Okay people, lemme explain... I am SO VERY SORRY for the lack of updates. I had a really bad case of writers block, not to mention all the crappy odd-jobs I've been doing to earn money...gah.. and also family problems chucks knife at evil little sister Anyhowl, I'm back finally with more "Phantom-ness"
Amaroq GAH! JOHN! DON'T EVER CALL ME "SAMMY" AGAIN! Thanks for the review, though...JOHNNY!
THE Chichiri no Miko Thanks! Hope you like it!
Darkrose Thank you so much!
PhantomHound Thank you!
Zephyr721 Yup! "Point of No Return's gunna be in the story! I'm dying to write that part! Thanks for the review!
shepyt Thank you! Hope it lives up to your expectations!
kitsune07 Yup! Lots of Danny and Sam in this! But I still feel bad for the Phantom...whimpers Thanks for the review!
Characters (c) Butch Hartman
Original PotO story and Lyrics (c) Andrew Lloyd Webber and Gaston Leroux
This Crazy Idea (c) Me
Chapter One
The auditorium of Casper High School was buzzing with rehearsals. Backstage, girls were trying on costumes and practicing their lines. Stagehands where preparing the setting and props. The many teachers were chatting with each other excitedly. This was a big day for all of them. Tonight their first musical of the season would open. Every person, actor, singer, chorus member, and director, was on the edge with nervousness and pride. All had worked hard for this.
A girl was lingering in the shadows just behind the curtain. She was dressed in dark gray sweatpants, and a black tee shirt. The girl scuffed the wooden floor with her boots, her amethyst eye clouded over with worry. Like all the other actors, Sam Manson was nervous. A month ago, she had been accepted in the musical program as a chorus girl. It wasn't a huge role, but she was immensely proud of herself. "There are no parts, just small actors," her grandfather Charles had said. "By George, when I get to heaven, I'll send the Angel of Music himself to hear you sing!"
The corners of her lips tugged slightly as her grandfather's words echoed in her mind. Sam and been very close with her grandfather. He taught her all kinds of songs when she was little and. when she got a little older, he taught her the different singing methods. Sam had spent hours with him, practicing and training her voice. Charles would look down proudly at her, seeing the talent that she has, so shyly, hid away from the world. But it was only a memory now. He had died three months ago. After the funeral, Sam had promised that she would join the new Theater Program at school. It was a way of putting all she had learned to good use, and to thank her grandfather.
"Hey Sam! Break a leg today."
Sam was jerked out of her thoughts by Paulina's voice. "Break a leg" was theater slang for "good luck" Sam looked up suspiciously. Why would Paulina say something like that to her? Maybe Paulina wasn't so bad...
"Thanks," she said quietly.
Paulina smiled coldly. "No, seriously, break a leg today, Manson. It would hilarious to see someone like you fall." The Latino girl began to walk away, laughing at her own cruel joke. Sam took a step forward and, grimacing with anger, aimed her fist at Paulina. But a had grabbed her shoulder, stopping her abruptly.
Sam looked over her shoulder. Tucker stood there, grinning. He was one of the head stagehands, and had designed the set himself. He had been talking with one of the teachers when he saw what Paulina was doing. Knowing Sam, he wanted to stop the fight before it happened.
"Let her go, Sam," he said, gesturing at Paulina with his hand. "She's not worth it."
Sam glared back at Paulina angrily. Then she sighed, giving in to Tucker's advice. He was right. She wasn't worth it. "Thanks, Tucker. Damn, I'm so nervous about tonight! I feel like I'm gonna explode any second!"
"Sam, calm down. You'll be fine, I promise."
Sam looked away for a moment. "And...do you think Danny'll come?"
Tucker grinned. "Yup, don't worry about that. I slipped the note in his locker this morning."
Sam ran her fingers through her raven-black hair in relief. It had been part of their plan. Sam had joined the theater program without telling Danny about it. On opening night, Tucker would give Danny a note from Sam, telling him to meet her after the play. She wanted to surprise her friend. Maybe then she could tell Danny how she truly felt about him.
