Author's notes: As stated before, this is a new style of writing for me. Canon characters are mostly OOC (NOT in the humorous style that I see a lot of OOC stories go for like WillieGR, but mostly serious in nature), and the story is told from the perspective of OCs that are captives of the OOC touhou girls.. As before, names are made up on the spot for human villagers. If the names coincide with REAL LIFE people as celebrities or what have you, other series' characters, or another person's OC, then my apologies not not knowing since I'm making up names for the human villagers on the spot.

Also, we go back to the day of the Human Village ransack since the story is essentially told from the different humans after that incident.

"Of all the girls to take me, why Alice?"

I cursed to myself.

My name's Starling Suzie (last name, first name), and I'm currently being hauled behind Alice Margatroid by her small army of Shanghai dolls. I heard gossip of Alice having a crush on Kirsame Marisa due to an incident that happened many years ago, but I don't know the story.

There's more to this than what I just thought; I have Pediophobia, a fear of dolls. Sad, isn't it? A girl like me being deathly afraid of dolls.

As for what I look, light blue shirt, jeans, Mary Jane type of shoes, and a bob-cut hairstyle. Other than that, there's nothing else about me to note.

I'm just plain terrified for many reasons.

The human village was just attacked by many of the people who run Gensokyo, like Reimu Hakurei and Aya Shameimaru. That was terrifying enough, but for Alice to chase me around with her dolls is even scarier, due to my phobia.

Sadly, in my fear, I passed out.

When I came to, I looked around, only to find myself in a bed, that clearly wasn't my own.

"Was that a nightmare? Have I been saved by a brave soul? Please- ACK!"

My thoughts were interrupted when I noticed a number of dolls that I saw in my nightmare of the human village being wrecked. They were the Shanghai Dolls that helped Alice kidnap me! One other doll I didn't recognize was wearing a red dress, but that one scared me WAY more than the Shanghai dolls; it looked... like it was alive, and glaring at me, as though it wants to kill.

I think my nightmare just became a reality!

"AAAAAAAAHHHHH!"

I literally screamed in fear, and hid under the blanket, cowering so much.

If this is real, I seriously want to go home and never leave for the rest of my life. Waking up in a room full of the one thing I am seriously afraid of doesn't help me much.

Then, a short while later, the door to the room opened, and in rushed Alice, looking like she was ready to kill. At least I assumed it was Alice who barged in, since the house was full of those Shanghai dolls.

"Where are you, Marisa!?"

She yelled as she barged into the room, with a number of Shanghai dolls surrounding her.

I was hiding under the covers, shaking uncontrollably out of fear, in denial of this being reality, and currently living a bad dream that won't end.

Actually, I was that scared to where my bladder was starting to lose control if I get any more scared than this.

I heard Alice searching the room rather frantically, high and low, but couldn't see a thing since I was hiding under the sheets.

That was, until she pulled the sheets off me.

"Eep!" I squeaked in fear after being uncovered, afraid it was that evil red-dressed doll, but it was just Alice Margatroid who uncovered me.

"What happened to you?"

I heard her ask me disapprovingly.

I perked up, and looked her straight and told her what scared me; it was the Shanghai dolls and that red-dressed one.

It's pathetic, but I really am afraid of dolls. On top of my patheticness, I've been kidnapped by a puppeteer.

"You'll get used to it eventually. That 'evil' doll isn't that evil; that's just Hourai, one of my earlier dolls I helped Shinki make before coming over to Gensokyo. Now get up; you were passed out all day yesterday after I saved you from the other girls who would've killed everyone else"

She replied after I told her why I screamed.

To be honest, she sounded disappointed in me, not that I blame her. I'm a girl, and most girls play with dolls in their early age, but I've been afraid of them because they're scary. It's the fear they'd come to life and kill anyone that scares me, but for me to be in a place where it seems like they're alive and CAN kill... doesn't help at all.

