A/N: Greetings! Before you, dear readers, read this new update from iPolaris, please be reminded of the warnings because of our rating. If there is anything wrong about what the authoress warned you about, feel free to correct her. Also, please be informed of the Legend as a guide for future chapters, too, if you are kind of confused. Thank you.
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Legend:
• Italic – for certain expressions, quotes, and dialogues in the past or memories. It can be also used in dreams. Don't worry, you'll be able to differentiate the use according to the situation in the story.
• Bold – stands for expressions.
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Warning: Mild cussing (I'm really not sure if those words were really used for swearing), Mild violence, and Xerxes Break.
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Now that you know all to be know, please enjoy. ;D
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"And so, she finally snapped, didn't she?" the once playful and light voice now matches the dark with its serious tone, making the black water below him ripple.
"I'll leave the rest to you."
The man with the long, braided, golden hair could only laugh, as he remembered what that person told him before he 'joined the countless others of him'.
"Shall I come out to play with her, too," he asked, as he looked down with those emerald eyes at the slumbering body of a child with that short, golden hair. His eyes were drooped, as the lad slept peacefully inside.
Jack Vessalius went back to his trademark goofy smile.
"...Oz?"
The hero of the Tragedy of Sablier only chuckled, and looked up.
"Are you still dreaming, or are you... catching a glimpse of my memories?"
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► :: Black Rose :: ◄
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– • Black and White • –
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'An endless dance, spinning in a cycle of death and rebirth, like a dream within a dream…'
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Blood. Chains. Cries.
These are what of the event that's currently happening right now at a house Pandora owns where they reside for the night.
"Darn!" a black–haired man cusses, as he nearly catches the boy that he despises of all things. "Why does he have to be so fast?"
The cat in a boy's body, clothed in black, jumps away, escaping Raven's chains.
As he did, he tried to think about the status of the game. It's been minutes since he started to play once again with those people his mistress assigned to him in this game, and it made him wonder how did these people managed to beat him the first time they met in his own playground. Well, this is going to be their last, isn't it–
Alarmed, Cheshire immediately runs away from his position, alerted of that hateful presence. He snarls and readies his claws, as he once again dodges those annoying chains, jumping into the air.
"He's not that fast, Gilbert–kun..."
That voice made Cheshire's red eye widen in shock, as he felt that man breathe near his ear.
Xerxes Break, with his sword drawn from the staff he's holding in the other hand, slashes the cat in front of him, as he even mocks, "You're only slow!"
"Kuh!"Cheshire growls, as he dropped back to the hard floor. Oh, so now it's turning to this? The cat thought deeply.
"Cheshire is tired of this pathetic game, nyaaa~" the boy purrs, standing up as he licks his own blood, trickling from the back of his shoulder. "Should Cheshire finish you all now, Cheshire wonders, nyaaa~"
"Should I end this for you now?" Break replies with a teasing smile back on his face, as he falls on his right foot first on the floor. Upon falling coolly, his smile turns out to be a fearsome one, irritating Cheshire more on purpose, "For real and for good, you smelly cat."
"Cheshire is not smelly, nyaaa~!" the cat retorts with rage, as Break succeeds easily. "Cheshire will destroy you, nyaaa~!"
Out of all sudden, as the boy readies to attack, he drops on his knees instead, surprising him. Blood trickles from his wound at the back, as injuries begin to multiply on his body.
"Not if I'm here," Gilbert Nightray states, who is behind him, with the smoke coming out of his black revolver.
Cheshire, who lay with his face on the floor, tries to stand up and escape to counterattack, only to be pointed on his forehead by Gilbert's gun, who threatens him, "Don't you dare."
And so, you're asking how Gilbert can fight Cheshire, even if the latter is a cat? Well, ask Break, who now finds an opening.
If you remember correctly, although Gil doesn't yet come to overcome his fear of cats, he already fought with Cheshire back at its own territory, and so far, it seemed like Gilbert adapted to the situation – by thinking that 'this is a boy! A boy! A cat boy, but a boy! A boy and a cat will never be one! A boy! I can do this! Even though he's a cat chain, he's still a boy for Oz's sake!' and so far, he's pretty much alright with this.
Back to the battle, Cheshire snarls in defeat, as a certain girl emerges from the shadow, riding her Chain. Sharon originally wanted to fight alongside with them, however, she was asked by Break to hide for her safety, instead of using Esques for attack, too, since we already have Raven and Mad Hatter fighting the Will's trusted cat–servant.
"Break! Gilbert!" she chirps.
And of course, while she was out, she tried to gather information about Oz and Alice, both who were abducted by the Will earlier. However, the results were… No, she mustn't think of those now, since Sharon knows that somehow, Oz is alright with her 'sister', because she feels that the Will isn't that shallow to kill them on sight. She must've a purpose first, right?
