Author's Note: So, this is an original story written with characters Ellise Landsbury, Michael & Grace(the elderly witch woman). I've adapted into a fanfiction so I hope you enjoy it!
Do you know why the caged bird sings?
I do.
She sings because when she sings she can see the faces of those outside the gilded bars smile in an amused way in her direction. They no longer walk by with their faces turned towards the ground, wondering about their day to day problems. When they hear her clear, profound voice, they spare a fraction of a second for the frail creature.
She sings because it's her purpose. Or so she had been told since she could remember.
She sings because it seems to change time. Even if only for a moment she can distract herself from the eternal loneliness she feels in her soul. It's a shame that moments can only last for so long.
She sings because it's all that she has to pass the long days.
The caged bird sings because it's all she knows.
"I see that smile,
It almost breaks my heart.
So full of lies,
Yet, so full of truths.
You are the fine line between
Running,
Or laying on the floor,
When the door of opportunity
Is wide open.
All you see are the stars.
You pretend they make you happy,
Though on the inside,
You know,
The truth about why.
The reason you look to the sky,
To try,
And lose yourself in the nothingness
Of space,
Of time,
Of the universe…"
"Mitsuki, dear, haven't I talked to you about this before?" A well dressed middle-aged brunette opened the door to the cage, her hips swaying as she took steps in her stiletto heels. "Try not to sing such somber things. It dampens my mood."
She swayed over to the only chair in the 'room'. It was directly across from a futon, a couple pillows and a small comforter. Besides the small hanging swing and an intricate three-legged table those were the only furnishings.
So she sat, plopping her designer purse on the table and pulling her skirt over her knees. She offered barely a glance to the girl on the mattress.
A girl just barely seventeen, with long platinum waves for hair and extraordinary eyes, her legs bent underneath herself and her slender hands folded in her lap. At the sound of the door opening her entire body had tensed, and was now just letting itself relax.
The brunette pulled out a cigarette and lit it. Quietly she sat, at first only taking drags and inhaling, then exhaling smoke. She crossed one knobby knee over the other and finally looked over at the bed.
"The days first customers should be here soon, Mitsuki." Inhale. Exhale. "I want you to make yourself presentable. I'll send Arisu with a new gown and shoes. It's expected to be a big crowd tonight, so I hope you heed my advice and lay off that depressing crap you so like to sing. Such words don't fit such a pretty little face."
"…Yes, ma'am…" The first muttering of words from the other side of the 'room' was just barely louder than a whisper.
"Good." The woman slipped her arm through her handbag and stood quickly. "Be a sweet little child and practice until Arisu arrives, will you? I don't want another incident like last week. When you started a different song than the pianist I could've just died."
With that she sauntered out the door, closing it firmly, and if you listen hard enough or looked close enough, you could just notice the turning of a small glass key in the silver lock.
A few moments passed in silence before Mitsuki slid her legs out from underneath her and gradually stood. She didn't oblige her mother and practice, but she did start to tidy herself. It may have been a bit too early to start. Who knew how long it would be until that dreadful Arisu arrived.
Since she could remember, Mitsuki had been taken care of by Arisu- a bitter, terrible, shriveled old witch of a woman, who enjoyed nothing better than squawking harsh words or orders. Plenty of times she had forgotten to bring up meals, leaving Mitsuki to endure her performance on an empty stomach. Even more often she had brought the meals up cold- as if they had been made hours before and she just hadn't bothered to bring it in.
There was no use thinking about it or disliking it. No one cared enough to do anything to change it, and there were more important issues at hand. Like the fact that within the hour the curtain around the cage would lift and she'd find herself in the oh-so familiar lounge filled with strangers, obnoxious noises, drinking and the smell of stale cigarette smoke. Just like every night since she could remember.
At least soon she would be singing, reality would blur and she'd be free, even if only in her mind.
There was a great creak and the door swung open. A large, gray haired woman with a beaked nose her hair pulled up into tight bun on the top of her head stepped in. In her hands a bucket and a dress.
