5 Strawberries
Notes: I'm very sorry this chapter took so long. And I know I said I wouldn't include...in fact, I'll leave that bit out. But lemmie just say, it's only a cameo. It only lasts a few seconds...unless you reread it over and over and over (5 years later) and over again.
Also, I apologise that last chapter took so long. It was so short yet I couldn't come up with anything. I'm sorry if it wasn't to your liking, but this chapter will be 10x better. Promise. Besides, this chapter's gonna make up for last chapter. ^_^
SU1, S0U, M3RCURY
Shinku and Hina gasped as the two cases swerved from one side to another, trying to shake off their chaser.
"You can't run, you two!"
"No, but we can try!"
"Suiseiseki, don't provoke her!"
"Why not? I mean, she is only a piece of incomplete junk, after all."
"Suiseiseki!"
"JUNK? YOU'LL BE JUNK ONCE I'M FINISHED WITH YOU! AND YOUR SISTER AS WELL!"
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"Oh no! What do we do, Shinku? We have to save Suiseiseki and Souseiseki!"
"I know Hinaichigo. But we can't just jump out there. We have to wait for them to come here."
"But what if it's too late for them by then?"
"It won't. Trust me."
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"Suiseiseki!" The doll's case was thrown off to the side and sent spiralling toward a nearby tree, thanks to the fierce wind caused by Suigintou. Fortunately, Suiseiseki managed to get control of her case before it hit the tree, swerving away from it in time. Souseiseki sighed with relief.
"Why so relaxed, dear Souseiseki?" She gasped and turned, but couldn't move in time.
"Souseiseki!" Suiseiseki called up her watering can and sprinkled some just beneath her sister, the tree growing in seconds, catching Souseiseki. The doll didn't have time to thank her twin as Suigintou swept down, her feathers catching several leaves as they darted through the branches. Suiseiseki pulled her sister out and into her own case.
"Come on, Souseiseki. The puny human's house is nearby."
"But my case!"
"We'll go back for it! Right now, we need Shinku!"
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"Come on, Hinaichigo! Open the window!"
"But it's hard!"
"I don't want any complaints, just open it!"
"But-" She was interrupted by Suiseiseki's case flying through the still closed window, shattering the glass. Suiseiseki and Souseiseki tumbled out, panting. Shinku and Hina helped them to their feet and they ran to the storage room.
"Come on, you two have to keep going," Shinku pleaded. They managed to get to the room, but the door still hadn't been repaired.
"Hollie, Berrybell! You're both still working on the door?" Hollie stopped work on the door for a moment to bob a few times, voicing its annoyance at its mistress.
"Listen, you must hurry! Suigintou's returned!" Hollie bobbed once more before recreating the entire door in a matter of minutes. Shinku nodded.
"Good, but it won't hold her off forever. We're going into an N-Field. Come on." The four jumped into the mirror, with the red and pink spirits following.
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Surrounded by trees and butterflies, the four dolls entered the N-Field. Shinku and Hina looked around in curiosity and confusion, respectively.
"This is you and Souseiseki's N-Field?" Shinku asked Suiseiseki. She nodded. The two were set down beneath a tree to catch their breaths.
"Why was Suigintou chasing you, anyway? Where did you first meet her?" Shinku asked. Souseiseki looked up.
"We just ran into her on our way back to Grandma and Grandfather's. She just started chasing us. Then she disappeared. But she came back." Suiseiseki continued.
"We tried to get the puny runt's house as fast as possible, but along the way, Souseiseki lost her case. Oh, Suigintou better hide, cause when I get my hands on her, she's so gonna be in pieces!"
"Now now, this is not the time to be planning revenge. Right now, you and Souseiseki should be resting until she comes here," Shinku told the angry doll. Suiseiseki sighed.
"You're right, Shinku." Shinku nodded, then turned to Hollie, who floated next to her.
"She's gone? Well, I want you and Berrybell to accompany Hinaichigo anyway, in case she returns." The spirit bobbed several times, before floating over to where Hina was sitting, exhausted. The doll's spirit, Berrybell floated next to her.
"Hinaichigo." She looked up. Getting to her feet, Hina walked over.
"Yes, Shinku?"
"Hollie tells me that Suigintou has left for now, so go back and bring us some tea and water." The doll looked almost scared, until Berrybell bobbed several times, comforting her.
"Okay then." She ran off toward a door of blue light forming in the tangled knots of branches and roots nearby.
"Hina will return soon!" Hina shouted as she jumped through the door. Once she was gone, Shinku turned back to the twins and asked, "While we wait, would you care to tell me how it is at your Master's place?"
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Hina kept looking over her shoulder as she waited for the kettle to boil. She was worried that Suigintou would return while she was busy making the tea. Two bottles of water waited nearby, fresh from the fridge. Suddenly, the television turned on, and Detective KunKun came on. The doll gasped, excited, and forgot all about the tea as she hopped off to watch it.
