Thank you for those who had left a review on the previous chapter and many thanks to katBelle for the Beta.

Overture

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"With feasting and dancing and song,

Tonight in celebration,

We greet the victorious throng,

Returned to bring salvation."

-Hannibal, Phantom of the Opera

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Act II

October 1899

The young Viscount was greeted by the cool autumn air as he climbed out of his carriage. The leaves of the maple and ginkgo trees had already turned red and yellow as he shortly paused to admire the view and the magnificent architectural design of the famed Raira Opera House. The renowned theater building stood at a height of about seventy meters or two hundred thirty feet that had caught the attention of the masses in and outside the country. The exorbitant establishment was inspired from the Garnier Opera House in Paris, France and this ambitious enterprise was owned by the infamous Duke Yodogiri Jinnai. It received different reactions for its neoclassical architectural style, some of it was positive, the rest apprehensive for the plodding but alarming growing western influence.

Not all of his fellow countrymen were fond of the ever growing change. Even though they had already adopted the political, military, technological, economic, and social forms of the Westerns to be able to compete with the modern world, the huge loss both in cultural and domestic industry brought by the Meiji restoration were still being lamented especially by the patriots and lower class who had lost their status and living. The existence of a Beaux-Arts style Opera House in the Far East mainly in Japan was proof of a former isolated feudal society's evolution towards innovation. The establishment was incessantly criticized by both foreigners and natives as East Asia's malpractice of art and music, and an insult to the traditional Japanese music, which only increased the tension regarding acceptance and equality.

The construction of the Raira Opera House had become quite a symbol for change, evolution, and power. The one hundred seventy meters long and one hundred twenty meters wide theater building was not just a place for social gatherings but for classified political and scholarly meetings. The majestic architectural design and palatial structural style were only a front for what was behind this music sanctuary. The Raira Opera House wasn't only a shelter for the performing arts; it also housed illegal scientific experiments that the young Viscount was determined to find out.

Heiwajima Shizuo took his time admiring the ceremonial grand staircase of white marble with a balustrade of red and green marble, which divided into two divergent flights of stairs that led to the grand foyer. The ceiling of the staircase's nave was painted by the famous Kanō school that was also responsible for the decorations of the Nijō castle in Kyoto, and depicted a scene of the water dragon god from Japanese mythology.

A young man perhaps sixteen years of age dressed in yellowish white garb clumsily tucked in his unpressed black trousers and partnered with cheap suspenders, welcomed Shizuo. The boy politely introduced himself as Ryuugamine Mikado, one of the stagehands that handled the props. He apologized for the absence of their mistress who managed the Opera House as he lead the Viscount to the auditorium where he would meet up with some acquaintances and perhaps, possible political allies. Shizuo silenced the page boy with a fixed glare when he started to get on his nerves. The royal treatment he was receiving because of his blond hair, rare for native Japanese people, combined with his aristocratic looks and powerful presence had earned him quite a reputation.

Shizuo was not pure Japanese. His mother, the late Baroness Heiwajima Namiko was a half-French noble and he inherited her aristocratic looks while his younger brother Kasuka inherited their father's oriental handsomeness. Even though they were raised as gentlemen by their mother in western standard, their father, the late Viscount Heiwajima Kichirou, was a former heir to one of the daimyo families and student of a distinguished samurai and he tried to apply the 'way of the warrior' to his own two sons. Specially trained by their father, Shizuo and Kasuka finished their military service in the Imperial Army rather early with excellence and honors. After, Shizuo was sent abroad to study British politics and military tactics.

He was on a vacation in France when he received the unfortunate news of their father's passing. Heiwajima Kichirou had been diagnosed with tuberculosis and was buried next to their mother. Upon the death of the head of the Heiwajima household, Shizuo, as the eldest, was forced to succeed the title of a Viscount. With his exceptional military and academic background, Shizuo could easily win the favor of the emperor and other higher ups if it wasn't for his short temper and ill attitude towards his fellow nobles and his rumored 'monstrous' strength. It was a good thing he had his younger brother Kasuka who both played the role of his meditator and adviser, and with Kasuka's knowledge and charming personality the younger Heiwajima became an effective diplomat.

