The Midnight Train Crossing

Eponine had fallen asleep in the Phantom's arms and he gently attempted to lay her down next to Rusty without waking her.
"The Phantom Of The Opera, with a girl asleep in his arms?"
He jumped slightly, startled, then mentally cursed himself for allowing her to startle him.
The Mastermind laughed, "do you like it?"
"I had to put her to sleep otherwise she would have gone mad," he answered.
"She doesn't like hearing Rusty's thoughts." the Mastermind said flatly
"No."
"She really isn't afraid to have you touch her," the Mastermind changed the subject, hoping to get a reaction.
"It seems not."
"You know, I can read their thoughts as well as they can read each others..."
"I'm sure they appreciate that very much," he said sarcastically.
"It's not as though I haven't done them some good!" The Mastermind said tightly
"Some good Madame," the Phantom said coldly, "But not much."
"Quite a bit. Look at her. you can't possibly say you preferred her the other way."
He shrugged. "She's very fond of you."
"Given who she has to compare me to..." he started.
"Marius?" she asked, clearly oblivious
"No, that is not what I meant."
The Mastermind shrugged, "She's... got you and Rusty on a pedestal of sorts."
He shrugged again, "We have been nice to her, nicer then some."
"Nicer than any. She could very easily be in love with you."
"Ha," he said humorlessly.
"It's true."
"I very much doubt that."
"Oh? Try... encouraging her a little. She never told the last one she loved him, but she died for him just as easily..." When the Phantom did not answer her she continued, "Now... tell me, do you *like* holding her?"
"It does not matter."
"It very well could."
"I have no desire to learn of her feelings from someone that has stolen them from her mind, without her knowledge or permission," he said.
"That's hardly the only thing I've done to her without her knowledge, or permission. She'll get used to it. You ought to, as well."
"She may, but I won't," he answered coldly.

"She.... needs clothes... so does he." the Mastermind changed the subject again.
"Ah, so you have finally realized that."
"Now.... here, lift her up, straight... so I can see how things look."
"No. She is finally sleeping."
"Yes. I could change that, very quickly. It won't be pleasant."
He gave her a dark look and lifted the limp Eponine, holding her carefully, "Satisfied now?"
The Mastermind gestured at her, and promptly she was clothed in a short black skirt, fishnets, and a black leather shirt that showed quite a bit of her stomach
"I am not quite sure that she would like that outfit."
"do you like it?'
"No."
"Ah." she gesture again, this time opting for overalls, and a long sleeved, white shirt
"Better."
"It... doesn't look like her." She gestured again, this time, clothing her in the manner of a Victorian gentle woman.
The Phantom nodded, he approved.
"You like it?"
"Yes."
"We'll keep it then.... at any rate, you get your cape back."
"Indeed."
The Mastermind then gestured to Rusty, clothing him in a manner similar to Frank
"Again. No."
"why not?"
"I don't think he'd like it."
"I don't think he'd care at this point," the Mastermind pointed out.
"No. Let him at least look as he did when he first came."
"I'm not turning him back to a train."
"Very well, but he wore brown overalls..."
The mastermind gestured... he was wearing brown overalls, a hot pink shirt, and fishnets
"Close," the Phantom started, "Although I would not think that those stockings are suitable... and the shirt should be brown, or at least dark red."
She gestured again, taking the fishnets away and making the shirt dark red.
"Good."
"You satisfied?"
"Yes." he said, "But another thought Madame."
"Yes?"
"If you intend on..." he glanced at the two of them, "On... changing them again... would you kindly provide them with clothes when they are changed back?"
"Maybe. If it suits me."
"Yes... well I suppose that you always do as you please..."

"Rusty!!!" Suddenly Eponine was fully awake. She nearly dove towards the former steamer, before catching herself on her new dress, and realizing she was still quite dizzy.
Rusty had already woken, "Shh," he said, "It was just a dream..." He looked down and caught a glimpse of a very familiar brown. Hope rose within him, but no, he still didn't feel like himself.
Eponine stared at her hand for a moment... no blood. then she noticed something else... a sleeve, made out of good material. Perhaps silk. "What *is* all this..." Eponine touched the hem of her dress... a real dress, like Cossette would wear. Despite the slight scorn in her voice, her face registered pleasure.
"I don't-" Rusty trailed off when he saw the Phantom and the Mastermind. Following his gaze, Eponine frowned.

