The Phantom of the Opera: A Beauty and a Beast (Guile and Melody)

[Guile]

Erik listened to her soft voice and closed his eyes at her request. She wanted a hug from him! God, the thought brought fresh tears to his eyes. No one but Madame Giry had ever hugged him and, though Erik cared for her and owed her everything, sometimes he felt she only did so out of pity. Still, he couldn't thank her enough for that. Thinking back on the matter at hand, Erik opened his eyes again. "I...yes. Someday you will see me, Christine." This time, he did not lie to her. However, he didn't know when the day would come that he would feel comfortable showing himself to her. "I promise."

 

[Saiyan Princess]

Giddy as the little girl she was, Christine lit up like stars in the night sky. "Oh, lovely!" She exclaimed, trying to stay grounded, not wanting to sound too excited about this. "I cannot tell you how much that means to me!" She told him, still struggling with her own self control. "Thank you, sir." She spoke as calmly as she could. "I will await the day when you can finally trust me." She made a mental note to ask Madame Giry about this voice later on that day. "I just wish you trusted me now, but, I will wait for your acceptance." She sat on her behind, right in front of the mirror, as though it would be a better vantage point for her. "Are you lonely at all?"

 

[Guile]

"You are welcome, dear Christine." Was all Erik could manage in response to how happy she was at this news. He couldn't understand why this beautiful child wanted so bad to be near him. She hasn't seen your face, that's why. As of right now, you are nothing but a comforting, beautiful voice. He thought to himself, feeling saddened again. Though, he hid that from her as he answered her question. "Yes, Christine." Erik admitted. "I get...quite lonely." He thought about all the dark, cold nights he had spent alone in the cellars of the Opera. It made him shiver just thinking about it, but that was his life now. He should be grateful that he was not starving out in the street.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

Christine was saddened by this news. "You never have to be lonely again. I'm here now, you only have to say my name and I'll be here, I promise." Meanwhile, Madame Giry was, once again, delivering food and money to her estranged friend. As she walked past the little girl's room, toward that forbidden door, Christine heard her. "Madame Giry!" She thrust the door open immediately. "Can't I come with you? What's down there?" She had a feeling of the answers to her questions. "No." The woman said. "You cannot come down there with me. I have to do something." With those words, and a disappointed Christine left at the top of the stairs, she came down with the treasures.

 

[Guile]

Her words brightened his mood. Erik knew that, because of her, he wouldn't have such a hard time sleeping at night - at least for a while. "Thank you, Christine. I appreciate-" but he cut off his words as Christine got up and ran to meet up with Madame Giry. Erik himself went off, but in the other direction to meet his friend for he knew what she was bringing. Erik heard Christine's request and felt saddened. He wished she could come down, see him, be near him, but it was impossible. At least, for right now. Trying to brighten his own spirits, he thought about what Christine had just promised him and immediately a smile spread across his face. That's when he met up with Madame Giry. "Madame! Thank you ever so much!" Erik exclaimed, noticing the food and money as he had expected. He took the from her hands gingerly, thanking her again as he did so.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

"Of course, my dear." She willingly handed over his gold that was owed him. "There you are. Ten thousand franks, as requested." Something caused her to laugh, but the other part knew that she was just feeding into his cruelty toward the Opera Populair. "You'll find every last piece in that bundle." She assured him, rubbing her belly again. "Until we meet again, dear." She promised. Christine was already half way down the stairs, listening to Madame Giry talking to someone that sounded familiar. "My friend." Christine whispered. "It must be him that she's seeing."

 

[Guile]

"Oh, I do not worry about that." Erik smiled up at her and thanked her one last time. "Farewell, Madame!" He called after her as she went to leave. Erik was unaware that Christine was halfway down the stairs, listening in. He placed his gold in a pocket of his and started eating the food as he turned to make his way back to Christine's room, figuring she would be back there by now.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

The little girl still hadn't been found out and she still wasn't back in front of that mirror. Until, of course, Madame Giry's shadow came into view, then she turned tail and ran back up the stairs. "Uh oh..." she scampered away and shut the door behind her, heart beating rapidly, as she scurried back in front of that mirror. "I must hurry! Hurry!" She ordered her feet. Before she knew it, she had made it to her room and shut her door behind her.

 

[Guile]

When Erik approached the mirror at first, Christine wasn't there. He tried calling out to her, a little confused. "Christine?" There was only silence, then the sound of someone running. Before he knew it, Christine was back in the room, shutting the door quickly behind her. Erik stayed silent for a few moments, allowing her to catch her breath. "Christine?" He asked again, questioningly. "What were you doing out there?"

