Rozen Maiden Fan Fiction ❯ Dream of Something Better ❯ With Every Life, There is Hope ( Chapter 17 )

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 17

Suiseseki and Suigintou arrived at Rikou and Mirien's apartment shortly after they left. Suiseseki lived up to her usual habit of smashing through the windows on her arrival as a visitor. Suigintou followed her in, through the broken window.

 

`So is that your case down here then ~desu?' Suiseseki asked, pointing to the case that was lying on the floor.

 

`Yes.' Suigintou said.

 

Suddenly Mirien burst through the door. `Who is it who dare break the win…dow? Oh, it's you Suigintou…'

 

Mirien stared in disgust at the living doll. `Who is that?' She seethed. `Now Suigintou, I may have approved of your presence in this household, but if you start bringing more of your kind here, I'll have to kick you out. You know I can't stand living dolls.'

 

Suigintou sighed. `Mirien, this is my younger sister Suiseseki, she is the third Rozen Maiden. She was only accompanying me here, we will be gone shortly.'

 

`Gone? Are you moving out?' Mirien asked.

 

`Hopefully, it's only for a few days.' Suigintou said with a sigh. `Until things get sorted out.'

 

`Well, before you go, do you know where my brother is?' Mirien asked. `I was waiting for him outside his home-class, but when the class filed out he wasn't there. When I asked the teacher where he was, they said he had been gone since lunch break! I'm starting to get very worried about him. If he's is still missing after 24 hours, I'm supposed to call the police, but I'm so worried…'

 

`Mirien, you must not tell anyone else this, but…' Suigintou took a deep breath. `He was kidnapped by those dolls who attacked us on the weekend.'

 

`Freaky snake girl?' Mirien's eyes widened.

 

`Yes. It happened around midday, so that would be around lunch break.' Suigintou stated.

 

`Then we should call the police! This is serious, this is…'

 

`No! The dolls made a wager with us. We are going to go and battle them at their base, and whether we win or lose, Rikou goes free. So you don't have to worry about your brother at all.' Suigintou said.

 

`So…will you be coming back?' Mirien asked.

 

`It depends on whether we win or lose.' Suigintou said with a sigh. `If we win, all of the Rozen Maidens, and Rikou will get to go. If we lose, Rikou will still get to go, but we will have to stay there…'

 

`When is this battle happening?' Mirien asked.

 

`We plan to go in three days time.' Suigintou replied. `I have decided to stay with two of my sisters until that time, because if the dolls go back on their word, it would be dangerous to be alone and with out a medium.'

 

`Suiseseki is one of them?'

 

`Yes, and Suiseseki's twin, Souseseki, who is the fourth Rozen Maiden, also lives there.' Suigintou said. `They are the only two sisters of mine that I am sure are alive in this era.'

 

`I see.' Mirien said. `What do I tell the school? They will want to know why he is absent.'

 

`Tell them he is missing, or that you don't know where he is or something. Make it up.' Suigintou replied.

 

There was moment of silence, before Mirien spoke up.

 

`So, if you lose, you won't come back?'

 

Suigintou looked down at the floor. `No.'

 

`We…Well…' Mirien stuttered. `Please come back safely and all, I know Rikou would be pretty depressed with out you here and everything.'

 

`I've only been here for about two weeks, he wouldn't miss me that much.' Suigintou said.

 

`I think he would…' Mirien said.

 

`Anyways ~desu, we can't just stand around chatting, we have got to get a move on ~desu!' Suiseseki said hurriedly.

 

`Well then, goodbye.' Suigintou picked up her case, and turned to fly out the window.

 

`Wait!' Mirien yelled.

 

`What ~desu?'

 

`Fix the window.' Mirien stated.

 

`Fine then, fine then ~desu.'

 

Suiseseki raised her hand, and a small green light came from her ring. The window was soon back into place.

 

`See you then ~desu!' Suiseseki turned and flew out the open window.

 

Suigintou turned and flew out the window. Mirien watched as they flew into the distance.

 

`I think I would kinda miss you too. Please come back safely.'

 

o:o:o:o:o:o:o

 

It was late in the night at Rina's house, but Suigintou could not sleep. After collecting her things, the normal eat dinner-watch TV-go to sleep routine that she had gotten herself into at Rikou's apartment had run smoothly, if she ignored the fact that Joenna threw her potato at Suiseseki as revenge for the crayon incident earlier and the two had had a food fight over dinner.

