A/N - This is what happens if you watch The Mask five times straight, then read your favorite parts of the original POTO book, Susan Kay's Phantom, The Journey of the Mask (really good POTO stuff) and look at the fancy picture book that comes with the play while listening to the complete soundtrack, then watch The Mask again twice. (I have a liiiitle too much time on my hands, eh?) If there is any out-of-characterness, blame it on the fact that I'm writing this at two in the morning, despite my mother's well-meaning but futile attempts to get me to go to bed. (Who goes to sleep at 9:30 pm on a Friday night?!) And for all those critics out there, I know the mask is supposed to bring out the innermost desires of the one who wears it, but, since I don't know exactly what Erik's innermost desires are (besides Christine and seeing Raoul dead), I decided he needed a little fun in his life, and made his mask character a lot like Stanley Ipkis's, rather than Dorian's. This story is based on random combinations of events to the author's liking from the play, the original book, and Susan Kay's Phantom. May you deem this teaser sufficiently interesting enough for you to plead with and/or prompt me to get to the actual storyline. ^_^ BTW, * * * means a scene/plot change, * * means a memory, and * means time has passed since the last bit of writing.
Disclaimer - DISCLAIMERS SUCK!!!!! Come on, come on. You know the drill.
* * *
Christine leaned against Raoul's side, exhausted after many long days of travel from their countryside house to Paris. He wrapped his cloak around her to shield her from the poring rain and gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. They both stared up at the oppressive Opera House that had changed their lives so much in the past year, and Raoul barely repressed a shudder. He kept reassured himself that the monster was dead, but there was nothing that could explain the feeling of dread he sensed hanging over the building. There was only one way to discover the answer. He took a deep breath, and they walked inside.
* * *
Erik cursed for the umpteenth time as he tore his rooms apart, looking for his mask.
"Where could it be, damn it?! Masks don't just disappear like this! Especially not mine!!"
*
Erik was working his way towards his kitchen when he heard the explosion, like a tiny clap of thunder. Immediately, his mask forgotten, he raced towards the noise. There, sitting innocently on the kitchen table, was a mask. One that hadn't been there a minute ago. It seemed to be made out of brown-black wood, with a green tint to it in certain places, and had ovalish eyes and mouth. He cautiously reached out a hand and picked up the object. Slowly turning it over and over, Erik tried to figure out just how it had gotten on his table in the first place. `Wait.' He squinted at the inner side of the mask, unable to tell if he had seen an inscription on the inside rim, but it was too far away to tell with his aging eyes. Holding the mask closer and closer, curious, he suddenly felt as if some sort of vacuum had been attached to his face. (A/N - Yes, I know there are no vacuums in this time period!) Quickly he pulled the strange artifact away. "So much for that!" he muttered, shaken.
Erik set the object down on the table and headed back to the living room to continue his search. After uprooting the furniture, pulling out all the drawers and banging on his organ, he paused for a quick breath. It was obvious that his mask was not in his rooms, but he couldn't exactly go looking for it like he was now. Then he remembered the mask that had appeared on the kitchen table. As he turned, he spotted something on one of the couch's pillows. The strange new mask! Erik picked it up and looked it over again, turning it so the supposed inscription was visible. A shimmer ran over the inside surface. As if hypnotized, he slowly lifted the mask towards his face.
To Be Continued.......
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