Three weeks later...
The morning sky was filled with colors of the breaking and cracking dawn. It was dark purple with some streaks of yellow and orange and red. The little ponies across Paris were still asleep...except for one little ballet pony named Butterscotch.
Ever since he agreed to Eris teaching him how to sing, Butterscotch had to wake up before dawn for their music lessons. Butterscotch didn't mind waking up around this time because Butterscotch is naturally a morning pony. He loves to wake up early in the morning and watch the sunrise with the sweet birds singing. Plus, Butterscotch gets to do something he loves to do...singing. The yellow pegasus was so grateful to have a friend that he can express his passions with. Butterscotch never thought in a million years that he would be able to sing in front if any pony. He can't even sing in front of Bluebell and his Baba...but he can with Eris. Maybe it was because Eris was even more passionate with music than he was. Butterscotch never thought he would see the day where something like would happened.
But with Eris...anything was possible.
Butterscotch thought it was so crazy that he would get so close to some pony within a few weeks. She wasn't family like Bluebell or his father. It was like he and Eris knew each other before they met. They were like...kindred spirits.
But because they were so close...Butterscotch has noticed how Eris would sneak in little intimate moments here and there. Moments where her claw would brush ever so smoothly across his hoof. Moments where she would wrap her arms around him slowly. There were even moments where her tail would be completely wrapped around his waist. These moments made Butterscotch get so flustered and embarrassed. He would always freeze and become speechless. It's not like he didn't like Eris touch him, but...it deeply reminded him of their moment on her bed three weeks earlier. It reminds him how much he doesn't know about...well...matters if the heart.
There were still things he didn't know about her. Eris still has her walls. There are still some things that Eris hasn't shared with him. And this deeply disturbs Butterscotch. When his father told him of Eris's past, it did shed some light on certain things but...it didn't answer all his questions.
He wanted to ask her these questions, but Butterscotch is scared of Eris shutting him out completely. She would get angry at him. She would despise him. Was he worried that she would break their kindred spirit relationship? No...Butterscotch felt like there's a better reason. Their relationship wasn't friendship...it was something beyond that. But Butterscotch didn't know what it was.
Despite Eris's powerful and confident facade, Eris was a very sensitive and frail soul. Her soul was alot like his. The only difference between was that Butterscotch wore his heart on his sleeve, and Eris didn't.
It's funny...their relationship blossomed from Butterscotch's own curiosity. This thought made Butterscotch smile a little.
Butterscotch slowly and quietly sneaked out of his bed and past his snoozing roommates. For once, Butterscotch was thankful to have such delicate and dainty mare-like hooves. It took Butterscotch awhile but he finally reached the front room door. He quickly looked over his shoulder before carefully opening the door.
Butterscotch pulled his head through the opened door and looked side to side. Just to make sure that no pony was in the hallway. Once the coast was clear, Butterscotch sneaked quickly through and closed the door with great care.
The yellow pegasus continued his tip toe walk down the hallway and down the stairs. Being careful to not make the old wood crack or creak underneath his hooves.
But Butterscotch was unaware that his adopted sister, Bluebell, was eyeing him from behind the opened door to the mares's room. Bluebell took notice about a week ago that Butterscotch have been visiting the sanctuary every morning. Or at least...that's what Butterscotch says he goes every morning whenever she asks.
Butterscotch would always show signs of nerves and stress whenever she questions him about his supposedly morning prayers. It's as if he was...lying to her. Butterscotch never lies. And he would never lie to her! They were best friends and siblings! It would be blasphemy if he lied to her!
But she can't confront Butterscotch right away...she needs evidence. She needs to know exactly where he goes. Then she can confront him. As much as she didn't want to do this, she felt she had no choice. In order to keep their relationship sane and loving, she has to do this.
When she hear Butterscotch's steps end at the bottom of the staircase, Bluebell gently closes the door and scurries after him.
Once she gets to the bottom of the staircase, she took in her empty surroundings before quickly following Butterscotch to the inside of the opera house. With each step getting closer...and closer...to the sanctuary...Bluebell focused all her energy on making her hoof steps as quiet as Butterscotch's. Butterscotch was like a mouse softly walking about at night. His steps had great lightness but also a tinge of fear in them as well. So Bluebell had to make sure that she was as silent as the shadows themselves.
Butterscotch's pace slowed down as he approached the door. Bluebell hides behind the giant grand curtain on one of the pillars on stage. Bluebell saw how Butterscotch leaves the door open as he enters into the sanctuary.
Bluebell waited for...about ten minutes...to see if Butterscotch will come out. But he never did. Her worries and her curiosity out the best out of her and she charged towards the sanctuary. She closed her eyes and hoped for the best.
