Hinaichigo looked back at the drawing, and then frowned, her shoulders slumping. "What's the matter Douyou-chan? You look very unhappy na no." Douyou sighed, shaking his head. "You and Jun look great together, it's very nice, I hope you like it, please enjoy your meal okke." He recited all the words that Master had taught him to use to be polite. Did it work? Hinaichigo scratched her head, mouth slightly open. "But Hina-chan is not eating na no," she protested. "That is why Douyou is wrong—what did Hina-chan order okke?" The Rozen Maiden just kind of stood there, confused. "She didn't order anything—

"Yet, right? What is your order okke?" Douyou, with strange speed coming out from nowhere, took up a paper and one of his brushes, about to write down Hinaichigo's order. The doll was exasperated. "Douyou-chaaaan! You're not listening to Hinaichigo na no!" she whined loudly, stomping her feet and closing her eyes, looking up to the sky and bouncing. Douyou fell back at the weirdness of the actions, and then began to follow her, thinking that what he had learned about monkeys might apply to 2-foot-tall dolls.

Apparently not.

"Why are you making fun of Hinaichigo na no? I thought you were my friend!" Hinaichigo whimpered, and then abruptly burst into small, childish tears. Douyou stopped doing his silly actions, and then resumed them because a rat scurried on by and freaked the puppet out of his mind. "Raaaaaaaat! It's gonna kill Douyou so bad, isn't it okke? Have mercy!"

He continued screaming and running around the room. Hinaichigo ignored him until the rat scampered to her side of the room, looking up with big red eyes. To Hinaichigo, the moment passed like hours. Like days. She stared long and hard at the demon in front of her, gently scratching its whiskers and jumping slightly. It squeaked in gibberish, nodding its head in frustration.

The rat seemed to give a little sigh, and then craned its neck. It lifted a tiny paw towards her and, with cunning and agility, scratched her nose. That was all it took. Hinaichigo jumped into the air, screaming.

To the rat, it went like this: Little girl in pink dress, she is sitting. Does she have food? The rat began to ask, "Excuse me, but do you have food?" but the little girl in the pink dress did not answer. He sighed, and then tilted his little head as she stared with big, blank eyes. Maybe she's sleepy. Better wake her up. He scratched her on the face, and then fell backwards as she screamed so loud it damaged his eardrums. She began her attempt to kill him, and the rat, being so frightened, freaked-out so bad that he ran like hell, far, far away.

Now what happened next happened in a blur, and no one could be sure of the exact details. But one thing was clear: Douyou lifted his shoe high in the air, and with one swift movement...The rat got away. Hinaichigo stopped squealing, and then looked around. "H-huh? Where is the rat na no?" Douyou had to think fast. What could he say? With his best Hizashitaiko impression, he coughed into his hand, and then smiled in a debonair manner. "I killed it for you, lady Hina-chan Okke! So there, no more rat, see okke?" The doll looked around, and then stared up at Douyou. He expected it to go something like this:

"Oh Douyou-chan! You saved me!" Hinaichigo exclaimed, putting her small, delicate hands up to her face. She giggled, and then jumped up, walking towards the young Diamante. The world had stopped, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, giving hi the biggest, bestest, most wonderful hug he had ever received. Douyou nodded his head coolly, and then replied, "Of course, and I'd do it again, all for you Hina-chan okke..."

He stroked her cheek, and then, in his most suave and graceful voice pronounced, "Now let's get back to Master, all right Hina-chan?" The doll nodded her head, and then undid her ribbon. "For you, Douyou-chan..."

He smiled, and then started to take it in slow-motion. "Thank yo—

"Ewwwww, you killed a rat na no! Now Douyou-chan's shoes must be all dirty! Get away na no!" The girl retreated to the other side of the room, leaving Douyou where he was at the beginning of the chapter; wondering what went horribly wrong and crying waterfall tears.


"..." Hizashitaiko was unnerved by the silence, and then said suddenly, "So, I bet that tamagoyaki would've tasted very delicious dearou!" Kanaria looked at the Diamante a long time, and then hit him over the head with her violin, crying.

