Chapter Text
“M-Misaki-chan…”
Misaki jumped from her spot with an elbow rested on the refreshments table, the drink in her other hand sloshing as she flinched. “…Sorry,” She blinked, standing up straight. “I spaced out a little.”
“Okusawa-san, you could stand to be a little more, er, interested.” Arisa’s curious gaze eyed her from beside, motioning to the dance floor with an arm. “You’re here, might as well enjoy it.”
She sighed and shook her head. “I don’t know, this just isn’t my scene. All the people, the cheesy smiles and the awkward introductions, and—God!” Misaki groaned, rubbing her eyes.
“Well, um, you’re still going to have to take something home to your parents…” Kanon placed a tentative hand on her shoulder, as if that would soften the blow. “I-I think dancing could be romantic and fun!”
“Yeah, I guess so.” She watched as guests flitted this way and that, excitedly chattering amongst themselves and making last-minute stops to the buffet in anticipation for what was the most hectic moment of the night: the dreaded masked dance.
The wealthiest families in town often hosted masquerades exactly like this one: extravagant balls in which only those most favored were invited, and at the end of the night, partygoers would don their disguises before they either asked another fellow guest to dance, or got asked themselves. At times, the royal or the famously wealthy would mingle with the crowd, and you were considered in their greatest graces if one decided to take you on a rendezvous.
And Misaki Okusawa’s parents had high hopes for her in that regard when she was sent an invitation. Unrealistically high, in fact, hoping she would catch the eye of a rich aristocrat and go home on his or her arm. “As if,” she mumbled under her breath, taking a swig of her drink.
“Huh?” Arisa stared at her with that slightly-condescending, concerned look again, apparently having heard her outward musings.
“Ohh, Misaki-chan! Didn’t you hear, though? I hope the Phantom Thief is here tonight…” Kanon’s face suddenly melted into a disgustingly sappy, dreamy expression, hands to her heart.
“Phantom…Thief?” She tilted her head, prompting for more. Arisa rolled her eyes and crossed her arms, exasperated.
“Don’t get caught up in it. She’s just this girl that swoops in and says things all fancy, probably danced with every woman in the vicinity by now. Pretty silly, if you ask me,” the blonde scoffed, shooting a pointed look at Kanon with the last word.
The meek girl seemed deeply offended. “How, how could you!?” she cried. “The Phantom Thief isn’t silly, she’s gallant and charming and so, so mysterious!” Kanon insisted fervently to Arisa, the red blush on her cheeks likely half from indignation and half a tiny, tiny crush.
“Yeah, well, I-“ Suddenly, Misaki looked around to see the crowd thinning, falling away to change into their costumes. “Shit! We gotta go!” She grabbed the pair’s hands and briskly led them off to don their disguises, three sets of heels clacking on the marble floors as they power-walked.
“This is something we can’t be late for, you two.”
—
The authoritative voice of the host rang out, loud and clear. “Ladies and gentlemen!” The three were there on time, masks firmly on their faces.
“I thank you all for coming tonight, each and every one of you.” Hers took her family’s savings to make, despite her insistences against; it was a muted cyan, fairly simple.
“I’m sure you all are simply itching to get started. Ahem, without further ado, extend a hand to your desired partner, if you please!” She considered herself indifferent at best to the whole ordeal, but it was hard not to feel a little bit of anticipation at those words.
The room immediately erupted into pandemonium and jabbering as patrons rushed to find a partner, some seeming to have a specific person in mind and others rushing about aimlessly, only able to catch the stragglers.
Misaki purposefully stayed on the outskirts of the crowd with Arisa and Kanon sticking to her like burrs, her friends somehow even more socially awkward than she. It was much more trouble than it was worth to be in the merciless throes of masked guests hoping against all hope that tonight was the night they’d meet the one.
As pairing finished, it looked to be the situation she had predicted flawlessly: her stiffly standing without a partner, two girls who certainly didn’t ask her to dance shivering and clinging to her arms for dear life. It was a little embarrassing, but there was no real disappointment that came with it. After all, this really wasn’t her thing. And that was just fine.
Couples began to get into position, spreading out across the foyer and making ready for the first dance of the night. Misaki wasn't quite sure what to do with herself, with the lack of a partner unfortunately apparent. Nobody would notice if she hung by the drink bar and pretended she didn't know Arisa and Kanon, right?
Though suddenly, as she was entertaining the idea and just before the music started, the lights dimmed. The only illumination was a bright spotlight trained on a section of the floor ahead, and the entire foyer's focus shifted. Immediately, the onlookers burst into excited chatter, muttering to one another and pointing up at the ceiling. At her side, Kanon’s eyes were sparkling.
What in the world?
