GO SPEED RACER! (Lenoir)

[Erik Carriere]

Erik went out by the horses, he had ridden before but it had been a while. An even while longer since he had been here for almost a year he had assumed. But as he approached the should of beating hoofs and the naying of the horses, he realized there was a building that he had never been in.

He walked in and automatic florescent lights flickered on. There was a few rows of very shiny... carriages? He looked at them and walked through them, looking at each one. He had only been to the village a few times but when he had, he remembered seeing these things... these horseless carriages and truth be told, he was thoroughly interested in them.

He looked at the walls and there were pictures of more cars, some that were in the room and some that were not. There was also a medium sized word pained on the wall with some very fancy 'carriages' below it. The word was 'Cars'. He assumed that 'cars' was what these were called. Of course, car was the first three letters of carriage. Then out of the corner of his eyes, something caught his attention. It was then Erik turned his attention to the long white vehicle that was a short distance away.

He slowly made his way to the white car. It did not have a roof like most of the other cars had, which made it easier to look inside. The seats were leather that were colored a deep cherry red. The wheel that he assumed controlled the car since horses did not pull it, was a sleek and shining black. He ran his fingers across the cool hood of the car. He suddenly felt as if seeing the car was meant to be. Erik then laughed, he assumed people only had this feeling towards other people or even animals, but not transportation vehicles. His fingers trailed to the car door handle and he opened the drivers seat.

He removed his cape so that it would not get in the way and tossed it into the back seat. He then sat down, the leather squeaking slightly as he sat. He placed his white gloved hands on the wheel, and though he couldn't feel the actual material, he could tell it was smooth and cool. He then pulled down a flap of the car where there was just a bit of roofing in the front. It revealed an attached mirror. Looking in the mirror, he adjusted the neck lining of his black tailcoat he was wearing and then tampered a little with his dark navy blue vest. He then quickly put the mirror back up when he heard the jangling of a key. Erik then looked at the mirror that reflected what was behind him. There was a key hanging off it.

Erik got the hook off of the mirror and there was also a round tag thing that had a name on it. He read it... and it was his own. "Erik Carriere. Convenient." He said, chuckling and thinking of how he was constantly reminded of how strange this place was. He looked around the car then found the ignition -not that he knew that it was called that- and placed it in. Nothing happened. He frowned a bit and wondered what else he could do with it. It took him another three to five minuets to think of pushing it forward. Once he did, it started making noise and he quickly pulled his hand away from it making the car die silent. He sighed and then tried it again and this time, he held it for a little while till the beginning of a roar where he pulled his hand back and the engine smoothly kept on in a now rumbling purr. Erik smiled.

[Erik Lenoir]

Erik was taking a walk in the garden. The bright winter sunlight caused him to pull his fedora down further over his eyes. The snow was starting to melt just a bit. It was somewhat above freezing and he could hear the dripping fall off the various eaves as he passed by, being careful not to allow any of the drops to wet his clothing. He was still wearing his wool winter coat with the attached cape. It was warm and he assumed one of the ghosts had left it for him, and another for Adina on one cold day when they had decided to venture out. He had appreciated it very much ever since. He pulled on his warm gloves and started looking at what would have to be done with the garden in the spring. There was much more that could be done with it, even thought the ladies, especially Emilie had done a marvelous job with it this past year.

He looked past the gardens to the gazebo. Paint. It would need paint in the spring. It was beginning to look a bit dingy, paint peeling and all. If they were ever to invite the public here to attend opera, the grounds must be perfect. Beyond the gazebo was the garage. The door was open and he could hear some noise. Frowning, he walked over to the entrance. He saw Erik Carrière sitting in the driver's seat of one of the automobiles. Erik had seen them in the village and they moved with frightening speed.

