Wow…I'm back, everyone! ^.^ I'm proud to present a MUCH better Pandora Hearts fic that I've been role playing with a friend for about a month. Unfortunately, since this storyline is so old (O.o) it is slightly inaccurate now that the mindrape that is Retrace 65 has been released. You'll be able to tell at which point in the story my friend and I experienced this as things will change drastically. Hope you enjoy it
Chapter One: Misfortune
The weather was warm; the sun was shining brightly in the sky. The day was altogether beautiful and two young nobles sat outside enjoying it. Leaning over a table of sweets (or in the young lady's case meat), the pair was approached by an older companion.
The boy stood with a smile as his friend stopped in front of him, "Gil! Break told me you were going to a meeting!"
Gil gave a small grin back and patted his friend on the head, "Yes, Oz, I am. It's INCREDIBLY important so I really need to be going. Stay here with Alice." His annoyance was conveyed when he noticed Oz trying to sneak after him. The frustrated young noble put on his best pouty face and blocked the door.
"Why can't I go to these meetings, Gil? I never know what's going on until you tell me." Oz's temper tantrum made Gil smile. Placing a hand on his shoulder, Gil gently steered him around and sent him back to Alice.
"I don't even know what's happening, Oz. You'll know when I know. I have to go." The door closed with a 'click' behind him. Oz slouched to the floor with a huff and stared intently at the door as if to force it to open with Gil on the other side.
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The room was dark and damp. Gil was used to it by now…it was the briefing room. Only one thing was different between this time and all the other times he'd been briefed on a mission: the dukes were all present and were going to explain his parameters to him personally. Selected for the duty was none other than his former master and uncle to his best friend: Oscar. As the older man approached the small round table in the center of the room, the others moved in closer together.
Gil sat down at the chair across from Oscar, who stood before him with a paper in his hand. Setting it down in front of the young contractor to see, he began the briefing with sincerity, "Gilbert Nightray, you have been summoned here today to be assigned to an important mission that, though I greatly disapprove, overrides all previous orders laid upon you. Do you understand this?"
After a moment of hesitation, Gil nodded. If all other orders were put on hold for this assignment, it meant that he was to do this alone and was not to include Oz. He could understand why Oscar was so much against the ruling. Oz would be left unprotected if he was sent on a solitary mission. However, it was the duty of Pandora contractors to capture illegals and bring them in. Oscar continued with his briefing, "An illegal contractor, believed to be connected to the Headhunter, is wreaking havoc in the city. Before you is the file containing the…information you should need." His hesitation gave away the slightest hint of remorse at what was about to happen. Gil picked up the paper on the table and flipped it over. Eyes growing wide, Gil could see why Oscar was so pained to tell him that he was being sent on this mission.
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Time dragged ever slower as Oz and Alice waited for Gil to return from his meeting. Alice wandered around out of boredom, occasionally voicing her opinions about being stuck in the room alone with Oz…while Oz himself sat in silence. Eventually, the chain fell asleep on the sofa with her head on her 'manservant's' lap.
Finally, Oz dozed off as well and let his head fall to the side. Several hours had passed since Gil had been called to the meeting and night had fallen outside. Neither noticed when the visitor entered the room and approached them. Placing a hand on the young contractor's shoulder, he shook slightly until Oz awoke with a jump. Upon regaining his composure, the boy could finally make out the intruder's face.
"Break? What're you doing here? Where's Gil?" His groggy words were met with eagerness as the older man put a finger to his lips.
"He's been sent on a mission…a very dangerous one. I'm afraid Pandora has found out about Vincent and they've sent Gil after him. I hoped it would never come to this, but Gil may be in danger. I've obtained permission from your uncle to send you to find him. He even gave me the directions to the mansion in the city where he disappeared. Come with me." After waking Alice, Oz followed Break to his uncle's room for instructions.
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Upon arrival to the location listed as where Gil had disappeared, Oz and Alice could feel that this was not going to be pleasant. The inside was dark and musty, as if the place had been abandoned for years. The structure was old, probably dating back at least to the tragedy…
Walking up the stairs, Oz could see that one of the rooms at the end of the hallway ahead was lit. A dark figure, most likely a person, blocked part of the light in the hall. As Oz strained to see who it was, they mystery person began to approach them. Moments later, the ever flamboyant Vincent appeared inside his field of view. Oz stood stoic as Alice sneered.
"Hello, Oz-kun. You aren't by chance looking for Gil are ya?" The smile on Vincent's face was eerie. He was, in every part, the child Oz remembered from Alice's memory. Oz stopped in the middle of the hall, unable to get past his friend's younger brother.