"Do you like the clothing?" the Mastermind asked.
He nodded mutely.
Eponine nodded as well.
The Mastermind leaned over to touch her hair, and she shrank away. "You don't think I'm going to hurt you, do you?"
Eponine didn't answer.
"Yes... Yes you do. I know what you're thinking!" The Mastermind spoke scoldingly to her
'Can you blame her?' Rusty wondered.
The Mastermind slapped Rusty across the face for that thought
Rusty held back a cry and he lowered his eyes, rubbing his cheek lightly, "Sorry." he whispered.
"Leave him alone!" Eponine said, a scowl on her face as she looked at the Mastermind
"Little rat..." the Mastermind snapped.
Rusty flinched, 'Please no, please no, please no...'

"B***" Eponine responded.
Rusty groaned inwardly and rested his head in his hands, this could not end well.
"Thief... dirty, despicable, little thief..."
"And you're not? you stole all of us, didn't you?"
"At least I haven't made a living of it... I could turn you into a rat, and leave you that way... it wouldn't make any difference. you're quite a bit more attractive as a rat than you are a girl. Marius would have preferred a rat."
Eponine didn't have anything to say to this right away. The Mastermind continued, "do you want to be a rat forever, and have five hundred little rat babies, and follow your father through the sewers? Pick watches off of dead bodies, perhaps? Then, in your glorious end, you can be eaten by a cat. no more Eponine. No loss to the world. Nobody will care. they won't remember you. Just like they don't now. Marius is either dead, or with Cossette... your mother and father are what they've always been... and nobody else knew you existed anyway."

Rusty, sensing Eponine's feeling here, looked up, "Stop it." he said softly.
She slapped Rusty again. "Puny little steam train... won a race by pure luck... and got some trophy, fluff for brains coach in return."
His eyes blazed angrily and he growled softly.
"Leave him be." Eponine interrupted.
"quiet, little rat.." the Mastermind snapped before returning her attention to Rusty, "and always Poppa's little boy... swallowing silly fairy train stories."

Without thinking about it, Rusty reached out and slapped her, hard.
The Mastermind pushed him back so hard that his head made a loud thud against the floor
Eponine lunged at the Mastermind, soon disappearing into the dress. Rusty became canine, closing his eyes and curling into a ball.
The Mastermind, for her part, looked horrified at what she had just done. "Oh... no... I... should not have done that..." she said out loud to herself
'I'm sorry,' Rusty whispered.
The Phantom was somewhat amused with the way the Mastermind looked right now.
"Ah. don't look like you think it's so funny... They've already had more magic than they can take... this is not good for them, not at all..."
Rusty whimpered softly.
The Mastermind growled, quickly switching them back. she'd have to do that anyway. Then she left, a troubled expression on her face

"I shouldn't've hit her..." Rusty said softly.
Eponine bit her lip, to keep from crying out... She pushed herself into a sitting position, with some difficulty, caused by the fact that the room seemed to be spinning
Rusty got up slowly, he didn't seem as effected by the magic as he had been before.
Eponine was quiet, much more so than usual.. after the Mastermind's little speech, even looking at her companions...
"Eponine?" Rusty asked softly, setting a hand on her shoulder.
"what?" She asked softly
"Are you alright?"
"Fine." She said shortly
"You don't sound it..."
She shrugged
"Is it what she said?"
Eponine shrugged, "It was true enough."
Rusty sighed and gave her a hug. Eponine sighed as well, but relaxed into his embrace.
"I... hope when this is over, she doesn't send me home alive."

