Summary: What if Christine never came to the Opera House? What if the mistakes of the past never happened? The Phantom has his sights on a new girl, and he will not be denied the joys of the flesh any longer. But this time, he will win her affections the right way.
Story Description: This story is based around a variety of different Phantom themes, including some ideas of my own. The main theme, however, being the JS movie. Madame Giry is the ballet instructor, not the woman who runs box 5. Her daughter, Meg Giry, is in the ballet but is close friends with "Little Jammes - the girl with the tip-tilted nose, the forget-me-not eyes, the rose red cheeks and the lily-white neck and shoulders" instead of Christine. Also, the Meg Giry in this story has a personality based off the movie (Curious, adventurous, gossipy) but an appearance based off of GL's "The Phantom of the Opera" book and some of my ideas. She is described as "The girl with eyes black as sloes, hair black as ink" and will, in my preferences, have fine features and pale skin stretched over a thin (but not unattractively so) body. In this story the only manager will be M. Poligny, and he will be a decent, sober man with a great fear and respect of the Phantom. I say respect because the Phantom, in return for his salary and Box 5, helps M. Poligny on many matters of the Opera Populaire with his musical genius. He (The Phantom) terrifies the workers but has become nearly a friend to the manager. Or an asset, to say the least. Because in this story, Madame Giry is not the greatest of friends to the Phantom but rather talks to him from time-to-time about the corps de ballet, providing the Opera Ghost with food and supplies in exchange for his information on what her girls are up to. She, also, respects him rather than befriends him. Raoul De Chagny is of no importance in this story and, therefore, will not be mentioned. If you must know where he got off to, you can suppose he went to the Arctic Circle in search of the D'Artoi's expedition upon the Requin. Philippe (Raoul's older brother who was not mentioned in the movie.) will be of some importance to this story and will be described as he is in GL's book. "Philippe Georges Marie Comte de Chagny was just forty-one years of age. He was a great aristocrat and a good-looking man, above middle height and with attractive features, in spite of his hard forehead and his rather cold eyes. He was exquisitely polite to the women and a little haughty to the men, who did not always forgive him for his success in society. He had an excellent heart and an irreproachable conscience." The story is set in 1870, the same timeline as that of JS's movie.
The Phantom's Description: The illustrious Phantom will be played by none other than Gerry B. Yes, I spoil you guys too much. However, there are some differences. One being his eyes which, instead of that icy blue, are now bright gold. Or amber, if you prefer. He, of course, will wear the JS half mask instead of the GL mask which covers all of his face, save for his lips. I believe in SK's book "Phantom" he wore a wig, and it is also evident in JS's movie when Christine takes off his mask in Duan Juan Triumphant. But in this story, I have been kind enough to allow him to keep a full head of lush, jet-black hair. Though, to compensate for that, his deformations are far worse than what is shown in JS's movie. They will be described later on in the story. No one, as of yet, knows his actual name, which is Erik. I will try to refrain from calling him that throughout the story until he tells someone. I'm unsure of his date of birth, but I figure he is around early forties in the JS movie, though in GL's book he could easily be considered much older. In fact, I still speculate if GL meant for Erik to be seemingly immortal in his book. For romantic development within this story, I have aged the Phantom between 26 and 31. He is unsure of his own age. His past is that of JS's movie, having lived in the Opera Populaire all his life and gaining his knowledge on books and operas.
Pairings and Ratings: The pairing in this story will be E/OC (Erik/ Other Character). It will probably maintain a PG-13(T) rating throughout most of the story, but could possibly escalate to R(M) in later chapters. No promises, though.
Authors Note: Thank you, dear readers, for taking your time to read the above. If you skipped it, I strongly suggest you read the descriptions, because this will be a most confusing story if you don't. I would appreciate any constructive criticism, suggestions, or compliments, but please, no flames. I am currently working on another story called "Her Curse" but got the idea for this fiction while sleeping (As I think the most while dreaming, oddly enough.). Because I will now have to update and maintain 2 stories, I beg of you patience with me. I have a very busy life outside of writing which includes academics, band, orchestra, and of course music lessons. I do hope you enjoy this story, and thank you very much for taking your time to read my work.
Disclaimer: I own none of the original characters or ideas from JS, SK, GL, or even ALW, who are all, in my opinion, geniuses. Therefore you can be assured I didn't write the masterpiece of "The Phantom of the Opera". However, the story idea and several original characters in this fiction are mine to bend and twist to my will as I see fit. Though I must humbly bow before the above-mention geniuses, for without the creation of the Phantom, I wouldn't be writing this story right now.
