Author's Notes: I'm back! This chapter will hopefully turn out a little longer. I'm trying to write, read new stuff, and take exams! Here's Shot 4!

4th Shot: Masquerade

Gentle music wafted up the stairs so she could just hear it. The high, wailing melody of a violin and low, mournful tones of a cello mingled and drifted sweetly in a song that told of love, death, and surrender. She knew the notes well, she'd played them herself so many times. Slipping the cool metal cord around her neck and fastening it so that it fell on the mostly bare skin, she looked at herself in the mirror. "I suppose I have to."

Jing stood at the foot of the stairs, a less-than-moral Kir flirting with masked women as he looked on in half-shock. It's like a train wreck, he thought, you wanna stop watching but you just can't.

Tonic looked to the top of the stairs, checking the time on the great Grandfather clock and standing up, calling for silence. The music died, and Tonic began to speak.

"Ladies and gentlemen, today my second youngest daughter turned sixteen. Tonight, she makes her first appearance as a woman of class. I would like you to meet my daughter, Mademoiselle Alizé Cruzan!"

She gathered part of the skirt in her hand and stepped down, the red heel clicking lightly on the white marble against the silence. She'd changed into a dress, strapless and full-skirted, cream colored and completely backless save for two red straps of satin ribbons with the same decoration draped decoratively around her waist. Three strings of beads resembling rosaries fell along with the ribbons, the black contrasting against the deep red satin. The red trimming on the front of the dress was made of that same satin, dipping down in the front to accentuate her waistline. She'd pinned the cornsilk-gold hair up in two loops behind her head with red and white jewels and beads, leaving her bangs to fall onto her forehead. her face was for the most part hidden by a deep red mask that left only the bottom portion, rose-tinted lips curving into what most took as a nervous smile. Around her neck…

…the Blood Oath that Jing was wanting so badly. He nearly dropped the mask he was putting on his face in shock. They let her WEAR that! He thought, adjusting the fasteners on his mask and regaining his composure. The girl paused at the middle of the staircase and spoke.

"Please, carry on dancing. This isn't worth stopping your whole night to see." The guests let off a little polite tinkle of laughter as she raised her hand and the small orchestra struck up a waltz as she descended the stairs. Jing gave a grin from under the mask on his eyes, offering his hand and helping her down the last few stairs.

"Excuse me, mademoiselle…" He wasn't sure of what to call her, but when she made an acknowledging sound, he continued, a little thankful. "I don't suppose you'd do me the honor of sharing a dance, would you?"

She gave a little laugh and let him lead her into the center of the ballroom. "Of course I would. Who might you be, monsieur?"

"Just a friend. I never would have expected a debutante to want such little attention at her coming-out party."

"You don't know many debutantes who wish they weren't having them, monsieur." She looked away for a moment, before looking him in the eyes through his mask. "You have no idea how lucky you are not to have this expected of you as a boy."

The waltz ended and they each bowed respectively, parting ways. He, she thought, is remarkably easy to talk to…

Kir nudged Jing in the arm with his wing. "So, so, what's her name? Is she engaged? What?"

Jing shook his head at him. "She's wearing our prize around her neck, Kir."

"She's what?"

"Her parents, apparently, gave her the Blood Oath for her sixteenth birthday. So she's wearing the thing."

"Great. Kidnap the girl and let's go."

"I'm not gonna kidnap the girl on her birthday, Kir…" He gave his partner a dark look.

"Spoil sport…" Kir grimaced at him.

"Although…" Jing looked across the room to the girl, who gave him a little wave. he waved back and returned the smile she was giving him. "I think she may just give it to us, if she hates her parents so much…

Author's Notes: Another short chapter, and here I thought Masquerade was gonna be a long one. I hope you liked the premise, anyhow. I'm working on Shot 5 now, too. I'm such a weirdo. I've started outlining first. Lucky for you guys, it goes faster that way! I'm trying to stretch them out as I can, but it just isn't working. I do want (read: need!) feedback as to how you think the story should be going, or what you do like already. I already had somebody request a certain part in a certain chapter, and I was happy to oblige. (I loved the idea, thanks Kaita!) See you in Shot 5!