Chapter I: New Management
It was a sad day at the Opera Eternia; the managers, Messieurs Stratos and Buzz-Off were retiring. Everyone who worked at the Opera House loved them, and decided to send them out with a bang, by working extra hard on the newest opera, Il Ralabadio.
"Would you sing the line one more time and this time give it more feeling," Madame Angella, the music and ballet director, instructed the great Man-E-Faces, Eternia's greatest thespian.
Okay, here goes nothing, for the umpteenth time" he sighed, "Soon I Etheria will gain and become its king of fame" Man-e sang as best he could.
"Very good, Monsieur Faces" Angella praised the actor, as she turned the page of the opera score.
Just then, MM. Buzz-Off and Stratos came in the theater, along with three others. One was a large, green plant like being; the second was a human wearing a helmet with goggles; and the last was a young man with blond hair and blue eyes wearing a white shirt and a red vest.
"May I have everyone's attention, please", M. Stratos said as gently clapping his hands to get everyone's attention.
"Can't you see that we're rehearsing, M. Stratos." Madame Angella said with a bit of anger in her voice.
"My apologies, but I have an announcement to make," the former manager said, as he went up on the middle of the stage. "As you know I and M. Buzz-Off are retiring, we have greatly enjoyed our term and will miss you all, but I am sure you will like the people who will take over…," he said pointing to the two older gentlemen who came in with him, "MM. Mossman and Mekaneck" he concluded jovially. Everyone clapped to welcome their new managers as they took to the stage.
"Thank you, it is a great experience to become the managers of the Opera Eternia, we look forward to many wonderful years working here," M. Mossman said as he walked back to let his partner speak.
"I too, like M. Mossman am happy to be your new manager, and I am also excited to introduce you to our new patron, the Vicomte de Grayskull", M. Mekaneck said, gesturing for the young man who accompanied them to come up on the stage.
The young man, the Vicomte Adam de Grayskull went to the front of the stage "My sister, the Comtesse Adora de Grayskull, and I have always felt it was our duty to support the fine arts, and none more so than the Opera Eternia," The Vicomte said as he bowed.
"Now we shall leave you to rehearse, come Messieurs let's go make our management official" M. Mekaneck said as he left the stage.
After the five gentlemen left, the cast went back to rehearsing, at this time a beautiful woman wearing a Cat mask took to the stage, this was Signora Catra Felinio, the Opera Eternia's Prima Donna and M. Faces boyfriend.
"From the top now Signora" Mme. Angella said as she began to play the music.
"I will never let Hordak rule the…" she sang before she was cut off as one of the ballasts came crashing down to her feet.
"He's here, O.G., he did it," the ballet girls said in unison pointing to the catwalk hoping to see the ghost.
"You foolish dancers!" Man-E snapped, M. Faces didn't believe in the ghost and thought it absurd that the ballet girls believe in such nonsense.
"My dear, its okay, these things happen" M. Faces told his girlfriend, trying to calm her down.
"Yes these things do happen, until you stop them, I will not sing tonight," she hissed as she walked off the stage.
"Now who will sing the part of the Angellian queen?" Mme. Angella said as she looked around with a worried face."
"What about Teela Daaé, she has the voice to fulfill the role?" a young woman with blue eyes and pink hair, Glimmer Angella suggested. Glimmer was Mme. Angella's only daughter and Teela's best friend and thought it would be the perfect role for her.
"Teela, But isn't she a chorus girl?" Monsieur Man-E asked he knew that Teela was a good singer, but it's a great responsibility to be the lead singer.
"I think she's ready" Glimmer chimed in, anxious to tell her friend the wonderful news.
"Very well, bring her here" Angella acquiesced to her daughter's wishes. Even though she pretended to be skeptical, she knew that Teela was taking lessons from a mysterious teacher and knew she could easily sing the part.
"You won't be sorry mother," Glimmer told her mother as she went to go get Teela.
Meanwhile in the manager's office, Stratos and Buzz-Off were finishing off the paperwork to hand over the Opera house to its new managers.
"There we go, everything is in order, congratulations Messieurs, you are now the new managers of the Opera House", Stratos told Mossman as they shook hands.
"Thank you; it has always been my dream to manage an Opera House" Mossman told the Avionian.
"Yes, well, don't forget to pay the ghost at the end of the week and to keep Box 5 open for him," Buzz-Off chimed in.
Mossman and Mekaneck looked at each other puzzled, at the mention of a ghost startled them and the notion of paying a ghost is even more unsettling.
"Did you say ghost?" Mekaneck asked trying to figure out what the Andreenid had said.
"Yes, a ghost, he demands to be paid each month, he will leave you alone just as along as you pay him" Buzz-Off told him as he Stratos headed for the door.
"Come, we'll give you the tour" Stratos told Mossman and Mekaneck as they opened the door and left.
In the dressing rooms, Teela was getting ready for chorus practice when there was a knock at the door, "Who is it?" she asked.
"It's me, Glimmer, I've got some wonderful news" the visitor replied.
"Just a minute!" Teela told her friend as she went to the door and opened it, "Now what is this wonderful news you have for me?" Teela asked as Glimmer entered the dressing room.
"Catra has refused to sing tonight and you've been chosen to replace her", Glimmer told Teela with the impetuousness of a child waiting for her birthday gifts.
Teela took a moment to think about this news, then it hit her, she was going to be the star of the show, "Are you serious?" Teela asked Glimmer worried it might be a prank.
"If you don't believe me read this…" Glimmer told her as she handed Teela the playbill:
The Opera Eternia is pleased to Present
IL RALABADIO: THE STORY OF HORDAK
NOW STARRING TEELA DAAÉ AS THE ANGELLIAN QUEEN
"Wow! I can't believe it," Teela said exactly as she gave the playbill back to Glimmer.
