A/N 1: To any of you who are possibly hanging in suspense (at least, I think you are), this is a short intermission about Oz's first encounter with Jiri. Yes, I am partly dragging it out because I am sadistic that way, but more importantly I am working on a few more bugs in my plot (lol, I make this sound like a machine or something).

This chapter is set after the time when Oz's b-rabbit body in the human world disintegrated due to absorbing Lacie's last memory fragment and showing it to Jack. Happy reading!

Chapter 5 Retrace: Jiri Baskerville

Abyss…a place where sinners are sent in order to be punished; a place where beings called "Chains" are born; a place that distorts the very essence of what we call "reality"

As a place of distortion, the Abyss has no exact shape (or topography if you will), and its citizens, the "Chains", share no common features. The only things constant in the Abyss are the countless distortions and the endlessly cold darkness that has served as the reason for the humans to give the place (if it's even a place) its name.

In the midst of the haunting, desolate atmosphere of the Abyss, a red, cloaked figure sits calmly in a boat, listening to the squishing sounds of the water beneath her. She wears a small pendant, which casts a small, but distinct golden light.

Softly, she chuckles to herself, cradles the orb of light in her right hand, and whispers, "Wake up, little one. We're almost there."

The orb of light dimmers just a little, before increasing in intensity. Finally, a voice resounds from the orb, and replies, "Who are you?"

The old woman laughs softly once more, and answers, "My name is Jiri, Jiri Baskerville. I have come to guide you back to the person who is waiting for you."

"Person…who is this person? And why is this person waiting for me?"

"You already know her name," Jiri replies. "And as for why she is waiting for you, that is something you will have to figure out yourself. Do you even know how you got here?" she questions back.

The orb of light remains silent for a long time. Eventually, it breaks the pregnant pause and says "No, I don't even remember how I got here. What happened?"

"In time, child. In time," Jiri consoles. "You have been through a lot, and that has created a temporary lag in your memories. It will all come back to you once you have seen her again."

Another pregnant pause. Eventually, the orb of light speaks up once more.

"You call me 'child'. Is that really my name?"

Jiri smiles. "No. I call you that precisely because you have no name at this point, and also because I am here to take care you, at least, for the time being. I am merely a guide in this dimension called 'Abyss', and once we have arrived at our destination, we will part ways."

"Abyss…" the orb of light says slowly, as if testing the word out. "So basically, what you're saying is that all my questions will be answered when I meet this person again? And once I do, will I finally have a name?"

"Hmm, I'm not really sure about that. Your questions may probably be answered because you will remember everything you have forgotten, but that in turn may give you more questions. And as for your name, that all depends on things far beyond my knowledge."

"Can't you at least tell me how I got here? I have to admit I don't like being spoken to in riddles like these," the orb of light protests.

At this Jiri laughs loudly, her eyes shining with mirth. "Forgive me, I haven't had such a nice conversation in ages."

Turning serious, Jiri explains, "As I said, this is the Abyss, and I am guiding you back to your special person. However, prior to this, you were in the human world, and you made a great sacrifice which destroyed your body there. Fortunately, I was able to salvage the current you, your memories, and send you here. We're journeying towards your other body in order to preserve your existence. Does this make more sense now?"

Jiri feels the orb vibrate subtly, as if nodding in assent. "Alright. I suppose I will remember everything else later on. But, why is it so important for my memories to return to my other body then? Why couldn't it just stay in the human world or wander around here in the Abyss?"

Jiri merely laughs and says "Oh young one, the most important lesson you must learn is that everyone, human or chain, seeks to complete himself. The sole goal of our lives, of the universe itself, is to find whatever it is that will make us whole."

The orb is quiet for a while, then slowly asks "Then…are you like that as well, Jiri…-san?"

Jiri laughs softly once more and says "I do not know. Perhaps it is my goal in life to find the answer."

The boat comes to a halt, Jiri rises from her seat, cradles the orb in her hand, and says "Good luck child, and begin your journey to make yourself whole."

A/N 2: And that concludes this chapter. XD Hope it didn't disappoint, and at the same time this intermission is to keep you guys from getting impatient as I work on the next (possibly longer) chapter. School is slowing my progress down, but I hope to rise above the work.

Anonymous Guests Review Reply

Paz: I know! Ever since I read about Oz not really being human, I have been in total shock. Never, and I mean NEVER has a series made me feel like everything was a total lie (and that's something from someone like me who is obsessed with heart-breaking anime)! I intend for this fic to become very emotional, because I believe that's exactly how the actual series is going to be all the way until the very end.

Guest: That part where I wrote: "My sin, Oz the B-rabbit's sin, is the very fact that I exist!" was ringing in my head long before I finished the entire chapter (in fact, my fingers were desperately typing just so I could finally reach that part). I'm really glad you liked that, and I hope you'll like the rest of the stuff I'm planning. ^^

A: Hmmm, there's just no fun in answering that as early as now, now is there? XD And yeah, I'm so not helping by adding this intermission chapter (though it isn't completely unrelated to the future chapters). Ever since I decided to use her in this fic, I have been thinking about her origins and stuff. In fact, I was prepared to prepare an entire chapter about my theories of her past, but with the way my thoughts were going, I realized that too much dwelling on her would result in a huge divergence in my storyline and in turn make her some sort of deus ex machina, and I just couldn't allow that to happen. Still, I hope that this chapter helps somehow in shedding some light on her.