STILL more coming! Again please review and thanks again!

-Olivia N.

Raylan looked suspiciously at her, one eyebrow arching higher than the other as she eyed Vits like she was crazy. "The Phantom Of The Opera?" She tried to say it without laughing, "What is he supposed to be- some kind of sales pitch?"

Vits glared. Her gaze went to the door-making sure it was closed, then back to the laughing idiot on her couch. Her voice was low, and soft, "Tell that to Joseph Bouquet. Or the Comte deChagny. They're both killed at his hands."

The words must have struck gold for Raylan's laughter stopped and her face went instantly dead serious. Her voice was slightly shaken as she inquired "People have been... murdered here?"

"Like anywhere else"

"Touché," Raylan said with a half grin. Obviously Vits words still did not make her naive roommate see the seriousness of the matter.

Vits shrugged at the girl's stupidity, and muttered, "Whatever. It's your own neck."

Raylan released a small chuckle, "Please, do you honestly expect me to believe this rubbish? The murders I can believe, but this phantom theory- lord you can't tell me you actually believe in ghosts?"

"Who said he was a ghost?"

She shrugged, "You said phantom- that automatically implies ghost."

"It's his name and reputation. I may be female, but I carry a man's name and voice. Same thing,"

"So he's a man? With the reputation of a ghost? Why have I heard nothing of him before? I'd think that a superstition like this would be the talk all over town,"

"The upper class prefers to pretend that the past never happened, and the Phantom of the Opera never existed,"

A small smile graced her lips and she laughed timidly as she said, "You're playing with me, aren't you? Some kind of annual joke played on the new comers?" She laughed harder then, foolishly finding amusement in Vits warnings as she relaxed, allowing herself to stretch out comfortably of the old sofa. "Alright Vits, I'll indulge your little game," She scoffed, that smug grin on her face as she put on an act, making her voice sound as if she were alarmed when she asked, "He sounds like such a frightful beast. This ghost must have done some horrible things for the public to deny his existence- oh dear, how terribly upsetting." Raylan suppressed a small snicker when her act had ended, looking over Vits with a humored gaze.

Vits shrugged, turning slowly towards her room. Her voice was almost apathetic as she said, "Don't blame me when the noose drops around your neck because of your ignorance. I tried to answer your questions."

Raylan sighed and sat up, giving in and sadly ending her game. "Vits," She said gently, "Vits, wait, I'm sorry- this is just all very peculiar to me- but at least believe me when I say that I am truly curious. I would like to know more about this so called 'Phantom Of The Opera'."

Vits turned around, and walked back over to the sink. She pulled down a shot glass from the small cabinet, then promptly pulling a bottle of high quality bourbon from under the sink. She poured a shot and drank it, not even flinching as the liquid burned its way down her throat, and then rapidly downed another. She always liked to be drinking when talking about the Phantom; it helped make her less uptight. Vits shook her head, clearing her throat before she spoke with a sigh, "What do you want to know?"

She shrugged, "What is there to know?"

"A lot. About two years ago, there was a great fire started from the devastating Chandelier falling,"

"Chandelier? A chandelier actually fell?" Her face displayed shock, "Was everyone ok? Did it cause any damage? Are the frames of this place really that unstable?"

"Of course the fire caused damage, the curtains are new, the stage was rebuilt, and so were several of the boxes-and most of the ground floor seats. It had nearly destroyed the Opera Populaire entirely," She shuddered at the memory of the night. She had watched it all from backstage- watched in horror, "A massive chandelier fell upon the stage- the audience made a mad dash for any exit- it was horrible. The place is perfectly sound. Several stories and most of them are underground-with a very firm foundation. Yes the Opera Populaire is soundly built. However, some of the people inside are stupid enough to piss him off. He made the chandelier drop-which caused the fire."

Raylan's eyebrows narrowed, "He set fire to the Opera house because someone aggravated him? I assume he has anger management problems?"

"He's rather possessive. And it wasn't one person that caused this problem, but rather a lot of things built up. The patron, Carlotta, the Vicomte deChagny… and Christine Daae- the vocalist he was madly infatuated with," She released a heavy sigh, cradling her head in one of her hands as if it was getting to heavy to hold up on its own, "It's a complicated story."

Once Vits had mentioned a story though Raylan eagerly perked up, her eyes flashing with a sudden amount of anticipation, "A complicated story huh? I love stories."

Vits groaned, and shook her head, "Perhaps for another time. I am in no mood to be entertaining children with bedtime stories." She glanced at a small table side clock placed beside the sink, and groaned, "I have to get up in three hours."

"Oh," The eagerness in her eyes faded and she stared with disappointment at the floor, "Alright, well, some other time then."

Vits nodded, putting the two glasses in the sink and slowly dragging herself towards the sail canvas covering the opposite room. Without saying a word she slipped behind it, closing the curtain securely and leaving Raylan rather unsatisfied.

"Goodnight," Raylan muttered softly, her voice fading into a thwarted sigh. She had allowed a few still minutes to pass before she recovered her journal from the sofa cushions, briskly brushing away the dust that had attached to it from the couch. After waiting to make sure that Vits would not reappear she opened it to another blank page, jotting down a few notes about the conversation she had had with Vits- about this infamous Phantom. Her notes however were small and basic; having gathered little from what her roommate had told her. She did not doubt that Vits knew more, much more, but Vits had been tired and unwilling to give her the whole story just yet. Still, she had to admit that this rubbish about some illusive opera ghost was slightly intriguing. There was no doubting that she was at least curious to hear the whole story- even if she did think it just to be superstition started by some attention deprived ballet rat.

After some small jotting and reading over her notes, she gave up on trying to piece together what she had learned and carefully closed the book. She replaced it in her larger suitcase, once again avoiding looking at the smaller one as she buried the journal beneath piles of clothing. She closed the larger one, making sure to lock it before placing it next to its smaller twin. Raylan lifted her arms above her head, stretching lazily before flopping back onto the dipping sofa. She situated herself only a little until she was comfortable, and then once again stared absently at the ceiling. Her rhythmic breathing brought its magical trance again, coursing over her like a sedative, relaxing each muscle and calming each thought. Her eyes had begun to flutter shut and as she had suspected her mind once more flashed to the memory of the shadow she had seen lurking in the rafters, but it had been only momentarily for her thought were quickly overcome by sleep.