Well, I'll be back in school soon, but the new year is here (I can't believe the snow is gone!). Not much in this chapter, but as I've said previously, We'll start getting into it now. On another note, I do wonder if anyone picked up on the referance in the last chapter (not reveailing it for obvious reasons). Oh, also, I think I've found songs that fit two certain characters; An Extraordinary Life, by Asia (for Elliot), and I'm Cryin', by Journey (for Leo).
peppermint twertile: Yes, Mark Baskerville. He'll become inportant later on. Only I know about his role, but that will eventually be reveailed. I do feel a bit bad for him though.
I do not own Pandora Hearts in any way.
Chapter 3: Innocent Smile
I watched the scenery roll by out the glass window of the car, this stupid blue car that Artie had borrowed from his sister. No matter how many of them I saw pass by my line of sight, it was confusing to hear that this was a modern form of transportation (save for the current ones in Kara and Reveil).
Anyways, I'm not sure where we're going, and I still haven't gotten an explanation.
"Artie," I said, relaxing in the seat. "Now might be a good time to tell me what I'm supposed to do once we get to our destination."
"Yes, of course." Artie answered, his eyes not looking at me, but to the country side road we were currently traveling on. "I am taking you to a city called Cotton, and-"
"Cotton?" I interrupt. "Is that even a name for a city? It's a plant."
"Yes, it is a name." He paused before continuing. "Now, about your mission. You are to protect a young girl who we think is being targeted."
"What? Protection?" I exclaimed, not impressed with this new development.
"There's something else. It seems that there is a rumor she has some sort of connection with the Abyss."
I stiffened. "The Abyss?"
Artie nodded. "Yes. We're not sure what, but people from that city know her and say there's something strange about her. Of course, we can't confirm these things, but her brother just died in a car crash, she was with him at the time and survived. Upon further inspection, we have reason to believe that she is being targeted due to this supposed connection."
"So, this girl, you want me to protect her, is that right?"
"Yes, Eric. Once you've met her and everything is settled, you can head back to Kara with her."
I thought about that for a moment, how this girl, I'd be protecting for who knows how long, but, I only had to be in Cotton (What kind of a name is that?) for a short time. I wonder how quickly bored she'd get of having to tag along with me, especially when I go to see Leo. It was pretty boring to me, but I was used to it.
"Hey, what's her name?" I asked, I mean, I had to know her name in this case, right?
"She's Ceail-"
My answer was being interrupted by a phone ringing. It was Artie's, obviously, so he took it from his pocket and placed it on my lap.
"Answer it." He said to me, his eyes still to the road. Carrie taught me how to use one of these things before, so I do know how to answer one if needed.
Answering though, I hadn't expected the voice on the other end. "Hello."
"Elliot? Is that you?" Carrie's voice blared through. "Finally! Where-"
"Before you ask, still asleep." I cut her off before she could say any more. "I'm traveling with Artie to a city called Cotton, apparently to protect some girl. How did you even get this number anyway?"
"Well, I tried calling you at home, but Sasha told me you had some stuff to take care of at Pandora. I then called Maverick, but he said you were with Artie, so I was given this number."
I sighed with frustration. "Carrie, this isn't that big a deal. I already went to see him and I've already given you the answer. I'm just going to pick up this girl because I've been hired to protect her, then I'm heading back to Kara with her in tow."
She was quiet on the other end, but then I heard her snicker. "Pft...protection."
"Hey!" I snapped, imagining Carrie silently laughing. "It's not funny!"
"Sorry, sorry. Do you know how long you'll be serving as her protector?" She asked, backing off on her snickers.
"No, it's uncertain right now."
"Well, things are flowing smoothly over here. A few more days and we might have this case wrapped up. When I get back, you'll have to introduce me to her."
I nodded in agreement. "Okay, I will."
"Right." She said with a laugh. "Stay safe out there. It wouldn't be any good for ether of us if something happens to you."
I clearly knew what she meant by 'ether of us'. "Of course, for all three of us, including myself."
