Disclaimer- I have no ownership of any of the characters listed, they belong solely to Mochizuki Jun.
Rant- Can I just say how difficult it was deciding on which route to take with this story I have all these ideas and some were just too outrageous or bland to fit into this story. Also, I'll try updating on this one faster, but like I said it's difficult!
Last chapter, I began with how the seed of insanity was planted into Jack. I made some of the characters more evil than originally portrayed in the manga but I liked it. Yes, the sobbing scene was added for particular reasons, but I'll leave it to you all to figure out why. Anyways please review; I like knowing if I need to change anything up.
Chapter 4- You're off the playing board for now.
100 years later
"Everything is falling into place perfectly," Jack replied giddy.
Not only had the fools figured out he was no hero, but that they were all doomed to fail. The world would soon be thrown into the Abyss! He had been kept asleep for far too long, he slept on as the World turned and thrived while he began to wither away. That cursed rabbit and that damn girl only thought they were safe. They had no idea that he left them be only because they would prove useful in the future. And that time was now.
But of course the pathetic being called Oz sent Alice back to the Abyss because he was trying to save her since he failed so pathetically in the past. She may have protection in the Abyss' cocoon, but by no means was she safe. Right now, she was off the playing board for the time being. While back on Earth everyone had been tossed into an array of Chaos. Their discovery of who the man called Jack was had rifled a few feathers.
And Oz, poor unfortunate Oz, never to become an actual being. The idiot had just discovered that the flesh it walked around in, the words spoken which offered friendship and peacefulness, and the fact it could wield the chain B-Rabbit was all because it was a chain that Jack had granted the right to use his body. Oz was using the flesh and blood of the very human that had betrayed his owner so long ago.
What a fantastic, sick twist to this horrendous fairytale of death and betrayal!
Jack released an insane howling laugh that ricocheted across the black corner of the Abyss where he resided. The black water that drifted beneath him began to flow erratically with each howl that was released. The sounds of glass shattering could be heard, and Jack was beyond caring that in this realm he now had the capability of altering the dimension. He still possessed some of the Black Rabbit's powers and if he wished he could portal jump throughout the different regions in this confounded dimension.
His laughter was cut short as he began to choke, how long had he traveled throughout this endless realm. How many chains had he come across now and souls which had been ripped to pieces pleading for sanctuary. He had come across many strange, foreign entities in this realm since offering up his body but none led to her.
No matter how far he journeyed and what means he took nothing ever led him closer to her.
He had met some of the victims from the Saliber massacre, but some were no longer human. They had been transformed into hideous creatures that lusted after blood and tried to impose themselves on the unfortunate passerby. When Jack stumbled upon them they shied away, as though he was the most despicable creature they had ever laid eyes on. But the strange thing was they had no recollection of who he was, but they still felt the human emotion of fear and it pulsed through their veins the need to flee when he approached. But then there were those selected individuals who still retained their past memories and they wept and cursed him wishing the ultimate death upon him.
Jack avoided these creatures since all they did was complain and whine about past occurrences and refused to move on; he had no need for them now. But there was one person who crossed his past that made Jack quiver with fear.
All he saw was a red cloak one day, and he was about to dismiss the person as someone getting ready to be cast out of he Abyss when he saw the pupil less eyes of a creature far too decrepit and ancient to be willingly spit back out to the Earth.
The creature lifted it's head and he gazed into the eyes of an old woman, who grinned with cracked teeth. Something about her unnerved Jack, he felt many conflicting emotions. One part of him wanted to questions the woman on who she was, while the other half screamed for him to flee.
While he was lost in thought, the woman lifted her hand to point an accusing finger at him, "What you seek monster should not be defiled by hands like yours."
Jack jerked back as though her words slapped him, "What do you mean?"
She released a cackling laugh that made goose bumps form on his skin, "I have kept watch over all Baskervilles for centuries, and I have watched those who have been sent to he Abyss simply because they should not exist. But-" The woman paused and her voice took on a purr, "I believe those humans sentenced to death were angels compared to yourself, you poor child are the true scum of humanity!"
Jack snarled, his green eyes blazed with fury, "I have no idea who you are old woman, but I suggest you leave before I rip you to shreds here in this realm. How would you like to return to Earth in a million pieces and have to be sewed back together?"
He halted when she released a callous laugh, "Oh so the being has a bite to match its venom. You may look like an exquisite beauty boy, but your heart is as black as coal."
Those pupil less eyes gazed at him in curiosity, "I know that what you seek is one of the children of the Abyss who was sentenced here long ago, and I'll tell you a small piece of information, but it will not end well."
Jack swung his arm down, she was growing increasingly annoying as time continued, "Just tell me this information and be gone!"
She clucked her tongue, "The girl named Lacie will never see you the same for you have tainted yourself beyond redemption."
He paused, his hands began shaking, and he could feel his throat tighten. This woman had seen Lacie? Was she okay, was she well? Wait!
Her words resounded in his head- The girl named Lacie will never see you the same for you have tainted yourself beyond redemption.
An increasing wave of panic and dread washed over him, everything he had done was to see Lacie once more and now this old croon was saying such things as he was too barbaric to be seen by his angel?
Nonsense! Lacie would understand, she would see that he had done all this to make her happy. Nothing else mattered just her happiness, surely she would see this… wouldn't she?
The woman took a few steps back when Jack released a body-wrenching scream. Her eyes grew huge and she watched as a red glow enveloped over Jack. He had his head down and was standing there catatonically. The woman stared in wonder as he stood there stiff as a statue. Then, he lifted up his head and her heart skipped a beat as the malicious grin formed on his face and those same emerald eyes turned blood red. It was a strange mixture of horror and beauty.
