'HOW?! WE WERE TOLD THAT B-RABBIT HAD NEVER FOUND A CONTRACTOR AND NEVER WOULD!'
"Who? Who told you these things?! Answer me!"
'THE CARDS... THEY ARE THE KING'S MESSENGERS... HIS UNDERLINGS...'
'YOU SHOULD'VE BEEN CHAINED UNTIL THE END OF TIME! YOU SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN UNLEASHED!'
"Well then! You'd better send a message to your friends back home if you can. Tell them. And tell them to inform the King as well, that B-Rabbit has finally found a vessel... and that I now walk the earth like the rest."
"Ms. Black Rabbit... Still the ever haughty one, I see."
That mumbled sentence was drowned out by the soft sound of a wide sheet of water that constantly cascaded over a large wall of white marble like a waterfall, plunging into the water that had pooled at the bottom in a rectangular basin made of the same marble. But it was no ordinary sheet of water, for it currently displayed the image of a smirking young boy with blonde hair, blood-red eyes and a peculiar tattoo below his left eye.
In front of the waterfall stood the tall figure of man, who gazed calmly at the image before him with eyes just as hauntingly red as those of the boy reflected on the surface of the water. Apart from him, the waterfall and a massive, crystal chandelier hanging overhead, there was nothing else in the white marble chamber because its main purpose was only to house the unusual waterfall.
"And Mr. Scorpion! I certainly don't recall ever saying that Ms. Black Rabbit was never meant to be unleashed. That is just a baseless assumption made by the other Abysses; I merely said that she would not find a Contractor no matter how extensively she searched. However, that is because her Contractor had already been chosen for her by fate."
The man sighed. "...But I suppose it isn't their fault, since none but I and the five Red-Cloaked Reapers know of this fact."
All of a sudden someone began knocking on the doors to the chamber, and the sound echoed in the vast space before it was accompanied by a muffled but familiar female voice.
"Room service!"
The man smirked. "Well, speak of the devil..."
Focusing his attention back to the waterfall for a moment, the man slowly swept his hand through the air right in front of it, and the image of the red-eyed boy began to fade as though he had effortlessly wiped it away with his very hand.
"Enter!" he then called, once the image had vanished completely.
The command was instantly adhered to, and the grand, arched double-doors swung forward slowly to reveal a young, white-haired maid who sauntered in towards the man that turned to face her. Stopping before the man, the maid curtseyed before him while greeting him, "Your Highness."
But although it was meant to be a gesture of respect, ironically there was something mocking about it. Perhaps it was because the maid's disturbingly wide grin was still visible even though the rest of her face was obscured from her bent head, or maybe it was how indiscernibly insincere her voice sounded – a striking contrast to the expertly executed gesture that accompanied it.
However, if the man had to choose, then he would say it was simply the wayward female before him. How expected of her to fool around regardless of the exalted presence before her? In reality she was not a maid; it was simply a disguise for the mission he had sent her on and she chose to see him in it rather than changing into her usual red cloak, which would have been far more appropriate for this encounter, while announcing her presence in a most unorthodox manner. And this female hated formalities such as curtseying – not that it was even expected of her or the other four Reapers – yet she would do it at a time like now, as though to further enhance her perverseness.
"Always a deviant, she is. But as long as she obeys my exact instructions, it doesn't matter."
"I believe you ordered the tender-aged sister of the young Vessalius heir?" questioned the white-haired Reaper once she straightened, carrying on her previous act of 'room service'. She then stepped to the side, revealing a small girl who looked about eight year's old behind the long skirt of her maid uniform, wearing a frilly orange dress that reached her knees and plain white stockings. The girl peeked up at the man, staring at him with dull green eyes.
"You have brought the girl, I see. Well done..." praised the man, slowly taking in the girl's long, straight, silky golden hair that stopped nearly halfway down her back, as well as her pale, porcelain smooth skin and plump, pink lips. Then he met her slightly lidded gaze, and frowned when he felt something off about it. "But..."
Knowing what was on the man's mind, the white-haired girl said, "You're aware of how tight security is around the borders of the forbidden territories. She was making too much of a fuss so I had to drug her. If I hadn't, we might've been discovered."
"Ah, so that's why..."
"What was the point of kidnapping her, anyway?" she questioned a bit grumpily, glancing down at the girl pointedly. "Stupid brat actually tried to bite me when I first found her. She's lucky that she didn't, or I just might've snapped that delicate little neck of hers when I knocked her unconscious."