"Waaaah! It should've, but now it's gone kashira! Baka! Now you've reminded me and made me unhappy kashira!" Hizashitaiko covered his head with his hands, bemoaning his inability to be sensitive...Or at least be smart enough to keep his mouth shut. "Stoooooop it dearou! If Kanaria-san keeps doing that, Hizashi-sama's head will crack!"

Kanaria stopped, and then huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "Hmph! That wasn't very nice of Hizashi-sama to remind Kanaria kashira. Shame on you." The puppet nodded, sighing deeply and rubbing the marks on his face. Well, at least she wasn't as bad as Suiseiseki. "Y-yes, gomenasai..."

"...Now, about what you were saying kashira."

"About what dearou?" Hizashitaiko tilted his head, looking at her slightly confused. For all they cared about, she could have been talking about cheese. What he was really looking at was her pants. Nice pants, wasn't it?

I wish she wore a dress...There are no panty shots this way dearou...

"About me loving you if you were nice kashira." Hizashitaiko nodded, snapping out of his daze, and then said, "Well...You know, I was just thinking that, because Hizashi-sama likes Kanaria-san so much...They could be more than friends?"

Kanaria tilted her head, a small pout on her face. The doll snorted, and then stated in a plain and simple tone, "Kanaria will not interact with those beneath her kashira! If you want her to like you more now, then Hizashi-sama must prove himself worthy kashira! Show me!"

Hizashitaiko wilted, and then pulled up one finger weakly. "Can't Hizashi-sama just kiss her and say good-bye?" Kanaria shook her head decidedly, frowning a tad bit and clapping her foot on the floor. "No! Hizashi-sama must do something that proves him worthy of my affection kashira..." She thought long and hard over this, tapping her head.

Perhaps he could...No...Maybe...Ugh, no...I've got it...No! This will never work kashira.

Unless...

Kanaria snapped her fingers, and then said quickly, "If you want to earn Kanaria's love, you must get the tamagoyaki back from that devil crow who took it from me!" Hizashitaiko's jaw dropped, and he fell to his knees. "This...is...so not worth it," he admitted, and then sighed. He nodded wearily, rolling his eyes back. "Fine then dearou! I will prove to Kanaria-san that my fondness of her is the real thing dearou!" He lifted his finger into the air, and then yawned. "After a nap."

Kanaria smacked him up-side the head. "No, now kashira! You must prove it to her...Or else she will leave kashira," she warned. Hizashitaiko began moaning. "Ooooooooh! All right, all right, Hizashi-sama is going..." He began walking towards the outside world, and then stared at her hopefully. She encouraged the puppet to go further, waving her hands at him.

"Keep going kashira. You'll never get to it at this rate!" He rubbed his neck, and then commented, "Hey, won't it be all dirty if I get it back from a crow?" Her eyes burned slightly, and she demanded in a defiant voice, "Do I care kashira?" The harshness hit Hizashitaiko hard, and his shoulders drooped. "Hey, what's wrong with you kashira? Hurry up!" He fell back, and then nodded, raising his hands. "Yes, of course! Hizashi-sama is off to get his prize for milady!"

The bright, happy blue sky above sparkled with pristine beauty, clouds gracing the cover here and there, but not shading the sun. It shined on the whole, warm earth, unafraid to shed light on what would be without it a desolate wasteland filled with darkness and cold, bitter weather.

Hmm, maybe it could be better that way, seeing that he didn't have to get some stupid omelet now. The grass below started to become asphalt as Hizashitaiko walked out the gate, breathing in deeply, and then nodding to himself. "Yes, Hizashi-sama will prove it to Kanaria-san! Just wait and see! Now where did that crow get to?" He fell on his knees, as he stared up in the sky. Several crows created a 'V' shaped in the heavens, following one pattern as if they were migrating. Demon crows, supposedly. All of them.

