Sorry if this isn't a very good chapter, I have a nasty head cold and I feel yucky. Next chapter should be the last part of episode 3 (yeah, I know, I said that about episode 2). Eh, I wish I had someone to tuck me in and make some chicken soup. Incidentally, Lemsips don't work and taste awful. Just saying.
Rozen Maiden: Märchen
EPISODE 3
Red Queen
"Stay close now," Shinku warned, prompting Kanaria to drift nearer to her as the two dolls sailed through the inky darkness. Doors surrounded them on all sides, each door opening into another world within the N-Field. Even though Kanaria was trembling with fright she was no more scared than Shinku was. Indeed Shinku had advised her sister to come closer as much to make herself feel safer as to bolster Kanaria's flagging confidence.
Shinku did not like the dark, although she could cope with it. Yet what she hated was the very thing she was currently seeking out - Laplace no Ma. The eerie figure was an altogether disturbing enigma wrapped in a riddle of his own devising. His actions seldom made any sense, and his words even less so. His motives and origins were anyone's guess. And unless Shinku was very much mistaken, he currently held in his possession the Rosa Mystica of her two lifeless sisters, Hinaichigo and Souseiseki. Kirakishou had hinted as much during their first confrontation.
If Rosa Mystica you seek, then follow the white rabbit...
Shinku had postponed following up on that vital clue for the simple reason that it would invariably result in a confrontation with the trickster rabbit, and that was not a prospect she envied. When she did find Laplace, she doubted he would simply hand the Rosa Mysticas over to her.
"Ohhh, I feel like he's watching us, y'know?" Kanaria whimpered, turning her head this way and that, as if expecting to see a pair of demonic red eyes peering out of the darkness at her. Shinku scowled.
"I suspect that he is," she remarked sourly, "He is obviously hiding himself in order to toy with us."
"A very astute observation, my lady," said Laplace. Kanaria let out a strangled squeal and together the dolls spun around to see him standing beside one of the doors. Shinku floated herself protectively in front of Kanaria.
"It is the height of ill manners to keep a lady waiting," Shinku said icily. Laplace bowed low, his expression completely inscrutable.
"And patience is a virtue worthy of a doll who seeks to become Alice," he countered, standing upright. "You have come to recover what was taken from you during the Alice Game."
"Indeed I have."
"Then the time for merry mischief to begin has arrived at last," he said, gesturing to the door beside him. The door swung open, though they could see only darkness beyond. "Prey enter, and let the festivities commence..."
Even though Shinku was merely listening to him talk and thus could not see his words, she was certain he had used the word 'prey' instead of 'pray'. Precisely how she could tell this she did not know, but the general feeling of uneasiness that swept over her may have had something to do with it. Kanaria tugged at her dress.
"Shinku, I really think this is a bad idea. Maybe we should go back and make chocolates after all?"
Shinku narrowed her eyes and steeled herself. "We must proceed. Hinaichigo and Souseiseki are counting on us. I will not fail them. I will not fail Father."
"Spoken like a true Rozen Maiden," said Laplace.
With great reluctance they passed through the door and into the darkness beyond. The door shut behind them and then there was nothing but the heavy, oppressive blackness all around them. Shinku felt the tips of her shoes brush against something and let herself drop. She landed on something solid, and the instant she did so the ground beneath her feet lit up. It was a chequered floor, with alternating squares of black and white, polished to a glossy smooth finish. Shinku and Kanaria were standing at the edge of it, and it stretched out before them making a perfect square. Laplace appeared at the opposite edge, hands folded behind his back.
"Will you hand over my sisters Rosa Mysticas?" Shinku called out, growing increasingly annoyed by these theatrics.
"All in good time," he replied, his nose twitching slightly, "First a little light entertainment to amuse this humble spectator."
He extended one of his arms and snapped his fingers. In the blink of an eye dozens of statues materialised out of nothingness, surrounding Shinku and Kanaria, all of them the same deep crimson as Shinku's dress. It took her a moment to notice that an identical set of statues had appeared around Laplace as well, however those were as white as his fur. Kanaria gasped in surprise and clutched Shinku's arm tightly.
