Shinku entered the house and followed the sound of voices to the livingroom.
"Merry Christmas!" she greeted as she took off her bonnet, "Is one of you the host of this party?"
Nareen and Nahh-Ati turned their heads. The necromancer waved to the newcomer. "Hello! Yes, I'm Nareen and this is my friend Nahh-Ati."
"I am Shinku, the fifth Rozen Maiden. It's a pleasure to make your aquaintance!"
"Whoa, what beautiful blonde hair!" Nahh-Ati stared at Shinku's pigtails.
"Rozen Maiden? Oh, I see, you're a friend of the twins we met while playing videogames. Are they with you?" asked Nareen.
Shinku shook her head. "We must have missed each other at the meeting place, so I came alone."

"Aw. At least the party is in full swing already, so make yourself comfortable! You can leave your hat on the coat rack in the corridor."
"You mean the one next to the coffin?" Shinku inquired, choking slightly.
"Ah, sorry about that, it belongs to one of our roommates. Don't worry, there's no dead person in it! I checked!" Nareen assured Shinku.
The doll paled. "Uhm... That's nice to know, thank you." She cleared her throat. "I was told there's also a wingling cook amongst the hosts?"
"Giselda is upstairs in the kitchen. Actually, she's a beastmaster and not a cook, but she's still terrific. Just go there if you're hungry."
"Just what I wanted to hear!" When she noticed she had said that loud, Shinku's face reddened. "Err... I'll go and say hello to her. Excuse me."
Nareen watched the blonde leave the room and stiffled a giggle.

"Nahh-Ati, I have to check on the garden. There might be more guests who need to be greeted. Are you coming too?"
"I'll come later, have to finish these cookies first!" said the student, munching on a mouthful.
Nareen laughed. "Alright, see you later!"

At the same time Tamara and Wati were greeting two more newcomers.
"Hello!" said Suiseiseki and Souseiseki simultaneously.
"Ah, the Rozen Maiden twins, I suppose? Welcome!" Tamara eyed them with interest. "Your friend Shinku arrived just a minute ago."

"Shinku is here? "
"Whew, and we thought she got lost!" Sou sighed in relief.
"Where is she?"
Tamara pointed towards the house. "She went inside to say hello."

"Then we should follow her. Come Sui!"
"Wait a second..." Suiseiseki's gaze wandered over the party location. "Is everyone here already?" she asked sheepishly, which made her sister's eyebrows rise because it wasn't like her to be shy around other dolls.
"No, we're still waiting for more guests." Tamara assured her. When she heard that Sui relaxed a little bit.
"Don't tell me you're hoping to meet that guy..." Sou said quietly.
"Well... err..."

Nareen approached them and prevented Sou from starting up an argument.
"Merry Christmas, you two! Sorry that Eternia ruined the videogame for you the other day."
"Oh, don't worry about that." Souseiseki snickered. "We snuck back into the room later at night and beat her highscore."
Everyone laughed.
Suiseiseki turned towards the house. "At least that gained us an invitation to a good meal!"
"An offer we should quickly accept before she changes her mind!" Sou added.

"Have fun then!" Nareen called after them when Sou dragged her sister by the hand.
"At least they were honest about why they came." Tamara added sternly.
"Aw. I'm sure that wasn't the only reason!"

Dolltopia Archive 43 <-- # --> Dolltopia Archive 45