Two Hearts Made Whole
1. Oz and Paris Merge
The young green girl carefully read over the instructions in her book, hoping that maybe she would be able to get this spell right for once. This transportation spell would be able to get her around Oz faster than her broom ever could. She took a deep breath before chanting.
"Eleka atum phatum faux!" Elphaba chanted, waiting for it to work. However, things seemed to be going wildly out of control. The room began spinning before her and made the witch very nautious. She held her broom close to her and curled up in a small ball, praying that it would be over soon.
"Please make it stop, please make it stop," she mumbled to herself as she closed her eyes, praying that whatever disaster she had started would soon be over. But all of the sudden, the violent turning stopped, but the green girl had a definite feeling that she was not in Oz any longer.
The Wicked Witch of the West opened her eyes to a very dark and damp place, much like a cave. She grabbed a nearby torch, examining her surroundings. Yep, she was definitely lost. Was she even in Oz anymore? This cave and underground lake looked very unfamiliar to her. Maybe there was someone on the other side who could help her. Swimming was definitely not an option and the ceiling was too low to allow her to fly. She looked around for her book to see if there was a way to reverse the spell, yet it was nowhere to be found. She was stuck in a place that she was completely unfamiliar with and just a broomstick.
"Great, just great," she growled. "Last time I try that again, if I even get a next time." From that point on she solemnly promised to herself that when it came to traveling, she would only use her broom. She let out a defeated sigh before trying to see through the darkness. It looked like there was a faint light coming from the other side.
"Helloooo!" she yelled. "Heeellllooooo! HEY! IS ANYONE DOWN HERE!"
A shrill call rang through Erik's artificial night, waking him from a sweet but torturing dream in which he and Christine were well, um…., well you can figure that one out for yourselves.
"Damn," he cursed to himself, mad at whatever had woken him from the one escape he had. He heard it again. Something was calling to him, something on the other side of the lake. He got up out of his coffin, ready to stop the infernal thing that woke him from his dreams, until he realized something: he highly doubted that there was anyone in all of Europe, much less Paris, who would be stupid enough to break into the ruined opera house and call for the Phantom of the Opera, the dangerous murderer on the loose. In addition, it was hard enough to manage to get into the boarded-up building and nearly impossible find a way down to the edge of the lake without getting killed. There was only one person who would have been able to accomplish that task, and she was far away by now. Besides, Christine did not scream like that. 'Yep,' Erik thought to himself. 'I am finally loosing the remaining fragments of sanity I have left.' However, yet another cry reached his ears and compelled him to go see what it was.
Hesitantly the Phantom dragged himself out of his coffin and slouched to the boat. He really wasn't in the mood but he had to stop the banshee that was calling him before he went crazy. Erik plunged to pole rather lazily into the water, pushing off and gliding towards the other end of his subterranean home. On the other side of the lake, there was a figure, holding a torch. Lazily he continued towards the figure.
'Is anyone ever going to help me,' the witch thought in despair. But then again, who would ever want to help the fearful Wicked Witch of the West. Then, the faint sound of something splashing in the water caught Elphaba's attention. Slowly, a figure upon a small boat made its way towards her. 'Sweet Oz, finally!' she thought with joy. But she couldn't help but notice something odd about her rescuer. He was clothed head to toe in black, a matching cloak swaying behind him. She didn't find that odd; black was basically the only color she wore (after all, not many colors go well with green). But what intrigued her was the white mask that hid the right side of his face. Sure she had met enough people who were different in Oz, heck, she was probably the most different person in Ozian history, to put it lightly. Yet never before had she met a masked man. But her experiences taught her too much about being labeled from appearances.
"Hi, thanks for coming. I just kinda got stuck here and I think I'm lost."
