I, Jade the Inujin, do not own The Phantom of the Opera, nor do I own Final Fantasy Seven. The story lines were changed to make this story my own. If you are a fan of The Phantom of the Opera or Final Fantasy Seven, bare with me on the changes. So, just kick back with some Pocky (I don't own that either) and enjoy the reading. Italics mean singing.
The Phantom of Nibelheim: Act I
Scene One: "Think of Me"
"Think of Me. Think of me fondly when we've said good-bye. Remember me once in a while; please promise me you'll try. When you find that once again you long to take you're heart back and be free, if you ever find a moment, spare a thought for me."
The bar was sprinkled with the usual costumers: village drinkers, a few travelers, and then there were the Shinra. It wasn't a big deal to the town's people. The Shinra, it seemed, had always been in Nibelheim, and whether they liked it or not, the Shinra were there to stay. The town just carried on as usual, nothing ever changed. The Midnight Star, one of the three bars in town, started its mid-day with little difference from other days, except that there seemed to be more Shinra than normal. The bar tender didn't say anything, but she knew something big was about to happen.
"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 too hard to put you from my mind. Recall those days. Think 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!"
An officer looked at the singer with great curiosity. "Why," he thought to himself, "Why does she seem so familiar?" Smiling and glowing in pleasure, the girl sang on to the sitting customers. That was when he saw it; any other person would have never noticed, but Lieutenant Grazer knew the sparkle in those hazel eyes better than most people in that tiny town. "Can it be…? Is it really Chelsea?" The young man marveled at how his old friend had matured since the last time he'd seen her. "She may not remember me, but I remember her."
"Flowers fade; the fruits of summer fade. They have their seasons - so do we - but please promise me that sometimes you will think… of me!" Clapping vigorously, the costumers praised the young woman's ending to her performance. Curtsying perfectly, the singer blew her audience a kiss before skipping down the stage steps to the bar. "Great job on the piano, Jessie, it really made the performance great!" The pianist blushed at the singer's comment. As the young lady grabbed her notepad off the piano, the musician countered, "Naw, you're superb on stage. I don't think I could play the same with anyone else."
Smiling, the singer and bar waitress went to take orders from the new costumers. Raising his hand, the lieutenant tried to come up with something to say, so he became quite hot under the collar when the girl came up to his table. "What would you like, sir; may I recommend today's special: chicken and dumplings with our sourdough rolls and any drink of your choosing." The young man made a thinking face and asked, "Does it come with a stroll up Memory Lane with the waitress?"
Stares descended on the officer; still, he didn't take his eyes off the stunned waitress. She blinked a bit in confusion. "How are you, Chelsea?" he asked her. "Josh…?" she stared at him. "In the flesh, how have you been?" Chelsea smiled brightly at her childhood crony and hugged him tightly. "Oh my god, Josh, is it really you! What are you doing back in Nibelheim! I thought you left to join Soldier!" Patting the ecstatic girl on the back, Joshua Grazer smiled as he replied, "I've been sent here on assignment. I never thought you would still be in Old Nibelheim after almost seven years."
The female bar tender looked at the officer uncomfortably and reminded Chelsea that there were still some orders waiting. Running over to the bar, the waitress apologized for socializing on the job. The tender shook her head, huffing a laugh. "Just deliver the meals, okay Chels." Chelsea smiled brightly and returned to her work. Setting the special on Josh's table, she sat across from him, and the two got caught up a bit. Suddenly, Josh cursed the sight of his watch. "Sorry, Chels, but I have to go. I'll see you tomorrow, right?" The woman smiled and waved as he tossed the money on the table.
Scene Two: "Josh's Mission"
"Lieutenant Joshua Grazer, reporting as ordered, sir!" An older man turned at the young officer's voice. "At ease, Lieutenant. Welcome to Nibelheim." "Actually, sir," the lieutenant responded, returning his right hand to his side, "This is my hometown." The higher-ranking officer nodded in interest. "Is that right?" he said smiling, "Then welcome home, young man." "Thank you, sir." Motioning the lieutenant to his desk, the other man sat down in a large leather chair. Being over six feet tall, the chair seemed to shrink with him in it. "What were you told about your assignment, Lieutenant?"
