The Odd Doll Out [Empty Spaces]

[not smut]

"Mistress," the newest doll in the manor, Irma, asked her witch, "if you don't mind my asking, why do  you carry that doll around everywhere? I've never seen you without it."

The new doll pointed to the inanimate little dolly in her witch's arms.

"Oh, have you not been introduced yet? I'm so sorry! Irma, this is Abigail. Abby, this is Irma."

Irma blinked blankly. She had never seen an inanimate doll before, much less heard of anyone so attached to one.

"Well, um, hello Abigail. It's a pleasure to meet you!"

"We must get you acquainted at once!" The witch beamed. "Come darling, join us for today's tea! We'd be delighted to have you!"

That afternoon, Irma made her way to the cloister just outside the  manor. Sitting at a lovely little outdoor table under the blossoming  tree at the center of the cloister, her witch had a kettle of tea and a  platter of snacks all prepared for her. In the chair beside her - and  sitting atop a box so it could see above the table - sat Abigail.

"Hello, mistress. Hello Abigail." Irma said warmly.

"Ah, hello Irma! Please, have a seat!" The witch invited.

The three had a lovely chat fot a while - though, of course, Abigail  was rather silent - and shared delicious tea and biscuits. Eventually,  the conversation returned to the topic at hand.

"Believe it or not, Abby used to be a human like me." The witch said.  "It has always been my best friend, as flesh and blood or as cloth and  cotton. I love it dearly, and I know it loves me." She blushed. "Long  ago, it and I led dangerous, difficult lives. Lives as adventurers. We  made our way through life, together, hand-in-hand. But I knew something  wasn't right. Abby wasn't truly happy, and I didn't know why - until it  told me that it had begun its existence as a doll!"

Irma raised an eyebrow. "So... It was a doll, then a human, and now a doll again?"

"Yes. My poor Abby... It told me it had been created by someone in an  age long passed, only to be abandoned and lost in the wilderness  shortly thereafter. It waited, and waited, and kept waiting, but nobody  ever found it again."

Tears of lubricant swelled in Irma's artificial eyes. The witch placed a hand on Abigail's tiny shoulder.

"Abby wished with all its heart to find a friend. A forever friend -  an owner. And its wish was eventually granted, in a very unexpected way.  Abby discovered it could suddenly move and speak. It had become human.  Though that wasn't who it was on the inside, it could at least look for  others instead of waiting for others to find it."

"Abigail didn't want to be human?"

"Sure, being human had some benefits, but no, it didn't want to be human - it was never truly human in its heart of hearts."

The witch poured some more tea for Irma and herself.

"I was the first person Abby met. It wandered the wilderness until  chancing upon me while I was out on an adventure. It joined me and we  became fast friends. Eventually, it told me the truth: it was a doll,  and wanted to return to being a doll. But more than that, it wanted to  be my doll. It never wanted to be alone ever again. It wanted  to love and comfort me and be loved and comforted in return, as the doll  it was always meant to be."

"So how did Abigail become a doll again?" Irma asked.

"I trained in magic to become a witch. I tried, and failed, but kept  trying. I always kept trying. Anything for my sweet Abby..." The witch  patted Abigail. "I eventually succeeded. I promised I'd always stay with  it, and I reversed Abby's transformation. It became my doll, and we  haven't parted since!"

Irma couldn't help but smile. "So, can Abigail still hear and see us? Can it... feel?"

"Of course it can! It may be inanimate, but it's just as much a doll as you are."

"I see. That... That was wonderful. Thank you for sharing, mistress!"

"Of course, darling. I love telling that story nearly as much as I love my Abby~"