"There was a boy, a very strange enchanted boy. They say he wandered very far, very far. Over land and sea. A little shy and sad of eye but, very wise was he. And then one day, a magic day he passed my way. And while we spoke of many things et des rois. This he said to me. The greatest thing you'll ever learn,is just to love. And be loved in return"
[Antonio Narrating]
The Moulin Rouge A nightclub. A dance hall and a burdel ruled over by Ivan Braginski. A kingdom of nighttime pleasures, where the rich and powerful came to play with the young and beautiful creatures if the inframundo. The most beautiful of all these was the man I loved. Arthur Kirkland. A cortesana,he sold his love to men. They called him 'The Sparkling Diamond', and he was the star of the Moulin Rouge. The English man I loved...is...dead. I first came to Paris one year ago. It was 1899, the summer of love. I knew nothing of the Moulin Rouge, Ivan Braginski, or Arthur. I had traveled from Spain to gather the beauty of this city.
On the hill near Paris was the village of Montmaarte. It was not as my father had said-
"A village of sin!"
But, the center of the creative world! Musicians, painters, writers. Si, I had come to live a penniless existence! I had come to write about truth,beauty, freedom, and that which I believed in above all things- Love.
"All ways this ridiculous obsession with love!" My father used to say. But, there was only one problem.
I never been in love. Luckily right at that moment, an unconscious Prussian fell through my roof.
The roof comes cashing down and Antonio let's out a loud yelp.
He was quickly joined by a French man dressed as a nun.
Door slams open and there in the door way, was a blond French man with blue eyes.
"Comment voulez-vous faire?" Antonio is shocked looking back and forth at the Prussian and French man. "My name is Francis Bonnefoy." Francis worked his way to the knocked out Prussian.
All Antonio could let out was a "What?"
"I'm terribly sorry about all this. We were just upstairs rehearsing a play."
"What?"
A play, something very modern called 'Spectaculaires, Spektakulär.'
"And it's set in Switzerland!"
Unfortunately, the unconscious Prussian suffered from a sickness called narcolepsy.
"Perfectly fine one moment then suddenly" The Frenchman made snoring noises. "Unconscious the next. Just then three more people appeared from the hole in the ceiling.
"How is he." A man with violet eyes and brown hair said. Antonio blinked. How could all this be happening to him? "Oh wonderful the retarded Prussian is now unconscious. Therefore the scenario will not be finished in time to present it tomorrow!" Just then a buff German man said,
"He's right Francis I still have to finish the music." Francis had a smile on, fake or real who knows.
"Then, just find someone to read the part."
"Now where in heavens name are we going to find someone to read the role of the young sensitive Swiss poet, goat herder?" All eyes locked on to Antonio.
Before I knew it, I was upstairs standing in for the sleeping Prussian.
Wires zapped and a off tone Francis sung, "The hills animate with the euphonious symphonies of descent. Ha, Ha, ha" It sounded horrible.
"Oh halt! Halt! Halt! Halt,halt,halt." The group started to yell at the German man who was at the wires.
There seemed artistic differences over Francis lyrics to Roderich songs.
"I don't think a nun would say that about a hill." The Italian boy spook to the group. Antonio was sitting on the prop watching.
"What if he sings 'The Hills are vital intoning the descant' ?" The German suggested. Roderich face was a clear no. Soon the room became filled with the hill this, the hills that. Just then the Prussian woke up.
"The hills are not awesome enough to work with symphonies!" But, he just passed right back out. Once again the bickering began. Antonio tried to speak up but they ignored him. Antonio took a breath and sung out,
"The hills are alive with the sound of music." The room grew quite. The Prussian once again woke up.
"WHOA! THE HILLS ARE ALIVE WITH THE SOUND OF MUSIC!" He walked toward Antonio and smiled. "I LOVE IT!" The group praised Antonio for his wonderful idea. Expect Roderich.
"With songs they have sung for a thousand years" The crowed, expect Roderich, gasped in amazement. "Hey Roderich!" The Prussian glanced at the Austrian. "You two should write the play together."
But..that was something Roderich did not want to here.
"Lebewohl!" he yelled before slamming the door shut. Francis handed Antonio a drink.
"Here's to your first job in Paris."
"Have you ever written anything like this before?" The German said. Antonio shook his head.
"No"
"AhH, West, the boy has talent!" He placed his hand on Antonio back but missed and placed it on his butt. "I like him!" He noticed where his hand was when Antonio gasped. "Nothing funny, I just like his talent."
"See Ludwig! We can do this!" Francis smiled and patted his back.
"But, how will we impress Ivan?" Feliciano said turning his head.
But, Francis had a plan, he was going to dress me up in his best suit and pass me off for a famous Spanish writer. Once Arthur heard my poetry she would be astounded, and Ivan would demanded that I write his plays! The only problem was I keep hearing my father voice inside my head.
"No, I can't write the show for the Rouge." Antonio said hurrying to hide behind the mountain prop.
"Why not?" Francis yelled.
"I-I don't think I can do it!"
"Do you believe in beauty?" Francis asked.
"Si"
"Freedom" The Prussian asked.
"Si"
"Truth?" asked the German.
"Si!"
"Love" Asked the Italian.
"Love? Love. Above all things I believe in love. Love is like oxygen. Love is a many-splendored thing! Love lifts us where we belong! All we need is love." They smiled at Antonio strong bond with Love.
"See you can't fool us." Francis said.
"We can't be fooled!" The Prussian said and pulled him up.
"Let's drink to the new writer!" Everyone was happy and the Prussian kissed Antonio out of that happiness.
"I'm Gilbert!" He smiled at Antonio.
"An-Antonio."
It was the prefect plan. And I would take my first glass of...absinthe. Never in my life have I had so much fun then I did when I was with my new amigos. We were off to the Moulin Rouge.