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The Black Shadowed Starling – Right? Things are crazy now.

Masquerade

Months went by and no word from the phantom. Since the night the chandelier fell, no one has seen or heard anything about the opera ghost. Everyone had been wary at first because there had been previous times that the ghost had seemingly disappear for a number of weeks but then would return to his tricks. It was not until the end of the second month of no pranks taking place that people started to believe that the phantom was gone for good. A lot of people were obviously happy about that, especially Carlotta and the two managers. The chandelier was replaced by the fourth month of silence from the ghost and the Opera Populaire regained its prestige. Carlotta rose back to her status as prima donna while Christine was sent back to the chorus, not allowed to even be an understudy to the older woman.

Not everyone was happy that the opera ghost disappeared.

Raoul and Christine became more and more desperate to find Erik but he never showed no matter what they did. Raoul knew that Christine had gone to the Giry's multiple times asking about her teacher and angel. While the two woman no longer gave her the cold shoulder, they had little answers to give. The two were just as worried about him as they were, telling Christine that Erik has not spoken to them either, not even through letters. Farren was also absent as well, causing Leala and Valere to feel the eagle's gap in their family with gloom.

Mme. Giry, the only one who knew how to get to Erik's home through the tunnels said that she had tried to get to him but found her path bloke off. Erik had sealed the one entrance she knew how to get to his home. She knew that he was not starving though, because she would leave the supplies by the first meet up place they had used as children and would find them gone next time she returned. She told them that she had tried waiting for him but she always had to leave before he would come. The Madame admitted that she thought she had felt his presence a couple times as she waited but he refused to show himself. Through the months she continued to try.

Meg had also taken to waiting on the rooftop at night, waiting for her uncle to show up to take Farren on her nightly flight exercise. However, after multiple nights in a roll with him not showing, she started to believe that either Erik had changed the time he took Farren to fly or the eagle had shaped changed. Everyone was hoping it was the first since Erik was a man in his thirties, meaning a form change was extremely rare. If that had happened, something drastic had to have happened to cause it.

Raoul took to walking around the opera house during the day. Calling out to the phantom like he did when Erik had ignored him the first time. He got a lot of strange looks from the employees but did not care. Though he reluctantly stopped doing it as frequently when he began to get glares for trying to bring back the opera ghost whom everyone was happy of its lack of appearances. He took himself to the darker corridors where not a lot of people spent time, figuring that if Erik was going to do something to him it would be when he was alone. Sadly, that apparently was not tempting enough because he never showed or, if he did, he did not make his presence known.

Christine did her part by visiting the chapel at night during the times Erik would give her singing lessons. She practice to keep up her skill but also in hopes that it would draw her angel out and speak to her. She could not go every night because she was back in the dancer's quarters and could not start rumors that she was sneaking off to see a lover, but she took every opportunity she could. She told Raoul that she could swear that sometimes as she sang she felt Erik watching her but could not say for certain since he never spoke. Three months into doing this Raoul had come with her to keep her company, though he remained hidden, Tyce comfortably tucked in his jacket, in case Erik would not want to see him and ruin their chance.

He had watched Christine light a single candle and kneeled in front of it with her hands clasped to her chest in pray. Nada was standing next to her, her head up and attentive to listen to anything that would give Erik's presence away. When she finished she stood up and began to sing, no words, but a soft melody. Raoul did not recognize the music but found it soothing, it called out to him and he had to force himself to stay where he was and not go to her.

Christine finished and she stood there in the silence, waiting for something to occur. They waited but minutes went by and nothing happened. Christine sighed dejectedly and she made to leave but then Nada's head lifted higher and cocked to the side.

Christine froze and Raoul tried to listen to what the swan might be hearing.

It was faint, but he could hear the faintest sound of a person singing. A hypnotizing voice that he would recognize anywhere even after only hearing it once.

He knew Christine heard it too because she straighten.

"Erik?!" she called out, looking towards the ceiling.

The voice got louder but did not come close to them. It remained at a distance and eventually faded out completely.

