- Twenty-Eight -
"Uno!" Charline jumped on Uno's back. "Guess what I just found out!"
Uno bent over to steady herself and keep Charline from falling off. She wrapped her arms backwards around her friend's back and continued walking down the hallway towards the café.
"What did you just find out, Charline?"
Charline smiled and squeezed her hold on her best friend. "You'll be singing opera at the next galla!"
Uno froze. "What?"
"I'm so happy for you!"
Uno dropped her hold and Charline fell backwards. Wincing, she looked up at her friend as Uno turned on her.
"You heard that from who?" Uno asked, her voice steady with weary.
"It's all over the theater," Charline explained. "Priscella is telling everyone that you'll be singing at the next show—even though she says you'll probably shatter all the mirrors in the building."
"She did… did she?" Uno's eyes narrowed. "What else is she saying?"
Charline got to her feet. "Also that you have been given lessons from Christine DeChagny—you are so lucky, Uno!"
Uno frowned. "Priscella has it all wrong."
"I'm so proud to be your friend!"
"Charline," Uno began, "Priscella is wrong. Christine's not teaching me—one of the patrons to the Opera Populare teaches me."
Charline frowned. "What?"
"And last night was our first lesson." Uno turned back around and continued towards the café, her friend on her tail. "It wasn't a splendid lesson, I must add in, either. He's stubborn and highly arrogant."
"So it's not Christine?"
"No."
Charline glanced down. "Why would she say all this then?"
Uno shrugged. "She probably doesn't expect it to get far—thinking it may hurt me or something."
"Are you still singing at the next galla?"
Uno sighed. "Sadly."
"You don't want to?"
"I want to hide under a rock, really." Uno placed her hand on the knob of the door and turned back to her friend. "Singing is something that has become a part of a past I'm trying desperately to forget."
-
"Christine," Priscella bowed her head as she neared the viscountess. Christine smiled and turned to the ballerina.
"Hello."
"I know Uno will be unhappy that I am telling you this," Priscella began, "but she believes that she is a much greater diva than you and claims you make Carlotta sound like an angel."
Christine frowned. "I don't understand."
"Uno does not like you."
"She and I are friends—why would she not like me?"
Priscella shrugged. "I don't know. Perhaps she's using your friendship for hope that you would share your wealth with her. But she's spreading nasty rumours about you throughout the entire opera house."
Christine frowned and glanced around at the passing ballerinas. Meg spotted her from the distance and ran towards her. "I don't understand why she would do that." She turned to Meg. "Priscella tells me that Uno has said I sound worse than Carlotta when I sing."
Meg frowned at Priscella. "Is that who has started those rumours?" Priscella nodded. "How unlike her."
"That's what I believe," Christine murmured, feeling a little hurt. Meg put a comforting hand on her best friend's shoulder.
"I'm sure there's a good reason for this, Christine. Uno doesn't seem the type of person to be this rude."
Priscella shrugged. "Well she is secretive," she reminded them. "Perhaps she's befriending you so you'd give her money or a title someday."
"But she knows I can't do that," Christine said softly. "And it's not up to me—it's up to my husband."
Priscella shrugged again and looked away. "I'm only relating information. I know I wouldn't be so happy if there were rumours spreading about me."
Meg bit her lower lip and turned to another gathering of ballerinas that pranced by. "I should go find Charline."
"What?" Christine turned to her suddenly. "Why?" Priscella's eyes lit up.
"I'm sure Charline knows what's going on."
"Either that Uno's hiding her from the truth as well or she's in on it," Priscella warned.
Meg frowned but bowed her head to her best friend and fellow dancer before fleeing.
She found Charline in the hallway leaving the café and stood her ground firmly before her. Charline frowned and slowed to a stop, wondering why Meg was practically glaring her.
"Meg?" Charline said weakly.
"What is going on with Uno, Charline?" Meg shot out. "Why is she spreading rumours about Christine?"
"What?"
"Christine is my best friend and I won't stand for this coming from her. Just because Uno is going to be taking over as diva from the next Galla and on doesn't mean she can steal the spotlight from everyone else. Even Carlotta knows that!"
"… Meg?"
