In Gaz's room, Madame Bitters smiled at her.
Madame Bitters: "You did a great job, Gaz."
She handed Gaz a rose with a black ribbon on it.
Madame Bitters: "He is impressed."
Gaz stared at the rose, then at Madame Bitters. Madame Bitters left the room. Gaz stroked the ribbon on the rose, knowing who it was from.
Dib grabbed a small bouquet of black dahlia flowers and made his way to Gaz's room. He entered the room to see Gaz staring at a rose.
Dib: "I have to say, Gaz, your performance was amazing. I didn't know you could- no- would sing like that."
Gaz: "Dib."
Dib: "What? You think after 14 years I wouldn't recognize you?"
Gaz: "You didn't at the rehearsal."
Dib: "I didn't see you."
Gaz: "You walked right past me."
Dib paused, then handed her the bouquet. Gaz had to admit, she was happy to see her brother. And he'd aged well, too. She almost didn't recognize him herself.
Gaz: "Remember dad? What he told me before he died?"
Dib: "About the angel?"
Gaz: "The angel of music, yes."
Dib: "You sounded more like an angel tonight."
Gaz: "Dad said that when he's in heaven, he'd send the angel to me. He's visited me, Dib. The angel of music."
Dib: "Oh, no doubt. Look, we haven't seen each other in years. What do you say we go get some dinner and do some catching up?"
Gaz: "No. I can't. The angel of music is very strict."
Dib stood up and straightened his trench coat.
Dib: "Well, the angel's gonna have to be more flexible. Meet me at my carriage, 2 minutes."
Gaz: "No, Dib! Wait!"
Dib closed the door and left Gaz alone in her room. The key in the door was turned and locked by a gloved hand. All the candles blew out in an ominous fashion. Gaz was about to run to the door before...
?:
"Insolent boy!"
"This slave of fashion"
"basking in your glory!"
"Ignorant fool!"
"This brave young suitor,"
"sharing in my triumph!"
Gaz looked around, trying to find where the voice was coming from.
Gaz:
"Angel, I hear you"
"Speak- I listen..."
"stay by my side,"
"guide me"
"Angel, my soul was weak -"
"forgive me..."
"enter at last, Master"
?:
"Flattering child,"
"you shall know me,"
"see why in shadow I hide..."
"Look at your face"
"in the mirror -"
"I am there Inside!"
Sure enough, when Gaz looked in the mirror, a figure came into view. A man with a black suit and cape, wearing a white mask covering the right side of his face, and particular greenish skin.
Gaz:
"Angel of Music!"
"Guide and guardian!"
"Grant to me your glory!"
"Angel of Music!"
"Hide no longer!"
"Come to me, strange angel..."
Mist formed around the mirror as Gaz walked toward it. The Phantom beckoned her slowly, his blue eyes shimmering. He sang in almost a hypnotizing way.
Zim:
"I am your Angel of Music..."
"Come to me, Angel of Music..."
Dib walked up to the door and was surprised to find it locked. Then he heard Zim's voice.
Dib: "That voice... Who is that in there?"
Zim:
"I am your Angel of Music..."
"Come to me, Angel of Music..."
Dib: "Gaz! Gaz!"
Gaz didn't even acknowledge the fact that she seemed to have walked through the mirror. She grabbed Zim's hand and she found herself being taken down a hallway full of candles.
Gaz:
"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"
Zim took Gaz down a staircase and down another hallway where a white horse stood.
Zim:
"Sing once again with me"
"Our strange duet"
"My power over you"
"Grows stronger yet"
He lifted Gaz onto the horse and had her ride it near a lake.
Zim:
"And though you turn from me"
"To glance behind"
"The Phantom of the Opera is there"
"Inside your mind"
On the lake was a boat, and Gaz climbed in. Zim stood, grabbed an oar, and rowed them down the corridor.
Gaz:
"Those who have seen your face"
"Draw back in fear"
"I am the mask you wear"
Zim:
"It's me they hear"
Zim & Gaz:
"My/your spirit and your/my voice"
"In one combined"
"The Phantom of the Opera is there"
"Inside your/my mind"
They came upon a cave, where a gate was being risen.
Zim: "Sing for me..."
Gaz:
"He's there"
"The Phantom of the Opera"
(Vocalizing)
Zim: "Sing my angel of music"
Behind the gate, a black curtain rose, and a lair was seen.
Gaz: (Vocalizing higher)
Zim: "Sing my angel..."
Candles emerged from the water.
Gaz: (Vocalizing)
Zim: "Sing for me!"
The lair seemed almost...homey. Was this where he lived?
Gaz: (Vocalizing higher)
Zim: "Sing..."
Gaz looked upon the strange, yet beautiful area.
Gaz: (Vocalizing)
Zim: "Sing my angel!"
Gaz: (Vocalizing)
Zim: "SING FOR ME!"
Gaz: (Sings high note)
Zim parked the boat and stepped out. Gaz just sat there, dumbfounded. Zim set the oar aside and flew off his cape.
Zim:
"I have brought you"
"to the seat of sweet music's"
"throne,"
"To this kingdom where"
"all must pay homage to music,"
"music..."
