_{[Edit]Added more... sorry for cluttering the diary pages with my unrelated ramblings. D:}




___A symphony of silence, followed by a roar of applause, erupting from the very diaphragm of the theatre. Staggered breaths of amazement and wonder, all directed to what was now missing. Laughter and silly chit-chat, overwhelmed by a lone man's deep voice, calling out to his bewildered audience.
___"Now? Where did that lovely lady disappear off to?" Questioned the lone man, lit with the amusement of his guests. "Is she behind this curtain?" He continued, extending his dress-coat covered arm out towards a deep, velvet curtain, pulling at it with his glove covered hands. Black silhouettes tearing at the fabric, the man continued, looking back and forth behind the stage curtain, his deep brown eyes scanning to and fro in attempts to find the missing lady.
___"My...it seems I have misplaced her!" He chuckled, pulling back the curtain to reveal nothing but an empty stage behind it. Easing his grip, he pushed forward, teetering on the edge of the stage, dodging lights which sweltered every bit of exposed flesh.
___"I must apologize, ladies and gentlemen, but it seems that darling of a lady has disappeared! Not that I had anything to do with it." He placed a gloved index finger to his lips, winking an eye as the audience broke into giggles and chuckles. He straightened his stance, giving a much better view to the fashion in which he wore. Nothing out of the ordinary for the time, dark trousers with a white dress shirt overlapped by a deep red fabric which was a vest. All wrapped in what appeared a black tuxedo overcoat, with nothing other than a dashing top hat upon his head.
___What appeared strange for this lone man however, was the peculiar mask he wore, hiding his flushing face. Donning his stage name, 'Silence', also appeared to cause a need to hush the man's actual identity as well. It was almost a trademark of sort, the mask a stunning array of gold and deep crimson, overlapped with a plastered set of grinning lips and dark patterns surrounding the eyes. It was a wonder he could still so casually wear such a masquerade, considering the lights which shone upon him so brutally.
___"I'm not missing! You silly man!" Cried out a shrill voice, the giggles and chortles silenced as the audience spun their heads in the direction of the cry. The stage lights shifted, also searching for the source of such an outward sound.
___There, appeared the missing 'lady', her eyes twinkling as she rose from one of the deep red seat cushions which seated the rest of the audience, whisking away a stray chocolate-colored hair from her equally as delicious brown eyes. She batted her eyelashes as she approached the stage, an almost iconic swagger in her step causing even more giggles to burrow their way through the crowd.
___"You should be more careful, darling! Wouldn't want all of your assistants to go missing, hm?" The lady continued, stepping carefully onto the stage, pulling up the hem of her elaborate gown, drizzled with gold adornments on top a lovely violet fabric. Her voice was also rather recognizable, rolling off her lips with a hint of a sort of southern drawl, nearly drowned out by her more obvious london accent.
___Lone performer, noticing the lady's appearance, let a chuckle erupt from deep within him, crossing his arms as she reappeared upon the stage. He then turned to the audience, raising his hand as if to hide his words from the approaching woman, although clearly not exactly trying.
___"No matter how hard I try, she still never manages to stay missing!" His deep voice was followed by grins and nods, the ladies of the audience giggling as they fanned their faces from the stage lights which echoed off equally as much heat. Men laughed, sipping from elegant glasses of wine, furrowing their brows as the liquid tickled their mustaches.
___"You have been a wonderful audience, ladies and gentlemen! It is always an honor to perform for such a lovely group. But remember...." He paused, the crowd once more growing hushed. "I am but Silence. You won't learn a single secret from me."
___The audience erupted into applause, standing from their seats as the performer and assistant took their bows, the velvet curtain returning to its resting state. Slowly, the cheers settled down to whispers, as the elite quickly headed for the exits to part with the clever show of magic which they had just witnessed. The sound of scurried steps of rushing ladies and their partners continued. All were carefully avoiding bits of dust which, heaven forbid, would tarnish their lovely evening gowns.
