"Miserable magicaps," Mena muttered backstage as she changed. "It's curtains for me"--and with a dramatic hand motion she pointed at the curtains keeping her from complete embarrassment. "Those curtains to be exact."

Aside from the Lollypop Fashionistas who rolled their eyes at her basic witch problems, she was the only one backstage. Once again, the corset was tightened around her like a full body noose and her long hair was pulled and sizzled in a hot iron. As her waist was squished and her hair was basically on fire, she thought how alone she was. Sure she had May and Janus, but Tal, her one true love was still confined to his bed so he couldn't coach her in acting (or angsting as he called it.)

She did have a reason to be angsting, however. She had yet to uncover the cursed identity of the phantom now, especially now that she knew she hadn't summoned it.

But there was no time to think about that.

With the final 'sssss' of the curling iron, she was off to meet her fate--a cruel fate where she would be villager #2 and Doogey would replace her as Tal's fair Julianna.

"Mena Willow?" Stellaris' fair voice called and Mena got up and walked to the stage with her head held low.

She was about to become the laughing stock of the whole school, but at the last moment, she felt a large hand on her shoulder.

She turned around and squeaked. It was Ashlan. The lioness' face was positively radiant when she looked up on Mena. "Sunny?" Mena whispered. "What are you doing here? The jury said you couldn't come in the theater."

Ashlan continued to beam. "It'll only be a minute, Rainy. I wanted to wish you good luck out there."

Mena's face eased into a smile. "Admittedly," she said, with a sheepish grin. "I kinda wanted a good luck from someone."

"Well," Ashlan said, smiling back. "You got it. And I wanted to tell you one other thing…"

"Oh?" Mena said, raising her chunky eyebrows

Ashlan smiled. "Just be yourself out there!"

Mena froze. "But...I'm no classically trained thespian."

"Doesn't matter," Ashlan said, continuing to smile. She dramatically thrust her hand to her chest and extended her other. "For never have I met someone with a heart so true, until my eyes gazed upon you."

Mena giggled at Ashlan's foppish gesture. Ashlan grinned confidently while blushing. "I can guarentee if you are as noble and fair as you've been to me this year, Rainy. Of course they'll let you be Julianna…"

Ashlan's eyes shifted away and she murmured, "I'd have let you be my Julianna ten times by now…"

"What was that?" Mena asked.

Ashlan nodded frantically. "Nothing…" the lioness said. "Just remember my words and you won't even need to be a thespian…"--and Ashlan eye's glinted, she murmured again--"though I wish you were."

Mena's eyes shone brightly. "Just be me! Got it, Sunny!"

"I must go now," Ashlan said. "But know I'll be cheering you on from back home. You've come a long way since the junior brace face I first met!"

Ashlan gave a dumbfounded Mena one final hug and she dashed to the exit. "Good luck," she whispered and she was gone.

Now it was only the cruel stage that lay ahead.