"What's going on, Charline?" Meg growled and folded her arms over her chest. "I want the truth. Are you in on it too, hoping to get money from Christine by playing friend, or is she hiding the truth from you as well?"
"… Uno's not doing anything."
"That's not what Priscella's saying."
Charline's mouth dropped. "Priscella? Priscella is saying this about Uno?"
"To Christine, yes."
"Meg—are you daft!" Charline coughed briefly and Meg felt her face get flushed. "Priscella, like Marcella, is Uno's arch rival. Of course she'll tell lies to Christine to get her to hate Uno! She's tried that with me but I only laughed at her face and walked off."
Meg frowned. "So… Uno's not spreading these rumours?"
Charline sighed. "No Meg—Uno's not the type to do that. You should know that, if you're her friend." Meg glanced down shyly. "Besides, she told me she tolerates Christine but wouldn't consider her anymore than just an acquaintance. She accepts you as a friend because you're easier and—as I can see for myself—not so childish."
"…So she's not using Christine for her money and title?"
Charline frowned. "No… and that doesn't sound like Uno."
"Well… doesn't Uno have secrets she's hiding?" Meg asked. Charline bit her bottom lip, remembering when she witnessed Uno murder two men outside the Opera Populare months back.
"No," Charline lied. "Uno's only secret is something even I don't know. It's something she keeps referring to as 'her past' and I think singing has to do with it. And besides… she hates singing."
"Then why is she singing now?"
Charline shrugged. "Beats me. But Uno's not the one spreading rumours. She won't use Christine like that, anyways."
"Like what?" Both girls gasped and turned to see Uno standing behind Charline. "What would I use Christine for and what rumours would I spread around?"
"Priscella's telling Christine that you're using her friendship in hopes that you'll someday get rich and famous and that you sing far better than her, making her sound worse than Carlotta," Meg informed.
Uno frowned. "Really?" She nodded. "I'll have to have a word with her."
"Well… Christine really thinks she's telling the truth, Uno." Meg said softly. "The last I saw she was on the brink of tears, almost."
Uno sighed and hung her head. "I can't stand Christine because she's too weak and timid and let's the world around her hurt her."
"I know she's soft and you're not but you must understand," Meg paused, "Christine has had a horrible past and even though she has gotten stronger from it, she's not strong enough to face the world alone."
Uno frowned. "Apparently it wasn't horrible enough."
"Uno!" Meg gasped. "Christine could have easily killed Raoul if she made the wrong decision."
Uno stared her in the eyes. "Yeah… and I witness my entire family murdered off because I managed to survive on my own since I was three." Both Meg and Charline's mouth dropped slowly. "So Christine's lucky she's got what she has now."
"That sounds horrible Uno."
"Yeah well," Uno turned away. "It's history."
Or rather… the future, she contemplated silently.
"I should get back and tell Christine the truth then," Meg breathed out. "Other wise she will tell Raoul and he may have you fired."
Uno shrugged. "If he does then he does—I can live without this theather's help."
"Besides," Charline turned to Meg, "I just remembered Uno had come from Texas—she knows how to manage on her own."
Uno felt a cold chill run down her spine.
"What?" Meg frowned at the braided diva. "Texas?"
"Um…"
"Yes and I heard that her mother was Empress in Japan and Uno's the heir, so when she is ready she can assume the throne after she marry's the Emperor," Charline explained.
Uno's eyes widened and her face paled.
"Empress!" Meg gasped. "That is amazing!"
"Meg, Charline—please," Uno urged.
"Christine has to know this so she would know that you are not using her for money and a title." Meg spun around and attempted to run but Uno grabbed her wrist tightly.
"Don't tell a soul," she pleaded. "Please, I am thoroughly begging you two to keep this secret silent."
Meg frowned. "But… why?"
"I just… I don't want news of my existence getting out. I traveled the world so I can learn about the different countries and not have to worry about the people trying to chase me down." Uno released Meg's wrist and continued with her huge lie. "I grew up with my father in Texas and… well… news got out about me being Empress and he was killed trying to protect me, thus is why I fled to Europe."
"Oh," Meg pouted. "That's horrible."
