The Phantom Of The Opera - MLPA

Maris - 1870

The streets of Maris were bustling with life. The ponies were going about their daily business, men were hard at work while women worked hard at home, and children were playing in the streets and on the steps of the Maris Opera House. Yes, the gorgeous Maris Opera House, a place of great performances and even greater voices. The stone and bronze exterior shining in the sunlight, the green painted status of men on horses upon the buildings walls, the fountain out front.. It was truly a masterpiece of architecture.

A strange looking carriage pulled up out front and stopped by the Opera House. The tanks upon its back and the strange tubes and funnels spouting in every which way gave it the appearance of something out of a science fiction novel, where the basic structure of it gave it the look of any normal cart. Once it had come to a full rest, the part of it that held the two drivers inside of it opened and they hopped out gladly, smiles upon their faces. Their clothes also looked only similar. They both wore the same black bow ties, blue button-up striped vest with a white undershirt, and straw hats to complete the ensemble.

The two looked to be brothers, perhaps, as they both had the same orange hair, cream colored coat and smug smiles upon their faces. They looked the Opera House up and down and then nodded at each other as they made their way inside through a private route in the side of the building. Once inside, they could clearly see that things were quite busy. Fillies in costume were rushing up and down a spiral staircase while another group argued over something unknown over in a corner. The space was somewhat crowded and would take some getting used to, but it should be fine.

The few colts and fillies walking around in the small balconies and rafters of the establishment were all either checking props for the future show, checking costumes and fixing things that were wrong, or just standing and relaxing where they were. As the two brothers walked through the building, they got a few odd looks from a select few ponies, but they paid no mind to it as they approached the main stage area of the theater.

As the two brothers approached the main area of the Opera House, they could see the orchestra setting up its instruments and the age old conductor handing sheet music to everypony. The ensemble was quite large and, like most, sat in a small pit in front of the stage. After a short moment, a voice came into a very, very audible range. It was the voice of a mare, a soprano singer by the sounds of it.

As the two brothers watched in pure interest at the sound of the singers voice, her appearance became more than clear. She had a light grey coat and luscious purple hair, most of which was covered by the ridiculously intricate costume she was wearing. She was a unicorn as well, it seemed, as a portion of the headpiece looked as if it had to be trimmed to let her horn show. Her eyes were a shade of beautiful shade of blue, complimented in color by the makeup she wore to go along with the costume she wore in preparation for the show. Although her accent was clear as crystal through the lyrics of the piece, it still only added to the effect. The soprano they were gazing upon was none other than the famous Rarity.

Her voice rang loud and high throughout the small stadium as she sang the lines of her intro in a song. "This trophy from our saviors, from our saviors, the enslaving force of Rome!" she bellowed proudly, as few maids in the seating area silently complaining to one another about their dislike of her rich accent. They would never say something to her face about it, as they did not wish to upset her, but to themselves, they would hold nothing back.

At the last line of the verse, the orchestra boomed and she turned almost angrily to a small group of people of to the side. To one, she shot a glare and he quickly left the scene, to another, she demanded that her pet be given to her. "Madame!" the woman exclaimed, practically bowing as she handed Rarity her precious fluffy cat, Opalescence.

As this took place, the orchestra began to play along to a choir of costumed mares and fillies who marched in unison from offstage onto the main area. They sang together the words, "With feasting and dancing and song, tonight in celebration, we greet the victorious throng returned to bring salvation!" As they marched, the smacked a hoof to their chests and then threw it back down in a traditional Roman salute. A few people in the back of the group were holding up large Roman flags on poles, symbolizing their characters origins.

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The laborers outside by the carriage drop off area waited patiently for someone to arrive. The walls were covered in ropes and locks to keep people's transports from being stolen whilst they were away. [[The original text for that part was: They would arrange things stored on their walls, such as bridles, ropes and tethers, and other such objects. After typing this in the sense that it was something in our world, I realized that I had created a MLP BDSM room and had to change it. xD]] Then, as if on cue, a cart pulled up, drawn by a single colt and holding none other than Grey Byte himself.

