Gilbert's fists clenched around the fabric of his pants legs as he awaited his arrival to the Nightray mansion. No one blamed him for Oz's descent into the Abyss, but the poor boy couldn't help but blame himself - he should've been able to help Oz, in his view. That was his job, after all! To keep his Master safe!
But now Oz was gone and Gilbert had failed...
And so he had left the Vessalius house leaving behind a note for Oscar and Isla to read (even with a bit for Ada that would have to be read to her) while he had left quietly.
He felt like a pathetic runaway....
The carriage stopped and Gilbert's gaze lifted from his lap to the window showing the Nightray mansion. He swallowed the lump in his throat before standing and picking up his suitcase, filled with his belongings before exiting the carriage. Anxiousness caused his heart to race.
He was hear to help Oz come back, somehow, someway he would get Oz out of the Abyss. Not to mention he would help Break keep an eye on the Nightrays, get information for him....
Of course he had also been warned of another here, adopted into the ducal family as well, who would be helping him keep an eye on everyone with Gilbert for Break. He hadn't received a name or an appearance of who this other child was, but Break had smiled a strange, almost taunting smile as he had mentioned this child before he had made his way off and away from Gilbert and Isla days prior to this...
"This way." called a maid's soft voice, causing Gilbert to nod and unsurely follow her up the steps into the mansion. His heart beat wilder and wilder as he was lead further into mansion. It seemed as if the maid was leading them around much too slowly - or maybe that was just Gilbert's anxiety speaking.
What was his brother like? What did he look like? Who was this other child Break had mentioned? So many questions floating around Gilbert's head and no answers... yet....
"Oi," called a lazy voice, followed by a crunching sound drawing the maid and Gilbert to a stop to stare at the source of the sudden sound. There stood a young girl, a year or two younger than Gilbert, if appearance was anything to go by. She was standing with a hand on her hip and an apple in hand - the source of the crunching sound.
"Oh, Lady Reks, are you up to no good again?" the maid chastised lightly, a suspicious look in her eyes as she glanced at the still yellowed bruise marks that had yet to fully disappear.
Another crunch as Reks bit into the apple, chewing only slightly before choking the large bite down her throat. "Nah~ I just wanna give my new big brother a hug~" she taunted, and the way she had said 'big brother' made Gilbert grow wary. It was clear Reks was mocking him, however she still made her way towards the boy, causing him to tense and worry to flash through him.
What was she planning?
Even the maid seemed to grow worried, shifting closer to Gilbert. It was a known fact that Reks liked to pick fights, it wouldn't be surprising if she threw a sucker punch at Gilbert instead of actually hugging him as she claimed to want to.
Instead, however, Reks did in fact throw her arms around the boy's shoulders and gave him a hug. Gilbert blinked in surprise, before awkwardly returning it, letting his suitcase fall to the floor to do so.
"Uh-uhm...."
"The best place to look for information first is the little brat, Vincent, big brother." she whispered into his ear, not allowing the maid to hear these words. In fact the maid seemed to be ecstatic that Reks was showing affection to her newest brother instead of fighting him as it had been predicted she would do by many of the other servants and maids who had become accustomed to Reks antics.
Gilbert's eyes widened at this statement before Reks pulled away, hands still resting on his shoulders (apple still in one hand).
"You're Reks?" he questioned, taking in her appearance. Messy brown hair, brown eyes, a tattoo on the upper right arm, a tattoo declaring 'NO LOVE' over her collar bone - which vaguely made him wonder who allowed a child to be tattooed.... Yes, he was sure of it - this had to be the same friend that Isla had been separated from.
It had taken a bit of prodding when they had first met Isla, having been curious as to what had happened (though honestly Oz did all of the prodding to get the information and some of it had even come from Uncle Oscar himself). Isla refused to talk about how she had come about the injuries she had sustained and had when Oscar had found her - though she did talk of being separated from a friend with Reks' exact description and name....
Reks blinked, thrown off by Gilbert's questioning. The maid had said her name, why ask her about it?
"Yes, it is." She fisted her free hand and thumped Gilbert atop his head as she released his shoulders from her grasp. As Reks did this she chastised him lightly; "You should listen to others when they speak, idiot-brother."
"So then you can meet back up with Isla!" Gilbert cries out ecstatically, finally something was going right! He ignored the stinging from where she had rapped him with her fist, a smile over his face now. "She's been worried sick about you and looking for you!"
It was his turn to grasp Reks' shoulders in his hand as he spoke. Reks instead blinked at him, a blank look upon her face as this revelation of Isla's friend being right here and before him was thrown at her.
"Who's Isla?"
Gilbert froze, his smile dropping at those words. Reks shrugged his hands off her shoulders as her gaze turned frosty. "I don't know who this Isla is, big brother, you've mistaken me for someone else. That's irritating. Don't ever do it again."
And with that Reks had turned around and waltzed away, continuing to snack on the apple in her hand. Gilbert remained frozen in his place for several minutes, unheeding of the maid's calls to hurry so that he may meet Vincent. There was no way he had mistaken this Reks for the one Isla was friends with. Tattoos weren't common after all, that was the dead give away in and of itself...
