Mariya lands in Opera Populaire, in the Chappel and finds herself in a dress that looks like a slave costume. She sighs. She goes up the stairs and finds a rehearsal going on.

A man comes in, interupting the rehersal. The conductor sighs. "Mr. Leferve! I am rehersing!"

"Madame Giry, Ladies and Gentleman, if I may have your attention please." Mr. Laferve says. "As you know, there have been rumors of my immanent retirement. I can now tell you that they are all true."

Mariya stands with some other girls now, and one gives an "Ah-ha."

"It is my pleasure to introduce to you to two gentleman who now own the Opera Populaire, Mr. Richard Firmin, and Mr.Gilles Andre."

"We are deeply honored to introduce our new patron. The Vicomte de Chagny." Mr. Firmin says.

A brown haired man enters then and Mariya whisltes to herself. "He's cute." She mutters.

"My parents and I are honored to support all the arts, expecially the world-renouned Opera Populaire." The Vicomte says.

Some introductions are exchanged, and Mariya makes mental notes of all the names and faces. When the other girls start singing and dancing she joins in, and takes to it fast.

At the end, Carlotta grumbles. "All they care about is dancing!" She shouts. She then goes to Mr. Laferve. "I hope your new patron is excited by dancing girls as your new managers, for I will not be singing!"

She then turns and begins to leave. Mariya sighs, and waches the new managers grovel.

Eventually, Carlotta agree's to sing a song for them. In the middle of the song, the back drop falls on Carlotta and people scream.

"He's here, the Phantom of the Opera." Meg says.

Mariya 'hmms' "Guess he doesn't like Carlotta's singing." She says to herself.

"Monsier theres no one there, but if there is, perhaps it's a ghost." Joseph says before laughing.

After a brief fight, Carlotta storms off, and Madame Giry comes up to the New managers. "I have a message sir, from the opera ghost."

"Oh dear god in heaven you all obcessed!" Mr. Firmin exlaims.

"He welcomes you to his Opera house.."

"His opera house?" Firmin asks, sounding insulted.

"And commands that you continue to leave Box Five empty for his use. And reminds you that his salary is due." Madame Giry says.

"His salary?" Andre asks in disbelief.

"Oui, Mr. Laferve used to give him 20,000 francs a month." Giry says.

"Twenty thousand francs!" Mr. Firmin says, insulted, taking the note and examining it.

"Prehaps you can afford more, with the Vicompte as your patron?" Giry asks.

Mariya doesn't pay attention to the following conversation, just wanders off to explore the Opera house. She see's Carlotta leaving and begins to sing 'Think of me' and the lovely sound echo's threw-out the stairwell.

Riana was also in a slave costume, she followed Mariya. "I can see why he kidnapped you. But why me?" Riana sarcastically asked.

"Oh common Riana, you can't say you don't have a pretty voice, or that you not pretty." Mariya says, nudging her friend. "But the question is who kidnapped us?"

Riana blushed at Mariya's comments. Then she thought. "Yeah, that's a good question." Riana looked at her costume, "I really hate these get-ups."

"I do to, but I'm starting to get used to it at this point." Mariya says with a shrug. "It comes with the terratory I sappose."

Riana nods.

"Ladies, we're rehersing!" Madame Giry says.

Mariya and RIana turn. "Sorry Madame." Mariya says.

"Who are you, I have not seen you here before." Giry says.

"Hey, we want to know why were here too." RIana says.

"You, the black hair, sing." Madame Giry says.

Mariya sighs and begins singing 'Think of me' again, and her voice sounds so similar to Christine's.

Riana does the same, but her voice is a low alto.

Madame Giry sighs. "Get back to rehersal the both of you." She says.

Mariya nods and drags Riana back to the stage.

After the nights performance, Mariya and Riana are taken to a private room where they can stay. Mariya changes into a nightgown and lies on her bed. Riana lies on her bed and falls asleep right away.

But Mariya, however, can't seem to fall asleep. She hears what seems to be singing, and follows it to Christine's dressing room. She see's Roul trying to get the door open. "What's with the rucus?" She asks.

"Someone's in there with Christine." Roul says.

Mariya takes out a hair pin from her hair and moves Roul. She then continues to pick the lock and opens the door, and looks inside. "There's no one here Roul." She says before turning to him. "Maybe you had a long day and are imagining things."

Roul sighs. "Maybe your right." He says before leaving.

When Roul leaves, she goes into the room and begins looking around, and goes to the mirror, which she pulls away to reveal a passageway. She follows it, and stops when she comes to a...lake? She hears singing and lifts up her skirt and follows the voices when she comes to an archway. She see's a man, holding a hand over half of his face. Christine, on the floor, looks horrified and hands him the mask. The man takes it and puts it over the half of his face which he was covering.

"Come we must return, those two fools who run my Theatre will be missing you." He says.

The phantom? Mariya asks in her mind.

The Phantom looks over to her then and she gasps, and runs as fast as she can. Once back in Christine's room she goes to her room.

Riana was dressing when Mariya returned. "Are you alright?" She asks.

Mariya nods and dresses herself. She then goes out to the Stairway to see Carlotta, Mr. Firimin, Mr. Andre, and Roul talking.

"Gentlemen, I have now sent you several notes of the most amiable nature...I shall give you on last chance…" Firmin reads from a note. "Christine Daee shall take Carlotta's role tonight, and Carlotta will play the Pageboy. Mariya shall be Christine's understudy...."

"Me?" Mariya asks, coming into veiw.

"I shall watch the performance from my normal seat in Box Five, which will be kept empty for me. Should these commands be ignored, a disaster beyond your imagination will occur. I remain, gentleman, your obedient servant, O.G." Firmin says, before sighing.

"He's a lunatic if he thinks we'll obey these orders." Andre says.

Carlotta begins flipping out, and begins storming off before the Managers start sucking up to her, she calms and begins to get ready. Mariya keeps calm, watching all of this. Her, the understudy for Christine? She shrugged and went backsatge, Riana following. Mariya looks around, hoping to catch a glipse of the Phantom.

Mariya see's nothing, and sighs. She then goes back and prepares her search elsewhere.

That night Carlotta is spraying something into her throat, and singing notes. Mariya watches from backstage as Joesph Bouquet, the man in charge of the backdrops and stuff walk on the brige between the two sides.

The show begins, and in mid-song, the Phantoms voice can be heard. "Did I not instruct Box five to remain empty?"

"It's him..." Christine murmurs.

"Your part is silent little toad." Carlotta says. She then goes over to the side stage, where a woman sprays something in her mouth. She then returns to the stage and begins singing again, but before she can sing-laugh, her voice croaks."

The audience gasps and Carlotta runs off. The curtains shut, and the Managers run down and announce Chrisitne will be playing the countess. Til she was ready the Act 3 ballet will be performed. They drag Christine off and the curtains open again.

Meanwhile, Bouquet is looking around, thinking he saw something in the rafters.

A movement in the rafters suddenly draws the attention to the other side of the rafters where a strange white creature is, blocking that end of the walkway. While one's reaction would be to run, the other end of the rafter is also blocked off but by a strange black-cloaked figure. "I'm sorry," he calmly says as he walks toward Bouquet, "but I'm afraid this is your final act."

Bouquet lets out a cry and leans against the rope, but looses his balance and falls over, faling to the floor, and dieing. All the crowd gasps, and scream. The managers try to calm them, and Mariya looks up to the rafters, expecting the Phantom.

The figure watches as Bouquet falls, and once he hits the ground, he leaps down from the rafters, landing next to the body. A dark portal appears and engulfs both him and the body, and as it disappears, several Dusks drop down from the rafters to attack anyone still on the stage.

