who played AJ’s part on their theatrical stage, stepped away from the silent Marion, already assuming his victory was within his reach. Such a shame, he thought she would’ve put up more of a fight.
As Marion blankly stared out at the crowd, she watched the aliens and their pets, some of them were familiar…
Hyacinth… Jouichiro… Naea… Dandelion… She saw them stare up at her, forced to watch her desperate display of a performance as she stood almost completely still on the shared stage. There were others but as long as she knew at least someone she loved was still alive, she’d continue to live for them.
Some sort of unfounded determination to win had taken her over, her voice resonating over Ryvin’s who froze at the mere sound of Marion’s desperate sound as she stepped near the edge of the stage, trying to help her voice reach even further than the stage.
He hadn’t expected her to continue singing, albeit her voice a breaking melody, one that flew off key, he still had an opportunity to win over Marion, his voice overpowering hers with ease.
Marion’s throat burned. The lights were so bright that it nearly drowned out her fading voice, their game finally coming to an end as blood sprayed across the stage, falling to the ground with a smile.
She could barely process who had come to her late rescue. Perhaps if they were a little bit more early, she wouldn’t feel her heart that beat so loudly in her own chest slipping out of her own grasp. Perhaps if she were smarter, she would’ve just given up.
It was her instinct as she felt tears dripping down her late savior’s face to try and at least wipe them away as everything faded to black, her hand falling limp and to the ground.
If Marion had the chance to go back in time, all the way back to the beginning. All the way back to ANAKT Garden and experience everything, all over again… Marion doesn’t think she’d hesitate.
As her eyes opened, finally able to breathe, a face she recognized had loomed over her.
“You did well, Marion. I’m proud of you.” She smiled softly, her long black hair cascading over her shoulders like a waterfall.
“Thanks mom…”