A one-shot based off of the Vocaloid song "Cantarella." I wrote this after seeing the video only a couple of times, so I'm sorry if my interpretation isn't correct.

Dedicated to my friend Katherine, who showed me what Vocaloid is.

Based off of: http:/ www. youtube. com/ watch ?v=h3U –IGxt _q U

Disclaimer: I do not own Vocaloid, the video, blah blah blah…

"Kaito, play it for me again please!"

"You're so good at the violin, Kaito! I wanna be like you when I grow up!"

"You don't need to become like me. You are perfect, my muse."

"Really?"

"That's right. I'm sure you will grow up into a master violinist. And a beautiful woman."

"Then will you marry me?"

"We'll see about that, my lady."

"Kaito!"

"Miku!"

"Kaito, don't leave me!"

"Miku! Father, let go!"

"Mother, Kaito's leaving!"

"I can't leave her! No! Miku!"

"KAITO!"

It could feel its music flow out from beneath her hands. The instrument hummed happily as its master played it with practiced skill. It changed pitch when her slender fingers moved down its neck, causing it to produce higher notes. It sang louder and faster, matching its master's increasing pace. The climax hit and the instrument let out one last low note. Its sound reverberated throughout the entire hall.

Then silence.

For what seemed like hours, no one said a word. The audience just let fresh memory hang over them. The contrast between the music and the quiet seemed almost profound. Somehow, the silence was deafening.

All eyes were locked on the figure onstage. A slender woman—no, girl. She had soft green eyes and ponytails that matched. Her hair fell down to her hips, which were concealed by a black Victorian dress. One could tell by her figure that she was not yet a woman, despite any accentuation provided by her clothing.

This girl, Miku, pulled her violin off of her shoulder. She shifted the bow into the same hand as the instrument. First, she bowed low to the audience. The first few claps began when she changed into a curtsey. Then the thunderous applause started.

The many dozen people filling the hall began to swarm around her, raising their voices in praise. A few were glaring at her with disdain or outrage. One particular blonde woman in a puffy red dress was actually screaming at her. They gathered around the stage, almost eclipsing the small figure. Miku smiled and modestly accepted the compliments. However, her mind wasn't focused on her admirers.

Over the crowd, she could see a striking flash of blue.

Her eyes froze in that spot. A man in a black tailcoat was watching at her from across the room. His face was covered in a white mask, but that didn't detract from the intimidating blue stare. Instead, it added to the person's dangerous aura.

In the man's hand was a dainty blue rose, slightly opened and thorns still attached. He extended his arm as if to give it to her, and then vanished.

Miku blinked, as if to recall the image of the person back. The spot where he sat held her gaze for another minute, before she realized someone was calling her name.

"Yes?" Miku called, looking dazed.

Her mother frowned at her. "What has captured your attention so much, child? Come, everyone is waiting to congratulate you." She grasped her daughter's wrist and pulled her offstage. Miku turned back to glance at the empty space one last time before her mind joined the rest of the party that evening.

Miku shifted in the sheets, trying to find a comfortable position. Her face was flush and she couldn't feel sleep coming anytime soon. Her mind was racing with that one moment during the party. She thought she saw for an instant…

'No, that's impossible.'

No matter how she worked it out in her head, it sounded very unlikely. But when the image of the man resurfaced, all she could think about was that boy nine years ago. The one with blue hair and blue eyes. The one that took her hand and led her into the world of music.

She pulled the cover over her nose and up to her eyes. She stared at the ceiling as if it held the answers, but not surprisingly it said nothing. Instead, she let her lids close and sighed, hoping that she could coax herself into a form of slumber.

She tried for a few minutes before a chill hit her. At first, she thought nothing of it. Then she realized that she had wrapped herself up until her eyes in a heavy blanket. Those eyes snapped open and she stared confused at her window which was now open. She also stared at the black figure standing in front of said window, watching her.

Miku sat up hurriedly. The gaze of the man rested on her and made her squirm. She pulled her knees towards herself and tried to look anywhere except those icy depths.

While she was tracing patterns on her floorboards, she heard footsteps coming closer. Her heart beat harder and faster with every thump that echoed through her room. She gulped and looked up when the sound stopped.

The first thing she registered was blue. Soft blue petals clustered together and resting on a dark green stem. Her gaze traveled down the stem, over the thorns and onto the white gloved hand holding out the flower. She hesitated before continuing to follow to path of the arm to the shoulder, neck, and then face.

She froze.

The masked man from before smirked down at her. He was kneeling before her bed, one leg bent and touching the ground. His other hand was placed over his heart in some romantic gesture. He looked like a servant bowing to their master or a knight kneeling before their ruler.

