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Mademoiselle was Shu’s most special person. His right hand man- er women. She loved him unconditionally, as did he.
However.
That didn’t mean that Mademoiselle couldn’t get sick of his shit sometimes.
Occasionally it came in the form of Shu being his normal pussy boy self, incapable of expressing his feelings properly or even giving simple praise. Which she couldn’t fault for too much considering that was her one and only job. But it got tiring sometimes you know? Other times her frustration stemmed from Shu insisting on keeping her locked away and safe from the dangers of the world. She was a young lady and she deserved to see the beauty of the world around her.
There wasn’t really much she could do as never moving-inanimate doll, only given life through some fucked up mental trauma. And no matter what Shu did or chose for her well-being, Mademoiselle couldn’t be angry. Those were all simply day to day nitpicky things.
This however, was not.
It was a rainy spring afternoon. When it all started.
Shu was out of the house running some much needed errands, he had left Mika to take care of the house and most importantly; Mademoiselle. All was well and normal, just a typical afternoon. That was until Shu burst through the door, slightly drenched, holding his groceries and a huge present box. Mika immediately sprung up from his lazy seat at the coffee table to help the man with his many bags and groceries. He immediately zeroed in on a large colorful present box.
“Oo whatcha got there Oshi-san?” He flitted about the box poking at and trying to open it to get a peek, “No one’s birthday is comin’ up right?” Mika stopped to count on his fingers to some unknown number, as Shu walked past him and into the kitchen.
“Kakaka!” He laughed loudly into the empty kitchen, “Correct, neither of our birthdays are anytime in the near future, but today my dear Kagehira, is a day worth celebrating!”
Mika scuttled to the kitchen, grabbing Mademoiselle along the way, and sat down patiently together at the kitchen table. He let his chin rest on the table as he watched Shu open cabinets and place groceries where they belong around the kitchen.
“Well it’s a pretty dang big present so it must be something’ real important we're celebrating’.”
“Correct again!” Shu turned around on his heel and slid towards the table to scoop up Mademoiselle. “Oh my beautiful Mademoiselle! Do you know what today is?”
She of course answered him in her cheery voice, “Oh you’ve gotten me so excited Shu-kun! Do tell me what marks today as so special?”
Shu with one arm cradling his precious doll, used his other to place the present in the middle of the table before promptly taking his own seat. He placed Mademoiselle in front of the box, which was only slightly taller than she was, and began to lightly pet her hair.
“Although Kagehira was right in saying there are no birthdays, I suppose this could fall under the category of a celebration of birth.”
“Awe Oshi-san yer ramblin’ now, get on with it! I can’t take the anticipation!” Mika whined.
“Ahem, right, yes. Today is none other than the anniversary of when I received Mademoiselle!” Shu shouted with glee.
Mademoiselle and Mika gasped in surprise.
“Ya never told me Mado-nee had a birthday!” Mika cried standing up from the table, “Why didn’t we celebrate it last spring?”
Shu only glared at Mika, raising an eyebrow, as if to say ‘why do you think?’
Mika sat back down.
“My my! A special anniversary celebration all for me? And you’ve gotten me a huge present! I’m embarrassed by all the attention!” Mademoiselle cooed.
“I wanna know what’s in it so so so bad! Can we open it fer her Oshi-san?” Mika said, grabbing for the box.
“Yes please! Open it for me Mika-chan!” She answered his pleas.
Now with approval, Mika grabbed the lid of the present box and gently lifted it to reveal what was hidden beneath it. He gasped in surprise, his hands flying up as he peeked inside. He couldn’t stop staring, entranced by whatever lied inside. Then his mismatched eyes, filled with wonder, flicked up to Shu. His face showed a kind of bewilderment that said ‘is this really what I think it is?’
“Well,” Shu smirked and directed the shocked boy, “Take it out of the box carefully and show her.”
With the most delicate grasp, Mika reached into the box and slowly uncovered the surprise. With slow and steady hands he placed it onto the table and in front of the doll.
Mademoiselle had only seen herself a select few times, looking into a mirror wasn’t a daily task of hers after all. But if her memory served her correctly, this was probably what it felt like.