When Bluebell felt like she was inside, she carefully opened her eyes one at a time. She saw no pony in the room. Butterscotch wasn't here! Where is he?! she exclaimed inside her mind.
Bluebell panicked and searched all over the room for him. He couldn't have just disappeared! No pony can just disappears out of thin air! Unless...Butterscotch left the sanctuary without her knowing. No, Bluebell pondered to herself, my eyes weren't playing tricks on me. She knew what she didn't see and what she did see.
Bluebell also told herself Yeah I'm not going crazy.
Bluebell stopped in the middle of her panic search and carefully scanned the room. She realized that she had been acting like a mad mare searching for Butterscotch in the room. She groaned and face hoofed herself.
Meanwhile, Dopey the hunchback pony was hiding in the dark shadows of the sanctuary ceiling. He was lying on the wooden high beams above Bluebell's head. His golden crossed eyed eyes were glued on Bluebell. He was in a trance...he was under her spell...he couldn't help but feel his heart flutter in his chest. He sighed out lovingly whenever he saw her.
Dopey did feel bad for Bluebell when she quickly searched the small cave-like room for Butterscotch. However, he couldn't help be fascinated by the way she moved...by the way her long blonde mane danced in the air...or by the way her eyes widen to reveal their navy blue depths. Eris had told him to just observe the unicorn, but not talk to her again. Dopey found the command to be a blessing and a curse. He wanted to talk to her and become her friend. But at the same time, by keeping watch over her in the shadows, he can admire her properly without her running away again.
He propped one his forelegs up and leaned into his hoof. Just to get a closer look at her and enjoy the view. But dear Dopey didn't hear the small buckling sounds coming from the beam underneath him.
A loud crack soon echoed the quiet sanctuary. Dopey looked underneath and whispered "Uh oh."
Dopey let out a little shout as the wooden beam collapsed to the sanctuary floor. Dopey was almost knocked out by the fall, and his body was covered by pieces of old wood and dust. Bluebell screamed when she saw the one of the ceiling beams crashing down before her.
Bluebell tried to clear the dust away from the air surrounding her. She coughed into one of her forelegs as she approached closer to the disaster area. As the dust cleared, Bluebell was able to make out a shape...a very hunched over shape.
Her eyes widen as the bulky shape started to rise from the broken beam. Then it let out a hearty cough. She slowly backed away.
When Dopey opened his eyes, he was able to make out Bluebell from the dusty fog before him. He slowly approached her,while battling the soreness in his body. Bluebell saw his golden eyes, and exclaimed in her mind It's the phantom!
He weakly smiled and said "Hehe sorry about that."
Bluebell, taken back by that statement, uttered out loud "Huh?"
Dopey repeated "I said 'Sorry about that.' I hoped I...didn't scared you."
Bluebell, confused by the whole ordeal, proclaimed "The Phantom of the Opera...is worried about scaring me?"
Dopey softly chuckled "I'm not the Phantom. That's my Mistress."
Bluebell questioned as she carefully approached Dopey once more, "Your Mistress?"
Dopey answered "Yeah, she's the Phantom. She's the one who takes care of me and the opera house."
Bluebell commented "She...takes care of the opera house?"
Dopey introduces cheerfully, "I'm Dopey! What's your name?"
Bluebell, surprised by the pony's cheerfulness, replies "Oh. My name is Bluebell. It's nice to meet you."
Dopey then asked "Are you sure that your name is Bluebell?"
Bluebell answered in a awkward tone "Ummm...yes. I'm sure."
Dopey, with his ears flopped down, his tone quickly changing to a depressed one "Oh. That's too bad. I was hoping that your name would be Esmeralda."
Bluebell then realizes "Esmeralda. As in the gyspy pony from 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame'?"
Dopey's ears perked straight up. His eyes gleamed and his big grin returned, "You've heard of that story?!"
Bluebell responded with a sweet smile on her face, "Heard of it? I've read it at least a thousand times. It's my favorite story."
Dopey exclaimed with glee "Really?! Mine too! Who's your favorite? Mine's Esmeralda."
Bluebell answered with sincerity "My favorite is Quasimodo."
Dopey blushed and twiddled his front hooves together like a shy young colt. "R-R-Really?"
Bluebell's smile grew bigger and she added "Really."
Dopey tried to turn his red face away from Bluebell and clinged onto his brown tunic as he exclaimed "Oh gerosh!"
Bluebell giggled sweetly at her new friend's friendly yet gentle nature. She grabbed his attention again by telling him "Dopey...I'm sorry that...I called you the Phantom earlier. I didn't mean to."