"How the hell am I supposed to find the one that took the tamagoyaki?" he whined, and then cried.


"Ah, Souseiseki-san, you've got some flour on your face." The 4th Rozen Maiden doll looked up from her work, frowning. Souseiseki watched in curiosity as Kouunshi began stuttering, "B-but no, I wasn't looking really, I w-was just saying...Please don't hate me, I really didn't mean anything."

He gasped, and then held his hands over his mouth, blushing slightly. "Not that you'd hate me because of that, unless it is bad, and then – I'm s-s-sorry," the puppet managed, giving a large effort on his part not to faint, or at least scream in a high-pitched girly voice and freak himself into oblivion. It was always his fault, wasn't it? At least once, couldn't someone else get the short end of the stick? Anybody?!

You're a terrible puppet! Why would you wish that on somebody else? Keep your bad luck away! Kouunshi whimpered, and then trembled with shame. Souseiseki gave off a small, friendly chuckle.

How cruel, he thought quietly. Spiting me like that. Even she knows she's not friendly. At least, not to us... The doll wiped her face with one finger, forgetting that she had even more flour on her face. "Is that better?" she asked, the flour spreading across her cheek. The puppet shook his head. "N-no, actually—

Souseiseki began rubbing it off with her other flour-stained hand, making the stuff cover the right half of her face. She looked similar to a geisha, except for her clothing and short, unstylish hair. Kouunshi chuckled, and then hid it with a small, frightened cough. "No, here, let me...m-me help." He leaned forward, scared that she would quickly disarm him with her feminine wiles and then choke him to death. It could happen.

But instead, she just stood there, a surprised look on her face, and yet a small grin hovered above the Maiden's mouth. Finally, after what appeared to be endless hours, but was really only about 3 seconds, Kouunshi wiped Souseiseki's porcelain skin with his sleeve, sighing in relief when it was all gone. "T-there, it's better." Souseiseki smiled, and then nodded, going back to kneading her dough. "Thank you Kouunshi-san..."

He nodded, hating to be thanked because it wasn't sincere. No one was sincere, and the only one he trusted were his brothers...But he couldn't really trust Kurotekai and Hizashitaiko, as they both played the ends so that they would win, and would most likely betray him. And Eibetsu could not be trusted as well, because he was just like Kurotekai. There, that left him with four brothers. But wait! Retsukon was kind of a big dick, so he couldn't be trusted either, right? He was too smart for his own good, and therefore evil! Ha, how stupid Kouunshi was to think for one second –

Douyou! His cute, innocent, childish way was just a ploy; a trick to eventually embarrass the poor puppet ultimately. So then Kyoushi—

What was he thinking? The only person he could believe in, really believe in, was himself. Wait; himself? Ah ha! The biggest person-not-to-trust out of everyone else! He was actually the one at fault, and maybe all his brothers were good, but not him. So he was the only one not to trust! Or was he the one not to trust, but the others were also not to trust, despite him being untrustworthy and therefore the others were trustworthy, or was everyone just really out to get him, including himself. Especially himself? Kouunshi began to feel dizzy.

Souseiseki noticed this, but left it alone, seeing that the puppet might faint, and she wouldn't want him to blame it on her. Even such a small, skittish thing could be paranoid and foolish enough to do such a thing. Instead, he stated numbly, "Souseiseki-san, you still have a little flour on your face. Let me help you out..." He leaned forward again, only this time, it was unexpected, and left the Diamante to wonder what had gone horribly wrong as he stumbled forward, sending the two of them tumbling to the floor. His face landed next to hers, and if he moved even a little bit closer, he would kiss her. The Diamante was so sure of it.

For one moment, there was silence, and then Kouunshi screamed at the top of his girly lungs. "KYAAAAAAAAAA!"


Kyoushi blocked it with the needle, still agitated, still weary of this doll's antics. Were they ever going to end, dammit?! Suiseiseki held her watering can in front of the Diamante for a moment, and then pulled back, ready to strike again. "Hmm, you seem to be tiring out quickly desu," she commented, smirking and letting her smile become grim, like the voice of eternal Doom. Kyoushi winced, and then shrugged his shoulders, looking to the side.

