The idea for this story was VERY spur of the moment... I don't know where it came from but it really just fell into place and it was really fun to write!
Disclaimer: I do not own Pandora Hearts
Their lunch was going quite nicely, or as nicely as it ever got. There were only five death threats made, a record low if Oz's counting was correct.
He sipped his soup as Alice and Gilbert argued, but at least their arguing was subdued… for the moment at least.
Yes it was quite a nice day so far, Oz had gotten to sleep in late, there was no danger or adventure, and so far they didn't have anyone from Pandora bothering them…
"Hello everyone!" An overly cheery voice interrupted Gilbert and Alice's very important debate on who got the last drum stick.
A nice day ruined.
Alice slowly glanced down toward the table her eye's growing large. "C-clown?"
"Ha~" Break popped out from under the table smiling and waving. "Enjoying lunch?"
"Eee!" Alice jumped back, her chair clattering onto the floor. She pointed an accusing finger at Break as he stood up. "What are you doing here clown?"
Break surveyed the table. "No sweets? That's not fun."
"Don't ignore me clown!" Alice raged clenching her hand into a fist.
"Break…" Gilbert muttered in annoyance.
"Ah Break!" Oz smiled with fake cheerfulness at the man. "I was wondering when you'd show up, you'd left us alone for so long, I thought you might have died!"
"Hey kid." Break frowned at Oz. "Don't go killing me off…"
"What a rude kid!" Emily chattered.
"Why'd you come Break?" Gilbert growled, so much for a peaceful lunch… or semi-peaceful lunch. (There had only been five death threats!)
"Now, now." Break wave a hand at Gilbert. "Is that anyway to greet a guest?"
"You're not a guest! You're a nuisance." Alice cried out from across the room (where she had run to for safety, that clown could never be trusted), glairing at Break.
"How about coming in through the door and then we'll treat you like a guest." Gilbert muttered, skipping over Alice's interjection.
"What was that Raven~" Break turned a large smile to Gilbert. Gilbert shrunk back, that smile was… insane.
"N-nothing."
Oz stirred his soup quietly, not taking part in the useless chatter. Instead he focused on finishing his meal, giving up the hope that their lunch might be peaceful. Not with Break here now. In fact he had given up with the rest of their day being peaceful.
"Go away clown!" Alice picked up a dish from the counter and threw it toward Break. Break shifted to the side just as the dish flew past his head.
"Tch." Alice growled, narrowing her eyes at the man, he was better than she expected.
Two more plates followed the first, all crashing onto the table. Oz wisely picked up his bowl and moved to the couch to continue his meal.
"Hey, Alice!" Gilbert jumped back as a fourth plate nearly hit him. "Stop it!"
"But isn't it fun Raven?" Break laughed as he dodged the plates, both eyes were closed, making Alice even more furious.
"You're not helping!" Gilbert snapped rushing over to Alice. "Put the plates down!"
"Back off seaweed head!" Alice picked up another plate and held it up as if she were going to throw it at him. "Or I'll kill both you and the clown!"
More death threats, so much for setting a new record.
Oz finished his soup, listening to the sound of three more dishes breaking, Gilbert's shouts for Alice to stop, Alice's shouts for Break to stand still and Break's incessant laughter and Emily's taunts.
As the eighth dish broke Oz decided it was probably a good idea to intervene before they would have to go out and buy more dishes, which would be a hassle.
Plus he was done with his soup.
"So Break." Oz set his empty soup dish on the table in front of the couch. "Why did you come here?" He turned around to face the others.
They stood still, all looking at him. Break walked around the now messy table.
"Ah!" He exclaimed sticking his hand into a pocket Oz had never known was there. "I nearly forgot."
Alice tried to throw another plate at Break while he was distracted but Gilbert caught her hand quickly taking the plate from her.
"Here!" Break extended an envelope to Oz, leaning against the back of the couch. "An invitation from Miss Sharon!"
Oz opened the envelope taking out the paper and skimming over it.
"What's it say?" Gilbert asked while keeping an eye on Alice who was struggling to reach the plates higher up in the pantry.
