The Bell Chimes Rose’s Nocturne [Closed]

As Cheshire held her up, her eyes stayed wide open, her mouth trying to say something, but choking on its words. Her entire body was stiff, so stiff it was rigidly trembling. Liseran's lips moved, but no sound came it. Finally, her eyes closed and her head dropped onto Cheshire's shoulder.

"Mama!" Bell said as she ran over to Cheshire and Liseran. Bell looked up to Cheshire. "Papa, what's wrong with her? Is she sick?"

The little girl had small tears in her eyes, but she looked like she was trying to hold them back. She tried stirring Liseran awake by pushing her arm.

"Mama?" Bell said. "Mama!"

Liseran was quiet and her skin looked incredibly pale, her chest barely rising and falling.

"We have to bring her back!" Bell urged.

Without another word, Cheshire lifted up Liseran, carrying her in a princess carry, and ran all the way back to the archives.

"She's stressed, that's all," Lena explained to Cheshire.

It had been two hours since Cheshire reached the Infirmary with the help of Bell's directions. At the moment, Liseran was sleeping behind the partitioning curtains in the ward. Lena had left through the curtains and was now at the waiting room where Cheshire and Bell were.

"Liseran's overworked herself this week," Lena told him. "And whatever vision she had added to that causing her to experience shock, hence she collapsed the way she did. We've informed Head Mistress and she'll be postponing Liseran's test to a week later on until she can recover."

She looked to the sides before facing Cheshire again.

"She's awake if you want to see her," Lena said. "But she doesn't look like she's any mood to talk. She's experienced things like this before when she gets really bad visions."

Without any warning, Bell stood up and ran through the curtains, leaving it wide open. Liseran in nothing more than a patient's gown and draped with a blanket. She was lying on her side, her knees flexed to hug her chest, her eyes staring blankly at a wall.

"Mama!" Bell exclaimed as she hugged Liseran crying, but Liseran didn't say anything.

Cheshire slowly approached Liseran as if afraid of startling her. He sat down on the bed, looking at her with worry written all over his face. He reached out with a hand and stroked her back gently.

"It'll be alright Liseran," Cheshire murmured. We'll be fine as long as we are together. Remember, the future is not absolute. Whatever it is, I can help you. Just please, let me help you. I love you Liseran. It pains me to see you like this."

"Mama, please be okay," Bell said crying softly, hugging her.

Liseran stayed still for a moment until her eyes finally softened and she exhaled. One of her arms wrapped around Bell while her free hand held Cheshire's arm.

"It hasn't happened yet," she seemed to be reassuring herself. She kissed Bell on the head and looked at Cheshire. "I'm sorry for worrying the both of you like that. We were having such a good time and..."

Thinking about her vision, Liseran hesitated and then breathed out.

"I'm sorry."

"Liseran..." Cheshire murmured, gripping Liseran's hand in both of his and staring deep into her eyes. "Liseran, please tell me what you saw. I can help you."

Liseran looked at Cheshire and nodded.

“I’ll tell you,” Liseran said as she continued to stroke Bell’s head. “But not here.”

“Mama, are you okay now?” Bell asked as she lifted her face, her eyes still moist with tears.

“I am now, dear,” she said softly holding Bell firmly. “You’re both here, so I’ll be fine.”

“I love you, Mama.”

“I love you, too, Bell.”

***

The three soon left the infirmary after that, Liseran back in her Dormirse uniform and unlocking the keys to the family quarters. Liseran relaxed down on the sofa, still feeling a bit light headed.

"Bell, dear," she called out.

"Yes, Mama?"

"Can Mama have a little time alone with, err, Papa?" she asked, her words lingering a bit on the last word. "You can get changed while you're at it."

Bell smiled and nodded obediently, carrying a bucket of seashells to the bedroom and closing it behind her. Liseran breathed out.

"I think I can tell you now," Liseran said. "But it's something that will happen if I don't finish the fourth level of the test...tonight."

"Liseran, you just collapsed," Cheshire said sternly, "The head mistress even postponed your test for a week. What could be so important that you have to finish it now?"

"Cheshire," Liseran said firmly, her hands gripping Cheshire's own. "Something bad is going to happenif I don't."

She breathed out.

"One of the greater Grimm is going to try to break out of the dungeons," Liseran said. "I couldn't make out details for myself, but it had the ability to corrode the doors of the fifth level. And the other Grimm broke out, too, in big numbers. The Archives was a disaster..."

