Light's Love and Night's Passion
A/N: Okay, okay. I know, I know. I'm supposed to be working on other stories, but I keep getting inspired. Well, I might not update my other stories for a while until I get some of my other ones done first. Which is supposed to be "Warming Hearts" and "Switching Lives" for Pokémon. But I'll at least leave you this prologue to peak some interest while I finish those up.
So, let's see where this goes. And action!
Prologue
Lumiose City. It's a wondrous city of enchantment, adventure and mystery in the very heart of the Kalos region. The famed Lumiose Tower stood tall in its center of the grand city, marking its place in the world. Cars and carriages zipped all around the streets, people attending to their own business for the day.
But one small white car was heading towards a magnificent yet run down building that was near the center of the city, in the vicinity of Prism Tower. The large marble building looked like it was in its prime in its time, still having the front beautifully carved, though there were moss and ivy draping down the sides. There were two sets of stairs that led to its entrance, curved at an angle.
The car stopped in front and out stepped out three teenage children, all of them around 15 years old, and siblings.
The first one was a beautiful young woman with long raven black hair loose on her back with long bangs down the left side of her face, sun-kissed tan skin, and beautiful brown eyes. She wore a bright yellow shirt, fitting blue jean capri, white crew socks, and white running shoes with small black lightning bolts on the sides. Around her neck was a gold lightning bolt pendant on a thin chain. On her shoulder was a female Pikachu with a pink bow tied around the base of her left ear.
The second was a young man with a similar dark hair color, but it also had midnight blue shades in it. And it was wild and untamed, though he had tried to comb it. He also had tan skin like his sister, but his eyes were a sapphire blue instead of chocolate brown. He wore a navy blue T-shirt under a black leather vest, matching jeans, and black and white sneakers. On his right hand, he had a lapis blue ring with an Aura symbol engraved on it. Following close behind him was a very rare female Lucario with a silver hoop earring in her right ear.
The third was another young man with short blue hair with his bangs spiked up, with matching eyes. However, unlike his brother and sister, his complexion was pretty fair and peach colored, along with Z-marks on his cheeks. He wore a light blue T-shirt, darker blue jeans, and red and white running shoes. On his right wrist was a simple jade and turquoise bracelet, with a pretty sapphire water droplet charm. On his shoulder was a male Piplup with a red bandana around his neck.
The three siblings looked up at the tall building in front of them. It certainly looked run down and worse for the wear. Though it must've been magnificent to look at in its heyday.
"Is this the right place, Mari?" The dark blue-haired boy asked his sister, feeling a little skeptical.
The girl, Mari, took out a folded paper map from her pocket and looked at it. "Yep. This is it, Luke." She said. "L'air de L'harmonie. The Aria of Harmony Music Hall."
Luke whistled, impressed at the old structure in front of them. "I still can't believe that Dad actually used to live here, and training to live under their rules of performing instead of training for Pokémon battles."
"Well, he actually did train here, but he also had to learn to perform." Mari clarified for him.
The youngest blue-haired boy continued to look at the music hall with analyzing eyes. "But it's been closed for almost 20 years since some freak accident." He said. "Why hold an auction now?"
Mari shrugged as she put the map away. "Who knows?" She said. "Though I've heard stories about why this place closed down.
Luke nudged his brother playfully with his elbow. "Yeah, Evan." He said, a teasing lilt in his voice. "The Angel Phantom."
Evan tried to suppress a shudder, though he glared dryly at his twin brother. "Please don't mention that." He said. "I've had enough sleepless nights from what people have told us when we first came to Lumiose City."
"We've only been here a week." Luke reminded him, crossing his arms. "With Mom being the best Top Coordinator in the entire world, she had to be here for the official petition to allow holding Pokémon Contests here in Kalos."
"And yet our sick dad wants us and Mom to come to an auction being held here?" Evan asked, gesturing to the deserted music hall.
Mari rolled her eyes at Evan's well-hidden paranoia. "This place was pretty special to Mom and Dad when they were about our age." She explained to her youngest brother. "Of course they would want to come back here again if they ever got the chance. Dad would've come too, if Mom hadn't insisted that he stay in bed today."
The car side door was opened and an older woman, about in her 30's, stepped out. She looked much like Evan, with the same midnight blue hair and sapphire eyes, though her hair was much longer and loose on her back and her eyes have much experience in them. Her skin was also fair, but devoid of marks. She wore a soft pink silk blouse under a black cardigan, jeans, and black boots.
"It's your father's fault for training in the cold rain yesterday." Their mother, Dawn said. Following behind her was a male Prinplup. "I swear, he's still as stubborn as he was when we were kids."
"So, what's so important that we have to come and attend the auction today?" Luke asked their mother.
"You'll see." Dawn said. "Your dad said that I'll know it when I see it. And that will be the only thing we'll be bidding on, then we'll head back to our hotel."
Her children looked at each other with confused glances, but only shrugged as they followed their mother inside the building, their Pokémon following them.
When they entered inside the music hall, the auction was already taking place.
"Number 10." The auctioneer said into the microphone. "A poster showcasing Miss Jessilia, one of the original Performers that would often perform here in this very theater." One of the helpers showed off a faded and slightly torn poster showing a woman with really long, fuschia pink hair tied up, green eyes, and wearing a deep purple dress.
The three siblings looked over at their mother, who was analyzing the woman in the poster. She soon rolled her eyes in annoyance and muttered something under her breath. Call her children curious, but it sounded like, "How have we not noticed them with all their silly disguises for so many years?"