"Be quiet...What's your problem, busu? Insecure because you're stupid?" Suiseiseki's jaw dropped. She twitched, and then cracked her knuckles, lifting a fist to the air. "I will not take that sitting down desu," she muttered through gritted teeth. They were cracking at the pressure she was using, and soon, by the way it looked, they would break. Kyoushi rolled his eyes. "Yeah, because your teeth breaking will freak me to death. Sorry, but that's Kouunshi's problem. You can scare him later. Or, how about right now, huh chibi-busu?" he finally tried.

It was almost like asking for death on a sandwich, with mustard on top so you could get your hand all sticky and gooey, and then get killed. Probably through impalement up the fanny. Suiseiseki could picture it. The stupid, mean old Diamante, hanging from a long twenty-foot pole, dangling down slowly. Hmm, wouldn't it be lovely to make him cry, beg for mercy...scream?

Her eyes glistened with unhidden venom, twinkling with demonic vengeance that was yet to be known. Her hands turned into fists, unclasped themselves, and then turned back into a fist. This went on for a little while, as she dreamed of what else she could do.

I know what I'll do. I'll get a large shovel, and then smash his little head to tiny, itty-bitty bits desu! His brain would be all smashed up desu! Or...Yes, I could see it now desu. I'll slowly strangle him to death with the aid of his brother desu! Betrayal is ever so sweet, yes indeed. Perhaps I could obliterate him with fire desu! Burn the baka desu! Yes, yes this will show him the...

"THE POWER OF DESU!" she suddenly exclaimed, raising her hands up to the sky, cackling. Kyoushi was slightly frightened now, something that never really happened...Unless he was with rats. Rats, due to lack of a better term, scared the living-crap out of the puppet. He would see one scurry by, and he would scream. And not one of those macho, manly war cries either. It was high, like a train whistle, and just as annoying and loud. It pierced through the open air, killing whatever was unlucky enough to get caught in its path.

That was why Kyoushi never screamed. Well, there had been times. Times when a small, black or white or brown rat hurried across the stage, and he would shriek his head off, pointing at it until Kouunshi fainted, and Kurotekai would have to order Eibetsu to knock him out. Yeah, good times, good times...

"Chibi-puppet, I will not hit you with this watering can," Suiseiseki suddenly affirmed, throwing the thing up in the air to disappear. The doll looked down demurely, her red eye and her green eye both twinkling. Kyoushi raised an eyebrow, leaning on his needle quietly, yawning his head off. "Is that so? And why the hell is that, huh chibi-busu?"

Her eyes turned black as charcoal, and then lifted a fist. "Because I'm going to RAM THIS HUGE POLE UP YOUR CHIBI ASS DESU!"

She produced a long stick from out of nowhere, using her anime power to take care of that problem. He stepped back, cringing at how her voice went up from a coy little sound to a perfect scream.

"What the—You have to be kidding! There's no way that's going to fit!" She grinned evilly. "No. Not unless I can get it to come out of your mouth. Now get over here desuuuuuu!" She ran at the Diamante, and then stopped.

Everything seemed to stop. She let go of the stick and fell to her knees, hands over her ears. "Ugh, what is that ruckus? I can't hear a thing desu!" Kyoushi did likewise. "It's coming from the kitchen! Make it stop, dammit, make it effing stop!" They both rolled around on the floor, the girly, annoying scream in their heads.


"I'm afraid you don't," Retsukon stated plainly, looking down at his feet, waving them slightly, "or else you wouldn't be here, asking me questions. Instead, you would assist us in what we came here for." He stood up, sighing deeply, profusely. "We are not trying to steal your Rosa Mystica. We are not trying to kill you. Our task is simple, and we need not ask for more."

