Sorry this update took so long, busy busy. This chapter is kinda all over the place. It starts off silly, then serious, then silly again. Eh. I just put my fingers to the keyboard and see what shows up.

Okay, so I updated the first chapter of this fic to include a disclaimer about the yuri. I'm going to go ahead and repeat it here: This fic contains yuri, twincest, incest and general silliness. If you don't like any of that stuff then just don't read this fic. Makes sense, right? If a fic has elements I don't like then I don't read it. Sorry I didn't put these disclaimers in from the very start, I should have. At the time I didn't think there'd be that much. Now though anyone who reads this for the first time will be warned. Steer clear if you don't like.

I really am going to try and get Wizard of Oz updated at some point. I might try and do that next before I update this again. Many thanks for the reviews, keep 'em coming! If you've written a fic yourself you know how great it is to get feedback. So, um ... please read and enjoy!

Rozen Maiden: Marchen

EPISODE TEN

Conflicted

"One final thing," the teacher announced, pausing to clear his throat before continuing, "High school entrance exams will begin at the end of next month. Therefore it's very important that you all study extra hard if you want to make it into your school of choice. That is all."

Tomoe stared off into space, momentarily shocked by this piece of news. In the background she was dimly aware of the bell ringing and the rest of the class getting up to go. Entrance exams! That was bad news. Not so much for her, but for Jun. The main reason Jun had dropped out of school in the first place was because he had spectacularly failed an entrance exam, despite being billed by the teachers as one of the top students in the entire country. It had humiliated him so much that he'd completely broken down.

It was probably a good thing that Jun hadn't come in today. Tomoe didn't think he'd be able to cope with the news on top of everything else he had to deal with. She was going to have to tell him though, and that ... wouldn't be easy.

"Hello? Earth to Tomoe?"

She blinked and looked up to see Tsuzuki standing there clutching her books and frowning. "What's eating you, Tomo?" she asked, "Don't tell me you're scared about the entrance exams."

Tomoe gathered up her things and shook her head. "No, it's not that. I'm just worried about Sakurada, that's all."

Tsuzuki broke into a sly grin and gently nudged Tomoe as she headed for the door. "You're still carrying a torch for him, aren't you?" she teased, "I can't say I blame you. He's not exactly like other boys."

As the two girls wound through the endless corridors, Tomoe became aware of hushed whispers and knowing looks cast in her direction. Gossip was flying around school after the play, and Tomoe had been bombarded by a relentless flood of questions from people since Monday. Everyone wanted to know what had really happened, wanted to know about the dolls and Jun. No one was buying the story that Jun was simply 'off sick'.

She spotted trouble ahead in the form of a group of guys. She recognised them; they were in her class. One of them had been giving her odd looks the entire day. The boy in question, Onota, was showing something to the others. When he spotted Tomoe approach he nodded to them and then strode over to meet her.

"Hey, Kashiwaba! Just a sec!"

Tomoe and Tsuzuki stopped as he came over to them, and Tomoe saw that the thing he was holding was a magazine. Specifically the one that featured her and Jun on the front cover. She had a bad feeling about this.

"What is it?" Tomoe asked, keeping her voice carefully neutral, something she was very good at. Onota held the magazine up before her so she could get a good look at it. Tomoe's heart sank a little as she saw the shrewd look on his face. If he had figured out that the second model was actually Jun ... as it was Jun might just barely cope with the news that entrance exams were only a month or so away. If word got out about this though, it would send him over the edge. He'd be out of school for good. "Yes?" she said innocently.

"Rumour has it that the girl you modeled with is Sakurada's cousin. That true?" Onota asked, watching her reaction carefully. Tomoe struggled to remain calm. She nodded.

"Yes, that's right."

"Really..." Onota lowered the magazine and glanced at the cover for a moment, "So what's her name?"

"What?" Tomoe was momentarily thrown by the question. Onota peered at her and presented the magazine once more.

"Her name. She must have a name, surely?" he asked.

"Y-yes, she does."

"So what is it?"

"Her name?"

"Yes!"

"Oh," Tomoe's mind reeled as she fought to conjure up a name off the top of her head. It wasn't that easy. "Umm ... A-Akane. Akane Sakurada."

