The Phantom
A/N:
Okay, here's the link for Charlotte's dress and necklace(which is just the Australian Love Never Dies outfit): put it in w/out the spaces.
25 . tumblr _ m2ukw4n73G1r4jqwho1 _ 1280 . png
And Charlotte's mask: again put it in w/out the spaces
i2. photobucket albums/ y19/SorrowsChild/ Masks/ finishedmask021 .jpg - for the mask, imagine there's no handle but instead a black string to hold it in place on here face.
I felt like I had to have Charlotte in a blue dress, even though I wanted her in a green one really bad. Eventually I gave in and accepted the blue because I wasn't going to win that battle.
Disclaimer: I don't own those costume pieces or anything that is Phantom. *tear* I do own my own characters though. Charles is mine, as is Charlotte, Gwendolyn, Mama Sorelli, and other characters who do not belong to Andrew Lloyd Weber or Gaston Lerox.
Hope you enjoy the chapter! Oh and 'ma chère' means 'my dear', I'm not going to translate that either.
"…at the Vicomte's masquerade ball, Charlotte Dupré will represent Mr. Y as he will not be able to attend. Should these commands be ignored, I would not like to be Messieurs Firmin and André. Or Mademoiselle Dupré I remain gentlemen, your obedient servent. O.G." The Opera-Ghost had left a message for the managers and I. Erik and I had planned this out - two weeks before the masquerade on New Years Eve he would send a letter as Mr. Y saying he would not be attending the celebration due to curcumstances beyond his control. Then a few days later, the Opera Ghost would command I be the representative for Mr. Y. I pretended to look alarmed at the last 'threat'.
"I think it would be best if Mademoiselle Dupré did agree to this command." The stage and prop manager, Jamie Buquet, said. "The Opera-Ghost barely let us off last time you refused him and that's only because you wrote him with an explanation." She was the sister of Joseph Buquet and believes very strongly in the Opera Ghost. Mostly because she was one of the people backstage when he was hung in the middle of Il Muto.
"I have to agree, I can't refuse a second time. He's directly threatening people. Monsieur André or Firmin should write to inform Mr. Y about this though, so he knows who is representing him."
"I should hope the Ghost knows what he's doing,"Gwendolyn commented."He could choose someone much better than her to represent Mr. Y at the masquerade. Someone a bit older and more mature."
"And who would you choose to represent Mr. Y Gwendolyn?" Meg asked innocently, she was trying to get on Gwendolyn's nerves. "Surely you must have some idea."
"Myself of course. I have more experience with the Opera House and I'm more mature-"
"In what way Gwendolyn? I don't think considering yourself superior to everyone is very mature. Besides, if the Opera Ghost wants me to represent Mr. Y at the masquerade, then that's what we have to do. Or are you not experienced enough with the Opera House to know bad things happen when we refuse Le Fantôme de l'Opéra?" She gasped with disbelief and stomped off.
"She's almost as bad as La Carlotta," Meg whispered to me.
"At least she doesn't attempt to sing. She'd earn a sandbag on the head from Monsieur Fantôme." She nodded in agreement with me and we focused on Monseiur André, who had just walked into the room.
"What's going on here?"
"Well, Madame Giry thought she saw someone in Box 5 and went to investigate," One of the ballet girls said. Box 5 still remains the Opera Ghost's private box."She didn't want anyone messing around up there. So she goes up to the Box and instead of a person, sees a letter on the seat in there. She read it and bought it here for everyone else to read."
"Well, what does it say?"
"The Opera Ghost demands that Charlotte Dupré represent Mr. Y at the masquerade ball being held in honor of the change in management." Madame Giry continued, watching Monsieur André's reaction. " He also demands that the theme of the mausqerade be animals. What his reasoning is I cannot guess, I only know what he demands."
"Does he have any other requests?" André looked as if he had a headache, pinching the bridge of his nose with his fingers.
"Not at the moment."
"Well, I suppose I should inform Mr. Y of his representative for the masquerade."
I adjusted my gloves and slipped on my mask, making sure everything was perfect. I felt a bit ridiculous in the entire gettup, looking in the mirror the v-neck was a bit low for my taste but I looked very pretty. I was dressed as a peacock - everyone was to at least attempt to dress as some animal as stated in the dress code. My lips were bright red to stand out against my pale complexion and the rich blue color helped it as well. I touched my large sapphire necklace that would help to cover my bare skin some - it was very expensive and I had yet to put it on. "Charlotte, you look sublime!"