"Miss Sharon has invited us to come to tea this afternoon, Liam will also be there, it has to do with Pandora…" Oz let the letter slip onto the floor making a face. "How boring."
"Oh, on the contrary." Break walked back over to the table and bent down. "They'll be sweets there; any place with sweets can't be boring!"
"Oy, clown!" Alice shouted as Break began to slip under the table. "Where are you going?"
"Hmm? Back, this place is no fun."
"I'm not done with you!" Alice started forward only to be stopped by Gilbert. "Let me go seaweed head!"
"Alice, calm down…"
"Don't tell me to calm down!"
Oz stood up walking over to kneel next to Break, ignoring the brawl that had begun between Gilbert and Alice.
"How can you leave from under the table?" Oz asked.
"Oh, is Master Oz curious?"
Oz shrugged, might as well give it a try he only had a short time before he would be bored to death by news of Pandora. "I guess. Are their trap doors or something?"
Break's smile faded, is eyes narrowing slightly. "You really want to know?"
Oz nodded, while trying to retain the appearance that he didn't really care. (Because he didn't really.)
"Then I guess I'll tell you this…" Break closed his eyes, his face remaining serious. There were a few moments of silence (not counting the ruckus caused by Alice and Gilbert).
"We'll never tell you!" Emily chattered, Break whipped back up a large smile and ruffled Oz's hair.
"See you later kid!" With that he scooted under the table, the table cloth slipping back into place.
Oz sighed; he knew he shouldn't have expected an answer, not from Break. He lifted up the table cloth and sure enough Break was not under the table.
"Look what you did!" Alice cried jumping away from Gilbert who was just drawing his guns. "You stupid seaweed head! Now I can't kill him!" Alice lifted the table cloth glairing at the emptiness under it.
Oz stood, looking around at the shattered glass. "Who's going to clean up?"
…
Break crawled out from under the desk and stood brushing off his pants.
"Back so soon Break?" Break turned toward the voice, Sharon sat sipping tea at a round table, across from her sat Liam who stared in shock at Break.
Break doubted Liam would ever get used to his sudden appearances.
"Don't hold you're mouth open so wide Liam." Break chided. "Or you'll swallow flies."
Liam snapped his mouth shut pushing up his glasses as he gave Break a stern look. "Did you give Master Oz the letter?"
"Of course!" Break strode over taking a red frosted cupcake from the tray and sticking it whole into his mouth. "Did you think I wouldn't?" Break asked around the cupcake.
"It just seemed to take a short time, only ten minutes ago you were leaving from the firepl-" Liam cleared his throat. "As long as you gave Master Oz the note I'm satisfied."
"They had no sweets so it was boring, so I came back here!" Break explained, as if it made perfect sense.
"Of course…"
"You didn't annoy them to much did you Break?" Sharon asked.
"Of course we did!" Emily crackled, Sharon's lips twitched into a smile which she hid by taking a sip of tea.
"Shush~" Break tapped Emily. "Of course we didn't! We just… played with them a bit!"
"You annoyed them." Liam sighed.
"Who said we did that?" Break gasped as if it were news to him. "On the contrary, Alice was even helping me train!"
Liam perked an eyebrow. "How?"
"That's a secret~"
Liam's grip on his tea tightened while Sharon giggled. "And I guess you didn't use the door either did you?"
Break blinked. "Door? What is this thing you speak of?"
"Break!" Liam snapped. "Don't be so annoying, of course no one would want you to stop by during lunch. Miss Sharon I told you letting him deliver the letter wasn't a good idea!"
"Are you suggesting people don't like me because I don't use this thing called a door?" Break leaned forward grabbing the cookie on Liam's plate before Liam could take defensive measures against Break's sweet tooth.
"Yes I am!" Liam declared, his face reddening in rage. "That's why people think you're weird, because you don't use doors! That and you carry around a doll on you're shoulder."
"You're just jealous~" Emily jeered.
"I most certainly am not!" Liam shouted back at the blue doll. "I would never want to be known as the man who comes in from under the table!"
