Tokyo Babylon Fan Fiction / X/1999 Fan Fiction ❯ The Sakurazukamori of the Opera? ❯ Chapter Two ( Chapter 2 )

Author's Note: Since all of you guys are encouraging me, rather than telling me to stop while I'm ahead, here's the next chapter. Quick notes, most italic within the story are lines that are being sung. There are times when it will be obvious that it is not a song, like when someone is thinking, but you may have already figured these details out.

Warning: Author really has no clue what the hell she is doing. Do not attempt this at home without professional supervision.

Chapter Two

When Subaru woke up, it took him a few minutes to remember what had happened. When the previous night's events came into mind, he turned a bright crimson color.

Oh, my god! Subaru thought. He kissed me!

Movement caught the boy's attention and made Subaru climb out of the bed. The Phantom was sitting at the piano that Subaru had seen the previous night, seemingly working on a piece of music. The Phantom seemed to have noticed that Subaru had gotten up, as he had glanced at him, though had gone straight back to work afterwards.

Subaru approached the other man and, though he felt he was being rather forward, ran a finger along the edge of the mask that the Phantom wore. He unconsciously pulled at the mask and had it off in seconds. The teenager was surprised when the Phantom suddenly knocked him down and covered the right side of his face with one hand. Shocked and frightened, Subaru watched as the older man began to shout at him in anger.

"Damn you!
You little prying Pandora!
You little demon -

Is this what you wanted to see?
Curse you!
You little lying Delilah!
You little viper!
Now you cannot ever be free!
Damn you . . .
Curse you . . ."

The Phantom fell to his knees. Subaru watched him and felt a twinge of guilt for what he had done. Actually, more than a twinge; he felt almost fully responsible for the Phantom's misery. He looked up as the Phantom began to softly sing.

"Stranger than you dreamt it -
Can you even dare to look
Or bear to think of me:
This loathsome gargoyle,

Who burns in hell,

But secretly yearns for heaven,
Secretly . . .
Secretly . . ."

The Phantom turned to look at Subaru. His hand still covered the right side of his face. His left eye held a look on the younger man.

"But, Subaru-kun. . .
Fear can turn to love -

You'll learn to see,

To find the man behind the monster:

This . . . repulsive carcass,

Who seems a beast,

But secretly dreams of beauty,
Secretly . . .
Secretly . . ."

He paused. Then whispered: "Oh, Subaru-kun . . ."

Trying to calm his speeding heart, Subaru reached to pick up the mask that lay on the ground next to him. He slowly stood up and walked over to the Phantom. Handing the half-face mask to the older man, Subaru bowed and offered a soft apology. The Phantom waved it off as he turned and placed the mask on his face once more.

"Now," the older man said, turning around to face Subaru, "we'd best get you back. They will be missing you."

*****

Up in his office in the opera house, new manager, Sorata Arisugawa, looked at the newspaper in his hand.

"`Mystery after gala night,' it says.

`Mystery of soprano's flight!'
`Mystified' baffled Surete say,
`we are mystified--we suspect foul play!'"

He set the newspaper down and began to pace around the room.

"Bad news on soprano scene -
first Kanoe, now Subaru!
Still, at least the seats get sold
gossip's worth its weight in gold . . ."

He sighed and shook his head.

"What a way to run a business!
Spare me these unending trials!
Half your cast disappears,
but the crowd still cheers!
Opera!
To hell with Gluck and Handel -
It's a scandal that'll pack 'em in the aisles!"

At that moment, fellow manager, Yuuto Kigai came stomping into the room.

"Damnable!" he sang.
"Will they all walk out?
This is damnable!"

"Yuuto, please don't shout!" Sorata warned.

"It's publicity!
And the take is vast!
Free publicity!"

"But we have no cast!" Yuuto said, stomping one foot into the floor.

"But Yuuto, have you seen the queue?" Sorata asked.

The younger of the two managers went through the mail and found two strange letters amongst the envelopes. He picked them up. One was one that he had opened earlier, but had paid little heed to. The other was addressed to Yuuto.

"Oh, it seems you've got one too . . ." he sang.
He handed the letter to Yuuto, who read it outloud.

"'Dear Yuuto
what a charming gala!
Subaru enjoyed a great success!
We were hardly bereft

When Kanoe left--
Otherwise the chorus was entrancing,
But the dancing was a lamentable mess!'"

Sorata pulled out the note addressed to him and read it for Yuuto.

"'Dear Sorata,
just a brief reminder:
my salary has not been paid.
Send it care of the ghost,
by return of post
P.T.O.:
No-one likes a debtor,
so it's better if my
orders are obeyed!'"

The two of them shook their heads and sang in perfect unison:

"Who would have the gall to send this?

Someone with a puerile brain!"

Yuuto looked at the two letters and noticed something.

"These are both signed `O.G.' . . ." he said.

"Who the hell is he?" Sorata asked.

"Opera Ghost!" they both said.

"It's really not amusing!" Sorata said.

"He's abusing our position!" Yuuto added.

Sorata shook his head in bewilderment. "In addition, he wants money!"

"He's a funny sort of spectre…" Yuuto said.

Together they added:

". . . to expect a
large retainer!
Nothing plainer -
he is clearly quite insane!"

They noticed Kamui come in. The amethyst-eyed teenager ran up to the stairs to meet them.

"Where is he?" Kamui asked.

Yuuto obviously misheard him, as he asked. "You mean Kanoe?"

Kamui rolled his eyes. "I mean Subaru. Where is he?"

"Well, how should we know?" Sorata replied.

"I want an answer," Kamui told him. "I take it that you sent me this note?"

"What's all this nonsense?" Sorata asked.