Wait a moment? I was passed out all day yesterday after being kidnapped? I can't blame myself now; I used to pass out when my classmates replace my lunches with regular dolls when I go to the bathroom. I hear the pranksters often get suspended, or headbutted by Keine-sensei. I'd be out for an hour after those pranks, and often miss an entire class period. I ask for the important parts and notes when those days happened. That was in the past when I was growing up, but not important to me right now.

"Alright... what time is it now?"

I asked her timidly.

To be honest, I'm not even sure of the time right now; it's been a scary morning, with 'Hourai' giving me the creeps, and myself now being in a house of the thing I'm scared of the most... yeah, I'm too scared to do a thing.

"It's the start of the afternoon. Marisa usually pops in and takes something around this time"

There was my answer. It was also when I looked outside to see the sun for myself. Sure enough, the sun was hovering directly over us in the sky.

That was also when I got out of the bed slowly, still afraid of the dolls around me, and left the room with her.

"Come on, let's have lunch, Starling Suzie"

She offered as she beckoned me away from the bed. She also seemed to have made the dolls around me go lifeless for now.

Nodding, I slowly made my way to her.

"Um... where's the bathroom?"

She pointed to the door across from the room I was in. I had to hurry before it burst from all this fear I was having with the dolls around.

It seemed to be late afternoon.

Lunch with Alice was... unnerving since the 'Shanghai' dolls were serving us under Alice's control. Yes, I'm afraid of dolls, and being served lunch by them was unnerving for me. The fear of them putting poison in my lunch, and not Alice's, was what frightened me, even with her assurance that everything's fine.

"Y-you s-s-seem to like Sh-sh-Shanghai... t-to have th-that many... h-helping you"

This was just something I brought to her attention to talk about... Lunch was quiet..

"Of course. I like blue as a color, despite my title as the seven-colored puppeteer. Shanghai reflects that for the most part, and the blonde hair is my style..."

She went on and on about Shanghai Doll as a concept, but hearing the concepts was unnerving. It doesn't help my phobia, but enforces it. Her explanation of the dolls makes me paranoid that she puts life into it so that they act on their own, despite her explanation of them being controlled by magic strings. It's that paranoia that they're alive, going along with being controlled, and then break off when they feel the time is right; that scares me.

"... and the ribbons used are for decorative purposes"

The explanation of the Shanghai dolls came to an end, but my paranoia was reinforced.

There was Hourai peeping around the corner, making the 'beheading' gesture towards me, and I freaked out.

"EEK!"

I pointed towards Hourai, and almost knocked myself down off my chair in freaking out. Hourai looked fled before Alice could react in time, and saw nothing. Turning back to me, my suspicion of Hourai having a life of its own was further enforced.

"What's wrong?"

She asked as she looked around cautiously in the direction I pointed. Unfortunately, saw nothing, and turned to me afterwards.

"There's nothing there; it was probably just another Shanghai doll doing some chores"

"No, it was Hourai... threatening to kill me..."

Alice stopped me right there with a finger to my mouth.

"That is impossible; Hourai is like Shanghai... both are just dolls under my control. Hourai is my first creation modeled with my mother helping me create her. Shanghai came after I became independent, and I created her with myself in mind. They are both just dolls; nothing more. They don't have the capability to have a life, though I am still experimenting how to create life to dolls"

Wait a minute, her telling me she's experimenting on how to create life just made my situation worse. Paranoia is striking again; her dolls being given life, oh God, I don't think I can take much more of this.

"You probably guessed, but I'm deathly afraid of them; the dolls that is. More like I'm afraid of dolls in general to where I can't stand it and pass out"

I told her rather bluntly.

Alice nodded, and seemed to have learned something from me.

"I see, no wonder you passed out and are so afraid"

She seemed to have changed something since the Shanghai dolls started moving away from the lunch table. When one was about to enter the room with a tray of snacks, they'd stop before getting near the table, or pass it to Alice to serve to me.