Now sitting on the table in front of her, was the most elegant and beautiful doll.
“Another Mado-nee??” Mika cried in surprise. “Two Mado-nees!”
“Close Kagehira, I made a tremendous discovery at my most beloved antique shop. Now usually I don’t pay it a visit as often, seeing as antiquing has become quite the philistine hobby. People buying up antiques with such history they could never comprehend. How repugnant.” Shu was on another tangent. “In the end the trip was well worth my time seeing as I was able to find this magnificent doll!”
The new doll was strikingly similar to Mademoiselle. She had the same bold and bright eyes, but this doll had piercing blue eyes instead of glimmering emeralds. Her hair was shorter and a reddish blonde, with many short gentle curls compared to Mademoiselle’s large bouncy ones. Her hair was tied back in a small green ribbon and she had blunt cut bangs hanging above her eyes. Her dress wasn’t nearly as impressive as Mademoiselles of course, instead it was a simple faded green sun dress. But in every other way they looked like twins, the same small dainty hands and pretty pink blushed cheeks. It was as if they were carved from the same block of wood.
“She looks jus’ like Mado-nee! Is she Mado-nee’s… Onee-chan?” Mika questioned, cocking his head in confusion.
“Precisely my thinking Kagehira! I tried to speak with the antique shop’s owner, pressing her for information on where she had obtained such a doll. However, much to my dismay, she knew little to nothing. Only that she came from someone who’d recently passed away. Although it’s tragic, I must thank the gods who spin fate to bring her to us! Mon chéri.” He proclaimed scooping up the new doll and holding her in similar manner to Mademoiselle.
Mika swore he heard a small tsk. He paid it no mind as he bounded up to Shu to stare at the gorgeous new doll in their possession.
“So ya really think she’s related to our Mado-nee?"He dreamily asked the other doll, then turned right back to Mademoiselle, "Wouldn’t that just be so swell Mado-nee?”
Mademoiselle was at a loss for words. Another doll? That's what her precious Shu-kun thought she wanted? And one that looked almost exactly like her at that? And why was that such a bad thought in her head? Why did she find the idea of sharing anything with the new doll upsetting? The boys’ attention was hers and hers alone.
She suddenly had forgotten that Mika had spoken to her, and he was staring right at her awaiting a response.
“Oh- Uhm- yes! I’ve always dreamed of having a sister! Plus there’s been way too many boys around this house, it's about time we welcome another lady.” She said, shoving her weirdly jealous thoughts away.
Shu placed the new doll down side by side with Mademoiselle, studying them closely.
“Yes, as I had thought. Just from glancing at her in the store I could tell she bared an impressive resemblance to Mademoiselle. But now looking at them sitting next to one another it’s even more noticeable. It appears that they both are created by the same doll maker!”
“Really!” Mika beamed in excitement.
“Well of course there’s no way to tell for sure, but have my eyes ever lied?” Shu boasted, crossing his arms and laughing loudly again. Mika rejoiced with praise for his mentor.
Mademoiselle was happy to see Shu in such high spirits, it made her job easier, but she just couldn’t push away those sneaking ugly feelings building up inside her.
“Ngaah Oshi-san? If we got a new Mado-nee, we can’t just go an’ be calling’ her Mado-nee’s Onee-san. My tongue’s gonna be in twisters just thinkin’ ‘bout tryin’ to say it. I reckon she outta have her own name.”
“Well we cannot just call her Mademoiselle two, she needs a fitting name.” The two boys crowd around the imposter doll, almost as if they’d forgotten the presence of the original. Mademoiselle had nothing to add, she merely kept her mouth closed.
“Why don’t we jus’ name her whatcha called her earlier? Er- Cherri-chan?” Mika stumbled, trying to recall how to pronounce Shu’s fancy French words.
“Mon chéri? I suppose it’s just about as generic as Mademoiselle- not to say her name isn’t lovely, but it was always meant to be a placeholder. I think Chéri is a perfect name for our new doll. Good thinking Kagehira!” He praised.
“Oshi-san’s praise!” Mika blushed, “Didja hear that Cherri-chan!”
