Phangirl at the Opera

Now, for any Phantom-mad 16 year old girl, visiting an Opera house in Paris, one which you could just imagine the Phantom being in - The Paris Opera house, would be a dream come true, which it was. Ana knew it was everything she hoped for, and a lovely present for her 16th birthday; Maybe second to her first viewing of the Phantom of the Opera on her 13th Birthday. After many years fawning over the Movie and the book. So here she was, standing on the stage she could just imagine Christine singing on, the phantom watching her from Box 5. It was all overwhelming. She had the urge to sing. She couldn't sing very well though, making her nervous to. She stood so long staring out at the vast amount of red velvet chairs that when she turned she was surprised to see that the rest of the tour had vanished. Her own mother had walked off without realizing she wasn't there.

Nice.

So there was, alone on a stage. Staring out at the empty seats and chandelier in wonder. Glancing to the box closest to the stage in slight apprehension half expecting to see a masked figure there. But there wasn't.

Ana couldn't believe her own foolishness in thinking there would be. It was a very convincing, maybe her own imagination was running wild with all of the inspiration around her. She could see herself now, in the white dress and curled hair. Ana took one careful look around the stage, no one was there. She was alone, Her own mind told her she'd regret her choice if she just walked away, it was true - She would. So she took the step forward and grinned to herself as she imagined herself briefly as Carlotta, Her arms mid air as she took a big breath of air - "Maestro!" She called out to the empty audience with a satisfied smile. "OLD FOOOOL - HOW HE MAKES ME LAUG-HA-HA-HA-HA-H!" She dropped her arms as she voice echoed emptily around the stage. She took one careful look around, still she was alone.

Ana smirked to herself, looking down at her pumps for a moment before she began timidly singing "Think of me" She didn't have the trained voice for it, she even doubted if she was a soprano. She could hit high notes but not to her satisfaction. Her years of scream singing with the movie and soundtrack made her aware of her own lack of skill. Yet she stood, singing to the empty crowd with a wide smile. Of course, that was fine until she began hearing the music in hear head, in fact, it was in her ears, around her. Then before her eyes the scenery changed, morphing into a stage of people walking around and doing daily tasks, they were in old fashioned clothes, a loud screech from a figure who suddenly appeared, flickering beside her like a ghost. She screamed. The woman was 'big boned' and continued screeching beside her - It was only then she realised she was singing. Everything began sinking in, her vision clearing until everything around her was like concrete. Reality. She was no longer singing.

In fact, she wasn't even in the center of the stage anymore. She was getting dragged by a prop into the back with ballet dancers. It was then she realised she had probably some how lost her mind and thought herself apart of Phantom. But it was when a blonde lanky girl pinched she it dawned on her that it was real. "Where am I!" Ana screamed openly, looking at the other Ballet girls as they had the nerve to stare at her. "What?" The Blonde girl beside her scowled and hit her on the head lightly. "HEY!" Ana whined but was perhaps shocked even more when a beautiful brunette bounced over, her curls bopping with her. She was smaller than The blonde but looked ever the more beautiful. With that, It hit her like a brick. "Meg" She pointed at the blonde with a hysterical trill of giggles "MEG GIRY AND CHRISTINE DAAE!" Ana performed a little graceless bop on the spot, becoming aware of the shackles on her ankle, the ballet pumps on her feet and her outfit. She was a ballet dancer?!

"Belle' what are you doing!" Meg grabbed her by her hand, dragging her body towards the huddling of Ballet dancers. "You want Carlotta to bite our heads off, its bad enough we have to listen to her singing!" Meg snickered whilst Christine looked around dreamily. "My Name's Ana. Just saying." Ana knew it probably wasn't of any importance, but she corrected Meg nonetheless. "Yes, yes, Anabelle, we've called you Belle since we were children, stop being so fussy. Now, come on we must practice bef-.." And she was cut off by a loud bang. "MEG GIRY, ARE YOU A DANCER?" Madame Giry approached, cane in hand, looking like thunder. It wasn't hard to identify the woman with the black clothes, cane and hair up with her lips pursed like she was sucking a lemon.

