Chapter Text
"Need some stitches? I can help!"
A common phrase you'll often hear once you step into a specific tailor shop in Lumina City, a place resembling more of a ragdoll emporium. Handmade dolls are showcased around the place, with the owner herself, Melissa, visible behind the counter.
But before we proceed, let us pause for a moment and reflect on who she once was. In this era, people know her as the “Cursed Needle,” while others refer to “the girl with ragdoll companions.” Yet the truth is, long before those names ever clung to her, Melissa was someone entirely different.
Even from a young age, she already possessed a quirky and mischievous personality, yet she also exhibits reliability and responsibility when called for. Her mother, who used to work as a tailoress, takes great care of Melissa. Even though they weren't financially secure, they enjoyed each other's company. She always ensured that Melissa's happiness and contentment were a top priority, by dressing her in lovely outfits adorned with charming patches in the worn areas.
Melissa never knew her father, yet she felt no urge to seek him out. Curiosity never stirred within her, and she kept herself from ever asking her mother about his whereabouts. Her mother even graciously presented her with charming ragdolls that she always wished for whenever she take a step to that doll shop near to their home—now lovingly referred to as "Giggles, Muddles, and Cuddles"—using old clothes scraps sewed together. Nowadays, people can't even see Melissa without her iconic, beloved companions on her side.
Until one day, their blissful and serene life took an unexpected turn. Melissa’s mother fell gravely ill, leaving her unable to continue her daily tailoring work. With no other choice, Melissa stepped in to take over the duties at their small tailor shop. It was the only way to keep food on their table and ensure they could survive.
At some point, the illness worsened more than usual, but her mother doesn't want to give up just yet, not until she sees Melissa wearing a beautiful wedding gown that she personally made for her in the future.
"Melissa, I will never give up. I will be stronger, for you. Soon."
"Mom… I sincerely hope you won’t leave me so suddenly. I… I wouldn’t know what to do if you were to just… leave from my side."
"Oh my dear, please don't say that. Just as I mentioned, I will take my time to be stronger, for you, and for our beloved shop. We can't let this place go to waste if ever something happens."
"I'll be stronger for you as well, Mom. I'll put some extra effort on these tailoring projects, for you! Just promise me that you'll always be by my side."
"I promise."
And with that, Melissa shared her final conversation with her beloved mother. By the next morning, her mother was gone—leaving Melissa behind forever. Stricken with grief and unable to process the weight of her loss, Melissa shut herself away, neglecting food and starve for an entire week.
Things took a wild turn for the worse when their tailor shop had to be closed, while Melissa can't even find enough funds just to give her mother the proper funeral that she deserves, for giving her a memorable childhood and freedom, for the sacrifices and decisions that she has to make for their own good, for being there with her when she needed it the most, for being — everything.
Days later, an unfamiliar individual who identified himself as her "father" unexpectedly appeared out of thin air, finding out that she has a half-sister, and she is an illegitimate child of House Paxley. It managed to surprise and angered Melissa simultaneously, and eventually departed after spending several days striving in that place — where she doesn't truly belong. She felt like a rock surrounded by diamonds.
With no one left by her side, she made the choice to return to Lumina City, still unable to comprehend the sudden revelations and devastating events that had unraveled her life.
"What just happened? Everything is so perplexing. My mother turning out to be a Paxley, I have a dreadful half-sister, and being considered as an illegitimate daughter... could this day possibly get any worse?!" she pondered to herself.
Suddenly, she began to feel something peculiar and eventually witnessed her angel-like doll speaking with her mother's voice.
"Mom? Is that really you? Am I... hallucinating?"
"Everything will be alright, dear."
***
But she was suddenly awakened by the rainy night before she could even respond to her mom, feeling overwhelmed and seeing no one but herself. A magical energy suddenly surged into her heart, and thus, the "Cursed Needle" was born.
"What the hell is this? I seem to possess some kind of magical ability, but how exactly? This is certainly peculiar, and interesting. So far, it seems like I mastered the art of throwing needles and imbuing them with magic."
Upon acquiring these newfound abilities, she made the choice to establish her very own boutique in the city, employing the blueprint from their previous tailor shop for the interior design.
"And voila! I can finally live in peace. Nobody will even bother and attempt to convince me about that stupid Paxley nonsense. I just couldn't trust random people."
But the question remains... will Melissa finally find the peace she longs for, or will fate deny her that fragile hope once again?
***
Several months later, following the establishment of her own tailoring shop, the citizens of Lumina City frequently expound this new, distinctive establishment as the "tailor shop with dolls" that even citizens from different place across Land of Dawn would travel throughout Lumina City just to buy and seek advice from this unusual place, yet Melissa remained unfazed, dedicating herself to unfold the origins of her cursed magic.
Suddenly, a foreigner named Yin stumbled upon the tailor shop and specifically requested for Melissa. What would be this so-called request that this Yin wants from her? Why he specifically went for Melissa? No one really knows why, but maybe it could be the start of her trying to trust people again without any hard feelings behind.