"The casting duo is back, baby…"

The crowd screamed as Connie and Lapis in their alter egos twirled around each other in rapid succession, the tag team belt around Lapis' waist

The man against them looked worriedly and tried his best to keep up with the fast paced music, while the Witch and her Enchantress apprentice were in perfect synch.

"How about our show stopper?" Connie asked Lapis with a grin.

Lapis looked dully at the stage and then the crowd with narrowed eyes. Hearing Connie though, her eyes once more turned ocean blue. "Sure…"

The ocean gem flipped into a handstand which Connie then leaped onto with a magnificent twirl. She landed on Lapis' flat foot and raised one of her own. The girl then reached for the sky in triumph.

"There's no recovering from that sick move." Mr. Frowney told the audience as they cheered loudly. "They are still the tag team champions. Will they never stop casting their trance on us all?"

The crowd screamed for their champions, including Sadie, who was the Enchantress' biggest fan.

"Yeah! Never stop!" Sadie yelled happily.

Connie giggled and waved shyly to the fans, while Lapis felt no joy from their cheers.

"Enchantress, we gotta talk…" Lapis hissed in her ear.

"Sure! What's up?" Connie smiled.

"Like, alone?"

"Hey! They're talking about something!" A fan suddenly cried.

"It's sorta private, so we're just-!" Lapis was pulling Connie off when another fan yelled.

"Is it a new move?!"

"No-" Lapis tried, walking away.

"Water Witch, will you two be participating in the tag team championship again?!"

"Well-"

"Will the notorious gang of dancing haters ever seek revenge? I've gotta know!"

"I'm sure they won't-!"

"Why have your moves been so sluggish lately, Water Witch?"

"Lapis?" Connie whispered, seeing her caretaker give a growl.

"I QUIT!" Lapis suddenly yelled to the screaming crowd that just wouldn't leave her alone.

"What?!" Connie cried, while the audience gave yells in outrage.

Lapis suddenly scooped Connie up and they went out the exit door.

"Did you mean it…?"

Lapis gave a sigh, picking at her frybits that they had gotten to share a few minutes later. "Yes… I just couldn't take it anymore. I've been wanting to quit for a long time because it just wasn't fun anymore, I was going to tell you backstage, but all those people…!"

"I know." Connie sighed softly, leaning her head on Lapis' shoulder.

They listened to the crickets for a few moments.

"Are you mad…?"

"Of course not! Who needs dancing anyway?"

"She needs dancing, now. Her idol was a no-show last night! She really must've quit last week…" Lars hissed to Connie. They watched as Sadie grumbled nothingness to no-one, her eyes narrow.

Connie walked up to Sadie and placed a book in front of her. "Good morning, Sadie!"

"What's even good about it?" Sadie growled, swiping the book away. "The Enchantress just left us! Why would she do that?!"

"Ask Connie, maybe she knows." Lars smirked, shelving a few new books.

"Lars! Connie is not Enchantress Millionaire!"

"She's got a million dollar diamond in her CHEST." Lars shot back. "Tell me that's not magical."

"It's not that magical." Connie stuttered out in worry that her cover would be blown. She then looked back to Sadie. "The Water Witch quit, so Enchantress just wanted to respect her wishes! … Maybe."

"Enchantress should be the only dancer on the stage! She could become crazy and no one would care! She was good enough, she just didn't know it. But she's long gone…"

"Yes she is, Sadie…. She's gone." Connie whispered, realizing that her fans wanted her back so badly… She was needed, and so she would do it to make the fans happy, to make Sadie happy again.

The dancing stage was empty, and all the audience was getting bored of Mr. Frowney's depressing monologue, he had forgotten all about the other dancers he was supposed to be welcoming on.

"And so… that concludes my farewell to our brightest stars in dancing history…" He finally finished, making the audience give a collective sigh in relief.

"And now, two new dancers emerge from the ashes… The Wizarding Whirlers."

The crowd watched as two new contests walked on, clearly ripping off the Water Witch and Enchantress with their wizarding hats, yet elegant dresses.

"This is so dumb!" Sadie growled.

"And against them are the returning rivals of our old witching duo, Shark-o-Mania and the Sea Wasp… That's a type of jellyfish, I don't know if any of you wanted to know that, but I thought it was-"

Suddenly, with a flash, the whole building went dark. Some people screamed in shock while others muttered about what was going on.

They then heard the microphone being swiped out of Mr. Frowney's hands before a soft thud came from the stage.

"What's happening?!" Sadie gasped. "Is this part of the program?!"