The thought made Miku's cheeks heat up.

"Brava, my lady. You were spectacular this evening."

Miku's mouth felt dry. She clamped her lips together to stop herself from stuttering.

"Please accept this rose as gratitude for a wonderful performance. A blue rose is a rare beauty, such as yourself."

Her arm robotically moved from the sheets and took the rose. Her mind wouldn't process what was going on.

The man stood up before giving her an exaggerated bow. "Well then, my lady. I shall have to excuse myself for this evening. I do look forward to seeing you again."

A gust of wind entered her room and made her curtains fly. The man disappeared behind them and was gone.

Sunlight poured through the window into Miku's room. The girl groaned underneath her covers before peeking out at the window. It was shut and looked like it was locked. Why did that bother her?

Her tired gaze fell upon her desk, where the blue rose lay in striking contrast to the white letter it was on.

The memories of last night came back to her. The shadowy man kneeling before her. Her face heating up at his praises. His promise to meet again.

Miku leapt off of her bed and picked up the rose, carefully stroking the petals. She inhaled its sweet scent and smiled to herself.

She stood there for some time, reveling in last night's events. When she opened her eyes again, they fell on the stark white envelope resting on her desk. In elegant, black handwriting was her name.

"To my muse, Miku"

Why was that phrase so familiar? She hurried to get dressed before picking up the envelope and rose and heading down for breakfast.

She sat down in the dining hall by herself, staring out the window. A plate of food was sitting in front of her, untouched. Next to it were the objects she had brought.

The blue rose was sitting in a white china vase. It leaned over the edge toward her, catching the sunlight and appearing brighter. It cast a shadow over the envelope, which was opened and the letter unfolded. The words were written in the same elegant script.

Miku dreamily replayed the words in her head, setting them to the voice of her childhood.

"Dearest muse,

It is doubtful that you would remember me. However, the thought of you has never left my mind. It has been nine years since we parted that day, but to me it's been decades.

I send this letter in hopes that you will accept an invitation to my estate on the afternoon of May 21st. I have heard of your fame as an accomplished violinist and would be honored if you would consent to visit.

Always and forever, your humble servant,

Kaito"

The grandfather clock across the hall tolled. Today was May 21st, 11:00 A.M. Miku stood and gathered the papers before shuffling upstairs to her room.

Her violin lay in its case next to her bed, covered in sheet music from her latest performance that she forgot to put away. The green-haired girl began to rifle through the sheets until she found a much worn page. It was a rather difficult piece that she had been working on for months. She decided that this was the piece she would show to him as the compilation of all that she'd learned over the years.

The carriage stopped in front of a pristine white mansion. The roof was a dark blue lined with gold that weaved its way down the façade of the building. In the middle was a large balcony where Kaito was watching from.

When the carriage door opened and Miku stepped out, Kaito couldn't stop himself from staring. He was reading her face for any emotion she might be showing. She was smiling, eager. Was that because he had praised her? Underneath it, he could see—at least he hoped it was—traces of nostalgia. Would she remember him?

It wouldn't matter anyway. Not with what he had planned.

Kaito could hear his butler answer the door and rushed out of his room. He stopped just before reaching the staircase, composing himself before he went down to great his guest.

Miku stepped into the foyer and looked up to see him. White coat and pants with gold trimming down the sides. Blue hair sat messily above piercing blue eyes. A friendly smile greeted her, one from her childhood. Suddenly, she was seven again.

The man smirked at the girl, who was once again frozen in his presence. He chuckled to himself at her naivety. She looked so vulnerable down there and he almost forgot himself.

Almost.

"Welcome to my manor, Lady Miku. I trust that your trip was enjoyable." He called. Kaito could see her jump when she remembered herself.

"Y-yes, it was. Thank you for inviting me to your lovely home." Miku gave a low curtsey. Her hair covered her eyes and Kaito took the opportunity to give her a once over. She was dressed in similar attire to the night before: a black dress that ballooned out at her hips. There were no shoulders on the dress, but there were long sleeves that went down to her wrists. She wore no jewelry, which pleased Kaito. A girl such as her would have no need for it.

"The pleasure is all mine, my dear." He stepped down to her level and took her hand. He placed a light kiss on it. Miku blushed fiercely and Kaito reveled in it.

He released her hand and gave a low bow. "Shall we go to the dining room? I have had lunch prepared for your arrival." He turned and led her through a hallway, going deeper into the mansion.

Miku couldn't help but feel bothered by his gesture. Why did he bow to her? And why did she feel as if she'd seen that recently?

