Bargaining
"Fluttershy…"
Her eyes fluttered open at the sound of her name. Fluttershy lifted her head, looking around her, remembering once again that she was not in the apartment she and her father occupied, but beneath the Opera House. The cavern was dark save for a few orange embers that glowed from the hearth in the center. Who had spoken to her? All she could hear now were the soft snores of her new friends. And then she heard it again…
"Fluttershy…"
She rose from the bed, a blanket wrapped tightly about her body. The voice seemed to be coming from beyond the cavern.
"Fluttershy…come to me, my angel…"
The voice was hypnotic. Low and deep, rich and soft. A whisper; yet loud and clear. She felt like a ship at sea, and the voice was her beacon guiding her to safe harbor. Or, it could be that of a siren, luring her to her death. Either way, she was under it's power and could not turn away. "I am coming…" she called back, following the voice through the darkness of the tunnels.
The voice was replaced by music. Music she had heard before in her dreams; soft and sad, yet so beautiful and passionate. She continued her unknown journey, her feet carrying her as if she were as light as air.
"Sing for me, my angel…"
Futtershy opened her mouth willingly to the request. Was it a request? The voice was soft and sweet, yet the words seemed commanding. She opened her mouth, yet no sound came out.
"Please sing for me…I long to hear your voice mingle with my music…"
Her skin tingled in the most wonderful way. She felt something within her begin to burn, begin to come alive. The music rose higher in its passion, and as it did so, she felt her blood rise with it, the heat of her body climax with each note.
The blanket fell away, like a puddle at her bare hooves. She wore a sheer gown, its material touching her like a thousand silken hooves. Funny, she did not remember putting such a gown on.
"Yes my angel…come to me…sing for me…stay with me…"
Fluttershy opened her mouth again, willing her voice, forcing it almost, to obey the other's commands. She wanted to please her ghost, her angel of music who was playing for her and her alone.
"Oh angel…how I long to hear you sing…"
Fluttershy attempted again, but her voice stopped in a gasp as she felt something touch her. A paw? She gasped again as she felt the paw, strong and large, spread over her stomach…and then move down, slowly, running along the length of her thigh.
"Mmmmmmmm…your body was meant for singing…" the voice whispered. She gasped for she could hear it in her ear. She felt a claw touch her throat, spread across her neck and then move downward…further and further.
She held her breath.
"I shall teach you to sing…a very, very special kind of song…" the voice promised, as a silky tongue darted out to taste her earlobe, and the paw on her thigh moved between her legs and the one on her chest moved to her nape.
"Oh Fluttershy…Fluttershy…"
"FLUTTERSHY!"
Fluttershy awoke with a start, her face flushed, her brow covered with beads of sweat, the blankets sticking to her body. She gasped and shook her head, looking around and trying to comprehend what had happened.
A dream. It had all been a dream, and standing near her bed, looking extremely exuberant, was Derpy who was practically hopping up and down. "C-C-COME AND SEE!" she exclaimed, her large hooves grasping her shoulders and pulling her out of bed.
Fluttershy squealed, blushing and thinking she was wearing the silken sheer gown as she had in her dream, but she soon realized that instead, she was still wearing her drab blue dress from the previous day. No wonder her body felt stiff.
"Derpy!" Rarity scolded. "Put her down at once!"
Fluttershy realized that her hooves weren't touching the ground; she was so concerned about her state of dress that she hadn't realized. Derpy looked ashamed and quickly put her down, turning a bright shade of red and shrinking her large size into a small ball. "S-s-s-sorry F-f-f-fluttershy," she stuttered, scuffing her feet and looking sad.
Fluttershy smiled and patted Derpy's face, to which she grinned, although she herself was disappointed by being interrupted from her erotic dream. Or perhaps she was more disappointed that it had turned out to only be a dream. Who was her mysterious angel? It was not the first time she had had such a dream; however this one was much more…realistic.
"C-c-c-come and s-see!" Derpy cried again, gently tugging on her hoof to follow. Her gentle tug was truly a good hard pull, but she was trying.
