Hello~! This is my second story today! *feeling proud* Anyway, this story is a mix between Kokoro (also known as Another Lambda Organ) and Cruel Clocks. The italicized parts are flashbacks/prolouge. Just thought you should know. I would like to know if this worked or not, so please R&R for me. Thanks a bunch! I hope you enjoy! Disclaimer: I don't own Vocaloid or any of these songs. Thanks again!
The Clockwork Girl
The panel slowly creaked open onto a secret apartment. A little boy gently pulled a limp doll from its hiding place. It was in the shape of a teenage girl—about six years older than his own ten years. Carefully, he fished around in his pant pocket—looking for the key his grandfather had just given him. He caught hold of the key, and very gently placed it in the keyhole on the doll's palm. The tower clicked slowly, as if waiting. The little boy attempted to take the key back but could not, as the key was halfway turned in the doll's palm. Excited, he finished cranking the key to wake up the clockwork again. The blue eyes opened as clocks whirred—finally moving after fifty years of sleep. 'Do not worry,' the boy whispered, 'I'll fix you. Soon, you will be able to move like you did when Grandpa was a little boy.' The doll blinked slowly in understanding as the clock tower chimed the final hours of an old man's life.
"Raefel, the mayor is here to see you again." Annabelle walked into the clock master's office-her gears gently humming. Raefel looked up from his delicate work with a tiny frown. He took the message the doll held and read it quickly. Sighing, Raefel put on his gentlemanly amused face with his thin wire glasses slightly askew. A startling, loud knock sounded at the door followed by several smaller bangings. Annabelle opened it to the ruddy-cheeked mayor and two of the city council members. She silently backed up behind the door so they would not see her. No one knew she existed, after-all, she was just a rumor told by bored housewives.
"What is the meaning of this, Clock Master? I promised you a steady job fixing the tower in return for a living clockwork doll!" The mayor bellowed loudly, rattling the glass windows and knocking the part he was working on to the ground. The two council men, surely chosen for their intimidating air, stepped forward. The room's atmosphere turned threatening as all three took one more steep forward. One more move and Annabelle stepped out from behind the door to defend Raefel as she was programed. She had never understood why he kept her a secret anyway. Her master gave her a warning glare as her creaky arm lifted.
"Gentlemen, what a surprise to see you again so soon! It has not even been three hours since we last discussed this issue. Is there something else you wished to add?" Raefel spoke gently to the men who had interrupted his work multiple times this day: patience truly was a virtue. Gentleness was not what these men wanted, however.
"You say you cannot build a masterpiece as your grandfather did because he did amazing work. He taught you your trade, did he not? I demand a living clockwork doll! You will deliver it, or your services will no longer be required." The mayor purposely stomped on the fallen part, breaking it into pieces. He smiled, his look full of meaning, as they left the office. Annabelle heard them cursing down the staircase as she closed the door. She turned around and watched as Raefel tiredly picked up the broken part. He placed it on his desk along with thousands of other broken parts. A lone piece of parchment with intricate designs caught her eye. She walked over and picked up his rough drawing, but Raefel quickly took it from her hands.
"Sorry Annabelle, you can't help me with this project. I can do it on my own. More importantly, how is your arm doing? It nearly gave you away earlier." Annabelle held out her right arm. He moved it back and forth, around and around. It only creaked every other time he moved it. Smiling, he picked up a small wrench and got to work. Within minutes, her arm wasn't creaking anymore. Raefel patted her arm, checking for any other injuries or obvious marks he could easily fix from the outside. Annabelle took her arm from his, purposely hiding the one spot that still bothered her. If she wanted him to finish his project, whatever it was, then she couldn't show him this. He backed off with a knowing grin before diving into his work again.
