WHOOT! I really feel like my writing high is diminished, maybe I need sleep. XD I'll make myself write anyway, if I don't, I'll end up abandoning it and that would be saaaaaad. YES! The Smeep acknowledges their smeepiness. XD I'll try my hand at drawing Oz tonight, maybeh. Or now. I got let off work three hours early because the place is down for cleaning and they had nothing for us to do anymore XD and tomorrow off! Hmm. Sooo. *still waiting on Trix's picture with eagerness* XD Annnd. CHIBI HASN'T GIVEN ME A HUG YET. :O Or has she? Maybe I forgot. *too lazy to click up reviews right now and has poor memory* XD Oh. My. Gosh. My phone literally just beeped with Chibi's hug and review. That was so awesome. XD *hugglez* Moony, Moony, Moony…I don't remember your review, same with you Wiv, Wiv, Wiv, so I'll just chant both of your names to make up for it. XD Kunai. You're a dork. But that's a good thing! Doglover, rock on. So much rockage. I think that's it. XD YAY! *now is probably going to procrastinate writing by watching Yu Yu Hakusho and trying to draw Oz* XD then I have to try photoshopping it, because I hate hand-coloring things, or at all, maybe I just suck at coloring but it seems to kill the quality of the actual drawing…XD but I dig photoshop. We'll see. XD *couple hours later* Drawing's done, now I gotta get it on my compy and photoshop it. XD

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Shatter.

A sandwich, a glass of water, and an apple later, Gilbert headed down the hall to return to the room where Lucero awaited and Alice…slept. But as he neared the door, he heard the shatter of glass and with a curse, he darted inside.

"Stay the Hell away from me, understand? I've got nothing to say to you." Lucero snarled. He was backed up against a wall and there was a bit of blood on his still fairly-burnt hands where the shattered vase now beside him had apparently cut him.

Across from him stood Barma with a cool expression. "Is that any way to speak to a Duke? You are an illegal contractor, and injured as you are, you can't use your powers…not that they'd do much good now, would they? There's nothing dead here for you to control." he said with an air of mockery. "My powers on the other hand, work just fine…perhaps a demonstration will loosen your tongue…?"

It was just before this that Gilbert had entered, and he clenched his teeth as he entered to stand before Lucero. The latter seemed surprised at the almost protective stance that Gilbert had taken before him. Barma simply looked faintly annoyed. "Break is in charge of him, and you've overstayed your welcome. Leave."

"To speak to a Duke that way…"

"As the future Duke Nightray, I don't think it matters much, does it?" Gilbert replied coldly. The 'sissy' had for the moment been replaced by his 'alter ego', as it were. Gilbert Nightray, contractor of a Guardian, and future head of one of the four ducal households.

Barma's reaction was almost inhumanly quick as he stood before Gilbert to peer down at him with a faint sneer and cold gaze. "Possible future Duke." he corrected. "You may have contracted with Raven, but your sham of an adoption means nothing…. You're a pawn, for the Nightrays, for the boy, for that clown, and when I choose it-for me. Don't overstep your place, brat."

Gilbert's jaw clenched and he prepared to speak when yet another voice was added to the repertoire of cold voices for the morning.

"I am the future Duke Vessalius, without contestation. I am the contractor of the Bloody Black Rabbit. I am the vessel of Jack Vessalius. I am Oz Vessalius. Does that give me leave to speak to a Duke?" Oz's voice was dangerously soft as he stepped forward with a faint smile and a calm expression, but the look in his emerald eyes was icy as he gazed up at Barma. "You are not welcome here. Leave."

Barma's expression was uncharacteristically readable as disgust, anger, and a faint flicker of fear flashed across his face before he settled for a faint sneer. "You will rue crossing me, boy. The next time you seek my help, I won't give it, even if you beg."

"Funny. The Will of the Abyss said something similar. And yet, here I am." Oz's mirthless smile widened. "I assure you, I'd sooner die than beg from the likes of you. You aren't the only one that holds power here, Rufus Barma, you'd do well to remember that."

Barma's eyes widened slightly and then narrowed. "You'll regret this." he said simply as he cast one more cold glance at Gilbert, and then at Lucero before he stormed out.

Gilbert watched him leave before he stared down at Oz, stunned before Oz looked up at him with a bright smile.

"Don't look so worried, Gil! Barma knows better than to mess with me!" Oz patted his servant's shoulder. "He didn't hurt you, did he?" Oz tilted his head in concern.

"N-No…" Oz had seemed like a completely different person only a scant second before, and now he was like himself and yet…he wasn't. This Oz was too childish, too cheery…the air of humble arrogance and unnatural intelligence…that kindness…it seemed absent. He was as the moment called for. But for now he had to humor the other, he had to feign ignorance because even he realized that it wasn't a simple matter of slapping Oz in the face this time…this required…more.

