Disclaimer: Danny Phantom and all related characters are the product of Butch Hartman and Nickelodeon studios. The Phantom of the Opera is the product of Andrew Lloyd Webber. Erik and Kat/Electra are the product Silent Elegy.
He loved listening to her perform at night. It was so much better than during the day, when the others held her back. He sighed longingly as her voice echoed across the mostly empty auditorium. He was supposed to have sung that song, many years ago. He thought he remembered her from back then. When she finally fell silent again, he cringed and glared jealously at the boy whose voice intruded on the perfection.
"You're sharp again."
"Bite me, Tucker."
"Hey, you're the one that asked me to do this."
To either side of the boy in question, Danny and Sam snickered. "No, see, you're supposed to tell her she's perfect," Danny informed him.
Kat sniffed haughtily. "Only because I am."
Sam shook her head, torn between laughter and exasperation. Kat was infuriatingly egotistical, and often difficult to tolerate for extended periods of time. But sometimes she did something or said something, and Danny's two friends couldn't help but laugh. "Shouldn't you be practicing your lines and not Rick's?" she asked.
"I'll be singing his part if I have any say in the matter."
"Which you don't," Danny reminded her.
Apparently oblivious to the exchange, Tucker tapped on the screen of his PDA to reset the pitch-finding program he had installed at Kat request. Her tone had a tendency to drift sharp whenever she sang unaccompanied, and she had asked for the three friends' help in correcting the issue. "Ready," he called.
"Hey, do that 'Notes' one!" Sam exclaimed. At Danny's amused expression, she shrugged. "It's funny."
As Kat's voice rang out in the appropriate words, the unnoticed shade hovered well outside the range of Danny's ghost sense. He had had months to figure out exactly where that was, and that knowledge had enabled him to avoid detection and capture. He was a weak spirit for the most part and didn't care for confrontation. All he wanted was to listen.
He growled angrily as the three friends laughed while his diva tripped over words that were meant to be sung by three and four people. It didn't matter that she, too, was doubled over with laughter. They were mocking her. They needed to be taught a lesson. He burned with the desire to teach them and held himself back with some effort.
"I refuse to sing 'Prima Donna', just so you all know," Kat announced. "I don't like Carlotta."
Sam snickered. "They should have gotten Paulina to play Carlotta. She would have been perfect for the role."
"Hey!" Danny exclaimed. Sadly, he was given no chance to defend his crush as Kat interrupted him.
"Are you kidding? Paulina couldn't act her way out of wet paper bag! With a hole in it!"
Sam nodded in mock-seriousness. "Yeah, good point." The girls burst out laughing.
"Excuse me, ladies," Tucker said. "I hate to break this up, but it's almost midnight."
"Bugger!" Kat declared. "Sleep is for the weak!"
They said their goodbyes, and Danny switched to ghost mode to carry his friends home. Backstage, the little shade shuddered happily and drifted closer. Now, it was just him and his angel…
He was meant to have played the Phantom once, long ago. He sometimes got confused. Soon, he thought, it wouldn't matter anymore. They were finally performing his play again, and he would have a second chance.
"Christine…" he whispered. She didn't hear.
She would.