Rozen Maiden Fan Fiction ❯ Dream of Something Better ❯ A Reason to Hurt ( Chapter 16 )

Disclaimer: I do not own Rozen Maiden. I do, however, own Rikou Daijima, Mirien Daijima, Anira Hanagami/ Rina A. Gamihana, Morielta, Scylla, Lyn, the `Master' and the personality of Joenna.

 

Chapter 16

It was early morning, on the next day, which was a Tuesday. Instead of occupying herself with attempts to capture rare dolls, Lyn headed for the kitchen, and then straight for the room where the `fifth' was kept. The fifth, of course, was pretending to be lifeless.

 

`You can stop pretending, it's only me.'

 

The `fifth' opened her eyes. `I see.'

 

`I made some tea. I usually drink it in the mornings. Do you want some?'

 

The Rozen Maiden nodded, and Lyn began pouring the tea.

 

`So, do you remember what your real name is yet? It would be nice to call you something when I talk to you.' Lyn handed the Rozen Maiden a cup of tea.

 

`Yes. My name is Shinku, the fifth Rozen Maiden.' Shinku took a sip from her tea.

 

`I knew that natural sleep would help.' Lyn said.

 

`So, from what I gather, you work for the same person as my captor?' Shinku asked.

 

`You mean Scylla? She is my older sister, and yes, we work for the same person. The only other doll that works for our master is Morielta, who is also my older sister.' Lyn replied.

 

`What was the purpose of capturing me?' Shinku asked.

 

`Have you lived in our society?' Lyn asked back.

 

`Yes, I have.' Shinku replied.

 

`You would have noticed that there are many living dolls. My master is a collector, and he collects rare dolls. Rozen Maidens are extremely rare, and they are, apparently, only a myth.'

 

`But if he is a collector, and if that was all that he wanted me for, then why would he bother keeping me alive?' Shinku thought.

 

`You think that there is another reason?' Lyn asked.

 

`I'm not too sure.' Shinku gazed around the room. `Where have your sister's been all this time? They came into this room once, and that was yesterday.'

 

Lyn giggled. `They are too busy trying to capture your sisters…And failing horribly while they're at it.'

 

Shinku's eyes lit up. `Some of my other sisters are awake?'

 

`Yes.' Lyn replied. `I don't know who they are, as I only saw them once.'

 

`If you saw them, do you know what they look like?' Shinku asked.

 

`Yes, I do know they look like.' Lyn said. `Do you want me to describe them for you?'

 

Shinku nodded.

 

`Well, there are three that I have seen.' Lyn said. `The one that we learnt of first, other than you, has kind of silvery hair, wears mostly black and her most distinctive feature is her wings. Then we discovered two others. One has long brown hair and wears a green dress, and the other has short red hair and seems like a tomboy. Both of those two have one green eye, and one red eye.'

 

`The dolls you have described are definitely Suigintou, Suiseseki and Souseseki.' Shinku said. `Do they fight each other or keep their distance?'

 

`The three of them seem to be working together for some reason.' Lyn replied. `My thinking, is that they united against a common enemy, which would be my sisters and I.'

 

Shinku sighed. `That's good to hear. But, if the three of you are so determined to capture us, then why are you with me, instead of with them?'

 

`I'm not that interested in capturing your sisters, because I know that when Master captures you all, you will replace us, and that means going to sleep and never waking up. And I wanted some company, so I woke you up.' Lyn told Shinku.

 

Shinku leaned over to put her teacup back on the tray. `So, we would replace you?'

 

`The Rozen Maiden's are the most sought after dolls in the entire world. If my Master manages to capture all of you, then we would become secondary. The other dolls in this mansion that are secondary to us are proof of what will happen if he attains you all.'

 

Shinku looked confused. Lyn realised that Shinku had never been outside that room in the mansion, so she would have no idea what she was talking about.

 

`Well, I'm already breaking enough rules, one more won't hurt.' Lyn thought.

 

Lyn slipped the device off Shinku's arm. `I'm going to give you a tour of the mansion. I am quite sure we won't run into anyone on the way, as my sister's are busy and Master hardly ever ventures out his room or office.'

 

Shinku stood and brushed the `dust' off her skirt. `Fine then. Where do we begin?'

 

----------------

 

Suigintou had spent the entire morning deep in thought, and considering the unusual events that had happened yesterday, she had every right to want to think things over.

 

Just like yesterday, Rikou and Mirien were at school, so she had the entire apartment to herself. She lay on the bed in Rikou's room, and stared up at the ceiling.

 

`Who was that taunting me back then?' She thought to herself. `I've heard that voice before in the previous Alice Game era. The voice said that they lived inside me, what's with that? As far as I know, I'm the only one inhabiting my body.'