1
Far Too Long
So, this is how it would be for the rest of his life, the Phantom thought wryly as he lounged in his regular seat in Box 5, watching the corps de ballet rehearse for the upcoming opera, Norma, 'suggested' by the Opera's very own Ghost. Watching life from afar but never reaching out to touch it. No, he had reached out before, but had been turned away. Knowing he would never be apart of that supposedly 'wonderful' thing called life both angered and relieved him. From afar he could see the beauty unfold before him without having to suffer the consequences of man's actions and emotions, but from afar he could not enjoy the pleasures that sometimes came with those actions.
Life was like a rose, the Ghost mused thoughtfully. It was a beautiful enough thing from a distance, enjoyable to watch as it's life unfolded before it. You need not ever touch it for fear of it's unforgiving thorns, but if you never approach it, neither can you enjoy it's scent, a scent which adds flavor to the beauty.
Before him was the very definition of life. Twisting their delicate bodies in every which way, bringing pain upon themselves to bring perfection, the little ballerinas moved with the grace and agility of gazelles. They endured the pain, the burning sensation of stretching those muscles few people realized they had, to bear fruit to the pleasure, the sheer joy of completing a complicated maneuver or of pushing your limits by jumping a little higher, a little further, a little more gracefully.
The Phantom watched their twisting bodies in a hungry fashion. He may be lost to the world of men, but he still had a man's desires. He still noted the gentle curves of their young - yet maturing - bodies. They knew it too, and most, if not all, had already discovered the joys that body could bring them. The joys they could bring upon themselves...and a man.
Snorting in a mix of disgust and envy, the Opera Ghost turned his gaze from little Jammes - a delicate, if not frail, little beauty - and snapped to that of a young girl he had never seen before. She stumbled slightly as she began the complicated steps, her body visibly tense from the attention she had grabbed by appearing on stage, but began relaxing almost immediately as she let the movements engulf her. Her face was the very picture of felicity as she lost herself in the dance. Of course, she still had much to learn, her movements timid and held-back compared to the Prima Ballerina, Sorelli, who no-doubt danced right beside the new girl to emphasize this fact.
But this girl didn't seem to mind. Her long, pale arms twirled about her body gracefully, eyes not exactly closed but misted over in concentration.
He watched her with mild amusement, intrigued that she could care so little about the world around her. That she could get lost in her art so deeply that everything around her mattered not.
The Phantom sighed.
It reminded him of...well, him.
The same feeling of euphoria washed over him every time he composed a new aria, wrote a new song, or just messed around on his organ, or piano, or violin, or Cello, or - well, you get the point.
She had great potential, he could tell. The way she moved...she was holding back, but she could do it. Just as well, if not better, than the current Prima Ballerina. He would have to check inwith Madame Giry to voice his opinion. He was also getting low on bread, so that would be a good reason to see her today.
Ah, Madame Giry. One of his few 'near-friends'. The manager being the second, though he barely understood how M. Poligny could befriend a man who demanded pay and special privileges. No matter, as long as they followed his orders, he didn't mind what they thought. As long as he had his music, all was right with the world. Well, maybe he could use a real home, a look at the morning sky every once in a while, perhaps a real job, and a new face, and a different past would surely put those nightmares to rest...
The Opera Ghost shook his head and lifted up, making sure to remain in the shadows. Music was his life, his joy, but that didn't mean he wanted other things.
To feel the warmth of the sun on a normal man's face while sitting out on the balcony of a quaint home in the country. To go into town a revered, respected man and not a monster. To have friends and acquaintances. Why, he would even endure Sunday morning church if it meant interaction with another human! To have his music published and played and loved! These were the things dreams were made of! And to feel the warmth of a woman's flesh on his own, to have her say she loved him and only him, to kiss her and hold her and protect her from everything the world might try to hurt her with! Men, he thought with a growl, didn't know how lucky they were.
He wasn't a man.
He was a monster.
A beast to be scorned and mocked, to be hated and to never know what it's like to be loved.
The Phantom looked down at the dancers below him longingly. If only they knew him for who he was, not for what he was thought to be. He was not a Ghost, a Phantom, an apparition. He was but a man. A man with every other man's desires, wants, longings.
But, no, he wasn't a man! He was an animal! He didn't deserve to love or be loved!
Watching their bodies flex and twist brought a strange heat to his body, making his insides twist and fists clench with desire.
They could love
They could be loved.
They could show him love
Besides, even an animal needed to find some kind of release.
And he had been denied the joys of the flesh for far too long.
With a swirl of his cloak, the Phantom disappeared into the darkness, seeking out Madame Giry to discuss certain...business matters with her.
Authors Note: It's a relatively short chapter, I know. I think that I'll make most of these chapters about this length, possibly longer. Shorter chapters are easier to write, which means more updates. Please tell me what you think!
- Kodukadvakch