Shinku nodded slowly, looking up into the ceiling with insensitive understanding. She slowly relaxed herself on the bed, smoothing it out and taking her own sweet time. "You do not ask a lot, but I do have my qualms. Your Master is...well, plainly speaking, he is a mysterious stranger to us. By the way you speak, he is even strange to you." She gently stroked Retsukon's cheek, shaking her head and frowning. "Poor puppet..."

He blinked, eyes wide, and then hardened his expression. "I know enough about him. It is wise to be secretive. Rather, keep your mouth shut and let others think of you as a fool, or open it and prove them right." He chuckled slightly at the old saying, and then leaned back on the bed, tilting his head to the side in quiet exasperation.

He wondered so deeply about what it would be like to meet these maidens...They weren't what he expected. They weren't what he had hoped for. But they were fun, energetic, happy, prissy, and loving; in other words, a dime a dozen. But Shinku...She was different. She was smart.

Brains, though costing about a penny a pound (So many sayings came to mind at the moment), were by far the best assets in his book. By far the best.

Shinku softly glided along the bed, giving off a small laugh herself. "Retsukon..." The puppet heard his name, knew he was being addressed, but waited a moment, and then spoke. "Yes? Is there something you unwanted?"

Shinku rewarded him with another soft, pretty laugh. Her face, her eyes, her laugh; they were so cold. As if nothing was sincere. She was so angry. "Yes, perhaps there is something I want. I want you, in truth, to tell me if you trust your master. Do you trust him with all your heart? Would you truly lay down your life for him, or is it fear?"

She nodded when he looked up, jaw almost dropping. "Fear of being thrown away, like scrap metal. Fear of being unwanted, fear of...Fear of your Master himself. Is that the case, Retsukon? Are you afraid of that?" Retsukon looked down at his feet again, stiffening. He shook his head, growling under his breath. How dare she! What kind of question was that? Perhaps they felt fear, perhaps they felt frightened, but thinking that he, Retsukon, actually was scared of his...His...Master? A fond, old memory popped into his mind:

"Retsukon, what are you doing here? It's late." His Masters stood with his back to the puppet, standing in front of beakers and test tubes. He poured this into that, and that into this, and those into these; he was pouring strange colored liquids like a mad-man! His short-ish dirty blonde hair was tied up in a furious attempt to keep it from his eyes, and he continued pushing out of his way even ask he spoke to the puppet.

Retsukon walked up, hands holding the old music box that, not very long ago, Kurotekai had broken. "I apologize, Master, but I couldn't sleep...I made something for you," he said suddenly, and then laid the box on the table. His Master frowned, not looking at it with as much interest as he had hoped for. "Very nice. Take your new toy away and leave me alone..."

"But...I spent a lot of time on it. Wouldn't you at least look at it." He stopped, causing a chill to go up Retsukon's spine, and then began work again. "No, maybe later. Go to your case and get some rest. Tomorrow." He persisted, "But please, why won't you—

"Listen! Listen to me! I'm working, and if you do not leave, THERE WILL BE DIRE CONSEQUENCES! GET OUT!" he bellowed, his small but able hands pounding the table, the ingredients shaking like crazy. Retsukon fell back, frightened out of his life. "Y-yes sir. Yes! I'm going out!"

"Then get out! Leave, you stupid, worthless scrap metal..." His roar turned into a quiet mutter, and he grumbled softly, picking up more tubes and going back to work as if nothing happened. How could he care? Why would he care? It wasn't like Retsukon was important, or special.

Just another waste of time...

Shinku frowned, and then sighed. "Are you all right?" Retsukon shook his head, bending, his once very prim, erect, almost stiff stance becoming sluggish. "N-no, I'm not. I never really was..."


At that moment, Eibetsu could care less that she was the seventh Rozen Maiden. He looked over the doll longingly, hungrily; it was a strange, romantic feeling that he had never given or gotten before, and was now enveloped in. So quickly, so suddenly. He could have vomited now, at how much his stomach was churning. But never mind it, he just smiled dimly and dreamily as she turned away. "What are you looking at?"

"You. It's just...You're ever so pretty desu ne."