“Don’t forget about me, you two!” Mademoiselle pouted from her corner of the table. All the fawning over the new girl left her huffing, those dangerously green thoughts popping back up. But it had seemed her plea for attention went unnoticed, as her two boys continued to coo over Chéri.
—
Mademoiselle had hoped the whole Cherri-chan debacle would have tapered off into obscurity. It wasn’t like Shu didn’t bring home dolls all the time. He often would buy pieces for his collection, spend a few days making them clothes and dolling them up, only to put them somewhere on a shelf in his room. It was standard practice for the man so infatuated with dolls. However, that didn’t happen.
Shu had spent the last two weeks making an updated closet for his newest doll. While he worked, Mika kept the both of them company. The younger boy liked to make little trinkets and accessories that he hoped his Oshi-san would allow the dolls to wear, they almost never ended up getting approved but it never stopped Mika from trying again and again to impress both Shu and Mado-nee. But Mademoiselle was always impressed, she loved Mika’s creations, often begging Shu to put them on her. She loved everything her two boys made for her. Shu’s dresses and outfits were sewn with meticulous love and care, his passion sewed into every little detail. And while Mika’s creations lacked sophistication (in Shu’s words) there was no doubt he poured a part of his soul into every little piece.
But now all that love and soul was being put onto a different doll. And it made Mademoiselle extremely jealous.
She knew deep down that she was more important to Shu. She was everything to him. He probably needed her more than his left hand. She could never find an ounce of hate or resentment to the man who breathed life into her and gave her a purpose. But it wasn’t like she didn’t know how to be a pouty brat.
It's not like Chéri was going to start talking in place of her.
Right?
…right?
Well what if something awful happened to Shu again? What if someone else hurt him in an unimaginable way that even she couldn’t help with? Would another doll start talking and take her place? Would she become worthless? Just another doll thrown randomly on a collectors shelf of a glass cage? Never moving, and forever silent.
If a shiver could travel up a doll’s spine, it would have.
There was only one choice.
Get rid of the new doll.
...Which was a lot harder than it sounded.
Mademoiselle was just a doll. She couldn’t move on her own. And she wouldn't dare complain directly to Shu, the man who so thoughtfully bought the doll just for her! However, Mademoiselle did know a very gullible young boy who would listen to everything she said if she spun it in a way he couldn’t refuse.
—
“Oh Mika-chan Mika-chan!” Mademoiselle called to the boy, pulling him from his deep trance in whatever spooky-cute plushie he was working on sewing up.
“Ngah? Mado-nee? Whatcha need?” He answered innocently, he placed his work down, noticing that Shu was also deep into his own project. “Is somethin' up with Oshi-san?”
Oh typical Mika to think that Mademoiselle was calling upon him because Shu needed some kind of extra “human” assistance. It was very common the year prior, so much so, Mika pretty much associated Mademoiselle’s calls as a cry for help. Although Mika wouldn't show it, the war and the outcome of Valkyrie’s fall had more of an effect on him than he let known, and he was still learning to form new associations.
“No no, it's not about Shu-kun, he's still working hard making dresses for… Chéri-chan. But I just wanted to talk to you about that very topic.” She hid the malice in her voice.
“Dresses?” He questioned, with his typical head tilt.
Dolls can’t facepalm, but Mademoiselle wished she could.
“No… It’s about Chéri-chan. Don’t you think she’s a little sick and tired of sitting around here all day? I mean I’m used to it. It's my favorite activity; to accompany and oversee Shu-kun's work. But this is all very new to her and she might need to stretch her legs.”
Now this was kind of cruel, and Mademoiselle knew it. Maybe she wasn’t the picture perfect well mannered little lady everyone thought she was.
“Ngahh? I mean-“ he started, really wracking his brain for an answer. The doll swore she saw him blue screen. “If I were her I would feel as cooped up as an egg laying’ hen jus’ sittin’ around here doin’ nothin’. I dunno how ya do it Mado-nee!”
She had him wrapped around on her little doll finger.
“Fufu,” she giggled, “I’m just used to it I suppose. Although for Chéri-chan, I’m sure she and Shu-kun would appreciate it if you maybe took her for a little walk?”