This small change wasn't big, but it helped calm me down a little. The trembling lessened, my sense of security felt slightly better, and I think I can manage with this arrangement.

"So, tell me about yourself, Suzie"

Alice asked to reciprocate the conversation.

"I'm nothing special, nor will I ever be special... I just... was bullied a lot... and had a bad experience with dolls as a child. Specifically, a living doll killed my father, and put my mother in Eientei. She's been there for 2 years, and lost most of her memories. She lost most of her memories, and raised me without ever remembering she was married, or the happiness my father gave her in her years of marriage. That murder happened when I was 7, and I still want revenge to this day. I hate dolls, but at the same time, I'm afraid of them. If I ever find that killer, I will avenge my father. Youkai or not, I just want justice for my parents"

I told her rather seriously.

"It wouldn't be Shanghai or Hourai; they are under my control. Even then, I wouldn't kill anyone. My own mother, I would probably would, but I can't since she's the only one with the power to give life. My life, however, was sheltered and..."

"...wait, what? Your mother has the power to give life?"

I interrupted, surprised at hearing such a thing.

She cleared her throat, and I apologized.

"Yes, she can give life, but that's not important right now"

I nodded, and let her continue.

"As I was saying, my life was super sheltered to where I couldn't leave, or have friends because she wanted to 'protect' me from the 'evil' of the world. The truth is, she's exaggerating the negatives of the world outside Pandaemonium, and I lived a life of ignorance. I hated that now; living with dolls, and only brought out at parties, even being told to wed someone I don't like. Yeah, I know your anger, Suzie"

Whoah, I didn't expect Alice to be like this at all; I always pictured her to be the calm, imaginative type who has a great number of stories to tell when she stops by to play them. I never though she also had her share of troubles similar to mine.

I took a bite of some fish crackers she offered to me, dipping them in Earl Gray tea before biting them, and listened to Alice's story.

"As for the killer doll, I heard stories of one like that, but I don't think it's the one that killed your father. Even I'm looking for it so I can study how it's alive. I don't recommend going after it, as you won't stand a chance with your fear. That, and I'm not sure how that doll killed your father. If he died the way I think he did, then I'm sure this doll I'm looking for is your father's killer as well"

I really question why she would talk about a killer doll after hearing my story.

In any case, I told her what I remembered about what happened 11 years ago; the day of my father's murder, with missing parts filled in by my neighbors when I learned the story from them 7 years ago.

"My neighbors heard one of the youkai were coming to attack, and warned my parents. My father took up our family heirloom, a sword that repels youkai we called the Blade of Totsuka, and fought off the doll, but somehow fell ill during the fight, and died. Mother also fell ill, but our neighbors picked up our family heirloom and fought back this doll, and drove it out. Fortunately, they rushed us to Eientei for treatment. Eirin saved me and mom, but was too late to save father. Mom wasn't fully healed when she came around 2 years later, as her illness from protecting me made her forget everything; father, her friends, her parents, most everyone except me. I lived with my neighbors for two years while mother was being treated..."

As I told the story, Alice seemed to have a look of seriousness on her face. Something tells me Alice knew this doll.

"... When I became 9 years old, I heard this story and learned everything from them... wait, you look like you know this doll" I asked after telling the story.

Alice nodded in affirmation.

"Unfortunately, we're looking for the same doll. I heard about the living doll from that incident, and searched for years for it, but never found it. Incidentally, 11 years ago was when I broke free from Shinki and lived my own life, and lost Hourai for a while. I highly doubt Hourai did it, since she was under my control back then, but all my dolls are under my control"

It was sounded exactly like I feared; Hourai broke free, killed my father, somehow used magic to erase my mother's memory, and make me hate dolls. If I wasn't so afraid of them, I would run right now and rip Hourai apart.

