Dimentio silently walks down the cold, dark tunnels, his yellow eye glowing in the darkness. He is heading to the secret door in the managers' office, for it is time for Mario and Luigi to give him their answer. Are they going to give in to his demands or are they going to continue to be difficult? A twisted smile appears on Dimentio's face.

This…this should be interesting to see what they do.

Soon, Dimentio arrives at the end of the passageway, and he slowly opens the hidden door. The managers' office is completely dark, suggesting that the brothers have already left for the night.

A bit early to leave the opera, isn't it?

Dimentio smiles at that thought.

He then slowly steps out and approaches the desk. Lighting a candle, he sees that there is a lone envelope on the desk. He picks it up and starts to read it. He chuckles softly and smiles.

And so, like peasants in a kingdom, they have finally come to respect their ruler.

His smile grows even more as he sees that Timpani is going to play the lead female role, and that Blumiere no longer had his own private box.

Perfect…

Putting the letter in his pocket, he takes out a slip of a paper with a red pen and writes on it. Once done, he places the note were the original letter was.

Dimentio then quietly leaves the room and goes back to his lair. Many thoughts, joyful thoughts, go through his mind. To him, everything is going just as he wants it to.

For once in his life.

Dimentio slowly made his way to his guest bedroom, were Timpani is resting. He is about to knock on the door, to tell her that she will play a role in his opera, when he stops himself.

Coming from the other side of the door, he hears it. Sobbing, crying. Dimentio stands where he is, listening to it.

"…Timpani?"

Even though he says it ever so softly, the crying immediately stops. Quickly, Dimentio hears Timpani get up and rush to the door. She opens it, her eyes red from crying but trying so hard to hide it.

"Y-yes Dimentio?" Timpani asks, her voice cracking.

Dimentio studies her expression.

"…Are you alright, my dear?"

There is true concern in his voice, and Timpani can't make herself look at him. She walks pass Dimentio, looking out into the distance and hides her tears. Dimentio watches her, confusion and worry in his eyes. Slowly, Dimentio approaches her and puts his arms around her.

"…I know that you feel like I'm being overly controlling," he whispers in her ear. "But…I promise you that I can make you happy. I will grant you your freedom back, once all is in place. For a new era of the opera is about to take form."

He makes Timpani face him, looking into her beautiful sky blue eyes.

"Come. Don Juan Triumphant will be preformed tomorrow night. And you, my dear, will be playing the lead."

Moving her hair out of her face, Dimentio takes Timpani's hand and leads her down to the row boat. Timpani follows him without protest, her eyes never leaving him.

After saying goodnight to Dimentio, Timpani steps out of her mirror and into her dressing room. She closes the secret passageway behind her, putting her head against the mirror, sighing heavily. She looks back at her reflection, staring deeply into her own eyes. But it is not her reflection she sees, for all she can see is Dimentio's face. Timpani closes her eyes as a silent tear ran down her cheek.

Suddenly, there is a soft knock on the door. Timpani quickly turns around to see Blumiere opening the door. Timpani's eyes widen, and she is about to speak when Blumiere interrupts her.

"It's okay, Timpani," Blumiere says. "I don't think Dimentio will be overhearing us if he just now brought you back. Besides, I won't stay too long."

He walks closer to her, a worried look in his eyes.

"I just wanted to see if you were alright."

Timpani avoids eyes contact.

"I am. Dimentio won't hurt me, at least not intently. I know that for a fact."

She looks up at Blumiere.

"…How did you know he brought me back? Why are you still here at the opera house so late…?"

Blumiere is silent for a long moment. He walks to the other side of the room, his eyes completely emotionless. Timpani watches him, desperately waiting for an answer. Blumiere sighs heavily.

"…I hope you know that Mario and Luigi are not really giving into his demands. That we are not letting him win."

Timpani blinks. "…Blumiere, I don't understand…"

"Timpani, this needs to end." Blumiere looks into her in the eyes. "This insanity cannot go on any longer! Things have gone too far. Dimentio…needs to be dealt with. And with you singing in the new opera will bring him out long enough to capture him."

"No, Blumiere!" Timpani suddenly cries. "Do you know what will happen if they take him away? They will not be merciful on him! They will be cruel, torture…they will break him…"

Tears start to form in Timpani's eyes again, as she sits down in a nearby chair trying to get the tears to stop. Blumiere watches her.

"…You sound just like Merlee. Too sympathetic to see the truth."

Timpani freezes and looks up at Blumiere.

"'Like Merlee?' What do you mean by that?"

With a heavy sigh, Blumiere tells Timpani Merlee's story and about Mr. L's plan to bring out Dimentio, though leaving out the part that Mr. L plans on actually killing him. Blumiere's voice gets more and more nonchalant, like the story of human torture has no effect on him. And, if it does, he keeps it hidden. Timpani develops more tears, but she says nothing as her expression is filled with horror, grief, and sympathy.

"…Timpani, this may be the only way," Blumiere says as he finishes. "You, like Merlee, can't keep him hidden forever. He needs to be known, his face needs to be shown to all. He needs to be freed."

Timpani clutches her fists.

"Blumiere…you are asking too much of me. I…I'm not like that. I cannot…you can't ask me…"

Her words get lost in her throat.

There is a long silence, Blumiere studying at Timpani. Slowly, he approaches her, getting down to her eye level.

"Timpani, look at me."

He forces her to look at him in the eye, but she keeps looking away.

"Timpani, you cannot do this forever. You know deep in your heart that this is the right thing to do."

He wipes a tear from her cheek.

"Timpani, answer me this one question. Answer with full honesty not only to me…but to yourself."

Their eyes meet.

"Do you love Dimentio?"

Timpani's eyes widen in response to the question.

She quickly gets up from her chair, her back to Blumiere. She stays silent, a million things going through her mind. She slowly looks at her mirror, her reflection.

"The Phantom has caused so much terror," Timpani says softly. "Because of him the opera has suffered. He has killed without a second thought; he has done so much evil. He has torn us apart, Blumiere, my love. Brought me to my knees, bringing me into madness as I try so desperately to keep everything from falling apart."

She slowly moves towards her dresser, and picks up the rose that Dimentio had left for her from her big performance. She stares at it intensely.

"…And yet, how can I hate him completely? How can I betray the man who used to inspire my voice? My Angel of Music, who I admired so much, who was always there for me when I needed him. The man that has suffered through so much. Lost in the dark longing to find the light…"

Timpani looks at Blumiere in the eyes.

"Blumiere…I no longer know what is right anymore!"

She starts to sob again, putting the now dying rose to her face. Blumiere slowly comes to Timpani's side and embraces her in his arms, like he did on the roof.

"Timpani…"

He tightens his grip on her.

"I can't say that this will be a happy ending, but we must do what is needing to be done. Dimentio… I admit, I have gained some sympathy for the man, for no one deserves to live the life he has. But, what he has done cannot go unpunished. Timpani, my love, I promise that I'll free the three of us from this nightmare. In the premiere of Don Juan Triumphant."