Hey friends! Guess who has times on Saturdays to upload! ;D

Not me -w- JK, but for now Saturdays will be mostly when I can write and/or upload and that's if I don't have hw x3

But for now, I'll upload what I have weekly c: First let's give thanks to some awesomely amazing people!

- xx-WhiteQueen-xx: Hey there friend! Glad to hear from you after so long :D And thanks so much for the fav

- ChocolateKittey: And you, thanks for following the story! :D I love when people anticipate stuff. But be warned, I love cliffhangers :3

- Akari Kayoko: Thanks a lot Akari for the follow too CX I love you so much.


Chapter Twenty-Three

Against All Odds


"Leo...?" Yeah, that was him. But what was Yura doing talking to Leo?

"Oh!" My hands came up to my lips to hush the hitched breath. A memory surged through my head of that night. The one when I first met Duke Nightray. The reason I hated him...and Yura.

"It shouldn't be a bother if she cannot be reformed. She'll fall in line, one way or another."

A pain hit my temple when the bits of that memory surged into my head. That night, they had wanted to give me something but...I can't remember what it was. Or what had happened.

Wanting to know more, I crept closer to them as quietly as I could while handling the mess that my dress was.

"You—" Leo scowled at the man. "You did something to those children!"

Children? When Yura mentioned James and the fact about his flu turning for the worst I knew immediately what Leo had meant. If that bastard really had something to do with that I swear I will—

"It's better if you hear this too. You also hold those children dear to you, do you not, Clarice?" Yura's mention of me brought me out of my hiding spot to stand tall and angered before him.

"I swear to God that if you did something to them I will—"

"What? Harm me?" He chuckled at the mere thought of that. "Oh, your idle threats do not work on me. You used to do the same as this boy, too. And like back then, you cannot do anything as long as we are here."

I clicked my tongue and came closer to where Leo was standing. As much as I hated him for it, he was right. Here in this party that was in his mansion it was impossible for me to do anything to him. If I even dare touch him it would ruin the whole undercover mission!? So I swallowed my threats and simply glared at him.

"There's no need to mourn, you two." He placed a hand on one of Leo's shoulders. "Death is such a sad thing but there's no need for you to worry yourself about it. After all, I'm sure those kids...have already forgotten all about James. Phillipe West pretends his father never died..."

Letting go of Leo, he went on saying that he needed to head on back to the party. Something about having guests to entertain. Spineless bastard.

Just then, Leo sprung to a stand and quickly walked away leaving me behind yelling and following after him. "Leo!" Finally after calling him for the umpteenth time, he stopped and came to be near another veranda that led towards the mansion. "Leo, please, calm down! I know how you feel about James and the others but you can't let Yura get to you!"

"Why not!?" he shouted at me taking me off guard. He never shouted at me. Ever since we left the orphanage that tendency of his hadn't surfaced. But maybe the pot had boiled for too long. "Why shouldn't I!? Someone else died when I was out enjoying life!"

"But you can't let him crawl under your skin!" I call back trying lamely to keep my cool too.

"You're in it too, Claire?" At hearing his voice, I spin on my heels to find Elliot behind us from where we had come. His face completely perplexed and shocked.

"It's not that, Ell—"

"Why didn't you mention that you two knew who Isla Yura was?!" he yelled back not letting me finish. Ah, hell no. He did not just interrupt me while I was talking!

"Because I couldn't recall from where I had seen him before!"

"Then what about him!" he called jerking his head towards Leo and stalking over to him. "You two hid it well enough that you knew of the man that's taken so much advantage of my mother!"

Did he not listen to what I just said? "It's nothing like that!" I bellowed at him and come up to them two.

"You two just don't shut up, do you?" Shit. That cynical and angered tone. Oh, yeah. Leo's about to blow.

"You—" He looks at me, making me jump from the shout that he gave. "You think I can't defend myself, you sassy brat!"

"Sassy!?" I screech at him my own anger boiling at this point. Brat is understandable to some degree...but sassy?

"And you—" Leaving my case behind, he strode over to Elliot, getting in his face. "You keep talkin' and nagging at me yet you can't tell her the most simple of things can you, you coward!?"

"Tell me?" What the hell was Leo talking about?

"Leo!" Elliot hollered at him but with a tint of red on his face. "Don't you dare!"

