A/N: Gomen, minna-san, Utau is a bit OOC. We're already finishing day five! NYAAA! I almost don't want this fic to end... yeah, we're not even half way through, but it's still seeming too fast. And what's worse: it's tick season already! I've seen three within the past two days. EEK! It's awful, especially since I live out in the country where there's lots of sagebrush and LOTS of ticks. Eww. Surprisingly, I've never gotten one, although I've lived here for 11 years.

Disclaimer: I don't own Phantom of the Op'ry. And some of the songs featured in here are altered from the original script, by my amazing drama teacher. The original is not as funny, I think.

The Million Dollar Bet

Day Five, Part Two, and Day Six, Part One

"Rima-chan," Amu said, "Why won't you tell me what's wrong?"

"I don't think that you would understand," Rima replied.

"But you might need someone to give you advice. Is there any of us that might understand?"

"Well... Yaya definitely would not," she said.

"What about Utau?" Amu asked. "Maybe she can help you out. She's the oldest of us and probably knows all about whatever is wrong."

"Yeah... maybe," Rima muttered, not really wanting to talk to Utau. It was more of a trust thing than an understanding thing when it came to her. She didn't really feel like talking out her problems with the famous girl.

Unfortunately, Amu didn't really think about that. She wanted to help Rima out in whatever way she could, even though she didn't know it might only make matters worse.

"I'm gonna go get her," Amu began to walk out of the room, but ran into Utau on the way. "Oh, U-Utau! H-hi! Rima w-wants to talk to y-you."

"I do?" Rima asked glumly. Utau raised an eyebrow.

"What's going on?"

"Rima's upset, and I can't figure out why. She doesn't want to talk to me because she doesn't think I would understand. But I was sure that you would. I'm going downstairs!" Amu left. Utau smirked at Rima.

"So what did Amu want me to pry out of you?"

"It's nothing," Rima turned toward the wall.

"That's okay. You don't have to tell me," Utau said, though she sounded mischievous rather than sympathetic.

"Hmph."

"Rima, I know what's going on."

"Huh?" she turned back again to face the older girl.

"I know why you've been acting weird," she said. Rima doubted that.

"Really?"

"Yes. I do. I know your secret."

"What secret?"

"Don't play dumb," Utau scoffed. "It's not like you could have forgotten something like that."

"Like what?" Rima challenged, not really wanting her to say it.

"Yesterday. On the bridge," she said. Rima turned her face to hide the blush forming on her cheeks and muttered some inaudible words. "What was that?"

"Nothing," Rima stated, still not looking Utau in the eyes.

"I'm not going to tell anyone, though. I would have already, if I was. That is, unless you get on my nerves. Which isn't all that likely. Or if I want you to do something for me."

"Are you threatening me?"

"Not really. I'd consider it more like... blackmail."

Now why did Amu have to have Utau come in here and talk to her?

~The next day, sometime after breakfast~

"Rima-tan! Look at these!" Yaya yelled, holding up two very fancy dresses that she had pulled out of a trunk.

"Lovely," Rima said, uninterested. Yaya had insisted that they look through all the stuff in the attic to see if there was anything 'fun' in there. Everyone else was watching a movie downstairs that Yaya hadn't wanted to watch, and forced Rima to come with her. Rima hadn't been that intrigued by the movie, anyway, so didn't put up too much of an argument.

Suddenly, something else caught Yaya's eye and she dropped the gowns. It was a chord hanging out of a box. She opened the box and began looking through it, excited.

~Downstairs~

"Look what Yaya found!" Yaya yelled, running into the living room downstairs, where most everyone was seated, finishing the movie they had been watching. The ending credits were creeping their way across the screen by the time the statement was out. Rima followed Yaya, carrying a cardboard box and folded-up tripod.

"What, Yaya?" Amu asked. Yaya peered into the box in Rima's arms, and pulled out a video camera. It was new-looking, and appeared to be good quality. In the box were also several tapes, batteries, and an AC adapter to go with it.

And that was how they got the idea of making a movie. No one protested to this, and Ikuto was elected director. Next, they simply had to choose a story.

"Yaya wants it to be about a princess in a tower, and a prince comes..." she didn't get to finish.

"Prince? Hahahaha, no, I am a king! The movie shall be about me and my kinglyness!" Tadase ranted on while Amu ran to get a bucket. When he finally stopped, they went back to discussing the matter at hand.

"It should be a horror movie," Ikuto began.

"No! It should be a musical," Utau protested.

"That would be cool, especially if it had lots of dancing it it," said Nagi.

"I think we should do a comedy," Rima said, her nose in the air.

"A romance would be fun," stated Amu.

"It should have action!" Kukai exclaimed.

"And candy!" Yaya added.

In the attic, which proved to hold all sorts of entertaining items, they found several scripts for plays. These could easily be edited to make a good movie. It was almost as if the whole thing had been set up for their enjoyment.

To accommodate everyone's interests, a script was selected carefully. Ikuto announced the play, handed out scripts, and assigned parts.

