//------------------------------//
// Chapitre Dix-Sept 
// Story: The Operatic Angel 
// by misskoifishpony 
//------------------------------//

Chapitre Dix-Sept

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN THE LEAD TENOR ROLE IS ALREADY TAKEN!"

Elusive shouted to the mares sitting across from him. He, along with Sweepy Bell and Barbara, were in a meeting with the Shim Sham Sisters in the opera managers office. The little colt and dragon were hiding behind Elusive's chair, while the unicorn mares were smiling at him. Looking so comfortable in their chairs.

Elusive pounded his front hooves on their desk hard and fast, "How can you give some pony a lead role without an audition?!"

Shim, amused by the posh stallion's attitude, simply explained "Well, the stallion we've chosen has certainly proven that he could handle the lead role in Figara."

Sham added in the same calm yet mischievous tone, "After all, we saw him perform last night. And the crowd went wild for him."

"What?!" Elusive uttered in disbelief, "you're giving...the role...to that scrawny excuse of a stallion!"

"Elusive," Barbara kindly whispered, "that isn't a very nice thing to say."

But the unicorn stallion didn't hear the sweet dragon's plead,for his furious attention was on the smirking twins.

Shim then counseled "Say what you like about him Monsieur, but that scrawny stallion is rolling in bits for the opera."

"The audience wants something new." Sham added in, "They want something fresh. Business is a harsh mistress, just like..."

Shim finished their her sisters statement with, "Theatre! If you can't can-can, then you can't-can't."

Sham comforted Elusive with, "But look on the bright side my good fellow, once the audience gets tired of Monsieur Daae, you're back in the game."

The twin sisters began to laugh. To the former Tenor, their laughter was mocking him. They were gloating...gloating to the fullest intent. They wanted him to suffer...just for fun. He growled under his breath and his hooves clawed into the floor. Sweepy Bell and Barbara at this moment were extremely worried about Elusive, looking up at him with compassionate eyes.

"Madamesoilles," the gentlecolt hissed, "you seem to forget one thing."

"And what is that?" The managers answered together in the mist of their laughter.

"Where the majority of your funds come from."

The sisters immediately seized their laughter and looked at the devilish smirking Elusive.

Sham then asked, "What are you implying good Monsieur?"

"Oh, you really didn't know? The donor that has been with L'Opera de Cheval for years and has always given generously is...me."

The managers' jaws dropped to the floor.

"Or more precisely my family...and my dear and departed father. They, along with myself, have supported this fine institution through the good times...and the bad times. And our generosity is never cheap...and always full. As for me, well...I have tirelessly volunteered my time here at the opera with no expectation of pay. No...all I ask are for things I deserve. And what I deserve is the role of Tenor. If you don't shove that tone deaf mouse off the stage,..."

"You wouldn't..." Shim pleaded.

"You couldn't..." Sham pleaded along with her sister.

"Brother please," Sweepy Bell begged gently, "that's enough."

But Elusive finished his threat with pleasure, "My family's loyalty and support to the opera will disappear right before your very eyes."

Oh Elusive. Barbara sadly sighed in her mind. Don't do this.

The managers were silently furious at cocky stallion. How dare he, their employee, question their authority?! However, their love for money and success...will out weigh their pride and dignity.

Shim growled "You drive..."

"A hard bargain..." Sham added in the same tone.

"Mr. Elusive." Shim finished it off.

Then, they both relutcantly hold out their hooves to the smug unicorn and said sharply "Deal."

"Glad to see that my managers see reason." Elusive stated while shaking their hooves. His smile plain for both if the sisters to see.

"Come darling and brother of mine." Elusive called out to Sweepy and Barbara while exiting out of the office. Leaving the twins to shake their heads in defeat.

Elusive and his two assistants strolled past by a painting right outside the managers' office. It was an old Rein-assance painting of a regal yet plump mare, wearing a dress of the finest fabric, pearls, and golds. The eyes of the painting went from being flat and unamused...to being 3-D, alive, and red and yellow.

The painting's mouth gained a large fang and it turned into a devilish smile. She chuckles deeply in her throat, "Tsk tsk Monsieur Le Toad, how very...tacky...of you. How very tacky indeed."



"Can you believe it?! The nerve of those mares! Questioning my talent and appeal! If they weren't Madamesoilles, I would have...Grr!"

