Saku Nervetti's Story

It was a beautiful day, with just a slight chill in the air. Saku sat on the steps of a local bakery, clothed in a black skirt and long-sleeved black shirt with her long pink hair neatly brushed up into a pony tail. She took the last bite of warm sugar-coated bread and happily licked the sugar off her fingers before standing up and brushing the crumbs off her lap. She tossed the wrapper in the trash and started making her way down the stone pathway, a little innocent smile on her face and her hands behind her back. She'd finally managed to talk her parents into letting her go out for a little while. She'd been laid up a while with a cold, but it was letting up now and the first thing she wanted to do was eat something sweet.

It was too bad she had to head back home now. All that was waiting for her were her overly-protective mother and father who would just make her head straight back to bed. The hot pink ribbon holding up her hair suddenly let itself go and the breeze carried it down an alleyway. "Hey, wait!" Saku said, chasing after it down the alleyway until she caught it with her boot and picked it up at the end of the alley. "Bad ribbon!" She scolded. She was about to tie her hair back up when something caught her eye. It was the front of a shop she'd never seen before, but it was selling one of her favorite things; dolls. She stuffed the ribbon into her skirt pocket and hurried over to it, staring with wide eyes into the window.

After just a few seconds, she pulled open the door and stepped in, her lips slightly parted with awe. She let out a light giggle and made her way over to one of the walls and her eyes slowly moved up, examining all of the dolls on the shelves. She'd never seen so many beautiful little dolls before.

Rahls suddenly thought he had heard something like a yell. Looking behind him, he only saw a girl entering the shop. The man from earlier was gone, which he was glad of. He assumed it had been nothing, and turned to look at the shopkeeper, who was gazing at him in a way that he found rather odd.
Suddenly it struck him that he was a boy who could be mistaken for a girl who just walked into a doll shop. No matter how much he didn't like it, it was pretty obvious what a person would think about that.
"Ah, I don't like dolls. It's for my sister," he explained to the man. "I'm serious. Stop looking at me like that!"

The Shop Keeper looked at the boy with an annoying smile, "Oh yes, I believe you, my dear boy. But there is one little problem," he said as he started pushing the boy towards the door, "I don't give away my dolls as gifts. So unless you want your own doll or you let your sister come here and get her own doll, then I will not let you have any of my precious dolls." he then placed a finger on his chin, "Think of it this way, how would you feel if someone buys you as a present?" the boy looked at him with an annoyed look, "I am sorry but I see my dolls as humans, they are in this orphanage...waiting for someone to adopt them. Not give them as a gift."

He then went towards his other customer and smiled gently, "How may I help you, young lady?"

Rahls grimaced, annoyed. The shopkeeper was definitely an odd man, but once Rahls set his mind to something, nobody could make him think otherwise. So he swallowed his pride and walked past the man as he was dealing with the girl behind him.
"All right. Fine. I guess I'll just get one for myself then...

The Shop Keeper smirked, "Much better." he then turned to the boy and pointed towards his dolls, "Now which of my precious dolls do you wish to adopt?" he asked while going towards the counter to get the contracts and candies ready, "The game will start very soon." he thought while chuckling in his mind.

Rahls frowned. He hadn't thought that making the shopkeeper change his mind would've been that easy. Still, he looked around at the shop. An odd little doll caught his eye. It was a girl, he assumed, with little ears sticking out of her somewhat unkempt black hair. Looking closer, she seemed to have more modern clothes on, and a small whiplike tail. He was pretty sure that it was a mouse girl or something like that.
"This one's nice..." he said, plucking it lightly from where it stood.

Saku gave the shopkeeper a friendly smile. "I'm just going to look around." She said before the man turned back to the customer who came in before her. She continued slowly making her way around the little store, eying every doll that she could until they locked on one particular doll with pretty gold eyes and a hat. She stepped over to the shelf where this little doll sat and stared at him curiously. "Its got bunny ears.." She whispered very quietly to herself, leaning in a little to get a closer look. There were plenty of beautifully made dolls about the store, but she just felt pulled towards this one aside from any of the others. She pulled out the change that was left over from the bakery and counted it. It wasn't very much, but it wouldn't hurt for her to ask anyway. She walked over to the desk and quietly stood behind the customer who had come in first and patiently waited her turn, though found herself looking up at the customer every now and then. She could tell he was a man, but he was extremely pretty and seemed rather feminine for a man. She gently tugged on the mans shirt. "Excuse me sir, but you're really pretty." She said with a little smile.

Rahls turned his gaze toward the small girl at the sound of her voice. Normally, he would have been angry about someone saying that, but he had a soft spot for kids. Of course, he didn't know exactly how old the girl was, but she wasn't quite as old as him. He smiled at her and laughed quietly.
"Thanks," he said simply. He didn't really know what else to say, so he just smiled again at the girl before looking at the shopkeeper bustling around at the counter.