"I... I see"

I took a sip of tea as I listened to Alice talk about this. Although I'm really uncomfortable with talking about dolls, I felt I needed to be brave to hear all this.

I really despise Hourai right now; she REALLY wanted me dead after all the years of waiting for this; she convinced Alice to keep quiet for years about this, let her loose to kill, and now wants to finish the job she tried to do 11 years ago.

I would've had my chance right now, since the doll in question poked her head out of the door, and glared at me again, but I can't since Alice is around, and with her Shanghais around.

Hourai really seemed to hate me, and the feeling is mutual for me anyway. I just shot a 'I hate you' glare back at the doll, and she seemed to acknowledge that before fleeing back to the bedroom.

The topic suddenly changed when Alice brought up Marisa.

"By the way, Marisa brought someone who seemed to have known you, but she seemed to hate you for some reason"

Hearing this, I ran through a list of people who I thought of that hated me, but I didn't remember any names that I made mad enough to warrant hatred against me.

I was too afraid growing up, and as such, couldn't do anything to cause anyone to hate me.

"Sorry, I don't know anyone who hates me. Maybe if Marisa comes back with that person, I might know who it is"

I answered back, apologizing.

Alice merely nodded with understanding, and passed me half a sandwich she cut. Topped with an olive on top was an interesting touch, as I loved olives. I ate lunch with her and talked about various matters between each other regarding who we were.

This doll that Alice is looking for, doesn't she know that doll is right here in her house, hidden in plain sight?

I'm going to make her realize this, even if it's the last thing I do.

Time passed, and it's now evening hours.

Much to my misfortune, Alice went outside to check on the Shanghai dolls outside, leaving me in my room, with Hourai.

We glared at one another, though with little luck on my end; she'd occasionally make 'death' gestures, scaring me out of my hatred, but I'd jump right back into it and glare back.

"You may have fooled Alice, but you're not fooling me, Hourai"

I growled at her.

She pulled out a small sword, and pointed it at me threateningly with a 'Shut up or I will kill you' look.

I shivered at the silent threat, but kept my ground there.

"You may have killed my dad, and wrecked my mom, but one day, you WILL pay for that. I will make sure of it"

Hourai looked rather confused at this, and then looked like she remembered something. She shook her head disappovingly, and made the 'no' gesture.

I knew it, she's denying her activity back then.

She suddenly moved forward towards me menacingly, which truthfully started to make me fear my life; she might be trying to finish her job 11 years ago.

Pediophobia is kicking in again, and then... I fainted just as she was face-to-face with me, cleaver at my throat.

*Dream*

I saw the nightmare again; it was that memory of the incident. The faceless, mysterious doll I remember killing my father became Hourai. Our house is a mess, especially with my mom trying to tell me not to fight.

Myself, I'm still me, but I'm fighting alongside father with my own Sword of Totsuka, fighting with him against Hourai, as I am now at age 18. This wasn't my exact memory of the incident, but I'm seeing what would've happened if it occurred today.

Hourai. The doll I hated so much... shot out some kind of strings out her back and trapped my father, somehow debilitating him to where he can't move. I tried to cut the debilitating strings, without success. It was then that I saw her rush towards father, and I rushed to fight her back, and protect father.

The Sword of Totsuka, a sword that got its name from my family for generations, seemed to have no effect on Hourai, but it worked exactly like any other sword, was holding back Hourai.

Father struggled to break free, but couldn't, even with mother's help to cut the strings and free him.

Things got worse; Hourai summoned an army of Shanghais behind her, and sent them at me as a distraction so she can get at my parents.

I couldn't let that happen; I cut down as many of the Shanghai dolls as I could, but they kept coming. Instead, I only cut down the ones in between me and my parents. I fled with the three of them towards the middle of the village and called out for Keine-sensei.

Keine-sensei wasn't in the village, and I realized it was deserted. This was bad, as there's nobody to call for help. It was just me and my parents this time.