"I think," the Phantom started, offering her a hand up, "I think that you do not look at all like a street rat."
She took his hand, "When I dress like this... perhaps not... but, I never have before."
"Yes," he said, pulling her up, "But you do not look at all out of place in this dress. I think that perhaps, for once, the Mastermind was right in what she did."
She pushed a strand of hair, out of her face, now smiling
"I think so too," Rusty said.
"Well, it won't last I'm sure... She'd much rather humiliate me, than dress me up like a doll."
"Well... I'm not sure that getting mad at her will help much..." said Rusty
"She knows what I'm thinking anyway... no worse than saying it...."
"Yeah but-"

"God I'm dizzy..." Eponine interrupted.
Rusty reached out to steady her.
"That must be what she meant," the Phantom said.
"About?"
"About all of this shapeshifting that you two have gone through not being good for you..." the Phantom said.
"Yes... it feels worse after, each time..."
"Kinda like being collided with," Rusty added, "But... it felt the worst the first time..."
"It was a surprise... the first time. But, I think she was gentler with me than you. Or, maybe, trains and humans are more different than humans and rats, or dogs and humans."
"Maybe..." he said.
Eponine sat down, unsteadily
'I suppose that it would be too much to hope for that she'd leave us alone...' Rusty thought.
Eponine laughed, "No. far to fun to hurt or humiliate us... either of the two."
"Yeah..." Rusty sighed, "Been there already..."

"Are you feeling... very bad?"
"I've been worse..."
"Yes... I'd think so."
"Yeah..." Rusty said, 'And I don't mean just here...'
"Back... when you were a train?"
"Huh?"
"You... thought 'and I just don't mean here'"
"Oh," Rusty blushed.
"I'm sorry..."
"No...I... forgot..."
"It's hard to... your thoughts are very loud sometimes."
"Sorry,"
"Hardly your fault."
"Do you really wanna know?" Rusty asked, going back to the original question.
"Yes."
Rusty closed his eyes, forcing himself to recall one of the many memories he tried to avoid involving several, much larger, diesel engines. Eponine closed her eyes also, trying her hardest to see what Rusty was seeing

**'Rusty whistled cheerfully as he rolled down the tracks, "Woo-woo! Woo-woo! Nobody can do it like a steam train!" He was stopped by a much larger engine. He swallowed nervously, not liking what he half-knew was coming.
There were lots of them, they pushed him around and teased him, eventually shoving him to the ground. He hadn't done anything to deserve this, nothing but being an old-fashioned steam engine.
Finally he escaped, this was it, this was the night he was gonna show them all! And... Pearl would help. No, she wouldn't. The coaches didn't think he could either. But she had promised to help him! No, she wanted her dream engine.
( There was a slight, noticeable surge of jealousy through Eponine, as she watched Pearl.)
He would race, with Belle, his father's coach. The race was a blur of speed and electricity. He lost. Lost to Pearl's new engine. Not fair. Maybe they were right. He was slow. Maybe he should give up.
Poppa race? He's too old, he can't race. But Rusty couldn't stop him. Poppa race, he won! But at what cost... he wouldn't run again that night.**
Rusty had no choice, he had to race now. His partner betrayed him, sent him off the tracks.** Rusty flinched in real life at how much that had hurt.
Eponine flinched as well, automatically, in unison with Rusty

"It hurt," he said aloud.
Her eyes flew open at the impact of the crash. "I... know. I felt..." Eponine touched his shoulder lightly
"Compared to that..."
She hugged him
"thanks..." he said softly.
"They had no right to treat you like that. not any. You're a wonderful engine, Rusty
"Thanks Eponine," Rusty said, "They... they don't anymore.."
"Oh?'
"Uh uh, I raced again..."
"You won the race?"
"Yes."
Eponine smiled. "Good."
He smiled at her.
"I'm glad you did... at least people get what they really, deserve, once and awhile."
"Yeah."
Eponine was silent
"I guess... your story doesn't have as happy an ending," he started.
"I... could show you... if you want."
"Alright."
They both closed their eyes, as before, but this time it as Eponine's memories.