Saku made her way back over to the doll she had been looking at before and continued looking at him as the shopkeeper assisted the first customer who'd come in. It was the cutest doll she'd ever seen. Her favorite part would be the white bunny ears sprouting from its hat. As she heard the other two men talking, she turned her head and watched the shopkeeper ask the man to sign something and also place a piece of candy on the desk. She rushed over with a wide smile on her face and pushed her way in beside the other customer. "Excuse me, but are you saying all we have to do is sign that paper and we get to pick which ever doll we want for free?!" She asked enthusiastically.

Rahls narrowed his eyes. There had to be some kind of catch to it, but what with the parchment being blank and all, he couldn't find any way it could be. Still, he decided to sign his signature differently than he normally did just in case. Maybe, if it was a scam, they were trying to figure out a way to use his signature for something. He fished a fountain pen from his pocket, he usually carried one around when he went shopping, and scrawled out his name on the parchment with a form of western calligraphy that he had learned how to do.
The candy that the shopkeeper had offered him was still sitting on the desk. Rahls had no intention of taking it, but with the shopkeeper smiling at him in that infuriating way and looking rather expectant, he took the candy, peeled off the wrapper, and popped it into his mouth. He was about to get out as quick as possible, in case the candy really was drugged or something, and then he remembered the small girl standing behind him. He sighed. For him, it was nigh on impossible to let something happen to her while he got as far away as he could. So he smiled his sweetest, most girl's smile at the shopkeeper and proceeded to look around at the dolls in the shop.

The Shop Keeper looked at the little girl and smiled gently, "Oh yes, for you see; I do not desire the queen's money." he said then looked at her doll of choice, "Ah, the White Rabbit; kept on saying that he is late...very late." he giggled at the thought, "But his treatment to those above him and below him are unequal. He possess such discrimination, no?" and like the other dolls, he waved his hand on the air, "But don't mind silly oh me! Just sign this parchment and the doll is yours." he said as he placed a bottle which said "DRINK ME".

"Always saying he's late huh?" She said quietly to herself, then smiled at the shopkeeper as he placed a piece of paper on the front desk. Her parents had been teaching her to sign her name for as long as she could remember, but never found any use for it. Now that she had a reason to, she was a little happy. She quickly signed the paper and thanked the man for the drink and downed it happily. It tasted sweet, almost like sugar with a hint of honey or maybe vanilla. Either way, she enjoyed it and thanked the man a second time before hurrying over and picking up the doll she'd chosen. She looked at him fondly, trying to think of what to name him. "Shiro." She said after little though, "It means 'white', ya know. And you're supposed to be a white rabbit, though you have brown hair and pretty orange eyes. I wonder why you have white ears instead of brown ears?" She said to it with a little smile before hugging it against her chest. She noticed the other customer hadn't left yet, which she thought was a little strange. Hadn't he already picked a doll? "Thank you again, mister!" She said, turning to the shopkeeper once more before making her way out of the store and stopping outside of the front door to look at her doll again. She couldn't wait to tell her parents about the doll shop.

The Shop Keeper chuckled slightly as he watches his contestants find their way around the Maze of Doors, "I wonder why they haven't heard the song and why hasn't the other little girl fell yet?" he shrugged, "Oh well, let's just put an amplifier, Blood. The other one should come soon." he then stood up and waved his hands like he was conducting an orchestra. Soon two big amplifiers appeared beside his throne and his doll, "Okay, I know that they should hear this. Play the theme song of this game instead, Blood."

Blood nodded and started to play again as well as sing...

Suddenly she was falling in darkness. She wasn't really sure what was happening, only that the moment she started to distance herself from the shop, the ground had disappeared beneath her and the world vanished as she fell into nothing. Saku didn't know if she was supposed to be scared, or simply shocked. Had this all just been a dream after all? Maybe she was still asleep back in her bed at home and her parents had never given her permission to go out. She clutched onto the white rabbit doll, pressing it against her chest and hugging it tightly as she fell. All she could think of doing was closing her eyes and before she knew it, she'd stopped. Her eyes slowly opened and she found herself laying in the middle of a room with many doors.

Was she still dreaming? This all seemed too real to her. "Mom? Dad?" she said loudly, her light voice echoing around the room. She was nervous now and the dark bothered her. "Shiro...where are we?" She whispered to her doll as she stood up and held it to her chest with one arm. The other stayed at her side with her hand bawled into a nervous fist.



She spun around, trying to figure out where the song was coming from. "Hey! Is anyone there?!" She yelled, but her voice just echoed back to her with no reply. She took a deep breath and approached one of the doors; a large, light purple one with gold trimmings and swirling gold imprints around its edges with the center clear of any design.



As she turned the gold knob and pushed the door open, the sound grew louder and she squinted at the light coming from the room.

