Chapter 1: Potential Competition Or Fraud
The masked genius known only as Mister Y sat within his penthouse office, applying his signature to various important documents that regarded the development and up-keeping of his kingdom; The crown jewel of Coney Island that was Phantasma.
It had only been a year that Mister Y... Only known to a handful of people as Erik; had lost his inspiration... His angel and the love of his life, Christine Daaé. Adding to the tragedy it had only been shortly after learning that he learnt he was a father to a 6 year old son named Gustave that Christine had been cruelly snatched away from Erik... Causing the possibility of a happy ending to vanish at the same time.
Erik gave an exhausted sigh, placing his pen down and sat back in his desk chair before looking towards a portrait of his beloved muse,
"... Only a year and yet every passing minuet without you feels like an eternity, my love" he murmured, closing his eyes tiredly but instantly hid his sorrow when the doors to his office burst open as an excited 6 year old rushed into the room and Erik couldn't help but smile,
"Papa!" Gustave cried, rushing to his masked father with a piece of paper clutched in his small hand and giggled when the masked man lifted him and sat him on his lap and ruffled his hair,
"There's a mermaid on the mainland!" Gustave told his father excitedly causing Erik to frown in confusion as a gentleman entered the office with a chuckle,
"A new travelling show" the man explained and Gustave giggled once more,
"Can we go papa? can we?" he pleaded and Erik looked towards Nadir, his close friend (although Erik would argue that he was a reluctant and unfortunate acquaintance),
"What's all this fuss about Mermaids?" he inquired causing Nadir to chuckle once again,
"The young lad's tutor has been teaching him Greek mythology as one of his subjects and despite the fact that i have tried to explain that Mermaids are merely a work of fiction. Gustave became excited by the idea of seeing a real live mermaid for himself after finding this leaflet posted on one of the notice boards" the Persian told his masked friend as Erik took the leaflet from Gustave gently,
"Come & See Master Marvelle's Marvelous Mermaid!" Erik read unimpressed before looking at his son gentle,
"Gustave this is most likely just a big trick for this Master Marvelle to obtain money. This 'Mermaid' he claims to have is probably nothing more than a trick done with mirrors" Erik told his son gently but watched the child give the most adorable pout,
"... Could we not go and see the show anyway?... Just to check that it's not a real mermaid?" the child asked innocently and Erik couldn't help but smile and sighed in defeat,
"Very well" he agreed and Gustave clapped his hands happily before running off to get ready.
Erik had not usually been a person to venture out in public unless he really had too but since having learned that Gustave was his son he endeavored to spend as much time with him and be the best father he possibly could. Erik held Gustave's hand gently within his own as he kept the hood of his cloak up so as to hide his masked face from the other audience members who had come to see this so called 'Mermaid'.
Erik and Gustave took their seats as Master Marvelle took made his way onto the makeshift stage,
"Ladies and gentlemen! Boys and girls! Welcome!... I am Master Marvelle and i have traveled to every corner of this world and back again! There is not one wonder I have seen but!... none more stunning than this stunning creature that I shall present to you in just a moment!" the eccentric man announced and Erik found himself rolling his eyes whilst his young son watched with a fascinated and excited smile on his young face as Master Marvelle continued,
"She comes from the deepest depths of the darkest ocean where even the sharks dare not swim!" the man boasted causing gasps of shock to emerge from some audience members,
"The jewel of seven seas and now the gem of the surface!... I give you Master Marvelle's Marvelous Mermaid!" he announced before gesturing behind him as a curtain opened to reveal a large tank in which sat a man made cave of stone that had been covered in seaweed and coral for decoration... The audience watched with anticipation but soon grew unimpressed when no mermaid appeared,
"Awwww" Gustave grumbled in disappointment but Erik watched Master Marvelle closely and couldn't help but notice the angry and frustrated look on the man's face as he glared towards the cave as the audience began to boo and demand refunds,
"Forgive me ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls" Master Marvelle pleaded with a false smile that he quickly put back on as he faced the audience once more,
"... It appears that my marvelous creature is... sleeping right now" he explained lamely,
"However!... I give you my word that if you return tomorrow then she shall perform an outstanding show for you all that you will not soon forget!" he told them as the unimpressed crowd began to disperse... But Erik couldn't help but feel like something was wrong as he took his son's hand and lead him back towards the docks where Nadir was waiting for them with the ferry that was used to take guests to and from Phantasma.