** Eponine ducked through the streets, a crumpled letter in her pocket. From Cossette. She hardly knew the girl, and yet, she had handed her the letter with no thought at all. and she had been beautiful, and so sweet to her.
She had read it. words of love to Marius, begging him to live through the battle. Eponine knew he wouldn't... and she didn't want to give Marius the letter. She just wanted to see him. after all, it was her who had tricked.. no, not tricked, but encouraged him to go to the barricade. Brought him the fake note. She wished she hadn't. But now, she just had to see him.
( So that's where we were going, Rusty thought, recalling the dream.)
And then she was there. she had hardly been prepared for it.... for the men, fighting. It wasn't orderly, but it was in a neat cluster. A neat little block of fighting, and peace everywhere else. She headed towards the gunshots.**
Rusty closed his eyes tightly, he didn't want to see.
**She could hear her little brother, Gavoroche, singing something, in the distance. So, he would be killed to then.
Then she saw him, Marius, fighting with the others... and the soldier, with the bullet aimed towards him. She knew he was going to die... that there was nothing she could do... but in that instant, she had to do something. She jumped in front of the man, trying to block the bullet with her hands.
In a stunned instant, she realized there was a hole in her hands... that they were bleeding. Then, the bullet hit her chest, and she fell. She blacked out, for what seemed like only an instant, but when she came to, the streets were empty. It was raining, so hard it burned, and nobody was there but her.
She wanted to find him, but she couldn't make herself get up. But she crawled... and she found him. and he held her. It felt so good. Then, things became very cold, and she was gone.**

Rusty was silent, opening his eyes.
Eponine opened her eyes, "There." she said, more to break the silence than anything else
"Starlight," Rusty said after a minute, "I... don't know what to say about that."
Eponine shrugged, swallowing back a lump in her throat. She had that feeling that if she said any more she'd start crying. She didn't want to do that.
Rusty put his arms around her, giving her a hug.
Her eyes started to tear. 'stop that... now...' she mentally cursed herself
'No it's okay... go ahead...'
Eponine sniffed, and her body shook slightly with a small sob. she couldn't help it anymore
"Go ahead," Rusty said gently.
Eponine felt rather silly, crying into his shoulder... she rarely cried in front of anyone. Since coming, she had, a little... but because of physical pain. this seemed different
Rusty didn't say anything, just letting her cry until eventually she stopped.
"Better?" he asked softly.
"Yeah.." Eponine said quietly
"Good," Rusty said, "It's amazing how much it helps sometimes..." He gave her another hug.
She hugged him back, briefly with a very slight smile, "Thank you...'
"No problem," he said with a smile.
She wiped her eyes a final time, uncertain of what she could possibly say now

It was several minutes before Eponine looked over, to realize somebody else, besides the Phantom, was watching.
Before she could speak, the Mastermind did. "Yes. I have been watching. For awhile."
Rusty's grip on Eponine tightened slightly.
"so nice to see you using your... mental abilities," she said, "Yes... I was watching those too. How cute."
"Don't we get any privacy at all?" Rusty grumbled.
"No."
He muttered something about that not being fair.
The mastermind raised her eyebrows, then spoke to Eponine. "I hadn't realized you'd tricked him into going to the barricade..."
"Just drop it," Rusty said, holding Eponine close.
Eponine looked angry... or hurt. she hadn't... exactly
"You didn't... exactly. I know. It was enough to get him killed though..."
"Be quiet!" Rusty hissed.
"He's dead?" Eponine whispered.
Rusty closed his eyes, 'Does it matter?'
"Probably." The Mastermind shrugged. "Only so many silly little girls to jump out in front of bullets for him."
"Why won't you just leave her *alone*?" Rusty asked.
"She's interesting."
He didn't say anything out loud, but his expression conveyed what he thought of *that*.

