~The Black Masquerade~

John

"good night Miss, how do you do" I addresed the girl and she turned to me, I bowed.

"Hello sir my name is Elizabeth" she said and curtseyed. I nodded trying to put on my best gentelman act. I stared longingly into her red hair.

"you have very nice hair you know" I said and she smiled.

"um thank you not many people normally say that" Elizabeth said.

"well on the streets you don't get such coulourful people" Her smile dropped a little.

"your from the street, its already hard enough to find someone who wants to marry me" She said and I held my tounge although I wanted to tell her that at least us street folk had an idea of respect and life. Instead of just what the back garden looked like.

"My sister already has someone"

Then I had a vision and it was Elisabeth comferting someone about a marrige problem.

"don't worry the marridge won't last long" I said and Elisabeth smiled.

"how would you know that?" she asked and now it was my turn to smile.

"just a feeling and now if you would excuse me" I said and walked off over too Avelle.

*Elizabeth would never say somethong as narrow minded as "your from the street, its already hard enough to find someone who wants to marry me"", she may be somewhat stuck up, but she aint shallow, t'sok, I'll change it a little bit..."

"Well on the streets, you don't get so colorful people." On the streets, so he was from the streets...I smiled.
"Oh, so you're from the streets, then?" - He nodded, waiting for me to make some mean comment, I was not that kind of person though, my red hair had taught me that people from all sorts of different backgrounds are acceptable, and the fact that he was from the streets didn't bother me.
I glanced over my shoulder, and immediately looked at the guy, I had been talkin to. It was my sister, I could tell her apart even though she didn't have red hair like me, no matter what she wore I knew Mildred when I saw her. I also knew that she was with her fiancee, I'd better clear out.
"Hey umm... listen, don't tell my sister you saw me here, tell her my name was Anne or something, I'm not supposed to be here...oh and that's her awful fiancee, buh bye" he looked at me confused, and then said:
"Don't worry the wedding won't last long."
"Okay" I said, that being the least of my problems, then I stopped dead in my tacks " How would YOU know that?"
"Just a feeling" he said as he walked off.
Could it be that he had a similar ability to mine? I felt dazed and completely forgot about leaving. I went over to have some punch instead.

Johanna

"Felicity are you alright?2 She was staring at me with curiosity.
"Why did you not scream I was crazy?" She asked.
" Well, because I do not think you are crazy." I took her by the arm, and we walked to a more hidden area.
"I can see things too," I said, murmuring.
Felicity gasped.
"I can see things that are about to happen. But they pass to fast."
"Oh my..."
My mother called from behind. I turned around, very anxiously. Did she heard anything?
"Johanna! I was looking for you, dear. I want you to meet Mr.Ridle"
I gave Felicity a comforting smile, as mother dragged me to the ball room, once again.

*I hope that's ok*

*Could someone bring Ever in?*

Amadeo

He glanced around the room longingly, his blue flicking across people as he went. It wasnt exactly his choice of places, but he didnt have much of a choice in the matter. Not when he could see... He outerly cringed before finally his eyes turned towards a girl in a black gown. She seemed to be utterly alone, leaning against a window pane, her eyes staring out longingly.

He walked over curiously, his footsteps light as he considered the conversation fully in which he would partake but then quickly dropped the ideas and put on a charming smile.

"Aye, miss," he murmured leaning against the wall beside the window, his fingers resting on the edge of the pane. "Why is such a pretty woman like yourself doing so alone on such a glorious night as this?"

"I could ask you the same question," She chuckled, but her eyes didnt move. "Wasting your time talking with someone who is obviously showing you that she does not want to be disturbed. Truly I do implore you may have a more appropriate matter to deal with? Like the other ladies twirling along the dancefloor? I'm sure they would like a dance."

"How cynical," he chuckled simply, removing his white gloves expertly. "I did not know I was dealing with a pessimist. To be quite clear with you, none of those ladies interest me in any way. Too pleasant."

"And pleasant is wrong?" she finally turned his eyes towards him raising an arched eyebrow in curiosity. "I thought you said I was the cynical one."

"No, pleasantries are quite a wonderful thing, I will admit, but to be that pleasant all the time, it's unbearable," he knew his conversation was not one in which she openly agreed on, but he continued nonetheless. "Obviously they see no fear, no guilt, no shame in this world for they are too wrapped up in those 'pleasantries'."

