A/N: There's not too much to say this time around since I'm posting these two chapters at the same time. I'm new to the whole "Story Making" half of so if I make an error in the format here or their be patient with me. )

Disclaimer: Even if Phantom is public domain-I don't own these versions nor do I own the authoresses.

A Conversation Between Two Phantoms

"Who are you and what do you want?" the bewildered Phantom asked.

The strange man sighed. "My name is Erik Destler and I am simply a pawn in this fandom's Game of Life."

"I see," said Erik slightly taken aback by this answer. "Erik with a 'K'?"

"Yes, but I am also called 'Gerik'."

"Geri-Oh never mind. Why do you wear that mask?" Erik asked.

"Underneath this mask is something terrible. It is a truly monstrous thing to behold !" At this point, Gerik seemed to be on the verge of having a breakdown. He held himself and began to sing while swaying lightly from side to side. "This face which earned a mother's fear and loathing...A mask-my first unfeeling scrap of clothing..."

Erik was wincing. Not only was this behavior extremely awkward, but it was obvious that this man couldn't sing. He couldn't take it anymore! Erik lunged at Gerik and ripped off his mask.

Erik almost started to laugh. Gerik's "deformity" appeared to be nothing more than a sunburn. Meanwhile, Gerik seemed to be going through a state of shock. He was staring at Erik in absolute horror and looked as if he were about to cry.

"W-hy d-did you do that?" Gerik whispered.

"To make you stop singing! I cannot allow you to go on singing with a voice like that."

"You...took off my mask...just so I would stop singing ?" Gerik responded in bewilderment. "How could you do such a thing? Look at it! It's hideous!" he yelled wildly gesturing to his face.

"Yes...of course it is." Erik said sarcastically. "Do you know what it is like to be without a nose?"

"No."

"Then, you do not know what 'hideous' means, Mr. Destler." Erik said darkly.

"Sorry...I'm not sure I'm following..." said Gerik, obviously confused.

With a swift movement, Erik removed his own mask. Gerik stared in terror. This was the reaction Erik was used to even if he did not like it. "This," he said gesturing to his own face. "This is hideous."

Gerik was still stunned by Erik's face, getting more terrifying to look at per second.

"Alright...do you understand now, Destler?"

Gerik nodded slowly and took a deep breath. "I wouldn't even be able to get close to Christine with that face, let alone attempt to marry her." he said softly.

Now it was Erik's turn to be stunned. "You have a Christine too?" he put his mask back on and Gerik followed suit. "Is she-"

"Magnificent, radiant, glorious, with a beautiful voice?" Gerik finished off quickly.

"...Yes." Erik said weakly. "And with the most lovely blonde hair you ever saw..." he finished softly, obviously zoning out into his own world, but Gerik pulled him out of it.

"What? Yours is blonde? Mine has the most luscious curly brown locks..."

Erik felt a surge of relief that Gerik hadn't won his Christine after all the tension between he and Raoul, le Vicomte de Chagny. He sighed."What are you here for agin?"

"I actually haven't the foggiest idea. The last I remember is being in my batca-I mean lair and hearing a large booming voice promising me cookies if I came here. It sounded just like a young teenage girl."

"You simply came here because a voice promised cookies?" Erik raised an eyebrow behind his mask.

"No...I didn't even want the cookies. I get too many random booming voices promising me cookies and other sweets if I do things. The next I remember is approaching this place."

Is it possible that this man is farther gone than I am? Erik asked himself. "I don't care about the cookies! If I wanted to, I could steal you some right now!" at these words, Gerik's eyes lit up. "But I don't." Gerik frowned. "I want to know more about the voices. I rarely-if ever-hear the voices you describe to me."

"I was puzzled too. However, I actually know what they are." Gerik said in a stern voice.

"Well?"

"They call themselves 'authoresses'. They write some drivel called 'phanfiction'. They are generally teenagers who seem to have a scary attraction to me."

"They are attracted to you? They actually feel that way for you?" all of this was new to Erik.

"Yes."

"But no one would be attracted to deformed freaks like us." Erik said confused beyond all reason.

"Yet some are..." Gerik said trailing off. This was the first time he had actually been able to talk about this with someone and he too was realizing how odd the situation had become.