It's a bit later in the day than usual! But I hope you enjoy.

"Miku … Miku, wake up …"

Miku didn't want to listen to the voice. She didn't want to wake up, knowing that waking up meant dealing with the pain, the blood, the guilt.

"Miku, you can't give up now … Wake up, please …"

The voice was too high to be Luka's. Why did she associate it with those dreams? She didn't have time to think about it, though. Her head was aching, demanding her attention, and she knew she couldn't stay in this almost-dream.

Miku groaned, hands moving up to clutch at her head. Even her eyelids ached as she forced them open.

"She wakes," a familiar voice said.

Miku looked up to see Haku and Neru … through the bars of her cage. She was back in the freak tent. Miku whimpered, closing her eyes again.

"We brought a balm for your hurts," Neru said. When Miku opened her eyes, she saw that the tall woman was holding an ice pack through the bars with her long, spindly fingers. When Miku didn't take it, she set it down gently on the floor of the cage.

"Everything hurts," Miku moaned, trying to fight the tears that rolled down her cheeks. She moved to wipe at her eyes, and as she did so she noticed what was hanging in the corner of the tent – the head with the long blonde hair and wide-open eyes, staring at her.

Miku gagged, looking down. When she did so she saw that her dress was soaked in blood – Lily's blood, just like it was Lily's head hanging from the tent pole. Miku tore the dress from her body, trying to wipe away the blood that clung to her skin. It didn't make any difference, anyways. Her body was so covered in flowers, there was nothing left for the dress to hide.

Miku took the ice pack after a moment, using the condensation to get rid of the blood dried against her skin.

"Why are you two so kind to me?" Miku felt drained and sick. All of the others who Meiko turned seemed to be sadistic – she had seen Teto and Mayu's wrath first hand. But although these two women were strange, they weren't evil.

"Kindness is not a commodity," Haku said.

"Even if it were, you are surely deserving of it, beset by such misery as you are." Neru sighed gently.

Miku looked around. The twins were sleeping, and Kaito was staring at hef, a long string of drool hanging from his mouth.

"I don't think the others here would agree with you," Miku said, shuddering. "So why are you two different? Meiko changed you just like the rest of them, right?"

Haku laced her fingers through Neru's. "The little … one … has gone from wandering to wondering," she said. Even in her state, Miku was glad that she stopped herself from using Meiko's nickname.

"But such musings are never to bear fruit," Neru replied. She turned to Miku. "We have wondered at such things too, of course. But trying to find an answer is like …"

"Trying to compress the stretched web of our thoughts," Haku finished for her.

Miku thought about this for a moment. "Do you think … Maybe it has something to do with how she finds them? Kaito was always so loyal to her …"

"And now he's become like a loyal pet," mused Haku.

Miku frowned. "I don't know about Rin and Len," she said, "But Rin is the one who is really sadistic. Len just sort of … follows in her thoughts, if he's thinking at all."

"Perhaps, too, he followed her to this place," Neru said softly, as if snatching at a moment of clarity.

Miku looked to the two tall women. "What about you? How did you get here?"

Haku and Neru shared a long, lingering glance. "Much in the same way you did, Miku," Haku finally said, her voice sounding oddly clear.

"We are here because of love," Neru sighed.

Miku rocked sat with her legs crossed in front of her, considering that. "You were a couple before you were here, weren't you?"

"If you forget me, think of our gifts to Aphrodite," Haku said in a gentle voice, as if reciting something, "And all the loveliness that we shared … all the violet tiaras, braided rosebuds, dill and crocus twined around your young neck." She looked directly at Miku, even as she took Neru's hand.

"She whispered poetry such as that in my ear, once upon a time," said Neru wistfully. "She still does, but it sounds much thinner in this air we now breathe. Can you imagine the sweetness of her breath before, perfumed by the scent of flowers as we hid, deep within the wood?"

Miku swallowed hard. "Do you know why Meiko chose you?"

"Envy as green as the trees we once hid away in," Haku said gravely.

"We concealed our connection in public, but of course, she had ways of knowing such things," Neru said, her voice matter-of-fact.

Miku pictured this. And she found herself growing angry for the two women they once were, who hadn't done a thing but love each other.

"I'm sorry," she said quietly.

"We mourn your fate equally," Haku replied.

Miku thought hard, silently. Again and again, her eyes darted to where Lily's head hung, no matter how many times she told herself not to look.

"All is not lost," Neru said gently.

Miku drew her knees to her chest. "How can you say that?"

Neru offered a strange expression that might have been a smile. "Because, despite everything … The ringmaster failed in her mission, both with us and with you."

Haku nodded, as if this made perfect sense. "My beloved, you've always been able to find the rose among the thorns," she said softly.