"Captain," the young officer began, "Shinra HQ informed me that I was to assist the base at Nibelheim with a 'problem', nothing more, sir." The captain sighed. That was Shinra, last minute details were how things worked. "Here's the situation, Lieutenant. There have been attacks on our base for many years now, even before my time. As of late, there have been reports of beasts and strange creatures being behind the hits. We checked the mountain area around the reactor for any mysterious activity but found nothing out of the ordinary. Rumors in the town say we're being attacked by a mysterious phantom, The Nibelheim Phantom -they call him -and his hideous pets."
"I know the legend well, sir," the young man said to speed things up. "Well then," the captain felt somewhat relieved, "You are here to find out if these rumors have any merit to them. If there is anything you find, act on it. We've lost enough men here." "Understood, sir! What are my limitations?" The older man marveled at the young person's eagerness to begin his work. He'd always thought of this generation as "the slackers". "Your limits are you, young man; there is no limit to how long you take. Report to me when you find anything, clear?" "As a crystal, sir! Thank you, sir!" Grinning, the older officer said, "Dismissed." "Aye, sir," the younger turned on his heel and left a very happy captain to return to staring into space.
Scene Three: "Life at The Midnight Star"
"Here you are, Joe, one light beer." The feminine-looking man on the other side of the bar thanked the tender with a grin. "You know, Jade," Joe said rather suggestively, "If you were your twin, I'd eat you up right here, but he is much taller than you so it would be strange on my end." The five-seven bar tender gave a heavy sigh as she rolled her eyes. "Now, Joe," Jade replied with her head bowed, "I may be bisexual, but I don't touch my bro's territory." The dressmaker gasped in his typical dramatic way, "Oh but of course, dearest Jade, we must honor my beloved Jason's wishes, even if he does neglect me." A hand suddenly grabbed Joe's head and turned his head around. A young man planted a French kiss on the fashion designer's mouth before saying the following apology. "Sorry, Joe-Joe; I've been oh so busy at work I've left poor little you purple, haven't I?"
Jade rolled her eyes at her twin brother, Jason's, flirting with his easy boyfriend. "I'll leave you two alone," she said sarcastically. Six feet tall Jason smiled mischievously at his twin and winked a "thanks" before returning to his stunned lover. Shaking her head, the on-duty tender turned to clean a mug on the back counter. "Hey, Jade," called Chelsea, leaning over the bar countertop, "I need a low-fat, fruit smoothie for Scarlet. Okay?" "No problem, little sis, coming up in five." Loading the blender, she hummed the song Chelsea had sung earlier that day. Jade couldn't help but marvel at how the once toad-sounding little girl had developed into the opera material, self lyricists, young woman she was now. "Think of me…" Jade sang, quietly, "Think of me fondly when we've said good-bye…"
Scene Four: "Father's Angel"
After the 10pm closing, Chelsea finished wiping down the tables, where Jason then stacked the chairs. "Great job singing today, Chels, yet another instant hit," Jade said to the waitress. "It seems only yesterday you were screeching in the shower," Jason shook his head in false awe, "You were soooo cute back then!" Chelsea gagged as the taller man glomped her. Jade gaped in horror, "Jason!" The young man released the girl at his twin's order. "You know better than that, you idiot," the bar tender scolded. Glancing seductively at her, Jason asked, "Why? Was that your job, Jade?" Jade glared evilly at her cynical twin. "I know. I know," he sighed, crossing his arms, "You're going to protect little Chelsea's wish of finding her dream man. Trust me, little sister; I'm still looking for him."
Chelsea laughed at her older brother's whining after Jade smacked him upside the head. "I'm going to head up for bed early, okay guys." As the fraternal twins watched her walk up the stairs, the singer hummed as she drifted into her dream world. Closing her door behind her, Chelsea made her way over to her window and pushed it open. Gazing out into the night sky, she sat on the window sill. The sound of a street fiddler reached her ears, and she let it serenade her soul. It brought back memories, memories of her childhood with Josh, Joe, the twins, and her parents. "Father used to play his violin like that, and Mom would sing along with it…" She closed her eyes as a tear fell at the thought of her late parents. Her soul was so moved that words began to flow from her lips.
