The thick red velvet curtains fell into place, swishing with finality as all the performers rush into place waiting to begin. While all this is going on, Andre and Firmin walk toward their box seat, when they notice Raoul passing by.
“Gentlemen, I shall be sitting in Box Five tonight,” Raoul announced.
“Do you really think that’s wise, monsieur?” Andre asked.
“My dear Andre, there would appear to be no seats available, other than Box Five…”
Backstage, Rarity sat staring at the wooden floors as the bedroom set was put into place. Madame Giry noticed the unicorn contemplating and knelt beside her.
“This isn’t right at all,” Rarity muttered, shaking her head.
“Of this I know, my dear,” Giry agreed, nodding.
“If they allow the performance to go on this way, Celestia only knows what will happen.”
The rest of the Mane Six and Spike caught Rarity conversing with Madame Giry, drawing them to approach their friend.
“Don’t you worry about a thing, Rarity,” Twilight assured. “We have a plan that’s guaranteed to work.”
Suffice to say, Rarity did not answer Twilight directly. She just shot one disapproving glance at her friend, walking away in a huff. It did not take long to Twilight to understand that glance, clearly the fashionista was still very much upset since their previous conversation. It was plain to see Rarity was in no mood to talk to the Princess of Friendship or ‘any’ of her friends.
“Look, you can be mad at us all you want!” Rainbow spoke out, frowning. “We’re trying to do what’s best here! It’s not all about you!”
“If you do need us, we’ll be keeping walk along the rafters tonight,” Spike explained. “If we see or hear any sign of that Phantom, we’ll make sure he doesn’t mess with this performance… Or you.”
All the others nodded in agreement, as Twilight slowly trots toward Rarity. The fashionista still refused to even look at her, which made the lavender mare sigh slowly. All she could do was place a hoof over her shoulder, as Rarity’s eyes barely moved.
“Just stay back here and be safe,” Twilight said, solemnly.
Soon the group dispersed, as they walked off to find a way up the rafters. Unbeknownst to the Mane Six or Spike, a certain shadow had been spying on them listening the entire time.
Needless to say, claiming The Phantom was disappointed was an understatement. More appropriately, the man looked as if he were about to burst into a complete rage at any time. He already stood in a spot along the rafters, completely hidden by shadows. His blue eyes narrow as he saw Carlotta walking backstage, passing Rarity who sat down like a sad lost child.
“How dare they disobey my orders?” The Phantom thought, to himself. “And what’s worse… How dare they treat her like common dirt?”
The Phantom’s eyes spot Carlotta’s bottle of throat spray. A small, malevolent smirk grew upon on his lips. He knew exactly how to get back at the diva, the perfect reason to ensure Carlotta won’t sing at all.
As the stage cleared, Christine and Carlotta sat along the large bed onstage covered by a long curtain. Three actors waited on stage for the curtain to open, and the moment they hear their cue through the overture music they got ready. The curtain opens as the three rush forward to the applause of the audience.
The set itself is an eighteenth-century salon, a canopied bed center stage. The two men were dressed as fops, one almost all yellow and the other almost all blue. A woman was one of the three, she in turn was dressed in a lavender gown. Each held a fan, wore white wigs, and had powdered white faces. Meg swiftly walked over, wearing a maid costume with colored stripes along the bodice and skirt. She leans toward the trio, as if listening to whatever gossip they were sharing.
https://m.As the woman sang, a smile of mischief formed on her face. Backstage, Carlotta’s attendant positioned the bottle of her employer’s throat spray on a small table, scurrying off soon after.
As the three gossip within the show, Joseph Buquet leans over the catwalk railing spotting a gloved hand swapping Carlotta’s throat spray for an identical bottle. His eyes narrowed; he knew who this shadow was.
As the three extend on arm upward and the other downward, fluttering their fans with smirks on their faces, Meg ran towards centerstage stopping to wave her finger on each ‘shame’.
The audience is amused as the canopy drops part revealing both Carlotta, portraying the Countess, and Christine, portraying Serafimo the pageboy. Both their faces are covered by Carlotta’s fan, Christine running her hand along the Diva’s side, as if pantomiming that they were kissing. As Carlotta pulled the fan away, she grinned to the audience and Christine gasped, making a shocked face as if she’d been caught. The audience applause at the reveal.