"Woman, I know not who you are, but be warned you should not test me," he replied in a tone almost un-human, "don't spread the seed of doubt in me, Lacie will understand why I have done all this so I suggest you leave quietly or else face my wrath."
The red glow flowing from his body continued to glow brighter until it washed aside most of the darkness. She closed her eyes an released a sullen sigh. She turned away and began to drift off silently.
Jack could feel himself calm down the further she drifted away, but he was alarmed when she stopped. She shot him a cold glare before muttering, "Before I leave I'll leave you this name- Jiri. Trust me our paths will collide once more but not always in the ways you would expect."
His eyes narrowed, and she turned back around, calling out over her shoulder, "Remember Jack, only you can change how this story end, and right now you're going for a tragedy when it could be a bittersweet farewell."
Before he could question her, she had disappeared entirely. The glow dissipated and the darkness soon returned. The darkness matched his internal thoughts precisely.
Her words continued replaying in his head over and over.
Remember Jack, only you can change how this story end, and right now you're going for a tragedy when it could be a bittersweet farewell."
Was this not already a tragedy? Lacie was gone somewhere he could never reach, and he had already twisted the fates of many involved. This story was already meant to end unhappily so why bother settling for bittersweet when it was meant to be depressing?
"What does it matter? I've already come this far, so why not continue all the way?" he said softly to himself.
He had been alone for so long, his echo was usually the only words he managed to hear that did not involve cursing his existence or telling him to rot.
He snorted, like hell would he admit that he was sometimes mournful of his past decisions.
Without realizing it, he reached up to caress the green jaded earring Lacie had given him a long time ago. The only gift he had received from her, and the only thing that reminded him of his goal. When he wandered the Earth as a lost soul thanks to Alice and the Core of the Abyss cursing him for that girl's suicide, he often could feel the ping of insanity continue to grow. He would forget who he was on some occasions, but then he would recall whenever he felt the earring. And in his dreams he could see her, smiling and poking fun at him for being such a strange man. Sometimes he longed to stay asleep and never awake because his dreams were so much sweeter than reality. Reality was a never-ending struggle of pain and sadness that he grew bored of.
When he made the deal to toss aside his body to let Oz have control over it, he remembered the euphoria of finally being freed from that wretched world. In the dark Abyss he was strangely free and felt a need to survive. While on Earth, he wished everyday to die and just be allowed to visit Lacie as a spirit.
"So why didn't you let me?" he asked out-loud to no one in particular.
"Perhaps the Abyss has other plans for someone life you?" a musical voice asked.
Jack swerved around and stared in open mouth shock at the figure floating there. The figure tilted its head and smiled, before saying in a whimsical voice that sounded sweeter than sugar, "I've been waiting for quite awhile to meet you."
Elsewhere in the Abyss
Jiri continued jumping through the dimensions and growing more impatient as time continued on. When she finally found her destination she landed soundlessly on the ground and looked around. She removed her hood as she walked along in this dimension.
Unlike the other realms, there were strange light patches that shot out an array of colors that gave the place a colorful , childlike atmosphere. She continued searching and looked behind all the disarranged pillars and Abyss openings that were scattered in this section of the Abyss.
When she finally saw a body lying further off in the distance. She gathered her garments to sped off until slowing down as she grew closer to the figure. When she hobbled over and stared down, she wasn't surprised to see that this person appeared to be asleep. Except this person was obviously awake with the constant humming and the way it continued to tap its finger on its abdomen along with the beat.
Jiri clicked her tongue, and the figure released a girly laugh before opening an eye and saying in a playful voice, "You again old woman? I have no idea why you are so fascinated with me but since I'm bored would you like to keep me company?"
The older woman sighed before kneeling and gazing at the woman, "So you still have no memories?"
The woman shook her head, sitting up to bring her knees close to her chest. She propped an elbow on one knee and leaned her head into her palm, "None, although perhaps I have recalled something."
Jiri jerked her head forward, "Yes, yes, dear what is it?"
The woman laughed before saying in a joking tone, 'That you seem to be very intent on waking these so called hidden memories? I can recall that much is that good enough?"
Jiri clucked her tongue, "Listen to me, dear, awaking your memories is growing more and more urgent the longer you continue dilly dallying. Now I need for you to be serious!"
"I am being serious!" the woman yelled throwing her hands up angrily. "I have told you before that no matter how hard I try nothing is coming back in this noggin."
She tapped her index finger against her skull, "So if you would be so kind as to be patient-"
"We have no time to be patient, do you not understand what I have been telling you? Things are about to become disastrous and you're too busy playing the fool when you should be taking action!"
The woman bit her inner cheek to keep from strangling the old wench, and narrowed her eyes.
"Do you understand me?" Jiri demanded.
The woman sighed and turned away. Jiri repeated, 'Do you understand me?"
The woman gazed with resentment at one of the strange dimension openings in the back where a golden light filtered through.
"Don't make me repeat myself a third time!" Jiri screeched.
"Fine, I understand," the woman replied smugly.
"By the Gods, thank you, she knows how to speak! Now then let's begin with the first question- What is your name?"
The woman resumed her rebellious attitude by choosing to remain silent, Jiri grew fed up and snatched the woman by her purple choker, "What is your name!? I've told you this a million times so you should be able to have this down pat by now!"
The woman brushed Jiri off and gave her an irritated glance, before sighing. She drew a long breath of air and closed her eyes. She then exhaled and snapped her eyes open to give the old woman a determined expression, "My name is Lacie Baskerville, and I have been sentenced to the Abyss for being a Child of Misfortune."
Rant- You like? Don't get too comfortable yet, more craziness is to ensure.