The stage was suddenly filled with theater members. Everyone was talking, whispering rumors to one another. Soon a tall man emerged from the crowd, flanked by two other men. He had short blonde hair, and, even though he was aging, walked with proud, long strides. It was Mr. Dutcher, the theater director. He waved his hands, addressing the young actors and actresses.
"Quiet everyone!" she said forcefully. "Come on now, settle down. I have an announcement to make."
Everyone stopped talking and turned their attention toward Mr. Dutcher.
"Thank you. Now, you've all heard the rumors of my immanent retirement. I can now tell you that those rumors are true. I am retiring."
The crowd began to murmur a bit.
Dutcher continued. "I would like to introduce my two replacements. Mr. Lancer, and Mr. Andre." The two men at his sides stepped foreword at the mention of their names, bowing their heads in formal greeting. Some of the students applauded softly.
"I know you all recognize Mr. Lancer, but not Andre," Dutcher said. "He's come to our humble program as a stage director, after a rather successful in the junk business."
"Scrap metal, actually," Andre corrected.
Suppressing a laugh, Dutcher turned to Lancer and Andre. "Gentlemen, I would like you meet our Honorary Director, Jazz Fenton."
The red haired girl walked out of the crowd, a proud smile on her face. She shook Andre's hand enthusiastically. "I'm very pleased to meet you, sir."
"The pleasure is all mine, my dear," he replied.
Dutcher stepped beside the two. "Now, Jazz here will show you around." Then he turned and raised his voice. "The rest of you, on with the rehearsal!"
Jazz began leading Lancer and Andre around the stage, just as the young actors and actresses dispersed onto the floor. Paulina was at the very front, singing her heart out and enjoying the limelight. Behind her, the chorus members, Sam included sang softly along, dancing gracefully with the music.
"We take great pride in our plays, and even greater pride in our actors and actresses," Jazz explained, sounding very grown-up. "Every one in the program works very hard to put an act together, and they learn many valuable skills that will enrich their lives."
Andre pointed to the lead singer. "What's the name of that spotlight angel?" he asked.
"That's Paulina Sanchez, our lead actress. She has talent, yes, but she's not very pleasant to be around.
"And that acceptional beauty?" Andre was pointing to Sam now.
Lancer was the one to answer this time. "Ah. That's Sam Manson, one of my students."
"My little brothers best friend," Jazz said "She has promising talent. Very promising."
Andre's pale gray eyes widened as she watched Sam perform. "I can see. She's a graceful dancer, look at the way she moves! Her motions are smooth and flawless, from my viewpoint anyway." He paused for a moment. "Manson, did you say? No relation to Izzy Manson, is there? The sullifane wrapping toothpick guy?"
Jazz smiled. "Her Great-Grandfather."
The song that the teens were rehearsing came to it's climax, ending as the music reached a dramatic crescendo. Andre and Lancer were about to applaud when Paulina shouted.
"Can't people sing any louder!" She smiled haughtily and walked up to Andre and Lancer just as Mr. Dutcher arrived on the scene. Paulina turned to the new theater directors, fire burning in her eyes.
"I hope you two can manage without me, because I will not be singing!" With that, she turned away angrily. The chorus member rolled their eyes. Andre turned to Dutcher.
"What do we do?"
"Grovel."
Lancer raised an eyebrow, "What?"
"Grovel!" Dutcher repeated.
Lancer and Andre hastily followed Paulina. "Paulina, please reconsider!"
"You are our star! A goddess of song!"
Paulina stopped dead in her tracks and turned around swiftly. "Yes, yes yes! But no! Because I don't have the right costume because somebody didn't design it right!" She pointed to the costume designer, who glared at Paulina.
"And I hate my hat!" She reached up, plucked the costume hat off her head, and threw it to the ground.
Andre scowled in disgust. "That spoiled little-"
"Paulina, please," Lancer pleaded, cutting off Andre's remark. "Maybe you could sing something from tonight's performance. I little private rendition for us. We would like to hear more of your voice."
Paulina's hard gaze softened at the comment. "Well, I guess. If my manager commands." She smiled sweetly, as if she never had an outburst. She turned to the musician director. "Music please.
The maestro nodded. "If my diva commands?"