"I don't understand," Miku said. "How has she failed? You two are like that forever … And I'm getting worse every day." She gestured to her body, covered in blooms. "She hasn't failed. She got everything that she wanted."

"She took us because she wanted to destroy our love," Haku explained. "But, despite everything, we two are still entwined."

Neru looked solemnly at Miku. "And you?"

Miku thought for a long, long time. "… I love Luka," she finally said. "I love the mage. And the girl I've never even met … I'd do anything to protect her, already."

"And that is where you'll find your salvation," Haku said.

"Tell me how!" Miku sat up on her knees, begging. "Please! Every time I try to stand up to her …" Her eyes darted up to Lily's head again. "It just ends terribly for whoever gets involved. You two should be careful around me." A wave of nausea washed over her. "You could be next."

Neru looked gently at Miku. "The ringmaster would not hurt us," she said. "All who sit within her power are connected. One's magic cannot be quelled without the others feeling the same."

"But a greater magic is happening now," Haku noted. "The sky is lightening. My darling, we must go."

Neru nodded. She turned to Miku. "Best of luck to you, Miku. Remember the power that lies in your name."

The two of them crawled out of the tent, but before they went, Haku paused and reached to pass a hand over Lily's face, and close her eyes. Miku felt her own water in response.

Remember the power that lies in your name. But that felt useless, a dead end. Because according to the story, Luka and Miku were both powerful mages, and neither of them were any match for Meiko in the end.

But what if they simply didn't want to fight? What if they had been taken by surprise? What if their guilt and love for their fellow mage clouded their chances? If all of that were put aside, would they have stood a chance?

Miku bit the inside of her cheek until she tasted blood. In the end, it didn't really matter how much power the original Miku had. She couldn't hope to have the same amount of power, without the same amount of training.

Although she felt useless, there was a familiar, if sluggish, slithering in her stomach, as if it were answering her.

As the sky turned from gray to blue, Meiko swept into the tent with Mayu at her heels. The knife-thrower looked up at Lily's head and giggled.

"Ah, little flower. So good to see you back where you belong." Meiko grinned at her.

Miku felt the sudden, irrational need to cover herself. It was silly – she didn't have enough bare skin to feel modest about – but she didn't want to feel any more vulnerable before the ringmaster than she already did.

Meiko wrapped her fingers around the bars of the cage, leaning forward. "I must admit, you've been quite the interesting one … More of a nuisance than most of the divas." She waved a hand, as though it all meant nothing. "But, I suppose, centuries of the same cycle would produce something like you eventually."

Miku thought of all of the pink and teal haired girls who had suffered this. How many of them had no hope of understanding what had happened to them? How many of them died confused, afraid, alone? How many of them died looking upon the face of their dreams, died knowing that their beloved was to suffer their fate?

Taking in the sickened look on Miku's face, Meiko assigned her own meaning to it. "Oh, yes, little flower. I'm convinced that you're nothing but a fluke … A random coincidence. Your existence here is meaningless."

Miku gritted her teeth. It's not true. The thought was so strong and so sure, but she didn't voice it out loud. Let Meiko think that she had been broken.

The ringmaster didn't seem any wiser. "At any rate, I'm convinced you've learned your lesson. You see what happens when you misbehave." She waved her hand in the direction of Lily's head. "I'm sure you wouldn't want anyone else dying on your behalf. Virtuous little flower!" She snorted. "You have that in common with your namesake, at any rate."

Miku shivered. "Please, go away." She tried to sound as helpless as possible – and, really, it wasn't that much of a stretch.

Meiko went on as if Miku hadn't spoken. "But you're going to end up just like the other divas. You know that, right? Whether they were old or young, large or small, scared or angry … They all died in the end. And do you know what became of their bodies, little flower? Do you know what is waiting for you?"

Miku put her hands over her ears. "No!"

"Listen to me." Meiko's voice was calm, but it still echoed loud enough to force Miku's hands to drop. "Listen well, little flower, because I want you to know. After you die, you will be skinned. Your body will be chopped into pieces. And the blue beast will have food for the next few months, until the next diva goes."

Miku looked to Kaito, her blood running cold. He wasn't drooling over her, she realized – he was drooling over the blood on her dress.

"It's a good thing for him that you're almost done. We're running out of the last diva!" Meiko laughed. "See, little flower, it's hopeless. You're going to die in that cage."

So ... Happy Sunday! In case you were curious, Haku was quoting a poem by Sappho ... Because of course she was ;) This story only has a few chapters left! It has 23 chapters, so in two weeks, updates will be done! And then I can't wait to share my other projects with you guys.

Can't wait to hear what you think! Have a great day.

- Jillian Maria