Christine’s costume consists of a white shirt with lace along the cuffs, frills on the neckline covered by a striped vest, blue knee-length trousers, and stockings covered by a thick pin-striped skirt, giving the impression of a man disguised as a woman. Her hair was tied back with a black boy along the nape of her neck, her hair cascaded in waves along her back. Her make-up was subdued, more natural looking compared to the other actors.
Up along the rafters, Twilight and the others roamed a different spot along the scaffolding to cover more ground. Fluttershy kept a nervous watch over the backstage riggings when she sensed a presence behind her. She slowly turned her head, expecting to see the Phantom. Instead, she met a very upset Joseph Buquet. Fluttershy squeaked in fear upon sight, having not forgotten the last time she was near him.
“Uh—Um—Uh h-hello… Mr. B-Buquet, sir,” She stuttered, timidly.
The man merely smirked wickedly toward her, quickly reaching out and grabbed a handful of her pink mane. Fluttershy gasped, in pain and fear, as Buquet lifted her up to eye level.
“Madame Giry isn’t here to help you this time, little girl,” He growled.
“P-P-Please leave me alone,” Fluttershy cried, tearfully. “I-I-I don’t want any trouble, please…”
Fluttershy closed her eyes tightly, waiting for whatever this sick drunken old man had in store. Unbeknownst to the two, Erik, the Phantom, stood only a short distance away. By the looks of it, he was most displeased by what he saw. He knew this yellow Pegasus was a good friend of Rarity and seeing her treated this way made his blood boil. With great stealth, the Phantom slipped away.
Buquet stood along the catwalk, when the Phantom quickly slipped behind his turned back while Fluttershy kept her eyes closed. The stagehand heard a footstep and turned, spotting a shadow as it quickly disappeared into the darkness. The man decided to follow, in hopes to figure out who was creeping around backstage. He turns back toward the weeping Pegasus, dropping her hard along the wooden planks.
“I’m not finished with you yet,” Buquet threatened.
The man made his way through the scaffolding in pursuit of the shadow, leaving poor Fluttershy to cry alone.
Back onstage, Christine and Carlotta stood in front of the bed. Meg smiled to Christine, a maid’s hat upon her head as she held a feather duster in her right hand.
As Carlotta sang to Christine, a grin on her lips, a man in the orchestra pit taps a mallet on a hollow wooden block, creating the effect of someone knocking on a door.
Meg ran over toward the door along a set of blue, white, and gold gilded ‘walls’. She mimed opening a door and ran forward as Piangi walked onstage, portraying the role of Don Attilio the old fool. He is followed by a shorter man wearing similar attire, his outfit an odd shape of lime-green, his face painted, frills up to his neck, and a white wig upon his head.
As Piangi stepped onstage, Meg waved her hand in surprise and gasped in shock as he mimed giving her a smack along the bottom. The audience roared out laughing, as Piangi struts across the stage and Meg ran to the other side. All this observed as Andre and Firmin watch from their box.
“Now that’s exactly something the public loves!” Andre exclaimed, smiling. “Nothing like the old operas!”
“Or the old scenery…” Firmin added.
“The old singers…”
“The old audience…”
“And every seat sold!”
“Hardly a disaster beyond all imagination!”
The men chuckle and were especially surprised how well Christine was doing. For a silent role, she put on an impressive showing, able to express everything with just her face and posture alone. This girl obviously wasn’t lost in anyway; in fact, she seemed right at home.
Meanwhile, Buquet caught sight of a shadow, watching its direction before quickly following.
Onstage, Piangi sings and circles around Carlotta, as Christine bent over pretending to dust something.
Piangi rushed over toward Christine, who comically wiggled her hips a bit as Piangi grinned and made it look as if he grabbed her bottom. Christine straightens up, turning with an appalled look at Piangi. Carlotta made an unhappy expression, snapping her fan shut with a pout. The audience laughed again; they were really eating this up.
“Though, I would happily take the maid with me!” Piangi said, addressing the audience.