"Now, now Liam, don't get so mad at a mere doll." Break stuffed two more cupcakes into his mouth.
"So stupid, stupid~" Emily said in a singsong voice then burst into a round of chattering laughter.
"What!" Liam cried out. "You-"
"My, my," Sharon set down her tea cup. "I think that's enough arguing for today."
"But-"
"Right, Liam?" Sharon smiled innocently across at Liam while slowly pulling out a paper fan from a hidden pocket.
"Y-yes." Liam answered, he didn't feel like dying.
"Ooh~" Break snatched another cookie. "Lady Sharon is scary!"
Whap!
She was silent, as impossible as that may seem.
But that's what made Break the most curious. She had been following him around ever since one and it was nearly two thirty. He wondered how long she would continue this, she didn't have much patience. Any moment he expected her to jump out and demand something.
But he waited patiently for her patience to snap, it was quite interesting watching her try to sneak around, trying to go unnoticed by him.
Break was just taking a few papers from Pandora that needed to be filled out to Liam,(of course Break wouldn't fill them out, it was only right that Liam was the one to do that, Break did so much work already! The logic is completely sound!) when she suddenly decided to show herself, her patience coming to its end.
"All right clown!" She jumped out of a potted plant and stood defiantly before Break. "What's you're secret?"
"What ever do you mean Alice?" Break asked innocently.
"I've been following you all day-"
"I noticed." Break interjected. Alice paused, blinking a few times in surprise.
"You did?"
"You're so clumsy idiot!" Emily clattered.
"Don't be so rude Emily." Break admonished the doll wagging a finger at it. "She can't help it!"
"Gah!" Alice stamped a foot. "I've had enough, I've been following you all day having to put up with you're annoying self all this time and I still don't know you're secret."
"What secret?"
"How you do you're trick!" Alice cried out loosing her temper. "How you appear and disappear."
"Oh that!" Break chuckled. "Who knows!"
"Why you… I need to know so I can have the upper hand!"
"So that's your motive!"
Alice clenched her fists. "If you don't tell me then I'll be it out of you!"
"But you're powers sealed." Break reminded the angry girl.
"I can beat you clown!" Alice rushed forward, she'd get the secret out of the clown if it was the last thing she did!
Break smiled, standing still until the last second, with Alice's fist a mere few inches from his stomach he stepped to the side allowing Alice's momentum against her.
At Break's sudden movement Alice was unable to adjust herself, already going through with the punch. As she began to fall to the floor Break lowered himself to her ear level.
"It's magic." He whispered in reply to Alice's question.
"Magic?" Alice asked before falling to the floor with a thud. "Ouch!"
"Well then." Alice sat up quickly and turned toward the sound of Break's voice. He stood on the ledge of the potted plant, nearly hidden by its branches. "Now that that's over with I'll be going!"
"Wait!" Alice scrambled forward but Break had already disappeared into the plants foliage.
Though she knew what she'd find Alice swatted at the plants leaves, searching for the annoying clown.
Of course he wasn't there.
"Argh!" Alice cried out kicking the pot of the plant, tipping it over. "I wasted all that time following that stupid clown for nothing! He'll pay for that!"
Oz slowly rotated his tea cup on the saucer, Liam was going on and on about things relating to Pandora though no one seemed to really be paying attention.
Sharon was sipping her tea, Gilbert was slouched at his chair playing with the table cloth, Alice was glairing at Break while Break was satisfied to steal sweets from everyone else and ignore Alice's evil glare.
Oz sat back and sighed.
It was the wrong thing to do.
Liam perked up immediately at the sigh, eyes locking onto Oz. "Master Oz." He said sternly. "Are you paying attention?"
Oz sat up straighter. "Of course Liam."
"He wasn't paying attention." Break mumbled with a mouthful of food.
"Why is a raven like a writing desk?" Oz asked suddenly.
"Master Oz that's off the topic…"
"All right, then another question." Oz thought for a moment, he needed a topic that would last a while. One that had no answer (like a riddle he didn't know the answer to.) Anything to stop Liam from going on about Pandora.
He had just the thing.
"So Break, how do you appear and disappear?"