Liseran's grip only became tighter and her hands began to tremble.

"One of them got Bell," she said. "I can't let that happen, Cheshire! You know I can't!"

She looked at him imploringly, her eyes already teary.

"The only way for me to get to the fifth level is to defeat the fourth," she said gravely. "I need to defeat that Grimm before it breaks out."

Liseran let go of Cheshire's hands and stood up.

"So I have to go."

Cheshire's fists clenched, the faunus breathing heavily through his nose. Many thoughts ran through his head, trying to think of the best course of action. Liseran was ill. There is no way she should go there on her own. At the same time she is stubborn. Cheshire knew no matter what, he won't convince her to stay. Cheshire could only think of one course of action for now...

"I'm coming with you," Cheshire said firmly as a fact rather than a request.

Liseran's eyes widened and she shook her head.

"Those doors will only open if I finish the fourth test alone," Liseran said. "If I receive any aid in defeating the Grimm M-, I mean the Grimm, then it will be considered a failure."

Her hands came to Cheshire's arms and she clutched them firmly, her eyes staring straight into his.

"If things turn for the worst, I need you to protect Bell," she said. "I'll leave in the evening when she's asleep. By then...I'll give you a signal if things go bad."

Liseran's grip loosened and as the dizziness struck her again. She touched her head and tried to balance herself, walking towards the room.

"I'm...I'm going to rest a bit more before I go," she said. "I'm sorry, Cheshire. It's the only way we can change the future this time."

"You're in no condition to go in there alone!" Cheshire raised his voice, reaching out and grabbing her arm. "There's got to be another way! Please Liseran! I can't lose you!"

Liseran stopped and looked at Cheshire before hugging him tightly, every inch of her shaking.

"Don't worry..." Liseran said. "You won't lose me. I promise. I'm sure Mistress Stay's told you already about how things work in the dungeons. If my aura levels are too low, I'm prompted...forced to leave."

Her head pressed against Cheshire's chest.

"And even if you were stubborn and tried to go there after me, it wouldn't be possible," Liseran said. "At the moment, the dungeon doors only register my DNA. It wouldn't open for you."

She paused for a while before speaking again.

"Ever since we met, all you've ever done is protect me," Liseran said. "And that's still what you're trying to do now. I want to be the one to protect those I care about, for a change. You and Bell. And all the Dormirse women here."

Liseran looked up and smiled warmly.

"I wouldn't be able to do that, if I died, now would I?" she said.

Before Cheshire could reply, the bedroom door opened. Bell was back in a white dress.

"This parent talk is too long," Bell pouted as she crossed her arms. "Are you done? I miss you both."

She ran over to hug Liseran and Cheshire by the legs. Liseran patted Bell's head.

"Yes, we're done," Liseran said. "Though I am sleepy. You can keep Papa company."

Liseran let go of Cheshire to give Bell a proper hug.

"Goodnight, Mama," Bell said, even if it was only early afternoon.

"Night, dear."

Liseran moved along to the bedroom and the door shut behind her, a clicking sound affirming she had locked it as well. Bell looked at Cheshire.

"Mama will be okay if she rests, right?" Bell said smiling. "We have to take good care of Mama now."

Cheshire was silent for a while, staring blankly at the locked door as if waiting for Liseran to come out and say sh changed her mind, but that was not happening. He looked down at Bell and placed his hand on her head comfortingly. "Don't worry. Mama will be alright," Cheshire told her. "Papa's job is to take care of her... and you..."

Cheshire squatted down, placing his hands under Bell's armpits and lifted the girl up in the air.

"That's papa's job," Cheshire said, "I won't let anything bad happen to mama or you."

Bell smiled.

"Okay, Papa," she said as she leaped into an embrace with Cheshire. "I love you, Papa."

***

The hours passed by and since Liseran was asleep, a sending came by with the dinner tray. Upon setting up the table, Bell frowned upon seeing grilled salmon as the main course.

"Yucky. Fish," she said with dislike. She placed it on the table, regardless, and then proceeded to warm up some chicken pie from earlier for herself.

The bedroom door clicked open and Liseran came out, her bells at her side and clasped shut inside her belt bandolier.

"Mama!" Bell said running to hug her. "Feeling better?"

"Yes, I am," Liseran smiled. And it was true. She didn't look as pale anymore and she seemed to be able to manage walking without losing her balance. "The wonders sleep can do."

