Disclaimer: I do not own Klonoa, but Kuroi or Ame and OCs are mine. You can't steal them unless you ask. X3

Chapter 13: Anna, One Last Breath

I grinned wolfishly as my big sister's removed their masks. As they did so their clothes began to transform into their maiden attire. Kira Suishou's changed back to that lilac, pale pink long sleeved rose bud skirt with matching thigh high boots. In her hand appeared a long crystal sword that gleamed brightly under the chandeliers above.

Suitou's changed into a dark black and scarlet red poncho dress with cross designs on the edge and the middle of her poncho. She wore a matching headband with a violet rose in the middle with frills on the edges. She wore knee high boots laced together was ribbons and roses. On her neck was a black choker with a red cross in the middle as well. In her left hand emitted a silver sword with a golden handle in the form of wings. On her back, her black wings began to form large dragon heads that looked menacingly at me. I never liked those damn things anyway.

Kanahina's turned into a puffy pink jacket with puffy yellow shorts from the Victoria era. A yellow piece appeared on her silver hair that was tied up in curled pigtails along with a pink strawberry sewn to it. In her hands were a violin and the bow for it.

Last, Suisouseki, which were similar to mines except it had more dark greens colors than dark royal blue and it was a short skirt that just went over her knees. On her head was a white bonnet, the pupil on her right eye changed red as she held up her watering can towards me. On her back were liquid wings that emanated a white angelic light.

I smirked sadly as I summoned my artificial soul, Renpika, and my good old top hat appeared in my hand. I plopped it on my head as Kira Suishou spoke disappointedly.

"I thought for sure you died after I threw you off the cliff," She spoke before a gasp emitted from everyone. I simply shrugged as I rested a hand on my scissors.

"What can I say? The death gods won't take me, or the gods of light, I'm an unwanted girl." I retorted sadly. Suitou growled as she lifted her sword towards me quickly, I barely flinched as her scarlet eyes glared at me menacingly.

"Take of the mask, Shippuu," she demanded loudly "you no longer have the rights to hold the pride of a Tsubasanian with that mask."

I sighed complying with her words, might as well do as she says for this part. I slowly removed my mask and let it fall out of my gasp. And the moment it hit the floor with a clank everyone gasped at me except for my big sisters.

"You know, big sisters of mine," I smiled toothily at them "you should feel really happy that you found your little sister. I mean come on, be sensible. I was the one who fought in the war and received most of the wounds."

"Shut up, you useless piece of junk!" Suitou yelled loudly as her dragons growled loudly at me.

"You think we feel sympathetic about you, think again, desu! You're nothing more than an exile, an outcast, desu! You are no longer a Tsubasanian, desu! You're just junk, desu!" Suisouseki scowled as she took a step forward towards me. I frowned in surprise before laughing good-heartedly again. If anyone was me they would know how funny and ironic this was. I ignored the confused stares around me. At least I got a good laugh out of this.

"Yeah," I chuckled recovering "I am who I am, a useless puppet for that stupid pedo of a father. But Suitou, Kira Suishou, Kanahina, Suisouseki, you think I am the type who deserves such an abundance of sympathy, hardly. That's just a mere indignity next to me being the youngest and the shortest."

They all looked at me questioningly as put a hand to my wounded side.

"Although I guess I do deserve it, I did take many lives during the war. Especially, a good number of Kishin," I grinned proudly at them.

"Shut up, nano! It was because of you we lost a good bard master, nano! Now we can never see master Tokei again because of you, kashira!" Kanahina yelled loudly. I raised an eyebrow blankly, why did she say that? I thought for sure Tokei died saving me, or was this to get me framed. I looked at Kira Suishou calmly to see that she was still wearing her eye patches. She's up to something...

"I have no idea what you're talking about, Kanahina. Although I'll tell you the true killers here are both in this room as we speak." I grinned darkly at the man I saw earlier.

"Shut up," Kira Suishou yelled loudly "if anyone can trust you then you have to win the Alice Game first!"

