Chapter 2 - Still Doll

"Well, I believe it's one of those old fashioned life-sized dolls from China or Japan." Mr. Mitsurigi exclaimed combing his salt n' pepper beard with his fingers while he inspected the item with Ming Ling; a proud look on his face.

Ming Ling couldnt help but stare in awe. Sure she had seen plenty of Geisha or princess porcelain dolls from China...but this artifact was in a league of it's own. Laying in what appeared to be a glass covered coffin or box was a porcelain life sized doll. He appeared to be male in nature due to the open vest revealing his feeble boyish chest. His hips were narrow and slid into a pair of huge sapphire blue silk hakamas. The waistline of the pants were wrapped with a pinkish sash, and a cloth with the symbol of a spider adorned said cloth. His hair was a sleek black and shining in the dim store lights overhead. Not to mention it was parted into six different strands all billowing out from the nape of his neck, a lose bang hanging in his face. Though he was far from normal looking when she noticed the next items on him, for within his raven locks were six diagonally placed cystal visors, all pointing inwards towards his eyes. Then came his hands, which were covered in huge claw-looking guantlets of deep sapphire blue; three pink crystals also adorning these fiendish hand weapons. Ming Ling couldnt help herself, she had to get a better look. Carefully, she approached the coffin and peered in at him while adjusting her glasses. He looked radient, and despite the odd appearence...he looked soo peaceful. Though she wished she could see the doll's eyes, but no doubt he was probly one of those types that only opened their eyes when they were pushed upright into a sitting position.

"He looks like he's...asleep almost. Dang they must have put alot of work into this guy...that hair looks real too. As if it grew on his head, not from a horses tail. Where did you get him? I didnt see this guy on any sites I went to." Ming Ling then asked, eyes still fixiated on the eccentric item before her.

"Well I found him seven years ago on an archelogical dig in Japan with my brother. He was in some ancient warlord's tomb. Nearly scared the ghost right out of me when I first layed eyes on him sitting in the one chair next to the coffin; almost looked as if he was guarding it despite the fact his eyes were closed." Mitsurigi exclaimed with a light chuckle, looking towards the doll with a light grin as Ming Ling quirked a brow.

"Soo...you never saw this thing's eyes? Huh weird..to make a doll with closed eyes." Ming Ling said while frowning some, so much for that theory of why his eyes were shut.

"Nope, tis a shame cause I too am curious. Ah well, he keeps me company though. Feels like I can talk to him unlike my wife hehe. Though not many others feel comfortable with him from what I'm told." The shopkeep then stated as Ming Ling frowned, looking towards Mr. Mitsurigi now.

"What do you mean?" She asked as the old man sighed shrugging.

"Well turns out two years ago, some big time canidate running for mayor a few cities over bought this fella for full price. Three months after he bought the doll; his staff found him dead in his office, facedown in a puddle of blood with a huge hole in his chest. But here's the weird part, this fella right here was laying next to the window, the left guantlet covered in blood while his display case was wide open." Mitsurigi exclaimed as Ming Ling paled alittle, eyes resting on the doll once more.

"You mean they think..this did it?" she said in surprise as Mitsurigi scoffed.

"That's what they told me. Asked me where I found it then told me I was crazy for removing it from that tomb. Said all sorts of hogwash like it was cursed or angry because I disturbed it's warlord's resting place and all that nonsense. I told them they needed their heads checked considering the fact I had that fella out in the open for how long and it didnt once rise up and try to kill me, not even late at night when im locking up the store and counting the money. But they didnt listen, the little chickens handed him back and told me I was a fool to have found this thing. Ah but I dont care, look at him, he's harmless! I bet one of that canidate's competitors probly hired a hitman and killed him and pinned it on the spooky lookin doll. After all he DID have alot of enemies from what I read." Mr. Mitsurigi explained, giving a light huff as he tapped on the glass a few times. Ming Ling nodded to this, frowning some. The story was alittle weird, and she herself was superstitous at heart. She believed in curses, ghosts, but not black cats being evil and UFOs as much as the other things that went bump in the night.

