DISCLAIMER! I do not own Rozen Maiden or Digimon Savers!
A/N: Just an idea I had. In this one, the Alice Game is over and Alice has been created… in my story Alice has been given another body. She lives in the Digital World as a prisoner. Instead of 'Thomas', I will be using 'Tohma' for the pretty, blond genius. Just so you know. Um… yeah so, sorry for anything you find apologizing-worthy, namely OOCness. Hope you like and please review!
~.~.~.
Masaru, Yoshino, Ikuto and Tohma with their Digimon and Gotsumon were heading toward the place Yggdrasil resided. However, they had been attacked and so were hiding in a cave-like place. Of course Masaru and Agumon, as expected, wanted to fight, but the others reasoned that if that happened they would take longer to get to where they needed to and if they waited it would take less time. They weren't there for that.
"Master, look," Gaomon said suddenly and then everyone turned to look at what Gaomon was pointing at. It was deeper inside the cave, there was a faint glow coming from somewhere there.
"What is that?" Yoshino asked and her eyes were fixed on the faint light.
"Only one way to know," Masaru ever the rash one said. Him and Agumon began walking toward it promptly followed by Ikuto and Falcomon. The others with a sigh, soon followed suit.
They walked toward the light and as they neared they heard voices talking. They stopped and peeked in. There was a Digimon in a room-type place and sunlight was coming in from somewhere above, that's why they had seen the glow. The Digimon wasn't alone either. There was a girl who was shackled against the wall. She wasn't like anything they had ever seen before. The girl was incredibly beautiful and had a formidable form. It was strange that there was a gentleness about her despite her expressionless face and lifeless blue eyes. Her hair was extremely long and blond, partly up in two long ponytails held up by white laces. She looked very much like a doll. There was also a delicacy about her but despite her conditions she didn't seemed resigned. She was in a gown-like white dress that looked like old-fashioned undergarments. Laid out neatly on a bed was a dress of the purest white with mint green laces and stockings. Her shoes were also white. The clothing of a last century doll.
"Why?" she was asking in a controlled voice.
"Yggdrasil wishes it to be so," the Digimon replied.
"Is this how you wish to see me as well?" she asked him.
"It is not my will that I am carrying out," he responded.
"But it is your answer I am seeking," she countered.
He was silent a moment. "… Someone like you should be kept in better conditions," the Digimon replied but wasn't looking at her.
She stared at him a moment. "Dukemon…" she trailed off and there was a flicker of emotion in her features. "Are Yggdrasil's word stronger than your noble will, Dukemon?" she asked him quietly and now she looked at the Digimon with sad eyes.
The Digimon, Dukemon, was silent a long time. "You must understand my position. I do not serve myself," he told her.
Her head lowered slightly and she closed her eyes, a small resigned smile appearing on her face. "Yes, I understand, Dukemon. This is why I do not resist you," she told him.
Dukemon went toward her and stared at her a long time. In this time, she looked back at him with a gentle yet unwavering stare. "I know. One day, when you are liberated… I hope you may forgive me," he told her.
"Dukemon," she said and her voice was almost a whisper. "I will not have anything to forgive you for. You have done nothing wrong. You have only carried out Yggdrasil's will. I cannot blame you for that," she told him with a small smile.
"You truly are untainted and pure," was all he said and they both fell silent.
The humans were silent a moment. "Let's go," Masaru said with a determined expression.
"Are you crazy? We can't just barge in there," Yoshino whispered harshly.
"We can't let her stay there either, no matter if she wants to or not," Masaru replied.
"You're right, Masaru," Ikuto said and Falcomon only nodded.
Tohma sighed. "Either way, maybe we can find out something about Yggdrasil… Dukemon seems to know about him," he told them.
Masaru took this as his cue to go in. "Hey, you!" he called and Agumon was next to him, the others behind.
Dukemon turned around and stared at them. "Humans… you have no business in the Digital World," he said.
"We do have business here actually. We are here to see Yggdrasil," Masaru replied.
Dukemon stared at them. "You do not have the honor of having an audience with our god. Leave," Dukemon told him.
"We won't until we have reached our goal. And we won't stand for someone who keeps a girl prisoner," Masaru said making a fist, ready for action.
"You think you have a chance against me?" Dukemon asked looking down on them proudly.
"Please… you must leave," the girl told them.
"No way!" was all Masaru said before once again concentrating on Dukemon. Suddenly, said Digimon turned around and looked up at where the sunlight was coming through. "Hey, don't turn your back on me!"
Turning back around Dukemon said, "I have no time for you petty humans. Yggdrasil calls." He seemed to hesitate a moment where he glanced at the girl before saying, "I cannot be blamed if you are taken while I am not present."
She looked at him with the slightest bit of surprise. "Dukemon…"
"You must keep her pure and untainted," he said before he seemed to disappear.
There was a moment of silence. "You must leave," the girl told them again.
"We will… once we've reached our goal," Masaru said and they walked toward her.
She only stared at them a moment before looking away. "I do not wish to create problems for my caretaker," she informed them.
"You can't, if what he says is true. And if he told us this, it's because he wants to see you free," Tohma told her.
