Capture the Flag!

Parody/Humor

Summary: A bored authoress challenges Erik to a game he can't refuse. A game of capture the flag!

Disclaimer: AUGH! These are so annoying. (reads boring contract) I, the lowly authoress, do not claim any part of (fill in original author/ess's name here) work or the story (fill in title here). Sign in blood on the dotted line. (Sigh)

The Challenge

Miss Black Shadow, Shadow for short, sat sulking in the green room. Her latest chapter for her phic done and her muses dispersed to parts unknown she found herself alone. Her green eyes staring at the poster covered green walls she lounged on the white daybed with a lime green leopard spotted comforter, the muted patter of rain on her windowsill creating a rhythm and music all it own. Her shoulder length red curls were sprawled across her pillows in disarray her pale skin was paler then usual from spending her days inside writing. Having memorized her lines for her play she had nothing to do for the summer and the next school year wasn't promising anything exciting. So in short she was stuck in a cycle of boredom.

Being bored was never a good thing with her, things tended to go from bad to worse. When she was ever unfortunate to find her mind unoccupied, or worse when she put enough caffeine in her system to put any normal person in a coma, it tended to wander to very dangerous ideas. Shadow liked to think she had good ideas, they only seemed to come attached to the wrong situation. On this rainy summer day, she had one of her most dangerous ideas to date.

Jumping up from the daybed a maniacal grin spread across her face, her eyes adopted an unholy glint. The short authoress grabbed her gear. Her cloak, a book, her magical staff, a sword, two black pieces of cloth and her copy of Gaston Leroux's famous novel. She penned a quick note to her muses and left it taped to her computer screen. With that she tore a plot hole in her wall, that black shimmery substance that allows for the inexplicable to happen, and waited for the image of her destination to appear. Slowly the rippling surface steadied and the image of a white masked man at an ornate pipe organ in a cave filled with candles and a boat tied to the shore. With another grin she step through and the hole closed behind her.

All was quiet for a moment before a tall elegantly dressed gentleman came through the door, "SHADOW! What have you done to my character!"

Leroux!Erik paused, Shadow wasn't there for him to angst at. Behind his black mask his glare swept the room, when he spotted a piece of notebook paper taped to the monitor of the computer. He strode quickly over and snatched up the scrap of paper. He read it and swore violently. Tucking the note into the pocket of his cloak he departed in search of Will.

XxX

In the Lair of the infamous Webber!Erik.

Webber!Erik sat at his pipe organ composing a new piece, Don Juan was safely tucked away and Christine was long gone. He had waited almost a year before returning to the opera house. He had no intention of being the phantom forever, but at this point it seemed he had no choice. His long fingers darted up and down the ivory keys in a mournful rhythm. He spent most of his days at his instrument but he discarded most of his work for it was filled with Christine's smile or her voice haunted his songs.

He crumpled another manuscript and discarded it, disgusted how his compositions hadn't been up to his usual caliber. He idly played a tune, it took him a full minuet to realize it was the opening to Don Juan. Perhaps it was habit, but he continued to play softly singing Don Juan's part, wishing Christine was there. He heard a voice, not as angelic as Christine's but lower and a little rough from being untrained.

He whipped around and threw his lasso at the intruder. The short redhead had her hand at the level of her eyes and pulled the lasso off her neck, "Evidentially the kill at first sight thing applies to all Erik's."

He stood and crossed to loom over the smiling girl who couldn't be older than sixteen. His blue eyes glared at her green ones, "Who are you?"

She shrugged pulling the lasso over her head and threw it aside, "Name's Shadow, but that's not important right now. I have a proposition for you."

He turned back to his music, "Leave before I forcibly remove you in a more horrific way."

Shadow grinned and studied the once great phantom; now bent over the white keys in only a poet shirt, black trousers, and scuffed boots. Obviously heartbreak was harder on him then she had thought. It was a good thing she was about to distract him from said emotions.

He glanced behind him and saw that girl was still there only studying his crumpled work. Her brow was furrowed as if thinking very hard. He growled, "Why won't you leave?"

She pulled out a strange looking pen from her black cloak and scribbled a few notes. Handing it back to him she spoke softly, "Try this."

What he wanted to try was to see how long she would survive in his torture chamber. Curiosity abounded however and he waged a silent war until that infuriating girl said, "If you hate it I'll leave, but if it's good You'll have to listen to what I say."

He glowered at her, but grudgingly sat down to play her adaptation. The annoying young woman stood at his side, which made him feel awkward. Her composition was surprisingly good, not perfect or what he was accustomed to, but it wasn't as horrible as he imagined. He tried to keep his surprise from his half masked face but one glance at Shadow's face explained that he had failed. She sighed, "Look I know life's been hard for you lately. But I have a way to change that, at least for a little while."

