Yes, I'm alive, and yes, this story is, too. There will be additional notes at the bottom. I have some things to say, but I don't want to spoil anything.
- SporkGoddess
Doshite Ja Nai
Chapter 7: A French Butterfly
"Well, we knew it was going to happen." Jarek pointed out after he heard the news of Azami's resignation from the DJN.
"But not this soon," Akai sighed from where she was sitting, trying to peel the shell off of a peanut. "Leave it to Midori to jump right in without knowing anything first." She threw the shell onto the floor, sighing. "And I'm bored. Has the DJN disbanded yet?"
"It's down to about three or four members." Jarek said miserably. "And we're all foreigners. None of us can infiltrate Hatanaka."
Suddenly, the videophone rang. Akai answered it, seeing the hotel receptionist.
"There is a young lady down at the front desk that wants to see you. A Miss Kasshu."
"Hm?" Akai asked suspiciously, but Jarek leapt up.
"We'll be right down," he told the receptionist, and hung up. He grabbed Akai's hand. "Let's go."
"You know her? An ex-girlfriend?" Akai asked wryly.
"Stop being a smartass, this is important." He lead the confused girl out of the room and downstairs.
Sanae sat on the couch, marveling silently at the luxurious hotel surrounding her. Her parents said that they had seen enough hotels to last them a lifetime during the last Gundam Fight, so they didn't go to them often. Sanae didn't understand the repulsion, though—especially this one. It was beautiful.
She stood up as she saw two people come near her, but her face fell as soon as she saw that none of them was her sister.
"That's odd, Mrs. Sai said that Azami was here," she muttered. Aloud, she said, "Um, sorry, I must have gotten the wrong room number."
"No! You're looking for Azami, aren't you?" The man said. Sanae stared at him.
"J… Shoot, what's your name again… Jared?"
"Jarek. Jarek Gulskii."
She smiled. "It's nice to see you. I didn't know you were in contact with Azami. Of course, I had heard that you were a member of some organization trying to get your broth…"
"Enough of that," Jarek said, eyeing the confused-looking blonde next to him. "This is Aka…"
"It's silly to use aliases here," the girl said quietly. "I'm Nixie. But who are you?"
"Let's go up to the room. You don't mind, do you?" He asked Sanae, who shook her head.
Once in the room, Jarek explained to Sanae that Azami had left for Neo Japan. Nixie frowned.
"I'm really sorry, but who are you?" She asked Sanae.
"I'm Sanae Kasshu," she replied.
"Midori, whose real name is Azami… her little sister." Jarek explained.
Nixie's eyes widened. "She has a family! Oh, I'd love to meet the people responsible for bringing her into the world."
"So, where'd my sister go?" Sanae asked, annoyed that she had come all that way for nothing.
"She quit the DJN and is a member of another Neo-Japanese organization. They're even more radical than we are."
Sanae sighed. "My sister knows nothing of politics. She doesn't know that these things take time. What's this group now?"
"It's called Hatanaka. We don't know much about them; they don't let in foreigners. And Azami was our last Neo-Japanese member." Nixie explained to Sanae. "I don't think that we'll ever know what they're up to."
Suddenly, Jarek had an idea. "Hey, Sanae, you're 100 Neo-Japanese aren't you?"
"Yeah, why…. Oh no…" She realized what he was thinking. "No! My parents would kill me! And if you expect me to pretend like I'm one of those crackpot idealists…"
"… It's a great idea. It would help us out a lot," Nixie pleaded. "And if your sister's in with these people and they turn out to be bad, it could hurt her. You still care for her, don't you?"
"Why should I? She got herself into this mess," Sanae mumbled. "I don't want to bail her out."
"Some sister you are." Jarek said dryly. "Do you think I like working my ass off to help out my brother?"
"You don't seem to understand Azami's mindset. DJN was in Neo Japan, you must know how the people there work."
"Yes," Nixie said. "They're at the opposite side of the spectrum. So bitter over what happened that they're not at all willing to acknowledge that Neo Japan did make some mistakes."
Sanae thought back to her history classes. "Didn't that cause a war a long time ago?"
Jarek blinked. "I think so…"
"Yes," Nixie said. "In Germany. Before the colonies came about."
"Germany? How do you know this? That must be from the twenty-first century at the latest!"
"Twentieth, actually," Nixie replied. "Don't you ever remember learning about that dictator? I know it's mentioned in history class."
