Chapter 1

Shinku had no good reason to think of why this new doll should become Alice. She was certainly a pretty doll, but did look especially strange compared to the others. This "new doll" had skin that was dark, dark, not pale like most Rozen Maidens who had a sense of pride. Her eyes were a blackish brown, described as what Jun and Nori called coffee, which Shinku had understood to be a hot drink similar to tea with a similar brewing method but much more prominent taste. (Which she had discovered when she had found a cup placed insecurely on the roof of an unsuspecting human's car and drunken some out of curiosity) Her eyes were also a stranger shape, almost like almonds, matching her hair, which again showing the same dark color scheme and was cropped short, just below the ear. Shinku did not like this doll, but she hated to judge so she would try to welcome her as best she could.

This doll's style was especially gothic, wearing all black, with a dress that went down past her thigh and ruffled at the knees, fishnet tights that had embroidered roses, black two inch witch shoes with bows on the Velcro strap, and gloves that matched the tights with embroidered roses as well. Her name was Kasshoku, meaning "brown" in Japanese, which suited her perfectly. She didn't talk much, but whenever she did, her voice mesmerized everyone in the room. It made Shinku twitch with envy but she had too much dignity to admit than to anyone, especially Jun. They had found her case right at their doorstep along with her medium; a young, sandy blond, blue eyed, American boy, who looked about thirteen named Jacob. He, like Jun, found the Doll Fanatics website and was discovered by Tomoe to have the eighth Rozen Maiden. And there they found him, holding the case like a baby, blushing as he stared at it.

"Um hi" the blond boy stuttered nervously, "Is this the house of Jun Sakurada?" Most of the people in Japan spoke English and he was able to get directions from some helpful neighbors. A teenage girl with circular glasses and messy chestnut hair tied up in three ponytails answered the door with a big smile, "Yes. You must be one of his friends from school" the boy tried to explain "No I-" the girl interrupted absentmindedly "I'll go get him" and she slammed the door behind her. "JUN! YOUR FRIEND IS AT THE DOOR!" she opened the door once again, "He's coming down right now" and she looked at the spiky black haired boy who also had glasses trudging down the stairs in his slippers and sweats.

Jun was just trying to purchase the new American machine that had you grow tomatoes upside-down, when his annoying sister just called him down to see Tomoe. Eyes focused on the stairs, watching the fuzz on the carpet ruffle as his slippers brushed against it, like a wildfire burning down a forest. His eyes followed the carpet down to the doorway, and then he saw it. The gold roses adorning the oak case, whose handle was held by a boy with dark blond hair and bright blue eyes, he stopped walking and stared. The boy, scared by Jun's stare, he asks; "Are you Jun?" Jun snickers teasingly, "Who else would I be, the mayor?" The boy blushes, Jun's snicker grows a little louder, the boy asks; "You know about the Rozen Maidens?" Jun flashes a smile, "Know about 'em, I live with three of 'em." The boy's face turns into a mask of shock, about to speak, Jun interrupts him "I see that you got stuck with one too, huh?" The boy nods almost sheepishly, as if he didn't think about being stuck with it was such a bad thing. He looked at his rose ring, Jun spoke again; "Well, what's your name then?" The boy's head snaps up attentively and answers "Jacob". Jun smiles in remembrance, "Tomoe was telling me about you. You need help then?" The boy looks down at his feet in an embarrassed manner "Yea…". Jun invites him inside, "So let's see the little monster" Jacob laughs a little and Jun leads him upstairs.

Upstairs there were two dolls, an auburn haired one with two different colored eyes; one green one red, and a blond one, with blue eyes, dressed in a red dress and bonnet. The blond one is reading a book while sitting on a bed and looks up as Jacob and Jun enter the room. The auburn haired one looks at Jacob with slight disgust, until she sees the case he is holding in his arms. "Now who might this be?" the blond one asks, Jun looks at the blond with much care and answers, "This is Jacob, the one that Tomoe was telling us about" Jun looks back at Jacob and gestures to the blond and brunette, "This is Shinku," looking at the blond "And that's Suiseiseki, the little demon doll." "Hey!" the one called Suiseiseki pounds on his leg, "You should have more respect for me when we have guests, puny human!" Jacob giggles and Shinku smiles and gets up from her reading spot. "If we are to meet the eighth Rozen Maiden, I should think us not distract our visitor from introducing her" Jacob beams and kneels down placing the wood case on the floor gently, unlocking it, Jun, Suiseiseki, and Shinku especially crowd around him, watching eagerly.