There was a faint thump and Gilbert turned to see that Lucero had slid down the wall and collapsed against it tiredly. "Damn…even standing's a pain…"

Gilbert looked to Oz before he set the food down he'd still held and went to Lucero's side and ignored Lucero's arched brow as he helped the other back into bed. With a sigh, he tore off his scarf and began to wrap it around the other's hand not unlike what Oz had done for him not so long ago… "What did Barma want from you?"

"Information that was none of his business." Lucero said dismissively, although his expression was odd a moment as he watched Gilbert bandage him and muttered, "Thanks, kid…" before he looked to Oz and smiled as he dropped his more arrogant behavior in favor of a congenial tone. "Hullo, my lord. You likely don't recognize me, but I'm-"

"Lucero Dare. The rabbit magician." Oz said simply as he looked at Lucero without animosity, but without favor either. He had stated a fact and nothing more.

"Ah…yes. Well. I wouldn't say rabbit. I'm a little furry at present but I assure you, I was born entirely human and blessedly male. Still, I am pleased that you remember my name." he inclined his head 'respectfully', but his eyes remained on Oz all the while. He didn't flatter himself or delude himself in Oz's regard. The other was fractured at the moment, and his own actions meant nothing, Gilbert was all that mattered to the boy-that much was blatantly clear.

"…That's nice. Hey, Giiiil?" Oz turned pleading eyes onto his servant. "I know I'm supposed to rest…but can't we go outside, just for a little bit? It's such a nice day…staying inside would be a crime!" he gave the other his best puppy eyes.

And there it was again. One moment apathetic, the other a childish version of his Oz. But still so similar…he was torn between being unnerved and between wanting to coddle the other. "It's like you said, you need to rest…" Gilbert mumbled and Oz slipped his smaller hand into Gilbert's larger one.

"Aww, come onnnnn. We'll go in if I get too tired, and if Gil's with me, everything'll be just fine, right? Plleeeeeaaaaaseeee."

Gilbert was pained and he did his best not to let it show on his face. To stare into his young master's face and know that it wasn't his Oz, or even Jack that stared back at him, it was his own failure. But how could he fix it? "I think we should break the contract, Oz…the sooner the better, right?" Vincent's words within his dream, something that he still believed a dream, entered his mind but he pressed on…surely if he ended the contract then some of the weight of the 'madness' the other now possessed would be lifted, wouldn't it?

Oz pouted. "Already? C'mon, Gil…isn't it fun to have a contract with me?"

"No…you're my master, Oz…you're not a Chain…"

Oz shrugged. "Well now I am. And I think I like it. I don't think I want to end the contract. Besides, what if I got sent back to the Abyss somehow? Is that what you want?"

Gilbert's eyes widened. "Of course not! But…Oz…this contract…it's…"

"It's what?" Oz queried as he lifted a brow.

"…Nothing…you're right…I'm just being…silly." Gilbert forced the words past his lips. He couldn't very well say 'it's just that you're broken and I have no idea how to fix you' he couldn't say 'I'm grasping at straws here', he couldn't even say 'I'm sorry'. All he could do was stay by his master's side while he somehow figured out how to fix what in itself should have been impossible…his human master was a Chain, his Chain, and somehow broken in the process…how was Gilbert supposed to fix him? He had Raven, but beyond that, he was nothing special…nothing at all…

"Then…we can head outside?" Oz smiled brightly.

"Yeah, Oz, if you want to, that's fine." Gilbert said softly, his mood had clearly gone down but Oz either didn't notice or didn't acknowledge it as he cheered and grabbed Gilbert's hand to drag him away. "When I get back, you'll fix Vincent?"

"Sure thing, kid. If only because blondy's more annoying as a ghost than as a man. So far." Lucero said with mock-annoyance as he saluted Gilbert off.

When they were gone, he plucked the apple from the table beside him and tossed it into the air before he caught it in his bandaged hand. "See? And you thought he didn't care. Now go away. You're blocking my sun." Lucero said as he took a bite of apple and tried to ignore the ghost at his side. Vincent had found him eventually, and had been the reason he'd woken up so soon. He would have preferred to let his body rest a bit longer, but being followed around by the other had promptly encouraged him to cut his rest a bit short. The sooner Vincent was back in his body, the sooner Lucero could get back to trying to ignore the ghostly passerby around him.

The transparent 'ghost' frowned. "You supposedly 'serve' Oz…how can you let him be this way? Isn't it the duty of one who serves to 'protect' his master?"

"I can't save him, it's gotta be the kid. " Lucero said with a sigh to denote that the other was annoying him. Vincent should count himself lucky that he bothered to speak to him at all, Nightray bastard that he was.

"Kid. You keep calling him that, but you're the only child here, you and Oz-kun. And yet neither of you seem to realize that." Vincent said darkly. Half a day in a mirror and a day invisible and intangible had worn thin on him, as had watching his brother play puppy to that crazed child.

"Says the 'adult' who still acts like a spoiled child." Lucero said as he took another bite of apple and cast Vincent a cool glance from the corner of his eyes. "Age has nothing to do with being a child, I assure you. And to me, that's what you are."

"Spoken like a true child." Vincent said with obvious distaste.

