~ First Night: Still Doll ~

~ Yuuki's POV ~

We all walked decisively forwards, our minds anything but decisive. The huge, dark green walls of the maze loomed in front of us, the small lights set into the ground illuminating the mist. I could hear the rustling of silks and satins, the steps of expensive, designer shoes upon the earth. I could taste the fear, the anticipation, the excitement in the air. I could sense the adrenaline thumping through all of our veins, and we hadn't even started yet.

The top of the marble, pillared marquee in the centre of the maze was just visible, lit up across the deep indigo sky, scattered with diamond-like stars and smeared with black clouds. It was our destination; the centre of the maze, our current centre of the universe, and perhaps our last.

We stopped at the wide entrance, striking defiant poses, full of attitude. Pureblood poses, the kind that screamed out our authority in the world. Ha! As if any of us have any of that in this situation- which, by the way, I would pretty much do anything to get out of. I don't think that any one of us has quite accepted what we are doing, what we are risking. Not fully, at least.

We are the final Still Dolls. Or, at least, we are competing for the place of Still Doll. And we don't have a choice about it. All seven of us purebloods were chosen by the royal family, the Kurans- who you have to be either a) suicidal or b) stupidly courageous to disobey- to compete for the place of Prince Kaname Kuran's Still Doll. A Still Doll is something that only a member of the royal family can ever possess. They are the most loyal of servants, the fiercest of protectors, the closest of companions. They are forced to be through this contest.

Only one girl will survive tonight. She will become the Prince's Still Doll.

Even as I pushed the masquerade mask gently into place, I knew in my heart that I wanted to die. I would hate nothing more to be the Still Doll to the Prince. I would hate every second of it. I hate the Prince, and life as his Still Doll would be a living nightmare; Still Doll to the one I hate, to someone I do not respect in the slightest? This isn't my place. But along with the others, I ran inside, into the labyrinth.

We quickly came to a fork, with four different paths. Three took the far left, one took the middle left, another took the far right, and me and a girl in pink took the middle right. I felt her hot on my hells as we ran, looking around for any indication of… what exactly?

There was a small turning nearby. I felt light glimmering on my face, and looked around. Down a dead end was a vanity table full of glittering jewellery- diamonds, emeralds, rubies…

We both stopped. Was it a trick? Somehow, it didn't feel so. Then again, the whole place didn't feel very dangerous at all. I watched as the girl in pink wandered forwards, eyes fixed on the sparkling jewels. I stepped backwards, away from the dead end. I don't know what made me do that. Maybe it was instinct. Maybe I was too wary. Maybe… a little part of me didn't want to die, and I knew subconsciously that if I touched it I would.

The girl reached out slowly, and picked up a necklace, fingering the many layers of diamonds, face alight with the dancing beams of light, transfixed. For a moment, I thought that nothing was wrong. Then I saw the smile fade from her face, and in less a second later, she burst into glittery pink dust, the diamond necklace falling to the floor with a tinkling, dull clunk.

I turned my back and walked the way I was going. One girl down. And what a macabre sight it had been.

~ Kaname's POV ~

Deep pink, forest green, golden yellow, silvery grey, regal purple, fiery red and a beautiful, inky indigo.

They each ran into the maze, taking different paths. I watched from the marquee in the centre, smiling slightly. So one of these will become my Still Doll. Let's see what they have to show me.

Three of them ran to my far left, heading straight for a corner that was draped in thick lengths of coloured silk. I took up a ribbon from a seat by my side and twisted it around my fingers. As I did so, a length of silk wrapped around the red girl's torso, trapping her. The others ran on, passing through the silk. I twisted harder, wanting to see what she would do. The result was disappointing- instead of cutting the silk away, she struggled harder and got more tangled. Out of pure frustration and annoyance, I tied the ribbon in a knot and pulled hard. The lengths of silk blew about as she burst into glittering red dust, and nothing more. One down.

Two girls, the pink and the indigo one, caught my eye. I took a handful of jewels and sprinkled them. A table full of jewellery landed in a dead end nearby. Both of them stopped looking around. They were still for a moment, then the pink one drifted towards them.

It was the girl in indigo that interested me. My gaze wandered over her, taking in her slim figure, her long red hair done up in a messy bun at the back of her head. I found myself even more frustrated- this time at that, just like the other girls, the top of her face was concealed behind the mask. I wanted to see her, see her face properly; suddenly, I was aware that I felt a pull towards this girl, a desire to watch her, her every movement, watch her succeed. I wanted to see more of her. I didn't want her to die. Not yet.

I felt a jolt of happiness as she stepped away from the jewels. The other girl picked up a necklace, face full of awe. I could almost see the poison coursing through her veins from the necklace. She, too, was destroyed, leaving glittering pink powder in the air.

I decided to keep an eye on the girl in indigo.

~Yuuki's POV~

Why was I running? Was it just instant survival instinct?

