"Man, these hallways are so dirty…When's the last time those lazy excuses for maids clean down here?" Meiling asked herself as she traversed the empty labyrinth like basement. Many others would have lost their way by now, but Meiling knew the halls very well from her numerous visits to Flandre's room over the years.

"Meiling." A cold voice echoed behind Meiling.

"Who dares sneak up behind Hong Meiling!?" Cried Meiling as she began to turn around to confront the source of the voice, but jumped at the sight of the voice's owner.

Standing before Meiling was a woman, who only stood a few inches shorter than Meiling with hair as white as snow upon her head. She wore a dark blue European styled maid outfit, with her arms folded across her chest. Her eyes were an icy blue color, and bore a look of indifference on her face. Many wouldn't find this maid to look too frightening despite the intimidating expression on her face, but those who were familiar with the maid knew her knew that this meant she was moments away from brandishing one of the many knives she kept on her person at all times.

"O-Oh, M-Miss Sakuya! About that comment about the hallways! I d-didn't mean it! Honestly!" Meiling said nervously to the silver haired maid.

"Meiling, what are you doing here? Your break ended five minutes ago, you're supposed to be at your post." Sakuya asked, ignoring Meiling's attempt to cover her earlier comment on the hallways. Her voice showed slight irritation with her coworker's lack punctuality.

"O-Oh of course! I was just on my way there Miss Sakuya!" Meiling responded, with a bit of her confidence recovered from her earlier shock.

"Well hurry up then and get back to work before that damned witch decides she feels like 'borrowing' more of Miss Patchouli's books. I have enough problems keeping this household up and running without that thief causing property damage every time she feels like dropping by." Sakuya said in the calm and collected tone she was known for.

"Of course! No unwanted guests shall enter the abode of mistress Remilia while the mansion is under Hong Meiling's watchful eyes!" Meiling replied while saluting her superior with a grin.

Sakuya sighed at Meiling's response, "That's what you said the last time Marisa dropped by for a visit… Whatever, just return to your post and at least try to stay awake." And with that cold response, Sakuya began to walk away.

"Wait, Miss Sakuya!" Meiling called after her.

"…Yes?" Sakuya responded without turning around to acknowledge Meiling.

"Could you please send a request for a personal audience with the mistress? I have an important question to ask her." Meiling asked in a serious tone that was rarely heard from her.

"…I'll give the mistress your request for an audience during her tea time with Miss Patchouli, but I give you no promises." Sakuya said in her normal cold voice, devoid of any emotion.

"Thank you Miss Sakuya!" Meiling thanked gratefully in her usual cheerful demeanor.

"Just get back to work Meiling…" Sakuya said, brushing off Meiling's thanks and began to walking away once again.

"Right! Thanks again Miss Sakuya!" Meiling called back to Sakuya as she started jogging back to her post.

Once Meiling returned to the gates to resume her duties to stop any trespassers from entering the mansion, she began to think about just what she would say to her mistress during her personal audience with her.

"What to say…What to say…Gah! This is so hard!" Meiling cried to herself while tugging at her hair, causing a few strands of her crimson hair to come out of her scalp. "If I make one small slip up it might ruin everything! Argh! Come on think! Think!" Meiling shouted at herself in frustration, this time pounding herself on the head with both of her fists repeatedly.

"Whoa, you're actually awake? Dang someone call Aya! This is front page news here!" said an all too familiar voice.

Meiling looked up, and standing before her was a young woman, appearing to be between eighteen and twenty-one years of age, with flowing blonde hair hanging from her head, with a braid of hair tied with a green ribbon hanging down on one side of her head.

Atop her head sat a pointed black hat, the kind a stereotypical witch would be found wearing. She wore a black dress that had short white puffy sleeves, with an apron of a matching color to her sleeves sitting in front of her skirt. She had golden colored eyes and bore a smug grin on her face.

"Oh Marisa, what a surprise." Meiling responded sarcastically while rolling her eyes at the witch's remark.

"That's mah name, don't wear it out, ze!" Marisa replied in her usual chipper tone.