But, what the doll didn't see, were several black feathers flying past the living room door, and a chuckling as someone whispered, "Now, for Shinku..."
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"I see. That must be very interesting." The twins nodded.
"And Grandma's thinking of making a cake tonight!" Suiseiseki said gleefully. Shinku smiled.
"I'm sure you're looking forward to that." Souseiseki stayed quiet. The two dolls noticed.
"Souseiseki?" Suiseiseki asked her twin. The doll, whose attention had been directed at the gate which Hina had left through, jumped and turned to face them.
"Y-yes?"
"You're acting weird."
"No I'm not."
"I'm afraid to argue that you are. What's on your mind?" Shinku asked. Souseiseki looked down at the ground and said, "I'm just worried. Hinaichigo's been gone a while."
"Oh yeah, puny ichigo's still not returned. I hope she's okay."
"Oh, I assure you all, she's just fine." Their heads snapped round as Suigintou flew through the gate. Shinku jumped to her feet, in an unladylike manner, and hissed, "Suigintou!" The twins jumped to their feet as well.
"What did you do to Hina, you?" Suigintou chuckled.
"Why, nothing. I swear upon my Rosa Mystica that I didn't harm the child. In fact, right now, she's watching that awful puppet show you love, Shinku." Shinku flinched.
"But, when I did leave her, there was this odd thing sitting on a fire, hissing. Maybe you know what it is, Shinku?" The twins gasped.
"The house is so gonna burn down! How could you be so stupid, you?" Suigintou shrugged.
"I don't know. But I suggest that you two leave to take care of it. Me and Shinku have business to settle. And we'll be quite comfortable to do it here. Now run along before I change my mind about sparing you." Suiseiseki looked ready to argue, until her sister grabbed her and pulled her toward the gate, which they jumped through, leaving the two dolls alone. Suigintou smirked.
"You do know what's going to happen, right?" Shinku nodded.
"One of us is going to win and make the other into junk." Suigintou lowered her head slightly, but kept Shinku's gaze locked firmly with her own.
"Exactly, and that one is going to be me." Shinku's eyes narrowed.
"Then prove it." The older doll chuckled.
"Very well then."
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When the twins entered the house from the storage room, the first thing they heard was screaming. Suiseiseki sniffed the air and wrinkled up her nose.
"Eww, what is that disgusting smell?" Souseiseki gave a sniff as well, and her eyes widened in shock.
"Smoke!" They ran into the living room where, in the small kitchen half, Hina was panicking as the fire started spreading.
"Puny ichigo!"
"Hina!" The little doll ran to them as they stared in shock. Suiseiseki shook it off and summoned up her watering can.
"Sui Dream!" The water quickly put out the fire. The three sighed with relief. Hina sniffed. The twins looked at her curiously. The little doll burst out crying.
"What's wrong Hina?" Souseiseki asked.
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The tree collapsed, almost crushing Shinku if she hadn't jumped out of the way. Suigintou snarled in frustration.
"Now now Suigintou, you mustn't let your anger get the better of you. It can make you a sloppy fighter." Shinku flew down in to the safety of the thicker trees as several feathers shot at her. She winced as a lucky feather shot through the leaves and scratched her arm, cutting the fabric of her dress. She frowned as she heard Suigintou laughing maniacally.
"Give up, Shinku! You'll never win! You might as well hand over your Rosa Mystica!" Shinku flew behind a tree and shouted back, "Like I said once before, I would not want to dirty my Rosa Mystica by giving it to a piece of junk!" Suigintou hissed, but she held herself to say, through clenched teeth, "Then you shouldn't keep it, should you?" Shinku pouted, then looked away from the doll as she searched the trees for her.
"I hope the others are safe."
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"Come on puny ichigo, you've cried for long enough. Tell us why." Hina pulled away from the older dolls and sniffed. Suiseiseki sighed at the large dark patch on her lap.
"Great." Hina gave a few sniffs, before Souseiseki asked, "Come on Hina, tell us."
"Hi-Hina...Hina didn't do as she was told." The twins shared a look.
"What do you mean puny ichigo?" Hina looked up at the ceiling, and they gasped at the emptiness of her eyes.
"H-Hinaichigo?" The youngest twin gasped. Suiseiseki screamed as several strawberry vines emerged from the couch cracks and wrapped themselves around her arm. More appeared from beneath the couch and wrapped around Souseiseki's legs. As they struggled, Hina floated up into the air, muttering such things like, 'Hina's been bad', 'Hina's didn't do as she was told' and 'Hina must correct.'
"P-puny ichigo, what is the meaning of this?" Souseiseki summoned up her scissors and cut herself and Suiseiseki free. Hina looked down at them, tears gathering in her eyes.
