Masquerade!
Paper faces on parade. . .
Masquerade!
Hide your face,
so the world will
never find you!
Yohji extended his hand to Sarah and they proceeded to dance to the music in tune. They had practiced a dance in one of Yohji's 'special' dance sessions. It was a similar to a waltz and they glided across the dance floor.
Masquerade!
Every face a different shade ...
Masquerade!
Look around -
there's another
mask behind you!
Ken took Alex's hand and they swayed to the beat with the other dancers,
unaware that Schuldig was watching her. He stood off to the side with his camera, taking pictures. He was dressed in a green suit and wore a green and black mask.
Flash of mauve. . .
Splash of puce. . .
Fool and king. . .
Ghoul and goose. . .
Green and black. . .
Queen and priest. . .
Trace of rouge. . .
Face of beast. . .
Kristi was surprised when Aya started dancing with her and was even more surprised that he knew how to dance. Sword fighting after all was considered a dance and you watched your opponent's movements or in this case your partner's movements to counteract them.
Faces. . .
Take your turn, take a ride
on the merry-go-round. . .
in an inhuman race. . .
Eye of gold. . .
Thigh of blue. . .
True is false. . .
Who is who. . .?
Curl of lip. . .
Swirl of gown. . .
Ace of hearts. . .
Face of clown. . .
Crawford watched from the side, sipping some wine. He was dressed in dark red and had a black rose on his mask. He foresaw what Kristi would wear and waited to make his move.
Farferello's golden eyes flashed as he watched the masquerade from high above the ballroom. He chuckled; thinking about the way Nagi locked the youngest member of Weiss in his own room. Nagi saw Farferello chuckling and put a finger to his lips to silence him. They were balanced on a rafter near some decorations.
Faces. . .
Drink it in, drink it up,
till you've drowned
in the light. . .
in the sound. . .
But who can name the face. . .?
Masquerade!
Grinning yellows,
spinning reds. . .
Masquerade!
Take your fill -
let the spectacle
astound you!
Sarah jolted at the words of the song and Yohji escorted her to the side.
"Are you all right?" He looked to her with concern.
Sarah watched glasses float to a table behind him. "Yes, I just need a drink."
"Let me get one for you," Yohji said standing.
"No, it's all right," Sarah said with a dazzling smile. "I know what you like."
She approached the drinks and drew a vial of liquid from a crevice in her gown. From which crevice. . .well, you'll just have to use your imagination. Her hands trembled as she held it and she was about to put it back when a knife became lodged in the table near her hand. She nearly screamed, especially when she looked up to see a waving Nagi and grinning Farferello. She took a deep breath and poured the sleeping draught into Yohji's drink as she mixed the concoction.
"Here you go," she said handing Yohji his drink.
"Thanks love," he said gulping it down.
Sarah nervously sipped her drink.
Masquerade!
Burning glances,
turning heads. . .
Masquerade!
Stop and stare
at the sea of smiles
around you!
Aya twirled Kristi about almost enveloping her in the cloak he wore and paused
as he saw a table of gentlemen watching the dance. They wore masks, but were dressed in business suits. The one in the middle was Nagaharu Kaito, the drug lord.
"Kristi," Aya whispered, "the drug lord has made an appearance. I have to pursue my mission."
"Aya, please no," Kristi said in a pleading whisper.
Masquerade!
Seething shadows
breathing lies. . .
Masquerade!
You can fool
any friend who
ever knew you!
Crawford made his way through the crowd and took Kristi's hand. In a Spanish accent, "If you are leaving Sir, I will gladly dance with your lady."
Aya nodded and gave Kristi a quick kiss before disappearing into the crowd. Kristi didn't recognize Crawford and she turned to the gentleman, "please Sir, I don't want to dance."
The gentleman pulled her close against him.
"But I want to dance with you," Crawford said, "and you must dance with me."
Kristi tried to pull away, but Crawford pulled her into the dance; exaggerating the movements every time she tried to pull away.
Masquerade!
Leering satyrs,
peering eyes. . .
