Disclaimer (yeah, I know I forgot it, please forgive me): I don't own neither X or The Phantom Of The Opera.
Chapter 1: Think Of Me
Paris was nothing like he remembered, decided Kamui, while he was riding on his white horse, making his way trough the crowded city streets. The last time he visited there was when he was 15 years old, when one of his far cousins, from his mother's-step-father's-sister's side (whose name he always tended to forget) got married with some rich old man (who- due to the rumors- had sadly and mysteriously passed away only a few months after the wedding, leaving the crushed but extremely rich young widow) and invited them to the wedding party.
But this time his visit had a totally different purpose. His mother thought that her son reached that cretin age, in which it was about time to drop him on the world's shoulders. So she bought him an opera house. 'Is there a better way for a young man to claim a new and respectful reputation in the capital's society?' he heard her voice ringing in his head, while he saw an image of her, packing his bags.
The sight of his new property pulled him away from his thoughts. He examined the Opera Popular building with his young bright brown eyes, lifting a hand to arrange his dark brown hair.
His horse stopped at its master's command, and the new opera patron jumped easily from it, noticing the two new opera managers waiting for his at the main entrance.
"Good morning, monsieur" greeted him the first man, the shorter one, whose name was Aoki, if Kamui wasn't mistaken.
"Good morning, gentlemen," answered Kamui, his voice showing his impatience. He was eager to see the theatre.
"Shall we?" asked Yuto, the second manager.
"After you, monsieur" said Kamui, gesturing to the two men to proceed before him.
Inside, the opera house was nothing like Kamui ever seen before. It was full with rugs and rich paintings, statues and small chandeliers. The main hall was practically huge, and could have easily contained hundreds on men, and there will still be left place for servants to pass among the people and serve them with cooled wine. But the most attracting thing in that hall was the large chandelier that lightened the entire thing.
"You can close your mouth now" Kamui heard a soft manly voice addressing to him.
He turned around and examined the young man behind him. For some reason, he seemed familiar, but Kamui just couldn't remember where he'd seen him. And then it hit him.
"Subaru!" he cried in surprise, recognizing his friend, which he met during the last time he was in Paris. "What are you doing here?"
"Well, actually I was watching the rehearsals for tonight's play, for my sister asked me to do so. You remember her, don't you? She is a great fan of this opera house. And what are your business here, old friend?"
"I'm the new patron of this place" Kamui answered simply, but in a proud tone.
While the two friends were talking, Yuto and Aoki proceeded forward, toward the big stage, where the singers and the dancers were in the middle of their rehearsals. The soprano lady-singer was in the middle of all happening, of course.
"Stop, stop, stop!" ordered Seishiro the maestro, looking quite annoyed by the fact that his rehearsal was disturbed. Then he noticed the old manager heading forward, and his face turned even more annoyed.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, I beg for your attention," said the old manager, while silence spread around. "I know that some of you were guessing that I'm retiring. Well, those men were right. Allow me to introduce you all to your new managers, monsieur Yuto and monsieur Aoki"
The actors clapped their hands politely, examining the new men who are going to pay their salary, from this day forth.
"Gentleman, these are lady Arashi, our leading soprano for the last five seasons," the old manager introduced the head singers to the directors "and this is monsieur Sorata, the leading tenor"
Yuto smoothly kissed Arashi's hand, and the Diva reacted quite coldly to this gesture. Sorata, on the other side, smiled widely to Aoki, shaking warmly his hand.
"And there comes the new patron himself, Viscount Kamui de Chagny" declared the old manager happily, causing another sudden silence among the actors, who turned quickly around and made way for the young patron to come forth.
Kamui, who was pleased from all he had seen, smiled pleasantly to all the staff. "It is nice to meet you all. I believe that I'm keeping you from your rehearsals, so I won't stay long. I will come tonight, to witness your new play. Good day to you all"
With these few sentences, Kamui passed trough the stage, walking next to a group of balled dancers- where one of the girls bumped and almost fell down- and left the opera house, followed by Subaru.
That same ballet girl, who almost fell down, was no one else but Kotori, Madam Karen's favorite.
"Are you ok?" asked her Yuzuriha, her friend.
"Not really," answered Kotori in a soft sweet voice. "I know this man, Yuzu. When I was little, and my father was still alive, this Kamui's family and us were neighbors. We were very good friends… but it seems that he doesn't remember me…" she looked pretty sad.
"Oh, Kotori, he didn't see you!" Yuzuriha tried to calm her friend, though she was almost sure Kamui really didn't see her.
The rehearsal continued and the girls didn't have more time to talk. The dance they were practicing demanded all their concentration, and Madam Karen made sure that no one would disturb them, so she occupied the two new managers, answering to all their questions.
"And who is this young woman?" suddenly asked Yuto, his eyes focused on one of Karen's three favorites.
"She is called Satsuki," Karen replied, examining Yuto's face expression. "One of our best ballet dancers"
"I can see why…" Yuto mentioned, "She is very talented"
"Yes, she is, monsieur, and she deserves only the best"
The cretin act that the cast was practicing reached its dramatic point, and Arashi's voice pierced the ears of all, while she reached her high sounds. Suddenly, with out any warning, one of the heavy curtains above her head got loose, and fell with a sharp whistle on her.
The tenor singer, Sorata, saw this happening, and since he was the closest man to the Diva, he dived into the thin air, trying to push her away from the heavy metal part of the curtain. He didn't succeeded in his task, although he did prevent the metal from hitting Arashi's head, but it crushed on her right leg, barring them both under the heavy maroon cloth.