"Akane, huh?" Onota fixed his attention back on the cover of the magazine and rubbed his chin thoughtfully, all the while Tomoe desperately tried to think up some excuse to save Jun any embarrassment over this. Maybe she could just flat out deny it? It wasn't as if he had any proof. But then he wouldn't need any, all he'd need to do was spread the word and that would be enough. Onota rolled the magazine up abruptly and folded his arms. "So ... she seeing anyone?"

Tomoe stared. What? Seeing ... what? She frowned. "I'm sorry?" she said, not understanding his meaning.

"I think he wants to ask her out," Tsuzuki suggested. Onota nodded his assent.

"Yeah. If she's not with anyone at the moment, I was hoping you could get me her number. Or maybe give her mine? Put in a good word even?"

Tomoe stared some more. Oh. Oh god. He hadn't figured it out at all. He thought it really was Jun's cousin and he wanted to ask her out on a date! Well that wasn't exactly what she'd been expecting. Tomoe smiled nervously at first, though her smile quickly vanished as she realised that Onota was still waiting for an answer. What should she say? She didn't think Jun would exactly appreciate her hooking him up on a date with another guy. Despite his taste in girls clothes he didn't seem that way inclined, not if his feelings towards Shinku were anything to go by.

"Well, Tomo?" Tsuzuki prompted when she'd been silent for a while, "You gonna keep Onota in suspense forever?"

"Umm, well..." Tomoe hesitated, still not sure what to say, "She's not exactly seeing anyone right now..." It probably wouldn't be a good idea to mention Shinku.

"Great!" Onota extended his arms and grinned, "Then you'll set me up with her?"

As it was she was going to have to tell Jun about the entrance exams at some point. Somehow she didn't think it would help matters if she added 'By the way Jun, I gave Onota your number, he wants to go out with you, 'k, bye now!'. Tomoe frowned again. "Actually, I don't think I can."

Onota's arms and face sagged at the news. "Why not?"

Good question. Why not? 'Because she's actually your classmate Jun crossdressing' was probably not the best response. So think of something else instead. Anything. Just say something. Tomoe rubbed the back of her head and winced slightly. "She's gay."

"She's what?"

"Yes. Sorry. She prefers girls."

"Really?" said Tsuzuki, staring at Tomoe in astonishment. Despite being close friends with Tomoe, Tsuzuki did not know the truth, and so was as surprised as Onota was. Onota groaned and rolled his eyes before shoving the magazine towards Tsuzuki, who took it from him.

"Figures," he muttered, "all the good looking ones are."

As the two girls watched him turn and go, shoulders slumped, Tsuzuki held out the magazine and regarded the front cover thoughtfully for a moment. "Hey, Tomo?"

"What is it?" asked Tomoe, relieved that the whole situation had blown over and that she didn't have to give Jun anymore bad news. Tsuzuki grinned and held the magazine up.

"Can I have her number?" she asked.

Shinku peered over the top of her book and blankly observed Suiseiseki as she paced back and forth around the living room in a panic. The situation was unexpected, certainly, however Shinku found that she would actually quite like to meet Jun and Nori's parents. Granted she would prefer it if they didn't believe Suiseiseki to be Jun's girlfriend.

Normally Shinku would have taken issue at that. She wasn't oblivious to the fact that Suiseiseki held a great deal of affection for Jun, loathe though the Gardener doll was to admit it. Suiseiseki's feelings towards Jun were ... mixed to say the least. He was her current master after all, and she craved his attention. She'd even admitted to Shinku that she felt a little jealous of the attention Jun paid her.

Despite that, and the ... questionable conversation Suiseiseki had just held with Eiko Sakurada, Shinku was not overly concerned. Actually, she was concerned, but about something else entirely. Something had been troubling her for several days now. Something that she couldn't get out of her head no matter how she tried.

"Shinku ... if I could choose any Rozen Maiden to become Alice, I would choose you."

Father's words lingered in Shinku's memory like the fragrance of a newly bloomed rose, and brought colour to her cheeks whenever she thought about them. Since she was thinking about them a lot, she had resorted to hiding her face behind a book. The book in question was one of Father's journals, which she had recovered from the Rozen Estate prior to their departure from Lebensbaum. She had read through it several times, and the contents did nothing to ease her troubled feelings.

The journal was more like a notebook, with random observations and thoughts scattered throughout under various headings. Two in particular held Shinku's interest over all the rest, and she had read through them more than a dozen times now. As Suiseiseki continued to have a panic attack at the prospect of meeting Jun's parents face to face, Shinku read through the relevant passages once more.