Mariya immediatly summons Eternity and attacks the nobodies, attempting to destroy them all on her own. She does several magic attacks, hoping to gather and destroy them.

Meanwhile Chrisinte runs up the stairs, leading to the roof, Roul following.

The Dusks are quickly destroyed, leaving nothing behind.

Mariya sighs, and looks around for any evidence that the figure might have left.

No evidence is left behind, however. Whoever this figure was, he had covered his tracks well.

Mariya hmms before searching the Opera House.

Mr. Firimin approches her. "Where is Chrisitne?" He asks.

"I was just looking for her." Mariya answers. "I'll let you know if I find her."

Mariya then walks passed him, and searches again.

There is still no evidence of the figure, but just when hope seems lost of finding him, a small scrap of something can be seen in the corner. Is it some sort of fabric?

Mariya picks it up and inspects it.

It is a part of the shirt that Bouquet was wearing! The figure must have been here earlier. A closer inspection of this area reveals that there was some sort of struggle. Maybe this is where the figure disposed of Bouquet's body? Maybe he turned Bouquet into a Nobody?

Mariya sighs. It was probably to late to save Bouquet. She sighs before going to find Christine.

As Mariya walked away, the figure watches from the shadows in silence. "...Interesting..." he quietly says before he steps back deeper into the shadows.

Marriya turns, thinking she heard something. "Hello?" She asks, looking around. "Is someone there?"

Nothing. Perhaps it was just the wind...at least, to those who were not aware.

"Oh come Mariya...your going insane." Mariya mutters to hersle before going up the stairs.

"...Keep an eye on her," the figure says as he steps back through a dark portal a minute later once Mariya was gone. As he enters the portal, a Dusk comes out, sticking to the shadows and staying out of sight as it tails Mariya.

When Mariya comes to the roof, Christine and Roul are kissing, and stop to see who is coming on the roof. "Oh Mariya." Christine says. "Is there a problem?"

"There looking for you downstairs." Mariya says, smiling. "Mr.Firmin sent me up here to look for you. Do you two need a few minutes?"

Roul laughs. "We were just about to go back downstairs."

Mariya nods and keeps the door open for them. She then looks around and here's someone begining to weep. She slowly rounds the statue and see's the Phantom. She watches as he ruins the rose in his hands and goes on a statue. "You will curse the day you did not do, all that the Phantom asked of you!" He shouts.

Mariya gasps, and the Phantom turns to her. She turns and runs into the Opera house, going down the stairs. She slams into someone.

"Mariya!"

The person Mariya had run into was Mario, and he looked a bit different. In fact, he was dressed like a rich French noble while still retaining the standard combination of clothing colors that he usually wears. "There you are!" he says. "I've been looking for you and Riana."

Meanwhile, on the roof, a voice calls to the Phantom. "Rough night, I take it?"

Leaning against a statue on the roof is a character cloaked in black. It is the same figure who had been responsible for Bouquet's death.

"Leave me be." The Phantom says, heading for the Opera House.

---

"Mario!" Mariya shouts, looking releaved. "Riana is in our room, I was just heading there."

"Alright then," Mario states as he turns. "In that case, let's get her and get off this world. Everyone is worried about you." He is silent for a moment. "Also, I'm not alone."

"Well then, I suppose you don't want me to let you in on a secret then," the figure says. "Well, I suppose I'll let you figure it out on your own." He then turns to create a portal.

"Umm, acutally I can't leave. Nobodies have appeared here." Mariya says. She then looks around. "Who's with you?"

---

"What secret?" The Phantom asks.

"Well, he's a friend now," Mario says before sighing. "But if Nobodies are here, then I guess we're going to have to stay, aren't we?"

The figure smiles secretly under his hood and looks back at the Phantom. "That girl you have an interest in. No, the other. The one from another world. Friends of hers have arrived to take her home. Now, I'm sure that you don't want to lose her so soon, do you?"

"Axel." Mariya murmurs, before nodding. "Well, you know what's weird?"

---

"Of course not." The Phantom says.

"What?" Mario asks.

The figure continues. "Well then, I have a proposal for you. I will make it so that they will be too busy to return to their home. My Nobodies should keep them here for some time. I will also make sure that the world they are from will not be able to welcome them back, now or ever. Mariya will have no choice but to return here to you once she sees the condition of her world. While I take care of that, I would like you to keep an eye on the one with red hair, goes by the name Mario. I will take care of him myself when the time comes." He now turns to the Phantom and holds his hand out for a handshake. "So, do we have a deal?"

"It's weird that even after everything he's done....I still love him." Mariya confesses.

The Phantom shakes his hand. "We have a deal as long as Christine, Mariya and Riana are unharmed." The Phantom says.

"I see," Mario says. "Well, I suppose that's good then."

"No harm will come to them," the Nobody agrees. "Of course, as long as you keep your end of the deal." As he clasps hands with the Phantom, strange white Nobody lightning appears and wraps around their hands, disappearing a second later. "And that is to make sure that you don't break your promise. If you do, I will know."

"Well better face the music." She mutters. "Where is he?"

The Phantom nods. "I know everything that goes on in my Opera house." He says before going inside.

The figure nods and smiles before he disappears into a dark portal, off to do his end of the deal.

Mario shrugs. "Not sure. We split up to look for you, but he should be in the opera house somewhere."

Mariya nods. "Well I'm gonna hit the hay then." She says before she heads to her room.

Axel walks wearing noblemens clothes just like Mario into the Theater and looks around"whoa this place is huge" he sits down in the seat closest to the stage to take a break and yawns wondering where Mario went off too and if he found Mariya

Instead of going to the dormitories, Mariya goes to find the Managers, and hopes to find Christine and Roul with them. She finds Firimin and Andre on the stage looking at the bridge-which was out of site of anyone in the audience-, trying to figure out what could have happened. "Mr.Firmin? Mr. Andre?"

"Ahh hello Mariya, is there something we can help you with?" Firmin asks.

"Actually yes. After I found Christine and Roul on the roof and they came downs stairs, I heard the Phantom say: 'You will curse the day you did not do all that the Phantom asked of you.'" She says.

Andre laughs. "Don't worry Mariya, I'm sure everything will be fine. You just go get some sleep."

"Yes sir." Mariya says, before looking out to the seats. She see's Axel in the first row, sighs and heads to her room.

Mario follows Mariya as far as the stage before watching her leave. He then sighs and removes his phone to call Sora.

Axel jumps up when he hears Mario's voice and goes to find him. he walks onto the stage and sees Mario on his phone"hey where've you been at, did you find anything?"

There is no answer from Sora. Just and answering Machine: "Hey you've reached Sora and Kairi, we can't come to the phone right now, but leave a message and we'll get back to you as soon as we can." A beep sounds.

Mariya yawns as she lies on her bed and pulls the blankets over her. Riana was already asleep, having pleasant dreams.

Mario shakes his head as he hangs up. "Mariya and Riana are here, but we can't leave yet. There are Nobodies here," he responds. "In addition, I can't seem to reach Sora. He always picked his phone up before." Mario sighs and then pockets the phone. "Looks like we might be staying for a while."

Axel nodded "well we'll have to stop the nobodies I guess. hey ummm did Mariya say anything about me?"

Mariya stares at the ceiling, unable to sleep. She hums a song, trying to sing herself to sleep.

"...Yeah," Mario says after a moment. "...She says that after all this time, after all you did...she still loves you."

Axel just looks at Mario "your serious"he says after a few seconds "she still loves me?"