Carlotta opens her fan again, positioned to the side of her face, and addressed the audience.
“The old fool is leaving!”
More laughter came from the audience, as the play continued.
Better the verses, Andre and Firmin began to share a discussion about a certain member in the audience.
“It’s the Countess de Cherbourg!” Andre pointed out. “She’s invited us to her salon, you know.”
“Nothing like that ever happened to us in the junk business,” Firmin replied.
“Scrap metal.”
Along the rafters, the Phantom watched, peering upon the sight of Carlotta and Piangi vocalizing. Madame Giry peers up, catching sight of his shadow departing from the rafters. Her eyes shut momentarily – Something was definitely going to happen, she knew it. Piangi began to leave the stage, as Meg and the other actors gathered along stage right.
Carlotta sang, as Christine tossed off her maid garb entirely, leaving her in just a shirt, vest, trousers, and stockings. She puts her hands upon her hips, her head held high. The three actors and Meg ‘gasp’ and acted shocked as one of the men stated, ‘Oh my!’.
Raoul grinned at the sight of his childhood friend acting on stage. Without question, Christine was magnificent and, he must admit, her dressing as a man was funny.
The Diva sang as she walks toward Christine, the two leans forward and their faces covered by Carlotta’s fan. Piangi put a sneer on his face and shook his fist, in which he held a walking stick, gesturing anger ‘aside’. The crowd once more laughs, applauding the brilliance of their acting.
The Phantom was now along the dome of the Opera House. He peers through a small circular window, before opening the door and walking out as the actors continued.
As they began to vocalize on ‘ho’, The Phantom walks along the railing of the walkway, encircling the base of the painted dome, watching.
“Did I not instruct that Box Five was to be kept empty?!”
Suddenly, from nowhere, the Phantom’s voice thundered, echoing around the theatre. Everyone gasps, as Raoul glanced up at the glittering chandelier, which seemed to hide the dark figure. Buquet looks up as well, knowing he absolutely had to follow and catch this elusive Phantom.
Rarity heard the booming voice through the hall and rushed out onto the stage. The audience was murmuring, as the two managers tried to catch a glance of the elusive Opera Ghost high above the stage. Suffice to say, everyone on stage was shocked… For real.
“He’s here…” Meg muttered. “The Phantom of the Opera.”
Rarity looks toward the scene of Heaven painted on the dome, where she suspected the Phantom was hiding.
“It’s him…” Rarity muttered. “I know it… It’s him…”
“You’re not supposed to be out here, little toad!” Carlotta snapped, pointing her fan at the fashionista.
Rarity’s head snapped to her left toward Carlotta. What did she just call her? She could put up with many things from that woman that day, she was once referred to as a ‘mule’ back home. But now Rarity wouldn’t have it anymore.
“What did you just--?!”
Rarity began to ask when Christine shushed, giving her a look that said, ‘It isn’t worth it!’. Rarity looked down at the floor, a quiet sigh escaping her lips. Carlotta grins toward the audience, quickly stepping off stage for a moment or two. From high along the catwalk, the Phantom growled to himself by what Carlotta just said to Rarity.
“A toad, Madame?” The Phantom muttered. “Perhaps it is you who are the toad…”
Carlotta’s attendant grabs the bottle of throat spray, unaware it had been swapped. Carlotta opens her mouth, allowing a few puffs of spray into her mouth. She tested her voice for a second.
https://m.
“Why you spray on my chin all the time, huh?”
The attendant sprayed a few more times till Carlotta was satisfied, quickly walking back on stage.
“Oh! Mi scusi, tutti,” Carlotta replied. “Maestro, de capo, por favore.”
As Carlotta assumed her place on stage, The Phantom turns his back and disappears back through the door. The orchestra proceeds to play again. As Carlotta once again began to sing,
CROAK!!!
Singing for the next word, all that came out was that horrible sound. Everyone froze, shocked, somewhat amused. In the orchestra pit, Monsieur Reyer tries to calm the musicians down. Buquet hears a quiet laughter, becoming more and more hysterical. He enters the door through which the Phantom exited, shutting it behind him in hopes to catch the elusive man.
“Gentlemen, please, please,” Reyer instructed. “Now, come along.”