 

[Saiyan Princess]

Remembering that Erik knew her father, Christine's heart gave a good two or three leaps. She felt as though, if she lied to Erik, she was lying to Gustav. "I...." she thought of the right words. "I was watching those kids practice, sir." The pain in her heart was overbearing, but she couldn't tell him the truth. It would kill Erik to know the truth. "I thought I heard Il Muto."

 

[Guile]

Erik believed her. Rather, he forced himself to. He had no reason to doubt her, plus, how could he not believe his Christine? She was so innocent and kind. Still, there was a part of Erik that wasn't sure about the way she had spoken. It made him doubt her, but he lied to himself - he told himself that of course she was telling the truth. "Oh, well, then. No worries, my dear." Erik kept his voice reassuring and bright. "I was only curious."

 

[Saiyan Princess]

There was a pit where Christine's heart should have been. She had just lied to him. Her guardian. He hadn't lied to her, at least, not yet, anyway. She felt compelled to tell the truth. "Please, don't hate me for lying to you, Erik." She begged. "I wasn't listening for Il Muto, I was actually following Madame Giry. Then, she opened a door and I waited for her to come back, but she was taking too long and...I, sort of, went down a few steps." She felt her guilt pile up on her chest. "Please, I didn't mean any harm."

 

[Guile]

Erik's eyes widened, just slightly, in shock and amazement. He was not angry. How could he be angry with her? No, he was simply stunned. It hurt only a little that she had lied to him. However, she more than made up for it by confessing. How many people did he know that confessed to lying, right after they did so. Oddly, Christine's confession meant more to him than it would have if she would have told the truth in the first place. Unfortunately, Erik still couldn't help becoming frightened by her words. It took a while for him to speak. "Christine...I appreciate your honesty with me." He finally managed, almost in a whisper. "It means the world to me, truly. And, normally I would not mind but...in this instance, I must ask you not go searching through that door again. Please." He added, almost begging her.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

She felt even more guilt as she waited for his response, then, he had just spoken to her, not actually yelled. "But, Erik, why?" She asked with all childish curiosity. "What's down there? Will you please tell me?" She practically begged as well. "I swear I will always keep the secret." She promised. "No one will know but you and me." Christine kept badgering him for a long time. "When will I be allowed to see you? Soon?" She kept going and going. "Do you live down there? Is it scary? Why do you have all those mirrors?" She let it slip that she saw a little too much, though she never saw Erik.

 

[Guile]

Even more frightened at her slip up, Erik found his heart starting to race. Had she seen me? But, no. Erik decided that she most likely had not seen him, or she wouldn't be asking him when she could do so. Feeling himself calm slightly, Erik chuckled at her never-ending questions. "I will tell you, Christine, only because I have complete trust in you. But, you must promise me, truly promise me, that only you and I shall ever know. Is that understood?" His words were kind and he waited for her response before he told her. "I do, indeed, live there. I suppose it can be a bit frightening at times," he admitted, "only because it gets so dark and...lonesome sometimes." As that thought hit him, once again, he found himself wishing to be near Christine right then. But no, now was not the time. Not yet. "You will see me very soon, I promise." He decided right then on that, hating that continuous lonely feeling that plagued him day in and day out. He needed someone close to him, to know him. Erik needed Christine.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

Christine's own heart was hammering as she waited for the answers to all of her questions. "Yes, sir! I promise!" She laughed, pressing her fingers to the glass and crossing her heart. "I understand!" As he answered all her questions, she kept telling herself, I knew it. I knew it. "But, how soon is soon, Master?" She asked, still questioning him. "Like, now, soon? Tomorrow soon?" She asked, hoping against hope that the answer was yes. "Or, a month from now soon?"

 

[Guile]

Unable to hide his laughter, Erik found himself getting just as anxious as her. He thought about her question, realizing he was going to have to put a date on this event of theirs, else Christine would never be able to rest. Nor would he. Erik kept thinking about all the cold, lonely nights that he shamefully spent crying himself to sleep sometimes. Some nights he did not dream. If he was very lucky, he would find himself falling into quiet blackness for his slumber. Most nights he had nightmares, horrible ones. Ones that Erik was not sure whether they were nightmares, or memories. Some he was sure were memories. As he stood there in silence, thinking about when Christine could see him, Erik found himself wishing to be near her even more - right then. But, no. He must prepare himself mentally for this, for other than Madame Giry and his mother, who hated him, no one that had ever known Erik had seen him up close. "If I promise you tomorrow, will you still be able to sleep tonight?" He found himself joking, to his own surprise.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

She pondered his question. "Hmmm." She tapped her chin, as if pondering the question. "I suppose I could sleep, if you promise that it will be tomorrow and...if you sing me to sleep tonight. My papa would always sing me to sleep, but, for now, I have to go practice. I can't be late for dancing. I love it far too much." She held up her pinky, though she knew that he wouldn't be able to reach it. "Promise?" She asked again, being ever so serious. She waited for him to respond. "I can't wait for my hug, Master!" She laughed again. "I can't wait to see you!"

