A/N: Please review and help me improve

Disclaimer: I don't own Pandora Hearts

Chapter 1 – The Kingdom

"Hey!"

"Wake up!"

"Oz!"

"Argh! What's it, Gil!" The blonde haired boy complained, "I'm still sleepy…"

"Oz! Today's the day that you finally become a soldier! You wouldn't want to be late now, don't you?" The young man, Gil persuaded him to wake up.

"Fine… fine… give me 5 more minutes…" The boy said

"No, Oz! Now! You're going to be late if you sleep again!" Gil shook Oz's body hard. Too hard that he accidentally pushed the boy down from his bed. He landed hard on the floor and woke up immediately.

"Ouch! What was that for, Gil!" He, of course, complained for his friend's rudeness.

"That was for waking you up!" Gil answered, "Come on! Lets go already!" He grabbed his hand and dragged his friend.

"W-Wait! Wait! I said wait! Gil! I have to take a bath okay!" Oz complained.

"Oh , yeah, I totally forgot…" He said, "Go ahead… I'll wait here." He said while walking towards a chair. "Be fast okay."

"Alright." The boy walked into the bathroom and took a quick shower.

"Are you done?" Gil asked after the boy came out of the bathroom with a standard leather armor which had the emblem of their kingdom engraved on it.

"Yep, Lets go."

They walked together. His room was located on the second floor of the castle. Unfortunately, the staircase to the first floor couldn't be walked through in a single minute. They had to run in order to make it in time.

"Slow down, Gil!" The boy complained.

"We can't. You'll be late." The man replied, "If only you woke up earlier than –"

"Alright! Alright! I'm guilty. I admit it." He boy cut his friend's sentence.

"Then start running!" He said.

While panting they managed to, somehow, make it in time. As the young man passed through the hallways, people bowed towards him. He was a respected knight. The boy had always known this, but he never knew that knights were extremely respected. He himself had always dreamed of becoming one since he met the young man 5 years ago. And they became friends soon afterwards.

Now, this was the first step of his dreams… becoming a soldier. He was so excited that he spent the night in the castle, more specifically in Gil's room. He got to serve the country. Yes, it was just a regular soldier, but he hoped in his heart that someday, he would eventually become a knight. Gil became one at a very young age, people said he got an outstanding talent. Lots of ladies had fallen for him, not only because he was a respected knight, but also because of his handsome face. Even the boy could see that.

After he was done with the ceremony, Gil showed him Oz's room and left him there. Not long after a man entered his room, he had blond hair just like him and also beard.

"So Oz… your first assignment is…" A big middle-aged man said to him after he got his own room, "Patrolling the town."

"Patrolling?" He asked

"Yes. You just have to walk around the town and see if something's wrong or not. Please wait here, I'll go and get you a partner. If something happen, one of you could return to the castle and report." He explained.

"Yes sir!"

"Ah-ha-ha… You don't have to be so formal when we are alone, just call me Oscar." The man said playfully

"I see." The boy answered, "Then I shall call you… Mr. Oscar…is that fine?" He asked

"That's fine." He walked out of the room, "Then, I'll be back."

The boy laid his body on the bed, his room wasn't as good as his friend's, but it would suffice for now. The room looked particularly normal. A normal small bed, a desk, a chair, a wardrobe… and other things. The wall was made with wood, so did the floor. He was looking through his belongings when suddenly the door slammed open, a figure of a man entered the room.

"Hey, Oz. I found you a partner!" He said while carrying a young boy around Oz's age on his shoulder.

"Hey, I'm not an item, put me down!" The boy complained, "I said I'll go, okay, You don't need to carry me like this!"

"Oh, no, Elliot. This way is faster." Oscar said playfully, "Ha-ha, don't you want to feel you childhood again?"

"No, I don't." He answered immediately, "I'm all grown up!"

"Nope. You're still 16 and that's not all that old." Oscar said, "You were so cute when you were little."

"Huh!"

"Anyway…" He put him down, "You'll be patrolling the town with him. He is new so teach him the way." Oscar explained.

"…Fine." The boy replied.

"Well… bye." He dashed out, fast.

"Sigh…" The boy sighed, "Well, nice to meet you."

"Oz." Oz said.

"I'm Elliot." The boy introduced himself.

"So…"

"We're patrolling the town now. Or do you perhaps have something else to do first?" He asked

"Nope, lets go."