Rarity rolled her eyes and shook her head. "She won't be satisfied till you follow her my dear…I'll make you some breakfast while you're looking."
Fluttershy was so confused. Looking? Looking at what? What had gotten into Derpy? She grinned and tugged on her arm to follow her, which she had no choice but to follow, as her tugs were quite insistent.
She led her through the dark tunnels and passages of the underground labyrinth with ease. Some tunnels were pitch black, yet Derpy navigated the two of them without any problem. Everything looked the same as it had the night before…how did they know when it was morning and when it was evening? She was not sure if she could stand living a life underground, but then she reminded herself that her new friends had little choice.
Some of the tunnels looked oddly familiar…like the tunnels of her dream. She tried to remember the route she was taking her, but after a while, every passage looked no different than the previous one. Fluttershy wondered how far they were going, as it seemed they had been walking–running practically, for Derpy's steps kept getting wider and wider–for quite some time.
"Almost t-t-there!" Derpy said happily, pulling on her arm a little more. Fluttershy continued following, curious to see what it was that had her in such a state. She was surprised when Derpy suddenly stopped in front of her, causing Fluttershy to run into her large frame. "There…" she pointed towards a small glittering light that was coming through a sliver in the cavern wall. Fluttershy looked around her, her gaze following the direction her hoof was pointing. She saw the soft golden glow that was softly illuminating a nearby rock. She realized that the glow as coming from just beyond the rock. What was it? Her first thoughts were that it was the light of morning, streaming through a crack in the cave's ceiling. But as she slowly approached the light, with Derpy's instance, she realized that it was artificial, and not the sun.
"G-g-go on!" she encouraged, grinning from ear to ear. Fluttershy nodded her head at Derpy, slowly going towards the glow, wondering what lay beyond the rocks that blocked her initial eyesight. She realized that the rocks were not hiding the light, they were simply in front of it. She did not have to remove them; she simply had to go around them. She side stepped to her right and went beyond the rocks, finding a small entrance into a cavern. The glow was growing brighter…and her curiosity was growing wilder. The entrance was small, but not to the point where she had to bend down, as she initially thought she would have to do. She gasped when she saw a lacy white curtain covering the "doorway" to the cavern. How did this get here? It was beautiful to be sure, but…where did it come from? Fluttershy pushed the curtain aside…and her breath stopped.
The cavern was small…no bigger than some of the dressing rooms that the chorus girls occupied above…but it was adorned in the most exquisite state she had ever seen. Before her was a rich scarlet rug, unbelievably soft, which stretched to the far reaches of the tiny cavern's floor. In one corner was a beautiful mahogany dressing table, adorned in brightly colored bottles of perfume, cream, and soap. The scent of lavender and rose petals filled her nostrils, reminding Fluttershy of the rose bushes she and her father kept back at their old farm. The dressing table had a pristine mirror which reflected the elegant area she was standing in. There were several beautiful works of art that hung from the cavern walls, and several stone pedestals that held crystal vases filled with all sorts of colorful flowers. To the left of the dressing table was a scarlet chaise-lounge, which had a lovely lace throw adorned across it. She heard the soft trickling of water and glanced to her left and gasped. A tiny waterfall trickled from the ceiling down to a small pound that was at the bottom of a tiny slope. Before the slope there was a mahogany table with two chairs, each with the same scarlet cushions as the chaise-lounge. A single pink rose in a slender crystal vase adorned the table. Light glittered off the falling water and Fluttershy's followed it to see where the light came from. Several large beautiful crystal oil lamps hung from silver hooks on the cavern's walls…yet they were not causing the odd glittering glow. No, the glow was coming from what the light of the oil lamps were bouncing off…which was a small beautiful crystal chandelier, which seemed to sparkle with diamonds, which hung from the center of the ceiling. And then…in the very middle of the room, was a bed. It was not small, but not overly large. Two could sleep on it if they wished, but they would have to be pressed very close together. Fluttershy found herself blushing at the thought. The bed was four posters, and was covered with lace curtains that were held back by white ribbons. The sheets looked as if they were made of silk, and the blanket that covered it was a deep velvet scarlet, same as the other furniture. Needless to say…the cavern took her breath away.