"And you're lucky that no harm has been done to her from that reckless move, otherwise her neck wouldn't have been the only one to snap," warned the man with a disapproving glare.
"I amend my earlier statement. Perhaps her behaviour is worse than I thought."
The Reaper snorted. "Hey, you probably would've wanted to do the same if you were me, especially when she tried kicking her way out of the suitcase when she awoke – at a bad time, might I add."
"...Suitcase?"
"Don't worry, I made sure to get a large one," she answered seriously. "She fit like a doll."
The man massaged his temples while shaking his head. He didn't even know where to begin with that statement.
"Why did I forget that delicacy was not her forte?"
"So? I really hope her value was worth the trouble it took transporting her."
The man regarded her for a while, staring into her light grey eyes searchingly. When, instead of probing he sensed genuine curiosity, he finally said, "...Is it not obvious? Humans don't like having precious things stolen from them. They will do anything to get them back. Besides, it was important to keep at least one of his treasured people alive – not that he had that many to begin with. But even that is in our favour because it will make him desperate, and desperation leads to pushing one's self to their very limit. That, in turn, unlocks true potential."
"Yes, I know all that. But why couldn't I go for the man with the ponytail? At least he wouldn't have struggled like a child."
"I highly doubt that he would've fit in your suitcase, my dear. So let's be thankful that we had the option of the boy's nice, compact little sister, shall we?" Before the white-haired female could retort to the obvious jab, the man added, "Besides, it wouldn't have worked; that man has to be dead in order for the plan to succeed."
"Will this measly girl really be enough to get his attention though? I doubt he even believes that she's alive."
An amused laugh escaped the lips of the man. "Oh, believe me, she's more than enough. The boy went as far as contracting with the great Bloodstained Black Rabbit just to save the man that tried to kill him. Imagine what he'd do for his beloved sister once he gets confirmation of her existence?"
The white-haired female opened her mouth to say something, but then the earlier part of the man's statement properly registered to her and for a moment her jaw simply went slack from shock, causing her to gape at the man.
"It... It worked...?" she mumbled after a while once the shock faded, and then her expression become one of crazed happiness. "Then, he's really the one!?"
The man smiled, completely unfazed by the girl's disturbingly maniacal temperament. "Indeed. My judgement is never wrong, Zwei; this, again, is proof of that. I promised you all, did I not? It would take time, but eventually B-Rabbit would be united with her destined Contractor."
The white-haired girl called Zwei grinned even wider, and her body trembled lightly from repressed excitement. "Excellent," she breathed. "I must tell the others! They've been waiting impatiently for confirmation ever since you finally told us it was time to test the boy and see if he really was the one."
"Yes, you can do that in a moment. But first, what about the extent of the damage? Was it per my instructions?"
Zwei smirked. "The entire place was damaged beyond repair, and not a single soul survived – similar to what those cursed Vessaliuses did to Sablier a century ago. Lottie didn't hold back at all; it was almost scary."
"Am I correct to assume that the reason why you're reporting all this to me is because she hasn't settled down yet?"
"Yeah. On any other day it would've been her in my place, but you know what those memories do to her. In fact, they've all been in a bit of a daze ever since they returned from that task; it's just that Lottie in particular seems to be the most affected. Knowing her, she probably felt great satisfaction from causing all that damage, but at the same time it probably reminded her too much of the Tragedy."
"...It seems that her grudge against the Vessaliuses is still as strong as ever, even after all these years."
"Or rather, her grudge against a certain Vessalius Hero to be precise..."
"Really? It seems stronger to me, now that the waiting's finally come to an end."
"Even better, then. It is ultimately in our benefit if there are more casualties, after all."
"Now that it has almost come to an end," corrected the man while turning back to face the waterfall. "The final phase of the plan has just begun, but in comparison to how long we've waited for this day, the remaining time is nothing."
The chamber plunged into a brief silence after that as both Zwei and the man seemed to lose themselves in their thoughts, contemplating over something. By now the mad delight from hearing the good news had disappeared from her features, but Zwei's ever-present malicious smile was still in place when she finally broke the silence.
"So? How did you do it?"
"Do what?" countered the man, sounding seemingly innocent.
Zwei was not deterred. "You know exactly what."
"I'm afraid I don't know what you're trying to say," answered the man, feigning ignorance.
