I wanted to wrap episode eleven up with this chapter, but it's late and I'm tired, and I think this was a good place to finish the chapter anyway. Expect one more chapter for episode eleven, which I will try and have done over the next few days if I can. After that it's the final episode. Oh, and some of you may be a bit confused by the fact that Souseiseki seems to have disappeared, replaced by Suiseiseki. That's not a mistake, it will be explained next chapter.

Rozen Maiden: Märchen

EPISODE ELEVEN

Duel of Fates

"I won't ask again," Grimm warned, his voice losing the pleasant aspect it held before. No one present doubted for a second that he would order his men to open fire if they refused. Jun tightened his grip on the Box, thinking the situation over. Just as he was about to give up and hand it over, Emil stepped forwards, hands clenched tight before him.

"Stop it! You have to stop this, Eike! It isn't right!"

Eike sighed wearily at the sight of his little brother. "Emil, come here this instant."

The younger Grimm brother stood his ground, defiant. "No. The Box belongs to them, they need it."

"I said come here. Don't make me repeat myself," Eike scolded, his voice cold, his finger jabbing to indicate that Emil should join him obediently at his side. "Now!"

"I won't!"

Eike narrowed his grey eyes sharply, his jaw clenched, unaccustomed to being refused by anyone, much less his little brother. He took a deep breath and folded his arms, trying to calm himself. Jun and the dolls remained silent, not wanting to break the tension in the air between the two. Unnoticed by Eike, distracted as he was, Kanaria prodded Shinku. Both sisters exchanged a subtle nod.

"Emil," Eike began, pressing a finger between his eyes as if troubled by a headache, "I overlooked your little act of defiance before because no harm was done. Now, however, things are more serious. I must insist that you do as I say, otherwise you might come to harm."

Emil shook his head emphatically. "I always do what you say-"

"And I have always taken care of you-"

"Only as an afterthought!" Emil snapped furiously, years of pent up frustration pouring out from him now, "It's not as if you did it because you cared about me. I've never mattered to you, have I?"

Eike seemed genuinely astonished by his words, and gaped slightly. Still distracted, he failed to notice Shinku nudge Suiseiseki and give her a significant look.

"How can you say that?" Eike demanded. His younger brother scoffed at him, as if he were incredibly dense for not seeing it himself.

"How can I not? You've never really seen me as anything other than a responsibility - a duty to fulfil after mother and father died."

For the first time in his life Eike seemed lost, uncertain, unsure of himself. Emil's words puzzled him. He glanced about as if he might see some sense to them lying around somewhere, before turning his confused gaze back to his angry sibling. "That is not true - you're my brother, Emil-"

"But I'm not a doll!" Emil snapped at him abruptly, interrupting him and pointing an accusing finger at one of the many dolls on display throughout the exhibition hall, "I'm not like them, am I? Unlike your precious dolls I grow up, I change! I'm not perfect like they are, am I? And you can't stand that!" Tears were streaming down his face now, glistening on his cheeks, yet he scarcely seemed to notice. He lowered his hand and his gaze, flinching at the truth he'd just blurted out. "All I ever wanted was to try and be the best brother I could, to thank you for always taking care of me," he went on, albeit with difficulty, "But no matter how hard I tried, I could tell - I've always been a disappointment to you, haven't I? You hate having a little brother like me around. You hate having to take care of me. And you hate the fact that I'm not one of your perfect little dolls, something you can wind up to make go and then shut in a case when you get bored. I'm a burden to you, Eike. I'll never be good enough. You'd be much happier if I ... if I weren't around anymore."

Jun stared at Emil, eyes wide, almost gawking at the little boy's words. They sounded eerily familiar to him. They reminded him of something similar he'd said to his sister Nori not so long ago. Trapped inside his dream world, tormented by visions of his own insecurities, Jun had never felt so wretched in his entire life. He'd seen himself as a burden to his elder sister, who was always taking care of him despite what a rotten little brother he'd been to her. Now, looking at the grey haired boy sobbing before him, Jun couldn't help but feel a kind of understanding towards him. As he turned his gaze to Eike, Jun saw that the man was hesitant to reply. Eike bit back a retort, finding himself unable to deny the accusations, perhaps because they weren't entirely untrue. And seeing that, Jun reminded himself just how lucky he was to have someone like Nori for a sister.

"Hand over the Box and the key, and you will be free to leave," Eike said finally, addressing Jun rather than his brother, as he simply could not bring himself to lie and say that Emil was wrong in his assessment of him. He turned half away, staring off at nothing in particular, his hands in his pockets. "If you resist then my men will gun you down. You have five seconds. Decide."

