Pepi, the Countess | Pepi, La Condesa - A Classicaloid fanfic

Pepi, the Countess

A sharp scream made all windows of Otowa tremble. Then Kanae hung up the phone. "Little kitten! What happened?" Liszt screamed as she run towards the girl. Gasping for air she arrived at her side. As rarely happened, Kanae accepted her tight hug.

"She's resting in her room. She's sobbing and won't open the door" Souske said staring at the second floor balcony to the inhabitants of the manor house in the parlor. Himeka appeared from the kitchen carrying a mug with steamy content and went upstairs. Everyone followed her and waited expectant behind her back as the mother knocked on her daughter's door. "Kanae? A hot green tea will do you good". From the aisle the rattle of metals and tubes attracted everyone's attention. They all turned and found Beto holding his favorite flamethrower and pointing it to the door. "Girl! I'll enter either way!" Souske wrestled him to the floor to snatch the flamethrower from him. "Kanae? Are you sad because you're bored? Let's go party tonight! I'll buy you a night gown and a heavy padded bra". Everyone burned Motz with their eyes, he rose his eyebrows and smiled like an innocent child. "Dear landlady", the voice of Schu-san sounded from behind the group, " is there anything we can do for you?" he said and jostled his way before the closed door. "Pow pow!" Souske sang with a falsetto as he danced with his hands pointing at the roof, "That will cheer her up!" The floor and windows buzzed and cracked as Schu-san transformed himself into The Great and breaking the roof in thousand pieces, he stretched to the skies. Catchy reggae music filled every corner. The Great saw from high above Souske dancing on the second floor aisle. Yet Kanae's door remained closed. From afar the soft arpeggios and chords of a piano opened their way in between the snappy rhythm of "Life is Beautiful". The Great returned to his original size, Himeka giggled as she discovered Schu-san laying naked on his stomach on the floor. Everyone looked around as if searching for the source of the melody. Beethes opened each door of the adjacent bedrooms in the aisle. All were empty but the bedroom at the right of Kanae's, he found Chopin seated at the piano. Everyone run to have a look. "It isn't Musik" Souske noted, "he's just playing the piano". Kanae opened her bedroom door.

"How come Mr. Fujikawa has passed away? Hachiro Fujikawa? Your music teacher?" Himeka said as if gasping for air and seated at the feet of her daughter's bed, she took a long sip from the green tea she had prepared for Kanae. "Yes. They called this morning. They wanted to talk with you but you weren't at home. They didn't want to give me the news directly" Kanae whispered. Sitting on her bed, she hugged her legs and rested her chin on her knees. From the adjacent room Chopin's melody kept on sounding. Kanae stretched her neck and as if she could see Cho-chan through the wall, a weak smile appeared on her lips. "Mr. Fujikawa was like a father to Kanae when..." Souske went silent. "He was like the father my own father couldn't be!" Kanae screamed and let herself fall onto the bed, in fetal position she sobbed. From the aisle, the wheels of the upright piano neared rolling on the wooden floor. Chopin was barely dragging the instrument towards Kanae's bedroom, he opened his way and managed to install it right next to her bed. He went for the stool and took his place before the keyboard. The sweetest softest melody poured out from under the piano's lid, the whole bedroom was filled with music notes flying above everyone's heads. "Nocturne No. 14 in F sharp minor, Op. 48 No. 2 by Fryderyk Chopin composed in..." Souske lower Pad-kun's volume as an instinctive reflex spellbound by the music. "Cho-chan" Liszt muttered. Motz began to dance through the room, turning much like ballet dancers do. Kanae rose her head from the bed, wiped her tears and stared at Chopin with a smile.

"Josephine" Beethes heared in his head. The memory struck him like a bolt of lightning. Beginning of 1804 in Vienna. In January that year his beloved Josephine had become widow. Beethes watched Kanae widemouthed. Tears kept on rolling down her cheeks, yet her countenance showed a temporary peace thanks to Chopin's melody. Beethes watched his music colleague. He saw himself seated at the fortepiano in Palace von Deym at Schwedeplatz in Vienna. Day after day after her loss, he visited her and tried to cheer her up with his music. In the haze of his tinnitus, he could still feel her sob, her younger sister Charlotte holding her hand. Therese, the oldest of them all, seated at the other side taking care of the children who, ignorant about the tragedy of their father's loss, run around the house. "Pepi" Beethes whispered. Schubert was the only one who turned around and didn't believe having ever seen his master with such yearning and hurt written all over his face. In a raspy whisper Beethes called forth his music. "Spielen wir unsere Musik". The mansion disappeared and in its place, a green blossomy spring field manifested itself. Kanae was sitting on the grass, she tried to stand up but stumbled with the floor-long skirt of the pale pink Empire cut dress she was suddenly wearing. Beethes walked towards her and offered her a hand to help her. He dressed like a Dandy of beginning XIX century in Europe. His hair was no longer white, but black instead, curly and messy and he wore long sideburns on his face. His eyes were no longer green, but brown instead. "Shall we walk?" he asked with a smile and his stretched hand towards her. Kanae locked her arm to his and together they walked into the forest at a calm pace. "Andante favori in F, WoO 57" Pad-kun added from afar. "It was composed for piano by Ludwig van Beethoven between the years 1803 and 1804. It was the favorite piece of Countess Josephine von Deym. Her friends and family called her 'Pepi'. It is believed that the theme of this melody sings her name along the Andante: Jo-se-phi-ne. Many biographers consider the Countess von Deym to be Beethoven's 'Immortal Beloved'".

The music reached its end. The field and forest vanished. Everyone were back at the manor house. Beethes clenched his jaw and tightened his fists. His white hairs were back, his leather jacket and ripped jeans, too. Tears were rolling down his cheeks. His gaze darkened under the shadow of his frown. He left the room in the blink of an eye. Kanae was back on her bed, she wore her usual outfit again. She looked at each of her friends and her mother. None seemed to know what had just happened.

"Thank you, Beto-san" Kanae managed to voice before the close door of Beethe's bedroom. She was still clueless as to what had happened the day before, but since then her pain had decreased. She had just prepared Okonomiyaki as sign of gratitude to Chopin. Cho-chan had given her a shy smile and delighted had accepted the pastry. Beethes opened the door and Kanae immediately bowed. "Thank you, Beto-san" she repeated in all solemnity. Beethes uttered a smirk on his lips. "Girl" he whispered. "Pepi, my beloved Pepi".