Alrighty, for all those who read the intro... NOW, the REAL story is about to commence! Haha, so here's chapter one for ya'all and I hope you enjoy it! :D
Disclaimer: I do NOT own Pandora Hearts, the Pandora Hearts plot, NOR its characters. I DO own my OCs Riko Mikage and the Chain, Luka. However, this fanfic is MINE and I'd like to keep it that way.
Chapter 1-How It Came To Be
Riko's P.O.V.
My eyes were closed as I attempted to calm my nerves while taking the subway to my new school. Nervous? NERVOUS?! Hell yeah I was! I was currently making my way to a place called Pandora Academy. Now, normally I couldn't have cared less about transferring schools. But that wasn't the half of it!
If I start from the beginning, I'd have to say that my troubles started about a little over a year ago…
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A little over a year ago…
I was walking out into the chilly night air after staying late at a friend's house, when I decided to take a shortcut home. It was one I used often. After all, by weaving in and out of the city alleys, it wasn't long before my secret path would spit me out almost right into my backyard. Handy right? Well, that's exactly what I was thinking!
Anyways, I was about half way home and still weaving through the skinny alleys when I came upon probably the creepiest creature I'd ever seen in my life! It had a long freaking body like a worm and the weirdest looking joker mask face that I could've imagined.
After giving the thing about a dozen double takes, I did what anyone else would have in that situation. I ran. And I ain't talking about no lazy sue jog either. I mean I RAN! But surprise, surprise, the thing ran after me! Brilliant, right?
Ha! Everything around seemed to be a blur as I fled from the hideous monstrosity. I had just begun to finally think myself out of harm's way when a long tentacle-like arm suddenly came out of nowhere and tried to grab me; failing at snagging me but still managing to trip me in the process.
The creature, instantly taking advantage of my momentary downtime, loomed over me and prepared to strike. I shut my eyes tightly as I waited to death to claim me. But, to my surprise, the blow never came and instead an eerie silence stretched out around me. I slowly cracked an eye open only to have both of them fly open with shock at the sight before me.
Everything around me had suddenly turned pitch black, making it seem like I was sitting in some kind of empty void.
"Seems I have finally found someone worthy of my power." A deep voice rumbled behind me.
Instantly jumping up, I whirled around expecting to be greeted with the face of some kind of hideous monster. But instead, I saw absolutely nothing, just empty blackness. Okay, this was officially starting to freak me out. "W-Who are you?" I said nervously before gathering a little more resolve and saying, "Show yourself!"
"As you wish." The voice rumbled back.
I could have sworn I felt my jaw hit the ground as I gaped at the sight that was now before me. Why? Oh, I don't know. Maybe it was because I was currently staring straight into the eyes of the BIGGEST ASS BLACK DRAGON I'd ever seen! Okay, scratch that. So, I'd never seen a dragon before, but you get my point.
"I can sense no fear radiating off of you, mortal." The beautiful, slender dragon rumbled while raising a feathery eyebrow in interest, "How truly interesting."
"Eheeheee…" I chuckled nervously, for in truth I got the feeling that right now I was simply just to stunned to be scared anymore. "Wait a moment!" I suddenly cried out, "What happened to that huge inch-worm thing?!"
The black dragon chuckled in amusement at my sudden outburst, "Would you happen to be referring to the Trump that is currently about to kill you?"
"Huh? Trump? Uh, yeah… I guess… I mean… Wait! What do you mean 'CURRENTLY' about to kill me?!" I shrieked.
"Haha! Yes, currently about to kill you. You're mind right now has been brought to another dimension, courtesy of me." The dragon paused, "I've brought you here to offer you a deal."
"A deal?" I asked, now thoroughly bewildered.
"Yes." He sighed, as if not quite believing what he was saying, "I've brought you here to ask you to be my contractor."
"C-Contractor?" I inquired.
The huge dragon sighed dramatically, "Yes, don't worry. I'll explain it in words that even you can understand."
A large tick appeared over my eye at the last comment he made, "Excuse me?! Just wh-"
"I am a being called a Chain." He quickly interrupted, before I could unload on him, "We Chains are beings that are born in an alternate dimension from your world called the Abyss. However, sometimes a path will temporarily open and connect the two worlds. This path is called the Way." The dragon paused, "Are you following all this?"
"Umm… Yeah, I think so." I replied unsurely, "So, is that how you're here?"
"No." the black dragon replied, "I'm simply projecting my spirit here so that I can speak with you. On the other hand, the Chain that is currently about to kill you did pass through the Way."