The witch was a common visitor to the mansion, showing up at least once a week to "borrow" anything she dubbed to be valuable to her, along with causing the occasional property damage during her frequent visits to the mansion. She also had a strange tendency to end her sentences with a "ze" every once in a while. Though she seemed to be completely oblivious that she does it whenever she's questioned about her odd speech pattern, Meiling just concluded it was just one of the kleptomaniac witch's odder quirks.

"So what's up with you today? You're always sleepin' like a baby when I drop by." Marisa asked.

"Since when did you start caring about other people's problems?" Meiling asked in a slightly irritated tone.

"Ouch! I'm hurt China, I really am! I thought we were buddies! After all you practically let me in here without a fight! I am shocked! Shocked I say!" Marisa replied sarcastically.

"Don't call me that! My name is Hong Meiling! And the only reason I let you in here without a fight is because Flandre enjoys your company, only heavens know why!" Meiling shouted angrily at Marisa.

"OK, OK calm down now, I'm just messing with ya, ze. Yeesh…"

Meiling sighed to herself, "I'm sorry for snapping at you…I'm just…Under a bit of stress right now…" Meiling replied while she rubbed the back of her head stressfully, with her eyes downcast.

"Sounds like someone needs to talk to Dr. Kirisame! Now what seems to be the problem, ze?" Marisa asked with her usual cheerfulness.

"Well…I guess I can tell you considering how you care about Flandre as much as I do…" Meiling began.

"Eh? Flan? What about her? Is something wrong with her? Tell me!" Marisa shouted, showing great concern that's rarely heard from her.

"No, No! She's fine! I visited her not too long ago actually." Meiling explained.

"Then what's the problem? Spill the beans already!" Marisa asked impatiently.

"I was just about to until you interrupted me, now just let me finish." Meiling grumbled before continuing, "Anyways my problem here is that I was going to ask mistress Remilia about letting Flandre out of the basement…" Meiling said.

"Whoa! Really ze!? Looks like good old China's grown a back bone! Even I haven't gotten the nerve to ask fangs about that!" Marisa interrupted in surprise.

"Yes, really." Meiling replied patiently.

"Dang, you must really care for the kid, I gotta respect that."

"Well thanks…Anyways the problem is that I'm having trouble thinking up the right words to say…Any advice?" Meiling asked, with a hint of humility laced in her voice.

"Awww shucks, your overthinking things! Just let your heart do the talkin and Flan'll be outta the basement in no time! Just have some self-confidence, ze!" Marisa said enthusiastically, giving Meiling a thumbs- up.

"You're right! Thanks Marisa! I'll get Flandre out of the basement no problem!" Meiling said with great enthusiasm, reassured by Marisa's words of encouragement.

"Any time, but if that fails you could always sneak her out, ze." Marisa said jokingly while winking at her.

"Ha, I'll keep that in mind."

"Well, with that I'm off, gotta get back home before it gets to dark."

"What? You're not going to try to "borrow" anything?" Meiling asked.

"What? A gal can't just chat with a friend? Besides I got my fill of borrowing from Patchy while you were yelling at yourself like a lunatic, ze." Marisa replied smugly.

"Wait, what!?" Meiling asked in shocked.

"Hahaha, later China!" Marisa shouted as she bolted away on her broom.

"Dang it, Marisa! Get back here!" Meiling shouted at the thief, but the effort was in vain as Marisa was long gone.

Meiling sighed to herself sadly, "I really hate my job sometimes…"

With Meiling no longer worried about meeting her mistress from Marisa's words, Meiling began to doze off as she normally would. Meiling's dreams were usually quite strange, one example being her battling a giant talking catfish, but today Meiling's dream was quite normal in comparison to doing mortal combat with a giant catfish.

In this dream Meiling was planting flowers in a large garden, with a huge assortment of flowers, from sunflowers to roses, and much, much more. But Meiling's dream garden paled in comparison to the person who stood next to her as she watered the various plants in the massive garden.

Standing next to Meiling with a great big smile was Flandre, providing Meiling with company as she worked.

