I do not own Pandora Hearts in any way!

Speech Key:

"The" – Oral/Normal Speaking

'The' – Thoughts

'The' - Telepathic Speech

AN: I don't want anyone to be confused so, I'll just state this once more. I'll be alternating the use of the names 'Jack' and 'Oz' for Oz except when he's talking to Jack himself. And of course you know that I'll be alternating the use of the names 'Raven' and 'Gilbert' for Gil.

Enjoy!

The Altered Rotation

oO~Truth, and Yet Not~Oo

Oz opened his eyes, only to come face-to-face with his uncle's dumbstruck expression.

"Uncle Oscar?" Jack whispered quietly.

"Who are you!" a man demanded.

Oz noted that Cheshire was standing a pace or two behind him, his one arm poised for attack.

"It's the B-Rabbit!" someone whispered, causing many others to whisper about the Chain as well.

"Oz," Alice asked, "Where are we?"

"I would like to say that I know and placate you, but that would be lying," Jack said as he saw the doors of the room bust open to see many members of Pandora enter, coats, pistols and all.

Oz suddenly blanched as Cheshire just looked at Alice in slight fear.

"Wait," Oz said suddenly, "Why are you in your Rabbit form?"

"How am I supposed to know?" Alice retorted. "I found myself like this. Did you something? Can you do something?"

"I don't know what happened to make you go into your Rabbit form," Oz said, "But I can't do anything about it either with our current situation."

"What are you waiting for? Christmas?" the Leader of the group of Pandora members shouted. "Capture those rebels!"

(AN: I'm not going to describe the leader, so just watch episode 16 of the series. He's the guy with the dark brown hair and mustache.)

"You've come to assassinate the Four Dukes, haven't you, Black Rabbit?" the Leader said.

"The Four Dukes?" Jack said anxiously.

All the Pandora members split up, some getting those in the room out and some pointing their guns at the trio that had unceremoniously landed in the room.

'Who are they?' Oscar thought. 'The other two besides that young man would be Chains. The B-Rabbit and the other, I have no idea, but who is that young lad?' Oscar peered at Oz's face closely as he hid in the shadows, avoiding the Pandora associates. 'His face looks so familiar…he could've almost been Oz…' He stood in the shadows as he watched what occurred.

"Oz," Alice asked, "Can't I just kill them off?"

Oz paled. "No! Absolutely not!"

Liam ran towards the conference room where he'd heard something had just happened.

'Just what is going on?' he thought as he continued running.

His questioned was answered in the form of the B-Rabbit bursting through the doors of the conference room with a man sitting on one arm, a scythe in the other hand, and another Chain on its shoulder.

"Was that…" Liam muttered to himself, before heading in another direction, not noticing Oscar and the other Pandora associates following the two Chains and one man.

He was so engrossed within his thoughts that he never noticed a hand reaching out and grabbing him until he was dragged into a nearby room.

He gave a few cough before turning around to see Break.

"Xerxes you—" Liam began only to be shushed by Break, who pointed over to Gilbert who was resting on a couch, fast asleep.

"Gilbert-sama…?" Liam exclaimed.

"Not so loud, please," Break said, "We made him overdo it just a bit more than we anticipated. Just let him rest for now."

Liam noticed the navy-blue feathers on the couch beneath Raven. "He used Raven, didn't he?"

Break only nodded, before going over to pour himself a cup of tea.

"Things didn't go as planned there," Break said, "But tell me, has anything happened to Sharon-sama?"

Liam looked panicked right about now, but composed himself. "How…never mind. This may come as a shock to you, but Sharon-sama is currently missing. No one knows what has happened to her, but this hasn't exactly been brought out into the open yet."

"And to top that off, the B-Rabbit has just appeared moments before in the conference room with a man and another Chain!" Liam said alarmed. "Oh no! I'd better get over there! If I don't then I might be reprimanded!"

