Hai Hai! I'm back! I can't believe that I'm almost done with this story, the first one I've ever finished ever! The next chapter will be the last and then I'll be back to the drawing boards to find something new... Ugh... Any who! I love this chick, Vampire Siren! Read her stories, she's great!
*I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! or Phantom, I only own Daphne*
A half a year had passed since the chandelier had dropped. Pegasus and Dartz, unhappily, paid the fee to have a new one brought in. They paid extra for it to be reinforced so that the incident never happened again.
That night was the celebratory party for the new chandelier. The two managers walked down the opposite sides of the staircase. As if a drum beat indicated, they step back step by step. Eventually, they ran into each other.
"Lord Dartz?" One asked in a raspy voice.
"Lord Pegasus?" The other said in a droopy voice.
They slowly turned around and sighed with relief as they saw who they expected.
"Dear Pegasus, what a splendid party!" Dartz exclaimed.
"A prologue to a bright new year!" Pegasus exclaimed, he may have already drank too much.
"Quite a night, I'm impressed." Dartz chuckled.
"Well one does one's best!"
"Here's to us!" Both men exclaimed.
"A toast to all the city?" Pegasus asked.
"Such a pity that the Pharaoh can't be here!" Dartz barked in laughter.
Both men stopped as Valon started to play the waltz music. Performers and guests alike came to this event and assorted colors were strewn everywhere for the occasion. Isis had allowed the dancers to wear whatever they wished as long as it was approve by her, much to the dismay of some of them.
"Masquerade! Paper faces on parade! Masquerade! Hide your face so the world will never find you!" The performers sang. "Masquerade! Every face a different shape! Masquerade! Look around there's another mask behind you!"
The performers then began to sing more softly. "Flash of mauve, flash of puce, ghoul and goose, green and black, queen and priest, trace of rouge, face of beast... Faces! Take your turn, take a ride on the merry-go-round, in an inhuman race."
"Eye of gold, thigh of blue, true is false, who is who? Curl of lip, swirl of gown, ace of hearts, face of clown..."
The performers got loud again, "Faces! Drink it in, drink it up, till you've drowned in the light, in the sound."
Daphne and Timaeus ran down a nearby staircase, Daphne kept a steady distance from her childhood friend.
"But who can name the face?" They sang together.
"Masquerade! Grinning yellows, spinning reds. Masquerade! Take your fill, let the spectacle astound you!"
The performers got into a large circle in the center of the room. Crazed eyes stared at one another from behind the masks. "Masquerade! Burning glances, turning heads, masquerade. Stop and stare at the sea of smiles around you." They sang in a whisper.
"Masquerade! Seething shadows breathing lies. Masquerade! You can fool any friend whoever knew you! Masquerade! Leering satyrs, peering eyes, Masquerade! Run and hide but a face will still pursue you!"
Isis stood out from the crowd in her costume as a temple priestess.
"What a night!" She exclaimed.
"What a crowd!" Ryou agreed dressed as a servant. Malik, dressed as an egyptian god, and Yugi, dressed as the illusion magician.
"Makes you glad!" Pegasus exclaimed.
"Makes you proud! All the creme de la creme!" Dartz called.
Teá dressed as herself essentially sang, "Watching us, watching them!"
The three boys chorused together, "And all our worries are in the past!"
"Six whole months." Pegasus sang.
"Of relief!" Sozoji sang, dressed as knight from across the sea.
"Of delight!" Teá sang, ignoring him.
"Of Elysian peace!" Dartz and Pegasus shouted together.
"And we can breathe at last." The three boys and Isis agreed.
"No more notes." Teá sang in an annoyed voice.
"No more ghost!" Sozoji sang raising his fist.
"Here's a health." Isis said now being suspicious.
"Here's a toast! To a prosperous year!" Pegasus added after Isis stopped.
"To the new chandelier!" Dartz added on.
"And may it's splendor never fade!" Teá and Sozoji sang together.
"What a change!" Yugi sang.
"What a blessed relief!" Pegasus and Dartz sang.
"And what a masquerade!" Pegasus added on before going back to the party.
Before going back to talking, Isis had noticed that Daphne was talking with Timaeus again. The woman didn't trust the patron but she had no choice to at the moment.
Daphne was dressed as a star, a silver dress and heels with glitter in her hair she carried a golden mask in her hand. Timaeus was dressed as a dragon knight, heavy armor that matched his dark green eye.
Daphne made only small talk with Timaeus. After six months, their relationship never recovered and they were forced to be forever awkward with one another. Daphne held tightly to the ring around her neck. Yami had given it to her only a week ago and Timaeus was still angry about it.
