Phantom of the Gala

Chapter 2: The Show

Chapter 2

That night, it was opening night. Fluttershy had to learn everything about her character. She barely paid attention to Rarity's parts, which made it even harder to remember her lines. She still pulled it all off. She pushed back her stage fright and when she sang she pretended it was just her and her teacher. Only she didn't exactly know what her teacher looked like.

“There will never be a day, when I don't think of you,” Fluttershy sang from the stage. The words simply just flutter out of her mouth. If she didn't love animals so much, her cutie mark would surely be a microphone or something with singing.

In one of the opera boxes, there was a dragon by the name of Spike de Dragonne. He was the son of a very wealthy family. When he was little he used to play with Fluttershy. As he was watching the performances he recognized her. Fluttershy?, he thought. Is that true? She might not remember me, but I remember her.

“Promise me, that sometimes you will think of me!” Fluttershy sang her last note. She sang out. Her beautiful angelic voice filled the whole Opera House with tears. She bowed and got off the stage.

“That was wonderful!” Twilight praised her.

“Thank you Madame Sparkle,” Fluttershy said. “I tried my best.”

“You surely did,” Twilight said.

Fluttershy smiled and started to walk back to the dressing room. Sweetie Belle saw her and ran up to her. “That was beautiful, Fluttershy,” Sweetie Belle told her.

“Thank you so much,” Fluttershy said.

“Who is your teacher?” she asked.

Fluttershy shrugged. “My father said that when he died that an angel will come and find me,” she told her. “When I sing I can feel the angel. I think he's here right now.”

“Um, okay,” Sweetie Belle said awkwardly. “I don't see any angel in here.”

“Angel of Music! You can guide me!” Fluttershy said in a sing-songy voice. She closed her eyes and smiled.

“Angel of... music?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“He is here,” Fluttershy said quietly.

“Are you okay?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“He is so close,” Fluttershy said to herself.

“You don't look so good.”

They were then stopped by Twilight Sparkle. “Sweetie Belle, do you want to be a professional dancer?” she asked.

“Yes, mother, it is my biggest dream,” Sweetie Belle told her mom.

“Then go and practice with the others,” Twilight ordered. Sweetie Belle nodded and quickly went over to the other dancers. Twilight watched Sweetie Belle go over. She then looked at Fluttershy and handed her a note. “It's for you.”

Fluttershy took it and went into her dressing room. She opened it. She read it, “Red scarf... the attic... picnic.” She then set the note down and changed out of her costume.

* * *

Meanwhile, Celestia, Luna, and Spike were talking about the show. “Wasn't that splendid?” Luna asked.

“Oh yes, and I haven't heard one complaint,” Celestia said. “It was a good idea to put Miss Fluttershy as the leading mare.”

“Certainly,” Luna agreed. They walked down the hallway to the dressing rooms. “Here you go Monsieur de Dragonne. You wanted to see Miss Fluttershy?”

“Yes, thank you,” Spike told them. “You can leave now.” Celestia and Luna then turned around and left. “Fluttershy? Your scarf?” he asked through the door.

“Excuse me?” she asked.

“The scarf I rescued from the river?” Spike asked trying to regain her memory. “Don't tell me you lost it.”

Fluttershy opened the door and saw Spike standing there. She hugged him. “Spike! Oh I haven't seen you in awhile,” Fluttershy told him.

Spike hugged her back. “Remember all those picnics in the attic?” Spike asked.

“With my father playing the cello?” Fluttershy asked. They both smiled at each other and hugged again. “Remember how my father always talked about the Angel of Music?”

“Yes,” Spike answered.

“Well, I've been visited by him,” Fluttershy told him.

Spike smiled. “Come on, let's go get some dinner,” he said. “I know of the best place in all of Canterlot.”

“I can't,” she told him. “The Angel of Music has rules, you know.”

“It won't take long,” Spike tried to persuade her.

Fluttershy shook her head. “No,” she replied. Spike then turned and left. He walked down the hall. Fluttershy watched him for a few seconds. She then closed the doors to her dressing room. She closed the door and all the lights in the room went out. Fluttershy got scared and looked around.

“Ignorant fool, this slave of fashion, basking in your glory,” a deep soothing voice sang. Fluttershy looked around trying to see where the voice was coming from. “This brave young suitor, sharing in my triumph.”

Fluttershy then sees the silhouette of a strange looking goat dragon creature. She was scared at first, then she thought it was probably the Angel. “Angel I hear you speak, I listen. Stay by my side guide me,” Fluttershy sang back to it. “Angel, my soul is weak, forgive me. Enter at last, master.”

“Flattering child you shall know me,” he sang. “See why in shadows, I hide! Look at your face in the mirror, I am there inside!”

Fluttershy stepped closer to the mirror and saw he was not a silhouette anymore, he was now completely visible. He was strange looking. He had different animal parts all around his body, and he wore a white mask on the left side of his face.

“Angel of Music, hide no longer,” Fluttershy sang. “Come to me, strange angel.”

“I am your angel of music,” he sang drawing Fluttershy in. “Come to your Angel of Music.”

Spike could hear what was happening. He rushed to her dressing room door. He tried to open it, but it was locked. “Fluttershy! Fluttershy! Who is in there with you? Fluttershy!” he yelled from the other side of the door.

Fluttershy hadn't paid any attention to Spike. Instead she was staring into the eyes of this strange animal looking thing. The “Angel of Music” held out his hand for her. Fluttershy put her hoof into it and he pulled her through he mirror.

“Fluttershy!” Spike yelled from the outside, but it was too late. She couldn't hear him.