"Again, I'm the cynical one?" She chuckled, once again turning her head back towards the window. "Who are you?"

"Amadeo, at your service," he bowed with amusement. "But you dont expect I wont ask your name in return, correct?"

"Ever," she murmured simply. "My name is Ever."

"Ever?" he seemed fairly amused with this. "What a name.. Ever.."

"Abby Warden," she replied.

"I do apologize. I was walking aimlessly..." I trailed off a bit embarrassed.

She grinned and said, "It's no problem. I was doing the same myself."

I smiled. "Oh lord, I hate these things." Then I covered my mouth, shocked. How could I have said such a thing!

Abby gave me a strange look and said, "So do I."

A silence settled between us, but it wasn't awkward as the one before with John and I.

I watched as Maddie continued to talk to Tristan, and a redheaded girl was talking to John.
Red hair. How different. She looked superb though, in her dress and fiery red hair. There was also a couple next to the window, talking.

Another solo piano song floated around the room and my fingers itched to play them. Would they let me play, I wondered.

*How are we all going to meet and talk about our powers?*

Yes, but the entire problem with the whole thing was that this storybook was first come first serve. If you read the bold in the storybook description, the only thing that will ensure you a spot in this is if you post a profile. Putting in a note that said "save me a spot" didn't matter. Only if you posted a profile would you get a spot.

**There's no use in bickering over it now XP. We are all apart of it and I thank you foreverthrenody for letting us both be apart of this storybook still. It's definitly going to be a fun one for sure **

Madeline

A bowed my head under the presuure of the vision.

I got a glimpse of a tiny, drk-haired girl. It was me. She twilred under the stars laughing. A twig broke and she looked around surprised. The face was hidden by the darkness, but it was the figure of a man.

"Are you okay," Triston asked, touching my arm.

"Of course," I laughed. I could barely breath, but I was alright. Was that man my father? He would be upset if he caught me. I knew that all of my 'visions' eventually came true, I could only hope that the man wasn't him.

I gulped in the freezing night air and smiled. Triston looked at me peculiarly, but didn't say anything. I couldn't read his facail expressions either. I wondered what was going o behind that calm, quzzical gaze.


**Sorry it's short but I've got homework ): **

Abby~~

A vision flashed before Abby's eyes of the pianist as he played his piano, before he started this new song he had taken a toilet break. The vision skipped past the unnecessary and skipped to where one of the old women is walking to go across the room an antique looking bracelet around her wrist, the light haired pianist then proceeds to run into her. Then the bracelet is gone! Abby's eyes then looked over to the person she herself had just run in to.

"You like to play?" Abby pointed.

"A little.." She didn't finish her sentence for Abby was now pulling her new found friend across the ballroom.

"Excuse me," The pianist paused and looked Abby in the eyes.

"Yes miss? Do you have a song request?" He looked through his papers for more music.

"Yes, my friend here would actually like to play.." THe man then got up, something jingled in his pocket.

Bingo

"Oh Abby!"

"Just go! You will do great!" She then "Accidentally" stuck her foot in front of the man and he crashed the floor. The bracelet skidded across the floor.

Abby smiled, "I am so sorry!"

"Oh Abby!" I said, panic across my face.

"Just go, you'll do great." Then Abby tripped the poor pianist. I wondered, what was that all about?

But the had music stopped and I sat down on the stool behind the piano. It was a sleek baby grand, and I felt a sort of calm wash over me. The piano was like a home away from home to me. What song should I play?

Then I knew. I started to play, my fingers flying across the keys, making sweet music float out of the piano and throughout the room. This song. It brought back so much memories of my brother, sweet Brendan.

This song, I had composed it myself, during the days I couldn't bear without Brenden, my twin brother. I had put all my emotions in it; sadness, anger, and a bit of happiness at the end of the song, when I begun to let go.

I played for about three minutes, so absorbed that I didn't notice a small group of onlookers watching me. When I finished and saw the crowd of people I blushed. Where was Abby? I must thank her for putting me up to this. It made me feel calm and collected.

Then someone said, "That was very nice. You have quite the talent."

I spun around to see who it was.

Tristan~~

We talked for a little longer before she did her blank out thing. She stared vacantly for a second before resuming the conversation. I sighed and ignored it, taking it for tiredness.