"Selling at 500 ¥." There was only one bid made on the poster, and it was sold very quickly. As the buyer took away the poster, the next item came up onto the stage.
"Number 11. A set of costume props, used by some of the performers that once danced across the very same stage that is behind us." In the set, there was a silver tiara, golden bracelets, and pink bows. "Selling at 1000 ¥." The auctioneer said.
As the bids slowly counted up, Dawn looked forward and saw a chill go up her spine at who she laid eyes on. There was a tall man with dark silver hair, violet eyes and fair skin. He wore a black shirt, dark blue pants and black shoes. His eyes seemed to bore into her, even though they haven't seen each other in almost 16 years.
Her children saw the silent exchange between their mother and the older man, and they shared a glance with each other. It seemed that their mother and the man had some history together. The man then turned his gaze over to them, and his deep analyzing eyes seemed to penetrate them. A faint smile came on his face when he saw them.
The auctioneer banged his gavel loudly, calling all attention back to the auction. The costume set had been sold. "Number 12, ladies and gentlemen. A music box studded with pieces of rose quartz. Attached, a figure of an Aipom dancing on its tail."
Everyone turned to look at the music box. It was just as it was described. A beautiful antique, and the dancing Aipom figurine looked happy with a fainted but grinning face painted on. "This item was found within the vaults of the theater, and it is still in working order, ladies and gentlemen."
The assistant carefully turned a key that was on the side of the music box. It then began playing a chiming little melody with the Aipom spinning slowly around on top. The song was calm and peaceful that everyone could feel it and couldn't help but smile. Mari, Luke and Evan glanced over at their mother and they saw the gleam in her eyes when she saw the music box. Apparently, that was what they were at the auction for.
"May we start the bid at 1500¥?" The auctioneer said. There was one bid. "Thank you."
Dawn then raised her hand, silently making her bid. "Thank you, madam. 2000."
The silver-haired man then raised his own hand. "Professor Sycamore, 2500. Thank you, monsieur. 3000?" He asked.
Dawn lifted her hand again, raising the bid. "3000. Do I hear 3500?"
The family turned over to Professor Sycamore. He smiled kindly at them, and then shook his head to the auctioneer, saying that he was out of the bidding. "Selling at 3000¥. Going once, going twice." He then banged his gavel. "Sold to Dawn Ketchum. Thank you, madam."
The assistant handed Dawn the music box while Mari dug through her mother's purse and pulled out the right amount of money to give to him. She looked like she was a trip down memory lane as she analyzed every little detail of it.
A collector's piece, indeed. She thought to herself. It's exactly as he had described it. She then tilted her head to the side fondly, as if she wanted to talk to the Aipom figurine. Will you still play when all of us are gone?
Mari and the twins looked at their mother with confused eyes, and then at each other. It seemed pretty obvious that this music box had some value to her.
"Mom?" Mari asked Dawn. "Is everything okay?"
Luke looked down at the music box. "This is what we came here for?" He questioned, as if he wasn't sure if he should believe it. "A music box?"
"What's so special about this antique?" Evan added, eyeing the rose quartz pieces that seemed like they had lost most of their luster.
Dawn smiled. "Well, this music box actually belonged to someone that your father and I once knew." She explained quietly, her smile fading into a thin line. "It was a long time ago, before any of you were born. She only longed to be loved, but in the end, she caused her own heartbreak."
"She?" Mari repeated, her head tilted in confusion.
"She who?" Luke asked.
"Number 13." The auctioneer announced, getting everyone's attention back. "A chandelier in pieces." Everyone in the room turned behind them as some people pulled away large bolts of cloth away from a broken crystal chandelier.
"Some of you might recall the strange events that had happened in this very music hall, revolving around the so-called Angel Phantom." The auctioneer said. "A mystery never fully solved nor explained."
The Ketchum kids' eyes widened. "She was a real person?" Evan asked, pulling his Piplup down from his shoulder to hold in his arms. As much as Mari and Luke had wanted to tease their teenage baby brother, they were just as surprised as he was. All three of them glanced over at their mother, and saw that Dawn looked entranced, neither in intrigue nor fear.
"We have been told that this is the very chandelier that fell and broke in the famous disaster that occured here nearly 16 years ago." The auctioneer continued. "We have managed to fix the ropes and lighting. Perhaps we could frighten away the ghost of so many years ago with a little light."
As the auctioneer's assistants prepared to light the chandelier and carefully pull it up to the ceiling, the Ketchum kids turned over to their mother. "Mom?" Luke asked. "The Angel Phantom was real?"
Dawn slowly nodded, her eyes still on the chandelier. "As real as you and me, son." She answered.
Mari's eyes widened. "You've seen her before?" She questioned. "What did she look like?"
"Was she actually scary?" Evan added.
Dawn chuckled lightly. "One at a time." She said to them, turning to her children. "It's a story that very few people know and would ever understand." Her kids looked at her confused. "She may have appeared as mysterious, beautiful and talented with her skills as a Performer. But on the inside, she was corrupted, while she had believed that her face was the corruption."
By now, the chandelier was immediately lit up and began rising up to its rightful placed on the ceiling. As dust began blowing away, Dawn recalled the time when everything seemed right, but in reality, this place held a dark secret within.
A/N: Yeah, this is based off "The Phantom of the Opera". I'm going to try and not rely very much on the musical, and slightly more on the original novel, but no promises. I've got to find it and read it for myself. Just a heads-up, there will be some death in here, and a major character death.
So does this interest you? Well, please leave a review about what you think. Until the first official chapter, I'll see y'all!
Got to fly! ;)