Post by CHRISTINE DAAÉ on Nov 27, 2011 8:38:40 GMT -5
Christine Daaé
"All of my memories keep you near"
[/size]"All of my memories keep you near"
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Alias: Spring
Other Characters: None, I'm new here.
Rewritten City Found Via: You were affiliated with, ironically, a phantom board that shut down a long time ago. I thought the site was interesting, so I bookmarked it. I checked in from time to time, and now I'm finally apping here!
Contact: I have AIM and skype, both screen names can and will be provided via PM.
Comments: Oh gosh, there's a lot I'd like to say! I'll keep it short, though. I know my Christine might be a bit..darker, than what you're used to, but this is how I perceived her in the original novel. I'm trying to stay true to her character while adding my own twists.
.. And, I'm sorry this is so long. I'm a detail hog. Let me know if I need to trim it down, because I know this app might get a bit repetitive.
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00I. full name Christine Daaé
0II. canon or original The Phantom of the Opera
III. years of age 23
0IV. orientation (optional) Heterosexual
00V. social status Low Class
0VI. occupation Part time waitress, part time Barista at a local coffee shop, aspiring actress
00I. play by Imogen Poots
0II. body type Slender. Not too petite, but slightly curvaceous.
III. height 5’5”
0IV. eyes color Clear, expressive blue. No amount of acting can erase Christine’s true feelings; her eyes never lie. As a result of this, she consistently avoids eye contact, staring at far off objects during conversation, keeping her head lowered as she walks.
00V. description Christine is very careful about her appearance. While she is low class, she refuses to appear that way. Somewhat of a perfectionist, she tries to avoid the mirror as much as possible, simply because she fusses over every little detail. Christine prefers to keep her hair up and out of her face, but this seldom happens. Her hair is an unmanageable mess. No matter what she does, throughout the day it develops into unkempt chaos. She’s come to accept the fact that there is little to nothing she can do to make it decent. However, this doesn’t stop Christine from keeping a hair brush tucked away in her purse. Not that she excessively brushes in public – that would be embarrassing. But she always keeps on handy, just in case.
Make up wise, Christine wears very little. What she does wear is light and natural, trusting the concept of inner-beauty. Too much makeup makes her feel fake; like a doll, so she tries to avoid it within reason. As far as clothes go, she wears brighter colors, mostly out of habit. Christine enjoys dressy clothing, but ends up wearing what she feels comfortable in, or rather – what she can afford. One last thing worth noting is while she walks with her head to the ground, she moves with elegance. Christine is graceful in her own right, possibly a trait she developed from years of ballet when she was younger.
00I. overall personalityChristine is somewhat of a free spirit. She feels the most at home surrounded by nature, having a soft spot for animals and children. With the way she was raised, she sees the world differently than most people. She’s used to living the lower class style, since she was essentially homeless for so many years as a child. It heavily impacted her, now she doesn’t take a single thing for granted. She’s very appreciative of her spot in life, and while she’s barely getting by, she has no complaints. Christine’s been through worse, to complain after everything the Professor and her father did for her would be selfish. In fact, she’s very thankful of everything they did for her. Christine is a sentimental person; she’s naive and innocent to a degree. She still believes in the greater good of this world, even though she knows evil lurks in every corner. She’s fairly gullible because of her naïve nature, but she’s not entirely a fool, learning from her mistakes. Though, she’s a slow learner.
In fact, Christine can be a bit spacy. She is oblivious to the world around her when she’s thinking, which is often. She tunes things out so she can hear her herself think. She tends to get lost in her memories – it doesn’t help that she’s easily distracted. Not to the extreme of where she’ll stop midsentence, but you can find her staring out windows on more than one occasion. People sometimes describe her as “not fully here”. Additionally, Christine is a dreamer. She believes that dreams are one few things she has, so she figures, she might as well dream big. When she goes to bed, she often has dreams about her father and their time in Sweden, as if they never left.
It’s important to note that Christine loves Sweden because the environment is different. When she was there, people were nicer, the morals were sound and the music was sensational. Sweden represents her childhood, she misses it dearly. You could say that she left her heart there. As much as she wants to go back, she knows that New York is better for her career goals. Christine, simply put, hates New York. She thinks the city is dirty and unfeeling. The tall skyscrapers make her feel like a caged bird, which is bad because she can’t stand feeling trapped. Really, she has little choice, since she can’t move, and that drives her insane. She hates having no choice in any situation. With all the unsolved murder going on, she feels unsafe in the city, only increasing her drive to get out of the area.