A tall figure seemed to drop down from nowhere at all, landing at the front of the room with a flourish, cape billowing about. The mystery person’s silhouette was clearly visible, top hat creating a stark outline against the brilliance of the light. With one arm outstretched and the other hand to their face, the pose was elegant, expressive, and…grossly dramatic.
Wordlessly, the stranger walked across the room, all tittering having quieted completely and the only noise being the echo of the unexpected guest’s shoes on the floor. Even as they drew closer, it was difficult to tell their gender by simply the outfit, but eventually, the long, flowing purple locks tied half-up into a ponytail and the lean, lanky build gave it away.
Countless pairs of female eyes watched her every move as she stepped, all staring intently with poorly-concealed longing in their gazes. The way she held herself and the way she moved could only be described as flamboyant…whether it was a good or a bad thing was to be determined.
And Misaki’s surprise only grew when she noticed the woman’s eyes lock with hers.
The strange figure approached her with purpose, the crowd parting to make way. Underneath her black and white mask, her eyes were a deep shade of crimson, a sultry look within along with a subdued curiosity.
“M-Misaki-chan…!” Kanon seemed just about to burst out of her costume. “The, the Phantom T-Thief…she’s…!” The usually frail girl’s grip turned iron on her sleeve, causing her to flinch with its newfound intensity.
The Phantom Thief stopped short directly in front of Misaki, dramatically pausing for a moment before ripping off her cape and tossing it aside with such unnecessary flair that it was kind of impressive. She bowed and extended a long arm, gently beckoning.
“Would you do me the honor of a dance, kitten?”
…Kitten?
She figured she didn’t have much say in the matter anyways; Arisa looked on with unabashed astonishment while Kanon practically pushed her forward, and her parents would be out of their minds if they heard she refused a dance. The entire audience waited with bated breath.
“Uh. Sure.”
And with a satisfied smile, she was swiftly swept into the mystifying Phantom Thief’s practiced arms, light returning to the room and the couples around them beginning to move. She was expertly spun around this way and that, the Thief’s lead confident and graceful. As they glided across the floor, she caught jealous death glares from every woman in the area, some sending shivers up her spine with their sheer ferocity.
...Alright, maybe this was a bad idea.
The woman’s intense stare never left her face. Their gazes remained constantly locked, with the Thief’s smile somehow both heartwarmingly gentle and annoyingly smarmy at the same time.
Finally, she spoke. “My dear, from the moment I arrived I was entranced by your fleeting presence. I feel as if fate has destined we meet here tonight…” A twirl. “Would you give me the honor of your name, kitten?” Her voice was deep, and every word was uttered with a tone that exuded a sense of gallantry, and if anything, felt almost princely.
It was cheesy.
“Okusawa Misaki,” she told her bluntly as she allowed herself to be carried this way and that, one hand on the woman’s shoulder and the other being clasped tightly, extended at her right. “What about you?” She knew the answer already, to an extent, but it felt rude not to ask.
“Misaki… ‘Beautiful bloom,’” she said matter-of-factly, briefly taking a hand off her waist to gesture in the air. “You may call me…the Phantom Thief.”
“…Uh huh. Okay, Phantom Thief.” Misaki squinted, attempting to search her face as best she could with the disguise on. But it was unreadable, likely even without the mask. “So, I hear you’ve danced with and captured the hearts of every woman in town?”
The Thief laughed a melodramatic laugh. “Ah-h-h, it appears my reputation precedes me! Well, I suppose it can’t be helped, with beauty such as mine,” she said, slowing down her lead as the music began to change. “Some say that. Others say I touch the lives of those I meet, traveling from land to land to spread my charm to kittens in need.”
Wow, self-esteem issues much? “…I see.” Though she hated to admit it, no amount of dance practice could have prepared her for the pure levels of expertise in the way the other woman stepped. She was only following, but it was still a struggle to keep up, and she could’ve sworn she stepped on the Thief’s toes more than once, though if the taller girl noticed, she said nothing. Relief washed over her when their previous dances decelerated into a calm waltz.
“Your radiance shines ever so bright, Misaki. Do tell me more about yourself; I find myself wanting to know everything there is to know about you.”
“Well, sorry to disappoint, but there really isn’t much to know,” she replied tentatively. “Just a resident nearby. Not rich, not poor. I know one of the aristocrats around here from my trips into town, so I got invited to a dance.” Misaki shrugged. “I’m not all that interesting.”
The Phantom Thief looked seriously taken aback. “Au contraire, my dear! Ignorance is the curse of God; knowledge is the wing wherewith we fly to heaven. Every fleeting new thing I learn about you is of great value,” she insisted with certainty. “Why, you are only the most lovely blossoming bloom I have encountered thus far, after all.”
She sighed. “You can cut that out, you know. We’re both just two people.”
