I'm sooooo sorry this is going up so late! I was busy all day and wasn't able to post any time. I hope you'll all forgive me and sorry for the cliffie in this chapter.
Also, for this chapter you have to remember that Hector is in fact a rich gypsy man. I won't say any more, though. Enjoy!
PhantomLover05: Yes, I think I see your same vision of Erik jumping out of bed for it also gave myself a good laugh!
Phantoms' Lobo: Well, I'm glad you finally found the chapter! OooOoh! Cookies! Thank you sooooo much!
LittleMollysheart: Here's the next chapter for you!
Ethalas Tuath'an: In this chapter you should find out about the costumes so read on! And your review was fine even if it is rushed - great as usual!
AngelicFlutist: Ha! Erik as another disease? Well, too bad I can't think of another. The Red Death would have been cool, but as you pointed out, it would have been too obvious.
Carkeys: Yeah! Here's the update!
Chapter Twenty Four: Costumes and Conflicts
Loralee followed Erik closely out of his bed room door, and was amused at Erik's surprise when Meg attempted not to stare at the infamous Phantom of the Opera and instead curtsied to him and gave him her greetings. Erik only mumbled a faint "Hello" before brushing past her to his organ.
Meg was surprised at the sight she saw. The Phantom was a real man and not a ghost, and by God did he have a wonderful home! Sure, he didn't have the nicest manners and was a murderer, but he seemed nice enough to her. Loralee came up to Meg.
"He loves his music more than life itself. He's a genius. . . at times," she added, looking up at Erik, a smile on her lips.
"I heard that!" Erik said, fingers hovering over the starting keys before pressing down and bringing out music of relief and rejuvenation. Meg wondered at the awesome power of the music, and Loralee smiled, happy to see Erik back to normal. She told Meg to not cause any trouble before going up to stand besides Erik.
"Yes?" he asked Loralee without looking up from his fingers.
"I just would like to say that Meg and I are going out for our costumes today."
"Okay," he said faintly, clearly not caring. She was hoping that he'd come along with them, but Erik was clearly too involved with his music.
"Also, can you teach me how to get down to your lair through my room because supposedly Vincent is coming back this afternoon and I want an escape route just in case."
Erik threw back his head, laughing, happier than normal since he was now able to be out of bed and back at his organ. His fingers danced lightly over the keys in a sweet caressing manner.
"I suppose I should tell you."
He told her where the secret switch was on both sides of the mirror so she'd be able to come and go any time Loralee pleased.
"Don't be surprised if I come running into your arms later today," Loralee said, squeezing him on the shoulder quickly before turning back to Meg.
Meg had been shocked beyond believe when she heard the Phantom let out a true laugh. The only time she heard him laugh, his laugh had been menacing and deadly sending chills down her spin. The laugh he just did in response to something Loralee said made Meg want to join in with fits of giggles for no apparent reason.
Meg went over to look at some sculptures he did while Loralee and Erik talked about something rather serious. She was just about to examine a picture he drew of an Opera scene when Loralee tugged on Meg's arm.
"Come on, we can go and shop now."
"Do you know the way out?" Meg asked, remembering her mother's words.
"Yes, Erik told me."
Both hurried back up to the ground level. After Loralee donned her blonde wig, the Phantom's black cloak, and a purse of money, she followed Meg out into Paris, ready to go hunting for her Masquerade dress.
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Erik sat at his organ, fingers weaving out a tune from the keys. It was amazing how only a few days without the organ could leave him with such a longing and thirst for it's music. For the past hour he had quenched his thirst by playing more exuberantly than ever before. It was if his fingers were on fire or possessed by some ethereal spirit as they danced over the keys making beautiful music.
His thoughts drifted to Loralee. Erik imagined her picking out a costume of green velvet with silver stitching on the hems. She was giggling in the stores and pondering what he'd wear.
What was he going to wear?
Well, the Red Death costume he already used and he'd want something more normal because he was going to act as if he were a normal person for once. Perhaps something just dark and menacing.
He got up, finger feeling like they'd fall of any second from all the playing, and went to get dressed. After slipping on his crisp black suit and black cape, he went out through the Rue Scribe gate and into the city. It was the first time he'd ever been out in public during the afternoon but he figured most people would be inside shops or homes eating, so it was safe enough to travel about with a dark hood and quick strides.
He took as many back alley routes as he could and stayed in all the shadows until Erik found and went into the costume shop he presumed Meg and Loralee would be in. Sure enough, he could see them through the window of the shop, talking and looking through the dresses. The cashier was not behind the counter as he entered which made his way over to Loralee much easier.
He came up behind Loralee silently, but Meg noticed him first.
"Hello there!" Meg exclaimed, smiling up at him.
"What?" Loralee said, confused, she turned around to see what her friend was smiling at. A large figure with it's hood over it's blackened face loomed over her making her yelp with surprise and leap back into Meg who almost toppled over into a rack of dresses.
"Erik! You idiot! Didn't we already have this conversation about proper entries?"
Erik only chuckled and looked at the dress Loralee was holding.
"You're not going to wear that, are you?" he asked, horrified at the ugliest yellow dress he had ever seen in her hands.
"Of course not! Meg was just daring me to try it on."
Meg grinned. "It would definitely make you resemble a duck."
"Well, save my sanity and don't put it on," Erik said, taking the dress from her and putting it back where it came from.
"What are you doing here?" Loralee asked him. "It's broad day light and you seemed quite happy with your music."
"My fingers were starting to go numb so I decided I'd join you shortly while I look for my suit. Unless, of course, I want to go as the Phantom of the Opera."
Meg giggled and Loralee rolled her eyes.