 

[Guile]

Erik smiled, feeling a surge of warmth at her words. "Alright, Christine. I will be more than happy to sing you to sleep tonight." Then he added, "and I promise...it will be tomorrow." Erik held up his pinky to the mirror right in front of hers and longed to touch her hand. He had to remind himself that he would be able to tomorrow, but even that thought frightened him still. Though, at her excitement for a hug from him, him mind you, Erik found himself growing more and more anxious for the next day as well. "And I cannot wait to see you...my Christine." He smiled again, removing his hand from the glass. "Now, you must go. You do not want to be late for practice." Erik's words were light, as if the very idea of seeing her dance was a beautiful thing - and it was.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

"I will see you, correct?" She moved toward the door, certain that he would follow her in order to answer. "You will watch me dance? You'll protect me from those mean children?" She started going off on another game of twenty questions. "You'll keep them away?" She thought of how odd it was to be talking to seemingly no one. She could feel the stares, though the hallway was empty.

 

[Guile]

And follow her, he did. Making his way through the corridors, Erik found his way out into the hallway once more, walking near Christine but staying out of sight from her. "You will, indeed, see me. And it will be an honor to watch you dance again - you truly are marvelous." He smiled, remembering her dancing around her father as he played his beautiful violin. "Those children shall not harm you anymore." Erik promised her softly. "And if they do...they will pay for it."

 

[Saiyan Princess]

She felt herself darken to a beautiful shade of red cheeks. "Oh, why, thank you, Monsieur." She heard music ahead of her and moved faster. "I'm coming, Madame!" She called, hearing Madame Giry counting the children on stage. "Four...Five...Six...Where is Christine?" She left her students and searched for her young ward. "Christine, punctuality is a virtue." She took the girl's hand. "Erik, please, from now on, don't let her lose herself in your lessons. She has other duties." She tries hard not to smile in his direction.

 

[Guile]

At first, Erik feared that Christine would be punished for being late, however, he quickly relaxed when he realized that Madame Giry was in charge and she was being more than reasonable. Erik held back his laughter at Madame Giry's comment. "Duly noted, Madame." He assured his friend before making his way up to box five. Eager to see Christine dance one again, he opened the door to the box and slipped inside. Taking his seat, Erik watched and waited for their practice to begin.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

The two females walked out on the stage and Giry let go. "Remember what we've learned last time." She demonstrated, with difficulty, of course, because of her baby. Stopping to catch her breath, she waved them on to start. Christine was very anxious to start as Giry walked away, constantly rubbing her stomach, not feeling well at all. Christine would twirl and jump and fly around the stage, enjoying herself very much, but still imagining herself as the Countess, though she would be forced to be a chorus girl as she grew. Yes, she would be a chorus girl, she was sure. Some other girl would be the Countess, which pained her. Suddenly, she froze, as did everyone else. Madame Giry was having her baby. "Madame!" She rushed to the woman's side. "Madame!" She immediately looked up at Box Five, just as Monsieur Firmin Richard unintentionally shoved Christine out of the way in an attempt to help Giry.

 

[Guile]

Erik was entranced by Christine's dancing once again. She was beautiful out there - almost flawless with the way she moved. There was no doubt in Erik's mind that she would be one of the best chorus girls that this Opera had. However, Erik was also determined to make her much more than that. He wanted her to be a singer, and a singer he was determined she would be. However, even as distracted as he was, no one could overlook that Madame Giry was obviously in pain. Something was wrong. Though, what truly prompted Erik to move form Box Five was watching Christine be shoved out of the way by that careless manager. He had caught eyes with her and could see his own fear reflected in hers just before she was shoved aside and their eyes broke connection. When they did, Erik rushed out of box five and down closer to the stage. However, he did not get too close - he could not be seen by anyone as much as he longed to be by his dear friend's side in this moment. Madame Giry had always been there for him, had helped him through so much, and now here he was, unable to be by her side because he had to hide. I'm such a coward...Erik couldn't help thinking to himself as he paced nervously, wringing his hands together out of concern for his friend and her baby. "Oh, please...be alright. Please..." He continued to whisper to himself over and over again. At the same time he longed to be with Madame Giry, he longed to be with Christine. Oh, what fear she must be feeling! To watch Madame Giry go through this must be such a fright on the poor, young girl! Why must I be cursed to stay in the shadows when my only two friends in the world need me?!