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Carlotta walked over to Christine with a pleasent look on her face. She could tell everyone was very surprised.
"I just wanted to say, good luck Chreesteene, you have a beeg role tonight and you will defeneetly astound us all." She forced a smile, and waited for Christine to reply.

((So...Il Muto is about to happen? Its the night and everything? If I'm wrong, I'll just delete this post...))

Raoul entered the Opera house unsure of his feelings. Sure, he was happy that his love had received the main role, and happy that La Carlotta hadn't thrown a fit. (He was still confused by that last comment of hers.) But he was worried too. That La Carlotta had given in so easily, and that Christine's "Phantom" was going to pull something. He made an amused sound as he made his way to his box ((should he sit in Box 5?)) As if there was a Phantom. It was probably just one of the singers who had a grudge against Carlotta or the managers or something. Well, whoever it was, they were giving his Christine a chance to shine once again, so he was okay with it...this time. He wanted this freak out of the Opera House, away form his Christine. If the managers received another note -or he did- then he was going to the police. The man was clearly insane.
He pushed himself against a wall as a group of women in absolutely HUGE dresses passed him in the rather narrow corridor (narrow only in proportion as to the five huge dresses passing through it at once) He glared at them, smoothing out his dress coat and checking his hair in one of the many mirrors.

Christine was busily twittering about her dressing room. She was very nervous. It was her first night to preform. Madame Giry was in the room helping her with her costume to make sure that her dress and corset were on correctly, and trying to make sure Christine didn't hypervenelate and faint before the show.

"You'll be fine Christine, just...hold...still for a moment if you will you silly girl!"

"Sorry Madame," Christine said with a slight gasp as she settled down and Madame Giry tightened the corset with one quick movement of her wrist. "I'm nervous I suppose, this being my first real time on stage." She replied with another sharp gasp as Madame Giry pulled her corset tighter.

"You will do fine m'dear." Madame Giry spoke quietly in Christine's ear and patted Christine's back gently. She reached over to Christine's bed, having finished tying up the corset, and picked up a pink dress and started to fit it over Christine's head. She finished doing that, patted Christine's head gently and gave her a small hug. "You'll do just fine. Try to be calm. I'm sure you can put on your make-up yourself. Come down to backstage when you are done." Madame Giry slipped out of the room and headed down to the backstage to give last minute instructions to her ballet. Sometimes she worried about her almost daughter. She was quite silly sometimes and got worried very easily.

Christine closed her eyes and sighed quietly. She reopened her eyes and walked over to her well polished vanity and mirror where her bottles and jars of makeup were resting on the counter waiting to be opened and used. Once she had finished, she thought that she looked rather like a poodle. Her face was white with over exagerated eyeshadow and blush for the stage. She brushed her curly hair while she looked in the mirror, noticing how it shone everytime the brush went through it. She put down her brush and sighed one last time, trying to get away her jitters.

"Angel.....I hope you are pleased. I will be singing for you tonight. I hope you will be there listening. To see what you have taught. To see and hear what you have made." She smiled a little, her eyes flitting about the room trying to see her angel, but to no avail. She sighed and left the room heading down the stairs near her room to the backstage. She found Madame Giry who was instructing her ballet, giving instructions. "I'm ready Madame." she said quietly.

Madame Giry smiled and nodded as she headed to the front of the stage. She stepped out in front of the curtain where lights shone in her face. "Laidies and Gentlemen," She almost yelled so as to be sure everyone could hear, "Il Muto will begin in a few moments. We will give the audience a few more moments to arrive and then, the show will go on!" She bowed slightly and walked carefully back behind the curtain telling everyone to be ready for the show to begin. The only reason she delayed the show for a few more moments what because she wanted to be sure Erik was there and because she had no idea where Carlotta was.

Christine was pacing near the curtain when Madame Giry came back. She thought she saw Raoul wave...but she wasnt sure. Madame Giry passed her with an encouraging wink and she walked on to take care of her Ballet. 'Where is Carlotta?' Christine wondered "We cant start without her."

((I will be gone this weekend untill Monday...Ill cya alllater!))

Carlotta sat before her mirror getting ready. This was the night everyone would remember her as generous, kind as well as all the other descriptions she had been labelled with. Diva, toad, prima donna... She sniggered in her mind. A toad?! How dare somebody say that about her beautiful voice? She got up. Her pinkish hair was died back in a messy plait and she wore mens clothing but somehow managed to still look like her old self. Maybe it was because of all the make-up she had put on.
She turned around and walked outside the door, followed by her maid, dress-maker and her usually 'escort'.
The music was starting, the show was about to begin.

"Of course I would come. Hoe could I miss your big night. And the interesting experience of bieng in an Opera and not saying anything." She got ready for act I.
The props were all arranged and the orchestra was playing the overture.
Suddenly, Carlotta got a strange sensation, like something was going to happen or was allready happening. She looked around warily but everything was normal. She looked up at the flies and saw Buquet, the cheif of the flies watching them from above. She had never liked him. He was a strange man...

((Um, now that I changed the storyline sweatdrop ...a bit...we don't actually know what happens in Il Muto...so what exactly is next cos I am hesitating about posting.))

A roar came from upstairs. The curtain. Erik made his way up the endless staircases until he reached a certain spot. His gloved hand rested upon a stone and pressed it inwards, presenting a long narrow passageway to the Opera Hall. Chilled, death-stricken air clung to his lungs as he passed small ventilation shafts, which lead outside to winter. As minutes felt like hours, he finally reached the end of the tunnel, or rather hallway as of now. He pushed the camouflaged door open and stepped out into the familiar room which granted him access to the main hallway, or upstairs to the painted ceiling in the Opera Hall. Erik peered through a small whole that granted him view of the entire Opera Hall. He could see Christine playing as the Countess (she was perfect for the roll, and absolutely stunning in that dress.), Carlotta as the pageboy, Piangi as the Count and Raoul... in his seat.

Suddenly, the Opera Ghost found himself feeling rather...daring, this evening. A sadistic grin curled in the corners of his mouth as he opened the door to the main hallway. Everyone was busy watching the show, while only a few well dressed actors posed as guards. Most of them knew he existed and said nothing as he passed. After all, they were wise not to confront him. He was on a mission.

The Phantom made his way to his normal seat in box five, where he had see Raoul earlier pleasantly watching Erik's prize sing the night away. This was her night...their night. Their night to finally shine, and perhaps more later this evening, if he can get this pretty-boy away from her. Erik stopped just a few short feet away from Raoul, before leaning over to tap him on the shoulder. The look on Raoul's face was priceless. Confusion. Utter and complete confusion. Before he could get a word out, Erik backed up and smirked pleasantly. His hand reached for Raoul's, as he grabbed it suddenly and yanked him from the seat. Erik slammed the youth's back against the thick wooden wall of the Opera Populare, pinning the fop's hands with his own. A venomous tone slid from between his teeth as if every word he spoke was repulsive, "Mindless fool! Heed my warning, Frail Pet of Fashion. Your time is running short, as is my patience with you. She is mine! Stay away from her if you value your neck." Erik's hands raise Raoul's above his head and pinned them together with one of his own. Erik was rather over powering in height and width. His free hand rested on the slender neck before him, the leather brushed against Raoul's jugular, pressing it teasingly with his thumb before his grasp tightened.