Shanghai dolls surrounded me, and Hourai was leading them all.

Mother can't do anything, so me and father had to fight them all off with mom sticking close. She could help us by watching our bling spots, but that's about all she CAN do.

The fight lasted a long time, like a battle of attrition, but they kept coming in waves. Over 252 Shanghai dolls in a single wave, most them well coordinated, though there's one or two that are unarmed, and those blew up when attacked, so we hit one of the other dolls at it, to make sure

I woke up, thinking I was dead, but it seemed to be afternoon hours when I came to.

Alice was sitting at the foot of the bed. It seems to be the third day, and I'm already wanting out of this hellhole.

"You sleep a lot, don't you?"

Alice commented as I woke up from my fainting.

"How am I still alive? Hourai... she..."

Alice looked around, towards Hourai, and then back to me.

I looked around the room where Alice was, and saw Hourai sitting there, lifeless.

"but... she... how... sword... what?"

Yes, I was at a loss for how Alice didn't realize everything; I should be dead, or at least cut up with the sword she carried.

"Oh, Hourai uses a sword when I call her for battle. You must've seen her in action in your dream"

Alice assured me, even though it was not helping at all.

"No, last night was REAL, Hourai... she tried to kill me..."

I was then silenced by Alice.

"It was just a dream, Suzie. Hourai would never do that. If she did, I would seal her away, but that's never happening since she's just my early days' Shanghai doll."

I'm not believing any of this; there's no way it's a dream.

"By the way, Marisa's friend brought you this sword; she says it belonged to your family"

Alice said that while being handed the sword in question from her dolls.

Upon hearing that, I looked at the object she was holding, and immediately fell in shock. That was the family Heirloom that was lost 11 years ago when father failed to fight back the doll Alice and I are apparently looking for.

The sword... red... with a circle handguard... two-handed sword... I wouldn't mistake it; it's the sword my family had, and gave it that name. The original name of the sword, I don't know, but my family didn't like the name, and just gave it the new name.

"Th-this... how... it's been missing for 11 years... it's..."

Yes, I was at a loss upon seeing it.

"So my guess was right; Marisa's friend is like her, but the other way around"

Alice muttered at hearing my shock.

I was rather curious as to what she meant by that.

"What do you mean?"

"Marisa's a kleptomaniac, but her friend seems to be the opposite of that; returning things instead of stealing. I wish her friend would help me and Patchouli though; a lot of our books get stolen, sometimes I think Marisa 'borrows' things from Kourindou and never returns them until she dies"

Upon hearing that, I began to understand a little about who Marisa's friend is; if it's who I think it is, then I do know her. She's hated by some, but loved by many; a love-hate relationship in our village. I think Earth called that type of person a 'Robin Hood'.

There's only one person like that, but I don't like her personally; she stole from my family before, gave some of our valuables to other people; some of which were necessary to maintain peace between families as 'proof' of sorts. Having those 'proof' stolen, to the other families, meant distrust or even breaking off connections with them.

"I think I know who it is, and I hate her. What I don't understand, though, is WHY she brought me my family's heirloom, which I thought was gone forever"

I answered back with honest confusion.

Alice looked at me rather frankly.

"The same confusion you have right now for Marisa's friend, is the same one you have for your fear of dolls; it's misunderstood, you don't know why you REALLY hate them, but you just do..."

I interrupted her right there.

"Did you forget? The doll we're looking for killed my father, and that's why I hate them. That passed over to dolls in general. There's nothing misunderstood about my fear of dolls..."

"That's the thing right there; you acknowledge that, you understand that, then why do you have cold feet? Don't you want to overcome this fear of yours?"

She's got me there, and I can't argue with that.

"So? I'm afraid, big deal. You were afraid to leave Shinki when you were in a similar predicament under different circumstances"

*SLAP*

My face stung with pain as she slapped me hard.