Jun glanced down at the Rozen Maidens, who all exchanged looks. Finally Kanaria peered up at Jun with a questioning expression on her little face.

"Now?" she asked. Jun nodded fervently.

"Now."

Only Hinaichigo, lacking a Medium and thus sufficient power to act, stood idle. Shinku, Kanaria and Suiseiseki each raised their hands, the rose rings on their fingers flaring with a brilliant hue as they sent waves of power radiating throughout the exhibition hall. Jun's own ring glowed brightly as well, and he felt the intense heat burning his hand as Shinku and Suiseiseki drew energy from his body.

What was all this for, one might ask? Quite simply, the Rozen Maidens possessed the ability to instil life in otherwise lifeless and immobile dolls, provided they had the requisite energy reserves to do so. At present they were standing amidst a large exhibit room.

Full of dolls.

One moment Eike and his hired guns had a pair of unarmed humans and four Rozen Maidens surrounded. A moment later they were themselves surrounded by a veritable army of dolls, as the Enju collection Micchan had brought, plus the Super Dollfies on display, all came to life and attacked. Fifty dolls altogether at the very least, plus a hefty dose of elementary surprise. Needless to say Eike and his men were caught a little off guard by this move.

Chaos ensued. Guns were fired, but after sustaining a few initial casualties the onslaught of moving dolls buried Eike's men and bore them to the ground, causing many of their shots to hit the ceiling. The Rozen Maidens got stuck in themselves, strawberry vines, rose petals, branches and concussive music adding to the overall confusion. Eike Grimm grimaced at this turn of events as he hid behind a shimmering energy shield, a barrier ring he wore shining in response to the relentless attacks.

Jun was already gone, darting past Grimm as he bolted for the nearest staircase. He paused only to hit a handy fire alarm on his way down, the blaring noise that resulted undoubtedly clearing the ground floor of guests and employees that might potentially get in his way. Sure enough by the time he reached the lobby the entrance was packed with people hurrying to exit the building. Jun spotted Micchan at the back of the crowd, and as their eyes met he triumphantly held up Pandora's Box and tapped the ebony black doll case with a smile.

It was a short lived smile, however, as he soon heard shouts sounding from back the way he'd just come. He realised there was no way he would be able to get out through the front doors in time now, and after searching frantically about for an alternative means of escape he bolted for the garden, which appeared empty.

Or so he thought.

"Stop right there, human," a commanding voice instructed. Jun halted amidst a collection of beautiful cherry blossom trees and turned to see a doll standing a short distance away, brandishing a gleaming rapier. Her hair was a strong shade of pink, as were her eyes, and she wore a dress of alternating black and white layers. She did not appear to be in a good mood.

"Who the heck are you?" Jun asked, regarding the odd figure before him. The doll slashed at the air with her sword and then saluted with it.

"My name is Rosetta," she replied softly yet firmly, "Hand over the Box, if you please."

Jun clutched the case tight and narrowed his eyes. "Over my dead body."

Rosetta smiled and lowered her sword. "That," she said, "can be arranged."

Jun barely had time to flinch as Rosetta leapt at him, sword slicing through the air in a graceful silvery arc. He held up the Box as if to ward off the inevitable blow, but it never came. There was a clashing metallic sound, and as Jun lowered the Box he was startled to see Shinku hovering before him. She had blocked the attack with her cane.

"I will not permit you to harm my Medium," Shinku said sternly as both dolls separated and landed several feet apart. Rosetta twirled her rapier, her eyes darting from Shinku to Jun. She smirked.

"What makes you think you have any say in the matter?" she countered. Her outline flickered for a moment and she vanished, reappearing an instant later beside Jun. Shinku spun and unleashed a flurry of rose petals at her, and she again vanished, this time appearing directly above Jun. Instinctively Jun held Pandora's Box over his head as if it were raining and he was trying to stop himself from getting wet.

Rosetta landed atop the Box and grinned down at Shinku. She stuck her tongue out at the fifth Rozen Maiden, who gave the sword-wielding doll a sneer of disdain. Feeling the added weight, Jun lowered the Box once more, only to find Rosetta still perched upon it. Startled, he dropped the Box to the grassy ground and pulled back. Rosetta remained standing on it, and faced Shinku with a wicked smile as she tapped the blade of her rapier against the black doll case.

"Be a good girl and run along now, why don't you?" she teased, "That way I won't have to cut up that pretty face of yours."