"Yes I am, would you be so kind as to tell me where he is?" He returned the smile. The young boy's expressions were on the same level of creepy the Nightray's were. Vincent chuckled and opened his eyes to meet Oz's gaze, "I'm afraid he's incapacitated at the moment. I can't allow you to see him."
"And why not?" Oz asked, his expression unchanging.
"Master Leo isn't finished with him yet. Once the transfer is complete you can have him back." The smile on Oz's face disappeared and he glared at the younger Nightray brother.
"How about I just go in now?" Oz began to barge around Vincent in frustration. The older blonde threw his arm up and tossed the boy back, "I'm afraid I can't let you do that. Master Leo threatened to kill Gil if anyone interfered."
"What makes you think he won't kill him anyway?" Oz asked, clearly agitated.
"He promised me he wouldn't." Vincent sighed, "And I'm not going to allow you to destroy the only person I've ever held dear."
The two only stared at each other for what seemed like forever before a blood curdling cry was heard from the open room. Vincent smiled, "Master Leo will see you now." Oz and Alice rushed past him to the doorway. Vincent was giggling behind them, the echo reverberating through the hall.
"Hello, Oz-kun! Long time no see." Leo gave his visitor a grin. Oz returned the favor with malice in his eyes. The boy slowly approached his former friend, leaving his Chain standing behind him.
"What have you done with Gil, Leo?" His emerald green eyes displayed the anger his body felt. He scanned the room, finding his best friend in a heap on the other side of the room. His anger grew.
"Dear Gilbert possesses something which is not rightfully his and I'm reclaiming it." Oz's jaw dropped and Leo giggled,"Oh, come now. You must know that Raven was originally Glen's Chain. I'll be taking back all of them; that includes your own family's Chain."
Oz stood in shock, "You can't seriously steal the Chains from each of the dukes. You'd never get through the Pandora staff assigned to each one." His own Chain moved closer to him with a scowl on her face.
"Of course I can, Oz-kun," Leo giggled, "They belong to Glen and thus are mine by right. Once I have Raven the others will be easy. I just need to extract each one from their current owners." He glanced at Gil. Oz took the opportunity to run to his friend's side. Leo only laughed, not trying to stop him.
"The extraction process has already begun, Oz-kun! There's nothing you can do now."
Oz looked back to Leo in disgust, "What do you mean 'extraction'? What will happen to him?"
Leo's laughter grew harder, "The Chain being forced from the body without breaking the contract is akin to rejection! I can remove Raven and immediately contract it before it disappears and its contractor will die." Oz's eyes grew wider. Before he could react further, the all too familiar spasm of pain shot through his body…
"Leo, what do you plan on doing once you've gained them all?" The young noble had the feeling he knew the answer to this question. There was only one thing the Baskervilles were after and if Leo truly was Glen then that meant –
"I'm going to restore the Abyss to its natural state," the former servant said with a grin.
Oz!
"You say that a lot but you can never seem to come up with anything more than that," Oz's thoughts began to blur.
"It's simple, Oz-kun. I plan to destroy the Will of the Abyss by sending enough people inside to overwhelm her. I know what happened after Sabrie and I plan to repeat it on a grander scale!"
That's enough, Oz! Let me through!
An enormous pressure built up in Oz's head as he sank to his knees. With his head in his hands, the boy let himself be pulled into the recesses of his mind.
Oz, you have to stop him! I told you before that the entire matter over the state of the Abyss is too dangerous to be allowed to continue! Use Alice to destroy him!
I can't, Jack…Gil's hurt and Leo's my friend.
He's not Leo anymore! He's Glen and Glen is dangerous. I understand what you're going through. Believe me, making the decision to kill my best friend was not easy. You need to do what's best for everyone.
I can't…
Fine, then I will-
"You can't kill Gil. You wouldn't," the voice was familiar, yet didn't match the body it emanated from. Leo, though confused, still responded.
"What makes you think that?"
"Vincent told us you promised not to kill him."
"What makes you think I'd tell that dirty rat the truth? He's the reason we're in this situation in the first place." Leo snapped back, "As a matter of fact, he's served his purpose. I don't intend to let him live either." Oz's head snapped upwards, revealing the famous stare that only one person could do.
The young frame stood with ease, his face glaring across the room with anger, "Leo, I can't allow you to continue with Glen's plans. You and the rest of your family don't understand just how much damage you're causing and it seems I'm going to have to teach you once again."
"Oh, Oz, I'd like to see you try. You can't even protect yourself let alone everyone else!" Leo was quickly becoming irritated at his incessant rambling.
