Disclaimer: The only characters I own here are the Blaire siblings. The rest belongs to their respective authors—Yana Toboso-sama and Jun Mochizuki-sama. I wish, I own Ciel and Oz, though. Talk about rotten luck. =_=

Other Genres: Angst, Fantasy, Drama, Adventure, Supernatural, Romance

A/N: This is my second published work here in FF. I'm currently working on this one, thus resulting to abandoning my other unpublished crappy stories. There will be implications of Shonen-ai, I guess. Actually, I had planned on making none at all. But I know some readers (including me) have distorted minds, so fine, have it that way. Some details were based from various Fairy tales and from the Manga, of course. Majority of the characters will be out from their usual characters, so do not expect to see them acting like themselves (especially Ciel and Sebastian (?)). Ciel is a sweet, little kid here and he has a sister. Also, I will alter some of the character's connections. Oh, and yeah, please, I will appreciate it if you won't call me a pedophile (even if I am somewhat harassing that "poor boy" in my mind.). Thank god I had never thought of putting myself in his partner's position. Pairing him with others *insert horrible acts here* gives me so much joy. I am such an awful girl. My mind is filled with perverted thoughts *crying and laughing at the same time*. Don't kill me for my bad grammar (English is not my first language) and apparent inconsistencies with the characters' behavior (I just do enjoy altering it). Boo, anyway, this is rated T, but may go up to M soon. Please, enjoy! :D

Chapter I: Bedtime Stories

It was a peaceful night—the moon bare, the trees steady, the breeze silent—everything seemed to be in order. A girl—aged fourteen and has short bluish silver hair—was having a quiet little time with her ten-year-old, little brother. In contrary to her almost silver hair, her brother owns a darker shade of blue, almost grayish to blackish if you didn't pay more attention to it.

"'Are you lost, Children? Ah, you must be very tired. Come inside and let nice old Granny give you something to eat,' said the old lady. They were very hungry and the place looks nice enough for it was filled with various sweets, so Hansel and Gretel went inside and accept the tempting offer of the old lady—" she was reading him a bedtime story when someone entered their tiny little world, interrupting her from reading.

"Zwei, dear?" It was their mother who called—a lady in her early 30's bearing a beautiful golden brown hair. "Isn't it time for bed already? It's late. Go back to your room." The girl, who was named Zwei, nodded and closed the book she was holding. "Go give your brother a goodnight kiss and off you go to bed too." Zwei was about to do what she was told when her brother halted her.

"Wait! It's unfair. She hasn't finished reading me the story yet. Please, don't let us sleep yet, Mommy," the boy pleaded and clung on her sister like a little Koala.

"But, sweetheart, aren't you always asking your sister to read the same story to you countless of times now already? I bet you had already memorized that one."

"I just like the story… plus I like it when sister reads to me."

"Then let her read you another one, but let it be for tomorrow. It's not good for the both of you to stay up late." Rachel, the sibling's mother, sat by the edge of the bed and gently tucked her son under the soft covers. The boy struggled a little, but after realizing that what he was doing won't take him anywhere, he gave up; though, telling his mother that he won't sleep unless his sister finished reading to him. Rachel sighed. She was about to let the boy do what he wants when her husband suddenly entered the said room.

"That won't do, Ciel," Vincent, the said man, said as he approached his family. "Be a good boy and listen to your mother." Ciel pouted. It would be a complete defeat now that his father was there. The latter put a hand on his son's head, while giving his daughter a smile. He went to check on his daughter in her room minutes ago before he went to check on his son, but he found her gone and thought she must be hanging around with her little brother. The Earl found out that he was extremely right about it.

"Father, will you let me sleep with Ciel instead?" Zwei asked. The couple agreed, in return that they promise not to read anymore stories for the night. They left after making sure that their children were already fast asleep.

The next morning was another normal day for that family, except for the unusual loud noises Ciel was making from running around hallways on the second floor. He went to a halt after arriving inside his sister's room. Right at that moment, Zwei was on her bed staring outside her window. Ciel ran once more and dived at his sister, knocking the said girl down. "Ciel, you can't just jump into people like that. It will surely hurt if it's not me," his sister said.

The boy grinned, totally ignoring his sister's warning. "What are you looking at, Echo?" he asked. He has the habit of calling his sister various nicknames, Echo or Noise for example, which all depends on the girl's mood. "Are there any interesting object outside?"