Carrière was doing something that made the contraption make noise and spew a bit of smoke from the back end. He stayed back and then shouted, "What the hell are you doing, Carrière? " Just then the motor roared to life and then settled down to a loud purr. He backed up at the sound. It was loud and he almost jumped at the suddenness of it, but then the contraption settled down a bit. Erik came up to the automobile a bit closer and said, "Carrière, do you know what you're doing with this contraption? They don't look safe to me. And they are deplorably fast...I've seen them in the village..."

[Erik Carriere]

Erik had heard Lenoir's voice but for some odd reason, the car was to much of a fun distraction at the moment. He was dieing to learn how to use it, it looked nothing like riding a horse and controlling it would be a whole 'nother story. He had a usual curiosity for how things like this worked but this was taking it to a whole new level of learning, and it excited him.

He then discovered Lenoir had made his way up to the side of the car and began to speak to him. He asked if he knew what he was doing and that they were fast. Erik smiled and looked at his friend. "Good day to you as well Lenoir." He said, not knowing if he had missed a greeting from Lenoir or not, then went on to answer him. "Know what I am doing? Absolutely not. But I find it terribly fascinating any how. And I don't see how you can find these safe." He said, laughing some.

The other masked man had mentioned that they were fast... that may be their only danger, or at least that he could see so far. If there was careless controlling, then perhaps they could be deadly. "Anyways, I think they might even be safer then carriages. There are no horses to loose control of if they happen to be scared and looks like it would be more difficult for anything to break." He started, remembering a time when he had been in a carriage, having to go somewhere that would take much too long on foot, and the horse being startled- and it was quite disastrous to end it there.

Erik then opened the car door, unsure if it would stop it from running or not. However it continued its mechanical purr and he got out from the car, closing it behind him and leaning on it. "When you were in the village, did you happen to see anything go wrong with them? From the very little knowledge I have just gathered, I can only see these being unsafe with careless controlling. And as I learn... I'll be sure to be careful." He said smiling almost deviously. He then paused, there almost being an actual light bulb over his head. " My dear friend... I was thinking of learning how to drive it. Perhaps you could come along... I am sure with another person in the car, it will make me drive even more carefully." He said, suddenly turned to Lenoir with a sort of look that a child would when begging a parent for something.

[Erik Lenoir]

"How did you get the bloody thing to make that noise?" said Erik, as he edged up to the vehicle carefully, not sure if it would take off unexpectedly. "You don't know how to run this thing? You could kill yourself, Carrière..." He touched the door, looking for a way to enter the vehicle.

"How do you open the bloody door? I'll get in, but I warn you these things run very fast. Like a runaway horse...Looks dangerous to me." Erik finally found the door handle and it opened easily. He got in, against his better judgement The vehicle was still making the motorized sounds and Erik could feel the motor as well as hear it.

"Well, how do you learn how to run it, Carrière? Is there an instruction book anywhere?" He saw a little compartment in front of him. After a few attempts, he opened it. There was a book inside. "Here it is," he said in triumph. "This should tell you how to work it." Erik looked at the booklet. It had the name of the vehicle on the front. There were diagrams of where everything was and a diagram of the motor too. But without a lot of study of how the thing worked, and possibly taking apart the motor, Erik couldn't make much of it. At least not now that his friend wanted to immediately move the thing around.

"It says you need a key and you have to put it in the ignition." He glanced at where they said that was, and Carrière had put the key in the correct place. "I don't know what else you have to do...." He glanced down at the floor, and next to him. There was a variety of foot pedals and hand instruments. One was next to him and the other was where the driver would sit, behind a wheel. "All right Carrière, show us how this contraption works..."

[Erik Carriere]

"I just turned this key in here and it started up... it had my name so I can only hope that I'll be a natural. I got it started so I think that's a good start." Erik said, laughing and holding a bit tighter onto the nice steering wheel. He then chuckled when his friend gave in and warned about the car's speed. No matter... he once rode a horse that went absolutely mad on him... surely this would be better then that.