"You have no will to become Alice, nor the will to fight! You no longer have the duty nor honor as a Rozen Maiden, you should die along with those fucked up bastards from the war!" Suitou yelled. I closed my eyes chuckling darkly, still the same even after two years. I shot my eyes open to see everything blood red. I grinned toothily as I pulled my scissors out of the ground and pointed it as my sisters.

"Fine with me, but I can't promise that you'll die that easily." I spoke sadistically before I heard Guntz protest.

"Kuroi, wait, you can't go against them all at once!"

"It's okay, Guntz. One against four is fair enough... for a rarity cadet that is." I smirked wolfishly as Suitou glared daggers at me. With a growl, her dragons were the first to move and they lunged towards me with great speed. With a simple jump I landed on top of one of its heads and stabbed my scissors to hear a loud yell. I grinned as I flipped off of its head as it threw a fit. Before I could land on the floor Kira Suishou flew towards me with her sword and we began to clash weapons with each other again.

With each clash, I felt my power getting weaker. Why? Suddenly, I felt something out of place in me. Wait, why can't I feel Momo or Master Tokei? I gritted my teeth as I threw off Kira Suishou's weapon then swiped her off her feet with my legs. She fell on her side as I stood up and lifted my scissors to stab her, but before I could do so Kanahina began to play loudly on her violin making the sound barrier around her throw a good amount of force against me and I crashed against the wall again.

I quickly recovered as large vines flew towards me. I jumped off of the wall and began to run on top of the moving vines dodging thinner ones trying to constrict me. Some I couldn't dodged I sliced them easily them with my scissors and continued running towards sisters. Before I could even reached them a storm of crystal flew towards me, I cursed at myself forgetting about Kira Suishou's other powers and tried my best to dodge them. When I was cleared of them, I had come to the surprise of both Suitou and Kira Suishou attacking me at once. Immediately, I parted my scissor handles giving me two sword-like weapons to fight with. We all clashed swords and two ringing clangs could be heard, I grinned as they gritted their teeth at me as we tried to push against each others' forces.

"Damnit," Suitou grunted as she tried harder.

"Why the hell are you fighting so hard?" Kira Suishou growled at me, in turn making me grin toothily.

"It's called training," I spoke calmly even though I began to feel fatigue enter me. At this rate who knows how long I can hold out like this. All I know is that I would be the first down, but I'll have to keep fighting until it's the right time to tell the truth.

"No, you're stronger than last time," Kira Suishou frowned, then a cruel smile made way to her lips "so you finally gave in to have a medium like us."

I gritted my teeth cursing at myself quietly.

"Yeah, and?" I growled back at her.

"That means, more for me to kill," She grinned. I narrowed my eyes in anger, I was about to throw off Suitou and use my other cutter to slice off Kira Suishou's head, but she thought ahead and grabbed me by the neck and lifting me off of the ground. I grunted as she began to choke me to death with her bare hands, her golden eyes widening as she found pleasure in my pain.

"B-bitch," I growled lowly before grunting again as the grip grew tighter.

"Look who's talking," She grinned before throwing me to the ground harshly. I slammed to the floor before quickly recovering only to have my wounded side grazed by various rose bud needles and black feathers. I skidded to the side as blood stained the floor after me. Kanahina began to play on her violin again making a loud screeching sound. I put a hand over my ear while the other picked up the hat on my head and threw it at Kanahina like a shuriken. In turn crashing into her violin and throwing it out of her grip, I grinned darkly but frowned again when Suisouseki lunged towards me with her watering can. As she tried to slash at me she spoke angrily.

"I hate you, desu! I wish I never met you, desu! You're nothing, but a monster, desu! When will you die, desu?!" She yelled as I dodged easily.

"You know what, Suisouseki?!" I shouted back as I stopped her can cold with my only cutter since the other one was thrown off.

