Me: Do it.
Erik: No.
Me: Do it...
Erik: No.
Me: Do it or I'm bringing in the cat.
Erik:... as in my...cat...?
Me: And to do so I will have to wake her up. Do any of us really want that to happen?
Erik: ...Fine... **Hugs Applejax XD** Thank you for being the only reviewer for the first two chapters...
Me: Yes, thanks so much hon ^.^ Now, I told myself I'd wait a bit in between chapters, but I couldn't help but write this one up and get it posted. I'm just so extied!
Sadly, I don't own Phantom...but I now do own a DVD copy of the movie :3 and a Batman plushie...so damn cute...
Chapter 3- Lullaby
"Merde!" Esmeralda cursed, turning her room upside down. "Where is it? Where did I put it? Merde!"
Since she had gotten back from her introductory class where she first showed the ballet rats her dance, she couldn't find her music box. Frustrated, Esmeralda sat on the floor and buried her face in her hands with a groan. In the silence, she swore she could hear the familiar, chiming melody.
Wait...she thought. I do hear it. Where's it coming from though...
Esmeralda tried to follow the sound, but ended up standing in front of her mirror. It couldn't be coming from here. There's no room next to me on this side, just wall... But she noticed that the mirror was not in fact attached to its ornate frame, but was slightly ajar. Esmeralda slid her fingers behind it and opened it like she would a door. She was met with a rush of cold air and a long dark tunnel. From within, she heard the sound of her music box.
Maybe it was the fact she hadn't had proper sleep in days. Maybe it was the swig of brandy she'd accepted from one of the stage hands after her performance. Maybe it was because she was so desperate to get her precious trinket back that Esmeralda pulled a shawl around her shoulders and lit a kerosene lamp and began to walk down towards the music.
The shadows played tricks on her eyes, and rats could be heard scurrying along by Esmeralda's feet. But she was determined to get her music box back. It was her prized possession, the one thing he had shared with her- giving her something that she had inspired.
"Sing it for me again, please." Eleven year old Erik asked.
Esmeralda smiled; once again she had snuck into the boy's caravan to spend the night. It was much better than her own- sharing with the other women that were noisy and rude.
Esmeralda began to hum and stroked Erik's hand that was intertwined with her own with her thumb. "Hear this song and remember. Soon you'll be home with me, once upon a December."
Esmeralda finally stepped off of the final step of the never ending staircase and came to a lake. The water was dark and uninviting; however on the other side she saw the unmistakable glow of candlelight. Looking for a way to cross, Esmeralda spotted a wall with a ledge just wide enough for her to shimmy across. With her belly pressed against the wall, the dancer shuffled across until she came to the shore on the other side.
It was a magnificent sight. Whoever lived there must have been an artist of any form. Esmeralda could not count all the masterpieces she saw. She stopped to look at a table that seemed to be covered in hand made toys of every sort. There was a bear that balanced on a ball, swans that would swim when placed in water, then, sitting slightly more dented and playing ceaselessly was her music box. Esmeralda closed her eyes and swayed with the music, getting lost in her own mind.
"Dancing bears, painted wings, things I almost remember. And a song someone sings once upon a December..."
Winds raged outside the caravan, but Erik held tight to Esmeralda's hand as they waited out the storm.
"Someone holds me safe and warm. Horses prance through a silver storm. Figures dancing gracefully across my memory." Esmeralda began to dance with herself; she did not see the figure watching her from the shadows.
the circus camp was in an uproar- not only had owner been murdered, but Erik had escaped! Esmeralda sat outside the empty cage when something caught her eye. Beneath layers of straw was an old junkie music box and its key. there was a bit of wax that was dripped onto it that formed an E. Esmeralda turned the key in its hole and her lullaby began to play. In this moment of sadness, she was lost to the beauty of the figures and the music that somehow Erik had managed to create for her. "Mon Ange de Musique."
"Someone holds me safe and warm. Horses prance through a silver storm. Figures dancing gracefully across my memory."
'You'll always be my friend, right Erik?"
"Far away, long ago, glowing dim as an ember. Things my heart used to know, things it years to remember-"
"And a song someone sings..." a new, beautiful male voice entered the song. "Once upon a December..." he drew out the note long, and then stepped towards the woman.
She took in the dark clothes, long and muscular limbs, the dark hair and fair skin, the piercing green and gold eyes. Then the white mask. Only one person she knew could sing like that, that would know her song and would wear a mask.
"Erik...?" she breathed.
When Erik had brought home the music box to repair it, he had gotten to talking with the voice again.
You should see her.
"She will be sleeping."
You saw her drinking with the stage hand.
"..."
You are jealous! Ha!
"No I am not! You are a pompous bastard."
You mean, you are a pompous bastard. I am you, you are me.
It got to the point where Erik couldn't even concentrate, so he went to go read for a bit and clear his head. He was not expecting to hear the sound of an angel singing.
Lasso in hand, Erik crept to his workroom where the sound was coming from. He had forgotten to remove the key from the music box; its sweet melody rang out, paired with the voice. It was a beautiful alto, and sang as if begging for the answers to life.
It felt as though Erik's heart was tearing in two. Even with his teachings, Christine could never hope to reach the level of skill this voice had. He leaned against the wall and closed his eyes. Once more, Erik was a child, being visited by his friend during a storm. She would sing until they would both fall asleep, their fingers intertwined through the bars of his prison.
"Far away, long ago, glowing dim as an ember. Things my heart used to know, things it years to remember-"
"And a song someone sings..." Erik sang out, stepping towards the beautiful gypsy girl. "Once upon a December..."
Now watch her run. The voice taunted. Watch her flee from the monster Phantom- the creature that hides behind a mask.
"Erik?"
Me: Gah! ITS SO FLUFFY I COULD DIE! Anywhore, again, the song used is Once Upon a December from Anastasia ^.^REVIEW~! Whoever does gets…um…**looks to Erik**
Erik: *sighs* I won't kill them?
Me: No, we must appeal to the fans…hm…they can get a hug or a kiss from you or-
Erik: NO! NO MORE TOUCHING!
Me: …or…they could decide if you should kill Raoul. And if so in what way. Sound good? Awesome.