"Uptight, isn't he?" Break said as Liam practically flew out the door.

Break picked up his cup of tea, but paused before drinking it. 'This seems to be just a little too convenient. Oz-sama, Alice and the Cheshire Cat landing in the conference room in the middle of the meeting between the four dukes and other nobles. To do this on purpose…it must be a diversion!'

Pandora~Hearts

Break opened the door to where Sharon would usually have tea, only to see black roses without stems scattered everywhere, and on the tea table, amongst a few roses, there stood a black knight.

"Black roses and a black knight," Break said, picking up the chess piece, "Eques, isn't it?"

"That dirty Nightray carcass!" Break exclaimed, knocking the roses off of the table.

"How do we get out of here?" Alice asked as she flew through a hall, her scythe scraping against the wall as it broke through the small stone table-like structures that had vases upon them. "What is this place anyway?"

"I wouldn't know how to get out unless I knew where we were, Alice," Jack answered. "That man, though, he said something about the Four Dukes and a conference…but if the Four Dukes were gathered for a meeting, then…Don't tell me this is Pandora's headquarters?"

"Showing up the way we did in a place like this…it's no wonder they consider us enemies!" Oz exclaimed.

"That's a bad thing, isn't it-nya?" Cheshire asked as he held onto Alice's shoulder.

"Very bad for us if we don't do something about it!" Oz replied, almost hysterical.

'You've planted yourselves in quite the predicament, haven't you?' Jack laughed.

'Oi! Shut up, you! You're not being chased down by a bunch of guys who think you're some kind of rebel or Illegal Contractor that bent on assassinating the Four Dukes!' Oz retorted.

'True,' Jack conceded, 'But I'm not the one who's panicking or the one who's being chased.'

'Technically you are,' Oz replied, 'You are me, and therefore, you are being chased, too…just not physically.'

Jack only laughed.

Gilbert woke up to find himself in a room he didn't fully recognize.

"Where's Oz…?" Raven mumbled, dazed.

Just then, he heard rapid footsteps going past the door. He looked out and saw that members of Pandora were rushing through to the ballroom.

"What's happening?" Gilbert asked a man he'd pulled aside.

"Two Chains and man had appeared in the conference room in the middle of the meeting between the Four Dukes, Gilbert-sama," the man answered before running to join his comrades.

"Two Chains and a man…?" Raven muttered before realizing just who they were referring to. "Oz!"

He ran as fast as he could to the ballroom. He couldn't afford to have Oz get into anymore trouble.

-Elsewhere-

"I knew it was you who took the Lady," Breaks said entering the garden, "Vincent Nightray."

"That was quicker than I thought it would be," Vincent said, continuing to snip roses off of their stems.

"This was the only place in Pandora where black roses bloom," Break answered, "That and the chess piece gave it away."

"Now as much as I'd like to chat," Break said, face becoming cold, "Return Sharon-sama immediately."

"Such a scary face!" Vincent mock-whined. "It wasn't like I was going to kill her. I only took her because there was something I wanted."

"Unfortunately, I have nothing that will suit the tastes of a lowly sewer rat like you," Break retorted.

"Oh, but I think you do Mr. Hatter, you liar," Vincent replied, lifting Break's sleeve to reveal Cheshire's bell, "Alice's memory that you took from the Cheshire Cat. The truth you've been searching for; the truth of what happened one hundred years ago."

"Well, then shall we have a deal, Mr. Hatter?" Vincent asked, smiling. "The Truth you desire above all, for your precious mistress?"

Break just mutinously at the blonde.

-Oz, Alice, etc.-

"Really, did they have to go as far as calling out their Chains?" Oz said quietly as he stood by Cheshire, Alice behind him, looking at the few Chains that had been summoned.

There was what looked like a white rocking horse with wings, and a flower with a snake's body for a stem and blades for petals.

"Wouldn't it be easier to just slaughter them all?" Alice asked, annoyed.

