Welcome to Gaia! ::

In the hallway outside of the storage room, Firmin and Andre stood discussing the group of ballet girls who had just rounded the corner. Lefevre had excused himself from the conversation, saying he really just had to finish some paperwork before tonight. Suddenly, the new managers heard a booming laugh that seemed to be coming from the walls.

Badly startled, Firmin called out. "Lefevre? Monsieur Lefevre, is that you?"

No answer.

This time Andre spoke up, "Lefevre? We know it's you... aha, you got us good, you really did! You can come out now! ... Monsieur...?"

There was still no response; the pair could hear nothing save their own breahing and the dim, far-away sounds of the preperation for the coming gala.

"That really was a great joke... very well done... Andre, why don't we.. just... go out to the stage?" Firmin managed a small smile, trying to convince himself more than Andre that they were the victims of a practical joke.

"Yes... the stage... a good idea, Firmin... very good indeed..."

With one more quick look behind, Andre and Firmin hurried down the hall the way the ballerinas had went.

Antoinette looked around.

" You've changed Erik...So much........"

Antoinette walked onto the stage area. A silent tear flowed down her cheek.

Vicomte Raoul de Chagny rounded the corner of the Opera House he was now the patron of. His love of the arts had landed him the job. The excitment of his meeting with the new managers left him anxious and fidgety. He stopped his horses at the entrance and leaped down from his carriage. It was here that the Messieurs Firmin and Andre met him...

Andre and Firmin were now at the entrance of the Opera Populaire, watching as the Vicomte De Changy desended from his carriage. If they were anxious or figety at all as aftermath of the laugh they had heard in the hallway, it didn't show, as they went up to their new patron smiling widely.

"Welcome, Vicomte!" Firmin greeted him warmly, and Andre followed suit with the pleasantries.

"I hope all is well?"

The booming, high pitched voice of the starlet of the Opera Populaire filled the stage as she sang in that crimson red dress, her face smeared with the heavy stage make-up, hiding her true facial features.Carlotta rolled her eyes as she finished the last note of the song, snapping her fingers for either Obaldo or Andiamo to bring her spray. "This dress is very big on me!! You think I'm fat or something, eh?! Make it tighter!" She yelled at the woman in charge of costumes, her spanish accent rather strong in her speech, cursing under her breath in spanish words about untalented fools.

Antoinette forced a smiled. Seeing Carlotta wanted to make her cry. Mme. Giry should get some cotton from the maids.

" Carlotta!! You are in the way!"

(( She's Italian ))

Meg winced as Carlotta sang loudly and proudly. She looked at Christine with a horrified face. She laughed lightly and wondered why Christine wasn't up there instead of Carlotta. She looked at her mother, who'd been looking at her, and noticed the stern look on her face telling her to stop laughing because she was being rude, even though Meg knew her mother felt the exact same way.