Secrets of the Sister Scarlet:
A Bloody Prologue
The halls of the scarlet devil mansion have never been well lit. The few windows it possessed were located mainly amongst the outer walls. After all its inhabitants have never had much love for the light.
Sakuya Izayoi, the perfect maid, walks the dreary halls of the Scarlet devil mansion with a droop in her step. Today had been especially trying, first it was Thursday, more importantly the third Thursday of the month, library dusting day. As the name suggests, it requires a duster, and a maid, and 432,069 book cases- in section 6 of 9, sub alcove 5. Her time manipulating abilities have hastened most of the work, although the sheer vastnesses of the library as well as her regular chores have drained her of her reserves. To put it bluntly, she was spent, and needed the closest bed NOW.
Patchouli was not very forgiving either. Although she chooses to accompany Sakuya on these dusting excursions, she more often than not fails to do her share of the work. Granted, her asthma casts a phobia of all things powerder-like in consistency. Koakuma, although adept at dusting books, was reduced to tending to her mistress' health as the air's particle density increased, and eventually departed with her mistress in tow, leaving Sakuya to the dusting duties.
Sakuya passes a nearby clock noting her the time, a time well past the end of night. She continued her dreary steps to complete the final task. , seeing the young mistress, Flandre Scarlet.
[Detour]
The clock tower room, a room not often visited by many, but adored by the few, very few, that know of its existence. Sakuya's steps sync with the ticking of the gears. She has always felt the most at peace here. Here was the ultimate representation of Time, her domain. Within the turning of gears, the shifts of gyros, and the exchange of weights, the sounds and spirit of time rang out in perfect harmony with the world. She closes her eyes for but a moment, letting herself mentally separate from the temporal plain of which she treads.
...But there is another beat ringing from the darkness.
One. Two. Three. Four.
Her crystal blue eyes snapped open.
One. Two. Three. Four.
Her head snaps in the direction of one particular hall way. The one that is bare of decoration, of windows, of light, and of safety- the basement.
She pauses for a moment; a small click reverberates about the clock's innards.
[Time Stands Still]
She disappears in a flash of blue.
Her pocket watch snapped shut.
[Time Flows Again]
Sakuya wastes no time (pun intended) waiting on Time to being flowing, and takes off in a run just as time begins to flow again. The beat is louder now, and more frantic.
One. Two. Three. Four.
Nothing ever comes from this hallway.
One. Two. Three. Four.
This hall was set aside for a good purpose
One. Two. Three. Four.
The basement was set aside for a good purpose.
One. Two. Three. Four.
Flandre has always wanted out, but has never banged on her door in the past.
Finally she reaches the door.
One. Two. Three-
The ornate stone double doors stand firm to their making. Designed by Koakuma to withstand even the most powerful spell cards and danmaku, Enchanted by Patchouli to be as durable as the library, and fated by the Mansion's mistress to hold back the madness of the girl locked inside-but only one holds the key.
One.-
Against her better judgment Sakuya Izayoi unlocks the door.
Nine knives insert themselves into the door, into specialized slots arranged in two shapes. The inner set of knives formed a triangle in the center of the double doors. The outer set forms a hexagon. The knives glow a dull green, and begin to shift. The outer set rotated to the left, cutting into the door forming a perfect circle. The second set also turned until it aligned with the first set. A narrow slit cut from the top of the door to its base.
Sakuya hesitantly placed her hand on the door. A sudden and familiar scent filled her nostrils. She looked down, and within the dark dreary twilight of a lone window that cast ivory moon light into the space. A crimson pool grew at the base of the door, at the mouth of the slit, and it grew...and grew.
Sakuya gripped a knife from both sides of the door, and pulled with all her might.
They swung open with a clunk, and a blonde figure fell forward with a sickening splash. Had Sakuya not seen greater horrors in her age, bile would have left her long ago.
"Young Mistress!" she knelt next to her form attempting to rouse her. The crimson pool continued to grow.
"Flandre!" the vampire's arm suddenly jerked to take Sakuya by the shoulder. Flandre's dress was soaking with blood and that blood soon transitioned to Sakuya's maid outfit as she climbed into the silver haired maid's arms.
She forced Sakuya to look her in the eye. She uttered four words almost a mere murmur, but the language was incomprehensible.