Kasuka was also the one who suggested him to become a patron of the Opera House. Even though Shizuo was not musically inclined and had only watched one performance of Faust during his stay in Paris, his younger brother had shown great promise in the Opera business and under the name 'Hanejima Yuuhei', had became a successful lead tenor singer. His continuous success gave him the advantage to covertly investigate the place regarding the illegal scientific experiments and of Raira Opera House being a secret institution in which only Buddha might have the clue. Shizuo's invitation to the Opera House by the Duke himself was a huge stepping stone to confirm his suspicion and to fulfill the mission secretly assigned to him by the emperor who was dubious of his trusted peer's questionable actions.

Preoccupied with his own thoughts of how he would expose the Duke Yodogiri Jinnai, he didn't notice that they already reached the end of the hallway and Ryuugamine's voice brought him back to awareness as he announced that they were finally here. Shizuo heard that the auditorium could sit about two thousand guests, and could accommodate as many as four hundred artists. The five-tiered auditorium had a traditional Italian horseshoe-shape and was sixty meter high from floor to ceiling. It was sumptuously decorated with red velvet, stucco, marble, and gold leaf. Hanging above was a giant bronze and crystal chandelier that weighed about seven-ton and consisted of three hundred forty lights, while the ceiling area which surrounded the chandelier was painted with images of Japanese deities.

"Well, if it isn't Shizuo-kun!" a bespectacled man in his early twenties greeted him as he excitedly approached the young Viscount. The rather intimate address caught him off guard and he stared at the other man curiously before his eyes flashed in recognition. It'd been almost a decade since he'd last seen his childhood friend before Shizuo enrolled to the Imperial Army Academy. They managed to keep in contact with each other through letters and the occasional postcards. The last he'd heard from Kishitani Shinra was that he had finally finished medicine school and become a doctor like his father.

The lucky bastard also managed to snag a foreigner girlfriend named Celty Sturluson, which he always bragged about in his letters. Shizuo couldn't wait to meet this mysterious girl if only Shinra would allow it; his friend was questionably protective of this 'Celty'. "It's been forever since we last saw each other, how was Paris? Shizuo-kun looks a lot more dignified now compared to when we were younger, I always knew that little ball of fury would grow up into a fine young man! Did you miss me?"

Shizuo gave him a wry smile as he shook his hand and his friend winced when the Viscount nearly crushed his bones. "It's nice to see you again too, Shinra." The doctor quickly took back his hand as soon as he released his grip and laughed nervously saying he hadn't change and his strength and temper were still frightening. The noise up ahead caught their attention, and Shizuo saw the conductor was yelling at everyone on the stage. It seemed they were rehearsing and he heard the elderly maestro whimpering that 'this will not do' and 'he wouldn't like it'. The Viscount assumed that he was referring to the Duke when one of the props suspending above suddenly crashed down on the stage, and there were a short moment of panic and screaming.

Shizuo heard someone shout, "It's the ghost! The Opera ghost is here!" before they were silenced by a stern-looking woman who'd suddenly come out of nowhere as she calmly adjusted her glasses. The Viscount immediately recognized her. Kujiragi Kasane was one of the managers of the Opera House and also worked as a secretary for Yodogiri. There were rumors that she was the Duke's mistress because a commoner like her who didn't have any blue-blood running in her veins couldn't attain such a position. Kujiragi turned to approach them and Shizuo didn't miss the look she was giving Shinra before she acknowledged him, and apologized for not being able to welcome him properly. He dismissed the notion and expressed his concern instead about the safety of the performers, mostly for Kasuka's sake, and Kujiragi assured him that it was just a 'minor' accident.

This didn't escape the Viscount's rising suspicion but before he could ask for more, the mistress already excused herself while giving Shinra one last look. The gesture prevented Shizuo from going after her and quietly elbowed his friend beside him. "I think she likes you."

Shinra gave him a look that told him that he'd just stated the obvious. The rehearsal for the new Opera smoothly resumed like nothing had happened though the tension was still evident in the performers and especially the conductor as he shakily yelled from the top. The scene told of the return of the troops from fighting against the invading army of a neighboring land and judging by the costumes and backdrops the story was set in the Nara period. But there was one thing that greatly bothered Shizuo as he turned to his friend. "What is this Opera Ghost?"