"Is Neo Germany where you're from?" Sanae asked, noticing as if for the first time the older woman's accent.
The blonde nodded. "It resulted when a nation was forced into poverty due to blame from a previous war. Sound familiar? The resulting war was worse than the previous one in many ways."
That triggered something in Sanae's mind. After all, she had just learned about this. "World War II."
Jarek shrugged. "What's your point, Nixie? I mean history lessons are nice and all, but…"
"I'm afraid," the Neo-German said, "that if power in Neo Japan falls into the wrong hands, history may repeat itself. Hatanaka not letting foreigners in is a bad sign."
"They can't get very far, what with the council. What are we worried about?" Sanae sighed.
"They're trying to get in with the Council."
Sanae rolled her eyes. "What makes them think that they'll succeed?"
This time, Jarek broke in. "They have every reason to think so. They have Zéphyrine Briel."
"Who?"
"A French opera singer."
"She's French?"
"Yes, but she's half Japanese, and she's also damn useful to them."
"Jarek, how do you know this?" Nixie asked curiously. She had never heard anything about Hatanaka taking on a French woman: she had doubted Hatanaka would accept even half-Japanese people.
"I met her," Jarek said. "I won—let's drop the stupid aliases—de Sand back, remember? Well, I did that by attending a social gathering with him, and he introduced me to what he called a charming young soprano by the name of Zéphyrine Briel."
"What was she like?"
"Sweet, very pretty—exceptionally charming and clever. She talked to me in Russian—you know singers, they're great linguists. Anyway, she seemed to take a liking to me, and once I was successfully won over she started on about her cause."
"She admitted to being in Hatanaka?" Nixie asked suspiciously.
"Why wouldn't she? No one in Hatanaka is ashamed to be there. It's so brazenly foolish that it is, of course, brilliant. They're not sneaking around and giving each person ten thousand names like we are."
"Right. Then what?" Sanae asked, eager to hear the rest.
"We got talking politics, really subtly introduced into the conversation. She found out that I regretted what was being done to Neo Japan... and then she told me that she's half Japanese—it's hard to describe what she looks like, you'd spend maybe ten minutes wondering if she was Asian and then you would decide against it, and of course you would be wrong—and then said that she does work for an organization called Hatanaka, which is trying to help Neo Japan "get back on its feet"—that's the phrasing she used—and if I would ever like to donate money to them, she and the people of Neo Japan would be so appreciative."
"No, no, no." Sanae interrupted. "This doesn't make sense. Council members aren't so stupid that a pretty face could influence their politics."
"Maybe not, but it certainly helps. Once I got back to headquarters I researched this woman... She's quite the pistol: schmoozes up to the important people, finds out information, even gives concerts to raise money for the organization. And this is pretty much a hobby for her, since she still finds time to be in performances."
"Question is, will they drop her once she gets them what they want?"
"I'm not sure," Jarek shrugged. "But if they do drop her, she'll just land on her feet. You know, like a cat. She'll just walk away, purring the entire time. I mean, she has a dazzling career, so she doesn't have to worry. It's important to her, but it doesn't consume her like with Azami.
"So if Azami ever gets to meet her, those two will definitely clash," Sanae mused. "She can't stand people like that, and she's stupid enough to blow everything just because she has a bad temper."
"I already figured that, which is why I think she might still come back. She won't want to work for an organization that is influenced so much by a person like that. We might still have our spy, after all. But, just in case, Sanae should join."
"Great," Sanae muttered. "Don't you think my sister will recognize me?"
Nixie suddenly thought of something. "Hey, why don't we try to get Sanae in with that French woman? If she has a lot of influence, and if Sanae gets on her good side..."
"Hold on one moment here!" Sanae interrupted. "I'm not a member of your organization, and I don't want to get involved in these stupid politics!"
"Don't you want your sister back?" Nixie asked.
Sanae sighed. "Mom does. I have no idea why, considering that Azami gave her more of a headache than dad, and that's saying a lot."
"This will be your best way to keep an eye on her." Jarek pointed out.
"And, Sanae, these people are extremists. You like Neo Hong Kong, don't you? It could be bad news for them if Hatanaka gets what it wants."
"My parents will shoot me." She muttered.
"Hey, my parents were angry when I first joined DJN, but they got over it."
"I'm not joining!" She insisted. "I'll do your dirty work, but I won't be a member. I don't like DJN. I don't want the Gundam Fight back. Why are you guys such damn extremists? Can't there just be a group that says "We want the horrible conditions placed on Neo Japan revoked!" Not "We want the Gundam Fight back!" or "We want Neo Japan to rule the world!" Why is that such a foreign concept?"