"Think of it, a secret engagement."She sang to herself, "Look at me, a future bride." She smiled unbeknownst to her.
"But why so secret? What have you to hide?" Timaeus asked sourly.
Daphne looked up to her friend and sang softly.
"You promised me."
"I did no such thing." Timaeus argued.
"Then don't, they'll see!" Daphne protested and held the ring tightly in her fist.
"Then let them see!" Timaeus taunted, "It's an engagement, not a crime. What are you afraid of?"
Daphne smiled at him, she still wanted to have her friend back.
"Let's not argue."
Timaeus finally agreed.
"Let's not argue.."
"Please pretend..."
"I can only hope..."
"You/ I will understand in time!" Both of them sang.
Daphne was dragged away by a crowd of dancers and Timaeus went to talk with the managers. For hours it seemed, Daphne danced among the performers. When Daphne heard the dramatic end of the music, she ran up to stand by Isis, Yugi, Ryou and Malik.
"Masquerade! Paper faces on parade! Masquerade! Hide your face so the world will never find you!"
The pitch went higher but it was no problem for the experienced performers.
"Masquerade! Every face a different shape! Masquerade! Look around there's another mask behind you! Masquerade! Burning glances, turning heads. Masquerade! Stop and stare at the sea of smiles around you! Masquerade! Grinning yellows, spinning reds! Masquerade! Take your fill- let the spectacle astound you..."
Before the last beat of their song, mist overshadowed the group and the lights dimmed dangerously. Yami stepped out of the shadows, wearing intricate red robes and a mask that still covered half of his face. He slowly descended the steps, taking one step at a time, like a drum beat. He gave a smirk.
"Why so silent, good friends?" Yami sang. "Did you think that I had left you for good?"
"Why so silent, good friends?" Yami sang. "Did you think that I had left you for good?"
"Have you missed me, good friends?" Yami asked, holding his other hand to his chest. "I have written you an opera! Here I bring the finished score: Don Juan Triumphant!"
Yami threw the book to Pegasus, who nearly fell underneath the weight of the papers.
"I advise you to comply, my instructions should be clear. Remember: There are worse things than a unknown killer."
Yami's crimson eyes met Daphne's and he motioned her forward.
Daphne pulled out of Timaeus's grasp and walked the edge of the stairs. Yami played with the ring around her neck for a moment, then called for the whole crowd to hear. "Your chains are still mine, you will sing for me!"
Fire erupted along the sides of the hall and everyone scurried to safety. As soon as everyone was gone, the flames extinguished themselves, leaving no damage behind. Yami was gone just as quickly, leaving only a red rose in Daphne's hand.
Meanwhile, Timaeus was off searching for Isis. He eventually found her sneaking through the halls.
"Lady Isis!" He called. "What was the whole meaning of that!"
Isis jumped and quickly went on the defensive.
"Don't ask me!" She said moving away, "I know no more than anyone else!"
"That's not true, you know something don't you!" Timaeus growled.
"I know nothing!" Isis hissed. "Please, my lord, don't ask me!"
"Lady Isis, for all our sakes!"
Isis stopped in her tracks. She wanted to protect the spirit of the opera house but Timaeus most likely will not let the subject drop.
"Very well." She relented and stepped close to the young lord. "It was years ago, there was a traveling faire was in the city; conjurors, tumblers... Human oddities."
"Go on." Timaeus urged.
"And there was... I shall never forget him. A man. Locked in a cage."
"In a cage?"
"Twin brother to the Pharaoh, taken away in the middle of the night. Yet, a prodigy, my lord. Scholar, architect, musician..." She trailed away.
"A composer." Timaeus finished.
"And an inventor too, my lord. They boasted that he had built for a noble in Persia, a maze of mirrors..."
"Who is this man?" Timaeus growled yet again, he was growing irritated of the side tracks.
"A freak of nature, more monster than man." Isis sang softly.
"Deformed." Timaeus said.
"From birth it seemed." Isis said forlornly.
"Ra in heaven."
"Then he went missing. I helped him escape." Isis said with a small smile.
"Go on!"
"They never found him. It was said he had died."
"But he didn't die, did he?" Timaeus argued.
"The world forgot him, but I never can, for in this darkness..."
"And so our Phantom's this man!"
"He has found me again!"
The air turned icey. Isis began to fear that someone had overheard the talk. The Pharaoh should be returned to his rightful place! "I have said too much, my lord!" She exclaimed quickly walking back down the halls.
"No, wait!" Timaeus called.
"And there have been too many accidents!" Isis called.
"Accidents?! Lady Isis!" Timaeus continued to call but Isis scampered away.
