-Barasuishou POV-

I was far too weak to break Rozen and Hinaichigo apart… actually I was getting to the point of being too weak to stand. Enju hadn't made a contract with me yet… He said it would be quick and I needn't be up long… obviously it was taking longer than he thought and quite frankly it was starting to get on my nerves. By that I didn't mean being awake was getting on my nerves but his blatant disregard for me! Before he had at least tried to care but now he doesn't even attempt to fake his intentions. He is more concerned with getting his revenge on Rozen.

With these last thoughts I blacked out, I fell into the darkness again. I sat there impatiently for what felt like an eternity waiting for Enju to wind me up again. I steadied myself for what could be a very long wait. My artificial spirit had gotten lost in the N-field when we were chasing after Alice and she never returned. I miss her but Enju hadn't allowed for me to go and look for her because he needed me… or so he said he did. I sat thinking like this for a long time. Then…

"Hey" came a voice "you don't look so good" I looked up and saw a familiar face.

"Souseiseki?"

"Yep."

"what are you doing here?"

"I'm not entirely sure. My Rosa mystica was ejected from Alice and now until it finds a body I guess I'm in here" I sat there speechless… but… I was secretly very happy… even if we were stuck together unwilling I had some company.

"So… what do you do to pass the time here?" She said awkwardly

"…not much…" I said quietly "Normally my artificial spirit is here so I talk to her… but she's lost in the N-field…" I said tearing up a little. I pulled my knees up to my chest and sat there sniffling. I expected her to just sit there… I was pitiful in this state but she did something quite unexpected. I felt her place her cape around my shoulders.

"It's cold. It's not good to be cold when you're upset" It made no sense but I didn't mind, it was nice someone was caring for once.

-Rozen POV-

The dome of crystals melted away and Hinaichigo ran to me. She was crying a lot so I held her close to comfort her.

"I- I don't know how I g- got here! I- I was so sc- scared" she sniffled and cried more and I held her tighter. I suddenly heard a weight hit the floor. I looked up and Barasuishou had feinted. The only clue that she had been awake was the crystals with the images still playing on them. Enju ran to her and picked her up.

"Bara? Bara?!" he called, no response "can you hear me?"

"You didn't make a contract with her?!" I said stunned

"This wasn't meant to take so long!" he shouted at me clutching the lifeless doll in his hands

"Father?" Hinaichigo said quietly "is she dead?"

"No my dear" I said calmly "she's just very tired" Enju was holding the doll tight to his chest pleading with her to wake up

"Just wind her up again Enju" I said exasperated

"I lost her key" he said worriedly

"then you should have made a contract"

"Shut up about the stupid contracts!" Enju screamed back at me

There was a lull. The only sounds in the room where the movements of the dolls dresses and joints. Then a loud and awful shriek filled the room. Everyone's attention went to the images on the crystals. It was Alice. She was knelt on the floor facing the mirror with her hands stretched out screaming, blue lightning surrounded her hands and her eyes where the same shade of blue. Then a rosa mystica ejected itself from Alice and flew through the mirror. I immediately looked to Enju

"What have you done to her?!" I shouted

"I didn't do anything to her" he shouted back "it's your fault!" I sat there stunned. It wasn't possible that my perfect design had an imperfection. No way. "The Rosa mysticas aren't stable enough to stay together as Alice for the amount of time she's been awake without a contract. To be honest even with a contract it would still decay." I sat there holding Hina. I was on the verge of tears. Was there no way to have my perfect daughter without sending her into immense amounts of pain?

"Father? Are you ok?" Hinaichigo said quietly

"Enju… If the Rosa mystica are unstable… then why does Barasuishou want to become Alice?"

"Because an extra source of power could make Alice stable. Bara would become part of the strongest doll."

"You're lying" I said bitterly

"Why would I lie when Bara is asleep and I can't wake her up?" he had a point… he had nothing to lose or gain from this.

All we could do was hold our dolls and wait for something more to happen in the pictures.

-Lillian POV-

I walked into my room and threw my bag by my bed. Alice was sat on her box holding the teddy bear.

"So how was your day?" I said nonchalantly trying to find my phone in my bag, it was somewhere in there… but there was no response. No a peep from Alice. I turned to her saying "you know I was expecting you to chide me for-" I stopped dead. She was sat, motionless, staring at the mirror clutching the bear as hard as she could. "Alice? Is everything ok?"

"I'm… I'm in pain…"

"Pardon?" she turned to me and her eyes… where electric blue. She had lightning dancing round her hands and she had the most terrified face. It scared me.

"Lillian… please… it hurts…" Her voice was morphing into different tones and accents… the strongest being a lower tone, a boyish tone. It terrified me so much.

"What… what should I do?" her head moved to face the mirror again "Alice… please I'm scared."

"Shut the door" she said quickly in a higher pretty tone. I obeyed and locked my door "Demon!" she shouted in an airy voice. At this the rabbit man jumped out and bowed low.

"Rabbit. Lock off this room, her parents are not to disturb us. If they do I swear I will turn your hide into bunny slippers." Alice spoke in a low commanding tone.

"Yes Alice." With that the bunny man flicked his fingers and the rooms turned a pink tone. He merged through it and went back into the mirror only to disappear again.

Alice put the teddy down on her box and knelt in front of the mirror.

"I'll be ok possibly… Just please… stand back maybe?" Alice's voice fluctuated between the tomboy tone and a light playful tone. She opened up her arms as lightning flashed around her and she let out the shrillest scream I'd ever heard. The light was blinding so I covered my eyes… I didn't see what happened. When it was over I opened my eyes and Alice was lying on the ground with smoke all around her. I went over to her and picked her up. The Roses that had been woven into her hair had been shrivelled up and burned. All hints of blue and pink had disappeared from her outfit as well. I couldn't do anything… apart from hold her.

The rabbit came back through the mirror and produced a key. The same one that I had used to wind up Alice. He gave it to me and said

"Look after her. I'm off to find her father" before disappearing into the mirror.

I put the key in her back and wound her up again. She jerked and moved a little but didn't wake up again… I laid her on my bed and tried again… still nothing. I decided to try one last time before giving up…

Suddenly before I could a soft small hand took my finger. I turned to see another doll… except she was blonde wearing a pink dress with a big pink bow on her head.

Who was she?