Evan had found them, but refused to state her presence yet. They needed a moment, but she wasn't so proud as to not listen in. she peered through the entrance to the wide berth of space they sat in. A huge tree sat in the middle with a gravestone resting in front of it. Oz was walking toward the gravestone his hands behind his back.
"…But to me it doesn't seem like you've Lost anything that makes you who you are." Gilbert looked at him confused. "You were the one with me when I woke up… and you've taken care of me time and time again since. And just now… you didn't turn your 'absolute' into a lie, did you?" Oz stopped and turned toward Gilbert. Evan could see the smile that naturally rested on Oz's lips and his exceedingly contentedness with the situation.
"So tell me. What is it exactly that's different about you?" Gilbert raised his wounded arm to his mouth.
"No matter how much time passes… or if our situations change-… I still… have faith in what you said back then. So what if you're a member of some dukedom? Let me say this." He turned from Gilbert. "Don't assume that because you're now an aristocrat…" Oz turned in profile and grinned tyrannically at Gilbert, "Don't think I'm going to release you from my service." Evan suppressed a giggle. Aamir fondled with a stray leaf. Gilbert began to chortle.
"You're still a Tyrant!" he sighed and held his head like an old friend should. "I… betrayed Vessalius, you do realize?" Gilbert stood up stepping toward Oz.
"It's no problem. As long as it's still what you want!" Oz grinned happily. Gilbert looked at Oz, before bending his head and landing on one knee, bowing to Oz. "I still want to be your Valet!"
Oz smiled sadly. "Long time no see… Gilbert." Evan grinned, perhaps she could intrude now.
"Knock, Knock." She stated lamely, appearing in the entrance way. Gilbert swirled, he looked at her bewildered, while Oz smiled. "Hey Evan! Are you and Aamir alright?" He questioned skipping up to her, she nodded. Aamir was still curled up in her arms. "Oh yes we're fine, Raven there gave me quite the headache though." Gilbert started, "I-I'm sorry I didn't-"
"I was kidding. Anyway, Oz should probably get back to Alice." Oz seemed thoughtful, "I wonder if she'll be mad at me for leaving her. Oh well, I better go check on her." with that he sprinted off to tend to his chain. Evan shook her head, "I swear that kid's bi-polar." She muttered. "Well, I better go with him, bye Raven!" she waved at him, before he stopped her.
Raven grabbed her arm, "Are you sure you're alright?" He asked seriously leaning in near her.
"I should be asking you that… I see you fixed your arm." He nodded.
"Wait, why would you care so much about whether or not I'm alright?" Evan questioned.
Raven released her, "Break would be pissed off if you were hurt. No reason other than that."
Evan waved him off, "I better make sure Oz doesn't get lost, or that Alice doesn't kill him."
… ….
"So… you haven't asked Raven about the details yet, I take it?" Alice questioned. The four of them were walking on the path to the tomb. "Nope. Alice, Evan, you two don't know much about This world, right? So I figured you'd understand a bit more if we listened together."
"Well… that's true…" Alice muttered.
"But that's just one reason. Truth is… I also wanted to sort things out in my head first." Evan glanced at Oz who was currently playing with Raven's guns and hat. "Hey Oz, where did you get those?"
"Oh he left them in the church… I'm glad I was able to escape from the abyss." He began.
"And I've even got Gil back beside me again. But… there are still lots of things that don't feel real yet…" He laughed and stuffed one of the pistols in his back pocket. Alice stared off to the side.
"Ah Gil!" Oz called. "Well? How 'bout it? Did you find any clues?" he asked tossing Raven his hat.
"No… I wish we could at least find out whose grave it is…" he mumbled putting his hat on.
"You hear Gil, Al-" Alice was staring at the trees still.
"Alice…?"
"Such weak voices… I didn't even notice them at first… little by little they began dwelling in these trees and petals… and have been waiting for me!" The ground around them began to glow fluorescently. Evan grabbed Alive by the hand tightly.
"I'm Home…!" a voice called off in the distance. Evan whirled at the same time as everyone else, the scene had change, the colors more vibrant, and details they hadn't seen before stood out. They stared in awe.
"This is…!" Oz began. "No way… is this Alice's memory?" suddenly a girl, an exact replica of Alice ran past Oz exclaiming; "I've found you at last!" the girl ran forward to the entrance of the tomb where a man stood waiting. Evan strained to see him against the light.
