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Rating: T, because I'm paranoid.
Characters: Christine, Erik, Raoul (as a girl), Andre, Firmin, Carlotta, Piangi, Meg Giry, Madame Giry, etc. etc. and some minor OCs.
Summary: Instead of Raoul, Renee. Instead of a boy, a girl. Instead of an unhappy ending for Erik, a happy one. What the musical may have been like if Raoul were a girl. Erik/Christine. Mostly musical verse, some book-based ideas and concepts.
Disclaimer: Me no own Le Phantom. If I did, I rent out the Royal Albert Hall and have Ramin Karimloo and Sierra Boggess act out all of the E/C in the entire musical. I don't own them either. I don't own anything. If I did, I'd be older, a guy, and a musical genius. I'm a fourteen year old girl who is hardly intelligent. Hell, I don't even own my computer. How sad is that?
Penelope Zozes: Thank you for your review. Sadly, you have disabled your PM feature, but you get a virtual cookie. Thanks for the compliment!
Italics= Lyrics (Not lyrics as in me using lyrics as text, but literal lyrics in the story.)
Christine followed the Phantom back to the world above.
Truth be told, she didn't even want to go back. Her Angel paddled silently across the lake, an indescribable feeling etched into his face. He did not sing this time, simply looked at her. He led her through the winding, sloping, hallways that led to La Carlotta's dressing room, and without a word, opened the mirror and helped her through.
Christine lightly stepped through and turned around, the light from above catching her hair, making it seem nearly red-gold. "Thank you, Angel," she whispered softly.
"Please, dear one," her Angel replied, "call me Erik."
And with those words and a slight smile despite of himself, he closed the mirror gently, leaving Christine alone with her thoughts, staring at the mirror where her Angel, no Erik, had vanished, humming the tune of the music box gently.
Her thoughts were interrupted by Meg knocking frantically. "Christine, open this door!"
Christine started, surprised. As she realized it was only Meg, she sighed. "Yes, Meg, I'm coming." She stood up and unlocked the door, opening it to a very excited looking Meg.
"Christine!" She cried, running a hand through her already mussed curls. "Christine, you must see the new owners at once!"
"But why?" Christine asked, confused.
Meg smiled mischeviously. "You'll see."
(A/N Carlotta and Piangi were called into the owner's office once more for another discussion, this time with Christine. Just to clarify.) Christine caught her breath at the owner's door and knocked.
"Come in," she heard from inside, and she stepped over the door frame into the office.
"Hello?" She said nervously as she realized that not only the owners were there, but also Carlotta, Piangi, Renee and Averell.
"Christine." Andre motioned to an empty chair. "Please, sit."
Christine obliged.
"Now, we have received a letter from the Opera Ghost, detailing that you are to be playing the Countess in IlMuto, while Carlotta will be playing the pageboy."
Christine's mouth widened in genuine shock. "I-I knew nothing of this, monsieur."
Carlotta tutted. "Christine, why, it's all a ploy to help Christine!" Christine's eyes narrowed. "I know who wrote this," Carlotta continued. "The Vicomtesse, her new best friend," the diva spat.
"Can you believe this?" Renee shook her head, appalled at Carlotta's impoliteness.
"Signora!" Firmin tried to calm Carlotta down. "Signora! You are a star and always will be!"
"This is a joke!" Piangi desperately waved his hands through the air.
"Signor!"
"I am unwanted!" Carlotta cried with an over exaggerated sniff.
"This changes nothing!" Firmin smacked his hand onto the desk. "We must take his orders!"
"But, Signora," Andre desperately tried to calm Carlotta. "You will always be a star! But, madam, for the sake of the Opera house-" he looked at Firmin, who nodded his approval. "For the last time, Carlotta will be playing the pageboy. Miss Daae will be playing the lead!"
"Well then," Piangi sniffed. "You don't deserve her!"
"You're only trying to ruin my career, little toad!" Carlotta hissed at poor Christine, who only looked in confusion at the mayhem.
Renee rolled her eyes. "Oh, Christine, you know you deserve it!" Christine smiled gratefully at her friend.