Mika raised an eyebrow, looking over at Shu and the new doll. The man was hard at work, not a sound would break him from his concentration. “Are ya sure Oshi-san won’t get mad? He’s always scoldin’ me on not bein’ careful when handlin’ his precious dolls.”
“Oh but Mika-chan you’re always so careful with me! How would it be any different?” She practically battered her little eyelashes. “I’m sure that if you think extra extra hard about being as careful and gentle with her, nothing bad will happen.”
The boy thought for another second. Mulling over his options, probably not thinking ahead to whatever outcomes could possibly happen if he followed through. After a long ‘hmmmmm’ and a shrug of his shoulders, his mind was made up.
“Yer right as always Mado-nee, I’ll just scoop up the lil’ lady and take her for a quick walk ‘round the house!” Mika said tiptoeing by Shu and quietly grabbing the other doll. “I’ll be back real soon, don’t miss me too much! Oh an' don’t go and get too jealous of Cherri-chan!” He giggled, carefully exiting the sewing room.
“Jealous? Me? never...” Mademoiselle answered to an empty room. She still refused to believe it.
Was she jealous of that stupid, ugly, poor excuse for a twin doll? No way. She was simply doing Shu a favor by disposing of it. Did she feel bad about making Mika do her very dirty work? Well yeah… Mika was such a good kid. So full of smiles and love. He tried so hard at everything and to be as helpful as possible. Mika was also very good company when Shu was too busy with his nose in his work to pay attention to her. But Mademoiselle knew that Mika’s overzealous nature was overshadowed by one more aspect of him.
His clumsiness.
Mademoiselle’s evil plan was to make Mika overthink about how careful he was being so he’d be overly worried when holding Chéri, making him much more prone to tripping and possibly accidentally shattering the poor thing. Easy peasy. She just had to sit and wait for the eventual crash and scream and all would be back to normal.
But it never came. She listened closely as Mika oh so slowly crept down the stairs, one step at a time, at a snail's pace. He was being so so cautious as to not trip. After a while the slow creep of creeping stairs returned as Mika ascended back up to the work room. The plan had backfired.
“‘M back Oshi-san!” Mika loudly proclaimed as he slid into the room.
Shu was snapped out of his concentration and whipped around to scold the boy.
“You’re what? Where did you go-“ his voice was cut off when he noticed the doll in Mika’s grasp, “What on earth are you doing with Chéri? Don’t tell me you left this room with her?”
“Huh? Well yeah-“ Mika tried to explain.
“Non! What have I told you about handling the dolls? What would you have done if she cracked or shattered? Bring her to me at once.” He commanded. Mika, embarrassed and with his head hanging low, followed the orders. He gently handed the doll over before slumping back down in his seat next to Mademoiselle.
“‘M sorry Oshi-san…” he sounded so dejected, his enthusiasm for doing what he thought was a good deed ripped out of him.
“I’m just thankful no one got hurt. Don’t go and make rash decisions without thinking first. I know thinking may be difficult with that stuffing filled brain of yours, but please.”
Mademoiselle chose not to speak up. She watched the interaction play out, struggling to find a voice to defend Mika. It wasn’t his fault and it pained her to hear him be reprimanded for it. But somehow, she couldn’t help but still be angry at his incompetence.
---
This new doll was bringing out the worst in Mademoiselle and it made her angrier and angrier. She was really beginning to feel more and more like an old toy on Christmas Day, shoved aside for the newer, never before seen toy that all the kids were clamoring about.
Of course Mademoiselle still had her special privileges. She got to come to school, accompany Shu to class and watch over her two boys in the handicraft room. But it always felt like they were just counting down the seconds until they could rush back home to be with their other doll.
Every day after school Mademoiselle would be deposited in her spot in the kitchen, sitting and waiting for the dinner preparations to begin. Mika would immediately go and tell Chéri all about his day and what she had missed just sitting alone in the house. He would lay down on the couch with her in front of him, his legs kicking lazily in the air above him. All the attention she was supposed to be getting was being directed to an uglier version of her!
That's when Shu would emerge from his work room, proclaiming his newest creation was complete. He’d galavant down the steps with a new tiny garment and have Chéri try it on. Then the boys would coo over how cute she looked.