"I love and care for you like any big sister, maybe as much as the others! But you're going way too far, whatever happened to the big sister I had back during the war?! Is it because I was the last to come back or was it something else?! Either way I'm not going to kill you!"

She looked at me stunned as I glared at her sternly. She was about to say something to me before Kira Suishou tackled me to the ground holding me down by the wrists in turn throwing off my last weapon. I narrowed my eyes as my vision returned to its normal state as I stared up towards Kira Suishou's maniacal expression. I felt a bad feeling in my chest as she moved closer towards me.

"Get off of me, damnit!" I yelled as I tried to struggle out of her grip.

"Let's see if your Roza Mystica is weak enough to let me see your memories." She grinned as she pressed her forehead against mines. I narrowed my eyes unable to struggle anymore as memories of all my friends for the last two years appeared in my head. Suppi... Mr. and Mrs. Seion... John... Klonoa... Lolo... Popka... Tat... Leorina... Guntz... and Lion... I began to shiver uncontrollably as fear crept into me. I shut my eyes tight as I yelled.

"Renpika!"

Suddenly, Kira Suishou was thrown off of me and was slammed against a wall like me. I quickly got up and summoned my scissors. I clenched my teeth as Suitou lunged towards me with her sword again. Just as she swung towards me, I knew it was too late for my scissors to deflect in time and decided to do the most idiotic thing Kisho taught me when I was young. I opened my mouth just as her sword was about to hit my face then chomped down as hard as I could as my body began to fly with her swift movement. When she stopped she looked at me surprised as I stood there with the blade of her sword clamped tightly between my teeth. She gasped in surprise as I bit down as hard as I could in turn, shattering her sword into pieces.

I grinned as I began to swing my scissors towards her, but frowned when her wings that has transformed into a dragon bit down on my right shoulder and shoved me against a wall. Blood spurted out of my shoulder as Suitou flew up to me and began to pick up the locket Seed gave me. She frowned as she opened it and a lullaby played, I growled at her as she looked at it dully. Then with a forceful pull she snapped the necklace off of me.

"Give it back!" I yelled only to flinch in pain as the dragon bit in deeper.

"Why, it's just a stupid little music box?" She spoke in a malicious tone.

"I don't care, it's precious, give it back!" I yelled as if scolding at my big sister to give back something that was mine. She frowned in surprise before grinning darkly and grasped the locket tightly.

"Listen here, Shippuu, because I'm only saying this once," She smirked holding up the locket towards me, it was opened again and it was playing that stupid lullaby which was getting on my nerves greatly.

"You were the only one who father showed most of his affection to, right?" She asked darkly.

"I never loved him. He just tried to get my love because he's a stupid pedophile!" I shot back.

"Shut up! You were embraced by him... noticed by him... loved by him... To me, that made me sick, why would someone so gentle, love a tainted, unloved, murderous outcast? I'll destroy it all..." she frowned as she grasping it harder. I could hear it crackling, making me drop my jaw in shock, the locket... One of the only precious things I had left for myself was being destroyed right in front of me.

"The one that father truly loves..."

"Stop it, Suitou, I promise to give that back to Seed!" I yelled angrily.

"The one he really loves... are we, the true Rozen maidens!"

Immediately, the locket shattered into pieces and its remains fell to the ground. I faltered as I saw what I had kept for all these years for Seed just shatter like that. I gritted my teeth in anger as I gripped the dragon's muzzle on my shoulder and it immediately let go as flames flew out of my hand. I landed on my feet and summoned my scissors as I shadowed my face in anger. I slowly walked up to my sisters with a new found anger.

"Let me tell you a little story..." I smirked malevolently.

"When I was ten, I ran away... mostly because I thought about the better benefits for all of you seeing how hated and an outcast I was... By the time I turned eleven, I became one of the darkest and most deadly bounty hunters in all of Lunatea. Because of all of you, my friends and my family, I was forced to live such a life!

"Then at this age, I lose my new home, my guardian, my job, and my friends, I lost so much and now I lose something so precious you make it seem like a fucked up joke! Renpika!"