 

Suigintou had gone to her case to sleep at the same time as the others, but no matter how hard she tried to rest, she could not sleep. She ended up crawling out of her case at around 11:00pm at night, and opening the window, so that she could sit on the windowsill and think.

 

The original reason why she had sat on the windowsill to think, was that she could clear her mind and go back to sleep, but not a single thought flittered through her mind. Instead she merely leaned against the window frame and observed the black world outside.

 

The only movement that she could see were the trees swaying in the cold breeze, and the occasional car in the distance. At various distances away, Suigintou could make out lights flicking on and off. Soon, Suigintou could see a pattern of lights turning on and off, and she hazily began looking around at the light that was expected to turn on or off next.

 

Then she heard the familiar `click' of one of the doll's cases opening.

 

`Suigintou, are you awake too?'The childish voice of Joenna hazily mumbled.

 

`It appears I am.' Suigintou replied. `What's wrong? Can't you sleep?'

 

`No.' Joenna said. `Can't you sleep either?'

 

`I usually stay up this late, and I wanted some fresh air.' Suigintou lied. `Why are you unable to sleep?'

 

Suigintou suddenly was embraced from behind and she gasped as Joenna hugged her tightly.

 

`I don't want you to go.' Joenna began to sob. `Please don't leave. I don't want you to go. I don't wanna be lonely.'

 

Joenna's embrace tightened and she began to cry into Suigintou's back. Suigintou did not know what to say, as she had never dealt with a child, let alone one that was upset.

 

`Well…' Suigintou began, before Joenna cut in.

 

`I don't want any of you to die. Please tell me you're not going to die!'

 

`Joenna, none of us are going to die. We're all going to come back, and then we'll all be together again. How does that sound?' Suigintou wasn't even convinced herself that they would be coming back at all, but it was worth saying these things to make Joenna feel better.

 

`Are you sure?' Joenna asked her.

 

`I'm positive.' Suigintou replied.

 

`Promise?' Joenna said hopefully.

 

`Look, it's a promise, now will you go back to sleep?' Suigintou asked, slightly annoyed at Joenna's behaviour.

 

`I will!' Joenna said happily.

 

Joenna left Suigintou, and Suigintou could hear her walk back to her case.

 

`Good night!'

 

`Good night.'

 

With that, there was a `click' signalling that Joenna had gone back into her case.

 

Suigintou sighed, and returned to watching the outside world at night time, until a voice interrupted her thoughts.

 

`Awww, Suigintou has a friend.' A voice from inside Suigintou's head cooed.

 

`Shut up, I don't want to hear from anyone, let alone you right now.' Suigintou said in response.

 

`Touchy. Always in a foul mood, aren't we Suigintou?'

 

`I told you to SHUT UP!' Suigintou gritted through her teeth.

 

`Temper, temper.'

 

Suigintou took flight out of the window and began aimlessly thrashing around in the air.

 

`What do you want with me? Why are you always annoying me?'

 

`You wouldn't want to know what I want with you. And I'm always annoying you to remind you that I'm around. Are you scared of me Suigintou?'

 

`No, not at all!' Suigintou yelled.

 

`I know you are, Suigintou. I know you cringe in fear at the sound of my voice, even when I only speak a single word.'

 

`So, you're trying to scare me then?' Suigintou yelled.

 

`Yes, but that's not all I'm trying to achieve from you.'

 

`Then what? JUST TELL ME!'

 

`I love seeing you angered and in pain Suigintou.'

 

`SHUT UP! LEAVE ME!'

 

`Please, just leave her be!'

 

Suigintou gasped. `Sh…SHINKU!'

 

`No way…' The voice faded away.

 

`Shinku, where are you?' Suigintou yelled up at the night sky. She suddenly felt something very cold clutching onto both of her hands.

 

`You will be seeing me sooner than you think.'

 

`When is that? Shinku? SHINKU!!' Suigintou felt `Shinku' leave her, and soon she was falling. Then everything suddenly went black.

 

o:o:o:o:o:o:o

 

Shinku woke up in cold sweat. That dream again. She had had it twice in a row, and it terrified her.

 

Shinku took some deep breaths and tried to calm herself down. She would have yelled for someone, but she knew that Lyn would get in deep trouble, and she would be put back into a deep sleep, so she restrained herself from doing so.