"Once again, no! Absolutely not!" Jack exclaimed quietly to his Chain. "It would only make thing worse than they already are!"

"There's nowhere for you to run!" the Leader shouted. "You're fools for trying to assassinate the Four Dukes!"

"And of course they won't listen to me," Oz muttered, "Well, at least he won't."

"Enough chatter!" the Leader yelled. And with that his Chain, the strange flower, attacked by firing a ball of periwinkle flames at Jack, Cheshire and Alice.

Cheshire ripped through the attack with his remaining paw, making it dissolve into thin wisps of smoke.

It was at that moment that Gilbert entered the room, Oscar and Liam following only seconds after.

'Great, now that practically everyone's here I can do what?' Oz thought frantically. 'I can't give myself away without explaining, and if anyone finds out about me, then word will travel through Pandora, eventually reaching the Baskerville one way or another! What the hell am I supposed to do now?'

'Tell them,' Jack said simply, 'Tell them everything, but don't tell them who you really are. Go with our original idea, and use my name. Tell everyone about Glen, and everything else, but don't say too much or they'll suspect something. But first, I think you should recall Alice's power. She's getting a little more violent than I'd ever seen her in my life. And that won't help you in your situation.'

'Alright,' Oz responded, giving his incarnation a mental nod before composing himself.

While they were talking, however, the two Chains had moved closer to Jack and the two Chains that were with him.

The white horse fired two jets of blue from its wings towards Oz, Alice, and Cheshire.

Alice leapt up and sliced through both streams of blue with her scythe, before lifting her fist and shouting annoyed, "Bloody imbecile! You're just a stupid rocking horse!" And with that, she began swing her scythe once more, making both Chains dissolve into sparks and dust.

'She has quite the temper when angry or annoyed, doesn't she?' Oz thought, as he saw Alice raising her scythe upon the members of Pandora, before saying, "Don't do that, Alice."

Alice glanced at him and lowered her scythe, before finding her Rabbit form dissolving and leaving her in her humanoid form.

"A girl?" whispered the associates of Pandora.

"How…?" Alice muttered before seeing Jack and understanding.

"Don't be fooled by her appearance!" the Leader commanded. "It's still the B-Rabbit! Seize her! Seize them at once!"

Cheshire, seeing Alice in danger, appeared at her side before disappearing and reappearing at Oz's side.

"I've got you now!" the Leader shouted as he ran up the stairs to a hooded-eyed Oz.

Timenta soltia
Imenta soltia

Oz lifted his head up, revealing his one visible emerald eye. "Do not touch me," he said with a piercing glare.

Camare soltae
Imenta soltae

The Leader, surprised, stopped for split second, giving the gold-haired man enough time to flick the leader on his forehead, sending him tumbling down the stairs of the platform he stood upon.

Amata ivera
Samata ivera

"Oz?" Alice murmured, looking at Jack as he stood in both a commanding manner with a mysterious air to him. She took a look at his face and realized that he was being 'Jack', but not in the usual way; no, this was much more serious than that.

Camare soltae
Imenta soltae

"Oz?" Raven muttered under his breath, not knowing that Oscar was just a few feet from him and, therefore, heard Gilbert's mutter.

'Oz?' Oscar thought, looking at Jack with slight hope in his eyes. 'I'm pretty sure I heard Gilbert say 'Oz', but then that would mean…Oh ho! That lad's got a lot of explaining to do when I'm through with him!'

Timenta soltia
Imenta soltia

Alice stepped up to Jack, Cheshire behind her if needed, and tugged his sleeve discreetly behind his back, and looked up at him, a question in her eyes.

Àdias martia
Tomira castia

Jack granted a small inconspicuous glance to Alice, telling her that he was fine and that everything would be alright. And with that, Cheshire wrapped his remaining arm around Alice in a comforting embrace.

