A/N: I don't own either of them. I've recently become a Phantom fan and wanted to write a fic, and well this is what my twisted mind came up with. Please enjoy!
ooOOoo
A/N: I don't own either of them. I've recently become a Phantom fan and wanted to write a fic, and well this is what my twisted mind came up with. Please enjoy!
ooOOoo
Tonight was the premier of the Phantom's opera. The Paris Opera House was in a buzz of activity. Everyone from stage hands to the ballet dancers were doing final preparations. In the shadows the Phantom himself was getting ready to make his appearance in his opera. He though was not the only one preparing in the shadows. The managers and Raoul had been scheming in quiet since the Phantom had given them his opera at the Masquarade ball. Their original plan was to have the guradsmen in the opera house during the performance and shoot the Phantom when he made his appearance. With much thought though they decided having a bunch of armed guards around would be too obvious, so they had instead opted to hire an assassin to take out the phantom. What better to kill a creature of darkness than with another master of darkness?
ooOOoo
The Phantom chuckled to himself as he saw the Guardsman taking their places as the curtain was about to rise. It still amazed him that these foolish people thought they could get away with killing him. He had ears in every corner of this opera house, of his opera house! He knew of their little scheme from the very beginning. They were in for quite the surprise that was for sure! This would surly be the point of no return!
ooOOoo
The opera had gone off without a hitch. Even with the little time they had been given to prepare it was magnificent. Though no one would admit it, this Phantom was a genius composer. Every audience member was on the edge of their seat when the final song began. Some because they were excited to see the outcome and others because they knew this would have to be when the Phantom made his move. Christine was singing, so he was sure to make an appearance. As her portion of the duet came to an end things were set into motion, because the voice that picked up where she left off was not who it should have been. The Phantom had appeared on stage with her, and those in the audience that figured it out gasped. This was not going as they had thought it would. With the Phantom being on stage those around him, namely Christine, would be in danger. It was at this point in time that the managers hoped the assassin they hired had exceptional abilities, because if not they may end up out of a job.
The assassin waited in the shadows as the masked freak made his appearance singing with the diva. He would wait for the perfect moment to strike. That moment came as the two made their way across the bridge meeting in the middle. A breath before the Phantom came to meet Christine the assassin struck. Sword at the ready he made the plunge from above to skewer the Phantom.
There were many screams in the crowd as a figure dressed in all black appeared from no where from above the lead male of the opera. It didn't take a genius to know what he was attempting. Many closed their eyes not able to watch. When there was no sound of a dead body hitting the ground did they dare reopen their eyes. The sight before them was rather astounding. A small red head in a magenta gi had locked swords with the one in black.
ooOOoo
Lost in the music and the moment singing with Christine he was not on his guard as he normally would have been, should have been. It was not until there was many gasps in the audience and a widening of Christine's eyes did he notice. He only had enough time to give her a look that spoke volumes of his inner turmoil before he would be dead. It was in that split second that his sanity returned and he knew this was for the better. A creature of Hell should be returned there and be allowed nowhere near an angel like her. He resigned himself to death and waited for it with open arms. It never came though as he was roughly shoved aside by a red head that met swords with his attacker. He and Christine both watched in confusion as the two swordsman struggled against each other. They seemed even in power and he couldn't help but be surprised by the small red head's strength. Then in the next moment the assassin was on the ground unconscious. The red head had moved with ungodly speed and knocked the other out with one attack. There was no time for other observations as the red head turned to him and Christine beckoning to them. He was about to object, but Christine went so he decided to follow. Once the three of them were close together did the short man shout.
"Sano now!"
"Fire in the hole!"
Then there was complete darkness and the sensation of falling. The red head had cut the bridge and they had landed on the stage. He had instictivly caught Christine, as he did she fainted promptly. Curse her and her fright of him! He was about to unleash his anger on his supposed savior for dropping them with no word, but he never got the chance as the red head was joined by a Guardsmen. He was instantly on his guard, but the red head spoke quickly with the newcomer and beckoned him to follow. He followed them only because of Christine's safety. The smoke that had come from the smoke bomb was starting to thin and they needed to get out before it was completely gone. As fast as their legs would carry them they made their way out of the Opera House and to a carriage that was waiting for them. A man with hair that reminded him of a rooster joined them in the carriage. He took a seat in the corner and clutched the fainted girl to him. He ignored them as the conversed in a language he vaguely remembered. His sole focus was the angel sleeping in his arms. He savored every moment because he knew this would be the last time he would hold her, and be near her. He was jerked back to reality as the carriage came to a hault and the other occupants hopped out quickly headed for a small house which seemed to be on the far edge of the city. It was the perfect hiding place; he had to give them some credit for it. He picked up Christine and brought her in the house. Before he could even ask where to put her a woman came running down the stairs and tackled the red head. After a short conversation she beckoned for him to follow her back up the stairs. Upstairs there seemed to be four bedrooms and she led him to the first on the right just off the stairs. Once Christine was laid carefully on the bed the woman smiled at him and nodded. He could do nothing but return to the first floor and allow her to attend to Christine.