The orchestra proceeds to play again as Carlotta, just as amazed as anyone, regains herself and clears her throat before proceeding.
CROAK! CROAK! CROAK!
Once again, Carlotta was cut off by a series of loud croaks trying to sing, at which, the audience burst into laughter as she sounded just like a toad. The entire cast laughed, seeing as Carlotta tortured just about everyone in the cast – happy to see the Diva so humiliated! The Phantom’s laughter rises, by this time overpowering, as it crescendos into a great cry:
“Behold! She is singing to bring down the chandelier!”
Carlotta looks tearfully up at the Managers’ box, shaking her head, as her attendants gesture for her to get off.
“Mother!” She shouted, quickly running off. “Non posso piu… I cannot… I cannot go on…”
Concerned, Piangi rushes off to comfort Carlotta.
“Cara, cara…” Piangi cried. “I’m here… Is all right… Come… I’m here…”
Everyone else just continued gasping or laughing or both, as Andre and Firmin quickly rushed on stage.
“Bring the curtain in!” Andre called out. “Would you please-yes!”
The curtain closed, leaving the man in green onstage, unable to find the opening in the curtains. This caused a further uproar of laughter.
“Get off!” Reyer shouts, gesturing to him.
The man ran off, covering his face with a fan, as the managers tackle the audience.
“Ladies and Gentlemen!” Firmin announced, drawing the audience’s attention. “We apologize! The performance will continue in ten minutes’ time--:
The audience laugh, as they saw two actors rush past the gap along the curtain. Firmin keeps his eye on Box Five, which is now ‘empty’, also keeping another eye out on the chandelier.
“When the role of the Countess will be played by—”
Firmin reached in between the curtain, grabbing Christine.
“Miss Daae!”
To say Firmin is nervous was an understatement – Suppose the Phantom wished for another change to the performance and he’d do something horrible again to prove his point. Clearly, The Phantom, whoever he was, was greatly upset with them for not following his rules. But at the moment, Firmin didn’t have time to care.
Christine stared toward the audience, shocked as they applaud – She was still exhausted from her earlier excursion beneath the vaults of the Opera House. But she hadn’t a choice to refuse though, if this was what the managers wanted that’s exactly what she had to do.
“Go on!” Firmin ushered, pushing Christine away. “Hurry up, hurry up!”
As Christine left for her dressing room, Firmin addresses the audience.
“Until then, we would crave your indulgence for a few moments.”
Meanwhile, the stagehands were working frantically backstage, lowering the curtain and changing the set.
“Meanwhile, ladies and gentlemen,” Andre improvised, his voice cracking. “We shall be giving you the ballet from Act Three of tonight’s opera.”
“What?!” Reyer exclaimed, quietly in shock.
“Maestro, th-the ballet!” Andre stuttered. “The ballet, bring it forward!”
“The ballet!” Reyer urged.
“The ballet! Now, please!”
Reyer flipped through his music, as the musicians scrambled for the piece.
“Page one nineteen!” Reyer repeated, to the orchestra. “Thank you!”
The managers disappeared backstage with a ‘thank you’, departing back to their box feet. As the stage dissolved into chaos, Rarity felt utterly lost. Christine was escorted backstage, assuming her new costume and the Unicorn had nothing to do. Looking down at the chair she sat on, she found a red rose with a black ribbon tied around it. Picking it up with her magic, she realized this was exactly like the first rose she received from him… Her friend… The Angel… The Phantom. To say the least she was surprised, blinking a few times, while watching the ballet offstage.
The man playing the green-suited fop was onstage, trying to get through the curtains, unsuccessfully. But the way he played toward the audience was most amusing. Reyer just frowned at him and said:
“You’re fired.”
Raoul smiled at the poor man, as the curtains opened to reveal the chaotic stage. The orchestra was playing the ballet, as the dancers began to get in place while the set switched out.
Along the rafters above stage, Twilight and the others caught up with each other.
“Did you guys find him at all?” Twilight asked.
“Nope,” Rainbow shook her head. “Nothing.”
“Negative,” Spike added.
“That’s a big negatory,” Applejack spoke.