The clock master and his secret doll. Everyone in town spoke about the rumored pair in quiet whispers. The older folk recounted times from before they were born, a time when Raefel's grandfather was the local clock master. This man was so talented that he created a living clockwork. However, his doll had gone insane and killed half the town when a jealous mayor injured the clock master. Its loyalty knew no bounds, a fact that scared the townspeople to this day. After the incident, the clock master passed—taking with him the secret of its existence. Many people in the town still either resented the incident or the power with which the man had made the doll. Raefel was always dealing with the people who were suspicious or power-hungry, like the current mayor. That is why he always kept her hidden from sight.
Annabelle knew these stories, but couldn't remember actually being in them. The doll was her, that she knew, but the memories where blocked. Raefel always paid close attention to the rumors about her, but he would politely deny her existence to anyone who asked. However, the rumors got worse as he spent more and more time inside his office. A trip to the market would have him in a cloud of depression, worrying the maids before he sent them away. Nothing Annabelle tried would cheer him up, and he always went up to his office to work on his secret project. Hours later, Raefel would emerge with a piece of paper—asking her strange questions. 'You heard the maids talking about me, right?" He would start calmly every time. 'How did you think I felt about their comments? About the rumor? How did you feel." Annabelle blankly stared at him for for moment before replying with the one statement that produced a flurry of note-taking. 'I don't know.'
The mayor became a regular visitor of the clock tower. New council men came with him every time, almost as if he were afraid of coming alone. Each time, Annabelle would watch from her hiding spot behind the door. The mayor became more and more angry, never accepting 'I can't' as an answer. Tiny stress marks became permanent on the young man's face. After every visit from the mayor, no matter how stressed he felt, Raefel would install a new part into her—always asking her those strange questions. Her answers never changed; at least, until the fifth week. This time, for some reason, she couldn't stand to see him so unhappy. 'How did you feel about that?' The normal question was asked, and a completely non-normal answer was given. 'He isn't a nice man, he wouldn't leave you along Raefel. Does he take no as an answer? I am..." Annabelle stopped in the middle of her sentence, trying to put a word to the end. She couldn't do it and left her sentence unfinished, but Raefel didn't care. He dropped his pen on the ground as he hugged her with all of his frail might. Tears dripped from his eyes as she stood stiffly under his embrace. She stared at him solidly, feeling her gears creak as he let go.
"Why was water coming from your eyes?" Her innocent inquiry had him laughing—all stress lines disappeared as he patted her on the shoulder. For an unknown reason, seeing him happy made her want to keep him this way. The sensation disappeared as he pushed his glasses back up, only to place both hands on her shoulders. He looked into her eyes.
"These are called tears. They come when one is very sad or happy—a better definition would be that tears fall when a strong emotion is displayed. However, don't worry about it. You have made enough progress as it it." He cheerily marked something on his mysterious paper. Raefel smiled at her as he walked into his office with a spring in his step. Annabelle stared at him as the door lock clicked. Was his project going well? She turned around and walked away.
The next day, an angry mayor banged on the front door. The cries of several enraged council members lifted up as a lucky hit burst the door open. They all filled in, immediately going to Raefel's office.
"Open the door now Clock Master! We know you have a clockwork doll! Your maids finally spilled the beans—hand her over as my payment or face the consequences." The huge crowd pulled her forward, tying her wrists together, as the office door quietly creaked open. Gripping his wrench in one hand, Raefel stood in the door frame—glaring at every single person in the room. The assorted townspeople shuddered, but the mayor was not cowed. He charged forward, shoving the clock master against the wall. Time seemed to freeze as Annabelle's eyes focused in on her corned master. The simple rope holding her back was destroyed in a manner of seconds. Gears hummed at a disastrous pace as everyone but the mayor ran away into the already crowded street. She stepped forward slowly and steadily—not noticing the pleas of mercy coming from the mayor's lips. A hand lurched out, effectively stopping her from doing any damage. Annabelle turned towards the offender, not relaxing her grip on the paling mayor's upper arm.
"Stop. Now.You are not like this, nor will you ever be. Stop." Annabelle froze as Raefel spoke, releasing the mayor's arm. She bowed low on one knee, accepting her masters' orders. The Clock Master pushed up his falling glasses severly before turning his quivering green eyes on the shaking mayor. He held out a neatly sealed letter to the mayor, who refused to take it. His eyes narrowed on the weak man before him.