Nadir instantly saw the frown on Erik's masked face as he helped Gustave board the ferry,
"What's wrong? another con artist?" the Persian inquired as Erik looked back towards the way he and Gustave had come from,
"Possibly... The 'Mermaid' didn't appear but... It was the look on that Master Marvelle's face... It's was a look I unfortunately know all too well" Erik murmured,
"... It was the look that the gypsy master, Javert developed on his face when I refused to remove my mask or failed to bring in enough money when he displayed me in his circus as 'The Devil's Child'" Erik told Nadir whom instantly developed a concerned expression,
"And... You're worried that this Marvelle has some poor girl pretending to be a mermaid and treating her in the same way you were" Nadir concluded as he watched his masked friend nod,
"... I swore when I opened Phantasma that never again would anyone be treated as Javert treated me" Erik stated firmly,
"Take Gustave back to Phantasma... I'm going to investigate" he said simply before heading back towards the large tent that supposedly contained Master Marvelle's Marvelous Mermaid and Nadir knew better than to argue.
Erik slipped silently as a shadow into the tent and easily blended in with the dark drapes as he watched an angry Master Marvelle glaring at the glass, water filled tank as he slammed his fist against the transparent structure,
"You know what happens when you make me look stupid!" he roared,
"... You won't perform like a good slave should then you don't get to see the stars tonight" he sneered before storming away and Erik noted that above the tent was a piece of material that was able to be drawn back so as to allow a view of the sky right above the tank... Erik slowly approached the tank and looked towards the seaweed and coral covered cave,
"... This is preposterous" he mumbled to himself,
"Nothing but a trick that is surely done with mirrors... No performer could survive under water for this long" Erik continued to reason with himself before knocking gently on the glass but then looked towards the piece of material above the tank,
"... Master Marvelle said that you desire to see the stars... You must be able to hear me if you could hear him" he called towards the cave,
"... I shall make you a deal, Miss Mermaid... You show yourself to me and I'll allow you to see the stars that he's denied you" Erik promised but chuckled when no response came and he rolled his eyes,
"Nothing but a con" he concluded before turning to leave,
"... You... You promise to let me see the stars?" a gentle voice came from cave within the tank causing Erik to look back surprised and he was hesitant for a moment but stepped back towards the tank,
"You have my word" he assured and his eyes grew wide after what seemed like a moment made up of an eternity as a stunning mermaid emerged from the cave!
Her magnificent tale was made up of stunning blue scales and the same scales lightly covered areas around her neck and beside her eyes and the apple of her cheeks; Erik admired the mermaid's auburn hair that floated delicately within the water,
"... How?..." he murmured in shock,
"You promised" the mermaid told him desperately with an urgent look on her face and the masked man quickly shook his shock away and he moved towards the rope that enabled him to open the material above the tent and he watched the stunning creature examine the stars with great desperation,
"... The trident points south now... I'm even farther from home" the mermaid murmured sadly as she sunk to the bottom of the tank and hugged her tail close to her,
"... Home?" Erik inquired gently with a curious expression and knelt down beside the tank so that he was eye level with the stunning lady before him,
"... I live with my family in the kingdom of Pearlia" the mermaid explained sadly,
"... Well... At least I did... The constellation known to my people as the trident points the way" she explained, gesturing to the formation of stars she had been looking at and Erik found the constellation she was talking about was more commonly known as 'Cygnus' or 'The Swan',
"... Do you have a name?" he asked gently, watching as a tiny bubble made its way down her cheek which he concluded was a mermaid's form for tears whilst submerged in water,
"... I'm afraid my name is written and spoken in the language of Pearlian but I believe you humans would refer to me as some surface plant called a rose" the creature told Erik who couldn't help but chuckle,
"Well then... Rose" he greeted,
"My name is Erik... and I think it's about time you found a new employer" he told her causing Rose to frown in confusion and tilted her head slightly,
"What do you mean?" she asked,
"I mean that I am going to have you released by Master Marvelle to me so that I can return you to the ocean so you can return home" he told her and watched as Rose smiled brightly,
"Really?... Oh thank you! Thank you so much!" she told him, pressing her hands against the glass gently and Erik smiled in return,
"I'll return tomorrow" he promised her and watched her nod excitedly before leaving quickly before someone caught him.
I'm Baaaaaaaack! I'm so sorry for being away so long but my writer's block has been awful! shall I continue? Please Review for Chapter 2!
Kind Regards,
QueenOfDisney96