A/N: Thanks for taking a look at my Fanfiction! I want you folks to know that this is a very long story, however, it's going to be well developed and I hope you'll fall in love with my characters. Don't worry, Christine and Raoul will make an apparence later on. Until then, you're in for a dark-humored (and slapstick) and dramatic story full of romance. Well, the plot is rather complex... Not really. Don't think so--anyway, Lenore has come back to Paris because she's been worried ill over her long-time friend: Erik. Since it burned down, she left to travel Europe. Read the story to find out much, much more.
By the by, the story is based off of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, not the movie. I don't care for it much, hate to say... Sorry Gerry fans. 8J The Phantom of the Opera (c) Andrew Lloyd Webber/Gaston Leroux Lenore Hayes, Darren J. Smith, and Ulrich K.K. Arzt (c) Me, however Thank you. What Happened?
Lenore Hayes, Darren Johnathan Smith, and Ulrich Konrad-Kunz Arzt (of Tübingen, Germany, as he likes to address himself) were walking within the deep streets of Paris on a cold winters evening. Lenore, who is currently in her late teens to early twenties, was wearing a thick, black coat with dark jeans and black, leather boots. Her frail neck was engrossed in a rose-red scarf and she had her hands in her pockets, swiftly moving. And her once long, white-hair was cut dramatically short to where it barely tickled her shoulders. Darren and Ulrich were covered with the same wear but with different colors.
It had been at least seven years since Lenore last stepped foot upon the stony-streets of Paris. She was in Hungry not too long ago and had a long lost feeling of sickness in her stomach that could've been only cured by her curiosity of how Paris was when she last left it. So, they all left almost immediately, rented a town house by the ports, and settled in to enjoy what France had to offer. However, Lenore's mind was being troubled with the thought of Erik…. She had separated from him at the bottom of the Opera House, unwillingly at that, and hadn't heard from him since. Lenore traveled most of Europe since then, searching for her father, Gordon T. Williams. But the thought of Erik always carried through her like nagging mosquitoes buzzing around her head. …The thought of his safety was solely the purpose of coming here, and acknowledging that would melt the ice of fear and worry that was nesting in the pit of her gut.
But…. what if he was injured? Suffering? What if he had been caught by the police? Surely no, but there's always a chance… and what if…. What if Erik was…. Was….
"Lenore!" shouted Ulrich, grabbing her shoulder and holding her firmly, "Slow down, Lenore!" Ulrich's once mousy hair had evolved into a rich, golden color with his bright, blue eyes shining in the winter's moon with puffs of steam from his lips.
"Yah," Darren said, running up to them. His hair had gotten darker as well, with his eye's almost matching his hair. His facial features were strongly built with a morning scruff growing on his face, "You were running so quickly, you almost flipped someone over! …. Anything wrong…?"
Yes indeed, the boys had grown out of their childhood stages and into adulthood with stronger voices, bodies, and more sense of the world than ever before.
Lenore looked at the ground with guilt in her eyes, "My apologies, boys, my thoughts wondered onto old water's again, they did. I'm just worried about… Well…." Her eyes grew softer, and then she slowly closed them with a sigh.
The men both looked at each other then nodded, "Don't worry, Lenore," Darren said, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and shaking them slightly, "We'll find him, don't worry. I promise."
The chains which shackled his weak structure were beginning to freeze up the raw skin around his ankle and wrists. The only thing he was wearing was a pair of long pants that were no help to him what's so ever in the cold wind. The wind blew hard, causing him to gasp out and shiver under the hateful cold. He scooted toward the corner of the barred walls, leaned against them but only flinched when the bitter cold touched his bruised skin. The breath he was exhaling was shallow and hoarse with little steam from that.
No one… Please have… Anyone come tonight…Erik thought miserably. His eyes heavily dropped but he forced them to stay open I'm going to freeze to death out…out here……He shivered violently and brought his knees to his chest. ……Christine……Erik thought …Christine……How I would……Love to hear……Your voice……again……angel…
Suddenly, the tents flap opened, making Erik jerk his head up with attention.