"Oh! So, I can't speak to Yura but you're free to prance around and woo the girl I've cherished my whole life as my little sister!?"

"What...?" My eyes traveled over to Elliot but was surprised when he refused to meet my gaze and his flush became greater. Completely floored by what Leo had just said, I was speechless while he continued rampantly.

"Shocking, isn't it?" Leo continued on his frenzy. He seemed calm but when he turned to face Elliot again his anger mounted and even tripled. "The only legitimate and noble son of the Nightray's and he's in love his servant girl!" How was that...possible? But the more I thought about it the more it made sense. The stuttering at times, the overprotectiveness, the gift...the kiss. Then what Elliot most likely wanted to talk to me about was—

Out of nowhere, Elliot yanked Leo from his collar and began yelling at him. It was useless for me to come over and try prying him off Leo. "Stop it! Both of you!" But my pleas went unheeded until Elliot finally threw Leo off towards the balcony. "Elliot!" I reprimanded before running over to Leo and seeing if he was all right. Just then I heard Oz's voice as he and the others with him came over to Elliot. Leaving him with Oz, I came back to glance at Leo's head for any injury. "Are you all right?" I whispered but he ignored me all together. That was when Elliot began yelling at him once more.

"Don't you even trust me that much, Leo?" he called enraged and somewhat hurt. "Had you told me about James, we could've gone and done something. And yet you—aren't you supposed to be my servant!?"

Before I could do anything, Leo had gotten up and knocked a flower vase off the coffee table that was there the whole time. "If you only shut up and listen—!" It surprised them all to see Leo suddenly burst out into how he used to be. I, however, wasn't all that astonished. Long ago had I grown used to his breakdowns. So instead of interfering with that one, I let it run its course. "Blah, blah, blah. You're annoying!"

"How dare you—?!" And then it was on. Elliot and Leo threw back insult after insult until Leo thought it a little too boring, I think, and decided to throw a chair at Elliot. He hissed and intended to cuss back had Leo not thrown the table at him as well, this time hitting the mark. Slapping my face, I couldn't help but sigh at how much I hadn't miss this happening when we were in the orphanage. Once done with his little tirade and almost causing Elliot a concussion, Leo left still fuming from the scene.

Before I could go after my brother, I saw Gilbert head out after Elliot and Oz after Leo. Just then Break came over to me and whispered to my ear. "Go on ahead. Find Reim, we'll handle it from here."

Turning over to him, I hadn't noticed that we had been left alone with Yura. Nodding towards him and glaring at Yura, I excused myself before leaving and venturing into the mansion. Before all this, Break had told me to place Magnetic Strings upon certain people in this place. Oz and co. were an easy guess along with Sharon, Reim and himself. There was no need for a repeat of what happened at Riitasu's mansion. When I would glance down, I could easily see the strings that wandered out and into the different places. Not only that but I could feel how far they were from how strong or weak their magnetic waves were against mine. One, deep inside the mansion and away from the party, must be Reim's.

But I headed in another direction instead, wanting to scavenge the place a bit more. Going to the table where most appetizers were, I took a cup of tea and idly stood around just watching and listening. Most of what was going about were mindless gossip and every other curse towards other woman. Heard one of me even, heaven knows why. Letting them pass me by, I tried lifting the tea up to me but gave up when it only kept fumbling the higher I brought it. Shit, if I even tried bringing anything above my chest or towards me, my hands would start shaking like crazy. Without really drinking a sip of it I left it upon the table and turned to go.

"Enjoying yourself, I assume." I grimaced at turning and seeing the last person I wanted to see that night.

"Good evening, Vincent Nightray." That smug smile never left him while he approached me and stood a couple of steps before me.

"Glad to see you finally available. It has been rather busy tonight. Well, no surprise there since it is Oz Vessalius' coming of age ceremony. Seems only his close friends and family, apart from other nobles, were invited to the event."

"Well, I am very well acquainted to the boy." I guard his ass after all, but I kept that part of the comment to myself.

"Well, on the note of acquaintance, I have been wanting to speak to you for awhile. How much have I wanted to since you've remembered your past." Who told this creep about that?

"Not sure what you could possibly want to speak to me ab—"

"Um, Vincent-sama." We both turned to see a trio of girls waiting around behind us. One of them pushed the other forth, I assume the one that spoke up in the first place. "Well, you see. I was wondering if you would accompany me to this piece, if you would obliged?"