The two of them entered a large dining hall deep in the manor. Despite its location, there were windows were sunlight spilled in. That's because there was a large square courtyard built at the heart of the estate.

Kaito helped Miku into a chair on one end of the long table. She smiled gratefully to him. He returned the gesture before leaving. He wasn't gone two minutes before returning with a tray of tea. The girl stared open-mouthed.

"Why are you serving the tea and not your butler?" She questioned.

Kaito placed the tray down and began pouring her a cup. "I gave my butler the day off. He's my only servant."

Miku supposed that made sense. The only servant in such a huge manor surely must get overworked.

Kaito weaved his fingers together and rested his head on them. He glanced down at the black case that rested against the wall. "I see that you've brought your violin. Would you mind playing something?"

The girl shook her head and stood. While she made her way to the case, Kaito pulled out a vial from his coat pocket and poured its contents into Miku's tea. He capped the flask and stuffed it back before she returned.

Miku placed the sheet music on the stand across the room, probably placed there ahead of time by the butler. She positioned her violin on her shoulder and began to play.

The notes danced around the room, echoing through the almost empty hall. Kaito could hear the cries of the instrument, its screams of pleasure as Miku's fingers danced on its neck. Her bow's feather-light caresses teased the strings and made them shudder. The music picked up when she pumped the bow faster and faster over the violin.

It was beautiful.

It was obscene.

The violin sang one last note before Miku stilled. She lifted the bow off of the strings and pulled the violin from its spot on her collar.

The blue-haired man stood up and clapped. His lone applause rang out in the hall, drumming in Miku's ears. He then gestured for her to sit down. She complied. The girl reached out for her teacup and sipped while Kaito praised her.

"Amazing. Simply beautiful, my muse."

She stopped. As Miku was opening her mouth to respond, she began to feel numb all over her body. A haze descended over her vision and she could feel the tug of sleep pulling her into unconsciousness. She saw Kaito give her one last, warm smile before her sight turned black.

Kaito saw her form slump forward onto the table. The teacup rolled out of her hand and onto the ground, shattering. He allowed himself to smirk, then chuckle, and then finally he let out a roar of laughter. How naïve!

He stood and put his arms around: one behind her back and the other under her knees. He picked her up off the chair and pushed through the swinging door to the kitchen. There, open in the middle of the floor, was a trap door that led to the cellar. He stepped down the steps and navigated through the dark passageways, the whole time stealing glances at the sleeping figure in his arms. 'So vulnerable.'

'So deliciously vulnerable.'

Kaito awaited the moment she would wake up and finally be his.

Miku's eyes fluttered open. Her body felt heavy and her mind was cloudy. All she saw was darkness around her first. Nothing but pitch darkness. It terrified her, but it also suffocated her and kept her from crying out.

Suddenly, light illuminated the room, revealing a glittering ballroom. The pillars held burning candelabras whose light bounced off of the glittering chandeliers. The sudden brightness was too much to handle, and Miku shifted her gaze to something closer to the old darkness.

A black coat.

The masked man was standing only a few feet from her, kneeling once again. Instead of a rose in his hand, he held a lock of her hair between his fingers. She blushed and looked away.

She heard a deep chuckle. She felt her hair once again go limp. Miku noticed that the man was now standing and offering a gloved hand to her.

She accepted it, the numbness in her limbs disappearing. Only when she stood did she notice that the fabric surrounding her was different. It wasn't the black dress she had gone to Kaito's estate in. Miku stared at the white satin dress. A curtain of white crepe fell over her face. She was wearing a white bridal veil too!

The man seemed to notice her stammering at her new attire. He smirked and pulled her towards the center of the dance floor. Music floated seemingly out of nowhere: a waltz.

"You look enchanting this evening. Would you care to dance, my lady?"

Before Miku could process who could have undressed her and put her in the dress, she felt her waist being grabbed. An arm snaked around to left hers up and a hand entwined with hers.

The two spun around the ballroom in time with the music. All of Miku's thoughts left her. For that night, her whole world was centered on this mysterious figure.

It was hours until the couple released each other. Not a word was uttered between them, but there was no need. The man could tell when Miku was distracted, and quickened his pace to have her keep up. He also knew when she was tiring, and slowed down for her.

Miku, in turn, could tell that the man was accommodating for her. The whole night was filled with reading the other's body language, changing to keep the seemingly ritualistic steps flowing.

When the music finally ended, the masked man was once again kneeling before her. His hand was over his heart and he was looking down.