Mario nods. "Yep."

After awhile, Mariya falls asleep.

3 months later

Mariya had been trying to avoid Axel as much as possible, often participating in the rehersals or making herself busy. But when she had no other choice then to be near him, she acted as if she never said a word to Mario about her feelings for him. Come the third month of this, the members of the Opera house were arranging to have a masquerade in celebration of the new year. They didn't need Mariya for anything, so she mostly hung out with Christine. Now, however, she was investigating Box Five, trying to see what was so special about it. She sighed, finding nothing and went to find Axel. Despite the fact no one has even seen a glipse of the Phantom in the entire three months, she still keeps an eye out for him.

Axel was sitting on the bottom step of the main stairwell, watching some of the Opera's women put up some last minute decorations. He sighed, depressed that Mariya has been trying to ignore him for three months straight.

Mario was nowhere to be found, however. Most likely, he was still trying to get in contact with Hollow Bastion, but none of his calls were being returned. In addition, something was odd about his doors of darkness. Every time he tried to summon a door to Hollow Bastion, it would always appear as a grayish hue, interwound in strange white Nobody lightning and locked tight. Not even the Shadow Blade could seem to unlock the door, so at the time, Hollow Bastion was as good as unaccessible.

Mariya goes on stage, and looks out to the seats. She doesn't see Axel there, so she goes and keeps looking, unaware if she was still being followed by a Dusk.

As it has been for the last three months, the Dusk has been secretly and closely tailing Mariya, watching every move she makes. Every week, it would report to the mysterious figure, wherever he is, and then resume watching Mariya.

In addition, there has been little sighting of the figure if not a glimpse of what seems to be a black cloak on occasion. However, what is notable is that every now and then for the last three months, a performer or two would mysteriously disappear without a trace. Could this be the work of the figure or someone else?

Mariya hasn't noticed the disapearances, but the Managers have, but never seem to have trouble finding replacements.

When Mariya is about to give up her search of Axel, she finds him sitting on the stairs, looking depressed. She goes down, passing him, as if she didn't notice him. She see's Chrisitine with Roul, who are trying to hide that they're kissing. She laughs, and turns and acts like she just noticed Axel. "Hey." SHe says, going up to him.

"Oh so your talking to me now?" Axel asked.

Mariya sighs. "Fine I'll ask Mario if he wants to be my date for the mask." Mariya say, turning.

Riana watches the conversation, giggling due to the fact she didn't have a date either.

"Wait...what?" Axel asks, like he didn't hear her clearly.

Meanwhile, the figure descends into the Catacombs, reaching the Phantom's lair. "Anyone home?" he calls out with a slightly sarcastic tone.

The Phantom appears from behind a corner, and sighs. "I hope this is important, I'm busy at the moment and can't afford to spend time idling in conversation."

"I want to to be my date for the mask." Mariya says, looking serious.

Axel smiles. "I'd be honored Mariya."

Riana runs in and nudges Mariya. "About time." She sang before running off. Mariya watches her leave with a glare, now she had to worry about finding a dress and matching mask in time. She leaves the stairwell, and follows Christine as she leavs the theatre with Roul.

"I just wanted to check in and make sure that everything was going well," the figure says as he approaches the Phantom. "My spies tell me that Mariya has not left, so I assume that they are. How is the boy doing? The one I asked you to watch for me?"

"He has been attempting to leave, but his attempts were foiled by your doings. Otherwise he has not pried where he shouldn't." The Phantom says.

"Good, good," the figure says as he turns. "In that case, all the pieces are falling into place. Soon, we will both get what we each want...providing, of course, that you continue to keep your end of the deal."

"Don't worry, I will." The Phantom says before he disapears once again.

The figure nods and then returns the way he came, disappearing into the tunnels.

Mario, meanwhile, is sitting in a seat in the theater, around the center of the lower stage. He sighs, looking a bit stressed if not tired.

When Mariya returns, she is carrying what seems to be a blue dress, but vefore anyone can get a good look at it, she puts it in her room. She then goes to find Mario. When she finds him she sits next to him. "Anything from my parents?" She asks, watching some performers pracicing there dances on the stage.

Mario shakes his head, his eyes fixed on the stage. "Nothing. If it were just the phone calls not getting through, I wouldn't be too worried. However, the dark doors...I can't get over that. Whatever is going on here, there has to be a reason for it."

"And whatever it is I don't like it." Mariya says, sighing. "It also bothers me that the Phantom hasn't shown his face for three months....."

"Yeah, and the Nobodies as well," Mario says. "After all, I haven't seen any sign of the Nobodies, but more odd are the disappearances."

"Disapearances.....oh right, the Managers were complaining about that....." Mariya mutters. "Somehow I think that weird figure is behind them...."

"Weird figure?" Mario asks, sitting up. "You never mentioned any weird figure earlier."

"It didn't seem important, I really never seem...it...him clearly, neither have I seen him doing anything, but every now and then I'll see this weird figure pop up, and he disapears soon after. At first I thought it was the Phantom.....but something seems different about him." Mariya says, still watching the performers.

"...When did you first see him?" Mario inquires, seeming interested.

"Just before I last saw the phantom." Mariya says. "Infact it was almost just bfore you and Axel arrived."

"I see..." Mario states. "...Tell me, what about the Nobodies? Did they appear just before or after he did?"

"Before." Mariya answers.

Meanwhile, Riana is looking around the Opera House when she finds a passage she hadn't noticed before, and follows it.

Mario is silent before he stands up. "Excuse me for a moment," he says before he walks off, the mystery of his now-strange behavior lingering.

Mariya watches Mario leave, and when she turns back to the stage she seems to be thinking about Mario's behavior.

Riana comes to a dead end, and returns back to the stairway. She rubs her head, thinking over things.

Mario, meanwhile, begins to check backstage, looking around for something, anything. If the figure Mariya mentioned was who he thought it was, there was no telling what he was trying to gain. In addition, it could explain the disappearances. The Heartless were not active on this world, but the Nobodies seemingly are. If that is the case, then the figure could be trying to create a Nobody army like last time. If so, then he has to find and stop him.

Mariya sighs, and goes to find Riana. When she finds her they both go and Riana discusses what to do about Mariya for the mask.

Mario, meanwhile, searches for any sign of the figure. After a few moments, he sighs and begins to go elsewhere to search.

"Ever persistent, as always."

Mario jumps and spins around, finding the figure leaning against a beam not too far away. Mario grimaces before he summons his Shadow Blade.

The figure chuckles. "Really, you're going to fight me?" he questions.

"I will if that's what it takes to get some answers out of you," Mario responds as he tightens his grip on the Shadow Blade.

"Well, now, that isn't necessarily a nice thing to say," he says. "Especially since the fate of Hollow Bastion rests in your hands."

Mario hesitates, confused by this, and after a moment, the Shadow Blade disappears. "What do you mean?"

"So now you will listen," the figure says, seeming to find this amusing. "Just play along with this drama, and I think you will see exactly what it is that I am trying to do."

"I'll stop you before you can do anything."

"And who says I'm going to do anything?"

"Those disappearances..."

"Oh, that. Well, what's a few extra Nobodies for myself here and there?"

"I'll show you what!" Mario yells as he charges toward the figure, Shadow Blade drawn again.

The figure simply leaps over the attack, landing behind Mario and turning back around. "Now, you wouldn't hurt your Nobody, would you?" he asks as he pulls his hood down to show his face briefly.

Mario turns, grimacing as he sees the face. "If all you care about is trying to kill me and bring misery to others, then you are not my Nobody."