"I apologize ladies," he daintily replied and did something I wasn't expecting. He wrapped his hand under my arm and caught me in his grip. "But right at this moment, I'm in the middle of a conversation with a very old and dear friend of mine."

Friend of his? Me?! As if. Yet no matter how much I tried to pry my arm away he held on tightly. Damn, rat. The girls, seeing there was no choice, left but not without having quiet hushes trail after them.

"Who is she?"

"Whoa, she's such a harlot. Did you see that dress?"

"What's Vincent-sama doing with such a whore like that?"

"Quite vicious little Venus flytraps you've got on your tail," I comment with snide and notice his pull as we begin walking.

"It is how they are," he replied simply taking me on a stroll. Forcefully, I might add. "Jealous and frivolous towards any woman I keep close by."

I ain't your hoe, boy. No matter how much I wanted to hissed that comment at his face, I bit my tongue and continued carrying the chat on as humanely as possible. Then again, when thinking about what he said, it wasn't how all girls were when it concerned him.

"Not Ada Vessalius, though, it seems. She doesn't seem to be bothered by the nasty comments and gossip that travel around and about her by others' spite." The moments I had with Ada during the tea party at Pandora had been brief and not numerous but they gave me plenty of insight about the woman. She was generous by nature and only saw the best in people. And although it didn't show, she had a will of steel. She had to if she was constantly bombarded by those same vulgarities from others.

"It does amuse me that she has such simple-minded ways of thinking," he replied while chuckling softly. Something that sent chills down my spine.

"Even so, I admire those kinds of people. Those able to outwardly express themselves. Those who are kind, brave, and overall gentle and generous." I give a sideways glance his way while speaking, "Which, if I recall correctly, was what would describe you to a tee when you were smaller. Then again, I've wondered what's happened to that sweet, little boy to turn him into this façade of a man."

"I believe prejudice here wouldn't be wise of you," he commented while holding still in one place. "People change as they grow older. Twenty-three years in the world have thought me plenty of it's realities. Not much in comparison to sixteen, wouldn't you agree?"

"You as well as I know that those ages are bogus. I was no more than a year younger than yourself, and two less than Gilbert. Some of the things you've done are despicable and that's of those I know of. God forbid anybody else finds about the ones you've hidden away from the rest of us."

"Oh please," he chuckled and let go of me. "You, yourself, have done far worse than I ever could. The things you've down were great deeds. Foul, but great nonetheless. Such a shame—" his hand traveled up to a strand of my hair to hold in his fingers. "That you, friend, remember nothing of what you did that night. If you did, you would most likely not want to live with yourself."

Slapping his hand away, I took a few steps back when an eerie feeling came down my spine. Without another word, I left him there and walked about without a real destination.

Reaching a staircase, I went up and seeing nobody there, I sat down on one of the steps. What Vincent had said really frightened me. I had plenty of my memories back but one part of them that was still full of haze was the night of the tragedy. Besides the fact that I had fought with Cloude, I had no idea of what had transcended that night.

And truthfully what Vincent had alluded to unnerved me. Had I actually been like the others and killed? Had I murdered...someone before? The mere thought of it brought back images of the dead bodies thrown about and smoldering in the fires of the manor. The scent of burned flesh and of blood spread all over the floors. Of the dying haunting my dreams with their screams—

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

The horrid, ear-splitting screech of a woman made my skin crawl and made me jump up to a stand. But before I could do anything Lacrimosa called me to a halt.

"Don't move."

"There's no time for that now. Something happened, Oz might be in danger. I can't just stand here and do nothing."

"No, she's right."

"Right about what? Would one of you stop it with the cryptic shit and tell me what's going on!?" I finally snapped not having the time or patience for it right this instant.

"Strain your ears. Hear out."

"Hear...?" Closing my eyes and shutting my trap, I strained to listen anything beyond the far off partying that was happening. Just then a gurgling sound came to my ears. It was faint but it seemed to be in great numbers. "W-What is that?"

"And here I thought rotten eggs didn't come in a bunch."

"Egg?"

"A Chain," Chronos answered my question. "Humpty Dumpty."


Well, that's that. Hopefully I'll upload another one. But right now most of the following chapters will be short -w-

Thanks for reading and stayed tune for the next one! :D