+A Blood-Stained Crown+

~Prologue~

"Please…please spare me!" The voice's breath turned harsh and rapid, his haggard face pleading.

A grin appeared on the other man's face. "Why should I?" The Joker's smile became wicked.

"…" The man's breathing still continued, but turned into wheezing. The Joker impatiently tapped his long fingers on a nearby table.

"Please…" His strength was weakening. The wound was gushing with crimson-colored blood, dealt earlier as punishment.

"I'm still surprised that you can talk. Besides, I can't," Joker said curtly, "The King's orders are absolute."

The man hung his head in defeat, even if the Joker did not deal the finishing blow, he would still die from the wound. Hopeless, he cried, "At least destroy my card with that chain!" Joker's face turned serious and then back into the nefarious face that he wore everyday.

"Clever, aren't you? But it's a little too late; you've already passed down your role to your children." He leaned down to the bleeding man. "At least you know you'll die as a cunning man," Joker whispered. The man's skin was changing from normal to pale quickly. "You died the easiest."

The man's body gave out and hit the stone floor. "You're a Jack. Out of all of the 'Role Holders', you are the one with the easiest job ever. And yet, you couldn't do it. Of course, the King will give out an order to kill you." He was talking to a lifeless corpse, unable to understand those words.

We can't escape, us Role Holders. Cursed to follow that tyrant's orders. The Joker thought in his mind.

"Oh well it doesn't matter anymore." The Joker left the body alone and headed for the King.

…

Tap, tap, tap.

Footsteps. I've always hated the sound of footsteps, it aggravates me, especially when I know 'he' can hear me. Joker thought. I hate the King for always breaking us down and destroying us, the Role Holders: Ace, Jack, Queen, and Joker. He's one too, but with more power-no, he has absolute power over us.

The Joker arrived at the throne room. Covered in reds, golds, and whites, it intimidated him. The King and Queen Role Holders sat in the front, in oversized seats. He faced them with an emotionless mask to hide his disgust.

In this world, our names mean nothing for they are bound to be replaced by our RH names.

He kneeled down on one knee as a gesture of loyalty. "My King, the deed is done. The Jack will no longer haunt you."

The Queen responded with astonishment, the King only laughed. Even though she is blessed with beautiful long brown hair, I feel bad for her. She is too beautiful and too perfect. He doesn't deserve her. "Ahahaha. Well done, Joker." His cackling laugh was obnoxious.

"Thank you, my King," Joker replied. I'm bound so tightly. I hate him. Making me do his dirty work.

"That stupid Ace is giving me a hard time. Go kill him." The King's nonchalant look gave the order a higher disturbing level.

The Queen looked uncomfortable, quickly glancing at her fellow RH before assuming a passive face. Again? He had seen the flicker of emotion, passing through the features blessed with beauty, chained to the ugly foulness of the king. Old rusting chains will forever cling to us as long as these cards exist.

"Of course," he said obediently, "my King." He rose from his stance and left swiftly. What am I exactly? I shouldn't have left her there. The Queen needs to be rescued, as well as the rest, but I must obey the King's immediate orders. My body moves on its own as soon as it hears his awful words. The Queen's true role is to look over all of the cards and be the compassionate overseer. What is my role exactly?

Something glowed in his pocket, and Joker reached for the object of light. It was the deck; a red deck of cards bound by a gold chain. One card was glowing, shining brightly compared to the others. He undid the chain and the card floated above the rest of the them, impossible to ignore.

It was the Ace card. Why is it glowing? Does it know that I'm about to kill him…? Oh, right. It glows whenever I'm getting closer to the Role Holder I'm looking for.

What was this? Why was he forgetting? He wasn't afraid. No. It simply wasn't possible.

…

Next thing he knew, he had arrive at the Ace's house. The Ace is the assassin, assigned to rid the Card Holders who are unworthy to be part of the King's intelligence corps. The garbage man, like the Joker…

Unlike the Joker, he only killed those who held a numbered position. Most of the time, two through 5 numbered cards were almost eliminated at first sight. Card Holders were just used, used as mere pawns.

