A/N: Arigato~! For all your support.

Meh. I would have had this up a couple hours sooner if fanfiction wasn't being such a jerk... I wouldn't let me log in for awhile.

laughs enough of my ranting.

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Chapter 11: Revelations

This time we were going prepared.

We had packed ten or so bottles of water, pen and paper for taking notes, the clear rose, and lastly the mermaid elixir. And better yet... the doll was coming with us too. Since it knew the place better than we ever could...

We had a long debate if Ib should come. Seiran and I were both against it, but the doll won in the end.

It kinda went like this...

"Marie has to come."

"What? No she doesn't." We spoke at the same time.

"Yes. Yes she does."

"Nu uh!" Seiran childishly said.

"If she doesn't come, then you won't be able to find the gate." The doll crossed its arms.

"The gate?" What gate?

"The Fabricated World. It's the gate. The beginning and the end. It's where you start, it's where you leave."

"How come we can't find it?"

"Cuz Mommy don't like you~!" The doll sang. Why do I feel offended?

"Well then..." Seiran admonished.

"And anyway, she said we wouldn't be able to find the entrance unless she came. So there."

The doll glared, daring us to contradict it.

Seiran gave me a sidelong glace. I shrugged.

And that was that. Ib was coming.

I sighed. We were headed back to Seiran's place, the doll tagged along as well. We decided it was best to camp out there till the next day, after a night's rest. Considering it was closer to the gallery, his place was better to set out from than my apartment.

I dropped our "bag of supplies" near the door, and slipped my shoes off.

"I'm going up stairs to check on Ib." Seiran said.

"Hm? No, it's okay I can check on her." I made a move toward the stairs.

"It's okay really... I can go." Seiran started shuffling faster.

"Why don't you just sit down, you must be tired... I'll go." I matched his brusque march.

"Same for you. Get something to drink. Take a nap."

"Ha, ha. I insist." I threw an arm out and grasped the stair railing, shoving Seiran back a step.

"Naw, I got this." He shoved back.

We were pretty much wrestling at that point.

My, that escalated quickly...

"I'm sure Ib would rather have me check on her." He coughed, as I swung my arm, catching him in a headlock.

"Oh yeah, how come?" I grunted as his elbow connected with my stomach, loosening my grip.

"Oh, I mean I have been living with her for almost three weeks now. I sure she'd... MUCH rather see someone whom she's known for awhile... than someone she only seen twice!" He growled.

"I've known her longer than you have!" I roared, throwing my hands up in the air.

"O-ho? But she don't know that~!" Seiran sang.

"Oi!" The child like voice made us pause.

The doll sat on the second step of the stairs, arms crossed. "Girls, girls, your both pretty. I'll check on Marie." It smiled showing all of its... wonderful charm...

I shot a glance at Seiran. "On second thought go ahead. You check on her. Like now."

The doll frowned.

I sighed. I suddenly felt really tired.

Seiran went to check on Ib while I got settled into the couch.

I rubbed my temples in a futile attempt to subside the headache threatening to split my head open.

Just a few hours... Till it begins again.

We were packed and set to go. All we needed now was Ib, whom Seiran went to get. When he didn't come down for several minuets, I started worrying, and soon found myself waking up to stairs.

I paused when I reached the door. It was partly open. Pushing it open I stopped to find Seiran gently shaking Ib.

I knelt down next to him. He turned back to me, shuddering hard enough that I could feel the floor vibrating. "Ib... Won't wake up."

My eyes widened. "What?"

"No matter what I do or say... She doesn't even move..." Were we too late?

His expression held such loss and desperation...He looked as though he wanted to break down and cry.

"Relax lover boy. She's not dead." The doll climbed up onto the bed and waved the rose in front of our faces. "But she's getting near it."

The rose had one faded red petal. The rest were colorless like glass.

"This... is..."

"The rate of her regression." The doll stated.

"Think about it. Your rose is reflected off of your true spirit. Garry, yours is blue, symbolic for your believe in impossible miracles. Even though you don't believe in a higher power, you believe all things have a turning point." I flinched at the accurate analysis.

The doll turned to Seiran. "And you. Your rose was clear at first, since you truly believed that you didn't have a soul. But now it is a deep purple singling elegance and enchantment as well as mystery and undying love. It is also a combination of red and blue." Seiran didn't react to the dolls words.

"Marie's spirit is being moved, not erased, mind you. And since her rose has nothing to reflect her true nature on, it's bleached of her original color."

Then... That faded red petal... Is all she has left of herself.

"If you get to the gallery before it turns completely clear, then she should be fine. But if you don't... She won't last long. Her spirit will move on, to wherever it's being pulled to. That kind of change is not reversible..."

And under these conditions….

The last sliver of hope….

A thin as thread….