"Did you honestly think you could stop a bullet with your hand?" the Mastermind asked Eponine.
"Don't listen to her," Rusty said to Eponine.
"Why? what I'm saying makes a lot of sense."
"I don't care," the former steamer answered sullenly.
"Do you think your hand would stop bullets?"
Eponine shook her head, knowing she was expected to answer
"What good does it do to talk about this now?" Rusty asked.
"Eponine..." the Mastermind put up her hand, "If a bullet were to come at his head, right now, would you stick your hand out in front of it? " She pointed towards The Phantom, "or his, for that matter? Shall we try it and see?"
"No," Rusty growled.
"Lets try," the Mastermind said perkily, "Everyone, on your feet!"
The Phantom stepped in front of Eponine and Rusty.
"No... please..." Eponine whispered. She didn't want to do this. She didn't want either of them to get hurt...
"I wouldn't let her stop it," the Phantom said calmly.
"Yes you will." the Mastermind said.
"ah yes, then you would be without a writer, wouldn't you?"
"Exactly. Eponine, get up."
Eponine stood up. "Please don't."
Rusty stood up and glared at the Mastermind, inwardly seething. "Why can't you just LEAVE US ALONE??" he nearly shouted at her
A bullet whizzed towards the wall, as The Mastermind purposely missed them the first time
Rusty growled and gave her a shove.
The Mastermind, surprised, immediately turned him canine
The world spun crazily before Rusty's eyes and he felt like he was going to be sick.
Eponine was about to go over to him, when suddenly, a bullet came whizzing towards The Phantom. She jumped in front of it, but it passed through her harmlessly. However, when it hit The Phantom, the impact was enough to knock him to the floor, and send his mask flying off his face.
The Mastermind disappeared, taking Rusty with her

The Phantom's first instinct was to pull his cape over his head, but it wasn't fast enough. Eponine's eyes widened in shock as she saw the Phantom without his mask.
"There." he said, "Now you know."
Eponine was silent, for several minutes, before moving towards him. She moved a hand out to touch his cape covered face, hesitated for a moment, and then did so, trembling slightly. "Did she hurt you?"
"No." he answered, moving away from her.
"Can I see?"
"Why?" he asked, "so you can stare?"
"No... to make sure you're not hurt." Eponine replied gently
"I'm not."
She picked up his mask, and handed it to him. He took it from her and put it on.
They were both silent for several minutes.
"Now you know why I wear this," he said.
Eponine nodded slightly. She touched his arm. "Are... you very ill?" She sounded concerned, more than anything else
"No," he said, a bit ironically.

For several minutes, she didn't do or say anything. Then, with complete suddenness, she through her arms around him
Very rarely was the Phantom caught so off guard by anything, for one of the very rare times in his life, he was speechless.
Eponine didn't release him for several minutes.
He was too startled to do much of anything.
She blushed slightly, and turned away, as if expecting him to be angry with her
"Thank you," the Phantom said softly, not at all in his usual detached tone.
Eponine turned back, and smiled at him slightly. She put her hand lightly on his, still unsure of what she could possibly say
"I- " he started, "Just- Thank you."
"Of course... there's no need to."
"I suppose that you may think so..." he said a bit absently.
Eponine looked up at him, interested. "You've always been like this?"
"Yes."
She held his arm a little tighter. "I... would ask more... but..."
"I am used to it."
Eponine sighed. "I'm sorry. I don't know what I can say. But..."
"But?"
Eponine seemed about to say something. Her face flushed again, and she was silent. She sighed slightly after a moment.
"What is it?" the Phantom asked, more automatically then anything else.
"I... well... I think you're wonderful with, or without the face."
He smiled slightly.
She wasn't looking at him at all now, but rather playing with the hem of her dress. She expected some sort of disapproval
"Thank you Eponine."
Eponine smiled again
"Most people... don't think that..." he spoke slowly, as though this were difficult for him to say.
"Yeah... well, how well do they know you?"
"Not very. Most people don't care to."
"then they're wrong."
"I suppose so."

"How long have you lived at The Paris Opera house?"
"For a long time," he answered.
"Do... you ever leave?"
"Not too often. I try to avoid people."
"It seems that's hard enough to do here," she said, "Rusty and me do a good enough job of following you around."
"Yes, so it has seemed."
"Sorry."
"It's hardly your fault."
"Yes... but, I wouldn't want to be a bother to you."
He shrugged and then after a long moment of silence, he spoke again, "You... haven't been."
"I..." Eponine hesitated, "I, would like it if you enjoyed my company."
"Would you?"
"Very much."
"I have," he said.
Eponine broke into a wide grin and threw her arms around him.
The Phantom held her in his arms for as long as he dared before letting go of her.
"There..." she said, sounding rather satisfied
"What?" he asked, sounding amused
"Nothing. I liked that. that's all," she laughed lightly, "and, of course, after all that, I *still* don't know what to say."
"Then don't say anything," he said, "I'd like to ask you something."
"Yes?"
"I would like to ask you to forget what you saw..."
Eponine turned serious. "I... can try. I wont mention it again. I can promise that much."
"That's all I can ask."
"I'll do it."
"Thank you."