___Behind the curtain, the sound of all the hustle was diminished, the velvet wall nearly drowning out the source of such. Silence, as he was dubbed, eagerly cast a nod toward his assistant, before turning upon his heels not soon after. He moved almost in a feline sort of way, casting his nimble legs across the wood planks while easily removing his cap in one swift motion. Deep, well kept locks of raven-black hair soon showed itself beneath, but only for a fleeting moment as the man disappeared backstage, blending into the scenery of unused props and relieved stagehands.
___“Wait, Silence!” Called out the lady, extending her arm as she hurriedly rushed to find the magician. Her step rushed, and with heels clattering like a lost drum, she briskly carried herself into the shadows, darting her dark eyes back and forth while precariously tending to her long curly locks of hair. Flipping her mane and letting it tumble down the small of her back, she came to a stop, lost in this world of backstage chaos, the echo of voices carrying off the plastered walls.
___The lady paused, placing a finger onto her brow as she scrunched her heart shaped face, closing those large chocolate eyes as if to travel into her own world of thought. Approaching an epiphany, she surged forward, nearly colliding with a wide-eyed stagehand. Apologizing, she continued forward, quickly finding the steps which led to the underground rooms used for dressing. She thanked the heavens, as it was much lighter down beneath the stage, although no less cooler much to her dismay.
___“Silence?” She called out again, clasping her hands behind her back as she sneaked about the corridor, peeking into open dressing rooms which she found to be mostly empty. “Where is that man?” She asked herself, sighing in frustration and leaning against the poorly plastered white wall. A cross of her arms and a lowered head easily displayed her frustration, and a light clatter of shoes only then caused her to raise her head.
___“Esperanza…?” Replied a deep voice, laced with a strong London accent. His words easily rolled off his tongue as if it were a somber song within itself, the recognizable tone to it allowing the lady to relax her shoulders and grace herself with a smile.
___“Ah, so you do still live up to your name. If it wasn’t for your shoes I don’t think I would’ve even noticed you.” Esperanza laughed, straightening herself off from the wall, pointing briefly to the creaky wooden floor.
___“Did you need something?” Silence replied briefly, glancing about the corridor as if searching for something. The deep, near-black colors which embalmed his eyes easily showed the contrast between the white surrounding it.
___“Ah, yes. Considering your show’s success, I wanted to mention that the manager of this theatre would like to speak to you.” She paused, her smile growing wider. “It wouldn’t surprise me if your show was the most successful in all of Europe!”
___Silence laughed, his deep chuckle bouncing of the walls, in an almost hypnotizing rhythm. “Humph, well I’d be shocked.” He continued, darting in and out of empty dressing rooms, occasionally peeking his head out to further his words.
___“Although I must ask you something, Esperanza.” His voice drifted off, just as he also drifted into another empty room. “Aha, found em’.” Another chuckle, as he appeared from the room, cradling a fragile white rabbit in his arms. The lady giggled, shocked as to how this ‘assistant’ ended up here in the first place.
___“If I may ask, what is it that you take, but the more you do, the more you leave behind?” He began petting the small creature, approaching the lady with more hushed steps. The contrast between his dark attire and the white rabbit created an almost eerie effect, every tuft of fur standing out against his dark overcoat and shadowed gloves. Esperanza paused, and out of habit closed her eyes, placing a finger to her forehead, letting herself drift into thought. The scuffling of shoes above could be heard, disallowing any form of lasting silence between them.
___“Silence, you’re riddles are far too challenging. You know I’m terrible at solving them!” She opened her eyes, placing both hands upon her hips. In response, Silence merely grinned, before once again glancing to the rabbit, stroking its soft, near angelic fur.
___Shifting his weight, he continued to walk forward, brushing past the puzzled woman with a recognizable amount of grace, only pausing to mention a few more words to her. “There. That was the hint. And...I will be sure to speak to the manager.” He grinned, before disappearing upstairs, once again so cleverly blending in with the cluttered backstage.




____“Damnit, Silence!” A desperate voice screeched, the source being a certain lady with a swagger in her step. Her jaw clenched, curling into an almost monster-like state as she sat cross-armed in the empty theatre. The cool night air had finally begun to creep in, only a few dimmed lights illuminating the lonesome auditorium. Rolling her eyes, she combed her slender hands through her chocolate mane, not soon after adjusting her gown profusely in clear anxiety.