Ever since the death of her father, Christine has been plagued with grief. She struggles with bouts of depression because she is stuck in the past. Even though her father died years ago, Christine can’t seem to force herself to move on. Her father is and was such a big part of her life. If she let go, she hasn’t the slightest idea what would happen. She’s afraid to do this because she has no one she can lean on if she completely collapses, though this might happen anyway. Charles was always there to provide advice and guidance, now she has no one to consult, causing her to feel very lost as a result. Christine is so wrapped up in her struggle that it’s makes it difficult for her to reach out to others. Her introverted nature has led to her own isolation – She has no real friends. She’s very lonely, but this is self-inflicted, despite how unintentional it is. One fear of hers is to completely vanish in the crowd; to be completely forgotten because of her flaws. She wants to be perfect but knows it’s impossible. She has a huge fear of death. Every few months she goes through a period of numbness; she becomes very hollow and devoid of emotions. Also, Christine is a conflicted person. She knows she’s reaching a dead end in life, she knows she needs to make change. But Christine has no idea how to push herself and in what direction to go. She knows what she wants in life, and she’s starting to figure out what her purpose in life is, but she can’t seem to make things right.
On an unrelated note, music is a huge part of Christine’s life. It’s always been that way, since she was a child. She likes classical and instrumental music the most because of her background. She believes it’s more powerful because they have to convey emotions without using a single lyric. Christine is very picky and analytical about most modern music, staying away from the radio and ‘popular’ bands. Call her old fashioned if you will, but that’s just how she is. Christine has a soft spot for any type of musical, loving the stories behind them.
0II. strengths Despite her situation and past, Christine is a very positive person. This might sound ironic, but it’s a trait embedded into her very soul. She’s always thinking ‘tomorrow will be a better day’. 'The pain will fade'. 'Things will get better'. Even if it doesn’t seem that way at first, it’s what she tells herself every day. She never gives up hope. This is one thing that has helped her stay together over the years. She’s very forgiving and loyal; she’ll never lose faith in you as a person. She’s kind and humble. If she does a good job she’ll never brag. She doesn’t boast about her singing talents, in fact, she hardly acknowledges it, downplaying her abilities altogether. She’s humble and thoughtful, with a big heart. She cares for people. Christine tires her best to be polite, making sure she has good manners at all times. She has a lot of love to give, helping in any way she can to those who need it. Her ability to see the beauty in any given thing is also a strength of hers. This helps her get by in a city she hates, because if she looks closely, she can find hidden pockets of beauty that keep her sane. Also, she’s a great story teller. She got her creative side from her father.
III. weaknesses Christine’s extremely emotional. She tends to take things the wrong way, and she can over react at times because she’s so sensitive. She’s naturally dramatic - she knows it. It’s a flaw she struggles with. Constantly being out of her element, along with relentless rejection, has resulted in her low self-esteem and confidence. She doesn’t go into things thinking she’ll fail, but she doesn't push herself because of how much she messes up. Christine doesn’t take risks, allowing good opportunities to slip by. She’s very hard on herself, but if she’s going to put herself down, she keeps it to herself. As a general rule, Christine is a reserved individual. She keeps her thoughts and opinions to herself, along with her emotions, strengths and flaws. You have to go out of your way to get to know her. She can be shy, but mostly keeps to herself because she doesn't want to bother people. She’s also a worry wart. She tends to over-think things, working up her anxiety over nothing. She, like her father, makes bad choices. She tries to be smart and rational, but somehow always ends up in bad situations. Because she makes so many bad choices, she's become very indecisive. She makes making decisions and she'll avoid it all all costs. Her inability to focus also gets her in trouble. Christine often gets lost in thought, sometimes at the wrong place during the wrong time. She can’t help it, she has so much on her mind, but she’s almost lost her job because of it. Speaking of getting lost, Christine has a horrible sense of direction. She get's lost all the time.