It was a chess board, Shinku realised. They were standing on a giant chess board and the statues were the playing pieces. She recognised the pattern of the designs. A row of Pawns were arrayed on the squares in front of them, each about a few inches shorter than Shinku herself. On either side stood somewhat taller Bishops, and beside them were the Knights. She glanced down at herself and then at Kanaria, thinking it over. Given their positions, that would make her the Queen and Kanaria the King. Hmph. She didn't know what to make of that. Across the giant board Laplace was standing in the place of the white King. The Queen next to him was a statue piece, however.
"Shinku, what's going on? What is this?" Kanaria asked, somewhat slower on the uptake.
"It appears that we must win this game in order to procure our sisters lost Rosa Mysticas. So be it."
Traditionally the white player had the first move, and sure enough Laplace gestured with a hand, as if conducting music. One of his Pawns slid forwards.
"The opening move has been made. Will you reply?"
Shinku lifted her hand into the air and unleashed a flurry of red rose petals, which shot into her equally red pieces and caused them all to glow momentarily. With an elegant gesture she stirred one of her Pawns forwards, mirroring Laplace's move.
The game continued for several minutes, Shinku concentrating intently while Kanaria stood and watched, more than willing to let her sister call the shots. Chess was a game she knew little about. It was about ten or so moves in when the first piece was taken. One of Laplace's Knights moved onto a square occupied by one of Shinku's Pawns. When the two pieces came into contact with each other, the Pawn exploded violently into a thousand jagged shards. One of the fragments rolled to a stop at Shinku's foot. She stared down at it and watched as it evaporated into nothing.
"Ahhh! What ... what was that?" Kanaria exclaimed, tapping the tips of her fingers together in alarm. Shinku glared across the board at Laplace. If the rabbit could smile, he was doing so now.
"An element of risk adds flavour to otherwise dull proceedings," he said by way of an explanation. Whatever his words, the meaning was clear. To win back the two lost Rosa Mysticas Shinku and Kanaria would have to put their own Rosa Mysticas on the line.
The game had just turned deadly.
Tomoe slipped through the doors of the old church, the soft warm light of the setting sun spilling across the crumbling stonework like bright honey. She advanced down the aisle towards the altar at the end, pausing only to adjust the shinai case slung over her shoulder. As she stopped before the altar, the black winged figure there stood and turned to regard her.
"Well this is a surprise," said Suigintou, her tone suggesting that this was in fact so, "I must confess I did not expect to see you here. How did you find me?"
"I went to the hospital and asked Megu where you might be," answered Tomoe, her face carefully neutral. It was an expression she was good at. Suigintou folded her arms and smirked.
"Well this ought to be good. I honestly cannot imagine what you might want with me. Unless you came to chat."
"I need your help," said Tomoe, "I have to find Shinku."
Suigintou frowned. "Something must have happened, otherwise you wouldn't be asking. I take it she is not at Jun's?"
"She left him. Wrote a letter saying that he was better off without her."
A sick grin spread across Suigintou's face and she clasped her hands together as if this was the best news she'd had all day. It was. "How marvelous. Who would have thought that dear Shinku would listen to my advice. I must say, I'm shocked. Pleasantly so."
"How can you say that?" Tomoe snapped, her normally passive tone breaking, "Jun needs Shinku. And she needs him. This is..." she stared at the altar Suigintou was standing on, her gaze unfocused, distant, "This is my fault. I wanted to be close to Jun because I thought he needed a friend. I didn't want him to drop out of school again."
"Is that the only reason?" Suigintou asked, ever ready to poke and prod at someone's discomfort. Tomoe winced.
"No, I ... I wanted to be close to Jun ... the way we used to be close when we were children. It never occurred to me that I might be driving a wedge between Jun and Shinku..." she blinked and fixed her gaze upon Suigintou once more, "I'm at least partly to blame for her leaving him. I have find her, talk to her. Convince her to go back to Jun."
Suigintou tilted her head to one side and frowned again, puzzled. "Why? Surely this is better for you. Now you can have Jun all for yourself. You don't have to worry about Shinku getting in the way. Isn't that what you wanted?"
Tomoe gasped, her face revealing her pain at Suigintou's words. "No! Jun loves Shinku very much. Her leaving will only hurt him. She's the reason he got better, came back to school. Without her he might go back to the way he was; hiding away in his room, not talking to anyone. Ordering things online for no reason and yelling at his sister. I hated seeing him like that, I couldn't stand seeing it again."