The young lord growled and entered the grand hall again. The only one still there was Daphne. She was sitting on the last step, the place where Yami (though Timaeus didn't know his name) last was, playing with a red rose. 'This has to end.' Timaeus thought, 'one way or another.'
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The next morning, Dartz and Pegasus stormed into their office in an angered fashion.
"Ludicrous! Have you seen the score!" Pegasus exclaimed.
"Simply ludicrous!" Dartz agreed.
The score was confusing! Valon was having a difficult time discovering melodies from harmonies.
"It's the final straw!" Pegasus shouted.
"This lunacy! Well, you know my views." Dartz said reaching the desk.
"Utter lunacy!" Pegasus shouted again.
"But we daren't refuse!" Dartz whispered sharply.
Pegasus' eyes widened and looked out the door to see the chandelier.
"Not another chandelier..." He gasped.
"Look, my friend! What we have here." Dartz said pulling out the notes placed on his desks.
Pegasus took it with a scowl and opened it.
"Dear, Pegasus. Read my orchestrations, we need another first bassoon. Every note's overblown and another third trombone has to go, the man could not be deafer so please preferably one who plays in tune!"
Dartz opened his note and read it aloud.
"Dear, Dartz. Vis a vis my opera: some chorus members must be sacked!"
Pegasus groaned loudly, they couldn't just remove characters and replace them that quickly! "If you could find out which has a sense of pitch- wisely though- I've managed to assign a rather minor role to those who cannot act!"
Teá, who was standing in the corner of the office with Sozoji looking at the score, shouted and threw the score to the ground.
"Outrage!" She shouted.
Sojozi tried to pick up the score but Teá walked so briskly by him that it flew into the opposite corner of the room.
"What is it now?" Dartz groaned.
"This whole affair is an outrage!" Teá shrieked.
"Lady Teá, please!" Dartz tried again.
"Now what's the matter?" Pegasus asked.
"Have you seen the size of my part?" Teá hissed.
"My lady, listen!" Pegasus said sweetly.
"It's an insult!" Sozoji shouted finally retrieving the flying score.
"Not you as well!" Dartz groaned.
"Just look at this!" Sozoji held up the score, "It's an insult!"
"Please understand!" Dartz shouted.
"My lord and Lady!" Pegasus said.
"The things I have to do for my art." Teá whined.
Sozoji heard the remark and wrapped his arm around the small singer.
"If you can call this sh..." Sozoji nearly made a curse but he held himself back, "gibberish art?"
Teá noticed that Daphne and Timaeus had entered the room. The ring was still around Daphne's neck and she still stood a foot away from the young lord.
"Ahh, here's our little flower." Teá snickered.
Dartz turned and greeted the two kindly.
"Ah, Ms. Milore. Quite the lady of the hour!"
"You have secured the largest role in this Don Juan." Pegasus said handing her the score.
"Daphne Milore. She doesn't have the voice." Teá sharply.
Dartz groaned loudly. "My lady, please."
Teá only shrugged and turned back to Sozoji.
"Then I take it you're agreeing." Timaeus challenged.
"She's behind this!" Teá whispered loudly.
"It appears we have no choice!" Pegasus argued.
"She's the one behind this! Daphne Milore!"
Daphne's anger surged and she stepped quickly before the snotty prima donna.
"How dare you!" Daphne shouted.
"I'm not a fool!" Teá snapped back to the shorter girl.
"You evil woman, how dare you!" Daphne near shouted.
"You think I'm blind!" Teá sneered at her.
"This isn't my fault! How could I have a part in this plot!" Daphne said before sauntering off.
"Ms. Milore, surely!" Dartz called to the retreating girl.
"But why not?" Pegasus asked.
"What did she say?" Sozoji asked.
"It's your decision, but why not?" Dartz asked for Pegasus.
"She's backing out." Teá whispered back.
"You have a duty! Tell us what you know!" Pegasus said in a low voice.
"I will not do it, duty or not!" Daphne said straightening herself. She was not going to be trifled with especially when it came to Yami's safety.
"Daphne, Daphne." Timaeus said, mocking a caring attitude. "You don't have to they can't make you." The young lord gave a glare to the intruding people.
Isis walked in quietly, holding a note to her chest. She still walked calmly but in her eyes the people could tell something had frightened her.
"Please, good friends. Another note." She said softly.
The room groaned and Isis pulled out the note.
"Fondest greetings to you all! A few instructions just before rehearsal starts..." Isis trailed away as a new voice took over the reading.