 

Suigintou tried to remember the voice, in an attempt to identify who it was. The voice sounded cold, and neither high pitched, or low pitched. The voice didn't match anyone that Suigintou knew. And the fact that someone Suigintou did not know had access to her thoughts and memories, and even had the power to manipulate her, scared her a lot.

 

But the voice that had tried to comfort her was definitely someone Suigintou knew. The voice that had asked her whether she was okay, was one she would have recognised straight away, if she hadn't been so light headed at the time.

 

`The second voice was definitely Shinku's.' Suigintou thought to herself.

 

The realisation that the second voice was Shinku's would have been a shock to Suigintou, if Shinku's `spirit' had not decided to pay her a visit in her dream world later on.

 

`Is it really that easy to invade my mind?' Suigintou thought with a chuckle.

 

Suigintou sat up and looked around. `Well, I really have nothing else to do, and I may as well report the current happenings to my beloved sisters.' She said sarcastically.

 

She opened the window, and took flight.

 

----------------

 

Suigintou arrived at Rina's house and was happy that the window to Rina's bedroom was unlocked. She stepped inside, only to find herself dodging a blue crayon.

 

`Suiseseki give that back, now I won't be able to finish the sky!' Joenna wailed.

 

`Weeeeellllll….BAD LUCK ~DESU!' Suiseseki cackled. `Because it just set sail out the window…'

 

Suiseseki turned and realised that Suigintou was leaning against the window sill with her arms crossed.

 

`I just love being part of the scenery, perhaps I should do it more often?' Suigintou said sarcastically.

 

`I'm sorry Suigintou, I had no idea you had arrived ~desu.'

 

`That's because you were too busy stealing my crayons.' Joenna blubbered.

 

`I wasn't stealing them! I was borrowing them and disposing of them in an unusual fashion ~desu!' Suiseseki pouted.

 

`You were stealing them!'

 

`I was not ~desu!'

 

`You were so!'

 

`I was not ~desu!'

 

`Did I arrive at a bad time?' Suigintou sighed.

 

Suddenly Suiseseki grabbed Suigintou and pulled her down from the window sill, so that she was standing in front of Suiseseki.

 

`What do you think you're…?' Suigintou yelled.

 

`See! My big sister Suigintou will protect my eyes from your stupid drawings ~desu!' Suiseseki yelled.

 

`E…Excuse me? You can't just…?' Suigintou said.

 

`You're all so mean! I hate you all!' Joenna crossed her arms and pouted.

 

`Joenna, I was never against you, so stop blubbering and pull yourself together!' Suigintou said confidently.

 

`So you're on HER side now ~desu!' Suiseseki yelled at Suigintou. `How dare you betray me ~desu!'

 

`H…Hang on…' Suigintou stuttered.

 

`I don't want to listen to your excuses ~desu!'Suiseseki put her hands on her hips.

 

`Now, wait a second!' Suigintou yelled. `I'm not the one jumping to random conclusions! I refuse to be blamed just so you can solve your petty arguments!'

 

`Well then, chose which side you're on then! Mine or hers!' Suiseseki yelled.

 

Suigintou faced a dilemma. Whichever doll she chose, the other would get upset.

 

`Wait, what were they fighting over anyway?' Suigintou thought to herself. `Crayons? Such idiots.'

 

`I'm not taking sides.' Was her eventual answer.

 

`You have to! Choose!' Joenna yelled at Suigintou.

 

`I'm not picking between you over something so stupid, and like it or not, that's my decision!' Suigintou barked at the two of them.

 

Joenna began to cry over being yelled at, but Suiseseki bubbled with anger.

 

`So that's your final decision is it ~desu! You have no faith that either of us is telling the truth, although I'm obviously the one that isn't lying ~desu!' Suiseseki replied.

 

`You seriously expect me to choose between you over something like missing crayons?' Suigintou rebutted.

 

`Shinku would have!' Suiseseki yelled.

 

`Shinku, Shinku, Shinku! If you haven't noticed, I AM NOT SHINKU AND I NEVER WILL BE!' Suigintou fumed. `Don't you DARE EVER compare me with Shinku again!'

 

The door to the room opened, and Souseseki stumbled into the room.

 

`I heard yelling, is everyone…Suigintou?' Souseseki stared directly at her. `I knew you could never be trusted.'

 

`Don't just assume things, you don't know what happened.' Suigintou said, trying to contain her anger.

 

`I know for sure that you were yelling at them, I could hear you from downstairs.' Souseseki stated. `And when I came up here, I find Joenna crying in one corner, and Suiseseki about ready to blow in the other!'

 

`No matter what conclusions you may jump to, Souseseki, I didn't do anything to harm Suiseseki or Joenna.'

 

Souseseki turned to Joenna. `Did Suigintou do anything to you?'

 

Joenna pointed at Suigintou. `She won't choose sides!'

 

Souseseki was clearly confused by this. `Sides?'