Her voice didn't answer back. Instead, there was a clicking noise and I knew she had hung up her phone.
I returned the phone to Artie and now decided to look out the window again. The green countryside kept rolling on by, and I started to wonder how long it would be before we got to Cotton, and before I meet this 'Ceail' girl. What kind of girl was she, and what exactly did she have to do with this supposed rumor that she was tied to the Abyss. Her foster brother had died in a car crash, simple as that, but yet I'm being told it might have been sabotage.
Really, this must be some new kind of madness, then again...I didn't know that about myself ether at...that time, that a I had encountered a creature of the Abyss.
"Eric, what did you really mean?" Artie asked, slowly and carefully. "I mean, what you said; 'For all three of us'?"
I allowed myself to get lost in the blue sky before answering. "By 'three of us', I'm talking about myself, Carrie, and Leo. It was answer to what she had said before that."
"Which is?"
"She said it wouldn't be good for 'ether of us' if something were to happen to me. By that, she meant herself and Leo."
Artie nodded. "Hmm. Well, you three do seem close, especially you and Leo."
That much was true, I mean, me and Leo were the best of friends, even through our constant bickering. "Yeah, he's...my best friend. If something did happen to me, that would be the world Leo would return to, the one he would wake up in, and that world would slowly kill him inside."
Now Artie seemed curious, but slightly worried. "And what world would that be?"
"A world without me."
I felt sleepy now, having been walking for an hour, but it had to be at least a half mile. I don't really care, as long as I was far, far away from those people. Yes, I had run away. I will never reveal myself as being a Baskerville, but I can go by just 'Mark'. I could care less if they try and come after me, but I don't want to be there, I just want them to leave me alone and let me handle my own issues.
I spotted a bench at a bus stop, and, still feeling drowsy, I decided to sit down there, letting out a slightly painful sigh as I did. "God...my head."
"You're not doing so good, Mark, I can tell." Ah, now that voice, that one was comforting.
'Good to hear your voice too, Icarus.' I muttered silently, leaning my head back.
"A Chain's intuition, really, but something's seriously wrong with you."
'I know. I wouldn't be surprised.'
I heard my Chain's voice let out a sigh. "Your body is in serious condition, and yet, you remain calm."
'Please, I can handle it.'
Icarus was stubborn, and I knew it wouldn't let this go so easy.
"But, is it worth it? I mean, look at you know. What if something else befalls you."
'Icarus, if my liver fails, I doubt that would shock me.' There was a hint of sarcasm in my reply.
"But what if that does happen?"
'I have to keep that monster at bay, you know that! It's the price I have to pay, and I will fight every step of the way to keep myself from being used. There's no giving up for me in this case.'
At that moment, I felt a vibrating sensation. At first, I assumed it was just me, but I quickly realized it was my phone. My hand slightly shook as I took it from my pocket. I never used that phone much, and, even before my eyes scanned over the caller ID, I knew right away who it was.
"Figures." I mutter.
I answer the phone, but before I could even say anything... "Mark!"
Some lingering traces of sleep were knocked out of me in that second. "Damn...don't do that."
"Mind explaining why you've run off?" Wow, she sounded pissed.
"I don't have to answer you." I replied plainly.
"Look, we don't have time to come hunt you down."
"And why is that?"
"Because we might be heading out to Kara."
I froze, because I knew that name. We had determined it to be her hometown. "Huh?"
"I said we're going to Kara." Heather's voice said again.
"Um, why is that?" I asked, now a bit nervous.
"You know how we need the 5 black winged bird-like Chains, right?"
I nodded. "Yes."
"Well, Carrie holds Raven, we know that, but let's set that aside for now." She started to explain. "We have no idea where the other's are, but we do know where Jabberwock is."
I pretended like I wasn't concerned. "What's the point? Those two can't be-"
"That's the point!" She suddenly exclaimed. "Word has it that Carrie is out of town and the egg shell, Leo, is in a coma!"
Those words struck me hard. "A-are you sure?"