'Does this girl even have an inkling of a thought as to whom she is speaking to?' Erik wondered. She noticed she didn't speak French either, and her English was a bit different. "Um, sure," he mumbled. As the boat drew close enough for the light of the lantern to light, he almost had to double take when the lantern illuminated her face. He thought that surely he must have been losing his eyesight and his sanity because her skin was not a normal flesh color. Was it just him or was she… green? He shook that thought from his head.
"So do you know of any hotels or a place I can stay for the night?" Elphaba was a bit confused with this man. Didn't he recognize her? She was the terrible and feared Wicked Witch of the West! Did he not see her hat and thick black dress? What about her green skin and the broom? But then again, she couldn't help but notice that he was a bit similar to her. He was clad entirely in black, just like her, and the mask certainly set him apart.
Erik thought for a moment. He really didn't know of any inns or hotels in the city and such a strange girl would have quite a hard time trying to fit in. And, as much as he didn't want to admit it, he always did have a soft spot for a damsel in distress.
"I am sorry mademoiselle, but I don't know of any hotels. But, if you like… I could offer you a place to stay." He wasn't expecting her to take him up on the offer. It was just a suggestion, a last minute resort really.
'Mademoiselle? What the hell is that supposed to mean?' Elphaba thought. She looked at him for a moment. She didn't exactly trust him. It would be all to easy for him to take advantage of her down here, but she could easily defend herself as well and there was something in his eyes, a certain cloudiness that made him seem broken that led her to trust him. Besides, there was no where for her to go and she had no idea where she was. So far, this was the only option.
"Sounds good enough to me," the witch replied. This caught Erik completely off-guard. Never had he expected anyone to willingly journey to the heart of his lair with him, let alone spend the night in the home of the Phantom! He offered her his hand to step into the boat. He couldn't help but notice how cautiously she leaped in and sat in the very middle as far as she could from the edge, as though she was horrified with the thought of a single drop touching her. Her strange actions only puzzled him more. This girl was becoming increasingly odd. Slowly he began the voyage to the other side.
The light began increasing, illuminating Elphaba's dark eyes. There was something fantastic and captivating about this place, something that astounded her within. Of course, the gloomy conditions suited her perfectly. As the gate that protected the center of the labyrinth rose, the young witch was instantly overwhelmed with the sight that met her eyes. Slowly the candles rose from the depths of the lake, lighting themselves and dazzling her. Then she was greeted with the delicate glow of a thousand candles, giving an enthralling aura. The young witch was amazed when she saw the gigantic organ, so majestic with intricate designs. This place was so extravagant compared to her drab castle. She could easily get used to living down here, except for the water. Ever so cautiously she leapt onto the shore, trying to take in this spectacle.
"Wow, you actually live here?" Elphaba asked in wonder, turning to face her host.
When Erik looked up from tying the boat down he couldn't believe his eyes. He had to blink a few times, wondering if what he saw was real. With the sufficient light of the candles, it was easy to see that she was indeed green! He couldn't believe it. Erik stood there with wide eyes and his mouth parted in disbelief, absolutely stupefied. Sure, his deformity was quite different and disturbing enough as it was, but never before had he even heard of someone who was green.
At first the young witch wondered why he looked at her like that. Did she have a huge zit? Was their something in her hair? Or maybe he even thought something nice about her? Then instantly everything clicked. She let out a sight, absolutely sick of having to explain this to every single person she met.
"Oh, of course, I almost forgot. No, I'm not seasick, yes, I've always been green, and no, I didn't chew grass as a child." Sweet Oz, she was so sick of saying that. And just when they seemed like they shared similar tastes. Somewhere inside her, there was a tiny spark of hope that for once someone would accept her, but of course that was fading fast.
Erik mentally slapped himself. How could he have been so stupid and rude! This fascinatingly different girl was actually willing to spend a night in his company and he had looked at her like the people who gawked at him at the freak show. He felt utterly disgusted with himself. He knew how much it hurt when people started at him in such a way. But it puzzled him why she explained her skin tone as if she expected it. Perhaps he was not the first person to do so.
