(Untitled)

[fiendsoncue]

[OOM: On stage in the Ankh-Morpork Opera House, the two Ghosts face off... Most dialogue taken directly from Maskerade by Terry Pratchett.]

The door flies open.

There should, it seems, be a crash of thunder lit by a flare of lightning sillhouetting a dark cloaked figure in the doorway... But there isn't.

The figure is dark and cloaked, however,

Comments

[buriedmybrother]

Antigone has finished her ice cream by now, and is frowning down thoughtfully at a notebook.

Her eyes widen in alarm as the figure bursts through the door nearly in front of her, and she can't help but think that the face is familiar--

[feintsoncue]

He can. If the narrative demands it. If, in any particular case, it would be more Operatic.

Now? Possibly not.

The Ghost is on top form, circling his opponent, maybe even playing with him, putting on a show, drawing an audience.

People must see the imposter being defeated.

[fiendsoncue]

Infuriated, Salzella falls back a little, slashing wildly at his opponent

Matters are getting out of his control. He can't bear it! It's is all going so wrong - so operatically!! How can he change that?!!!

Of course... Innocent hostage!!!!! Wildly, the man-dressed-as-Ghost lunges and grabs at the nearest patron.

"Aha!"

[balletrat]

*Meg has just come into the bar, innocently oblivious to any and all Operatic events occurring in the main bar.

When suddenly, her arm is grabbed and a sword pointed at her, and to top it all off she's faced with not one, but two bloody Opera Ghosts.*

Thoroughly exasperated:* Oh, va te faire enculer!

[feintsoncue]

The Ghost is not going to let anyone be taken hostage by the imposter!

He slides his sword inside the blade of his opponent's, flicking it away while offering a gloved hand towards the ballerina.

In the next second he's spun her out gracefully of the villian's clutches into his own arm, before releasing her into the saftey of the crowd.

With a headless rose. Because that's Opera.

[balletrat]

*Meg stares at the headless rose as she backs quickly out of the way of the battling Ghosts.

It's . . . a stem. With prickles.

Meg does not feel that this is adequate recompense for being grabbed and menaced, and will be complaining to the management.*

[fiendsoncue]

What. The.

Salzella snarls in utter fury. That was just so- so operatic it can hardly have been real!!

The man lunges forward at Walter, rapier swinging dangerously.

[feintsoncue]

The Ghost parries.

The Ghost parries well. Everything the imposter can throw at him, he parries.

Until the idiot leaves a space open and he thrusts.

And he doesn't go under the arm.

[faintsoncue]

The door opens!

A soprano walks in!!

The soprano sees two Opera Ghosts fighting!!!

The soprano screams!!!!

She staggers back, the back of one hand against her pale brow and collapses in an elegant heap of skirts just outside the door!!!!!

The door closes.

[fiendsoncue]

Salzella doubles over, staggering to keep standing. He's in rather a lot of pain.

Well. That's new.

"Perhaps you have had the good grace to do it properly this time," he hisses at Walter. "The dramatic showdown! The villain's final defeat!! But it didn't work before, did it? Ahahaha- ha!"

He waves his own rapier weakly at the surrounding watchers - the audience. "One thing! I'll be away from all of you! Finally! I never met a bunch so miserably operatic!! Melodrama dictates your every waking thought! You!"

A wavering rapiertip levels itself at Lister.

"How can one possibly be killed by another you! It makes no sense!! None of you make any sense- Don't get me started on you!" He glares viciously in the general direction of one Nick De Brabant, one hand clutched to his bleeding stomach.

[last_human]

Lister stares at the rapier tip. Then at the masked Ghost. then at the other masked Ghost.

"'Ey! Who're you t'talk about bein' killed by yerself?"

[eternal_boy]

Nick just blinks. He's not quite sure what he did this time, but he's infinitely willing to believe he did it and that it's his fault and thus, doesn't respond.

Guilt takes effort.

[fiendsoncue]

"All of you," he continues, hardly noticing Dave's objection, "All of you could be the subjects of an Epic with no embellishments!! Yes, I am talking to you!!!"

From the sweep of his rapier, he could be adressing the entire bar, but he glares particularly hard at Roshaun.

"Agh- and don't think I don't mean you too, Miss Giry!"

He can't see where she has got to, but he's damned if he's letting her get away with it!!!

[royal_guarantor]

Roshaun stares at him disdainfully.

"I didn't ask to be born to the Sunlord, you know."

[fiendsoncue]

"It's foolish!" he continues, ignoring the boy.

"I can only be glad to be rid of it all, it-"

He frowns at his stomach. Though bleeding, it certainly doesn't seem to be too serious.

Walter ran him right through.

"And for all that, you cannot even do this right?!!!" he exclaims incredulously. After a pause, with a slightly puzzled expression, he stumbles melodramatically, and collapses to the floor.

[and_far_away]

Sharpe swears and tries - again - to get through to them.

He fails.