Erik smiled cheekily as Lenoir finally found his way into the car and asked if he knew how to run it. He shrugged slightly, not having seen a book anywhere and only smiled. "I am sure it can't be to hard. If I can invent doors that open by themselves before anyone else, I am sure I can figure out how to work this thing." He said happily. Though of course, he had been to the village a few times and a few stores seemed to have automatic doors... either someone had found his design or someone else finally came up with a similar concept.

Lenoir had found a book but obviously found it usefulness for the time being and told Erik to go ahead and show him how to drive the thing. Erik smirked and looked down and all its... interestingness.(Challenge Accepted ) He looked around at each detail.. understanding almost none of it. First he tried pushing one of the peddles. Nothing happened. He then looked to the stick that had a p next to it. ..P? What on earth does that mean? He questioned in his head. He then sighed and pushed it down and put it next to D. He tired one of the peddles again. Nothing happened again. He mumbled to himself and tried the other one.

He automatically got his foot away from it when it suddenly started to go backwards. Erik was startled for a moment but then laughed and looked for a way to go forward. There was another stick near the placement of the key and looked at it closely. 'Forward, reverse, neutral'. He smiled triumphantly and put it to forward and slowly pressed on the peddle making it go forward, then quickly acted and grabbed the steering wheel and turned it, moving it correctly. Erik looked to his friend. "See? Not to bad I think. Now the only thing I might be worried about is getting it back into here." Erik said laughing some, pressing the peddle a little more and still slowly moving it through the isle and getting it to the open door of the garage to take it out for a spin.

[Erik Lenoir]

"So you put the key in and it started? Then what do you do? "asked Erik . His friend Carriére seemed a bit too enthusiastic at the moment and he seemed to have thrown caution to the wind. The car's motor was on, but it wasn't going anywhere .That was what Erik was afraid of. If it went anywhere, would Carriére be able to control I t or stop it? He was probably a fool for even entering the vehicle.

The book would take careful study and the other Phantom seemed to have forgotten what "careful" and "caution" even meant Carrére was playing with the various controls rather randomly. Then the automobile suddenly lurched backward. Erik held on to his hat and closed h is eyes. They were obviously going to crash. But the other Phantom seemed to have his wits a bout him and discovered quickly how to make the vehicle head in the correct direction.

Carriére, laughing a bit recklessly, appeared to be having the time of his life. Erik thought he was acting like an irresponsible child. He was about to say something when the tall Phantom edged it out of the garage and seemed ready to take it somewhere.

"Carriére, where the hell are we going? If you expect to take this bloody contraption to the village, have you thought about all the other ones on the street? They are ready to run down anyone walking in the street and they certainly will not stop to wait for a novice driver..." Erik shook his head. He erred on the side of caution when it came to things like this. He would rather know everything there was to know about a potentially dangerous device like this by taking it apart piece by piece to see what it could do. It undoubtedly was a wonderful device, unless an amateur like Carriére got hold of it...

[Erik Carriere]

Erik thought for a moment when Lenoir demanded to know where he planed on taking the car. It didn't take him long to come up with a conclusion as he got the car past the garage door and out into the open sunshine. "There is a rode that goes in a loop around the village that I have walked before. It seems to constantly be vacant so I am sure it will be alright to drive."

Erik chuckled and continued on, keeping to the left side of the rode as he had seen other cars do in the village. At first, the horseless carriages were strange and he didn't like them. But now that he was in one, controlling one, it was more fun than he ever had in a long time. The rode was a bit long and winding as he drove on the rode surrounded by trees that went from the manor to the village. And as he became more confident, the faster he drove.

"Oh and don't worry about disappearing. The rode doesn't stray to far out from the village but enough that its not exactly useful to any of the modern drivers. I heard about there being a certain point where we no longer exist and since I have already been on that rode many times before, I suppose the point is not much further than that." He said happily, already reaching 50. They then passed a sign that they were entering the town, until he took a right and went on a little more bumpy rode that soon showed a sign of a loop. "You see Lenoir, not bad at all, right?" Erik said, his eyes wide with happiness and giving a very childlike cheeky smile.