"Please forgive me mademoiselle. By all means, I did not mean to offend you. It's just that I have never-."
"Yea, never seen a person whose green before. I get that all the time," she continued, finishing his sentence. 'And I've never seen a person who wears a mask before either!' Why wasn't she used to this by now?
Erik continued to examine the girl as inconspicuously as possible. Once he had gotten used to the shock of her emerald skin, it was quite easy to see that she was actually very pretty. Her long black hair cascaded over her shoulders and down her perfect figure. Even her face, despite the color, was very charming, with enticing, dark green eyes. It was strange but the candlelight even made it appear as though her jade skin radiated a green glow. Intimate thoughts began to possess his mind. He shook his head trying to rid himself of them. 'No! Bad Erik! You just met her for Christ sakes!' He looked at her again, but her dark eyes met his. In that moment it was as though some connection formed between them, but it was soon broken as Erik felt as though he could not take this penetrating stare any longer. He decided to change the subject of her skin.
"Here, I'll show you where you can stay," he said as he led her to her room, which was formerly Christine's. … Christine. That very name still made his heart skip a beat. It was so hard for him to finally look at the room he had tried so hard to avoid after she had left. He pulled the curtain aside, feeling his heart give a painful throb as he gazed upon the very place where she had slept. Everything was untouched, left exactly as it had been since she stayed here, with a thin sheet of dust covering the room. "If you like, there are some clothes in the wardrobe that you could borrow. I'll leave you to get settled. Please let me know if there is anything you need."
"Well, now that you speak of it, I am a little hungry. Just show me where the kitchen is and I can make something myself," Elphaba replied.
"No that it quite all right. I'm a bit hungry myself," he lied. He had no desire to eat, but he was not going to let his guest starve. "Do you like chicken?"
"Sure," she replied. With that, the Phantom turned around and left to make dinner. Elphaba glanced around and set her broom down on the bed. The room was indeed quite beautiful and possessed the same charm as the rest of the labyrinth. The swan shaped bed was quite splendid and the red velvet blankets looked very comfortable. But there was some essence about the room that made her uneasy, as if some unsatisfied spirit haunted it. She pushed the thought aside and examined the wardrobe. The dresses she found within it were quite splendid. A few dried rose petals fell on the floor only adding to her uneasiness. Why did this room contain such powerful memory? Who had these dresses belonged to? Unless this man happened to be a crossdresser (she shuddered a bit at the thought), how and why would he acquire such splendid dresses? She looked for a nightgown and found a white one with a matching robe. She set it out on her bed to change into later.
Back in the kitchen, Erik was making dinner, trying to keep his mind on his task, but every now and then it would start to wander, which was dangerous. He nearly chopped his finger off while cutting the salad and the chicken had come too close to burning. But he couldn't help himself. Entering that room into Christine's presence had shaken him deeply, but something else was puzzling him. There was just something about that girl that made him curious. He couldn't help but feel like there was just some sort of connection between them. After all, she did seem to have a fondness for black and she looked quite entranced when she entered. For some reason, she didn't seem to fear him. As for the green skin, it really wasn't that big a deal. It did nothing to affect her features. He only wished he could have been that lucky when it came to abnormalities. At least her skin tone did not affect her beauty. He sighed before carrying the food out to the table he set up on the shore of the lake.
"Dinner is ready," he called. In a moment, his guest emerged from her room. She was breathtaking. Now that her hat was gone he could fully see her visage as her black locks caressed her face. What would those tresses feel like if she were lying in his embrace? Instantly he tried to shake the idea from his head. 'God Erik, get your mind out of the gutter! Gain some self-control!' He pulled out her chair for her and she thanked him.