A gruff-looking man with a wired beard walked in with a crowd full of people that were looking excited and fearful at the same moment. Erik glanced at the man's side and saw a long, leather whip which has several of them on one handle.
Erik abruptly looked down, breathing in quick breaths and put a hand over his mask, shaking his head, "N…No…." he breathed.
The man sneered and opened the cage and approached Erik, "…..Get up……," he growled.
Erik's teeth chattered quickly, It's too cold… even a dingbat like him………should know that………He closed his eyes.
"I said…. Get UP!" The man savagely kicked Erik in the face, knocking him over on the steel floor. The people gasped and drew closer to the cage. The man grinned darkly and grabbed Erik's arm and pulled him to his knee's, "Behold!" he roared, "The face which the Devil himself has rejected!" Erik turned his head away from the grabbing hand with a groan but it eventually latched itself to his white mask and tore it off of his face.
The people gasped and loomed even closer but Erik used what strength he had to jerk himself away from the man's hold, "NO…!" he breathed, crouching over and holding his face.
Erik's 'master' growled angrily, forcefully grabbed Erik's hair and pulled it to the light, "You dare protest…. Beast…. Monster…!" The people gasped and shrieked with glee at the sight, throwing bits of food and stones at the pitiful man. The man threw Erik forward, but the chains were so short, he just hung in forward, motionless.
The man took his many-headed, leather whip and raised it to the air over his head and lashed it out on Erik's back.
Erik made but only one shout of agony but bit his lip soon after. He dug his nails into the palm of his hands, bleeding out his blood and it trailing down his wrist and arm as the lashing continued mercilessly. The bone-freezing cold made it even more, if possible, painful. Erik closed his eyes tightly, tears burning them and streaming down his face but refusing to scream, which was bubbling in his chest. The people gaped out and some even cheered in glee. …How?
The brutal beating finally stopped after an agonizing five, full minutes. Erik gasped out, shaking terribly under the blood (and flesh) loss and the freezing cold. However, the blood that was dripping down his back made it somehow warm but the opened, gaping wounds were screaming from the weather.
The crowd threw coins and other bits of rubbish around the cage and the leader hastily picked them up, walked out at last, closed the door (locking it automatically), and started counting the money.
Erik's body was in shock. He'd never done a 'show' in such terrible weather. I'm………going to die………any………possible………damned……second…… He thought. His body was shivering, the ends of his hands went blue and his lips went pale.
Death……Is going to……be very……slow for……me……
The trio was walking down a somewhat crowed street and Lenore suddenly noticed a group of people that looked unusually rowdy for the time of night.
"Did you see the face?" One girl said, looking white from fright.
Lenore stopped in her tracks, throwing out an arm in front of the men with narrowed eyes. The boys stopped, looked at her, and then looked at what she was looking at.
"I know ze face was so horrible!" Another spoke. "Do ya think it's 'uman?" A small man gasped.
Lenore quickly approached the crowd, looking intimidating, "Excuse me, but may I ask what you're talking about?" she asked pleasantly.
A gaunt and tall woman drew out from the group with the cigar in her teeth, "Zere is a bunch of Gypsies down ze road with an interesting performer."
"……What..…?"
"Go see for yourself, you white-haired tramp."
Lenore immediately jumped up to the attack but was grabbed by Darren's strong arms and pulled back, leaving her swearing and cursing at the top of her lungs.
Ulrich walked up to the women with a glare, "That is not a vay to speak to a lady, you projecting Banshee." He sneered.
The women looked as if she had been slapped in the face, but she smiled rather snobbish, "Oooh, and who are you two?"---she glanced at Darren—"some sort of sex slaves or somezing?"
Both men looked shocked at this, Darren, who had Lenore raised into the air, looked disgusted at the idea, "What the Hell?"
"That's it!" Lenore jerked off of Darren's hold, pulled out two, Walker Colts: one of them silver and the other ebony, with Lenore scowling angrily. They both clicked.
