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

[Saiyan Princess]

Christine immediately felt a pang of guilt, but she disguised it as best she could. "Phantom, I can't do it." She tried so hard not to cry. "I cannot sit here and watch you get hurt like this." She walked away. "Oh, God, I'm sorry." The tears wouldn't stop coming. "Madame Giry!" She was almost immediately embraced by the woman. "Oh, sweet child. Now you know why he can't tell you what he hides." This made her.cry harder than.ever.

 

[Guile]

Erik watched Christine go, that sight making his heart break even further, if at all possible. When, at last, she was gone, Erik let out all the sobs that had been threatening to come. He sank the rest of the way to the floor and lay down on the cold, hard stone. With his one hand still outstretched toward the mirror, his fingers just barely touching the glass, Erik wept harder than he had ever wept before. Harder than the first time his mother beat him and broke his arm, harder than the numerous times they whipped him at that horrid freak show. All of those times had been because of physical pain. Now, it was emotional, and Erik could not bare the aching in his heart. He would have rather lived through a lifetime of beatings than suffer this agony that he felt now.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

Christine hugged herself to Madame Giry, who, in turn, held her. "I'll tell you what happened when you are older." She couldn't believe that she just promised her little friend such a thing. "Please, just stay calm and go get some air." She ordered. "You need it." Christine sighed and did as she was told, going outside to lay out in the sun.

 

[Guile]

Erik didn't know how long he lay there sobbing. In fact, when he opened his eyes again, his face was still tear stained, but he didn't remember stopping his tears. Standing as if in a drunken stupor, for he was weak from his exertion, Erik made his way back down to his home. He knew Christine wouldn't come back to her room until she was sure he was gone. It hardly mattered...Erik was too ashamed to face her again, especially right then, anyway. Once home, Erik lay on his bed and just stared up at the ceiling. How could I have been so naive? Why would she love me? I'm a monster. And, though she doesn't know it yet, I should be happy that she at least wants to be in my presence sometimes. Still, the aching in his heart would not stop and Erik knew it wouldn't for quite some time.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

It was a few years later, well, a few is not really the right word, but, Christine was somewhere around eighteen years old, more or less. Still, the one thing that she wanted in the entire world was to sing, but someone was always one step ahead of the poor girl. "Faster, Christine, faster. And, Meg, lower, dear." Madame Giry told the now thirteen year old Meg. They did as they were instructed while Madame Giry searched for her forbidden friend. "Is it to your liking, Erik?" She asked, talking about the dancing.

 

[Guile]

Erik, now a young man in his early twenties, had never completely let go of his feelings for the young chorus girl. And, now that she was older, he couldn't help that his feelings were beginning to plague his dreams - cause nightmare of the past and even hope for the future. However, Erik never really did have much hope. Still, he had never stopped teaching Christine to sing and wanted so badly for her to move up in this career as she rightfully deserved. Erik smiled at his friend as he came out of the shadows. "To my liking? Of course it is, Madame! It could not be better! You always do a splendid job with the girls. I hardly ever have complaints about their dancing." He decided to make a tease. "Except for that Meg girl...what's her last name? Oh, never mind. It's just that she's always messing up - you should really get on her about that." Erik chuckled softly, knowing Meg was one of their very best dancers. I still remember the day she was born. I spoiled the surprise for Christine and told her that Meg was a girl... The memory brought a bittersweet feeling into Erik's chest.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

The woman wasn't one to tease very often, so she grabbed his wrists and held them down. Smirking, she gradually forced her grip to get tighter. "My daughter is working very hard. Harder than most." She was now squeezing his wrists. "Leave her alone or you will hear from an angry mother." Down below, Meg had fallen and wasn't keen on getting back up. She had felt the eyes of the others, who all stopped. "No, don't make me get up." She begged Christine, but the latter wouldn't allow her to stay down. "Come, Meg. You must get up. You have to expect that failure always comes with success." Meg allowed Christine to help her up. "Alright."

 

[Guile]

Erik opened his mouth to speak, but ended up only yelping slightly in pain. Most of which was exaggerated, but he wouldn't deny that it did hurt a little. "Hey! Okay, okay! Alright, already!" Erik yanked his wrists, gently though, away from Madame Giry and rubbed them each in turn as if they both hurt severely. He had a smile on his lips and his brow was raised. "Good Lord, woman. You best keep your hands off of me, or you'll be hearing from an angry Phantom." At this, Erik chuckled. "You should learn to ease up and have fun once in a while. And that's saying something, coming from the likes of me!"

 

[Saiyan Princess]

She decided to give in. "Alright, but remember why you are here and how you came to be here." She meant for this to sound light, but there was that possibility that it sounded harsh. "Look at what your student has done." She pointed out the two girls that were dancing together on the edge. "They work so well together. Just like you and Miss Daae."