Pandora Town

Pandora town was a peaceful town surrounded by forests and lakes, around the north there was a sea, fishermen made their living there and the fishes in Pandora town had quite a high quality. The king loved his people dearly but unfortunately he hadn't had an heir, his wife, apparently died a few years ago before having a child, he had aged though his face was still as handsome as he was when he was young. Many women fell for him, ranging from a very young kid to an old woman, but he didn't accept the feelings of any of these women. In his heart there was only one woman he truly loved.

Elliot and Oz had patrolled the town. Nothing unusual… everything was as peaceful as always. The citizen seemed to know Elliot well, not in the way they knew Gil, but more like… he was treated as a little kid. Elliot entered a building… Oz just followed behind him, he used to live in the outskirts of the town, so he wasn't really known by anyone here, and he didn't know anyone here too.

"Welcome." A red haired man said right after Elliot entered to building which was a restaurant.

"Hi, Mr. Barma, I need seat for 2 people." Elliot said to him

"Sure thing. Same as always?" He asked while pointing on a table located quite near where they were standing now.

"Yup. I want this guy to taste your specialty dish." Elliot said to him taking one of the seats while Oz took the other.

"Sure thing, so two portions, huh? That'll take more time." The man, Rufus Barma said and shouted, "Two Rufu-Tofu please!" to the cook at the kitchen.

"Sure thing, boss." The cook shouted back

"So what's your name kid?" Barma asked

"Oz." He answered him, "I'm new here."

"I see… you two sure get along well." Barma said, "How's life here? Is it fun?"

"Yeah, it's fun. It's very nice here. I used to live by the outskirts of the town, so this is my first time eating in a restaurant." Oz said, "And the people here are very nice too.

"They sure are." Barma said

"So Oz." Elliot changed the topic, "Why do you become a soldier?" He asked

"Ah, I kinda adore Gil. I want to be like him. Plus, protecting the kingdom also feels good, I think." He answered

"Gilbert Nightray?" He said, "He's pretty amazing, becoming a knight at such a young age wasn't that easy, and he did it."

"Yeah, what about you?" He asked back at him, "Why do you become one?"

"Me? I want to protect this kingdom, the people here are very nice to me, I want to protect their smile and their happiness. This kingdom is full of love, I want the love to stay here forever and never leave this kingdom." Elliot explained

"I see… that's a really good reason."

"Two bowl of Rufu-Tofu!" Their conversation was interrupted by the voice of a waiter. The waiter came and put two bowl of hot tofu in the color of brown, it smelled really good.

"Wow." Oz smiled as soon as he put the tofu in his mouth, "This is good."

"Right? This is Mr. Barma specialty, the best dish in town." Elliot said, "Rufu-Tofu!"

"Rufu-Tofu? That's a cute name." Oz replied, "The taste is so rich and the texture is perfect."

Elliot finished his lunch fast and he went to the toilet, Oz on the other hand savored the taste and enjoyed his lunch, not long after, Elliot came out and took the seat again, by this time Oz put the last spoonful of tofu into his mouth.

"Ready to go?" Elliot asked.

"Sure thing." Oz said

Elliot went to Barma and paid for the food, Barma of course, gave him a discount. He excused himself and went out with Oz. They continued to petrol the town together.

Meanwhile…

Castle

"You called for me, your majesty?" Gilbert bowed in front of a figure sitting on the throne.

"Yes, Gilbert, I need you to enter the special unit and destroy THEM." The king, Glen Baskerville ordered, "I won't accept failure."

"Yes, your majesty." Gil replied.

"Good. Please take another 2 people along with you." The king ordered

"Yes, your majesty."

And so…

"Huh! The special unit!" The shocked Oz said, "Why would I be chosen? I'm still new."

"I was told to get 2 more people, I thought you might want to." Gil simply answered, "You too, Elliot." He said to the other boy.

"I don't mind, in fact, I'll be really happy." The boy replied

"Oz?"

"Count me in! This'll be a good experience." Oz finally answered

"Then, I'll report to the special unit." Gil said as he dashed to the special unit's base

"Then I'll go back to my room, Oz." Elliot waved his hands and walked back to his room.

"See you tomorrow." Oz replied and waved his hand.

He walked to his room. He was laying down on his bed, which, in his opinion was quite comfortable, when he fell asleep. In his dream he saw…

A girl was crying in the middle of rain, she looked at him and said:

"Help me… Oz"