An evil chuckle, or rather, what the person wanted to sound like an evil chuckle, resounded throughout the room. "Well, well, well! Isn't this sweet? The dancing continues even though they've lost your greatest dancer…."

The crowd looked around in shock, reconzing the voice at once.

The lights suddenly came back on to reveal that the dancers on stage were all knocked back, and Mr. Frowney was searching frantically for his microphone.

In the center of the stage was a short cloaked figure that held it.

"E-Enchantress Millionaire…?" Sadie whispered.

"Oh no, she's long gone." Laughed the girl, throwing off her dark cloak to reveal her braided hair and new attire. A completely black dress that went to her knees, and a dark circlet around her head that replaced the usual wizard hat. The crowd was used to seeing her in all sparkles and light colors and were shocked to see her look so evil. "I destroyed that child long ago! She didn't know her true worth, didn't realize that she should have all the fans of dancing, and so, I made sure to quiet her forever! Her foolish prattle about how dancing is for 'everyone' and pushes aside our differences, how silly! I don't believe in such nonsense, for I am the Evil Queen of Dancing!"

Cries of surprise came from the people and Connie smirked. Some did look really happy that only she would be performing.

"Any performer who wants to 'save' this place is welcome to try! Best me in dancing and I'll let it go, you'll be known as heroes forever…" She glanced around, secretly hoping Lapis would swoop in to save dancing, but nothing happened. Connie but her lip, not realizing how badly she missed her until now. "...Don't, and I'll be in charge, forever! I will be the only star, because that is what you all wanted! ...I think!"

Suddenly, Shark-o-Mania and the Sea Wasp ran at her, trying to take her down. Connie leaped over them, landing in a twirl.

The people cheered, not seeming to care that their once hero was now a villain, because she just seemed like a kid trying too hard.

Connie amazingly backbended her way out of a kick from another dancer, and cartwheeled right over the other that had been her rip-off.

"It appears that the Ench- I mean, Evil Queen has solidified her throne… won't anyone save us." Mr. Frowney asked the crowd non-enthusiastically.

Connie looked out at the crowd that was cheering for their new overlord, then noticed one shocked face: Sadie.

Later that night, Connie had slipped into jeans and a t-shirt, taking off the dark circlet and hiding her costume in her backpack. She ran into the bookstore. "Hi Sadie!"

Sadie turned to her with surprise but the light dimmed and she went back to disinterest. "... Hey Connie."

Connie frowned. "Is everything okay? I heard from an unnamed source that Enchantress returned stronger than ever at the dance club!"

"That wasn't the Enchantress." Sadie growled softly. "She lost sight of what was important and became a wicked ruler or whatever! She's the only dancer on the stage now. Sure people wanted it-"

"You. You wanted it." Connie smiled nervously. "Remember? You said no one would care if she went wild and was the only star! That's what you and the fans wanted!"

"I don't think it's what she wanted."

"... What?"

"She doesn't look… I dunno… happy! Before, when she was with Water Witch, she used to be super fun all the time, but I'm pretty sure she just snapped. I mean, she makes us happy, if not a bit nervous now, sure, but… I'm pretty sure she's just trying to fill a void left when her partner left. It's no fun for us if the star doesn't like her show."

"B-But-!"

"I thought she wanted Enchantress to return!" Connie moaned, turning to Lapis in distress. She winced when the brush missed her long hair and hit her head instead.

"Well, she said you weren't happy being a dancing queen, maybe you should just be a simple witch again." Lapis mumbled, pulling the hair back and brushing through it some more.

Connie fiddled with her white nightgown some and sighed. "That wouldn't be any better… I'd still be unhappy. I'm only doing it for Sadie and the fans, but if they don't want me like this… I guess I was just happy when I was with my magic teacher."

Lapis smiled faintly. "Is that so?"

"Yeah. I just don't know why you quit…"

"I was like you: I wasn't happy doing it anymore. It became more of a chore than a help." The gem explained. "See, I joined the whole dancing thing when you were… like… two? Dancing was a distraction from the past for me, you know, fusion, abandonment… the whole 'made to be a murder' thing… When I danced, I didn't think about it anymore. But now, all those things are peaceful, so I don't need something to distract me from them."

"But I don't need a distraction like dancing to get over my problems, mine don't really bother me." Connie told her, which got a raised eyebrow. "They don't!"

"Then why did you join?"

"You." Connie sighed. "Back then, I didn't have any missions to worry about, so my mission was to have as much fun as I could with you and the Temps, make you happy, no matter what activity. With no one to make happy, it's just silly.

Lapis put her hand to her heart, touched.

Connie pulled away then, climbing into bed. "It's not something I should care about anymore, so I'm leaving it behind like you. Who needs that silliness anyway?"