"Meiling…"

Out of all the dreams Meiling has had in her life, it ranked in the top five, if not ranked as the best dream she's ever had.

"Meiling…"

Not only was she in her very own dream garden, she was also in the company of the person she would consider to be her best friend, Meiling wouldn't mind having more dreams like this…

"Meiling!"

Meiling awakened from her dreams with the call of her name. As Meiling opened her eyes, she was met with an angry looking Sakuya, standing under the moonlight with her arms crossed as she stared daggers at the gatekeeper. "Moonlight? How long was I out for…?" Meiling asked herself in her half-asleep state before realizing that her superior was standing before her as she became more and more impatient with her.

"O-Oh Miss Sakuya! I was just resting my eyes! I swear!" Meiling stuttered as she braced herself for any knives the maid might throw at her.

Sakuya simply groaned to herself, "What part of 'stay awake' didn't you understand, Meiling?" Sakuya asked as she rubbed her forehead in frustration.

"I'm really sorry Miss Sakuya! It won't happen again! I-"

"Save it the excuses Meiling. I'm here to inform you that your shift is over, and that the mistress will see you now, she is currently in her study. Do not keep her waiting." Sakuya interrupted.

"Oh right! Thank you Miss Sakuya!" Meiling said as she began to dash inside the mansion.

"Sometimes I wonder how she stays in employment…" Sakuya said to herself once Meiling was out of earshot.

As Meiling reached Remilia's study, she took a few moments to collect her thoughts. "Alright Meiling…You can do this…" She said to herself, and then knocked timidly on the study's door.

"Come in." a young yet mature sounding voice said from the other side of the door.

Meiling took one last deep breath before opening the door to the study.

The study had one lone desk in the center of the room, with one chair in front of it and another behind it. The desk had several papers strewn across its surface. Behind the desk and the chair behind it sat a bookcase filled with many books, more books than Meiling had probably read in her lifetime.

Sitting behind the desk was a small girl scribbling quickly on some papers with a feather pen. She wore a pink dress, her hair was purple and was up to the length of her shoulders, and upon her head she wore a mobcap that was the same color of her dress. Her most noticeable features were her blood red eyes and the black leathery wings that came out of her back.

"Ah Meiling, I was expecting you. Close the door and take a seat will you?" The young purple haired girl requested.

Meiling did as she asked and took a seat in front of the desk, waiting for the young girl to grant her permission to speak. The purple haired girl suddenly stopped writing on her paper, setting aside her pen and turning her attention to Meiling.

"So Meiling, what would you like to discuss with me? I hope it isn't about a raise." The young girl asked as she rested her head in her hands.

"N-Nothing like that, mistress Remilia. I-I'd actually like to d-discuss…"

"Stop your blubbering and get to the point Meiling. I'm a very busy person as I'm sure you know, and I'd prefer it if you didn't waste my valuable time. Now what is it that you want?" Remilia said irritably, cutting Meiling off midsentence.

"I'd like to talk about your sister!" Meiling cried out, almost shouting.

"What about her…?" Remilia asked as her eyes narrowed.

"W-Well mistress…I think it may be time to let h-her outside of the basement, she has much more control over her powers now…"Meiling stuttered as she tried to make her case.

"Meiling…Let me ask you something. Where in your job description does it say you may suggest courses of action to your mistress? Much less when you have no business sticking your nose into such subjects? Because I believe that falls more into Patchouli's job as my advisor." Remilia growled.

"B-But mistress!" Meiling began.

"Silence! I don't care for your petty opinions on my family matters! Now I don't want to hear another word on the subject from you! Flandre will remain in the basement now and until I say so otherwise! Am I understood?" Remilia roared at Meiling.

"…Yes mistress…" Meiling replied in an almost inaudible voice.

"Very good…Now leave me at once before I teach you why they call me the Queen of the Night." Remilia said as her crimson red eyes began to glow lightly.

"Yes mistress…" Meiling said with sadness evident in her voice.

Meiling then left her mistress's study, with her hopes of her dream ever becoming a reality now crushed in the span of a few short minutes.