"That would be too obvious to Christine. The men suits are over on that side of the store," Loralee said, pointing to the far side, but her attention was quickly drawn to a purple dress with gold ribbon sewed on the hems.
"Oh, Meg! This dress would look perfect on you!"
Erik rolled his eyes as the two girls obsessed over the dress and walked over to the men suits. It didn't take him long to find a suitable one. It was a suit made out of a dark red velvet material, appearing black in the shadows but showing the faint red in the lights. The very ruffled shirt worn underneath the black vest was also the dark red and made out of a silky material. There was a black cloak that came with it which was similar to the one he wore normally. The mask was black and it also came with a black cravat.
He took the outfit and went over to Loralee and Meg as they walked over to buy their outfits.
Meg was going to wear the purple one and Loralee had gotten an outfit that surprisingly went with his.
The outfit consisted of a black, off the shoulder, short sleeve dress with a corset (which was the same color as Erik's dark red shirt) worn over it rather than beneath. There was a skirt that also went over the black dress and stopped above the knees, the black of the skirt turning into a glowing orange and ending in the shape of flames, contrasting beautifully on the black dress. Tied around the waist was also a long cascade of black silk that made a trail behind her, but left open in the front. The mask was the same dark red color yet had sparkles all over that shimmered in the faint light.
"Surprisingly we have the same tastes, Mademoiselle Donoghue," Erik said to her, in awe at the beautiful dress she picked. Loralee giggled at Erik's costume.
"This will be entertaining to see on the Phantom. It fits you though." Meg nodded in agreement. Loralee was amazed at how quickly her friend could become comfortable with Erik. She assumed Meg would run away from him, screaming to the whole world her fear of the Phantom. Luckily, Meg didn't and instead stayed and acted as a friend to him.
"Could you do me a favor and purchase this outfit for me, please?" he asked Loralee.
"Of course," she said, taking Erik's outfit and heading towards the counter.
"Once second!" he said, catching Loralee by the arm and handing her a heavily laden pouch of coins.
"That should pay for all the outfits - a token of my gratitude."
Meg and Loralee stared in shock at the amount of money. Loralee was the first to recover, kissing him quickly on the cheek.
"Thank you, Erik. You didn't have to do that."
Erik looked startled at the fact that Loralee had kissed him, but quickly snapped out of his trance when Meg said her thanks, also. He nodded to them and then shooed Loralee off to the counter to buy the outfits, smiling and secretly touching his cheek which moments ago had Loralee's soft lips upon it.
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On the way back, Erik followed behind the two laughing girls, their arms linked together. He kept to the shadows, but stayed close to them at all times. Both were talking happily about silly accidents that Carlotta had made and some of them even humored Erik.
They were almost at the Opera House when a sudden hand grabbed Loralee and dragged her into a dark alley way. Meg screamed, clutching the dresses close to herself as she backed off. Erik watched from the shadows as the familiar Hector Chaffee came into the view, hand around Loralee's mouth and other about her body so that she was enable to fight him off of her. Her eyes were wide open with surprise and fright making Erik's insides squirm.
It was about three days ago when Madame Giry made him grudgingly confess his feelings to her about Loralee. He had always thought of Christine as his one and only true love, but ever since she went away, he knew he had been wrong. Her sudden escape from him with Raoul had left Erik heart broken and believing that he'd never love again. Now as he looked back upon his love for Christine, he found it was more of an obsession for something he knew he'd never own.
Surprisingly, he had also started developing feelings for his trusted friend, Loralee. Her cheerful yet intelligent spirit moved him unlike Christine's innocence had. Erik felt comfortable around Loralee and she felt comfortable around him, treating him as an equal unlike any other and caring for him when nobody else was around. She helped him through his memories of Christine and helped him move on in live. Even though he still loved Christine, he couldn't help but feel in love with the shy and intriguing Loralee Donoghue.
And now, seeing the woman he secretly loved being held by a cruel man from both their pasts, made Erik angrier than ever.
"Hello, my dear Loralee. Have you missed me?"
"Get lost you bastard!" Loralee hissed to him. Then she turned to Meg.
"Meg, run!"
Meg took one look at her friend and then looked over to the side to find Erik and just managed to see him melt completely into the shadows before running as fast as she could to the safety of the Opera Populaire.
Loralee, glad to see her friend at safety from the crazed man, now calmed down a bit.
"How thoughtful of you to safe your friend from me. It would have been nice to kill her to get revenge from Madame Giry's annoying entrances on our little talks, wouldn't it?"
"You wouldn't dare harm a hair on her head," Loralee spat at him. He just punched her in the stomach and Loralee yelped in pain, feeing the bottom of the healing cut break open again. Hector raised his hand again to strike, but stopped short when he felt an iron hand close about his neck and ram him against the ally wall, making his grip loosen so that Loralee was able to force herself free.
"You will not touch her again," Erik hissed dangerously to Hector.
Loralee watched as Erik pinned Hector against the wall, his hood falling back to reveal his masked face. She guessed Hector's eyes would widen in fear and he'd suddenly plead his life, but instead a grin slowly crept onto his face.
"Hello old friend," Hector said to Erik, his greeting frozen over with hatred.
"Hello, Hector Chaffee," Erik hissed back, other hand fingering his punjab lasso underneath his cloak.
"You know each other?" Loralee said, amazed. Hector couldn't reply, due to his lack of air. Erik never took his eyes off of Hector as he explained to Loralee.
"His father was kind enough to take me in as an exhibition in the Gypsy traveling fair as the 'Devil's Child'. Unfortunately, we haven't been on very good sides ever since I murdered his father, Javert."