Author's notes: I'd like to ask you guys a favor – please go here:
www. phantomfans . net/ board / index.php?showtopic8892&st175
(WARNING: I put spaces in the url, because this site doesn't post url addresses normally. if the link is bad, please go to PhantomFans. Net and search for "Official Recording: Instrumentals", or something like that. "Instrumentals" is enough for the search. Then go to the last page of the thread – the post is there)
scroll down and find randomperson´s post:
"okay.. i FINALLY uploaded all of the insturmentals i have!
The Phantom of the Opera backings
enjoy!
they all should be there!
have fun!"
and download it from that link.
and send it to dartharachne (spaces again, beware those. My address is a normal yahoo account with the username dartharachne . PLEASE DO NOT SEND IT TO THE ADDRESS IN MY PROFILE.) I accidentally erased it from my pc and am to be performing with some of the zipped stuff, thus I am in dire need of it. Due to some problems with the speed of my internet connection, it would take me hours, but surely someone has a faster connection, so please help. The person who sends it gets a sneak-peek of the next chapter, which is still in the works. Thanks a lot!
P.S. Naturally, keep the file, if you like it. It contains PotO stuff you might want to use, if you're into singing, as I am.
onelastchance – thanks! Here you go!
Wea – Merci, merci.
Nota Lone – Naturally. Well, Regina means Queen in Latin, so… you never know ;)
angel718 – thanks!
lady kathrin – I loved Johnny Depp as Willy Wonka. I think it was his best movie yet. Thanks and read on!
PersonageoftheUnderverse– thanks for the praise, here you go!
X X X
Chapter 6 – I Spy and Giggle
X X X X
"Marguerite Eloise Giry!"
The two girls stopped immediately. They were on their way to the ballet dormitories – Christine hadn't slept all night (though being used to late nights and early mornings from her high school bookworm days) and, all things considered, neither had Meg – but the voice of Madame Giry made them both stop dead in their tracks. Christine sniggered at the full name. Meg frowned. She didn't like the middle name. Scratch that, she didn't like the full name. That was probably why the name Meg stopped bugging her so much. Forcing a calm expression, she turned around.
"Oui, Maman?"
"Where have you been! I've been looking all over the building for you!" Madame Giry, the sternly clad ballet mistress said in a demanding tone, arms folded when she got near. Then, as if noticing Christine for the first time, she gave the other girl a strange look, like she was trying to read her mind.
Meg sighed. "Maman, Christine…"
"…has returned, I see that. I will investigate her badly timed disappearance later." It was obvious what would follow, thus Christine looked down at her feet. But Madame Giry went back to scolding her daughter. "Ballet practice begins in two hours. I see you are already in your tutu, which is good. Go wake up the other girls, then meet me in the main hall. I must speak with the managers, they should be arriving soon." Christine tried to spot the envelope with the skull seal, but couldn't. Either it wasn't there yet, or Giry hid it too well.
"Christine needs rest." Meg noted, remembering her lines. "I was escorting her to the dormitories…"
"She can walk, can't she? And she knows the way. Now go!" it sounded like was shooing a particularly persistent kitten that wanted to tear her dress apart. Meg scowled, but nodded and departed with a secret wink at Christine, who couldn't help but smile.
Once even the last fabric of Meg´s tutu disappeared, Christine opened her mouth to speak. "Madame Giry, I apologize, I…"
"Hush, child." The ballet mistress said in a quiet tone. She looked around, then put a hand under Christine's chin and forced her to look up. For the first time, Christine didn't have to feign uncertainty and nervousness. "You need not tell me." Something close to a smile appeared on her face. "Your eyes are smiling, dear… I would assume I need not scold either of you." But then she was serious again. "Tell no one of what you saw."
Christine nodded, feeling relieved. "I promise, Madame Giry."
"Good girl. Now, if my daughter was right about anything today, it was about you being tired. Go get some rest." The ballet mistress said motherly. "I shall tell the managers of your return."
It was only when Christine lay down on her bed that she understood that Giry had not revealed anything at all… not directly, anyway. She grinned. Clever woman. Perhaps next time during practice, she should pay more attention after all. Maybe she would be able to dance the ballet yet.
X X X
In her entire life, be it Meg Giry´s or Amanda´s, Meg hadn't laughed so hard.
Her face was almost red from the suppressed giggles as she watched, secretly, the scene in front of her. First André, then Firmin - the managers had arrived. And each had a letter. An all-too-familiar letter… and their hysterics were so laughable! Even the petty insults, the yelling – all was just way too funny. She couldn't have planned it all out better if she would have done it herself.
Then Raoul came… she actually almost began to pity him. Almost being the keyword. The poor foppish Vicomte had no idea that there was almost a conspiracy against him in the Opera Populaire. Then Carlotta… the dead pink thing on her reminded Meg of a funny avatar she had seen at the "official" PotO website. She couldn't help but giggle quietly.
Madame Giry arrived faster than Meg would have anticipated though, and silenced her with a pointed look. La famille Giry entered the scene, and Meg tried hard to look innocent. "Notes" went as they were supposed to, only Meg constantly kept rolling her eyes and quietly mocking Carlotta's accent and movement. No one noticed, fortunately, least of all the managers and Carlotta.
When the crowd of Christine's admirers tried to barge in and several asked Carlotta to deliver roses to "the lovely Miss Daaé", "Prima Donna" began. Meg hated the song, thus she departed, straight for the ballet dormitories. When Carlotta was pleased, it was much less fun than when she was squeaking and having tantrums.
She found Christine in the dorms, naturally, trying to sleep. However, Meg knew it always took Christine at least an hour to fall asleep, since she always kept imagining things and "daydreaming", even though it was night. She sat down on her friend's bed and, predictably, two brown eyes opened and a grin formed on Christine's face.
"So, how was it?"
Meg rolled her eyes, but smirked. "They're kissing Carlotta's gigantic backside right now. I'd have vomited if I wouldn't have left the scene. What's the next scene?"
"Il Muto." Christine noted, unenthusiastically. "We have to study an opera this time! It's not automatically in my mind now."
"That's just because you didn't have your lesson yet!" Meg eagerly said, "Anyway, as Serafimo, you just have to strut around the stage, looking pretty. You concern yourself with the Countess´ lines."
"Oh, that." Though in the musical and the movie, that scene wasn't shown, it was well known that Christine had to finish Il Muto after the "unfortunate" toad incident.
"When is your lesson?"
"We start at six, as usual."
"Nick one of the capes! I wanna see!" Meg whined. "I didn't get a close look when he was locking your door."
Christine smirked. "You'll have to wait for Il Muto. He'll appear there. I have precisely eight hours left to sleep. Now shoo!" she added with a mock scowl. "I wanna sleep."
"Ooh, the Prima Donna needs her beauty sleep." Meg mocked.
For that, a pillow flew straight at her head, hitting her point-blank.