"I see… Wait! I thought you said that inch-worm thing was something called a Trump?!" I demanded, my mind beginning to spin in circles.
"The name Trump is just a term used to call lower class Chains like the 'inch-worm thing' as you keep calling it." He huffed in exasperation, "Now shut-up, listen, and let me finish talking!"
"Hmph! Fine." I grumbled about to let him continue until another extremely important question popped into my head. "Wait a minute, wait a minute, WAIT A MINUTE!" I cried out.
"WHAT?!" the dragon snapped furiously at me.
"Okay, so if that inch-wo… I-I mean Trump is currently about to kill me then how is it that I'm still alive right now?!" I spluttered.
"Oh." The dragon replied, looking slightly sheepish, "I guess you do kinda deserve to know about that one…"
"Naw dip Sherlock!" I snapped.
"Ahem!" he cleared his throat as if trying to save face, "You see, here in this dimension time is actually extremely warped. So, compared to here, time in your world is moving extremely slow. Understand?"
"Oh, yeah… I get it." I said, finally beginning to grasp some of what he was saying.
"Good." He said, seemingly relieved, "Now-"
"What's a contractor?" I suddenly intervened.
"SHUT UP AND LISTEN!" the dragon roared at me, causing a few sweat-drops to roll down my forehead, "A Chain is unable to keep a stable existence in your world unless it has a constant supply of energy. Another words, it needs a power source. Yes, we Chains gain and enlarge our powers by feeding on the natural rich energy that flows through the human body."
I looked at the magnificent dragon incredulously, "So, a contractor is the person who you take energy from?"
"You're catching on. Yes, when a Chain wishes to live in your world. It becomes necessary for them to have a contractor. A constant energy supply that they can feed from." The dragon paused briefly before lifting his head up proudly, "However, I'm proud to say that I'm one of the rare few cases of a Chain that is powerful enough to live in your world without having to bother with a contract. Hell! I'm so powerful I could even break out of the Abyss if I wanted to! Hahahahahahaha!"
"Then why don't you?" I challenged, sweat-dropping slightly. (A/N: oooooh, buuurn! XD)
The proud creature froze for a moment before bowing his head in defeat. "Well, the truth is that someone actually put a seal on my power. So, in actuality the only way for me to release the seal is to acquire myself a contractor." He pouted.
"So, that's why you brought me here." I said.
"Yes." He stated.
"Yeah, but why me?" I asked, for this question had been bugging me for a while now.
"Hmm?" he inquired, raising an eyebrow.
"Why did you choose me?" I repeated myself.
"Oh." The dragon said, understanding my confusion, "Well, that would be because, first of all, you're the first person I've found who's spiritually powerful enough, even if you don't know it, to break my seal during the contract. And secondly, you're also the first person I've found who has enough energy to feed me without feeling too much of the effects or dying for that matter. You see, if I were to make a contract with just any everyday human, not only would they not even be able to budge the seal, but they'd also almost immediately be devoured by my intense power. See what I'm getting at?"
I gripped my forehead, wobbling slightly as I attempted to digest all the information I was swallowing. "Yeah, I see what you're saying." I said shakily, "So, if I do decide to make a contract with you, just what am I going to get out of it?"
"Well, for starters…" the black dragon replied with a smirk, "I'll save you from that Trump that is about to kill you."
My eyes widened with realization. Due to all the info I'd been absorbing in the last few minutes, I'd kinda forgotten about that little mole hill. "Okay…" I replied slowly, "So, after you do that… they you're just home free?"
The enormous dragon laughed heartily at my wariness. "Hardly." He chuckled, "After I make a contract with you, in return for being supplied with your energy, it becomes my responsibility to guard and protect you from harm along with following any commands you might have for me. This is the case for all Chains until their Contractors pass on."
I looked up at the dragon in shock upon receiving this new piece of info. "You're saying that you're willing to sacrifice your own freedom just to get out of the Abyss?" I asked, genuinely surprised.
"Living trapped in eternal darkness, I wouldn't exactly call that freedom. Would you?" he inquired with a lonely expression on his face.
"I guess you're right…" I trailed off quietly, letting my gaze soften as I stared out into the empty blackness that surrounded us. "So…" I began hesitantly, "How… How exactly do we form the contract?"
His head, which had been turned away so as to stare out into the darkness, instantly snapped back so that he was looking straight at me, his eyes glistening with… hope? "It's simply really," he stated, clearly trying to contain his obvious excitement, "All you have to do is call my name."
"Yeah, well what is it?!" I huffed.