"It could've been nothing more than a string of coincidences - that's what we all thought at first. However, today you proved us all wrong and showed us that it's more than just that; I'll admit it. But even if its fate, things don't just happen. There are always factors that make it happen, and I'm damn sure that you've been planning those factors all this time."
"What of it if I had?"
"The uncountable lives you made us take... Was that a factor as well, or was that simply for your personal gain? Because I'm sure none of us would be pleased if it was the latter, even though it benefits us all as well. You didn't answer us when we asked before you sent us out on that mission, but we trusted you regardless and took your word that it was necessary to instigate the day we've all been waiting for. True, your words weren't hollow in the end, but we still want to know – just what was it that you were planning?"
"If I can't see how that part made any major difference in the overall plan, then that means it really was just for personal gain... I wonder how the others will react if that's the case?"
The man turned around to face Zwei once more and regarded her for a while. "Did the other Reapers tell you to ask me this or is this actually coming from you?"
"Does it matter? I'm one of them too, aren't I?"
"True, but your circumstances are different from theirs. Therefore, I cannot understand why that particular part of the task I gave you all would bother you to the point where you'd question me about it."
Zwei shrugged. "Is it wrong to be curious? Besides, we've all got the right to know what you were planning since we are directly involved in all of this."
"Well, I suppose that's true," agreed the man with a nod.
"But more importantly," she continued, apparently having more to add. "Just what made you so sure that those two would help achieve our goals? There was no connection between them or B-Rabbit, apart from the fact that the timings just happened to align back then... And even then, it could've been waved off as a coincidence – I'm sure you've seen plenty of them in your life."
The man listened patiently, absorbing the questions posed to him while formulating the answers in his mind, yet he could not help but sigh when Zwei finished speaking.
"After all that's happened, you're still asking me what made me so sure?" The man locked eyes with Zwei. "I'm sure you of all people haven't forgotten the events of fifteen years ago."
Her eyes widened slightly and her ever-present smile faltered, clearly showing that the man's words had stunned her.
"You say it could've been waved off as a coincidence, but my source of knowledge is never wrong," he said, gesturing towards the waterfall. "The only time it ever shows me anything without me asking it to, is when something of great significance has occurred that requires my attention – not that this explanation ever seems to suffice for you all no matter how many times I repeat it."
The man paused briefly. "But then, what about where we are today? Are you really going to declare it a coincidence as well?"
Silence.
"I thought so. We're only here now because I've been paving the way to this point, and I was able to do that because the water showed me what took place that day. Now, I'm sure that after today I won't be hearing that question ever again. And to further ensure that I don't, I'll also tell you the other two reasons indicating that those events were not mere coincidences since it will be necessary to answer your other questions."
Though she still did not say anything, Zwei fixated her gaze on the man, indicating to him that he had her full attention.
"I've just told you my first reason for believing why those two young men were necessary to us. The second reason would be that such impeccable timing is rare, if not nonexistent. So even though there had been no clear link between them all at first, I simply knew it was the work of fate. Call it intuition if you will. Finally, there is, in fact, a connection between those three."
The man began to pace back and forth slowly as he continued with his explanation. "You already know that all Abysses remain dormant for an unpredictable period of time after they are born, and once they awaken, they can form Contracts if a wish attracts them. However, you also know that B-Rabbit is no ordinary Abyss. As if to prove it, out of all Abysses, she remained dormant for the longest time and at some point, the possibility that her Contractor would be no ordinary mortal either came across my mind. But I did not acknowledge it until she finally awoke. The fact that all her attempts at forming a Contract failed until recently supports that notion as well."
"What's so special about that boy?" she asked, and this time her voice was completely devoid of its usual frenzied edge. The man's eyes shifted towards Zwei and took note of how her smile had dropped at some point, as well as the unusual change in her behaviour.
"Whenever those events are brought up she always acts as though it doesn't bother her anymore, or perhaps it still does but she just hides it very well. However, it's unusual for her to react like this."
"...Again, the first factor is the timing. For their eyes to open to the world around them for the first time at the exact same moment – is that truly nothing more than an everyday occurrence?" Before Zwei could answer, the man did it for her. "I assure you that it's not. The second factor, however, is rather ironic, and that's simply the fact that he's a Vessalius; the descendant of the man whom you all despise. Apart from that, his own strength is what rightfully earned him B-Rabbit's power. For a boy, his mental endurance and ability to adapt to situations is astounding. Those are very important qualities in this case, making him the perfect match for B-Rabbit and the one that will help us achieve our goals."
