(Suigin Tou/Shinku)
While each story hopefully can be read individually, I have written these three Rozen Maiden stories to occur in this order: 1 The Light of the Mercury Lamp, 2 Deep Red Ruby Dreams, and 3 Tea for Two. Tea for Two is placed a few days after the end of S2 of the anime, Rozen Träumend.
Read Deep Red Ruby Dreams
Disclaimer: Suigin Tou, Shinku and the others from Rozen Maiden belong to Peach-Pit and possibly some others, and certainly not to me, I am merely taking them out to play for a while.
Deep Red Ruby Dreams
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by Carola “Ryûchan” Eriksson
Shinku sat in the windowsill, looking out into the night. The boy in the bed not far from her vantage point slept soundly, safely tucked away from all the hurtful things in the world underneath his blanket, and in their neat row of rose-decorated coffers Shinku’s two resident sisters slept as well, gracing Shinku with a rare moment of being alone with her thoughts.
A small wry smile touched Shinku’s lips as her thoughts turned briefly to the pandemonium and chaos that marked the days at this house, the sheer noise of it so exhausting for someone so refined as herself. Although the childish antics of her servant and her companions was taxing from time to time – Shinku steadfastly refused to acknowledge any immaturity in her own person, despite such things as her devotion for a certain show featuring a dog-puppet detective named Kun-kun – she truly did enjoy living in this house.
Clear blue eyes passed over the blanket-covered shape on the bed with some affection. Such a troublesome servant he was... yet both the boy and his sister were dear to Shinku, their failure in performance easily made up for by good intentions and good hearts. They were good children, not that Shinku would volunteer that information to them willingly while she nudged, baited and badgered both siblings to better themselves.
Had she been taller than her rather diminutive stature, Shinku would have walked over and tucked the blanket a bit more securely around the boy. Instead Shinku was left to visually inspect what she could see to assure herself that his sleep was not troubled in any way.
Satisfied with her inspection, Shinku’s attention turned to the two closed coffers lined up next to her own. As visual inspection would tell her nothing of the two that slumbered inside Shinku reached out through other senses to touch first one then the other of her slumbering kin ever so gently.
Hina Ichigo, the youngest of their family save for the mysterious and unknown seventh, slept soundly in her coffer, curled up with her favourite cuddly toy for the night. Her spirit was the brightest of all the sisters, even now bubbling and happy like a clear brook in the sunlight. Sucking her thumb in sleep and mumbling quietly about strawberries, Hina Ichigo’s sleep was undisturbed by dark tidings and recent strife, and Shinku felt grateful for this.
Although caring deeply for all her sisters, as well as being well aware that she was their natural leader, Shinku none the less tended to concern herself a bit extra in regards to this child... in fact, Shinku had worried for some time that her actions to part Hina Ichigo from her previous and well-loved master had been a decision that would cause Hina Ichigo sorrow. When the girl that had once been bound to Shinku’s sister never came around to visit Hina Ichigo despite knowing where they lived and despite being invited, Shinku knew her decision had been sound. Some humans’ love were too fickle, and if Shinku could spare Hina Ichigo the pain of a repeat of their past she would... thankfully these particular humans, Shinku’s Jun and his sister, were nothing if not caring. Though particularly the boy had an odd way of showing it at times, there would be no loneliness to break Hina Ichigo’s heart.
The other sister that lived with Shinku and her humans was a greater cause for concern. The delicate features that were usually schooled into a perfect mask shifted to a small frown that revealed Shinku’s deep concern.
Inside her coffer Suisei Seki was weeping in her sleep, her heart and spirit inconsolable for the distance between Suisei Seki and her beloved partner, Sousei Seki. Shinku closed her eyes in sympathetic pain and withdrew her senses, respecting Suisei Seki’s need to grieve in privacy and knowing full well that she could not heal this wound for them. In a building in another end of this human city Sousei Seki surely felt the same pain and incompleteness, and wept in her sleep as well.
A flutter of hesitation entered Shinku’s mind as her heart told her that the pain that Suisei Seki felt now was familiar to Shinku because she had endured it too, this separation from the person that was one’s other self. What a preposterous thought, she had not been created as the dream gardeners, she was not one half of a pair... where did this strange notion stem from?
Unbidden an image came to Shinku’s mind, of a pale face with intense and haunted cerise eyes, of white hair as soft as the finest silk, and of black wings embracing the sky.
Suigin Tou?
Why did she think of Suigin Tou?
Certainly, Shinku could not and would not deny that Suigin Tou was very important to her, and of course in the light of the events that had unfolded recently it was a natural thing that Suigin Tou should occupy Shinku’s thoughts upon occasion... surely this was not an oddity in and of itself. Although she was reluctant to acknowledge it, Suigin Tou often occupied Shinku’s thoughts, although surely that was because they so often found themselves awake at the same time, and in combat?
At least...