"I heard from Count Verafaunte that you were Empress," Charline explained. "He spoke with me at the end of the last show to compliment me on my dancing and we starting talking about other things—your name got brought up and he told me what you must have told him before." Uno nodded and waited until Charline continued reeducating Uno in the lie Uno had made up.
"He also said that you claimed your father was a Duke in America."
"He was but he moved to Texas when I was a child," Uno explained.
Charline nodded and continued. "Which I feel confused on because you told me your mother died from a battle against the Indians, protecting you."
Uno cleared her throat. "That she did," she said quickly. "But my father found me and later learnt I was his child and knew who I was—since I was my mother's daughter—and knew what had to be done."
"Wow," Meg purred out. Uno and Charline turned to her. "You've had such an amazing life, Uno."
Uno frowned. "Please don't tell Christine. I don't want my name to get out."
"I won't," Meg assured her. "But I'm still amazed. Is this why you don't wish to sing anymore?"
Uno nodded. "My father loved my voice and I had friends who would help me train it but the same people who killed my father killed my friends."
Charline pouted. "We won't tell, Uno," she said. "We promise." Meg nodded in agreement.
What Uno didn't sense was the other presense lurking around the corner with open ears and a contemplating mind.
-
Uno waited until rehearsals were over and the theater's ballet has dispersed before returning to the stage. Only a few remaining ballerina's were left gathering their things, talking amongst themselves, when she made her appearance. Amongst the few remaining girls was Priscella, her back to the diva. When the other girls had left, Uno came out of the shadows in a fury.
"What are you doing?" Uno seethed out as she grappled both Priscella's shoulders and pinned her against the wall. Hot anger seared through her veins and Priscella's few things fell to the floor in a panic.
"W-what?"
"Why are you saying things about me?" Uno repeated. "Why do you girls dislike competition? Am I too hard to fight against?"
Priscella cringed against the raging woman. "What are you talking about? I'm not doing anything," she whimpered out.
"Bullshit!" Uno slammed the petite girl's body against the wall roughly. "I don't believe you."
"What are you going to do to me?" Priscella asked. "Harm me? You do know we are not alone, Uno."
Uno narrowed her eyes and did well to hide the discomfort that had suddenly taken over her. "Is that so? The last I checked we were the only two remaining in the theater."
"Did you forget," Priscella began, "that there is a ghost lurking in this building? He sees all and he owns everything."
Uno's brows creased. "What are you saying?"
"The phantom is probably watching us right now," Priscella said with delight as a grin formed on her lips. "He is probably angry with you for attacking a ballerina—one who so delicately dances a huge act in the next show." She chuckled darkly but Uno didn't stand for it.
With the strength Uno had built up since she was six, she released Priscella's shoulders and replaced the hold with a firm grip to the girl's neck. Priscella's eyes widened and her fingers wrapped around Uno's single right wrist. Within the blink of an eye, Uno's grip had tightened and she had lifted the dancer off the floor by a good six inches and suspended her in mid air, using the wall as support.
Eyes narrowing to slits of evil, Uno growled fiercely, "Then he will play witness to my attack on you." She paused briefly to allow the realization settle over the other girl. "I give you the same warning I gave Marcella," Uno paused again and took the moment to hurl Priscella away from her a good distance. Priscella practically flew in the air and landed on the edge of the stage with a hard thud, whimpering as her arms supported her fall and stung in the process.
"Do not play with fire unless you are prepared to get burnt!" Her voice was loud and thunderous, a raging boom of emotions against the stillness of the audience. Priscella stared back at her with fear etched deeply in her eyes and felt her lower lip tremble with slight trepidation. Within the span of the next few moments Uno gathered herself back up and fled the theater, leaving behind a terrified ballerina.
-
Erik adjusted his cloak back around him after the rehearsals had ended and stretched his aching limbs. The ballet proved to be decent enough, despite a few mistakes he knew Madam Giry would fix before the show arrived, and a few hours Uno would have her next lesson. She would have to be ready to sing the full song by the following week else the show must be canceled with her name to blame.
The previous night proved entirely fitful for Erik. Uno had arrived on time, as discussed, and quite prepared to fight. She did as told and followed orders but gave him trouble with it. He could not correct her without having a witty remark about his own abilities and forced to question his own status.