"Yeah I read about that guy...Mr. Iruma Tomomitsu was it? Kinda odd though..they said he just had a heart attack in the papers. Guess they didnt want a fullblown media thing on this or his family payed off the papers to keep quiet." Ming Ling replied, trailing her fingers along the thick glass as she looked back to the old shopkeeper. "Tell me though, why do you keep him locked up?" she then asked as said man chuckled.

"Well because he was stolen after I got him back from Mr. Tomomitsu's family. I knew the culprit too. A spoiled lil short girl, always came in and stared at him with dark teal eyes. She demanded I give him to her half price and what not but I told her to take a hike after soo many visits. Next night he was missing from his chained spot in the chair next to my register and the alarm was blaring. When I saw they hadnt touched the money, I had a feeling it was that mousy haired brat. However, surprising yet also freaky thing is; when I found her with the police, she was ripped to shreds in the nearby river. It appeared she had tried to cross it but the doll weighed her down and I believe the gators got to her. Though thankfully the doll was in perfect condition, not even a nibble on him from the big lizards. But they probly didnt sense he was real so left him alone. But anyways, since then I decided to play it safe, especially with the thefts recently and put him back here in a nice thick glass covered coffin. I think it did the trick too since no one has tried to nab him yet since then." The shopkeeper said, chuckling as he tapped on the glass again to prove his point. From the sound it made, it was no doubt the highest quality plexi glass made. Not even a master jewel thief could cut through it.

Ming Ling shuddered though, two mysterious deaths and the doll ends up nearby in both locations. Then again Mr. Hashima did made a valid point, hell now that she looked at the doll more..he did look harmless. Almost relaxed too..though there was a trace of something else in his face as well...he looked..lonely locked up in that coffin. This tugged at her alittle, and made her see why that foolish girl who wound up as gator bait wanted this item. It felt as if he wanted out of that glass hell, to have someone take him home and made the other tiny little dolls envious of him. Hell he wasnt exactly a doll in her eyes though; more like an extreme action figure that was a cross between Stan Lee's spider man and an androgenous prepubescent Shaman King male. Mr. Mitsurigi chuckled, eyeing Ming Ling as she continued to eye the slumbering doll as he scratched his beard a few more times, other hand resting on the coffin's lid.

"Hmmm, seems I pegged you right when I showed you this fella. You look awfully fond of him. Though you dont look like you wanna rape him like that last girl did." He stated playfully as Ming Ling squeaked, she never was one for being good at a pokerface; she could only imagine what he saw on her face.

"Oh well yeah he does look awsome...though I am kinda nervous about buying him since well...the stories." Ming Ling trailed as Mitsurigi roared with laughter, slapping his knee.

"Nonsense deary! Dont let those silly stories scare ya. Trust me, all he's done since I've had him is lay there like a lazy little bugger. Plus he's collected plenty of cobwebs too. I think he'd be happy seeing a change of scenery after soo long...well you know what I mean." He stated, chuckling at the fact the doll's eyes were closed. Ming Ling pondered a few more moments, glancing over to the doll again. True he did look like he wanted to be somewhere else. Besides she had plenty of money saved. She'd let the ps3 drop another hundred dollars before buying it, after all they were everywhere, but this guy..well who knows how long he would be here? Plus he was a rare ancient artifact..and old artifacts from tombs intrigued her.

"Alright you have a deal. I just hope he doesnt take up too much space." Ming Ling said with a smile, pulling her credit card out as Mr. Mitsurigi grinned and clapped his hands together.

"That's the spirit! Ah I knew you were one with great taste the moment I saw ya. Hear that Evan? Your getting a new home, try to be a good boy this time ok?" The shopkeep then said, nudging the coffin before he went to open it up as Ming Ling laughed, sweatdropping some.

"...Evan?" She asked as the old man nodded, carefully hoisting the doll from his coffin.

"Yup, it's the name I gave him. It was my brother's middle name, thought it suited him. Plus I couldnt be rude and call him Ken now could I?" He stated as Ming Ling laughed alittle more at this giving a nod of agreement.

"So how much?" Ming Ling then asked, feeling that this fella was going to hurt her wallet if he wasent going to hurt her physically.