Suigintou snorted and sat herself down to get more comfortable. "As hopelessly pathetic as that boy is, maybe you're giving him too little credit. He's stronger now than he was then. Give him time. He'll soon forget all about Shinku and the two of you can go about your business as you humans do."
Tomoe reached up and gripped the strap of her shinai case, her face hardening. "I didn't come here to argue with you. I'm going to find Shinku and I want your help."
"What makes you think I will give it?" Suigintou said, chuckling. "I don't feel particularly inclined to. If Shinku wishes to leave Jun and find herself a new master then that's her business, not mine."
Tomoe slipped her case off and opened it, revealing not a wooden training sword but the real thing. She dropped the case on the ground and gripped the hilt of the short sword, narrowing her eyes as she did so. "In that case Suigintou, I challenge you to a duel. If I win you will help me find Shinku."
Suigintou sneered at her with unconcealed disdain. "How positively absurd! Me, fight a human? Don't make me laugh. You are no Rozen Maiden and you have no right to challenge me, you silly girl."
There was a flicker of movement as Tomoe drew her sword and slashed at Suigintou. The doll jerked back and floated above and behind the altar, a look of shocked anger showing plainly on her face. A single strand of her silvery-white hair landed on the ground at Tomoe's feet. Suigintou ground her teeth together.
"That was a very stupid mistake. Attack me will you?" she extended her hand and summoned her own sword, "It seems I will have to teach you a lesson you wont soon forget!"
Suiseiseki stomped into the living room, her tiny hands curled tightly into fists. "I swear, that human can be so inconsiderate sometimes. What does he think, running off like that and leaving me here all by myself!" She spun angrily around and found herself nose to nose with Barasuishou, who had been following right behind her. She let out a startled cry and backpeddled a few steps before recovering her composure. "Hey! There's such a thing as personal space, you creepy yellow-eyed thing, you!"
Barasuishou stared at her, seemingly unmoved by her insults, which only served to infuriate Suiseiseki even more. She leaned forwards and snarled at the Enju doll. "What's the big idea? You could at least have the decency to act offended when someone calls you a creepy yellow-eyed thing!"
"Why? They are only words," Barasuishou replied calmly. In a fit of anger Suiseiseki reached out and grabbed her by the ruffles of her dress. She shook her back and forth and yelled loudly.
"I have so had it up to here with you, you insufferable irritating mellow-headed freak, you! Show some damn feelings, we're not robots we're dolls! I swear, if you don't laugh or cry or slap me I am so going to shake you into a thousand tiny pieces!"
Barasuishou's eyes suddenly went wide. Suiseiseki stopped shaking her and stared as her body jerked convulsively. When the Gardener released her, she gave one final jerk and fell backwards, hitting the carpeted floor with a muffled thump. Suiseiseki's hands flew to her mouth and she peered at Barasuishou with horror.
"Ahh! I ... I didn't mean to hurt you! I was just annoyed, that's all, I swear!" She knelt down beside Barasuishou and shook her again, this time more gently. "Hey! Wake up, you! If this is your idea of a joke it is so not funny, you hear!"
A thought occurred to her then. She stopped shaking Barasuishou as her eyes sparkled with the sudden revelation. "Oh! You've just wound down, haven't you?" She gazed down at the unmoving doll, who did not reply. Suiseiseki frowned and tapped a finger against her chin. "That's right, you have to be wound up just like us Rozen Maiden. Until then..." her eyes glinted mischievously, "... you can't do anything. Ha! I can so do whatever I want with you and there's nothing you can do about it!"
She rubbed her hands together with glee, a wide grin rapidly spreading across her impish face. Where should she start? She could grab a marker pen and draw a moustache on her face. Hmm. No, that was far too childish. Perhaps she should lock her in her case and throw her in the sea? Better, but she had no idea how to get to the ocean without being seen by all the humans.
Suiseiseki was struck by a moment of sudden empathy then, and stopped rubbing her hands together as a twinge of guilt made itself felt. It wasn't very nice to take advantage of a doll when she was wound down, even if that doll wasn't a Rozen Maiden. Most dolls couldn't move at all and that meant humans could do whatever they wanted with them, whenever they wanted. If she messed around with Barasuishou like this, she'd be no better than those humans that pulled dolls apart and such for fun. Besides, she was sure Barasuishou did actually have feelings, even if she was completely hopeless at showing them in everyday life. If she did pull some cruel prank on her at a time like this, it would hurt her.