I sprinted through the pathways, skirt billowing out behind me. Diversions glittered at me, but I ignored them. I stopped once or twice, looking around for any trace, and indication of the other girls I had entered the maze with. Maybe if we made it to the middle at the same time, he would just choose one of us, and let the other one live. I had to try.

A sudden waterfall burst out in front of me as i turned a corner, blocking my path. I was about to walk straight through, but stopped at the last minuet. Another trick? I picked up a fallen leaf and tossed it through the water. It disintegrated instantly.

I turned back the other way, the mist whooshing aside as I jogged through. Every breath was searing in my throat, every footstep burning in my muscles. A dull ache settled in my chest. Even as my breathing became irregular, I could sense something odd about the air. It was thicker, muggy, like it suddenly weighed more.

Then I heard it. A deep, guttural rumbling coming from… above? I looked up and gave a shriek, jumping back and holding my breath. A monster of a creature was suspended almost directly above where I was just standing, held up by a steel, woven net. I followed the strong wires holding it up and saw that it was attached to some kind of pressure pad, which made me realise that I almost released the creature. It had foot-long fangs, and looked like it had been swimming in sewage, gunk tangled it its matted fur.

I turned back yet again, leaving the slumbering monster and heading up the last available path. Above hung odd, glowing spun-glass balls held up only by thin threads of what looked like spider silk. I took a tentative step forwards, scanning the ground for any more pressure pads.

I came across no pressure pads, but halfway along I spotted another silk thread, this time in my path at ankle-height and looking suspiciously like a tripwire. I had almost missed it, but I had seen it just out of the corner of my eye. I stepped over it and came out the other side unharmed.

~Kaname's POV ~

I looked around again, and saw the pureblood in green reaching out to a flower in the wall of the maze, which was glittering mysteriously. She appeared to think that it was some sort of charm or enchanted talisman that might aid her. It was enchanted, but not in the way she thought. As soon as her fingertips brushed it, I bought my hands together. The walls began to close in on her, and she tried running and pushing out the walls. I gave a sigh of exasperation. Why not scale the hedge and get out through the top? She burst into dust within seconds, trying to push out the walls. Third gone.

A shriek caught my attention. The girl in indigo was looking up at the slumbering beast suspended above a path. She turned away, and I realised that she must have met the deadly water already, since she turned away from it. I could smell disintegration in the air- she must have tossed something in to test it. My liking for her increased- she isn't just beautiful, but clever as well.

I was pleasantly surprised as she found the tripwire up the last available path and avoided it. She was, by far, the best candidate so far. I watched in mild amusement as a girl in yellow followed her, apparently planning on ambushing her. Her eyes were so fixed on the indigo girl that she triggered the trap. The tripwire snapped, and the glass orbs smashed upon the ground, and a great screaming filled the air. The vengeful spirits surrounded the girl in yellow as she screamed out.

I suddenly- inexplicably- wanted to yell out a desperate warning for the girl in indigo as she turned to look behind her. Again, to my elation, she showed initiative and ran from the scene, three ghosts pursuing her, wailing and clawing at the air with hands made of wisps of smoke.

The girl in yellow burst as the spirits ripped her apart, screaming hoarsely as they did so. And the fourth was gone.

~ Yuuki's POV ~

She must have been tailing me. I ran as soon as I saw the spirits around the girl in yellow, as soon as I saw the pure blood spattering the floor. I could hear the eerie howling behind me of those spirits chasing me. I turned down a dark dead end, confusing them momentarily. Seizing my chance, I drew a long, sliver sword from my waist where it lay hidden and slashed with all my might.

I don't have a single idea how it works, but the spirits somehow were cut, throwing their heads back and giving screams reminiscent of banshees. They were simply smoke as I ran through them, sheathing my sword once more. This guy is not playing games. This is real.

~ Kaname's POV ~

It was indisputable. That was the girl. The one I wanted. I wanted her to win.

So I had control, didn't I? My game. My rules.

So. I watched as the girl in silvery grey ran towards the beast that my favourite girl had avoided earlier. My girl. Now that sounds good. I released the beast before the silver girl got to the pressure pad, slashing my hand through the air.

There was a rumbling thud as the beast hit the ground hard, waking up instantly. The girl shielded her face as the creature rose up and roared, long and loud. She ran the opposite direction, straight towards the wall of water.

I turned my gaze away as she ran through, breaking into glittering powder. Now, for the last one…

It didn't look like I had to worry, however. My girl was very, very close to the end, running along a pathway full of mirrors. There was one huge unframed one at the end, the last obstacle. Then I saw the reflection.

The girl in purple was running towards the mirror as well. My temper got the better of me, and shattered the mirrors surrounding the girl in purple, the shards flying towards her and imbedding themselves deep in her skin. She screamed out, already disintegrating into shimmering dust. The girl in indigo turned again to see, and again I saw another danger- every part of me screamed at her to run-

She turned just in time, and saw the reflection in the only mirror left. She paused for a second, as if to validate what she had seen, then ran straight for the mirror. Yes.