The dragon looked at me in surprise, suddenly realizing that he'd never told me. "It's Luka." He stated matter-of-factly.
I mulled the dragon's name over in my mind. Still debating on whether or not I wanted to go through with this. Not like I really had any choice. The fact of the matter was I either accept his offer or die. "Okay, before I dedicate myself to anything. I wanna make one thing clea-"
My sentence was cut off as blood suddenly started spurting from just below the right side of my chest. Almost instantly, everything around me began to shatter into millions of tiny mirror-like pieces.
"Shit! We're out of time!" I heard Luka snarl before everything turned into a white glare.
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Opening my eyes, a blood-curling scream instantly erupted from my lips. The Trump, currently had one of its tentacle-like arm things stabbed just below the right side of my chest. I could already feel the blackness starting to close in on me.
"This is it…" I thought silently to myself, "I-I going to die."
"All you have to do is call my name."
"No, I'm NOT going to die. Not today!" I thought determinedly to myself before screaming at the top of my lungs, "LUKA!"
(A/N: Cue Bloody Rabbit soundtrack now starts playing XD)
My cry was almost instantly answered as a bout of black flames appeared seemingly out of nowhere and turned the Trump into a pile of nothing but ashes in a mere few seconds!
"Thank you… Luka." I whispered tiredly before finally letting the darkness set in.
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My mind slowly crawled back to consciousness as the pain in my lower chest subsided. The first thing I realized was that it extremely bright. The second thing I realized was that I was nestled up against something extremely warm and it felt like I was floating.
Opening my eyes, I found that I was floating and was currently inside some kind of really bright void. Allowing my vision to focus a little more, I locked gazes with a softly smiling dragon. It was only then that I realized that the warmth I'd been feeling had been coming from the fact that Luka was currently holding me cradled in one of his arms.
"How are you feeling?" he inquired calmly.
"Umm… fine actually. I-I don't hurt anymore." I said with slight surprise at the discovery that my wound was gone.
"Hmph!" Luka snorted indignantly as if he'd been offended, "Well of course you don't! I did heal you after all, and everyone knows that a dragon's healing abilities are positively unrivaled."
"Yeah, Yeah," I chuckled softly, "So, has the contract been formed?"
"Yes, I sealed the deal while you were still unconscious by giving you some of my blood." Luka replied.
"I see… by the way, Luka, where are we?" I inquired suddenly. For it was almost like the place where I had first met the dragon except this place was really bright instead completely dark.
"We're in your subconscious." Seeing my instantly confused look, the dragon quickly explained, "It's only your mind that's currently conscious. Your body, on the other hand is still out cold. But you should wake up pretty soon."
"Oh, I see. But wait! Why are you in my subconscious?" I asked with sudden realization.
"Isn't it obvious by now?" Luka replied with a mocking grin, "This is where I'll be living from now on."
PAUSE...
"WHAAAAAAT?!"
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Present…
I couldn't help but chuckle as the memories engulfed me. Yup! That had been a little over a year ago. How time does fly. But don't get the wrong idea! It's not like my troubles stopped there. Like I said, that was only the start of everything.
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Three weeks ago…
"Roast chicken, canned water chestnuts, ramen…" I continued to mutter to myself as I skimmed over the grocery list that my mother had given me.
"Damn! Think the woman's gonna have enough food! Geez! Why'd she have to make US go shopping for her. This is SOOOO boring!" a familiar voice whined in the back of my head.
"Zip it, Luka!" I snapped quietly under my breath even though deep down I was silently agreeing with the dragon. I really hated shopping.
"Hmph! Don't even bother trying to deny it. I KNOW you hate shopping just as much as I do, Riko."
I sighed deeply. "Mind rapist…" I grumbled teasingly under my breath.
"HEY!"
I couldn't help but laugh at my Chain's reaction, earning me several odd stares from the crowd around me. "Now, now," I chuckled in a whisper, "Don't get your panties all in a bunch, Luka. After all-"
BEEP BEEP! BEEP BEEP! BEEP BEEP! BEEP BEEP!
I halted mid-sentence, as I pulled out my furiously ringing cell phone from my pocket.
"Looks like mommy dearest wants to chat."
"Seems like…" I mumbled before answering the phone, "Hello?"
"Ah, Riko sweetie?" came a gentle but cheery female voice from the other line, "Where are you right now?"
"I'm still at the grocery store. Why?" I inquired curiously.
"Oh, well, I want you to come home right away, you hear?" she said.
