Spectacle - Tenmiko

As she peeked out of the curtains, Tenko could see them. A crowd was beginning to form in front of the stage, all of them there for the same thing - to watch the Ultimate Magician's Ultimate Performance. The sight of them made her increasingly nervous, and she wasn't even the one performing; she couldn't imagine how Himiko felt, preparing her cards and cloak at that very moment. Withdrawing from the heavy red curtains, she breathed a sigh of relief. It was much better if she didn't think about it. At all.

Himiko's eyes lit up as she looked in the mirror. Sure, she was anxious. But it was her time to shine; this magic show was her greatest yet. Although she didn't agree with the people who said she had surpassed her master - she could never surpass him - she did agree with the critics that said they would talk about this show for a long, long time. Her face tingled as she swept back her short red hair and puffed out her skirt. Her hat, although slightly crinkled, was the icing on an already magical cake. It showed her status - not just as a magician, but as a mage. As a practitioner of real magic, and not just of parlour tricks. Her breathing quickened with every passing second, her hands twirling her hat. Once she put it on, it was confirmation that she was ready. Eyes darting to the mirror, she jumped in surprise - she had been daydreaming again, and Tenko had practically snuck up behind her.

"The crowd out there is getting restless," Tenko whispered, giving Himiko a small yet encouraging squeeze. "Don't worry about it. I'm absolutely sure you can handle it. And I'll be there to support you - and so will Angie." She failed to hide the slight disgust in the last part. Despite Angie being Himiko's closest friend and confidant, Tenko had long believed her to be intolerable and quite despised her.

"I know that. But what if the show isn't as good as I'd hoped? What if the crowds don't like it as much as I do?"

"I'll use my Neo-Aikido on them, then," Tenko threatened. "Especially if it's some degenerate male. If it's a man, they're obviously stupid." She gently spun Himiko around to face her. "You'll do great, I know it. You don't need Angie or Atua to tell you that. It's true - I believe in you."

"I'm sure you think so. But if it doesn't go well, what will Master say?" Himiko sighed.

"Who cares? Your Master holds nothing over you - you hold it over yourself, Himiko…"

A cheerful voice echoed through the door. Tenko answered a light knock - Angie Yonaga entered the small room, praising Atua for the backstage passes. She immediately rushed over to give Himiko a hug.

"Thank you too for the backstage passes, Himiko. With Atua's help, the show will go as perfectly as usual when combined with your talent," she announced. Tenko scrunched up her nose, and failed to hold back a snort. Her disapproving attitude became more prevalent in the way she defiantly held her head up against Angie's cheerful demeanor, and it wasn't long before Himiko noticed.

"Be nice to her, Tenko. She's helped me out a lot. At least fake gratitude or something," Himiko hissed fervently. She knew they would never get along - it was much less likely that they would like or even tolerate each other - but while she was there, she knew Tenko would do as she said.

Tenko rolled her eyes, but didn't push it further. Although she still kept her own distance from Angie, Himiko hugged her shyly and received the praise of Atua in return.

"Atua will be pleased when He watches your show, knowing that one of His most loyal and ardent followers is progressing so well," she proclaimed, seemingly unaware of Tenko's obvious distaste for her.

"We'll all be proud of you, Himiko. Especially me - I should be considered lucky for having such a talented girlfriend like you." Tenko smiled at Himiko softly. "I am lucky. Very. You're absolutely amazing."

"Wait, wait, wait! Girlfriend…?" Himiko blushed madly, her face changing colour to match her flaming red hair. "You've never… You've never called me that before." She held up her hat as though it were some kind of pointed shield. She didn't speak for a while, until she eventually squeaked, "Thanks, Tenko. It means a lot that you're so supportive of me and my magic. Really, it does."

"I know. And that's why I've been to every single one of your shows." It was true. She would travel far and wide with Himiko just to make sure she was safe and supported. As long as Tenko still had breath in her body, she would ensure both the physical and mental protection of Himiko.

Tenko had taught Himiko about the importance of building up her confidence (although ironically, she had been anxious about initially asking her out). They taught each other valuable lessons, skills and tricks; and in doing so, they had crafted a nearly unbreakable bond. Himiko was finally beginning to be more open about her anxieties, thoughts, hopes and dreams - and although Tenko secretly wished Himiko would smile only for her, she was immensely proud of her regardless. Tenko really wanted nothing but the best for Himiko. And when they had started going out together, neither of them had ever been happier to have each other. Together, Tenko felt like they could do anything - including pull off an amazing magic show.

There had been times where Himiko had been intensely afraid. Scared, alone and desperate, she cried out for help and Tenko had been a knightess in shining armour - or rather, in neo-aikido uniform. Although she originally disliked Tenko due to her brusque training strategies, the latter had eventually learned to be more gentle and careful, especially when dealing with the unpredictability of human emotions. Slowly but surely, they had become immensely close. Tenko's affection for Himiko was undeniable from the start - people could tell just by seeing the way Tenko looked at and held Himiko that the latter was precious. This comforted Himiko - the idea that Tenko loved her no matter what meant that she worried a lot less about losing her than she normally would have. It made her feel just that little bit more at ease, especially at huge moments such as the one they were facing now.

Tenko pulled Himiko into a strong, loving embrace and smiled. "You're going to do great. Break a leg, okay? Or maybe don't, because then I'd have to find another sparring partner," she joked. Himiko would never spar with her - she was always far too tired and/or lazy to do it. Himiko took a deep breath, and attempted to express her gratitude by matching the force used in the hug. Despite being unsuccessful, she knew she was ready to put on a show. At least Angie would be on stage as her assistant, and Tenko would be joining the crowd.

Oh Lord, she had forgotten about the crowd and the critics hidden within it's mass. Like hungry wolves hidden among a flock of sheep, they would eye the stage with the intent of slaughter; they would point out every criticism of the show they could find. Every flaw, every mistake, every misread cue… she had to be perfect.

She had to be able to mimic even a fraction of Master's power.

Thankful for her speed and precision, Tenko ran around carefully placing vases and rabbits and cards in place. Normally she would have delegated the task to some degenerate, but she knew the absolute precision with which this had to be done; she didn't trust them.Her sandals clicked against the floor and the bell around her neck jingled as she barked out other orders and punished those doing their job inadequately. Failure was not an option - everything had to run smoothly.

Cards… Rabbits… Vases…

Check. Everything in place.

Raise the curtains and begin!

An uproar from the crowd signalled the show's start, paired with Kokichi's silly attempting-to-be-scary voice. After they had settled, a loud silence filled the area…

Until Himiko appeared behind them from a puff of smoke!

"A show is not complete until its legacy has passed." That was what Master had said.

"The Ultimate Mage, Himiko Yumeno!" boomed Kokichi's voice, playing for all to hear.

Tenko stood at the front, silently praying to Atua that the show would go well. It wasn't something she would ever believe in, but she would do anything for Himiko.

Himiko smiled as she "teleported" her way to the stage. "Now, you may believe this to be fake," she announced, "but if you believe with all your heart, it's real."

And she would carry that belief in her heart along with Tenko. Because love is someone who supports you no matter what challenges you face.