"Well, we don't know for certain, but if it's true, here's the lowdown." Heather paused before continuing further. "Four months ago, he suddenly went into it. He's still asleep at the local hospital there in Kara. Now, a month after it happened, Carrie had to leave on business and hasn't been back since. We think she's in a town nearby."
Though a bit surprised, I spoke anyways. "And what does this have to do with getting Jabberwock?"
"Do I have to slap you again?" Ah, she still remembers that. "Carrie wouldn't be there, and we would be free to get that Chain, seeing as how that boy can't interfere."
I hadn't expected such a revelation, but her logic is right. If Leo really is in a coma, then he would be open to any attack with no way to fight back. Carrie wasn't by his side to protect him, and, although, I'm not sure about Elliot, I know they would show the comatose boy no mercy.
"Mark?" Heather's voice suddenly rang out, breaking my thoughts. "Hey, Mark? You coming back or what?"
"Uh, I..." I didn't want to go back, and now, that boy was in danger. What was I to do?
"Mark, come on, I know you're there."
I felt my hand curl into a fist. "Heather, I...I don't feel good. Let me call you back later!"
"Mar-" I hung up before she could finish my name, I couldn't stand to hear it anymore. Just thinking about that possibility, it was making my heart pound.
"Why? Why would they want...?" The questions I whispered to myself didn't make a whole lot of sense in my mind, but, I felt as if I couldn't stand by and watch them as they try and pry his own Chain form his weakened body.
'There's no other choice.' I thought to myself, the decision clear. 'I ran away from them and I have no intention of going back. Why not try and do something right for once?'
"Do you mean you'd go after Carrie?" Icarus' voice rang out again.
'Yes.' I replied to my Chain as I saw a bus pull up. 'Do you think what Heather said is true?'
"The possibility is very real, Mark." Icarus replied as I paid the bus driver, walking towards the back and sitting down in a seat. Since, previously, we had only just moved to this town, finding her might not be that hard.
'If so, Carrie is in a town nearby. She needs to know, because I know she loves Leo.' I looked out the blurry window, or maybe that was my own sight because I was still feeling sleepy. 'There's no turning back from this.'
Arriving in the town of Cotton, it didn't look that much different than Kara, with the exception of cars roaming the place. Artie had parked the car outside of what appeared to be a court house. Artie had already gone inside, while I stood by the car and looked around the town.
"I still have no idea what kind of a town is named Cotton." I wondered aloud. If Leo were here, he'd probably sigh and start up on some lecture about the plant and theorize that this city made a living off growing and selling the plant at one time. Carrie would probably sit by and grin at us.
It was odd, how different it felt without them here. I wish ether one of them were right here, but, as I knew, Leo was asleep in a coma and Carrie was still away on business. I remember once that Carrie wondered what my servant was dreaming of, if he was dreaming. I'm not sure about those two, but my dreams had been rather peaceful. It felt kind of foreign at first, but I got used to it, and I would rather have that peace than waking up every night, shaken by that nightmare.
Wait, no. Now is not the time to dwell on that. All of that was long over by now, still, I can't shake some feeling, that...well, I don't know what.
"Eric!" A voice called. I looked up to meet Artie's voice as he called my fake name, but I was greeted with a surprise of my own.
Walking beside him was a girl about the same height as Carrie. Her amber hair was such a dark shade that it looked nearly brown, but let's just settle on golden-brown. She was dressed in some sort of floral laced clothing colored black, red, and white, which was a bit dark if you ask me. I recognized the style though, Carrie once telling me that this particular style was called 'Gothic Lolita'. Among other things, a small hourglass hung off a long golden chain around her neck. Probably the most stunning feature had to be her eyes, which were...red?
'Is that her?' I asked myself. 'The girl I'm supposed to protect?'
"Eric, here she is." Artie said, gesturing to the red eyed girl. "Ceail Augustine."
"This is him?" Ceail asked, her voice slightly annoyed. "Eric Strata, right?"
"Um, y-yes." Wait. My voice...why was my voice shaking? "I'm definitely Eric."