"Welcome, Grey Byte!" one of the laborers said, rushing over to the cart as Grey hopped out. He began to trot towards the building for whatever reason he had to do so, a smile upon his face. As he did, the two brothers came out and met up with him, smiles on their faces as they spoke quietly to one another. As they walked back into the building, a male choir could now be heard singing.

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"The trumpets of Carthage resound!" they sang, their voices loud and booming in the acoustically perfect room. "Hear Romans now, and tremble! Hark to our step on the ground!" For the last lines, the fillies and mares joined in as they all sang, "Hear the drums, Hannibal comes!" During these last words, Rarity stepped back int the group and began to do a small routine with the others. At one point though, she had tripped slightly on her dress and with a sharp glare, placed the blame on a random bystander.

After a moment of holding the last note of the verse, a light brown coated earth pony stepped forward, his dark brown mane gelled back beneath the large red wig he wore with his costume. He looked around and took a deep breath before emitting the sounds of song. "Sad to return to find the land we love, threatened once more by Roma's far reaching grasp!" but as he sang the last word, the conductor tapped his wand against the wood of the floor repeatedly, saying as almost a warning, "Gentlecolts, gentlecolts!"

"Rehearsals, as you see, are under way, for a new production of Chalumeau's 'Hannibal'." a white coated pegasus stated as he walked in, guiding the two brothers onto the stage. He had his hair pulled back behind his head, hanging loosely around his neck and his cutie mark resembled something like a sound wave emanating from either a mouth or speaker of some sort. This was the current owner of the Opera House, White Noise.

"Monsieur Noise, I am rehearsing!" the conductor said a bit furiously, the people on the stage parting like the Red Sea so that the two stallions could see each other clearly. "Monsieur Reyer, Madame Smith, mares and gentlecolts," said White in a semi-urgent fashion, looking around the room as he nearly interrupted the conductors protest, "please, if I can have your attention, thank you!" The staff of the building gathered around curiously, all eyes directed either towards White Noise off the two brothers behind him.

"As you all know," he began, "for some weeks, there have been rumors of my imminent retirement." He paused for a moment before looking down towards the floor slightly and saying with a minority regretful voice, "I can now inform you that these are all quite true." He turned his gaze towards the two brothers and his mood lightened some. "But it is my pleasure to introduce you to the two gentlecolts who now own the Opera Populaire; Mr. Flim, and Mr. Flam!"

The crowd of staff members and vocalists stomped in congratulation, the two brothers smiling and giving small waves to the group. As the group continued to stop their hooves gladly, White interjected and said calmly, "I'm sure you've all read about their recent fortune amassed in the produce business?" Flam turned and corrected him within an instant. "Cider making, actually." he said, turning to his brother with a look of slight discontent. The crowd continued to stomp, and a filly whispered to her friend somewhere in the back, "They must be rich..!"

White turned to face everypony, smiling lightly as he made another announcement. "Also, we are very excited to introduce our new patron." He paused and let Flam introduce, "The Vicomte de Chagne!" he said as he turned to watch the stallion enter the building.

As the grey coated colt walked into the building, the two fillies from earlier moved closer to the front, each of them wearing a curious expression on their face. Once the blue and red maned, black eyed stallion was truly within viewing range of the two girls, the white coated one spoke. "It's Grey.." she said with an astonished tone in her voice. Her eyes were fixated on him as he walked, his head swaying happily from side to side.

The other orange coated filly looked over to her, a bit surprised. The white coat turned to her friend and began to whisper, "Before my father died.. I guess you could say we were childhood sweethearts.. He called me 'Little Lotte'..~" She smiled warmly at the memory, her sky blue eyes still fixated on the stallion of her past. "Christine, he's so handsome..!" her friend said to her brightly, her happy spirit not fading for a single moment.

As they finished their brief conversation, Grey took stand next to Flim and Flam and turned to speak to everypony. "My parents and I are honored to support all the arts," his gaze turned to meet Rarity's, "especially the world-renowned Opera Populaire." he finished with a slight nod and a smile as Rarity casually walked over to him. She placed a hoof in his and giggled as she did a slight bow.