"Yep, and what's more is that your boyfriend the Vicomte Adam will be there tonight" Glimmer teased her friend.
"Glimmer, you know that I and Adam are only friends," Teela told her best friend.
Later that night, the Opera House was filled to capacity; everyone wanted to see the last opera under the management of Stratos and Buzz-Off.
About an hour before curtain call, Adam arrived at the front of the Opera House, he was accompanied by a young woman with blonde hair and blue eyes wearing a red and white dress, this was Adam's sister, the Comtesse Adora de Grayskull.
"I told you we should have come earlier, honestly if you are going to be a socialite one day Adam you have to learn to be on time for such matters", Adora scolded her younger brother. Adora was the eldest of the two and inherited the title of countess from their father, Comte Randor de Grayskull, who passed away a few years ago.
"Adora, you worry too much, we're the nobility around here, they have to wait for us," he told his sister hoping that she would understand his philosophy.
"When will you learn?" Adora sighed as she shook her head as they entered the Opera and took their seats.
Their seats were next to Box 5, which was always empty; it was kept empty for one person, the Phantom.
No one ever saw the Phantom; some people say they see a man wearing a purple cloak sitting up there with a Death's Head, other's claim he's more of a Shadow, like the Shadow Priests of old. Some say he has no face, whether that means he wears a mask or it was some ghost trick, the type ghosts are known to play on the living no one knows.
During the show, Adam noticed a man in a purple cloak and what appeared to be a Death's Head in Box 5, He elbowed his sister, "Hey Look it's the Phantom of the Opera House" he whispered to her pointing to the man.
"Honestly Adam, a phantom, next your going to tell me he's your uncle", Adora scoffed not amused by her brother's comment.
Adam shrugged, "Anything's possible" he whispered and turned his gazed to the show again; it was Teela's big scene.
"I can't believe it, she's changed so much after all this time, what a girl" Adam sighed almost fainting from love.
Adora just sighed, "Boys!" and after that ignored her brother.
After the show, Adam thought he would try to woo Teela, so he went to the dressing rooms, Adora, weary that her sibling would mess things up decided to tag along.
"Adam of all your harebrained schemes this is your worst, I should strip you of your title," Adora threatened as she waved her fist at her brother.
"What do you know about wooing girls?" Adam retorted, confident that would silence her.
"Plenty! You forget I'm a girl," she informed her sibling.
"Well I'm not listening to you Adora", He told her as he knocked on Teela's door.
"Come in" she said as was she was fixing her hair. She really didn't want to see anybody, and probably knew it was someone asking to marry her, she got a lot of them lately, everyone wanted to be married to the daughter of the famous violinist, Duncan Daaé, and she knew she had to refuse them.
"Teela!" Adam said as he entered the room grinning like a fool, a grin of love.
"Do I know you Monsieur?" Teela asked him, looking at him, curiously.
"Why Mademoiselle, it is the little boy who retrieved your snake staff for you, it is I, The Vicomte de Grayskull," he said trying to jog the young girl's memory.
"I remember you, Monsieur. It's been years Adam," she said as she hugged her childhood friend.
The two were friends since childhood; they first met one day when Teela's father, Duncan, was playing at a county fair. Adam was staying with his Uncle Baron Stephen of Zolacia who decided to take Adam out for some fresh air, it was then that he first saw that radiant beauty that was Teela Daaé, she was only eight at the time and he was six, the two became fast friends.
Adam and Teela would spend hours listening to Duncan playing the violin while they would tale stories from Eternia's past, especially of the Angel of Music, an angel who visited children while they're sleeping and gives them the gift of Music.
"When I'm in The Unknowable One's palace, I will send him to you, my child," he would tell her all the time.
"Do you remember the story of the Angel of Music, and how father said he would send him to me?" She asked Adam as she smiled at him.
"Why yes I do, Teela. That was your favorite story" he replied with the look of foolish love in his eyes.
"I've been visited by him Adam," she said as plain as day.
"I do not doubt that for a second," Adam told her, "but come we shall celebrate your triumph today" he said getting up.
"Adam, I can't, the Angel is very demanding," she told him with a look of pity in her eyes. She knew he wanted to marry her and deep down in her heart she wanted to marry him, but she knew she couldn't.
"I won't keep you away for too long," Adam said in an almost jovial tone of voice.
"Adam I'm serious," she told him, as he started for the door. She wanted to stop but not even the strength of a He-Man could have stopped him.
"So I am, be ready in three minutes." He said as he left the room.
"Adam!" she said to try to stop him, but it was too late, he was gone.
While she was standing there, she heard a voice exclaim, "THAT FOOL, HOW DARE HE THINK HE CAN TAKE YOUR HEART FROM ME!" it was the voice of Teela's 'Angel of Music'.
"Angel, I'm sorry, I promise I will give my heart to no one but music," she pleaded with the voice.
"My child, soon you will see me, and learn why I hide in darkness. Look at the mirror there is where you will see me," The voice said hypnotically.
She looked in the mirror and beheld the image of a man wearing a tuxedo with a black mask covering his face.
"Angel, at last guide me to sing like the choirs that sing for the Unknowable One in his palace," she said walking towards the mirror.
"Come to me my dear, your Angel of Music", the figure said beckoning her to the mirror.
At this time, Adam, came back to the dressing room. He tried to open the door, but it was locked. He was worried something happened to her, so he pressed his ear to the door and heard a man's voice in the dressing room.
"Who's in there?" he ordered to know, but no one answered. After a few more attempts of trying to find out who was in there and still getting no reply, he thrust his weight onto the door and forced the door off its hinges, and stumbled into the room. "TEELA!" he cried out only to find the room empty.