Two years after his disappearance, a strange contractor was hired to build an add-on to the castle. A new Opera House. The Koopas had been warned that they would regret ever becoming tyrants by the contractor who spread whispers and rumors of a ghost that would haunt this new wing of the castle.
Not long after the widow of Racku Kasara-Chiri was captured in order to force her to become the Opera Diva. This idea was rejected when the Soprano Diva and daughter of Bowser, Wendy Koopa, threw a tantrum and Peach was put into the choir.
Kamek cracked the door to the Opera house and was half frightened as an angry pale face with fire trailing from it floated toward him. He backed away and closed his eyes only momentarily. When he opened them, it was gone. It was the Opera Ghost that had been haunting since Queen Peach had arrived.
Briefly the old Magi-Koopa recalled his own escapade of the sorts and how he had met Celeste. He sighed having recalled how all the Magi-Koopa had had their pay docked and that being the reason for his fury.
“I would appreciate that you tell your Master, the Pathetic King of Koopas, a message from I, the Opera Ghost... If he wishes to remain master of the realm... He would do best to reserve a private box for me... Box Five... As well as paying me a salary of 200,000 Golden Koopa Coins a month.” The voice echoed in the room.
“That’s outrageous! He’ll have to dock the Goombas and Paratroopas! You can’t demand that!” Kamek cried.
“I may demand whatever I wish! Go now, Kamek!”
Kamek was stunned at the ghost’s knowledge of his name. “How do you know my name?”
“I know many things! Now leave! Depart before I become angry!”
Kamek opened the large wooden doors and walked out, allowing them to shut behind him. Hardly recognizing where he was going, he sped to the throne room and told King Koopa of the outrageous demand. There was a heated dispute and Bowser agreed to let this ‘Opera Ghost’ occupy Box Five for the night’s performance.
At that moment Ludwig dragged in a crying Wendy. Wendy opened her mouth as if to speak but nothing came out. “King Dad, sir... The Diva has lost her voice...” Ludwig informed him.
“Is everything to go wrong for me today?!” Bowser bellowed, then he put a clawed hand under his daughter’s chin. “You must rest... Your strong and powerful Koopa voice shall rise again to fill the hearts of a full house...” he looked at Ludwig, “Peach shall take Wendy’s place.”
***
“ (Italics) Think of me... Think of me fondly when we’ve said goodbye... Remember me, once in a while... Please promise me you’ll try... When you find that once again you long to take your heart back and be free... If you find a moment, spare a thought for me... (end italics)” Peach suddenly feels a burst of confidence surround her and her voice takes on an unearthly quality, as if she were an angel straight from heaven. “ (Italics) We never said our love was evergreen, or as unchanging as the sea, but if you can still remember, stop and think of me... Think of all the things we’ve shared and seen, don’t think about the things which might have been... Think of me, think of me waking silent and resigned... Imagine me trying to hard to put you from my mind... Recall those days, look back on all those times... Think of the things we’ll never do... There will never be a day when I won’t think of you! We never said our love was evergreen or as unchanging as the sea... But please promise me sometimes you will think of me! (end italics)”
As the cheering began, from box five a voice echoed. “Bravi, Bravi, Bravisimo...”
***
“ (Italics) Where in the world have you been hiding?! Really you were perfect! I only wish I knew your secret... Who is this new tutor (end Italics)?” Susan demanded of Peach. Susan was one of the ballet girls and she had befriended the widowed queen. Not long ago Susan had been told by the queen that the she was under new instruction.
“ (Italics) Racku once spoke of an angel... I use to dream he’d appear... Now as I sing I can sense him... And I know he’s here! Here in this room he calls me softly! Somewhere inside hiding! Somehow I know he’s always with me, he the unseen genious! (end Italics)” Peach responded.
“ (Italics) Peach, you must have been dreaming... Stories like this can’t come true... Peach, you’re talking in riddles... And it’s not like you... (end Italics)”
“ (Italics) Angel of Music, guide and guardian! Prove to me your glory! Angel of Music hide no longer! Secret and strange Angel! (end Italics)” they sang together.
“ (Italics) He’s with me even now... (End Italics)” Peach’s face went pale.
“ (Italics)Your hands are cold... (End Italics)”
“ (Italics) All Around... (End Italics)”
“ (Italics) Your face, Peach, It’s white! (End Italics)”
“ (Italics) It frightens me... (End Italics)”
“ (Italics) Don’t be frightened! (End Italics)” Susan hugged Peach to comfort her.
“Leave me... I need rest... I won’t be down for dinner...” Peach said.
“Alright...” Susan left quickly.