While this isn’t a weakness or flaw, it’s a quirk worth of noting. Christine worked hard to eliminate any accent she had when she moved to America so she wouldn’t get mocked by her peers. While her Swedish accent is very faint, it comes back full force whenever she’s emotional. If she gets really worked up she loses control, and this is more amusing than anything, because some people have problems understanding what she’s saying because the accent is so heavy.
0IV. goals Firstly, Christine wants to go back to her homeland, Sweden, and visit every area she saw as a child. She wants to do this for closure and remembrance more than anything. Eventually, she’d like to move back to Sweden, but she remains undecided about this.
Secondly, Christine wants to live life to the fullest for her father. No regrets, no disappointment. Becoming a famous actress throughout history. To have a happy, complete life. So far it's not going so good, but Christine hopes this will turn around.
Thirdly, Christine wants love, specifically, the kind her father and mother had. Christine believes in the concept of true love and soul mates. Charles said that Elizabeth was his other half. He claimed that, for his entire life he felt empty until he held her hand. Then, suddenly, everything fell into place. When he was around here, life was perfect, as if their fates were designed around each other. Christine wants this more than anything in her isolation. She wants someone to faithfully stand by her side, someone she can turn to no matter what. Companionship is a concept she believes is far out of her reach because of her low self-esteem. She wants to be important to someone, to have someone care about her, but why would they? There are so many beautiful, wonderful women out there. Surely no one would want a woman with such baggage. No one would even notice her; her insecurities get the best of her every time. Christine has a fear of dying alone and being forgotten, but an even bigger fear of losing her life partner as her father did. So, maybe she’s better off without love. It’s not a necessity; she can be happy without it. But still, she can dream, right?
.. Oh, and she really, really wants kids.
00I. notable family & friends Elizabeth Daaé - Christine’s Mother, deceased. Christine knows very little about her mother. Her father never spoke of her, and Christine didn’t have the heart to ask. Occasionally he would tell her a story about her mother. He referred to Elizabeth as an angel, the purest human on this world. She was beautiful, with a voice crafted by the gods. They were very much in love, the kind you read about in fairy tales.
Charles Daaé – Christine’s Father, deceased. The most important figure in her life. It’s hard to explain the strong connection they had. His odd beliefs and strange ideals permanently imprinted on her mind, and stay with her to this day. Christine heavily depended on Charles even in her later years. He inspired and motivated her. Around him, she honestly believed she could do whatever she set her mind to. Charles could make Christine believe in anything, even absurd things such as fairies. When he died, she died with him. She hasn’t been the same since. Christine clings to her memories of him, relying on them to carry her throughout the day, often referring to Charles as if he was still alive. She tells herself that he is watching over her from heaven, though it doesn’t feel that way.
Professor Valérius – Grandfather figure, deceased. This man changed Christine’s life for better and for worse. He took her little family under his wing, giving them security and shelter. He gave Christine an education, as well as a home. However, he took everyone to America, which ended up doing more harm than good. He died of old age. Her grief for his loss is clumped together with her grief for her father, since she never had the opportunity to move on before her father became ill and died. Christine is thankful for all the help he gave her and her father, always referring to him with the highest respect.
Mama Valérius – Grandmother figure, living. Mama V. is the only family Christine has left. Her Alzheimer’s is slow developing; she’s fairly functional. She remembers Christine’s name, but not the fact that Charles and her husband are dead. Christine doesn’t remind her, simply stating “They’re away on business”. Mama V. is very old in age – Christine knows she doesn’t have much time left on this earth and it terrifies her. Christine spends all of her free time caring for the elder, since she can’t afford to hire assisted help. She wants to spend this time with her, because once she departs from this world, Christine will be truly alone. She wants to enjoy her final moments with her grandmother, to cherish every second while it lasts.
0II. overall history Christine was born in Uppsala, Sweden. Her father, Charles, was a prestigious violinist for a well-known orchestra. Her mother, Elizabeth, decided to stay at home to raise Christine. Everything was picture perfect until the day Elizabeth passed away. The death of his wife seemingly shattered Charles’s spirit, launching him into a state of deep depression. His attendance gradually decreased, eventually reaching the point where he stopped showing up for work altogether. His life was in shambles; he lost his job, and now he faced a crossroad. After some deliberation, he decided to hit the road, selling both his house and car. Charles was an eccentric man; logical thinking was never something he practiced. His ration behind the whole process was simple; Uppsala held too many memories of his dear Elizabeth. An escape was just what he needed, a fresh start. He told Christine to pack her things – They were going on an adventure. Granted just one small suit case, she gathered her belongings without question.
