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Amaya's POV

Two or three years ago my caretaker, the woman who took me in and cared for me when I first came to the opera house, said she was leaving for a very long time. In that one moment, I felt more unpleasant emotions all at once than I had ever felt in my entire known life. I cried, screamed, and had a nervous breakdown all at once. Yet even all that couldn't compare to the emotional turmoil I was carrying inside me at the moment.

Were it not for the bench outside Messieurs Firman and Andre's office, I surely would have feinted. The yelling inside didn't do anything to help my nerves. 'Couldn't they just forget this whole thing ever happened? So I sang, big deal. It's an opera house!' I sighed aloud and held my head. So many emotions… too many emotions! Anger, fear, belligerence, sadness, confusion… all in constant battle and turmoil, boiling to the surface of my brain.

After what seemed like hours (though in reality might have only been a few minutes), the door finally opened and out popped the face of the stranger from earlier. He smiled a very friendly smile and stepped out of the office precariously, like he was trying to escape with out letting the others know. "Good evening, my name is Monsieur De Fleur," (A/N: OMG!!! I didn't realize until now that it almost rhymes!!! XD Ahahahahaha!! Okay sorry, back to the story!) He said with an extravagant bow. Tilting his head up, he added "May I have the pleasure of knowing your name as well?"

"Um… my name's um… um…" The way the light caught his eyes was, in a word, mesmerizing. Sparkling spheres illuminated the dark hazel color and seemed to reflect off of their radiant surface like fireflies at midnight. The way that, despite their dark color, they showed such depth and emotion that I-

"Madame… Um? That's a very err… unique sort of name?" The emotion in his eyes changed from kind and friendly to very confused and skeptical. Yet even with those negative emotions his eyes, he made them look good.

Mortified (and entranced) I shook myself out of my stupor and corrected him softly. "My name is Amaya… just Amaya. No Madame." I looked away in embarrassment. There's no way I could face this intoxicating stranger now. Not after being such an idiot that I forgot my own name. He probably thought I was some sort of uneducated street rat now.

An awkward silence then ensued… followed by Monsieur De Fleur promptly laughing so hard that tears came out of his eyes. I stared up at him with what must have been a half confused half scared look, for he soon began to calm down. Once he was composed enough to talk, though an occasional chuckle still managed to permeate his perfect lips, he placed a hand on my shoulder and looked me in the eyes… (Back into dreamland I go!)

"I apologize for having so obviously startled you; believe me when I say that it was not my intention." His eyes, newly moistened with tears of laughter, now sparkled with happy emotions. It was such a wondrous sight to see the light dance with in his eyes, like a passionate scene of a ballet. "It's just that not two minutes ago I was thinking of how pallid your skin pigment was (like you had never heard of the out doors, the thought!). But just now, even as I'm talking to you, the tinge of rose materializes so nicely within your cheeks that it was hard for me to believe that you had been so pale just moments before. Ah! That very color now again!"

I turned my entire body away from the beautiful man now. I had no doubt that I was blushing just as much as he described. After all, I had just made a complete fool of myself by letting this man get me flustered. Curtly, I stood up and attempted to make my escape. "If you don't mind Monsieur, I should probably talk with the managers. If no one intervenes, this fight may go on for some time…"

"All the better." I turned around and gave him a questioning look. He responded with a chuckle, and then replaced his hand in the pocket of his trousers. Nonchalantly, he said "I realized from the moment we stepped within the auditorium that this wasn't going to be the quick tour I was hoping for. Unfortunately I have other business to attend to, otherwise I'd gladly spend hours upon hours in this splendid work of art." He gazed around in appreciation before beginning again. "You are employed here, no?" I told him I was. "Splendid, do you believe you could possibly help complete what's left of the tour I was promised? I don't think they're going to be of much help to me." He made a gesture towards the manager's office, where the fighting continued to wage on.

I bit my bottom lip, a habit for when I'm nervous, and tried to think of a possible excuse to let him down gently. Its not that I didn't want to show him around (actually it kind of was… but that's not the main reason), but aside from my master everyone was out enjoying their day off. It seemed… improper for me to be alone with a handsome young man I hardly knew in the big opera house. 'Then again… why not? He seems friendly enough, more like a little lost puppy now that I think about it. Besides, you're not truly alone if he is anywhere near…'

"Sure…where would you like to start?" The expression on his face was absolutely priceless. Every inch and every crevice of his face lit up in pure delight as an enormous smile, and what a smile it was. Unlike many, who when they smile with all their might they end up looking distorted and even slightly foreboding, his smile conveyed true happiness and appreciation. 'And the way those eyes stared…'