Amarta soltae
Libera soltae

"Calm thyselves, thou who serve the Four Dukes," Jack ordered to the members of Pandora below before stating, "Have no fear, I shan't harm thou, and neither am I thy foe."

Amata ivera
Samata ivera

"I speak now so that I may impart a message of the utmost importance," Jack continued.

Camare soltae
Imenta soltae

"Who are you?" Liam asked simply, though in fear or awe, no one could tell.

Àdias martia
Tomira castia

Outside, clouds parted in the dark night sky, revealing the full moon. The light of the glowing orb shone down upon Jack through the window, giving him a mystifying and mysterious appearance.

Amarta soltae
Libera soltae

"I am Jack," Jack began quietly, though loud enough for all to hear; but as he continued, his voice grew louder and forceful, "He who crossed swords with the Baskervilles one hundred years ago and beheld the Tragedy of Sabrièl with his own eyes; Jack Vessalius!"

Martia ifivō
Cantà

Those of Pandora looked on at Jack with shock and awe.

Gilbert stared at his friend wide-eyed, eyes containing shock he could express into words, and mouth slightly open.

Oscar could only look on in uncontained shock and awe, though his disappointment could be seen clearly in his eyes.

Alice looked at Jack in awe, as did Cheshire.

'I know everything that Oz told me wasn't a lie,' Raven thought, 'But I still have trouble believing it! Right now, he looks more like Jack than Oz!'

"Jack…" Liam whispered.

"…Vessalius?" Oscar finished in shock.

"I apologize for the disturbance," Jack began, "But please listen to what I must say, so that we may prevent the Tragedy of Sabrièl from occurring once more!"

By now every single face in the room was wearing a mask of shock, with the exception of Alice, who didn't really know what Jack was speaking of.

"As youu may have known and heard," Jack stated, "I confronted the head of the Baskerville House, Glen Baskerville. And it is I who declares this unto you," Jack walked a few paces to his right before turning back to the crowd below, and jutting out his left arm, hand palm-down, "Glen Baskerville is not dead! He will come forth once more from where he resides to bring calamity to this land once more."

Although everyone was shocked at information, the Leader refused to believe anything he was hearing. "Just what do you take us for? Fools?" The Leader asked indignantly. "The head of the Baskervilles still alive? Wh—" his little triad was cut off by a piercing look that Jack had thrown at him.

'A look as sharp as that is impossible to ignore,' Liam thought, 'But there seems to be something a bit off with "Jack". I won't deny he looks like him, from whatever photos or portraits that had been found, but with the small changes to his appearance. If I didn't know any better, he looks almost like…Oz-sama! Had Oz-sama been here, he would probably look like a spitting image of Jack Vessalius himself. I wonder though, is this really Jack or an imposter using the name?'

'What is Oz up to? Despite the fact that he's playing up his part as the hero of a hundred years ago.' Gilbert thought.

"I understand that it is difficult to believe," Jack conceded, "But it is the undeniable truth. As you know, the Baskervilles' objective was to obtain the Will of the Abyss. It was for that purpose that they sought out sacrifices to offer to the Abyss, and thus perpetrated the slaughter at Sabrièl."

"Sacrifices?" one person questioned.

'So that was the purpose of the Tragedy,' Liam thought.

'You Liam Lunettes, correct?' came a voice inside Liam's head.

Startled, Liam looked around to see who'd spoken, only to realize that whoever had spoken, had spoken through his mind.

He hesitantly answered back. 'Yes, I am.'

'Do not be frightened, I mean no you harm,' the voice said, 'I am Oz Vessalius, but currently, I am speaking to this entire crowd with the name "Jack Vessalius".'

Shocked, Liam looked up at Jack who was standing there, his back to the silent crowd, looking up at the sky through the window he stood a few feet from.

'Oz-sama?' Liam asked, not wanting to believe it, 'Is it really you?'

