Freed has been frequenting a gay strip club to watch his favorite dancer, "Thor." He hears that Thor is about to get fired because his gruff ways don't get him customers. Freed can save his job, but only by hiring this blond dancer who, up until now...
A quick note for anyone unfamiliar with "Phantom of the Opera." The Phantom is a musical genius with a deformed face who wears a mask and calls himself the Angel of Music to deceive the heroine, Christine. The love interest is Raoul, Vicomte de Chagny, a nobleman and childhood friend of the chorus-girl-turned-opera-star, Christine Daaé. Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical includes a love duet between Raoul and Christine, "All I Ask of You." In the story, the Phantom has many commands for the managers of "his" opera house, including that Box 5 be left empty. Some of the lines in this chapter come from the songs in the musical. I highly recommend the book, the musical, or the film of the musical with Gerard Butler as the Phantom.
Audio: http://chirb.it/qPnaG6(You've got to hear Laxus sing! I don't do justice to what I imagine in my head.)
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
When Freed said he adored the music of Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber, he should have said "fanboy-for-life with major obsession issues including a closet full of cosplay outfits, from Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat to School of Rock, with outfits for Evita, Sunset Boulevard, Jesus Christ Superstar, and too-many-to-be-sane outfits for Cats." So when he showed up at the Magnolia Opera House, not in his regular nice clothes, but in a cape and white mask, Laxus literally face-palmed.
"Really, Freed? Really?" he muttered. "This is why it took you so long? This is why you kicked me out and said you'd meet me here?"
Freed gave an exuberant bow, swirling his cape. "I aim only to inspire."
"Freed, quit it," Laxus grumbled. He sighed and shook his head. "Shit, I should have known you were up to something weird."
He grinned and grabbed around Laxus' arm. "It's Phantom. This is seriously my favorite musical of all-time. The other times I've gone have been with my family. There was no way I could dress up." He bounced on his toes. "Now, I can finally live out a dream of mine."
"To dress like a murderer who seduces young actresses?"
He scoffed and held his chin high. "You wouldn't understand."
"Obviously not. I swear, if you jump up and dance in the aisles during Masquerade, I'll throw you over my knee and spank you in front of everyone."
Freed laughed and entered the opera house in high spirits. Laxus immediately went to the will-call booth and gave his name for the tickets in wait. He accepted them and passed one over to Freed. He looked down, curious what sort of seats Laxus managed to get to opening night and on such short notice. As he saw the seating number, Freed's boyish grin cracked. He stopped dead in the middle of the foyer, staring down at the ticket. Then he glanced up sadly at Laxus, who was busy glancing around, trying to find where they sold the wine.
