Disclaimer: I own nothing related to the Teen Titans, or the Phantom of the Opera. Abso-tute-ly nothing!
A/N: Welcome back folks! I can't possibly apologize enough for my absence! I know this chapter is far too late, but life's been...hectic over here. So many things going on at once...I just had no inspiration! But I'm back, and so is "The Beast of the Opera!"
I'm not gonna bore you with my excuses, just know that I've been going thru a lot lately. Keep reading, and I'll keep updating. Even if my updates are far too late. Also, I just had an idea. Since this story is ending in, like, two chapters, do you guys want an epilogue? I could fit one in easily if you so wish.
Also, since so many reviewers requested it in my other stories, you guys can now e-mail and/or IM me if you want. It can be about anything, actually. Fanfiction, life, whatever. I currently only have Yahoo Messenger, but you can IM me thru it at 'dracoblade4.' Creative name, huh? You can also find my e-mail address on my profile page.
Can't wait to hear from you guys. Now, read on and enjoy!
Chapter Ten
"We have all been blind," Robin said to his superiors as the three walked down the hallway of the opera house. Slade and Blood followed right behind him. "The answer has been right in front of us this whole time."
"Go on," Blood said, interested. Slade just narrowed his eye and followed them.
"We will perform the opera," Robin told them. "This, this...Don Juan Triumphant. We will perform the Beast's play. Remember: as long as Raven performs, he will show up. And that is when we pull the trap."
"We will have the doors barred, and the police posted everywhere!" Blood exclaimed. "There is no way he will escape this time."
"Very good, Robin," Slade said, looking at his nephew. "It seems I have taught you well."
"Perhaps," Robin said, slightly ticked at his uncle. His thoughts quickly returned to the Beast. "This time, the plan can't fail. We will catch the Beast, and we will stop him forever."
"Tonight, the curtain falls," Slade said threateningly. "And our little game of hide and seek comes to a close."
With this, Robin left the two evil partners to plot. He walked to the stage, where Mad Mod was preparing everybody for the big play.
"Are you quite ready, Jinx?" the British maestro asked.
"But, of course!" Jinx cried out. "Despite the fact I must perform under Raven, I will do my best. I will show this Beast just how much more talented I am."
"Yes, you do that," Mad Mod muttered. "Then maybe he can take you away..." He coughed a bit and raised his voice again. "Now then, is everyone else ready? What about you Malchior?"
"Why am I even doing this?" Malchior asked the maestro. He fixed his mask and costume. "I thought Victor was supposed to be Don Juan, not me. This is unjustified."
"Oh, shut your trap!" Mad Mod yelled. "You know we replaced him with you because Victor won't fit in the costume. But you fit perfectly. And besides, I thought you volunteered to take Victor's place?"
"Of course," Malchior said. "It is but the only way I can have my fair Raven." He grinned stalker-like. "But I didn't know I was going to be bait."
"You're going to do it, and you're going to like it," Robin said, approaching the young man. Malchior's eyes narrowed at the boy.
"And what are you going to do if I don't?"
"Whatever I have to," Robin growled, making Malchior back up a few inches. The other teenagers laughed and smirked. Malchior simply rose his head into the air and walked away, trying to preserve some dignity. It failed when he tripped over a curtain, getting trapped in it.
As the others laughed, Robin approached Star. Tapping the red haired girl on the shoulder, he turned to her. "Have you seen Raven?" he asked, concerned.
"She is in the basement," Star told him. Her eyes narrowed slightly. "She was sad. Go to her."
Robin merely nodded and walked away. He found the stairs to the basement and walked down them to find Raven. The dark girl was kneeling on the floor, in front of a huge stained glass window. Her hands were grasped together, and her head was looking down. The room was dark, and there were no lights, save a few candles around Raven.
"You can come in," Raven said without looking up. "I stopped praying a few minutes ago."
"Praying for what?" Robin asked.
"Everyone," Raven said. "For the cast, for you, for me...for Garfield. Everyone."
"You don't have to pray for him," Robin said. "In fact, I wish you wouldn't."
"Of course you would," Raven replied, turning to face her friend. "You aren't going to be the one that kills him."
"Neither are you."
"Of course I am," Raven said, smirking slightly. "I am the ultimate bait. The only reason we are doing this play is so I can draw Garfield out. And then the police will catch and arrest him. And then he'll be in prison for the rest of his life." She looked up at him and glared. "I know more than you think I do."
"This isn't your fault," Robin told her. "He has to pay for his crimes. He's murdered two people to date, and probably many more we don't even know." He narrowed his eyes. "For all we know, he might've killed your mother."