 

Suigintou sighed. `Suiseseki was throwing crayons out the window, and I so happened to drop in on their argument.'

 

`Suiseseki…' Souseseki turned to face her twin.

 

`I…It wasn't me ~desu!' Suiseseki stuttered. `Joenna was calling me names ~desu!'

 

`No I wasn't.' Joenna sobbed.

 

`She called me a fat pig ~desu!' Suiseseki yelled.

 

`Only because you started stealing my crayons!' Joenna yelled back.

 

Suigintou sighed, and stared down at the floor. Souseseki suddenly grabbed her wrist and began to drag her towards the door. As soon as they were out the room, Souseseki closed the door.

 

`I'm glad to be out of there…' Souseseki sighed.

 

Souseseki turned to Suigintou, who was leaning against the wall. `That wasn't all, was it? You would not have yelled otherwise.'

 

`…Suiseseki compared me with Shinku, and I…guess I overreacted a bit…' Suigintou stuttered.

 

`You still don't like Shinku that much do you?'

 

`No. I know now what she thinks of me.' Suigintou sighed. `She once told me I did not deserve to have sisters. I've never been the `sisterly' type, and perhaps if she had not been so easily fooled, she would not have said it. But, that only implies what little faith she has in me…'

 

Souseseki did not know what to say. But she did not need to say anything, as soon after Suigintou had finished, Joenna and Suiseseki began to scream.

 

Souseseki sighed, and opened the door. `What now…?'

 

Suddenly, Souseseki was pushed against the hallway wall by a black, slimy column.

 

`D…damn it…' Souseseki muttered.

 

Suigintou instantly summoned her sword, and began to hack at the slime that was trying to attack her.

 

Suigintou tried to cut the slime in the direction that Joenna's screams were coming from. Suiseseki had ceased screaming, and Suigintou assumed this was because Suiseseki was busy trying to water the slime down.

 

Suigintou knew she was right, when a huge gush of water slammed into her. Majority of the slime evaporated before her, and she was soaking wet. She saw Suiseseki and Joenna in the middle of the room, and both of them were also drenched. Souseseki had finished her battle with the slime, but she was barely wet at all. Her shears were summoned, and she pointed them threateningly at the two intruders standing at the window.

 

`Morielta, try not to get too carried away. We have little time to waste.' Scylla giggled leaning against the window.

 

Morielta shrugged at her younger sister's comment. `Fine, I'll let you do all the talking.'

 

Scylla looked at the four dolls, one at a time, before her eyes fell on Suigintou.

 

`Oh, how is my dearest black angel? Recovered already from having your wings ripped out?' Scylla laughed.

 

`You call me that one more time, and I'll murder you!' Suigintou yelled.

 

`Such a temper you have there sweetie, we may need to do something about that.' Scylla taunted.

 

Scylla whispered something to Morielta, and Morielta clapped her hands.

 

Some slime that has been hidden outside, raised an unconscious figure, that had been tied up by the slime, into the view out the window.

 

Suigintou gasped as she realised who it was.

 

`RIKOU!' She screamed.

 

`Don't get so emotional, dear!' Scylla said. `We came here to make a deal with the three Rozen Maidens.'

 

`State your business!' Souseseki yelled.

 

`I know you three won't go down without a fight.' Scylla said. `So let's make a wager. The three of you come to our mansion, and we'll battle. If you win, then Rikou goes free, and you can all go home. If you lose, I want all three of you to surrender your lives to us, and Rikou still gets to go free. If you don't decide to show, then the boy dies.'

 

`But there's only two of you, and there's three of us.' Souseseki stated. `Are you sure you want to battle us?'

 

Scylla opened her hand and counted on her fingers. `Morielta, Myself, and Lyn. That's three against three. We'll give you five days to make your decision. Come anytime during the five day period, but after that, he dies. We'll be waiting…'

 

Both Morielta and Scylla, as well as the slime that held Rikou, began to vanish, and then disappeared.

 

There was a scroll of paper left behind on the windowsill. Suigintou picked it up and opened it.

 

36 Rosellia Avenue, Everdale

 

Souseseki walked stood next to her and read it aloud.

 

`It's an address!' Joenna shrieked. `Everdale is a suburb in this town!'

 

`That must be where the mansion is.' Souseseki said, deep in thought.

 

`But…' Suiseseki had not moved, and was still trembling. `What should we do ~desu?'

 

`We go and fight of course!' Suigintou yelled.

 

`But what if we loose ~desu! We have no idea what powers Lyn has, and they may use the mansion as a home advantage ~desu!'

 

`I don't care.' Suigintou told her. `Whether you two decide to come with me or not, I'm going.'

 

`If you are going to go, then I'll go with you.' Souseseki stated. `What do you say Suiseseki? You can stay back here if you want to. I'm sure that they won't say no to a three-two advantage.'

