An Artist and Her Troubles.

[Paranoia Agent]

"Maromi, I'm so glad I found you." Tsukiko whispered to her pink plush toy, "I don't know what I would have done if-"

Here she broke off, the anguish evident in her face.

"Don't worry Tsukiko, I'm here to protect you now." Maromi's voice ooze with reassuring charm to match the pink plush dog's overall adorableness Maromi was just too cute not to like. "We need to find a place to stay, you know."

"I know. But where?" She lovingly stroked Maromi's head. "It's been at least a day since we fell into this strange place, and we've been following the road for a while now-"

"Look look look," Maromi interrupted, "look there, its a city."

Following Maromi's paw, Tsukiko's gaze met the beginnings of a city, buildings that grew from the horizon like so many well cultivated flowers and shrubs. Her elation was palpable, she didn't even need to say a word to tell Maromi how excited she really was.

She broke into a jog, then a run, a giggle, and then a laugh. Tears of joy marked her path into the city.


---

What she found there, however, was something completely unexpected.

Her pace slowed as she reached what seemed to be a marketplace or square of some kind. She couldn't tell. All she knew was that it was bustling with activity, and that it seemed that no one had noticed her.

Clutching Maromi close to her chest, she caught the attention of a passerby.

"E-excuse me?" She stuttered slightly, "Where am I, exactly?"

The man looked puzzled for a moment and then answered.

"Radasanth, in Corone."

Her eyes welled up with fresh tears. These were no places she had eve heard of. She was a child, lost, and without a clue to lead her back home again.

"I... I..." And she broke off running away once again.

He called after her, once, but she didn't turn back.

She just kept running, and running, and running.

[Paranoia Agent]

Her thoughts ran with her, forming a complex net of memory and perception. The blur of Radasanth around her, and the turmoil of memory within her.

"Father, I..."

"Maromi ran off." She was sobbing, the blur of her father's face showed concern. He just wanted what was best for Tsukiko. He just wanted to make her happy. Her mother was there too, standing behind him, her lips pursed, as if she was about to speak, but couldn't form any words.

Her father had embraced her then, smothering her tears with his broad shoulders and firm hands.

"Tsukiko, everything will be alright." He whispered to her, soothing and peaceful, "We'll find him, don't you worry."

This remark, however, just created a new torrent of tears. The truth behind Maromi's disappearance was far darker. She was too afraid to tell the truth. Her fear and her timidity were powerful masters.

The blur of buildings around her returned, in sharp relief.

She was standing before a relatively innocuous looking building with a sign that read:
Deadman's Tavern: The best damn grog in Radasanth

To Tsukiko's credit, she wasn't stupid enough to go in. Looking around, she found herself in a considerably more seedy part of town. Several of the buildings nearby had boards across the windows, and the few people which were walking the streets left her feeling apprehensive and afraid. These were not good people.

"Maromi, I'm scared." She clutched her doll tight to her chest.

She turned back the way she came only to find her path barred by two unsavory looking men. They were unclean and smelled slightly of rotting fish. One was smiling to reveal a set of teeth the color of dried, bloody snot.

She retreated a few paces,only to find herself bumping into yet another man, who grabbed her and held firmly. This one smelled of spoiled meat and eggs.

"Look what we have here."

"She looks positively scrumptious."

She sobbed once, trying her hardest to hold it in.

"Now, you weren't thinking of running off now. Not before we show you our best hospitality here in Radasanth."

She hugged Maromi to her so tightly, it almost hurt.

"Please," Her voice was a throbbing whisper, "please, no."

"Please."

"Now now, there's no cause for alarm."

The man whose disgusting hands and arms were wrapped about her dragged her backwards, moving into one of the old buildings. The place was dim and covered in dust, only disturbed as they moved quitely through it. Tsukiko's eyes were half closed and blurred with tears. She just wanted it all to go away. She wished it were just a bad dream.