I held out my hand as my artificial spirit glowed on my palm as my hat flew right back on my head. I've had it with these brats, but I can't kill them. That's my number one priority. I grinned as I felt Tokei and Momo's power rejuvenate the energy I was losing.

Sorry, Momo spoke in my head, the head Shinigami wanted me and Tokei.

It's okay, that's all I need.

But...

Save your energy for yourselves, I'll be with you guys soon.

But, Ame...

Momo...

Okay...

I quickly lunged towards my sister with new speed. They began to lung towards me themselves just head on. I easily dodged their attacks and threw them with harder hits and cuts with my scissors. When we finally parted even though they were a little bloody, I was the one bleeding the most. Endless blood flowed out of my wound as I stood up straight grasping the handle of my weapon as my sisters panted in frustration and exhaustion. Kira Suishou grinned as a trickle of blood spilled from the corner of her mouth as she pointed a hand towards Lion. I narrowed my eyes before running towards the weak Akita and stood my ground as a shower of crystals flew towards her.

"AHHH!" she yelled falling to her knees.

"Lion!"

I quickly stood before her dropping my scissors. The moment I stood in front of her, endless crystals stabbed my body endlessly, one stab after another. I gritted my teeth as I felt more wounds open and reopen. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the crystals stopped flying towards me. I gasped exhaustedly as I began to fall to my knees, but I never made it to the floor as I was constricted by various vines locking my arms against my sides. I grunted as I was lifted off the floor and blood began to spill from my mouth. I heard Lion gasp in fear as I closed an eye painfully, I couldn't handle this much pain, if more was inflicted on me I might break down.

"Mr. Okami!" Lion called as I heard her stand.

"Lion, no!" Mr. Seion yelled as he gripped his daughter.

"B-but...!" She tried to protest.

"L-Lion," I grunted painfully, not looking back "listen to him. This is between me and them."

"Yes," Kira Suishou smiled with pleasure.

"Now then where was I?" Suitou smiled standing next to her first little sister.

"Oh yes... We are not..." she frowned as the constriction grew tighter. I looked down as I tried to bear with the pain, it was getting more intense.

"Junk, kashira..." Kanahina spoke as it grew tighter.

"You are..." Kira Suishou finished lifting up her hand. That went way too far, as I couldn't take it anymore. I began to yell in immense pain as more blood spilled. This was the first time I had felt such pain in my life.

"Stop it, now!" Immediately, the constriction loosened to make me stop yelling letting me breath easily, but I was still off of the ground. I opened my eyes to see my sisters looking below me in shock. The voice that just spoke made me somewhat relieved. It was our father, Rozen.

"What has gotten in with all of you?!" he scowled angrily.

"But father, she has no rights to become Alice anymore." Suitou protested angrily.

"Why is that, huh?" he spoke in a soft, stern voice, there was silence before he sighed "let her down first, I need to talk to her."

Immediately, I was freed from the sharp bonds and fell on my stomach with a thud. I began to shake violently as I lifted myself to my knees. I felt two embraces making me wince. I looked up to see my big sister, Mirai and Rozen.

"Anna," Mirai sobbed as she hugged me "I'm sorry."

I frowned looking down with visible guilt. She looked down to me sadly before hugging me again. I couldn't bring myself to return it. It was hard for me to move anyway.

"Anna, can you hold out any longer?" Rozen asked worriedly. Again I stayed quiet, how could I speak now? Rozen sighed before grasping my shoulders making me wince from the bite mark.

"Anna, I know you're still sad about what happen, but I need to know, do you want to go home with us?" He looked at me sternly, almost like the father I needed right now. I shadowed my face again giving him a small nod. I heard him sigh happily before standing up and turning towards my sisters.

"Now tell me. Why does she not have the rights to stay alive?" He spoke loudly.

"She already cheated in the Alice game and became Alice easily!" Kira Suishou shot back.