~ Yuuki's POV ~

Every side of me, mirrors, showing me my reflection. Mirrors everywhere, and a thousand or more Yuukis running. Everything was blurry, like a dream- I wasn't in control, I couldn't think straight. I just ran, ran straight for the mirror at the end of the path.

There was a shattering of glass, and screaming. I turned to look. Another girl in purple, screaming and screaming. I could bear it. I turned around to look towards the mirror-

-and the world seemed to stop. There, my reflection. The reflection of the dying pureblood. And the reflection of a monster that was definitely not there before. It was something- what I could guess in a millisecond- was a creature that could not be looked at directly. That could only be seen in a mirror. And it was terrible- I did not want to face it, especially if I could not see it.

I ran. I ran straight for it- or for its reflection. Or… I don't even know. I don't know whether I want to live or die. I just ran. I smashed straight through the mirror, eyes tight shut. I felt the glass falling against my skin, smelt the blood in the air, heard the crushing noise of almost-silence.

I kept running, a gust of wind blowing from behind me, no doubt from the death of the girl, billowing at my skirt and loose hair. When it was over, I felt my mask fall to the floor, exposing my upper face. And I looked up. And there he was.

Oh no.

~ Kaname's POV ~

She was utterly beautiful. The way the indigo silk sat against her skin, contrasting with her skin; those tiny diamonds glittering at her neckline and the hem of her sleeves and skirt. The way her dress hung off her perfect, slim figure. The curve of her alabaster neck, the shape of her full lips, the way her deep red hair, like fire, fell about her shoulders in searing tendrils.

Most of all, I absolutely adored her eyes. The defiance, the fire, the burning passion all ringed by dark, smudgy black and long lashes. She must be Yuuki Cross- only she had colour changing eyes, according the profiles I had read. Right now, they were a burnt umber shade, with flecks of gold running through them.

I stepped down slowly, a smile upon my lips. She stayed put, watching my every move. Everything about her delighted me. Never, never in my life had I felt so strongly about one girl, and certainly not in this short amount of time.

I reached where she stood, looking up at me steadily. Then, I turned her quickly, slipping the ribbon around her neck before she had time to react. As soon as it was tied into place, I slipped my hands over the silk covering her arms, wrapping my fingers around her wrists tightly and speaking the only words that made sense.

~ Yuuki's POV ~

I could barely breathe, and not just through anticipation. I found- to my horror- that he was utterly breathtaking when he smiled. I watched the graceful movement in the way he walked, that overwhelming way he looked at me, the way he was smiling.

That's when I knew I had let my guard down. His hands were on my shoulders, and he swung me around, so fast it was dizzying. He was tying something around me neck, something silky with a hard but light pendant. Then, I almost shivered has he slid his hands from my skin, his fingers gently but firmly wrapping around my wrists. His voice, when he spoke, was smooth and collected, with a purr to it that surprised me and infuriated me at the same time.

"You are mine… Yuuki Cross…"

I felt dizzy… his hand was over my eyes… damn it, the guy was… ah…

"My Still Doll… my beautiful marionette…"

He can't do this to me… I have to fight back… but I've fought too much tonight…

"Mine, and mine alone... you are mine…"

I yielded to him, too tired to fight… and somehow, it was like I wanted to give in…

I closed my eyes, and let the black engulf me.

~ Kaname's POV ~

I felt her melt against me, her shining strands of hair dripping over my arms like skeins of woven fire. I lifted up her slender figure, and saw that her face was perfectly serene, soft and still. I ran my fingers through her hair, held her tight, and flashed.

Whirls of colour and flashes of voices flashed past, air current ruffling and rustling around us like it was woven into fabric. When it stopped, there was cool, crisp night air, the scent of roses, the tinkling hiss of falling water, and burning patches of light coming from the vast silhouette before us.

Welcome to your new residence, Yuuki Cross.

~ First Night: Still Doll /end ~

RECCOMENDED: Death by Diamonds and Pearls by Band of Skulls (listen to it while you read this!)

So? What did you think? It's my first FanFiction… or written work that I've shown to anyone besides my English teacher… ever…! Actually, not true- the lovely Three Gospels read it beforehand to Beta it…

Okay, enough is enough. So, a few notes: yes, I took the maze concept from the promo for Britain's Next Top Model Cycle 6… that's why I said to listen to the song on the ad while reading this...

Big thank-you to previously mentioned authors, The Three Gospels, for Beta Reading this otherwise punctuation-less, grammatically error-ridden, spelling mistake strewn and otherwise pathetic attempt for a story. Thanks! (By the way, I highly recommend their VK FanFic, Kiss From A Rose. It rocks. Period.)

Anyhoo… please press that pretty yellow speech bubble and tell me how I did… and earn a brand new Night! Although, I'm having fun, so I might just post a new chapter anyways… okay, shutting up now…

Ja Ne!