"What a naughty girl. Did you follow me here?" the man questioned. Oz gasped gently, and started to walk toward him. Suddenly the man turned and looked at them, "Take care… the intention of the abyss has been watching you all along, you see?" The church clock struck twelve reverberating off the walls and into their ears. The floor began to break apart, "What the heck's going on!" Oz called.
"Oz, Evan!" Raven yelled yanking them both away. The man seemed startled to hear his voice. "Oh, it's you… make sure you protect him… properly this time, all right? Oh and keep the girl safe as well." Raven stared transfixed before a shatter caught everyone's attention. Raven's grip tightened on both Evan and Oz.
"What's this intention of the abyss thing-" Raven glared forward where a light glowed. "I don't know much about it either… but it's supposedly the being that created the abyss as we know it today…" Aamir latched onto Evan's leg.
"And it's both what Pandora and the Baskervilles desire!" as they came closer they saw that Alice was locked in a chair with a floating rabbit doll above her head. Evan was vaguely aware that it reminded her disturbingly of Emily. She shook the thought off.
"Uh… it's a rabbit?" Evan asked. "No, it's probably just a make-shift form…" Raven said releasing her from his death grip.
"Aah… I've met you at last. I've been waiting for you, for a long, long, long, long, long, long, long time… okay? So please hurry and come get me quickly?" the rabbit doll asked sweetly. "I have many dolls ready for you I do! Let's play with them, shall we? We'll talk until we get sleepy… and… and… okay?" the doll got close to Oz's face. "So please my beloved." Oz cried out and slapped the doll away in a fury. "I don't know you. But more importantly, will you let Alice go?"
The doll tipped its head like a puppy would, "Why do you care about that girl? She is a chain… and she intends to kill you like all her other contractors. You know?" suddenly the doll's mouth twisted into a gruesome grin and its eyes became darkened pits. "So why? Why? Why, why, why, why, why,-" Raven sprinted toward them, "Oz!" he called. Suddenly a wave of air whacked him so hard that he whirled back against the wall. "Quiet! Don't come between me and him." "Gil!"
Evan ran towards Raven, he was unconscious that much was clear, all she could do was cradle his head and check him for wounds. God if she ever got the chance she would burn that doll. And apparently Oz felt the same way, because he looked at the doll with such malice as it continued on. "Say… you don't know a thing about that girl… so why do you stay by her side." Oz seemed to pause at this. He looked forward at the chair where Alice was currently sitting. "Yes… she's merely a brat who doesn't even know who she is or why she was born. She doesn't deserve you." Evan noticed that Oz clenched his fist tightly.
"Yet she managed to take you away from me. A doll like her… should never have been born!"
Oz grabbed at his mouth and held it there as if holding something back. "Okay then? Throw that girl away-" Oz beganlaughing hysterically, he went as far as to hug himself. "Yup… you're right." Oz stated. Evan looked up just as Raven began to stir. She looked to her lap, "Welcome to the land of the living…" He didn't reply and began to rub his head in annoyance.
"I don't know anything about Alice. But you see… I have to stay with Alice." Oz finished calmly. The doll hovered agitatedly. "Why! Why must you-" the doll was cut off again when Oz reached for its head and interrupted it. "I don't have any reasons why, you see? I'm only following the conviction that's inside me!" He smiled darkly. Alice jolted up.
"Besides… I'm sorry, but I don't think we'll get along." The bang that followed was louder than any previous. It shot straight and true through the doll. "Thanks for the invitation…" Oz said holding up Raven's pistol. "But these days I'm more into "treasure hunting"… than playing with dolls."
The doll screamed at them all; its head spinning violently, and as it screamed the earth broke apart. "Alice!" Oz called reaching for her, "Evan!" Raven yelled grasping her ankle just before she tumbled down.
The sky was a brilliant blue Evan observed before she fluttered her eyes closed, but that certainly wasn't the end. Her head began to pound. You… you will regret this. You will come to rue the day that you chose the B-rabbit over me!
"Ha-ha! Well! So this is how it is, hmm?" Break asked from his vantage point. Evan could hear someone she had never heard before in the corner of the room, and could vaguely see Sharon sipping tea. "I truly did not think the intention of the abyss would intervene so quickly, but… as things are proceeding according to plan for the moment… shall we return to Pandora?"