"Oh really, then does your sister deserve this much, look at her!" he spoke loudly. There was a pause. I didn't look up because I didn't want to see the sympathetic looks from everyone.

"Shippuu fought bravely in the war and stayed till the end unlike all of you, she was the last to return. She may be the weakest, youngest, and smallest, but that brings you no authority to treat her like this even after all that she's been through!" He scowled making them all flinch.

"But isn't this the whole point of the Alice Game, to fight to become Alice, kashira?" Kanahina asked accusingly.

"If Shippuu already won then that means the Alice Game is over. Why wasn't I told of this?" he asked angrily.

"Because," I grunted trying to stand with Mirai's support "a certain apprentice thought differently." They all looked at me surprised.

"What do you mean?" he asked sternly.

"Remember the wounds I received after the war?" I asked glaring at Kira Suishou. He nodded slowly, "Most of them I received after I did the whole death massacre of the metarex and after I won the Alice game by accident."

He looked shocked at me just as everyone else. Kira Suishou gritted her teeth before shooting another round of crystals. Again, I used myself as a shield for Mirai as I held her shoulders keeping her down on her knees as more crystals stabbed mercilessly into my back. I gritted my teeth as Rozen yelled my real name. I narrowed my eyes as I lifted my right arm and summoned my scissors. I shoved Mirai out of the way as I turned and deflected all the crystals in one swipe. I growled at Kira Suishou as she lunged towards me with her sword again. We both clashed weapons as we stared at each other with hatred.

"Stop it!" Someone called making me narrow my eyes, that voice, why does it sound familiar? I flinched back to reality when I barely dodged a swipe from Kira Suishou. I lifted up my sword and slashed down on her right shoulder making it fall limp immediately. I then spun around and kicked her in the gut making her crash to the floor on her back. She shakily got to her feet then flew towards me while crystals followed after her I threw my hat again deflecting all of the crystals as I lunged towards Kira Suishou head on, we clashed swords roughly until I hit her in the gut hard enough to enable her for a few moments. Taking this chance I threw back my fist and punched her across the face making her fly back and crash against a wall.

I landed on my feet gritting my teeth as blood still seeped out of me with a great abundance. I frowned as Kira Suishou shakily got to her feet as her right arm hung limply. She began to chuckle maniacally as she trudged towards me, I caught my hat and plopped on my head again as I threw off my scissors while walking towards her. With the little energy I had left, I tackled her to the ground gripping her neck and her left wrist. For a long time, I glared at her as she just stared at me with a hint of pleasure in her eyes. Finally, I spoke in that same dark voice I used to scare my enemies.

"Why?"

"Why?" Kira Suishou mimicked.

"If only... if only you didn't do all those things..." I growled.

"Didn't do all those things," she parroted.

"Don't fuck with me!" I scowled.

"Don't fuck with me!" she spoke in pleasure again.

"You,"

"You..."

I frowned widening my eyes in shock. She planned it all out with Enju all along. She knew this was going to happen, that I would die. Next it would be Suitou and the others. I gritted my teeth as I gripped tighter on her.

"Why did you choose this life like me?" I asked loudly with a fierce grip, "You were the daughter of one of the dictators during the World war, right? Why did you choose this instead of being reincarnated again as a human when the huge air raid took place?"

"Why? You chose this life even though you knew the consequences, why didn't you choose to live again?" She shot back playfully. I narrowed my eyes as she chuckled darkly.

"I'll tell you, we are born killers, the two who went past the laws beyond the gods and gates of life. You were the one who tried to create a philosopher's stone, to get our father and your mother back, but instead you lost your grandfather and sister as well. You are a living killing machine like me. That is why we were destined to be sisters, Shippuu." She grinned at me. I widened my eyes the moment she reminded me of that day of the air raid. It was my last chance to create the philosopher's stone, to bring them back. But then the house and store were put on fire, the building collapsed on top of us as balls of fire flew down on us. When I came to, everything was burned to the ground, I lost an arm and a leg, I was bleeding a lot and I couldn't find them. Then I finally gave in and died. I shut my eyes tight trying to forget those memories. I shot my eyes open to see everything in red again and glared at Kira Suishou.