 

The first time she had had this dream, she was floating near the ceiling of a room. Shinku had heard a scream coming from below her, and she saw Suigintou thrashing around the room screaming. Then Shinku had seen why. There was something black and foggy hovering over her, speaking to her in a soft, taunting voice.

 

Shinku had floated down to the black thing, put her hand around it's `neck' and strangled it. The black form vanished into nothing.

 

Shinku had leaned over Suigintou and asked her whether she was ok. Suigintou began looking around the room, and Shinku realised that she could not see her.

 

Suigintou had suddenly fainted. Shinku put her hand on Suigintou's cheek, as Suigintou faded away, and then vanished. Shinku had woken from that dream in cold sweat, just like she had now.

 

This time, she had been in a garden. It was night time, so she could not really see what sort of plants were in it. Then she heard someone yelling.

 

Shinku looked up, and like in the other dream, she saw Suigintou yelling. And just like the other dream, there was a black, hazy figure hovering next to her whispering in her ear.

 

Suigintou suddenly took flight, and the black figure flew with her as she thrashed about, trying to find whatever it was that was taunting her.

 

Shinku flew up, so that she was floating directly behind the figure. `Please, leave her be!' Shinku had pleaded.

 

Suigintou looked around, trying to find the source of the voice. `Sh…SHINKU!' she had yelled.

 

Shinku summoned some rose petals, and they shot the figure straight through it's head, neck and back. `No way…' it had gasped as it faded.

 

Suigintou had turned to the night sky and had began to yell `Shinku, where are you?'

 

Shinku then remembered that Suigintou could not see her. So, she had held both of Suigintou's hands, and knowing of the arranged battle she told her `You will be seeing me sooner than you think.'

 

Shinku had woken up shortly afterwards, so she did not remember much about what had happened next.

 

Shinku had no idea what the dreams meant. She had learnt from Lyn that Suigintou was alive in this era, so was she in some sort of trouble?

 

Shinku closed her eyes and drifted back into a dream, more peaceful than the last.

 

o:o:o:o:o:o:o

 

`Suigintou…Suigintou…Wakey, wakey, it's time for breakfast…'

 

Suigintou slowly opened her eyes and groaned. She was lying on a bed, staring up at the ceiling. `What happened…?'

 

`You're finally awake then! That's good, I didn't know if you were dead or not, so I don't need to bury you in the garden.'

 

`There is only one person in the world that would be stupid enough to say something like that, other than my idiot of course.' Suigintou thought. She turned to the side, and sure enough Rina was leaning over her trying to check her pulse.

 

`Rina, you are aware that dolls don't have pulses, aren't you?' Suigintou asked.

 

`Whoops, silly me, I guess I forgot.' Rina said with a giggle. `I'll go and get something made for you lot to eat then! Hmmm…'

 

Suigintou sighed as Rina left. `People in the world today…'

 

`Ah, so you are awake now. It's good to see you up Suigintou.' Souseseki said.

 

Suigintou sat up. `How long have I been out for?'

 

`I'd say about half a day.' Souseseki stated.

 

`What time is it now?' Suigintou asked.

 

`It's around three in the afternoon.'

 

`Then why was your medium telling me that it was time for breakfast?' Suigintou asked.

 

`Well…You know Rina…' Souseseki sighed. `Anyway, there doesn't appear to be any internal or external injuries, and it doesn't seem as though anything has happened mentally to you.'

 

`Well, I'm questioning my mental state right now…' Suigintou muttered.

 

`Pardon?' Souseseki snapped out of her thoughts.

 

`…Nothing.' Suigintou replied. `Why are you acting so doctor-like? Is there something wrong with me that I don't know about?'

 

`Well, we knew that something was odd, when we woke up this morning and your case was empty and the window was open.' Souseseki told her. `Joenna told us that she saw you sitting at the windowsill last night. We thought that you may have run off, due to your medium's condition or that you weren't comfortable with living with us or something.'

 

`I would never have done so!' Suigintou said confidently, but she was cut off by Souseseki.

 

`The thing that really sparked our concern was when we found you outside, sleeping soundly…in the branches of a very tall tree. I won't need to tell you the effort it took to get you down unharmed.'

 

`I was found…In a tree?' Suigintou said hazily.

 

`Yes, you were.' Souseseki stated.

 

Suddenly the door burst open, and Joenna walked in.

 

`SHE'S ALIVE!' Joenna screamed, running across the room and latching herself onto Suigintou's waist.

 

`I'm so glad you're not dead.' Joenna began hugging her tightly.