Once back on the first floor he made his way to a sitting room where he found his rescuers, he had some questions for them.
"She is in good hands now, Miss Karou will take good care of her that she will," said the red head.
"He's right, the missy has learned much from Megumi over the years. Well Kenshin all the excitement has made me tired, I'm going to go to bed," said the one with rooster hair. And then it was just him and the red head.
"You are known as Kenshin then?"
"Yes my name is Kenshin Himura. You are known as the Phantom at the opera house, but what is your real name?"
"Very few have ever bothered with my name too scared to care. It is of no importance. What I would like to know is why you did what you did today."
"I will speak of nothing before I know the name of the person I am speaking to. It is the only right thing."
"If you must know it is Erik."
"That is better, it is a pleasure to meet you Erik. I regret it had to be under these circumstances, but alas here we are. As to the events of this evening I believe you may want to take a seat it will take some time to tell."
"Very well."
The red head spoke for over an hour as to what brought him and his friends to Paris. He was informed that they lived in a dojo in Tokyo, and that the government would request help from him at times. They were looking to be rid of an old assassin from the days of the revolution that racked his home country over ten years prior. He briefly mentioned going after a different assassin a few years prior. Being the person that he is he decided to help the government and so got the first boat to Paris. Apparently his friends would have nothing of him leaving again, so they came as well. After some snooping around by their police officer friend they were able to find out where the assassin was, and what he was planning on doing. This brought them to the present situation.
"We had orginially planned on taking care of the assassin, but then we couldn't just leave you two behind. It would seem that you and the girl have gotten yourselves into quite the perdiciment. We will be staying here a few more days before heading home. Miss Karou wishes to do some shopping before returning home, so you are welcome to stay and figure things out with her."
"You know nothing, so I would advise you to stay out of it. What goes on between me and Christine is of no concern to anyone but us."
"I can respect that, but it would seem it has become a problem for everyone involved at the opera house. I'm am not sure what exactly is going on, but is must be of importance to warrant your death."
"It is only right of them. I am nothing more than a monster that deserves nothing but the firey pits of Hell."
"No one deserves that fate, and it would do yourself better to not speak of such things that you should not."
"Do not speak as if you know or care about me. Death is the only thing I deserve for all I have put Christine through."
"You are right I know nothing of you, but surly she would not want that to be your fate. I would not think so with the way she looked at you as she sang tonight."
"I am not ignorant, she was part of the plan for my death tonight. I have molded her into a fine actress, what you saw tonight was nothing but an act."
"I doubt she would consent to your death. Perhaps you should ask her when she awakes. As to the way she was looking at you, no one can fake that."
"What would you know about it? You are an outsider that knows nothing about either of us, and yet you try and interject you opinion. I will tell you now to watch your mouth if you do not wish to see why they call me a monster!" He said while standing to his full height. His eyes were ablaze and most would have shrunk away, but this small man stared back unflinching. In a way in unnerved him, no one had ever done such a thing. They stood for quite some time locked in a battle of the wills. This small man had a glint in his eye the Phantom had never seen before in another. He finally sat back down and turned away from the small man. It infuriated him that he had actually lost a battle!
"I am only trying to help Erik. I know only what I have gathered while snooping around the opera house the past couple days. What I have gathered has lead me to believe you have lead a complicated and less than easy life."
"If you knew the true extent of it you would not be so insistant on helping. My hands are stained in blood, and I have done things that would give nightmares to grown men. When they call me a monster they are right."
"Perhaps you could share some of your life's story with me?"
"I will not put you or anyone else through the horror that is my life. Come morning I will be gone and you will never have to deal with me again." He said while getting up.
"Do you love her?"
"If a monster such as myself is capable of loving, then yes I do. I allowed myself to become obsessed with her and in the end it only caused her pain. I will leave her life now for good and allow her the life she was meant to live with her lover."