Her eyes held his. "The keys are above the entrance," she told him before she looked away from them.
Lalamon flew up there and got the keys and in no time the girl had been released. "Okay, let's go," Masaru said.
"No, wait," Yoshino said and the boys turned to look at her. The girl was standing next to her looking at the ground with a blush. "She has to change," she told them with a meaningful look.
"O-oh… right… we'll wait outside," Tohma said and ushered the other two and the Digimon out.
They were outside for a bit before the girl came out with Yoshino, looking either too shy or too resigned but she wasn't putting up any resistance. She walked with them until they were out of the cave. Then she spoke quietly. "I shall take you where Yggdrasil resides without fail, and then I shall repay what I owe you," she told them.
"I'm the one who's taking them though," Gotsumon said.
"You are taking them inside then?" she asked the rock-type Digimon.
"Wh-what? No! I'm just showing them where it is," he said.
She gave a nod. "Once you do, I shall show them inside," she informed and they began walking again.
"You'll do that for us?" Agumon asked and blinked at the girl.
She nodded. "Certainly, I need to repay you for the kindness you have shown me," she replied.
"You don't need to repay us for that. We wanted to help," Masaru said looking at the strange girl.
There was a flicker of confusion in her features. "I don't?" she asked him.
"No, we didn't have to do it, we did it because we wanted to, you don't have to repay us for that," Masaru replied.
She was silent a moment. "Then let me do this… because I want to," she said in that quiet, controlled voice.
The boys and Yoshino smiled. "Well, we can't turn you down, since you want to," Yoshino said with a smile.
"Thank you," was all the girl said before they continued in silence. After a moment she said, "If I'm not being so inopportune, I wish to know why you are requiring to see Yggdrasil."
"The barrier between the human and Digimon world has collapsed and they will collide, destroying both worlds. At the moment, a Digimon named BanchouLeomon is what is keeping the two worlds from colliding, but we must hurry because he won't be able to stop it for much longer. It seems Yggdrasil wants to destroy the human world in order to save the Digimon world. We need to talk with him to let him know that's not the right thing to do," Tohma told her.
She stopped walking and her eyes had widened. "Destroy… the human world…?" she managed.
"Yes… now do you understand?" Yoshino asked softly.
"Yggdrasil… he wishes to hurt them too," she said softly before she began walking again, not paying much attention to the others. "After wanting to keep me in my original state…" she trailed off. She was talking to herself.
"You're original state?" Masaru asked.
She seemed to be taken out of her thoughts by this question. "Yes. I have become Father's perfect masterpiece: pure, unspoiled, and more precious than any gem. I have reached perfection in Father's eyes. After becoming what Father had sought for, I became all these things… this is the state Yggdrasil wishes me to keep. I am not allowed to come into contact with anyone unless Yggdrasil allows it or it is himself. He sometimes requires my assistance and I must always be guarded. For the past ten years Dukemon has been the one to look after me. I know that, should it be up to him, he would not keep me in the conditions you found me in. However, Yggdrasil has ordered it," she informed them.
"How long have you been here then?" Gotsumon asked.
"I have been in the Digital World for about ten years. Father and I were brought to the Digital World. We were found shortly after by Yggdrasil. At first he wanted me to stay with him, but I would never leave Father. When I refused he took Father prisoner so that I may bend to his will. I complied… however, it has been about six months when I found out by accident that Father has died… he died of sadness. I should have been prepared for that… his most precious creation to be used in such an ill manner… but I was not ready," she told them and she looked ahead unblinkingly.
There was a short moment of silence. "May we know your name?" Tohma asked suddenly.
"Oh, I have not introduced myself. I am called Alice, it was the new name Father had given me," she said.
"What was your… old name then?" Tohma asked. Masaru, Ikuto, and Yoshino looked strangely at him.
"I was called… Shinku…" she said softly.
"Shinku? … It sounds… familiar…" Tohma trailed off.
There was slight surprise in her tone. "Really? … I was… the fifth Rozen Maiden doll… if it is of any meaning to you," she said slowly.
Tohma's eyes widened. "That's how I've heard of you! … Father… that must be Rozen, your creator, the doll maker," he said.
She nodded. "Yes, that was him."
"You, then, must have won the Alice Game," Tohma continued and his eyes were set on her.
"That is partly correct," Alice replied.
"But… how?"
"I had chosen not to play the Alice Game because I had no wish to lose any of my sisters. Besides that, I… cared very much for my medium and his sister, my life was better than with my other mediums," she told him. "However, not everyone shared my view. The seventh Rozen Maiden doll was very strong, and fought the others, and won. In the end, it was only her and I. My medium and I spoke about it, what we wanted and what we should do. I had no choice, I had to fight, I had to play the Alice Game… in the end I won… my medium, Jun, played a significant role in that. Father finally called to me and he… created the very person you see now. I bid my medium and his sister goodbye and Father and I began a journey of our own. It was near the end of this journey that we were brought here," she explained.
"Hey, not to interrupt or anything, but I have no clue what you guys are talking about," Masaru said.