 

`Why would I be dead?' Suigintou asked.

 

`Rina told me you were dead and I was SO SAD!' Joenna squealed, hugging her very tightly.

 

`Suigintou, you woke up ~desu!' Suiseseki walked over and sat beside her twin. `How do you feel ~desu?'

 

There was a silence between them.

 

`Joenna, I think you can let go of Suigintou's waist now.' Souseseki said.

 

`Why?'

 

`She can't breathe.'

 

Joenna pulled away from Suigintou, and Suigintou drew a deep gasp of air. `Thanks...'

 

Joenna began picking at a thread on her over jacket. `I've been thinking for a while…'

 

`What ~desu?' Suiseseki asked.

 

`I wanna go with you.' She said softly.

 

`Where to ~desu?'

 

`I want to go with you to battle those dolls.'

 

The whole room was silent.

 

`Joenna, you know you can't, you don't have enough fighting skill…' Souseseki began.

 

`Yes I do!' Joenna yelled.

 

`Well, if we can get her to hug the enemy until they suffocate, then she'll be quite useful.' Suigintou said sarcastically.

 

`I have enough fighting skill! I'm one of the top in the state…'

 

`Joenna, this isn't some joyride tournament! This is a battle of power, where any on-the-spot decision you make could cost you your life!' Suigintou told her.

 

`I don't care! Please give me a chance? Please?' Joenna pleaded.

 

`Look, I'll make a deal with you.' Suigintou began. `I'll battle you, and if you can defeat me, then you can come along. If you don't, then you have to stay here.'

 

`OK then, I'll do it!' Joenna said confidently.

 

`Wait Suigintou!' Souseseki yelled. `You can't possibly battle in your current condition.'

 

`What's wrong with my current condition?' Suigintou asked.

 

`Suigintou, just by looking at you, I can tell you are tired.' Souseseki began. `And plus, only minutes ago, you were almost suffocated. I'll battle her in your place.'

 

`Fine then.' Suigintou said. `Do what you want.'

 

`Joenna, we'll battle in the garden. Suiseseki will watch us and be like a judge. RINA!' Souseseki yelled.

 

Within a few seconds, Rina was upstairs. `Yes?'

 

` Please watch Suigintou and make sure she gets some rest. We don't want her flying into trees in her sleep again.' Souseseki said.

 

`Ok then.' Rina said.

 

The three dolls headed out the door, and Suigintou turned to the girl avidly watching her.

 

`Rina, why are you staring at me?'

 

`Because I was told to watch you and I am! Now, get some sleep. You look so tired.'

 

`The reason I can't get to sleep is because you're watching me.' Suigintou replied. `I'm not used to having anyone stare at me as I sleep. What I think Souseseki meant, was that you should keep an eye on me, not stare at me second-by-second!'

 

`Why not?'

 

`It's creepy. Can't you do something else, so I can get some rest?'

 

`Fine then, I will!' Rina moved over to a white bookshelf, and pulled out some notebooks. She sat down on the floor and began writing and drawing in them. Suigintou couldn't really see what she was doing, but she didn't really care. Suigintou listened to the scratching of a pencil against paper, while staring up at the ceiling.

 

`Out of curiosity, what are you doing?'

 

`Writing music.' Rina replied. `I always write down ideas in a pocket notebook as soon as I think of them, and I try to develop them either at home or in the studio.'

 

`Rina, when did you decide that you wanted to be a singer?'

 

Rina looked deep in thought. `Well, even when I was little I was interested in music, but my parents didn't really like that I was interested in it. They didn't really see performing arts as a proper career. So I convinced them that I was only going to do it as a hobby, and nothing more. Eventually, my parents slowly began to see that I was serious about this, so we came to a negotiation that I could do singing as a hobby, if it didn't interfere with my studies.

 

Then, in a period of about a year, a lot of things happened. I started performing for my school and for small events around the place in my spare time. At the end of one of my shows, I was given a chance to compete in a competition for a well known recording group, where the winner would get a contract with them.

 

I begged my parents to let me go, but they didn't want me to. They told me that because I was in my peak years at school, I needed to start focusing on my studies, and stop getting distracted by things on the side. I thought that perhaps I would run away on the day of the competition, and sing no matter what they said. And that's what I ended up doing.

 

On the day of the competition, which was a Saturday, I slipped out of my room with all my things, through the window. I walked a bit, and then caught a taxi there. I thought I had planned it all out. My performance at the competition went without a problem, and I would say that it was probably one of my best performances.

