Phantom: A REYLO Phantom of the Opera

Chapter 10: Prima Dona

"Signora sing for us," pleaded Finn again, his hands clasped in front of him. He was running out of tricks. "Don't be a martyr, be our star." He really hoped Poe could think of something clever. Luckily, he did. "Your public needs you," said Poe with a twitch of a smile, "We need you, too." Finn also twitched a little smile but tried to conceal it so not to ruin the grovelling facade. Carlotta pouted and crossed her arms, unconvinced. "Wouldn't you rather have your precious little ingénue?", she asked bitterly.

"Signora, no!" gasped Poe

"The world wants you,' tried Finn. Carlotta continued to pout. Poe raised his hands in the air, "Picture this: Prima Dona, first lady of the stage, your devotees are on their knees to implore you!" Carlotta began to walk out of the office, unamused. Finn ran up behind her saying, "Can you bow out when they're shouting your name?"

"Think of how they all adore you," said Poe smoothly. Carlotta continued to strut away but they had her attention. After all, a Prima Dona required special treatment. "Prima Dona, enchant us once again," continued Poe.

"Think of your muse," added Finn who was interrupted by Poe saying,

"And of your queues around the theatre!" Carlotta was definitely listening, Hux in tow also listening to what they had to say. "Can you deny us the triumph in store?" continued Poe.

"Sing for us, Prima Dona, once more," begged Finn. Carlotta stopped walking, Finn, Poe and Hux almost crashing into her. Finn and Poe smiled at each other - they had convinced her.

Raoul hung back, ignoring the pleas of the managers to Carlotta, only thinking about Rey. "Rey spoke of an angel..." he thought to himself. "Is this her angel of music? Could there be a connection between the O.G. and Rey's supposed angel?"

Finn and Poe continued their grovelling. Carlotta glided to her dressing room saying, "Prima Dona," she liked the way it sounded. "Your song shall live again!" She smirked as she thought, "You took a snub but there's a public who needs you! Think of their cry of undying support, follow where the limelight leads you!" Poe and Finn continued to follow behind, handing out copies of the opera to those they passed. They kept up with their grovelling, "Think of your public" and "Those who hear your voice liken you to an angel!" Poe whispered to Finn as they walked, "We get our opera and she gets her limelight!" Finn whispered back,

"Leading ladies our a trial!" Finn was genuinely fed up. "Did they really have to put up with this?" he thought. "Rey was so much nicer and easier to work with!" Finn sighed as Carlotta continued to babble on to everyone she saw, "Prima Dona, my song will never die, I'll sing again and to an unending ovation! Think how I'll shine in that final encore, sing Prima Dona once more!"

"Lunatic demands are a regular occurrences! Surely there'll be further scenes and worse than this!" thought Finn. "What would be easier?" he thought."Letting Carlotta sing and all this grovelling or just letting Rey sing? Although, either way someone was going to be unhappy and there was always going to be drama! They handed out scripts to passing performers and backstage workers, giving a false wide smile to everyone who passed as if it would hide the drama. "Who'd believe," spoke Poe breaking the silence between the two, "a diva would relieve a chorus girl who's gone and slept with the patron!"

"Do you really believe that is what has happened? She doesn't seem like that kind of girl," replied Finn, unconvinced by Poe's words.

 "Finn, my buddy, while Raoul may reject these observations, he must have been with her! I mean where else could Rey have been?" Finn nodded handing out another script. Poe was probably right. Finn laughed lightly, "You'd never get away with this in a play but if it's loudly sung and in a foreign tongue, it's just the sort of story audiences adore!" Poe clapped him on the back, "Now you're getting it! It's a perfect opera! Drama and love, all in a different language in a galaxy somewhere!"