"Lady Teá must be taught to act not her normal trick of strutting 'round the stage." Teá huffed and walked toward the desk. "Our Don Juan must lose some weight, it's not healthy in a man of Sozoji's age." Sozoji touched his gut lightly and gulped. "And my managers must learn, that their place is in an office, not the arts."
Isis walked over to Daphne and gave a sad smile. "As for my dear Daphne Milore." Timaeus took Daphne's shoulder and squeezed tightly. "No doubt she'll do her best, it's true, her voice is good she knows, though, should she wish to excel she had much still to learn. If that old fool will let her return to me, her teacher, her teacher... Your obedient friend," the voice faded.
"And angel." Isis finished.
Daphne sighed.
An idea formed in Timaeus' mind.
"We have all been blind." Timaeus began. "And yet the answer is staring us in the face. This could be the chance, to ensnare our clever friend."
Isis' jaw dropped. She trusted Timaeus with the information she had and now he was going to use it against someone he can't defeat?
"We're listening." Pegasus said.
"Go on." Dartz urged.
"We shall play his game. Perform his work but remember we hold the ace; for if Ms. Milore sings, he is certain to attend." Timaeus sang tightly grabbing onto Daphne's shoulders.
Pegasus brightly smiled, "We make certain the doors are barred!"
Dartz agreed with him. "We make certain our men are there!"
"We make certain they're armed." Timaeus finished.
Daphne pulled out of Timaeus' grip and went over to Isis, who held the trembling girl in a tight embrace.
"The curtain falls, his reign will end." All three sang together.
"Madness!" Isis shouted to the men.
"I'm not so sure!" Pegasus argued.
"Not if it works!" Dartz agreed with his business partner.
"This is madness!" Isis said again with Daphne right behind her.
"The tide will turn!" Pegasus argued again.
"My friend, believe me. There is no way of turning the tide." Isis sang.
"You stick to ballet." Dartz muttered.
"Then help us!" Timaeus sang to the woman.
"My lord, I can't.." Isis sang softly.
"Instead of warning us.." Timaeus started.
"Help us!" The two managers joined in with the patron.
"I wish I could." Isis muttered.
"Don't make excuses!" The two managers shouted to her.
"Then could it be that you're on his side?" Timaeus challenged.
"She's an accomplice?" Teá and Sozoji exclaimed from across the room.
"My friends, believe me I intend no ill, but believe me that he isn't our killer!"
Arguing billowed in Daphne's ears. She couldn't make out what Timaeus or anyone was saying. She held the score to her chest and backed away. After a minute she couldn't take it anymore.
"Please don't..." She tried to sing out but the arguing was too loud. "If you don't stop, I'll go mad!" Daphne shouted and slammed the score onto the desk. Tears swam down her cheeks, some of them landing on the score and smearing the intricate note patterns. "Timaeus.. I'm frightened! Don't make me do this! Don't make him go through this ordeal by fire!" She paused and took a breath, she still hiccuped from tears. "I want him always to be there singing songs in my head, always singing songs in my head."
Daphne continued to sob and Timaeus held her close. Dartz and Pegasus brought a chair Daphne could sit in and Timaeus knelt at her side.
"She's mad." Teá muttered.
"You said yourself, he was nothing but a man," Daphne tried to interrupt him then but Timaeus held up his hand, "yet while he lives, he will haunt us till we're dead..."
Daphne gave on last hiccup and took a deep breath.
"Twisted every way, what answer can I give? Am I to risk my life to rescue your own skins? Can I betray the man who once inspired my voice? Do I become the lure? Do I have any choice? You'll kill him without a thought, you'll murder a loving soul... I know I can't refuse and yet, I wish I could... Oh, Ra- if I agree what horrors what for me in this, your phony opera?" More tears swam down Daphne's cheeks and she held onto Yami's ring tightly.
Timaeus made a face and tightly held Daphne's other hand much to the displeasure of a nearby shadow.
"Daphne, Daphne, don't think that I don't care... But every hope and every prayer rests on you now!" Timaeus sang softly to her.
Daphne could only look at the face of her childhood friend then the faces of everyone else surrounded her, telling her to aid their plan to kill her angel, to kill Yami.
She bolted up and shouted, "I can't!" Then she ran to the door and turned back around for a moment. She muttered only loud enough for the shadow on the wall to hear her.
"I'm sorry." Then Daphne ran.
"Daphne!" Timaeus called for her but she didn't return. The patron snarled and shouted to the walls, knowing that this 'phantom' could hear him. "So, it is to be war between us! But this time, my clever friend, the disaster will be yours!"
I hope you enjoyed the chapter! The ending of it was a combined thing with the 25th anniversary and the Broadway show that I saw last month.
Please Review!