 

But, backstage after my performance, a police officer came to visit me. I thought that my parents had called the police, and that the officer was here to take me back home. When I tried to explain myself, and why I was here, the police officer told me that…that he was here for an entirely different reason.

 

He told me that when my parents were travelling on the road to the venue, most likely to take me back home, they…they were killed in a car crash. Another car had run the red light, and…and my parent's car was hit. They were both dead when the bodies were removed from the vehicle.

 

I was incredibly upset. But, after the few performances left, the winner would be announced, and I didn't know what to do. In the end, a friend of mine convinced me that it was worth at least seeing what the results were. It was such a shock, when the winner was announced to be me. I cried on the stage, for so many reasons.

 

I thought about rejecting the contract, because after all, it was my passion to sing that had indirectly killed my parents in the first place! If I accepted the contract, then it would be like I was happy with my parent's killer!

 

But…But I decided to accept the singing contract. Because…I had already lost my parents, and I didn't want to lose anything else. If I gave up, then everything that I had done and all the things that had happened would have been all for nothing! And at that very moment, when I signed the contract, was when I truly decided that I wanted to sing.'

 

Rina curled up into a ball and began to cry. `Although it was so long ago, it still brings back tears!'

 

Suigintou listened to the girl crying, and she remembered her own life. `Yes, although it was so long ago now, it still pains me to think of all the tears shed back then.' She thought to herself.

 

`The twins have been living with me for over 3 months now. They make good company, and I have really enjoyed spending time with them. I will miss them when they go.' Rina said, as she tried to control her sobbing.

 

`When they `go'?' Suigintou said. `Look, don't give up hope, we have a chance at winning the battle…'

 

`That's not what I meant!' Rina yelled.

 

Suigintou was slightly shocked that Rina had yelled. `What did you mean then.'

 

`Normal doll, Rozen Maiden doll, it doesn't matter.' Rina sobbed. `Nothing lasts forever! Eventually, every good thing comes to an end, which is why I am appreciating their company, while it still exists! Really, that could apply to anything, you living dolls have a heart and soul! To nurture them and watch them grow, and know that one day they are going to die on is just cruel!'

 

`That could be applied to humans too.' Suigintou replied.

 

`Huh?'

 

`When a mother gives birth to a child, she knows that one day the small baby is going to die. All humans hope that the death will be due to old age, but really the child could die tomorrow, or in the next month or in a years time due to any kind of reason. Then, why would a mother bother raising a child like it's going to live a long life, when it could die the next day? `

 

`Why?'

 

`Because' Suigintou concluded. `With every life, there is hope. A mother's duty to her child is to teach them how to fight, to hold onto their life, and to grasp the gift of hope. The same can be applied to living dolls, even if the knowledge about the time of death is different. A medium who truly cares about their doll will teach them how to find the gift of hope, and in doing so will give them a chance at life.'

 

`I guess so.' Rina shrugged. `That didn't really sound like you…'

 

`I had a little sister that used to say things like that all the time.' Suigintou smiled. `It rubs off after a couple of decades.'

 

`By the way, missy.' Rina stood up and put her hands on her hips. `Our chatting has distracted you from sleeping! Rest!'

 

`Fine, fine.' Suigintou turned over on the bed to face the wall of the room, and was just about to fall to sleep, when a loud yelling instantly woke her up.

 

`Now what?' She groaned, and she turned and saw Joenna happily spinning about the room.

 

`SUIGINTOU!' She yelled, as she latched onto Suigintou's waist and snuggled into her side. `IWONIWONIWONIWON…IIIII WOOOOON!'

 

Suigintou turned to the Gardener twins who had entered the room shortly afterwards. `You can't be serious.'

 

`Nope, she beat Souseseki, fair and square ~desu.' Suiseseki commented. `You should have been there ~desu! The fight was so intense, I could hardly keep my eyes on it, they were moving so fast ~desu!'

 

`Well then, we should start compiling some sort of letter to give to the opposing dolls, explaining the current situation…' Souseseki said in a rather annoyed tone.

 

`What would it say? `We didn't want to make a small child cry, so we battled her and she won, so now she has to come along'.' Suigintou said sarcastically.

 

`Suigintou, did you even get an ounce of sleep while we were gone?' Souseseki asked.

 

Suigintou did not reply.

