Crap you guys! Crap, crap, crap. I just realized, like the A$$ I am, that the Opera Populaire was burned down during Don Juan. :hits self with Phantom of the Opera book: Idiot :hit: Dolt :whack: Ok here's the plan. We pretend the Opera house was rebuilt, and Firmin and Andre still own it, and put on plays again...Yeah. Pretend...Yeah...This chapter, isn't all that funny...But don't worry! Humor will still make it's appearance through little things. I may change the Genre...Don't know though.
Disclaimer: Nothing and No One Phantom related. Thank you and Goodnight.
"Someone sacked her room?" Raoul repeated, after hearing the story told to him by Danielle.
"Yeah. We don't know who it is and wondered you'd have a clue?" she asked.
He ran a hand over his eyes, thinking. "I wouldn't have the slightest...I'm sorry."
"Christine? Do you have any ideas?" Danielle asked.
"No...Poor Erik..." she sighed.
Elsa frowned to herself. When was the last time she said that? she thought bitterly. "All right then. I'll just be off. I need to go speak with Erik."
"Bye Jack. I'll see you later?" Danielle said.
"Yes, of course. I'll come and retrieve you."
"When?"
"I'll see when we're both available."
"How will you know?"
Elsa smirked. "I'll know. The Phantom of the Opera is there inside your mind," she sang and disappeared through the mirror, making her way to Erik's underground home.
Danielle turned to Raoul and Chrisitne. "Are you sure you don't know anything? Erik's really distressed over this. He's afraid it's the managers' doing..."
"Firmin and Andre wouldn't do anything to the Phantom...I don't even believe they know he's still here," explained Raoul.
"Well it had to be someone!" said Danielle exasperated. She wanted to know who ransacked Elsa's room!
"I know Danielle, I know," comforted Christine. "Wel'll find out soon enough. I mean, whoever's done it surely wouldn't stop just there?"
"Yes, he must have a motive," said Raoul.
"But what could it be-?"
Danielle was interrupted by loud screaming from the direction of the stage.
Raoul, Christine and Danielle ran out of the dressing room and towards the stage, where they found a large group of stage hands and dancers gathered around someone.
"Everyone back away!" Madame Giry was yelling and waving her walking staff in the air. "All of you! Go on! Give her room!"
"Madame!" cried Christine, running towards Giry. "What's happened?"
"An accident," she answered grimly.
Christine looked past madame Giry and saw Carlotta Guidicelli lying on the ground, muttering Italian curses as a stage doctor examined her.
Raoul frowned. "What?"
"A prop fell from there," Giry said, poking her staff up at the rafters, "and onto her," she said, then poking the staff towards Carlotta.
"It's the Phantom!" shrieked one of the ballerinas. "He's back!"
"And at it again!" cried another. "He wants to kill us because we messed up his play!"
All of the other girls huddled together and sobbed, fearing for their (pathetic) lives.
Madame Giry shook her head and shooed the girls away to their rooms. "Go on back to your dormitories and take your rest. Rehearsal tomorrow!"
They scampered away.
"Madame Giry it couldn't have been Erik!" Christine whispered.
Giry shook her head again. "No it couldn't have...It's someone else."
Danielle's eyes widened. Did Giry know?
"Who Madame Giry?" she asked, hopeful.
"I don't know who...An enemy. He's out to ruin Erik. And to gain control of the Opera house."
"How do you know?"
"I have...Connections," she informed, a mysterious glint in her eye.
That darned Madame Giry. Always knew a little about everything. Where did she get her information? Danielle was begininng she was like Gandalf...Someone from another world who knew everything, but was going to be all stubborn and not tell the whole story. Darned Gandalf. I mean Giry.
"Now, Miss Daae," Madame Giry continued, "you will be filling in for La Carlotta. I'll be expecting you at rehearsals tomorrow morning. Along with Mademoiselle Danielle, of course," she smiled and walked away.
Carlotta glared at Christine from the corner of her eye having heard Madame Giry's news.
"Poor Erik," Christine sighed again(Which was starting to get at Danielle's nerves), paying no attention to the raving Italian diva behind her. "Everyone's out to get him..."
"Yeah," said Danielle. "But who could it be this time?"