Before I even had the common sense to snap myself out of my daze, he firmly grasped my hand and led me out of the hall and up the grand stair-case. "This is absolutely wondrous!" He exclaimed as he gazed around. I could understand his excitement, this was a particularly well decorated part of the house, and his childish antics made me chuckle and laugh every few seconds. One second he was admiring the smoothness of the marble, the next he was praising the detail carved in the golden banister. Though I did note with amusement that he seemed to be avoiding the golden statues of scantily clad women. A/N: Yes, I'm going by the movie versionas many of have probably noticed by now. Deal with it)

For the next hour I showed Monsieur De Fleur around the main parts of the opera house, the dancer's quarters, the prop room, the roof, I even showed him around some of the rafters. He acted as he had back on the stairs, you would think he had never seen an opera house in his life! Though at one point his amazement was getting a little old…

"And that's about it." We were walking back down the grand staircase, having just finished his brief tour. "There are a few more servants quarters and then of course the cellars, but other than that we've seen everything… I think."

"I must admit, I am shocked. The opera house is much smaller that it was conveyed to be…" He seemed to be thinking deeply now, which made me smile. In just the hour that I had known him I felt that we had already grown somewhat attached, like good friends who had not seen each other in years. With his face scrunched up like it was, he reminded me of one of those small dogs with wrinkled, squashed faces. (Granted he looked nothing like one, far from it.)

His eyes sparkled with mischief. "Well Ms. Um," I slapped him on the arm and he winced before laughing out. He had not been able to let that "um…" joke go. "Fine Amaya, I must concede that I am at a terrible loss for what to do. So I must ask you a question." He stepped really close and bent his face towards mine. I backed up and laughed, he already knew I hated getting physically to close to a person. Whatever game he was playing, I was ready for it.

"Bring it on you Pansy!" (A/N: Props to Monty Python!) I challenged, matching his playfulness with a hint of a challenge. "There's no question you can throw at me that I can't answer!" Vaguely, a song from a musical the opera house did a year or two ago popped into my mind. 'Anything you can do I can do better, I can do anything better than you!'

"I'll test that some day." Michael responded and ruffled my hair like he would a small child who had asked a cute question. I pouted back at him, but got no other reaction other than a scoff. "But, my question now is simple." He closed the gap even more between us and stared me straight in the eye. "I know that you know why I'm here. So tell me, is the Opera Populair a wise investment or am I wasting my time?"

'Shit… too close!' The closeness of our bodies truly made it hard for me to think. Closing my eyes in attempt to shut out our embarrassing proximity, I tried to gather my thoughts. 'Okay… what did he ask again? Wait… um… of course I know why he's here, that much is obvious. (Rich guy happens to come while managers are searching for a new patron… not that hard to figure out.) But is it a wise investment? The fear of the Opera Ghost has scared away a lot of business… we haven't had a full house since opening day! Did we lose money, or was it enough? Oh, I wish I knew more about business affairs!!!'

Daring to peek, I opened my left eye very slightly. Monsieur De Fleur was still just as close, if not closer, and seemed to find amusement in my discomfort. Inwardly I scowled, but I still could not ignore the butterflies that racked my stomach at the sight of his eyes. 'Eyes that I'll never be able to see again if he doesn't have a reason to return!' The very thought sent a jolt of pain through my heart like a steel arrow. "Yes!!!" My sudden outburst startled him, and he even took a few steps back in surprise. With a little more breathing room between us, I was able to think about my embarrassing outburst. "What I mean is… um… well this is the Opera Populair! How is it that you can even ask that question?"

Brushing himself off un-necessarily, he overcame his shock and even managed to chuckle slightly. "Yes," he commented. "I suppose you're quite right." Looking up, he flashed another amazing smile and then extended his arm to me. "I think it's about time that we start heading back… do you agree?"

Blushing only slightly, which I was very proud of myself for, I accepted his arm and we began the slow walk back to the manager's office.

-------------------------- (TIME SKIPS… OOOOH WATCH IT GO BY!!!)-----------------------------

"I know your there, now come out or I swear…"

"Young ladies shouldn't swear; it's very unbecoming of them to do so."

"Oh ha-ha, you must find yourself very amusing."

"I do, as you yourself do I would imagine by the smile your failing to suppress."

"I'm only smiling because I'm imagining all the terrible places I can place your body when I'm done killing you for what you've just done." Despite myself, I felt my smile grow. Truly witty verbal combat was not my forte, I'd normally prefer sitting down in silence. However, this man… something in his normally enchanting voice infuriated me to the point of rebellion. Though no matter how mad I was… the master would always turn it into some sort of playful exchange of carefully chosen words. He was the only person I found that I truly couldn't hate.

"Tsk tsk tsk... what ever shall be done about such an out spoken young maiden?" There was a pause of silence which was only broken by the slightest sound of a cloak as he shifted his position in the room. He never liked to be in one place for too long… I never understood it. "Besides, there was nothing wrong with what I did. You were noticed, were you not?"