"And just in time for breakfast!" came a merry voice. Fluttershy whirled around to see Rarity smiling as she held a small silver tray, adorned with eggs, several kinds of sweet cakes, and a cup of tea. "Here you are my dear…I'm afraid we were not able to build you a fireplace just yet, but do not worry, all in good time you will have one," she smiled.
Fluttershy was flabbergasted. She could not find her voice, her eyes were wide with amazement. This…this was hers?
"R-r-rarity…" she murmured looking around her, not knowing where to start.
"D-d-d-d-do you l-l-l-like it?" Derpy asked, her stutter even stronger due to her nervousness. She wanted to make sure she loved it, she had worked very hard with the others the previous night to make sure it was perfect.
"Like it," Fluttershy whispered. "I…I don't know what to say?" Derpy's face fell at her words. "It's the most beautiful room I have ever seen!" she exclaimed. Her face instantly broke into a large smile. "I…good Lord, where did this all come from?" Fluttershy asked, her body whirling around the room, taking in everything she was seeing. Rarity and Derpy smiled at one another. "I…I just…I don't know what to say…" she whispered, feeling happy tears form in her eyes. "But…I can not accept this…this is too kind, why…it's fit for a princess! And I'm just a country mare-"
"T-t-t-the Master w-w-will be upset if you d-d-don't take it," Derpy quickly interrupted. "Please say you w-will stay?" Fluttershy was moved by Derpy's words, not knowing that when she made her simple request, she was asking her more than simply accepting the room.
"Oh Derpy…" she looked at Rarity then as well. "Thank you both…and please thank Shortround and Rainbow Dash for me as well! I can only imagine how tired you must all be," she whispered, wiping her eyes and giggling as she remembered that both Shortround and Rainbow Dash were snoring in their beds when Derpy roused her.
"We are not the ones who deserve the thanks my dear," Rarity simply stated. "This was all the Master's doing. He merely directed us to fetch the furniture; he designed the room himself."
Fluttershy stared wide-eyed at Rarity. "The Phant–I mean, Discord…he…he…" she could not believe it.
"Yes," Rarity sighed. "Despite how I told him to stay in bed, he insisted on being here while the others brought the furniture. At least he didn't attempt to move it himself," she thanked heaven for some small favors. "He was present with directing where things should go and designing the whole space," she explained, before taking Fluttershy's arm and leading her towards the table by the small waterfall. "Now, come along and eat your breakfast before it gets cold."
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Was this another dream? Fluttershy gazed at the lace that covered the top of the bed, relishing in the soft sheets that she lay upon. The previous night had been alright, but it wasn't the best sleep she had received. The mattresses she was given for a bed were old with springs that popped here and there. She had tossed and turned throughout the night and her back ached somewhat. But now, as she laid upon her new bed…oh she had never felt anything softer, as if she were laying on a cloud.
She truly did feel like a princess; she had never seen anything finer. And yet…she did not feel deserving of this extravagant gift. Were the others content? Why was she given luxury when they continued to sleep in their present quarters? Were they happy with what they had, or would they begin to envy her? Was it right for her to have such luxuries? After all, she was a prisoner. And then there was the Phantom…
"Discord," she whispered the name again. His name was both mysterious and beautiful. Ever since Rarity had told her the story of how they all had come to be there, she could not stop thinking about him. Despite his dark mood and cruel exterior…she had learned that he was caring and devoted to those he felt responsible for. They all called him "Master", and had adopted the understanding of being servants for him; that was her first prejudice towards him. Fluttershy knew of several wealthy families back around the country village in which she grew up. They were all snobby and arrogant, commanding servants to do whatever they wished, even if the command was humiliating. The family of her mother, who snubbed her after marrying a poor musician, taught Fluttershy how far ponies were willing to go to view others as equals…and it wasn't that far.