"You have come here"
"for one purpose"
"and one alone,"
"Since the moment"
"I first heard you sing,"
"I have needed you to serve me,"
"To sing for my music,"
"My music..."
Zim's tone and expression softened. Gaz simply stared. Could this really be her angel of music? Was this really her father's spirit?
Zim:
"Nighttime sharpens, heightens each sensation."
"Darkness stirs and wakes imagination."
"Silently the senses abandon their defenses..."
He offered his hand. Gaz hesitantly grabbed it and Zim escorted her out of the boat. He slowly toured her through the lair.
Zim:
"Slowly, gently, night unfurls its splendor."
"Grasp it, sense it tremulous and tender."
"Turn your face away from the garish light of day,"
"Turn your face away from cold, unfeeling light -"
"and listen to the music of the night..."
Zim released her hand and walked towards the organ, acting dramatic. Gaz found him strange, but also, in a twisted way, charming.
Zim:
"Close your eyes and surrender to your darkest dreams!"
"Leave all thoughts of the world you knew before!"
"Close your eyes, let your spirit start to soar!"
Gaz opened her eyes. Now he was looking at her, in a slightly possessive way.
Zim:
"And you'll live as you've never lived before."
"Softly, deftly, music shall caress you."
"Hear it, feel it, secretly possess you."
"Open up your mind, let your fantasies unwind,"
"in this darkness which you know you cannot fight"
"the darkness of the music of the night."
Zim gestured to a shrine. Gaz looked at it and blinked. It was a model of the stage, with a little doll of her on it. It was the entire setup of the performance that night.
Gaz (thinking): "Ok kinda creepy..."
Zim:
"Let your mind start a journey through a strange, new world!"
"Leave all thoughts of the world you knew before!"
"Let your soul take you where you long to be!"
He walked up to her and slowly caressed her face with his hands.
Zim:
"Only then can you belong to me."
Zim pulled her closer and ran his hands up and down her back. Gaz wasn't exactly comfortable in that position, but she didn't pull away.
Zim:
"Floating, falling, sweet intoxication."
"Touch me, trust me, savour each sensation".
"Let the dream begin, let your darker side give in,"
"To the harmony which dreams alone can write,"
"The power of the music of the night!"
He directed her to a red curtain. After he raised the curtain, Gaz's eyes widened. It was an exact, life sized model of herself. She did something she'd never done before. Gaz fainted. Zim quickly caught her and lifted her up. He was anxious for a minute, then smiled. He carried her to a bed and set her down gently. He caressed her face.
Zim:
"You alone can make my song take flight,"
"Help me make the music of the night."
With that, Zim left the room, let down a black curtain, and left Gaz alone on the bed.
?: "How'd it goooooo?"
Zim flinched at the sudden noise. He looked down to his left to see a small child with silver hair and turquoise eyes wearing a particular green dog costume.
Zim: "Gir! I told you to remove that costume!"
Gir: "But I like it!"
Zim (thinking): "I'm starting to regret rescuing him from the fair..."
Zim: "Ugh. Anyway, the plan went swimmingly. Except she fainted. That wasn't planned."
Gir: "Does she love you?"
Zim: "She will in time..."
Gaz woke up to the sound of a music box. She stared at it for a minute before pulling up the curtain. She stepped out of the bed and looked around.
Gaz:
"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..."
Gaz looked towards a desk where Zim sat, working on something. A child in a green dog suit sat on the floor next to him. Gir stood up and whispered to him.
Gir (whispering): "Master, the lady's awake."
Zim (whispering): "Silence."
Gaz walked over to him.
Gaz:
"Who was that shape in the shadows?"
"Whose is the face in the mask?"
Zim didn't look at her and focused on his work, while Gaz slowly brought her hands up to his face, then quickly slipped off the mask. Zim screamed, covered his face and pushed Gaz to the ground. Gir yelped hid under the desk.
Zim:
"Damn you!"
"You little prying Pandora!"
"You little demon!"
"Is this what you wanted to see?!"
"Curse you! you little lying Delilah!"
"You little viper!"
"Now you cannot ever be free!"
"Damn you! curse you..."
Gas was actually frightened. She tried to angle herself so she could catch another glimpse of his face under the mask.
Zim:
"Stranger than you dreamt it"
"Can you even dare to look, or bear to think of me"
"This loathsome gargoyle"
"Who burns in hell, But secretly yearns for heaven"
"Secretly, secretly..."
"Oh Gaz..."
Zim, keeping his hand over his face, walked over to the model he had of Gaz. He pulled the curtain over it.
Zim:
"Fear can turn to love"
"You'll learn to see, to find the man behind the monster"
"This repulsive carcass"
"Who seems a beast but secretly dreams of beauty,"
"Secretly, secretly..."
"Oh, Gaz..."
He sunk to the floor in shame. At that moment, Gaz understood him. She handed him the mask. Zim looked at him, then at her, then took the mask and placed it back on his face. He straightened his shirt.
Zim: "Come, we must return. Those fools who run my theatre will be missing you."
Yes, Gir is in this story. Sorry, I couldn't resist! :) He won't effect the plot in any way. He'll just be there. R&R!