Suiseiseki sighed. "Oh geez, when did I suddenly become so thoughtful and considerate?" She stared at Barasuishou for a long moment before giving another, longer sigh. "I guess I better go and get your key. Count yourself lucky I'm in a generous mood, you big freak, you."
She retrieved Barasuishou's key from her case in Jun's room and brought it back down into the living room. Feeling slightly weirded out at having to wind another doll up, Suiseiseki knelt in front of her and pulled her forwards. She reached around and inserted the key into the tiny hole in Barasuishou's back and turned it, the mechanism clicking with each wind. Barasuishou jerked in her arms. She removed the key as the white-haired doll flared with a bright glowing nimbus of light and started to move once more, this time more fluidly. Suiseiseki set the key down on the floor and held Barasuishou at arms length as the doll's eyes slowly opened.
"Wake up sleepy head, we still have dishes to do."
Barasuishou's eyes opened fully and fixed upon Suiseiseki. She continued to glow with a soft inner light, her hair fluttering as if blown by an ethereal breeze. She suddenly cupped her hands around Suiseiseki's face and leaned in close to kiss her. Suiseiseki's eyes went wide with shock. She frantically thought about shoving Barasuishou away but her arms stubbornly refused to co-operate, and she had to wait until the Enju doll stopped and leaned back.
"..." said Suiseiseki. Barasuishou smiled as her glowing aura faded. She brushed her fingertips lightly across Suiseiseki's cheek, prompting the Gardener to screw her eyes shut and shake her head from side to side.
"What the heck was that?" Suiseiseki demanded, finding her voice at last. Barasuishou giggled quietly.
"I was expressing myself. I thought that was what you wanted."
Suiseiseki realised that she was still holding Barasuishou and promptly let go of her. She shuffled back across the carpet, away from her, struggling to locate her normal repertoire of insults to cover her sudden embarrassment. Her mind had gone completely blank, which for her was a first. Barasuishou leaned her hands on the floor in front of her and watched Suiseiseki for a moment before speaking.
"I wanted to thank you. For winding me."
Suiseiseki pressed her hands against the sides of her head. "You could have just said! I so did not need that!" She struggled to her feet and made straight for the door, shaking her head repeatedly as if denial would help erase the incident from her mind. Barasuishou watched her go, feeling thoroughly confused. She reached up and covered her left eye with her hand, but it just wasn't the same.
Tomoe was forced to back up and give ground under the relentless flurry of blows unleashed upon her by the enraged doll. Suigintou came at her like a demon possessed, striking again and again. There was little technique involved but a great deal of speed, and it was only Tomoe's practiced reflexes that kept her safe at all.
She lashed out with an attack of her own, hoping to stall Suigintou's momentum. The Rozen Maiden darted to the side, evading the attack and positioning herself to strike at Tomoe's flank. Tomoe had to twist around and bring her sword up to deflect the swift counter attack.
When she blocked another of Suigintou's blows, Tomoe pushed the blade of her sword forwards, shoving Suigintou's weapon back at her. This caught the doll momentarily off guard, and Tomoe was able to use the surprise to release one hand from the hilt of her sword and grab Suigintou's arm. She yanked the arm down and slid the blade of her sword up and across, hoping to slip it past her opponents defences. It might have worked had Suigintou's wings not swept down and knocked her sideways.
The two combatants separated. Tomoe backed up and changed her stance while Suigintou hovered several feet away, her sword lowered, her posture casual. She smirked.
"That was quite impressive. For a human. Where did you learn to fight like that?"
"My father taught me," said Tomoe, not letting her guard down. Suigintou's mouth opened a fraction, surprised by her answer. Her superior smirk soon returned however and she dismissed her sword.
"I could kill you with little effort, but that would only upset my father," she said, "I suppose I shall go easy on you today and let you off with a warning; don't challenge me again unless you truly wish to give up your life."
"Will you help me?" Tomoe pressed, still not lowering her sword. Suigintou waved absentmindedly at her and turned away.
"If I must. I will help you find Shinku, but after that you are on your own. I have no intention of convincing her to return to that boyfriend of yours."
Tomoe finally relaxed and retrieved the scabbard for her sword. She sheathed it as Suigintou summoned her artificial spirit, the tiny point of violet light bobbing around her head.
"Now Meimei, I have a task for you. I want you to take me to Shinku..."