Yet the Phantom…was different. He was the equal of the others; he too lived in that horrid place and suffered the same humiliating cruel acts that they had faced. And when the time came for his escape, he could have easily left without anyone else. But he released the others, and in return for their freedom, they wished to serve him with whatever he needed. And it did not end there either, for he cared for them, provided them food, clothing, shelter, and whatever else they wished. While this underground labyrinth was amazing with all its secret treasures…Fluttershy had a feeling that many of the things that were there, such as Rarity's yards of fabric for her sewing and Derpy's book collection, came from the Phantom himself. And this entire room…where it had come from, she did not know…but he, as she was reminded many times by the others, had wished for her to have it, and was present with the organization of it.
Why had he changed? Was it not one day ago that they were blaming each other for one another's troubles and throwing insults back and forth? Did he feel pity for her? Was this his way of showing thanks for her bringing him back and helping to save his life? Whatever it was…she needed to thank him. Oh she could envision it now, she thought with a wry grin. Yes, she could see herself strolling into his elaborate chambers, and thanking him for the beautiful room and all that he had done…and then receiving scoffing remarks and sarcastic laughter. No, the Phantom did not strike her as a man who would listen to compliments and gratitude.
…and yet she still felt the need to go to him and somehow thank him, even if it was simply seeing his face and body again.
His face and his body. Funny, she thought. The first time she saw him without his mask, she was terrified. Never had she seen anything more horrific in her whole life. But when she reflected on the situation the second time she removed his mask to place a cool cloth on his cheeks and forehead and took off his clothes to ward off the fever, she discovered she truly was not terrified…but intrigued. She concluded that what startled her initially was the way he suddenly turned around after he felt the mask being removed. It was the rage that she saw etched across his face, as well as the odd duality; one side was "normal" while the other…wasn't.
But when she looked at him again without the mask…her eyes studied his scars, and her hooves lightly played over them while he slept. The scars were hard, and had a somewhat leathery texture. She could feel the bones of his nose and right cheekbone, which had skin covering them, but no muscle tissue. The bag of flesh that hung slightly over his right eye was hard as well, despite looking somewhat squishy. How he came by these scars she did not know…but the more she studied them, the less afraid she felt. She gazed upon the other side of his face, the side that looked like that of any workpony's. It was not handsome, at least not by fashionable society's standards, but then, when was she considered fashionable? It was rugged in texture, pale, but there was a soft hint of brown to his skin. She remembered how Rarity mentioned that one theory of Discord's origins was that he was from Persia; perhaps that explained his coloring? His face was not slender, but with a strong set jaw. The cheekbones were not high, but they were sleek, offering a more rounded look. His eyes however…that was where she remembered her breath being stolen.
His body also scared her a little at first, simply because it was so strange. However after she had taken a longer look, it stopped scaring her and more interested her. His body was . . .unique to be sure. He appeared to be a miss match of things all put together into something quite horrifying at first glance. But now that she had seen his body more from their encounters and his fever, she felt that it almost. . . suited him in a way, a representation of the insanity that plagued him, and the passion. slim yet strong, a mix of many things that in the end, all worked together very well.
He had the eyes of a panther; large and golden. In the shadows they looked amber–a soft shade of brown with flecks of gold. But when the light shown on his face, and when his eyes went wide with shock or surprise, they turned a golden color, one that drew her into its depths and made her feel like drowning.
And his voice. It was not silken, but deeper, richer…more like the scarlet velvet that adorned her bed. Soft, yet textured; dangerous, yet warm.
His slimness added his gracefulness, another panther-like quality. The way he moved when he was fighting was like a dance of sorts. And when she watched him play at his organ, she saw the graceful way his paw and claw played over the keys, despite the passionate fury his very soul was screaming. Her blood grew hot at the memory; she had been mesmerized by his playing, his music as well as his very being calling out to her like a siren. Was his music the one she heard in her dream? Was it his voice she had heard? She blushed deeply and sat up; she had been laying on her back and yet she had felt dizzy.
The gothic romances her mother had read to her were full of dark suspense, mystery, a little gore here and there, and plenty of ghostly passion. She remembered how as a filly she thought the notion of ghosts was quite romantic, and she even felt that way upon her first arrival to the Maris Opera House. Her feelings on such things had changed; no longer did she find such ideas fascinating or romantic, but frightening and foolish. Yet now…for the first time since her first day in Maris, Fluttershy found herself once again believing in ghostly romance and gothic fantasy. Even though she knew what lay beneath his mask…she could not help but be lost in the mystery of it.
