Since the night Gerik was confronted by the canonical three, he made sure to keep his distance. But this didn't seem to bother the film adapted man all that much. Talking with Mr. Y was an absolute delight.
He was ten years Gerik's senior, and also shared a devout passion for music as well. The older man told Gerik of the show he hosted on Coney Island, it sounded quite extravagant.
Naturally, the two became very tight nit companions.
Things seemed to be quite at ease and peaceful.
"AIIIIIIIEEEEEEEE!"
Peaceful for a short amount of time that is.
Camped outside the house Harley was exiled, despite being allowed in the house he was not being permitted a room by Erik. While attempting to get some rest, Harley's ears were met with a scuttling sound. Feeling something on his leg, he pulled back the blanket to see a fair sized rat staring back at him with beady eyes.
The lights came on in the house as he shrieked.
"Sweet musics throne! What the hell is happening?!"
"What is that noise?"
"Hand me my lasso!"
"Panaro, no!"
While the Meriks were groggily annoyed and confused, they heard a rapping on the door.
"Now gentlemen, settle down!" Crawford said, readjusting the mask on his face.
Opening the door he was met with Harley badly shaken up and babbling a mile a minute.
"My god man, slow it down. What's going on?" Crawford asked, as some of the Meriks poked their heads out, curious as to the intrusion.
"R-Rat…B-B-Big rat…" Steve stuttered.
Warlow sighed, "Great, that long haired bastard's sicked his minions on the poor man."
Crawford moved aside as a dishevelled Karimloo pushed past Harley, heading downstairs.
"I can't stay out there," Harley begged.
Crawford ran a hand through his wig, "I would love to help you, but we just don't have the room. As it is, every room on this floor is taken."
Harley's expression dropped, "First my place gets stolen from me and now this."
The older phantom blinked quizzically confused.
Turning back, his giant cape swooshing Harley disappeared down the hall.
As Crawford made to close the door an outstretched hand stopped him.
Karimloo returned, walking past with a plate of steaming pizza rolls in hand.
"I'm not getting any more sleep tonight anyway," He explained, making for the Meriks' lair converted parlour.
Harley felt he had no hope but to brave it outside, praying the giant rodent would be gone.
"Hey!" He heard a whisper.
Looking over his shoulder, he saw Gerik creeping down the stairwell, motioning for him to follow.
"What are-" He began but the metallic masked man was shushed.
"I don't want them knowing I'm down here, hurry up." Gerik whispered indicating to the Meriks shut door as the two men creeped past up to the third floor.
Once they were upstairs, Gerik led him upstairs.
"We don't have much room up here, but Jerik never uses his room," He explained.
Harley tensed up, "R-?"
"No rats. I promise, the room is bare save for the bed. I won't tell Monsieur Fantome you're up here."
Harley blinked, surprised at the movie adapted man's kindness.
"Why exactly are you doing this?" He asked.
"I understand rejection, not just the kind from brunette sopranos."
Nodding, Harley understood. "Thank you"
And thus, comradery among the outcasts was forming.
Lerik sat lurched over the organ, his hands gracefully dancing over the keys. Feeling a presence behind him, he closed the composition book from prying eyes. The masked man turning to meet Kerik's curious gaze.
"It's nice," He commented, "I only wanted a better look at the score."
It was nothing personal, but Lerik was very discreet about his music. Even Christine would not be permitted to look at it. Snatching up the book, Lerik shuffled out of the main parlour and to his chambers.
Taking a seat at the now vacant instrument, Kerik just stared down at the keys. When was the last time he played?
Kerik sighed, inspiration ran dry in his mind. Absent mindlessly humming aloud to no one in particular. But the melody perked some ears.
He paused, trying to decide whether or not he wanted to play now. Perhaps maybe his violin instead.
"Please go on," Kerik turned to see Mauer walk in. "I'm sorry. I just…well I mean it was very nice."
The man's eyes lit up at the Merik's compliment.
"Thank you, well I suppose I could sing for you if you wish." Patting the free spot beside him on the bench, Kerik beckoned him over.
As promised he sang, his voice emanating through the halls and walls of the house with a melodic call to any ear that should overhear.
Karimloo was in the middle of a composition himself when he overheard the melodies coming from downstairs. The youthful phantom recognized Mauer, but there was another voice as well. The notes almost hypnotic, even to his ears.
He was drawn out of this clouded thought when Karimloo felt a presence sit down beside him.
Panaro looked less than impressed.
"What's wrong?" Karimloo asked, his hands rested at his side.
"It's just feeling difficult with each passing day."
"What is?"
"This whole arrangement!" Panaro exclaimed suddenly.
Karimloo nodded, understanding where the other man was coming from. Sometimes he missed the solitude he too once had under the opera house. Just him and his Christine. But she left, leaving him alone in the dark.
While he missed that reserved life, being in this house brought him some comfort. Granted some of the residents could be too much for his taste. But to talk to others with the same mindset he too shared, and that same devout drive and passion for music.
"I know" He nodded. "But there's two sides to the coin."
"What do you mean?" Panaro asked confused.
"Sometimes I wonder why I bother going along with this. Not that I would have anywhere else to go. But while rambunctious as it can get around here, part of me enjoys it."
The other man nodded, "Yes. I don't feel quite as lost as I once was."
The men silently listened to the music coming from downstairs, music was certainly infectious.
"Nighttime sharpens, heightens each sensation…" Karimloo sang, his mind clouding over with music and memories.
"Darkness stirs and wakes imagination," Panaro continued where he left off. "Silently the senses…"
"Abandon their defences."
"Your pitch is very good" Panaro commented.
"As is yours," Karimloo agreed, the man's voice teetering between baritone and tenor in a way that enticed him so. "Would you care to finish it with me?"
Panaro smiled, music putting his troubled mind in a state of ease. "I can't see myself saying no."
Downstairs Kerik sighed, "Gentlemen as entertaining as this has been I think it's my time to retire for the evening."
By this point Carpenter, Little, and Jones had joined Mauer as they too found themselves ever the more entranced. The men feeling as though they were coming out of a daze as Kerik departed. But as he turned to leave suddenly the men heard footsteps slowly come up from the door forbade by all but one.
Erik appeared as the door swung open.
"While the music is breathtaking and I hate to interupt, but I have a matter to discuss with you. Namely why I found this wandering through my home." The black masked man said as he the others heard a "MEOW".
Kerik gasped, "My little lady!"
Marching over Kerik scooped Ayesha out of Erik's arms.
"Oh my darling, I thought you were gone for good." He cooed, scratching behind her ears the Siamese purred.
"Now normally I would have barged up here and demand you remove her from the premises immediately" Erik began, noticing Kerik defensively hold the cat closer to himself. "However, I have noticed she's been keeping the real vermin out."
Erik remembered his golden eyes going wide as while he was composing he heard a mewing at his feet to see a Siamese with a dead rat presented like an offering to him. Unfortunately, even with Jerik outside, those damned rats seemed to find ways of sneaking into his home. So a mouser was not a totally bad idea in Erik's mind.
Erik's seal of approval, Kerik cuddled the cat closer heading up to his room.
"Come my dear, I'll show you your new home." He mumbled, caressing her silky fur as Ayesha mewed in delight.
"At least she'll keep the damned rats out!" Erik sighed, having to make yet another change to his ultimatum.
Not very many footnotes this time around.
-In Susan Kay's novel Erik acquires and liberates a Siamese cat henceforth named Ayesha that he comes across on the streets during the Parisian war era. He adorns her with a jewel encrusted collar that he stole from the Persian Shah prior to his journey to Paris.