"Do you know much about the Rozen Maiden dolls?" she asked directing her question at Tohma.
"I did research on it, so I suppose I know quite a bit about it. Though I'm not sure how much," Tohma answered unsure.
"Well then, I think it would be for the best if you explained it to your friends," was all she said to him.
"I don't think I'd mind an explanation," Yoshino said and Lalamon agreed.
Tohma sighed. "Rozen was a doll maker, one of the finest. His vision was to create Alice, the perfect doll. His attempts led to him creating seven dolls he gave life to, the seven Rozen Maiden dolls. Each century they would awake and would participate in what is called the Alice Game. If a doll defeats the other dolls, they become Alice, the perfect doll Rozen was seeking to create. Apparently, by seeing Alice here, he found a way to do more than just create a doll and bring it to life," he informed.
"How does the Alice Game work?" Yoshino asked confused.
"And how do you give life to a doll?" Masaru asked equally confused.
"What about mediums?" Ikuto asked.
"The Alice Game," Alice began explaining, "is a game the Rozen Maidens play. We fight each other and the winner takes the other's Rosa Mystica. The one who collects all of them becomes Alice. For this to take place, the losing doll becomes lifeless… like an ordinary doll. By giving each of us a Rosa Mystica, Father was able to bring us to life. If we have a medium, that is, a human who enters in a covenant with a Rozen Maiden, we are stronger; however, that strength comes from the medium's power. If we abuse it, it could kill him or her."
"Can a medium enter in a covenant with more than one Rozen Maiden?" Tohma asked.
"What's a Rosa Mystica?" Masaru asked.
"Yes, a medium can. Jun, my medium, also entered into a covenant with one of my sisters. And a Rosa Mystica is an artificial spirit Father gave to each of us," Alice explained.
"So… you weren't just being conceited when you said you were perfect," Masaru said.
"I didn't say I was perfect, I said I had reached perfection in Father's eyes," she corrected.
They were almost there and they had walked in silence for some time. "Don't you think it strange Dukemon would trust us with you if he doesn't even like us?" Tohma asked.
"No, I do not. He knew that once taken out of there, should I choose to, I could leave you," she said in her quiet, controlled voice.
Before any of them could answer to that, Gotsumon spoke. "This is it, that's where Yggdrasil is,"' he said pointing at a thick, big tree.
"And now, I can lead you inside. Unless, of course-"
"What are you humans doing here?" a Digimon intercepted them.
"We are intercepted by one of the Royal Knights," she finished. She walked forward putting on an air of authority. "You must let us pass. We have come here to see Yggdrasil," she said with her head tilted up.
"What makes you think that I will heed to your will?" the Digimon asked her.
"Because I am-"
"No, don't tell him," Tohma said urgently.
"Why not?" she asked him.
"Because then Dukemon might get in trouble," he told her.
"Oh… you are right," was all she said and her air of authority ceased around her.
Shortly after this Craniummon and ShineGreymon began battling. It wasn't looking very good for ShineGreymon, he kept getting thrown back. Then, Craniummon threw ShineGreymon and the latter couldn't seem to get up. Craniummon was about to deliver a fatal blow to ShineGreymon with his spear when, amazingly, it was stopped by Masaru… his fist had stopped the attack. Alice and the others watched in astonishment at this. And then, even more amazing, Masaru was able to push Craniummon away from them.
Unfortunately, the other Royal Knights appeared at this and surrounded them. Alice stepped back accidentally running into Gaomon. He steadied her. "Thank you," she said quietly. Her and Dukemon held each other's gazes but made no gesture to indicate they knew each other. And then things got worse with the actual appearance of Yggdrasil… which unfortunately they found out was Masaru's father, who didn't even seem to care about his own son. After he was done conversing with him he turned to Alice.
"Alice… has Dukemon not taken good care of you that you decided to leave?" he asked. There were sounds of surprise from the Royal Guards. After all, only Dukemon and Yggdrasil had ever seen her so clearly. When the others had caught sight of her, her face had always been shadowed.
"He has done everything you asked him to, if that is what you mean. I was saved by these people when you called for Dukemon," she explained.
"And you didn't leave them?" he asked.
"They informed me of something I had not known. You are destroying the human world," she said in her normal voice of hers.
"Are you forgetting what is at stake?" he asked her with a raised eyebrow.
She looked at him expressionlessly, her expression had not changed at all. "There is no longer anything at stake. I know about Father's death. I hold no more ties to you," she replied, her voice had no inflection.
He seemed vaguely surprised at this. "So you have decided to side with the humans?"
"You have kept me in my original state of pureness. It is in this state that I have decided that the judgment of these humans is superior to yours. That they have taken both this world and theirs into account. That they are attempting to do something, to do the right thing," she replied without backing down.
Yggdrasil's eyes narrowed before his expression smoothed. "I see… you think they are good. I have studied them for a very long time. My conclusions do not match with yours. But I wish to be kind and give you an opportunity to return to me, to leave the humans," he said.
"You have not studied them well then. They have the ability to evolve as well. To learn from their mistakes. I know this, I have seen it," she began.
