"The darkness which sucked in the brat that time… that came out of the abyss didn't it?" Alice asked leaning into the cushions of the carriage. "Yes. When the hand of the incuse goes around once, the contractor is dropped into the lowest level of the abyss." Raven turned his head from Oz and Evan, "That is, how illegal contractors meet their end." Oz looked at the window sill, seeming to be distracted. "Oz's hand hasn't moved yet. But when the time comes, he too will…" Alice clutched a pillow and threw it at Raven, "SHIT!" Alice had missed and hit Aamir instead, "Stupid rabbit."
"First off, why didn't you tell us about it until now?" Alice demanded.
"Because I thought you would be confused if I told you everything at once." Here Raven looked at Evan who was currently soothing the distraught Aamir. "I was going to tell you later, okay?" He whispered. Evan nodded; all she could do now was sit and watch.
"Isn't there a way to get rid of the incuse?" Alice asked worriedly. Raven seemed to ponder his answer for a moment. "The fastest way would be… to sever the link between the contractor and the chain, I'd say." Raven glared at Alice, "So you just need to die." Alice's hair stood on end it seemed, "I think not!" she yelled. Aamir clutched onto Evan. "Then you need to find a way to nullify the contract. In any case, we need to separate you and Oz and Evan if possible, we should separate you and Aamir." Aamir's grip on Evan tightened, Alice grabbed another pillow and aimed at Raven, "You fool! You can't…" Alice threw the pillow and it hit Raven Square in the face. "Do that!" She cried.
Evan scooted away from Rave as the pillow slid down his face. His features had been taken over by a dark anger. "Oh, this should be entertaining." Aamir muttered a smile in his voice. Raven reached into his jacket and pulled out his pistol, "You stupid rabbit!" He surprised Evan by actually pulling the trigger. "Then forget about the incuse and focus on finding your memories!" he yelled angrily. Alice had dodged the bullet and was crouched near the entrance hole. "Don't boss me around when you're just a slave to that clown!" There was a short silence where they glared death at one another, before they turned to Oz, "Oz! You say something too!" Oz glanced at them confused.
Oz twirled something in his hand completely unfazed by the fight that had just broken out. "Well, there's no use rushing things, so why don't you continue looking for you memories?" It became extremely apparent that Alice didn't like being disagreed with. She kicked the door of the carriage open and held Oz out the door. "OWW! I'm going to fall! I'm going to fall Alice!" He screamed. "What I mean is, Break said we should focus on finding your memories… so we can leave the incuse problem for them to deal with." Oz said agreeably. Alice glared at Oz, and then turned towards Raven, "Raven?" She questioned. He sighed. "Well, something like that." Raven stated.
"If that's how it is, then spit it out at the get-go, you scumbag!" Alice yelled at him.
"Were my words to difficult for the stupid rabbit? I do apologize." Raven replied in an exceedingly snobby voice. Evan chortled. "Shut up Evan." Alice said. "Oh calm down Alice, it was pretty funny."Evan smiled at Raven, who smiled back. Alice rolled her eyes.
"Hey Raven… An illegal contractor kills people to change the past, right? So then… what kind of past was a little girl like her trying to change so desperately, I wonder?" Oz asked smiling darkly. Raven turned his head to the side before replying. "Can't say I know…" Oz looked sadly at the ground, while Evan lounged comfortably cuddling Aamir who in turn tried but failed to climb out of her grasp. The carriage hit a bump, and then halted to a stop.
Oz stared in wonder at the scene before him, could this truly be the mansion that he had grown up in? The walls were cracked and vines grew up the windows. Evan sighed in content. "The Vessalius mansion. It's been quite some time… the last time I was here I wasn't necessarily welcome." Evan smiled. "It's in good condition since I was here last." Oz stared at her funnily, "When were you hear I don't remember you." Evan was about to reply when Raven called over, "Oz! Evan!" they both looked up and noticed that he was standing next to a man wearing a dark uniform, neither could see him very well. "Raven…" Oz said. "Sorry, I was talking with him." Raven gestured at the man behind him, who was currently bowing. "Who is he?" Evan questioned. "A Pandora official." Raven stated offhandedly. "Pandora has been managing the mansion since the incident." Oz stared wide eyed at him. "Eh…" Oz muttered.
"It seems like something's happened inside. I'll go check it out so you 4 wait here." He pivoted. "Ah… yeah, all right!" Oz said giving him a thumbs up. "You were…groaning a little in your sleep." Raven mumbled at Oz. Oz leaned in, "Eh?"
There was a light resonating sound of glove on skin, Raven had slapped Oz. Evan stared wide eyed. "Don't think about it too much. No one could've done anything for that flower girl. Not I… nor you." Raven turned and left, leaving Oz and Evan staring off after him. Oz rubbed the spot where Raven had hit him. "Somehow… he sure seems a lot like Gil…" Oz said thoughtfully.
"Gil… the black-haired brat?" Alice mumbled from her spot on the cushions. "Ah sorry did I wake you?" Oz asked. Alice didn't reply as she rubbed her eyes. "So Gil's…" Oz smiled, "Yup, he was at the party…"
"The brat you cut down?" Alice continued. Evan looked up, her eyes met Aamir's then she turned to Oz and Alice. Oz was staring at Alice speechless, and then he smiled. "Yeah. That's him. It would be nice if Gil were here. Since you guys are so alike, he might've been a good person for you to talk to Alice, you to Evan." Both Evan and Alice looked at him questioningly. "See, Gil… Doesn't have any memories from when he was little. Alice rose up groggily. "Huh? Sure brings me back."