It made Mademoiselle’s non-existent blood boil.
She did all she could really! She already attempted Mika to drop her on too many occasions. Always dropping little hints that he should do this or that with the doll. Every time without fail he would listen and in the end be scolded by Shu. It was almost sad how he never learned. Mika trusted her more than anything, never noticing the malice behind her words. It was wrong for Mademoiselle to involve Mika in her jealous attempts to get back at Shu and his new lifeless doll, but she didn’t have much choice.
—
Mika and Mademoiselle were sitting in the living room, she was safely placed upon the coffee table where Mika was sitting on the ground. Shu sat neatly on the sofa, sewing away at his lace. It was a rare peaceful moment for her without the other doll. Usually she would savor it but...
“Mika-chan could you do me a huge favor?” She was going to try again.
Mika's head sprung up from its spot pressed against the table. “Yeah, whatcha need Mado-nee?”
“I hope I’m not overstepping or anything, I don’t want to be a bother…” She started, “No, no, never mind, it would be way too much trouble.” She was trying to bait Mika.
“I promise ya whatever it is I’ll try an’ do it fer ya! Yer no bother at all, I swear on my life!” Oh he was such a darling boy.
“Well if you insist, I just thought that maybe Chéri-chan might feel lonely all by herself with none of us with her. This would be a wonderful time for the two of us dolls to really bond, we don’t get many moments like this don’t you think?” She pleaded to Mika.
Mika jumped to his feet ready to take off, “Yer totally right! Want me to go get her right now? I’ll be back in two shakes of a lamb's tail!”
“I believe she’s in the workroom still!” She called out to the boy, he was already half up the staircase.
Mika scrambled to the room in record time, then peeked his head out after obtaining the doll. He carefully took steps towards the stairs and slowly descended. Mademoiselle listened for each creek, expecting to hear a tumble or a shriek or hopefully a shatter.
But again, nothing.
“I got her, I got her!” Mika called running back over to the living room table.
The hollering once again snapped Shu out of his working trance and he turned to tell Mika to shush. Instead he saw Mika’s rush into the room, not noticing the precious cargo with him.
“Kagehira don’t run, be careful-“
The warning served no purpose, because by the time the words reached Mika, his foot had already caught the carpet and caused him to trip and tumble forward. All while the doll was still in his hands.
It all happened too fast to see. Mika tripped, fell flat on his face, and sent the doll falling to the floor.
She landed not so carefully and everyone gasped.
Mika lifted his face from the floor to look at the doll in fear. Shu jumped from the couch to immediately check for damage, frantically searching everywhere on the doll for cracks or scratches.
Mademoiselle almost voiced a ’tsk’ that her plan didn’t end with ceramic pieces littering the living room floor.
After Shu was content looking he turned to the culprit “Kagehira! Just what were you thinking? Have my scoldings not been enough? Is the hole in your head so wide that all of my words fall right in and disappear into an abyss?”
“Nygahh Oshi-san…”
“Do not 'Oshi-san' me right now. There is a crack on Chéri’s leg. It’s not detrimental, but the fact that it’s happened is upsetting enough. I know you’re going to feel at fault no matter what I say, but please just be more careful when handling the dolls. You should know better.”
Getting yelled at by Shu was one thing, getting yelled at him for the same reason twice was disheartening. Mika’s face fell into a downward miserable look.
Mademoiselle knew he would be fine, he always bounced back fast, but she couldn’t help but feel guilty. Her jealousy mixing with newfound guilt was mixing into a terrible new feeling she didn’t want to experience.
It was starting to become overwhelming. And she was starting to notice her anguish was having an effect on Shu’s mental health as well. Also her harmful tactics were making poor Mika out to be the villain, which wasn’t her intent even if it was the foreseen outcome. It was best to quit while she was ahead, and just learn to live with her new sister. Maybe even one day they could see eye to eye and become close friends.
Maybe.
NOT!
Even though she had just finished her change of heart, all that could not compare to the newfound rage burning inside her little porcelain body.
—
Mademoiselle was sitting on the counter, her normal spot, as Shu and Mika were chatting over Chéri’s newest dress.
