In a dark place where echoes could not be heard, Zero and Pain lay in the middle of a very long wooden plank. The only connecting divider between the world of mirrors and the world of distorted rooms.
The Master of Mirrors stood beside the mirrors as if preparing to greet the Master of the other world, who stood on the opposite side, tightly holding an old-fashioned suitcase.
The cloaks draping the two girls were identical, so much so that even the Fairy Man found it difficult to tell them apart. He asked the one with roots suspended from nowhere in a heavy, rough voice: "Why the shawl on the girls... You know this shawl is of the type..."
"Don't worry... Everything is fine... Did you bring the order?... I think it's in that worn-out suitcase?" said the Master of Mirrors.
"Let's finish this quickly," the Fairy Man replied.
Zero took heavy steps toward the Fairy Man, while Pain stepped back toward the Master of Mirrors.
Their small steps were unnaturally synchronized, and Pain thought to herself, "When will this play end...?"
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The day before that, Zero and Pain were walking down the corridor, each holding large plates.
"Thanks for helping me... Zero... but I'll take care of this..."
"No, no... I'd rather stay with you... instead of being with your master... I'm still amazed... How did he manage to eat without a head... it gives me the creeps."
Pain laughed, saying, "Even I don't know, Zero..." Pain said playfully.
"It's a mystery that will never be solved," Zero said with disappointment.
"You're right."
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"How are you going to wash the plates... everything for us is huge," Zero said, looking up in the kitchen.
"It's easy... I use my tentacles," Pain said, showing her tentacles.
Pain began using her tentacles to wash the dishes at an incredible speed. Zero was astonished by this, and she turned to her right to find several drawers. She climbed them to reach the sink and added some detergent, saying, "You forgot the detergent."
"Ah... You're right... I forgot... We were cleaning the dinner plates with this mixture," Pain said.
"Mixture... What mixture, Pain?" Zero asked, descending.
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"A mixture of this detergent... and that... and I add three drops of this... and I won't forget this secret ingredient," Pain said, pulling out all kinds of detergents and even a lemon as her secret ingredient.
"Right... You use lemon juice... or orange juice... I always used to tell her about these things when we cleaned," Zero said, remembering the days in the orphanage when Alice would help her clean.
"Who are you talking about?" Pain asked in confusion.
"Ah... Sorry... I mean my old friend."
"Old... friend... That's great... What was she like?" Pain asked with excitement.
"She was very cheerful... Her actions were silly... but she showed some intelligence... She was sensitive... and loved talking about foreign TV shows a lot... When I read my books... she'd come over to tell me about them," Zero said, reminiscing.
"What kind?" Pain asked eagerly.
"You're talking about TV shows... well, from what I remember... she liked dramas... and that kind... which I hate... What was it?"
"The ro..."
"Don't say it... please..." Zero interrupted Pain.
"Alright... Alright... I really like what your friend likes," Pain said as she continued washing the dishes.
"Ah... really?" Zero said in surprise.
"Yes... Her personality is really lovable... I think if I were in your place, Zero... I'd find a way to go back to my world... just to stay with her... forever."
Zero looked at Pain, who was washing the dishes, and smiled. "You're right... That's what I would do... It's not my regret that's pushing me to this... I think my friendship with them... made me want to leave my world... I want to save them... I want to stay with them... forever... I really want to see them."
"Zero... You..." Pain said in astonishment.
"What...?"
"Umm... It's nothing... I..." Pain's mind drifted, and suddenly, she broke the plates she was holding.
"Oh my God... What have I done?" Pain said regretfully.
"Don't move... I'll get the broom."
"Don't move... You're barefoot... you'll step on the glass... How do you not feel the pain...?"
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In the end, Zero brought the broom, but the cost was high.
"I brought the broom, Pain," Zero said, her feet covered in all sorts of cuts and wounds, with heavy bleeding.
"How are you still able to walk?" Pain asked in panic.
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Pain was bandaging Zero's wounds when Zero touched her bandaged left eye and asked, "What happened to my eye exactly... Pain?"
"Ha... You're really reckless... Well... It seems a bit swollen... and your head was bleeding... so I bandaged both together," Pain said as she cleaned Zero's wounds.
"So that's it... Oh... Thanks," Zero said, standing on her feet.
"Sit down... I'm not finished yet..." Pain said.
Zero sat down and began looking around, saying, "An old-fashioned bed... a handwoven mattress... a locker made of worn wood... and the decorative rug... What a bedroom that mixes the Victorian era... and the modern era... with yellow lighting... my favorite."
"This is my bedroom... Do you like it... I'm done now," Pain said.
Zero stood and said, "I love it... This design is beautiful."
"I don't like this design... but it reminds me of the past... Well... it's time for you to read me a book," Pain said as she stood.
"I'm up for it," Zero said happily, suddenly remembering her escape plan: "Eiii... I completely forgot about the gnomes... and lowered my guard... How foolish of me."
"Pain... Before anything... I want to see my gnomes," Zero said firmly.
"Why didn't you tell me... I completely forgot about them," Pain said, taking Zero's hand and running quickly, holding Zero with her tentacles. "I'm sorry, gnomes," she shouted loudly and regretfully.
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The gnome was eating meat in his small cell. Zero was relieved to see the gnome safe.
"See? ... He's fine." Pain said calmly and confidently.
"Hey... No problem," Zero said with a fake astonishment.
"Alright... Let's go back to my room... Zero."
"Okay."