"Fifty bucks, considering I see you have a sharp eye and will take good care of this fella. Plus I dont want to have to fork out tons of money for a refund if you turn up dead somewhere." Mitsurigi stated as Ming Ling laughed nervously at this morbid joke. Sliding the card and jotting down her signature, she then carefully picked up the life sized doll when the old man handed him to her.
"Careful now, he's rather fragile. Though he's not that heavy as you can see from his hips. Heh my wife told me she wishes she had hips like him." He then joked as Ming Ling chuckled, calming down abit now as she held him, carrying him in a bridal style fashion.

"Wow he is light. Well better be off, thanks Mr. Hashima I'll take good care of him!" Ming Ling then said, smiling as she waved to the shopkeep before she carried the doll out towards her bike. He felt weird in her arms, as if she was holding an unconcious human, not a possibly cursed japanese doll from centuries long forgotten. Hell he even bobbed his head and swung his arms to and fro with each step she made, unlike most porcelain dolls that had stiff joints and necks...dang he was indeed a work of art. She then pondered how to hold him while she rode said bike. She lacked spokes on the back wheels, and putting him on the handlebars was out of the question. Then she decided to put him in a fireman's hold, slinging him over her shoulder with his head next to her chest to prevent him from slipping off the back and faceplanting into the cement. She was glad he was only 5'3, considering this would be much harder had he been taller than her. "Well buddy, time to go home so just lay back and enjoy the ride." Ming Ling then said with a smile to the slumbering doll as she then headed back towards home.

Once she reached her house, she slung the doll off her shoulders, placing him temporarily on her patio's large outdoor couch as he slumped down on it with a light 'thunk' into the pillows.

"Heh someone's tuckered out. Mr. Hashima's right, you are a lazy fella." Ming Ling said jokingly, smiling over at the doll while she locked up her bike. Then turning, she picked him up once again and headed inside. She listened for her brother's music to see if he was home downstairs in the 'man cave'. But when she didnt hear it, she assumed he was off with friends, or probly working with their cousin on a painting job. Her mother however was in the hospital at the moment...though for reason's unknown. The cause was lack of energy and extreme dehydration and possible migrane. She just hoped the doctors knew what they were doing this friggin time around. Once she made it into the living room, she squeaked, nearly dropping the doll when she felt something cling to her leg as tiny teeth knawed into her skin.

"Ack Mojo, good to see you too but we've been through this talk. No trying to gnaw on your mommy." Ming Ling said with a light huff, looking down at a small 9 week old kitten with large golden hues and fur as black as night. He merely stared back up at her in response as his tail wiggled; a hint he was both happy to see her and in a 'bounce-off-the-walls' sort of mood. But ah that was the price to pay when getting a baby kitten, they had a need to be hyper before laying around on their asses once they reached puberity. She just giggled and leaned down, scratching his ears with her free hand as she then proceeded to slide the lightweight doll off her shoulders. She then placed him on the floor infront of the kitten, laying him there since he didnt seem to want to sit up.
"Lookie here Mojo, I got you and Zuzu a new fwend. But try not to tear up his outfit ok? He's really old despite his looks." Ming Ling said, placing the small kitten near the doll's face as the kitten eyed him. After a few minutes, he went up on his haunches and literally sprung onto his face, clinging to it like some alien parasite. "Ack Mojo no bad!" she meeped out, reaching over to pull him off as the kitten mewed lightly. Thankfully he hadnt clawed the face, though still it showed a hint he was probly going to try and use this doll as a scratching post despite her orders. However...it was sort of amusing, she only wished she had a camara phone like her brother. And speaking of which, how would HE react to this doll? She just prayed he wouldnt think it was some sort of asian sex doll or something...god she would die of embarressment if he asked her that. "Well since Mojo doesnt like ya invading his turf, how about we go meet Zuzu?" Ming Ling then asked the silent being. Chuckling she then picked him up again, trying to avoid Mojo running under her feet in hot pursuit while she headed upstairs. Opening the dark maple door that had a poster of Ichigo's half hollow insane face that read "Enter At your Own Risk" she then walked over and placed the doll against the wall under her window.