Rosa Mystica

Alchemy defines matter into two main categories. Prima Materia, which is all matter as we understand it, and Ultima Materia. Ultima Materia is a metaphysical state of matter artificially achieved through alchemical transmutation, and is perfection itself. It is flawless, untouched by the flow of time or the ravages of entropy.

Alice cannot exist in reality because she is perfect, and perfection cannot exist within the confines of normal matter. Thus, in order to create Alice, I first created the Rosa Mystica.

The Rosa Mystica is a gemstone composed of pure Ultima Materia. It is not unlike an embryo or an egg, similar in nature to the philosophers stone used in the creation of an Homunculus - an artificial life form.

Once created, I took the Rosa Mystica into my dream world and fused Alice into it. I then returned to the real world and waited. In truth I knew my plan was doomed to fail, because my visit to the future when I was a boy showed me that it would not succeed. Nevertheless I am puzzled as to why it did not work. Why did the Rosa Mystica not give life to Alice? I have no explanation for the failure. Fate itself is no reason. I do not understand it.

In the end I did as I knew I must - I split the Rosa Mystica into seven fragments and used each fragment to give life to one of my dolls. Thus each and every one of my beloved children carries a piece of Alice within them. Indeed, they themselves are a part of Alice, as the Rosa Mysticas are the source of their very existence, the core of their being.

Alice

"Alice is more noble than any flower, more pure than any jewel. She is absolutely unspoiled. A girl so beautiful, so sublime, that no girl in the world could hold a candle to her."

Those are the words my daughters used to describe Alice to me. Even though I knew I was destined to fall in love with her, I never quite believed them.

Until I met her.

Alice exists within my dreams. When I began to dream of a wondrous girl that might perhaps be the fabled Alice I had heard so much about, I plucked up the courage and summoned the artificial spirits Lempicka and Sui-Dream. Opening a doorway into my dream world, I was able to enter my dreams in a lucid state and at last meet Alice face to face for the first time.

She was everything my daughters said and more.

Alice is a part of me. She is my anima - an archetype of the psyche, of my unconscious mind. She is the embodiment of the very best aspects I possess, a being of pure virtue and benevolence. She is perfect.

I fell in love with her, just as my future self said I would. I am aware that, as Alice is a part of me, loving her is inherently narcissistic. I simply don't care. Speaking with her is like speaking to a unique individual, entirely separate from myself, even though her essence is distilled from my own heart.

I knew then why I was willing to go to such lengths to make her a reality. A real girl. My desire to bring Alice into this world has driven me to create the Rozen Maidens. My hopes and dreams now rest on them. They truly are my children. Even though I am physically incapable of creating children in the normal sense, the Rozen Maidens all possess a fragment of Alice, and as such they all have a part of me within them as well.

I love all of my daughters dearly, yet Shinku ... of all the Rozen Maidens, Shinku has her eyes. When I look into Shinku's eyes, I see Alice staring back at me. A father should never favour one child over another, but I cannot help myself.

Oh Shinku...

Shinku closed the journal and set it down on her lap. She'd read those passages over and over again, yet every time the words still touched her heart. She had no idea that Father felt as he did about her. That he treasured her because she reminded him so of Alice. And whilst Shinku was no more Alice than any of her sisters, Father had still whispered to her that it was her he wanted to become Alice. It made Shinku dizzy just thinking about it.

She slipped down from the chair and strode past Suiseiseki, who stopped her frantic rant to stare at Shinku as she went by. She climbed the stairs and entered Jun's room, the book still clutched in her arms. Jun was in bed, his back to the room. He neither moved nor made a sound. Shinku felt a stab of guilt as she watched him lie there. He had almost died because of her. His desire to help Shinku and her sisters end the Alice Game had nearly cost him his life. She should never have placed him in such danger.

Shinku crossed to the shelf where her things were gathered and carefully slid the journal into the perfectly sized gap waiting for it. Then she turned her attention to Suiseiseki's shelf space and her brilliant blue eyes fixed upon a framed photograph there. It was the picture Suiseiseki had snapped of Jun and Father in bed together. Jun had wanted to tear the thing up when he first saw it, but Shinku had pointed out that it was the only picture of Father they had, and he reluctantly relented.