“ (Italics) Childish girl, the young ballet star, she questions when she mustn’t... What an ignorant fool, that little child, trying to steal our secrets... (End Italics)” the voice rang out.
“ (Italics) Angel I hear you, speak I listen... Stay by my side... Guide me... Angel my soul was weak, forgive me... Enter at last, Master... (End Italics)”
“ (Italics) Flattering child, you shall know me... See why in shadow I hide... Look at your face in the mirror... I am there inside! (End Italics)”
“ (Italics) Angel of Music, guide and guardian! Prove to me your glory! Angel of Music hide no longer! Come to me, strange Angel! (end Italics)”
“ (Italics) I am your Angel of Music... Come to the Angel of Music... I am your Angel of Music... Come to the Angel of Music (End Italics)”
Under the spell of the phantom, Peach began walking toward the mirror, and then she was gone by someway and the room was empty. The mirror reflected nothing.
***
Peach came back to her senses on a boat in the lake in one of the many cellars and dungeons of the castle. “ (Italics) In sleep he sang to me... In dreams he came... That voice which calls to me... And speaks my name... And do I dream again? For now I find... The Phantom of the Opera is there inside my mind! (End Italics)”
“ (Italics) Sing once again with me, our strange duet... My power over you... Grows stronger yet... And though you turn from me... To glance behind.... The Phantom of the Opera is there inside your mind... (End Italics)”
“ (Italics) We’ve never seen your face... Yet it brings fear ... Take off that mask you wear! (End Italics)”
“ (Italics) You’ll only hear... (End Italics)”
“ (Italics) Your spirit and my voice... in one combined the Phantom of the Opera is there... Inside my mind... (End Italics)” She sang.
“ (Italics) My spirit and your voice... in one combined the Phantom of the Opera is there... Inside your mind... (End Italics)” the phantom sang simultaneously. The he began a new line. “ (Italics) In all your fantasy... You always knew... That man and mystery... (End Italics)”
“ (Italics) Were both in you... (End Italics)” Then, yet again they were singing simultaneously. “ (Italics) And in this labyrinth... Where night is blind... The Phantom of the Opera is there... Inside my mind... (End Italics)”
“ (Italics) And in this labyrinth... Where night is blind... The Phantom of the Opera is there... Inside your mind... (End Italics)” Even as he sang, the phantom continued to row the boat. “ (Italics) Sing... My Angel of Music... (End Italics)”
“ (Italics) He’s there! The Phantom of the Opera! Beware the Phantom of the Opera! (End Italics)” And her voice began to rise in strange vocal ah’s. After the final note, she fainted again, for as they had arrived at the shore, the Phantom had touched her, as if to pick her up and take her in his arms and in that way had put some sort of strange sleep spell upon her.
***
She awoke in a strangely well lit room. It was all such a shock as she saw the masked face leaning over her. The pale strange face she knew was fake glimmered and shined from the light.
“You are awake... Good...” He helped her up.
“ (Italics) I remember there was mist... Swirling mist upon a vast glassy lake... There were candles all around... And on the lake there was a boat... And in the boat there was a man... Who was that shape in the shadows? Whose is the face in the mask? (End Italics)” she reached her hand out and pulled off the mask and was surprised.
“Yes... It is I...” he leaned closer and their lips met in a sweet kiss. He pulled away from her. “Don’t be frightened... I am not the apparition I make myself out to be...” He grabbed her hand and ran it over his face.
“Racku... It was you all along? You are the Angel of Music?”
“Yes... I am the one who has been secretly helping you... If you sing well enough... I may soon be able to escape this dark dungeon while he is distracted by your sweet voice... Then once again things will be as they once were... I am dead to the world until I return from the walls of this prison... You mustn’t tell anyone... Not even your friend Susan... Please... Try to act as if you are frightened by this nonsense of a phantom... It will throw them away from the thought of anything being my fault...”
“I... I didn’t even know you could sing... Let alone with such heavenly brilliance...”
“Singing... How I use to loathe to sing...” He trembled with anger, recalling days long gone. “ I was given lessons for the amusement of my step-mother... As I progressed, my instructors were marveled... Before they had come along, I was known to charm with my voice... Odera was terribly jealous for I would only sing for my friend, the Princess Annabelle... She hired the finest of teachers and tutors... Entered me in many contests... Yet still I was not as good as I was when I sang for Annabelle... Whenever my wicked Stepmother heard me sing for Annabelle... She left feeling like she’d heard an angel upon earth...”
“You are an angel on earth...”
“It was one of the many things that made her hate me so... Now I sing only for you...”
“And I for you...”
“One day I shall reveal myself... One day soon... You must go now... Bowser will be missing you..”