"My connection with Shinki is over. I won't be going back to her any time soon. My life is what it is now; a magician, a puppeteer, and a researcher on how to create an autonomous doll, with a will of its own. Unlike you, I chose to face my fear, and confront Shinki before I left her for good. Don't tell me I'm like you"

The harsh words of reality... I can't argue with them.

I rubbed my cheek, wincing in pain at the wake up call that my problems were just as bad as hers, but I'm not facing mine the right way.

We were similar, now that I think about it. We were trapped, mostly by parent's choices made for us without our consent. Mine, however, had another issue when I was older, at 7 years of age, and that's what I have right now.

"Then what DO you want me to do right now?"

This was the question I needed answered right now.

"You have to figure that out yourself, like I did"

I was expecting a definite answer, a suggestion, anything to help me out. I'm disappointed in her big-time for not doing anything.

She got up, and left the room without another word.

I sat in the room, thinking about Alice's words seriously. I didn't realize the time had passed to evening hours.

Sadly, I realized the time change when I heard yelling in the other room.

"THAT'S ENOUGH, MARISA! I'M NOT GOING BACK TO SHINKI! I DON'T CARE HOW MUCH YOU WANT ME TO, I WON'T EVER BRING HER BACK, EVEN IF I DO PERFECT THAT KIND OF POWER!"

I heard this screaming in the other room, and went to take a peek.

Upon opening the door, there was Marisa, sure enough. Next to her, was the person I thought was who it was; Danielle Mizu.

Danielle was wearing a green shirt, and brown short shorts. Her hair was a ponytail style, like a goddess I read about in a picture book years ago, and it was blue in color. Although, last I saw her, she was wearing a black skirt years ago. I don't blame her for switching to shorts; being a thief while wearing a skirt is embarrassing if your underwear gets seen during a robbery attempt.

Surrounding Marisa and Danielle were Shanghai dolls galore. I could hardly believe Alice was being aggressive to her friend, and the Shanghai dolls were too. Had she been aggressive towards me with the Shanghai dolls and that Hourai, I would've died of fear right then and there. Thankfully, it was Marisa on the receiving end of it.

"Danielle!"

I shouted as I stomped towards her.

Both Alice and Marisa seemed to have stopped to see us argue.

"Suzie... it's been a while. Last steal from your place saved the Artel family from debt collectors, and they owe it to your 'generosity'"

Danielle muttered smugly.

"How dare you! Because of that urn being stolen, our connection with the Tanaka corporation ceased, and we were branded traitors due to their stupid rule of keeping a physical representation between families as proof of loyalty"

I blew up in her face quite much, but I think Alice and Marisa returned to their own argument.

"What's wrong with an item being 'misplaced'? Their rule sucks, and their 'proof' saved a family from debt collectors, and kept them surviving for a year. Redistribution of wealth; it's the right thing to do"

Danielle remarked with a 'I did nothing wrong' smirk.

Bull shit!

"You do realize my parents helped big name families, especially with warding off youkai, right? Because of you, my parents lost that job, and the help they needed TO fight off youkai and protect the families"

Yes, it's time I settled things with her now than to never have the chance at all.

I expected her to get defensive, but she didn't. No, she kept that smug look on her face.

"The rich get richer, the poor get poorer, and die off faster than the rich. You get rid of the rich's wealth, and give it to those in need"

She walked back and forth explaining her reasons slowly, each one infuriating me even more and more.

"Survival is key in gensokyo; money makes it harder TO survive. Why should we even need it in a world where we could die at any moment by the hands of youkai? It's ridiculous enough as it is to depend on something we don't have the luxury of using in this world; there's no other human village to do business with, and the big families in the human village are so stuck up and stingy. Of course I'd take their wealth and give it to the lesser fortunate families"

She's got good arguments there, but I don't agree with them. She went on, still infuriating me with her excuses (though good arguments nonetheless).