That day was so far away, the mangled body of Maromi lay there, completely still. It was a grotesque image, and she had been forced to watch it, it drew her eyes. The spatters of crimson blood contrasted with the dark earth. The green grass and the soft glow of the moon above. The scene was horrifying.

She screamed then, praying that someone would hear, someone would help.

"Here, gag her."

She felt those disgusting hands covering her mouth and nose. It was hard to breathe. The stench was so strong. It was overpowering. She began to drift into unconciousness.

The last words she heard before the darkness took her:

"What the fuck is this thing. It looks like a doll."

"Throw it away, we are interested in something much better."

Maromi was wrenched from her grasp and fell to the floor.


---

The three men were gloating over their prize, the now unconscious girl.

"What a catch. Wonder what she was doing so far away from the high society people. She's far too fragile to live out here."

"Ahh whatever."

From the ground, a voice startled the trio.

"Get away from her." It seemed to originate from the stuffed toy they had taken out of the girls hands. "You don't deserve to even look upon her face."

"I'll punish you."

The three were frightened now.

"W-where is that voice coming from."

The dog on the floor was now standing, its pink exterior seemingly unaffected by the dusty floor.

"Boo." Maromi was a dog of simple pleasures, and getting revenge was one of those pleasures.

The three men jumped, in unison, their eyes collectively fixed on the small toy.

"I'm going to make you pay for what you've done."

They could barely believe their ears, much less their eyes, as the little stuffed dog began to grow. Soon it was their hight, and then it was towering above them, its cute, floppy ears just brushing the ceiling.

"I promised I would protect Tsukiko, forever."

Its face had changed, no longer did it wear the irresistibly cute, toothy grin that made the Maromi doll so lovable. Now, its face was twisted in an ugly from, its eyes angry slits which seemed to hold them men motionless in fear.

Its cute little paws were now giant, club-like implements, and its stocky, adorable little legs were now great pillars, supporting the giant, and yet somehow perversely adorable, toy dog.

One of those paws snaked out to club the first man, the one who had grabbed Tsukio and gagged her. Striking him square in the chest, it sent him flying backwards a few feet, where he lay sprawled, groaning with the pain.

It looked like the blow had ruptured something within the man.

"Oh shit." The remaining two exclaimed in unison.

The third man withdrew a vicious looking curved knife from inside his vest, followed by the second man, whose dagger was straight, but equally vicious. Both were caked with dried blood. These men had killed before.

Circling the more sluggish Maromi, the pair held their knives aloft, waiting for a chance to strike.

Swinging a paw at the curved blade, Maromi attempted to use brute force to finish the man quickly. The man, however, ducked underneath the blow, showing an agility which had been hidden beneath his grime.

The wicked blade slashed twice, cutting into Maromi's side.

No pain registered, but white, soft stuffing emerged from the gaping holes in Maromi's side. Too smug, the man held the knife there one second too late, recieving a crippling blow to the side as Maromi's other hand swung round.

He fell beside his companion, silent and still.

Unfortunately, this left Maromi's back completely exposed to the last man who took the opportunity to leap up, wildly stabbing and slashing at Maromi's neck.

The wounds were not serious, but they were numerous, and the slashes aimed at the neck were the most worrying. The gash across the back of his neck set Maromi's head at a dangerous tilt.

Maromi, seeming to finally feel the affects of the wounds, stumbled backwards, moving closer to the wall.

The dog seemed to become more and more sluggish as more of its innards were exposed.

"Tsukiko!" Maromi shouted, slamming its back against the wall and scraping back and forth a few times. The attacker behind him came off on the wall, dazed slightly.

Maromi shoved the man against the wall, pulling him up until their eyes met. The dog's eyes were pure hatred, adorable hatred, but pure nonetheless.

"I hope you learned your lesson."

The dog spun, flinging the cowering form across the room. The three men lay incapacitated as Maromi returned to Tsukiko's side, shrinking back to its doll size and snuggling up to the now unconcious Tsukiko, after removing the gag.