[Erik Lenoir]

As Carriére amazingly was able to propel the automatic vehicle through the door of the garage and out onto the driveway, Erik breathed a sigh of relief. But not for long. This wouldn't be any slow drive about the grounds of the mansion, no, it would be a more like a crazy roller coaster ride with a self-taught, inexperienced driver. What could be better? Erik thought to himself sarcastically.

And the reckless Phantom was planning to go to the village to try out his newly discovered driving skills. A great loop, Carriére said, a road that circled the village. And he had walked it himself so he knew that they would not disappear. Perhaps that was the least of their worries. They might not disappear, but they could very well crash the vehicle, kill themselves and take rather a great many villagers with them. This was definitely not a good idea. But, Erik did not wish to seem a coward in front of his friend. No, he would go along with this. very foolish venture. Erik was no coward, definitely not. But foolish risks were another thing. He sighed and braced himself for the ride.

The road through the woods was fairly straight. But as Carriére drove, he went faster and faster. Erik pulled his hat down further on his head so he wouldn't lose it. "The doors won't fly open if you crash into something, will they, Carriére" asked Erik sarcastically. However, once he forced himself to become calm, it was rather an enjoyable ride. He had not ridden this fast in any vehicle, save a train. And the train was confined to the tracks so it wouldn't be straying from the rails unless some idiot got his horseless carriage stuck on the track....

They soon came to the place where the road through the woods met the main street of the village and Carriére took a right turn. It was a bit bumpy and Erik glanced at Carriére , who was as happy as a child in a candy store, grinning ear to ear. Erik wondered if he should close his eyes. Would a hideous crash hurt less with his eyes closed?

They reached the place where the road veered off and became a great circle around the village. "Now you're sure that we won't disappear...even if you come too close to the edge of the road? What about if you crash and we are thrown a great distance...will we disappear then?" He guessed that "safety" was not Carriére's middle name....

[Erik Carriere]

((This is actually really REALLY funny to write because I have just started to learn how to drive myself. XD))

Erik continued to grin as Lenoir still seemed worried about them disappearing. "Well, I suppose if we were thrown out of the car at a great distance.... say six yards.... then perhaps we might disappear but we wouldn't know it. At least my Christine didn't know it when she left and then reappeared as an almost completely different person." Erik said, his smile disappearing for a moment then came back.

"Besides, if we have gotten this far without me driving into anything or bumping into any cars in the garage, I don't think I can get us in a crash while being on a big loop that no one ever goes on." He laughed some, being highly and unusually optimistic but he couldn't help it, he enjoyed doing things like this.... learning and thinking and trying. By now, he was at 80 mph and there were some signs that flashed by but he was going fast and they seemed to go by in a blur and he was having too much fun to even recognize them.

Even though there was clearly a sign that said Speed Limit - 65. By now... they were up to 99 mph and the speed was a almost horrifying thrill. It gave him a jolt like when he some how misses a step on the stairs and falls down, catching himself at just the right moment. He glanced other at Lenoir who still seemed uncomfortable with the whole thing and obviously saw this to be more and more dangerous the faster he went. It was a nice car.... he wondered if any of the other cars drove like his did. Then again, his seemed to be matched to him, it did have his name on the key ring after all.

106 mph, there was now a siren going off behind them. Erik then frowned for the first time since getting in the car. "But no one ever goes on this rode. I swear.... but it seems alright to be driving this fast if they are doing it too." Erik grinned again and pushed the car to 113 mph. Everything was moving so quickly it was hard to carefully go around the slowly creeping turns. Finally, there was a loud speak noise and there seemed to be a noise coming from the car behind him but he didn't catch it so he went a little faster, 115 mph. The sirens stayed close behind them and finally another noise came from the car. This time he heard 'pull the vehicle to the side of the rode now!'. Erik sighed, as if he were a child that was just told he had to go home for dinner from a friend's house.

