Chapter Four: Chance Meetings
Erik finally realizes that he isn't going to get any sympathy from the mean old man, so he gets up and decides to leave. Unfortunately, he forgets his earlier meeting with the doorman and leaves out the front way. The doorman begins to beat him again, all the while shrieking his guts out.
Erik shoves him away. "Stop that! My cat will kill me if I get blood all over my best cape!"
The doorman shakes his head vigorously. "Ha! You're just trying to trick me so that you can kill me when my back is turned and eat my brain. Help! Somebody help!"
A young blond guy in a Navy outfit comes running down the sidewalk. "Don't worry! I'll save you!" He glances back and forth between them. "Uh…which one of you is the bad guy here?"
"Not me!" Erik denies. "He started it!"
The doorman shakes his head vigorously. "Don't listen to him! Look at him-a shadowy figure in a mask and cape! Of course he's the bad guy!"
"Hah! If he's the bad guy, why hasn't he cut off your head by now? You cannot fool the Vicomte de Chagny!" The blond guy wallops the doorman over the head.
Erik shakes his hand amiably. "Thank you for your help, kid. It's nice to see that not everyone buys into the usual villain stereotypes."
The vicomte waves a hand dismissively. "Don't mention it. If I do twenty good deeds, then my big brother says he will reduce my grounding to three weeks instead of a month." He puts out his hand. "How do you do? Say, what's the mask for?" His eyes light up. "Oh! Are you the Scarlet Pimpernel?"
Erik's face falls. "You mean you haven't heard of me? I'm the Phantom of the Opera."
"Hm. Doesn't ring a bell. I'm Raoul de Chagny, but my friends call me Wally."
Erik shakes his hand. "Erik Q. Hinklemeyer at your service."
Raoul jumps up and down excitedly. "Say, I have heard of you! You're the Angel of Music Christine is always prattling on about!"
Erik sighs. "The angel thing isn't exactly accurate. But you know how Christine can be." Both men nod their heads wearily. "So, how do you know Christine?"
"She's my girlfriend."
"What?" Erik quirks an eyebrow. "You must be mistaken, Christine is my girlfriend."
Raoul frowns in confusion. "No, no, no, no. Christine is my girlfriend."
"I believe you are in error, monsieur!"
"I assure you I am not!"
Erik narrows his eyes. "Alright," he says in an undertone. "I guess there's only one way to settle this then."
Raoul nods. "Right. We'll let the girl decide."
Erik claps the vicomte on the back. "Exactly my idea, my boy."
"Off to the Opera then. We can take my brother's carriage. Oh, and on the way, you simply must show me where you got that evil-villain-cape! I just love the way it flows when you move."
"Why, thank you. My cat selected it. She insists on picking out all my clothes."
"Huh, sounds like my brother. He's sooooo strict." Raoul rolls his eyes.
"Really? You and I should talk…"
Hehe, yeah, Raoul's going to be in a scene or two. Please don't hate me?