He reached out to the door, but hesitated, leaving his arm suspended in the air. He couldn't believe it. He was about to murder his best friend. But once again, the Kings' orders were engraved in his very blood, stronger than friendship. He was unable to be freed from the King's orders…

His hand, balled into a fist, knocked lightly on the door.

Knock. Knock.

Faint footsteps were heard inside the house. A click and then a squeak. "Who is it?" The Joker winced slightly at the voice he knew so well.

"Ren…" Ace said. "Ren," Ace repeated, trying to confirm what he was seeing. Joker stared at him confusedly.

"Ah," Ace realized his mistake, "I mean Joker." He face went serious as he folded his arms.

His name. He had forgotten his name… It has been so long since anyone mentioned his name, his real one. "Joker" had replaced his old name as a new identity, leaving a complete void in his mind.

"What brings you to my domain?" Ace asked.

Hesitation.

It seemed endless to Joker, but he managed to break out a fake smile and pretended to be calm and composed. "I need to talk to you for a sec, may I come in?"

Ace nodded his head and led him into the wide house that was close to a mansion in size. "So what is it that you need to talk to me about?"

"…" He tried to speak, but nothing came out. His mouth was unable to produce sound.

"Let me guess, the King?" Joker nodded. His friend knew him well. "You're probably here to kill me correct?" Joker glanced at him, forgetting the fact that he is receiving information about everything at this very second. "I understand, but I have one question."

Joker regained his speech, "Okay…"

"Why didn't you just destroy my card to get rid of me?"

Joker's eyes widened. He would never hurt him, let alone destroy the card. But in fact he wanted to. He wanted to destroy everyone's card, but he couldn't only the King had the power to. Am I just a card keeper? Joker asked himself.

"It would have been more amusing for me to actually stab you." Joker smiled. "It would be boring to rid you of your role instead." Joker's grin started to look like the one he showed the Jack, but softer.

Ace looked at him, not at all intimidated, and said, "Why?"

That one word: why, it pierced his heart; He didn't know what he was doing. He lost his consciousness a long time ago.

"Idiot," Joker mumbled out loud, "Why do you always ruin everything."

"It's my job."

Silence.

"I want to ask you something. Have you ever thought about killing the king?" Joker's words were precise, clear-cut, and sharp. Ace, sensing something different in his words, turned his back to him.

"Thousands of times. Now go away."

"Will you…help me?"

"With what?" His back still faced Joker.

"Kanekurai, I need your help in killing him." Ace turned around once again to face him. His statement was completely genuine and commanding.

"My, my, the third generation Joker decides to rebel. This ought to be amusing." Ace smiled. "I see that you haven't forgotten my name."

Those memories of those names, I thought that I had lost them… And yet, I can conjure up his name so quickly…

"Yeah…" Joker replied, voice trailing off as he glanced away.

"Do you even have the proper plans in order to execute him?"

"Go die in a hole. Stop questioning me," Joker bellowed.

"Won't that stop your plans?" Ace asked calmly.

"I just told you to stop asking questions…Besides I already know what to do." Joker returned coolly.

Ace raised an eyebrow, his lips tightening into a thin line. "You're an idiot for even thinking about doing that." He told the Joker.

"Haha, I know." Joker smiled excitedly, completely prepared for what he was about to do.

…King's Castle…

"Good Evening, idiot King," Ace bowed with a grin.

The King's face turned sour; Ace's greeting obviously annoyed him. He sighed, and tapped his fingers on the armrest impatiently. "So, the Joker didn't take your life yet? How sad."

"Unfortunately not. In fact," Ace's hand moved slightly, revealing a sword, "I'll slaughter you, who gave the order, instead."

The Queen backed away slowly. The King still sat in his huge throne chair, clearly unmoved by his words. Ace dashed forward for the King's throat.

Clang!