"We're going to do The Phantom of the Op'ry," said Ikuto. Everyone stared at him blankly.

"What's that?" Yaya asked.

"It's a spoof of the Phantom of the Opera. It has comedy, drama, singing, romance, and a little bit of dancing. Now I'll give you your parts. Since there's lots of parts and not very many of you, most of you will have to double up."

They nodded in understanding.

"The phantom will be played by girly-boy. Amu, you're Christine. Utau is Carlotta. Kiddy-king, you'll be Farleigh Good. Soccer-jock, Chester and Junior. Shrimp, you're Silvia Acidtongue and Madame Baracuda, no objections! Nagihiko, you'll also be playing Mrs. Swansong, 'cause I know you can pull that off. The only major part left that can't be deleted is Louisa. So who wants to play her?"

There was no answer.

"You could take the a off the end," suggested Utau, "and Ikuto could play 'him'." Ikuto protested, but was outvoted. So he was playing 'Louis'.

"Umm... who's Raoul?" Amu asked.

"This is a spoof. There is no Raoul in this. He's replaced with 'Farleigh Good'," he explained, handing scripts to everyone. "Okay, let's go over the first song, since that's what it opens with."

~Two hours later~

"I think we finally have it!" Ikuto said. "Let's do this one more time, and I'll film it."

Nagi, dressed in dark clothes, a cape, and mask, stood in the middle of the 'stage', which was the living room with the furniture removed. A light was shone on him, and two other figures, Yaya and Kukai, could be seen as silhouettes near him. Music began to play, and Nagi started to sing.

I Enjoy Being A Ghoul

Nagi:

A whoopee cushion on a chair

Always makes me smile

"Kick me!" signs on backs

Sitting on thumb tacks

What a great lifestyle!

I'm the number-one annoy-er

Of everyone that's cool

Call me cold, call me heartless

But I enjoy being a ghoul!

Yaya:

We have a madman on the loose

So you must take care

Kukai:

Better take a hike,

Pretty soon he'll strike;

Both:

Who knows when or where!

Nagi:

I make women scream in terror,

Make grown men loose their cool.

Call me strange, call me silly,

But I enjoy being a ghoul!

Yaya:

He's standing in the shadows

He's hiding from the light

Nagi:

And don't think that it's easy

Wearing masks like this at night

Kukai:

He could be round the corner

You'd better look around

Nagi:

'Cause I can give a wedgie

And not even touch the ground

I make women scream in terror

Make grown men loose their cool

Call me rank, call me rot-ten

But I enjoy being a ghoul!

Yaya:

He's positively frightful

The worst of all my fears

Nagi:

The sound of people panicking

Is music to my ears

Kukai:

He could knock 'em dead on Broadway

Or kill them at the Met

Nagi:

But since I'm here

I'll treat to a show you won't forget!

I'm just a wild and wacky guy

Both:

He's some sort of freak!

Nagi:

Throwing rotten eggs,

Pulling hair on legs!

It's a great work week!

Both:

He's the Phantom of the Op'ry

And people as a rule

Call him sick, call him psycho

Nagi:

But I enjoy being a ghoul!

I'm the phantom of the Op'ry

A wild and crazy fool.

Yaya:

The man's touched!

Kukai:

The man's loony!

Nagi:

Still I enjoy seein' the frightened fleein'

All the he-he-he-in'

Oh, yes!

I'm decreein': I enjoy being a ghoul!

~Cut~

"You guys did great!" Amu exclaimed, glomping Yaya.

"Good job, Ramen-boy. I didn't know that you could sing," Utau said. Then she turned to Ikuto. "When do I come on?"

"After the second song," he replied.

"What's that?" Amu asked. Ikuto glanced at his script.

"He Who Can Creates, He Who Can't Writes Reviews," he told her.

"What kind of a song is that?" Rima asked, thinking about how stupid the name sounded. Ikuto smirked.

"It's a song about your character," he replied. Rima closed her mouth and turned away.

"That was hard," Kukai said. "We should take a break. Up for a competition, Idol-san?"

"Of course I am!"

"How about this: You race around the house once, come in through the side door, and then eat lunch as fast as you can," Kukai offered. Utau agreed, and they zoomed out the front door.

"That's going to be disasterous," Nagi winced.

"Why?" Amu asked.

"It rained last night," he replied, "The ground is still wet and muddy."

~Outside~

Utau was in the lead, because Kukai slipped when they got off the porch. But the whole yard was wet. She rounded the corner going behind the house, and fell face-first. She rolled over so she was laying on her back rather than her stomach, and began to rub her head.

At that moment, Kukai came around the same corner, and also fell, half slipping on the grass, and half tripping over Utau's outstretched feet. He landed right on top her. There faces were close. Very, very close. In fact, they were so close that with a few millimeters more, he would have been kissing her.

Why not? Kukai thought. If he was lucky, she'd think it was an accident. He moved the few millimeters between them.