They were close to the end of the loop when Erik slowly slowed the car down till it safely stopped, just at the sign that went back onto the main rode into the village. He parked the car on the side of the rode and the car stopped its sirens and also parked behind them. He looked to Lenoir reassuringly, the man obviously must have been thinking that he had lost his marbles especially after he said, "Don't worry, I'll deal with this." He rolled down the window and waited, just after a few minuets, a lady with wine red hair pulled up in a bun in an outfit he had seen around the village some came out of the car and started walking towards them with a stern look in her blue eyes. She walked up to their window, peered in at the two masked men and asked with a very thick accent. "Have you any bloody idea how fast you were going?"

[Erik Lenoir]

"I don't fancy coming back a different person unless he's extremely handsome." Erik laughed at his own witticism. He wasn't even sure Carrière could hear him, the vehicle and the wind were making so much racket.

"And pray tell, how do you know that there will not be someone on this road? For instance, a farm animal, like a cow or horse, or perhaps a stray child or someone crossing the road. Or another vehicle A horse and wagon.. Perhaps a vehicle driven by someone who thinks the same as you, that this is a virtual race track for such vehicles. Carrière, you must slow down."

"Carrière, what did that sign say?" They whizzed past several signs, quite too fast for them to be read " Erik started to shout, for he was sure the other Phantom could not hear him. "How bloody fast are you going?"

This might have been fun, if Lenoir could have been assured that Carrière had any idea what he was doing. He knew that the other Phantom had not ever driven one of these horseless carriages and so he was certain this would end in disaster. Almost to confirm his thoughts, there was a faint siren behind them, becoming a bit louder every second. But, unbelievably, Carrière started driving even faster! Had the tall Phantom lost his mid and become completely mad? Then was heard the sound of a very amplified voice, telling Carrière something Lenoir couldn't make out because of the noise of their own car and the siren behind them. Lenoir could make out the words telling Carrière to stop at the side of the road. Finally, the Phantom slowed the car and pulled over to the side of the roadway.

The chasing vehicle stopped and a woman who looked like one of les gendarmes of this village walked up to Carrière and asked if he knew how fast he was going. Lenoir rolled his eyes. She must think it strange to see two masked men in a car hurtling down a roadway not even knowing how fast they were going. He signed. He wondered what the penalty was for driving a vehicle such as this too fast. At least one did not usually drive a horse and carriage too fast, although it could be done to get away from something. But his friend, who was acting quite strange today, had gotten himself into trouble. Erik hoped he would not be blamed for simply sitting in the vehicle...

[Erik Carriere]

Erik frowned when the woman asked him if he knew how fast he was going. He looked at the array of gadgets and numbers then looked back at the woman. "There's a way of knowing?" He muttered, looking slightly confused. This actually made the lady look like she was close to snickering but then sobered up again.

"I am going to have to ask for your drivers license and registration please." She said, peering into the car some as she looked at the two men. Erik looked at her with confusion, glancing at Lenoir only once to see if the other masked man knew what she was talking about. "I am afraid I don't have either...." he said hesitantly, not knowing if it would have been better to admit that he didn't even know what either said things were or looked liked.... or to just say he didn't have them.

The woman looked agitated and pulled out a device from her hip and walked a little ways away from the car. "Hey, Daniel? Yeah, I've got a 1980-1990 Phantom here that I need you to pick up. It has a license plate but these guys don't have the registration. Yeah, might be a stolen. Thanks." She then turned back to the open window and sighed. "I'm going to need you two gentlemen to get out of the car."[/b] She said and stood a little ways away from the car waiting. Erik turned and looked to his friend, he knew this was not the most enjoyable first ride for him.

[Erik Lenoir]

Lenoir had known this would only end in something bad. He had warned Carrière. The man had no idea how to run one of these contraptions, and now they had been caught. And just because Lenoir had been in the vehicle, he was also presumed guilty. He gave Carrière a very black look. He couldn't be more annoyed. Although if he had looked on the bright side of things, he might have realized that at least neither of them were hurt or killed or had disappeared to some other strange place, like some of the others.

