Author's Note: Hello again! I've put up a few of my oneshots... but I am going to start one of my stories! How awesome is that? Makes me really happy. Hope you like this!
It was the night of the masquerade ball and everyone seemed excited, except for a single girl. While everyone else was flittering about, it seemed as if she couldn't care less. Her name was Akira, and she was a dancer. She had been originally from Ireland, but it was hard for anyone to tell. This was partly due to the fact that she never spoke if it was at all avoidable. Because of this, her past and her name were a total mystery to everyone. But she didn't mind and seemed to enjoy the mystery that surrounded her.
At the moment, she was brushing her long hair which was a mix of blond and brown. She stifled a yawn as the other dancers were preparing with much chatter. Unlike the rest of the girls, she was already prepared, dressed in a black dress with scarlet splotches like blood standing out. Her dark eyes followed the dancers as they hurried about and then suddenly were still. This meant to Akira that it was time for them to enter the hall and begin their dance. She led them silently to the door and waited for it to open.
Once it did, they entered with the beginning of the music. In dance alone, she could be carefree and calm. There, amongst the paper masks (her own black with crimson lace) could she forget her sorrows and feel alive. The dance continued as the dancers began to pair up. Akira did not recognize the man who she was dancing with, but it mattered little to her. Most of her partners would take little notice of her except for her dancing skills. They would not speak to her unless they did not know who she was, which was rare considering how different she looked from the rest of them. She alone wore crimson in the masquerade ball because she was the only one brave enough to. Even if the man would speak to her, she would generally ignore them.
When the time came for a partner change, she felt uneasy dancing with the next man. She recognized him, and was not pleased that she had to dance with him. It was the spoiled Vicomte, who was patron of the Opera. She had never trusted him, and truly did not want his hands touching her. There was nothing that could be done for it, however, so she endured the best she could.
Not soon enough for Akira, the partner change came again. This time, she felt strangely relaxed with her partner. Though she did not know his name or face, she was completely comfortable around him. Fortunately, he was to remain her partner until the grand finale. Forgetting her normal, self-enforced, silence, she began to sing along quietly with everyone else. Her partner seemed surprised at hearing her voice, and she could not blame him. Normally, she would only sing when she was absolutely alone.
Her partner spoke as she ceased singing in embarrassment. "You have the most beautiful singing voice." When she did not respond, he continued, "Why do you remain silent? A voice as beautiful as yours should not be hidden from the world."
Reluctantly, she answered him, "I do not enjoy having others hear me. Normally I would not even speak. Something about you, something I can't explain, made me trust you."
He was silent for a moment, but then he sighed, "You should not trust me, my dear. I am not what I seem." While his words were designed to make her flee, the sadness in his voice entranced her.
Softly, she asked him a question, "What are you then?"
He seemed pleased that she was continuing to speak with him when she never spoke with anyone. He spoke softly, it was barely even a whisper in her ear, "I am the Opera Ghost, my dear. Though I shall not harm you, my reasons for being here tonight are not noble."
She was only momentarily shaken, but then she smiled. "Fear not, I shall not reveal you to the others. You are as lonely as I feel." She whispered to him as the finale approached.
When the time for them to part came, he whispered one last thing to her, "I will see you again."
She felt adrift for a moment, but threw herself into the music. Her mind was whirling with conflicting thoughts about the 'Opera Ghost' that she had just met. Her promise would be no problem to keep since she rarely ever spoke to any, but her emotions were telling her something that she no longer recognized. They almost seemed to awaken memories that were buried deep within her, but the music washed them all away.
Suddenly, the music wound down before it should have and all faces turned towards one of the staircases. She looked as well to see a figure in scarlet. He stalked down the staircase, threatening and singing as he went. While the others around her were in fear, she was ecstatic to hear his voice. Akira's eyes met his as he came down to her level. Gently brushing past her, he continued on to Christine. She knew that he had been teaching Christine, and that she might even go so far as to say that he was hopelessly in love with her. Akira almost sighed, but knew that the sound might attract attention to her in the silence that filled the room. As the 'Opera Ghost' began talking about his new opera, she couldn't help but wonder what it might sound like. She knew that she would have a part as one of the dancers, but she couldn't help but wonder if he would be there to watch... or worse, take part in the opera to force Christine to make a decision. One that Akira considered to be rather easy to make. After all, Raoul was NOT a gentleman, and the 'Opera Ghost' seemed to be. She silently scoffed as she saw the fear in Christine's eyes as the 'Opera Ghost' grew angry at the ring she was wearing. He should be angry, the woman that he had devoted himself to was in love with another.
Akira turned and left as the 'Opera Ghost' disappeared. In fact, it seemed that most everyone was now in a hurry to leave the scene. Though she knew that she was leaving for a different reason than the rest. She wanted to leave before she broke down. Even though she had only just met him, she knew that if she was to learn what it was to love, it would have to be with him. Her heart told her so, and this was the first time that her heart had told her anything since her mother had died. She went back to her room, which was set off away from all the others- something that she had need of. The only time that she was happy- before she had met HIM- was when she was totally alone.
As Akira entered her room, she could only wonder what the 'Opera Ghost' was doing now. She sat down after locking her door, and began to sing to herself softly. Once she grew tired, she fell asleep. If she had thought, she would have noticed that a tear slipped out of the corner of her eyes as she allowed the exhaustion to take her.
And that's all for this chapter...
