A/n:Whoa, people like this idea, I am surprised! Today I am going hunting for legendary legends, myths and folk tales! I am part of a storytelling league and we are doing legends and stuff so we're looking around my home state! In the meantime, I will throw this chapter at you all, seeing as at night I am too afraid of ants in my house.

And yes, Jack dreams of his alternate's actions, the Core has a record of all those things as stated in canon.

Some of this is told in flashbacks (like in PH, lolz) and the modern time is Jack as an adult, we're looking into Jack's memories through his diary, which Lacie has read multiple times, ha ha.

This is a happy universe, but there will be some sadness, too.

Chapter 2 You came into my life like a Jackhammer


That night, I dreamed that I saw my parents and my sister again. I extended my hand out to them, but I didn't even see-or notice-that I was fading away. I saw myself, sitting at a table, eating dinner with Mother, then how she slapped my food away from me and dragged me to the ground, beating me up.

'This isn't my life, this isn't my life!' I cried to myself.

Flames were rising, I was holding a sword in my hands, dripping with blood.

"Glen, did you really do this?" I asked. What was I talking about?

"Jack," He muttered, glaring at me, "It was you, you bastard!"

He charged at me, but to my disbelief, I watched as my best friend fell, dead, at my feet.

I heard someone faintly sobbing.

I looked around.

No one.

Who was it who was crying?

It was Oz the B-rabbit.

Oddly enough, I didn't care.

I slammed Alice's door open. I needed to find her.

I ignored her incoherent babble as she went on about being scared and afraid. I couldn't take it. I told her about how she'd made Oz with the power to send the world down for her mother-for Lacie. I had to do this, I had to.

"Is that what you had Oz do?" Alice asked, glaring at me. Such an icy, cold voice.

It caught me off-guard. I jumped back in shock.

"Alice," I breathed.

"What? You didn't expect me to be here, pretending to be her, did you?" She sneered, "She won't respond, so I want to know personally what you did to Oz."

Her violet eyes were glimmering with tears. Brave, strong, Alice was crying.

For some reason, I was concerned. "Alice?" I asked.

How could she act like this? I was doing what needed to be done.

"Can't you see him?"

See who?

"Can't you hear him?"

Hear who?

Alice was talking nonsense.

"Can't you see Oz screaming through his tears?"

Oh.

I looked behind me, to see the rabbit screaming, covering his face with his hands.

I could see him screaming, but I couldn't hear it. I could only hear vague whispers.

'Help me...I don't want to kill!'

She clearly heard every word of it.

"I don't give a damn about that!" I screamed, throwing her to the ground, "Switch places with the Intention! I can't have you interfering with my objectives! Hurry up, answer me, Alice!"

Good, the Intention was starting to take over.

I just had to deal with this Alice, and-a sudden burning sensation went through my arm. Alice had stabbed me. She'd stabbed me with a pair of scissors.

Her eyes burned like fire. "I'll never let you do this, Jack!"

Then she looked over. It was odd, it was as though she was addressing Oz.

She was muttering something, then.

"Wait, Alice!" I cried but she stabbed her throat and fell, dead, to the ground.

Lacie's daughters...her daughters, I'd failed them! I'd failed them!

"Alice, you're alive, thank god, Alice!" I cried, but she dove past me and into my chain.

"You see, Arthur, I'm disappearing. Will I eventually disappear altogether!"

"That's not true!" Oz screamed as he destroyed me.

These memories, they were utterly insane. They were filling my mind.

No, no, no! I shook my head desperately.


A golden light surrounded me.

"Core of the Abyss...?" I muttered, "I did a terrible thing..."

"No, child," It said, caressing me, "It is a mere vision you are seeing, of another life. Where your alternate did those things. You must be terribly disturbed by what you saw. But do not worry. As for the discomfort your soul must feel about your new sex, you will get used to it. I have given you this body for a reason." She whispered.

"I-"

"Let all of them live happy lives."

"I don't have that kind of power," I whispered.

"You have that ability now, you are Jack, Leila."

My eyes widened.

That had been my name.

"The girl who likes reading stories, and one world in particular appealed to your heart, which is our world. Our world, with our friends, appealed to your heart and soul. That's why I knew you would be perfect. I tested you with that child and you proved you have courage within you."

"Why would you take me away from my world? I was perfectly happy!" I screamed.

"You wanted to live, and I gave you that chance. Child..." Her hand caressed my cheek. "Awaken, these are mere dreams. Jack's memories are now yours. What you choose to do with this life, with this fate, is up to you. It is now your life."

"Core of the Abyss, I don't have what it takes!" I screamed.

"You can prevent tragedy. Everything you do will either determine tragedy, or avoid it. I know you can do it, Leila, or should I say, Jack? Lajack."

"Hey, it's not funny!"

The light faded.

"Jack.."

"Damn core...Damn god, gonna kick your ass!" I cried, trying to kick the Core, until my foot met flesh.

"Jackkkkkk. Jack!"


Suddenly, my green eyes flew open.