The Mastermind stood over the canine Rusty. She looked mildly worried
Rusty lay still, he ached all over and felt faint. Briefly he wondered what had happened, but he didn't really have enough energy to think about it too much.
"Can you get up?"
He tried, but his body felt too heavy to be moved, he was too tired to form coherent thoughts, but he was frightened.
The Mastermind sighed, lifting him carefully. She carried him over to a doggy bed, placing him there
'don't hurt me,' he whispered weakly.
"I'm not planning on. Now is not a good time. We can play games later."
He whimpered painfully, still frightened.
"Would you like anything?"
'I hurt' he whined, sounding a lot younger then he was.
"Yes. I know." the Mastermind sounded slightly annoyed
Rusty flinched painfully at the annoyed sound in the Mastermind's voice
The Mastermind just sighed, and shook her head. She knelt down, and lightly ran a hand across the silky fur of his ear
He tensed, half in pain, half in fear.
"No. relax."
He was still terrified, but he tried to do as he was bid.
"You... need to sleep." The Mastermind tried to keep the creeping fear out of her voice... knowing, at this point, any more transformations, could really cause serious damage.

'Wh-what are you - gonna do to me?' he whimpered.
"Hmm... I'm not sure..." the Mastermind said thoughtfully
He whined, frightened.
"I'm not going to hurt you," she said, "I can't turn you human again... or train. not for awhile at least."
That did it. He started to cry. He couldn't take this anymore. 'I mean, there's only so much that an engine should be expect to take...'
The Mastermind seemed mildly annoyed by this
He didn't seem to notice, or care, he just cried.
"Listen. I Can't turn you back right now. It could kill you."
'O...okay...' he whispered in the midst of his tears.
"You don't want that, I'm guessing."
'N-no ma'am...'
"Then rest puppy." She grabbed him a blanket off her couch and gently draped it across him.
He whimpered softly in pain.
"Stop whining," she ordered.
'But... I hurt...'
"Yes. that's been established. are you always so whiny?"
'Only when I hurt...'
"If you slept, you wouldn't hurt."
'How can I sleep if I hurt?'
"For goodness sakes!" The Mastermind yelled, "What do you want me to do, sing you lullabies?"
Rusty flinched visibly, 'I'm sorry...' he whispered.

"Listen, the pain will pass."
He closed his eyes, 'Okay...'
"I can make you sleep."
He didn't say anything at first, but it was obvious that that idea scared him, but after a minute he agreed.
"without magic." She made a liquid appear. She put it in a small doggie dish, with Rusty's name written across it. "Drink."
Rusty regarded the bowl. 'What is it?'
"it'll make you sleep."
'Alright...' somewhat distastefully, Rusty leaned over to drink it.
"Good boy."
'D'you have to say that?' he asked, a bit awkwardly, as he wasn't entirely sure how to do this, lapping up the contents of the bowl.
"Yes. Puppy."
He emptied the bowl and lay his head back down sadly.
"There. now you'll sleep."
'goody...'
"Night puppy."

He closed his eyes as he started to fall asleep. 'You...'
"It... takes several minutes to take full effect."
'Oh...' he said
The Mastermind sat down
'You...' Rusty started again, and was interrupted by a yawn.
"would you feel better if I let you be, for the time being?"
'Yeah...'

Eponine appeared, next to Rusty. she looked very confused
'Eponine?' he asked, somewhat dazed.
"Yes." Eponine could feel his mind more, now that he was close, but it felt more hazy than usual. "Rusty? are you all right?"
'Going to sleep...'
Eponine touched one of his ears lightly, "Okay." She said. She still sounded more confused than anything else. "Yes. Yes, you do seem tired. sleep now."
'It'll help...' he explained.
"Alright. I'll stay right here... as long as she has me here, at least."
'Good,' he said sleepily.
She smiled at him, opting to stay silent and let him rest.
Rusty opened his eyes for a minute.
Eponine looked down at him
'Nice,' he commented before falling asleep.
Eponine lightly spread the blanket over him, and then sat back down at the side of the dog bed.
Rusty was out like a light.

