Fools with Starry Eyes

By: Lemony Apple


Author Notes:

I've decided that I think mood music and disclaimers are silly. I think disclaimers are silly, because we are on Seriously, if the author wanted to publish a story on their story, don't you think they'd make a sequel? And for the poseur authors, they wouldn't publish their poseur story here, would they?

Also, I think mood music is silly, because, seriously, I have no idea who sings half of the songs they suggest, and have never heard half of the songs. I'm not sure if my music download thingy has them. (I use Rhapsody, for all of you wonderers.) Oh, and I wrote this chapter entirely on Jekyll and Hyde (and Phantom, of course) music.

That said; here's the disclaimer anyway:

Humble Disclaimer:

Don't own. I wish.

Chapter II- No One Knows Who I Am


Meg, needless, to say, was extremely startled upon receiving the note. Everyone was quite sure that the Phantom had gone far away as possible from the Opera Populaire! Yes, everyone was quite sure! She even pulled the Mask away from the hiding place, to look into its eyes, so it would assure her. To her surprise, there was a note on it! It was written in red ink, the same red ink that was on the threatening note she had just received.

Miss Marguerite, it said, in the Phantom's usual threatening politeness that was so surprisingly eerie.

I am waiting.

OG

PS: Your slippers are frayed. It would be wise to consider a replacement.

Was that it? Meg turned over the paper, but nothing else was written on it. If he was so close to getting his mask, why bother to ask for it? It was not logical!

Perhaps as Christine had said to Raoul, once during the Masquerade- that the Phantom did indeed intend to be a gentleman! Meg was standing behind a pillar when she heard the whole thing. Christine was acting so strangely, Meg could not help herself to eavesdrop. Well, at least the Phantom did indeed ask for it back. Meg would fret if the Mask had suddenly disappeared.

But there was still a question to be answered: should she return the Mask? Would the Ghost really hurt her or her mother, if he was so- wait a moment, oh yes- 'excessively fond' of them both?

Well that was a silly question, of course he would. He was more than a tiny bit mad. He had killed more than two people in his lifetime! So would it be safe to return it? She dearly hoped so, because she always enjoyed dancing to Faust, as it was her favorite Opera.

She decided that since she carried such precious cargo, the Mask, the Ghost would not dare harm her. She would appeal to Christine if he tried anything was to happen!

"Well," she said, somewhat offended, "It was not very gentlemanly of him to make such a comment about my slippers! They are not frayed!" and to prove her point, she pulled them out of the box, and examined them, expecting not a single fray.

To her surprise, they were frayed, just like the Ghost said. She threw them back into the box, and looked at herself in the mirror.

Was she always gaunt like that? She could not remember. She supposed that once her blonde hair was not as flat as it was at that moment, or her green eyes so dull. She took out her pink hair ribbon and tried to redo her hair style- a princess style, the only hairstyle seen as the most modest by her Mother, but to no avail.

She remarked to the mirror that she thought she looked dead. Suddenly, the mirror replied back; "Dead? No, Marguerite, you are quite alive."

Meg gasped. Was she going mad? No, no, mirrors do not talk, let alone pronounce any one dead or alive! She hurried from the room, intent to give the Ghost his Mask as soon as possible, and be rid of this and madness. She might even convince him…


Meg decided to return it to Tier One Box Five, the Phantom's Box, as it had been dubbed. It was the only logical spot to choose, as the other openings to his Lair that had been discovered had been sealed tight.

She gingerly approached the Box, where every ballet girl carefully avoided. She herself refused to go near the Box before this day. Rumors circulated that it was full of booby traps, and if anyone unexpected approached the Box, they would be hung before they could realize they were dead. It was for those reasons only Madame Giry, being skeptical of any and all superstitions, approached the infamous Box Five.

When Meg's hand touched the handle bar to open the door, a cold hand covered her mouth, and its fingernails dug into her cheek, painfully. She tried to scream, and smelt what she imagined what Death smelled like, but she, luckily, perhaps, did not faint.

The hand released her, and was enveloped in shadow. "Have you got my Mask?" It asked, curtly.

"Y- Yes." She said, searching around in the pockets of her bodice. She produced it, wrapped in one of her best handkerchiefs, and then handed it to the Shadow. It looked like the figure was looking down at the wrapped Mask.

"What's this?" he said. "You wrapped my Mask?" The Voice sound highly amused. It unwrapped it, and let the handkerchief drop to the ground. Meg let out a cry of shock.

"Sir, it was given to me by my father!" She bent to pick it up, but the hand shot out again and grabbed her arm in a painfully hard grip so she could not bend down.

"It will still be here when I have gone." The hand let go of her. Meg noticed that it was sickly pale and ghostly.

"S-Sir, are you well?"

"As well as I can be."

"You are so…" Meg decided it would be unwise to pursue it any longer. She decided to ask what was on her mind. "Are you the Angel of Music?"

No answer.

"You taught Christine to sing so beautifully, did you not? Are you equally skilled in dancing?"

The Ghost did not answer, again.

"Will you please instruct me? Little Jammes is so wonderful in her dancing, and I want, just this once, to be better than someone."

"Jammes dances like a cow, her whole family does. Your talent easily outshines both of them."

"Please?" she said.

The Opera Ghost slipped the mask on his face and emerged out of the shadows. Meg gasped and fell back, hitting her back hard on the door of the Box, and slid down at the floor. The Opera Ghost stood above her, glaring down at her.

Dear God, did he have yellow eyes? The Devil's eyes!

Meg quivered as he thundered down on her. "Woman!" he said, and it seemed the very floorboards underneath her were shaking and afraid. "I am not your servant, so do not tell me what to do."

He stepped over Meg and disappeared, his cloak billowing after him. Meg felt like she had been slapped in the face. It would be unwise to pursue anything about Dancing Lessons further, yet Meg was a stubborn little girl and would not take no for an answer.

"Please, Sir!" She called after him.

He did not return.


When Meg returned to her dressing room, she found a note, tacked to her mirror. Meg was very careful to take the tack out of the mirror, so as to not break the mirror. The note said;

Dear Marguerite,

If you do want me to teach you to dance with spirit, you will have to submit to my demands and advice. If you are ready, step through the mirror.

Your obedient servant,

OG

Meg did not need to even consider. Looking for a way to open it, she ran her fingers over the frame of the mirror, and hit a small button. The mirror opened, and with one last look back at Christine's old dressing room, which was now her own, she walked through the mirror.


A very quick note:

No review song, but a humble beg and thank you.

Lackaz- Thank you for being the first reviewer! I'm very thankful! Your dancing amuses me, keep on dancing. W00t, man.

All Apologies- Thank you for your review! Oh, and I'm glad you like the song! DDD

Phantom of the Phanfics- Awesome name, man. I hope this is a good long chapter for you, cause this is definitely past my all time longest for a chapter. Aww, I feel loved.

Countess Alana- Thank you for reviewing, I hope this is fast enough!

Cloud in Crimson- Dude, AWESOME name! You were right, Erik did say humbly too many times. Thank you for pointing that out

Orli's- Thank you for the review! Aww, thanks so much about the title… to tell you the truth, it's from the song 'Its All the Same' from Man of La Mancha.

Nade-Newberrie- Christine and Meg take a bow Teehee. Sorry, I love pairing cliffhangers.

L'Wren- Yay, I should do review songs more often! Meg does a little jig Thank you for the review!

And last, but certainly not least,

Amber- Thank you!

Okay, so review, and you'll get a pretty sweet chapter, and some angst/drama/sexy Erik!