Shinku picked it up and stared at it for a very long time. It showed the two people she loved most in all the world. The two people she was in love with. Never before had she stopped to think about how her growing feelings towards Jun might relate to Father and her quest to become Alice. Now though, Father's words to her before he left, and the writings in his journal both forced her to confront her own feelings.

"Shinku?"

She spun and saw that Souseiseki was standing in the doorway, holding the door open with her hands. Souseiseki noticed the picture Shinku was holding and regarded he curiously. Not wanting to disturb Jun, Shinku joined her sister in the hallway outside the bedroom and shut the door.

"Shinku, something is bothering you, I can tell," said Souseiseki matter of factly. Her tone was soft and kind though, and she only wanted to help. Shinku clutched the framed picture in both hands and gazed at it with a faraway look in her eyes.

"Yes," he said slowly, "I have been thinking. I am sure it is no secret to you that I care a great deal for Jun. I have even entertained thoughts of living our lives together," her hands tightened around the picture frame and her expression became suddenly pained, "Yet recent events have reminded me that I am a Rozen Maiden, and that it is my duty to strive towards becoming Alice. Should that ever transpire, it is with Father I would spend my life, not Jun."

Souseiseki folded her arms and frowned. "I see. It bothers you then that your love for Jun conflicts with your duty as a Rozen Maiden."

Shinku sank down onto her knees and nodded. She couldn't take her eyes off the picture before her. The picture of Jun and Rozen. She felt torn between the two of them. Was this how Jun had felt when Kirakishou tried to force him to choose between her and Tomoe? If so then Shinku pitied him greatly, because she would not wish this pain on anyone.

"I know what you're going through, Shinku," Souseiseki assured her. She knelt down beside Shinku and fixed her mismatching gaze on the picture as well. "It was a similar feeling that drove me to fight all of you last year. I cared for Suiseiseki as much as Father, perhaps more so, but I felt that my duty as a Rozen Maiden came before my own personal desires."

"You and Suiseiseki have often spoken of your wish to be married to one another," said Shinku quietly, "Am I to take it then that you have abandoned your duty as a Rozen Maiden in favour of living your life with her?"

Souseiseki flinched at her words. Of all the dolls she had perhaps the strongest sense of duty, yet Shinku nevertheless spoke the truth. It still pained her a little to hear it laid out so clearly though. "Yes. In the end I realised that I couldn't hurt Suiseiseki, even for Father's sake. I couldn't become Alice."

"And does that not trouble you?"

"It did," Souseiseki admitted, "I felt as if I was betraying Father by choosing Suiseiseki over him. But ... before he left us, he told me that he didn't mind. He also told me to place my own happiness before his." She turned to her sister and gently placed her hands on Shinku's shoulders in order to get her full attention. "So you see Shinku, it's okay. Father won't mind if you want to be with Jun. He just wants us all to be happy. Let Suigintou or one of the others become Alice."

Shinku couldn't meet her gaze, couldn't look her in the eye. She felt as if guilt was consuming her from the inside, her Rosa Mystica burning to a painful degree. She couldn't tell Souseiseki what Father had said to her, or what he had written in his journal. He might be fine with the twins forgoing their duty as Rozen Maidens, but he had told Shinku that he wanted her to become Alice. He saw her as Alice, and she was his choice to become his dream girl. She couldn't ignore that.

What could she do? What should she do? If asked whom she loved more - Jun or Rozen, Shinku honestly could not give an answer. She didn't know. Perhaps there was no answer. And if it came down to a choice on her part - to fulfill her duty as a Rozen Maiden and make Father happy, or abandon her duty to make Jun happy - she didn't know which choice she would make. Uncertainty seared itself into her mind, and she couldn't help but wish that she could see a third choice. One of Jun's alternatives that he always insisted existed in such circumstances. Another possibility. He had always managed to find one.

Could she? Or would she ultimately be forced to choose between the two boys caught slumbering together in the picture she held tightly in her grip...

The Sakurada household received a surprising visit from Mitsu, who showed up with Kanaria in tow later that evening. She had made an interesting discovery which she was sure would interest them.

"It's a doll auction," she explained, spinning her laptop around so they could all see, "Kanaria told me about that Pandora doll you guys were chasing after, so I posted a query about it on some of the doll websites I frequent. Someone sent me this link."

