Masquerade's Mansion of Freaks

Chapter 1: Performance Time

Dia sighed in relief as Masquerade finally unlocked the cuff around her ankle. One would think she could breath fire through it if it really annoyed her. She sure wished, Masquerade was smart enough to make sure the metal which was used on the cuff and chain connected to it was enchanted to withstand her fires. She always felt like cursing those sorcesses he kept as friends.

Once he had stood back up she puffed out her cheeks and sighed, ready for another lecture. "Now listen, I know you like adventures but the world isn't quite as magical as your books make it out to be. Who knows who could come and try to kidnap you, especially if they find out you aren't just some random pretty girl on the streets". Dia wanted to do nothing but protest but, she kept herself quiet, she knew he'd only drone on longer if she spoke against him, something different didn't ever happen afterall.

Even if she thought he was being a bit hypocritical, she didn't exactly come here by choice after all. He'd always claimed to have saved her from some horrid fate and her memories never told her anything different than what he said. So she believed him but, she always had doubts. However that is a story for later.

"I get it, I just want to explore, it's so boring seeing the same thing all the time. Besides if you hate my books so much why do you keep buying them" she countered, though she knew it was a weak one.

Soon she was proven right when Masquerade quirked the side of his mouth up in a smirk "And have you become even more rebellious? Please, I'm not that stupid". She rolled her eyes "I keep telling you, I'm not trying to run away, I want to explore!" she sure was tired of having to always say that. "I didn't say that now did I?" Masquerade remarked. "Yea, not today" She grumbled to herself turning away from him. Now it was Masquerade's turn to roll his eyes as he ignored her last remark "Anyway, get ready. The guests will be arriving soon"

Oh.

that's right.

Dia turned her head to look out her window, yes, it was most certainly almost time. She got up and stretched, soon lightly stepping toward her drawer as Masquerade left her room. No time to sulk about her inability to adventure, time was of the essence now. Everyone, including her was always excited to perform. No matter their circumstances in they how ended up here.

After a few minutes she was finally dressed up in a bright red dress, which was slits up her arms which showed not her arms but golden cloth underneath, as well as a slit up one side of her leg, no cloth here for it was designed to show off the scales on her leg as well as the golden anklets she wore. Dia then sat on her bed to plait her charcoal black hair to the side in a ponytail, finishing it off with a golden ribbon she got up off the bed and pressed a red button on the wall of her room.

Creaks and groans were heard as the steel wall which was covered with wallpaper and drawing retracted to reveal a clear glass wall in its place. She stood in place as everything, minus a few things, was retracted away, under the floor or into the walls. She always felt awkward doing this but she did perform with fire and didn't want all her things to burn. She always asked why she couldn't perform in their ballroom but Masquerade refused to have the place where they had parties for elite guests and any friends have scorched floors. She huffed, how old did Masquerade think she was, at her age controlling her fire was a cinch.

Dia jolted when she came out of her reverie and realized that everything was done retracting and shifting in her room. She looked at the clock, one of the things that never disappeared, and saw that in only a minute the guests would arrive. At least she could appreciate Masquerade's precision timing when it came to these performances if nothing else.

Soon, she heard the chatter of excited guests as Masquerade explained something to them. She heard the word water and guessed that they had just come from Aquamarine's performance room. Unlike the rest of them, save for Marie who performed in the ballroom, Aquamarine performed in a special room because it was too much work for even the sorceresses who had charmed her room to do the same to Aqua's room.