Gankutsuou Fan Fiction ❯ The Dollmaker ❯ Chapter One ( Chapter 1 )
Anime/Manga: Gankutsuou Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Fantasy / Hentai / Drama | Type: Crossover | Uploaded On: 12.05.2005 | Pages: 1 | Words: 2.2K | Visits: 824 | Status: Completed
THE DOLLMAKER
© December 6, 2005 By Rory V. Pascual
AUTHOR'S NOTE: This fanfic was inspired by a lovely piece of fanart made by Gankutsuou LJ community member Kat. The charm of her art prompted me to come up wth a fantasy tale reminiscent of my "Teddy Bear Tales" series from Highlander fandom. If you wish to see Kat's art, you can see it in my website's version of this story at http://www.geocities.com/roryheadmav/dollmaker1.html. A link to a bigger version of the fanart is there. Thank you, Kat, for the inspiration!
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CHAPTER ONE
Once upon a time, there was a young godling who was imprisoned inside a box. Why he was locked up inside that box, no one knew. Not even he knew the reason for his incarceration. If it was for a crime, it must have been a terrible one, because imprisoned with this gentle being were the vilest, most corrupt, most evil creatures that the gods had deemed too dangerous to be let loose in the universe. Because of his kind nature, the godling was relentlessly abused by his fellow prisoners, but he endured it all with a cheerful smile.
"Why do you smile?" the demons railed at him. "You should be weeping and gnashing your teeth at the treatment we've been giving you."
With one eye swollen shut and blood trickling from a corner of his mouth, the godling answered, "I smile because I know that this torment will come to an end. Whether it comes on the morrow, the day after that, or even after several millennia, it does not matter. I know that there will be an end to all this. All I have to do is wait and hope." At these words, a smile lit up his bruised yet still handsome face.
"FOOL!" A demon struck him in the jaw.
"IDIOT!" Another kicked him in the belly.
As the malevolent creatures fell upon him once more, the godling merely closed his eyes and sighed, that smile still curled up his lips. "It does not matter," he whispered, as the blows rained down upon him. "The end will come soon. Wait and hope…that is what I must do."
Patience was a virtue that served the godling well. As he had expected, the demons soon grew weary of their sport and of incarceration in general. Rather than expend all unnecessary energies beating him up, they wiled their time cursing the gods for imprisoning them for the sake of humanity.
Humans… thought the godling. He had been observing these fascinating creatures in the past. They must be very special indeed to gain the special favor of the deities.
One day, the godling was jolted to wakefulness by an earthquake, or that's what he believed at first. He soon realized that their prison was being born away to a destination he knew not where. After a lengthy period of heaving and jostling, that only served to infuriate the demons, the box changed hands.
"Humans! The scent is unmistakable!" a demon hissed. A wide grin formed on its hideous face as it gazed at the godling. "You're right! There IS an end! With the help of these stupid humans, we shall soon be free!"
The humans, in question, were a man and his wife. Many times, the godling would listen to them, and his heart would be warmed. They were truly devoted to each other. Their love would outlast the limited life span that was given to all mortals.
The godling let out a wistful sigh as he heard the passionate sounds of their coupling. Oh, how I wish I had been born a human instead of an immortal. If I were a human, I could find someone to love and who would love me just as deeply.
The woman, however, had one fatal flaw. She possessed an insatiable curiosity that demanded that it be satisfied at all cost. Unfortunately, the object of her fascination was the box.
Do not open it! the godling struggled to convey his desperate message to the woman with the power of his honest heart. I don't mind being locked up in here for all eternity, as long as the others are not freed!
But the godling underestimated the persuasive prowess of demons.
"Open the box!" they tempted the woman. "Set us free and we shall give you riches! We shall give you powers akin to the gods!"
Urged by those promises, twice, thrice, the woman came close to lifting the cover of the box. By some uncanny premonition, her husband arrived home earlier than expected, just in time to stop her.
"Never open this box, good wife," her husband chided her, "lest a terrible punishment befall us."
No threat of punishment, however, could deter the woman from satisfying her curiosity.
One late afternoon, while her husband was out on an errand, the woman went towards the box once more.
"Just a peek," she whispered as she laid her hand on the cover. "All I have to do is raise the lid a bit and peek inside."
"DON'T OPEN IT!" the godling cried in unison with the woman's husband who had burst through the door.
But that narrow opening was enough. The lid was flung back, and all the demons, the plagues of mankind, flew out. With bloodthirsty glee, they attacked the poor couple, inflicting terrible wounds upon their mortal bodies. Despite his agony, somehow, the man managed to reach up and close the box once more.
"Thank you for freeing us!" the demons cackled as they took off into the blood red afternoon sky. "We go now to reward all humankind with eternal torment!"
When the demons had departed, the godling could hear no other sounds but the couple's ragged breathing and soft weeping.
"What have you done, my foolish wife!" the husband at last said, his words heavy with reproach. "Your infernal curiosity has condemned us all!"
"Forgive me, dear husband!" the woman cried in remorse. "Oh, please forgive me!"
The godling found the couple's anguish too unbearable. Flying up to the cover, he called out, "Please let me out! I beg you to release me, so I can heal your wounds!" He pushed at the lid with his tiny hands, but something heavy was keeping it closed.
"No!" It was the woman. "I won't be tricked again!"
"I'm not like those who escaped! Please believe me!" the godling pleaded earnestly. "I beg you to set me free that I may save your lives!"
"Let it go," the husband then said with calm resignation. "If it kills us, at least, we will be spared from the shame of seeing our friends and loved ones upon whom we have unleashed this plague of evil."
After what seemed like an eternity, the woman opened the cover. Swiftly, the godling fluttered out, growing to the size of the pitiful humans kneeling, bleeding on the floor. With his powers, he immersed the couple in a rose pink light, healing their wounds. He also cleansed them of their shame and guilt, taking it inside him until their pain was now his.
Taking the woman's face in his now blue-colored hands, he wiped her tears away.
"Your hands…" she gasped. "They are so cold."
"It is nothing," the godling reassured her. "It is merely a side effect of taking the hurts in your heart. Please weep no more, dear lady. Put this all behind you and live a peaceful life with your beloved husband."
"But what about those…creatures?" the man asked. "What is going to happen to mankind?"
"I understand now why I was imprisoned inside that box. I am now knowledgeable of the caprices of these demons, and it is only I who could lessen the damage that they could inflict upon the mortal soul." The godling looked at the couple, his odd-colored eyes shining with kindness. "The fight against all these evils still rests upon the shoulders of mankind, however. But I shall share with you humans my gift. It will give you the strength to battle against evil." He gave the couple a tender smile. "Through the two of you, I have seen just how precious is the love that you humans possess. It's the least I could do to show you my thanks for teaching me how to love."
"Ah, but you cannot know love until you have found someone to give your heart to and who will give you their heart in return." The woman kissed the godling's hands in gratitude. "I pray that you shall be gifted with such a great love. A kind-hearted being such as yourself should not live through an eternity of sacrifice alone."
"And I receive your wonderful prayer with my sincerest gratitude."
The godling gave the couple a gracious bow and flew off into the sky. True to his word, he bestowed upon all sentient beings, not just humans, his most precious gift. For a time, the entire universe basked in the warm pink glow of his love.
However, as time passed, the godling saw that the humans were losing their battles against the irresistible wiles of the evils that plague them. Seeing that he had no other choice but to directly intervene on behalf of mankind, the godling returned to the mortal world.
Little did he know that his love for all humanity was another box, a trap that he would find difficulty escaping from….
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