"Yggdrasil has been very kind in giving you this opportunity. Reconsider," Dukemon told her.
"I cannot do that," she said and then turning to Yggdrasil she continued, "These humans have showed me more kindness in such a short time than you, Yggdrasil, have ever shown me in the ten years I have been with you. I cannot accept your offer. I do not wish to fight… but I will have no choice but to do so if you continue like this," she replied.
Yggdrasil stared at her a moment before he began walking away. "The pureness I have so wanted to conserve from you has been tainted. You are no longer pure… you along with the ones who have tainted you shall die. Royal Knights, kill them," he said before he vanished. Once again they were surrounded by the Royal Knights.
"Alice," Dukemon said.
She looked up at him. "I'm sorry… but this is how things have turned out. You follow the orders of Yggdrasil and I follow the orders of my conscience, I'm only sorry our opinions are different. Please, don't hold back," she said and once again stepped forward, to stand right next to ShineGreymon.
"You don't have a Digimon, stay back," Masaru said.
"I need not the assistance of a Digimon," she said. The Knights prepared to attack at once. Fortunately for the surrounded, they were saved by a Pegasus-type Digimon, which flew upward, right out of the digital world and into the human world. This Digimon who saved them was unfortunately hurt by one of the Royal Knight's attack.
They finally landed. Alice stepped forward to the Digimon, a man stepped next to the red Digimon. "You must be Sleipmon. One of the Royal Knights, am I correct?"
"Yes, and who might you be?" Sleipmon asked.
She smiled faintly. "I only saw you a handful of times, but you were always the most kind. I am Alice," she said and inclined her head.
"Alice… the one human Yggdrasil chose for her pureness? I have hardly seen you. I have never had a clear view of you. You are her?" Sleipmon asked but he was having a little difficulty in speaking.
She kept her faint smile. She reached for the Digimon. "I am her. Please, do not overexert yourself, return to your rookie form," she plead.
"I am glad to say I have met you," Sleipmon said and inclined its head before it returned to its original form.
"Kudamon!" the other humans exclaimed surprised as the man picked up the now-small Digimon. They went into the underground base and the people Alice had met and that were there introduced themselves.
"It is a pleasure to meet you all indeed. I am called Alice," she introduced.
"You seem to be favored by the Digimon," Satsuma said.
"It seems it is only among the Royal Knights and Yggdrasil," she answered.
"Yggdrasil found her to be pure and perfect and so he kept her. The only ones to have truly seen her during the ten years she was there was Yggdrasil and Dukemon, who took care of her," Kudamon informed them.
"I see," Satsuma said. "So, you have some influence over the Royal Knights."
She wouldn't meet his gaze. "I am afraid not. I was only something to look at, a wonder. And even if I had, now that I have decided to side with the humans, I wouldn't have any influence over them at all."
"Do you have a Digimon?" Chika asked.
"I have heard that she does not need one. She is strong on her own," Kudamon answered for her.
"Is this true?" Tohma asked her.
She was silent a moment. "I am strong… but I do not know if I do not need one," was all she said.
~.~.~.
There was a crash and they all ran outside to see what had happened. When Alice saw the scene she gasped and took a step back, running into Gaomon again. "I'm sorry," she apologized. She looked up at Dukemon and ran with the others until they were nearby.
"I won't take this anymore! I'm so beating this guy up!" Masaru exclaimed.
"You think you have a chance to win, human," Dukemon said. "You think you have a chance to win against a Royal Knight?"
"I'll show you that-"
"No!" she exclaimed and went up to where Masaru had run to.
"What?" Masaru said as the others went to where they were, looking at Alice as if she'd gone mad.
She didn't get a chance to answer. "Alice," Dukemon said and she turned to look at him. "Yggdrasil is giving you another chance. Please, please take it," he told her.
"Dukemon…" she trailed off her eyes becoming overly bright.
"Come with me," he offered.
"Dukemon… I…" now tears gathered in her now pleading eyes. "Please… don't…"
"I do not disobey Yggdrasil Alice… but don't make me hurt you," Dukemon said in a tone none of them would have associated with him.
A tear made its way down her cheek as she stared up at him. Tohma, Yoshino, Masaru, and Ikuto with their respective Digimon were staring at Alice. She closed her eyes briefly before she turned to Masaru with a determined face. He blinked at her. "Please, fall back. Let me be the one to fight him," she said.
"Of course not! It's dangerous. You don't have a Digimon!" he exclaimed.
Her eyes bore into his. "I need to do this! Don't you understand, it's important that I do this… just as you plan to do with your father… please, understand," she told him and she looked strictly at him.
He stared back a moment. Finally he smirked. "Okay," was all he said.
"Masaru!" both Tohma and Yoshino said.
"Guys, this is her fight, if she wants to do this, we have to believe that she can," he answered and nodded at Alice.
She smiled faintly at Masaru. "Thank you."
"Now we'll see how good you are," he said with a half grin.
"I intend to surprise you," she said before she walked forward looking once again up at Dukemon. "Dukemon… you know it has to be like this, don't you?"