Christine was too young to understand the whole ordeal, simply agreeing with anything Charles said. Grasping her father’s hand, they embarked on the strangest journey. They were homeless, traveling on foot unless they could hitch a ride from passerby’s. They would sneak inside and sleep in barns, though kind strangers occasionally offered them temporary shelter. Charles called it the path to self-discovery, stating that all humans had to go on a quest before they became heroes. In fact, he told a lot of stories. That’s how they made a living; they traveled from city to city, passing out invitations to anyone who would listen. The following night, Charles would make a large fire right outside the city. All kinds of individuals gathered in curiosity - the Daaé’s led an unusual life, but they were very charming, friendly people. The crowds wanted to see what they had to offer, they wanted to know more about the odd pair. What pushed them to this point? Why would someone live this way?
After everyone had gathered around the fire, Charles would rise, telling a story. Every tale was crafted from his own imagination; no story was ever the same. As he told his story, he would play his violin. Eventually his narrative faded to silence, but he stilled played, letting his music carry on the fairytale. Occasionally Christine sang along, but her lyrics never held any words, only notes to follow the melody. There was nothing like it; it was a magical experience. The performance was free, though they accepted donations. The purpose, Charles said, was to show the true power of music. He believed that music was meant to tell a story, that every note should convey an emotion. Music was meant to make you feel, to take you on a journey, to express things in ways words couldn’t. To make you forget everything and sweep you away in a matter of minutes. It was meant to fill your very soul and take over your mind, to make you feel alive in ways you never thought possible. It was a way to cope, an expression, passion in its rawest form. It was timeless. Those nights by the fire were powerful; it was a mind altering experience.
Christine witnessed this every day, often falling asleep to the soothing melodies. She firmly believed her father’s teachings, and through this she discovered her favorite tale, Little Lotte and the Angel of Music. The story was about a young girl named Lotte who was visited by an angel. The angel, her father said, would only come to those who were good, when they needed it the most. In times of desperation he would descend from the clouds above to musically gift those he visited. He watched over his students in their sleep. When they awoke, the world was a different place. The angel saved Lottie; she became a goddess in her own way. This wasn’t what excited Christine, though. No, what made her beam with excitement was watching her father play, knowing from the bottom of her heart that he was visited by the angel himself. That night Charles promised Christine that, when he passed, he would send the Angel of Music to watch over her in his stead. She held him to that promise, consistently dreaming about Lotte and her angel over the following nights.
As time went on Christine and Charles gained a reputation for their act. Neighboring towns would often know which way they were moving, looking forward to their visits. After years on the road, a man by the name of Professor Valérius discovered them. He stayed long after their duet, bombarding them with questions. He explained that, in his profession, it was his job to scope out talent. He found many promising stars and helped them become well known musicians. He admitted that he was captivated by the pair, offering to take them under his wing. However, he had conditions. He would privately train and tutor Christine, along with providing them a home, as long as they kept his wife company. If something misfortunate happened to him, he asked them to take care of his wife until she passed away. You see, his wife was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, and he couldn’t be with her as much as he wished to due to work. He didn’t like the idea of leaving his love in the hands of strangers, so a nurse was out of the question.
At this point, Charles was tired of the harsh lifestyle, afraid it would take a toil on his child. He agreed, and they moved in. Christine took right to the professor’s wife, dubbing her “Mama Valérius”. As time went on everyone became close, like a real family. Christine was enrolled in ballet classes; meanwhile at home the Professor gave her vocal training and caught her up on her studies. During spare time, Charles attempted to teach Christine to play the violin, though she wasn’t good at it. Over the years they moved several times. First, to France, then to America. Professor Valérius loved culture; he relished growing into different societies. He moved to a new area every few years, a tradition he carried out even before he met the Daaé’s. However, America was the last destination for him, as he gave his last breath after living in New York for only one year. Staying true to their promise, the Daaé’s watched over Mama Valérius, the entire family kept together to cope through the death. Music became key; Charles would play for the family every day to wash away the sorrow.