I frowned in response to his inquiry. "Yes, but I didn't want to be noticed!" I brought my knees up to my chest and looked out the window from my seat. Out side it was a nice breezy spring afternoon. Gently, I brought my hand to the glass and traced the outline of the extravagant carriage driven by white horses.

"Whether I intervened or not you would have been noticed." His mocking tone of voice had changed to that of a condescending one. "All I did was make you ready for when it did happen… and perhaps hasten the event. Still, I can not see that I did anything wrong at all."

"Then you obviously don't understand." I spoke softly now, but still glared daggers at the spot where I suspected he was. "I'm destined for life on the sidelines, in a corner. Always seen but not really known. I was happy like that."

"Then why did you except my offer?"

…That one I had to think about. Why did I accept? I guess his intent with our lessons has always been kind of clear, so why am I so surprised now? He chuckled again, my confusion must have amused him. "Ha-ha…very funny." I sighed in annoyance and waited until his voice died down before I continued. "I don't suppose that I could ask… or beg you to reverse this?"

"You could." He responded in such a way that I knew he was smirking still. "Not that it would do you much good. But I do grow bored…"

"No."

"Too bad…"

"…Somehow I get the feeling that you don't mean that."

"Clever child."

I stuck my tongue out at his suspected location and gave one last glare before I gave up. I hated being ruled by emotions… and anger was one of the worse (even fake witty conversation confused anger). "So what exactly did you do?"

"Excuse me?"

"The managers wouldn't have argued for two hours if they weren't debating something very serious, and most likely having to do with money." A suspicious silence accompanied my words along with the tell-tale empty feeling that signified his departure. I just rolled my eyes, having already suspected that this would happen.

Having no more reason to stay, I picked up my skirts and sneaked out of the room. Yet, upon exiting, I was surprised to feel his presence again. Only this time it was from somewhere in the shadows. "What now?" I asked. "Will you follow me to my dormitory, or will you just sulk there and pretend I don't know that your there?"

"Both are interesting options… but I only just forgot to ask something" A sudden pain struck my heart. Why did I care? I'll ponder it later.

"What is it?"

"What exactly did the managers decide to do with you?"

I paused, unsure of how to answer. (It might have helped if they had given me a definite answer in the first place.) "Honestly…" and technically "…nothing."

There was the briefest of pauses before he continued to speak. "They would be stupid enough to pass up such an opportunity?"

His comment seemed more aimed at himself, but I decided to answer anyways. "Well in their defense it's not like they out right rejected me, it's just that…"

FLASH BACK TO MANAGERS OFFICE

Though I didn't dare look up into their faces, I could tell that they were looking at me with expressions of confusion. I could almost hear their thoughts out loud. "What? Is she dumb? Is she deaf?"

I might as well have been.

As soon as I was allowed, I had stepped into the office, and the barrage of questions had begun. So far I had answered none. Every time I attempted a word, my mind spun with the possible repercussions and closed my throat. For all of my masters training, I had not gotten over my obscene meekness.

So here I was sitting and saying nothing while the managers expectant faces towered over me. Finally, I managed to squeak out, "I-I… I don't kn-know… what y-you mean." Sadly, I felt proud that I had managed to speak that much. However feeble they may be, those words were improvements.

"It's not that hard of a question my dear." One of the managers said rather desperately (I could not tell which, I was staring down at my shoes). "Considering your position as a ballerina, it is unusual that you should even have such a quality of voice."

"You're not even a chorus girl for god's sake!" The other manager shouted out for what seemed like the twentieth time. He was much more irate than his partner, and it clearly showed as his voice shook with rage.

An awkward silence ensued after this. I supposed that they were asking my confirmation of the stated fact, or perhaps waiting on my opinion of the entire situation. Alas, even as I attempted to open my throat to explain, it closed on me without conscious thought and refused to let me speak. 'What would you say?!' that rational voice in my head began. '"Oh well I've been learning from a voice! What was that? No, I'm sure there's a man, the problem is that he's invisible because he's always hiding. A wince that was supposed to remain in my head somehow became a physical one. 'Yea… that's going to go over really well…'

"I…" I tried to begin to explain something, and eventually (after several minutes of awkward silence and several pitiful attempts at conversation) I managed only to mumble "I-"

"I believe she may feel more comfortable, gentle men if you please, if the poor thing could have some room to breath. You are being quite over-bearing." Reluctantly, the two managers backed off about a foot. Gratefully, I half turned around and muttered a 'thank you' to the astonishing man behind me. He just smiled and winked, then continued to speak. "Anyways gentle men, I do believe we are out of time for today." He gestured at the grandfather clock behind him right as it struck the next hour. "I must be off. I will return tomorrow evening to discuss the matters of the Opera Populair's next show." He took a few steps back and opened the door. "Good afternoon gentle men, m'lady." He nodded to each of us in turn and then stepped out of the room.