Masquerade!
Run and hide -
but a face will
still pursue you!
Alex danced happily with Ken and lost sight of Sarah and Kristi.
Schuldig spoke into her mind. Alex. . .now is the time for you to take your Weiss
kitten out of this ballroom.
Alex abruptly stopped in her dancing and Ken looked to her in confusion. "Are you okay?"
Do it now Alex or I will have to do something rather frightful.
Alex nodded. "I. . .I just feel a little light headed. It must be all the people in one place. Let's go to someplace more private."
Ken hooked her arm into hers and walked with her to a small room at the side of the ballroom. It was empty and he sat beside Alex, taking a handkerchief from his pocket and removing her mask to dab her forehead.
Schuldig discretely closed the door, locking it and peered into the door's porthole chuckling.
Masquerade!
Paper faces on parade!
Masquerade!
Hide your face,
so the world will
never find you!
Yohji's eyes started to drift close and he didn't notice his watch start to blink a message from Aya. Resting his arms on the table he yawned and let his head sink to them, falling asleep. Sarah felt horrible and rested her head on his shoulder, hoping something good would happen among all this evil.
Ken blinked and took a pager from his pocket. "It's Aya, he must have spotted the drug lord." He went to the door and tried to open it. He blinked and started pounding on the door. "This is odd."
Alex quietly wringed her hands, "It's not going to open Ken." She was on the verge of tears. "I've betrayed you. Schuldig locked the door." A tear trickled down her cheek, "I'm sorry."
Ken stared at her in shock. "Schuldig?"
Alex nodded, swallowing a lump in her throat, "I didn't have a choice. None of us did."
Ken walked over to her and took her hands into his. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"Schuldig would have known and he would have hurt you or the others." Alex sniffled.
Ken held her in his arms and hoped Yohji and Omi would be able to help Aya.
Masquerade!
Every face a different shade!
Masquerade!
Look around -
There's another
mask behind you!
Aya stalked after the drug lord and wondered why the others hadn't come yet. He noticed Kristi dancing among the crowd and thought it was eerie that the other dancer matched her dress so well. The other dancer almost seemed to be an opposite of himself. A noise to his left caused him to duck. One of the men in suits noticed that he was following and they threw a dart at him. Cursing, he reached from under his cloak and drew his sword.
Masquerade!
Burning glances,
turning heads. . .
Masquerade!
Stop and stare-
The music stopped.
Sarah noticed a commotion at the other end of the ballroom and she watched as Nagi floated down and then did likewise with Farferello. She tried to wake Yohji up.
"Yohji!"
No reaction.
"YOHJI!"
Still no reaction.
She tried to shake him, poke him, and dump water on him. He stirred, but other than that he didn't wake up. Sarah paused for a moment and whispered into his ear caressing his G spot. . .which was under his chin, so minds out of the gutter.
Yohji's eyes opened blearily, "nani? What? Really?"
Sarah rolled her eyes. "Get up, Aya needs your help!"
"My legs feel like lead," Yohji slurred, "and I didn't drink much today."
Aya was outnumbered as he struggled to fight off the men, until a dart pierced his arm. His reflexes started to slow.
Kristi stared in horror and nearly got away from Crawford. He pulled on her arm, causing her to twirl back to him and he whispered, "don't try to escape. Any more attempts and I will order his death."
"You wouldn't. . ."
Crawford whispered, "I would." He walked over to the drug lord, dragging Kristi along as Aya was detained. "Mr. Nagaharu, my organization has revealed this assassin and we leave him to your discretion."
Nagaharu curled a lip in disgust. "His presence is abhorring, he should be killed."
Crawford felt Kristi tense. "No, let us keep him alive to find out if there will be any more attempts on your life. Let's take him with us."
Nagaharu stroked his chin thoughtfully, "yes. A fighter such as this will be hard to break, but it can be done."
Yohji struggled to stand and turned to Sarah, "find Ken and Alex." He already suspected what she had done, putting two and two together when he saw an embedded knife in the table.
