Disclaimer: I do not own PotO sadly, however! I do own Calista… she is mine:)
Giggles erupted out of the corps de ballet dressing room, followed by a huge crash then more giggles. The door slammed open and an outpouring of scantily clad Ballet Rats clogged the doorway. They clamored to get down the stairs and to the barre to stretch under Madame Giry's scrutiny. As the Rats cleared out of the room, a browned eyed brunette beauty and a voluptuous blonde scurried around making sure that hair pieces, costumes and shoes were secure while a raven-haired young woman hopped around on one foot, trying to tie the ribbons to her ballet shoes. Just as she finished tying a perfect double-knotted bow, the two other girls finished. The trio raced down the winding iron staircase with the gauzy hem of their costumes lifted so they wouldn't step on them and cause it to tear. Still giggling quietly, they snuck into the room but the quiet was broken when the raven-haired girl exploded with laughter. She was silenced by the piercing glare she received from Madame Giry. The giggles quieted into muffled twitterings between the girls.
After an hour of stretching and warming up, the Ballet Rats fled into the wings to await their cue, but the trio of girls got stopped by the Ballet Mistress. "Calista, Christine, Meg," her glare slipped from the bowed raven head to the brunette to the blonde. "You will be on time tomorrow or you will not perform, understand?" Calista, Christine, and Meg bobbed their heads in unison and scurried into the wing on stage right.
"We really have to get up earlier," Christine moaned, stretching her arms high above her head, "I think I pulled a muscle when I fell out of bed this morning. Running to the dressing room didn't help any." She dropped onto the floor and rubbed her calf muscle wearily.
"Mademoiselle Daae, I don't believe a ballet dancer would dance with dust on her rump," a handsome male voice wafted over them and Christine guiltily stood up and brushed herself off enlisting Meg's help in making sure her "rump" was dust free.
"Colin!" Calista squealed. She ran over to the tall, green-eyed man and gave him air kisses on both cheeks before attempting to ruffle his reddish brown hair. "Ick," cringing, Calista drew back holding her hand out in front of her like a piece of dirty laundry.
Colin, Christine, and Meg laughed heartily as Calista hopped around the various props and dancers while shaking her hand frantically. "That's the same thing Michael did when he was telling me good morning," raising his voice a little to be heard over Carlotta's squawking, Colin turned toward Christine and Meg.
"Where is he anyway?" Christine asked, "Are we still going to lunch before the performance?"
"Of course we are darling," once again a male voice floated them, causing Colin's eyes to light up and Christine and Meg to turn around as Calista's twin brother, Michael, walked over to the little group and slid his arm around Colin's waist, placing a quick peck on his cheek.
"Good," Meg said firmly, "my ears are going to kill after Carlotta sings 'Think of Me' and I will want something to distract me for the horrific pain in my ears. Preferably some of that bread from that bakery down the street," she closed her eyes dreamily, "God it smelled good."
"Meg you think any food smells good." Christine cuffed Meg on the back of the head.
"Yeah," Calista added, stopping her dance to join the clique. "You think that the crap they serve us is good." Meg blushed and looked at the floor. Often, her mother told her that if she didn't quell her love of food, she would be seen as a pig and be unable to find a suitable husband. God only knows what a tragedy that would be.
"It's sad to find the land we love threatened once more by Roma's far reaching grasp," Piangi sang, imitated by his little midget man.
Monsieur Reyer interrupted the two men with a tap on his music stand and a loud "Gentlemen!"
Christine rolled her eyes as she watched Carlotta flounce over to her little white poodle and pet it carefully with her gold painted hands.
"And here we are rehearsing for a production of Chalumeau's 'Hannibal'." A middle-aged graying man led two men onto the stage.
"Monsieur Lefevre, we are rehearsing!" Reyer cried exasperated.
"Monsieur Reyer, Madame Giry," glancing back at the two men who were ogling at the Rats, Lefevre sighed. "There have been rumors of my imminent retirement. I'm here to tell you that these rumors are all true. Now please allow me to introduce your new managers, Monsieur Richard Firmin and Monsieur Gilles Andre."
Colin rolled his eyes, "God, with new managers the ballet girls will be flaunting their 'skills'," withering under the girls glares, he amended quickly, "You know I don't mean the three of you."
"But we so love to see you squirm!" Calista chirped cheerfully, pinching his cheek.
Rolling his eyes that were an identical blue to his sisters, Michael finished for Colin, "And Carlotta will have the new patron on his hands and knees, poor fellow."
"I wonder if Piangi will feel threatened…" Meg mused.
"The Vicomte de Changy!" Monsieur Andre exclaimed excitedly.
"Excuse me," a man with shoulder length medium blonde hair put his hands on Christine's shoulders and moved past her. Christine breathed in sharply and closed her eyes. When she opened them, she gazed after the man. "It's Raoul," she breathed.
"Who?" Michael asked.
"You know the Vicomte?" Confused, Calista's eyes darted back and forth between Christine and the Vicomte Raoul de Changy.
"When we were children, at the house by the sea, I guess you could say that we were childhood sweethearts. He used to call me Little Lotte."
"Oh Christine, he's so handsome," Meg squeezed Christine's hand.
Raoul finished talking about how he and his parents loved the arts, and then he was introduced to Carlotta and Piangi. Raoul apologized for interrupting rehearsal and he walked out, brushing past Christine once again.
She looked down at her feet, "He wouldn't recognize me."