"And..." For a while Zwei remained quiet. Her usually manic features now formed an utterly serious expression, and her lips slowly curled to form a scowl as the seconds ticked by in silence.
"And to think that she once went by the name of Noise..."
"What about... him?" she asked at last, unconcerned that the hatred in her voice was evident.
"Ah, so she reveals herself at last. I always wondered why she was so persistent in believing that those events were merely coincidences, but in the end it seems I knew all along: she just does not want to acknowledge that Gilbert is, indeed, a vital part of the overall grand scheme... But now that she's being forced to; perhaps something within her snapped from the effort. That would explain her unusual reaction, and maybe even why she's so persistent on getting answers from me."
The man could not help but smile wickedly. It was interesting how just the very mention of the incident that transpired fifteen years ago could still subdue the otherwise unexploitable Reaper before him, though he remembered to keep in mind that it also triggered her rage and that could actually backfire on him, for she was still wayward in temperament.
"My, what's this? Does that incident anger you so much that you cannot even bring yourself to utter his name?"
"You're avoiding the question."
"Oh, but you just did so yourself."
"That's because you already know the answer to that," she snapped, completely having forgotten just who she was talking to.
Deciding that he had gained enough amusement from riling her before it got risky, the man said, "Admittedly, Gilbert had me puzzled for quite some time. In fact, at first I nearly waved him off as a coincidence despite..."
When he saw Zwei's scowl deepen, the man trailed off and considered whether or not to continue. But at last he decided to proceed onto some other point, since it wasn't as though she didn't know what he was referring to.
"Anyway, it was not until several years later when I discovered his significance. He began working for the Nightrays, who are sworn enemies towards the Vessaliuses. Since I had to keep an eye on him anyway, it led me to observe the Nightrays as well, though it proved to be rewarding because I was able to exploit their grudge and orchestrate the fated meeting between those three."
The man paused briefly to allow all that he had said to sink in for Zwei, before proceeding once more. "Bringing them into contact was ultimately a simple task. Understanding the train of thought of the Nightray Duke's two eldest sons and his brother was not a challenge. Only they would be vile enough to resort to dirty tactics to eliminate their enemies, for they were blinded by their desire for revenge. I deduced that they would try to frame the boy for murder if given the chance. I simply had to give them that chance, because that, in turn, would create the chance of establishing the link between Gilbert and the boy."
"How were you able to give them that chance?"
"When you're as powerful as I am, dear Zwei, then pulling strings is never a problem. One of those Nightray men became a Contractor when he nearly died from a gunshot wound, which was inflicted to him by a man that was under the control of one of my Cards. I had ordered it to fatally wound any of those three men at the slightest of provocations. You see, it was necessary to implant an Abyss among the Nightrays. The nature of most low-level Abysses is simply to kill, which it did. But once it was in danger of being discovered, it would be desperate to shift the blame on someone else since further killings would only worsen the matter. In the meantime the Abyss would have learned about the Nightrays' grudge, connected the dots, and seen it as its chance to frame the boy without raising suspicion among the people it was surrounded by."
Zwei considered this explanation. It all made sense, but... "You said it was important to implant an Abyss among them, but why go so far to convert an upper-echelon Nightray? Wouldn't any Nightray do? Ultimately it still would've led to them choosing... that man for the job."
The man came to a halt. His expression contorted into a grimace, and for a moment his blood-red eyes gleamed dangerously, revealing a viciousness that made Zwei shudder involuntarily despite her fearlessness for she was finally reminded of just who she was talking to. But that simply went to show just how dangerous the man before her truly was, despite his calm outward disposition and uncaring attitude towards how the Reapers – Zwei in particular – generally behaved with him.
"There was no doubt that the truth would have ultimately been revealed, and when it did, Gilbert would not spare those men for deceiving him. It was not he who killed them as I anticipated, but either way those despicable people are now dead. It is their punishment for even thinking about harming our precious key... Had we not purged the blight from its source, there's no guarantee that a third attempt on the boy's life would not have been made. That's why I went through the trouble of infiltrating that particular circle of Nightrays."
Zwei folded her arms and sighed heavily. True, she had come here for answers, but she was starting to get irritated and perhaps even a little bored because of how much the man had to say now that he was willing to talk. Just how much information he had kept from them?
"Then, what about B-Rabbit?"