Shinku's cool blue gaze bored into her with palpable iciness as she brandished her cane. "Your arrogance is stifling. Allow me to give you a lesson in humility that you are clearly in need of."

She launched herself at the smiling doll, the two engaging in a flurry of movement as they attacked, counter attacked and dodged, sword clashing against cane. They danced atop Pandora's Box, each striving to land a solid blow on the other. Eventually their weapons locked and Rosetta's palm shot out, striking Shinku and shoving her off the Box. As she sailed back through the air, Shinku gestured with her free hand.

"Holie!"

Her cherry coloured artificial spirit zipped around her and sped towards Rosetta like a glowing bullet. She tried to parry the unexpected attack with her sword, but the momentum hurled her back as well. She landed a short distance away from the Box and faced off against Shinku, her smile long gone now.

"Is that really the best you have to offer?" Rosetta scoffed as Jun joined Shinku, "Really, I expected more from one of the legendary Rozen Maidens."

"In that case," said an eerie voice, "you will not be disappointed..."

Rosetta seemed puzzled, unable to pinpoint the source of the speaker. Jun and Shinku however were more concerned by the identity of the speaker, because they recognised the voice at once.

"Kirakishou," Shinku whispered. Rosetta's eyes grew suddenly wide as the point of a white crystal blade emerged from the front of her chest. She stared down at it in utter disbelief, though her unwillingness to accept the truth did nothing to change it. Her rapier fell from her grasp and she gasped at the sharp pain, made no better as Kirakishou yanked her weapon free and kicked Rosetta forwards. She landed in a sprawled heap right next to Pandora's Box, and struggled to reach out and touch it even as the last of her life ebbed from her body. With a final trembling shudder she went limp, her fingertips just barely grazing the surface of the black box.

"Pitiful," Kirakishou sneered at the now motionless doll. She turned her one-eyed gaze on Jun and Shinku, her expression rapidly changing. "Well hello there," she giggled, "Did you miss me?"

Shinku extended a hand towards Pandora's Box, intending to rush forwards and claim it. Before she could take even a single step, white rose vines erupted from the ground around the thing, lifting it up into the air and bearing it aloft right into the seventh doll's waiting hand. Her fingers curled around the handle as she clutched it tightly, her greenish-yellow eye staring at the Box with enraptured longing.

"Give that back!" Jun yelled, even though he knew it was useless. Kirakishou cocked her head in his direction and chuckled.

"Say please."

"You are wasting your time," Shinku said with a hint of smugness about her, "The Box is useless without the key to open it."

"Oh?" Kirakishou seemed disappointed for a moment. Her eye downcast, she reached into the front of her dress and withdrew an ornate silvery key on a chain from around her neck. "You mean this little thing?"

Jun gaped. "You have the key? No way!"

"Way," Kirakishou nodded, tucking the key safely away once more. Straightening up, she blew them a kiss and then waved to them, giggling like a lunatic. Before Jun or Shinku could take any action against her to recover the Box, a pink crystal spike punched out of the ground in front of the seventh doll. A second later it dissolved into a shower of floating white sparkles and Kirakishou was gone, taking Pandora's Box with her.

Jun and Shinku were left standing together beneath the cherry trees, the object of their mission and their last best hope gone. Rosetta lay sprawled before them, lifeless, a gaping wound in her torso where Kirakishou had skewered her from behind. Just when it seemed things could get no worse, Jun raised his gaze in time to see Eike Grimm standing a short distance away, a handgun clutched in a limp hand as he stared at the broken doll on the ground.

"Rosetta," he whispered in shocked denial, his normal iron expression seemingly ready to crack any second. He stumbled towards her, his steps faltering, moving as if in a daze. Eike fell to his knees as he finally reached her and scooped Rosetta up into his arms. Holding her lovingly, cradling her like an injured child, his entire body trembled. Jun gulped, the sound loud in the confines of the silent garden at that moment. Hearing him, Eike's unfocused eyes focused quite quickly upon him, the hatred they contained so alarming that Jun felt himself shudder at the sight.

"You," Eike snarled, "You did this. This is all your fault!" Still clutching Rosetta's lifeless body, Grimm raised his pistol and aimed it at Jun, who hastily waved his hands.

"Wait, I never-"

"Jun," Shinku warned, a little unnecessarily.

"It wasn't us!" Jun bleated, quite able to see the danger for himself. Eike wasn't listening though. Driven by grief and despair, he narrowed his eyes dangerously and squeezed the trigger, the gunshot disturbing the trees and causing them to rain cherry blossoms down upon them all.