She sat down at the table, a bit hesitant to look at Cheshire due to earlier's previous argument. Bell sat down and immediately gobbled half of her pie slice.

"Bell, you should eat fish."

"It tastes weird and there are bones," she stated plainly. Liseran sighed.

"I could get the bones for you, you know..."

"Papa, I don't want to eat fish," Bell begged Cheshire all of a sudden, tugging on his sleeve. "Can't I just eat chicken?"

"Bell..." Cheshire said sternly at first, but when he looked up at her and stared at her pleading eyes, his ears folded down over his head, ".... Well, they are both meat..." Cheshire looked up at Liseran apologetically.

Liseran sighed and shook her head smiling at Cheshire and then looked at Bell.

"Fine," she said. "I guess there's no arguing. But Bell, really, you should learn to eat fish."

Bell merely smiled and then turned to Cheshire.

"Thank you, Papa," she grinned, her mouth already full of pie crumbs.

Liseran wiped off the crumbs and dinner went on without anymore problems. Liseran went on doing the dishes with Bell and it wasn't long before Bell got too tired and her head began to bob.

"I'm going to bring her to the room," Liseran explained. A few minutes later, Liseran came out and closed the door behind her. "She's asleep now."

She looked at Cheshire apologetically.

"And I should get going."

"Liseran..." Cheshire reached out and grabbed her hand, "There has to be another way. Can't we inform the head mistress about your situation?"

"The event is triggered by certain elements," Liseran said plainly. And it can't be stopped unless some elements remain. One is that I pass the test without any interruptions."

Her eyebrows furrowed for a while as she looked at the ground.

"So far, the fourth has been the most difficult for me," Liseran said. "...for reasons. I passed the first three on the first day. I'm learning more, however, and I think I can pass it now. I have to. And I need to alone."

She lifted her eyes and looked at Cheshire apologetically, leaning over to kiss him lightly on the lips.On of her hands pressed him closer to her...and pricked him his arm with something sharp.

She pulled back revealing she had a small ampule connected to it. An ampule that would knock him out in a few seconds.

"I'm sorry, Cheshire," she said.

"Liseran no!" Cheshire yelled. He tried to grab her but his vision was getting blurry, the world shaking all around him. He stumbled just trying to stay standing. "Liseran... don't...."

It was too late. The faunus fell to his side, the effects already taking effect. "Liseran.... don't.... leave me... Not again... I..."

Cheshire fought to stay conscious, but his eyes felt like lead weights and soon he was unable to control his body. He fell into a deep slumber, once again unable to help the woman he loved.

"Papa..." Bell murmured. "Papa, wake up."

Cheshire would eventually wake from being knocked out. Bell right in front of him and shaking his shoulders there on the floor.

"Papa, wake up!" Bell said, her eyes full of panic. "Mama's gone again and she's in trouble! We have to go to her now!"

Cheshire grunted, slowly regaining his consciousness. He heard Bell call out to him and shaking his body. The faunus shakily stood up, forcing himself to stand.

"Where..." he mumbled between ragged pants, "Where... is she... what happened... Bell, please tell me what happened..."

Bell tugged on Cheshire's coat, her eyes full of worry and determination.

"I saw her again," Bell said. "In the dungeons. She's there right now. She's fighting...and she's hurt."

She went to the couch to put on a backpack of hers.

"Papa, let's go there now," she urged. "I'll show you the way. I saw it."

"Bell, no, it's too dangerous," Cheshire said sternly.

Bell frowned, her fists balled up and at her sides. She looked at Cheshire.

"Papa, I have to go," Bell said. "You can't go in, otherwise. Please, Papa? We need to go to Mama now."

She lifted one hand and held Cheshire's, her own shaking and scared.

"Papa," she said softly. "It's okay. You're with me, right? I'll be alright with you there."

Cheshire stared at Bell for a while. He didn't know what to do. He didn't want to put Bell in danger but at the same time he needed her to lead him. The faunus knew time was running out and he had no time to search blindly. He had to get to Liseran right this instant. With a click of his tongue, Cheshire made his reluctant decision.

"Tsk! Fine, but no matter what, stay by my side, understood?"

Wait. What did she mean I needed her to get in? The dungeon will only allow Liseran in the first place. How can she get in?

Regardless of Cheshire's mental questions, he was running out of time. He grabbed Bell's hand and pulled her towards the door.

"We must hurry. Where to?"