"This is uncalled for! This is unheard of!" Carlotta and Piangi continued their rant, still trying to convince the owners to give Carlotta the part, even after Averell's harsh words from before.
"I will not do it!" Carlotta cried. "I refuse to play ze pageboy while that little toad is playing my part!"
"But Carlotta!" Andre stared, shocked, at the former prima donna. "You must!"
"Signora, please...for us..." Firmin pleaded.
"You go too far! To take orders from zis...Opera Ghost! It is ridiculous!" Carlotta said, tossing her hair arrogantly.
"We need you!" Firmin was nearly begging on his knees. Who knew if this "Opera Ghost" even was going to ask for Christine in the future. They needed their Prima Donna. There would be too many questions, too much scandal. And even Andre didn't like that much scandal.
"You would rather have your precious little Christine playing my part!" Carlotta shrieked. Christine was backed up against the back of her chair, trying to make herself seem like she wasn't there.
"But Signora...you will be the Prima Donna once more!"
"You don't deserve me!" Carlotta claimed haughtily.
"But...you will be the Prima Donna soon again!" Andre put a hand on her shoulder.
"Think of the public on their knees!" Firmin threw in.
"Think of how they all adore you!" Andre made a grand sweeping gesture.
"For one performance, you cannot be the star, but what about the others?"
"Think of your muse, and the queues in the theatre!"
"How can you abandon all of this for one performance?"
Carlotta evaluated her choices. She could leave the Opera, perhaps never to sing again and have to endure countless questions about where she went, or she could suck it up and play a minor role in one production, then be back in the spotlight, where she belonged.
"Fine." Andre and Firmin sighed in relief. "I will sing zis...pageboy. And you." She turned to Christine. "You will better stay out of my way, toad!" And with those words, she stood up and strut out of the office again.
"Well, that seemed to go well, didn't it?" Andre blurted out awkwardly, staring at Christine and Renee, who were giggling.
Banquet pulled his head back from his place high above the stage. He had seen the Phantom leave the Opera house through some hidden door or lever, coming back from, he presumed, delivering yet more letter. He smiled slightly. He could really scare the chorus girls this time.
"Like yellow parchment is his skin ...A great black hole serves as the nose that never grew ...You must be always on your guard ...Or he will catch you with his magical lasso ... !" Buquet was detailing a highly fictionalized version of the Phantom's gruesome visage. The chorus girls screamed among themselves, scattering and shielding their ears. Buquet's storytelling was interrupted by a staff hitting the ground. He looked to the side to see Madame Giry, the ballet mistress, watching his every move with a disapproving look in her eyes.
"Those who speak of what they know, find too late that prudent silence is wise." Buquet rolled his eyes. "Joseph Buquet, hold your tongue. He will burn you with the heat of his eyes!" Madame Giry desperately tried to make him know, to understand- but Buquet seemed to wave her words of warning off, but he cast an uncertain look to the rafters above and quickly shut up. The chorus girls scattered, casting uncertain and worried glances at the brown ceiling above, as if wondering what horrors lay beyond-or below- it.
Averell and Renee, Vicomte and Vicomtesse de LaVigne, arrived at the Opera Populaire for the newest opera, seeking out the owners. "Monsieurs!" Averell cried after finding the owners in the pushing crowd.
"Ah, Vicomte and Vicomtesse de LaVigne!" Andre clapped his hands together, looking like a ridiculous seal.
"Yes." Renee curtsied slightly.
Averell coughed slightly. "Gentlemen...if you would take your seats with us? There appear to be no seats left, other than Box Five, of course."
Andre seemed quite puzzled. "Are you sure that's wise, Vicomte? You could simply take Box Five..." he trailed off slightly.
Firmin cast a harsh, silencing look at his partner and said hastily, "Yes, of course, Vicomte. Vicomtesse. We have more than enough places in our box for tonight."
Renee smirked, glad to see that the owners were playing along with the so-called Opera Ghost's idea.
The small group made their way to the owner's box, surveying the crowd from above. Renee was pleased to note that Box Five was empty. She didn't want her friend, her Little Lotte, to have any trouble.
