The Man Clad in Black (Phantom of the Opera)

A Familiar Face - Chapter 4

"Wait a moment..." Meg murmured. Before anything else could be said, she got extremely close to you in order to examine your features, and you were barely able to flinch away. That didn't stop her though. She examined your eyes, nose, mouth, ears - everything.

She nearly screamed once she realized who you were.

"[Y/N]!" she shrieked, pulling you into an enormous hug. You hugged her back just as tightly, and simply the rosy smell of her perfume took you back decades... Or a decade.

You two had grown up together. While you moved far away - too soon to remember the streets of Paris - you couldn't forget the face of your childhood best friend.

Your father and her mother were always close. They always enjoyed each other's company, whether it be working at the opera house or trying to choreograph a dance.

You and Meg just happened to follow your parents' friendship.

Like your parents had, you would do everything together. You were each other's dance partner, fencing pal, and "princess sister -" there was nothing that could ever separate the two of you.

Except for a continental movement.

"I never thought I'd see you again!" Meg shrieked, peppering your face with friendly kisses. It was a habit she picked up from her mother.

"There was a change of plans!" you chuckled, simply accepting your fate.

"I wrote to you every day, and you never - why didn't you answer?" Of course, she was feigning hurt, as she was only overjoyed that you were here now.

"My mother gave the wrong address!" you said with a laugh, shaking your head.

"But where were you? Did you get a job! Or - even better - find a man to marry?"

"No Meg!" you chuckled. "I just kept practicing fencing and ballet- for your sake." Her face lit up when you mentioned your old childhood activities.

"I should be the same as I always was... How many years has it been? Ten maybe?"

The last time you saw her was when you were still in elementary school, so that sounded about right.

Meg was still screaming inside from how overjoyed she was to see you. She did a little hop and balled her hands up into fists, then dancing around excitedly.

"Come with me! You'll be able to see all of the dancers, and - oh! You'll be able to meet Christine!"

"Tell me all about her while we're walking!" you grinned, beginning to follow the girl's excited lead.

She seemed to talk your ear off on the way to the stage. She stopped to talk with a few of the costume ladies, then asking for a spare dress (for your sake). They only turned up with a hideously green gown, although you weren't going to complain. It was better than being labeled as a whore when talking to people.

As soon as you made it backstage, now wearing an emerald dress a size to big, you had managed to make through a pool of cast members and to the girl whom Meg had spoken to you about.

"Christine! This is the girl I was telling you about - [Y/N]!"

You smiled and waved politely, and to your surprise, the Daaé girl (apparently her father was a violinist) returned the wave.

"I've heard many good things about you, [Y/N]," Christine said with a smile. "And your father is a very good man."

You were glad that he had kept a good reputation of himself.

"Thank you, Mademoiselle," you smiled, tucking a strand of hair behind your ear. You opened your mouth to say something, although you were soon interrupted by who you assumed to be the manager.

He began to address the rumors of his retirement, and while you began to lose interest after just a few words, he confirmed that they were all true.

Almost everyone began to murmur amongst themselves until a sharp crack echoed throughout the opera house.

Everyone's eyes were fastened on a slightly older woman, whose hair was tightly braided and out of her face. You immediately recognized her pout.

Madame Giry.

You were glad that, even though you had been gone for so long, she still maintained her strict manner and could strike fear into the ballerina's hearts... Or anyone's, for that matter.

You would talk to her later.

Soon enough, the new managers emerged. The two of them - Firmin and André - were two older men with kind faces. Everyone applauded. You almost felt bad for the two - anyone with a kind face would always be toyed with.

Another man emerged. By some standards (and seemingly those of the female cast members, as they began to whisper amongst each other and giggle), he was considered handsome. His hair was a little long, but somehow, he managed to pull it off.

He was soon identified as the Vicomte de Changy, and even Christine seemed to hop on board with fawning over him. She whispered something to Meg, although when the Vicomte passed by her without a second glance, she muttered something to which Meg replied something along the lines of, "he probably didn't see you!"

To showcase what they had, the cast members were called to places, and you were left in the wings.

What now?

You were considering talking with Madame Giry, although she seemed to jump onto the idea first.

"[Y/N]," the woman's voice said, causing you to jump and abruptly turn to face her. Upon getting a closer look, you realized that she looked almost exactly the same as she had when you left - simply with a more mature face.

"Madame Giry," you murmured with a smile, tucking a strand of hair behind your ear.

Her strict lips parted into a small smile, although instead of pulling you close and kissing your face thousands of times like she used to, she simply placed a hand under your chin and examined your face.

"You've grown up quite well, [Y/N]," she said with a nod, dropping her hand. "I feel old... You're such a beautiful young woman now - does your father know you're here?"

"No, Madame," you said, shaking your head. "It was supposed to be a surprise."

Madame Giry nodded.

"Very well then... I will not say anything to him," she said with a small smile. She seemed to glance upward a little, almost as if she were looking for something in the railing, although she was quick to look back to you."I'm glad to see you back, [Y/N]. You and your father were the only things that kept me sane."

You couldn't help but chuckle. You knew how rowdy the cast members could be - especially after seeing how they acted now.

"Well, Madame, it was lovely seeing you once again - I have to go find my father now, although I hope that we will cross paths soon."

She nodded again, her signature pout once again playing on her face.

"I hope so too."

Before anything else could be said, the both of you were on your separate paths - you were moving out to the house in order to try and find your father in one of the sections, and Madame Giry was back to stretching.

As you hurried along, nearly tripping over your green dress, you stopped as soon as you heard a loud, unanimous scream from the cast members.

One of the backdrops had fallen upon the ever-so-annoying diva.

Something told you that this was no accident.