Months after the Professor passed, the family faced another tragedy - Charles was diagnosed with cancer. It was a long battle, but in the end, death won. When Charles passed, Christine was forced to leave her child like tendencies behind and grow up, becoming the head of the house and the soul provider. With luck she got her first job easily; her employer took pity on her situation. Christine quickly found that one job wasn’t enough to support both her and her grandmother, resulting in her picking up a second job just to get by. Between the move and the medical bills, most of the money Professor Valérius left behind was burned through. This landed Christine in a tight spot. She doesn’t have the funds or time for college; between working and caring for Mama V. she has very little free time. Christine saves every penny she can, but her progress is slow. Over the years she’s barely made a dent in the cost of tuition for any of the neighboring schools. While she saves, she’s attempting to kick start her career.
Professor Valérius gave Christine vocal lessons with the intent of putting her on the stage one day. When he passed Charles stated they wouldn’t give up. Christine promised that, no matter what, one day she would become a star. He didn’t want to see her talent wasted. Christine is striving towards this goal, but can’t seem to get her foot in the door. Occasionally she’ll land a part in the chorus, however, most of her auditions end in rejections. Christine has a lovely voice, actually. She’s naturally gifted; the Professor was a wonderful teacher. Her voice has transformed over the years into something beautiful, but its beauty is tainted. When Charles died, Christine lost her spirit. She followed his orders because she didn’t want to disappoint him, but she lost all the emotion in her voice. Her passion is dead, and her tone is completely flat, devoid of any emotion. Unless this changes, she has no hope as a singer. She knows this, but it isn’t something she can easily change.
To make matters worse, Christine has recently stumbled upon a moral dilemma. She discovered a box of her father’s old things while cleaning up around her home. In this box were his old violin, and a collection of sheet music. The music turned out to be the documentation of every story he played back when they traveled in Sweden. Christine was sure she could turn it over for profit; that way everyone could experience her father’s magic since he couldn’t deliver it himself. That seemed to be the right thing to do; Christine knew her father would want her to spread his hard work. That’s why he left it for her in the first place. It would help her financial situation as well. It could give her a future. But if she gave it away, it would be like letting go of her father altogether, and while it makes her feel completely selfish, she’s simply not ready for that yet.
III. sample post
Winter. The bitter cold that drains the life out of nature, disguising the earth’s death in a beautiful blanket of pure snow. It seemed fitting, that Charles would die during Christine’s least favorite season, but irony is a strong concept and it leaves no victims. How long had it been, since he left? A year or two at the most. Too long, too soon, Christine couldn’t make up her mind. The fact was he should still be here. He had so many years to live, and they were just robbed from him. Pried right out of his hands. It was wrong, a waste, a down right shame. Today was the day he died, years ago. And every year, Christine would do the same thing. She approached the graveyard with a heavy heart, knowing exactly where his grave was. She could find it with her eyes closed. The first year he died, that was the hardest. She visited his grave every day, like a lost child in denial.
She had come a long way, hadn’t she?
That didn’t sound right; it felt like she was still in the same spot. Time went by so slowly, painfully ticking forward. Christine felt older than she actually was, but while she had mentally worn and torn, she was still in the same spot. Wasting her life away.. this wasn’t how it should be. Normally Christine would beat these thoughts away to keep her spirits up, but today was different; it was a day of mourning. She allowed herself to be a mess, just for this one day, quietly crunching through the snow. She took a left, then straight – there, right by the tree. She stopped, staring down at the ground. Sure enough, there was a simple slab of unfeeling stone. It was just like the rest of the graves, a little plain, but it had a special message etched into its surface.
“CHARLES DAAE. May your music take wing.”