"No!" Christine cried in frustration. She fell to her knees and Raoul hurried to her.

He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, her head resting under his chin. It was the first time any of them have heard from him in three months, but it was obvious that he was not going to go to them.

Still, the four of them and their companions tried, and still they failed.

Months passed and New Year's arrived. Everyone at the opera house was buzzing with excitement because the theatre was going to host a party that everyone was invited to. It was supposed to be a masquerade so every chance the staff could get, they worked on their costumes for the party.

Raoul had been invited because of his work with the theatre and he figured he should go, if only to be with Christine. He had his costume made to be that of a prince's outfit.

Basically it was black with a lot of buttons and ropes on his shirt.

The night of the masquerade Raoul could tell that Andre and Firmin were really pleased with themselves. To them, they were the reason the opera ghost has disappeared and no longer worry about notes or instructions and demands from an apparition. Andre's rooster and Firmin's goat companion followed them around with a pleased appearance as well.

Carlotta was obviously smug to have been put back in the spot light and Christine brushed aside to the chorus. She was drinking champagne and laughing loudly with Piangi, Antonio and Dante standing next to each other, talking amongst themselves.

Raoul spotted Mme. Giry watching Meg dance with one of the men for the chorus. Meg appeared to be having a good time and the Madame had a small grin on her face as she observed her daughter. Soon he spotted Christine in her fairy costume and mask and snuck up behind her.

She jumped and turned around with a scowl, but smiled when she saw that it was him.

"Raoul," she greeted.

Raoul bowed to her and held his hand out for her to take.

"May I have this dance, Mademoiselle?" he asked.

She took his hand and curtsy. "You may, Monsieur."

The two of them spent almost every dance together. Sometimes one of them would be asked for a dance, to which both of them would agree. Both of them danced with a number of employees of the opera house. Though Raoul did ask Mme. Giry and Meg for one dance as well. Both of the Giry's were the best dancers he had ever partnered with though he should not have been surprised.

The party was a little more than half way over and everyone was lively as ever, but suddenly that changed. Raoul had been standing next to Christine as they got a drink to cool down when the music was forced to a stop and everyone looked around in confusion then a gasp was heard and heads turned to a figure at the top of the staircase.

The figure was a man and his costume was all red, though there was some gold trim on his shirt and pants. The costume was large and extravagant with its layers of material, even his hat was red and held a couple red feathers. The mask, however, was intimidating. It was a skull face that had something to cover the eyes, but Raoul could tell that those eyes were scanning the room, looking at every one individually. He felt those eyes settle on him and Christine and instantly knew who was behind the mask for he has felt their intensity before.

"Angel." Christine whispered next to him in awe.

"I don't think he's in his angel persona right now." Raoul whispered back as Phantom took one step down the staircase, then another. His long red cape trailing behind him.

"Why so silent, good Monsieurs?" Phantom's voice was soft but it projected and could be heard clearly throughout the room. What was eerie was watching the jaw of the skull mask move along with his words. "Did you think that I had left you for good?"

He slowly made his way down the steps as he spoke. His voice dripping with sarcastic delight. "Have you missed me, good Monsieurs? I have written you an opera."

So that's what he's been doing, Raoul thought. A part of him feeling pleasure at hearing the older man's voice again after this long, even if it was not in a good mood. It still sounded enchanting. Powerful.

Phantom paused on the steps and lifted a leather case.

"Here, I bring the finish score. Don Juan Triumphant!" on the last sentence he threw the case containing the opera and Andre caught it hastily. Phantom pointed at the two manager's.

"I advise you to comply, my instructions should be clear." Phantom warned, then pointed up. "Remember there are worse things than a scattered chandelier!"

Raoul could tell everyone was terrified now because the Phantom had returned. The fact that he did not have Farren with him caused people to believe him to be a true opera ghost, though Raoul suspected that she was nearby.

He almost did not feel Christine move, the only reason he noticed was because Phantom lifted his hand directly at him and Christine as he walked further down the stairs and onto the floor. She left his side to go to him. Raoul almost grabbed her to stop her but, this might be the only time she would have the chance to speak to him. However, brief.