Liam sighed, seeing Oz's plan. "Master Oz…"
"How do you do it clown?" Alice asked. All eyes turned expectantly to Break, awaiting his answer.
"We should focus-" Liam tried desperately to back everyone's attention.
"Well Break?" Oz interrupted Liam.
Break lifted an eyebrow, nibbling on a cookie as he looked around at the expectant gazes fastened on him. He glanced over to Emily and smiled.
"Well~"
"Spit it out clown!" Alice snapped, not in the mood for Break's theatrics, she had to get the upper hand.
Break leaned forward slowly eating the cookie. Everyone waited as he swallowed the last bite, opening his mouth, about to speak the answer…
"Only smart people know."
There was a pause.
"Are you calling me stupid?" Alice roared standing up. "You're the stupid clown!"
Oz sat back in his chair, watching contentedly as Gilbert tried to keep Alice from killing Break, who just sat eating another cookie and smiling. He hadn't expected an answer but the question had done its job.
There was no more talk on Pandora. Big sister Sharon finally had to 'persuade' Alice to stop trying to kill her servant.
And though the fan never came out there were a lot of sparkles and scary smiles used.
Sharon sat at the now empty tea table, looking down at her empty tea cup in disappointment.
Break stood at the large window, watching as Oz, Alice and Gilbert left. "What a lively bunch." He chuckled.
Sharon glanced up at him. "You really do try to annoy them don't you?"
"Maybe." Break chuckled again.
Sharon turned her gaze back toward her tea cup, gathering up some courage. "Hey Break," She began; he turned his gaze from the departing carriage to Sharon. "How do you appear and disappear the way you do?"
"Is Miss Sharon curious to?" Break teased.
"Of course not!" Sharon's cheeks reddened and she lifted the tea cup up to hide her blush before realizing she had no tea left. "Never mind." She set the tea cup hastily back down to avoid looking like a fool.
"Do you really want to know?"
Sharon quickly looked up at Break, his serious tone catching her off guard. He still stood by the window, the setting sun casting dark shadows across his face.
"I… guess."
Break nodded slowly walking forward stopping before the table. "Then, I guess I must tell you," He leaned forward. "Lady Sharon."
Sharon remained still as Break leaned in closer, his face inches from her own.
"The reason I can appear and disappear as I do…"
There was a pause.
"I."
Sharon held her breath, waiting for the answer.
"Don't."
Sharon held as still as possible, afraid of breaking this moment and not getting the answer.
"Know!"
There was silence. Sharon registered what Break had said.
Emily burst out in laughter.
Slap!
Oz took a deep breath, this was nice. Having tea parties with Sharon was an excellent idea. Alice and Gilbert dared not step out of line for fear they would face a cruel end by a paper fan.
A terrible death really.
It was so peaceful having a tea party out on the balcony, with the breeze blowing through your hair, the birds chirping and the sweet scents of the garden mingling with the warm scent of the tea and freshly baked sweets…
It was so silent… so calm…
"Where's Break?" Oz set his cup down glancing around. Sharon tilted her head to the side.
"What do you mean Master Oz?" Sharon asked innocently.
"I haven't seen him in two days, since the last tea party." Oz eyed the corner of the table warily, just waiting for the white haired man to pop out.
"You're right!" Alice narrowed her eyes. "What's that clown planning?"
"Did he go somewhere?" Gilbert asked.
Sharon giggled, setting down her tea cup. "Do not worry about Break." She slowly drew out a paper fan from her pocket, laying it on the table top. "Tricksters must be properly dealt with."
A unanimous decision was reached to never ask about Break's fate again.
Well I hope that was an enjoyable read, but really how can Break appear and disappear like that? One of the many mystery's of Break... but I guess that's why we love him xD I just noticed that Break has a lot of ~ more ~ than I've ever used o.O... at least it makes sense... (I'm sure I'll use a lot more ~ when writing Fai...) Anyway, I had a hard time deciding the title for this oneshot, but I finally decided to call it Magician's Secret, since just like a magician Break doesn't give way his secrets xD (cheesy title...)