At least Shinku did not forgo sleeping now because her dreams were haunted by nightmares about Suigin Tou’s death. At least now that gaping hole of unspeakable loss that had resided inside her since she had watched Suigin Tou be consumed by flames was no longer there. At least now that Shinku knew Suigin Tou was back, not the same as before but whole at long last, at least now Shinku did not fear the night. And the night brought not unspeakable agony and nightmares anymore.
A slight blush dusted Shinku’s cheeks as she recalled how she had let down her guard completely and wept in joy and relief as she had realized that the Suigin Tou before her in the dream world was indeed the real Suigin Tou and not a phantom of her grief and guilt. It was not ladylike behaviour to blubber like a child, and Shinku worried that Suigin Tou would think less of her for her... momentary loss of self-control.
Yet... Suigin Tou’s own reaction had been... surprising. Shinku was surprised to feel herself tremble slightly as she recalled it, delicate hands clutching at the rich red fabric of her dress in confusion.
The expression in those lovely yet tortured cerise eyes had been surprised at first at Shinku’s uncharacteristic outburst, but then... the expression softened, and there was something, something warm, something completely new to them and shockingly pulling. Then Suigin Tou had disappeared before Shinku could discover what this new emotion was.
There had always been a certain amount of twisted affection in the way Suigin Tou looked upon Shinku, and Shinku was aware of that. She knew it was a mutual bond, this strange affectionately adversary relationship that they shared, a curious connection completely different from that of all the others. Something in Shinku had always made her shy away from wondering too closely just why that was.
That look from Suigin Tou had changed all that.
Unconsciously Shinku’s eyes lowered, searching the night-painted street below her high window. There was the telephone pole upon which Suigin Tou had stood that day. It was, of course, empty, and this was a good thing as the last thing Shinku wanted to do right now was fight Suigin Tou. Yet some part of Shinku was oddly disappointed.
Slightly annoyed at herself Shinku turned away from the window, straightening her immaculate clothing and reaching for her cane in preparation to get down. Her gaze swept past the slumbering boy once more as she silently and gracefully slipped down beside the bed, then her eyes automatically settled on the shapes that held the other two that shared this room with her.
A sudden realisation made her eyes go wide and her step falter, yes, almost stumble in place.
Sisters. Precious and cherished sisters, each of them unique and therefore commanding an equally unique place, an equally unique love in Shinku’s heart... yet the basic emotion, the basic connection was the same. Yes, there was perhaps one she loved just slightly more than another, or another to whom she felt closer to than the others, but when it all came down to it they were all her sisters and the love Shinku held for each of them was the same.
But not Suigin Tou.
Shinku never called Suigin Tou her sister, the word never appeared in her mind in connection to the tall and tortured first before now, and in truth Suigin Tou had never referred to Shinku as such either. The claim that Suigin Tou held on Shinku’s heart was not like the others. It... it was...
It was not sisterly.
A shocking thought, for certain, but not earth-shattering as their sisterhood in essence was a chosen one, true sisterhood not a possibility for their kind. But if their bond was not that, what then was it? They were not friends, Suigin Tou and Shinku, although Shinku would have dearly wanted them to be, and what else could they be?
The image came to Shinku’s mind with astonishing clarity, with such vivid detail that Shinku could almost feel herself wrapped in the strong arms of the taller Suigin Tou as she was held to her chest tightly, white hair creating a veil around Shinku’s field of vision. Pale pink lips were curved into a gentle smile, and the cerise eyes shone with such warmth it made Shinku breathless to envision. She could faintly hear the sound of long black wings rustling as they surrounded her, protected her...
Shinku trembled with confusion and a strange, exhilarated excitement that was new to her. Stiffly and slowly Shinku made her way towards her own open coffer while her thoughts raced. Why would she imagine being held by Suigin Tou, and why did the idea feel so... so... nice?
Why did the image of Suigin Tou’s eyes free of their usual pain and looking upon her with love create such a blast of longing that Shinku gasped out loud with the force of it?
Blue eyes turned to Suisei Seki’s resting place. Was this what it felt like? Was this how Suisei Seki felt about Sousei Seki? If so Shinku could truly understand why being parted, even this small distance apart that Suisei Seki and Sousei Seki were, would cause such pain... but it certainly did not seem a very sisterly emotion to have.
Was this something the maker had intended, something he had created in them? Could it be that this was a sign that it was time to stop the fighting, that the fighting was not all there could be for them, not all that their fate could hold?
Could it be that Suigin Tou was what was needed to make Shinku’s soul complete?
Still wondering Shinku made her way to her coffer and climbed in, letting the top close as she made herself comfortable. She wondered suddenly if Suigin Tou would visit her in the dream world again tonight, and what reaction she would get if she invited the other to tea and conversation instead of their usual fare of challenges and insults. She wondered what Suigin Tou might think of being complete together with Shinku.
The thought brought a smile to Shinku’s lips as she settled in to sleep at last, Suigin Tou’s face clear before her mind’s eye and a sense of anticipation in her soul. Perhaps Suigin Tou would come tonight.
In the depths of Shinku’s heart there was the sound of wings.
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