"Yes." Meg answered in a tiny voice and ran off into the crowds before her mother told her to. She was obviously used to being shouted at. Madame Giry ordered her and Christine off also.

Of course, Ana didn't know a single move of Ballet, and these girls were trained from just children. But, to her surprise with every instruction her body seemed to magically follow it perfectly. Even to the envious glances of Christine and Meg, some other girls also turned to scowl when Madame Giry complimented me. The practice suddenly went to a halt when a loud crash sounded out. Meg Giry ran off, singing loudly "HE'S HEREEE! THE PHANTOM OF THE OPER-AAAAAAAAAH!" Literally, singing. Ana followed the other dancers as they went to see Carlotta getting dragged from a falling prop, screaming like a maniac and leaving for the apparently final time. Everyone gasped and oo'd and Ana stood wishing she had popcorn.

Of course, the managers Firmin and Andre were going on about their show and refunding until Madame Giry pointed out Christine. Christine timidly stepped forward and began shaking with nerves. It was then Ana felt a pang of jealously, of course, this was the story as it was intended. Christine sings, gets famous, meets Raoul and beats the Phantom's heart up with a hammer.

She sang softly at first until she gained her confidence and 'wowed' the spectators around her. Now, Although Ana had expected this to be the best thing to witness, Christine's breakthrough. She was very disappointed. Having heard her voice sang through many actresses, all with talents beyond her own capability. It was surprisingly to be disappointed at Christine's actual ability. She was around her age, pehaps a year or two older but she sang lightly with only a very timid voice. Lovely, but not the same punch that the actresses she had heard so often on stage. Ana was the only person who looked bored, in fact, she got rather bored of it all quickly; "Is that it?" Ana didn't intend to speak loud of course, Christine sang better than her but she had expected the voice of all voices. All she saw was a timid beautiful brunette consumed by nerves infront of her, not the confident brunette who sings and enchants. But her words came out nonetheless and she was now the recipient of glares and gasps. Madame Giry looked like complete hate as she glared at Ana.

"What?" Ana mumbled and she just noticed her words had probably shattered the Singer's confidence. She had ran off the stage with Meg running after her. Everyone stood, mouths practically agape. "Oh..That's...I didn't think it'd be out loud." Ana rocked back on her heels with a slight smile. "This is really awkward isn't it?" The Maestro simply gasped as the managers went off on a fit again. Madame Giry grabbed Ana by the arm with a hiss. "Let's see if she can do any better, she should considering she just ran off Miss Daae!" And with that Ana was shoved into center stage with all eyes on her - All hoping she'd fail. Especially the other ballet dancers, the snakes!

She heard them whispering with giggles. The Maestro looked like he was about to rip his hair out as he turned back to the first page and began again. "At the beginning of the aria mademoiselle!" She turned to Madame Giry, who looked like hell. To her horror she was hoping she'd fail, and Ana knew why. If she looked terrible they'd be compelled to get Christine in comparison. She was the last plan of getting Christine as soprano. The backstabbing bitch!

Ana turned back to the Maestro with an awkward grin, performing a terrible little wave. "Okay!" The managers glared at her with a scowl. "Can't believe she said that, the girl was talented." Firmin was tutting whilst Andre seethed. "Yes, she was pretty too, very pretty. This girl isn't too bad but I doubt she's got much of a voice in comparison - Jealousy is a -.." And with that Ana began to sing, using her little knowledge of breathing techniques to help her.

Now, Ana was cringing at the idea of singing, knowing her voice was rather weak. But the voice which sang out was not her own. In fact, she was fairly sure it was someone else. She wondered if it was ventriloquism but it was not - She was singing alone, and her voice was pretty damn good.

The crowds, once shocked with Christine where now jaw-to-the-floor gasping at her. Ana had no idea what the hell happened, she guessed that her and Christine changed voices, Christine had an innocent little voice but was riled with nervousness, pretty and prudishly protrayed. But Ana's voice rang out proudly and hit every note with a belting precision she was unaware of. The final notes approached, she went higher and higher until she lost control on the last two words; going higher on "Me" to the height she was almost sure she hit the final note of the title song, all her life she had sounded like a goat trying to sing a E6, Now she did it without batting an eyelid and was managing to sustain it beyond the short period of the title song. It was when everyone around her was gasping and glaring - the Maestro looking agape and the Managers exchanging worried glances that she stopped. "Sorry, I got carried away." Ana shifted her weight to her other foot and smiled.

