Author's Note: I love how this match turned out. Ah, we go back to making my beloved Japan suffer. Why do I do that? Oh yeah, the core story is set in Ikebukuro. And Ikebukuro is set in Japan. So, Kiku suffers as much as the people in the Wonderland series. Anyway, we are seeing how my new idea is unfolding. We have our first 2P!character coming through. Already, I can't wait to see where next week's match will take us. For now, enjoy this week's match.

Match Three: Raiju:

It's the mirror. Sena tilted her head. Had that always been there? She walked towards the tall full-length mirror in one of the back rooms. The black frame seemed to sing to her. A cold chill ran through Sena's body. She shook her head. When did she buy this mirror? Her fingers reached out for the glass. Soft whispers filled her ears. Sena froze and drew back her hand.

"No," she said. "Uh-uh. No way. No. No." Sena turned and ran out of the room.

Sometime later, Kiku sat in front of the mirror. He too could hear the glass singing. A pair of hands rested on his shoulders. She smelt of death now. Death and blood. He could see her smiling in his mind.

"Can you see him?" she purred in his ear. A knot formed in his throat. His fingertips reached for the glass. The humming grew louder. He shook his head.

"No…" Kiku murmured.

"Don't be afraid of it," she whispered. "Embrace him." Kiku couldn't see anything in the glass. Just nothing but darkness.

"No…" he said again. Her nails dug into his shoulders.

"Do it," she hissed. A blast of ice ran through his body. It felt like his throat was on fire. His hand trembled as his fingers grew closer to the glass. Kiku could hear his heart pounding in his ears. A chill ran through his body. He shut his eyes and touched the mirror.

Silence.

A high-pitched wail cut through the dark. Kiku opened his eyes. Pure darkness all around. This seemed to wake him up.

"Oh…" he said. Low snickering caught his attention. Kiku looked ahead. A man sat on a throne of iron. Dread filled Kiku's chest. He backed up, shaking his head.

"This can't be…" he said.

"Oh yes," the man said. His baritone voice gave off a strange, soothing calm. Kiku took a slow step closer.

"You look like me," he said. "How do you have my face?" Kiku felt along his right cheek.

"I am you," the man said.

"No, that can't be possible," Kiku said. "I am me."

"Yes," the other man said. "And I am also you." The Japanese man got a better look at the other man. He looked like an emperor in his black navel uniform. Kiku felt so small under his gaze.

"What do you want from me?" he choked out. The other Kiku snickered.

"What you want," he said. "I want to live."

"What?" the Japanese man asked. The other man leaned forward.

"I want to live like you," the other man said. "I want to live in your world." A knot formed in Kiku's throat. She appeared next to the man on the throne. Her fingers caressed his right cheek.

"It's not an unreasonable request," she purred.

"But why?" Kiku managed to ask. He felt like he was going to vomit.

"Why not?" the man asked. He leaned forward from his darkness.

"Can't you see?" he asked. "The world is changing. I will rule over our home with the game is complete." Kiku put his hand to his chest.

"But where does that leave me?" he asked. The other man smirked.

"You will still exist," he said. "Just... Retired? Maybe?" Kiku stepped back, shaking his head.

"No…" he said. The other man laughed.

"Oh, you don't seem to understand," he said. "It's already in motion. None of can't stop it. Haven't you noticed that Ikebukuro is dying?" The man closed his eyes and smiled.

"Mmm," he said. "Can you hear that? The sounds of vice drowning the city. It's such a beautiful sound. Mmm."

"You can't do this," Kiku said. His eyes looked worn out with fear.

"It's too late," she said. "It's already started."

"No… no," the Japanese man said. He sank to his knees. Kiku's body trembled. The man turned and kissed her on the lips. She disappeared and stood over the other Kiku. She gently patted him on the head. He trembled underneath her touch.

"You can't walk away now," she purred. "We've already gotten started." Kiku tightly shut his eyes as if the fight back the tears. The other man sat watching the whole time.

Sena found Kiku in one of the back rooms the next morning.

"Kiku? Kiku?" she asked. Her footsteps walked along the tatami mats softly. Already, she had a bad feeling about this. As if on instinct, Sena walked towards the back room. She found her husband huddled on the floor in front of that damned mirror.