It was a news bulletin posted about a day ago, stating that the famous German doll collector Eike Grimm was auctioning off the legendary doll Pandora. The action was going to be held in Japan at the end of the week. There was a photograph attached to the article, and yes, it was none other than Pandora's Box.

"Wait a second," Suiseiseki tapped her finger against her chin thoughtfully, "Grimm ... Grimm ... that's it!" she exclaimed suddenly, "I so totally remember where I heard that name before! Shinku, do you remember that book Barasuishou gave you?"

"Yes," said Shinku, "It was from that we learned of the existence of Pandora."

"Right! And it was written by a guy named Eike Grimm. Barasuishou said he was a friend of her father, Enju."

"So that must be the guy that hired those men to steal it from us," Souseiseki added, "But why would he go to such lengths to get the Box if he only wanted to sell it? There must be easier ways of making money."

"He does not have the key," Shinku pointed out, "And without it he cannot open the Box. No doubt this auction is merely bait intended to draw out whoever possesses the key he seeks."

"Wow," Micchan chirped brightly, "You guys are so smart!"

Suieiseki laughed and extended her hands as if to suggest this was obvious, "Well of course we are!"

So now they knew who had the Box, and more, knew where it would be come the end of the week. All they had to do was come up with a plan to sneak into the auction and grab the Box without getting caught. Normally something like this would be childsplay to the magical Rozen Maidens, who had any number of extraordinary methods at their disposal, however this was different. Their opponent had already shown himself to be aware of such methods, and would presumably have safeguards to protect against them. As it was, they already suspected that the auction was a trap.

No, this would be anything but simple or easy. If they wanted to get the Box and escape in one piece, they would have to devise an especially ingenious scheme. Souseiseki said as much just as Kanaria appeared carrying a tea tray.

"Well of course you will!" she announced as she set the tray down on the coffee table, "Luckily I, Kanaria, have concocted a fiendishly brilliant plan that will guarantee success! It's a sure thing, y'know?"

"Excuse me if we don't all jump for joy, ya big forehead," Suiseiseki muttered, crossing her arms and sticking her nose in the air. Kanaria ground her teeth and snarled at the doll, but swiftly recovered her composure. She passed one of the teacups to Shinku with a smile.

"The first stage of my plan will require your assistance, Shinku," Kanaria informed the crimson maiden.

"I shall endeavor to do my best," Shinku assured her as she took the offered tea, "May I enquire what is needed of me?"

Now Kanaria seemed a little apprehensive. She curled her hands up and pressed them together nervously. "Well ... lets just say your Medium isn't going to be very happy about it..."

It was the following morning and Jun awoke slowly. He had not slept at all well. Nightmares again. They'd been especially strong and vivid last night. So vivid in fact that they had actually hurt. He'd tossed and turned in his sleep, wracked with pain, too exhausted to awake and escape the terrible dreams.

He groaned and stretched. And stretched. He stretched so much that his legs ended up dangling over the edge of his bed. It took his sleep addled brain several long seconds to realize this fact, and longer still to comprehend it. In fact he felt quite strange, now that he was slowly starting to awake. Something was ... off.

Jun sat up and rubbed his eyes. At least, he tried to rub his eyes, and missed. This was owing to his arms being altogether too long and his head and face being a good deal higher than they should be. This made no sense whatsoever, to Jun or anyone trying to analyse the situation. Things became a little more clear when he finally opened his eyes wide and glanced down at himself.

Okay, first thoughts; his clothes had shrunk. They were far too tight and were up to his knees and elbows. Yes, his clothes had shrunk. No, wait, they hadn't. They hadn't shrunk at all. No.

He had grown.

A lot.

"What the-" Jun held his hands up and examined them. They were a good deal bigger than he remembered. In fact his entire body was a good deal bigger than he recalled. Confusion turned to realization and realization turned to stark horror as Jun came to understand that, somehow, he had grown considerably over the course of one night.

Panic starting to grip his mind, he launched himself out of bed for the first time in days and promptly fell flat on his face. Getting to his feet, the haze of panic blotting out the sudden stinging pain, Jun bolted out of his bedroom and made straight for the bathroom. The feeling of weirdness grew with every passing second until at last he made it to a mirror and stared at himself.

Jun Sakurada was now an adult. He screamed.