Christine knelt down, wrapping her arms around her waist, staring blankly at the site before her. It felt so surreal, even after all this time. Her father lay dead under the ground. Christine allowed her eyes to drift closed; she could see the rolling hills of Sweden in her mind. She could feel the warmth at the nape of her neck. Opening her eyes, she let out a long sigh. She could see her breath. Looking to the plot next to her, she gave a respectful nod to Professor Valérius’s grave, which read,
“PROFESSOR VALERIUS. Rest at last, but guide the dark”
Christine’s eyes followed the trail of tombstones while she slowly sank into her thoughts. To the passerby, they wouldn’t understand the inscriptions, but for her family of two, it made perfect sense. She could feel the effects of the cold, slowing down her system like toxin, but she pressed on. This was tradition, she needed this. It was her way of keeping grounded; it pulled her from her dreams to remind her of the world around her. Mentally, Christine reminded herself that this whole thing is real. It’s life, facts. They’re dead. Those words still stung in her mind, but she had to process it. They’re gone, and they won’t ever come back. But that didn’t help - nothing did. Christine didn’t know how to cope. She read books on this kind of thing. Coping after the loss of a loved one.
Goodness knows, she wasn’t doing a good job. But none of the advice helped. Christine tried, she tried more than anything. She wanted to move on. At least, she told herself this. It wasn’t as easy as it sounded. She couldn’t just jump up and- Yes, yes she could. She was making excuses for herself. Christine bit her lower lip. This whole thing was a mess. A Nightmare she couldn’t wake up from, but no – it wasn’t that bad. She had a home of her own, surely that wasn’t so bad. It’s not a nightmare, she wasn’t lost in darkness, she wasn’t drowning in some endless ocean of despair. She was doing just fine.
But it didn’t feel that way. Firmly, Christine scolded herself for being dramatic, but as always, it didn’t help. That’s just the way she was. The perfect rose didn’t bloom overnight, she reminded herself. Flowers took time to grow, so would she. That sounded lame, though. Christine wondered why her hands were so cold, only to discover that while she was mentally bickering with herself, her index finger idly traced over Charles’s phrase. Clasping her hands together, she bowed her head in prayer.
“Father. It’s..been awhile, hasn’t it? Do you remember when you left – I would talk to you every day. But I don’t do that anymore, do I? I can’t. I’m trying, papa, I really am. It’s been so long, I know. I need to be strong. You want me to be happy, but it’s so hard without you. I’m struggling with life.. It’s not the same anymore. It doesn’t hurt as much as it used to, but I remember every detail. Even your songs, I can’t forget. Don’t worry about me, please. I’m doing fine. Each day is a battle, but I- I’m making it through, aren’t I? It will get easier. Maybe it is, I just don’t realize it. Am I blind? I try to see the world around me, but I don’t like it. Here, the air is filled with lies and greed. People are selfish, so horrible. But I never saw that when you were here. You made this world a better place, you really did. But now you’re not here, and monsters are around every corner.”
“Did you hear, what happened to t at poor family? I can’t imagine what sick mind would do such a thing.. ripping the skin off.. I can’t even talk about it. It’s sick. Did things like this happen back at Uppsala, without me realizing it? You shielded me from a lot of bad things, I know. I miss you, I miss you so much. I wish you could come back. I miss your voice, your jokes.. your music. I need your advice more than ever, papa. You’re not here, and I need you. I don’t know what to do. I know the answer’s right in front of me, but it’s so hard to see” Over the course of her ramble, Christine’s voice quivered and eventually broke, forcing her to take a deep breath.
“.. I’m sorry, I get carried away. How are you? How.. is mother? And the Professor? Is he lonely, too? Oh.. what’s it like, to be reunited with your loved one? To be in heaven? Can you see over everything? Can you see me? Do you watch me every day? Do.. do you miss me? I never had the courage to ask you what mother was like. But.. can you tell me now?” She was like a child, talking to her toys. Affection dripped out of every phrase even though her words were strained. Christine didn’t usually sound so young, but today was special, she let it go. No sounding mature, if she wanted to mentally reverse her age, she could and did, just for that one day. Christine went on like this for a long time, just asking questions and talking. Eventually she strayed back onto the topic of her life, filling her father in on everything he missed. Somewhere along the lines she started to cry, tears dripping down her face with little apology. This happened several times, eventually she fell quiet, and then the sun sank in the sky, telling her it was time to go home. She left the graveyard without another word. It was an uneventful day, maybe boring to others, but Christine felt content. She spent an entire day with her father, and for a few hours, she felt at peace. Of course this would fade over the week, but it was worth it all the while.
SYR INTEGRA of CAUTION 2.0 created this, modified by Yols with Shakespeare lines.