Elusive announced when entering into his fancy and grand dressing room. Sweepy and Barbara followed him in...with guilty and worrisome expressions on their faces.

The posh unicorn furiously slams the door behind them with his magic. Then, he stomps over to his dressing room chair and table and looks into the tall table mirror.

Elusive groans once more and squishes his hoof against his forehead. "The nerve of them...picking that...falsetto pest over me. Me!"

"But that doesn't matter now brother." Sweepy tried to cheer Elusive, "You still get to perform and that's all that matters. Right?"

"Oh Sweepy," Elusive moans while sliding his hoof off his face, "it's not about the role. It's about the principle."

"What do you mean by...principle?" Sweepy asked innocently.

Elusive, looks away from his brother and draws his attention to the picture frame on his dressing room table. It was a picture of a rather plump and older pink unicorn stallion. He had a purple mane that he tied into a large bun. This stallion was a well dressed and jolly looking fellow.

Elusive uttered aloud while keeping his eyes on the picture, "Sweepy...this opera is our birth right. Our family has been here longer than any pony else here. Even longer than that despicable Phantom. We may not own L'Opera de Cheval, but...this place...is like our family estate."

Then, Elusive's mind began to wander. Wander far back into his memories of his colthood.

It was a lovely and summer night at L'Opera de Cheval and young Elusive was entering into the main hall with the plump pink unicorn stallion from the picture frame. The white unicorn colt was bouncing all about, while the older unicorn smiled and chuckled at the youngster.

"Come on father!"

"Hold on son, I'm coming!"

Soon, young Elusive and his father were climbing up the steps to box seats inside the theatre. Elusive loved the view from the box seats. The stage and all the ponies in their seats looked so tiny from up there. He felt like a sailor on the top pillar of his ship. It was an adventurous. But the best part of it was seating in the box seat with his father.

He loved spending time with his father, he rarely sees him during the week. So Elusive didn't care that he had to see a boring old play to have fun with his dad, making his father happy made him happy.

The lights started to flicker. Elusive's father happily took his seat and patted the seat next to him, "Come Elusive, the show is about to start."

With a big smile,the young colt jumped into his seat and waited for the show to start. And when it did...the whole proscenium space was filled with great and powerful music. Music that sent Elusive's father's heart flying. The stallion was on the edge of his seat.

Elusive loved watching his father enjoy opera. It's a surprisingly entertaining experience. His father would have the goofiest expression on his face. To the young colt, his father would look like a giddy foal just like him. His father couldn't take his eyes away from the ridiculously dressed ponies on stage, singing out words that the young lad couldn't understand. His father's cheeks would get all rosy and his eyes were so bright. The five hour play would just fly by whenever he was with his dad.

And when the show was over, Elusive's father slowly rises from his chair and stretches out his limbs, "Oh boy, what a show! Huh son?"

"Sure was father. As always."

"You know what I was thinking son?"

"What father?"

"Wouldn't it great to be down there? You know...be on stage."

Elusive then saw his father looking over his shoulder at the stage below them...with a smile on his face. The young colt...suddenly felt the need of that warm smile on him.

"Father?"

The stallion took his gaze away from the stage and on to his son.

"What if...what if I was the one on stage? On L'Opera de Cheval's stage!"

This made the proud father beam and chuckle, "Oh boy! I can see it now! Ponies will cheer 'Encore! Encore! Elusive...The Tenor!' Oh son..."

Then, the giddy aristocrat picked up his son and spinned him all around. Elusive giggled in blissful joy. The plump father continued to laugh "That would make me the happiest father alive!"

Elusive was drawn out of his ideal colthood and back into reality. He gave one last look at the picture of his dearly departed father before turning his gaze to his innocent sibling and friend below him.

Sweepy and Barbara reminded him so much of his father. Sweepy had his naive yet loyal soul,while Barbara...well...let's just say that she resembled so much like his father in so many ways. Her eyes...warm and kind and full of life like his. Her smile...jolly and rosey like his. Her positivity...her kindness...her sweetness...even the way she talked...everything about her was like him. She truly was the best gift that his father had ever given him. That's he needs them. That's why he needs her.

Elusive then gently tells Sweepy, "I...I hope you understand what I'm trying to say brother dear."

"I...think...so." Sweepy hesitantly answered.

"Elusive," Barbara questioned in a concerned tone, "are you alright?"

"I'm...I'm fine darling. Just...getting lost in my thoughts. That's all."