He began wondering just how her parents had been able to raise her if she couldn't take a lecture that well.
Speak of the devil, he mused. Just as he was turning to leave the box Uno had appeared on the egde of the stage while the few remaining ballerinas disappeared, leaving only one behind.
Priscella.
Erik narrowed his eyes and leant forward, remembering the last time Uno had appeared after the rehearsal to settle some form of bulky business. The other girl treated her much similar but in a more dirty way whereas this girl knew how to maneuver in stealth.
Uno gained on the dancer and flung her into the wall, causing the poor girl to lose her things in the quake of it all. "What are you doing?" Uno had seethed out but Erik was quite capable of making it out.
Priscella quivered. "W-what?"
"Why are you saying things about me? Why do you girls dislike competition? Am I to hard to figth against?"
"What are you talking about? I'm not doing anything," the ballerina whimpered out.
"Bullshit!" Erik watched as the diva slammed the dancer's body against the wall with great force. "I don't believe you," she seethed through clenched teeth.
"What are you going to do to me?" Erik heard a hint of weary to the older girl's voice. "Harm me? You do know we are not alone, Uno."
That wench is pushing Uno away, Erik contemplated. She is warning her of my presence.
"Is that so? The last I checked we were the only two remaining in the theater."
"Did you forget that there is a ghost lurking in this building?" Erik's eyes narrowed as the girl took on pleasure to her words. "He sees all and he ownes everything."
"What are you saying?"
"The phantom is probably watching us right now." She grinned. "He is probably angry with you for attacking a ballerina—one who so delicately dances a huge act in the next show."
Erik narrowed his eyes and growled, his fists balling with rage by his side. How dare she use him against Uno that way! His lips flared in anger, prepared to fire the wench and allow her counter-part to dance solely.
The girl began laughing and Erik watched as Uno, apparently feeling the same way he felt, replaced her hold on the older girl and suspended her in the air quickly, the fingers around the neck tight and fatal.
"Then he will play witness to my attack on you. I'll give you the same warning I gave Marcella." Erik frowned and leant forward but froze the moment he saw Uno hurl her across the stage, much to close to the edge of the pit for his liking. She turned on the dancer with a rage he only saw when he was threatening Raoul and Christine's lives.
"Do not play with fire unless you are prepared to get burnt!"
He watched, in extreme interest, as Uno left the girl to her own shattered illusions, shaking and very much trembling to the bone. When the diva was gone for good he pulled back and muttered a curse beneath his breath, wondering if he appeared at all mad when he was angry, as Uno appears when she loses her temper. Priscella pushed herself up and braced her arm in support. Erik considered her current state and figured to have the counter-part take over anyways, just incase the fall caused greater harm and gave more injury than what she felt right then.
Without another thought, he turned from the scene and left the box behind.
-
"The nerve of that bitch!" Uno slammed the door to her room as soon as she entered it and growled in fury. "I should slaughter her for what she's doing!"
Break off her fingers, Turok offered.
"Kill her!" Uno continued.
Drain her body of blood.
"Get rid of her!"
Burn her body and send her to Hell.
"The world doesn't need garbage like her!" Uno stormed over to her bed and collapsed face first into the pillows.
Then plan an attack tonight.
She sighed and turned to face the wall, her head resting on the pillow. "She's getting on my nerves. Marcella stooped low and attacked my friends—this one's trying to attack my only reputation."
She's in the way.
"I just can't stand it when people treat others like that… like they have to get rid of somebody who's a threat to them," Uno paused. "And shut up, Turok."
You said it—not me. Uno closed her eyes and groaned. She's in your war—get rid of her.
"What?"
Remember what Zechs taught you? 'When obstacles are in your way—eliminate them entirely.'
Uno glanced at the grandfather clock in her room and frowned. "After rehearsals… I'll deal with her personally."
-
Erik massaged Uno's throat as she suspended the single note longer than required. "Easy on your vocals, Uno," he commanded. "There. That's better."
Uno let the note finish and she glanced down at the ground soon after. Small flakes of snow began falling and she heard Erik, behind her, shudder softly.