"If you had any idea of what it was like to be in a low-class lifestyle, you'd think the same as me. I, however, took action to solve this. You were raised by equally big-name families; your neighbors. I stole from them too, and their loss saved two other families from months of hell. I left enough for them to survive a couple months too; I don't steal everything from my targets; I take enough to save another family for a while"

My fists were trembling, and I was close to losing my temper.

"Besides, I found your family's sword at Marisa's home. You got something out of my redistribution after I found out you were still alive"

I'm seriously, SERIOUSLY getting close to losing control and...

...wait, what? Now that I think about it, my problems with her were in the past where those things mattered most. That one realization made me stop right there, and take a moment to consider the situation now.

"Wait... WHY did you return my family's sword to me?"

Danielle sighed.

"It was stolen, and not by me; kleptomaniac over there did, and I only found it today. As I said, I redistribute things, though wealth is the biggest thing I work with"

I misunderstood her as a petty thief due to my former status as a child of a big-name family being carried over to my life before being kidnapped. None of my family affairs mattered now that they're gone.

Why should I care anymore?

I should still be upset over this, but... why do I feel relieved by one simple realization?

"..."

"Though it doesn't matter now; I'm returning stolen goods from the kleptomaniac to their owners; she can live fine without the stolen goods. Whether you hate me now or not, I won't care. I live my new life returning things since there's no major unfair distribution of wealth among the youkai world"

She said to me quickly before returning to Marisa.

The realization of me sticking to the past over this matter... now I need to wake up and change myself.

It seemed Marisa and Alice also ended their argument around the same time me and Danielle did. The two thieves left, Marisa on her broom, and Danielle by foot. Alice's dolls also seemed to become docile upon the guests leaving.

Alice was still upset, and I could tell she needed time alone. That was, until she began asking me what I was arguing over.

"So, what were you and Marisa's friend arguing over?"

"Nothing important to Gensokyo; it was something important before everyone was kidnapped in the human village; it was family affairs she screwed up that was important in maintaining peace between big-name families"

I was blunt, and told her the necessary information regarding the problem, omitting the personal conflicts I had with Danielle.

"Human village problems huh? I won't ask any further, but do keep in mind to avoid Marisa for now; she's not welcome here anymore"

I thought Alice and Marisa were close friends. What happened between them to cause her to break her ties with Marisa right now?

"What happened?"

Alice's pained expression hit her, and I think... I shouldn't have asked.

"I'll tell you later. Just go to sleep. We need to start looking for that killer doll tomorrow"

I was inclined to agree with her there; I was starting to feel drowsy, and staying awake any longer won't help me much here. She retreated to her room, as I did to mine.

Unfortunately... as I woke up, I was NOT in Alice's house, despite it being morning. I only saw two dolls; a Shanghai doll that was somewhat bigger than the others, and that Hourai doll that kept scaring me.

The difference this time... was that the Shanghai doll perked up first upon my waking up.

"Are you awake, Suzie? Please, you NEED to hear Onee-chan out; she needs to talk to you"

EEK! Shanghai talked!

"Eeep!"

Actually, when I squeaked in shock, she put one of her fingers to my mouth to tell me to be quiet.

"We're not far from Alice's place, but Onee-chan needs some one-on-one talk with you"

"H-h-how are you even alive?"

I asked her quietly.

No, this is a nightmare right now; my phobia's kicking in, and I'm close to fainting.

"That's not important. Onee-chan needs to speak with you. Alice doesn't know we're alive, but we're breaking an important doll rule. I have to anyway since Onee-chan can't speak directly"

Upon the doll saying that, Hourai 'woke up' and began trying to communicate with Shanghai

Apparently, it must be important if what Shanghai said was true.

End of chapter

(P.S. Yes, I'm leaving it here. We're half-way through this story, and I think it's rather critical I get this out before I go back to being distracted by planning out ALL the stories, which might take me a week or two to get right before I get back to writing them)