"Uh, o-okay." I stuttered in slight surprise, "Is something wrong, Mom?"
"Hmm? Oh, no! Quite the opposite, honey!" My mom replied, the excitement showing clearly in her voice, "It's just that someone very special has come to pay you a visit!"
"Who?!" I asked quickly, becoming both nervous and excited at the same time.
My mother giggled softly, knowing full well how much I love surprises, "You'll see. Now hurry home, dear."
"Mmkay, be home in a jiff, Mom!" and with that, I hung up.
"Hmmm… Who do you think it is?"
"I have no idea." I admitted to the dragon as I quickly stuffed the grocery list back into my pocket and hurried outside the store. "What do you think?" I inquired.
"No clue." Luka replied with a mental shrug.
"Well, we'll know soon!" I sung out cheerily as I marched out into the evening.
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"I'm home!" I called out as I opened the door and stepped inside, "Hey Mom! Where are y-"
GLOMP!
My sentence was almost instantly chopped off as my very OVER-emotional father glomped me into a bear hug.
"Riiiiko!" the tall auburn-haired man bawled out as he practically squeezed the very life out of me. "I'm so," the hysterical man paused with a hick, "so PROUD of you!"
"W-What'cha talkin' about?" I asked sweat-dropping as I began to get a REALLY bad feeling. "A-And Dad? Would you mind loosening your grip a little?" I panted, "I-I'm about to pass out."
"Oh, sorry, honey." He quickly said, finally releasing me from his death grip, "Emiko and your guest are-"
"Shiro, Riko," came my mother's pleasant voice from the living room, "You're keeping your guest waiting."
Walking into our living room, I spotted my mother sitting across from a well-dressed stranger. His coat/uniform was black and white and appeared to be tailor made. The wearer of the suit was a young man, looking in his mid-twenties, with short light brown hair, brown eyes, and glasses. I was just about to offer my greetings when that ever present voice in the back of my head spoke up urgently.
"Watch yourself, Riko! I'm not sure what it is, but I'm sensing something REAL shady about this guy."
"Shady?" I mentally inquired to my Chain.
"Riko dear, is everything okay?" my mother's voice suddenly cut into my thoughts.
"Y-Yeah." I stuttered, once again looking over at my 'guest'.
The ebony-haired woman smiled softly at me before taking a deep breath. "Riko sweetie, I'd like to introduce to Mr. Reim Lunettes." My mother paused as she tried to control her excitement, "He's from Pandora Academy."
I gaped in shock at the information I'd just heard. Pandora Academy was one of the most prestigious schools in the country! "P-Pandora Academy?!" I barely managed to squeak.
"That's right." Mr. Lunettes said with a business like tone, "I'm to assume that you're Miss Riko? Correct?"
"Y-Yeah." I stuttered again, still trying to put the pieces together. I mean, why the heck would somebody from Pandora Academy be here to see me?!
"Excellent." He stated, pushing his glasses up on his nose, "Now to get straight down to business, I'm here to ask you to join Pandora Academy."
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Present Time…
And that's how it'd happened. After Mr. Lunettes had invited me to Pandora Academy, he'd later got me alone and revealed to me that he knew all about my possession of a chain. As it turns out, he had one too and Pandora Academy is actually a school dedicated to training new contractors! Ha! Yeah… I admit that I was pretty shocked.
"Hmph! Don't you think shocked is a bit of an understatement?" Luka inquired curiously from the back of my mind.
"Yeah, yeah, whatever!" I grumbled back as I attempted to move into a more comfortable position.
"Heh! So, what do you think it's gonna be like?"
"Hmm… Couldn't really say." I replied thoughtfully, "This is our chance to meet and get to know other people like us. So, I guess it should at least prove to be interesting."
"Yeah." The dragon laughed with a taunting smirk, "Who knows… Maybe you might even be able to find yourself a boyfriend."
"Oh, SHUT-UP!" I snapped, twitching with annoyance.
"Haha!" Luka laughed with amusement, "You just hate to admit that I'm right."
"Yeah… Whatever!" I huffed irritably before closing my eyes, "Now, try and get some sleep, will ya? I get the feeling it's gonna be a long day today."
"Pfft!" I heard a sarcastic snort, "Whatever you say."
Well, there ya have it. Now, like I said, I just happened to re-come across this story while browsing through my computer files. Therefore, if you liked it, please, PLEEEAAASE review! If I'm to continue with this I REALLY need to know what you guys all thought of it! Oh, and also, please follow and favorite this story as well! See you all in the next chapter!
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Rock Out!
Kira