"Gentlecolts," White began, "Señora Rarity, our leading soprano for five seasons now." At this, a small applause of stomping broke out as a select few ponies shouted "Bravo!" from the back. White turned his head and looked to the brown coated tenor from the earlier rehearsals. "Doctor Hooves." he said with a slight hoof gesture towards him. Again, a small applause of stomping began. Flattered somewhat, Hooves did a small bow. "An honor, sir." Grey said with his usual smile. "I believe I'm keeping you from your rehearsal. I shall be here this evening to share in your great triumph!" he announced. "My apologies, señor." he apologized to the conductor, turning his head for a more direct look.

"Thank you, Monsieur Le Victome!" he waved his stick as he peered over the crowd, motioning for Hooves to come near. "Once more, señor.." And with that, White trotted his way out with Grey, escorting him to his cart outside. At this, everypony went back to their business, Hooves going back to practice his part and Rarity cantering over to a group of serving mares. "He loves me, he loves me." she said egotistically.

As the two stallions left, they passed by Christine and her friend. Nothing in particular happened at the moment and Christine looked a bit saddened by this. She turned to her friend and spoke quietly with a small smile. "He wouldn't recognize me." Her orange friend, quick to respond, encouragingly stated, "He didn't see you." Granny Smith cantered over to the area that everypony was standing and gave a slight motion with one of her hooves. "If you please, Monsieur."

Suddenly, a look of happiness and realization popped onto Christine and her friends face and they dashed out onto the stage, beginning to perform the glorious ballet routine they had been practicing with many others. A they did so, Granny Smith cantered over to Flim and Flam and guided them to the back area of the stage, letting them observe the ballet at their own will.

"We take great pride in the excellence our ballets, Monsieur." she stated, continuing to slowly stroll along the back line of the stage. "I can see why!" exclaimed Flim, looking to a certain blonde in the group, "Especially that blonde angel." Granny Smith laughed softly. "My daughter, Applejack." she informed him with a smile, proud to see her daughter being admired. "And that exceptional beauty! No relation, I trust?" Flam asked, pointing out a certain brunette in the group as she danced. "Christine Daaé, promising talent Monsieur Flam, very promising." she stated.

A look of surprise came over Flam's face as he stopped and turned to face Madame Smith. "Daaé, you say? No relation to the famous *Squee*dish violinist?" [[It is. So hard. To ponify. Sweden. Enjoy my troll name or suggest a better one.]] Madame Smith was quick to respond. "His only child, orphaned at seven when she came to live and train in the ballet dormitories." A small smile of minor amusement seemed to appear on Flam's face as he said quietly to Madame Smith, "An orphan, you say?"

She turned and looked at him with a small smile of her own. "I think of her as a daughter, also." She broke the conversation by realizing that their little group had been pacing in a circle around the stage. "Gentlecolts, if you would please stand to one side." she said, ushering them smoothly over to one side of the stage. As they did so, the performance was just finishing up its practice session, and a large model elephant had been rolled onto the stage.

Everypony was standing around it and singing in unison, with the exception of Rarity and Hooves, who had their own parts to go about on. During one of the final routines, Hooves tripped slightly on Rarity's dress, causing her to turn and break her part momentarily to complain. She quickly got back on track though, and proceeded to sing the final few notes of her part in the exact direction of the new owners. Her mouth was wide open as she sang, her throat tensing up almost from the intensity of the high notes she was having to sing.

As the music ended, so to did the practice, causing everypony on the stage to strike a particular pose. At this point, White had already walked in and was standing to the side of Flim and Flam. Rarity blared out as everypony disbanded, "Daaé, all they want is dancing..!" Her rant ran short, and off to the side, White turned to Flim and Flam. "The Vicomte is very excited for tonight's gala..!" he said with a promising grin. As he did though, Rarity cantered over and nearly shouted at the two new owners, "He's excited by dancing girls as your new managers, because I, will not be singing!" she spat, turning and making her leave. [[Don't ask me what the hell she said, it's the exact text from the movie, and I still barely even get it.]]