One or two minutes passed before I made an attempt to excuse myself just as gracefully… yeah like I could ever actually pull that off. "Just a moment young lady." I slowly turned around, fear gripping me once more. I could already feel my face blushing at whatever they were about to say, but what I saw on their faces surprised me.

They no longer looked frustrated or angry, instead it was as if they had made a horrid realization. Defeat mixed in with just a little bit of horror. Somewhere in my amazement, I managed to find my way back to my seat, though thankfully it seemed as if all the immediate pressure had disappeared along with Michael. "Just one more question…" Andre stated, his voice fluctuating and cracking to several octaves. "What play is that song you…you sang from?"

I looked at him blankly, and then looked back down. 'They're going to hate me for this… I just know it.' I took a deep breath in and then let it out in a slow sigh before I even dared to open my mouth. "Please believe me, I…" I choked slightly on the rest, and had to wait a moment for my nerves to calm before I continued. "I… I honestly and truly… don't know. Please forgive me." I bowed my head lower, partly in apology and partly in embarrassment, as the managers gave out groans of annoyance.

"This is just great!" Andre exclaimed as he stood up and paced across the room. "We finally find ourselves a patron, and now he's just going to walk out on us-"

"What do you mean?!" I shouted out with anxiety before I could stop myself. The managers looked at me with shock and confusion. I merely shrunk back into my chair again (the sheer amount of heat radiating off my face could probably fry an egg at the moment), but I did not look away. I thought I had avoided this crisis earlier, but now here it was staring me in the face again. I really did not want for him to feel the need to leave; this was worth the embarrassment that was sure to come. However, my voice still quieted when I spoke again. "What I mean is… err… why would he have a reason to leave?"

The managers still stared at me with perplexed faces, but they did not with hold their information. "Our next intended play was a dud." Firman spoke with a hint of malice. "If we were to show it, not even a beggar would come to watch." He finally sat and slouched down in his seat, running his hand over his face in frustration. "We have nothing else to show… not a clue."

…

…

"Well…" I began, already regretting what I was about to say,

((END FLASHBACK))

When I finally finished explaining to him what had happened, leaving out any and all of the more girly moments, he didn't speak for a while. I still felt his presence as I began to walk away however, so I assumed he was just thinking the situation over.

He finally spoke once I had entered my chambers and sat down on the small cot I had the pleasure of sleeping on every night. "So… basically you suggested to help them find a good sensible play before the end of the day and they were so desperate that they agreed?"

Distantly in my mind, I thought about how hearing an obviously male voice in a girl's room should be ringing scandalous bells of alarm in my head, but it really didn't bother me all that much. "Not necessarily…" I answered, laying my head down on my pillow and grabbing the small and cuddly little stuffed wolf (another relic from before I could remember) from the small stand by my cot.

"Monsieur De Fleur isn't due to return until eight o' clock tomorrow evening, and the library is only ten minutes away in town. Along with permission to skip the mornings practice, I have the rest of today and almost all morning and afternoon tomorrow." As I spoke I gently fingered the patches of the wolf's fur that had become stiff from time and affection.

"You're seriously going to go out and spend hours in the town's library just to find the origin of one song?" The voice was incredulous, almost like the very idea appalled him immensely. It might have, I truly didn't know.

"Yes…well, basically." Now I turned the wolf to face me and traced the outline of his remaining coal black button eye. "What else could I do?"

"How about asking the voice who taught you the song in the first place?"

"You know where it's from?" I asked, also sitting up and looking around expectantly. Though for what I wasn't quite sure.

"Of course." The voice was nonchalant, though with a tone of seriousness in it. "Why ever would I not know its source?"

"Why ever did you not alert me of this fact before hand?"

"You never asked."

I scowled and laid back again, this time keeping the wolf beside me. "So what is it?"

"What is what?" I growled and he chuckled. "It's from Jekyll and Hyde."

"What and what?"

He chuckled and just patiently explained the plot to me in that voice that made me want to sigh and scream all at once. Eventually I fell asleep, fully clothed, listening to him explain about the depth of each character's personalities and flaws.

By the end of the next day, the Opera Populaire had a show.

(A/N: Wow… a lot more author notes than usual in this one huh? Well I just wanted to explain some things here. I know the actual book Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde doesn't even come out until around the time that all this is actually happening (give or take a decade) and the musical is so far off that it's newer than the original Broadway production of Phantom of the Opera. For the sake of my story however, please let it go. I really don't want people on my back yelling at how wrong my story is historically just because some events aren't in the correct chronological order. So just a warning: DO NOT FLAME ME BECAUSE OF THIS! I can deal with most everything else. 'Jekyll and Hyde' the musical does not belong to me… though I adore it immensely.)