As the audience returned to their seats, the curtain rose on a soirée of dancing partners. Ladies in extravagant gowns and feathery masks, men in tails and masks of every color know to man. Some dressed as clowns, others as birds, some of princesses of foreign lands. And amidst them all, Firmin and Andre, with lovely ladies on their arms, walk in, their faces covered by the laughing and weeping masks of the theatre.
"Mr. Firmin?" Asked Kaiba lifting his mask.
"Mr. Andre!" Pegasus exclaimed, taking his arm and singing.
Why Andre, what a splendid party!
A prologue to a bright new year.
(Kaiba Laughs)
What a crowd, I'm impressed.
(Kaiba)
Well one, does one's best.
(Together, taking champagne glasses)
Here's to us!
(Kaiba)
I must say all the same it's a shame that Phantom Fellow isn't here.
With that, everyone spun in, singing 'Masquerade' at the top of their lungs, switching masks and waving fans.
Meanwhile, backstage, Bakura and Li Zhou prepared for their big entrance. With a flourish, he slipped the mask and plumed hat over his hair, and vanished behind the curtain n his dressing room.
Outside, everyone was dancing and leaping about as Sango and Miroku walked out, arm in arm, Sango wearing a large diamond engagement ring on a golden chain, and decked out in an elaborate pink gown and pink butterfly wings extended on her back, whilst Miroku was wearing the trappings of a king.
(Sango)
Think of it, a secret engagement;
Look, your future bride! (curtsies)
Just think of it.
(Miroku)
But why is it secret?
What have we to hide? (taking her hands)
(Miroku, with Sango alternating answers)
Christine you're free (Please, let's not fight, wait till the time is right)
When will that be? It's an engagement, not a crime.
Christine what are you afraid of?
(Let's not argue) Let's not argue.
(Please pretend,) I can only hope;
(You) I will understand in time.
Then, everyone went into a grand and dizzying waltz, switching partners and masks, as confetti is dropped from above, and people arranged themselves on to the staircase, their fans waving and their masks returned to their original owners as they sang:
Masquerade! Paper faces on parade!
Masquerade, hide your face so the world will never find you.
Masquerade! Every face a different shade!
Turn around, there's another mask behind you!
Masquerade! Burning glances, turning heads!
Masquerade, stop and stare at the sea of smiles around you!
Masquerade! Burning yellows, spinning reds!
Masquerade, take your fill, let the spectacle astound you!
Then, in a burst of red smoke, the Phantom now dressed as The Red Death, with a skull mask and crimson outfit and cape, descended from the ceiling, and stood on the staircase before the startled assembly.
"Did you believe I was gone?" he asked as the descended the staircase, people shrinking away in genuine fear of him. "Six months is nothing. I simply wanted to wait for you to accept that I am in control of this theatre. And as Master of the Opera House, I have a few instruction." As he was speaking, Miroku squeezed Sango's arm, then he slipped away, before the Phantom could mark his absence.
"Fist of all," Bakura/Li Zhou said, "I have written a new Opera that you must perform by this month's end." he tossed a brown leather envelope to Pegasus's feet. "Next, I want Carlotta's role to be silent, and she needs to act, not strut about on stage like an overstuffed peacock. And Mr. Ubaldo," he said, poking Joey's large fake gut, "Needs to lose some weight. It's bad for one's health." as he reached the bottom of the stares, his gaze went to Sango, who looked back, fear and hopelessness in her face.
"And Miss Daae," he said, approaching her, "It is true, she is most accomplished. But if her voice is to improve, she must resume her lessons with her teacher." everyone gasped. "Yes!" he swirled around, looking at all, "Her teacher!" then, he saw the flashing diamond ring on her neck, and with a hiss he said, "You wear no chain but the one that binds you to me!" and he yanked the ring and necklace off of her in one swift motion before turning to Pegasus and Kaiba and saying, "If my instructions are not followed, then you will all pay! There are worse accidents than a falling chadeleir.
"Phantom!" Miroku cried from above, unsheathing a sword. The Phantom stepped back, and threw a stone into the glass hole below him, breaking the crystalline decoration and falling into the catacombs. Then, Miroku leaped, and fell in after the fiend, everyone screaming, and pushing Sango out of harm's way, while Mai disappeared.
With a turn of the set, Miroku was standing in a maze of mirrors, the Phantom's image in all of them. He did not know which was real and which but a reflection.
That's when Miroku had an idea. He said, "Phantom, you are a coward! I challenge you to an honorable man's duel!"
"Swords are no use down here," Li Zhou said. "Perhaps you care to try a duel on my grounds?" he asked, slapping on a Duel Disk. Miroku discarded his sword, and put on his own.
Off stage, everyone was crowded around the curtains.
"Now that's a duel," Joey said.
"Finally some action!" Rex said.
"This play was getting boring," Weeval commented, "Even though my costumes are a hit."