"I don't feel like debating you on the Gundam Fight," Jarek said. "But you've been listening to your parents too much."
"At least I've been listening more than you and Azami have," Sanae retorted. "If the Gundam Fight is brought back, then all of the Earth will suffer like Neo Japan is! Why should I care about Neo Japan, anyway? If they had gotten their way, we'd all be under the jurisdiction of the Devil Gundam right now!"
"Innocent people are suffering, Sanae," Nixie said patiently. "Should Neo Japan's citizens have to suffer for what someone in its government did? Let's not forget that Neo Hong Kong wasn't innocent, either."
"Whatever. Point is, I'm only doing this for my mother, and to stop Hatanaka. I don't want to get tangled in your miserable politics."
"Fair enough," Jarek caught Nixie's eye, and both grinned at each other. The youngest Kasshu girl was more like her sister than she would have cared to admit.
Even though the DJN was on the verge of collapse, they still managed to get Sanae to a lawn party that was being held by the Neo Italian ambassador at his sumptuous mansion, which the French opera singer Zéphyrine Briel was supposedly going to attend. To ease any possible suspicions, Sanae would go alone—something that wasn't the least bit comforting to her.
At least, she thought, as she wandered the beautiful grounds amidst the flood of people, she had an excuse to dress up. Unlike her sister, Sanae loved dresses and high heels and makeup, and for this particular function she had chosen a light, flowing summer dress and a simple pair of high heels. Her hair was down, and her only jewelry was a simple strand of pearls fastened around her neck.
Sanae, however, had one problem: she had no idea exactly where this woman was, or what she even looked like, aside from Jarek's vague description—"chestnut hair and dark eyes." Suddenly, she heard a voice.
"Mademoiselle Kasshu!"
He looked vaguely familiar to her; she couldn't quite place it though.
"Yes?"
"It is I, George de Sand. You do not remember me? I am a good friend of your parents... Alas, I haven't visited for some time now; I am so busy..."
"George de Sand... Oh, of course!" She cried. "I'm surprised you remembered me."
"It's your blue eyes—your mother's eyes. Your sister has them, as well. All of the Kasshu women... So, what are you doing here?"
Sanae grinned. "I'm on a mission. Do you know if... oh no, what's her name again... that French opera singer is here?"
"Mademoiselle Zéphyrine Briel?" He paused, thinking. "She is here, I saw her a bit earlier. I'll help you find her."
"Thank you very much!" Sanae exclaimed, truly relieved that someone she knew was there. What she didn't know was that George de Sand had been fully aware that Sanae was there, and why, and that this had all been prearranged. She also did not know that George de Sand knew perfectly well where Zéphyrine Briel was at this very moment.
She was, of course, by the table filled with hors d'oeuvres, holding a glass of champagne in a well-manicured hand. Sanae did not know that it was her, but she figured that there was something about this woman. She was tall—not much shorter than Sanae's father, it seemed—and she somehow was draw attention to herself, even dispersed amongst a large crowd. No wonder she was a performer, Sanae thought.
"Mademoiselle Briel?" George asked, leading a rather timid Sanae over to the young woman. "May I have a moment?"
"Of course you may, George!" She smiled. Sanae could tell what Jarek had meant when he said that it was hard to tell if she was Asian. Had she not already known the answer, she would have been debating that for hours.
"Tres bien! Mademoiselle Briel, this young lady is Sanae Kasshu: she's the daughter of a friend of mine. She tells me that she is very interested in your cause."
"My cause, dearest signor?"
"Why, Neo Japan of course—clearly you . And, my heavens, you're speaking in Italian? Mademoiselle, please do not forget your roots! We want everyone to remember that one of the most talented singers of our age is a Frenchwoman!"
"Half of her, anyway." Zéphyrine smiled. "Anyway, if you don't mind, I should like to speak with the signorina myself." Sanae nearly laughed at how she'd accented the Italian word to show that she'd used it merely to defy him.
"As you wish, mademoiselle." George gave a small bow and left.
"So, Sanae—was it? Is that a Japanese name? You're Japanese"
Sanae nodded. "Both of my parents grew up in Neo Japan."
"No wonder, then, you are so concerned. It is, after all, your homeland."
"Well..." Sanae admitted. "I didn't grow up there. I'm actually from Neo Hong Kong."