"Nothing… just merely staring."

He smiled this time after remembering what he went there for in the first place. "Look at this, Echo! I found a bedtime story!" he said, waving the said book up in the air. Zwei gently pushed her brother up as she went on sitting. The boy was now sitting on her lap, straddling her. She offered a smile in return and took the book from his hand.

Ciel loves to read, any kind of books will do as long as he enjoys reading it, so Zwei offers a lot of her time reading various stories to him. If Ciel is happy then she is too. "It was published just this year. I read the summary. It's about a boy who was casted into the Abyss," Ciel explained. The details instantly poked Zwei's interest. "Sister, isn't Abyss similar to Hell?"

Zwei patted her brother's head and said, "I don't think so. Hell is a lake of fire, while Abyss is like a broken toy box, or more similar to a prison as what the old fairy tales described it to be. Although, either way, these two places are connected… this is where bad people are thrown out."

"Maybe it's like a distorted version of wonderland. I wonder if people can have a tour down there."

"Those stories are already mixing with your reality. Avoid that one or you'll lose your way in the maze of dreams."

Ciel stared at his sister for a while before he burst into laughter. "You're taking it seriously, sister. Plus there's no way I'll let myself be lost. I'm good at deciphering puzzles."

"Mazes are far from puzzles."

"They're just the same," he contradicted. "Will you read this one to me later before going to bed?"

Zwei thought for a moment before coming up with a decision. "We can do that right now." The two children both rested their backs on the pillows, so that they would have a better view of the book in a comfortable position. Zwei began to read. She is a fast reader so Ciel doesn't get bored whenever she reads. "…and so it was really destined of him to be in such a place. 'I, who bears the chain of conviction, shall now pass judgment upon you. Your sin is your very existence. With this hand of mine, I sentenced you to be dragged into the bottomless pit of the Abyss,' were the words that rang in his ears over and over again. Then afterwards he found himself in that place—a prison where all things are broken."

There was silence after that. Zwei was about to continue when her brother spoke. "Don't you think it's unfair?"

She looked down at him and asked what does he meant by that.

"They killed him just because he exists… and just because his existence is a sin itself. They didn't even explain to him well why they are considering him that way. Aren't all people deserves to live? Even if they are the most ruthless murderers on earth, all people are the same."

"What are you ranting about? It wasn't stated that they killed him. They just simply dragged him down there."

"Isn't it the same? Being in the Abyss is much similar to being dead."

"Oh? You're a troublesome listener. Just let me finish reading, will you?" Zwei pinched her brother on the cheek and giggled. Ciel looked up at her a little surprised. To giggle like that isn't like his sister at all when she's on her Echo mode. Zwei ignored him and continued reading. "He met a chain. It was different from any other chains he saw. The others were like monsters, but this one is much like an ordinary human like him—it was a girl with a long black hair and a pair of purple eyes. Somehow, he thought that her existence is somewhat familiar… they formed a contract and was able to get out of the Abyss together," Zwei read, on and on, continuing like she was just singing a lullaby, "…a lot had happened. From the short period of time that he had spent in the Abyss, a lot of things had changed. From what he didn't realize at first was that ten years had already passed… he didn't age; he remained the same while the people around him had changed and left him behind. 'Abyss is a distorted time warp. Even if you managed to escape from it, there's no guarantee that you'll return to your original time.' He never had the slightest clue. So that is why everything seemed different—"

"What? Ten years?" Ciel flinched. He just suddenly buried his face on her sister's chest and whimpered like a lost and hungry puppy.

"What's wrong? Are you crying?"

"I don't want that to happen to me," Ciel said, fighting through his upcoming tears as he looked up and faced his sister. "W-What if… I am dragged there too and came back and you guys are not here anymore? I-I don't know what I'll do. Abyss is a scary place… and a world without Echo, Mommy, and Daddy will be a lonely place."

"That won't happen to you. You're not a bad person." Zwei embraced her brother tight and nuzzled on his hair.

"T-Then, what if I accidentally do something bad? Will they throw me there as well?"