The Thief tipped her head. “‘Cut that out’? My dear, is my passion just too overwhelming? Oh-h-h, this accursed, sinful beauty of mine!” she cried, head to the sky. “It pains me to have affected you so.”
“…Uh huh, yeah.” Misaki looked away, feeling the urge to rub her temples. Kanon liked this?
“No matter! As the Great Bard has said, love is too young to know what a conscience is, after all,” she said with a flick of the hand.
She stared at her for a moment. “Um. I’m…not sure that’s how it-“
“You are not educated on the works of the Great Bard, Misaki?” the Thief cut in incredulously, eyes wide. “How utterly terrible! I’ve much to teach you about the ways of the world, dear kitten! Oh-h, how blind you are to his marvelous words!” She looked genuinely distressed as she blabbered on.
I can’t believe this. The rumored Phantom Thief…is the biggest idiot I’ve ever met.
It was undeniable. Narcissistic, stupid, and theatrical to the point where it was exhausting, her apparently famous appeal was difficult for Misaki to understand. Her company was entertaining at best--and that was laying it on thick. Perhaps it was the feeling that girls felt special in her arms, being fed meaningless, rehearsed compliments over and over. But she could see through it, and it was patronizing if anything.
"You really don't listen, do you?"
"Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown, Misaki!"
"...What?"
The music began to switch once more, this time to a tranquil slow-dance that signaled the night nearly coming to a close. She noticed the patrons around her switching their positions, and found herself watching closely as some began to make their moves.
Suddenly, she felt a gentle, yet abrupt tug on her waist. And before she even knew what was happening, she was pulled dangerously close to the Thief, close enough to feel the other girl's warm breath on her own.
One moment, Misaki was reveling in the stupidity of a figure adored and known widely across the land, her princely, fairytale-like nature spoken about with dreamy expressions, wondering if everyone else was just as dumb for being so hopelessly in love with her. And the next, she was nearly nose-to-nose with said idiot, staring into her eyes and finding it hard not to get lost in that look that was somehow no longer grossly over-dramatic and gallant, but instead warm and tender and kind.
“I have danced with many a woman before, in many a venue, at many a time. But I have truly enjoyed my time spent with you more than any other, Misaki,” the Phantom Thief said with a genuine smile curving her lips, and even with her gaudy over-the-top disguise on, she was, admittedly, kind of pretty in the low mood lighting of the chandelier…when she wasn’t spouting all of that nonsense.
The words had left before she had a chance to think about them. “Who are you?”
The Thief’s gaze softened. “I tend to be whatever anybody needs me to be.”
And it was in that moment she understood. Sure, she was overdone and clearly faking it all the way, donning a fabricated personality along with her physical disguise that was annoyingly courtly and chivalrous. But the look in her eyes spoke volumes. She couldn't help but feel there was something more than all of this behind them. A real person—something she admittedly hadn’t considered before.
She wasn’t sure why, but she desperately wanted to know more.
As the music stopped and the clapping rang throughout the foyer, the Phantom Thief leaned down even closer. “Thank you for tonight, dear Misaki. I hope Mistress Fate will allow us to cross paths once more,” she whispered in her ear. And though it was hard to tell with her, it somehow felt sincere.
“…Yeah. I’m sure you’ve got other girls’ hearts to steal, right?”
The Thief stood up straight, their faces no longer near. She removed her hands from her waist to gesture about vaguely, a thoughtful look on her face. “Mayhaps. One cannot hope to know what the stars hold in store for us, merely pawns in their games…”
Misaki sighed, pulling away completely. “Uh huh.” As guests began to part and engage in small talk before taking their leave, she looked at her one last time. “Good night, whatever your name is.”
“…Fare thee well. Good night, Misaki.” And it seemed like magic; she was gone before her very eyes, without another word, seemingly vanished in thin air.
She was aware of, seconds later, Arisa and Kanon scurrying up to her with all haste, even the previously-skeptical blonde begging for details of her fateful encounter with the mysterious and charming Phantom Thief.
Kanon was practically on her knees, shaking her shoulders back and forth with the utmost urgency. “Misaki-chan! Oh-h-h, Misaki-chan! P-please, tell me everything! Wasn’t she just, just wonderful?” she cried, bouncing up and down like a child.
“I hate to admit it, but…good God, I really want to hear this. Okusawa-san, don’t make me beg.” Arisa impatiently waited for a response and tapped her foot, though clearly anxious.
Misaki paused for a moment. “I...don’t know.”
“Eh? You don’t know? Okusawa-san, don’t play games.”
But all she could do was blankly stare at the very spot that the crimson-eyed woman once stood only moments before. And she couldn’t help thinking perhaps there was much, much more to the Phantom Thief than rumors could tell.