Those around her burst into insanely enthusiastic applause and began fussing about her hair and her dresses. She was quickly whisked off and shoved into the dressing room she had so often seen in movies and on stage. The mirror made a rush of excitement travel up her stomach. She was quickly prepared for the show and ran through all of the aria's. As she walked to the stage, Madame Giry glared at her with an obvious hate. "Keep the hand at the level of your eyes, Mademoiselle - He is displeased!" She hiss-sang and left the corridor. Leaving Ana looking around with a giggle. "They sing everything!" Ana went on to see Christine sobbing hysterically like a toddler having a hissy fit with Meg rubbing her shoulders. "THE ANGEL WILL BE SO ANGRY, SHE STOLE THE PART IT WASN'T MY FAULT, MY ANGEL!" Her crying just grew whilst Meg looked around; "Who is this strange Angel?" Her voice was so soft as she sang. They both saw her with a glare and Ana performed an awkward bow. "I didn't mean to." But Christine sobbed harder. "IT'S NOT MY FAULT!" She cried in a loud throaty sing-songy voice. Ana felt awkward again. "Okay...Listen, did you hear about the Patron? The Vic-.." Christine suddenly perked up, wiping her eyes with the backs of her hand. "RAOUL?" She gasped like a child excited. "He's looking for you, he said he wants to see Little Lotte." And with that Christine ran like an excited child in the other direction and Ana sighed in relief. Meg meanwhile remained and sighed. "Who is this strange Angel?" She sung again, looking at her feet. "You have such a Phantom-Fetish Meg, seriously. Calm yourself before you turn into a crazed hooker who shoots her best friend in a fit of madness after dancing in a cute little bathing suit." Ana spoke casually, not noticing Meg's confused glance. "Any-who I need to go get ready!"

With that, Ana took her leave and found herself a short while after on a stage, singing gracefully to the audience until the curtains dipped. She went to take her bow and found herself pelted repeatedly with Roses. Like a swarm of roses at her feet. She kissed her hands and acted as if she were about to cry when the Managers gave her a large bouquet of flowers on the stage. After the final bow's Ana found retreat in the dressing room.

Which was covered in lots and lots and lots..of flowers.

"Oh great." Ana put the flowers down on the floor, leaving them there to lie down on the bed. The corset she was forced in was uncomfortable, the wig itchy and the skirts heavy. Luckily for her a dressing lady came in and got her out of it all and into a floor length robe. Now, a sensible girl would've sat at the mirror and brushed her hair in the same fashion that Christine did, but Ana being Ana, she flounced around in the room and span repeatedly as the robe was swooshy. Which was fine until she heard a lock. Then the candles blew out. "Oh shi-.."

"INSOLENT GIRL, YOU FOOLISH DANCER, STEALING CHRISTINE'S GLORY, IGNORANT FOOL YOU BRAVE YOUNG SINGER, STEALING MY TRIUMPH!" He sung loudly, and the way he did it was as if he was exactly next to hear ear. "Ow." Ana frowned and rubbed her ear, she wasn't too sure what he was expecting but she followed Christine's footsteps; "Phantom I hear you, speak, I listen - I wish to see you clearer, Phantom I already know your secret - You're standing behind the mirror!" Ana had to stop herself laughing as she sang, although she had gathered it was the way of this place, singing everything (She heard one of the chefs singing about bread earlier "Bread, Bread I have to make more bread!") it still made her laugh.

There was silence. No more singing, or leading her down a path. No seductive body rubbing for Ana.

She was rather disappointed until a hand came around her throat and the other across her mouth. "Scream and it will be your last!" A dark voice at her ear hissed viciously in a low singing timbre. "Scream and too late you'll find prudent silence was wise.." He sang again and Ana noticed her world fading around her. It was when she moved her lips she felt a rag and not leather.

The Phantom Chloroformed her!