The young Viscount had first heard of it from his younger brother's letters. Supposedly there was an illusory ghost haunting this Opera House and according to what he understood so far, this ghost was threatening the managers and staffs. From what Shizuo had witnessed, this 'ghost' seemed very capable of harming someone for an intangible presence. He didn't believe for a second that it was just an accident and the grim look on his friend's face heightened his supposition. There was something strange going on in this Opera House. And Shinra must have at least known something because his father the Count Kishitani Shingen was the other manager of Raira Opera House. "I'm sorry Shizuo-kun but I'm a man of science and you know we men of knowledge don't believe in such things that have no proof."

Shizuo didn't hide his disappointment but his friend's answer somehow made sense. The young Viscount also didn't believe in such specters and the whole thing was quite laughable especially now they were nearing the twentieth century. Tales of ghosts and yokai were just products of the creative imagination of the people of the past, as there were only science and technology to look forward to today. As soon as the rehearsal was finished – it was decided that they had to cut it short today due to the earlier predicament – Shinra took the liberty to introduce Shizuo as the new patron, and as expected there were girlish giggles coming from the ballet rats. Shizuo was aware of the fact that he was easy on the eyes but he was not a bit interested on pursuing romance. He had more important priorities in life, and thankfully there was one girl who seemed to share his sentiment.

Yagiri Namie was the niece of the Marquis Yagiri Seitarou and the lead soprano of the Raira Opera House. She looked disinterested and even snorted when Shinra introduced him to her. Shizuo had heard from Kasuka about Yagiri Namie's snobbish and temperamental attitude and he thought that the title Prima Donna suited her best. "Pardon me Kishitani-sensei and Heiwajima-shishaku, but I have no time for nonsensical pleasantries. I almost got killed today and if you don't take any action against this so called 'accidents', then I advise you to start giving refunds now for tonight's show."

The poor doctor who was standing on his father's behalf violently reacted but the prima donna paid no heed to his pleas. Shizuo felt a small sympathy for both of them, and while everyone was worked up for their prima donna's sudden withdrawal, the Viscount heard a distant chuckle. When he turned around the bell-like voice had already disappeared.

Notes:

Beaux Arts – was an elaborate architectural style and references classical elements of Greek and Roman architecture that favoured order, symmetry, grandiosity, and ornamentation.

Kanō school – was the longest lived and most influential school of painting in Japanese History; it's more than 300 year prominence is unique in world art history.

Nijō castle – is a flatland castle in Kyoto, Japan and was built as the Kyoto residence of the Tokugawa shoguns.

Daimyo – powerful feudal lords, but subordinate only to the shogun; their era ended soon after the Meiji Restoration and together with the kuge, they formed a new aristocracy called the kazoku.

Faust – protagonist of a classic German legend and was a scholar who is highly successful yet dissatisfied with his life, which leads him to make a pact with the Devil, exchanging his soul for unlimited knowledge and worldly pleasures. The Faust legend has been the basis for three major operas: Mefistofele, Doctor Faust, and Faust - the last one by Charles Gounod, which Shizuo had seen during his stay in Paris.

Nara period - covers the years from AD 710 to 794. Most of Japanese society during this period was agricultural in nature and centered on villages. Most of the villagers followed a religion based on the worship of natural and ancestral spirits called kami.

Since the story and novel of Le Fantôme de l'Opéra or The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux is partly inspired by historical events at the Paris Opera during the nineteenth century, and the Bakufu modernized its army through the assistance of French military missions led by Jules Brunet who had an important role in the latter part of the Boshin war between the Imperial's forces and the Shogun's army, I decided to make Shizuo part-french and a natural blond due to these circumstances but more importantly for the sake of the setting of the fic.

The main structure of Raira Opera House was mostly based on Palais Garnier (the same Opera House which was use as the setting for Leroux's 1910 novel and Webber's musical) with some touch of Japanese art designs to balance it out. Also, this fic is inspired both from the novel and the musical (and the 2004 movie). Though, Shizuo is like the counterpart of Philippe, Raoul's older brother, whose character didn't quite make any appearance on some adaptations.

SG - The narrator in the prologue is Shizuo :) Thank you for taking your time to leave a review!

AN: Feedback are much appreciated.