"You're cold," she mumbled. "Why are you out here with me if you're cold?"
Erik hesitated before responding. "The theater cannot know I teach you."
Frowning, she turned to look at up at him. "I already told them."
"What did you say?"
"That a patron of the theater is teaching me opera," she explained. "I didn't say your name, though."
"Good." Erik stepped around to the front of her and looked her in the eyes. "Your voice is excellent and the power you weild with it is outrageous. How was your tutor before?"
"I… never had one."
He frowned. "No body helped you train your voice?" She shook her head. "You're a natural?"
"Yes," she murmured. "Ever since I was little… I sang in school shows and off to the side with my friends." At the mention of her deceased—or yet to be born and deceased—friends Uno felt a chill travel up the length of her spine.
"Why did you stop?"
She glanced away and mumbled sheepishly. "I had no choice."
"What was the reason?"
Uno hesitated before replying. "I had to take over my father's business," she said. It wasn't entirely a lie; Duo's business wasn't work related as much as it was war related.
Erik nodded as if he understood and lifted her chin in his hands. He looked her in the eyes as he mumbled, "You have a beautiful voice and you use it with so much strength and power. I only wish you were here a few years ago when the theater had produced music for Christine Daae."
Uno frowned. "I thought you liked her voice."
Erik flustered briefly. "At that time I did," he shot back. "But after I heard your voice I learnt she was merely a whisper compared to your explosive abilities."
Uno's mouth parted in aw as all words died on her tongue. She stared into Erik's dark green eyes and felt the world spinning out of control. His white mask, already implanted in her mind as a key component to his attire, disappeared as she slowly lost herself within his dazzeling orbs. She felt her body turning to mush and started to feel herself become as light as a feather.
Uno… you're about to kiss him, Turok warned.
Uno's eyes blinked and she cleared her mind of its wanderings. She and Erik had gotten much closer within the span of only several seconds and it wasn't until after she cleared her throat the two of them backed up again.
"It's beginning to get chilly," she rushed out. "I don't want to get ill." She knew it was a lie but she also knew Erik didn't know. If she got sick from the weather—if she could even feel it, at least, then she would have been dead from the leapt off the roof the other night.
Erik nodded and cleared his throat as well. "Yes—the theater can't have a sick diva for the next showing, especially one that'll shelter her best work."
Uno stifled a smirk and nodded in agreement. "Tomorrow evening?"
He nodded. "Tomorrow it is. Sleep well, Uno."
Uno nodded and turned away. Before she left the roof she turned back to see Erik watching her intensely. Stiffling a smile, she bowed her head.
-
What do you propose to do? Turok asked as Uno paced the floor of her room, the lights dimmed down to where everything held dark shadows. Strangle her in her sleep?
Frowning and chewing on her lower lip, Uno contemplated her choices. "I know she's getting too close to my personal life," she mumbled. "And I have to stop her from finding out that I have voices in my head."
… Hah hah.
"And she can't find out who I really am," Uno continued. "So… shit—there isn't much to do!"
You have to do it soon, Turok warned. It's already late enough.
Uno stopped pacing and turned to the clock. She chewed on her lip even more before turning to glance at the door.
"I have no choice," she mused. "It has to be done."
Dressing in the clothes she wore when she arrived and packing her gun in the back of her waist band, Uno made silently through the halls with the use of Turok's mapping skills and reached the dormitories. She climbed the stairs she knew would lead to Priscella's loft, taking each step careful of its creaking, and stopped when she heard the soft snores of the older girl.
Uno's nose crinkled and she heard laughter in her head. She snores, Turok mused. How beautiful.
She rolled her eyes and steeled herself ready. Within the next moment, Uno lashed out violently and covered Priscella's mouth as forcefully as she could. Flailing arms jumped out and tried to attack her but Uno, as quick as lightneing, whipped out a syringe from her knee pocket and stabbed the girl's neck with it. Within seconds the body went limp.
Uno put the syringe back in her pocket and scooped the body out of the bed. Careful not to wake anyone up, she carried Priscella's fainted self down all the many stairs, through all the many hallways, and into the stables. She neared Hercules and saw him whinny his head, a sadle already on his body, laid the body over his back and strap it up, then mounted him herself.