"I see." Her voice had calmed down, and I found that now it was surprisingly smooth like water. "Reasonable enough I suppose."
"Alright then." Artie suddenly interrupted. "Miss Ceail, I'll leave you with Eric while I finish up your paperwork for you."
Ceail watched him with a blank face as he walked away again, leaving the girl with me. Again, her red eyes stood out the most, like rubies. However, her eyes weren't the only thing that was strange to me.
"Hey, you." She suddenly said, her voice breaking through my thoughts.
"Yeah?"
"So, you're really from Pandora?" Her tone bordered on being curious.
"Of course." I replied. "Carr- er, that is to say, my adoptive sister talked me into it."
I saw one of her eyebrows raise. "Who's name were you about to say?"
"Oh, it's not important, but just the name of my adoptive sister. Her name is Carrie."
Ceail then grinned slightly. "I heard she works for Pandora also."
I nodded. "She does, we're practically a team; myself, Carrie, and her boyfriend, Leo."
I quickly realized my voice had strained slightly on his name, and, looking at Ceail, it looks like she had caught on as well.
'Geez, is this girl perceptive as well?' I wondered thinking of how Leo could catch on to things just as quick. For instance, if something was troubling me, he could pick up on it in an instant.
"Something the matter?" She asked, her face relaxing and a smile on her lips.
"It's just...nether of them are around right now." I explained to her. I knew she would just continue questioning me until I gave her an answer. "They're alright, but Leo, his situation is a bit more complicated."
"What exactly is it?"
"He's currently in a coma."
Ceail's red eyes faintly widened with surprise. "Oh. Sorry to hear that."
"Don't worry about it." I assured her. "I'm sure he'll be out if it soon, and, when we get back to Kara, I'll have you meet him."
"Hmm. Interesting." She cooed, looking up towards the sky. "Say, people say that girl, Carrie, is quite the agent."
Apparently, she had decided to change the subject. "Yeah, I've seen her in battle before, and she's got talent."
"Does she have a Chain?"
I inwardly sighed, this girl's questions getting on my nerves, but what could it hurt to tell her what Carrie's Chain is? "Believe it or not, but she has Raven."
"Raven?" Ceail exclaimed. "As in the legendary black winged Chain?"
"That's the one." Wait a minute, why am I telling her these things? There's no need for her to know! I should just shut up about this, for my own sake at least.
"I've heard of one myself, one called Gryphon."
Now I was the one interested in the conversation. "That's one of the five, isn't it?"
She nodded, just as a gust of wind came by us. "Legend has it was once spotted here a long time ago when this city was first established, when it was just a tiny village."
I quickly thought back to seven months ago, after Leo had been taken by the Baskervilles and Carrie had found a letter telling us that they wanted the fragment of Glen Baskerville inside him. Among other things though, all three of us knew that the Baskervilles were seeking out the other three bird-like Chains, Gryphon, Owl, and Dodo. Question was, what did they want with those Chains?
"I don't know much about Chains," Ceail continued. "But I think it's neat that Carrie has Raven. I doubt it's as powerful as Jabberwock."
"I beg to differ, they could be the same strength." No way I was telling this girl any more than that.
"That is a very good hypothesis. My foster brother was actually researching Gryphon, you know, before he died."
That was the last bit of our conversation, seeing as how Artie showed up soon after, and, after letting Ceail get some of her belongings from her house, we were on our way back from Kara, Ceail with us in the backseat.
I never talked to her much on the ride back, jumbled and confusing thoughts swirling through my mind. I still had things to figure out, like how much she really knows about Gryphon. Among other things though, I felt a strange sensation inside, thinking about her words.
'I'm probably tiered, yeah, that's it.' I thought, looking out the window again, like I had been on the way here.
One has to wonder, what is Mark up to (although you probably know what). Also, is the rumor about the mysterious Ceail Augustine true? Elliot might be the only one who can get that answer out of her, considering that he is supposed to protect her. In the meantime, feel free to leave a reveiw.