 

[Guile]

Erik tried to take his friend's words lightly, however a part of him did feel guilty. He was in debt to Madame Giry and Erik didn't mind that. He would do anything she asked of him because he trusted her judgement. Suddenly, his attention was brought to the two girls below. Erik couldn't help smiling. He was always so proud of Christine and now was another of those moments. She was helping her friend get through the difficulties of practice. She's so good...to everyone she meets. Erik felt that familiar fluttering in his heart and had to look away from Christine, lest he let his emotions take over again as they once had. "Yes, they do." His words were flat, as he was trying not to put emotion into them. At Madame Giry's last sentence Erik's heart almost stopped. He knew Madame Giry was only saying that he and Christine worked well together as student and teacher, but still. There was a part of Erik that lit up because the two of them were mentioned in the same sentence. God, I'm such a fool. If I don't watch out I'm going to end up loosing control again. Then again, Erik wasn't totally sure that he'd ever regained control of his emotions.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

Madame Giry continued to watch the girls practice. "Speaking of you, Christine and lessons, how are you and she coming along?" She asked, not taking her gaze from Meg. "Is she improving at all?" Now, she wanted to face him. "From what I hear, she is very good at what she does. I have no idea where she gets that from." Madame Giry turned on her heel and left the box. "Faster, dears." She called over what music they had. "Please, the music shouldn't be so loud." Looking up at her friend, she stopped the music.

 

[Guile]

Erik longed to change the subject. It was hard enough for him to get through practice with Christine, let alone talk about it with afterwards. Unfortunately, his mind was drawn back to how their practices were coming. "Oh, she's...she's doing just fine. Actually...she's doing splendidly." Which was absolutely true. What Christine was doing at practice was not upsetting him, it was being so near yet so far away from her for that period of time that was killing him. Erik was, admittedly, a little glad when Madame Giry left the box. Now, he didn't have to talk aloud to someone about Christine. Unfortunately, the thoughts still rushed through his head. God, I don't know how much longer I can stand this. Christine is a beautiful singer and it would be selfish of me to walk away from her because...because I'm weak. I refuse to do that to her. She deserves so much! But...the longer I stay around her...the more broken I feel.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

All of the dancers had finally realized that the music was no more. Christine took Meg's hand. "Very good, everyone." Meg's mother smiled at them all, especially the two that she loved most. "We will gladly continue tomorrow evening." She dismissed them. Christine and Meg left together, talking and laughing excitedly. "Christine, why won't you tell me who this teacher is?" The blonde asked. Christine sighed. "I know this sounds strange, but it's been a long time since I heard it that I just don't know, dear friend." Meg was a little put off by this. "Christine, this is strange. Hearing voices is not normal."

 

[Guile]

Happy with what Madame Giry was doing with the dance, as he told her earlier, Erik made his way out of the box and back through the hallways. He went through the shadows, as always, slipping silently through the halls until he came to his own little trap door. Smirking, he looked around to make sure no one was coming, then opened it and stepped inside. At last, he was within the walls of the Opera, back into the dark corridors that he felt he knew better than the actual halls of the building itself. As hiding was not necessary here, Erik allowed himself to walk in the center of the corridor, glad that he didn't have to sneak through shadows. As he walked, Erik heard the chiming of a clock and knew that it was now almost time for he and Christine's lesson. This thought caused his heart to ache. Wonderful...another hour of fighting back emotions and trying to control myself. On the bright side, her voice is lovely. At least I get to listen to it while I'm there. Erik made his way slowly to her mirror, figuring that she wouldn't be back for another few minutes or so. She usually took her time getting back to her dressing room, which did not bother Erik. She's probably always with Meg. Well, let the girl have some time with her friend. Christine spends far too much time practicing as it is. She deserves a break, even if it's a small one.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

Miss Daae knew that this little speech was going to come sooner or later. Everyone called her strange. "Meg, I've heard him since I was a girl. I promise you that he is certainly just as real as you and me." Knowing that trying to explain to Meg supernatural phenomenon wouldn't work, Christine gave in when Meg insisted on having tea. "Christine, you're dreaming." Meg continued on. "You miss your father, therefore, you're hearing him, more or less." Christine was only half listening, as she thought she heard a male voice. "Christine, are you listening?" Meg's voice cut her thought short. "What? Oh, yes, Meg." She raised her cup again.

 

[Guile]

At last, Erik arrived at Christine's mirror. He scanned the room and did not see any sign of Christine or that she had been back at all, so he shrugged and decided to wait. Well, this at least gives me a few moments to prepare myself for yet another meeting. Still, as Erik sat on the cold floor, his mind didn't let him rest. He kept having flashes of memories from when Christine was a little girl, and he was much younger than he was now. Finding them to be tormenting, Erik had no choice but to do what he thought was the only thing that could possibly take his mind from all this: sing. He did so softly, so that no one outside her room would hear, and he didn't even know what he was singing. The title had long since slipped his mind, but still the words came and the melody played in his ears as if he were listening to someone play the song at this very moment.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

Meg's room was silent for a long time, until Christine decided to leave in a rush to get to her lesson on time. When she opened the door, she sighed. "I'm ready, Maestro." She smiled at this, her normal greeting. "I believe everything to be in order and I hope that it is all to your liking." She couldn't even try to stifle her laughter. "Remember this? Wandering child, so lost, so helpless, yearning for my guidance." She sang this, his occasional greeting that he had probably forgotten. "Your first time putting lyrics to your songs."