"I'm being so foolish," her practical side scolded. "He said so himself, this is no fairy tale and he is no prince…he is my kidnapper. He may be kind to those who suffer the same way he suffers, but that means I'm his enemy and will always be such in his eyes." So why did these thoughts upset her?
She had to see him; that was the only way to put an end to these silly feelings that were awakening her body to unknown sensations…as well as her heart.
One insult would be all that she needed to remind her silly heart what was her true situation. She could go to him, thank him for his gift, and then allow him to ridicule her for being so foolish as to come to him and think such things. Yes, she would do that, that way she would do the right thing by thanking him…and be reminded of her real situation, that she was prisoner and this beautiful room was her new cage.
So why was her heart breaking at the thought?
"Oh Fluttershy," she grumbled, rising to her hooves and taking one of the oil lamps off the wall and using it as a guide to carry her through the darkened tunnels. "You truly are a foolish country chit!"
Yet her personal insults quickly came to a stop and were replaced by surprise as she found herself going down unknown tunnels…and yet feeling as if they were leading her in the right direction. She had never seen these tunnels before…yet she felt as if she knew them…
Lo and behold, in a matter of minutes, Fluttershy found herself standing just inside the first chamber that belonged to the Phantom. She looked again at the beautiful mighty pipe organ that seemed to be embedded in the rock. By closing her eyes, she could see him sitting at it and playing passionately as she had seen him do only two nights ago.
She shook her head and told herself to continue onward, that she had come here for a purpose.
Quietly, she tipped-toed towards the second chamber, the one in which he slept, and so softly, peered through the shadows to see if he was conscious. Instead, she was greeted by the soft even sound of his breathing, and saw him sleeping, looking utterly exhausted. Fluttershy couldn't help but grin at the sight of him. He wore the mask (she had a feeling he rarely took it off) and on his stomach lay sheets of parchment, while in one paw he held a pen and in the other claw, an inkwell. He looked so peaceful, but she reminded herself that a lion looks just as peaceful before pouncing on its prey.
She knew she should leave him be, but she found herself drawn to him, even in his sleeping state. She quietly approached the side of his bed, and carefully, so as not to wake him, removed the inkwell and pen from his paw. She placed the two items next to the bed on a small table, and then she proceeded to pick up the paper that was scattered across the bed. He made a sound which caused her to jump somewhat, but she noticed that he was still sleeping quite peacefully. She had the amazing urge to bend over and place a soft kiss on his forehead, but she resisted. Instead, she blew out the single candle that was lit by his bedside, and took the parchment into the next room, leaving the slumbering Phantom in peace.
Fluttershy placed the parchment on top of a beautiful piano that sat near the pipe organ. She would come back later or perhaps tomorrow and thank him then. But something on the parchment caught her eye and drew Fluttershy back. It was a song, one that looked as if it had been freshly written.
She recalled the score she had discovered those two nights ago with the words Don Juan Triumphant written at the top. She was not familiar with an opera by that title, and while she had grown up in the country, her father, a lover of all things related to music, had told her much about many operas, the famous and less famous alike. Like that score sheet, this song also contained the words Don Juan Triumphant written in small letters in the upper right corner. The title of the song was "Point of No Return". Fluttershy felt a shiver run down her spine.
The song was a duet, sung by the main figure, Don Juan, and a girl by the name of Aminta. She found herself blushing as she read the first few lines, realizing that it was a love song of sorts…yet the lyrics were extremely erotic, as Don Juan attempts to seduce Aminta. The music was odd as well. One minute, the notes were moving to a graceful slow rhythm, and the next, they changed dramatically to a thunderous exclamation. Without realizing it, she found herself humming softly to the melody…and then, as her eyes reached Aminta's part, she discovered herself singing the role.
"You have brought me
to that moment where words run dry,
to that moment where speech disappears
into silence,
silence…"
She took a breath and continued on, her voice growing a little more confident as the music began to flow through her, casting its spell upon her soul.