Hercules kicked into gear and flew out of the stables. Uno directed him to the same place she had directed him to bring Marcella several months back. When she neared the opening she found the mound of ash from her last kill had entirely disappeared and now a thin layer of snow was forming on top of it.
With a smug grin and a swift nod of her head, Uno decided it was time to begin.
-
Erik heaved a sigh as he saddled up Hercules for a ride. Teaching Uno was one thing—since she enjoyed arguing with him over every little detail—but flattering her was something entirely different. He has told everyone that he would not fall into the same trap as before, that he would not permit his feelings to allow him to get hurt again.
But he failed.
He has found a liking to her when she arrived, found her amazing when he first heard her sing, thought she was a deity when he saw her at the ball, and then tonight, as she sang opera, he found his heart filled to the brim with the possibility of his music.
But he can't let the history repeat.
And even though he urged that he would make sure it didn't repeat, he knew he had no say over the matter. She had already begun to take over him.
After the straps were secured he heard a noise and immediately ducked into a corner, hidden entirely by the shadows. He saw Uno, dressed in her strange clothes that he once saw her wearing in his lair, and holding something in her arms. It looked like a person.
It looked like Priscella.
He frowned. What is she doing?
Erik watched in silence as she laid Priscella's limp form on the back of Hercule's body, strap it in place, and then mount his back herself. Within a second they were out of the stables and Erik stood up to watch Uno make her deadly escape.
"What is she doing," he pondered. He knew there was only one way to find out.
He mounted the nearest horse quickly, although bareback, and made haste to follow his own steed's footsteps.
-
"Mmmph," Priscella mumbled. She opened her eyes and frowned when snow and grass blades touched her skin. Pushing up she glanced around and found she was simply lying somewhere in the forest. The last she recalled she was sleeping and somebody had covered her mouth.
"It's about time," came a deep voice. Priscella snapped her gaze to the side and she saw who the voice belonged to.
The word died on her tongue but still she muttered aloud, "Uno?"
Uno nodded. "I'm tired of you and your attitude," she said darkly. "But I must be honest—you work better than Marcella did."
Priscella frowned. "I don't understand."
"I'll give you a choice," Uno stepped around the older girl and claimed a seat on a rotten tree trunk that appears the tree had fallen over with the wind. "Cease what you are doing or follow in the same footsteps as Marcella."
"Marcella?"
"I killed her several months ago," Uno said flatly. "For much the same cause I'm about to with you."
Priscella's face paled. "You're not serious," she muttered under her breath. "What have I done?"
"Meg and Charline tell me you're spreading rumours," Uno explained. "That I'm only playing friends with Christine in hopes of getting her gold."
"But you are." Priscella sounded as if she believed her confused consumption.
Uno frowned. "If I wanted her money I'd kill her, marry Raoul, and then have him die in what appears to look like an accident. This is Paris of the late eighteen hundreds—I could get away with anything."
Priscella pushed herself up to a standing position. "Then why play these games? I know you really can't stand the Viscountess."
Uno shrugged. "That's cause she's a timid mouse and I'm a vicious lion. But I never said I didn't like her."
"I know you want the De Chagny money," the girl shoved into the conversation.
Uno frowned. "I don't need it. Where I come from, I own practically all of humanity and everything with it."
Priscella frowned, truly confused now. "Where are you from?"
"… Another world," Uno muttered before standing. "But pick your choice: stop or die."
"Oh gee, that really sounds like a decent decision," the girl mused. "I think I'll want to die."
"Fine." Within an instant Uno had whipped out a knife from behind her and flung it out at the other girl. Priscella yelped and grasped her right shoulder where the blade dug in deeply.
"Uno!"
Uno shrugged. "You chose die."
"I wasn't serious!"
"Than you shouldn't have said that." Uno stepped up to the whimpering ballerina and withdrew the knife without caring about extra injuries. "At least I didn't do to you what I did to Marcella."
Priscella whimpered. "You're delusional." Uno's brows raised and she turned her head at an angle. "You think you are high and mighty and you are nothing but the lifeless scum that is found on the streets of the Paris shopping district late at night."