"Do you think it is fair of you to decide her future for her without so much as asking her opinion?"
"It will do no good. I know how much she loves him, and I will not stand in her way any longer. Had things gone as I had planned them tonight I would hate to see what more damaged I would have caused her."
"Then perhaps it was fate that we stepped in. You could be surprised by her Erik. I know how much I whished to protect Miss Karou, but it was her that ended up protecting me. Perhaps if I share my own story you will understand. Will you take a seat?"
He wanted to walk away, but there was something about this stranger that made him curious. There was something hidden in his violet eyes that called to him. Perhaps they were more alike than originally anticipated.
ooOOoo
The harsh glare of the sun told the young singer that morning had come. She tiredly got ready for the day as the events of last night played in her tired head. She had been up late talking with the nice lady known as Karou. At first it had been to calm her down as she remembered the assassination attempt on her angel. She had been so scared to think someone had harmed him or worse killed him. It was then she had gone into hysterics trying to figure out why she even cared when she was marrying Raul. It had taken many hours of talking with Karou to work out the mess she had gotten herself into the last six months. For the first time in those months she woke up with a clear head and the weight that had been on her heart was lifted.
Karou had told her of her own problems with her now husband. How he had been an assassin during their countries revolution, and was almost sent back to his darker side when his predecessor caused havoc again. Their stories were completely different, but their problems were not so much. Both of the men had lived hard lives and as such made being with them not so easy. Karou told her how much she loved Kenshin and why she would always be at his side. Christine had noted that she felt the same things for her angel now that she took the time to understand it. Kenshin was scared to love Karou because of his darker half, and her angel was scared to love her because of his face. She had been such a child back then to run in fear of his face. With the guidance of the older woman she saw the error of her ways and of his as well. With that help she was able to come to a decision for the first time since the mess had started, and for that she was happy. She would have to break one of her two suitors hearts, but it was time to put to rest this endless struggle. With confidence she now possessed, she made her way down to the first floor.
The sight that met her eyes was quite comical. Her new friend was in a heated argument with a boy she had not seen before. They were screaming in their own language and she could not hope to comprehend. Kenshin was trying to calm his wife down only to end up face first into the kitchen wall. Their other friend was shoveling all the food down his throat before his friends finished their argument. Lastly pushed into the corner of the kitchen stood her angel looking very out of place, the way he look solidified that fact that he was indeed a man in her mind. She had never seen him look awkward in all the time she had known him, and it was indeed funny. A small giggle alerted her out of place angel of her presence. He seemed excited and a bit afraid when their eyes met. She nodded toward the door and went outside.
Once outside she leaned over the porch railing and sighed happily.
"You seem better. How are you feeling?" came her angel's voice from behind. She turned around to find him hiding in what little shadow remained on the porch as the sun rose. He seemed hesitant as he spoke to her. His voice didn't hold its normal confidence.
"I am feeling much better thanks to Karou. I want to thank you for catching me last night; I am not sure what have happened had you not been there."
"The performance would have ended as it should have, and you would have gone home in your lovers arms," he said with bitterness in his voice, though his face looked like he regretted what he said.
"Then let us be glad it turned out this way."
"You are saying you are glad it ended up this way and we are once again in each other's presence? I would have thought that last place you wanted to be was anywhere near me."
"Before last night you are right. I wanted nothing to do with you anymore, but after last night that has changed. Had I went home with Raul last night I would not have that clarity in my head that I do now, and my heart would still feel as though it weighed a ton."
"What may I ask could one night have changed?"
"It only took one night and confiding in a stranger to figure out exactly what I wanted. Before last night I was so confused and scared of my own shadow I didn't know what to do with myself. Miss Karou talked for many hours with me and we were able to sort out my confused heart."
"And what is it that you found Christine?"
"That I was running in the wrong direction this entire time, and to the wrong man. It is you and it has always been you that I loved! I was so stupid as a ran from you. You have never done anything to hurt me and yet I ran like you were the devil himself. I was childish in my curiosity of your face, and ended up betraying you in the worst way possible. Oh if you can ever forgive me I am so sorry for all the pain that I have caused you!" she said while finally succumbing to the tears that had threatened for so long.
ooOOoo
He could do nothing but stare in shock as his beloved said the words he had ached to hear from her for years. Even with his talk with the small swordsman last night he did not dare hope for his angel to return his feelings. Just as the red head had said this small girl crying at his feet had surprised him. He lowered himself to the ground and pulled the crying girl into his arms. How good it felt to finally have her here!
