Chapter 2: Persephone

Authors Note: Persephone's deck had 54 cards, which means there are 52 regular playing cards and two jokers. So far Gil, Oz, and Alice know about Persephone and her legend as the reaper of souls, Xerces Break has met Persephone, who killed an illegal contactor, and Persephone is looking for Alice, since she is the chain of the Black Rabbit, to test her strength and find out how far corrupted her illegal contact is. If you have any questions so far just message me. Thank you, and please enjoy…

Gilbert Nightray rolled his eyes again. Oz had run off with Alice and now he was going to have to spend half of the morning looking for them. He repositioned his cherished hat before taking off down another side street.

"That kid, I swear, one day he's going to get in more trouble than he's worth." The voice behind Gil made him freeze. He slowly turned to face it, reaching for his revolver. "Hello Gilbert." The tall man gave a small smile. "Are you not happy to see your brother?"

####

"Alice!" Oz yelled after the dark haired girl. "Please slow down!"

The girl kept running.

"Alice!" Oz yelled again.

"What? Don't be such a baby!" Alice stopped glancing down the alleyways. "Where did it go? I swear I saw it…"

"Saw what? Alice, what are you talking about!"

"Shhhhh! I'm listening."

"For what?"

"Shut up!" Alice frantically darted to her left, Oz following at her heels.

"Alice, what are you talking about?" Oz grabbed his Chain's shoulder in earnest.

"It was…Well, it was…watching me…" Her unsettled eyes darted back and forth again. "I think it was a chain."

"Who's?"

"I…I…Don't know." Alice frowned. "I think it was Persephone's."

####

The King of Diamonds and Clubs both entered Persephone's "home" their eyes alight with greed.

Her humble abode consisted of an old abandoned building with cobwebs infesting the darkened corners. Yet, the dimly lit center of the room contained a small round table with four wooden chairs (one of which was losing its fourth leg), a mattress with a tattered blanket, and one nicely furnished, firm, dark navy armchair which took its sturdy place in front of the (currently out of use) fire place.

The cards rushed to either side of the arm chair, their minds rushing forth with information to spill to their master. Persephone lay back in her best piece of furniture, her legs crosses as she stared blankly at the ashes in the hearth.

"Master. We have information. The Black Rabbit Chain stays with its own master Oz at all times. He has an illegal contract and is normally guarded by a legal contractor known as 'Raven'." The cards fed this information in unison, both feeling highly accomplished.

"Good, you may go." Persephone's deadpan voice commanded. The Cards glanced at each other. They had rushed here to beat the others…they had received the information as all of the cards thoughts were connected. They were here first…so they would receive the prize…they should be rewarded placement at the top of the deck.

"But what of our reward?" The King of Diamonds whined.

"You promised us first pick!" The King of Clubs shouted at their fading master.

"You were not first, and for trying to make her think you were means you will be punished." The Ace of Spade and Diamond appeared from the darkness. They used their blades to strike the cards on their unarmored necks, causing them to retract and become playing cards again.

"Please forgive my king." The Ace of Diamond Card Solider bowed placing the cards on top of the deck already accounted for on the mantel above the hearth.

"Is everyone back?" Persephone asked in her monotone again, her legs uncrossing as she lifted a hands to her face and buried herself in it.

"Yes, Master." Ace of Diamond said. "We are the only two still unfolded. Would you like us to return?"

Persephone did not answer, the Ace of Spade bent over her exhausted body.

"She has lost all of her energy, let us return." The Ace of Spade looked at the Ace of Diamond.

"Of course." They both nodded towards each other, and willingly transformed back into their humble cards, lying on the floor before the still body of their master.

####

It was true that Persephone loved all of her cards. She did not willingly favor one over the other on purpose. However, it was only the Aces that ever returned her love by vowing to protect her.

She considered the deck her family, but (as in most families) there are those who are lazy, blood-thirsty, betrayers, hypocrites, liars, secretive, loyal, courageous, hot-tempered, afraid, and so on…

That went for the Card Soldiers as well.

Each were a little different that the others. Yet, suits seemed to stick together, and the only mingling of suits took place in the similar numbered cards.

And still they were all Persephone's and she cherished each one of them, even when they denied her and her care…That was what made her blind to their differences…She did not see any of their faults…she treated them all as equals, it was only themselves that created the differences.

####

When Persephone awoke she felt absolutely nauseated, completely and sufficiently awful. Her head would not move from its resting spot in her hand, in fact, none of her limbs were willing to move at the moment.