Bell nodded and held Cheshire’s hand tightly, leading him outside of the family quarters and into the dark hallways of the Archives. The hallways were only dimly lit by what looked like moonstones embedded on the floor’s lining. From the family quarter’s area then to the dormitory corridors, they made their way to the main hallways where Bell took a left turn.

“Aunty Lena showed me where the dungeons were because I wanted to wish Mama good luck on her first day,” Bell explained. “That’s why I know where it is.”

The left turn brought them to another part of the Archives that was of white tiles and gray marble pillars. There were a multitude of doors at each end, though Cheshire would never find out where they led to as Bell showed him the door at the very edge. Unlike the rest of the doors that were tall and wooden, this one looked like a metal vault door with a valve. Next to it was a hand scanner, its screen area blinking green, the outline of hand barely seen in the darkness.

Bell placed her hand on the scanner, her hand hardly fitting the outline and it blipped.

Hand print recognized...Liseran Dormirse-Veiller…Access granted.

Bell looked at Cheshire triumphantly as the vault door clicked and the valve twisted of its own accord. It opened to a lapis lazuli stairwell that seemed to go down onwards and onwards.

Bell resumed to holding Cheshire’s hand.

“This way,” she said.

They descended down the steps that went on for at least a three minutes before they finally came to a large round room of stone bricks and moss. There were a few glass cylinders with doors that led to a floating platform, elevators or transfer capsules, one might assume. Each one had a number from one to four and the last one read: Infirmary, the only that had an open ceiling, meaning it was the only one that could go above the floor they were on now. Under the numbers were screens and each one, save the fourth said: Passed.  The fourth one read: Ongoing.

“She’s in the fourth,” Bell stated, pointing at the door. There was another hand scanner there and she went over to it. Once again, a computerized voice was heard.

Hand print recognized...Liseran Dormirse-Veiller…Access granted.

The glass door slid open and Bell stepped in with Cheshire. Almost immediately, the platform they were on shot downwards, the only thing they could see before them the passing stone bricks. After a minute, the stone bricks gave way to an opening and as they descended, they saw a dimly lit round room also made of stone. There was but a single torch lit while other torches with skull heads surrounded a bird-like statue.

The platform stopped here but just as Bell tried to open the door it wouldn’t.

“Hey!” she yelled.

Fourth level is currently engaged. Access denied until Liseran Dormirse-Veiller has succeeded or retreated.

“But—”

Before Bell could continue to argue, a loud yell that sounded like it belonged to Liseran came from behind the statue.

“All this time and you still can’t win,” the deep voice of a man echoed throughout the walls.

The cracking of bones could be heard and Liseran’s voice screamed in agony.

“Mama!” Bell shouted as she tried to force the door open.

A bright gray light came from behind the statue and Liseran’s body shot away from it only to slam hard against the left well. She fell flat on the ground as her bells clanged onto the stone surface and rolled away from her. Her uniform had tears at all edges and looked like it had been rolled around in dust. Liseran’s face had its own scratches and her glasses had cracked.

Liseran’s eyes widened as she tried to reach for her bells.

“N-no…” she muttered. “I have to-I have to…!”

A blurred image of a man slid across the room to where Liseran was, multiple images of him following after him. The man wore a cloak from head to foot, his face hidden by a hood. In one hand he held a long  and thick black scimitar.  His foot kicked one of the bells away and slammed hard on Liseran’s hand.

“Gaaaaaaah!” she screamed.

“You sicken me, you know that?” he said. “You’re a poor reflection of Rose herself. Honestly, how did she let her blood dilute with that Zephyr Veiller? It makes me wonder…”

He shifted the foot pressing down on her hand back and forth, letting it press  down on every joint and knuckle Liseran's hand had, making her scream despite herself.

“I mean sure you’ve defeated the Grimm on every level and even the one destined for you to pass this one,” he said casually. “But when I ask you for a challenge because I think you’re not worthy of Rose’s weapon, five days later you still can’t defeat me!”

Liseran’s body shook as he shifted more of his weight down onto his foot slamming her hand down on the floor.

“And now you’ve stooped down to the level of saying you need to pass through to the fifth level because of a vision? Ha!”

“I’m telling the truth!” Liseran yelled.

“Quiet!”

His other foot kicked at Liseran’s face, making her grunt, but she stifled down any other scream by clenching her teeth.

“You’ve said enough lies!” he said. “All because you can’t defeat me…”

“STOP IT!” Bell screamed as she pressed against the door. But the glass suppressed whatever sound she made from being heard in the room. “MAMA!”