"Pity," the figure says as he pulls his hood back up. "Then I suppose there's nothing else to say." He then disappears into a dark portal.

"Stop!" Mario yells as he runs after the Nobody, but the portal disappears before he can pursuit him into it. He grimaces, staring at where the portal was for a minute before sighing and recalling the Shadow Blade. He then walks through the back of the theater, looking for more answers.

Everything in the Opera House has quieted down, and Christine comes back to the Opera House, and goes to her room, fighting a smile. Mariya and Riana are in there room, laughing over some joke. Riana is brushing Mariya's hair, and she makes another joke about Carlotta again.

Soon, Mario makes his way back to the stage. He stands there for a moment before sighing, stomping his foot down in frustration. A hollow sound reaches his ears, and after blinking, he looks down to notice that a section of the floor looked different. After feeling around a little, Mario then finds that this part of the stage could be removed to create different effects for different plays. Mario glances down the passage underneath, and after hopping down, he notices a passage off to the side that seems out of place. After a moment, he begins to travel down the passage, wondering where it leads.

"Go no further." A voice warns.

Mario stops, startled by the voice. He glances around and draws his Shadow Blade. "Alright, who's there?" he asks.

"The one who will issue your demise if you do not go back and never return." The voice says, echoing in the pasageway.

Mario is silent for a moment before he huffs. "Look, I don't know who you are, but considering what all has been going on here and the fact that there is a possible disaster eminent, nothing you do is going to stop me." With that, Mario continues down the passage, his Shadow Blade drawn and at the ready.

suddenly the passage before Mario falls, revealing what seems to be an endless fall. There is no way around it, and it's to far to jump over. "Return or else." The voice warns again.

Mario stops before the pit, but after a moment, he lets out a sigh of disappointment. "Oh please, a seemingly bottomless pit? Is that the best you can do?" Without another word, Mario suddenly jumps headfirst into the ground, disappearing in a puddle of shadows that suddenly darts toward the pit, darting to the side at the edge and moving onto the wall. The puddle then skirts along the wall until reaching the other side when it returns to the floor. Once on safe ground, Mario leaps out of the puddle as it disappears, glancing back toward the pit before brushing himself off and continuing.

Suddenly the Phantom,wearing a full-face mask appears before Mario. "This is your last warning boy."

Mariya leaves her room, laughing a bit, her hair in a braid. She then goes to see if Axel was around.

Mario stops now, looking this figure up and down. "Ah, so you must be this Phantom of the Opera that everyone's been talking about. How's the underground been?" Mario asks, either bold or foolish to be talking with the Phantom like one would with an old friend.

Suddenly Mariya's scream can be heard, echoing within the passageway. The Phantom seems alarmed by this, and disapears.

On the stage, Mariya is surronded by Dancers, and looks to be trying to summon her keyblade, but Eternity never appears.

Mario jumps when he hears the scream, turning around to look back down the passage. When he turns back to the Phantom, he is gone. Mario grimaces before he dashes back down the passage, avoiding the pit like before and soon returning to under the stage. He then jumps up and grabs the lip of the hole before hoisting himself out, slashing at a nearby Dancer.

The dancer grabs Mario by the arm, and attempts to throw him into a wall. Some Dancers are destroyed to reveal Axel, weilding a sword. "Run Mariya!" He commands.

Mariya runs and stands behind Axel, still trying to summon her keyblade.

Mario quickly spins around and plants his feet against the wall, jumping back and grabbing the Dancer's arm in turn. "Curtain Call!" he yells before he begins spinning around, throwing the Dancer around like it normally does and trying to hit the other Dancers.

From the rafters above, the figure watches silently. "...Interesting...very interesting..."

The dancers are hit, and twitch as they recover and attack Mario again. Axel destroys mor of the dancers, being sure none get near enough to harm Mariya.

Mario quickly retailiates, slashing at several of the Dancers and jumping over the attacks of the others.

Soon the dancers are destroyed, and Axel remains in a defensive position before looking over Mariya. he finds a cut on her arm, and makes sure no one from the world is around before saying. "Cure." A green ribbon swirls around Mariya, and her cut is healed. "Are you alright Princess?"

Mariya nods, "They just came out of nowhere, and I couldn't summon my keyblade...so I screamed for help."

Axel nods. "Common, let me take you back to your room."

Mario is silent as he looks around a bit. Finally, he looks up at the rafters, but no one is there. After a moment, he sighs and sits down. "Guess you were right about the Nobodies, Mariya."

The figure, meanwhile, is on the roof, Twilight Blade in hand as he tosses it up and down a little.

Mariya nods, in Axel's arms. Axel keeps her close. "Don't worry Mariya, no matter what, I'll protect you."

Mariya closed her eyes, seeming somewhat releived. "Thank you."

Axel then leaves with Mariya, leading her to her room.

Mario watches them leave, looking back at the rafters for a moment before leaving for the entrance hall. The party would start soon.

The figure sighs as he now puts the Twilight Blade away. The battle he witnessed had been interesting indeed, even if he had not actually ordered for the attack. However, he had definitely found some new data that could be useful later.

Axel leaves Mariya at her room, and goes off to change into his costume.

Once Mariya got the dye out of her hair, she gets into her [gown] and lets Riana tie the back of it as she uses a fire spell to dry her hair. Once it was dry Riana fixes her hair so it curls before getting ready herself. Mariya then dons the butterfly wings she borrowed from the costume department. Mariya stands infront of the mirror to look at herself.

"You look great." Riana whispered once she was ready.

Mario disappears seconds later, probably off to get his own costume for the Masque.

Axel sighs, smoothing out the wrinkles of his tux jacket. Someone had stolen his costume, and the tux had just been lying around. He picks up a mask before putting it on. It was a plain black eye mask.

Mariya picks up her mask, which was the same color as her dress, and had some small saphires on it. She put it on before leaving her room with Riana.

Mario is still absent and might be until the party starts.

Axel leaves his room then, going to find Mariya.

Everyone who was invited to the mask arrives, and the orchestra is warming up.

Mario is still nowhere to be seen. Perhaps he was wanting to arrive fashionably late.

Mariya finds Axel, who is surprised at the fact Mariya was really in a dress, and escorts her to the stairway, where the cast is lined up on the stairs.

The music begins, and Axel bows to Mariya, who laughs a bit.

"Masquerade! Paper faces on parade . . .Masquerade! Hide your face, so the world will never find you! Masquerade! Every face a different shade . . .Masquerade! Look around -there's another mask behind you!" The cast sings.

Mariya sighs, realising the cast were taunting the Phantom.

"Flash of mauve . . .Splash of puce . . .Fool and king . . .Ghoul and goose . . .Green and black . . .Queen and priest . . .Trace of rouge . . .Face of beast . . .Faces . . .Take your turn, take a ride on the merry-go-round . . .in an inhuman race . . .Eye of gold . . .Thigh of blue . . .True is false . . .Who is who . . .? Curl of lip . . .Swirl of gown . . .Ace of hearts . . .Face of clown . . .Faces . . .Drink it in, drink it up, till you've drowned in the light . . .in the sound . . .But who can name the face . . .? Masquerade!" The cast continues singing like this, and Mariya notices Roul and Christine enter, and they begin to dance.

Axel takes Mariya's hand, and they to begin to dance as the cast pauses in singing.

At that time, Mario makes his entrance. However, he is a bit different. He is in Heartless form, his clothes matching the noble outfit from earlier. He is also wearing a bat-shaped mask over his face. He watches over the festivities for a moment, and if he had a mouth, he would smile.