 

`I will take that as a `No'.' Souseseki said. `Now, it's almost time to eat something for dinner, so we'll all go downstairs, and you had better get some rest during that time.'

 

`Yes, yes.' Suigintou said with a sigh.

 

The three dolls and Rina left the room. Suigintou turned over to the wall, and finally was able to go to sleep.

 

o:o:o:o:o:o:o

 

`I don't believe this!' Scylla yelled.

 

`What is it, Scylla?' Morielta asked.

 

`The Rozen Maiden's we are going to battle want to bring a brat along.' Scylla yelled.

 

`What? No way! They can't do that!' Morielta said, in a shocked tone. `Wait, how do you know that?'

 

`This letter came through the mirror addressed to us.' Scylla said handing the opened envelope over to her sister. `Here, read for yourself!'

 

`To opposing dolls,

Due to our current circumstances, we would like your permission to bring along a normal living doll with us. She isn't very powerful, and wouldn't do you much harm.

Please reply with your response.

From the Rozen Maidens'

 

Morielta read the letter out loud and looked up at her sister. `What should we say?'

 

`Well, the obvious answer is no! The deal was three vs. three, not three vs. three+brat.' Scylla fumed. `I'm going to give them a response right now, telling them exactly what sort of idiot I think they are being.'

 

`Wait, Scylla.'

 

Scylla turned and saw a sight that she had not seen…Well, ever.

 

`Master, what are you doing here?' Morielta asked with concern. `You never leave your area of the house when we are here.'

 

`Well, I decided to get some fresh air. I heard from…sources, that you three plan to battle with the Rozen Maidens, right here in this very mansion.'

 

`Yes, Master.' Scylla replied. `We hope that doesn't displease you…'

 

`No, it makes me happy that you are doing your job.'

 

`But, the Rozen Maidens want to bring their friend along.' Morielta said. `We didn't know what to say as an answer, and as you are here, we might as well ask you what you think.'

 

`I think you should let them.'

 

`But why?' Scylla asked.

 

`Let me tell you how I would plan to invite four dolls into the mansion, and only have a three-vs.-three battle…'

 

o:o:o:o:o:o:o

 

Lyn was wandering down the hall of the mansion late on the night before the battle was to be held, although she did not know that. Shinku and Lyn had discussed many things about the battle, and this was the last thing that was needed to be done, before her preparations were complete.

 

Lyn walked closer and closer to her destination, and considering the many forbidden acts that she had already committed, she should be used to this feeling of guilt by now. But, she still felt incredibly guilty at breaking more rules, but knew that after tonight, she would not need to.

 

She approached her Master's quarters, a place that was forbidden to her. Under any circumstances, she would not be allowed to enter there. But she put her hand on the door knob, and slowly, and without a sound, she opened the door.

 

Lyn crept over to her Master's bed and knelt beside it. Shinku had told her the previous day, when the subject was brought up, what the other way was to get rid of a medium's contract.

 

She leaned over him, and hesitated, before kissing his medium's ring. The medium's ring glowed for a few seconds, and that was her cue to go.

 

She walked as quietly and as fast as she could, out the room and closed the door with out making a noise. Then she broke out into a run, and she ran down the hallway, past rows and rows of lifeless dolls that stared at her with their blank, silent eyes.

 

Lyn continued running, and subconsciously ran into the room that Shinku was kept. She entered the room and shut the door behind her. She slumped down the wall, curled up into a ball, and then began to cry.

 

Shinku, who had been pretending not to move after being awakened from her sleep, opened her eyes when she realised that it was Lyn who was crying.

 

`Lyn, what's wrong?'

 

`I did...I did…I did it…' Lyn opened her clenched fist, revealing a ring that was still glowing a soft blue.

 

Her crying became heavier, and she hugged herself tightly in an attempt to comfort herself. Her silver medium's ring fell out of her hand and landed with a soft `cling' on the floor.

 

o:o:o:o:o:o:o

 

A/N

Well, Public holidays become useful when writing fiction's aren't they?

If any of you are confused about the time span, Mirien's visit happened the day Rikou was kidnapped, the voice incident happened that night [as well as Shinku's take on the dreams], and Suigintou's whole attempt to rest happened the next day. The part with Morielta, Scylla and the master could have happened anytime from late that evening the day after Rikou gets kidnapped, to the day before they plan to battle, and Lyn rejecting her contract happens the night before. They all happen in a chronological sequence, so you shouldn't get that confused.