"I have come here,
hardly knowing the reason why…
in my mind,
I've already imagined
our bodies entwining, defenseless and silent–
and now I am here with you:
no second thoughts,
I've decided,
decided…"
"What are you doing?"
Fluttershy gasped and whirled around, her hooves gripping the piano to keep herself from fainting with shock.
She had been caught. There he stood, towering over her as she remembered the first time she met him. His shirt was gone; all he wore were a pair of crumpled black suit trousers and his mask. He stood in the entrance between the two chambers, eyeing her. Even in her frightened state, Fluttershy could not help but look at his bare chest and take in the body she saw before her very eyes. And yet everything in her being told her to run, to get out of there, that she had been meddling in private things and now she was going to pay dearly. She couldn't look into his eyes, she feared what she would find.
So instead, she turned on her heel and darted towards the entrance that led out into the dark tunnels just beyond. This was his lair, nothing could stop him from pursuing her, but right now she wasn't thinking practically, simply following what her instincts told her to do which was run.
"STOP!"
Why, she did not know, but Fluttershy turned her head to look over her shoulder at his thunderous voice, only to find that he wasn't there…but had somehow moved in front of her. She gasped and stared up at him, as he was literally only a breath away from her body. How was that possible to move so quickly?
"I…I…" she swallowed the lump in her throat. "I…I'm sorry, I only…that is, I only came to…to thank you for the room, and…you were asleep, s-s-so I thought…I simply thought that…I only intended…" she was backing away from him and gasped when she discovered she was back against the piano. He was slowly stalking towards her.
"I…I didn't mean to pry, please forgive me, I just…I didn't do any harm, I didn't mean any harm, I…I…" she had nowhere else to go, her back was against the piano and he was still stalking forward. She felt like shrinking, and then, she stopped babbling when she felt his paw reach out and touch her lips.
"Hush now…" he whispered. His voice was not filled with anger…but…fascination. She was instantly quiet in that moment, and she slowly lifted her lashes to gaze up into those molten eyes that were watching her with such intensity.
"I'm going to ask you a question," he murmured, his paw still against her lips. "And I want you to answer me truthfully, nothing else." He paused to see if she understood. "How…when…" he swore softly to himself, for he discovered he too was stumbling over his own words. "Who taught you how to read music?" he softly demanded, yet with great gentleness.
Fluttershy locked eyes with him once more, and read the earnestness in them for his need to know the answer. Slowly he removed his paw from her lips and waited, while she took a deep breath. "My father taught me," she whispered, her eyes not leaving his. "He would play music to me on his violin…and I learned how to read it by singing over his shoulder while he played."
"Amazing…" Discord whispered. It was then that he realized how close he was to her, and he quickly took one step back, providing a little more space between them. "And…how did you learn to sing?"
Fluttershy looked confused by the question. How did she learn to sing? Some people, when they found themselves in the water, could swim like fish. Others could climb rocks and trees as if gravity itself did not apply to them. For her, singing was like breathing; it was just something she could do and had always been able to do. "No one taught me," she whispered. "I…I just can."
His eyes changed, from amazed to scrupulous. He studied her for a long hard moment. He was a connoisseur of music, he knew how to play a variety of instruments, knew all the masterworks by the great composers, and had written several symphonies, cantatas, requiems, marches, and operas, and yet he did it all by thorough and meticulous study. He was born with a gift, but it was gift that did not come so easily, no matter how hard he tried to will it.
But this mare…was it possible for one to have such God-given talent? Only one way to find out…
"Sing this for me," he demanded, finding a song from his opera and slamming it down on the piano.
"W-w-what?" Fluttershy looked confused and felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. She felt as if someone were setting a trap for her.
