Chapter Three:
Return to Reality?
Marik unlocked the door to Yugi's dressing room, peering into the now-dark room.
"Yugi?" he whispered, "Yugi, are you here?"
He cautiously stepped inside, and looked around.
"Yugi left his costume on the floor…" Marik thought, "He would never do that unless he needed to go somewhere in a hurry…this part means so much to him…"
His eyes glanced around the abandoned room, before stopping to rest his eyes on the large mirror.
A bit of light was apparent through a crack between the mirror and the wall.
Marik examined it more closely, to realize that the mirror was covering a doorway.
Pulling the long mirror away, he saw a long, candle-lighted corridor ahead of him. It was grimy, and he could hear rats scurrying around, but thinking of Yugi and of the danger he might be in, Marik took a hesitant step inside.
He looked back at the mirror-door, to see the dressing room on the other side of the glass.
"Who would need a two-sided mirror?" Marik asked himself.
Shrugging slightly, Marik continued into the hallway. With every step he took, each lamp on either side of him glowed brighter.
A rat bit at the heel of his shoe; Marik shouted, only to find a hand covering his mouth and someone pulling him out of the passageway.
When he was able to pull away, he saw Ishizu closing the passage.
"Ma souer, what are you doing?" Marik demanded, running back over to the mirror to try and open it back up, "Yugi might be in trouble, we have to help him-"
"Not the way you are attempting," Ishizu reprimanded, pulling her brother away from the mirror and forcing him to look at her, "If you truly want Yugi to stay alive, you will trust me. The Phantom does not harm his captives unless he has a severe reason to, and you trying to save him would be one of them."
Marik looked nervously at the mirror, and then at his sister.
"Trust me, Marik," Ishizu whispered, "Yugi will be alright. The Phantom will not harm him…"
Yugi opened his eyes to find himself in the bed he had thought he had dreamed. Sitting up, his eyes glanced around the whole room he had thought to be a dream, and smiled.
He looked at the headboard of the bed he had slept in, and traced the letters with his gentle fingers.
"'Yugi, My Aibou,'" Yugi whispered absently.
He climbed out of bed, and lifted a curtain aside to reveal the cave he had entered the night before, with the same finery and the same organ as before…and behind the organ was his Angel.
"You're real," Yugi said faintly.
The Phantom looked up from the organ, and a smile graced his features.
"Did you think you were dreaming, Aibou?"the Phantom asked.
Yugi stepped closer to the organ, examining his Angel.
"Tenshi…you look so much like me," Yugi whispered.
The Phantom brought a hand up and caressed Yugi's cheek gently.
"Aren't you the one who I took from
light?" the Phantom sang quietly to the same melody Yugi
had heard before sleeping,
"We are to make the Music of the Night."
"The Music of the Night?" Yugi could barely speak.
The Phantom's smile grew wider. "Yes, Aibou, the Music of the Night. The Music hidden from all and only meant for us…the only ones deserving of its greatness, of its true power. I've written it alone for so long…but you, Yugi, have the Music in you."
Yugi felt his cheeks go slightly red. "I'm better at Duel Monsters than singing…but that's only thanks to you."
"I sing and play," said the Phantom quietly, "Unfortunately, talent in both is very rare…you are the only one I've ever known to be so wonderful in both…being taught and doing."
"You are a wonderful teacher," Yugi muttered.
The Phantom looked back at the music he was trying to write, and there was slight silence.
"Sensei," Yugi asked, "What are you writing?"
"You shall see, Aibou," the Phantom replied with a mischievous smile, "I am not yet finished with it…but I shall say that it is an Opera."
"An Opera?" Yugi repeated.
The Phantom nodded. "An Opera with dueling…an Opera for us."
Yugi bit his lip. "For us?"
The Phantom looked amused. "Do not be so bashful, Aibou. You inspire me."
Yugi went quite red at that. "Do I really?"
"Yes."
Yugi looked at the Phantom closely, and for the first time, tried to look into his eyes…but he could not see them nor what color they were.