After a bit, the cast begins singing again. "Masquerade! Paper faces on parade! Masquerade! Hide your face, so the world will never find you! Masquerade! Every face a different shade! Masquerade! Look around -There's another mask behind you! Masquerade! Burning glances, turning heads . . .Masquerade! Stop and stare at the sea of smiles around you! Masquerade! Grinning yellows, spinning reds . . .Masquerade! Take your fill -let the spectacle astound you....."

At that moment, the lights dim, and everyone turns to there left, and in the left doorway of the stairway, stands the Phantom, in all red, a sword at his side and a skeletal eye mask. He was dressed as the Red Death.

Axel hold's Mariya's hand tighter, and Mariya watches the Phantom.

He makes his way down the stairs, to the point of where the two branching stairways meet the center. "Why so Silent, good Monsiers? Did you think that I had left you for good? Have you missed me, good messieurs? I have written you an opera!"

Mariya wrapps her arms around Axel as the Phantom pulls out a bound manuscirpt. He throws it on the floor, and draws his sword. "Don Juan Triumpant!" He shouts, before putting the blade of his sword on his free hand.

He then continues down the stairwell, giving orders, before he stands inbetween Mariya and Christine -Roul has mysteriously disapeared-. Mariya moves away from Axel as the Phantom comes close to her, and takes her chin. "My orders shall be followed." He warns. "You, Mariya my dear, shall be Christine's understudy."

Axel knocks the Phantom's hand away, and stands before Mariya. The Phantom moves back and goes to Christine. "You shall be the lead of course." He says, before ripping something from around her neck. "Your chains are still mine! You belong to me!"

The Phantom then runs back up the stairs, and throws something down. Red smoke appears before he falls threw a hidden trap door. Roul, weilding a sword, jumps after him before the door shuts.

Strangly, Madame Giry tries to sneek off unoticed.

Mario watches this entire scene is silence, tempted to jump in and attack. However, when the Phantom disappears, he notices Madame Giry. Quietly, he tails her.

Madame Giry goes down a passageway, and opens a door, and pulls Roul out from a room of mirrors. Once out, Madame Giry troes to loose him.

"Madame Giry wait."

"Please monsier I know no more than anyone else." Madame Giry says, walking faster, but Roul still pursues her.

"That's not true." Roul objects.

"Please monsier don't ask." Madame Giry says, arriving at her room. "There have been to many accidents."

"Accidents?" Roul scoffs. He then takes her arm. "Please Madame Giry, for all our sakes."

"Yes, tell us," Mario says as he makes his entrance and removes his mask. He is still in his Heartless form.

"Very Well." Madame Giry sighs, and looks around She then leads Roul and Mario into her room. Once everyone was settled, Madame Giry lites a lantern, which lites the room. Some pictures can be seen on the dresser, and seem to be of Madame Giry threw-out her years. "It was years ago, there was a traveling fair in the city. Gypsies. I was very young, studying to be a ballerina, one of many. A man beconed us in to a tent. saying 'Come, come. Come and see the Devil's Child' We followed, and we surrounded a cage that contained a young boy, a flower sack covering his face, with nothing but eye holes."

She pauses, someone in the hallway passing by. Once they were gone she continues. "I felt pity for him, he was covered in dirt. For no reason, the man hit the boy with a rope, and I wanted to cry. The man took off the flower sack, revealing his face, half deformed. I was the only one who did not laugh at him. I was the last to leave the tent, but I wanted so much to stay. I heard groans and went back to see the man dead, a hanging noose around his neck."

She calms herself. "I freed him when they came after him, and took him to this Opera House. I hid him from the world and it's cruelties. He has known nothing else of life since then...except this Opera House. It was his playground, and now his artistic domain. He's a genious. He's an architect and designer. He's a composer and a magician. A genious monsieur."

"But clearly Madame Giry, genious has turned to madness." Roul says.

Mario is silent before he closes his eyes. "Is it madness?" Mario inquires. "To one or many, maybe, but to others, it could be something else. If he's been confined to this opera for most of his life, then maybe it means that he just needs to get out a little. Don't think I'm taking sides, but I've seen many problems during my life that resulted from miscommunications or just from looking at a scenario from one point of view. I'll admit, the Phantom's methods are indeed extreme, but still, there could be a chance to save both everyone and the Phantom himself."

"You make taking him down sound easy." Roul says, laughing a bit.

"Roul, my friends and I are much more than meets the eye," Mario states. "Any one of us could take the Phantom down if we wanted. If things get bad, then we'll take the Phantom out. You can count on us."

"It won't be as easy as you think." Madame Giry says before leaving.

Axel sighs, watching the managers fume. Mariya left for her room, not feeling well and he stuck around incase the Phantom showed his face again.

A few minutes later, Mario reappears before Axel, human once more. "So what'd I miss?"

"The managers fuming over the Phantom's reapearance." Axel says, rubbing his forehead. "Did they honestly think he'd left them for good?"

"Well, if I didn't see him beforehand, maybe," Mario adds as he stretches a little. "So this play, Don Juan, when will it go on?"

"The managers said it will take at least two months to get the sets ready. Rehersals will start next week." Axel says.

Mario sighs. "Great...still no word from Sora. Just how long are we going to be here? How much longer before Sora sends an entire army here to find out what's going on?"

"He should have sent one by now. Which means something is wrong or he's trusting we can handle this." Axel comments.

A week later

Mariya sighs, just finishing rehearsing, and drinks a glass of water, soothing her sore throat. She notices Christine sneek off to the stables, and follows her. She hangs around the corner, watching as Christine gets into the carrage. She gasps, noticing the driver had a half-mask. She runs up the stairs as the carrage takes off. She wakes Roul and tells him what happened. She then watches as he rns down the stairs and rides off bare-back on a horse.

Mario, somehow and for some unknown reason, is in a graveyard not far from the opera house. Why he was here, only he knew. How, same response. However, he had a purpose here nevertheless, and as he stares at the moon, he...well, that actually is all there is to it. He came to watch the moon.

Christine arrives at the cemetary, and makes her way to her fathers grave, singing something.

Mario notices Christine, but says and does nothing to attract attention to himself. Instead, he watches in silence to see what was going on.

Christine sits infront of her fathers gave, looking like she was crying.

Suddenly a voice calls from the moselum. Christine seems mesmerized by the voice, and slowly approaches the moselium. But something seemed familiar about the voice.

"Christine stop!" Roul shouts as the horse stops before the moselium. "Christine, that is not your father."

Just as he says that, the Phantom jumps down and he and Roul begin fighting each other, sword to sword.

Mario watches in silence for a moment before he sighs, waving his hand over the field. "Shadow Magnet!" he yells as a small orb of magnetic energy forms over the two dueling men.

Before the Phantom's sword is taken away, he puts a cut on Roul's arm. Roul quickly throws the Phantom down, and looks about ready to stab him.

"Roul no!" Christine says, taking his arm. "Not like this."

Roul sighs, and shieths his sword. He nods to Mario in thanks before mounting the horse and helping Christine on.

The Phantom stands, and brushes off the snow that had fallen on his cloak. "Now, let it be war apon you both." He says, before disapearing into the graveyard.

"Not if I have anything to say about it," Mario mutters as he descends from his spot, soon making his way back to the opera house.

Back at the Opera House, Roul is sitting on a chair,shirtless, while Mariya whips his cut with a wet rag. Roul seems to be thinking, and winces as Mariya taps a spot.

"Told you it would sting." Mariya said, before picking up the roll of bandages. She then wraps the bangage around Roul's arm and ties it once she circled the arm a few times. "There, all done."

