{THIRD PERSON POV}
The whole world was black. It was dark and cold and empty. And so terribly lonely.

The only source of light was faint, emanating from a four year old girl. Curled into the fetal position with her ankles crossed and her head buried in her arms, the small girl's body was racked with tears.

The little princess sobbed, trapped in an endless cycle of time and cruel memories. Her long strawberry pink hair splayed about her in all directions, shimmering with rainbow light.

Stay away! She begged the infinite night. Stay away from me!

Her light grew fainter still. She was trapped, all alone, and about to be swallowed up by the blackness. She was too weak to stop it.

It was too late.

And then, another pinprick of light appeared in the eternal darkness. The same girl, but older. Changed.

Her strawberry pink hair hung halfway down her back and the edges was crooked; it was two inches longer on the left than the right, cut off haphazardly.

Her hands were a raw, bloody mess. She couldn't put any weight on her right ankle, which was round and purple like a plum.

She had several scrapes on her arms and one on her cheek. Her face was flawless in terms of beauty, but held no emotion. Her clothes were in tatters, and covered in blood, sweat, even tears.

A rapier rested sheathless against her left hip. The exposed blade was tinged red. It was old, yet immaculately cared for. Lethal to her enemies.

The older girl limped towards the younger. She made slow progress thanks to her bad ankle, but finally the two sources of light converged. The older girl stared at her younger self, then knelt.

She wrapped her arms around the trembling four year old girl's body.

Are you also here to call me names? The little girl asked hesitantly, leaning away from the embrace.

I'm sorry... I took so long to... get here but... I'm going to set... you free. It's okay now... rest.

The younger girl finally raised her head, sniffling. They shared the same inhumanly beautiful face, except one was emotionless while one was splotchy red and wet with tears. Rivers of tears and snot streaked down the little princess's face.

Will you be okay on your own?

The older girl mussed up her younger self's hair affectionately. I'm... not alone... anymore.

The four year old princess—after all her years of crying and suffering in solitude—managed a huge toothy grin. She finally returned the hug.

Thank you!

The Doll Princess vanished at last. She uncurled her body and melted into a warm aura of light, as the eternal darkness around them slowly faded.

Miho was whole again.