"Why do you hide your eyes, Sensei?" Yugi asked.
The Phantom, for the first time, looked disappointed. He turned away.
"Oh, Sensei," Yugi was afraid he'd hurt the Phantom's feelings, "I…you don't have to tell me! I didn't mean to offend you, I didn't know it was-"
"No," the Phantom cut in quietly, "It is not your fault, young one. Forgive me…"
The Phantom stood, and took Yugi's hand.
"Come now, my Aibou," he whispered,
"They'll be searching…
I'll take you back at once."
"Must we go now?" Yugi asked, as the Phantom led him out,
"I'll stay if you wish…
You must be so lonely…"
"No, Aibou, you must go back now,
You must return to the light…
But don't fret, Yugi; I'll be here,
Making your show bright…"
Yugi was puzzled. "Tenshi of Games,
I don't understand."
"You will, Yugi, quite soon…"
The next day, Joey and Tea Gardner both entered Kaiba and Pegasus's office, both holding envelopes.
"I presume you two also got letters from this so-called Phantom?" Kaiba asked dully before either could speak, pointing at a letter of his own in Pegasus's hand.
"What did he tell you?" Joey asked.
Kaiba wrinkled his nose as Pegasus read out loud:
Monsieurs-
I still have not received my payment, and in case you think you were going to slip past it, I shall warn you that I do not like to be kept waiting, as I know you do also. Do make sure to keep Yugi Mutou in your cast; he is the freshest talent I've ever seen and he will take you places.
Your Phantom of the Opera
Tea snorted. "Yours is more polite than mine! I don't know who this Phantom thinks he is, but ooh, how I'd like to smack him upside his derriere!"
She took out her letter, and read out loud:
Mademoiselle-
I have watched your attempted performance in "The Maid of the Apricot" and was most pleased to see my deed kept you away, as Yugi Mutou did much better than you ever could. However, I do advise you to keep in contact with the Opera Populaire; I do have a few ideas for your future roles, all of which you deserve.
Your Phantom of the Opera
Joey sighed.
"Mine, I think, is the best of the ones we have," he commented, before reading:
Monsieur-
Yugi Mutou is safe and well back at my Opera house where he belongs. Do give him space; I sense he will be very busy with his future theatrical roles, and he doesn't need you to complicate things.
Your Phantom of the Opera
"I can't not believe this!" shrieked Tea, "Every letter is concerning Yugi Mutou, who just happened to have shown up right now after being missing for a day!"
"It does seem a little odd," noted Kaiba, "But you can't deny he has talent."
"But what about MOI?" Tea cried, "This Yugi is a boy! You can't expect to have an ingénue boy play every lead role in every single one of your plays!"
"Mademoiselle Gardner has a point, Kaiba," Pegasus sighed.
It was then that Ishizu came in.
"What is it now?" snapped Kaiba.
"The Phantom has left us another message," she told him, holding out a letter.
Kaiba snatched it, and read out loud:
To My Opera Players and Directors-
Recently I have sent all particular letters of greatest importance. Now, I must inform you of how I want things to be done for this next performance you're planning. I know you wish to perform "A Tale of Errors," and my main concerns are to do with the cast. You will cast the lead role of Countess to Yugi Mutou, and then place Tea Gardner into the role of the Page Boy, a silent role who does not duel at all except in the finale when he duels poorly to try and save the Countess's life. If these demands are not met, then a disaster beyond your imagination will occur. Oh, and do not forget to leave Box Five empty at the performance for my use.
Your Phantom of the Opera
Kaiba crumpled up the piece of paper in his fist, his eyes slits as he glared down at the floor.
"Monsieur Kaiba, are you alright?" asked Pegasus.
Kaiba smirked evilly.
"I'm fine…" he whispered, "But it seems this Phantom needs a lesson about who really owns this theatre…and I think the perfect way to do it would be to switch around these roles around a bit. Mademoiselle Gardner, you shall play the Countess, and Yugi Mutou shall be the Page Boy."