"Ah! So we have something in common! I am half Japanese, but I didn't grow up there, either—I'm from Neo France. Non it does not matter where we are from! We are still connected to it, simply because it is our family's home. Your parents, my mother..."
"Right." Sanae felt a bit awkward, as her parents in actuality hated Neo Japan and wouldn't live there even if they were paid to, even without the bad conditions.
Zéphyrine continued smiling, unaware of Sanae's discomfort. "If you are interested, I do some work for an organization interested in bestowing rights to the poor beleaguered country—"
"Hatanaka, you mean."
The singer's face lit up. "Ah! You are familiar with us, then! Yes, Hatanaka."
"Yes... and I'm wondering: can I do something to help?"
She smirked. "Want an in with Hatanaka, do you?"
"What..." How had she known?
As if she'd heard her question, the Eurasian woman laughed—a rather musical laugh, Sanae observed.
"Dear mademoiselle, do you honestly believe that you are the first to have tried this?"
"I..." Sanae's face fell. "I'm sorry."
Zéphyrine waved a hand carelessly. "Don't be! Did I say no? But I must tell you, ma chérie, that I am most picky. But this is hardly a proper place to discuss it... would you care to meet me for lunch tomorrow, perhaps?"
"A-alright."
Sanae smoothed her skirt down nervously from her spot at a table in a restaurant that was decorated more beautifully than her entire house. She had spent nearly an hour picking out what to wear to lunch with Zéphyrine, and she still wasn't entirely convinced that she had made the right decision. It was a miracle, she thought, that she'd even found the restaurant, which was located inside some fancy hotel.
Would the French woman be early? Or, would she be fashionably late? Would she even show? Sanae's parents had saved the world, and she had grown up knowing their friends who had also saved the world, but she was unaccustomed to meeting with famous singers—that is, someone whom she assumed was famous. Sanae was admittedly not much into the opera scene. It was, quite literally, an ancient form of the performing arts. And there were different types of opera, too: so many went back not only to the A.D. timeline, but to centuries before it! Later in the A.D. period, a lot of opera had been considered old!
Still, it remained surprisingly popular because of socialites and rich people who liked to get dressed up to sit in a plush chair to hear some fat lady sing in a language they didn't even understand. Sanae shook her head. She liked what people referred to as 20th century opera: things like Wicked and Les Misérables. Though even those, she mused, were in English—which she could understand, but not terribly fluently.
"Ah! There you are, chéri!" Sanae's thoughts were interrupted by a tall Eurasian woman, who was walking towards her. One would have thought that she would be in a rush, but no: Zéphyrine Briel was a picture of elegance and grace as she smoothly headed towards Sanae, wearing tottering stilettos but looking as comfortable as though she had been wearing flats.
"Hello," Sanae said rather shyly as Zéphyrine air-kissed her, a gesture that Sanae had really only seen in old movies. She supposed that this was a French thing: George de Sand was always kissing women's hands, and she had seen Maria Louise greet people in similar manners. Still, that knowledge made her no more comfortable.
"I hope that you weren't waiting too long?"
"No, not at all—I had just gotten here, myself."
"Tres bien!"
Sanae was eager and nervous to discuss the matter which had resolved in their meeting like this: naturally, the Frenchwoman took her sweet time in approaching it. It was not until after they'd ordered and gotten their meals that she said much to Sanae.
"So, you wish to gain influence in Hatanaka, non I must ask: why is that?"
"I want to help Neo Japan without having to climb up a social ladder." It was amazing how easily lying came when one was looking into the dark eyes of Zéphyrine Briel.
But the young woman saw through it. "No, no, I can see that is not the real reason. It is much deeper than that—and better, too, I hope."
"Yes, you're right." Sanae took a deep breath. "Okay, my sister recently joined and I… I don't trust her." Well, it was worth a try.
"Votre seour?" A slight frown came to Zéphyrine's glossy lips.
"Yes… she's never been the trustworthy sort. She ran away to join a secret organization when she was a teenager. My parents had no idea where she was! We were all so worried… she broke their hearts, Miss Briel."
"Call me Zéphyrine," the soprano insisted.