Pinkie, meanwhile, arrived with a huge bucket of popcorn, stuffing her face.
“Hmm… Not in the concession stand,” Pinkie smiled, between bites.
Every pony once more rolled their eyes, shaking their heads at Pinkie’s randomness. Then, Twilight looked about all of her friends, counting heads, when her eyes widened due to sudden realization.
“Wait a minute!” Twilight gasped, worriedly. “Where’s Fluttershy?”
<>
On the catwalk above stage, Buquet searched for the Phantom. Little did he know, the Phantom stood close by, watching him, planning when to appear. The Dancers proceed to leap and bound during Buquet’s search, as the Phantom silently watched. Meg glanced toward the rafters, spotting him as he quickly turned away, she looked down hoping what she’d seen was wrong. Buquet kept walking, winded, his breath labored from fear. He was on the catwalk when he heard something creak behind him.
“Huh?”
Buquet turned and came face-to-face with the half-masked, caped, shadow-like, but very real Phantom. His blue eyes pierced into Buquet’s, as if looking into his soul. The man gasped, turned and fled from the Phantom, grabbing onto a rope on the catwalk and climbed up, hoping to escape. The Phantom in turn ran along the end of the catwalk, climbing onto another following Buquet.
Onstage, the sheep, which the dancers brought on stage, were being stubborn – They wouldn’t do what they were told. The audience laughed, unaware of the deadly chase occurring in the rafters.
Buquet froze on the catwalk, spotting the other man on a set of catwalks across from him. The Phantom froze, as they stare at each other, waiting to see who makes the first move in any direction. As Buquet ran toward a different catwalk, the Phantom climbed up a rope and got onto it, just behind the frightened stagehand. He shakes the catwalk causing Buquet to trip and fall, catching a glimpse of the swirling white skirts of the dancers below him. The Phantom quickly advanced, sliding a noose around the man’s neck.
Twilight and the others ran frantically through the rafters, searching for their missing friend. It was only after hearing the soft whimpering they finally found her. The poor girl was curled up like a ball, crying.
“Fluttershy!” Twilight cried, reaching out. “Are you alright?”
“N-N-No!” Fluttershy sobbed. “No I’m not…”
“Was it that Phantom?” Rainbow asked, angrily. “Did he hurt you?”
Fluttershy just shook her head ‘no’, her tears pouring like waterfalls.
“Tell us wut happened to yah, sugar cube,” Applejack urged.
Twilight knelt down, stroking her hoof comfortingly through Fluttershy’s man, trying to help her relax. Fluttershy eventually turned to them all before responding:
“B-B-Buquet…”
“Buquet?” Spike questioned.
Speaking of said man, the Phantom strangled him, watching the pain come over his red face, struggling to breath as life slipped over his eyes. Buquet’s struggle for life fainted, his body growing limp, as the Phantom took hold of the rope and nudged his body, so it dropped and hung center stage, breaking his neck.
The dancers screamed at the dead man’s shaking, as everyone turned. They all jumped back, as the crowd gasped and screamed. Suddenly, Buquet’s body fell upon the stage with a thud, the rope around his neck hitting the stage as well. There the Phantom stood above, staring at the ensuing panic. With a smirk, he disappears from the rafters with a swish of his cape.
The ponies and Spike, having witnessed the whole scene, stared in horror as Raoul rushed back towards the dressing rooms. They could not believe their eyes – The Phantom had just killed a man. All they could do is stare in shock, as they rushed into the crowd thick with panicked people.
In the meantime, Raoul found Christine by the foot of the stairs, wrapped in a red cloak. Underneath, she wore a pink under-dress and her hair was loose.
“Are you alright?” Raoul questioned, worried.
“Raoul, we aren’t safe here!” She said, grabbing his hand.
As Christine led him towards the stairs, rushing to safety, the managers desperately tried to calm the crowd.
“Ladies and Gentlemen! Please remain in your seats!” Firmin called, from his seat. “It was simply an accident! An accident!”
Both managers, shocked and unsure of what to do, rush from their box seats to recover Buquet’s body. But the damage was already done, and the crowd was in several unrest. But the lingering question still remained: What would The Phantom do now?