Note that I do NOT ship Ivy and Balto, it's only because their personalities fit the characters!
The Paris Opera House, 1881
The manager led the two men to the stage "This way, gentlemen, this way. Rehearsals, as you see, are under way for a new production of Chalumeau's "Hannibal"." He explained once everyone stopped performing. "As you know, for some weeks there have been rumours of my imminent retirement. I can now tell you that these were all true and it is my pleasure to introduce to you the two gentlemen who now own the Opera House" The new managers bowed politely to the performers. "Monsieur Garroth and Monsieur Laurence". The performers bowed and clapped politely to give the two a warm welcome. "Gentlemen, Signora Ivy, our leading soprano for five years now."
"Of course, of course, I have experienced all your greatest roles, Signora." Garroth said, politely shaking the opera diva's hand.
"If I remember rightly, Elissa has a rather fine aria in Act Three of "Hannibal". I wonder, Signora, if, as a personal favour, you would oblige us with a private rendition?" Laurence requested.
"My manager commands…Monsieur Travis?" Ivy said, flattered by the request.
"My diva commands. Will two bars be sufficient introduction?"
"Two bars will be quite sufficient."
"Signora?"
"Maestro." Travis began playing the introduction on the piano…
"Think of me, think of me fondly. When we've said goodbye…" Ivy began warbling "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 soon after, a backdrop crashed to the floor, and was cut off by the screams of the ballerinas and the ensemble.
"He's here! The Phantom of the Opera!" Aphmau cried in fear, "He's there! The Phantom of the Opera!"
"Signora, are you alright?" The manager enquired "Jax! Where is Jax? Get that man down here!"
"Is no one concerned about our prima donna?" Balto cried out.
"Jax! He's responsible for this!" The manager scolded as Jax walked down "Jax! For Irene's sake, man, what's going on up there?"
"Hey! Don't look at me!" Jax cried out, slightly offended by the accusation "There was no one there monsieur and if there is, well there must be a ghost."
"He's there!" Another ballerina cried out in fear "The Phantom of the Opera!" causing another panic attack amongst the performers.
"Uh…" Garroth began, slightly unsure what to do. Before noticing the red-haired soprano stomp away. "Mademoiselle, please!" He began.
"These things do happen!" Laurence interjected, helping his partner-in-crime.
"These things do happen? You have been here for five minutes, what do you know? Si! These things do happen – all the time. For the past three years, these things do happen." Ivy ranted as she turned to the manager "And did you stop them from happening? No!" She continued to the duo "And you two…you're as bad as him! "These things do happen!" Well, until you stop these things from happening, this thing does not happen!" before she stormed away from the opera house…
"Amateurs…" Balto mumbled to himself as he followed Ivy behind like a puppy following his master.
After a brief pause, the manager began as he also left "I don't think there's much more to assist you, gentlemen. Good luck. If you need me, I shall be in Austria…"
The company looked anxiously at the new managers, unsure about what to do. "Um… Ivy will be back." Garroth tried to reassure the others "Right?"
"You think so, messieurs? I have a message, sir, from the Opera Ghost." Madame Sylvanna, the ballet mistress, said cryptically. Upon hearing the word "The Opera Ghost", the girls began to twirl and twitter in fear. "He merely welcomes you to his opera house and commands you to continue to leave Box Five empty for his use and reminds you that his salary is due." She continued.
"His salary?" Laurence asked curiously.
"Monsieur Lefevre paid him twenty thousand francs a month. Perhaps you can afford more, with the Vicomte de Chagny as your patron."
Nana, one of the chorus girls mused to herself "Chagny... could it be?"
"Madame, I had hoped to have made that announcement myself." Garroth began.
"Will the Vicomte be at the performance tonight, monsieur?"
"In our box," Laurence answered.
"Madame, who is the understudy for this role?"
"There is no understudy, monsieur." Travis sighed "the production is new."
"Nana Ishida could sing it, sir!" Aphmau said, pushing the pink-haired meif'wa to the front.
"Ishida… Any relation to the violinist?" Laurence muttered, full of wonder…
"His daughter…" The young woman whispered meekly.
"She's been taking lessons from a great teacher" Aphmau continued to persuade.
"From whom?" Garroth wondered.
"I… I don't know sir," Nana said uneasily.
"Let her sing for you, monsieur. She has been well taught." Madame Sylvanna continued.
With the only other option being cancelling the show, the two relented. "From the beginning of the aria then; mademoiselle." Travis smiled as he played the first few notes.
"Think of me…" She sang hesitantly "Think of me fondly when we've said goodbye." Before trying to run away but felt trapped by the people surrounding her. "Remember me once in a while - please promise me you'll try…" Her light, youthful soprano resounding the theatre as her confidence slowly grew "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…"
On the night of the gala, her voice soared like a songbird throughout the Opera House, her stage fright was banished in an instant "We never said our love was evergreen or as unchanging as the sea - but if you happen to remember… stop and think of me… Think of August, when the world was green; don't think about the way things might have been…" Her words were filled with passion and emotion as she sang "Think of me, think of me waking, silent and resigned. Imagine me, trying too hard to put you from my mind. Think of me, please say you'll think of me! Whatever is you choose to be! There will never be a day when I won't think of you…"
The audience burst out into rapturous applause and cheered out bravos as Dante's eyes darted onto the pink-haired meif'wa he remembered from his childhood. "Is it really Nana?" The young man smiled before cheering "Brava!" He began to reminisce over their time as children as the opera continued "It's been so long since we last saw each other… how young and innocent we were. She may not remember me, but I remember…"
"We never said our love was evergreen or as unchanging as the sea. But please promise me that sometimes, you will think…" Nana continued before beginning the cadenza leading up to the end of the show. "Of me!"
The whole house went mad, rising to its feet, shouting, cheering, clapping, Nana bowed gratefully as the curtain closed.