"Thank you Mariya." Roul says before putting back on his shirt. He then leaves to find the managers.

Mariya takes another sip from her glass of water. Axel comes up to her. "You okay?"

"It's just a sore throat...I haven't sung since Ariel taught me when I was a kid." Mariya says, before finshing the glass. "Can you put some ice in it this time?"

Axel nods and takes the glass before walking off.

Mario sighs as he now tails Raoul, seeming to have something on his mind.

When Roul finds the managers he tals to them and has them gather the Opera's cast in the auditorium. They walk off and Roul notices Mario. "Is something bothering you Mario?"

"A bit," Mario states. "If possible, would it be possible to get me into the opera, somehow? I'm sure you can agree with me that something is a bit weird about the Phantom suddenly proposing a play without having some reason. He's going to pull something, and the closer I am to the stage, the faster I can act in case things take a horrible turn. I don't care if the role you give me is incredibly minor, but still, can you get me in?"

"I'll see what I can do, Mario." Roul says, seeming to be thinking. "But if I can't, I may be able to have you be backstage at all times, will that do if I can't get you in?"

Mario nods. "Yes, with understage access if possible. Don't ask, but it might come in handy later."

Roul nods and walks off to the stage where everyone in the Opera House has gathered. Mariya sips her water, sitting next to Axel, who is keeping an eye out for the Phantom.

Once Roul was sure everyone was there, even the managers, he gets everyone's attention. "We have all been blind, yet the answer is right infront our face. This could be our chance, to ensnare our clever friend."

"We're listening." Someone says.

"Go on." Andre orders.

"We shall play his game, perform his work, but remeber we hold the Ace. For if Miss. Daee sings, he is certain to attend."

"We are certain the doors are barred. The Police there."

"Assure they're armed." Roul adds.

"The curtain falls! His rain will end!" The cast rejoices silently.

Mariya however, doesn't seem pleased with this.

Mario, in his own way, also seems a little displeased. While he was all in favor of stopping the Phantom, he didn't want anyone else to die. After a moment, he sighs and rubs his forehead, looking forward to the next two months.

The two months pass by quick, and everyone is a buzz. It was the day before the big debut of Don Juan, and everyone was in a hurry to put together the last mintues things. Riana was with the other ballet women, pracing the dances.

Mariya, however was looking for Roul, wanting to talk with him. Axel followed her, being both her bodyguard and back-on boyfriend....again.

Mario, meanwhile, is carrying a piece of the set to the stage. He wanted to check and see what Raoul had managed to do as far as casting him in since word had been hard to get in the middle of everything. However, that doesn't mean he can't help out a little with small things in the meantime.

Mariya finds Raoul and pulls him into a room, leaving Axel out. "Roul I've been thinking. What if I took Christine's place tomorrow night? The Phantom will never know the difference before it's to late. I can pass as Christine, we have the same voice and i can pull it off."

"No Mariya, it's to dangerous." Raoul says before leaving. Raoul then goes to find Mario.

Mariya sighs, like that would stop her.

Mario sets the stage prop down and sees Raoul. "Hey, Raoul, what's the word?" he asks.

"I'm sorry Mario, but you'll just have to hang around back stage, there aren't any roles open." Raoul says.

Meanwile on the stage, Mariya is watching the ballet being rehearsed. Axel was sitting next to her, looking around incase the Phantom should show up.

Mario nods. "Alright then, that's fine," he states as he goes off to help with more props.

Meanwhile, the Nobody from several months ago continues watching Mariya in secret.

Rouls leaves then, going to check on Christine.

The Phantom is down in his lair, looking over a minature replica of the stage.

"Busy as always, I see." The Nobody appears and leans against a wall on the far side of the lair. "I assume things are going well."

The Phantom simply nods, looking over the replica before standing. He turns to the figure. "Very well." The Phantom says.

"I see...care to explain why you threatened Mario, though?" the Nobody inquires.

"He trespassed on my domain." The Phantom says. "Besides, you nobodies attacked Mariya, and you agreed not to harm her."

"I'm afraid that you fail to understand the workings of a Nobody's mind, Phantom," the Nobody states. "You see, unlike a Heartless that has neither a body nor a mind, a Nobody has both, and like all beings with a mind, it has the ability to think for itself. While I can control other Nobodies, I can't be expected to be in control of all of them. After all, there are the occasional rogue Nobodies that do go their own way. When they defect, they are either taken care of or left to be destroyed by the Keybladers."

The Phantom sighs. "I do not permit trespassers. I meant no harm, I assure you."

"Well, for your sake, he'd better stay out of harm. My own plans should be ready by tomorrow, after your 'play'. Stay out of my way, and all will be fine. Mariya and Christine will be yours, Mario will be mine, and you'll never see or hear from me ever again." With that, the Nobody disappears into a dark portal.

The Phantom smiles. He'll stay un-harmed as long as he does not interfere. He thinks.

After everything begind settling down for the night Mariya takes Axel's hand and goes to find Mario.

Mario is resting in a seat in the theater. Seeing Axel and Mariya, he sits up. "So we're all set?"

Mariya nods, despite she never told either of them about her own plans. "I'm going to get some rest," Mariya says. "it's gonna be one of those days tomorrow."

With that Mariya kisses Axel's cheek and walks off, heading to her and Riana's room. Axel has a wide smile on his face. "If you don't need me backstage tomorrow, I'll sit with Roul." Axel sugests.

"I should be fine backstage," Mario responds. "If anything happens, I should be able to react quickly."

Axel nods. "I'll watch for the Phantom in the audience. If he appears, what should the signal be?"

"Not quite sure what I can do that won't make the Phantom aware of what we're getting ready to do," Mario states. "Not unless I cast Shadow Blizzard to create a snowfall. Sure, it's weird, and sure, the Phantom will probably question it, but still, it would still be the best thing I can do without scaring the Phantom off."

Axel nods. He looks around. "You ever notice this place is creepy when it's not filled with people?" He asks.

"A bit..." Mario states. "That, and a bit concerning. With not so many hearts around, I am finding it easier to sense the heart of this world. However, the trouble is that it feels like I'm right on top of it. And yet, it's not here."

Axel seems to think. "Well we'll worry about that as soon as the Phantom is in jail." He says. "Night."

Axel then leaves, heading to the room Raoul gave him.

Mario nods and sighs before he settles in, soon falling asleep and reverting to his Heartless form.

Come morning Mariya brushes her hair, hurrying. She had woken up a bit late and was rushing so she could be there before the overture. She needed to assure Christine would be safe when she took her place. Once her hair was straight she quickly gets dressed and runs out,putting on a housecoat at the same time, and to the Chappell, knowing Christine will be there.

Axel takes his seat in box five, and awaits Roul.

Raoul is in the Chappell, comforting Christine. Mariya pulls the housecoat close to her. "Raoul Christine needs to get ready." She says.

Raoul nods. "Everything will be fine Christine." He asures her. He then leaves, and goes to six in box five.

Mariya fixes Christine's hair. She then informs Christine of her plan. "Mariya I couldn't." Christine says. "I'd feel horrible if something happened."

Mariya mearly smiles, and walks out, taking Christine to her room and knocking her out. She locks the door then, and takes off her housecoat and puts a rose in her hair before making sure that even up close, Mario should think she was Christine.



She takes her place backstage, picking up the basket of roses as the play begins.

Mario, now backstage and helping organize things, sees Mariya and goes over. "Ah, Christine, there you..." he trails off, as if noticing something, but after a moment, he continues. "As I was saying, you need to get into position! The opera's about to begin!"