Abruptly, the crowd backed off and scattered throughout the street. Lenore quickly put the guns away within her coat when people started to notice the rabble.
"Damn, Lenore, why so—"
Before Darren could finish his question, Lenore started walking down the road to where the crowd came from, walking quite quickly and looking determined. The boys looked at each other and followed.
They walked down the road for about ten minutes before they stumbled upon a small circus full of Gypsies. Some were of the weirdest of fashion, bending themselves in wild positions and animals had different parts of items like wings and horns that were attached to their bodies. The environment was just as awful: hay, animal waste, ash, trash, and the smell of cigar was in the air, making them cover their faces completely. The owners of some tents were trying to lure them into their 'lairs', no doubt wanting the friend's money.
What a bunch of greedy ghouls.
"Lowering themselves down to pond scum… no…. disgracing yourself for money is lower than pond scum…. It's inhumane…," Lenore growled, glaring needles at a man with a goatee, grinning at her.
"Mein Gott….," Ulrich whispered, "Vhat is vorth this….?"
"Greed can do amazing things to people. Consuming their lusts for money…. Damn zombies." Darren muttered, snorting at some.
Lenore stopped and looked up at a tent and read out-loud, "'The Devil's Reject'…? ….What the fuck?" she said.
"Lenore!" Ulrich exclaimed, "Your language, child!"
Darren sniggered while Lenore shrugged, "I'm still annoyed by that 'white-haired tramp' slip…." She sighed.
Suddenly, a gruff man snaked out of the tent looking down at the white-haired girl, "Closed," he growled.
Lenore jumped back, bumping into Darren, "Oh!" She gasped, "I-I….. Excuse me, sir….." Lenore bowed her head, her short hair flowing downward.
"Well!" The man said excitedly, "…What is this…. Hair…?" He ran his dirty fingers through her hair.
Lenore quickly slapped his hand away, "Don't touch me!" she snarled.
Darren grabbed Lenore's collar and pulled her back, thrusting himself forward and he was quite taller than the other man, "Back off, scruffy. You're not laying one of your dirty paws on her….," he hissed defensively.
"Hey," said the bearded man, holding his hands up, "No trouble…. Just an offer…." He then smiled darkly.
"Und…?" Ulrich said, walking up to the man with his hands behind his back and his brows raised.
The man looked at Lenore with a twisted grin, baring gnarled, yellow teeth, "If you sell that sweet creature, I'll give you 500 francs for her."
"EXCUSE ME!" Lenore shrieked.
The man was lucky Lenore was held by Darren, or she would've torn the rude man's face off, shouting at him, "YOU INSULTING, LOW-LIFE, DIRT-BAG BASTARD! HOW DARE YOU SAY SUCH A THING! YOUR LUCKY I'M BEING HELD---LET ME GO, YANK!" Lenore kicked Darren squarely in the shin, making him shout out and letting her go. Lenore turned her body and launched a swift kick at the man's head, making him stagger back with a bleeding forehead. Lenore then grabbed him by the shirt, pulled him close to her face with a scowl and flaring nostrils, "….Out of my sight, bloody Warmonger…." The man gaped and ran off leaving Lenore steaming on the spot and shocked guys around her. "I hate people," she snarled.
"I hope we don't get sued or anything…." Darren moaned, rubbing his ankle.
"I hope that man dies from brain damage!" Lenore barked savagely.
Lenore, Darren, and Ulrich both walked into the entrance of the tent just to satisfy the curiosity of 'The Devil's Reject'. When they walked inside the tent was dimly lit and the only thing in the center was a large, steel cage….With a man chained inside.
They all stopped at the sight. The man was breathing raggedly and shivering in the cold. He was bent over with his head hiding between his knees, groaning.
Lenore looked at them both with raised brows but didn't say anything. She looked back with a leaned head to one side, trying to figure out if this was a simple circus trick or if that poor creature was even real. Lenore slowly walked forward, lowering herself down towards the cage, examining the person. She got down to her knees and looked and looked….