Oh yeah, I was still here, I thought, as I examined my blond hair; and there were a pair of red eyes in front of my face-wait, what?

"L-Lacie?" I muttered.

"Have an interesting dream?" She purred, her dark hair falling around us, and-I looked down.

Her breasts were in front of me.

I know I identified as a woman, but...

Then, it happened.

I felt blood rush to my head, and I looked down, and my face went red.

Why.

"Ooh, Jack, did you get excited?"

Lacie was doing this on purpose! I jumped backwards.

Then she bit my ear.

"Ow! What the hell, Lacie? Are you a vampire?" I cried.

"Nothing close to that, like what you see, don't you? You're such a cutie, Jack." She teased.

"I-I-I'm too young for this!" I cried.

"You've gotten one of those boy things, hm. Niisan gets them sometimes."

"DON'T LOOK AT ME!" I yelped, taking the pillows and burying my face in them, my face burning badly. First day of being a dude and I already screw up!

"Jack, you act a lot like a girl. You're still a dude, even if you're feminine. Niisan likes wearing dresses sometimes."

Wait, what? I paused and looked up at her.

"Levi really scolded him, so now he saves it for other times."

Wow, I had no idea Oswald was so flamboyant.

Interesting.

I made a mental note to use that for blackmail material.

She grabbed at my jaw.

"Lacie, stop! Let me go!" I yelped as she held my jaw open and then finally let me go. "You didn't have to put your breasts in front of my face!"

"What's wrong, Jack? You annoyed at having to sleep with a girl?"

I flushed again. "Not that, it's just that I'm a-"

"Of course you are, Jack. You'll learn."

Oh, screw these male hormones.

Somewhere, I screamed at the Core to stop screwing with me. And I almost thought I could hear her laughing her ass off.

"The one down there is laughing about something." Lacie muttered.

"The Core?" I said.

She came closer to me. "How do you know about the Core of the Abyss, Jack?"

"I have seen it before." I muttered.

"Hm, interesting. You have been in contact with her. She visited you in a dream, hm? What did she look like to you? A little light."

"A lonely person." I muttered.

Her eyes widened. "I see, maybe I'll take you to meet her sometime."

"Do we need tickets?" I asked.

"Why would we need tickets?" She said, her eyes filled with confusion.

"But not right this second. You're still a stranger. And, Jack, you need to take a bath because you stink." She threw me right off the bed and onto the ground.

"Your hair looks better this way," She said.

Wow, I had the same haircut as Oz-wait, as a plush rabbit would, in my body.

God, that sounded erotic. Whoa, stop it, male hormones!

Suddenly I wished I had a uterus again.

These hormones were too much.

"Jack, earth to Jack!" Lacie said.

"What?" I snapped. Suddenly, my voice was high.

"Is Jack going through puberty? Your voice was very falsetto," Levi said, popping up from out of nowhere, in a manner very reminiscent of Xerxes Break.

"Levi, stop it," Oswald said, "Puberty is hard, but you get used to it."

"Niisan, you fail at giving advice." Lacie said, and several of the Baskervilles behind Oswald snickered, "So what shall we call you, Jack? Jack Baskerville...?"

"No way." Oswald said, "He's not a member of this family."

"He is now," Lacie said.

"It sounds like something from those horror novels you read. You shouldn't read those, girls should not be reading-"

"Blah, blah, blah," Lacie said, causing Oswald's face to flush scarlet in anger.

"Personally, I believe Lacie can read whatever she wants. She reads some of my novels. How would you like to read my novels, Jack-kun?" Levi purred.

"You write?" I asked.

"That's right. Or have you been taught how to read?" He asked.

"A little bit." I muttered, hiding behind Lacie.

"I don't blame him, Levi, you are a scary guy. It's because you have no eyelids."

Levi frowned. "Ah, I'm a nice guy, though."

I didn't trust him for one second.

"It seems Jack here can talk to the Core."

"Oh, is that so? Interesting. In that case, we shouldn't let him go." Levi said. "And Lacie, you knocked your plush toy off the shelf."

"I didn't knock it over." Lacie said, looking over to where the plush rabbit had conveniently fallen off the shelf and its eyes were on me.

Why was Oz stalking me?

'Go away!' I screamed in my mind.

"I think it fell over by mistake." Lacie said, picking up Oz. As she did so, the rabbit shot me a death glare.

"Lacie's unusual like that. Do you know, Jack-kun, that the Abyss can make inanimate objects come to life, or make people age faster?" Levi asked.

"That's impossible," I said, biting my lip. I wasn't going to give Mr. Tall, White-haired and Creepy any easy answers.

"Weren't you told about such things growing up?" He queried.

"They told me it was a legend," I said softly.

In truth, my memory of the series felt vague and wispy, like a dream. Perhaps the Core herself was suppressing my memories?

I growled under my breath.

"If you're hungry, we can give you something to eat. You will eat the servants' portion." Levi said.

When I looked at him in annoyance, he jabbed my face. "I'm kidding, eat as much as you like. But if you die, it's not on me."

