obsessedbyerik:

Yeah. ;) A Zora stuck in the water trap. Quite expected, right? And it hasn't spoken to Christine yet, 'tis all.
I loved the magic part. It was my favorite part of writing that chapter. Glad you liked it!
I guess I didn't think the whole embrace thing over very much, but it made sense then because he was like a father to her,
and even though some children may argue with their parents, the whole relationship is the type to heal.
Lame reason I guess. But glad you mentioned it so I could think it over. :)
Christine wasn't on top of him, she was next to him and leaning over. Make a bit more sense?
They would never get rid of it because, after it did something so magical to them, it would be very hard to send it away.
And, fyi, this ISN'T my first story. :P It's like, my 3rd. ;D Never mind. I'm tired.

My Elphie:

Yeah. Hey, I'm gonna have to use that at some point... ;) I guess she would have asked,
but I'm kinda hoping that Christine has a bit more of a backbone, with Raoul's support so much.
I'm glad you like it! I hope you continue to think so. :)

Chapter 3: The Name Game:

+---Erik's P.O.V.---+

Christine returned to continue her singing lessons, which is quite the opposite of the expected.
I also gained the odd luck of finding a Zora, which proved to be a blessing and a curse.
It was a wonder that the strange creature even existed, much less me coming upon one.

The Zora stood not far off the shore of the lake as I locked the gondola safely into place.
I turned to see that Christine stood with her hands behind her back, smiling at me. I smiled uneasily.
What could have changed her mind about me? Something had happened up there, and I was not told.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw the Zora survey Christine's posture, and duplicate it. My smile grew.
The Zora leaned forward a bit farther, pushing it's arms into it's back, seeing how far it could lean.
Then it fell forward. The clumsy creature. I had actually imagined Zora's to be adaptable, smart,
graceful, and beautiful creatures. Either this one is quite different, or Zora are not what they seem.

Christine turned quickly and knelt down to the creature, which was still on it's back.
She frowned with pity, and touched it's back. Then she pulled her hand away quickly.
She gasped with horror, and touched it's back again. The Zora slowly looked up, and stared at me.

"Erik, what is this?" Christine asked, extending her hand out to me, which had a strange wetness on it.

"Blood. The creature had been attacked. But it should be fine." I answered, coming out of the cool water.
I sat with my back towards them at the organ. "It bounced up like a spring when I found it earlier."
Then I realized that my genius had let that comment slip.

"So, you saw it earlier and didn't help it?" She asked. I sighed and nodded.

"I couldn't take the chance of getting caught near the creature, not with so many people around." I replied.

"So then you thought of yourself before a creature who was injured." She spat. I turned towards her.

"Can you blame me? Have you never heard what I have been through? It was a risk I wasn't taking,
and if you knew my past you would probably agree." I told her. She frowned, then turned to the Zora.

"I bet I wouldn't." She said. She stood and got some of the fabric that hung around the broken mirrors.
Tearing it into strips, she tucked it beneath the hardened seaweed that clothed the Zora. It sighed.
I turned back to my organ, and began to play a simple piece. That way I could still hear Christine,
but rid myself of my stress all the while. Also, I have the advantage of her not knowing I'm listening.

"There we go. Now, do you speak?"(Christine)

"Speak!" (Zora)

"Very good! Let's work on names. Can you say 'names'?"(Christine)

"Names."(Zora)

"Good. Now. My name is Christine. Say 'Christine'."(Christine)

"Kristin."(Zora)

"No. Christine. Christine."(Christine)

"Chris-tine. Christine!"(Zora)

"Wonderful! Christine is me."(Christine)

"Me?"(Zora)

"No. Me. You would say 'you are Christine'."(Christine)

"You Christine?"(Zora)

"Yes. I am Christine. Now, that is Erik. Say, 'Erik'."(Christine)

"Ewik."(Zora)

"Hm... No. Close, but not quite. It's Erik."(Christine)

"Ewike."(Zora)

"Um, no. Erik. Say it slowly, then faster."(Christine)

"Errrr-ick. Erik. Erik?."