Elphaba had to admit her host was a pretty good cook. Though the meal was simple, with chicken, salad, and bread, it was still good nonetheless. And her host was an interesting man himself. There was a mysterious and dark aura about him that she found enticing. Deep, dark, and gloomy was definitely her style and she liked this place a lot. She couldn't help but notice that he was quite handsome as well. Though the mask that hid half of his face was annoying, the other half was very attractive and his piercing, icy blue eyes were so alluring. He was very well built as well. She liked his tall figure and the way his cloak majestically hung off him. But she couldn't help but miss Fiyero either. Even though she had practically given up all hope of him returning her feelings, she couldn't get rid of the love she had for him.
After taking another bite, all thoughts of Fiyero suddenly vanished as she realized that this man had fed her and given her lodging and she didn't even know his name.
"Excuse me sir, but what is your name?" she asked.
Erik was a bit taken aback by this question. Never before had someone bothered to know what his name was, not even Chris-…. her.
"My name? Oh, it's Erik. You can call me that," he replied.
'Erik,' she thought. 'Different, but still a nice name.' "Pleased to meet you Erik. I'm Elphaba," she said, shaking his hand.
'Elphaba? What kind of name is that?' Erik still took her hand, once again taken aback that someone was daring enough to shake the hand of the Opera Ghost and treat him like any other man, like he was human.
When they had finished dinner, Erik got up and began to clear away the table. Elphaba made a move to help, but he stopped her.
"That is not necessary. I can take care of the dishes."
"But you don't understand. You've already done so much for me. This is the least I can do."
"No, it's all right," Erik replied. "I rarely have company and it's nice to have a guest for once. There is a library in your room that you are welcome to use. Make yourself at home."
"Thank you." With that, Elphaba left and went back to her room. However, she quickly fell into a state of boredom. There really wasn't much to do. She had already gone through every single book on the shelves, only to find that every single one was in some strange and foreign language. She couldn't even read her spellbook because it was back in her castle. Eventually, Elphaba decided to attempt some doodles, but that became old too soon. With a defeated sigh, she checked to make sure that the curtain completely covered the entrance to her room before changing into the soft nightgown. Then she laid in bed, losing track of how long she had stared at the ceiling waiting for sleep to find her.
Erik decided that since his guest might be asleep, he would avoid composing tonight for her sake. He soon realized that for once he actually had a free night. It was strange not having anything to do. Resisting the organ's temptations, he retired to his room, trying to find something to do. The hours wore on uneventfully. He looked through some of the books in his room, but decided that he either wasn't in the mood for a certain novel or he had read it too many times. He pulled out some paper and a pencil and began absentmindedly drawing. Erik had been drawing for at least two hours before he realized that what he had somewhat intended to be a portrait of Christine looked an awful lot like Elphaba. He put the sketch aside, wondering exactly why she continued to plague his thoughts. 'Get a grip Erik! You just met her! She isn't going to fall for you no matter how much you want her too!"
"But I don't want her," he argued with himself. "Like you said, I just met her."
'Then how come you admit to yourself that she is beautiful? How come you let your mind wander to seductive thoughts?'
"And how come you just told me to get her out of my head and now you are telling me that I like her?"
That seemed to shut up the demon within. But no matter how much he didn't want to admit, there was something about that girl that intrigued him. Checking to make sure that all was silent, he crept out of his room, across the lair, to where Elphaba slept. While scolding himself, he carefully pulled the curtain aside, just enough so that he could peek in. She lay on the swan bed clothed in a white cotton nightgown with the covers swaddled around her. Yep, even though he tried to hide it, she was definitely beautiful. Her black tresses were spread around her, framing her emerald face. A small smile played at her lips, making her look adorable. She looked so incredibly peaceful, just like the one who had previously slept in that spot.
Erik slowly let the curtain fall back into place. He was definitely falling for her, but he chided himself for it as well. He knew that one way or another he had to rid himself of these feelings before everything happened again. Hadn't he learned enough about what happens when someone like him falls in love? Why would Elphaba be any different from Christine? Erik crept back to his room and decided that for once he might as well try to sleep, while conflicting visions of the ingenue and the witch danced in his head.