"Wandering child, so lost, so helpless, yearning for my guidance," sang Elsa softly as she rowed to Erik's home. It was strangely silent when she tied the gondola at the small dock. Usually Erik was playing some kind of instrument or writing something at his desk.
"Erik?" she called.
No answer.
Already beginning to worry, she looked in her room, checking if everything was alright. Seeing it was still put together, she then moved to Erik's room.
"Erik?" she said again, louder. He wasn't in his room...
Walking past the piano, a piece of parchment caught Elsa's eye. Picking it up and dreading the inevitable, she began to read silently.
"Phantom-
I am insisting you allow me the papers to the Opera Populaire and full management over it, along with your evacuation. Meet my demands or there will be consequences.
P.S.: I know about you, Mademoiselle."
Elsa shuddered, somewhat frightened. Who knew about her? And how? She shook her head.
Like Hell, she thought. There's no way Erik's givin' up his home.
But where was Erik?
"Don't panic, don't panic," Elsa breathed, walking around the piano, still looking down at the note.
Suddenly she heard something, a noise, like clothing swishing...She thought she heard boots and a splash, but maybe it was her mind playing cruel tricks on her? Hopefully. She gulped.
"Erik," she whispered, and took another step.
She stepped on something, then heard a soft groan.
"Oh God," she said quietly, afraid to look down.
Looking down, her heart dropped, and so did she-to her knees, beside Erik's still form. She placed a hand on his heart and felt he was still breathing, but very slowly.
"Erik," she whispered, close to his ear. "Erik, come on, wake up...I'm not a doctor like you...I don't know what to do here," she said frantically, placing her hands on his shoulders.
He groaned again and moved slightly.
She quickly took her hands from him, not wanting to hurt him.
"Erik, you've gotta wake up," she tried again.
When he didn't reply, she quickly ran to her room and grabbed a bottle of wine, bringing it to him. She raised it to his lips and hoped he would react somehow.
He coughed as the liquid poured into his mouth, then tried to sit up. Elsa supported his back and helped him caustiously.
He shook his head and wiped his mouth. "Very good year," he mumbled dryly, still choking on the wine.
"Oh thank God!" she said, hugging him.
He yelled out, frightened and surprised at the sudden voice and contact.
She screamed herself and fell backwards.
"Elsa!" he asked, catching her. "What are you doing here?"
Confused, she answered, "You said I could stay here, don't you remember?"
"Oh yes, yes, I knew that," he said, trying to stand. She hopped up and helped him up. Steadying himself, he swayed a little and asked, "What happened, Elsa?"
"I don't know, I was hoping-"
He rubbed his face and realized his mask wasn't on! He cursed and covered his face with his hand.
"I'm sorry!" he said, turning away from her hastily. "After you left I took off my mask momentarily to reposition it, but something must have-"
"Erik, please," she said, turning him back around and tugging his hand from his face, then holding his hand in hers. "I don't care! You should know that by now. Now tell me what happened. I'm worried..."
Erik paused, hesitant to stand in front of her, his face uncovered, but when she gave him an encouraging look, he faltered throughhis story.
"I was sitting at my piano when I thought I heard a splash. Thinking it was you, I called out your name, but there was no answer. I was afraid you were hurt," he mumbled, "so I went to check. You were nowhere to be found, so I made my way back to my bench, taking off my mask in the process. That's when something hit me over the head," he said, feeling for a bruise at the back of his skull. "I hate being taken by surprised," he said grimly, wincing at the newly discovered bump.
"Hmm..." Elsa thought. Realizing she was still holding his hand, she blushed and dropped it. "Sorry," she mumbled.
"No matter," he smiled.
They both sighed simultaneously, looked at each other and laughed.
"I'm sorry I wasn't here sooner to find you, Erik," she said. "So I don't think I'll have you out of my sight now. Something...worse...may happen."
"I assure you that won't happen again," he said, rather unhappy he allowed himself to be sneaked up upon in his own house. "I'll be ready next time..."
"Oh!" Elsa said, remembering the note. "Read this. I don't think you'll be too happy though..."
Interesting to say the least...Should I change the Genre? To Adventure/Humor? Or something? Arrgh I just don't know! But I definitely think the humor has dwindled now that I actually have a plot. Hmm...Tell me what you think. Thanks!