"He didn't see you." Meg consoled gently.
"Like that's any better?" Calista muttered.
The orchestra began to play and the dancers trooped dutifully onto the stage while others waited in the wings for their cues. While the rats were dancing, Madame Giry led the managers to the side of the stage.
"As you can see, we take a particular pride in our ballet," she raised her voice to be heard over the music.
Andre's eyes widened as they fell on Meg, "Especially that little blonde angel."
"My daughter, Meg Giry," Madame Giry's voice held a slight warning tone that Andre seemed to miss b the way his eyes followed Meg around the stage.
"And that exceptional beauty," Firmin's eyes came to rest on Christine.
"And that raven haired nymph," Andre breathed as Calista danced past him.
"Calista Ames," Madame Giry pointed, "and Christine Daae," she pointed again.
"Did you say Daae? No relation to the famous Swedish violinist?"
"His only child, orphaned at seven, she came here to live and train in the ballet dormitories. Gentlemen, this way if you please," Ushering the men to the side, Madame Giry made sure that the dancers had ample room for their quick turns and leaps.
"Hear the drums, Hannibal comes!" Carlotta sang along with the chorus as Piangi tried, and failed, to mount the fake elephant. The orchestra played the last note and Carlotta screamed in fury, "ALL THEY WANT IS THE DANCING!"
"Well the Vicomte is excited for tonight's gala." Lefevre addressed the managers.
Steaming, Carlotta stalked over to them and pointed her finger, "I hope, he is as excited by dancing girls as your new managers, because I will not be SINGING!" Carlotta spun on her heel and began storming off stage.
"What do we do?" horrified, Andre looked at Lefevre.
"Grovel, grovel," exasperated, he gestured and Andre scurried off after Carlotta, followed by Firmin and Lefevre.
"Why exactly are you retiring?" Firmin questioned.
"My health," Lefevre stated simply.
Calista rolled her eyes as the managers shuffled after the diva. "What did I tell you?" Michael asked, rubbing his chin absentmindedly, smearing the red pain on his face. Colin wiped it off and turned toward the girls shrugging.
"Prima Donna, the world is at your knees!" Meg sang in a singsong voice.
Christine giggled, "Kiss my feet, bring me my poodle, fix my hat, and spray my throat-"
"SH! Quiet! Very quiet!" all of a sudden, Carlotta was better and was singing again. "Think of me, think of me fondly, when we've said goooooooooooooooood bye."
"Did you swap out her throat spray?" Calista sidled up to Christine who nodded slightly, smirking.
"Remember me once in a while; please promise me you'll try! And when you find that once again you long to take your-" suddenly everyone screamed, interrupting a loud "CO-ACK!" that came out of Carlotta's mouth. A large prop seemed to fall out of the sky and it landed right on top of Carlotta, knocking her to the floor. "I HATE YOU!" she squalled.
Pouting, Calista looked at Christine and Meg who both looked a bit put out, "Did you hear it?"
"Barely," Meg muttered.
"Signora, these things do happen," lamely, Firmin tried to soothe the extremely frazzled diva.
As if she could hardly believe what they were saying, for a moment, Carlotta stood there mouth agape just staring at the shocked men.
"She looks like a fish," Med whispered, but she was mostly drowned out by Carlotta's rant.
"For the past three years these things do happen, and did you stop them from happening? NO! And you two! You are as bad as him! These things do happen. Mah, ugh! Until you stop them from happening THIS THING DOES NOT HAPPEN!" she shouted her goodbyes and left the stage with her "people" scurrying after her.
After Piangi insulted the managers with an "Amateurs!" and followed Carlotta, the managers started shouting about refunding a full house and having to cancel the gala.
Meg, Christine, and Calista had to hold onto each other and Colin and Michael to keep from collapsing. "Was she talking about the falling props?" Meg gasped, only making everyone laugh harder when they thought about all the things they had done to Carlotta in the past. Swapping her throat spray, putting green dye in her face powder, or stuffing the toes of her shoes were favorites.
"I have no idea," still breathing hard, Colin answered Meg.
"Christine Daae could sing for you messieurs." Christine's head jerked up as she heard Madame Giry say her name and touch her bare shoulder.
"I can what?" she whispered.
"She has been taught by a great teacher." Christine turned around with wide eyes and looked at Madame Giry, how could the ballet mistress have known?
"Who?" one of the managers asked her.
"I do not know his name monsieur."
"It cannot hurt," Andre said quietly, gesturing for Christine to step to the front of the stage.
"From the beginning of the aria then please mademoiselle." Aggravated, Reyer fought to keep his tone under control and the orchestra began.
Andre this is doing no thing for my nerves," Firmin muttered.
"Well at least she's pretty."
Christine's stomach knotted in a million places and she waited a second for her cue, "Think of me, think of me fondly when we've said good bye." The auditorium fell silent and everyone seemed to lean toward Christine. Calista and Meg had ear to ear grins as did Colin and Michael. "Remember me once in a while 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 orchestra stopped and Christine fidgeted for a moment, not looking at anyone, then applause exploded and Meg and Calista tried to squeeze Christine to death.
Hey darlings. New story! YAY! I desperatly hope that you all like it and I promise that I will get an epilouge up for TMMW promise promise promise! It just might take a while... But anway please review! Tell me what you all think about this one.
Much love
Kat
PS: I wrote this and I didnt have the exact words so I hopeI got close... Sorry about that...