After a second I felt the statue fall of the palisade. I stepped to the side right as it fell and she let out a little yelp. The stone crashed on the sidewalk and splinters flew every where. I jumped in front of Madeline to shield her as the shards pierced the back of my suit.

When it was safe I stepped back and dusted off my jacket. When I looked up she was looking at me like a mad man.

"How did you know that was falling?"

I shrugged, "i heard it. well, sensed it is more the term." Not a complete lie.

Her eyes lit up, "Can you see the future?" She immediately realized what was on her face and turned away, hoping I hadn't noticed the excitement that only could have come from finding acceptance.

"Well, since you can too, I guess there's no reason to hide it."

She turned back to me, "You aren't making fun of me are you?"

I shook my head, "In three seconds a buggy is going to come around the corner. There will be red curtains and a man in a white suit driving the buggy. The horses will be black on the right and speckled on the left. Right about now a yellow cat should be walking on the far side of the road, and when it sees the horses it will run into the gutter and hide in a trash can."

The second I finished speaking the buggy edged around the corner. She watched in amazement as everything I had said came true.

"How can you tell all that from visions?"

I raised an eyebrow, "Visions? I dont have them. I just simply know what is going to happen around me."

"So you know what I am going to say?"

"Sort of. I could read what you are going to say, but the future is never certain, and the decision to say something or not to say something is so small, that it changes so often its not worth paying attention to. But what did you mean about visions?"

*I dont know exactly what your power is so I'll let you describe it, yours will probably be better than mine anyways.*

Avelle~

"Nice to see you again, Miss Avelle," John said.

"John? Are you okay now? I know something happened," I replied. Then I slumped forward in a dead faint as he caught me in his arms.

I watched as John shook my body, him wondering what happened. Suddenly the scene at the ball disappeared and I was in the past. I don't know how I knew this but it felt correct. I was in France or London I believe. It was in the afternoon and a young woman and a little boy, about three years old were walking past. The street was bare so it was odd. The young boy's face striked me as familiar but I couldn't quite make it out. I followed them, as quietly as I could. "Now, son, you must do everything you can to stay alive. I know it must have been hard growing up with prostitute as a mother but you handled it well.

The image was fading quickly. The last thing I heard her say was, "Goodbye, John."

My eyes opened. Back into the present time. "What happened?" I asked groggily.

"I don't know. I was hoping you would tell me," he replied. "I was lucky to carry you out of there without a big scene.

My eyes widened and I sat up. "You," I said. "'Born to a prostitute mother, and you lived on the streets for a long while. A very long while..."

His face turned white. "How did you know? I've never told anyone that in my whole life."

Should I trust him? I suppose so. I had a feeling he was similar to me, like when he had that small moment right after my dance. "Well, you probably won't believe me. I went back in time. To the past. Your past..."

*Hope that's okay with you jok. Now you can explain your power, okay? Since I don't really know about yours I'll let you do it.*

Lily

I rush through the doors into the large room. Looking at my watch I see that I am very late, so I take a moment to listen to what I missed. I try to suppress a giggle; this seems like it will be a very interesting ball. someone starts to walk towards me, and I put on my best happy face.


*Anyone can jump in, hope I am not too late*

Actually I like yours better (:

Madeline

He had a simliar gift to me. I wasn't alone. I wasn't a freak. Triston was more interesting than I had thought before.

"My 'visions' come randomly," I sighed. "First I see something, and some of the time I don't even know what it is, but it always happens. I can't stop it no matter what I do." I bit my lip, forcing the tears away.

"What's arong?" He asked. I shook my head. He dosen't care. "It's juist something that happened a long time ago." Triston raised an eyebrow in a "go on," type of look. I sighed.

"I saw my cousin's death. I tried to stop it, but by trying to save his life, I killed him," I said. Triston looked surprised and I thought I saw a bit of pity. I turned my head away. I didn't want that.

"How?" He asked. I shook my head. I didn't want to talk about it. It's painful enough just bringing it up. I looked up at him. I could see the words starting to form before he even said them.

"Don't," I replied. "Don't say I'm sorry." Triston nodded his head. I felt bad. I had just spoiled all hope of further conversation. He must think I'm morbid and rude. I couldn't help it. My tounge ran away with me sometimes. I wasn't anyones definition of a 'proper lady.'