'Yes,' came Oz's voice, 'But that is a story for another time. Now, I know this is a shock, but you are th eonly other person I know I can trust with my identity. Say not a word to anyone; all will be explained in time.'

'Do you need me to do anything?' Liam asked.

'Not at the moment, but you will know when,' Oz answered before withdrawing from the man's mind.

Jack, then, turned around and gave a subtle nod to Liam, signaling him to continue the tale.

"At a great cost to themselves, the former Four Dukes managed to put an end to Glen's ambition and the Baskervilles disappeared without a trace," Liam stated as he walked forwards up to Jack. "But after a hundred years, their silence was broken; at that Coming-of Age Ceremony ten years ago."

Liam turned around to face the crowd. "This man is the hero of the Tragedy that struck a hundred years ago! It is him without a doubt, and yet it is not! But nonetheless, he is someone that can be trusted."

"If he's the hero of the Tragedy of Sablièr," a man asked, "Then where was he all these years? Why did he come only now?"

"I was pulled into the Abyss," Jack explained, "I resided there until I felt that it was time to find my way out, as I'd been wandering around the Abyss ever since I'd gotten there. I formed a Legal Contract with the B-Rabbit, and used her power to escape from the Abyss."

By now, everyone but Gilbert and Alice were looking at Jack in awe, though Cheshire concealed his by only letting it show through his eye.

"Coming-of-Age Ceremony?" the Leader muttered before shouting, "Wait the Silent Clock Tower! It moved again after the Chosen touched it! That's what caused the Baskervilles to come out again?"

"That's right," Liam answered, "And not only is the hero of the Tragedy here, but Oz Vessalius-sama is also nearby!"

"What?" the Leader shouted. "Where?"

"I don't know where but I've found out that he is somewhere near," Liam said.

As Liam spoke, Jack began descending the steps towards the chestnut-haired man.

'Something isn't right,' Oz thought, 'Why do I feel so weak?'

'You used too much energy,' Jack replied, 'You placed a barrier around you, Cheshire and Alice; then you sealed away Alice's power, which take quite a toll, and then you reached out to Liam's mind. All of that combined will make you feel the way you are at the moment.'

At the last step, however, Jack slipped, and was falling, before Raven caught him.

"Are you alright?" Gilbert asked.

"Gil," Oz said, "I don't have much time left, tell Uncle Oscar and Liam I shall speak with them tomorrow, alright?"

Raven nodded as Alice came running to Jack with Cheshire right behind her.

Alice silently asked with her eyes if he was alright, and Jack reassured her, telling her he was fine, just a little tired.

Standing up straight once more, Jack looked out to the crowd and said, "Thou who serve the Four Dukes, I speak to you once more; Glen Baskerville is not dead. The aim of the Baskervilles is to obtain the four Doors which Pandora possess, as well as to find their lord once more. And to once again, pass the Tragedy of Sabrièl upon this very ground!"

Jack looked to Liam and nodded.

"This man is a duke of an Archduke family," Liam said, "He will be the one to bring about the end of the Baskervilles once and for all. We must protect him so that a second Tragedy will never occur," Liam's voice raised as he shouted forcefully, "That is the rightful duty of the knights that serve the Four Houses!"

And with that, Liam kneeled down on one knee in front of Jack.

Soon everyone in the room with the exceptions of Alice, Gilbert, Oscar, and Cheshire kneeled down in front of Jack.

"Thank you, everyone," Jack said before collapsing.

Jack woke up to find himself in a bed he'd never slept in; in a room he'd never seen in his life. When he heard light snoring, he looked down on the bed to see Alice with her head resting on the bed just as it did when he woke up at Rainsworth Manor and Gilbert was also in the same position, though at the opposite side of the bed. Oz felt another weight, this time on his lap, and saw Cheshire in his feline form, snoozing on his legs.

"At least Gil made it back safely," Jack said before wincing after remembering how Cheshire'd attacked him.