Lucero's hand clenched around his apple as he finally turned to look at the other. "Hey, uh, did you miss the memo? I'm your ticket back into your body, blondy, so you miiiiight want to quit irritating me. Or maybe you'd like to spend the rest of your days stuck in, I don't know…a rabbit's body?" Lucero's lips quirked in wry amusement as Vincent seemed to pale a little. He wasn't sure if Lucero could make good on that threat, but for now, he supposed that he had to play nice.

"Just tell me this, at least. Why do you hate the Nightrays? Aren't I entitled to know?" Vincent queried casually. Not for curiosity, or care, but because the information might prove useful.

"Like I've said before. None of your business." Lucero said as he took another bite of apple and closed his eyes to try and block out his personal poltergeist while he waited for Oz and Gilbert to return, and ignored Vincent's dark look as the other turned to the window to wait.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

That brat. That insolent brat. And moreover, even Gilbert Nightray had stood up to them. He'd gone out of his way to assist them, and how was he repaid? With disrespect. That was fine, he didn't need to be kind to his pawns to use them. He wouldn't do them any favors in the future. As for the present, he needed to find his servant, and he knew right where he would be. With that clown. Insufferable…

Sure enough, Break, Sharon, and Liam were together in the parlor as Barma entered and pushed his anger aside to wear a mask of cool indifference. "Liam, we're leaving."

Liam blinked and looked up in surprise before he rose respectfully. "Y-Your grace, we-"

"Now."

Liam recognized that something had put his master ill at ease and he didn't dare tarry as he went to the other's side.

"Your grace…you seemed ruffled…" Break noticed with thinly veiled amusement. "Have you been speaking with Oz-kun, by any chance?"

Barma cast him a cold glance that was unfortunately wasted on his victim. He was a blind man, after all. "You may consider the Red House withdrawn from this little alliance. Don't look for my assistance in the future."

Break feigned surprise. "Oh my, how very drastic…" Barma turned on his heel to leave with an apologetic Liam at his side and Break added. "You should be careful about burning bridges, your grace, fires like those tend to burn in both directions…" he murmured and Barma fixed him with a cool glance before he left.

"…I don't like him any more than you do…but he's not someone to be desired as an enemy.." Sharon said with a frown.

"And yet…neither, I think, is Oz-kun…" Break mused as he settled back in his chair to calculate this, not wholly unexpected, turn of events.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Raven had returned to his spot on the roof. He found it…wonderful, to be honest. The sun glared down at him, warm against his presently human skin. There was a light breeze that rustled his hair, and the scents of the forest around him. A far cry from his cage in the Nightray manor that smelled of iron and the dank stench of the Abyss. How long would he be free? This was an unprecedented turn of events, but even if Gilbert didn't demand that he return to his prison soon, he would be made to anyway. He was the Nightray guardian after all, and he could do little about that.

His gaze flickered downwards as Barma stormed 'regally' out with Liam at his heels. Raven had seen and heard he affair through Gilbert's eyes and ears, such was a facet of their bond and contract. Oz, without things like his conscience or basic 'humanity' to bog him down, was much stronger. But that strength meant nothing without direction. Perhaps Lota was wrong to trust them to work through it on their own…he had exaggerated about the memory being a common thing. Lota had done that to strengthen their bond in preparation of what would be coming, but what was the use? Oz had his bond with Gilbert, and only that…and meanwhile, the B-Rabbit was missing…

What a world to wake up to. But even so…he felt that he could afford to enjoy the sunlight just a little longer…

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

I am having horrible writer's block, hence the snippet on Oz/Gil ending on such a lame mark. And after I built it up and everything ;-; XD And I threw in Vince/Luc, to make 3K for this chap XD although it makes me want to do something with Luc/Vince...(not in a romantic way, I've actually been considering Luc x Sharon) but anyway, about Oz/Gil-I don't entirely actually completely have this planned. As far as getting Oz fixed. And such. So now it's just like…there's no baddie, no immediate cure, Oz is being a dork-monger…what the Hell do I do with 'em? XD I think I know maybe what I'll do, I just have to get to it. I have considered that the price of Oz's sanity is at the cost of his memories of Gil (possibly with him just remembering Raven-which would make sense as well) but then it's just another can of worms…it's a good idea, I think, logical, entertaining, leads to angst…BUT THEN IT'S ANOTHER DAMN PROBLEM TO FIX. So I dunno. We'll see if I can't whip something up that's just a tad less repetitive? XD Or…makes me blocked? XD Still waiting on Greg, Luc's past will probably come up in this book sooner or later, Alice…may or may not be in this book…it might be at the very end as my cliff hanger. Because I just love those. XD And Lottie's going to be doing something to Vinny soonishly. I am very love-hate. I think Vincent does have a heart, he's just a dumb arse. It's cute the way he thinks of Ada, I definitely approve of that. XD Oh damn. It would be really angsty if she saw her bro like this…but then it's just another can of worms…*lazy* I SHALL FIGURE THIS NONSENSE OUT! Somehow. XD