"Father once spoke of an angel. I used to dream he'd appear. Now as I sing I can sense him, and I know he's here. Here in this room, he calls me softly, somewhere inside, hiding. Somehow I know he's always with me, be the unseen genius."
Scene Five: "The Dark Figure"
A dark figure ran through the shadows of the sleeping town. Stopping suddenly, he pulled the neck of his cloak around his lower face and lowered his head band over most of his eyes. Glaring through the slit between the cloak and head band, the tall figure watched two Shinra patrol officers walk past his alley. He fought the urge to growl at the insignia on their uniforms and debated if he should strike them dead. Seeing them drunk, laughing at some foolish joke, he concluded that he would let them live -for another night. He decided to head for home and turned in the direction of his destination.
Suddenly, the voice of a cherub touched his sensitive ears. It sounded so beautiful; he couldn't ignore it. He looked up at the window above him and found his beautiful deity. There, sitting on the frame, was a dark haired, young woman, crying as she sang. His heart skipped a beat at the sight of her. "Lucrecia…?" he whispered to the night. The woman reentered the room, much to the figure's displeasure. "I have to see her… just one more time," he thought to himself.
Scene Six: "Meeting Angels"
Brushing her long black hair, Chelsea thought about the words she had sang to the stars. They sounded like a cry out to someone now that she mulled over them. "Mom told me once that the heart knows your soul mate," the girl said to no one in particular, "Could I have been calling to mine? Is my soul mate an angel…? That sounds so romantic!" As she stood from her bed, the girl fiddled with her nightgown while she walked over to her dresser. Leaning over to blow out her lamp, she caught sight of a shadow outside her window in her mirror.
She quickly turned to open the pane. "Who's there! I saw you! What do you want from me?" The figure clung to the roof, yet his gaze never left the angel before him. As she searched the trees and ground, he dared to creep a bit closer to her. He could smell the oil from her lamp radiating off her hair and clothes. "Such a fragile creature," he whispered to himself, "Yet no angel could match her." Ears perked up, the young woman turned in the figure's direction. Was that a red blob on the roof? "Is someone there?"
Trying to remain calm, the figure thanked the gods - who had been so cruel to him – that his face was covered. If she were to see his face, that would be the end. A sudden breeze caught his cloak and made a red ripple on the brown shingles. Silently cursing, the figure waited for the maiden to react. "If she's any ordinary woman," he thought to himself, "She'll either scream, or I'll be hit then screamed at." All the young maiden did was gape at him, blinking every now and then. "Who are you?"
The figure was taken aback. It had been a long time since anyone had spoken to him so kindly. "Who are you?" she asked again. Unsure of what to do, he clung tightly to the roof top. "If you won't tell me who you are," the maiden pleaded, "Please, tell me why you are here." Something in the figure's heart wanted to reply desperately, but he didn't know what to say. Her longing face seemed to create words for him and forced his lips to speak them. "I… I heard a voice singing, and… I couldn't bear not knowing what kind of angel could sing so beautifully."
Chelsea gaped in amazement; a perfect stranger had loved her singing so much that he'd climbed up onto her roof to see her. "He called me an angel," she thought, excitedly, "An angel. He said I have the voice of an angel!" The figure gasped in embarrassment. Instinctively, he shot up to his knees. Sitting on his heels, the woman watched his long, black hair flow in the breeze with his cloak. She gazed in awe at the figure's silhouette against the starry night's sky. "Are you here to…?"
Something about the look in her eyes when she spoke told him she was frightened. "I shouldn't have come," he thought in self punishment, "I have only hurt her as well." Standing quickly, he leapt off the roof and disappeared into the night. Chelsea looked about wildly. Where had he gone? Why had he left so quickly? She closed the window and sank to the floor, holding herself as she shook. Suddenly, the song she had sung earlier came back to her voice.
"Father once spoke of an angel. I used to dream he'd appear. Now as I sing I can sense him, and I know he's here!" Standing to her feet, Chelsea looked about her room as the lyrics began to connect in her mind. "Here in this room, he calls me softly, somewhere inside, hiding." She ran over to her dresser and gazed into her mirror. Seeing her excited expression, she finished her song. "Somehow I know he's always with me, be the unseen genius!" With her song complete, Chelsea prayed to the deity of love that the stranger would return. "Please, my angel, come back to me. Someday, come back to me."