"Joker?" Ace yelled out in surprise. Ace and Joker's swords clashed with each other, releasing sparks from the impact.

"I won't allow you to kill him," Joker stated. His face was devoid of emotion.

"Tch." Ace jumped backwards in recoil, his acting following the Joker's plan splendidly.

"This is really interesting!" King laughed. He was still sitting in the chair with dignified grace, but was slightly jumpy from having a weapon turned on him..

"Shut up." Joker told him. "See this?" He held up his deck.

"The Deck of Cards, big deal," King said mockingly. He was arrogantly confident, believing no one could defy him.

A large, catlike grin appeared on Joker's face. "Ace is right…you are the 'idiot King'." The King frowned, slight anger coloring his eyes.

Joker slit his wrist with his lengthy sword, the flowing blood dripping onto the white marble floor. Joker took the chain and allowed the blood to drip onto it.

"What-what are you doing?" King asked fearfully, eyes wide as he half-stood from his throne.

"Sacrificing myself."

An air of silence loomed over them.

"The chain's purpose is to keep everything the same and in line. Once a Joker's blood touches this chain, it will get rid of the limits placed on him. The chain protects the cards within this deck…once broken, I will be able to destroy the cards."

The three Role Holders stood there in shock; even Ace did not expect this.

"Die." Joker's body started to glow faintly. The deck of cards started to glow as well, brighter than his body. Removing the King card from the deck, he slashed it into a million pieces.

At his card's destruction, the King started to cry, desperate, sobbing heaves ruining his dignified image. Pathetic. He was no longer the King.

Joker left the ex-King to weep on his own and approached the other Role Holders.

"Although I was successful…this comes with a high price. I will be entrapped within this chain until the next Joker appears. So this will be the last time I'll see you, Kanekurai…Arisu. But I will not die. A Joker can't die unless he doesn't have a deck of cards and the scarring chain. A Joker can only die when…"

Tamaki rose from his bed suddenly in a panic. "What was that?" He asked himself. "It was a dream wasn't it? It felt so real…" His face was moist from his sweat, his eyes slightly wide from such a realistic fantasy. He touched his face, to confirm that he wasn't in delirium.

Somewhat excited at such a detailed dream, he reached out for his phone and called someone.

"KYOUYA!" He yelled into the phone once the other end picked up. "You will never believe what happened to me! I dreamt about-"

"SHUT UP! DO YOU KNOW WHAT TIME IT IS!" Kyouya shouted back. Tamaki held the phone away from his ear, his friend's shouting voice ringing in his ears.

He looked at the digital clock sitting on his bedside table. "4 o'clock…" He said reluctantly.

"Yes, that's right. IN THE MORNING! Now shut the hell up and go to sleep!" Kyouya hung up the phone.

"Kyouya! Kyouya…?" Tamaki's robot expression took over his face, frowning at the fact that he didn't get a chance to share his dream.

…Meanwhile…

"Hmm? What's this?" A girl with blonde hair and hazel eyes spotted something black with her peripheral vision.

A black deck with a silver chain sat comfortably on her white bed, almost like it has been there for a long time.

The girl approached the ominous-looking deck and touch it carefully. Whispering sounds started to emanate from it; she took a step back and pulled her hand to her chest, staring at the strange object. She had never seen it before, but it was atop her bed as if it belonged to her…

"Kotone! Your cousins are here!" A voice yelled out from below.

The girl's frightened look disappeared. "Coming Mom!" She shouted back, heading for the door. As she opened it, she glanced back at the cards again, half-expecting it to…do something. Finally averting her gaze, she shut the door to her room, the black deck blending in with the shadows, and descended downstairs to greet her cousins.

A/N: Thanks for reading! Please review. Kanekurai is made up of "kane" meaning "putting together" or "money", and "kurai" meaning "dark"

Disclaimer: I do not own any Ouran works except for this story and its plot and characters like Kotone, Arisu, and Kanekurai.

Special thanks to my Editor: Ann ^^

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