"It's always like this, I'm such an idiot." She moaned softly to herself. Just like her to expend her energy like that. Opening all 54 cards exhausted her body to the point of…well...exhaustion…obviously. She finally moved her hand and sunk back into the comfort to the armchair. It's warm, soft material was her only comfort as she tried to focus her eyes through the agonizing pain.

Two aces lay at her feet. The Spade and Diamond, almost expectant…ready to follow her next move.

That was about the time the information all ran back through her memory…Alice…Oz…Black Rabbit…contract…Raven…

But still it seemed like a jumbled mess, her brain was so unwilling and unready to make a solid thought. Instead her eyes flicked to the rest of the deck where it was perched upon the mantel. Summoning the full power of her chain caused her to lose her energy, but why? She had never been able to figure that out…was she just not strong enough?

No…It was probably the Abyss' fault…That was her philosophy…If anything went wrong it was because of the Abyss, because it was evil. It hated her and she hated it. It was the reason her life was so empty…loveless...and even painful…The Abyss was always to blame…

####

Persephone had finally regained most of her strength and she gathered her deck placing it on the table, speaking to it as it sat motionless.

"Since the Ace of Diamond was the first with the information he will be at the top of the deck, followed by the Ace of Spade, for saving Diamond from being caught by Alice, and then the four of Club for his spectacular job the other night as the scapegoat card."

The cards made no sound, they did not move, they did not argue…

"Good."

All the cards new this game. Accomplish the objective first and they get the top of the deck.

Everyone else is shuffled fairly.

Persephone rubbed her temples slowly. Her head was still recovering from her stupid energy stunt. It meant Alice would be tested lightly…tonight…

####

Oz, Gil, and Alice walked along the darkening streets. Gilbert had found them in the late afternoon and had demanded that they stay in his sight until they got home. Alice was many steps ahead still keeping an eye out for the "chain" she had seen that morning.

Oz was hanging back by the thoughtfully downcast Gil.

"So what happened between you and your brother, Vincent?' Oz asked quietly.

"How did you…"

"It's written all over you face." Gilbert just stared at his young charge. It was really a challenge to try and hide anything form Oz, he was so observant and caring that Gil found it difficult to keep his personal issues a secret.

"We just talked." Gilbert Nightray sighed. "About me mainly…Don't worry about it…"

"Okay." Oz chimed beaming at his friend. The Raven tugged on his hat, turning his face to hide his own small smile. Oz was so kind, and though he looked like a kid he was actually about twenty five years of age.

"Will you two slowpokes hurry up? Raven! You always slow us down!" Alice yelled form a block down the road.

"Come on!" Oz said lightly taking off in a run. Gil began to sprint to keep up with him.

"Slow down!" He yelled out as Oz and Alice raced ahead.

"Gil! Hurry up!" Oz laughed.

"Guys! Persephone!" Gil yelled.

"What?"they yelled

"Per-Se-Pho-Ne!" He yelled at the top of his lungs, trying to keep them in sight.

"Who cares about that legend!" Alice shot back with a laugh.

"But…"

"Oh please let them continue…" the feminine voice seemed to encompass them as Alice e and Oz froze, Gil, still determined to reach them, ran harder than ever at the sound of her voice. "I would love to hear about my legend…continue…" the end of her sentence ensued her light chuckling. When Gil reached the other two he pulled out his revolver facing a darkened ally. "Ah, ah, ah…we can't have that now, can we?"

####

"Gil, behind you!" Oz yelled, but the large metallic being had already snuck up behind him and hit the revolver from his hand. Another one of the beings picked it up surveying the handgun.

The Ace of Spade held the hand gun pointed toward the ground, the Four of Clubs had disarmed the man named Gil, and now Persephone emerged from the darkness the Ace of Diamonds at her side.

"Hello, Black Rabbit." Persephone's dark gaze fell on the Chain that had its hands clenched at its side.

"Oz, stay behind me." Gil instructed stepping between Oz and the dark woman who had emerged from the darkness.

"No need to be frightened. A legend is just a legend…well…" her face developed its malevolent grin. "…I guess most of it is true…" She nodded and the Ace of Spade and Four of Club surrounded Oz and Gil, and the Spade of Diamond turned to face Alice, its blades at the ready.

"You jerk! I bet I could beat you with my hands behind my back!" Alice yelled.

"Go easy on her." Persephone instructed and the Card Solider leapt into a frenzy of sword dances.