Dopey let go of his grip on his tunic and directed his eyes back on Bluebell. He replied with great happiness "That's okay, I wasn't insulted. In fact, I take it as a compliment."
Bluebell exclaimed "You do?!"
Dopey explained happily "Yeah, I do. My mistress is the nicest pony I know. She took me in...when no pony did. She gave me a home. She had a room with a bed just for me. She taught me how to read and write. She even taught me all about music. Well, maybe not everything about music. I just know the basics for the piano and for singing."
Bluebell's eyes sparkled with interest and compassion, she asked softly replied "Really? Your mistress seems to...care for you very much. Why else would she would do all those things for you? You must be...very talented. Do you think that you could...sing me a couple of notes?"
Dopey's pupils turned into little hearts, his blush returned to his cheeks once more. He sighed out "For you...anything."
Dopey cleared his throat and closed his eyes. He placed one if his front hooves over his chest, and took a deep breath in. He cleared his mind and focused on all things Eris told him to remember about singing and music.
He sang out sweetly, as if singing from the heart...
So many times out there
I've watched a happy pair
Of lovers walking in the night.
They had a kind of glow around them,
It also looked like Heaven's Light.
I knew that I would never know
That warm yet loving glow
Though I might wish with all my might.
No face as hideous as my face,
Was ever meant for Heaven's Light.
Bluebell began to feel sorrow for Dopey when his song mentioned his face and his doubt on finding love. In her mind, any pony can find love...no matter who they are.
Dopey opened his eyes with excitement and his smile gleamed bright...right at Bluebell. He then continued to sing...
But then suddenly an angel has smiled at me,
and looked my way without a trance of fright
Dopey took Bluebell's hooves and began to dance with her around the sanctuary. They didn't care that there was no actually music around them b This caused Bluebell to giggle and smile. Dopey then sang proudly...
I dare to dream that
She might even care for me
As the clock tower sings later tonight.
My cold dark hour would seem so bright,
I swear it must be Heaven's Light!
Dopey and Bluebell joyously laughed together when the song was over. Both ponies leaning into each others embrace, and feeling so comfortable with one another. In just a matter of minutes.
Bluebell beamed at Dopey and proclaimed "That was great Dopey! Your mistress has certainly taught you well."
Dopey responded with disbelief and glee "Really? You think so?" He tightened his grip on Bluebell's soft hooves and he brought them closer towards him.
Bluebell confirmed "I know so. Also, did she also taught you how to dance? Because you're pretty good at it."
Dopey blushed and tried to hide his red face behind his messy mane. He replied meekly "No, she never really taught me how. That was something I made up. But you're the good dancer here, not me."
Bluebell felt so flattered by Dopey's words. Her cheeks turned a light shade of pink. This is probably the first time, ever since she arrived here at L'Opera de Cheval, that Bluebell felt so carefree...and happy.
Dopey's ears perked up and rotated towards the back of his head. This made Dopey to examine what's behind him and search for the source of the sound. Bluebell questioned "What's wrong?"
Dopey responded sadly "I'm sorry, but I gotta go."
He slowly released his hooves from her hooves, instantly regretting his decision to leave her. He had to leave before Eris finds out about his reveal to Bluebell. If she finds that out, there would be no desert for a month. Or worse...not allowed to see her again.
As Dopey approached the door, Bluebell asked another question "Already? But why?"
Dopey replied "The ponies will wake up soon, I have to get going before they see me."
Bluebell added "I...I guess that makes sense. But before you go...can I ask you something?"
Dopey turned his gaze back to Bluebell and replied "Sure thing. What's up?"
Bluebell uttered out "Did you happen to see a yellow male Pegasus come by here this morning?"
Dopey hesitantly answered with sweat on his forehead, "N-No, I-I didn't."
Bluebell's spirits faltered, and her voice clearly expressed this "Oh...good to know. Thank you."
Dopey hated to see Bluebell's lively soul wither with sadness and worry. Dopey then asked sweetly "Um Bluebell? Can I...call you Esmeralda? Even if...it isn't so?"
Bluebell's beautiful smile returned to her lovely face once more. She whispered while her eyes shined like stars, "You may...my dear Quasimodo."
Dopey's heart began to soar his chest when Bluebell called him Quasimodo. He almost lost his breath at that moment. That was when Dopey knew...that he was in love with her.
Dopey sigh softly with a goofy grin on his face, before quickly exiting out of the door.
Bluebell giggled to herself, while holding a hoof to find her smile. Her smile lingered...untill thoughts of Butterscotch wandered back into her mind. She looked around the sanctuary hopeless. She knew that the only way to find Butterscotch again was...to wait for him.