Just, then, he heard a knocking sound, he looked over and saw Break hanging onto the window as he stood in the sill outside, as though he were a spider.

"Hello there!" the white-haired man said cheerfully.

Oz sighed, "So Break made it back as well."

Seeing Oz's face, Break's smile fell. "Eh? What's with the conspicuously crestfallen expression?"

Oz stepped out of bed as carefully as he could and placed Cheshire and Alice on the bed while he draped a blanket over Gilbert.

Jack grabbed a cloak and stepped out onto the terrace where Break was waiting with a tea table already set up and a cart full of sweets.

"Did you get what you'd wanted?" Jack asked, sipping his tea.

"I did," Break answered, "Only to lose it in an exchange."

Jack said nothing, but continued to sip his tea as he stared at Break, who stared right back, both not blinking.

"You saw something, didn't you?" Break asked.

"Why don't we have an information exchange?" Break suggested. "If you tell me of what you saw at the Cheshire Cat's dimension, I'll respond to your questions."

Oz thought about it for a moment before agreeing.

Pandora~Hearts

"What you are trying to say is that you've seen everything that you saw in that world already?" Break asked curiously.

Oz nodded.

"Are you going to have that?" Break asked, pointing to Jack's plate that held a small chocolate pastry.

"You're still hungry?" Jack asked astonished as he handed over the sweet.

"I suppose you'll want to know that Vincent Nightray was there," Oz stated.

"Just as I'd assumed," Break said. "He was saying, 'it wasn't my fault', wasn't he?"

Oz gave a nod.

"So that's how it is," Break said, completely massacring the pastry until it was all over the plate in chunks and such, "The dirty rat."

Oz sweat-dropped at what Break had done to the pastry before said man had picked the plate up and practically shoved it into his mouth.

Oz nodded. "Although I already know the events of the Tragedy, I suppose you'll also want to know that Ali was there as well. She died at the Tragedy."

"Alice-san's death and a young Vincent Nightray," Break muttered, before saying, "I suppose that I'm satisfied for now."

"You may be, but I'm not," Oz stated.

"Alright, then, as whatever you wish," Break said.

"Why do you desire to know the events of what happened a hundred years ago?" Oz asked seriously.

"Can't tell," Break said, causing Oz to sigh in exasperation.

"I knew you'd say something akin to that."

"Oh don't get all upset Great Hero-sama," Break said.

"What do you mean by that?" Oz asked.

"While you slept that's all Pandora talked about," Break explained, "How the fabled hero has come back to slay the Baskerville just as he did a hundred years before."

"I know I'm not really Jack Vessalius," Oz said, "But technically, I am him and yet not."

Pandora~Hearts

"Be careful around Vincent Nightray," Break said as he stopped at the terrace entrance, carrying the teapot and dishes on his head while holding a cup of sugar cubes, as Oz pushed the cart back inside.

"as you know and have seen," Break said, "There is a possibility of him being involved in the Tragedy of Sabrièl. His greatest fear is of other finding out about it."

"I already know all of that," Oz said, as he sweat-dropped watching Break eat the sugar cubes quickly, "But I don't think I mentioned that it was Vincent who killed Alice, did I?"

At that Break stopped and looked at a smirking Oz. "You little brat. You did that on purpose, didn't you?"

"Of course," Oz smirked before it fell from his face, "Where has Vincent gone?"

"He's gone to visit some friend's of his back at Nightray Manor," Break said, frowning, "I really don't know about anyone who would want to hang out with someone like him."

Oz's expression was blank. "I'll give you a hint: Maroon Robes."

-Vincent-

Vincent walked down the halls, a shadow crossing over his eyes, giving him a malevolent appearance.

He opened a door and entering a room with three maroon-robed figures.

"Yo! Sorry for being late!" Vincent said cheerfully.

Song Used: "Pandora Hearts" by Yuki Kajiura

A bientôt,

TsukiyoTenshi