"What are they doing!" Pegasus hissed. "This isn't in the script!"
"No," Kaiba said, "It's better."
"Make you move, Count," Li Zhou said, drawing cards.
"With pleasure, Phantom," Miroku said, drawing as well. "I play Kycoo the Ghost Destroyer," he said, the masked Monk appearing. "Then I lay a card face down and end my turn."
"Foolish," Li Zhou said, drawing a card, "You leave one mediocre monster to destroy? I play a monster face down, as well as this card, and play Pot of Greed." he drew two cards, and ended his turn.
"I activate 'Null and Void'," Miroku said, flipping the card. Kycoo open his palm and a Wind Tunnel appeared and began to sucked the cards Li Zhao drawn into the void, sending them to the graveyard.
"You fool, you activated Fear of Darkness's special ability," Li Zhou said. And a black ghost appeared from the graveyard and onto the field. "and now I equip my monster with the Mask of brutality, raising his attack points by 1000. And I activate the trap Mask of Weakness, which lowers your monster." The masks flew to the different monsters, and Li Zhou blasted Miroku's monk into nothing.
"They're ruining the show!" Pegasus cried. He grabbed Mai by the shoulders and said, "Get in there and stop them!" he said, pushing her out of the curtains.
"Huh?" Mai gasped as she stumbled forward. Then, regaining her dignity, she grabbed Miroku and said, "Lord Count, this way, before he kills you!"
"We're not finished!" Miroku cried.
"Yes you are, hun", when they were safely behind the curtains as they came down to skip ahead.
"Are you both insane?" Pegasus berated them. "They didn't have Duel Monsters in 1861 Paris! Are you trying to ruin me?"
"He wanted an honorable duel, so I gave him one. Till Mai butted in," Li Zhou said. Outside Sango was singing in the 'Somehow Here Again" scene, her voice a backdrop for the chastisement.
"I don't care if he asked for a game of Hungry Hungry Hippos!" the millionaire cried, shaking his fists, "If it's not in the script, you can't do it! Now get out there, and no dueling!"
Transition-
On the stage, Sango stood in the middle of a graveyard, in front of a mausoleum, and sang:
Little Lotte thought of everything and nothing…
Her Father promised her
that he would send her an Angel of Music…
He promised her…
You were once my one companion,
You were all that mattered.
You were once my friend and father,
Now my world is shattered.
Wishing you were somehow here again…
Wishing you were somehow near.
Sometimes it seemed, if I just dreamed,
Somehow you would be here.
Wishing I could hear your voice again,
Knowing that I never would.
Dreaming of you won't help me to do
All that you dreamed I could…
Passing bells and sculpted angels,
Cold an monumental,
Seem for you the wrong companions.
You were warm and gentle….
And as she sang she sang the song, in her heart were the images of her real father and her brother Kohaku. With these ghost of her past in her mind, she sang with such conviction of letting go of hurt and grief that the audience was soon in tears. Not a dry eye was left as she sang.
Too many years fighting back tears.
Why can't the past just die?
Wishing you were somehow here again,
Knowing we must say goodbye.
Try to forgive. Teach me to live-
Give me the strength to try!
No more memories, no more silent tears,
No more gazing across the wasted years…
Help me say… Goodbye.
Then, through the gated doors of the mausoleum, Li Zhou appeared and sang enticingly:
Wandering child…
So lost… So helpless…
Yearning for my guidance
(Sango, lifting her head)
Angel… or father?
Friend… or… Phantom?
Who is it there staring?
(Li Zhou)
Have you forgotten your Angel?
(Sango)
Angel… oh, speak.
What endless longings
echo in this whisper!
(Li Zhou, just as Miroku appears from stage left, transfixed on the mesmerized Sango) Too long you've wandered
in winter…
(Miroku)
Once again she is his…
(Li Zhou)
Far from my
Far-reaching gaze…
(Miroku)
Again she returns…
(Sango)
Wildly my heart beats against you…
(Li Zhou)
You resist
(Together)
Yet your (the) soul obeys!
"Christine!" Miroku yelled, rushing on forward, grabbing her arm before she could walk any closer to the evil spirit. "Whatever you think, whatever you believe, this thing isn't your father!"
"Oh Raol!" Sango said as she collapsed in his arms.
"Ha! Bravo Monsieur! Such spirited words!" Li Zhou appeared with a sword in his hand, and at once swung it at Miroku's head. Miroku drew his rapier and struck back, the two fencing and clashing steel, until Sango rushed forward, and pulled Miroku away.
"Not like this!" she begged. "Please… not this way!" And she dragged him off stage.
"Stop! Don't go!" Li Zhou called to her. Then, he dropped the sword and seethed. "Then let it be war on you both!" and with a flash of lightening and a ring of fire at his feet, he tow vanished, with the curtains dropping.
Authoress's Note-
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