"'Mitsu, c'mere and take this bucket of water and wash. You're filthy, girl."
Mitsuki obediently and speedily took the bucket and began to wash, turning away from the old crone for modesty sake.
"Yer mother told me to tell you that if you get one spot on the dress she'll be very angry." Arisu smiled crookedly at the thought of future punishment. "And I guarantee ya I'm not scrubbing to get it out. I already work hard enough for your sorry self as it is, and for such a low wage I'd probably be better askin' for table scraps."
It was the same story every time. Bad wages, how hard she works, her old age, Mitsuki had heard the words thousands of times, but had learned to keep quiet. The last time she had said anything to Arisu the woman had lied to her mother about finding strange things in the room, and claiming that Mitsuki had found a way to get outside. Her mother had been beyond furious and had not come to visit once for two months, and had kept the door locked. Arisu had had to push her rations through the bars.
It had actually been kind of nice having none of the supposed company of those who 'cared' for her. Sometimes it was even lonelier when they were there, because even though their bodies were they never really wanted to be, and they never really focused on her. Their expressions put them on places beyond the bars much further than she could ever hope to reach.
"Hurry up, child! If I stand here any longer my ankles will start to swell!"
Mitsuki abruptly lowered the cloth into the bucket and reached behind her, where she knew Arisu would be holding out her fresh gown. Letting out a quiet sigh she raised the dress up and pulled it down over her head, smoothing out any creases as it fell around her. She looked at her reflection in the bucket. The fabric was a pale pink and made her look similar to a doll, like almost everything else her mother sent for her to wear for the show. With ruffles, lace, and ribbons aplenty.
"Enough with the sighs let me look at you." Mitsuki turned around. "Madam is pretty good with shopping. You look darn near presentable. It's practically a miracle."
Mitsuki bristled, but said nothing. She allowed no emotion to pass onto her face. Like the good little doll she was meant to be.
"Ah, I'm off then. I'll bring your nightgown later." Arisu scooped up the garment with the swiftness of someone of half her years and was out the door, maybe even making sure it was even more secure than the woman before her, and the bird was left alone.
That meant that soon she would get up on her swing, the curtains would be raised, and she would sing. She would sing and lose herself for hour upon hour, until it was time to close up shop. Then the drapes would be lowered and Grace would return with her fresh nightie, and hopefully a roll or an apple. She would change, and then go to bed. So she had for every day since she had entered the cage.
When had she entered the blasted thing?
If she remembered correctly, it was sometime shortly after father had left with the other woman. She had to have been about ten. Seven years… Had it really been so long?
Suddenly Mitsuki heard a door open, and voices, and she knew that the lounge must be filling up. Raucous laughter got closer and closer, as if people were making their way to the front tables, which were closest to the stage. By the noise alone she could tell that the room was at least three quarters full. She swiftly used her chair to hop up onto the swing.
From behind the curtain she heard the scraping of wooden legs against the hardwood of the floor. The pianist had seated himself. The show was about to begin. His fingers wandered over a couple of keys before he began to play. With the sound of the music the curtain began to rise and Mitsuki began to sing.
From then she barely noticed the sound of her accompanist. Through her singing she elevated herself higher than possible. Up she traveled, the bars broke away to let her through, and she was flying. The last sky she had seen had been a golden sunset, so that was the sky she saw. She flew up into the clouds, spreading her arms as if to try and touch her surroundings. In what seemed like a few minutes, but was truly hours, the music came to a slow halt, and the curtain once again fell to scattered applause.
Mitsuki's pink lips turned downward at the abrupt ending to her day dream- her only access to the outside world. She shook her head slightly to clear it. Dreaming of any kind was pointless. No matter how nice it felt. She slipped off of her perch, landing lightly on the balls of her feet.
There was a creak and in stepped Arisu again, this time carrying a small wooden tray with some toast and a pear on it. The nightgown from before, looking almost new from the wash, was draped over her bony shoulder.
"Ey, get over here and take these blasted trays from me," she barked, "my hands are sore."
Mitsuki obeyed, and then set the tray on her little table. The old woman tossed the nightgown onto the bed.