She giggled, holding a hand to her mouth to try and stifle it, but letting it pour out. "Ah ha, you're so funny. What's your name then?" she asked, slowly walking away. He followed after her quickly, still in a daze.

"E-E-Eibetsu, the seventh of the Diamantes..." He fell back as she tilted her head, coming towards him with amazing skill, disarming feminine wiles and all. "The Diamantes? Oh then, I've heard of you. From Corrine. Hmm, well then puppet, could you help me with something? It is rather important..."

Eibetsu straightened up quickly, and then said, "Yes, what is it? Anything for you, miss, anything at all desu ne." She gave of a sharp, happy, almost wistful laugh. "Ah yes, thank you then. But only if you can succeed. About Hinaichigo...You know her, right?" Eibetsu nodded, and then sighed. "What does this have to do with our—

"I think your brothers, one of them anyways, has quite a relationship with her. If you can convince the fool to bring her here, than that's all the help I need!" Kirakishou exclaimed brightly, chuckling. Eibetsu sighed, and then nodded. "Sure, of course! I'll get to Douyou right away..."

Eibetsu softly whistled, standing there in that room with the pretty Maiden. No wonder Douyou referred to Hinaichigo like that, and Hizashi-onii-chan to Kanaria. Supposedly even Kouunshi would've said something if it wasn't for his shy, coy, demure mannerisms. Kuro-onii-sama was obviously very much in love, or very much a horn-dog (He would've vouched for the second one), and Retsukon was enamored by the blonde, bitchy maiden. Kyoushi was homicidal anyways, so perhaps Suiseiseki was lucky not to have his affections. Though she was pretty mental herself.

Eibetsu gulped, feet apart and hands together, and then quivered, coughing. He was sweating generously for what appeared to be no reason, and then piped up suddenly. "But can I talk to you desu ne?" Kirakishou tilted her head, still smiling. "Talk to me about what?" Eibetsu shrugged, leaning backwards and sighing, bored out of his little mind. He glanced back and forth, eyeing emptiness around him. Finally, he let it go.

"Ugh, nothing...Or, maybe, if you wouldn't mind..." Kirakishou raised an eyebrow curiously. "Well, spit it out if you're going to say it then." Eibetsu shrugged, and then said nonchalantly, "Well, maybe we could talk about ourselves desu ne." Kirakishou twiddled, and then sighed. "Well, nothing else to do but wait. All right, I suppose we can talk. Eibetsu grinned. "G-great desu ne..." He clapped his hands together like his big brother always did, his favorite big brother, and then sighed at the absent look on her face. The doll was not at all fascinated, so it seemed.

"So, do I start desu ne?" She gestured at him with friendly apathy. "It was your proposal, wasn't it?" He nodded again, giving a long, rasping bray, and then correcting himself. "Yes, sure, I'll...Erm, there are seven of you all, right?" Kirakishou nodded. "Yes, seven Rozen Maidens. I thought you knew more but I guess no—

"Oh, just checking desu ne," he said quickly, shaking his hands in front of him and laughing nervously. She raised an eyebrow curiously, and then smiled. "Oh, fine then. Why did you ask?" He shrugged, trying to relax himself. She was pretty, though, even if she wasn't the nicest or most sincere of them.

"It's just...I've never seen the other one. You know, the first." The doll chuckled again, clapping her hands merrily. "Onee-sama, you mean? Oh yes, I'm going to see her really soon, too. I just need to get out of here. It's very difficult, you know, my little puppet..." My? He thought suddenly. Does that mean—

"Really, why is that desu ne?"

"Why is what?"

He hesitated, and then spoke up. "Difficult. Why is it difficult?" She sighed deeply, a melancholy, depressing sound echoing from her lips into the white, empty room. "I can only exist within the N-field. I need a body in the other world...Whatever you call it," she said, almost in a whiny voice, and then straightened herself. "But any other questions? " Eibetsu licked his lips.

"Maybe a couple desu ne..."

To Be Continued...