"Guess it's already been about five years… since uncle brought him to us?" Oz said thoughtfully.
"I remember I was reading with my sister. And then that day, out of the blue we found him collapsed in the garden of our manor. I was told he was to be my new Valet. He could hardly remember anything besides his name."
Gilbert, the boy clung to Uncle Oscar as if scared of something. Oz stood up with a bam, "So you're… going to become my Valet huh?" Gilbert flinched. "Yes…"
"So you'll do whatever I say right?
"Yes."
"If you don't, I'll punish you!"
"Yes…"
"Oh and… will you eat my vegetables for me? I hate them!"
"…Yes…" Uncle Oscar watched bemused.
Oz grabbed a paper and pen, scribbling words and phrases that he thought fit the occasion. "All right! Done! The contract is signed. Uncle Oscar is the witness!" a maid approached Uncle Oscar and whispered something in his ear. "You've formally become my Valet! And that means-!" He was cut off mid way through his rant when Uncle Oscar called, "Sorry Oz! Some urgent business has come up. I'll leave Gilbert to you." Gilbert widened his eyes and mouth simultaneously, "W-wait!" He called, he ran on the carpet's edge riding it up into a hill there as tripping over it head first. He landed with a thud next to a shelf that held books and vases. The thud caused a vase near the edge to teeter and fall off. "GILBERT!" Uncle Oscar cried. The vase landed with a crumbling thud on top of Oz, who had lain against Gilbert to protect him from the blow. "Owww!" Oz whined. Gilbert clutched his fists. Oz sat up rubbing his head. "Ah… no… you must not protect someone like me… because! It is my duty to protect my 'master'!" Oz looked at him strangely, before he whacked him on the head. "What's this master you're talking about? I was going to say it before, but… you're my Valet now. And that means… from now on, I'll protect you no matter what! Cause that's the lord's duty!" Oz reached his hand toward Gilbert. "I'm Oz Vessalius. Nice to meet you, Gilbert!"
"After that, every day was loads of fun. He's a sissy, and a cry baby… but he's a really nice guy. And he was always there for me. To me he's more important than anyone else… he's my precious best friend!" Oz said finishing his story and grinning. Alice looked at him. "I have no idea… what you're talking about." Alice said. "Eh?" Oz asked. "I'm saying you're talking nonsense. Friends or whatever is just a bunch of weaklings flocking together. I… don't need such things."
"Alice?" Oz asked shuddering.
Suddenly Evan, Oz and Alice all shuddered together. They started out the carriage. "This presence… are they nearby?" a shot rang out.
"Just now… was that gun fire?" Evan asked. Oz straightened, "Let's go Alice!" He said and began to run. "Come along Aamir… it seems something's going to happen." Suddenly Evan tripped, before getting back up. That pounding had returned. "Ah-ha-ha… how cruel!" a cockish voice rang out. "Even though they were your colleagues… You've become a pretty merciless grown up haven't you?" Evan ran faster along the grass. "Oh I'm happy all right…" Raven's voice replied. Evan started to sprint, that meant that it was happening now. It had to be. "I've been waiting for this moment for so long." Raven shot at the other person. Raven growled, he had missed. "Aaah, I get it. You're still upset about what I did that day!"
Oz, Alice, Aamir and Evan rushed up the steps toward the French doors gasping for breath. "You still can't forgive me… for using your body to hurt your young master at his coming-of-age ceremony can you!" Oz stopped at the door knob, completely frozen in terror. Evan felt sympathy for him, but it was washed away quickly. He had to find out how long in reality he had been in the abyss. It had struck her pretty hard to. "Even though it's been ten years since Oz disappeared into the abyss!" another shot.
Alice kicked open the door, her eyes hard, Oz stared into the room. Raven turned towards them, he stared at Evan and Oz, "You fools! Don't come here!" He screamed.
"The guest of honor has finally arrived!"
Raven seemed to be pulled rigidly apart, his arms and legs not under his own control. Above him appeared a giant girl bound in chain's with strings appearing from her back entangling Raven. "R-" Alice got in front of him, "Stay back, Oz!"
Evan looked around spying the last person, no not person, the last thing she would ever want to see in her life. The Man draped in the cloak. "Allow me to introduce you. This child is my chain… Duldum. Darling Duldum has this terribly useful ability to bind and manipulate with its strings. You see today, I've come to celebrate… because I heard you'd emerged from the abyss after ten whole years!" Oz seemed to panic; he grabbed his chin, his back bending under the weight of this new news.
The man draped in the cloak, looked at Evan, and frowned. Evan smiled in return. "Why hello there! It's been so long. What, 80 years at least!"
"You will not get in the way this time." He growled at Evan. "You thought your little stunt 80 years ago saved you? Well guess what, it didn't, you jumped into the abyss willingly and you still live. I swear if you get in the way I will strike you down." Evan grinned. "I beg to differ." She grabbed Oz and steadied him. "I stand by those who are friends. You are not my friend."
The man draped in the cloak smiled, "Now… shall I begin the special performance? The stars of the show are this boy here… Oz Vessalius and one other, his one and only Valet, Gilbert Nightray in the flesh!"