Miku wanted to know what he was thinking about or what he was feeling. She wanted to be able to read it in his face. However, the mask was keeping her from seeing him. Curse that mask!

She reached out to touch it. She stroked her finger over the edge of the white porcelain, moving upwards to the top-right corner. She held the tip between her fingers and was about to take it off, but she felt her wrist grabbed.

The masked man squeezed her wrist and pulled it away from his face. It didn't hurt, but there was enough pressure to know that he was serious. Although Miku couldn't tell because his face still held that smirk.

A gloved finger pressed against his lips. He would retain the mystery.

When he released her wrist, he turned her hand so that her palm was open. The man fished something out of his coat: a silver key.

He pressed it into her palm and closed her white fingers over it.

The key glinted in the light and Miku was transported elsewhere.

A little girl was sitting in her courtyard crying. Her little brother and sister had destroyed her new dress. It was a present from her grandmother who she loved dearly. Her sobs echoed out through the garden.

Suddenly, the girl saw a boy with blue hair walking towards her. In his hand was a brown case, about as tall as she was.

He petted her on the head and said that he had something that might cheer her up. The little girl saw him pull a silver key out from a string around his neck. The key clicked into the lock and he opened the case.

In it was something the girl had only seen at parties. She didn't quite know what it was, but it was wooden and made pretty music that people danced to. She watched as the boy picked up the instrument and began to play.

She was entranced by the melody coming from the thing. It reminded her of spring. She couldn't help but start to dance to the song.

She wasn't sad anymore. The little girl decided that the instrument must be magic to make people suddenly happy again.

And the boy must be magic too.

Miku awoke in bed the next morning. She felt a dull ache in her limbs and her head throbbed. She looked down and saw that she was wearing her black dress again. No sign of the other dress anywhere.

When she sat up, she felt something brush her chest. The girl looked down to see the silver key dangling around her neck. 'It wasn't a dream.'

She recalled the memories that surfaced when she took the key last night: the memories of when she and Kaito first met. The key fit with the lock on Kaito's violin case.

Miku pondered this for a moment. She went to Kaito's house the day before. Suddenly, she had woken up in a ballroom with the masked man. He had given her the key to Kaito's violin case. And now here she was.

The only problem was, where was here?

This was not her bedroom.

Miku heard a knock coming from the door. "C-come in!"

The door opened to reveal the butler from Kaito's estate. He was holding a tray of tea. "Master Kaito asked me to see how you were doing, my lady. He said that you fainted during lunch yesterday." He placed the tray on the bedside table and handed Miku a teacup.

She pressed her palms flat against the ceramic, feeling the warmth spread though her body. "Thank you very much. So I take it I am still in Kaito's estate?"

"That is correct, my lady. After you lost consciousness, the master brought you his room so you could rest."

'Ah, so this is Kaito's room.' Miku's stomach suddenly flipped. "If I slept here, then were did Lord Kaito—"

"Master Kaito did not go to bed last night. He was worried for your health and stayed in his study the whole night." Miku let out a sigh of relief, but also felt guilt creeping up on her.

"Well Miss, if that is all, I shall be going." He bowed before exiting. Miku pulled the covers off and tentatively tested her weight on one foot. The ache increased, but she found she could walk without too much discomfort.

Miku grabbed the key resting on her collar. She needed to find the violin case. Luckily, she was already in Kaito's room. The girl searched in the closet, under the desk, but with no success.

Finally, she looked under the bed and found the worn box. Miku pulled it out and hoisted it onto the desk.

'What does it mean if the key fits into the case? Does it mean that Kaito's the masked man?' Miku pushed the key in and turned.

The tumblers shifted with a loud click.

Miku gasped. The top of the case swung open and a white porcelain mask was staring back at her. Beneath it was a black coat.

Kaito was the masked man.

She stepped back in disbelief. The girl was too shocked to hear the door opening, or footsteps coming closer. What she registered next were hands gripping her waist and snaking into her hair. Her ribbons were pulled off and the bright green hair cascaded down around her. Suddenly, she was backed into a wall.

Lusty blue eyes bored into her. Kaito slammed his hand onto the wall next to Miku's head, blocking her escape. She shook under his needy gaze.

It was then that she connected the pieces together. The sweet, kind Kaito from her past became the charming, mysterious masked man of her present. Neither of them bad, just two sides of the same coin. Her mentor and her slave. And she loved both of those sides.

She closed her eyes and sighed when she felt the rough palm on her cheek. Kaito lifted her face up to look at him, and she did. She held his gaze. And she ordered her knight.

"Please, capture me."

Kaito had never heard such sweet music before in his life.

Owari.