Tai appeared in a fairly small, dark room. She looked around, making sure she was in the correct location. With a satisfied not she snapped her fingers, and the two teenagers fell to the wooden floor. The enchantress looked at them, noticing Gabby had also been sucked up in her magic. She sighed. It wasn't what she had intended, but at least the girl would have a friend. And now to make Erik's wish come true.

While Jen was laying there unconscious Tai worked her magic. She redid the teen's clothes, making them fit the time period. She then decided to make her older. Not much, just enough that she would fit in more. If she was to be a member of the orchestra, she had to be at least old enough to play. Tai decided that 22 would be a decent age, and cast the spell. Once happy with Jen's look, Tai turned to Gabby. If she was going to be stuck here, she might as well fit in. And who knew? Maybe she was meant to be here. Perhaps fate had a trick of it's own, and maybe this time she would be the one it was played on. It was usually the other way around. Tai deserved to be pranked every now and then.

Once finished Tai took a seat in the lonely chair in the corner of the room. Jen groaned and began to come to her senses, raising her head and looking around. "Wha…what happened?"

"Oh, nothing really. I just caused you to hit your head rather hard and brought you here." Tai answered casually. Jen looked at her. "Where is here?"

"You'll know soon enough." With that she disappeared, leaving a very confused Jen and an unconscious Gabby to fend for themselves.

XxXxXxXxX

Meanwhile Erik sat about his lair, brooding as he usually did. He was in a fouler mood than usual, and not just because of Tai. She had not visited him since yesterday, luckily. No, he was not upset about her. He was upset about Christine's betrayal. No, she had not actually betrayed him, but she had been associating with that vicomte. Again. Erik would have to do something about him. He would try to win Christine over first, but if that failed he always had his lasso. The infamous Phantom smiled darkly. He liked his second plan better.

Getting out of his chair, Erik decided he should eat something. As he made his way to the back of his lair where a small kitchen-like room was set, he heard a loud 'thump' and knowing instantly what it was, frowned.

"What the hell are you doing here now?" he growled, turning around to face the tall, strangely attired woman. She simply grinned back. Or he thought she did. For all he knew her smile might not have been so friendly if the rest of her face had been visible.

"I never cease to annoy you, do I?" she asked. He glared through his mask at her. Tai shrugged. "Ah-well. I simply came to see if you wanted someone to talk to. I'm rather lonely you see…" She began to run a finger along his chest. He swatted the hand away and she sighed irritably. "Alright, fine. Be that way if you want. However, just remember how you treated me, the one woman who has tried to be nice to you."

"I don't need your kindness, Tai." He spat her name out. "Tsk tsk, you are the most unappreciative soul I have ever met. What if I were to disappear and never come back. You know you would miss me."

Erik was beginning to think that his plan of destroying Raoul de Chagny might be transferred to another human. "I would most certainly not miss you."

"Not at all?" she pouted and her bottom lip quivered unconvincingly. "I would be glad for the silence."

"Well if you are going to be like that, maybe I will just leave you…hmph." With that she disappeared. Erik sighed and turned around. That woman got on his nerves faster than anyone else he had ever met. He took a step forward and nearly tripped. Over Tai. She was standing there, glaring down at him. She was obviously using an illusion of some form to seem taller, and he wished he knew how to do that. "I thought you were leaving!" he told her, his icy glare never melting.

"I never agreed to leave." She replied icily. How she annoyed him!

"GET OUT!" the Phantom roared, threatening to strike her. She did not move and his hand made contact with her face. She looked at him in shock, touched her stinging cheek, and promptly slapped him right back. It was Erik's turn to look shocked. It had hurt more than he thought it would.

"Didn't ANYONE ever teach you how to behave around a woman?" she snarled. "Apparently not." He growled back. Both were on edge now, two predators ready to pounce. Strangely, Erik wanted her to attack him…he wanted to see who would win.

"I just came to say hello, but if that is how you are going to treat me then FINE. Good bye monsieur le Phantom." She disappeared in a flash of red flame, leaving Erik alone in his lair. Strangely, it seemed a lot emptier without her.

XxXxXxXxX

Edward Deleroux sighed irritably as Monsieur Reyer started from the beginning. Again. La Carlotta's screeching hadn't improved, and was not likely to, so what was the point? The percussionist in the Opera Populaire's orchestra had begun to think he would have been better off becoming a doctor, like his mother had wanted.

"No no NO!" the exasperated conductor shouted for what seemed the tenth time in five minutes. "It goes like this…" Edward sighed and looked at his music again while Carlotta and the Maestro argued. Again. He wished his fellow musician William had not quit. Hopefully the other spot would be filled soon. He would ask the maestro after rehearsal.

When he looked up he noticed his friend Joseph sitting with his cello, falling asleep. Edward wondered what the man had been doing all day to be so needy of sleep. "From the beginning…again…"

The cycle began anew, and this time it was not the Prima Donna who made the mistake but their grossly overweight lead tenor, senior Ubaldo Piangi. Slowly Edward began to feel himself drifting off to his own world, obliviously playing in time, like a machine. He needed a break. He needed something different.

Another hour passed and he was released, returning to his apartments within the opera house. Laying down on the small bed he sighed and closed his eyes. Was this what he really wanted in life? It seemed like it was what he loved, or had seemed, but now he wasn't so sure. As he sat there he slowly began to drift into a deep sleep.

"Boo."

Edward opened his eyes groggily and looked around. "Who is it?" he asked quietly, wondering if he was still in a dream. "If you look at me you'll find out." The percussionist sat up and looked at the woman sitting crosslegged before him on his bed. She was dressed oddly in black boots, pants, gloves, and a tight brown jacket, and yet she seemed strangely familiar. "Who are you?" he asked. "Name is not important." She replied casually, her blue-grey eyes scanning him. Tai smiled inwardly. He was rather handsome, she had to admit. And yet, she still thought something was missing.

"Alright…why are you here. And…and how did you get in here? The door was locke-"

"I'm here to introduce you to someone. I think you will like her a lot, Monsieur…."

"Deleroux."

"Monsieur Deleroux. If you do not mind, would you please come with me?"

Edward stood up, brushed his shirt off, ran his fingers through his hair once to make sure it was somewhat decent, and did as told. He could not stop thinking about this strange woman and how she had gotten into his room. Who the hell did she think she was, barging in whenever. She could have at least knocked, and if he had not heard that, she could have left a note.

The strange woman led him to a room. "Knock, then say you heard she was your new assistant percussionist. Be nice." Edward nodded and rapped his hand on the door. He turned to say something to the woman, but she had vanished, almost as if she had never been there.

Review Replies-

MJ MOD- Who know's what Tai is doing? Tai is…well…Tai…lol. And yeah, the macaroni dream doesn't sound weird until details are known…heheh, I got a new char too…Necro, hoping to make her MM…but my Rit/Mes is still my best.

MikoHatome- heheh, here is is, and thanks for reviewing!

Ravanwolf- Thanks for reading and reviewing! Glad you like it so far!