"Yes, very good!"(Christine)

"You Erik?"(Zora)

"No, no, no. He's Erik. Him, over there. The one making the music."(Christine)

"Music?"(Zora)

"Yes, music. The music he makes is nice. Nice music."(Christine)

"Oh. Nice!"(Zora)

"Okay. Now you. What is your name?"(Christine)

"My name?"(Zora)

"Yes. Your name."(Christine)

"No name."(Zora)

"No name? Hm... Well then, we'll have to give you a name."(Christine)

"Give name?"(Zora)

"Yes. Erik? ...Erik!"(Christine)

I spun out of time, and my hands hit the wrong notes. I cringed at the horrid sound that filled my ears.
Then I turned towards Christine.

"Obviously, you were unaware that I could hear you very clearly. What do you require?" I asked, frustrated.

"Can you help me name it, please?" She asked, smiling sweetly. I smirked.

"I have actually already considered that. I have a perfect name for it." I replied in my sarcastic tone.

"Wonderful!" She replied, clapping her hands together and obviously not noticing my sarcasm. "What?"

"Be ready... Alright: 'The Zora'."

"Erik!" She yelled angrily even as the words came out of my mouth. I smiled triumphantly. "A real name."

"Wait just a moment, a gender is required for a name." I said. Finished I turned back to the organ and placed my hands on the keys.

"Female." She said. I paused and darted a glance in her direction.

"What?"

"I said, 'female'. It, is a she." She replied. I raised my singular eyebrow, waiting for her to prove this theory.She sighed, stood, and turned the Zora sideways. "If you look hard enough, you'll have your proof."
I looked at the Zora, and said no more on the subject. Enough had been said already.
"Now, Erik, I will have to put some real clothes on her. While I'm gone, you will find a name for her.
Or atleast try, okay?" I mumbled my reply to that, and stood up from the organ.

She left, and I sat at my desk, wondering what I was going to do. For Christine, I decided to atleast try.
I sat there for a while, brainstorming ideas. I had written down several names, but none seemed to fit.
Then a name came into my head. Tamesis. The name meant 'goddess of the river', and had a nice ring to it.
I tried to remember the meaning of name, and seemed to remember that it mean 'river goddess'. Fitting.

Standing, I turned to find Tamesis standing before me. She wore the gown from 'Don Juan Triumphant',
that Christine had worn when she had last come here. Tamesis smiled and looked into my eyes.

"Name?" she asked, in a sweet and curious voice. The corset seemed to have changed her tone a bit.

"Oh yes. I have found a name for you." I answered. her faced brightened. "Tamesis."
She suddenly embraced me in a tight hug. This experience is becoming stranger and stranger...

"Thank Erik." she replied. I smiled at her loss for language.

"You are welcome." I said, as I loosened her grip and pushed her away. I saw Christine step into the water.
"Christine?" Looking back at me with regret, she silently told me she wanted to be home, not here.
I do not know what made her so home-sick, but I knew that she had an urge to be home, with her family.
I nodded, making my decision; I would take her home. I turned to Tamesis.

"Tamesis, I am going to take Christine home. You will stay here." I ordered. She frowned, then nodded.
She went over to the organ, and sat down backwards on the bench. Smiling, she rocked back and forth.
She would no doubt still be there, rocking, when I got back. It seemed that trip took forever, yet it ended.

When I returned, I found something quite different than I had expected. It took a moment to seep in.
I stared at the sight for a moment as I entered the small pool inside lair. I secured the gondola and got out.

"Tamesis... What have you done...?" I asked, shocked.

"Clean!" She said, happy with herself. I almost tripped, I was so dazed.

"Tamesis!"

I'm not especially proud of this chapter, and it's been edited over a long period of time. So don't expect it to be very clear.
But I still hope you like it. :D