"I know… I just hoped…"
"I'm sorry I have ruined your hopes for you, Dukemon… but I can't," she told him. "I care too deeply for you… this is why…"
"I know, I feel the same," he said and gave her a nod. She was still for a moment before she began rising, and then she was flying, until she was up to his height. They nodded at each other. It seemed almost as if it were more of a show. But once they stared, that notion disappeared quickly.
"What is going on?" Satsuma said as he reached them.
"She asked to be the one to fight him. They are very close," Yoshino answered.
They all looked up as she avoided another attack. She was a fast flier. And then, pure white wings sprang from her back and grew longer and longer and then the ends took the form of wolf heads. Then a shower of dart-like feathers came from her wings and toward Dukemon. He blocked most of them with his shield and he made his attack. She wrapped herself in her wings and it didn't affect her. She unwrapped herself and she outstretched her hand before a big pair gardener's shears appeared. She swung the shears at the next attack Dukemon made, blocking it. She did that for several attacks, or she would avoid it. She attacked with her wings, the dagger-like feathers attacking. Then the shears were gone and a watering can appeared that matched the shears she'd had before.
"Final Elysion!" Dukemon announced his attack. She let the water fall from the can and thick vines sprouted from the ground, forming a wall in front of her and blocking the attack. After that there was a moment of stillness and they only looked at each other. "You have the ability Alice, use it," he told her.
The watering can disappeared. She stared at him. "I have only been stalling, haven't I?" she asked him and he only nodded. She sighed. "All right, all or nothing?" she suggested.
He deliberated. "Yes," was his only reply, though it was obvious he didn't want to. After a moment she raised her hands and thin vines sprouted from the ground and wrapped around Dukemon's wrists and ankles and pulled. "Are you taking revenge?" he asked her.
She flew over to him with a gentle smile. She was very close to him and she leaned forward, pressing her lips to his cheek before she pulled back a good distance. He was staring at her. "No, Dukemon, it is not that. I told you before, there is nothing to forgive, and naturally there is nothing to take revenge for. You are only carrying out Yggdrasil's orders, as you always have," she told him. "I'm sorry," she added after a moment. Her wings elongated again taking the appearance of wolf heads. They sprang forward and attacked Dukemon's vulnerable form, throwing him back and he hit the ground. He was still on the ground when a shower of rose petals rushed their way toward him, engulfing him and taking a needle-like appearance and hitting him.
Dukemon broke through the vines and stood with some difficulty. "I'm impressed," he told her and she smiled slightly.
"I'm glad I have managed to," she said and gave an inclination of her head. Then huge purple, crystal-like things began sprouting from the ground and Dukemon had a tough time avoiding them. Even when he had taken to the skies, the crystals just grew bigger but with Gram he was able to break them. "Don't hold back Dukemon," she told him before she attacked together with the feathers and the rose petals. He was again able to block most of them with his shield.
He made three consecutive attacks then. The first she was able to block with a type of transparent-red bubble, the second with a wall of crystals, but she lost guard on the third, and it struck her. The force of the attack threw her back hard against a building denting it and she fell. She was, however, able to react before she touched the ground and made her way up again. Without giving a warning crystals rose from underneath Dukemon, throwing him back and in her hand appeared a sword made of that same purple crystal. She flew quickly to him.
"Royal Saber," he attacked but she put up a shield around her and the attack from Gram was deflected. In Alice's other hand appeared another sword and she looked down at him.
"I'm sorry," she said as vines came to restrain him. She flew downward at an incredible speed, intending to impale him with the swords, but he was able to break one of his arms free, the one with shield.
"Final Elysion!" he attacked. She was too close and the impact when the attack hit her made her soar backwards and toward the ground, her swords disappearing. He managed to break free and before she hit the ground he made another attack. "Royal Saber!"
The lightning hit her then too. She cried out and she hit the ground making a hole in the ground and a cloud of dust and debris rose. She had landed near the humans. When it cleared she was up on one knee before she rose shakily. And she looked up at Dukemon.
"You must stop this, Alice! It's too dangerous for you," Yoshino called.
"It is what I have to do. Right now this is hurting us more emotionally than physically, but it would hurt much more if we weren't battling each other," she answered without turning around. "You will never cease to amaze me, Dukemon," she called to him still seeming unsteady. Shortly after she took to the skies.
"You always manage to surpass all my expectations in all aspects, Alice. Even now, to have withstood my attacks," he praised.
Her smile was faint and proud. "I am honored to know you think so," was her reply and once again the swords appeared in her hands. She got closer to him and she threw the crystal sword at him and he put up his shield. As he did this she zipped up to him the other sword grasped in her hand tightly and in front of her. When the crystal sword hit the shield, Dukemon lowered, only to have Alice and her sword hit him in the chest. It didn't pass through his armor but it did make him stumble back and she took this opportunity to summon the shears again and swing them forcefully toward Dukemon, making him fall back again. The sword and shears once again disappeared and was replaced by the watering can. The thick vines wrapped around his shield but he was able to destroy the thick vines with Gram and he stood. The watering can disappeared and she went back to her original position. He made an attack she avoided and couldn't help but look down when she heard a commotion. The attack she avoided was heading straight toward the humans. She whizzed down as fast as she could toward the humans and managed to block the attack, however, she didn't have any type of defense with her and so she was blasted into the ground almost in front of the humans.
