Note: This story takes place directly after the creation of Shinku, and before the creation of Hinaichigo. Slightly AU (Alternate Univerese) and OOC (Out of Character), but not enough to ruin the storyline of the original works of Peach Pit (When it comes to the AU.)

IMPERFECTION

Rozen had just only finished creating the fifth doll of the Rozen Maiden series. With Shinku, he had almost thought that he had perfection standing before him, but yet, he felt the hunger for something more... Something much greater.

He gently held Shinku in his hands, like every doll before her, and then set her away on the old, dusty, and wooden shelf that all the dolls before her would sit and watch as their successors were built. Shinku shivered on the shelf, the cold, icy feeling of rejection flowing through her hands.

Shinku remembered that the day she first opened her eyes, she met Souseiseki's eyes of red, green, and jealousy.

Rozen had just finished placing Hollier, Shinku's Roza Mystica, into her soul. He sat Shinku up, and then, rushed over to the shelf to introduce the two sisters. When Rozen brought the tomboy doll to stand atop of the oak workbench, she took a twisted smile and said,

"I knew should have done it while I had the chance..."

Shinku didn't understand what 'it' was, nor why her sister regretted not having done it.
"Forgive me, sister..." Shinku said, sympathetic and proud that she had been the best creation of Rozen up to thus far.

But she knew that she should cherish this feeling while she had the chance.

And before Shinku knew it, she, too, would sit and watch in envy as Rozen began to create the elements that would one day become her successor.

Shinku's pride was strong.

She would not allow herself to think that her Father would create something more deserving of love than she. Every day, as Rozen would walk into the icy-cold workshop, Shinku would watch as Rozen put all his heart into creating the new doll.

Why is he still trying? Can't he see that I'm Alice?

But yet, Rozen still kept on sculpting. He kept sculpting, and with each passing day, Shinku saw human-like features begin to take shape.

Before long, Rozen finally approached Shinku, who sat on the old shelf, and showed her a small and dainty little arm.

"Shinku, my dear, do you see this arm? I still remember the day that you were nothing more than a small, delicate arm, as well... And look at how beautiful you are now."

Shinku knew she should have been a little proud then, but it gave her unease, as she felt her heart begin to fill with envy.

That arm... That little, porcelain and clay doll, will one day be more lovely than I? Maybe when that happens, I too, will...

Shinku looked over to the other side of the small and dimly lit room, where four little cases lined the walls. To the far left, lie the case that her eldest white haired sister slept, and to the far right, the youngest twin hibernate.

She also saw that just slightly hidden behind that case, lie yet another case...

Opened, but empty.

Will that case, one day, become my prison?

Weeks and months passed, as Rozen placed his loving care into this doll. He would sometimes forget to eat, and sleep seemed only like an option. As Rozen's love for this new doll grew, Shinku's bitter jealousy took a skyrocket, as well.

"Shinku... Don't look at me like that. You know that I'll always love you and your sisters the same."

Liar.

The minute you bring that new doll over to this shelf, I'll be a thing of the past. Even now; you don't take me down to play with me, anymore.

As Rozen's attention and love for Shinku began to decrease, Shinku's pride began to diminish. As she watched Rozen sculpt a beautiful face into the material, Shinku raised her hands to her own face and began to feel her very own flaws.

My face... My cheeks are not round and soft. And... My eyes... They are awfully large for a small and controlled face figure... And... While I think about it... I am awfully plain. No wonder Father...

Shinku gasped.

No wonder Father doesn't want me.

As the days grew longer than Shinku's patience would let on, Shinku began to sleep through the process of Rozen's work. It pained her to witness how this girl would one day become more beautiful than herself. Sleeping through it meant that she would remember little of such event, and would only wake up when the process was complete.

"Shinku. Wake up. There is something I would like to show you."

The blonde doll struggled with her eyes as she saw the figure of her Father standing before her. From the shelf, Shinku looked down as Rozen held out his arms, as though he were going to pick her up.

Shinku sweetly walked into Rozen's loving grasp, as the tired man carried her over to the messy and scattered workbench that her partially built little sister lie.

"Shinku, I would like to introduce you to your little sister... Tsubaki."

Shinku looked down at the doll, and her eyes widened.

"You know, Shinku... The name 'Tsubaki' really seems to suit her. It means 'Camellia Flower', in Japanese. Although, looking at her now... She does look like an 'Alice'."

The doll on the table was still lifeless, as Rozen only added the Roza Mystica to dolls once he deemed them worthy of such a gift.

Nonetheless, without life running through her veins, Shinku's little sister was lovely in every aspect.

Angelic, white, and luscious hair that twirled into little rosettes at the ends. Pure, white skin of porcelain; more fragile and white than snow itself. The dress that Rozen adorned her with was white with many thin ruffles; red ribbons bordered the edges in an intricate pattern. Her hair had a single red bow that was tied off to the side, and her shoes were a red, darker than blood. Her soft eyes were closed, as though she were in an eternal slumber until her Prince Charming would come to wake her up.