 

[Guile]

Just as Erik was about to finish the song, he heard the door to Christine's room open. He cut off his singing abruptly as she entered, and stood up quickly as if she could see him, though he was sure she couldn't. "Christine! Welcome." Erik kept his voice soft and had to avoid looking at her, something he did most of the time for most of their practices. It helped his keep his emotions in order, if only just a little. "Of course I remember." He even smiled a little at the memory, but mostly because of her singing. "How could I forget?"

 

[Saiyan Princess]

She smiled at his words. "Well, because I haven't heard those words in a long, long time." Christine walked into the room and opened a little box, putting her little rose in it for safe keeping. "Now that I am settled, what will you have me sing?" Christine's voice was confident, though her heart wasn't so much. "I can't wait to get started."

 

[Guile]

"Forgive me, I seem to have forgotten my own lyrics." Erik joked, just a little, unable to feel a brightness inside him at her voice and her presence. Pulling himself out of his thoughts, Erik looked down at the ground - unable to look at her and think properly for a long period of time - and tried to focus on her question. What shall I have her sing? Erik even had to ask himself again in his head, having come unprepared for this lesson, oddly enough. He blamed it on his earlier conversation wit Madame Giry, though he did not blame her. I've been far too distracted lately... "Well, Christine, today I would like you to do a little 'play-by-ear', if you will. Or, 'sing' rather." He felt his cheeks turning warm and knew they must be as red as the rose he had given her so long ago, and was once again grateful for the mirror that blocked her view of him. "Just...listen to me and sing exactly what I do. I'd like to see just how well-tuned your ears are to music." Though I already know the answer to that... Clearing his throat, Erik opened his mouth and sang a few bars. It wasn't much of a song, but something that would warm her up, and force her to focus on the lesson, should her mind be wandering for any reason.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

She listened to him talk, her mind was indeed wandering off. There were so many rumors and talk of the brand new season coming up. This brought her to her current thought, how Meg was so upset that she had fallen. Christine was determined not to allow that ever to happen again. It wasn't right for people that grow up in the Opera Populair to hate getting up and trying again. Realizing that he was finished singing to her now, Christine jumped, as though startled, and repeated the scale. Thank God I caught it just in time. I was so rude. He specifically asked me to pay attention and I couldn't do that.

 

[Guile]

Erik couldn't help smiling a little bit at the way she snapped out of her thoughts and started to sing. Though, he had to force himself to look away from her again when he realized that her actions were sending that warm feeling through him again. No. Enough, Erik. Leave her be. Just...teacher her to sing and leave it at that. Ignoring his feelings the best he could, Erik tried his hardest to focus on her singing. He couldn't blame Christine for being distracted, especially not when he was distracted at every one of their practices as well. Hopefully she doesn't notice. "That was wonderful, Christine. You've been practicing, as always...and it shows, I assure you." His words had a warmth to them, an appreciation because she'd always done as he asked...when it came to singing.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

Christine flushed. "Thank you, Teacher." She couldn't ignore the fact that he seemed to be hiding something from her. "But, if I may be so bold, a student is only as good as her teacher." She walked toward the mirror, as though it were pulling her closer to it. Reaching her hand out, Christine touched the glass. "I remember a scared boy coming from this very mirror, long ago." Oh, how I adored that boy! "He hasn't come out since, or shown himself to me either." There was an air of disappointment in her voice. "Maybe, someday, he'll be comfortable enough to do so."

 

[Guile]

"Thank you, Christine. Please, you are not bold. Your words make me smile." Had he really just said that? Erik hadn't remembered the last time Christine had come so close to the mirror while he was present. In fact, it frightened him so much, Erik actually took a few steps back and did everything he could to avoid looking at her. Unfortunately, she was right in front of him and he was forced to look at the ground, for if he looked up she was right there. Then, she placed her hand to the mirror and touched the glass and...and began talking about him! "This...this boy of yours." Erik finally managed to get out through his tight throat as he twisted his hands nervously together. "What was his name?" Why should he want to ask her this when he knew very well that it was he she was talking about? Erik wasn't sure. Perhaps, and it was very possible, he just wanted to hear her speak of him again - wanted to see how much his Christine remembered of their time as young children.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

Christine felt Erik's presence just beyond the glass. He was so close, she could almost hear his heartbeat. "I cannot remember the boy's name." She admitted. "Only that he was frightened." Christine had indeed forgotten Erik's name, having preferred to address him in such a way as was familiar to all: Phantom of the Opera, Opera Ghost, she even called him her Angel of Music when she spoke about him to others. "A-And he's not mine." She blushed even darker. "He's too good for me."