Chapter 1: Mad Hatter

Sharon took a nervous breath as she faced the gate to abyss. This was her first time going there, now that she was of age it was time for her to choose a chain to make a contract with. While the other Pandora agents stood by, ready with a way to pull her out, she stepped through the gate and let out a gasp as she fell into the depths of the dark and cold abyss.

Break sat in the unending darkness of abyss, long ago he had been pulled to its core. Staying too long in its depths made him lose not only his left eye, but his humanity and memories. He was a chain inside and out, his skin pale, nails long and black like claws. His canines exceptionally sharp like fangs. He wore a tattered cloak and all black from head to toe. On his head was a hat with many crazy things on it like playing cards, flowers, ribbon and even a spiked vine.

Not only had his appearance changed but his mind as well. The abnormal power in abyss, and the overwhelming power he now possessed, gave him a more vicious and mad nature. His memories, all he remembered was what and who he was. He was the Mad Hatter chain, one of the most powerful chains in abyss, and his name, Xerxes Break. The name was lodged in his mind like a thorn in a wound, he did not know where the name came from, all he knew was that it was his. Everything else he could not remember, as if he was searching for nothing in a heavy fog.

Suddenly the chain looked up sensing a somewhat familiar presence. A human. They came to abyss every now and then, but did not stay long, same as the chains that met with them. Break did not know about how they got there, but he did know what they came for.

To make a contract. Break had been in abyss for what seemed centuries, something deep down inside of him told him he had to escape. To go to the human world. To discover his purpose.

Now, Break did not know much about who he was, or why he was even in abyss. However, no matter how hard he looked, he could find no purpose or explanation for his existence in abyss. He knew it had to be elsewhere.

Now was his chance. Rising to his feet, the chain made his way towards the human presence.

Sharon stumbled a bit when she landed on the surface; she stood up looking around warily with her contract mirror clutched in one hand. Abyss was just like the Pandora agents said, "Like a Broken toy box. " The young noble looked around at the strange dimension she had fallen into, floating furniture, never ending darkness, such was abyss..

Break soon saw a small figure in the darkness, a little girl. A human girl, here in abyss. The hatter could sense no other chains nearby, so his chance was perfect. He approached the girl and bent over to speak to her.

" My my, now what could a little girl like yourself be doing in abyss? "

Sharon whirled around to face him, she had not expected for something to sneak up on her like that. However, she was even more unexpected to see anything that looked so close to a human. Sharon stood up straight trying to be brave.

"I-I came to make a contract. " She replied. Break grinned madly, tipping his hat. "A contract you say? Well maybe I could be of service? ".

Sharon was quite surprised at how willing he was to make a contract. Most chains might
demand things such as sacrifices or something related to that before making a
contract, however, this one was different.

"I'll need you blood then…You do know you won't be getting any human sacrifices. " The chain frowned as she brought that up, pulling a sharp pin out of his hat. "Oh I don't really care for that. " He said, making a cut on his hand, his abnormally dark blood gushing out. "Honestly, the thought of fresh meat and blood makes me ill. I would rather settle for something sweeter. "

As she held out her contract mirror, the chain placed his clawed hand on it and the mirror shone brightly causing them both to cover their eyes, or eye. Before Sharon knew it she was back in the Pandora headquarters, with every agent's gun trained on the man beside her. Her chain was still blinded from the light, but when his eye adjusted to the light he narrowed it, scanning the room taking in each and every face.

Quickly, Sharon jumped in front of him, holding up her arms as if to protect him. "He's my chain. So don't shoot! "The chain seemed quite surprised at this action, humans never protected him before. Most would shrink away in fear of his appearance. Hesitantly, the Pandora agents lowered their weapons.

Sharon still felt a little dizzy from making the contract and swayed on her feet. Making contracts took a toll on the contractor. Sharon's father reached out to catch her, "Sharon!" she stood up "I'm fine, I just need a moment..." Her father nodded, "If your quite sure. ". Sharon brushed herself off and faced Break.

"Now I don't believe I got your name. " He grinned, making eye contact with her before bowing. "Xerxes Break at your service. " She gave a small smile and a curtsy. Now that his powers were sealed he seemed much more…tame. As if all that madness and viciousness had been left in abyss. "A pleasure to meet you, I'm Sharon, Sharon Rainsworth. "

The chain nodded, staring off into space for a moment. "Sharon…I can remember that. "

She smiled a bit, and then remembered all the Pandora agents surrounding them. "Well then, I suppose we should get out of here, it feels a bit crowded. "

Break nodded with a small smile, relived she had suggested that. "I suppose so. "

Sharon held out her hand to him with a smile, he was slightly surprised at this gesture but took her hand and let her lead him away.

She led him out of the room towards the library, after all it was a standard procedure to have chains and contractors gain each other's trust before going into battle. Sharon sighed once they were away from prying eyes and faced her chain. "So you know what it means to enter a contract don't you? "

Break had never made a contract with a human before. But now that he was in the human world, some of his memories had come back to him, not many but a few. He nodded. "I believe so. " She raised an eyebrow at him, somehow knowing he had never made a contract before. "How do you know? Have you had a contract before? "

The chain nodded again, remembering. "..Once but things were different then. ". She nodded slowly, wondering if he had killed his contractor. Noticing the worried look on her face, Break spoke up. "Is something the matter? ". She looked up at him with a small hint of fear in her expression. "Did you...kill your last contractor? ".

Break was slightly surprised at this, but she had a right to think that… He slowly shook his head. "No. Now this may come as a shock to you, but...I used to be human. "Her eyes widened. " H-human?! "

"Yes..."

He nodded looking away, remembering a time of bloodshed and murder. He knew it was something he didn't want to remember.

Sharon nodded slowly, trying to grasp the severity of what he just said. "You must have been there a long time..." She now felt a pang of sympathy for the one-eyed chain, who nodded again, avoiding her gaze. He certainly didn't want to talk about it.

She rose to her feet, "Well then, I suppose I should show you were you'll be staying for now. " She lead him over to the door, and peeked out making sure that there weren't any Pandora agents around, while her chain waited patiently by her side.

Once she was sure there were none, she held the door open for him; he left the room dipping his head. "Thank you milady. " She smiled and took his clawed hand in hers and led him down the hall. Honestly she didn't feel too afraid of him now. Even though he looked different, he could be easily mistaken for a human.

As Break followed her, he could not help feeling lucky to have made a contract with such a polite and caring woman.

They soon arrived at the spare room; the Rainsworth family had originally thought her chain would be one to hide in her shadow like most, so they hadn't originally intended the room to be used. Sharon pushed open the door, leading the chain inside. "Here we are. "

Break looked around the dark room. He wouldn't mind, it was certainly better than abyss and he didn't mind the dark, since he was locked in a place that was the very definition of darkness.

Sharon and smiled, letting go of his hand. "A few agents might stop by every so often so don't mind them. " Break nodded. "Is that so? Well I won't then. "

She smiled once more, "Tomorrow my grandmother says she has a mission for us. She said it shouldn't be too difficult, since were just starting out. "The chain nodded, "I would assume so. " She smiled once more before turning to leave. "Well goodnight Break. "She said softly as she walked out. "

"Goodnight Sharon... "He said it in barely a whisper, but it was enough to reach her ears. For some reason, hearing him say her name gave her a warm feeling in her chest as she went to her own room and went to sleep.