The next words in Shinku's mind took her by surprise.

She's beautiful.

Shinku began to feel a river of tears flood down her face. She tried her best to cover them behind her hair and sleeves, in embarassment, so that her Father would not see how his previously perfect little girl broke down.

But, it was true.

Shinku felt love.
Shinku felt heartbroken.

What lie before her on the workbench was the most beautiful girl she had ever seen. There was no doubt about it.

Perfect.

"But Shinku, darling, you may not have noticed that she is still incomplete."

How is she incomplete? Her Roza Mystica?

"No. She has something else that she needs before she is fit enough to be awakened."

Rozen gently set Shinku on the bench beside her newest sister as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a tiny, little box. Shinku's Father opened the small, blue box. Shinku rose up to see what could possibly be inside. Then, Rozen took out two small, little spheres, and extended them in his hand to Shinku.

"Shinku, I want you to complete your sister with these."

Shinku saw that the two little spheres were in fact, two little glass eyes. Shinku gasped.

"You see, the poor little darling can't see anything without these eyes. She lives in a dark, cold world, at the moment. Give her these eyes, and... Open the world for her."

For a couple of hours, Shinku lie down next to Rozen, as they sculpt the pink colored eyes into the porcelain skull of Tsubaki, the newest doll. If Shinku said that this was the most painful part of watching her sister's creation, she'd be lying.

And then, Shinku felt the unthinkable.
She actually was starting to feel love for her newest sister.

I wonder why Souseiseki looked at me with such hating eyes when I was born, then...

As the eyes finally were completed, Rozen took the doll out of the room to make the final adjustments, leaving Shinku in the cold, lonely room. She sat on the same antique shelf, dusty and dirty from cobwebs. Shinku's heart sank once again when a spider began to spin a web in her hair. She gasped as she tried to brush it away.

It's only a matter of time... Shinku thought, Before that dusty case becomes my permanent home...

Days after Shinku had last seen him, Rozen finally came back into the room with Tsubaki.

"She's almost complete, Shinku. She's almost complete."

"Good." Shinku lied.

Rozen brushed away the spiderweb in Shinku's hair as he walked away, setting Tsubaki gently down on the workbench. He hovered over his newest darling creation, and brushed her cheeks with his fingertips. He whispered something into her perfect ears.

"I'll be right back, lovely Tsubaki..."

Shinku's heart felt like it was being torn into two one again. The love began to fade, and her face grew into a twisted anger.

If Rozen comes back, there's no doubt that Tsubaki will become Alice.

She was perfect in every way possible.

She was...
Perfection.

Shinku looked underneath the shelf that she lie on, and began to find a path for her to climb down. She scurried quickly down the old, dusty shelf, past the many other toys Rozen made that became junk once the next came along.

I will be junk, just like these old toys, someday.

So, Shinku tip-toed quietly over to the workbench. Using a stool to climb up to the table-top, she held on for grip and pulled herself up. She now sat next to her dormant sister, Tsubaki. Shinku put a gentle hand on the albino doll's cheek, with a sisterly affection.

Tsubaki... You're going to be Alice. It's certain. When I look into Father's eyes, sister, I can tell. He's never looked at me with such loving eyes.

Shinku motionlessly stared into Tsubaki's lifeless eyes. Pink eyes stared back into blue, and a breeze drifted down Shinku's spine. The bitterness that left Shinku's heart months ago returned, with a vengeance.

Unacceptable, Shinku thought. Unacceptable.

And so, Shinku wrapped the white hair around her finger as she thought.

This sister before me is Alice. I am a lifeless doll compared to you, my dear, little sister. Tsubaki... It cannot be.

Shinku put her hands around Tsubaki's wrist in a tight, inescapable grip.

And therefore...

The grip tightened on Tsubaki's wrist and Shinku pulled her sister towards her for momentum.

I will not allow it.

And Shinku shoved the porcelain doll off of the workbench and onto the concrete floor. She gave a twisted smile as she watch the porcelain skin of her sister's shatter into a thousand severed pieces, and scatter across the floor.

Now, you are even more flawed than I am.

Rozen ran into the room, burst open the door, and panicked when he saw his beautiful daughter's skin, scattered across the floor. Two glass eyes were on opposite sides of the room, and one hand lay intact underneath the workbench's shade.

Rozen was furious. He smashed furniture. He didn't eat. He didn't sleep. He sat in the workshop and didn't even clean the workshop floor of the mess. He sat in an old, antique chair, facing the window. He buried his face in his hands, stressed beyond belief. His hair was dirty, and his eyes were bloodshot from tears and pain. He was a wreck.

Shinku is probably devastated...! How will I tell her...?

Then, a realization hit him.
Shinku sat on the dusty shelf, bits of porcelain staining her dress. She wore a twisted smile, and was shaking a little.

"Shinku... You...?"

"Father," Shinku said with a face of twisted love,

"It's me...
Alice."