"Oh, Zéphyrine, my sister has no loyalty whatsoever. Just recently, I found out that she left Doshite Ja Nai to join Hatanaka…"
"She left Doshite Ja Nai for Hatanaka?" Now the woman was frowning again. "Well, that is not unusual. But, you are right: I do not trust anyone from that particular group. It is foolish, I tell Ryo, to let them in so easily… What if they are spies, I say? And he replies to me that he is not worried! Not a little! And I wonder, how can he not be, when it is Neo Japan at stake?" Zéphyrine sighed dramatically, then continued: "He grew up there! I did not grow up there, no, and I care more about it than he does! Why, I ask, do the people who are from there care about it less than those who are not? You and I, are we not from there! Yet we care more!"
Her tirade was long, but she wasn't even winded. She immediately became self-possessed once more, and smiled serenely.
"Yes, Sanae, I think that we are much alike. Tell me," she leaned forward a bit. "Do you like the opera?"
"I…" Sanae paused. "I've never seen one."
"Oh! Never seen an opera? A pretty, classy girl like yourself? Oh! What a travesty!"
"My family…"
"Do not make excuses; there is still time! In fact, this is how you can be of service to me. This is how you can work your way into Hatanaka, and then you can keep an eye on your sister and the other former Doshite Ja Nai members…"
Sanae smiled at her, though inside she was horrified. Jarek and Nixie had better be thankful for this, she thought grudgingly.
"It doesn't sound too glamorous, I am afraid. But you can be my assistant! Does that please you?"
"Sure, anything I can do to help."
"Je suis désolé, you won't be able to see me perform so much. But I promise that one night, you shall get to watch me! Anyway, this is not your usual performance, with an opera company—no, it is rather something I am doing to help…"
"What is it?"
Her eyes lit up—clearly, Zéphyrine loved performing, in addition to Neo Japan. "Oh, but you do not know! No, no, how would you?" She shook her head. "I do not know what I say! If you have not seen an opera, how would you?" She looked a bit angry with herself; then, in a flash, the expression was gone and once more she was smiling pleasantly.
"The first one is simple enough—it is a concert, of many arias that I like, that people like, that is of course for charity—the proceeds go to Hatanaka! A Hatanaka representative—not me, of course, they don't like to advertise that I am a member because that makes it look self-indulgent—is going to be there. It will look so good, so good!"
Sanae nodded, wondering exactly what she was getting herself into.
"The second, I suppose, is not so simple because it is an opera. You are familiar, perhaps, with Madama Butterfly?"
"Er…"
"A Neo-Japanese girl!" The singer was taken aback. "Of course, the opera is not much liked by Asians. It was popular in Europe, America, those places—notice that I am not saying neo, that is because it was before they became that. Asians, I think, found it offensive. And now, it is rarely performed, because it had controversy."
"Controversy?"
"OuiThe view of Japanese in it, it was written by an Italian, you see. I do not know who wrote the original story, but it was based on something called "Madame Chrysanthemum," written by a Frenchman named Pierre Loti… You see, in that version, the Asian woman—she was not nice at all!"
Sanae wished that she'd get to the point. "And?"
"Well, someone I think knew that a story of an Asian woman abusing a white man was no good. Whose sympathy is aroused by that, you see? Non, it had to be fixed." Zéphyrine paused for dramatic effect. "So, they wrote a version in which the white man is bad to the Asian woman! Oh, much better; they loved it! But then the Asians were offended—why would the Asian let the white man do that to her? Why did people think that a Japanese woman would be so submissive?"
Oddly enough, Sanae felt her curiosity rising. "What's the story about?"
"A Japanese woman marries and falls in love with an American officer; he does not take the relationship seriously and eventually leaves her, marries someone else back in America, and later takes their only child away. So she commits seppuku—are you familiar with that tradition?—ritual suicide. The Eurasian woman laughed. "Oh, it sounds so stupid in the synopsis. But when you see it… oh, you cry, and you cry! It is the music, you see—her love, her devotion—that makes it beautiful."
"So you're going to be performing this?"
She nodded happily. "I am so excited! Just think of it, a story that has hurt Japan will now be helping it! We are turning it around on them! And all of the Japanese roles in it will be played by Neo-Japanese singers! The proceeds will go, of course, to Hatanaka. It is a charity production of Madama Butterfly, after all."
"And you will be playing… er… Butterfly?"
"Cio-cio-san!" Obviously, this role was very dear to her. "You must forgive my over-enthusiasm; I have never played Butterfly before. You see, the role of Cio-cio-san is a dramatic… But! It has been done before! And now I will do it, too. I never understood why the role is so very heavy when the girl is only fourteen years old! Though, I don't look very Asian, do I?" She sighed.