“Ya really outdid yerself this time Oshi-san! Every time ya make somethin’ new it’s always better than the last!” Mika cheered, “Cherri-chan couldn’t possibly look cuter than this!”
“Well yes Kagehira, that is how improvement works. And I must agree this pink gingham fabric suited perfectly for a sundress, and it compliments Chéri aesthetic flawlessly.” Shu commented, admiring his own handiwork. “What do you think Chéri?”
And that’s when it happened. Out from Shu’s mouth squeaked a small little feminine voice. One that sounded almost too familiar.
“Why thank you for giving me such a beautiful outfit~”
“Cherri-chan!” Mika cried out, not expecting to hear another doll speak. “You spoke???” Poor Mika was too confused.
Before Shu could mention he spoke as the doll simply for a joke, a second voice rang between them.
Mademoiselle was fuming. She was furious. She was ready to spend her days side by side with this new imposter doll, being dressed up as twins and pretending to play nice. Mademoiselle was a young lady, she could be respectable and act like she wasn’t bothered. But some things go too far.
Chéri speaking was the last straw.
“Shu-kun…” Mademoiselle started. Her voice was laced with poison, a kind of tone neither boys had ever heard from her.
Shu whipped around to face her on the counter, “M-Mademoiselle?”
“Do not try to speak right now.”
An ‘eep’ sounded from Mika and Shu swallowed hard, both nervous from Mademoiselle’s shift in demeanor.
“How dare you try and bring another ME home as nothing but a replacement! I see how you treat her, you make her new clothes, coo over her cuteness. How much longer until she puts on my school uniform and comes to school with you?” her voice began to crack.
“Shu-kun, why did you get another doll and treat her like me? Why did you make her so many new outfits and give her special care, more than any of the other dolls you’ve brought home? And out of everything now she begins to speak too?”
Mademoiselle began to cry, no tears could fall down her perfect porcelain face, but her sobs rang through the kitchen. The two boys didn’t know what to do. They let her cry out her feelings. Eventually Shu moved to pick her up from her lonesome spot, holding her close to his heart.
“Oh Mademoiselle, I never knew you felt this way.” The sobbing stopped, “I brought home that doll just for you, I got so wrapped up in this new doll and trying to make her worthy for you, that I had forgotten all about what was more important. I assumed you would have loved having a sister, I should have consulted you first. And for that I’m sorry.” Shu’s voice was soft and sincere.
“S-Shu-kun…” she sniffed. “I’m sorry for being so jealous, it's a terrible emotion and I felt nothing but horrible the whole time! I should have told you my feelings, but now I’ve hurt you and Mika-chan. Please forgive me.”
“It’s not yer fault Mado-nee please don’t apologize!” Mika frantically answered, his hands flailing about, thinking that would quell her worries.
Shu turned back towards Mika and the other doll, placing Mademoiselle down next to the pair. She instantly was feeling better thanks to Shu. It was almost funny, her job was to help Shu and make him feel better. But somehow he did that exact thing to her.
“I think we need to make an executive decision here. Due to my negligence and ignorance I fear I’ve made a terrible choice. As much as we love Chéri, I think it will be best for all of us moving forward if she resides with the collection.”
“Ya mean we’re gonna put her on display?” Mika asked. “Won’t she be sad bein’ put in a glass cage after she’s spent so much time with all of us?"
“Kagehira, dolls do not have feelings.” Shu stated plainly, sounding like the world’s biggest hypocrite.
“Fufu,” Mademoiselle giggled, her cheery self being back. “Except for me of course, Shu-kun.”
Mika didn’t quite get it, but he was content that everyone else was happy, and that was enough for him.
“Oo! Oo! Then I know the perfect spot for her!” Mika shouted, getting up from the table to grab for the doll.
“Kagehira what do I say about casually touching the delicate dolls-“
Mika sprung up, reached for the doll, but accidentally nudged the table in the process. He stumbled again into the table and the doll sitting along the edge wobbled until finally tumbling over and onto the ground.
And the doll was met with the floor once again.
This time however, her head had shattered clean off her neck on impact.
Shu gasped in horror, Mika cried out strings of incoherent apologies.
Mademoiselle couldn’t help but feel fulfilled.