She cried out and flipped herself over. She attempted to stand but ended up on her knees. The humans ran toward her and Tohma and Masaru helped her stand. "Thank you," she said before she freed herself from them and took a shaky step forward.
"Stop, you can't continue like that," Tohma told her.
"This is what we agreed to, Dukemon and I," she said.
"It's too dangerous," Yoshino said.
"Satsuma, I need to digivolve," Kudamon told the captain.
"But Kudamon, you're still injured," Satsuma said.
"Yes, but if she fights anymore she could get killed," Kudamon reasoned. Satsuma agreed to this and Kudamon digivolved to Sleipmon and went toward them. "Stay back, Alice, please," Sleipmon said to her.
Alice's eyes widened. "Sleipmon, no please. You are still injured," she said.
"I'll be fine," Sleipmon replied.
"No! Don't, please Sleipmon! Don't!" she cried after the Digimon. Dukemon only waited patiently for Sleipmon to approach, but his eyes were fixed on Alice. Her eyes met his and she stopped briefly. Her eyes began filling with tears. "Dukemon!" she called out and she again began struggling against Tohma and Masaru who were restraining her. "Dukemon! No, please… Dukemon!" she called.
"Damn, Alice, stop struggling will you," Masaru said.
"Even in this state she is strong," Tohma recognized as he too held her back.
"Dukemon!" she called her eyes still fixated on his.
Yoshino stepped forward and in front of her. She slapped her across the face. Surprised, Alice stopped struggling and looked at Yoshino. "Get a grip of yourself," she told her.
Alice didn't say anything, only looking at Yoshino. After a moment she looked past Yoshino to where Dukemon, and now Sleipmon, were. "Dukemon…" she said softly but stopped struggling. Masaru and Tohma cautiously let go of her. She stood there, her eyes fixated on the Digimon as he battled with Sleipmon. It wasn't long before they had both frozen up and then were gone. "Dukemon," she said quietly, her eyes unblinkingly but filled with tears.
"Come, we must go inside," Tohma said gently.
"Yes," she said softly.
~.~.~.
Alice, Tohma, and Gaomon were alone near the base. It was quiet outside, they hadn't yet been attacked by another Royal Knight. "You are very strong, Alice," Tohma told her.
"Thank you. What you saw, was the power of my sisters," she answered looking straight ahead, the breeze playing with her hair.
"I realized that. Except the rose petals, that has always been yours," Tohma said with a small smile.
"Yes, you seem to know a lot about me, about the Rozen Maiden dolls," she replied.
"As I said, I did a lot of research about them," he replied.
"I hardly think a young man like yourself is so interested in dolls," was all she said.
"I… have a young sister… she was very interested in it, so I did research for her," he said hesitantly.
She gave a slow nod. "I see… what a caring brother," she said and now she smiled faintly. Her face had resumed her expressionlessness and her eyes were blank but there was a little sadness to them.
"Did you ever have a Digimon partner?" Gaomon asked her.
"No… I never did. I was not free in the Digital World long enough to see if I could find mine or not," she answered. "Is it very special to have a partner?" she queried.
"It is," Tohma answered.
"I like being with my Master," Gaomon agreed.
"Ah, so there is a special bond between chosen humans and their Digimon. It definitely is very special then," she told them.
They were silent a long time. "There is something I wish to ask you," Tohma began.
"What is it?"
"You were looked after by Dukemon for ten years. Didn't you ever try to leave?" he asked curiously.
"No, I did not," was the short reply.
"Why not?" Gaomon asked.
Her lips quirked. "Well, at first it was because of Father. If I behaved as Yggdrasil wanted me to, Father would not be harmed," she explained.
"Yes, that makes sense. It was the reason you agreed to Yggdrasil's terms in the first place," Tohma said thoughtfully and she nodded. "What happened then? After you… what made you stay?" Tohma asked. The present knew he was referring to her Father's death.
"For some time I merely lost my will to do so. Father was gone, I had been left with nothing," she paused before adding, "Still, by then… even before that I would not have considered it."
"Why not?" Tohma asked his head tilted to the side, his brows furrowed slightly.
"Because of Dukemon," she said shortly.
"You two have a bond, despite not being partners," Gaomon said and looked up at her.
"That's right, Gaomon," she said and she seemed to hesitate for a while before she added, "I… I fell in love with Dukemon… for his kindness and his chivalry."
Gaomon and Tohma stared wide-eyed at Alice. Her expression remained impassive as if it had been made that way. A porcelain, doll-like face and frame and although she looked delicate as only a porcelain doll could, she had amazing strength.
"I didn't know a human and Digimon… I didn't know that was possible," Tohma said.
"But Digimon do not originally feel…" Gaomon trailed off and they both looked at her.
She smiled faintly and her eyes were warm, though she didn't look at them. "But I am not human. I am a doll, remember?" she asked.
"Are you one still?" Tohma asked her.
