Yay, new chapter! Once I get my brain power back, I will be able to post more often while I juggle my writing and my new job. Shoutouts to BroadwayOrTheHighway and Pao696. Reviews are always welcome and appreciated. Enjoy, my lovelies!

Chapter 45

We stayed and talked for a while, just sitting in the middle of Antoinette's room. Well, to be a bit more accurate, I was sitting in the middle of the room. Antoinette and Erik were on the settee and Meg was on Antoinette's bed. I was confined to the floor, but I didn't really mind. Her rug was so soft that I could have slept on it for the rest of my life without one complaint.

Then, the topic of the hour came up.

"So, Mandy," Meg began. "Have you figured something out regarding the performance?"

I heaved a deep sigh. "No, I have not. One wouldn't think it would be this difficult to choose one stupid song!"

"Not to mention a few more for the entire thing."

"Thanks for the reminder, Meg." I deadpanned.

Antoinette leaned over and patted my shoulder. "We understand how hard it is, Mandy. There is only so much you can do to keep the audience from getting tired of coming."

Meg nodded with empathy. "This is true. There are only so many songs, so many dances, so many faces that they can see and hear. They always want something new."

Something wiggled in the back of my head. "What did you say, Meg?"

"I said that they always want something new." She said, concern written on her face. "Are you alright?"

I pondered her statement for a moment, thinking of something that would definitely be new, but not as shocking as some of the modern things would be to our Victorian crowd. "I think I may have just found the answer I've been looking for. Tell me, have you ever heard of a talent show..?"

0-0

Firmin spit his drink all over his desk as Andre lost all his papers out of his hands when I told them what I wanted. "Pardon?"

I shrugged. "Well, you two are always saying that you want something new every time we have a performance. What could be more new or fresh than this?"

Andre sputtered in his usual way. "But, mademoiselle, do you have any idea how intricate, not to mention costly and time-consuming, this will be?"

"What cost?" I inquired. "I agree, it will take a bit of time, but it's not as if we're going to pay everyone. It is a strictly voluntary show. Of course, we would have to have auditions just to make sure everyone that wants to join is up to par. Madame Giry thought it would be a great idea!"

Firmin began to shake his head. "No, we need something quick and easy. Not something that will take all of this planning. I don't think we are up to this."

I sighed. "What if I told you that I would take care of everything? I know what I want, and you told me that as long as I do a performance, I can basically do anything I wanted. This is what I want."

Their demeanor changed as soon as I said I would take care of everything. "Well," Andre began. "I believe you better get started if you want this ready in time."

"In time? I have a set date already?" I asked, a feeling of dread coming over me. They're going to make it a ridiculously short time, I just know it…

"How does a month sound?"

I swallowed my cry of disbelief. I couldn't show any hesitation in front of these two men. But my mind was whirling. What?! A month?! How on earth am I supposed to get everything set up in a month?! "Sounds great. I'll get started now, so if you will excuse me…"

0-0

"I need to send an advertisement to the paper, but I have no idea where it is. Do you think you could help me?"

Erik came to my side and looked at my progress. "Well, I would say that I could take it myself, but you don't have anything written."

"Ugh, I know!" I shook my head disgustedly. I went straight to the lair after my meeting with the managers and told Erik everything that happened. He suggested that I get to work on a way to get the word out…right after he threatened to go up and Punjab the two pansies.

"Hmm…how about you take a break," he said seductively as he took the quill out of my hand. Yes, ever since I wrote with that quill whenever I first arrived, I never stopped. "And let me help you de-stress."

I sighed and relaxed as his hands massaged my shoulders, but I forced myself to shrug him off me. "No, Erik. I would love to, but I have to get this done! I don't have much time."

He growled as I picked the quill up and put it to my paper. "Remind me again why I can't strangle those two men…"

0-0

I spread the word around the opera house, giving everyone the opportunity to join in the fun. Whether they wanted to audition or help out with setting things up, they were welcome to do so.

Christine ran to me after she had heard the news. "Mandy, is it true? Are you really- "

"If you have just heard about my plan for this next performance, then yes, I did."

She gasped, leaning in towards me, as if telling me a secret. "Anyone can participate? Even the public?"

I nodded. "Yes, ma'am! Why? Are you wanting to plan something?"

"Maybe…" she shrugged, giving a conspiratorial grin.

"Christine whatever-your-middle-name-is Daae! What are you planning in that little devious head of yours?"

She whispered her plan into my ear. I may not have caused her a sense of deafness as she did to me a while back, but she pulled back rather quickly when I gave a little squeak of excitement. "Christine! That is genius!"

She blushed. "The only problem is I don't have a song for our audition."

"Hmm, that shouldn't be too big of a problem. If you'll come by my room later tonight, I should be able to help you with it."

She gave me a weird look. "You're willing to help me? Even after I told Raoul about you?"

I sighed. "We still haven't talked about that, have we? We will discuss it tonight. Right now, it's kind of hard to be mad about anything since I only have a month to get everything together!"

"If you need any help, I will be happy to assist you in any way that I can."

0 - 0

Once I finally finished the ad for the newspaper, Antoinette volunteered to take it for me.

"I think I will join you, Antoinette." I said. "I really need some fresh air. I've barely been outside since I've been here.

She nodded. "Very well. While we're out, we can also stop by a few shops and pick some new things for you."

"New things?"

"Dresses, corsets, undergarments, things of the sort."

"Oh, great!" Oh, no…

We then departed from the opera house and walked to the newspaper printing place. Once we had paid for the ad to be placed, we walked to the market, but not before making our way through a park filled with many oddities.

"Antoinette, are these gypsies?" I asked her.

She laughed. "No, mon cherie. These are just street performers. Every once in a while, a few of them make their way to a park or something akin so they can have more room and give better performances. They really are quite good, if I do say so myself."

She lost me at 'park' when I caught a glimpse of what looked like a troupe of acrobats. They were performing awesome flips and tricks that I knew I would break my neck if I even thought about trying them myself. "Are you seeing what I'm seeing?"

Antoinette looked around us, her eyes finally landing on the performers holding my attention. "I've never seen them before."

"I think I just found one of my acts."

I made my way through the crowd after their routine was done, trying to reach them. A burly man who was one of the 'catchers' for lack of a better term, blocked my way. "Where do you think you're going?"

I wasn't going to let him scare me away, even though he was doing a good job of making me nervous. "Um, I would like to speak with your troupe. I have a proposition for all of you."

He pondered my request, and decided to guide me to the rest of his group. Antoinette stayed behind, not wanting to interfere. About 10 minutes later, I came out of their tent to an anxious dance mistress. "Well..?" she asked.

"They said they'll do it!"