"A whore?" Uno formulated.
"And nothing more!"
Her eyes narrowed. "Hel hath geen woede... noch doe ik." (Translation from Dutch: "Hell hath no fury... nor do I.") She flung the knife into the left shoulder and ignored Priscella's scream. Instantly, like before, she withdrew the blade and let the body fall to the ground. Uno stared down at the tortured figure below her and grinned.
"Ich werde Sie bedenken... spielt mit Feuer nicht." (Translation from German: "Mind you... don't play with fire.") She put the knife back into the sheath behind her back and hoisted Priscella to her feel, keeping certain both hands are pressing painfully down on the wounded shoulders. Uno pinned the girl's body agains the same slab that Marcella was once pinned to. She took out several smaller but sharper knives out of her pockets to staple Priscella's chemise to the slab.
"It's cold," Priscella murmured.
Uno nodded in agreement. "You didn't feel it before because you were geared up and on fire with rage and fury," she explained. "But now that you're injured and slowly dying, you'll feel even colder than before. But it's alright—I didn't hit anything vital. You won't die from these two wounds alone."
Priscella whimpered. "What else do you plan to do to me, wenchi?"
Uno shrugged. "Perhaps keep you out here to freeze to death? I dunno'." She glanced down to see the deep crimson snow around her feet and watched as more of the blood dribbled down the once white chemise of the older girl. "Either way—you're blood is mine."
"You're a vixen of Hell," Priscella hissed out. "A true mistress for the devil."
Uno shrugged and stared her enemy in the eyes. "So I'm the Devil's Mistress—fine by me."
She heard a gasp coming from the trees towards her left. Both girls turned in that direction and saw a man standing there, eyes fixed on the scene before him, and moonlight radiating off of his white mask. Priscella's face paled upon noticing the phantom near her and Uno paled for fear of being caught.
The she paused when she realized who it was.
"It's him!" Priscella spat out. "He's here!"
"Erik," Uno growled. She turned towards him and advanced. Erik took a quick step backwards. "Why did you follow me?"
"Uno—y-you've injured her." Erik's eyes were huge with shock and he stared down at the outrageous diva before him. "Why?"
"She deserves to die," Uno said flatly. "And now that you've seen you'll have to, as well."
A flash of triumph crossed his eyes. "Is that so?"
"Why did you have to follow me!" She yelled out. "Why—I wasn't going to be out long!"
"Tell me," Erik began, "were you behind the disappearance of Marcella, as well?"
"I warned her just the same," Uno snapped. "She should have listened."
"You killed her."
Uno breathed deeply. "Erik… why did you follow me?"
"Why are you doing this?" He whispered, staring into her eyes in disbelief. "You are plaguing yourself with sin, with bloodshed."
"I told you I don't believe in sin," she mumbled. "And it's too late to flee from bloodshed—I killed since I was thirteen and I've seen dead bodies since I was three."
Erik frowned. "Why?"
"I had no choice," she said softly, feeling as if she were more than guilty for what she's done in her past. "I had to."
"Don't do this, Uno. Please," he urged. "Blood should not stain a hand as pure as yours."
"Pure?" She snorted out. "My hands haven't been pure since my father took me in off the streets after my mother died trying to save me."
"I will not tell anyone if you stop this and turn away from it all," he tried.
"And what of her?" Uno turned and shot an accusing finger at Priscella's still shocked figure. "Will you not care if she runs around the theater spreading even more lies about me?"
"Now that I know you and the phantom co-exist in secret," Priscella addly in smugly. Uno turned to stare at her with confusion and Erik narrowed his eyes.
"What?"
"Ignore her," Erik rushed out. "She makes no sense."
Uno turned back to him. "Leave me, Erik. I need to do this."
"I will not leave."
"Please?"
"Uno—you shouldn't do this," he said to her. "This is wrong."
"Say it to the five other people I've killed in the last few months that I've been here," she shot back. Erik gasped and took another step back. "Say it to them, Erik! Say it to the two drunken stage handlers that I killed at the start of my arrival! Say it to the two drunken bums that I killed in front of Charline so they wouldn't rape us! Say it to Marcella, despite my threats!"