Inside the box was a beautiful doll, with olive skin and chocolate hair that was cut short, delicate hands pressed to a cheek wearing, gothic lace gloves. "Whoa…" Jun gasps, Shinku's eyes get wider. The doll was dressed in all black, including a black dress and shoes. "Kasshoku, you can wake up now" Jacob whispers. The little doll's long, black, eyelashes flutter and the sepia eyes open, she blushes as she sees Jacob and sits up in her case earnestly. Jacob smiles and blinks happily and holds out his hand, she takes it and he helps her out of her case. "Thank you, Jacob" All of them gasp at how like a bell her voice is, like a gold ring dropped on a tile floor. Kasshoku sees all of them and looks at Jacob, expectantly, he introduces her; "This is Kasshoku, the eighth Rozen Maiden doll."

Kasshoku, unlike the other Rozen Maidens, did not enjoy the television series Kun-kun. She was much more fond of lying in the grass next to Jacob, looking up at the sky with its clouds and bright sun, watching every bird or bug pass by. It was much more peaceful and less noisy than intently staring at a box. Kasshoku liked spending time with Jacob, he was the first person she had ever met, and she seemed to know him so well. She sometimes wondered how Shinku could treat Jun like that when her feeling for him were so obvious to some and he felt the same way. She sometimes felt like she had seen the sky before, and the grass and the trees. But then she thought no, that would be impossible, Father was what she remembered, sort of. She asked Shinku so many times about it, but every time she said the same thing; I only remember a kindness that surrounded him. Kasshoku did want to meet Father, but she'd rather wait to meet him. If she fought any of the others, she would surely lose, because she didn't know how to use or what her weapon was yet. Kasshoku was happy she had not been able to summon her artificial spirit, it delayed her from battle, but the others wouldn't stop saying that they were going to have to train her. "Kasshoku!" it was Jacob. The tan doll smiles and looks up, seeing the blond. "Yes?" she answers, waiting for something to immerse from the outburst. "I wanted to show you something" Hmmm? What could this be? A new surprise?, "Come on, Kasshoku" Jacob grabs her hand and pulls her into Jun's room up the stairs hurriedly.

I, barely being able to speak, was restlessly being pulled by my own medium. "Jacob?" He was leading me up the stairs to Jun's room persistently. "You have to see this, Kass" he says eagerly, we are now in Jun's room and he opens the window. Then, gingerly, he picks me up, showing me the dark night sky, with little bright lights that shone the brightest. I gasp and can say nothing. "I heard this was the best night to see them" he said, "I knew you'd like it" he smiled down at me and I nod, still star-struck.

Shinku could see them from the door she had just slightly, no, it had opened by itself and she was just about to close it when she just happened to hear this conversation. She was jealous, even more so that Kasshoku and her medium seemed to have a stronger relationship than herself and Jun. She's only just been made and now awakened, she has no experience, I could never bear envy from someone who knows practically nothing, she thought. But still, she wished Jun would do that, once at least. Well he did buy her a music box and reattach her arm and become her medium. He does do that doesn't he? She thought some more. And haven't I noticed how many times he blushes around me? Forgetting her jealousy, she went off to ask Nori if she had the slightest idea of Jun's feelings for her.

Jacob looked down at the delicate little girl who didn't seem to be made of china at all, sitting on his lap, looking out at the stars. She looks just like her… He so desperately wanted to stroke her hair or brush it. The doll reminded him of someone, acting the same way and looking like a clone. It didn't scare him a bit, he missed the person she so resembled. In fact, he hadn't seen her in two years. Calmly, the short brown mop of choppy hair turned to reveal the face that held it. "Yes?" she asked, Jacob had not noticed that he had been staring most of the time he was thinking. "Oh, your hair, the beads are coming undone" He quickly fixes them. Kasshoku tilts her head, "But…" Jacob stops her, "There, all better." Kasshoku abruptly jumps off of Jacob's lap and glances, "It's about bedtime". Jacob nods thoughtfully and carries her to the guest room, where she yawns quietly, and gets into her case. Dreaming about what had happened that day.