"Yes! I do!" Paulina trotted to center stage, shouting. "Everybody be quiet!" Everyone became silent, and all had their eyes on Paulina. After a short musical intro, she began singing.
"Think of me, think of me fondly
when we've said 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-"
Suddenly, there was a crashing sound. A painted background scene fell from the rafters above the stage, knocking Paulina to the floor. She screamed impatiently as a few students lifted the background off her body. Almost every student was lost in the commotion, and only Jazz noticed the shadowy form disappearing into the ceiling above they're heads.
Dutcher looked up towards the rafters. "Jake!" he called. "Was that you?"
Jake the janitor, an overweight and rather fooling man, stopped out of the shadows hurriedly. "Please sir, don't look at me! This wasn't my fault, I wasn't at my post!"
Jazz looked backstage, where a letter was fluttering to the ground. She walked over and picked it up, examining it carefully. It was a small envelope, sealed with wax, which was blood red in color, and in the shape of a skull.
Dutcher looked upwards again, trying to see what was up there.
"Please sir," Jake said. "There's no one there! But if there is well then ... it must be a ghost," he added mischievously.
Dutcher helped Paulina to her feet, smiling apologetically. Over the past three months strange things have been happening. Now it was rumored that the auditorium was haunted.
"Miss, these things do happen."
Paulina's mouth fell open. "For the past three months, these things happen! But does anybody do anything to stop them? No! And you two!" She lifted her finger at Lancer and Andre. "You two are as bad as him! So either you stop these things from happening or this play doesn't happen!" Still ranting, Paulina stomped off the stage and out of the auditorium.
Tucker and Sam blinked. Even they haven't seen Paulina acting this bad before. Dutcher turned to the newly appointed directors. "Gentlemen, good luck. If you need me, I shall be in Australia."
Lancer groaned as Dutcher took his final exit.
"But, what about Miss Sanchez? She will be coming back, won't she?"
Jazz stepped up, the opened letter in her hand. "You think so? I have a message, from the auditorium ghost."
Lancer waved his arms dramatically. "Oh Watership Down, you're all obsessed!"
Jazz ignored him, skimming over the letter. "He welcomes you to his theater program-"
"His theater program?" Andre questioned.
"-And he commands for you to leave the balcony for his private use," Jazz continued pointing toward the small balcony above the seating area.
"Like that'll ever happen!" He said, snatching the letter from her grasp, and tearing it up. "I was going to announce our arrival tonight at the opening performance!"
"But now we'll have to cancel, as is appears that we have lost our star!" Lancer looked at the stage hands. "Surely, there is a replacement for Paulina."
"Replacement?" one of the students sounded. "There is no replacement for Paulina Sanchez!"
"Sam Manson could perform," Jazz suggested boldly. Sam looked up at the mention of her name, blushing with surprise.
Andre raised and eyebrow, "What, a chorus girl? Don't be silly!"
"She has been taking lessons from two wonderful teachers."
Lancer looked at Sam. "Oh really? Who?"
"My grandfather," Sam replied shyly.
"Yes who else? Jazz mentioned another."
Sam bit her lip. For the past few weeks, when she had been alone in her dressing room, she had heard a voice from above. At first she was afraid, but when the apparition began to help her practice her songs, she lost her fear. His voice was deep and smooth, and when he sang, the words seemed to flow like angels. But she had never seen the ghostly tutor, nor did she know his name.
"I don't know his name, sir."
Andre rolled his eyes. "We don't have time for this."
But Jazz persisted. "Let her sing for you. Just hear her, maybe you'll change your minds."
The two directors looked at eachother for a moment. Finally, Lancer nodded. "Allright then. Sam, take center stage. Come on now, don't be shy."
Sam was hanging back, shaking slightly. Tucker gave her a gentle nudge, and, slowly, she walked to the middle of the stage. She blushed a crimson red ash she felt everyone's eyes watching her. She took as deep breath as the music started, then she stared to sing softly.
"Think of me, think of me fondly
when we've said 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, spare a thought for me..."
Andre grinned, and Lancer nodded approvingly. They had found their star.
Before I forget, I don't own Watership Down either. That wonderful is (c) to Richard Adams! GO READ IT!