Over the next several hours, Rusty didn't exactly sleep peacefully, but he slept nonetheless.
Eponine kept up her vigil. She looked up, concerned, when she heard him whimper in his sleep and she ran a gentle hand through his coat.
He whimpered again, softly, but relaxed under her touch.
Eponine very carefully, so as not to wake him, moved his head so it was cradled in her lap

The Phantom blinked as suddenly Eponine vanished.
"Lonely?" A voice asked.
"I should have expected you to be coming," he said, getting up.
"anything interesting happen while I was gone?" she asked, almost maliciously
"I'm sure that you know," he answered coldly.
"any hysterics on her part?"
"No."
"Ah. I didn't think so. She's seen... grotesque things before. Not as grotesque as your face, mind you, but she's no innocent little child."
He walked away from her.

"You've missed quite a bit, not sharing minds like the other two.":
"I don't care to."
"They don't have to hear you."
"I don't especially wish to know what they are thinking..."
"I'll show you."
"Don't," he ordered.
"Sit down."
"I do NOT want to know!"
The Mastermind gestured, pushing something into his mind - the two, picture/stories Eponine and Rusty had told each other earlier.
He forcefully thought of something, anything else.
The Mastermind tried to ingrain the stories deeper into him
He resisted as she pushed harder, painfully hard. Suddenly his strength gave out and their duel stories flooded through his mind. He had no choice but to 'watch'.

"Well?" the Mastermind asked when both stories were finished.
To say that he was angry at her would be putting it mildly. He walked away from her without a word.
She followed, "Tell me w hat you thought."
"I think that had they wanted me to know all that, they would have told me themselves."
"If you'd asked, they probably would have."
"But I did not ask."
"Now you know. It's a great conversation starter. The three of you can debate whether it's worse to be a monster, be a street rat, or being a wimpy little engine wannabe."
He tensed visibly.

"What do you think?"
"I think that you are insane."
"I think I'm powerful."
"Both are true."

The Mastermind gestured. Eponine appeared back in the room, the sleeping Rusty still in her lap. "Ah. Here again." Was all she said
"They're here," the Mastermind said.
"I see that," he said, "and... Madame?"
"Yes?"
"I believe that I prefer their company."
"Then, have their company." She gestured towards Eponine, making her appear pressed up very close to The Phantom. For Rusty's part, he fell a few inches with a bit of a thunk from where her lap should have been.
Eponine backed away slightly, with a look on her face like she wanted The Mastermind dead
Rusty opened his eyes, a bit dazed.
"Morning puppy." the Mastermind said
'huh... oww...' his head ached.
"Up."
Her command went right through his head as he struggled to get up.
"Faster."
'Trying...' he made it unsteadily to his feet. He cried out as the Mastermind knocked him back down.
Eponine seemed about to say something, but she closed her mouth. Instead, she simply walked over to Rusty, carefully picking him up off the floor, and then made as if to walk away.
"What are you doing?" the Mastermind asked.
"Leaving." Eponine replied, "You can see that well enough."
Rusty just closed his eyes, lying limply in Eponine's arms.
The Mastermind pulled Eponine back harshly, by her hair.

"Leave her be," the Phantom said a bit crossly, "Leave both of them alone."
"No."
"Why not?"
"why?" She asked, pushing Eponine, painlessly to the ground.
"Because all that she was doing was trying to keep him from being even more hurt."
"She was defying me." She slapped Eponine when the girl tried to get up.
"At the risk of protecting her friend, I think that is understandable," he said, catching hold of the Mastermind's wrist.
"What?" She asked innocently
The Phantom pulled Eponine gently to her feet with his other hand, glaring at the Mastermind