 

`W…well' Suiseseki pouted. `Well, of course I'm coming with you ~desu! How can you even think that your beloved sister would leave you in the clutches of an evil force ~desu!'

 

Souseseki giggled, and Suigintou rolled her eyes.

 

`Should we decide on when we should go?' Suigintou sighed.

 

`Perhaps in three days time?' Souseseki suggested. `That should give us enough time to prepare. Just in case they go back on their word, I insist you stay with us for the time being. Being alone and without a medium present would be dangerous.'

 

`…Perhaps.' Suigintou sighed. `I will need to get my things though.'

 

`I'll go with you ~desu!' Suiseseki walked over to her case and pushed the lid open. She sat inside and the case began to levitate.

 

`I had better stay here with Joenna.' Souseseki said. `Come back safely.'

 

`You can count on it ~desu!' Suiseseki gave a thumbs up. `Come on Suigintou, we have your things to gather!'

 

Suiseseki flew out the broken window. Suigintou turned back to Souseseki and Joenna, shrugged her shoulders, and began to fly after Suiseseki.

 

There was a moment of silence between Souseseki and Joenna, before Souseseki spoke up.

 

`Was it only me that was shocked by Suiseseki's sudden enthusiasm?'

----------------

 

`So now do you know what I mean?' Lyn asked Shinku.

 

`There are so many…' Shinku gasped.

 

Lyn sighed. It seemed to her that Shinku was probably more shocked at how many lifeless living dolls her Master owned, rather than the fact that they were lifeless.

 

`So, so many…'

 

Her point was proven as soon as Shinku said this, and Lyn smacked her forehead with her hand.

 

`But you do know what I mean though, with the whole replacement thing?' Lyn asked. `When my sisters are finished collecting you all, I become like one of them.'

 

`I understand that.' Shinku replied.

 

`It's probably best if you went sit back on the chair, in case one of my sister's decides to show up.' Lyn suggested.

 

`I suppose…' Shinku sighed. She sat back in the chair, and fastened the device back onto her arm. Shinku then closed her eyes and sat incredibly still. If Lyn hadn't known otherwise, she would have believed that Shinku was actually unconscious.

 

`Well, at least she's good at acting.' Lyn thought.

 

Then her sisters Scylla and Morielta burst into the room.

 

`Triumph is ours!' Scylla announced.

 

`Why? Have you captured another Rozen Maiden?' While Lyn had lead Shinku around the mansion, Shinku had given her detailed descriptions of her sisters, and their past life. If Lyn ever saw this `Hina Ichigo', she would recognise her instantly.

 

`Not exactly!' Scylla said happily. `We found the perfect lure though!'

 

`I don't understand you…' Lyn said.

 

`Well, we kidnapped the black angel's medium on his way to school. He was so weak!' Scylla laughed. `Anyway, we made a deal with them, that sometime during the next five days, they could come here and battle us.'

 

`You gave them our address?' Lyn said, shocked. `You know you aren't supposed to!'

 

Then Lyn remembered all the rules she was breaking, and considered that what Scylla was doing wouldn't even be punishable compared to her crimes, if she was ever discovered.

 

`Don't worry about what I just said, continue.' Lyn said.

 

Scylla narrowed her eyes. `…Ok then. Anyway, three of the Rozen Maiden's are going to battle the three of us. And…'

 

`You told them I was going to battle them, with out even asking me first?' Lyn yelled.

 

`What's wrong with you Lyn?' Morileta asked. `You should be glad to participate in this.'

 

`Oh, yes I am.' Lyn said sarcastically. `What were the conditions?'

 

`If we win, the Rozen Maiden's stay here, like that one over there and the boy goes free.' Morielta said, gesturing in Shinku's direction. `If they win, the boy goes with them. If they don't show up, then the boy dies.'

 

`You're going to kill him?' Lyn asked, shocked.

 

`Of course! You've killed humans before to get ahold of rare dolls! Scylla yelled. `What's wrong with this one being killed? We're only going to poison him, so it'll be less painfull then other methods we've used before. Are you sick Lyn? Seriously, there is something wrong with you.'

 

Lyn shook her head. `No, no, no, nothing wrong with me! I'm so glad that you made that deal, imagine how pleased the Master will be with us!'

 

`That sounds more like you!' Scylla said. `Get some sleep, you'll need it for the battle.'

 

Scylla and Morielta left the room, leaving Lyn alone with Shinku.

 

Shinku opened her eyes and stared at Lyn. `Are you really going to battle my sisters?'

 

`Of course not!' Lyn said. `I have other plans, as to what WE'll be doing during the battle…'

 

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A/N

After a short writer's block, I've finally finished this glorious chapter. So much plot~!

It's a long public holiday, so expect another chapter shortly after this one!