"Don't you dare say his name! You've done nothing but cause trouble for him and I cannot allow you to continue," Jack yelled in disgust from his host's body. Leo froze momentarily before he realized what was going on.
"Ah, so it's true! I'd heard from Vincent that you'd returned, Jack. How nice to see you again." Though his personality was beginning to show, there were still two remaining seals on Glen's soul and thus he could not appear as Jack had. However, Leo was still just as annoyed that his plans were being put on hold for this guy again!
"No matter, though. Soon I'll have Raven back and you can be on your merry way, Jack."
"I don't think so, Leo. We will take our leave now," Jack said as he stood valiantly over Gil. The former servant hadn't moved for the entire conversation and within the confines of his mind, Oz was worried his friend was already dead. Jack moved to aid Gil when the sound of gunfire echoed through the room.
The wall above his head displayed a bullet sized hole. Looking over, Jack could see that Leo had been holding a gun, "Now, Leo, do you really think you want to do that? There's no need to be shooting inside a building."
"Leave him there, Jack. I'm not finished with him yet. I won't miss again." Jack stared at him, knowing that he wasn't lying and that he really didn't want to get Oz killed because he was stubborn. He spent several moments frozen, trying to figure out what to do next before he realized what he could do.
"Sharon-chan, I'm going to rescue Gil. I don't know what's going to happen when we run into whoever has him captive, so, if you wouldn't mind, may we use Eques?"
"Of course," the young Rainsworth lady answered with a smile, "I'll make sure you stay safe. It's the least I can do."
That's right! Oz, is the young lady's Chain still inside your shadow? Jack asked to the shaken boy inside his mind. Oz stared upwards blankly before silently nodding. His visitor looked back to Leo, who was still holding the gun, "We're leaving. Now."
"Oh no you're not. I nearly have Raven back. You're not going to stop me now." Leo advanced on the two in the corner, poising to attack as Jack protectively grabbed onto Gil. Squeezing his eyes closed, he called for the one thing that would save them.
"EQUES, NOW!" The swirling black mass of Oz's shadow engulfed Jack, Gil, and Alice and they disappeared from sight.
Oz, my job is done for now. Take care of Gil…
"Oz!" The name's owner shot up with a start to realize he was lying on the floor of Rainsworth manor; Sharon's room to be precise. Alice was sitting next to him with her hand on his shoulder. The look on her face said that she was obviously the one calling his name. Looking around, Oz could make out through the haze of his blurry vision that Break was in the room, sitting in a chair a few feet away while Sharon sipped tea at her table.
"Oz-kun, how nice to see you back in one piece." As his vision cleared, Oz could see that Break was staring at him intently. His gaze always creeped the boy out. Even though he was blind, Break seemed to be able to see a lot better than he was letting on and it felt odd when he looked at someone.
"Is everyone okay, Break? Where's Gil?" Gil was the one person missing from the room and Oz didn't know how long he'd been asleep on the floor. He stood up with a start only to realize he was incredibly dizzy. Alice steadied him, "Watch out, stupid! It was hard enough to wake you up the first time."
Break rose from his chair and joined them, "He's alive, but we're trying to figure out how to stop the transfer. We got away from Leo but since he refused to let him go we have to fight his magic. I've been keeping an eye on him since you got back." Oz, leaning against Alice with a hand on his head, looked down at the floor in sorrow.
"Why did they send him anyway? Why was it Gil that had to capture his brother?"
"That's exactly why. Vincent would never kill his own brother. That's why we needed to send him. If it had been anybody else they would've been killed instantly." Break replied quietly before making his way to a door on the other side of the room, "I'm going to check on him. I'll be back in a moment." The door closed silently behind him.
The quiet was only momentary. Shortly after disappearing into the mystery room, Oz could hear a shriek and then, "Oz-kun! We have a problem!"
Oz ran towards the door followed closely by Alice and threw it open. Inside, Break was trying to hold down a thrashing Gil, "Oz-kun, hurry! Help me restrain him before he hurts himself."
"What's going on?" Oz asked as he obeyed. Between bouts of kicking and punching, Break managed to piece together a response.
"Raven's loyalty is shifting. As it begins to move away from him it will attack him. He's unconsciously lashing out at it, trying to get it to return to him." No sooner had the words escaped him, Gil stopped thrashing. Oz looked down at his friend as he lay still on the bed he'd been placed on.
"Gil? Gil, are you okay? Gil!"
There's chapter one! I hope you enjoy the cliffhanger while I work on turning my RP script into chapter two. TTYL minna-san!
Kara