Chapter 3: Honig

Tomoe Kashiwaba was lying on her bed, staring up at the ceiling and popping a piece of lychee gum.

Her petite frame was clothed in a mint green tank-top, a pair of baggy khakis, and knee-high, cream-colored socks. Right now, she was probably supposed to be in her pajamas and sleeping, but she couldn't close her eyes. She had an odd feeling in her gut.

Sure enough, the surface of the mirror on her vanity began to glow a soft blue, and the faintest hint of golden curls became visible in Tomoe's peripheral vision. She lifted herself slowly from her bed.

When she arrived at the mirror, Hinaichigo was already kneeling on the surface of the vanity, wearing her familiar expression of curiosity and excitement. The curiosity aspect immediately gave way to the excitement as she recognized Tomoe's face.

"TOMOE!" The little doll latched herself around Tomoe's torso. "How long has it been, na no?"

Tomoe placed her arms underneath Hinaichigo to keep her from falling off, and looked up at the ceiling. How long had it been?

"Mm... almost a year now, I think."

She set the doll down on her bed.

Jun awoke late the next morning, to the smell of cooking breakfast.

He threw on a shirt and pants and shuffled down the stairs to find Nori bustling about in the kitchen, juggling a pan of sizzling ham and eggs and a relentlessly beeping rice cooker. Suiseiseki was standing on the kitchen counter, observing the process intensely. Suigintou sat on the couch and stared blankly at a yogurt commercial.

"Good morning, Jun." Shinku spoke serenely, pouring a cup of tea for herself. Souseiseki followed suit, and then Hinaichigo, who immediately poured honey from a jar directly into her teacup and stirred it vigorously.

"Hina," Tomoe laughed, "that's more honey than tea."

Jun rubbed his eyes. "Whoa, what are you guys doing here?"

"Good morning, Jun-kun!" Nori twirled around happily. "Tomoe-chan and Hina-chan stopped by this morning. I didn't know Hina and Sousei came back! We waited until you woke up, so we could all have breakfast together."

"How did you know I was waking up?" Jun raised an eyebrow.

Nori winked. "A little birdie told me."

Suigintou turned to look at the other dolls. "Shinku," she called, "I think your show is coming on."

"Kun-Kun!" Shinku exclaimed. She cradled the teacup in her hands and walked swiftly over to the television. Souseiseki and Hina followed at decidedly contrasting speeds, while Nori and Suiseiseki carried on a hushed conversation and loomed over the frying eggs.

The Kun-Kun theme song finished just as Nori set out plates of fried eggs, ham, and rice. "Breakfast!" she called out.

Jun, Tomoe, Nori, and Suiseiseki all leaned anxiously over their food, while the other four dolls were all too absorbed in the show to leave the couch.

"I don't understand the appeal," Suigintou commented. "The show's barely started, and it's already obvious who the culprit is."

Shinku glared at her. "How can you say that? I haven't the faintest idea."

"Look at the ferret. It's obviously him, because-"

"Don't ruin it!" Souseiseki warned, not once taking her eyes off of the screen.

The commercial break rolled around, and Suigintou got up, smoothing down her dress. "I'm going to go for a bit."

She clambered up the stairs and entered the mirror room. The mirror itself was dark, smooth, and inviting. Suigin placed her hand lightly on the surface, and it shimmered, turning a bright white. She stepped through.

The N-Field was empty at the moment. The endless doors were quiet and still. It took some time before she found the monitor screen.

Suigintou peered through the screen. A new patient was lying in Megu's bed already; while he seemed unconscious, two nurses were leaning out of the window and gossiping.

"...so sad."

"Well, she lived a lot longer than anyone expected, so that's good."

"I heard her funeral's next week."

"You know what's been bothering me?"

"What?"

"That ring she used to wear... I looked all over, but I couldn't find it anywhere."

"The little rose ring?"

"Yeah... I hope someone didn't steal it. I mean, stealing from a dying girl, that's horrible."

Suigintou turned back to the N-Field.

Kirakishou smiled prettily. "Suigintou!"

The doll stared at the figure before her in shock.

A human girl, average in height and slim in figure, floated in the space in front of Suigintou. Her hair, long and white, had an iridescent pink tint to it. In place of her right eye was a single white rose. Tiny vines extended in a one-inch radius from the flower and sank into her skin, rooted in place by thorns. Her other eye was a vivid gold. Her outfit, an elaborate ensemble, was a pink maid's uniform with black stockings and chunky white boots.

"The first doll, if I'm correct." She smiled yet again. "And I've heard about the things you've accomplished."

Suigintou's mouth hung open.

"Who the hell are you?"

"You met me before! I'm Kirakishou!" The girl twirled through the air.

"No!" Suigin shook her head. "You're not a doll!"

Kirakishou pointed at her rose eye.

"But..."

Kirakishou grinned. "It's impossible to explain any other way, Onee-sama. I am Kirakishou, the seventh doll of the Rozen Maiden series." She curtsied. "Lovely to meet you."

"Fine then, Kirakishou," Suigintou uttered. "Then how did you become this way?"

"Oh no, Onee-sama!" Kirakishou put her finger over her mouth. "That's my secret. Unless you promise not to tell anyone else."

Suigintou scowled. "Why shouldn't I tell the others? If this is what Father wants? Also, quit calling me that."

"It does seem a bit strange," Kirakishou laughed, "calling you that when you're smaller than me. Okay, I'll tell you! Come with me!"

She opened a door behind her.

Suigintou and Kirakishou arrived in a pure white dimension.

"Well!" Kirakishou twirled about. "You like it?"

"No."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Where's your artificial spirit?" Kirakishou asked.

Suigintou shrugged. "Meimei?"

After a few seconds' wait, the spirit twirled up behind Suigintou.

"Good, then," Kirakishou said. "Now let the spirit enter through your keyhole, and!"

Suigintou cocked her head. "Just like that?"

"Yeah!"

Suigintou shrugged, and motioned at Meimei.

Kanaria sat on the top of the couch, leaning over Micchan's shoulder.

"What are you looking at, kashira?"

"Cosmode!" Micchan exclaimed. "Best magazine ever..."

"Then why are those people wearing ridiculous costumes, kashira?"

Micchan sighed happily. "They're from anime and manga and stuff... Oh, man, just imagine how you would look in that... Too cute!" She grabbed Kanaria and began rubbing her against her cheek happily.

"FRICTION BURNS!"

Shinku looked up from the now-ended episode of Detective Kun-Kun. "Well, she was right... Where did Suigintou go? She's been gone for far too long. Hinaichigo, stop eating the honey out of the jar! That's disgusting!"

Hina put down her spoon.

Souseiseki shrugged. "Do you think we should go and look for her?"

"No." Shinku shook her head. "I think she'd rather be alone."

Suigintou looked up. Long strands of snow-white hair fell down in front of her face, which felt soft and warm at the touch of her slender fingers. Her wings still extended from her back, but they were stationary and would obviously be of no use for flying.

"You certainly turned out nice!" Kirakishou purred, eyeing Suigintou's naked body. The doll's black dress, too small for her human body, had been ripped cleanly in half.

"Goodbye, Kirakishou." Suigin turned to leave the dimension, but there didn't seem to be any door.

Kirakishou shook her head. "I told you, Onee-sama, this has to be our secret."

"Fine." Suigintou rolled her eyes. "I won't tell anyone."

"Do you mean that?" Kirakishou asked.

Suigintou stared back at Kirakishou, who had extended her hand.

"If you do... swear to me on this rose ring."