"Ah yes, of course," said the man, all traces of deadly anger having vanished from his features and his voice as though it were never there in the first place. "You and the other Reapers did a very good job setting up the stage for our three fated actors. Due to his nature, I was certain that Gilbert would save the boy's life from the destruction you all caused that night. But that destruction was primarily to lure out B-Rabbit, and now hopefully this knowledge also clarifies that those numerous deaths were indeed a factor that would lead to realising the fate hinted to us that day," finished the man, meeting Zwei's gaze with a knowing look in his eyes.
Coupled with the explanation given to her, Zwei on her part eventually realised what that look was conveying – or rather, what it was trying to imply – and upon putting two and two together she nodded, acknowledging that her question had been answered.
"So it really did have a major effect on the overall plan if that's what he was trying to do... This man has a surprisingly sick taste for irony, doesn't he?"
"Much to my surprise, though," continued the man, "it seemed that Oz decided to wish for something else. Still, in the end the outcome was ultimately how it should be."
"And it seems that Ms. Black Rabbit isn't even aware of just what her true potential is; she only knows that she has one... Interesting. I believe I can use this to our advantage even; it's better if they're left in the dark, now that I think about it."
"Oz..."
Both the man and Zwei stiffened momentarily at that sudden but quiet, unexpected utterance by the young green-eyed girl who had been promptly forgotten by the two older people that had brought her here. Now both their eyes were on her as she gained their full attention once more, but it seemed that she had nothing more to say and she simply kept her blank gaze trained on the floor below her feet.
"Well, looks like our little guest is starting to wake up," commented the man who was still staring at the young girl, albeit thoughtfully now.
"She was making too much of a fuss so I had to drug her."
The man's mouth formed a dangerous smirk. "Hmm, now there's an idea... Hypnosis should do the trick."
That remark seemed to bring another, sudden change over Zwei. Up until now, she had kept silent while her expression remained uncharacteristically solemn. But now that the conversation was over, all they had talked about began to properly sink in and in the process she came to terms with something she had been trying to avoid all this time.
"That man is just as indispensable as the other two... But not forever."
And it was the second part of that thought that shattered the daze-like state she had slipped into, causing her usual self to resurface marked by the slow, upward curling of her lips that formed a wide, manic grin.
"Now, if you've asked all you had to ask then you may leave. I have to attend to our little guest," informed the man, shifting his gaze from the young girl to Zwei.
"Just one more thing..." she began, before taking a step closer to the man. "...When can I kill that man?" Her grin seemed to widen even further, if possible, and her eyes glinted with unrepressed malice as she took another step forward. "When can I kill... Gilbert?"
The man eyed her, amused once again at her rapid change in mood.
"Ah, so at last she ceases to beat around the bush and utters the crux of all her concerns."
"Not anytime soon I'm afraid. You see, Zwei, the boy can be considered the key that will unlock the door that stands between us and our goals; the door being B-Rabbit. Now, if the boy is the key and B-Rabbit, the door, then Gilbert is the hand that guides the key to the door – the one that will help unlock the door for us. Once he has done that, you are free to extract your revenge from him." The man paused in order to lock eyes with Zwei, staring into her light grey ones with sudden ferocity. "But before then, you are absolutely not allowed to make an attempt on his life. Do I make myself clear?" he asked sternly.
Zwei simply spun on her heel and began making her way towards the grand arch doors, waving her hand in the air dismissively. "Yeah, I get it; enough with the lectures already. Just make sure you keep your promises – not just the one you made with me, but the one you made with all of us as well."
"I've kept all my previous ones, haven't I?" he called after her.
"True..." she admitted just as her hands landed on the door handles, gripping them tightly before tugging, causing the doors to swing back slowly. However, instead of leaving right away she simply stood there for a while.
"...But now it matters more than ever," she muttered grimly.
And with that the man watched as Zwei left through the doors, closing them shut behind her and leaving him and the young girl alone in utter silence, which the girl broke soon after.
"Earlier, you said 'Oz' didn't you?" asked the girl quietly, looking up at the man. "He's my big brother. How do you know about him?"
The man smiled sweetly at her, but there was something about it that sent a shiver down the girl's spine – something dangerous and so strong that even thorough her drug induced state, she could sense it.
"I just happened to stumble upon him by chance, my dear."
The girl looked around, taking in her surroundings. "Where are we...?" she asked slowly. "Where's... Big Brother...?" Again she tilted her head up to gaze at the man, frowning.