Jun stopped at the street corner and leaned on his knees, huffing for breath. He was badly out of shape. True he had returned to school, but he still spent most of his time sitting down studying or perched in front of his computer. Honestly though, he'd never been that fit to begin with. He should really consider doing something to fix that.
In the meantime he couldn't find Tomoe anywhere. He'd rushed out the door in the hopes of catching up to her, but he must have made a wrong turn somewhere and gone in completely the wrong direction. She was nowhere to be seen. The only thing left to try was her house, but he didn't really feel like knocking on her door and explaining to her parents that he wanted to see her. Especially if she was upset.
Was she? He didn't have a clue. He didn't even know why she'd suddenly run out the door. Obviously she'd read Shinku's letter after it had fallen out of his pocket, but even knowing what that letter said Jun couldn't begin to guess how Tomoe might react.
Jun stood upright, the pain in his chest slowly disappearing. What was he doing? Even if he did manage to catch up to her what would he have said? He was still stunned by the fact that she'd given him chocolates, today of all days. Why had she done that? Was it just to say thanks for saving her from Kirakishou? If so she could have given him a gift any time, or even simply told him she was grateful. Chocolates on Valentines day though ... he'd known Tomoe for as long as he could remember, and she'd never done that before.
"Oh man, what a stupid mess this is," Jun lamented. He leaned his arm against a nearby lamppost and his head against his arm, wondering what the heck he was going to do now. Go home, lock his bedroom door and crawl into bed. Maybe Kirakishou would do him a favour and put him in a coma so he wouldn't have to do anything ever again. It was a sure sign of how stressed he was that he actually considered that to be an attractive option.
Dusk was rapidly fading and taking the last of the light with it, and so it caught Jun's attention when a bright light buzzed around his head. He frowned and peered at it, recognising it at once as a Rozen Maiden's artificial spirit. It was purple. So ... whose was it again?
"Over there," said a familiar voice. Jun pulled away from the lamppost and searched around for the speaker. To his utter astonishment it was Tomoe. She was standing across the road, pointing at him. To make matters even more bizarre, Suigintou was hovering at head height beside her. Jun blinked and did a double take.
"Huh? Tomoe?"
The pair crossed the deserted road and approached him while Meimei continued to whiz around his head, as if highlighting him with a halo. Suigintou scowled.
"No Meimei, I wanted you to find Shinku, not her Medium," she scolded, treating Jun to a scathing look. Tomoe stopped before him, her face showing her typically passive expression. Jun gaped at her.
"Tomoe ... what the heck is going on?"
"Jun, I read the letter. Why didn't you tell me Shinku had left you?"
Jun opened and shut his mouth several times, doing a good impression of a fish in the process. With no immediate answer to give her, he turned his attention to Suigintou instead and pointed accusingly at her. "Hey, just what do you think you're doing? Someone might see you!"
Suigintou rolled her eyes and floated around to face Tomoe. "You really like this boy?"
"Yes, I do."
"Why, may I ask?"
"Hey!" Jun clenched his hands, "Don't talk about me like I'm not even here!"
Meimei drew everyone's attention by shooting through the air and attaching itself to the rose ring on Jun's finger. It flared brilliantly, alternating between red and purple hues. Jun held the ring up warily. "What the heck? What's it doing?"
"Surely not..." Suigintou wondered aloud. Jun held his hand away from himself as if he were afraid of it. The ring continued to glow, and a moment later a swirling grey vortex shimmered into sight before them. Suigintou floated in front of it. "I see. Poor, stupid Shinku. She didn't break her covenant with you."
"What are you talking about?" Jun demanded, not following a word. Suigintou crossed her arms and glanced at him over her shoulder.
"You really are a dummy Jun, aren't you? I sent Meimei to find Shinku, and because you are still her Medium my artificial spirit came to you instead. It seems that it was able to use the connection you and Shinku share through the rose ring to locate her."
"You mean ... Shinku's through there?" He pointed at the portal before her. Suigintou said nothing, but she didn't need to, he'd finally figured out what she was talking about. Shinku! He could see her again! "Well what are we waiting for?" Jun moved around Suigintou and threw himself through the portal without a seconds thought, leaving them behind on the street corner. Tomoe moved to stand beside Suigintou.
"That's why," she said, and dived in herself.
"... hmph," said Suigintou, before following her.