The Mastermind made as if to hit Eponine again. This time Eponine hit her first in the stomach, and fairly hard. To her surprise, the Mastermind actually bent over in pain. She stood, frozen for a moment and then went as though to grab Eponine.
the Phantom stepped between the two of them.
The Mastermind attempted to push him away
"That enough," he said, standing firm.
She backed away, "Is it?" It was obvious she was keeping away from him, for whatever reason
"Yes," he said, looming up over her impressively as Phantom's are able to do.
Suddenly, The Mastermind pulled her hand back, knocking Eponine to the ground.
"If you ever do anything like that again..." The Mastermind was fuming... Something flashed, and Eponine was a rat again... then she was human, then rat... all seeming to happen in less than a second.
Suddenly, the Phantom slapped her, "I said enough."
The Mastermind backed away, unable to do anything against him
He advanced on her, "I can do nothing if you kill your cast."
"I wasn't planning on..." And then what she had been doing hit her. "Oh dear..."
"Well you're doing a good job of it."
"I'll..... I'll leave you to attend to them." She said, starting to walk away, rather than disappearing.

Eponine was lying on the ground, very much in her human form. Her body shook slightly and she stared ahead blankly. She did not react when Rusty nudged her gently.
The steamer - turned - dog looked up at the Phantom.
"I'll take care of her," he assured Rusty, kneeling over the girl.
"Human... or rat?" Eponine asked slowly.
"Human," the Phantom answered.
She made an effort to sit up, but the Phantom held her down, "No lay still."
"But..." Eponine started.
"Trust me," the Phantom said.
Eponine made another, slightly more successful attempt at pushing herself upward
"Lay still," the Phantom insisted.
"But I'm almost up..." Eponine successfully struggled into a sitting position, "Did you see..."
"Did I see what?"
Eponine looked blank for a moment, as though trying to process what she was trying to say. she put her head in her hands, as the room seemed to be spinning. The Phantom held her steady. She leaned back against him a bit, without really meaning to

"Stay still now," he said soothingly.
"But..."
"Just relax..." he said, soothingly, "There now."
"With the Mastermind..."
"What of her?" he asked.
"She.. when... ah, can't think right now."
"Then don't," he said gently, "Just relax."
"But it's important..."
"You can think on it all you like as long as you remain still."

"But Rusty!" Eponine said with sudden urgency, trying to move up again. She had just noticed what the Phantom had noticed long before, that Rusty was gone.
"Yes?"
"She'll hurt him..." she made a feeble attempt to get away from the Phantom and then closed her eyes tightly as she once again became very dizzy.
"You can't do anything right now," the Phantom said.
"I can..." she said weakly.
"No," he said, "You'll make it worse for yourself." He silenced her protests, "Trust me."
"I..." Eponine seemed about to argue, but then thought better of it, "Yes... I ... think I have to now."
"Good," he said.
"But... did you see?" she asked, "When... I hit her... she..."
"Yes?"
"I…don't know." Eponine sounded frustrated
"she backed away," he supplied.
"Yes." Eponine agreed.
"I noticed as well," the Phantom said.

Eponine closed her eyes, as if trying hard to hear something, then she laughed
"What?" he asked.
"She's talking to Rusty... she's not sure if she killed me or not... that's what she just told him.." She chuckled again and then relaxed in the Phantom's arms again, feeling the strength she had tried to summon draining away.
"Just relax now," the Phantom soothed.
"For now... maybe.." She said faintly
"Good girl," he praised.
She shut her eyes. "I should be... able to get up..." She mumbled
"You don't need to," he said.
"But... I could." She insisted
"Of course you could," he said, "But you don't need to."
"Not now... "
"Exactly."
She smiled, feeling that she had won. Of course she could get up, nobody could stop her, but she didn't particularly feel like getting up.

"You should sleep," he said.
"Now?"
"Yes now."
Eponine opened her eyes, looking at him for a moment, trying to decide whether to ask something of him or not
"Yes?" he asked.
"Would you...." she started, "no... never mind that.. it's silly."
"What?" he asked.
"Could you sing... a little. Please?"
He hesitated a moment and then nodded.
A smile spread across Eponine's face, "Thank you..."
He started to sing softly.
She shut her eyes, content to just listen to him. Half-asleep, she lightly kissed his hand and then fell asleep.