Sarah nodded and wandered through the terrified and confused crowd. A door off to the side caught her eye and she peeked in through the window. She struggled to unlock it until a guy in green and black helped her open the door.
Ken and Alex looked up and watched as Sarah turned to thank the guy who helped her.
Schuldig removed the mask. "No need for thanks," he said pushing her into the room, "your friends needed company."
Sarah yelped and turned around to bang on the door. "Damn it!"
Alex sighed and hung her head, while Ken comforted her.
Yohji stumbled to Omi's room and groaned to find the door locked. He used his wire to cut through the lock and opened the door to find Omi strapped to the computer chair and watching the masquerade ball.
When Yohji loosened the gag Omi coughed, "Yohji-san they're taking Aya to the helicopter pad. And Schuldig locked Sarah, Alex, and Ken in a room near the ballroom entrance."
Yohji finished untying him. "Go unlock the three of them and tell Ken what you saw. I'll go after Aya."
Omi nodded and ran to the ballroom. He kept his mind blank as he peered through the entranceway. Schuldig was walking around the ballroom, erasing the memories of what just happened to the people there. He snuck over to the room and fumbled with the lock until it opened.
Sarah had tried resorting to a hairpin and was failing miserably until the door opened.
Alex stared in shock, "a hairpin actually works?"
Ken blinked, then chuckled as he noticed Omi. "Well, a hair pin and a little help from a young assassin."
They tried to quietly sneak away, until the eyes of Schuldig were upon them. "Ah ah ah, not so fast. I'm not through with you all yet." He stared at Alex, "my fun has only just begun."
The four started running. Omi relayed what he saw to Ken as they ran up a stairwell.
Sarah huffed. "Where are we running to?"
"The helicopter pad," Ken said, "we're near enough to land and they're going to escape."
"I. . .hate. . .stairs," Alex said between breaths.
Aya groaned as he was dragged along the stairs and Kristi looked to him in concern. Crawford nuzzled her neck and she tried to fight back a shiver, failing miserably.
"It's past the point of no return," Crawford said.
"Don't you dare use a Phantom of the Opera line on me," Kristi said glaring.
"I can't help it," Crawford said with a chuckle, "Kristi does sound similar to Christine."
Yohji was following them and inwardly noted, not a bad line. He then mentally smacked himself for giving Crawford 'props.' Though he did inwardly think about acting as the phantom to Sarah later.
Omi had brought Ken his claws and Ken put them on as they ran up the stairs. Sarah and Alex stopped as the guys kept running. Alex was close to wheezing and Sarah looked at a sign on the wall.
"I've got an idea," Sarah said.
Yohji waited for Omi and Ken, deciding not to wait for the girls because it would be far too dangerous. A helicopter flew above the cruise ship and it slowly descended to the pad. Crawford tightened his grip on Kristi, while she fought to keep her dress from providing a view.
Kristi felt a vibrating near her thigh and slowly looked to Crawford. He gave her a look and drew a cell phone from his pocket. "Yes?" After a moment of listening, "I see, excellent timing." Crawford looked up and imparted a message to Schuldig. Our contract with Nagaharu Kaito has ended. We are to take the helicopter and dispatch of any who get in our way.
Schuldig relayed the message to Nagi and Farferello. Time to have some fun boys.
Yohji, Ken, and Omi ran onto thehelicopter pad carving a path toward Aya and the drug lord. Aya feigned weakness and twisted about so the captors holding his arms ran into each other. Taking his sword back he stalked toward the drug lord.
The drug lord looked to where the members of Schwarz were standing. "Help me!"
Our contract with you has ended, Schuldig said in his mind. May the sharks feast on your flesh.
Aya advanced toward the drug lord who jumped over the railing. Looking down, Aya watched as he was sucked under the ship.
Nagi calmly made his way to the helicopter, floating the pilot out of the way and taking the controls. Schuldig pulled on Farferello's arm promising him a new dagger as they boarded the helicopter.
Sarah and Alex stepped out of the elevator, well rested and watched the end of the fight along with the drug lord falling to his death.