Mariya just smiles. And in the best immatation of Christine's regular voice she can immatate she says. "I had some trouble with my costume." She says before waiting. She then hears Piangi laugh. "my cue." she whispers before going out.

"No thoughts within her head but thoughts of joy, no dreams within her hearts but dreams of love." Mariya sings. The loevly sound echoes threw the audience.

A figure enters, but something seems different about him. He's covering the lower part of his face, and is wearing a black eye mask, just as Pianji had been.

Mario notices the strange figure, and after a quick moment, he recognizes the heart signature. The Phantom! Without hesitation, Mario quietly and secretly points at the ceiling over the stage. "Shadow Blizzard," he says. A small crystal of Shadow Blizzard magic flies toward the spot, shattering on contact and slowly floating down to the ground below. The signal had been made.

Axel alerts Raoul, who alerts the Policeman who was behind the curtain.

The cast ignores the sudden 'snow'. "Master?" Someone asks.

"Passarino - go away! For the trap is set and waits for its prey ...You have come here in pursuit of your deepest urge, in pursuit of that wish, which till now has been silent, silent ..." The Phantom puts a finger over his mouth as Mariya recognises him.

The Phantom continues to sing, and soon Mariya joins in, going up the stairs of the set. Once at the 'balcony', the Phantom spins Mariya so her back is against his chest. They continue to sing.

"Say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime...lead me save me from my solitude. Say you want me with you here beside you." The Phantom turns Mariya so she's looking at him. "Anywhere you go let me go to. Chrsitine...that's all I ask of..."

Just then Mariya takes off the Phantom's mask, revealing his deformed face. Mariya's face turns to pity as everyone in the audience screams. The Phantom now notices the Police in the wings, and looks around. Suddenly he cuts a rope, and brings Mariya close to him. He then kkicks something, and the floor beneith him and Mariya fall and sends them falling into the circle below. They disaspear below the stage.

Just then, more screams are heard as the chandeleir crashes down and catches the seats on fire.

Mario rushes in as the Phantom runs, but when he sees the chandeleir coming down, he instead runs toward it, jumping out as if to catch it. The chandeleir comes right down on top of him, and for a moment, he is unable to be seen in the middle of the fire. However, a sudden flash of cold air goes off before the fire is replaced with strange dark ice crystals, the entire chandeleir surrounded and incased in them. Some crystals shift before Mario, in his Heartless form emerges. "Okay...that hurt..." he mutters before he rushes toward the stage, jumping up and into the circle in the stage to reach the area underneath.

Somewhere down below, the Phantom can be heard. "Down once more to the dungeon of my black despair! Down we plunge to the prison of my mind! Down that path into darkness deep as hell! Why, you ask, was I bound and chained in this cold and dismal place? Not for any mortal sin, but the wickedness of my abhorrent face! Met with hatred everywhere! No kind word from anyone! No compassion anywhere...wait....you are not Christine...."

"No." Mariya says before removing the disquise. "It's Mariya. Please....leave Christine alone...take me instead.."

"As you wish." The Phantom says, before pulling her down some stairs.

Meanwhile, Axel and Raoul assure that everyone gets out safely. Christine appears to Raoul. "Raoul what happened?" She asks.

"Christine....?" Raoul asks, confused. "She didn't..." He whispers before telling Axel of Mariya's plan.

Axel gasps and runs to the stage, jumping down into the circle. When he catches up to Mario he says. "Mariya took Christine's place." He says.

"I know," Mario states as he looks down the passage from earlier before he takes off. As he rushes down the passage, he can feel the heart of the world getting closer and closer as is the Phantom.

Suddenly the floor beneith Axel and Mario falls. Axel grabs onto the edge, and tries to pull himself up. He is unsuccessful, however.

Meanwhile Mariya comes out from behind a wall in the Phantoms lair, wearing a wedding dress. She takes a deep breath. Forgive me Axel She thinks. The Phantom is waiting, and smiles at Mariya.

He takes a veil and puts it on Mariya's head, and takes her hand. "Face your fate, my dear Mariya."

Mario, grabs the edge as well, and before Axel can fall, Mario grabs his hand. "Don't worry, I got you!" he says before he suddenly pulls Axel into a shadow puddle which once again travels along the walls and across the pit. Once on the other side, Mario pulls Axel out of the puddle and keeps running on after making sure Axel was okay.

Mariya steps away, taking off the veil. She walks to the coverd mirrors and pulls them off. "It is only in your soul that your distortion lies." She says.

There is a silence before the Phantom turns to the gate which locks them inside the lair. He smiles. "Well it seems we have a guest."

On the other side is Axel, panting. He had just arrived. "Let her go!" He shouts, looking angry.

"Why should I? She offered herself in Christine's place." The phantom say.

"Mariya....you didn't..." Axel whispers. She looks away.

"Not so fast, Phantom," Mario states as he rushes in with his Shadow Blade drawn. "This party isn't over until the bride says 'I do'. In other words, you'd better let Mariya go or else you'll have us to deal with!"

The Phantom ignores them and goes to Mariya. "Come, my dear." He says, holding out his hand, a diamond ring in his palm.

Mariya goes up to the Phantom, a sad look on her face. "Pitiful creature of Darkness, what kind of life have you known? You are not alone." She says, before kissing him.

Axel is stunned by this, until he is surprised when the gates rise, allowing him in. The Phantom had pulled away, and had pulled a lever. He takes a candle stick and goes to one of the mirrors. "Go, take her, forget me..." He says, turning away. He smashes one of the mirrors, to reveal a hidden passage. "Never tell of all you know of the Angel in Hell."

He then disapears into the passageway. "Mariya...why did you do that?" Axel asks.

"It was the only way..." Mariya murmurs. "Mario...it's close isn't it? The Keyhole?"

Mario is silent before nodding, reverting to his human form. "Yeah..." he says as he looks around. Then at that moment, a spot on the rock wall over the organ glimmers before becoming a lighted Keyhole. Mario looks at it before he points his Shadow Blade at it, a ray of dark light firing out and into the Keyhole. The Keyhole lights up, clicks, and dissolves into light.

Meanwhile, in the escape tunnel, the Nobody suddenly appears. "Hello, Phantom. Can we talk?"

Even with the Keyhole locked, Mariya seems troubled. She picks up the skirt of her dress and looks around. She stops when she picks something up. It's the Phantom's half-mask. She then looks up as she hears something play. She follows it and finds a strange musical box. She turns back, still holding the mask, and steps back as it shins and floats in the air Etarnity appears in her hand and she points it to the mask. A beam of light shoots at it, and all of the lair brightens, as does all of the Opera House, When the light fades, Mariya faints, and the mask is in her hand.

"Mariya!" Axel shouts, running over. He picks her up and inspects her. On the outside, she looked fine, but to a heartless....her heart felt significantly weaker.

Before the Phantom can say anything, he completely disapears, without a trace.

Mario jumps in shock. "Axel, her heart just weakened! We need to get her back upstairs!" he cries out in shock.

"..." the Nobody stands there before sighing. "Very well then..." He then pulls out his second Twilight Blade and disappears into a dark portal.

Axel picks her up, and carries her back upstairs, finding the trapdoor raised. She never lets go of the mask, it staying in her grip. Axel stops as he comes to the surface, finding the stage ablaze. He lets go of Mariya with one arm supporting her. "Blizard!" Axel shouts over and over again, clearing a path for them. He hurries out of the Opera House then, where the others are standing, watching it burn.

"We're ruined Andre..." Firmin murmurs.