Stepping down her chain, she did, as Esques bows and leaves with her permission, since the cat is caught.
"Sharon," Break mumbles, and he gives her a respectful bow. Then, pointing his blade at Cheshire's neck, he did, as he starts interrogating.
"As far as I remember, you were already crushed and terminated painfully by my lovely Mad Hatter, correct?"
At this statement, Cheshire snarls at him angrily, yet he obviously feels how painful it was when Xerxes Break tried to fully kill him at that time. He admits that the fear Mad Hatter engraved into his broken soul his mistress only sew back for him still remains, but not too much, since he needs to overcome his 'fear' of being pulverized again to fight as the Will's knight.
Break narrows his only crimson eye.
"So, how is this even possible, Cheshire the weakling cat?"
"..." the cat remains silent, until a certain seaweed–head snaps.
"Answer!" Gilbert commands, gritting his teeth, but Cheshire only laughs, as the yellow bells of his chimes with his laughter. Afterwards, he looks at Break and Gilbert, who have the priceless 'what–the–heck' expressions on their faces.
"Why, didn't you know, humans," Cheshire purrs, as he poisons his tone when he said the last word, before continuing, "Cheshire has nine lives, nyaaa~"
Break smirks, as he beats Cheshire's face with his staff, annoyed by a simple fact. Cheshire can only glare back at the clown. "Of course, why didn't we think of that, Gilbert?"
"So what? That doesn't change the fact that we'll kill you in that same number, so you better count it accurately, starting now," Gilbert said, gritting his teeth. Then, remembering what happened earlier, he stated, "She took them with her down there – Oz and Alice. Tell me, how do we get inside the abyss?"
"You can never go in, nyaaa~" Cheshire only says, "You'll be dead before you know it, nyaaa~"
"Why, you little–!"
"Ah, is that so?" Break smiles, leaning closer to Cheshire, interrupting Gilbert's outburst.
"Absolutely, nyaaa~" Cheshire confirms, smirking, "After all, it is Cheshire's mistress's Abyss, Kevin–chan, nyaaa~"
This definitely ticks Break off. Quickly, with a crazed emotion, he prepares to strike the cat down with his Chain, summoning Mad Hatter.
"No, Break!" Sharon pleas from the corner, as she sees that Cheshire is essential in getting into the Abyss, and Gilbert shouts, realizing, "It's only a trap, you idiotic clown!"
Break definitely stopped with chains wrapping him, and he glares deadly at Gilbert, who chained him up, panting as he summoned his own Chain to stop the clown's madness.
"Why, Raven?" Break mumbled darkly. "Release me now, or else."
"Break!" a female voice shouted, and unluckily, she didn't make it. Sharon knows that it'll be late before they know it, and so, she commanded Esques to capture the escaping Chain, but it didn't catch the blasted cat in time, and Sharon can only say, "Kyaaaaaaaaa! Cheshi–!"
It's too late, indeed.
Cheshire, with a wild and wide grin on his face, used the chance, by mocking the former contractor of Albus the White Knight, and escaped from Raven's hold by sinking into the floor tainted with the color of death quickly, using his teleportation away from the two men.
With his shining, sharp claws, Cheshire ran on the walls of the room unnoticed by the two, and so that Esques won't be able to catch him, reaching the only witness – Sharon Rainsworth.
Unable to react in this split second and call forth her Chain back, Sharon froze in her position, as she felt cold breath tickle her neck together with claws that could take her life in anytime.
"That was easy, nyaaa~" Cheshire purrs, as Sharon hates how she let the only passport to the Abyss catch her off–guard. "The White Knight's contractor is still the same as ever; Alyss was right, nyaaa~"
Releasing Break, Gilbert glares at the clown, as the cat got their attention. Break couldn't help it, but he was somehow a bit impressed with how the cat learned new tricks. He thought only dogs could learn, and he was stupid at the same time to fall for a pathetic trap he always used with twisting words. Emotions could really get the worst of him, and now, Sharon is held hostage by a cat because of those meddling feelings of the past.
"Release her!" Gilbert said, pointing his gun at Cheshire.
"Or what, Raven, nyaaa~?" Cheshire mocks coolly."Shoot Cheshire, nyaaa~? Why don't you try and see if it'll work, nyaaa~?"
"Tch! I'll get you real soon...!"
"Well then," Break joins the conversation, as his crimson eye darkens under the shadows of his white bangs. "Shall we do this the hard way again, stupid cat?"
A Chain with enormous, black cape tied with silver chains held together with a skull design appeared behind the silver–haired man, with the same black top hat floating on top of it, filled with playful cards, and a red rose. Feathers and a blue ribbon are also included with the flowery decorations. Completing the sinister appearance of the Mad Hatter, its one big eye opened, indicating its awakening.