____“What do you intend to send me to the pits of hell for, m’lady?” Replied a much calmer voice. The echo of props and various objects of trickery being disturbed from their quiet rest were soon heard, followed by a few curse words that were barely audible beneath the noise. “You know I’m not a believer in such trifles.” The magician continued, appearing from behind the stage with an arm currently used as a perch, the cooing of doves overwhelming the theatre.
____Esperanza giggled, the beastly expression being replaced by a much calmer one. “Ah…do forgive me. I forget sometimes that I am not alone.” She paused, holding her breath. “But I have been thinking about that silly riddle of yours for about a week now and haven’t been able to announce an answer.” The woman rose, stretching her arms high above her head, letting a deep sigh escape her lips. “Your riddle is going to destroy my concentration. I swear, pretty soon I’ll end up lighting you aflame for real, next time around.”
____The masked man grinned, pausing in his step as he looked out onto the empty auditorium, glancing briefly to the animals still perched upon his arm. Suddenly, he let a deep chuckle escape past him, the sound resonating off the distant walls, the sound dissolving into the red velvet seats. Esperanza paused, looking up towards him, observing as he took a step forward, and the clatter of shoes against the wooden stage breaking her from the trance of his chuckle. A shiver inched up her spine, sending chills parading throughout every inch of her body. Her fingertips were nearly shaking, and she soon crossed her arms as if to create her own blanket.
____“Do I need to give you another hint?” He laughed briefly once again, locking eyes with the girl before concentrating on the birds which used him as a perch. Outreaching his free hand, the flesh so carefully hidden by his glove waved in front of the miniature aviary, and within seconds, did the birds disappear from sight. Beneath his mask, a sly grin crossed his features, only visible through what the porcelain exposed of his face.
____Watching this strange magician perform his profession always seemed to astound her, and she soon found herself staring ever rudely as he became detached from his own reality. The odd joy that Silence seemed to tear from the fabric of his art seemed unmatched by any story that one could inscribe. She had merely assisted him in his art, never truly holding the joy that he seemed to derive from it. And although they had worked together for years, she still found herself marveled by how some of his tricks were created. So much so, that she had begun to stop guessing and just attach the word ‘magic’ to each incredible act.
____ Her mind was suddenly brought back into the present by a sudden attendance, a familiar voice dragging her back into the theatre. “You very well know I can’t make one’s mind disappear. I’m no hypnotist, Esperanza.” She trembled, before laughing beneath his words as she noticed how quickly he had managed to approach her, almost traveling through time itself to sit beside her in the red velvet seat nearby. What surprised her more was that she herself was also sitting, although she did remember standing just moments before?
____“You could easily become one, Silence.” She relaxed, exhaling deeply. The man propped an elbow on one of the armrests, glancing away from his one bit of company besides the doves and rabbits.
____“So, m’lady… Would you rather have a hint to that silly riddle, or an answer?” He muttered, standing as he removed his outer jacket, folding it across his arms to reveal a pale white dress shirt beneath, still covered by one of his many Technicolor vests.
____“Oh, just give me the answer already. I doubt I’ll stay sane much longer without knowing it.” Esperanza groaned, following the magician as he rose from his seat and made his way back onto the pale stage. She was caught off guard when he suddenly stopped, turning back towards her with a mischievous grin overwhelming his face.
____Nearly losing her balance, she let out what seemed a sound similar to that of the mice that occasionally scurried beneath the theatre, resulting in none other than a laugh from the masked man.
____“The more one takes, the more one leaves behind.” He paused, gripping his loose jacket between two gloved fingers. “Footsteps, m’dear.” Within moments of revealing the answer, he lifted his jacket from his arm, doves emerging from beneath the fabric. Feathers and animals scattered in all directions, cooing as they cried out in freedom, calm quickly returning as they landed softly upon the rafters in various areas of the stage.
____Turning on his heels, Silence shifted his weight forward, walking calmly towards the fleeing birds. He reached out, clasping one of the frightened doves between two hands, stroking its head and hushing it with gentle whispers.
___Esperanza merely rolled her eyes, walking eagerly in another direction, after the escaped birds. “I swear, it surprises me that we even have a single animal left.” The lady muttered, clicking her heels as she scurried to catch the loose beings.