A huge mass started around them. The actors were able to dig them out from underneath the cloth, but Arashi was seriously injured. She didn't lose her consciousness, though, so her eyes were open and focused on Sorata, who lifted her up from the floor and held her gently between his arms.
"You risked yourself for me," she mentioned, her eyes narrowing down "Why?"
Sorata just lifted his shoulders in a simple gesture. "Because I promised so" he mentioned by the way.
Arashi decided to interrogate him later, when she'll have her both legs functioning- so she can kick him properly. And for the meantime she just said "Thank you".
"You're welcome" he replied in a small smile, taking her to the hospital near by, followed by a small crown of worried friends.
"What was that?" shouted the old manager to the person above the stage "Kusanagi? Explain this!"
"Don't look at me, monsieur," the head of security answered in his tough voice "this things do happen. I'm sure you're well aware of it"
"This… this isn't good, is it?" asked Aoki, a bit disturbed.
"No, Aoki, this is definitely not good" Yuto replied.
"Monsieur, look!" Karen pointed at a white envelope, lying above the fallen curtain. A skull symbol was craved on it.
"It's him!" said Yuzuriha, seeing the skull "The Phantom of the Opera! He's here"
Karen opened the letter and read it loudly, with a monotone voice: "Monsieurs, I welcome to my opera house…"
"His opera house!" declared Yuto with angry voice.
"…I command that you will keep leaving box 5 empty, at my disposal. As well, I kindly remained you that my salary was yet to be paid…"
"His salary?" now it was Aoki, who was astonished.
"The old manager used to pay him 20,000 franks in month…" Karen answered, tossing her hair at her back, her eyes narrowing down "Or perhaps you two can afford more?" she smiled a naughty smile.
"My god, you're all possessed. This is an outrage…" said Yuto.
"A scandal!" declared Aoki "But we are going to deal with it later. Right now we have to find someone who will play poor Arashi's part"
"Maestro, where is the understudy?" asked Yuto.
Seishiro looked at him with a sarcastic grin. "You have got to be joking, sir. There is no understudy for a voice such as Arashi's" he replied with a superior tine.
"Kotori can sing for you," mentioned Karen suddenly, making every one stare at her with shocked expressions. "She has been taught by a great teacher"
"Is that so? Who?" addressed Yuto to the young woman standing at the corner of the stage.
Kotori looked paler than usual- if that thing can be even possible- and if it weren't for Yuzuriha who pushed her forward, she would not have even answered.
"I do not now his name, monsieur" she replied shyly.
"Let her sing for you," insisted Karen "you'll see how good she is"
"Well then, come here, girl, don't be shy" said Aoki with a soft smile.
Kotori hesitated for a moment, but when she saw a slight movement of a black figure at the balcony above them, the hesitation just vanished. She knew she could do it. So she approached forward, cleaning her throat.
"Act three, scene one, please, milady" directed her Seishiro, gesturing to the musicians to start playing.
The melody was slow and sweet, and besides- Kotori new this song perfectly. She had practiced it many timed before. Slowly, her voice was combined with the music, creating soft harmony.
"Think of me,
Think of me, fondly,
When we've said goodbye…
Remember me
Once in a while -
Please promise me you'll try…"
Apparently, this was all that was needed for her to do, in order to get the role. She was surrounded by compliments and praises, and one big proud smile from Madam Karen. It was only a matter of a few hours, before she was standing on the same stage, this time alone, dressed in a beautiful white dress, while hundreds of nobles and other Paris citizens were sitting in the full hall, being paralyzed in their seats, completely enchanted by her amazing voice.
"When you find
that, once again,
you long to take your heart back
and be free -
if you ever find
a moment,
spare a thought
for me ...
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 said 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 ..."
Above Kotori, in the special balcony seat, named "Box 5", was sitting not the phantom but only Kamui, watching Kotori's performance with wide-open eyes. The young man recognized the young lade as his childhood friend, and he was astonished to witness how pretty she'd grown to be.
"Can it be?
Can it be Kotori?"
He asked himself, joining to her song. He joined the applauding audience, rising on his feet and shouting "Bravo!". He left his seat, his heart beating fast, and while he made his way trough the stairs, rushing to meet hi friend, he kept on singing:
"Long ago,
it seems so long ago,
how young and innocent we were…
She may not remember me,
But I remember her..."
The unaware of anything beside the music and her voice, Kotori kept on playing with her voice, making the audience helplessly fall in love with her. She reached the last couplet in her song, and with her voice reached it's highest levels.
"Flowers fade
The fruits of summer fade
They have their season, so do we…
But please promise me
That sometimes you will
Think of me!"
The applauses swept the entire opera house, loud as tender. And while Kotori smiled politely to the public, bowing in appreciation, two men were watching her with admiring eyes. The first one was near the stage, wearing brown suit, such as his eyes, which saw nothing but her. The other one was standing way above all others, eyes dark such as his soul. He let himself enjoy this little triumph of his student. But only for a moment, after which he vanished into the thin air, leaving nothing behind him, but a soft sent of roses.
ME: this is it, the end of chapter one. What did you think of it? Please let me know! All reviews, comments, requests, curses and threats are welcomed ;)
DarkFusion Thanks on the motivation, I really appreciate it. I strongly suggest that you'll see the Phantom's movie, which was released a couple of moths ago, starting Gerard Butler and Emmy Rossum, it's a really great movie. Anyway, I hope that you enjoyed this chapter and I'm looking forward for your review.