Zwei stopped what she was doing and stared down at Ciel with a serious face. "Sister won't allow it. Ciel don't have to worry anymore." Ciel was convinced. He forced a smile and asked her sister to continue. "…he met a lot of people along his journey. People who taught him things, people who made him realize, people who shared him their thoughts, people who wanted to protect, even those who opposes—them who wanted nothing but destruction, those who wanted to drag people into their mess and downfall, those who only live to use people for their own benefits. 'Abyss is not something like you see in fairy tales. To them, it is a womb for birthing weapons called Chains. That is why they want to obtain the Will of the Abyss. It is an existence you could call the core that makes up the space… and you, is the key for obtaining the Will. Your existence will be an essential tool. That is why they drag you down into that distorted place."

"What kind of reason was that? I don't really understand some humans. They are very random," Ciel complained once more. He was getting a little annoyed now. "Sister… what can you say about it?"

"I think people are constant liars. They lie to others, as well as to themselves."

"Are we included?"

"I guess… because humans have no scruples about lying."

"I-I'm…" Zwei was suddenly taken aback upon seeing her brother fighting another urge to cry. "…a liar?"

"No. I was kidding."

"B-But, you were so serious."

"Ah, this isn't good. I can't take it anymore." Just seeing her brother like that makes her want to squeal so badly. She needed a switch. "Kyuh! Ciel is so cute!" She suddenly dived into him, knocking him down this time. Ah, it was childish indeed, but she doesn't care anymore as long as she could let out her suppressed feelings.

"Wah—Noise* is here!" Ciel screamed. He shifted to calling his sister another of her aliases.

"No! It's Zwei! Call me Zwei! Come on, Ciel~" She was laughing now while nuzzling her face on her little brother.

"Aw, come on. Give me back Echo. I like her more."

"Hey, you're rude… after I went all the trouble for showing you my real—"

"So this is where the young lady and the young master hid? I've been looking all over for you," went a voice which interrupted Zwei from talking. She and Ciel both looked at the direction of the voice, making them beamed from delight upon seeing the person.

"Sebastian!" Zwei released her brother from her embrace and ran to do the same to their butler.

"Oh, she's back? I bet it's the young master's cuteness which had triggered this," Sebastian said, chuckling.

Ciel didn't seem to hear what Sebastian had said. Instead of responding, he jumped down from the bed and ran towards them as well. "Me too! Me too! I want a hug too!"

Sebastian raised his other arm to greet Ciel towards him while chuckling from the amusement he was having. "My, what troublesome little masters… What were you two doing in here?"

Ciel explained his short adventure in the library a while ago and to how he found the book, which he had asked his sister to read. "It was a pretty cool book so I thought that it might be interesting enough to read… that's why I ended up in here with sister," he added as he explained as well the content of the said material.

"May I ask the name of the boy in the story?" Ciel told him the name of the main character. Sebastian thought for a second. The name was so familiar that he was so sure that he already met someone who was bearing the same one. He just cut himself away from his thoughts when Ciel asked him if he knew anything about chains. "They are monsters used as weapons, young master." Ciel responded by asking him again, this time asking if Chains are similar to Demons. "No, young master. They are much different from them."

"Well… are they real? I mean… both Chains and Demons."

Sebastian paused for a while. He couldn't just randomly teach his little master things that are not supposed to be heard by children—especially to curious ones such as Ciel. But, it's not like him not to tell the truth. "Yes, they are real."

"No, Sebastian! You'll scare him!" Zwei yelled, immediately hugging her little brother for comfort. "Ciel will run away and cry at Mom and Dad. They'll get mad at both of us for sure."

"I-I won't do that! I'm not scared!" Ciel defended. Zwei teased him, telling him things like he always ended up crying anyway even if he does not admit that he's scared. Before they ended up quarrelling, Sebastian stepped in between to stop them. Ciel turned back his attention at the tall butler and asked one more question. "Do you lie, Sebastian?"

Sebastian smiled and said, "I am not like humans, young master. I do not lie." The children both stared at him in awe. Their butler is just too amazing. "Now, shall I read you a story before bed?"

A/N: *Please don't be confused. Echo, Noise/Noisy, and Zwei are the same persons. Well, Zwei (though I like Echo more) is my number one favorite girl in Pandora Hearts, followed by Charlotte, then Sharon, and Lily. I don't know if I like Alice or not; anyway, it's not a big deal. Sorry if I made Ciel act like a little kid. I love the Shota Ciel and so is Sebastian acting all cuddly to Ciel. :3

You can share your thoughts if you like.

*Edited version