"Kiku!" Sena shouted as she ran into the room. He didn't look up. His wife pulled him into her arms.

"Baby, what's the matter?" she asked. Sena could feel him shaking. Kiku started wordlessly mumbling to himself.

"Baby, what's wrong? Talk to me," she said. Kiku's hand shook as he pointed to the mirror. Sena looked up and saw the mirror. Her stomach dropped as she saw the inky darkness.

"What the…?" she asked. The darkness swirled under the glass' surface. Kiku broke down sobbing. Sena's glance hardened. This mirror had to go.

Meanwhile, he arrived in the Living World. Turned out, it was much easier than he thought. He stretched his neck from side to side.

"I don't get out much," he said. The man looked around at Ikebukuro. The vice smelt like honey. It made his mouth water.

"Mmm," he said. "So good." But he didn't have to time take in the drowning city around him. He had a destination to get to. He turned his head when heard a low whistle. She stood across the street, watching him.

"Welcome home, my love," she said. He bowed with a smirk.

"So good to be back," he said. He stood up straight.

"I will see you again, later," he said. "I have to make my way to Asakusa. I have a certain house to visit."

"I know the way," she said.

"Would you really?" he asked.

"Why yes," she said. She began her walk down the street. He gladly followed behind.

Kiku sat at the table in a daze. Sena set down his plate.

"Here you go, dear," she whispered. She broke the chopsticks apart and set them down the bowl. He didn't look up at her. Sena sat down across from him. She picked up her chopsticks and started to eat. She hadn't figured out what she was going to do with the mirror yet. It couldn't stay there. Where did it even come from?

"Sweetie, have we always had that mirror?" she asked. No response. Sena scratched the side of her head with the chopsticks.

"It's so strange," she said. "I don't remember when or where we got it. Was it a present or something?" No response. Sena lowered her chopsticks.

"I can't imagine it being that," she said. Her eyes moved towards Kiku across the table. He hadn't touched his food. Sena sighed and dropped her shoulders.

"Are you okay, baby?" she asked. "Baby? Baby?" Her husband lifted his head. She had never seen him look so worn out before in her life. Sena's heart ached so much. He's been like this for about five years now. Most people would've given up by now. Sena couldn't bring herself to do that. He needed her. Plus, that woman would come for her either way. Sena shuddered just thinking about her face.

"Come on, dear," she said. "You have to eat a little bit. I can't have you wasting away." Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Sena turned her head.

"Who that be this early?" she asked. She got from the table. But then, Kiku grabbed her wrist. His wife whipped her head around. He clung to her wrist with a desperate look in his eyes. Sena tried to pull away.

"Sweetheart, what's wrong?" she said. "Let go. Let go." Kiku wouldn't let go.

"Come on. Come on," Sena said. She struggled to pull out of his grasp. Her husband wanted to scream at her to stop, but no words came out.

"Honey, what's wrong?" Sena asked. He quickly shook his head.

"Baby, I can't help you if you won't tell me," she said. Kiku could only stare at her with a desperate look in her eyes. Another knock came on the door. This time, the doorbell rang. Sena dropped her shoulders and sighed.

"I'll be right back," she said. "I promise." She looked into his eyes. Kiku still had a desperate look in his eyes. Sena forced herself to turn away and walk to the front door. The doorbell rang again.

"Coming!" Sena yelled. She looked out the peep hole. She couldn't get a good look at the figure outside.

"Who is it?" she asked. A low mumbling came from outside. Sena raised her eyebrow. Against her better judgement, she opened the door. The color drained from her face. A man with Kiku's face stood outside. He wore a black naval uniform with his sword at his side. His eyes looked empty. He had no emotion on his face except for that icy smirk on his face. Sena took a step back. The man with her husband's face chuckled.

"Honey, I'm home," he said in a low voice. Sena's eyes widened as she tried to slam the door. The other man grabbed the edge of the door. She tried to close the door, he proved stronger than her. Once he opened the door, the man with her husband's face now had a demonic grin.

Meanwhile, Kiku felt his spine freeze at the table.

"She's already let him in," he mumbled to himself as his body broke into a cold sweat.