Lenoir was completely innocent, in his eyes. True, he had accepted Carrière's invitation to get in the vehicle, but had not seriously thought that the other Phantom would take off before knowing how to even run the vehicle. And apparently there were some traffic laws. Lenoir sighed. He had run afoul of the law again, this was the second time since coming to the manor, and neither of them had been his fault. He would have liked to punch Carrière in the mask, but he restrained himself. He did like the tall genial fellow, and he knew that he meant no harm.

The officer asked both of the Phantoms to get out of the vehicle after Carrière showed his ignorance of the fact that one could tell how fast they were travelling from some sort of gauge inside the car. And apparently in these modern days, one must have a driving license. Ah, they were in for it. They would probably be thrown in gaol again. He wondered who they could call this time. He had known Emilie would have them released the last time, but she was not at the mansion and he wondered who they could count on to do that.

While they were waiting for the officer, standing outside the vehicle, Lenoir said, "Carrière, they think we stole this vehicle. We are surely going to gaol. Who do you think we should call?"

[Erik Carriere]

"Carrière, they think we stole this vehicle. We are surely going to gaol. Who do you think we should call?"

The moment Lenoir had said this to him, something clicked in Erik. For some odd reason, this had sent his memory flying to the moving pictures of his life, the moment he was on the roof and the police were trying to take him alive but knowing what that meant, his father shot him, and saved him. Not that his father here thought so.

He quickly brought himself back to reality as the memory sent a cold chill down his spine. Lenoir had asked who they were to call, which he didn't quite understand why they could need to call anyone, but try to focus on that for a moment anyhow. Erik would call his father but he had no idea where his father went. Gerard seemed to have disappeared, though the name on his door was still there. There was also Giselle but..... he didn't think he should.

Erik then looked his friend, a mixture of slight fear, sadness, and indecisiveness in his eyes. He had only been close to going to jail once.... and he hadn't even actually experienced it - he saw it. "I.... I am not sure." He said then opened the car door and got out, closing it behind him. He walked up to the officer who became suddenly ever so slightly nervous since he was considerably taller than her. "What is the penalty?" He asked in a very serious tone. This surprised her slightly but she then remained calm and answered him.

"Well, for having no drivers license, you will stay in the gaol up to seven days until you get your drivers license. For not having your registration, you'll have a two hundred pounds penalty and six points put onto your drivers license, once you get it. And if it goes to court, you could get another larger fine. Oh, and your car will be impounded until we know that it is actually your car or... another person's car." She said, looking up at him. A knot grew in Erik's gut and it was beginning to hurt exponentially more so. "Is there any way to do this all quickly?" He asked, frustration and concern starting to become obvious in his voice. "Heh, I can see you like fast, don't you?" She chuckled and started walking to her car. Erik's eyes widened some, she hadn't answered him.

[Erik Lenoir]

Lenoir wondered what was taking them so b loody long. Carrière had stepped out of the vehicle to speak with the police officer. Lenoir could have predicted this. He was careful and thorough. He would have found out what one should do before driving an automobile. Not that he, in his wildest dreams, ever thought of doing so. But if Carrière had asked him about it, he would have found out. He of course knew about that contraption in the mansion, a telephone that was connected to places in the village. It would have been even faster than walking there or sending a letter. Technology was rather amazing...

But that is what Lenoir would have done. It was too late now. At this moment, there was the problem of the police officer taking them both to gaol. But...Lenoir hadn't done anything wrong. Perhaps there wouldn't be any problem with him walking back to the mansion and getting some funds to bail Carrière from gaol.

He decided to talk to the officer. He walked up to her. "Mademoiselle L'Agent, perhaps you will tell me if I am under arrest? I have done nothing wrong, simply riding in the automobile with my friend. I assure you, he had no idea that some type of license was required to drive it, but as you can see, I am completely innocent. I was not driving the vehicle..."