Ungrateful Whelp! (Erik)

[The Siren]

The creature was reclining on the lake bed, relaxing beneath the surface while the moment was free. After all, one always had to be alert when guarding such a sacred place as this from the prying eyes of the outside world. When she had the opportunity to be at ease, she was certain to take it. Even then though, it was quite a different ‘relaxation’ than most people’s standards. But she wasn’t like most people. She wasn’t even a person

Her eyes were closed, though she was still awake. She rested like that for some time until a few ripples caught her attention and she surfaced. What was strange about those ripples though, was that they weren’t coming from the opera side… but instead from the side of the house. The Master must have been emerging…

She slithered silently through the inky lake waters, toward the wharf where the master’s house was. There he was, seated on the shore, in a sort of huff. He must have been upset about something (which was really no surprise, considering his general loathing for the human race that populated the world above). She slinked up, resting her cold webbed claw-like fingers on the wood of the dock and looked up at him with her moonlit pale eyes.

He would talk to her. He had to. After all, she was him. To deny his thoughts to her was to deny them even to himself….

[Erik]

Erik looked down at the product of his mind, the enchanting creature that he so loved to talk to...The Siren. He'd thought himself rather clever when he'd come up with her. After all, no man could claim that he had a Siren that he could talk to. He leaned his elbows on his crossed legs, giving a huffy sigh.

"I don't know what to do," he said, sounding quite cross with himself. "There's a girl whom I'm trying to assist in her operatic career, and she blatantly refuses my help! I've tried almost everything! Even gave her a bloody role as an understudy! And yet, there is no speck of gratitude that emanates from the little Swede..."

He reached out and touched the water with his long, spindly fingers. He drew shapes on the surface, occupying himself by watching the ripples that his disturbance caused. Talking like this always made him feel better...

"I don't suppose you have any suggestions...?" Erik gave the siren an expectant look, thinking that perhaps she'd find a suitable solution to his inner turmoil. He was being driven insane by the little Swede's lack of gratitude. She'd hardly taken up her role as understudy, she was crying all the time, and it seemed like she was trying her damnedest to get herself out of the company! Well, not on Erik's watch....Not after he'd promised himself he'd take on the responsibility...He needed something to do, and he wasn't about to let it slip away from him.

[The Siren]

The creature looked up at her Master with those strange pale eyes of hers, her gaze calm and intense as her body remained in its eternally poised structure, as if ready to strike at any moment… Though she wouldn’t dare. Not to her creator, at least…

He was troubled; it seemed that he was always troubled whenever she came to mind, but this time in a different manner than the usual. It was some girl causing him grief this time, supposedly. Another addition to the already obnoxiously large amount that belonged to La Carlotta, perhaps? No, no…. The Master did not seem frustrated in the same way. He claimed that he was trying to help the girl of all things! This was so very unlike him….

The pale eyes narrowed and a sickeningly silky voice transpired from her lips. “Master, with all due respect, why are you troubling yourself with an ungrateful little brat? This… ‘Swede’ is obviously not worthy of your efforts, nor is she willing to receive them. It would be in your best interests to leave her to sink or swim on her own accord….” Or to drown her yourself, she added in thought with a smug smirk forming upon her colorless lips. There was a thought...

[Erik]

"Well you see, I promised myself that I would do something good. You know, like I usually do every few months or so. Leaving Madame Giry a larger tip, choosing to spare one of the useless extras...this time I tried to make a talented little girl get a bit farther and I'm rewarded by...by..." Erik looked for the right word, thinking hard on what he felt she was showing. "Well, goddammit, I'm rewarded with complete and utter disrespect and rebellion!"

He splashed the water for emphasis, then pulled up his knees to his chest, leaning his forehead on them. He was miffed at the girl's stubbornness. He'd not had this kind of problem with other people. Huffily, he turned to look at the Siren again, brows furrowed.

[The Siren]

As the water splashed, the ripples went out, venturing across the lake, not heeding the ghastly half-fish resting there. After all, her existence was purely within the mind of her own Master. Reality would not meld to her imagined existence the same way. To anyone else, the phenomena would have seemed quite unnatural were they able to see the Siren. But no one could. No one ever would. They would only hear her, and when they did, it would already be too late…

“Then why do you continue? Surely you at least owe yourself respect despite the wretched behaviorisms of the human race. You are not like them. You are not of their kind. Why should they deserve your help, or your sympathy?”