"We are both to blame for the pain Christine. I lied to you and betrayed you as well. I will only forgive you if you can find it in your heart to forgive me for the pain I have caused you."
She said nothing in return instead throwing her arms around his neck and kissing him fully on the lips. He was so in shock for a moment he almost forgot to return the kiss. He was so lost in the sensation of her that he didn't notice her remove his mask until he felt her fingers cupping his deformity and kissing it. With this his tears came as his wish for someone to love him fully was granted. Years of pain seemed forgotten as her velvety hands ran over his face.
Their short bliss was shattered as a male voice called out to them.
"Unhand her you monster!"
Raul with his impeccable timing ruined their moment. He felt fear creep into him as he saw his lovers fiancé. He had just got her, and now he was sure to lose her again. He didn't notice that she had broken away from him, and when he did he knew she was gone again.
"Christine hurry before he gets you again!"
"He was not holding me without my consent Raul."
"He has put a spell on you again then!"
"Listen to yourself Raul! The is no such thing as spells. My mind is my own and it is the clearest it has ever been."
"What are you saying Christine?"
"This is where we part ways Raul. You will always be a dear friend, but this is where my heart lies."
"Oh my sweet Christine, he surly has deluded you again. Don't worry darling we will fix that. Shoot him!"
He looked up in time to see a Guardsman standing next to Raul. What happened wasn't quite what he was expecting though. The Guardsman blantently ignored Raul and walked up the stairs and into the house.
"What just happened!"
In response the guy with rooster hair known as Sano smashed through the front window and slid on the lawn.
"Saito! What the hell was that for?"
"You were annoying me what else. This pathetic excuse for a man has been grating on my nerves ordering me about."
"So you decided to take it out on me!"
"That was the only reasonable course of action," said Saito while lighting up a cigarette. "Well my job here is done. I will be heading back now. Battosai when are you and your annoying friends leaving?"
"Oro…tomorrow."
"Don't be late, and don't forget we have a score to settle. With this I will take my leave."
"Hey jerk don't forget we still have a score to settle too!"
"You are still not worth my time rooster head."
"Sano I think it would be best if you settled it later at home. We seem to have attracted uneeded attention. Perhaps we should go back with Saito after all," said Kenshin.
"Where does that leave us?" asked Christine.
She had a good point. We couldn't go back to the opera house alive. It was then that I realized my mask was still off and I looked around for a hiding place in a panic well aware all present had seen my deformity.
"Hey calm down, it's not a big deal. Just take a look at Karou, nothing is uglier than her!"
I was stunned by what the small boy had said and took the time to look at these strange people. None of them had run in horror from my face, and certainly weren't calling me names. Raul was the only one that looked disgusted. The young woman that was Karou was chasing the small boy around in circles. For the first time in my life I felt hope blossoming in my chest. I had won the girl of my dreams and seemed to have me people that didn't turn away in horror.
"Come with us."
Came from the red head that I was sure had taken on the role as my sole friend in the cruel world. He had spoken to me last night about the horrors of his own life and had managed to pull my own out of me. Never in all my years had I told anyone of my life, not even Christine. I looked at my beloved at that moment and knew that is what she wanted. Unable to deny her and knowing this was the best option I nodded an affirmative.
ooOOoo
In the hours that passed with Erik nodding to Kenshin was a flurry of activity. We gathered everything up and made for the boat docks. Kenshin had snuck into the opera house to grab a few of my belongings with Erik. Erik had grabbed everything that was precious to him from his home and brought it with him. There was no saying if or when he would return to the place he had called home for so long. Currently we were on a boat to Japan. We have spent most of the trip hearing stories from the group of friends as we got to know each other better.
I now stood near the bow of the boat with a content smile on my face. Two arms wrapped around me from behind as my love pulled me into an embrace. We had both done much growing over the past few days. Small moments such as these were new to both of us. He had never had human contact before me, and his touch brought something to me that Raul could never have hoped to.
We stood in a comfortable silence as Osaka came into view. From there we would travel to our new home with Kenshin and his friends. Though now they could surly be called our friends as well.
"And so act three comes to a close."
"This is what happens after the curtain falls, the happy ending that no one ever tells."
"Our happy ending is but the beginning. I love you Christine."
"And I love you my angel of music!"
ooOOoo
A/N: And well there is that! I hope you enjoyed it! Please drop me a review!