"Now," its contractor said, his smile never getting off his face, "Shall we dance, Cheshire?"
"Show off," a certain seaweed–head mumbles to himself, and if it weren't the fact that the atmosphere is pretty heavy, he'll roll his golden eyes, but he only earned a death glance from the clown, who also smiles creepily at the same time. Playfully, you must say, that it seemed as if the high Xerxes Break was never pissed off by a lowly cat earlier.
"Why, Gilbert–kun, it's time, anyway~" he sang, but as soon as he did, Break gains a cold expression. "I better be serious now before it becomes too late, don't you think?"
Gilbert, going into his fighting stance, muttered, "For you to be this serious this early, too... I guess I should also take care of this cat right away with you; For Oz and that stupid rabbit, too!"
Suddenly, the room becomes dark, as if they have been teleported inside the Abyss itself, and the place is being rained with black feathers. Gilbert Nightray already used Raven's illusions and darkness.
Cheshire, unaffected by the dominating feel Raven gives him, only chuckles, still holding Sharon with his deadly claws. However, he can sense that the real game is starting now – the fight earlier is just a warm–up, isn't it?
Cheshire can't afford to lose, not after his mistress told him to play with them, meaning that they are just 'toys' needed to be broken, that's all. And now, it seemed like he needed to be serious, too.
But, before Cheshire could ever react, a crimson eye sparkles behind him, as Break nearly turns him into cat dust. Immediately, he turns around, using the yelping Sharon as a shield, and this didn't stop Break from crushing him. With that, shock and fear got the cat.
He's willing to kill even his Master, nyaaa~!
Having a fast eye, Cheshire realized that it was his limbs Mad Hatter is targeting, and so, releasing the girl, he did, as he leaps into air, biting his lip. Cheshire didn't know that! Why! When did that human became so unpredictable?
"Kuh!"
Remembering Raven, Cheshire tries his best to locate the cursed bird, but he almost mentally slap himself that Raven has its way with the darkness, and his location is a disadvantage. Immediately, he tried to overcome Raven's control of the dimension, bringing his own territory on the surface. Nearly completing the process, Cheshire is near to success, when suddenly...
"NYAAAAAAAAA~!" the cat screamed, as soon as he dropped on the hard, black ground full of fallen feathers of a black bird. Cheshire looks at Raven's contractor with hate, his red eye glinting with anger. Snarling, Cheshire curses at Gilbert, who just fired at him, as his soft black paw holds the injured part of him, besides what the Hatter's contractor gave him in their earlier fight.
"It's not my fault you got shot while dazing in the mid–air," Gilbert feigns innocence, grinning with victory, as sweat roll on his temples. "You're the one who's challenging only Raven. You should now that I'm not the type of contractor that lets his chain all do the work. Besides, I hate cats."
"Curse you, Raven, nyaaa~!" Cheshire shouted, as the cat tried to stand up. The familiar sword of that person quickly appears out of nowhere and is now under his chin, as its owner is behind him.
"My, my," Break closes in behind Cheshire with an angry smile for him. "For you to touch Lady Sharon with those dirty paws of yours, you're really a bad cat, you know?"
With this, Sharon fixes her gaze at the cat who just tried to use her as a human shield. A coward and whimpering cat, that boy is. He better not mess with her 'onii–chan'!
Mad Hatter, floating behind his master, suddenly appears besides Cheshire, ready to turn him into instant cat dust forever, and make sure he'll never revive again in just the snap of its contractor.
Cheshire turns to see the clown holding the staff against him, and the cat only gives him a pitiful simper.
"For the both of you to last long like this – Kevin Regnard –" With his crimson eye, Cheshire gives Break an amused look, which made Break want to finish this cat in a second more, "– and Raven's pet –" which Gilbert earned a despising glance, which just confused him with the words and irritated him for calling him his chain's 'pet', Cheshire smirked with meaning, "it's surprising and amusing at the same time, isn't it, nyaaa~?"
As Cheshire lets the darkness looms before him, he smiles, "For two humans to last long, controlling two of the powerful chains from the Abyss for quite the time, don't you think it's pretty ironic, nyaaa~?"
PANG! Sharp pain flows throughout their bodies, as soon as the stupid cat said it and as soon as the two men realized it.
Cheshire laughs, as soon as he knows that Raven's pet and Mad Hatter's contractor are soon reaching their limit; after all, they are humans. And the limit starts now, which is a victory for him, an advantage. Humans will never go beyond, even if time comes and passes by. How pathetic.
"N–No way...!" Gilbert mumbles, as he suddenly feels sleepy. The cat is right; they may haven't notice it, but he starts feeling the effects of overusing the power. He stumbles, but quickly, Sharon attends to him, helping him stand up.
"Why didn't I think of the time...?" he asks himself, panting. "The seal's starting to wear off...! Don't let it be that, Raven! No matter what! Please!"