"Sing this, now!" he demanded again, moving to the piano bench and playing the first few cords of the song. He looked up at her, wanting to scream for her to obey and do as he had said, but he stopped himself and saw the fearful confusion in her eyes. His heart instantly softened. "Please…" he whispered. "Please, sing this for me…I need to hear it…"
His voice sounded so pleading, Fluttershy felt herself melting. She took a deep breath and looked down at the sheet of music before her. It was a song that the girl, Aminta, sung earlier on in the opera. She read the first few cords that opened the music, hearing him play them over and over as he waited. She looked at him one more time, finding his eyes locked on hers as he continued playing those same cords over and over. She looked back at the music and began to sing.
"Think of me,
think of me fondly
when we've said goodbye…
think of me,
once in awhile
please promise me you'll try…
when you find
that once again you long
to take your heart back and be free,
if you ever find a moment,
spare a thought for me…"
The playing on the piano came to an abrupt halt and Discord pushed himself away from the instrument, rising to his feet in lightning speed and began pacing the chamber like a caged tiger.
Fluttershy had been lost in the beautiful song; the melody was so sweet and soft and the lyrics so loving, that she was startled by the abrupt stop which brought her crashing back to earth. Had she upset him? She knew she had no formal kind of training when it came to singing, but she didn't believe she was horrible.
Discord's eyes latched onto hers, never leaving their blue depths as he continued his pacing. Incredible, amazing, outstanding; there weren't enough words to describe her voice. It was something that had been missing in the Maris Opera House for years…purity. She had such a pure voice, the tone and pitch clear like a bell. Never had he heard anything so exquisite in all his years at the Opera.
She had the voice of an angel.
Fluttershy felt herself grow more and more uneasy with each step he took. She was going to go mad if someone didn't say or do something. "Monsieur, I…I'm sorry if I offend-"
He stopped. "Sorry?" he said with awe. "You're APOLOGIZING?"
Fluttershy practically jumped at the sudden change of tone in his voice. She couldn't tell if he was surprised, elated, or…upset. "I…well…that is…" she looked up into his eyes, her own filled with confusion. "Yes?"
Discord shook his head furiously. "Don't apologize, do not EVER apologize for…" he wanted to say "the most beautiful divine sound I have heard from another living soul", but he didn't. Instead, he said, "…the talent in which you have been blessed."
Fluttershy felt her cheeks burn at his words. Was that…a compliment? She did not think he would ever say such a thing to her. "Thank you," she whispered, her eyes quickly darting away as his caught hers again.
Discord sighed and carefully approached her once more. "I have…I have never heard such a sound before," he stated honestly. If it had been somepony else who had said such a thing, she would have laughed, feeling that that pony was humoring her. Yet she knew that this stallion was being entirely sincere. "Your voice is truly remarkable," he whispered with awe. "The tone, the pitch…everything…it's so clear…" he turned away, rubbing his brow.
Fluttershy stood perfectly still, not entirely sure what to do or say.
"Yet…" he continued. "While it is quite lovely…it is obviously untrained." Fluttershy had blushed to his words and a small smile formed at the corners of her mouth, but after these words, she felt the smile fade away. "You have astounded me with your first attempts at these songs, especially the first one," he murmured. "I know it may sound like bragging, but I have been writing music ever since I've been here…and it is a fact that I am very good at it," he turned to face her once again. "I study music for countless hours every day; most of my compositions end up being burnt for the lack of talent that they possess," he honestly stated. He did believe himself to be good, but he also knew that he was not perfect. "Yet this opera…I do believe is my masterpiece. And you…someone who has had no formal kind of training…can sing the part of Aminta…as if this role was written for you."
Fluttershy's mouth fell open at his statement. Surely he was jesting! Yes, her voice was untrained, yes, she had no formal singing experience, but…she was not as good as he was claiming her to be!
"Monsieur-"
"I'll make a deal with you, mademoiselle," he murmured, sitting himself back down at the piano, his claw lightly running over the ivory keys. "Don Juan Triumphant is an opera that I want performed here in Maris…and now I feel that it is ready to be performed at the end of the opera season. Allow me to be your teacher…to train your voice so that you can perfect the gifts you have been blessed with…and truly emerge as Aminta."
She could not believe what she was hearing. "You…you want to train me?" she asked with bewilderment. Was this the same stallion who had screamed at her the day before, and then had given her the most beautiful room she had ever seen? Now, instead of being furious with her for singing his music…he wanted to be her teacher?