Lapis turned out the lights, and kissed Connie goodnight. The girl rolled over after she did, clearly done talking. The water gem felt a tinge of regret.

"And so we resume the reign of the Evil Queen of Dancing, no-one's been able to beat her yet…" Frowny announced the next weekend.

"Really? No one can beat me?" Connie asked boredly, sitting in a folding-chair throne. "You're not gonna save dancing?"

Every dancer had already tried to that night, leaving the 'Evil' Queen to sulk. She then stood up and grabbed the tag team belt.

"Fine! For my entertainment we can hold the tag team competition!" Connie cringed at what a royal pain she sounded like. "That's right! I'll take on any team, by myself… alone…"

The audience was quiet, whispering on how strange she was acting.

"Our first contenders are coming into the ring: the Brothers Construction, here to end the Queen's reign of terror, retrieve the belts, and become heroes of the club…"

Sadie rolled her eyes.

Connie glanced at the upcoming team, and then saw another gang enter from the stage doors.

"Oh, what a twist… the Good-Looking Gang is here as well. It is devastating to see how far our angel of the stage has fallen, she doesnt even seem to care… how could she do that?!" Mr. Frowney groaned in agony, finally letting out his feelings of being betrayed.

Suddenly though, a laugh filled the room. "You fools think that she works alone?! The student learns from her master!"

"Water Witch?!" Sadie gasped.

"Lapis….?!" Connie whispered softly, putting her hands to her mouth in shock.

The Water Witch flew in through the open skylight and gracefully landed beside the Queen.

"The Water Witch has turned to the dark side as well, it appears, now they're unstoppable…"

"You are my apprentice, but you're my kid first! I'll follow you anywhere, even on the darkest path imaginable, just to make you smile!" The Water Witch announced, bending down and hugging her. "You deserve it!"

Plenty of "aww"s and "cute"s escaped the crowds, even the other teams were touched at the mother-daughter moment.

"T-Thanks…" Connie whispered, hugging her.

"I meant it!" Lapis cried. "If you're happy dancing, and competing, and ruling the dancing world, I'll do it with you!"

"Weird thing is, I'm not happy with ruling the dancing world." Connie sniffed, giving a laugh. "And there will always be other things to give us joy!"

"So, what should our last move be?"

"A showstopper!"

The duo waited the night out for the final match in which new winners would be named. Most of the competition's moves were Lapis and Connie's own, showing that they had an influence on not just their fans. But when they did their own thing, the other teams shone just as bright as the witching duo had, and that was all they had wanted when leaving such an influential place behind them. The night was filled with dancing and cheers, it seemed to go on for hours and hours, and it was bittersweet when the competition was in its final round.

The Good-Looking Gang danced gloriously togther, and dazzled everyone with their amazing moves.

Connie and Lapis pretended to stumble in the round, like it was far too much for them.

"Ready for the showstopper?" Connie whispered. Lapis smirked and nodded.

The others did one last move, and the girl suddenly gave a yell in fake pain. "CURSES! THE POWER OF DANCING…. IS TOO MUCH FOR US! NO! NOOOOO!"

Connie pretended to faint into Lapis' arms who promptly doubled over to the ground. They lay there motionless.

The crowd gasped in shock and the room grew quiet. They had really stopped the show.

"Enchantress, NO!" Sadie yelled, trying to wrestle past the body guards that held her back. "She just wanted to be happy, she just got her partner back, a-and cruel fate killed her!"

The Good-Looking Gang looked worriedly at each other before tip-toeing over to the ladies.

They suddenly sprang up with loud gasps, causing the audience to gasp in return.

"Oh my gosh, Water Witch! The incredible power of dancing has restored us to who we once were!" Connie announced to the crowd. "We're back!"

"YES!" Sadie sobbed happily, signaling applause to resound.

"Folks, I can't believe this, it appears that we have new reigning champions that have outwitted the evil plans of the witching duo who are safe and sound...!" Mr. Frowney announced with only the slightest amount of joy.

The crowds cheered wildly since the stage now belonged to everyone once more. Sadie was the only one who didn't, looking up at the Enchantress.

"It's true! The power of dancing has freed both this place, and our hearts!" Connie announced as Frowney took the belts from her. She and Lapis watched with pride as the belts were awarded to the Good-Looking Gang, one of their fiercest rivals who had also come so far. She looked out at the crowd, specifically at Sadie. "You all thought that our magic made you happy, but really, the magic was inside you all along… so, thank you."

Sadie glanced around in confusion as Lars face-palmed. Why did it feel like she was talking to her?