Sharon protests. "But, Gilbert, Cheshire's right! You're already at your limit; Break's, too! If that continues–"
"Lady Sharon..." the Nightray whispers. "You know we can't... We just can't...!"
Sharon couldn't argue with him now, but he's her valuable friend! She just can't leave him alone, and do it all by himself with Break! If she's only…!
But, Raven the chain didn't follow his contractor, and instead, brought them back to the room where the rabbit and her contractor were abducted, back to reality. This surprises them all, and this is what Cheshire the cat waits for.
As the last of Raven's power of darkness and illusions disappear, Gilbert shouts with anger. "Didn't you hear me, Raven! I told you to hold it...! Don't let that cat escape now–!"
"Stop it, Gilbert Nightray," a dark voice suddenly speaks in the black–headed man's mind. It's indeed shocking, since it's been a while when his own chain spoke to him in their first meeting.
"Do not be such a fool," Raven's voice echoes in his mind, "Your body can't handle the power needed to continue to fight; Do not command me to kill you indirectly, since I've agreed to this contract you proposed because I sense something interesting in you. If you still want to command me this as your human body cries of pain, then just tell me to abandon the contract and cease your existence."
What Raven stated didn't just surprise the Nightray, but also all of them, since it's the first time they heard Raven's inner thoughts, but Cheshire isn't even batting an eye, since he knew Raven from the start.
Speaking of this, the clown also drops to his knees, and Cheshire, being free of the seal of Raven's dimension, walks toward Xerxes Break fearlessly. He isn't much afraid of Mad Hatter anymore, since his contractor is already at his limits, thanks to the first contract he made with Albus the White Knight.
Struggling, Break tries to stand up, and it's Sharon's chance to help him, besides Gil. Quickly, the Rainsworth girl is about to approach him, but Mad Hatter stands in the way. Why? Sharon thought. It couldn't be that Break...!
"You lowly cat," Break hisses, still with a threatening smile on his face, "I'll get you, smash you again until nothing – not even a speckle of dust – of you remains, and dance on your dirty ash, afterwards, once I get up from here. You better start praying to your mistress now."
"Oh, really, former contractor of Albus the White Knight, nyaaa~?" A sore and touchy spot for Kevin Regnard, indeed, Cheshire muses. "Even if Cheshire would love to see Hatter keep his promise, sadly, Hatter doesn't even have the strength to stand up and do so, nyaaa~ You would never get up from there, nyaaa~"
"But, I can still control 'my other power', though," Break laughs in triumph, and he once again resumes a serious demeanour, "Stupid cat."
Shoot!
Fear washes again over Cheshire, as he feels danger in his instincts. That once scary and terrifying feeling returns, as he turns around to see Mad Hatter, its huge shadows on him as its big eye seems to already target Cheshire, ready to destroy him once again for eternity.
"Cheshire, Cheshire, come, let us dance!"
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A/N: Surprise~! :D You didn't expect this, did you, did you, did you, DID YOU? Because I didn't expect this, too. XD LOL. 3, 000+ for this chapter is a record, since I've only done like 2, 000+ in the previous chapters.
So, anyway, because of cute, little, evil plot bunnies which don't want to leave me alone, too much Pandora Hearts addiction getting on my nerves (SERIOUSLY! I mean, did you see the latest chapter already? They should update like ASAP because I'm really trying hard not to kill Jack like, right now, because he has a lot of explaining to do about our lovable Oz the B–rabbit! Come on, you've just got to, because is it just me or is Jun Mochizuki–sensei's just good at mind-effin' us? No kidding, and I'm really sorry for the language), and the love for this first fic of mine in Pandora Hearts (actually, the second, but who cares?) and for you guys just motivates me to finish this, you know. Fortunately, I've thought of a way to end this in the most realistic and possible way, and I'm working on it. Yes, like every chapter for every single day of my vacation just for you, so you're assured that I'm going to complete this. And yep, that's all I think I want you to know.
Okay, time for our reply section, everyone~!
First of all, I want to thank la catena di vento for putting this fic to your story alert; BrokenBlackCat for putting this in your story alert and favorite, and reviewing (I'm really surprised that this fic interested you. For that, I'm grateful it did pique your interest); and to all of you who reviewed last chapter. That really made me glad. To LovelyDemon and Kiria4L, here's what you're waiting for (I think) and I hope you like it~ Murcielagos, thank you for your comments. I think that Alyss needs more love because she deserves it. Will you stick with me until the end? #does le proposal pose ##shot
Side note – If anyone still remembers the chapter in Pandora Hearts where Gilbert meets Raven or has something/anything related to their meeting, please PM me ASAP. In that way, you're helping the next chapter be finished as quickly as possible for the next update. Thank you. XD
Sorry for the long note, by the way. To the next chapter!