Hissed warnings and Christine's name was spoken by the other employees as she made her way to Phantom, but she ignored them. When she got to him, she placed her hand in his covered one and the instructor and student stared at each other for a moment.

Then Phantom's head turned and Raoul felt breathless at the abrupt feeling of rage focused on him from those covered eyes.

He knows! Raoul thought and started towards Christine to get her away in case the older did something to her.

Phantom turned back to Christine and she flinched back, probably experiencing the fury Raoul had felt moments before.

"Your voice is still mine! You will sing for me!" Phantom growled, letting Christine go roughly to run back up the stairs. His words confirming Raoul's suspicions.

With a wave of his cape, a flash of smoke and fire erupted in everyone's vision. When it cleared, Phantom was gone, disappearing into the darkness.

Raoul made it to Christine, who looked shaken by her angel's anger towards her.

"He knows!" She gasped, clutching his arms. "He knows about us!"

Raoul quickly escorted her out, catching sight of Meg and Mme. Giry excusing themselves.

"Follow me." Mme. Giry ordered and the four of them and their companions went to Mme. Giry's quarters.

When they were all inside, Mme. Giry closed the door behind her. Raoul had Christine sit down and kneeled next to her. He took her hand in his to calm her. Meg stood beside her mother and both of them were staring at the two of them in disbelief.

"The two of you are together?" Meg demanded looking at their entwined hands. "You broke your promise?!"

"No!" Christine denied.

Meg scoffed. "I thought you loved Erik! What? You saw his face and suddenly all those years together mean nothing?!"

"Of course not!" Christine protested. "I love him still!"

Meg opened her mouth to say another thing but Mme. Giry cut her off.

"Meg! Restrain yourself!" The Madame commanded.

Meg turned away with a glare and went to Leala. The pelican chirped at her human and bite at Meg's costume as she sat down on the floor next to her.

"Now." Mme. Giry sighed. She faced Raoul and Christine with a firm frown. "Explain, Christine."

Raoul kind of felt ignored but did not say anything to bring attention to himself. The Madame was quite the scary woman when she wanted to be. Even Meg was intimidating after that burst of anger.

Christine explained herself. She went all the way back to the morning she had taken off Erik's mask, telling her side of the story. She explained her guilt and shame at her reaction and told the Giry's that she has long since believed that she could accept Erik's face for she loved him more than just appearances. However, the chandelier had dropped, then none of the four of them has heard anything from the man since, which they all already knew. But she also told them that she was with Raoul because she loved him too and he also loved Erik and her.

Raoul's cheeks flushed probably a deep red when the Giry's stared at him in shock.

"I became smitten with the Phantom's voice since I first heard it." Raoul stated awkwardly. He cleared his throat. "I fell for the man behind that voice who I had spoken to for months before Christine's debut."

Mme. Giry hummed thoughtfully with her head cocked to the side.

"I always did tease Erik how you acted like an infatuated suiter pursuing his crush. I did not believe I would be correct."

Raoul had to turn away, mortified at how he must have appeared to the older man.

"Do not worry, he always denied such jokes." Mme. Giry told him. "He was never good at recognizing such gestures in the first place."

"What are we going to do?" Christine asked helplessly, biting her lip.

Mme. Giry and Meg shared a glance but Mme. Giry gave them a shrugged.

"Right now, there is not much that can be done. Erik believes that you broke your promise and, without any way of telling him otherwise, he is going to remain heartbroken and angry." Mme. Giry informed them.

Raoul hung his head. Never has he felt so hopeless.

I love Masquerade/Why So Silent! The whole scene is wonderful in the musical! Anyway, hoped everyone enjoyed it. Please review with your thoughts as I enjoy hearing them. Next chapter will be in Raoul's POV. I am letting my readers know that the next chapter is basically Notes II, however, there are shifts and changes in the lyrics, so pay attention. ;) See ya next time.