"Uno," Erik gasped aloud. "You can't be serious!"
"I am serious!" She screamed aloud. "I have to finish this, Erik!" He stared at her in disbelief. "I have to or else it would never stop! She is in my way and I cannot have her jeaprodizing whatever decent life I can live here! Whatever peace I wish to attain she'll ruin!"
"Uno…"
"I have to!" Erik looked into Uno's desperate, pleading eyes and found they were filling with tears. "I can't keep running from my fate if my fate will kep chasing after me!"
He grasped both of her shoulders fiercely. "Stop this at once! You are stronger than this—you shouldn't let this fury and rage overcome you, Uno!"
"No!" She fought back. "No, Erik! You don't understand!"
"I do!" He returned equally. "I do understand, Uno!" He shook her. "I've lived a life just the same and I've had no choice but to live it because my mother had sold me to it—you can get out whenever you want."
"No I can't, Erik!" She corrected. "My father died protecting me—my friends and family all died protecting me and I can't let them down!" She pushed off him. "Just let me do this—it has to be done!"
"No!" Erik tried at grabbing her again but Uno began pounding her fists on his chest. "Uno—listen to me!"
"No! You don't understand—I'm haunted by my past and unless I keep this up I won't escape it!"
He finally grabbed her and shook her again. "Stop!"
"Go away," she urged. "I have to finish this, Erik! Let me finish this!"
"Uno!"
"I have to kill her!" Erik paused to breath and stared into her tearfilled eyes. Slowly, the tears began falling in fast motion, cascading down her cheeks. "I have no choice," she whispered.
Erik frowned and felt his heart breaking just the same. "Uno," he murmured. "Why do you live on like this?"
"Just go," Uno repeated. "I have to kill her."
He didn't wait for another one of her remarks. He simply bent his head and claimed her lips. Uno closed her eyes and returned his kiss, her hands grasping hold of his upper arms and holding on for dear life. The tears continued to fall as their lips opened and the kiss deepened. Erik's hands fell away from her shoulders when the kiss finally broke. He glanced down at the quivering girl below him, holding onto his arms as if she would fall if he weren't there, and waited for something to happen.
Uno was staring at his chest, her watery eyes fixiated on his dark clothes. She breathed deeply and felt her earlier strength returning. Releasing his arms, she kept her voice low and her eyes away from his.
"Go back, Erik," she commanded softly.
Erik nodded. "Don't stay out too late."
Uno nodded her head in return. When Erik lifted her chin she didn't fight back. When he kissed her again, she returned his kiss. When he backed away she only stared at his face and into his eyes.
When he left on the horse he came with she realized who her third crush was.
Priscella's eyes were narrowed in on the braided diva. She watched intensely as Uno returned to the stapled dancer on the slab and sneered.
"You're the phantom's mistress," she seethed out. "I should have guessed."
"He's a patron," Uno murmured, only half-listening to what Priscella was saying.
"Yeah right," she snorted back. "A patron that owns everyone."
Uno closed her eyes and heaved a sigh. "Turok?"
What is it, Uno, Turok sounded just as sullen as she did.
"… I need your help."
Priscella looked disgusted. "Who are you talking to?"
Just say my other name and we'll begin, he said soothingly, knowing the previous argument was hard on her.
Uno took a deep, steadying breath, nodded her head, and stared satanically into the ballerina's eyes. She took a deep breath and as she release it, said aloud, "Zero."
To those who recall from Gundam Wing when Quatre needed to take control of the team with battle strageties and so he turns on the Zero mode--by typing in 'Z-E-R-O' into the command controls... you'll understand what happens here.
Uno's become weak now that Turok had died down and let her attempt at being normal. Because of this, she can't rely on him as much as she used to in the other chapters and the other stories. For this reason, when she WANTS to rely on the computer program that's smarter than all of human life combined, she simply says the name of the program (Zero) and it begins. Turok is who she now refers to and Zero is what starts up her original, blood-thirsty self you see at the beginning of DC3 and all throughout DC2.
By the way... did anyone here like the slight Erik and Uno-ness?