"I'll make sure to curse you from my grave," I muttered.

Levi looked at me and then he burst out laughing. "Would you look at that? Jack-kun has got a brain in there after all, it seems!"

We devoured our breakfast, and I drank some whiskey.

"Hi, Lacie," I giggled.

"What did you put in his drink?" Lacie asked.

"Not much," Levi said.

"Lacie," I muttered, "You feel funny..."

"Poor Jack, you shouldn't have drunk that ale." She said, patting my head.

"Wanna read some of these horror novels?" She said, throwing one at me. It was one about a group of kids in a secluded village who become paranoid and wind up hurting each other.

I was shaking by the time I'd finished.

"That one is good." She purred.

"You're evil, Lacie!" I purred.

"Say, Jack, I think you should come out right now and fess up about who you really are." She purred. "You're not just an ordinary boy, are you? You've been chosen by the Core to do something."

After that, I spilled everything to her. As much of it as she would believe.

"Aha, so you're from another dimension entirely, well that doesn't really matter to me." She said flippantly.

"But I-"

"Jack, you'll fit in just fine here now, right? Besides, I find it hilarious that you used to be female, because you are very feminine. Someone like me can accept impossible things. Someone like me is supposed to die."

"I won't let you die!" I snapped.

"Jack, I'm fated to die one day. We all are!"

I did not want Lacie to die. Maybe I could change Oswald's mind, make him see reason.

"That explains why the rabbit and the Core have been talking to you. You can't fool me." She purred.

"I see," I muttered.

"Why don't I take you to visit my friend?"

Many secret passages later, we were in a room full of golden lights.

"Be careful, Jack, don't let yourself get taken astray by them. Hello there, my friend."

The lights came closer to both of us.

"I see you brought Jack here to this world to fulfill your wish."

The Core was dancing excitedly. It was as though Lacie understood everything it was saying.

"I see, you can be so twisted at times. But you know, you're not alone here as well."

I saw the black rabbit doll at our feet, again.

"So you see, rabbit, this boy is from another world."

A faint voice whispered in my ear, "Another world? What does that mean?"

Oz could talk. I knew that, but still it startled me.

"Say hello to the Core, Jack." She said, pushing me forward.

"H-Hello," I whispered.

The Core was touching me.

"The Core likes you, Jack!"

"LACIE!" A voice boomed from somewhere else.

"Shit, I guess we'd better go back," Lacie said.

"You didn't go back down there, did you?" Oswald boomed, glaring at both of us.

"It's fine, Nii-sama. He's not hurt." She sneered, pushing past him.

Somehow, I got the feeling they always acted like this.

"I'll make you wear a dress!" I cried.

Oswald froze in place. "How do you know that?"

"I told him, of course." Lacie purred.

Levi came downstairs, wearing a troll face. "Here's a portrait we made of Oswald wearing a dress!"

Oswald uttered some very nasty words and then skulked off.

"Nii-sama didn't come down to lunch. I think he's angry." Lacie remarked.

"I think he's angry, too," Levi said.

"You must try not to piss him off," One of the Baskerville said.

"But it's fun." Lacie said.

The Baskervilles must have been used to this kind of behavior.

"This Baskerville is Dug." She said.

"Hello, Jack." He said in a baritone voice, before turning back to his food. The others didn't exactly trust me well enough...


-Present day-

I was walking when two figures clung to my legs. I knew instantly who they were.

Gilbert and Vincent.

"Why are you carrying around a doll?" Gil asked.

"This is Alice's doll."

Vincent scowled.

"This is Oz." I said, "Would you like to meet him?"

"Oz? I feel like I know that name from somewhere." Gil said, looking at the rabbit doll. "Hi, Oz."

The rabbit looked at him with sparkling eyes.

I've started the Gilbert and Oz ship. How perverted am I?

"Tch, it's just a stupid doll," Vincent said, "Let's get going. Are you going to see that girl again, Master?"

Oz lowered his head at that notion.

"You mean Alice," I said, "And there are two Alices, actually."

"What?" Vincent said.

"That's right. The one who throws insults at you is Alyss and the other one is Alice. Their mother is up there, too." I remarked.

"I've seen her before! Are you and her...um...?" Gil muttered, "Best friends?"

"Yes," I said.

"I think he goes further than that," Vincent remarked. "We're on our way to visit someone."

"Ah, may I go see her with you?" I said.

"I wanted to go by myself." Vincent sulked.

"Well, all right, then." I said, "Who is she?"

"Her name is Noise."

When I visited her, she seemed to have become charmed by me.

After that, she stalked me everywhere.

"I think you've got an admirer, Jack." Oswald said.

"Jack, what have you done?" Lottie growled.

"Jack only has eyes for me." Lacie purred.

"How do you put up with him?" Lottie said.

"Lottie, you have a lot-tie of time to make Oswald yours!" I purred.

The knife that was thrown at my head told me my answer right away.

"Jack, you really must refrain from teasing her like that," Lacie remarked.

"It's fun," I said back to her.