《Phenomena the Basic Witch and The Mind Safari》Chapter Eighteen: A Crime of Passion?

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Backstage, Mena was helped into her pink corset and frilly dress by members of the Lollypop Costuming Department. Pressure tightened around her stomach like the lacey corset. They had yet to find the Phantom of the auditorium or the ne'er do well who had pushed her, and with that madman or apparition on the loose, it was completely uncertain what would happen today. Gazing into her dressing mirror, Mena saw Ashlan in Tyrone's leathery outfit shuffling past her.

She called her former roommates name, but that only made Ashlan pick up her feet and avert all eye contact. The lioness wasn't watching where she was going however and bumped into Tal, who was looking rather dapper in his Romulus outfit

"You are as klutzy as your acting, thespian," Tal growled at Ashlan, who at first, looked defensive, but soon roared to a boisterous offense

"Your stage presence is next to nil," she hissed back at Tal. "That's probably why I didn't see you."

"How dare you!" Tal shouted back "I've been living this tragic role since I was born. You, on the other hand, don't know anything about tragedy and have to lie through your fangs about it."

Ashlan bared her fangs and gave a big, heated snort through her triangular nose. She took her paw and pointed it directly at the shadow scars engraved in Tal's face. "The only real tragedy here...IS YOUR FACE!"

Tal shrank away as his one red eye seared in hurt. Seeing the pain in Tal's eyes, Mena stood up, leaving her corset partially untied and walked over.

"Ashlan," she said, coming between them. "You've gone too far!"

Mena shielded Tal from further barbs. Ashlan flinched, but Mena continued to scold her former friend, "You should never bring someone's appearance into this!"

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"Mena," Ashlan squeaked, sounding more like a mouse than a lion. "You're defending him? After all he's said to me?"

"You're both said terrible things to each other," Mena said. "But you guys need to stop,"

Mena summoned her mother's perchance for drama and exclaimed, "You're going to tear this play apart!"

But Ashlan wasn't listening, she roared angrily and stomped her lion feet. "I can't believe you, Mena"--tears lined the lioness's eyes--"I can't believe you're choosing him over me!"

"I'm not," Mena said, "I like you both."

But Ashlan had already turned around and stormed off. "I don't care!"

Electra's booming voice echoed from the front of the stage. "Five minutes to showtime everyone! Break a leg!"

Ashlan turned around by the edge of the curtain. "BREAK EVERY BONE IN YOUR BODY!" she hissed before vanishing behind it. Mena was stupefied, but Tal's soft voice jarred her back to reality.

"Thank you, Mena," he said with a head bow. "That barb really caught me off guard. She really is a mean old lion, isn't she?"

Mena was silent, still shocked from Ashlan's words, but she nodded on agreement.

Tal smiled shyly, and softly asked her a question, "Can I have a hug, Miss Shiny Teeth?"

"Of course," Mena said, "I'm always down for a nuzzle, big boy".

Mena and Tal warmly embraced backstage, but even in the middle of bliss, Mena couldn't help but think of the lioness's threatening words.

Mena stood in the audience along with Electra, Stellaris and Janus and May. The first scene they were rehearsing didn't involve her, but it was equally intense--the grand square-off between Tyrone and Romulus. Invisible electricity crackled between the eyes of Ashlan and Tal and they clutched their rapiers on their belts as if prepared to actually fight. The way Ashlan and Tal glared at each other, Mena thought, you'd think there was a blood feud between their families.

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Electra swooned from the passion, obviously not knowing that the hatred was for real. "I feel the deep hatred that has boiled up between the houses of Cabernet and Merlot for hundreds of years. You guys are doing wonderfully fabulous."

Doogey and Billy Bones flanked Tal, playing Metrocutio and Bonevolio respectfully.

To Mena, everyone seemed so nonchalant, but the young witch began to feel an odd aura in the air--a bone dry aura of death emanating from stage. Even if Mena was safe on the throes of the stage, she fretted for all those who stood upon it.

The play rehearsal started with Metrocutio being impaled, and once again, Doogey brought the dramatics up to the nines. As he reclined in Bonevolio’s arms, he cried. “Alas, I have bitten the dust. May there always be a fly in your chardonnay and you always drink bitter beer. A POISON IN BOTH YOUR WINES”

Doogey let out a dramatic bellow of “NOOOOOOOOOOO,” before he slumped in Bonevilio’s arms.

Electra rolled her eyes. “I’m surprise we still have our backdrop because he’s really chewing that scenery here.”

As Billy Bones dragged Doogey off, Ashlan drew her rapier with a look befitting of a man who had killed one of Romulus’ friends and loved every minute of it.

“I don’t wish to fight you, Cabernet,” Tal said, looking dashing in his Romulus outfit. “In fact, I have a reason to love you.”

Ashlan sneered and hissed, “There is only hatred in my soul for you, Merlot. Face me and meet your fate.”

Tal cautiously drew his rapier and held it to Ashlan’s. They pirouetted around the stage ready to do battle for Mena’s hand. Mena blushed. Admittedly, they both looked like they were ready to die for her. Oh, it was too much, she thought and put her hand to her head, swooning hard.

Electra and Stellaris clapped and applauded the duo’s performance. All eyes were focused on the duo and their passionate fight.

“Now, Tal,” Electra said, “End Tyrone’s life.”

Tal grinned. This was clearly the moment he was waiting for, Mena thought, a chance to impale Ashlan…at least in a make-believe way.

But there was a sound of a punctured artery, and Tal’s grin fell off his face. Everyone screamed in horror once they realized what had happened.

Ashlan had run her sword right through Tal’s body. The Prince of the Shadow Nomads immediately dropped to the floor as black miasma oozed out of the shoulder blade in which he had been stabbed.

The theater was dead silent...Even if Ashlan hadn’t broken every bone in his body, she lived up to her threat regardless.

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