His curiosity piqued, recently life almost reached unbearable, he stood again and looked down his nose at her, "I'm listening."

She sat on the bench before the organ, acting so arrogant he wanted to hurt her, "I have a game that might interest you."

He scoffed, "I don't play games."

"But," Shadow continued, "this one will test not only one's intelligence. It tests your cunning, cleverness, strength, endurance, and your capabilities at strategizing."

He glared at this nuisance of a girl, "I don't care how challenging this 'game' is. I want you to leave."

She met his glare, "Too bad."

His eyes narrowed, "What?"

"I said too bad." she pick a piece of imaginary lint off her shoulder, "because you have no choice in the matter."

"Now wait just a minute…" He hissed.

"You," She said matter-of-factly, "are going to play the ultimate game of Capture the Flag with me."

"I do not wish to engage in…"

She ignored his protests, "The game will commence in 36 hours. You have 24 hours to assemble your team and meet me at the neutral rendezvous point to meet our referees and go over the official rules."

She pulled out a long wooden staff out of thin air. She touched the emerald flame on the top of the staff to her hand and a black three ring binder appeared. She handed this to him along with a large black piece of cloth, "Here are the rules, player profiles, your flag, and map of the playing area. See you in 24 hours."

He dropped the gear she handed him and was about to lunge at her and wring her neck, when she disappeared with a smile. He cursed.

XxX

Back in the Green Room

"WHERE ON EARTH HAVE YOU BEEN!" Will, Shadow's piratical main muse, snapped at her his sage green eyes snapped at her. She blinked eyes adjusting to the sudden brightness of her room, only to find that all eight of her muses were gathered around her. Leroux!Erik stood on Will's right, Jean on his left. Behind Erik and Will stood golden Apollo and the flamboyantly pink apron wearing Kyle. Ilsmir and Galrid were flanking the chair Shadow appeared in and Merlin was in his usual position by the window in his reading chair. All of them had stern expressions on their faces and looked like they wanted to hurt her.

She blew a red-bang out of her face, and adopted a bored expression, "Not where, dear William DuClaire, but when."

Will gritted his teeth and absentmindedly ran a hand through his tangled dark hair. He was the unofficial leader of her muses since he was the only one who had ever managed to somewhat control the chaotic authoress. Shadow, however, had grown more independent of Will; his influence was now slipping as she became more and more aware of how much her muses depended on him getting through to her. Yes she loved her muses and their quirkiness grew on her, except Kyle but he baked cookies so that was good, she just loved giving them a hard time as well. Will snarled, "If you've been where I think you've been…"

"You'll what?" Shadow challenged.

Leroux!Erik stepped forward, "Cause a disaster beyond your imagination."

Shadow blinked and paused then burst out laughing, "and Carlotta's queen of Spain!"

She stood and exited the circle her muses had formed around her, "Now if You'll excuse me I have a team to assemble and an angst to annoy. Buh-Bye!"

With that she left the greenroom, towing Kyle behind her because he had a tray of fudge.

Leroux!Erik glared at will, "Now What?"

Will glared at the whisper of a cloak disappearing around the corner, "We keep watch and play her game."

XxX

Miss Black Shadow deposited Kyle back in his cooking domain after soothing his ego and stealing some more fudge. Sneaking into the family room downstairs she jumped on the couch and grabbed her cordless phone. She dialed and waited for someone to pick up, she examined her silver ring that had the masks of comedy and tragedy on it. After a little time someone picked up on the other end of the line.

" 'ello?" came a slightly slurred greeting.

Shadow paused, "Captain Jack? It's Shadow, where's Adi?"

"Oh, she's right" there was a sound of something being stumbled over. "'ere she is."

Shadow blinked but decided not to ask. Adi's voice came over the phone, "Hello?"

"Hey Adi." Shadow smiled, "I've got a plan you might want in on."

There was a pause. "I'm listening."

CLIFFIE! MUHAHAHAHAHA!

So this has been an Idea that's been floating around my in my head for three months and I finally decided to post it. 24k is still on but updates will be slower (or faster I haven't decided). This is a pure cameo phic there will be players, audience participation, referees, distractions (these girls have the best jobs as far as I'm concerned), random blipics, fop hunting, and Angst appearances. I'm thinking big!

So ya, feel free to review but cameos have to be submitted through PMs so the story doesn't get yanked from the site. But here is the required information for a cameo.

1. Name

2. Appearance

3. Costume

4. Weapon

5. Favorite Dark Cloaked Character (Erik, Dracula, Captain Jack Sparrow, VanHelsing, Batman, Zorro, Snape, Sherlock Holmes, Spike, Aragorn, Boromir, ect.)

Till later!