As she spewed random things, such as "It's finished!" and "Goodbye!" A she strutted by a group of serving fillies, she commanded quite rudely to one of the, "Where is my kitty, bring me my kitty!" and the maid did exactly as she was told. No pony in the entire building besides the two brothers seemed even mildly worried by this.

The two of them turned to White worriedly. "Well, what do we do?" Flim asked. White simply nodded and spoke calmly. "Grovel." When there was no reaction from either Flim or Flam, he reiterated his statement with a motion to get them moving towards the bratty soprano. "Grovel, grovel!" he repeated, the two brothers taking off for the ever-fleeing mare.

As they trotted after her through the crowd of actors and actresses, they shouted compliments and words of praise to calm and collect her to a state where she would stop and listen to them. When they had caught up, she turned to them and simply spouted, "Si, si?" This was only interrupted by Flim's attempt to ease her temper by calling her the 'Goddess Of Song'. Sadly, this actually worked temporarily, and the diva was quickly calmed.

"Ah, Mr. Noise," Flam said, turning to White to continue his question, "Isn't there a rather marvelous aria for Elisa in act three of 'Hannibal'?" The conductor looked a bit worried at the question, but bit his tongue and stayed silent as Rarity quickly responded with as much anger in her voice as ever. "Yes, yes, yes. But, no!" she screeched, looking Flam rad in the eyes, her sky blue iris's digging deep into his own grassy green eyes.

She quickly turned away though, and shouted across the room, "Because I don't have my costume for the act, because sompony didn't finish it!!" It was clear that she was indicating the workers, but Flim and Flam turned to look anyways. A this point, Rarity was throwing an almost full-on tantrum over everything.

She lifted a hoof and pointed defiantly to her headpiece, distaste fully shouting, "And I hate my hat!" Flam approached the diva cautiously, gently saying to her, "I wonder, señora, as a personal favor, if you would oblige us with a private rendition?" He turned to White. "Unless, of course, Mr. Noise objects?"

White quickly shook his head to show his acceptance of the situation, a look of slight worry hidden behind his calm demeanor. As Rarity shed false tears for effect during the question, she eventually just turned to Flam and said, "No, aspetta, aspetta..!". [[For those of you who are saying "'Da hell?", 'aspetta' translates to 'expected' from Italian.]] After a deep breath, she let out a small giggle and put on her best smile. She looked Flim and Flam over and gently stating, "If my managers command..~"

Flim let out a satisfied sigh and took a step back, both him and his brother quickly relaxing. Everypony else in the building still seemed totally unaffected by the situation, which came as a small surprise to the two red-haired brothers. "Monsieur Reyer?~" chimed Rarity, turning to look at the grey haired colt who was the conductor of the orchestra section of the Opera House. He raised an eyebrow and spoke with a sarcastic tone. "If my Diva commands?" he said in a way that made it almost sound like he was asking her. Rarity's expression suddenly turned serious as she raised a hoof and sternly said, "Yes, I do."

With the conductor walking back to his stand, Rarity walked back out onto the stage. "Everypony be quite!" she shouted as she took position. Flim cantered over to White Noise and quietly asked him, "Why, again, are you retiring..?" White quickly responded with, "My health." and nothing more. Flim let out a deep exhalation in understanding of what he said. "Psht psht!" hissed Rarity, quickly silencing Flim and White.

As Rarity found her position on the stage, she turned and swiftly pointed her hoof across the room to two actors. "You as well!!" The two colts who were talking smiled and turned to watch her as a serving maid trotted over and held out a box with a breath spray inside of it. Rarity pushed down on the squeezer at the end of the tube, causing a small blast of the spray to go down her gullet and moisten her throat. The conductor was standing tall at his position, his expression slightly impatient as he waited. "Señora..?" he said quietly, his hoof raised with a conductors wand in it. "Maestro." she replied, taking a stance as she readied herself to begin singing.

Little did she know, a dark figure lurked above in the high rafters of the Opera House, waiting..

Watching..

Plotting..