The curtain opened. I'm sorry for the errors, but I'm tired, and most of this was written on my phone. So anyways, please review. It really means a lot to me when you do, so I'm not going to stoop to the level of begging, but I will politely ask you to review.
The people applauded.
The first scene.
The second scene.
Box Five was empty. Christine did not come onstage.
And finally, Christine entered the stage. Her makeup was horribly overdone. Her dress was weighing her down, it looked heavy and warm. Renee couldn't help but pity her.
The cast pranced across the stage, singing in exaggerated costumes with ridiculous movements.
"They say that this youth has set my Lady's heart aflame!" A group of giggling gossipers were gathered in a group, their faces painted with stark white makeup, dolled up in elizabethan costumes.
"His Lordship sure would die of shock!" One sang, putting his hands on his waist in an exaggerated display of anger.
"His Lordship is a laughing-stock!"
"Should he suspect her, God protect her!"
"Shame! Shame! Shame!" They sang, wagging their fingers at the audience.
"This faithless lady's bound for Hades! Shame! Shame! Shame!"
Christine, dressed up in the Countess' dress, sang to Carlotta. "Serafimo - your disguise is perfect. Who can this be?"
The man playing Donattilo- her husband- answered her. "Gentle wife, admit your loving husband. My love - I am called to England on affairs of State,and must leave you with your new maid. Though I'd gladly take the maid with me."
"The old fool's leaving!" Christine said slightly giggling aside to Carlotta, who grimaced.
"I suspect my young bride is untrue to me. I shall not leave, but shall hide over there to observe her! Addio!" He pretended to hide.
Erik rushed to his box, determined not to miss Christine's aria. He crossed the stage silently, making sure Buquet, that meddling fool did not see him. He resisted the urge to Punjab him.
Back on the stage, Christine waved to her "husband," called "Addio!" then turned to Carlotta, who grudgingly played the role. "Serafimo! Away with this pretense!" Carlotta complied, but with an utterly disapproving look in her eyes. Renee had to hide a snicker as she saw how overweight Carlotta looked in her skin-tight costume.
She had been incredibly nasty to Christine during rehearsals, finding every single mistake with her singing, dancing, or acting, and the rest of the time detailing how Christine was a terrible actress and had stolen what was rightfully hers, namely the part. Christine had ignored it, as well as she could, but it was hard to ignore the well-meaning clucks of sympathy from Madame Giry, Meg, and Renee. Nevertheless, Christine was determined to make this a great performance, even if she had to pretend to like Carlotta. It was for the sake of her Angel, for Erik. And for her music, of course.
"You cannot speak, but kiss me in my husband's absence!" Christine herself did not enjoy pretending to kiss Carlotta, but for art's sake, she ignored her disgust. "Poor fool, he makes me laugh!" She pretended to laugh heartily, hitting every note. "Time I tried to get a better better half! Poor fool, he doesn't know! If he knew, the fool, he never would have gone!" Christine continued her operatic notes and trills, earning herself several amazed looks from the audience. She smiled to herself. How she loved being onstage, singing and acting in front of an adoring crowd that loved her, at least when she did it right. And she would do it right. At least with her Angel teaching her.
High in Box Five, Erik smiled down at the stage. Christine was performing wonderfully. Those lame owners had obeyed his every order. He was pleased. The Opera continued without a hitch. Now came the time for Christine's big aria. He leaned forward in his seat, awaiting her wonderful voice filling the Opera house. She was finally in the spotlight, as she deserved it.
Erik eyes flicked up onto the level before the ceiling of the stage, where the props and sets were kept. He could see the set master standing there on the edge of the bridge, surveying the performance. Buquet looked up, his mouth widening in surprise as he glimpsed Erik. He took a surprised step back.
Christine's final operatic scales were interrupted by the sound of Joseph Buquet's corpse hitting the stage.
So, I had a bit of trouble with this chapter, and I hope it's okay =)
Thank you for reading!
Love,
Panda.
(Reviewers get a free Erik plushie! Not really, but I get a silly grin on my face and YOU get virtual cookies!)