She blinked. "I'm not entirely sure. Father was not specific when I was given this body… but I am almost certain I am still a doll, simply refined in the sense that I do not have to be wound and I no longer have to sleep in my trunk," she explained. She looked down at Gaomon, who was still looking up at her. Her smile was gentle and her eyes soft. "I know about that too, about the Digimon, but… I never said he felt the same, but I do know that he cares about me."
"Why did you stay with us, whom you hardly know, and not go with Dukemon?" Tohma asked quietly.
She looked up at Tohma and smiled. "Dukemon is kind and chivalrous, but he is also very stubborn. He follows Yggdrasil's orders unconditionally and will not do anything against him. It is true that I love him, but to keep true to myself I must do what I think is right… my beliefs, unfortunately, contradict Dukemon's. And if there is something I can do to help those humans who are kind and who do not deserve to be eliminated in this way, than I will do that," she told him.
He smiled at her too. "If Dukemon does not return your feelings then he is being foolish," Tohma told her. Her expression didn't change but she looked away from him a moment and blushed lightly.
Then her lips quirked and she went to stand in front of him. She leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek before she crouched down and kissed Gaomon on the cheek as well. When she stood she was amused to see both Tohma and Gaomon blushing and staring at her. "Thank you," was all she said.
~.~.~.
The humans and their Digimon were on Mount Fuji. Alice was with them as well as Chika. Craniummon had taken BanchouLeomon's place and was the one preventing the two worlds from colliding. They were all facing Yggdrasil. Shortly after this, they were all surprised to be almost surrounded by Royal Knights.
"You have arrived. Kill these fools," Yggdrasil ordered, yet none of them made a move. "Have you not listened to me?"
Alice flew up so she would be able to be easily seen by everyone and assumed a royal air. "I do not know what you plan to do, Royal Knights, but if you decide to attack us, do not harm Craniummon; after all, he is the only one standing between the two worlds," she advised.
"You are Alice?" one of them asked.
She tilted her head up regally and looked at them expressionlessly. "I am her," was the simple response.
"After what Yggdrasil has told us, we have realized we were wrong. Both humans and Digimon have a will to live, yet Yggdrasil does not want to grant our wish of attempting to save both worlds," another informed her.
"You dare to defy and betray me?" Yggdrasil asked.
"Tell me one thing, Yggdrasil, what is a god?" one of the Royal Knights asked.
"What?"
"You call yourself our God and yet you do not care about the Digimon, even of those who fought with you… you have not even considered us," yet another added.
"You fools!" Yggdrasil exclaimed.
"Yggdrasil," another Royal Knight greeted, just having arrived. Alice went still for a moment before turning around with wide eyes.
"Dukemon," she said quietly as Masaru echoed her from below.
"Yggdrasil, I have served you loyally all this time, but Sleipmon taught me God was not absolute, that even God can make mistakes. I have realized he was right," Dukemon said.
"Even you have betrayed me," Yggdrasil said. "But I am God. You do not question the will of God."
"What happened? How did you…" Masaru wanted to know but couldn't finish.
"Sleipmon and I were both frozen and sinking, but he used what he had remaining of his digisoul as heat to melt the ice," Dukemon explained.
"Is Sleipmon… dead?" Masaru asked.
"Don't be stupid, of course not," Dukemon said and he bend down and opened his hand, to reveal an unconscious Kudamon.
Alice quickly went toward Dukemon's outstretched hand. She looked up at Dukemon before gently picking up Kudamon and going toward Chika. She landed lightly as Chika looked at her with wide eyes. She smiled gently and crouched down in front of her. "Will you take care of Kudamon?" she asked.
Chika looked up at her and nodded. "I will, promise," she said. Alice placed a hand on her head lightly before she stood and once again rose up.
"Yggdrasil, what was the real reason for keeping me?" Alice asked.
"I wanted to study you, a human who was different from those other humans I have studied on Earth," Yggdrasil told her. "In the end, not even your difference matters, you are like the other humans, nothing more than something that has to be destroyed."
"And you are no different," Alice told Yggdrasil, "You call yourself a God and yet you do not give, only take. Selfish."
"You do not have a right to judge God," Yggdrasil told her. "Those who oppose me will be eliminated."
"Like hell we'll let you!" Masaru yelled.
"We must fight, as Royal Knights," one of the Royal Guards said.
"Fight to keep both worlds and fight for those we care most about," Dukemon said and Alice's gaze snapped to his and he was looking at her.
Her lips quirked. "Dukemon…" she whispered. With a determined face she turned back to Yggdrasil.
Yggdrasil then began attacking with red laser beams, aside from the blue crystals it was using to destroy various parts of the world. One of these laser beams hit Craniummon and things turned dangerous. Alice summoned the gardener's shears and slashed through the beam, destroying it. She stood between said Digimon and Yggdrasil. "Fool," it said.
The Royal Knights went to help Craniummon, staking the name of Royal Knights in it. At this, Masaru and Agumon began running toward Yggdrasil and the other humans and their Digimon called for them. Alice went toward them. "Help your friend, to show he is not alone. I shall try to keep Yggdrasil from hurting the Royal Knights," she said and looked at them.