~Inside~

"What's taking them so long?" asked Yaya, as she helped Amu and Nagihiko set bowls of ramen on the table.

"Yeah, you would think they'd be back in here by now," Amu agreed. "Maybe they decided to run two laps."

"They probably slipped," Nagihiko said, "It's still wet out there. It rained all night last night."

"Rima-chan," Amu said, "Why don't you go make sure they're alright and didn't hit their heads if they fell." Rima nodded and headed out the door.

Looking around, she didn't see anyone, so she went around the corner. What she found surprised her at first, but then she started giggling.

"Utau," she managed between giggles. "You think you can blackmail me? You're sitting there in the grass with Kukai, all muddy and wet..." she was laughing to hard to speak anymore.

Utau and Kukai broke apart and looked at her.

"Crap," Kukai stated. Utau stood up and walked over to the laughing Rima.

"Do think that I care that much? Besides, if you tell, I'll give your secret away," she said. Rima's laughter died down.

"And if you tell, I'll tell. So both of us had better keep quiet," she replied. "And you guys had better get in there. Everyone is wondering what happened to you. You'd better tell them you ran two laps, and maybe slipped on top of it, or they're going to wonder even further." She turned and headed back to the house.

Lunch was awkward. Ikuto seated himself next to Amu and bugged her repeatedly. Rima was busy trying not to look anywhere in the direction of Nagihiko, and he was almost as much of a mess as she was. Yaya tried to lighten up the mood, but it wasn't working. Kukai and Utau ate their ramen quickly as always, but rested in an awkward silence after that.

Eventually, Utau spoke up. "I'm going to go wash up. I... slipped, and got mud all over me." She stood and walked up the stairs.

"Can I go wash up, too?"

"No," Ikuto said, "You're in the next song, and we're filming it next."

"Kukai's in all the songs, isn't he?"Yaya asked. Ikuto shook his head.

"Nope. All but one, I think."

"Do I sing?" Amu asked. Everyone looked at her with a 'you can't be serious' face.

"Amu, you're Christine, the star. Remember?" Tadase reminded.

"There's a song that's all about you," Ikuto added. "I'm hoping we can get all the singing filmed today. Then we can do the rest of it tomorrow. Possibly."

"We'd better get to work, then," Nagi said, getting up from the table and putting his bowl in the sink. Everyone did the same.

"Okay, you guys have already been taught the tune. Do you know your lyrics and ques?"

~One hour later~

Utau was back from washing up and was watching them film their song. All that were not singing were trying their best not to crack up at Ikuto singing. He wasn't bad, but it was a pretty funny sight. In the scene before the song, Ikuto, playing Louis, who was buying the Op'ry House, along with Yaya, the former owner, and Kukai, in his role as Junior, the sheriff's deputy, were discussing critics. They were singing a song about how awful critics could be.

He Who Can Creates, He Who Can't Writes Reviews

Yaya:

With razor-like teeth and vice-like claws,

With demented minds and dispositions like Jaws!

The critics come and circle their prey,

Then they bash it and slash it,

Kukai:

They whack it and hack it,

Yaya:

They mash it and trash it,

Ikuto:

Attack it and and sack it,

Kukai:

They mutilate and maim.

Yaya:

It's a crying shame.

Ikuto:

Why do they act that way?

Say those rotten things each play?

Kukai:

The answer isn't quite black and white,

Yaya:

But I see through the grey.

He who can creates!

He who can't writes reviews.

He who can performs,

He who can't likes to abuse.

While artists clime life's mountains

Critics try to pull them off their peaks

Ikuto:

Those who can entertain,

Yaya:

Those who can't write critiques.

All:

He who can creates!

He who can't writes reviews.

He who can performs, he who can't likes to abuse.

Ikuto:

While artists take life's high road

Yaya:

Critics like to take the other route.

Ikuto:

Those who can tug at hearts,

Yaya:

Those who can't rip them out!

When a writer must hang up his pen,

When actors take day jobs again,

You know some critic's watching with a smirk.

Ikuto:

When a dancer must throw out her shoes,

When producers sing financial blues,

One wonders why such evil is at work

All:

He who can creates,

He who can't writes reviews

He who can performs,

He who can't likes to abuse

Ikuto:

While artists climb life's ladders,

Yaya:

Critics try to yank them off the rungs.

Ikuto:

They stab with poison pens,

Yaya:

And sting with acid-tongues!

All:

They stab with poison pens,

And sting with acid-tongues!

~Cut~

All those not singing burst out laughing. Except for Rima, knowing that she was the one they were singing about. Well, the character she was playing, not her, but it was still not funny.

A/N: Gomensai! I'm really sorry for this totally lame chapter. I'm kinda tired. But I want to continue the movie thing. In the next chapter, they'll do the song "You're Too Good to be True". That should be fun. If you want to hear the tunes to these songs, look them up on youtube. But if you do that, it's not quite how I imagine this. When we did the play for drama, we picked up the pace of the music a bit, and our voices were better. So they're actually singing, not wailing like in those videos.