"The drug is going to wear off soon..." thought the man idly when he noticed the spark of fear that flashed by the girl's dull green eyes momentarily. "But no matter. I have power greater than any drug."
"This is my home, and right now you're here as my guest," answered the man.
That response seemed to cause the girl to lower her guard a bit, judging from the way her shoulders drooped by a fraction. "...You live here? But... It's such an empty place," she said softly.
The man couldn't help but chuckle. "Oh no, this is just one of the many rooms. Shall I show you around?"
"...Where's Big Brother?" asked the girl again, and though her voice was constantly devoid of any particular emotion, the man could tell from the way she kept asking for her brother that she was actually quite anxious.
"Don't worry, he's a little busy right now but I assure you, he'll join us... eventually."
For a moment the girl looked like she was about to say something – probably to utter some other subconscious worry – but decided against it at the last moment. So, the man seized the opportunity to ask a question of his own for once.
"Tell me, child. What is your name?"
The girl looked up at the man and stared into his deep red eyes, as though she would find the answer to the question he had just asked her there. And when she saw herself being reflected in them, perhaps she did.
"...Alice."
At first the man simply froze, momentarily stunned by the answer he received. Moments, seconds, and then finally an entire minute went by with him doing nothing but staring at the girl. But then he let out a puff of laughter followed by another, and another, until soon he was laughing happily – almost hysterically even.
"Oh, this must truly be fate's work!" he exclaimed once his laughter died down, but the amused smile didn't leave his face. "There is absolutely no doubt now; my victory is confirmed."
"Indeed, her name is an amazing coincidence, yet at the same time it's not... Worry not, Zwei. All promises will be kept. After all, this is yet another astounding development that hints towards my eventual success."
Just like with his smile from earlier, the girl could not help but feel awfully uneasy from the way the man laughed, even though it sounded rather innocently cheerful at first. But even if she hadn't been drugged, it would've been impossible for her to understand why.
"What was so funny, mister?" asked Alice innocently, slightly baffled by the man's outburst.
"Nothing at all, my dear," reassured the man. "It's just that I remembered something and found it a bit... amusing, for the lack of a better word."
"What did you remember?"
The man met Alice's gaze and held it as he regarded her for a while, appearing seemingly lost in thought in her eyes. Finally he said, "I knew a girl named Alice once," he admitted. "That was a long time ago though... In fact, I knew two of them. And now, I've met a third."
"Oh..." said Alice, not sure of what else to say since her mind was too clouded to think about anything far too deeply. There was a brief period of silence after that and during that time, the man found himself sinking into his thoughts once more.
Fifteen years ago, a forgotten soul dormant for nearly a century awoke.
Fifteen years ago, a new soul was introduced to this world.
And fifteen years ago, an old soul finally submitted to the harsh reality of life and ventured down the path of evil, relying on the light from the flames of wrath in his heart to guide him forward.
At last, these three destined souls have come into contact exactly fifteen years later.
At last, the final phase of the plan can be set into motion.
"At last, the game begins."
The man was dragged out of his thoughts once more when he felt a hand tug his sleeve. Looking down, he was met by Alice's curious gaze.
"I have a question too."
"Oh? And what might that be?"
"...Who are you?"
The man smiled pleasantly, yet again making the girl shudder.
And this time, the girl realised why.
She could feel it – the man before her was utterly evil. But what made him dangerous was the fact that he could convince you into believing that he was otherwise. And he did so now, by answering with a lilt in his voice.
"Why, I'm the King of Hearts."
I know – the story is over yet there are so many unanswered questions! But that's because this story was just about how it all began (heh). However, that doesn't mean those questions are going to remain unanswered :)
Yes, that does imply a sequel in case you're wondering~ I've had it in mind ever since I began working on this story, which is why some parts in it have been left completely unexplained. But right now it's nothing more than a plan in my head, meaning that it'll be a long time before it's actually written.
If it's written.
Because there's always that two percent chance that I won't be able to write it for reasons that are out of my hands oTL
So, anything that wasn't fully explained or even touched upon in this story will be clarified in the sequel, which will basically be a continuation and conclusion of Oz's and Gil's journey as they try to find Alice :) Other characters will be introduced too; though, just like with Alice Baskerville and Ada, some of them might be a bit (or a lot, when you consider Reim!) different from how they are in the original storyline. But again – anything can happen since it's still just a plan.
And... Yeah, that's it I guess ^-^
Thank you for reading!