"….H-Hello…?" She said uncertainly.
The man's head slowly rose…. His left side was completely deformed with a skull, scars, and terribly blistered lips.
It was Erik!
Lenore visibly screamed in shock and flung herself back, knocking over Darren and then knocked Ulrich like dominos.
"ERIK! Erik, my GOD! It's you, it's you!" Lenore said excitedly, scuttling towards the cage on her knees and grabbing the bars, "Erik, it's me, LENORE!"
Erik's eyes widened as he too leaned forward but was pulled back by the chains.
Lenore started to panic as if the entire tent was on fire, "Ah, ah! Wait, let me try and find and bloody way—"She was shuffling through her pockets, "Must be some sort of damn—AH-HA!" She pulled out a small pocket knife and jabbed it into the lock and twisted it deep into the lock then slammed into it making it shatter and open. Lenore scrambled into the cage and embraced Erik tightly.
"….L…Lenore…. How…?" Erik gasped.
"It doesn't matter how… What matters is—Oh my God…." Lenore pulled her hand that was on her back and saw blood, "Your body… Oh my word, you're freezing cold!" She looked at his hands and her eyes widened, "He's got frostbite….," she whispered. Without another thought Lenore quickly pulled out her Colts set them aside and quickly squirmed to get her jacket off.
"Lenore-? What are you doing?" Darren gaped.
"He's developing or has Hypothermia….." Ulrich said breathlessly.
Lenore had succefully taken her jacket off and thrown it over Erik's shoulders. Erik gasped and shivered more violently.
"Easy, easy, easy……," Lenore said smoothly. She took another pocket knife and started unlocking the shackles that bond Erik, "Just t-t-take it e-easy, m-mate. Were g-going to get you out of h-h-here." Lenore was in such a tizzy, she almost cut herself several times when trying to pick the locks.
"Hang on, Lore," Darren said shakily, pulling out one of his own knives and starting to work on the lock, "Ulrich, you watch out for anybody tha' might come through, alright?"
Ulrich just nodded and stood in front of the entrance but watched his friends help the bonded man.
"O-Ok," Lenore said, breaking the last lock, "E-Erik…?" She cupped his face with her hands and looked him in the eyes, "Can you s-s-stand…? Erik…?" she asked in a breath.
"Vait!" Ulrich said, "Ve live quite far from here, Lenore, vhat do you intend to do? Valk all the vay in his condition? ….He von't last long…."
Lenore's eyes shifted then she looked at Darren, "Darren," she said, "Listen carefully: I want you to go get a taxi, understand? Have them park as close as possible from here, alright?"
Darren nodded and ran out but almost tripped over himself over the ice but ran even faster.
"At that speed," said Ulrich, watching Darren run, "He too might need un doctor…"
Erik finally nodded as an answer, gasping, "You…… Lenore… A-All o-o-of you… Your…."
Lenore placed a numbing finger on his cold lips, "Shh… Don't speak…. Now, brace y-yourself…." Lenore put Erik's arm over her shoulder and stood up, carrying him with her. Erik's vocally moaned and shivered as if he had frozen on the spot. "I know…! P-P-Please bare with m-m-e…. I'm sorry…." She slowly walked forward, noticing that he was unbelieveably light-weight… and malnorished.
"Need any—" Ulrich started.
"I'm fine." Lenore said flatly. She glanced over at the tents corner and saw a nasty-looking whip. She sighed…
"……Wait……." Erik gasped.
"What i-is it, Erik?" Lenore asked.
"…My mask…."
Lenore groaned, "Erik, r-r-really…. You don't n-need…"
Ulrich quickly walked over and grabbed the white mask that was in the corner, "Ve don't haff time for this, Lenore. Step lightly." He walked outside without even looking at her.
...You're still here...? Blast, you are! Thanks so much! Like the German accent...? I wasn't too sure about it but... Meh... Isn't Lenore nice? Don't worry, you'll find out how (and why) her hair is white. Things will come together sooner or later, thank you!