A heavy silence reigns as X stares down.

Cloe, at the same time, looks up, her head-wing being stuffed in X's mouth for her trouble.

"Lff ish—" X spits out the wing. "Life is short for some, isn't it? I thought it was love at first sight, but instead it was murder! Murder in cold blood and... uncomfortably warm chocolate." Did she just flourish the skull?

Cloe's head snaps into a rapid cocking. "Why not rebuild him? Stronger, faster and more sturdy than before?"

You raise an amused brow. "Don't you need a million dollars for that?"

Cloe nods. "I suppose you have a point." Her eyes twitch to the skull. "Well, he's made of chocolate, correct?"

X gasps. "That's it! I will melt him down and reforge him into a far more regal chair with thicker legs!"

"Why reforge when you can just use the skull to patch him up?"

You raise a brow. "I have the oddest feeling that this skull may have once been a man, judging by the bone st—"

"Chocolate."

"Yes, Cloe, I suppose you have a point. Judging by the chocolate structure, it was male. I see no indications, aside from the chocolaty nature, that it was anything but human."

Cloe tilts her head. "Why does what it once was matter? Chocolate is chocolate. If magic made it this way, then it likely tastes nothing like a man."

You raise a brow. "You know a surprising amount about magic."

Cloe nods. "I'm learning. I know more about theory than I have skill in the art, however. Master is skilled in the art, but I have no true talent. Still, she insists it as payment for my services, and I'm hardly one to turn down knowledge."

You look at her with confusion. "No talent? Youkai are creatures of magic."

"She believes it's because I translate the spells. They are meant for Western languages, not Japanese."

X raises a brow, but is silent.

Cloe hops up, dusting herself off. "Whatever we do, we need to do it fast; she's not going to hold on much longer, I would imagine."

You look to Cloe, finally relenting to the onslaught of crazy. "Well, as we're technically killing it, such things don't matter."

X glares at you both. "He's a he, and death will not be the end for him. Not on my watch."

Cloe shakes her head. "The issue isn't the death, but the soul being lost. We need to preserve it. Should it be lost, any wandering spirit might possess her. Either we must work quickly, or keep the soul contained."

You sigh. "But what are we to do? The only way out seems trapped."

X eyes you. "You know a way out?"

"Yes, behind the bookshelf, but..." You trail off as X makes her way to the shelf. "Wait, wait, it might kill you!"

X furrows her brows, slipping her claws behind the shelf carefully. "Some things are worth the risk."

The shelf slides easily enough, and you watch expectantly, hoping you're not watching her final moments. Seconds tick by, and she looks to her hands. Shrugging, she simply gathers up the broken bits of chair and heads down the dark passage. Cloe soon follows, and you find yourself wondering what books might be of use in this situation.

You pluck Sexual Chocolate from the ground, but head over to the shelf, realizing that there are books on the back as well. You decide to hurry, so you don't give truly witty commentary on each.

Chocolate Rain

Cocoa Bean Golemancy

How to Rule the World: A Chocolatiers Guide

Chocolate Anima

A Man's Guide to Chocolate

Anima Chocolate

Chocolate Mind

Chocolate Chocolate

Mr. Chocolate and Friends

You reach for the book on world domination, but somehow, you can't bring yourself to touch its spine, let alone grasp it. Peeling back the cover is as alien a feeling to you as reading anything else. Why would you read such a book? Why would you read any book but that which you already hold?

You smile as you hold up the text in question, and merely looking upon it, you know it is steeped in knowledge, forbidden or otherwise. It's positively dripping with knowledge.

And so you once more pry open the spine, and without even trying, you find that it's already on the page that interests you.

Chapter 12: How to Make Chocolate in the Skull of your Most Hated Enemy

You smile as you brush a hand lovingly over the tender knowledge. This is what you want. If you must make chocolate, this is the book you must use. And you will follow its instructions to the tee, for it isn't good to deviate, now is it?

You blink rapidly, finding yourself in a kitchen with the Tokiko, your book grasped in your arms, and the new and improved chair sitting there. You smell blood, and try to recall how you came to this point.

You remember a popping bubble.

You remember a terrible gout.

You remember a rolling.

You remember a thud.

You remember a thwack. Just one, for you are strong of arm.

You remember a tussle.

You remember a search.

You remember a grasping.

Before you, Hakurei Reimu stares back. Her eyes are lifeless, one lidded more than the other.

But then, what can be expected of a head? Certainly not perfect eye control, among other things.

You look to your hands. One holds a bloodied cleaver, the other holds your favorite book. There's so much blood covering you.

It's only natural to read that which interests you the most, isn't it?

Author: Well, I think that's a great place to stop for the day! Three updates in one? Happy day!

Yukari: My, how cruel you are~

Yuuka: Ignoring the fact that this "happy day" involves the end of life as we know it, I for one quite liked Reimu.

Yukari: Ohh, I'm sure she's fine.

Yuuka: ...I hope you realize that removing the head or destroying the brain is the only way to kill a miko.

Author: Just what on earth do you think Reimu is...?

Yuuka: Well, it was an interesting factoid that I learned from my new friend~

Author: ...Forget I asked. Anywho, I feel as if I've padded this enough, so it's time to post it!