Ib ~Starshipping Version~

Disturbing Doll

Yusei sighed deeply, looking beyond the vines that kept him bound to one spot.

“They’re taking their time...” He mumbled, “I wonder if something happened...?” Yusei tried to get as close to the vines as possible, “Jaden! Alexis! Can you hear me?!”

Complete and utter silence was the response.

“No good...Argh!” Yusei stepped back and groaned, “I knew I shouldn’t have let them go alone...! What to do...”

Yusei began to pace slightly, until his eyes met with that room. He shivered just thinking about the horrors that lay there for him.

“...I suppose I’ll have to look in that room again...As much as I hate to go back there...”

He slowly walked to the only available door to him, gripping the handle. He debated actually going in, even though he said he would. Yusei took a deep breath and turned the door knob, walking into the room.

Yusei saw the truth of that room.

The room, instead of being lined with pink bunnies, was lined with disturbing dolls. Their dresses were torn, they were mostly purple and their hair was outrageously everywhere. The most horrifying thing about the dolls was that their eyes were blood red, staring straight into your soul. No wonder Yusei was so scared to go back there.

Yusei looked up at the massive painting, seeing the horrible depiction of one of the dolls. He shivered, trying not to think about it.

He went over to one of the bookcases to take his mind off of it.

“Nothing of note here...”

Yusei was about to turn around when he saw a small crack behind the case. He moved it to the side to reveal a large hole in the wall.

“Why didn’t I notice that earlier?” He murmured, going on his hands and knees to go through it.

On the other side of the hole was a room, a lighter shade of purple than the ones beforehand. A door stood directly in front of Yusei, and when he tried to open it, it was locked.

Of course...He sighed.

Yusei went further into the room and saw some cords hanging from the ceiling. He wondered what would happen if he pulled them.

He thought long and hard before pulling the second last one from the far right. He didn’t hear anything happen, but moments later a triangle fell down on the floor. Yusei looked over at it and went over to it, staring up at the ceiling. It was almost as if...someone pushed it down.

Yusei shook his head and found a spot on the floor to push the triangle over to. It fit perfectly, unlocking the locked door.

He walked slowly over to it and realised that he was being watched. He looked up but saw nothing. If only he saw the doll that had appeared earlier...

Beside the door was writing. Before stepping through, Yusei stopped to look at it.

There is no exit.
There is no reason.

“I’ve had enough of these silly quotes...I don’t even understand them...” Yusei groaned, walking through the door.

He moved quickly down the corridor, meeting a disturbing doll at the end. He frowned, until he noticed the writing beside it.

Hello there, Yusei...
I don’t like being alone...Take me with you!

Yusei ignored it, however, and hastily moved down the corridor once more. He just wanted to find Jaden again. Before he got to the end, however, he was met with the doll again.

Hey, why aren’t you taking me?

Again, Yusei ignored the doll’s protests and walked on. And yet again, at the end of this corridor, after the bend, he was met with it.

Why are you ignoring me?
Do you hate me?

Yusei mentally thought yes, but never said anything aloud. He tried to shake off the doll reappearing as an illusion of spending too much time in this godforsaken gallery, but he really couldn’t. The doll appeared again.

Hey, play with me!
I know lots of fun things we can do!

Go away! Yusei screamed in his head, now running to find the exit.

The doll was always there.

I’ve got lots of friends too...
I’ll introduce you!

Always.

Be here forever...

Finally, Yusei reached the exit. The doll was still there!

“...How long are you going to follow me?”

No reply.

“Enough of this! I’m busy here, and I’m not going to be your buddy!”

Yusei remembered what could happen if he kicked the doll, so he gently moved it out of the way. He went to open the door, but it was locked. Writing appeared.

T A K E M E

The door then unlocked, and Yusei barged in, ignoring the doll once more. He was not going to let some doll take him over, let alone befriend him. This was just too much to handle.

He explored the purple room in front of him, although there wasn’t really much to explore. Most of the rooms were locked, one of the doorknobs being strangely cold. The paintings weren’t even that interesting anymore – Yusei was too tired and too unhappy to even consider things as pretty anymore.

There was one open room though.

It had a paint pallet at the very end wall, and a sign underneath it, as well as empty pedestals. Yusei went around the pedestals and over to the writing, reading it out loud.

“Collect the seven balls of paint. Then your room will be coloured, and your bridge will be made.”

Yusei sighed deeply and took a wild guess that he collected the paint blobs and put them on the pedestals. It seemed logical.

Seeing as the room had nothing more to offer him, Yusei stepped outside of it and tried to calm down. He then decided to see if any other room was open. Luckily, it was.

He opened the door and coughed.

“Oof...” He coughed once more, looking around. The room was filled with a red fog, and he knew that his rose would soon wilt if he stayed for too long. But then he noticed a ball of colour at the side, and he just had to touch it...

Yusei slowly walked through the fog, getting to the paint. He knelt down and touched it. It was a violet colour, and as soon as it was touched it vanished. Probably off to one of the pedestals... He thought to himself, quickly gathering up the strength to leave the room.

He gasped for air, coughing some more and looking down at his rose. Only four petals remained.

Yusei dashed over to a vase of pure blue, dipping the rose inside. It was restored to its ten petals, making Yusei feel a lot better than before.

Yusei sat down beside the vase, leaning against the wall and heaving a sigh. He looked at his rose, and then around the room. Nothing was working, and God, as much as he didn’t want to admit it, he needed Jaden. Just to hear him...hug him....just to even have him there would make such a big difference.

He closed his eyes and held the rose tightly in his hand, thinking of Jaden. It soothed Yusei somewhat, just having small thoughts of the boy. He found himself letting out a small smile, before gently setting the rose in his pocket.

God, Jaden...I hope you’re okay with Alexis right now....do you miss me too?

Yusei could only wonder if the teen was as love struck as he was right now.