"Nobody likes Hina. Somebody told Hina to do something, to make everyone pay for what they did to Hina. Or, what they didn't do. Nobody even noticed Hina, cared about Hina, helped Hina. So, they told Hina to destroy everyone, prove to them, become Alice. But Hina didn't do it." Suiseiseki lifted her watering can above her head, prepared to jump up and knock the doll out, but Souseiseki held her hand out, stopping her.
"Wait," she hissed, for only Suiseiseki to hear. She took a step forward, where more vines grabbed her legs.
"Souseiseki!" Souseiseki shook her head, stopping Suiseiseki from going any closer.
"Hinaichigo, who told you to do that?" Hina looked down, her empty eyes curious.
"I...Hina doesn't know. Someone just whispered in Hina's ear that...nobody liked Hina. Nobody wanted Hina. So, Hina had to get rid of them. Get rid of everyone who doesn't want Hina." More of the vines started to appear, wrapping around the fourth doll tighter. Suiseiseki gasped.
"Souseiseki, do something!" Her sister ignored her and said to Hina, "It's not true. Hinaichigo, you must understand that it's not true that nobody wants or likes you. Tomoe likes you. Jun and Nori like you. Shinku, even though she has a weird way of showing it, likes you. And so do me and Suiseiseki." She turned to face her sister and nodded. The silent exchange was confusing to Hina.
"Uh, y-yes. I do like you. If you weren't around, I'd probably..." Suiseiseki trailed off. What she'd said so far seemed to have had an effect on the possessed doll, as some of the vines loosened their grip on her twin.
"What Suiseiseki is trying to say is that, without you around," Souseiseki said quietly, "things would be too quiet. It'd be boring." Hina gasped, and more life seemed to return to her eyes. The vines almost completely disappeared. She looked down, as if she were seeing what she'd done wrong, but she didn't call back the rest of the vines yet.
"Wha...what are you trying to say?" She stuttered. Suiseiseki joined her twin and clasped her hand.
"You are needed," the older twin said.
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Shinku held the struggling doll down, holding her hands above her head with one hand, the other holding herself steady. She panted as her dizziness continued to affect her. Suigintou had dealt her some hard injuries that she wouldn't forget in a hurry. But, to return the favour, Shinku had literally plucked all the feathers from one wing. She narrowed her eyes.
"Leave now, Suigintou. Because if we have to continue this, I promise you that you're Rosa Mystica will be mine. Now get out!" She hissed. She released her grip on the doll, and Suigintou rushed to the air, floating above the doll in red. She hesitated, wondering if Shinku was serious on her offer. Another glance at her sister's hostile gaze, locked with hers, made her wince. She nodded slowly.
"Till another day, Shinku." Shinku copied her so.
"Till another day...Suigintou."
SU1, S0U, M3RCURY
Shinku entered the storage room, and collapsed to her knees, suddenly aware of how tired she was. Her spirit floated up to her.
"I'm fine, Hollie. Just a little bit...ruffled. Give me a moment and I'll be as right as rain," she told the glowing red orb. After a literal moments rest, Shinku walked through into the living room, where the door was open, and gasped at what she saw. There was still a mass of strawberry vines, but this time, Hina was using them properly. She and the twins were just sitting, watching TV, except for the vines holding their cups of tea and Hina's plate, which had her still uneaten strawberry berry cake on it. As she walked in, they turned to face her.
"Ah, Shinku!" Hina jumped off the couch and grabbed Shinku in a hug. Shinku was still too shocked by all the vines around the living room to shake Hina off.
"Nice of you to join us. What took you so long anyway? Suigintou a handful?" Suiseiseki grabbed her cup and took a sip.
"By the look on your face, I see you've noticed that Hina has mastered her powers now," Souseiseki said. Shinku nodded slowly, then closed her eyes. The slap of hair came so sudden that even the twins jumped at the sharp sound. Hina twitched on the ground, yet the vines stayed.
"Impressive. Exactly what I'd expect from a servant of mine."
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"Do come again sometime in the future. Jun does enjoy have you both over, as unconvincing he is." The twins nodded, and closed the lids of their cases, before flying off. Shinku watched them leave, then turned to the door, where Hina had left a few moments before.
"Hina...what happened?"
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Hina looked into the mirror, determined.
"Show yourself! Whoever tried to make Hina hurt Suiseiseki and Souseiseki, show yourself!" A doll appeared as Hina's reflection. She wore a pink dress with boots, had white hair, and one amber eye. The other, was a white rose. The figure chuckled, before disappearing once more. Hina sighed.
"Maybe it's better that Hina only knows what they look like. But maybe...one day," she looked up again, "Hina will find them and make them pay for making Hina hurt the people Hina loves. Hina will protect them." Hina turned and marched out of the storage room, slamming the door and shutting the room into darkness.