atop 'is outfit, and I could see large ears poppin' out the top, and I could see them glow'n eyes inside those black 'oles in the skull. I swear' that they 'ere burning like the flames of 'ell!"

   Once he made this encounter public, everyone suddenly thought it as fact. This vague description of the ghost seemed to heighten the mysteriousness and infamy of this specter that wore gentledog's clothing. This seemed to solidify a few assumptions made by the believers of the ghost. This ghost was male, the shadowy mist everyone saw was his black cape blowing past them, and he wore a face of death. This could easily send shivers up anyone's spine. Just the thought of this ghost actually being physical scared some of the employees. If he could leave markings with his claws, he could probably leave them on your face.

   Whilst this encounter with the ghost was rather disturbing to the staff, another encounter was far more terrifying than what the scene-shifter saw in the rafters. A dog named Pampin, one of the dogs that worked down in the cellars of the opera, whose primary job was to heat the entire opera house by shoveling coal into large furnaces.

   "I was busy doing my regular thing," he said, as he complained to the manager that same day, sweat dripping down his face as he shook with fright, "and I was taking a break, and while I was wiping my face with a cloth, I went over to the side next to a passageway near the furnaces, and as I was shaking off some of the coal that was on my body, my ears perked up as I heard what sounded like an organ playing in the distance. I noticed that it was coming from the corridor I was standing next to. Curious, I was almost entranced by the music that I decided to check where it was coming from. However, my curiosity got the better of me, and as I slowly poked my head inside the corridor, I heard an ear-splitting scream, and I screamed in horror as I saw a head engulfed in fire coming my way with incredible speed! So, I turned tail and ran right out of the cellars. It was the most frightening thing I'd ever seen!"

   Such a strange encounter, isn't it? Much like the Buquet incident, this encounter was somehow tied with the Opera Ghost, and it also became known as fact. These rumors of the ghost soon became known throughout the Canine's staff, and they soon told their friends, and they told their friends. Eventually, everyone had either heard of or mentioned the ghost him alongside their regular line of talk and gossip. The superstitious soon believed it all to be true, and they said if you managed to catch a glimpse of the ghost when you went the opera house, then you were going to catch an unfortunate case of bad luck. Of course, many of the non-believers merely scoffed it off as some kind of scary story.

   Despite the ghost rumor, it was only passed around amongst the actors, actresses, chorus members, ballet pups, other staff members, so it was somewhat unknown to the upper-class dogs that attended the Opera. This did not limit the sightings of the ghost, however. The ghost was still being seen by anyone that wandered the halls alone, and in short span of time, the Canine became a "haunted house" of sorts, as strange supernatural phenomenon suddenly went on in the Canine. Gas lamps would flicker on and off, heads of statues would turn; a few dogs would suddenly become tripped up by a strange force as they fell flat on their face. Whether this was due to some kind of strange prank, no one was for sure. However, the staff merely said it was the ghost's fault, using him as a kind of scapegoat for the strange occurrences that seemed to appear almost every day of the week.

   The story that I'm going to tell you takes place after the ghost myth became apparent, and how it was strangely integrated in the rather odd love affair between a rich, upper-class dog and his opera singer fiancée. As it has been several years since the events of this story took place, it is still remembered by many dogs everywhere that were still around during a time when the ghost soon became an actual threat to the entire city of Paris. Who was this ghost, and why did he wish to stalk the shadows of the Opera Canine, and if he did have some kind of connection between the Daae and Chagny case, what was this arterial motive?

   In order for us to find out, please come along with me, as I reveal to you the true story of the Hybrid of the Opera.

Chapter 1

   The events of our story first occurred on August 15th, 1885, during the time in which the elderly, grey colored husky named Monsieur Frederic Levefre, had decided to retire from his role as Manager of the Opera Canine. To be frank, Monsieur Levefre seemed rather relieved to be out of the job. His reason for retirement was unknown to his fellow employees, but one could guess it was due to his age, and the old, grey husky definitely looked like he deserved to take a much needed vacation. (Of course, if one had worked as such a place for a seemingly long 8 years, they couldn't imagine why.)

   Some of the employees of the Canine, who had known the grey husky for quite a while, immediately planned to throw a retirement party for the manager. Monsieur Levefre accepted the idea, and announced that it would occur after the yearly Gala performance at the Canine.

   Ah, yes, Le Gala de'l Opera was definitely an occasion many would not want to pass up. It was a yearly celebration that held tribute to all the great composers of the Classical Era, which would showcase various works and pieces by some of the best musicians from that era. Only the ones that were invited were allowed to go to such an event, and it seemed like most of Paris's upper class would be attending that evening. Several of them were connoisseurs of the Opera, and had attended the Canine several times before. So they were no doubt excited to find that for the last part of the performance, the famed singer La Carlotta, the Prima Donna of the Opera Canine, and had been the leading soprano for the past 5 seasons, would be performing one of her best known arias.

   At about 8:00 PM, the doors to the Grand Theater were opened to the public, and everyone present took their seats, their fans and brochures in paw. The Grand Theater of the Opera Canine was no doubt the main focal point of the entire House. There were approximately 1,979 red velvet seats, with balconies that stretched almost all across the back of the theater over to the stage, with the frames of the theater made entirely out of gold, including the outline of the stage, which was covered by a velvet red curtain with golden linings. The top part of the stage was a wondrous sight to see, as it held golden statues of angels, which looked down at the audience below. Above the theater held a magnificent circular ceiling painted with stunning green, red, yellow, and purple figures of men, women, children, and featured some of the famous sights of Paris. And in the middle of the ceiling, a long, sturdy chain held a massive, 2,000 pound chandelier, decked in golden candles and lyres.

   Once everyone took their seats, they talked amongst themselves as they waited for the performance to start. One pair of dogs had placed themselves in the bottom box near the stage, with one of them (a black furred husky with white paws) reading a brochure, whilst the other (a malamute husky with black and white fur) had placed his head in his paws, which were resting on the railing of the balcony. He hadn't exactly planned to be there, but due to him and his brother's status, they were mostly obliged to go.

   "Stephen, please sit in you seat properly," He ordered, looking over at his brother, as he placed the brochure on his lap, "You know that I'm here as I am the Canine's newest patron, and we are to show our deepest respect for this place, so please take your paws off the rail." The black colored husky brother, known as Philippe de Chagny, had been invited by the manager to the Gala, and Philipe, thinking that it would be a good experience for his younger malamute brother; he had literally dragged him to the Canine for the Gala. Of course, being the way that he was, the black and white husky was definitely going to give his older sibling some trouble all throughout the night.

   "It's Steele, brother." He replied annoyingly, as he sat back in his chair, folding his arms. "You should know that I'm not one to take part in these…social events. I would much rather be at home right now, if you want to know the truth. You owe me, Philippe." The older husky merely chuckled in response, having already been used to his brother's attitude. He knew he'd get over it eventually.

   Comte Philippe de Chagny and Vicomte Stephen de Chagny, were the brother's of one of the most richest families in Paris: The Chagny's. They had quite the reputation of not only having a massive amount of inheritance wealth, but also had a status in the armed forces. When Philippe was his brother's age, he had been given the position of General in the French Army, and served for several years until he decided to move back to his home estate in Paris, which was a part of the more upper-class section of Paris. When his brother was born, Philippe saw great potential in his brother, and wanted him to be a soldier, and possibly a General such as himself.

   Unfortunately, their mother got in the way, and to his dismay, spoiled the young Vicomte, and when this mixed with his social status, it turned him into a rather brash young fellow that always kept his