"You do in the face," Sanae assured her. "And your hair and eyes."
Zéphyrine sighed again. "Oh, but I am tall… Cio-cio-san would not have been tall!" She looked at Sanae. "Oh, if only you did opera—you would be perfect! Though, your eyes… Those can be fixed, however…"
"But I don't do opera."
"Why write an opera character's role to fit someone who could never play her?" Zéphyrine irritatibly asked an invisible Giaccomo Puccini. "If only we could dub you…" She looked thoughtful.
"That would be so tacky," Sanae said, without thinking. Then she realized what she said, and prayed that the soprano would not be offended.
"Ha ha! You are so right. Isn't it interesting? My parents would be like in the story: a white man and an Asian woman. But he didn't abandon her, and she didn't kill herself! Ooh, then I'd have to call myself Trouble." She laughed at what had apparently been a joke that was too high over Sanae's head. So she just nodded.
"You would make a bad Cio-Cio-san, anyway," Zéphyrine said. "Your eyes are blue. You say you are entirely Japanese?"
Sanae was a bit annoyed by that. "Who's to say that Japanese women can't have blue eyes? You didn't grow up there, you said, so you wouldn't know."
"Ahh, you're too fiery! Cio-Cio-san would never say something so bold! The part is all wrong for you. It's understandable: you are a real Japanese woman. Cio-Cio-san is not—someone invented her."
Sanae was sick of politics. It was just an opera! "When is that concert you were talking about?"
Zéphyrine's eyes lit up at the chance to talk about it. "Not far away at all—in a week! You will find, mademoiselle, that I give a lot of concerts. The more money for Neo Japan, the better! And, to do it by singing! Oh! To do things that I love all at once!" She sighed happily.
"What operas will you be singing from?" Sanae asked, and the French soprano proceeded to rattle off a great deal of foreign names. She may as well have been speaking in French. Which, Sanae assumed, was probably true in regards to some of the titles. French, Italian, and German.
Zéphyrine, meanwhile, was continuing to rattle off names.
"… And Die Fledermaus. That is all, I think. You are familiar with some?"
"I'm afraid not."
"You will be! You cannot work for me and not be. And perhaps, if you do well, you could attend one with me."
"You see operas, in addition to performing them… and in addition to doing work for Hatanaka?" Sanae asked incredulously.
Zéphyrine shrugged. "I am an artist before I am a political tool. It just so happens that my line of work is helpful to a cause I believe in."
"So if you had to choose between your line of work and Hatanaka…"
The singer's face contorted. "What kind of question is that? If that is to happen, which it is not, I will not think about that day! Oh, why would you even ask such a thing?"
Her answer, though unspoken, was clear. Sanae made a note of this. If Zéphyrine Briel was Hatanaka's biggest fundraiser and supporter… She made an apology to the Frenchwoman, who regained her composure.
"Ah, it is alright. You were just curious, that is all. Anyway, the new representative, Asano, will be at my concert. We have yet to hear if he will be attending the opera, but… You know that we are trying to get him in our pocket, non?"
Sanae had yet to hear Zéphyrine sing, but hopefully she was better at that than she was at politics. She was spilling out her plans to someone who was practically a stranger! Azami would certainly never do that. Sanae had a feeling that, if the two faced off, her sister would win—famous singer or not.
Author's Notes:
You're probably starting to see the WWII references I'm making. If you know the origin of the name "Hatanaka," it's probably even more obvious. Nixie only talked about Germany, though, because she doesn't know much about WWII Japan. Sanae doesn't either: she's a med student, not a history student.
"20th century opera" is what we know as the modern musical. If you called those things operas today you would probably get lynched, but in the future the distinctions have pretty much vanished, so everyone just knows it all as opera.
Zéphyrine Briel is, yes, a new character. She will be very important, and a rather unifying element to my story (which probably has seemed quite disjointed. I swear I'm not making stuff up as I go!) Singing-wise, I based her off of the French lyric coloratura soprano Natalie Dessay. Not personality-wise, mind you: that I made up myself. I'm not sure if she's annoying: she isn't to me, but I have the feeling some might perceive her as such. On the outside she's a bit of your stereotypical Frenchwoman, but deeper down there's a lot more to her. In other words, she's a lot more like Azami than one would think.
The stuff about Madame Butterfly is all true, from the origins to the politics. I referenced Puccini up there: he's the composer, in case you didn't know.
- SporkGoddess