Axel set Mariya on the ground, and tried to get the mask from her hand, but it wouldn't budge.

"Leave it." Mariya mumbles, stirring. She looks pailer, but seems otherwise okay if Mario ignored her heart.

Mario sighs as he looks Mariya over, turning his attention back to the Opera house. "A pity..."

Mariya nods, and slowly stands up. Axel helps her up after she falls the first time, and holds her against him. "I've got you Mariya." He says.

"Mariya?" Christine asks, coming over with Raoul. "Where's the Phantom?"

"As far as I know....somewhere deep underneith the Opera house, escaping where no one will see him leave." Mariya says, looking at the mask. "I don't think he'll ever bother you again."

Christine looks relieved.

Axel nodded at Mariya's request and looked back at the opera house" I have one question though, why did the whole place light up when Mariya locked the mask?"

"Well, like my dark doorways, it must be Mariya's way of forming pathways to new worlds...Something bothers me, though..." Mario states. "But what?"

"Perhaps I can help."

Suddenly, the cloaked figure appears behind Mario and Axel, grabbing them both.

"What the-?" Mario yells out as he is suddenly yanked backwards, a bright light suddenly enveloping his vision. He suddenly falls to the ground, the light fading, and when he sits up to rub his head, he finds that the Nobody is gone and that the world is now in black and white. "What the...?"

Mariya is also transported and looks around. "A cemetary?" She asks, looking around.

Mariya pauses, hearing a car pull up. "Hide!" She says, before pulling Axel and Mario behind a large headstone. She then pokes her head out as an old man is wheeled up to a headstone.

Mario gacks before he peeks out to see the man. "...Raoul..." he mutters, recognizing the heart signature, if not weaker from age.

Mariya is silent ans Raoul stands and places the same music box Mariya had seen on the base. He then turns to look at a rose, lying there. He seems shocked by it and looks around, as if searching for someone.

When he see's no one, he gets back in his wheelchair and the nurse takes him away. Once gone Mariya goes up to the headstone. She looks about to cry. "Christine..." She whispers.

The headstone reads:

Christine
~1854 -1917~

Countess De Chagny
Beloved Wife and Mother

Mariya then lokos at the rose and see's the ring tied to it with a black ribbon. "Phantom..." She whispers.

Mario approaches as well, saddened by the sight. "...So...is this...the future?"

In another part of the cemetary, the Nobody leans against a tall headstone before sighing. "After all this time, you still love her."

Axel looks at the rose "love knows no bounderies,not even time or distance can hold it back" He puts his arm around Mariya's shoulder " I kinda feel sorry for the Phantom. Even though she's lost to him he still watches over her"

"Far in the future if we are..." Mariya mumbles. She turns to Axel and wraps her arms around him. She shivers then, the wind blowing. "Can we go home? I don't feel so good." She says.

The Phantom appears, wearing a cloak, the hood up, hiding his face. "Of course I do." He says, his voice raspy. "So are you here to punish me for going against my word?"

The Nobody chuckles. "I'm not heartless, Phantom. However, as the deal is broken, I no longer see why I shouldn't continue to keep my end." He now turns. "This is perhaps the last time we will meet, Phantom. Perhaps the last time you will meet anyone in your desolate life...well, except Christine..." He then begins to walk away. "Oh, and also, you look better without the mask. Trust me, I've seen a lot worse."

The Phantom laughs. "The infection has spread since you last saw it.I don't care what you do. My time is coming, I can feel it, and after all, I don't deserve heaven...." He trails off. He turns. "Now I leave to await hell."

With that The Phantom leaves, disapearing into the graveyard.

And indeed, Mariya looks horrible once more. She looks as if she's barely staying awake, and all her color has drained from her skin. She leans on Axel, making sure the mask stays safe in her grasp.

The Nobody is silent before he disappears among the gravestones.

Mario sighs. "Crap...so what now? We're somewhere in the far future and with no way back."

A laugh is heard. "Always so quick to reach conclusions." The Nobody suddenly appears behind the group again, grabbing Mario and Axel like before and pulling them backwards.

Mario gasps as another flash of light envelops his vision, and when he can see again, he realizes that he is inside the present-day Opera house, still charred and most of the flames out.

The Nobody remains for a moment, however, before he turns to leave.

Mariya closes her eyes. "Couldn't you have just taken us home?" She asks. "Sick princess here..."

The Nobody pauses and glances back at her. "Sorry, but secret shortcuts don't work like that," he mutters.

"Shortcuts?" Mario now inquires, turning toward the Nobody and ready to attack if he tries anything.

"You mean you haven't figured it out yet?" the Nobody asks. "This world is not one world but two, both existing in the same space and alike in every way, but existing in different times. This has caused an instability, and while it is in no way threatening to this world, it has created shortcuts, or passages through time, on this world. However, these passages only lead through time, not space. In other words, the time travel can only be done from the present world to the future of the same world. That is why you are not home."

"Why were you killing those people?" Mariya asks.

"I never killed," the Nobody says. "In fact, I saved many of those people."

"I...don't understand..." Mario states.

The Nobody faces them. "The Phantom was someone who would not tolerate anyone getting in his way. You'll be surprised who would come very close to discovering his hideaway in the past several months. The Phantom would have killed them, and that would have been the end of them. However, because I turned them into Nobodies and Heartless, they have a chance to be restored. I'm sure you understand how."

Mariya seems to think. "I see..." She says. "Well, Mario....I think we're done here. Check if we can get out of here."

"Well, I'll need to-" Mario starts, but he stops when he notices a flash of light out of the corner of his eye. The chandeleir, although shattered and a bit charred, is shining. Mario stares at it for a moment, as if trying to assess it, before he summons his Shadow Blade, pointing it away from him and at the ground as dark light forms around the tip. Suddenly, a symbol appears on the ground beneath Mario that seems to be half a symbol of light and half a symbol of Heartless. Dark light starts to rise out of the symbol, blocking out everything and suddenly disappearing to reveal a strange twilight area. Behind Mario, a pair of doors appear in a burst of shadows. Mario smiles as he now turns toward the doors and points his Shadow Blade at the chandeleir. With a flash of light, a beam of light shoots from the chandeleir and hits the dark light on the tip of Mario's Shadow Blade. The two lights swirl together to create a strange light of both bright and dark characteristics. The shadow doors open, and deep within the dark void beyond, a small light can be seen, a keyhole. Mario smiles once again before jumping back a little, spinning his Shadow Blade around before pointing his Shadow Blade toward the keyhole. The light around the tip condenses into a single point, and a beam shoots out into the keyhole. The light spreads as an unlocking sound is heard, and soon everything is blocked out once more. Suddenly, the light disappears as the doors suddenly slam closed, the light sealed within. The doors disappear, and everything is as it was before.

Mario blinks. "Well, on to opening the other door." He then swipes his Shadow Blade, and a pair of gray doors appear, still covered in the strange Nobody tentrils. He sighs. "No...still locked..."

"Pardon me," the Nobody suddenly says as he walks past Mario, his Twilight Blade drawn. He points it at the doors, the tentrils suddenly dissolving away, and the doors, although still gray, open. The Nobody then steps through and disappears inside.

Mario blinks once, then twice, then speaks. "Okay, what the heck just happened?"

"The weird Nobody guy just helped us...." Mariya says, before going threw the doors, the dress she wore fading into her regular clothes.

{Mariya to Hallow Bastion}

Mario blinks before he steps through as well.

{Mario to Hollow Bastion}

Axel stops for a minute then runs through noticing that the doors were closing

{Axel to Hollow Bastion}