"I'll grab the tray in the morning. Push it through the bars when you're done." With that the woman left, and Mitsuki was once again alone, which was almost a blessing.
She quickly changed her clothes, hanging her dress on the back of the chair, and sitting so her back barely touched it. She began to eat her meager meal.
The toast was dry, but it tasted to Mitsuki as if it was fit for a king. The pear was a little over-ripe, but it had been a while since she had had any fresh fruit, so even that was welcome. Arisu had forgotten the tea again so there was nothing to wash it down with, or slake her thirst, but at least she had brought something. Mitsuki was famished, but she forced herself to eat slowly, knowing that she'd remain full longer if she did. As she nibbled on her supper, she let her thoughts wander.
When Father had left, Mother had been thrown into despair. She hadn't left her bed for weeks and had denied any food brought before her. She had also refused to see the child who so reminded her of the adulterous bastard. They had the same hair, the same mannerisms, even the same laugh. That's why Mitsuki was kept from her mother's side.
After about a month, Mitsuki was visited by her mother. She was told to pack up her things- which were few- and that she would have a new room. She was told that she was to help her mother from then on. She had been so happy, but had she known what was to happen, would that have been different?
Somewhere beyond her musings, Mitsuki thought she heard a few notes being played on the piano.
"What?" She murmured. "There are no more shows tonight." Never mind that, she hadn't even heard anyone enter the room. "Hello?" She called quietly. Nervously even. "Is someone out there?" The playing stopped and the room was quiet and still beyond the curtain. Well, that was until someone spoke.
"Do they keep you in there all the time?" It was a male voice. Soft but deep, raspy but pleasant.
Mitsuki froze in her spot. She hadn't spoken to the opposite sex in seven years. Not even Hisao her pianist. She took a shaky breath and stood from her chair.
"Who are you?" She wondered. No answer was heard. Only scattered notes on the piano.
"You know, I realized something today" the visitor said. "This piano's hooked to a gear, and if it's played continuously the curtain is raised and stays up." A couple more random notes. "I could lift it for you."
The words surprised Mitsuki, and it excited her. She didn't quite know what to reply.
"Alright, then."
"What?"
With little to no warning the visitor began to play. It was a familiar tune, but Mitsuki couldn't put her finger on what it was. Surely enough, the curtain began to rise as the song continued. She watched as the surroundings around her own little world became clear. She had never seen the room so empty or dark. It was rather eerie.
The familiar song reached its end, and she was almost unable to notice when it transformed into another number. The playing was wonderfully skilled, accurate, and fluent. The girl gave in to her curiosity and glanced over at the piano, only to see a head of black hair bent over the keys, two hands with long slender fingers, and a rather large figure. Any detail of his face was hidden in shadows.
As if sensing her stare, the stranger chuckled, startling Mitsuki.
"I can assure you I'm not here to hurt you."
"Then what are you doing here?" The girls tone was nervous and a smidge hesitant. The stranger chuckled again.
"I've seen your show."
"That doesn't answer my question."
"You're a wonderful vocalist, miss," he confessed, "but you know what I've noticed? You always look so lonely and far away. It's like you're up on a pedestal where nothing can reach you. Looking in your eyes while you sing up there, it seems as if you're off in your own world."
Mitsuki stared at the dark and tousled head of hair. A second later a pair of intelligent emerald eyes in a handsome face met her own. They were accompanied by a friendly smile.
"So when I noticed the mechanics, I decided that I would come and talk to you."
Mitsuki's eyes dropped to the floor, breaking the connection of their eyes.
"You should go. If anyone catches you here, I'm not sure what would happen. It certainly wouldn't be good."
Her visitor let out an audible sigh.
"Alright, I'm leaving," he paused, his fingers slowing on the keyboard, and added in a sweet voice, "have a good sleep my lovely little bird." Mitsuki felt herself flush.
A second later the visitor stopped his playing, and the curtain lowered, blocking him from view. There were slow footsteps, then the sounds of a door opening and closing and Mitsuki knew that he had left.