"Where in the nine hells is Kristi?" Alex scanned the deck.
"By a devil from one of the hells," Sarah said staring.
Kristi's mask was dangling about her neck and she was struggling against Crawford. She slipped and got tangled in his cloak. Crawford motioned for the helicopter to start taking off. "Well, it seems that I must catch up with my companions. Until next we meet, I give you a remembrance."
He lifted the cloak up and kissed her, before loosening the brooch about his neck; causing the cloak and Kristi to fall to the ground. Reaching up he grabbed a rope ladder from the helicopter and laughed as he flew away.
Aya was about to throw his sword when nearly everyone restrained him. Kristi stared up, the cloak still about her and shook her head. Gaining her senses she looked to Aya, "don't throw the pretty sword. You don't want it lost in the sea."
Security ran onto the helicopter pad and ran over to the group. "Unauthorized access to another country is strictly prohibited. Where are your visas?"
Alex was dizzy and leaned against Ken. "My Visa credit card is back in the room."
Ken whispered gently, "not those Visas."
Yohji strolled over to the security guards, promising them drinks and ladies to get them out of trouble. Once he made friends with them he went back to Sarah. "So, what you whispered to me. . ."
"No," Sarah said.
Yohji's face fell. "But. . ."
"I had to wake you up somehow," Sarah said with a shrug.
"Damn."
Ken held Alex against him. "We should get them back to their rooms. Persia will want us to leave tomorrow when we reach port since the mission is over."
Kristi rested against Aya who nodded and put his own cloak around her, in addition to Crawford's.
Nagi flew the helicopter and looked behind to see the other members of Schwarz's actions. Farferello was playing with the new dagger Schuldig gave him, looking for a bird to kill. Schuldig was looking through a scrapbook and staring at the pictures. Crawford made his way to the cockpit and sat beside Nagi, wrapping a blanket about himself. He smelled the blanket and smirked.
"You have that look on your face," Nagi said.
"What look?"
"The same one after the mission in Canada," Nagi said simply.
"Concentrate on flying," Crawford said. Slipping his mask in his pocket he shifted in the blanket, I'll sleep well tonight.
Schuldig chuckled in the back as he stared at his photos; it didn't take a telepath to figure out what Crawford was thinking about.
A day passed on the ship and it was time for the men of Weiss to depart, along with Alex and Kristi. They were to be sent home, after the Overseas committee discovered they weren't on the ship roster. However, they conveniently forgot to punish the girls and even funded their plane tickets home.
Yohji looked to Sarah. He had a sly grin on his lips because she would be in Japan for a few days near the port. He whispered into her ear, causing her to blush, and he gave her a kiss before leaving the ship.
Ken tenderly kissed Alex goodbye and promised that he would keep in touch with her somehow. He arranged for a taxi to take her and Kristi to he airport. Alex glomped him and then Sarah as she headed down the gangplank.
Kristi walked with Aya silently toward the taxi after saying goodbye to Sarah. Aya and Kristi had said their farewells away from the others and Aya stared into her eyes. Somehow they would keep in touch, even if just to keep her safe from Crawford's reach.
Sarah watched them go from the railing of the ship and waved. "Now that was an adventure indeed."
Kristi and Alex waved in the taxi. On the plane Alex stared out the window at the plane's wing.
"Thinking about Ken?"
Alex nodded.
"Don't worry, you'll have much to remember him by," Kristi said looking off distantly.
Alex looked to her, noticing two different colored cloaks peeking out from her bag. "I'm sure we'll remember this adventure in different ways."
Kristi nodded and absently hummed:
Masquerade. . .
Paper faces on parade
Masquerade. . .
Hide your face,
so the world will
never find you. . .
Author's Note: Hope all you enjoyed the voyage! Thanks for sticking with us if you've read this far. I love writing things for my friends and then sharing them with others. (as for the song I really like The Phantom of the Opera).Also, I do enjoy reviews (wink wink, nudge nudge, gentle shove).