"I hope they'll be happy to see you in hell," I growled in a toothy, sadistic grin as I summoned Renpika and began to draw back my hand as the light grew brighter. Kira Suishou smiled as I bared my teeth.

"Stop it!" Lion yelled. I froze with annoyance before looking at my friend. I frowned in shock when I saw tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Isn't this enough? Aren't you two sisters?" She asked loudly as her voice cracked with emotion "I don't know much about this Alice Game, but what I do know is that fighting won't solve anything! That's just not right!"

"She right, Anna!" Mirai called "what would mother say if she saw this?"

"But, she..."

"Shippuu!"

"She did this to everyone. I lost Tokei because of her. I lost my home, my family, and my friends. Everything she did, I suffered." I spoke in a faltered voice.

"If you did the same thing, how would you be any different?!" Guntz yelled at me. I dropped my hand as I widened my eyes. Kira Suishou and I were the same. I looked over at Rozen, then to Mirai, to Lion, then Guntz. I frowned before looking back down to Kira Suishou sadly.

"I don't want to see you fight anymore!" Lion cried as she fell to her knees as her parents embraced her "I want you to live the way you were before all of this began I want to see the real Kuroi, no, the real Shippuu to be here!"

"Please, Anna let's go home, I want to play with you just like when we were kids in the war! I want to see the little sister I used to love so much." Maria cried pleadingly. I shut my eyes as I finally relaxed and Renpika disappeared from my palm. I opened them again to see that my vision was blurry, I felt something wet fall down my face. It took me a moment before I noticed that I was crying, for the first time in my life I finally broke down. I put a hand to my cheek to feel it wet and tears began to slip into my mouth, they tasted salty. Eventually, I looked up to Lion to see her surprised to see my face.

I smiled brightly as the tears kept falling from my eyes "I guess I was right to have a friend like you, Lion."

I then smiled to Mirai, who was being embraced by Rozen.

"Maria," I called her by her true name "let's go home,"

She smiled brightly nodding her head. I sighed wiping my tears away and was about to get off of my sister until a sharp stab flew right through my back, I narrowed my eyes in shock as I could hear gasps and yells from everyone. I was still sitting on Kira Suishou as more blood spilled on her and to the floor. Blood seeped through my gaping mouth as I looked down in shock to see a large sword coming out of my chest. I recognized it immediately. It was Enju's sword, the one I fought in the war.

"Anna!" Mirai called as she ran towards me. I began retching blood which spilled on Kira Suishou's face. I gripped the blade as I heard Enju spoke.

"Even after all these years you still haven't learned," he chuckled sadistically as I hacked up more blood.

I gripped the blade tighter as it disappeared. I began to feel weaker as I fell on top of Kira Suishou, who was smirking the whole time her face covered in my blood. My face fell right next to hers and I could hear her words in a malevolent tone.

"You really are weak after all," She spoke in a tone of pleasure.

She then threw me off of her making me crash to the floor on my back. I began to breathe in gasps as I felt my heart rate slowing down and my lungs felt as if they were being filled with a liquid. I tried to focus my blurring vision as my eyes narrowed in fear. Then I saw a woman in the crowd of people, she had the same color hair and eyes as me, but it was long. She seemed to be pregnant by how her stomach was protruding out of her. Then I finally noticed who it was. With my last breath, I spoke in a voice just over a whisper.

"Mo...ther..."

Then everything went black as I soon felt, heard, and saw nothing, last I heard was a cry of despair.

Nya: Ame, NO! Sad, huh? And just when she was finally be freed from her cursed life. T-T Anyway, wait for the next chapter. I just got home and I'm aching from playing hacky sack and doing this stupid obstacle course. By tomorrow I won't be able to get out of my bunk bed. See ya...