"Here ya go, hope you dont mind the company." Ming Ling said, brushing a loose strand of hair from the doll's face. "Well these are your new digs, try to be comfortable. It may not be the shop, but it's nice and cozy." She then said, nodding towards the Sasuke and Ichigo plushies sitting beside a horned owl plushie while a chinese window screen sat behind them along with one of those infinity candles set infront of a mirror. On the yellow walls of the room were posters ranging from snarling dragons all the way to Naruto Shippouden and puss in boots. The poster the doll was currently sitting under was of a panther growling as it came out of the shadows. The center of the room held a large carpet rug, and sitting over that rug was a fake bengal tiger pelt she had bought for two bucks at a yard sale that was in mint condition. Infront of that rug was a large stand with a playstation 2 inside of it, and atop that stand was a large tv, a wizard and chinese dragon sitting on said electronic, while a Raziel action figure and Sesshoumaru figure stood at the sides of it. And in the back of the room upon the built into the wall shelves were items ranging from more dragons, to oldschool Digimon collectables, and huge Yuigoh scale models. Not to mention tons of video games and Shonun Jump mangas. And of course off to the side by the dresser was a hard plastic scythe adorned with a skull with a ruby on it's forehead. She had kept it for years, a very rare halloween item. And near the shelves and a ladder that was kept handy incase a lightbulb blew out, was the red and blue chiniese dragon kite she had gotten years ago at a store in the columbia mall. Sadly though she had no choice but to fold his magestic wings up around him since there was no room to hang him on the ceiling.

"Ah how could I forget, here's your roomie, you'll find him abit more active than the others." Ming Ling then said with a chuckle. Turning she walked over towards the back of the room before pulling out a large cage. Sitting it down, she then opened up the door and reached inside.
"This is Zuzu, dont let that cute face fool you, he can be worse than Mojo sometimes." She said jokingly, showing the doll a fuzzy little reverse colored panda hamster. He looked rather unhappy at getting woken up soo early into the day. "Zuzu, this is your roommate...Evan. Be nice to him and he wont use those guantlets on you ok?" Ming Ling then said to the tiny critter. Wiggling his nose, the hamster looked over to the doll before he turned around, shaking his butt a few times. "Aw Zu dont be like that. Must you give everyone the @$$?" Ming Ling stated, laughing as she kissed the hamster on the back of his head before setting him back inside his cage, where he quickly zoomed back under his plastic set of pink stairs to hide from the sunlight. Turning, she then smiled over to the doll she decided to refer to as Evan, since it did seem to fit him like the shopkeeper said.

"Alright Evan, since im bored out of my mind, how about you stick around and watch me play some games?" She asked, the doll of course stayed silent, head leaning up against the wall in that lazy fashion. Nodding she then turned and popped in God of War 2. A few hours later into the game, she gave a content sigh after ripping the hundredth gorgon's head off. "Dont you just LOVE violence like this Evvy? I only wish I could do this to anyone who pissed me off without getting in trouble. It would be such a stress reliever to silence those doges at the library once and for all. I hate preps like that. Everytime I run into one I just feel like scrubbing myself for fear of catching AIDS. That or falling in love with Twilight and Justin Beiber." Ming Ling said with a smirk, chuckling as Kratos sent a powerful undead grunt flying into the lava of the phoenix's chamber. She then jumped some when her alarm went off on her pirate's of the caribbean clock. "Oh shiznat, it's almost time for the new DBZ Kai!" She said, reading the time as she hopped up after turning the game off.

"Well I gotta go for abit, hope you arent afraid of the dark. You and Zuzu get along ya hear?" Ming Ling then said jokingly to the doll, flicking a wave as she turning and scurried out of the room, shutting it closed behind her.

"Everything...is as the master commands."

"Huh?" Ming Ling stopped, did she just hear a voice? Frowning, she opened the door to her room again. Everything was still the same pretty much and the doll hadnt moved at all and Zuzu was fast asleep once more. "Neh, I must be hearing things." She muttered, shrugging as she closed the door again. But one thing tugged at her mind as she went downstairs...was that doll always partially smirking?

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