"Yes, you silly mare," he muttered, feeling his patience thinning. How he longed to take possession of her voice and hear her sing Aminta's part only in the way that he had dreamed.
Fluttershy frowned at his words. "I am not a silly mare," she muttered back. "You can not blame me for being a little…flabbergasted to say the least, by your offer," she stated.
He found himself grinning. Ah, that spirit of hers…he did so admire it.
"My apologies," he whispered, which in itself was a bit of a shock for Fluttershy. He smiled even more at this. "So, will you allow me to be your teacher?" he asked again. "I will not lie to you," he warned. "I will be extremely demanding and expect perfection at every rehearsal. I know that you came to Maris with hopes of singing in the chorus," he continued, ignoring the surprise that was in her eyes at this fact. "I am not preparing you to be a chorus mare…I am preparing you to be a star. The part of Aminta is not for a chorus girl but for a diva, a mare who can carry the role with perfection. That is what I am demanding…perfection," he stated quite plainly. "Rehearsals will be long and hard…and no doubt you will come to despise me even more than you already do," he sighed. Fluttershy stared at him when he said these words, her heart going out to him, but her mind reeling with everything he was telling her. "But I can not help that, I am a slave to music and it is my greatest passion. And I demand so much because…I can hear the potential for greatness by what you have sung thus far," he murmured in awe once again. "So, what do you say? Will you let me teach you?" while it sounded like a question, it was truly more like a demand.
Fluttershy let everything he had said soak in. She had no sense of what formal training was like. If she had sought it from somepony else would it be as grueling and demanding as he was warning her? Did she have a choice?
She lifted an eyebrow and stared back at him. "You said this was a deal…what did you mean by that?"
Clever mare. His admiration for her was growing by the minute.
"Let me train you, and when I feel that you are ready, that you have reached your pinnacle and can step forward as the new star for the Maris Opera House…I will release you from your captivity."
Fluttershy was floored by his last words. He would set her free simply by accepting his offer to train her voice?
"Understand that it will depend on whether I and I alone believe you are ready," he explained one last time, giving her fair warning. "But yes…when that time has come…you will be released."
He wasn't sure why…but he felt a stab of pain under his left rib after he said those words. Funny, the bullet hadn't hit him there…
"So give me an answer mademoiselle before I lose my mind with waiting."
Fluttershy gazed into his amber eyes once more, losing herself in the golden brown pools of his being.
Freedom.
She could almost taste it.
And yet she felt a strange wave of sadness come over her for a brief moment. She quickly shook the feeling away, unsure what it was or what it meant, and refocused her gaze with his. By agreeing to his bargain, not only would she be released from her captivity, but her dreams of singing on stage at the Maris Opera House would come true as well! Yes, it would be hard work, she had no doubt…but she was up to the challenge.
"Yes," she whispered, locking her eyes with his. "Yes, I want you to train my voice."
Discord felt such elation at her words that he almost fell off the piano bench. But he hid it all in his heart and simply nodded his head to her. "Wonderful. Now, first order of business," he began quite seriously, "is to get a proper night's rest. We will begin early tomorrow," he rose from the bench and brushed past her towards his bedchamber. A brief shock of electricity passed between them as she felt his arm brush her shoulder. She cursed the dress she was wearing, knowing that it looked horrible on her, and then wondered why she was caring at all about what she wore in front of him.
"Goodnight monsieur," Fluttershy called out, her back to the Phantom, before slowly walking towards the entrance that led out of his music chamber.
"Fluttershy?"
She came to a halt as she heard her name being spoken on his lips for the first time. She felt a strange fire burn between her legs as the words dripped off him like warm honey. She slowly turned her head and glanced over her shoulder at him. Once more, he was standing in the entryway between his two chambers.
"Do you like your room?" he simply asked, his eyes boring deeply into her own.
She swallowed and simply nodded her head. "Y-y-yes…thank you," she whispered.
"My pleasure," he whispered back, before turning and disappearing like a ghost into the shadows of his bed chamber.