Key:
French
Singing
Chapter One:
At the Opera Populaire
Yugi Mutou was part of the Chorus at the Opera Populaire, the grandest theatre in all of Paris and, indeed, all of France. While he only said a few lines and dueled poorly for his role, he was satisfied. He got through life with just enough money to get by and had friends he could rely on. But, unknowns to all, he also had an Angel watching over him.
Yugi had never seen his Angel, but he knew his voice and he knew he was real. His Grandpa, before passing away, had told him that he would send an Angel of Games to him, and Yugi had met that very Angel at the Opera Populaire.
When Yugi had first come to live at the opera house after his Grandpa died five years, he had heard a soft voice calling out to him in his sleep. Quickly Yugi found out it was the Angel of Games, and soon, he learned everything about Duel Monsters from him…
But today Yugi had to play Duel Monsters poorly in order to act out a scene in the play the Opera Populaire was going to perform tomorrow, "The Maid of the Apricot."
In the lead role was Tea Gardner, a vivacious singer, dancer and actress, who unfortunately had not learned all the rules of dueling yet. She was dressed in the breeches in which the lost Lady Anzu was using to disguise herself as a peasant boy, as to secretly earn the heart of the young boy King.
Yugi sighed as Tea again asked the directors, Seto Kaiba and Maximillion Pegasus, what she was supposed to do in the duel next. Seto Kaiba was a CEO of a billion dollar Duel Monsters corporation and Maximillion Pegasus was the creator, so it's understandable that the both of them were getting a little peeved that Tea could not remember her next move.
"For the millionth time, Mademoiselle," Kaiba whispered as calmly as he could, his face going slightly red in anger, "Place a card facedown and the Feral Imp in defense mode, and then end your turn."
"Oh," replied Tea stupidly, before saying indignantly, "But the Petit Angel is plus belle, can't I play that instead?"
Kaiba was fuming, so Pegasus took control, trying to sound kind.
"Now, Mademoiselle," he soothed, "The Petit Angel would not keep you in character…but you can play that in the final duel in Act Two."
Tea smirked, knowing she could curl the directors around her finger just so she'd still act for them.
"Ah, oui," she said with a little laugh, "You are correct, Monsieur. Forgive me, I shall continue…"
Tea faced back at Yugi, and got back into character.
"You think that you can defeat me," she sang softly, "Losers like you never learn!"
"We shall see if you're deserving," Yugi sang back, "Of the praise you earn!"
And right then, the scenery fell.
Yugi, white with shock and fear, was able to jump out of the way, but the scenery fell on top of Tea.
The actress screamed, making everyone else go into a complete panic.
Yugi immediately seized hold of the scenery and pulled it off Tea. He rushed over to her, and held out his hand to her.
"Need some help?" he asked kindly.
Tea, however, slapped his hand painfully away, and stood by herself, cursing and shrieking at the top of her lungs.
"THESE IMBECILES, CAN'T EVEN RUN A THEATRE WITHOUT SOME KIND OF DISASTER HAPPENING, C'EST IMPOSSIBLE, I WILL NOT TAKE THIS, COMPLETELY LUDICROUS-"
The directors were trying to calm her down, but nothing they could say could stop her from leaving the building. The rest of the cast muttered furiously, and it was only when Ishizu Ishtar, the Dance Instructor, spoke that silence fell.
"It is the Phantom of the Opera," Ishizu whispered.
"Are you sure, ma souer?" asked her younger brother, Marik.
"Oui, ma petit frere," Ishizu replied, holding up an envelope, "He left a message for our new directors."
"What?" Pegasus said sharply.
"He says that his opera house is not being run as it should," stated Ishizu, taking out the letter and scanning it quickly, "He says that Tea Gardner is a disgrace to the world of dueling, and he demands that you reject her from the cast list immediately. He also adds to not forget to leave Box Five empty for his use, as well as his payment due at the end of this month."
"Payment?" Kaiba repeated in fury.
"Our old director Monsieur Dartz used to give him five hundred gold pounds," Ishizu told him silkily.
"Five hundred!"
That did it: Kaiba was officially furious.
"Well, hate to disappoint this 'Phantom,' but I do not plan on paying five hundred gold pounds, nor any amount of money at all!"
"But Monsieur Kaiba," Ishizu interrupted, "He demands it. It would be tres stupid of you not to follow his orders. Terrible things will happen."
"Terrible, ha!" Kaiba barked, "Well, it can't be more terrible than this! Our star has now left us, and there's no one who could take her place!"
"Actually," Ishizu said quietly, "There is one."
Everyone went silent.
"Who?" asked Pegasus.
"Yugi is very skilled," Ishizu smiled at the tricolor-haired boy, "He may act poorly for his roles, but he has been taught to duel very well. And he sings finely too."
Yugi blushed. "Ishizu, you know I can't-"
"I know you can do it, mon ami," Marik encouraged him, "You know you're good!"
"Well," Kaiba said with a disapproving frown, "I would've preferred a girl… but as you could be our only hope of saving this performance… Let's give you a shot."
"Start by singing," Pegasus told him.
Yugi blushed redder. He was so much better at dueling…!
"W-what should I sing, Monsieurs?" he asked, looking at the floor shyly.
"'Think of Me,'" Kaiba said immediately, sitting back down in his director's chair in front of the stage.
Pegasus sat down beside him as Yugi stepped forward and into the center of the stage. Trying to remember his Angel's advice, Yugi took a deep breath and started to sing.
"Think of me,
Think of me fondly when we say goodbye.
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,
Stop and think of me…"
Before Yugi knew it, he was singing to a thousand people in the largest audience you could imagine, in costume and his heart being woven into a beautiful tapestry of words and music that was the song.
"We never said our love was evergreen,
Or as unchanging as the sea,
But if you can still remember,
Stop and think of me.
Think of all the things we've shared and seen,
Don't think about the way things might have been…
Think of me,
Think of me waking silent and resigned,
Imagine me
Trying to hard to put you from my mind.
Recall those days,
Look back on all those times,
Think of the things we'll never do.
There will never be a day
When I won't think of you!"
And in a top box, looking down on the performance, was a man with blond hair that tousled handsomely around his uniquely stunning brown eyes.
He watched the boy sing down on the stage, and his eyes widened in realization.
"Can it be?" he whispered, "Can it be Yugi?"
