Her hair is bright white now. When they had last seen each other, there had only been one, lone streak, but it seems the drugs have made their mark on her.
She stares at him with those dark, brown eyes, so endless and memorizing. He barely registers the ferris wheel has taken off. His focus is only on her and the mysterious message he had sent them. After Tomoko had disappeared, she had promised to tell him everything if he came to the destination she sent him.
Nine, despite his obvious worrying, had refused to fall for the such an obvious plan. He knew Nine was too attached to the her though, with her analytical purple eyes demanding the truth. So Twelve took it upon himself to do what Nine couldn't, abandon the plan.
That's not the only reason though.
True, he had his own questions for their tormentor, apart from Tomoko and her fate.
"As expected, a prince came to save our unfortunate princess," Her voice is still soft and fragile, but there's a new bitterness to it. "I thought it would be a different Prince Charming, but the results are still the same."
"Three," Her eyes widen at the way he says her name. "What happened to you?"
"What did you expect to happen to me?" Her question cuts into him. "After you guys left me behind, I was shuffled to a new hell. Or do you want to know how I got my hair this lovely shade?" She laughs quietly but there is poison there as well. "But what am I thinking? You guys don't care about me. You're only concerned with Tomoko, that clever little thing you picked up." With that, she lifts a phone up and shows him a picture of her tied up in a ferris wheel car just like their's. She bites her lip with an admirable resolve, but still she trembles in fright. Of course it's a perfectly human reaction to someone with bombs strapped to them.
"Tomoko!"
"She can't hear you dear," Three replies. "Now the deal goes if you reveal where the bomb is we'll release your little friend. Sound simple?"
"Why?"
"I beg your pardon?" Confusion paints her features, she did not expect this.
"Why do things have to be this way?!" Years of suppressed emotions explode from him. "I thought if we even found each other again, we could go back to what we used to have," Memories of those days seem to shatter and spill out into the small car. Back then Three had been shy and insecure. Twelve had lost count of all the times he had helped her out so she wouldn't be punished or she had done the same. And over time a real friendship had formed, just as strong as his with Nine.
"You think we could go back to being so friendly after what you guys did to me? After you guys replaced me?" She snaps, teeth and emotions bared. "I worked so hard to be able to stand with you guys, by your side, but look at me!" She stands and pulls at her white locks. "I'm a living ghost, how funny is that!?"
"Did you really think we meant to abandon you?" Twelve never saw this side of her back them. She had been the most optimistic, believing things would eventually turn around for them.
"What else did you leave me with?" The way her voice cracks, it's too much for him. Without realizing it, he rushes to scoop him in his arms. Once he does, Three breaks down, crying like she used to over being a second to slow in solving the puzzle, or after a particular hard treatment.
A few minutes later she is calm and composed once more, as if it had never happened. Then suddenly she cupped his face and kissed him recklessly.
"This is all I wanted," She sighs as she pulls back. With a few taps of her phone, he hears the ferris wheel come to a stop. "Your new friend is safe for now. Let the Americans get mad at me. What's the worst they can do to me? Kill me?" She laughs some more, but soon she passes out. Snow White falls to the poisoned apple's taste.
Twelve aches for the ghost of the girl he knew. No matter what he does, her fate is sealed. As much as it pains him, there are those with a future that need him, like Tomoko.
"Thank you, Three," He bends down to whisper, not daring to touch her skin for fear it might be cold to the touch. He swears to mourn her with the others once his is all over with.
A.N. So if it wasn't clear, this was a Five/Lisa role swap. It's a bit rough around the edges, but I'm still enchanted with the concept.