>"Oh for the love of..."
>Replace book, steel self and head down, unless more encouraging noises soon follow.
> Never a moment of peace, is there.
> You put the book back--probably in the wrong place, you don't care--and descend into the basement hallway. You slip past the door and make your way into Flandre's room.
> Although Flandre is basically a prisoner in her own house, you can't deny she has it good down here. Her room is fully furnished with a four-poster bed, a dresser, a sofa and chairs, a tea table, and a toy chest. The walls are made of stone with lit lanterns in each corner. The rug is plush and tastefully colored a wine red.
> The littlest vampire is kneeling on her bed, wearing a red nightgown and looking ready to lunge. Her wings are unfurled, and all seven colors of her wing gems glow intensely in the gloom. However, there appears to be an extra, familiar-looking jewel that doesn't quite match the others.
> Koakuma is cowering near the doorway with her hands over her head, shaking. Bits of debris from the hole in the wall above her have fallen into her hair. As you enter the room, your foot nudges something. Looking down, you realize it is a very well-crafted doll with dark hair and pinkish-purple clothes. However, its left arm appears to be dislocated.
> On the other side of the doorway, Marisa stands with her gaze trained on Flandre. You see that she's holding her mini hakkero behind her back. All eyes are on you now as a tense silence hangs in the air.
> _