Mitsuru, the doll with a surprisingly gentlemanly nature, was clearly bowing only to Souseiseki. Souseiseki looked awkward in return.
"Uh, nice to meet you," she said, looking at Shinichi with eyes that meant what should I do?
Mitsuru stood up and took Souseiseki's hand with the rose ring on it, wanting to swear his loyalty to the beautiful doll in blue, but was surprised to see the rose had already grown thorns.
His head turned sharply to Shinichi. "You're the first aren't you?" he snapped. So much for gentlemanly, he obviously had a split personality.
"My name is Shinichi, I am indeed the first," Shinichi confirmed slowly. He wasn't very comfortable around the doll with red hair.
"Did you make a contract with this lovely maiden?" Mitsuru glared at the doll in dark green.
"Yes I did," Shinichi said, timidness fading away and he stood proudly.
"You couldn't have chosen this gardener instead, could you?" Mitsuru briefly regarded Suiseiseki with a wave of the hand.
"Hey!" Suiseiseki protested. "I'm also a fair lady too, desu!"
Mitsuru blatantly ignored her. "Can I enter the covenant with you as well, my lady?"
"Souseiseki," Souseiseki said, telling the boy her name so he'd stop referring to her as a lady. She was, but she didn't like the term very much. "And uh… I don't think it'd be good to love two…"
"What do you mean?" Mitsuru was confused.
"Ah, he doesn't know," Shinichi said, referring to Shinku's theory. "You see, we were actually sent here for another purpose?"
"Really?" Mitsuru didn't seem to be interested, but Shinichi went on with the explanation anyway. He told him about Shinku, the other dolls, Katsutoshi, as well as Shinku's words about the Alice game and the other option.
"I see, it will indeed be improper if this beautiful maiden had two lovers," Mitsuru said, making Souseiseki flush slightly at the thought.
When she composed herself, she gestured to her twin who was pouting with her arms crossed.
"This is my twin, Suiseiseki, why don't you join her?" she said with a smile.
Suiseiseki huffed, still pouting about being ignored and having her twin preferred over her.
"She's…not my type."
Shinichi suppressed a chuckle, but decided to help them out. "But Souseiseki wishes you to serve Suiseiseki, right?" He turned to her.
"Yes…?" Souseiseki said with a slight nod.
"Well, I suppose her twin isn't that bad… and if Souseiseki says so," Mitsuru said, abruptly turning to Suiseiseki. "May I ask your name?"
"Suiseiseki…" she glared at Souseiseki. She was going to get him her own way but she sighed when she thought her twin probably had good intentions in mind.
She uncrossed her arms and held out her right hand with her rose ring.
Mitsuru cast one more glance at Souseiseki, who was still wondering why he preferred her, before he bent down and kissed the rose ring.
Like all the other times, a red light glowed from the ring and when it faded, the ring had grown thorns.
Suiseiseki looked at her ring, before looking at her twin with a small smile. "Now we have an advantage over the others."
Before Souseiseki could reply, Shinku came out of nowhere and dropped into the circle of dolls.
"Shinku!" everyone said the name, in their own ways. Besides Mitsuru that is.
Shinku opened her mouth to say something but she stopped when she saw Mitsuru for the first time. For a moment she was stunned, but as a lady, she composed herself.
She brushed her dress down and looked Mitsuru up and down.
"I see you've found the third doll," she said. "What's your name?"
Mitsuru just stared at her as if she didn't exist. Suiseiseki poked him and said in a hushed whisper, "Hey, why aren't you answering her?"
Mitsuru turned to the green doll with a smile. "I only answer to you, Suiseiseki."
This shocked her. "Uh…what if I say, answer Shinku?"
"If that's your will," he replied, turning to the so called Shinku. "My name is Mitsuru, third of the Rozen Pages."
Shinku looked at Suiseiseki's and Mitsuru's ring before sighing in relief. That meant all the Pages were present and had been taken, which meant Kirakishou and Suigintou couldn't get their hands on another – and it seemed unlikely with the loyalty both Shinichi and Mitsuru seemed to possess, that they'd willingly go with another doll.
Souseiseki was going to speak up but Shinku suddenly turned around and began to look around as if searching for something.
"Shinku?" Souseiseki asked, taking a glance around as well but not seeing any other doll around or anything.
But Shinku appeared to be ignoring her. Suiseiseki opened her mouth as well, but Shinku spoke, looking up at the sky.
"Father?" she breathed.
This startled all the dolls. They were silent when they realised that Shinku was speaking with Father. Jealously threatened to bubble inside Souseiseki but she managed to remain calm.
"But…"
Shinku was still turning around and searching for a presence as she spoke to Father aloud.
"Why Father?"
What's going on? Souseiseki narrowed her eyes.
"I will follow your wishes, Father…" Shinku concluded before lowering her head, apparent that her temporary connection with Rozen was cut. Souseiseki watched her movements with careful eyes.
Shinku's face never looked so disheartened before, but it was also one of determination. Souseiseki an expression of calm, no one could tell what was going through her head. Shinichi wore the same expression along with Mitsuru. Suiseiseki was clearly confused and irritated.
"Well…" Shinku began. "As you all can tell, Father just spoke to me…"
She sounded slightly in awe as she uttered those last words, but then a cool determination took place on her face again. "The Alice game…"
"…has a time limit."
Katsutoshi grinned toothily at Suigintou's astonished expression.
"How do you know this?" she was too stunned to be angry.
"I just do," Katsutoshi said with another big grin. "Things are going to get interesting, hmm?"
Suigintou narrowed her eyes. "There's something else you're not telling me is there? Tell me," she demanded.
Katsutoshi did a little bow before replying, "Some dolls will not be participating."
A/N: HOHOHO. TWIST.
I'm sorry. I honestly have little clue of where this story is going. I originally had a plot settled, but then I kept surprising myself adding random bits, twisting the story. I'm going with the flo. It's more fun this way.
Leave a review, yeah? :)