"Let's go," Tohma said determined.
"Yes, Master," Gaomon was quick to reply. Yoshino and Lalamon agreed to this too.
"We help," Ikuto said and Falcomon agreed. They began going toward Masaru and Agumon.
Alice went back up to stand between the Royal Knights and Yggdrasil with a determined look. The shears disappeared to be replaced by the purple crystal sword and the other sword, one in each hand. "What have you in mind?" one of the Royal Guards asked her.
"I am going to attempt keeping the attacks away from you," was all she replied.
"Are you truly able to do so?" another asked.
"We will find out soon enough," she said.
They in fact found out. The way Yggdrasil attacked with those lasers seemed almost random. She was agile with the swords and occasionally used something or other, like her rose petals or feathers. In an instance she cut through on and didn't have time to reach the other. Lifting a hand, crystals rose from the ground to form a solid wall between them. She gave a sigh of relief at this.
After this, people's digisouls began appearing, including hers. She was utterly surprised at this, to know even she had a Digisoul. She felt better, more determined, and was surprised when various Digimon appeared to help them. After this, it didn't take long for Masaru and Agumon destroyed Yggdrasil's form. There was a blinding white light and suddenly Masaru and Agumon were on the ground unconscious. Alice went toward them, as the humans had gathered there. She thanked Yoshino, Tohma, Ikuto, and their Digimon with a hug and a kiss for their bravery and generally everything that words could not express.
Masaru and Agumon regained consciousness and sat up. Alice crouched in front of each of them. She kissed them and thanked them for being the saviors of both worlds. She had never thought she could see Masaru (or Agumon at that) blush so she was amused by this. She then went toward Chika and a now-awake Kudamon. She did the same to them. "Goodbye Chika-chan, Kudamon. Your kindness and bravery has saved us all," she told them.
She stood and turned to the Royal Knights, who were surprisingly waiting for her. "Come with me," Dukemon offered.
She smiled and went toward him. He held out his hand toward her and she rose to place herself in the middle of it. The humans and their Digimon waved up at them. "You were impressive," she told Dukemon with a smile as they traveled to the Digital World.
"I could say the same to you. You certainly impressed my comrades," he told her. They were silent a moment. "Alice… perhaps I should have realized you were right. After all, how could someone like you be wrong?"
She gazed at him before shaking her head. "No, Dukemon. If god is not absolute, if even god can make a mistake, then I could make a mistake as well, do not make the same fault," she told him.
"Will you forgive me, for attacking you, when I shouldn't have?" he asked her.
She raised an eyebrow. "Dukemon. I will tell you once more. There is nothing to forgive, you were only following orders. You are kind, chivalrous, and noble… that is what I like the most about you. I know you did not want to do it," she said.
They didn't speak the rest of the way and they were both lost in thought. They only realized they were home when they landed in the Digital World. She rose from his hand to be at eye level with him. Alice flew to be next to Dukemon and turned to face the other Knights. "You are a wonder," one of the Knights told her.
She smiled faintly at this and inclined her head slightly to acknowledge the comment. "Royal Knights, you along with the humans, have managed to save both the human and Digital World… I along with the others are in your debt, brave knights," she told them.
The Knights bowed in acknowledgement and one by one began leaving to their respective places. Dukemon and Alice were the only two left. She went to take her place in front of him to eye level. She looked questioningly at him. "What happens now?" she asked him.
He stared at her. "What do you mean?" he asked her.
"Well, I am free now, and so are you. I will no longer be a nuisance to you, you do not have to look after me," she told him.
"You have never been any trouble to me, Alice, you never will be. I will gladly remain with you, if you only allowed it," he said to her.
She stared at him and blinked. "Dukemon… do you truly mean it?" she asked him with shining eyes.
"I do mean it, I would like you to stay with me." Dukemon paused here before continuing. "Alice… I hold much affection for you… some humans might call it love."
Her eyes widened and she stayed completely still and she could only stare at him. Finally, she went closer to him. "I love you too, Dukemon… I have for a while," she admitted quietly and with a blush. She went close to him and once again kissed him on the cheek. She pulled back and went to sit on his shoulder. She leaned against him and he closed his eyes a moment. They stayed like that a while. She broke the silence almost reluctantly to ask, "Will we go back to that place in the cave?"
"No, I have a home somewhere else. I only left it because Yggdrasil asked me to look over you," he told her.
She didn't answer right away. She felt a stab of guilt, to have kept him from his home for ten years. But then, had it not happened, they wouldn't be here now. Besides, Yggdrasil had been the one to order it, not her. "Can we go home then?" she asked hesitantly.
"Let us take our leave then," was all he said.
Neither knew how it would work. However, they each had qualities that could enable them to work it out and to support each other; they also had love to bind them. It would no doubt be a strange development, but in the end, as long as both put in all they had to create something beautiful, to create a relationship together, then they would be able to be together for many years to come.
**What a cheesy ending, huh? This is my attempt at redemption after DigiGirl Crush turned out to be too rushed! I hope this turned out better and I hope you liked it! Please review to tell me what you thought!