"Take it and leave now. Do not come back about this foolish desire of yours. Have a good day, Mr. Mayor."The room's temperature lowered with the frozen, steely gaze of the young man—frightening the mayor in a way that procured no further argument. The mayor hastily took the letter, stuffing it into his jacket pocket. He bowed hurriedly before taking his leave. The front door closed behind him. Raefel placed his hand on the kneeling doll's shoulder. She looked up at him, noticing with surprise the anger on his face. He grabbed her arm with his other free hand, helping or rather forcing her up. He marched her into his office, closing the door behind him.
"Annabelle, reflect on your actions as I complete my project." She obediently sat down, having her mind go blank as Raefel took a couple of deep breaths. He calmed down enough to gesture her towards him. The clockwork doll came and stood before him as he slowly grabbed a wrapped parcel. Raefel unwrapped it gently, as if it was made of delicate glass. Inside was a tiny clockwork machine that pumped little pistols periodically. The shape was familiar, but Annabelle couldn't place it. Raefel placed the machine on his workbench and grabbed his ever present wrench.
"I have made a living heart for you. It should allow you emotions, hopefully it will help you control the ones you already have. The incident today proved to me that you need one. Please allow me to place it inside you." Annabelle's hand went to the chain on her neck. One fluid motion, and the chain with her key was placed on his outstretched hand. Raefel smiled as he grabbed the glittering key and turned it counterclockwise. The doll fell to the ground, lifeless. The clock master grabbed the pumping machine and got to work. He worked for many days and nights, and only stopped after he had finished. Groaning, he pulled her to the same spot he had found her all the many years ago. Raefel placed the key in his pants' pocket before placing her in the secret panel. 'Accept and become one with this gift well, for you will awaken as soon as it is done. Sleep well, Annabelle. I'll be waiting for when you are done.' He whispered softly, liquid falling from his eyes, as he closed the panel with a soft click.
A loud humming started as a clockwork doll opened her eyes. She looked around her dark, confine space in confusion. Annabelle noticed a sliver of light peaking out from under the panel and pushed it open. Right outside the panel was the world she had been in just moments ago. She put a hand to next, noticing with slight concern that her key wasn't there. The clock tower stroke midnight, startling her out of her thoughts. Her next thought was to find Raefel, wherever he might be. Annabelle walked into one room and out another. She could hear his heartbeat, but not his breathing. Slowly, she walked into the only room she hadn't been in: his office. After pushing the door open, Annabelle looked and saw Raefel breathing laboriously in his desk chair. He didn't notice her as she stepped up to the desk. Had he always had such gray hair? The clock master opened his eyes and smiled as gently as she had always remembered.
"Annabelle, the intergration finished. It only took fifty years to do. How do you feel?" He coughed hard as he placed a wrinkly hand on her chest. A steady pump thumped underneath his aged fingers. Smiling with happiness, he took her hands in his as the clock tower rung the last bell of the night and of Raefel's life. Annabelle watched as his eyes drifted closed and his painful breathing stopped. Liquid fell from her eyes onto the desk. The doll lifted a hand to her eyes in surprise as tears fell freely. Where these 'tears'? When had she started to cry? Shocked, she turned to the dead clock master as a wave of extreme sadness caused her to fall to the ground. The office door creaked quietly open.
"Grandfather...?" A little boy walked over to the fallen doll with an expression of disbelief. He stared for a couple minutes before his eyes widened. He fished in his pocket before pulling out an ornate clockwork key. Shaking, the boy placed it in the doll's willingly proffered palm. The key turned as gears hummed. Annabelle stood and bowed low to the little boy. The boy turned around excitedly to tell his grandfather, only to see him dead. A doll hugged a little boy as tears fell from two sets of eyes. Annabelle was grateful for his lovely gift as she comforted her new master. They would meet again.
The End
Thanks for reading this far!
~gabbysqueek~