"Of course not!" Yuuto said in defense

"Don't look at us!" Sorata added.
"He's not with you, then?"

"Of course not!" Sorata said.

"We're in the dark!" Yuuto furthered their case.

"Yuuto, don't argue," Kamui told him. He held up a letter. "Isn't this the letter you wrote?"

"And what is it, that we're meant to have wrote?" Sorata asked. He snapped his fingers. "Written!"

Yuuto took the letter from Kamui. "Do not fear for Subaru. The Angel of Music has him under his wing. Make no attempt to see him again."

"If you didn't write it, who did?" Kamui asked.

Suddenly, Kanoe burst into the room. There was a scowl on her face and her breasts bounced in her anger. She stormed towards the three men who were holding letters and staring at her.

"Where is he?" she demanded, her voice high.

"Ah, welcome back!" Yuuto told her.

"Your precious patron - where is he?" Kanoe demanded once more.
Kamui rolled his eyes at the black haired diva. "What is it now?"
Kanoe turned to him. "I have your letter - a letter which I rather resent!"

"And did you send it?" Sorata asked Kamui.

"Of course not!" Kamui replied.

"As if he would!" Yuuto said.
"You didn't send it?" Kanoe asked.

"Of course not!" came Kamui's replied.

"What's going on . . .?" Sorata asked.
"You dare to tell me, that this is not the letter you sent?!" Kanoe demanded.

"And what is it that I'm meant to have sent?" Kamui asked, taking the letter from Kanoe.

"Your days at the Opera Populaire are numbered," Kamui read. "Subaru Sumeragi will be singing on your behalf tonight. Be prepared for a great misfortune, should you attempt to take his place."

Sorata and Yuuto looked at each other and began to sing.

"Far too many
notes for my taste -
and most of them
about Subaru!
All we've heard since we came
is Subaru's name . . ."

Suddenly, a red haired woman appeared, with Subaru's twin sister right beside her. Karen Kasumi and the former manager of the Opera Populaire, Seiichirou Aoki, had taken in the Sumeragi twins when they were suddenly orphaned. The fiery-haired woman looked snappy as usual, her skirt long, with the sides split high.

"Subaru has returned," she said.

Sorata muttered something as Yuuto asked where exactly Subaru was.

"I thought it best if he went home," Karen replied.

"He needed rest," Hokuto nodded.

"May I see him?" Kamui asked.
Karen held up a hand. "No, monsieur, he will see no one."

"Will he sing?" Kanoe asked. "Will he sing?"
"Here," Karen said, smirking, "I have a note."

"Let me see it!" Kanoe, Kamui, and Yuuto all said, in perfect unison.

"Please," Sorata said, grabbing the note from Karen's hand.

"Gentlemen," he read. "I have now sent you several notes of the most amiable nature, detailing how my theatre is to be run. You have not followed my instructions. I shall give you one last chance…"

The four of them could nearly hear the Phantom's voice take over.

"Subaru has returned to you, and I am anxious his career should progress. In the new production of "Il Muto," you will therefore cast Kanoe as the pageboy and put Subaru in the role of the Countess. The roll which Subaru plays calls for charm and appeal. The role of the pageboy is silent-which makes my casting, in a word…ideal.

"I shall watch the performance from my normal seat in Box Five, which will be kept empty for me. Should these commands be ignored, a disaster beyond your imagination will occur."

Sorata read the rest of the letter. "I remain, gentlemen, your obedient servant, O.G."

Kanoe turned red. "Subaru!"

"Whatever next?" Yuuto asked.

"It's all a ploy to help Subaru!" Kanoe said angrily.

"This is insane!" Sorata sighed in exasperation.

"I know who sent this!" Kanoe snapped, pointing at Kamui. "The Vicomte-- his lover!"

"Yeah, right," Kamui muttered, rolling his eyes.

Sorata and Yuuto looked at the note that insisted that Subaru play the countess. They shook their heads.

"We don't take orders," Sorata said.

"Subaru will be playing the Pageboy - the silent role . . .," Yuuto added, "and Kanoe shall be playing the lead."

"Those who scorn the Phantom's words..." Karen began to warn.

Sorata and Yuuto ignored Karen in order to try to convince Kanoe to sing for that night's performance. Karen and Hokuto sighed.

"They're royally screwed," Hokuto muttered.

"No kidding," Karen agreed.

Kamui stood where he was, blinking in confusion. "Huh?"

"Nothing!" Karen and Hokuto chorused.

The two of them went bounding down the halls of the opera house, leaving Kamui understandably confused.

And now, thanks for the reviews I have received.

Mysterious Blue Eyes: ((sighs)) I won't make you beg. Here's an update for you.

Subaru's Voice: Thanks! I hope you'll like this version too.

Kuroneko: Yeah. I updated for you.

Super Seme Fuuma: God damn you, girl. I saw that you've favorited a lot of my works. ((hugs you)) Thanks! Get your butt into gear so I can finally read Per Sempre Amor (sp? Who cares?)

Little_owl: I'm glad I could influence you to think of Seishirou when you saw the movie. ((snerks)) Here's your update. Perhaps it made clear who Su-chan's childhood sweetheart was.

Random Person: You'll see who ends up with whom. But you'll have to wait. I'm not letting out any secrets.

Tanuki-dono: Wai!! Imouto! You read this!! Thank you! ((glomps)) thanks for the support. XD I'll eventually put in some UST, but it might be a while.

Duelist of the Sands: Lol. I'm your god? I'm honored. I continued, so you can't use the Shinken on me. X3. ((watches you running around screaming "Seishirou is coming! Keep your hand at the level of your eye!")) Watch out for the wall!