"Don't even say that," Raven said, turning on him. "You know that isn't true!" She stopped as a tear slipped down her cheek. "Please...don't make me do this..."
"I have to," Robin said, placing an arm around her. "This is the only way...you know that."
"I know..." Raven said. "If he lives...neither of us ever will. He will always be whispering songs in my ear...he will never let us be." She looked down. "He must pay for his crimes. He kills without a thought...he stalks and haunts...and he is a monster."
Finally, she looked back up at Robin. Her amethyst eyes stared into his. "And yet..." she whispered. "I still miss him..."
The two embraced, and Raven held herself close to Robin. If she let go...she didn't know whether she would ever return to him.
PTOPTOPTOPTOPTOPTOPTOPTOPTOPTOPTOPTOPTOPTOPTOPTOPTOPTOPTOPTOPTOPTO
As night fell, hundreds of people filed into the opera house. Despite all the weirdness that had gone down in the past few months, the opera house was still the most popular place in town. In fact, it looked like recent events had only increased the house's popularity.
Hundreds of people filled the seats of the opera house, all talking excitedly about the new opera. No one had ever heard of this "Don Juan Triumphant" before, and thus it was new to them. And that made it interesting.
Robin looked down from Balcony to scan the house. He grinned as he saw the police guards file into the corners of he room. They were dressed in black and white armor, with masks. Large, grey guns were held in their arms. They were well hidden, and staring at the stage. The moment Slade, Blood, or Robin gave the signal, the guards were to shoot down the Beast.
Down on stage, the show was just about to start.
"I feel ridiculous," Raven mumbled to Star, who giggled. Slade had made the entire cast dress exactly the way the Beast had asked. And that meant Raven was wearing a skin-tight black leotard. The leotard covered her torso and arms, but left her legs completely bare. She tried to hide this by wrapping her blue cloak around herself.
"Why? You look very...good?" Star tried, suppressing laughter. ""And for some reason...it seems to fit you. Especially with the belt and cloak."
"You're crazy," Raven said. "Never in a million years, in any timeline, would I ever wear something like this."
"Quiet! The show is starting!" one of the teenagers yelled from the back. Raven turned to see Malchior approaching her. She rolled her eyes as he stalker approached.
"Finally, our big moment together," he whispered to her.
"Get away from me Malchior," Raven growled. "I told you, we're through! We've been through for a year now. Get over it!"
"I'll win you back some day!" Malchior said menacingly. With that, he strode onto the stage, his head raised high. His cue was on, and the play had begun. He strode onto the stage, singing to his counterpart on the other side of the stage.
As the two figures 'argued' with each other in the play, the audience finally got a good look at the play itself. The stage was decorated in nothing but red and black. Fires lit up the walls and floor of the stage, providing the only light in the entire house. In the center of the stage was a pit of fake fire, where the figures performed and danced around.
On either side of the fake fire circle were two flights of stairs. The stairs led up to a large wooden bridge that extended over the fake fire pit. The figures conversed around these pillar-like stairs, but never got on them. Above all this was the great chandelier.
Now, I don't know if I've told you fo this chandelier or not, but here ya go. The large chandelier was a fantastic gold and silver. The light fixture was a huge fifty feet in all directions. It took up a third of the ceiling, in the center of it. Electric lights lit up the chandelier, but were dimmed for this performance.
Finally, Malchior and his counterpart actor left the stage, laughing as their parts told them to. Malchior exited stage left, opposite of where he had come. There was no one on this side, as stage left was reserved for exiting. Malchior grumbled as he let the stage. Hearing a sound above him, he looked up.
Malchior only had enough time to cry out as a shape overtook him. The figure was dressed in the same costume Malchior was wearing. His body was covered in a red and black jumpsuit. His hands and feet wore gray gloves and boots. A red and black cape flowed around his body. His face was covered by a great black and white mask.
"You're...you're..." Malchior stuttered. Garfield grinned.
"The Beast of the Opera," he said, grinning evilly. His arm quickly transformed into a snake's body and it wrapped around Malchior's neck. As the serpent constricted him, MAlchior looked into its beady eyes as it hissed.
"And I'm you're worst nightmare," the Beast growled, killing the young man instantly. His eyes glowed with fury as Malchior collapsed onto the floor, his neck bleeding.
"Now then," Garfield said, grinning. "Let the show...truly...begin!"
A/N: Sorry it's short! I promise the next two will be longer! That's right, only two more chapters till the end, people! And let me know if you want an epilogue.
And remember, if you want to contact me, you can IM me with Yahoo Messenger at 'dracoblade4,' or just e-mail me at meig Just take out the spaces.
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