"Thank you Meg, " I turned as she walked in, "you look the same." She was in the outfit she wore to the masquerade where the Phantom showed up as Red Death with Don Juan Triumphant in his hands. With a few alterations of course - she was going as a swan.
"Charlotte, you know what you're doing don't you? By acting as Mr. Y's representative?"
"I am helping out a man, and protecting many people from irrational fear. He needs help Meg - I can't let Christine or the Vicomte see him, or their child. Do you know what would happen then?"
"Charlotte, don't you understand that getting involved with him is dangerous? Christine-"
"Was younger than I am when she was approached by the Phantom. I can handle myself, it's not like he'll kidnap me. All I did was take lesson from him for five years Meg, he's not attached to me anyways." I made sure my hair was secured in a bun on the back of my head and deemed myself ready to go. Except for the necklace.
"Charlotte, just be careful when you're around Raoul and Christine. Don't let them know who Mr. Y is under any circumstances, they mustn't know."
"Alright Meg, I'll be careful. Don't worry about me, if anything worry that He won't be able to resist coming to a masquerade." I heard a small noise and asked Meg to leave,"I'll meet you there in a few minutes. I need to do some last minute things." I slipped off the mask since I wouldn't need it for a few more minutes.
"Alright, don't be too late. The Vicomte de Changy will be wondering where you are." Her footsteps faded away and I closed the door to my room, humming a quiet tune as I did so.
"It's quite rude to enter someone's room without asking Erik, didn't anyone ever tell you that?" I turned to face him and he seemed that I knew he was there but quickly replaced the expression with a mock serious one. He looked me up and down and I burst out laughing. "Erik, are you just trying to make things akward?" Suddenly his face became solem and I stopped laughing. "What's wrong?"
"You aren't wearing my necklace."
"Oh, that. I was just about to put that on. It's very beautiful," I say down at the vanity, where the necklace lay. I couldn't bring myself to touch it for some reason.
"Do you not like it?"
"No! No, I do! I just, I don't feel like I should be wearing such a beautiful object. I wouldn't do it much justice."
"Ma chère, you will be the beauty of the ball without the necklace. But I would appreciate it if you would wear it." I blushed at his comment and muttered a thank you. Before I could react, his arms slid over me, grabbing the necklace and setting it on me. His hands trailed over my skin as he did this, raising up goosebumps all over my skin. He fastened the necklace and I stood up quickly. I grabbed my mask and slipped it on and twirled around dramatically for Erik.
"How do I look?"
"Magnifique, mon cher1," He was as dramatitic about it as I was, "You will be the most beautiful woman there."
"Now you're just flattering me. I really have to go now, I have a Vicomte to talk to. I have to say, that's the one thing I dislike about the whole situation. I can't imagine he would be a pleasnt conversationalist."
"Well, I would assume he would have some skills in small talk being a fop and a Vicomte."
"We would assume so. I should really get going now, people will be wondering where I am. Mainly the Vicomte."
"Do you just not know his name or do you just prefer calling him by his title?" He smirked a bit and I rolled my eyes.
"I know his name, I just figure with him now being my employer I should show a little respect. Only enough to not get fired though, I don't like him much."
"That makes two of us. I'm keeping you from leaving, I should be on my way."
"Erik, you have to promise me that the Phantom of the Opera won't make a surprise apperance at the dance." I got close to Erik, looking him in the eyes to show my conce. "Nothing is important enough. Not to scare Raoul or Carlotta."Carlotta had unfortunately returned to the Opera the day it opened. "Not even to talk to Christine, not to meet Charles or any other reason. You cannot show up."
"Any why, ma beauté2, would I do that? I'm not naíve Charlotte. Besides, I can be understated - that Red Death costume was just for effect."
"Do you have a mask that makes what ever is behind the one you're wearing now look like the exposed side of your face?"
"As a matter of fact I do. It's just very uncomfortable and I don't like the time it takes to put it on."
"Well, put that on along with a respectable costume Mr. Y, and you're welcome to make a surprise apperance Monsieur." I walked away from him, leaving the room, but stopped in the door frame. "Erik."
"Yes?"
"We don't need Le Fantôme de l'Opéra running around the masquerade."
"I promise the Opera Ghost will not frighten the poor mortal people at the masquerade. However, I cannot promise anything for Mr. Y or Erik."
"Speaking about yourself in third person is really wierd, you know that right?"
"Of course, why else would I do it?" He laughed heartily and I left the room for the masquerade, a smile plastered upon my face.