The Shop Keeper looked up when he saw someone entered the room, he squinted his eyes to see the pink haired girl who bought his White Rabbit, "Well well well, the last to buy is the first to come in."

He grinned towards her, "Welcome," he snapped his fingers and a parchment appeared out of thin air, "Saku Nervetti! You are the first to officially enter the game!" he exclaimed as he rose from his throne and twirled around. As he was twirling around and round, Blood sang the next verse:



The Shop Keeper smirked at her, "Now, shall we," then suddenly a long table appeared filled with sweets and tea accompanied with charming crimson chairs, "Have a cup of tea while we wait for the others, hm?"

The one who greeted her was the shopkeeper from the doll shop. He welcomed her, telling her that she was the first to enter the game, whatever that meant. She just wanted to know where she was and how she got here. This had to be a dream. The song she'd been hearing before continued, coming from another doll next to the shopkeeper as he stood from his chair and began to twirl. She watched him in awe, holding her own doll to her chest and blinking curiously.

Suddenly a long table appeared before her with plenty of sweets and tea spread out amongst its surface. It was like magic, and definitely not something that could happen in real life. But she swore this somehow seemed familiar to her. Had she heard this story somewhere? Her parents never liked the idea of her reading fairy tails, concerned that they would put fantasies and silly dreams into her head.

"Uhm..thank you sir.", she said hesitantly as she took a seat on the 2nd to last chair on the right side of her. She was nervous at first, but the sweets were practically calling for her. It didn't take long for her little smile to return and she filled her plate with two slices of strawberry cheese cake and poured herself a cup of tea. She took a couple of bites, the white rabbit sitting on her lap. If this was a dream, it wouldn't hurt to enjoy it right?

"Excuse me, but what did you mean by 'the others'? Are there more people coming. How many?" She asked curiously, her blue eyes moving to the shop keeper.

The Shop Keep watch Saku sit down on one of the chairs hesitantly and got two slices of the strawberry cheesecake. He got one slice of a blueberry cheese cake, black forest cake, chocolate cake, mocha cake and a chocolate mousse with sweet green tea, "How I stay this thin, I will never know." he thought as got a scoop of the chocolate mousse.

"Excuse me, but what did you mean by 'the others'? Are there more people coming. How many?"

He looked up to Saku, who had asked the question, and tapped his chin, "Hm..." he then counted with his fingers, "There would be exactly five more people and seven delightful dolls coming to the tea party." then got a chunk of the blueberry cheese cake, "Though I suppose one doll and human would be late, seems that they are inside the Illusionary." he sighs, "I think I may even have to get there and bring them out."

Blood looked at his master and bowed his head in shame, "Ah! No need to be so glum, Blood!" the Shop Keeper said to his doll, "Everyone makes mistakes!" Blood then proceeded to the next lines of the song:



The Shop Keeper sipped his green tea as all the cakes he has chosen are in his stomach and empty plates surround him.

"Five more..and dolls too?"

Her eyes moved onto the doll near the shopkeeper. The little thing was moving and singing by itself, with no ventriloquism included. It really was a sight to see, and it Saku much enjoyed the singing. It was quite the strange song, with even stranger lyrics, yet it was also fun and intriguing in a way.

Wait, dolls were also coming. Could Shiro talk and move about freely as well?

"Though I suppose one doll and human would be late, seems that they are inside the Illusionary." he sighs, "I think I may even have to get there and bring them out."

And Illusionary? Was that some sort of room? She'd never heard such a name for a room before. She took another bite of her cheesecake, and then another. Before long she had one gone and the other half eaten and the tea in her cup had been politely refilled three times now by a floating tea pot.

"Uhm..sir, do you have a name?" She asked, blinking at him curiously. She didn't want to keep calling him 'the shopkeeper'.

"Also, if you'd like I could fetch them!" She gave him a big smile, "I can help no problem!"

"Uhm...sir, do you have a name?" the little girl asked while blinking at him curiously, "Also, if you'd like I could fetch them! I can help no problem!" she said with a grin.

Blood looked at her and glared at her a bit, this made the Shop Keeper roll his eyes, "Typical Blood. Doesn't want help from outsiders especially humans." he thought as he sighed then looked at Saku, "It has been such a long time since I used my real name." he chuckled, "I think I already forgot my own name. How dumb." he took one slice of the ice cream cake, "And no, you cannot fetch them. They must come here and find their way here." he then ducked low, "Also Blood doesn't like having help." he whispered.

The Shop Keeper looked up and smiled at the new comer, "Welcome," he snapped his fingers once more and the contract appeared, "Azura Ravencraft! I must say! You are a bit late for tea." he then pulled out his pocket watch, "The others would come very soon..." he then looked at Blood, "As long as Blood keeps singing, they would come eventually."

He then turned to Saku, "You see, it is okay if you did not go fetch them," he then turned to Blood, "My precious doll always take care of everything."



The Shop Keeper then took some muffins and slices of cakes.