There weren't as many people as I would have expected to be there. It seemed to consist of the Opera employees and performers, a few nobles, and of course Messieurs Firmin and André. I would have thought people would have been a bit creative with their costumes, but I found that most were dressed as animals you would normally see. Horses, sheep, goats, chickens, and other like animals were very common. I stand out in my costume as much as Erik did as the Red Death. "Excusez-moi madame," I asked a woman dressed as a goose," vous avez vu le Vicomte de Changy?3" She shook her head and I continued my search for Raoul. "Excusez-moi mademoiselle, void avez vu le Vicomte de Changy," I asked a woman in a pink dress - she was not dressed as any animal - it was just a large pink dress.
"Might I ask why you need to know?" She had a sweet voice, and not unlike a child's. Though she was obviously a few years older than me.
"I am here as Mr. Y's representative and I understand that the he was to meet with the Vicomte."
"Oh, oh of course! Well, I know where he is, I'll get him. Raoul, Raoul, pouvez-vous venir ici? Le représentant de M. Y est ici.4" A man looked over from a group and walked toward us and I suddenly felt as though I was very insignificant.
"Christine? Christine what were you saying? I'm afraid I couldn't hear much with everyone talking."
"Raoul, this is Mr. Y's represntative…uh, I didn't catch your name."
"I-I am Charlotte Dupré. I've recently become Prima Donna for the Opera House."
"Is La Carlotta not here anymore?"
"No - she's still here," I said, exasperated. Oh, how I wish she wasn't - she and Gwendolyn make my life hell. "In fact she's right over there," I pointed to a woman wearing a rather interesting Flamingo outfit, who looked rather put out.
"Have the managers finally gotten some sense knocked into them," Raoul asked.
"You could say that…"More like the Opera Ghost made it very clear that Carlotta would not be the leading lady ever again.
"Excusez-moi mademoiselle, mais j'ai une question pour vous."
"Bien sûr, demander à l'écart."
"Les lettres de fantôme de l'Opéra, sont des vrais? Je dois savoir.5"
"Monsieur I'm afraid I cannot answer that question-"
"Why not?"
"Monsieur, I cannot answer your question-"
"I will be answered." Raoul looked like he could strangle me and I started to think he might have had a few drinks.
"Darling, let me take care of this," Christine placed her small hand on his arm, calming him."Go back to your conversation." He nodded, placing a quick kiss to her cheek and went back to his group."I'm terribly sorry about that - he gets a bit strange when he drinks."
"It's fine, really I deal with worse every day. I have another diva I have to deal with on a daily basis along with Carlotta."
"Oh, I'm sorry about that. Carlotta was down right horrid when I was here." We stood there akwardly, neither of us quite sure what to do. Suddenly I grabbed Christine's arm and pulled her to a secluded area in the hall.
"You want to know, don't you."
"I don't know what you mean."
"You want to know if the Opera Ghost is still around."
"Doesn't everyone?"
"Why do you want to know? Because I know the truth, and I'd be willing to tell you, as stupid as that is. I will tell you on the condition you tell me the truth of why you want to know if Le Fantôme de l'Opéra is still alive."
"I can't tell you-"
"Then you will have to live with not knowing Mademoiselle Daaé."
"It's not Daaé anymore, it's Changy."
"Of course, of course, my mistake. You do know that everyone will call you Daaé anyway, right? It comes with being a world famous soprano."
"You're very abrupt."
"Well, I find being to the point works much better than beating around the bush, don't you? Revoir Mademoiselle Daaé.6"
A/N:
I've been told that Erik seems a bit less Anti-Social than he was originally imagined. I'm not mad about this because it's true. He's a little less anti-social. My reasoning for this is that it's been ten years. Time changes people - besides, he needs to be a tad more social due to the fact he's Mr. Y. He's had his share of public appearances where he had to act like a civilized person. Also, he's just very relaxed with Charlotte, he's comfortable around her. She is, along with Madame Giry and Meg, a friend to him. Though the Girys might not seem like it so far, they are his friends. He's just changed in the ten years since Christine left him.
So, yeah…Christine and Raoul are back. I decided Erik would stay away from the Masquerade mostly because the Vicomte and Vicomtess would recognize him immediately, no matter what mask he wears. It's impossible to not know him on sight - which proves the fact that most of the people in this Opera House are all idiots.
Here's the French:
1)Gorgeous, my dear
2)my beauty (did I really need to translate that?)
3)Excuse me miss, have you seen the Vicomte de Changy?
4)Raoul, Raoul can you come over here? Mr. Y's representative is here.
5)Excuse me mademoiselle, but I have a question for you.
Of course, ask away.
The letters from the Opera Ghost, are those real? I must know.
6)Goodbye Miss Daaé