Finally the maid managed to shepherd the boy towards Vincent's room, where the younger boy awaited Gilbert's arrival.
Whatever Gilbert had been expecting of his brother it was not the boy that was seated on the bed, surrounded by torn and ripped apart stuffed animals and stuffing. The maid quickly left, to give them a moment alone to greet one another.
This is my...? Gilbert wondered, Reks and the situation surrounding her pushed to the back of his mind for later.
"Brother!" cried out the blond boy (covered in yellowing bruises as well), eyes lighting up joyously at the familiar sight of Gilbert. He immediately slid off of the bed, a ruined rabbit toy and a pair of small scissors sliding the floor with him in his rush to get to Gilbert.
Gilbert's head ached suddenly, his eyes widened as a flash of a corpse and blood surrounding it filled his mind for a moment before Vincent rushing at him preoccupied his thoughts once more. "I've missed you so much! I've been looking for you all this time!"
Vincent's arms were outstretched, ready to wrap Gilbert up in a hug. Panic flood Gilbert's mind and he dropped his suit case to smack Vincent's hands away, eyes wide and alert; his heart was hammering wildly in his chest. He didn't know what he had remembered, but whatever it was it had been dark and gruesome....
Vincent's face sobered at this and silence filled the messy room. Gilbert's shaky hand drew up to his mouth in worry. Had he already botched what he had come to do?
"Do you remember me?" Vincent inquired quietly.
"You are... Vincent... my brother..." came the unsure response.
"Anything else...?"
Throbbing stabbed into Gilbert's head; a sword, dripping with bright red blood filling his head in a flash and he quickly shook his head. "No.... I don't want to remember...!"
Vincent blinked down at his brother as the boy sunk to the floor on his knees, grasping his head in his hands. A smile soon stretched over Vincent's lips and he kneeled down before Gilbert, wrapping the boy up in his arms. "It's okay~ You don't need to remember. I'm just happy I have my brother back." Vincent reassured before Gilbert's mind registered what was going on.
Take advantage.... of everything I can.... Gilbert muses, recalling Break's words to he and Isla. He could fix this...
Gilbert wrapped his own arms, once again unsurely, about his little brother. Vincent 'hmmm'ed in response, blinking in surprise. "Vincent, I would.... like to ask you about something...."
"What is it, brother?" Vincent answers with his own question pulling away to gaze at his brother. Outside the room, Reks stood off to the side of the door, her back to the wall as she listened into the conversation. It was imperative that she find out what she could. She had to. If she wanted to find out why she kept seeing visions of that white-haired girl she had to help....
"I would.... like to know about Raven.... What can you tell me about it?" Gilbert's voice answers unsurely. Reks silently scoffed at this. He was so forward, no way Vincent would fall for that.
"Oh, I can show you instead, brother~" came Vincent's happy answer.
Shock ran through Reks at this answer. Was the little brat that daft? No matter, it was easier this way. But now she had to hide and tail them without being caught. She hurried around the corner of the nearest hallway, listening to the boys' footsteps as Vincent led Gilbert to where the Door of the Abyss that the Nightrays owned was located at.
It was slow going for Reks, as she had to continually hide around corners or under table clothed tables that could hide her as she tailed them. Deeper and lower into the mansion they went and Vincent even picked up a candle holder, lighting the candle to light their way down into what seemed to be dungeons. It was here Reks often stubbed her toes on the stone stairs and had to hold back vicious cursing to keep from giving herself away.
It was also here that Vincent spoke up, breaking the silence; "I'm surprised that you know about the Raven, Gil...."
"I.... I have heard rumors," covered Gilbert unsure of himself. Technically he wasn't lying. He would have to get used to this.... Lying, that is.... Not to mention he may have to cover his hands in blood one day to get Oz back.... Gilbert gulped as he continued; "That each of the four great dukedoms possess a monster...."
Vincent remained silent for several minutes, exiting the winding staircase in favor of a large hallway to which Reks was grateful for - there was nothing to trip over here.
"Does brother know the reason for the birth of the great dukedoms?"
"They are the 'heroes' that protected the country one hundred years ago."
"Yes.... but not quite..." Vincent smiled. "The four great ducal families are guaranteed their present status because they each obtained a door to the Abyss..." Here Vincent paused as the two boys entered the large chamber, several stone statues adorning the room inside indents in the walls, a large door, however was the main focus. "And the weapons known as chains that are locked up there..."
Vincent continued to speak as Gilbert drew closer to the door; "The dukedoms can use these doors to bring out these chains...." Gilbert placed a hand on the door, his body jerking and his eyes growing wide. Reks tensed in the shadows, not having emerged from the shadows that hid her. What was Gilbert seeing?
"The four dukedoms then created an organization called 'Pandora' to investigate the Abyss and manage illegal contractors." At the words 'illegal contractors' a slight throbbing caused Reks to grunt softly and place a hand to her forehead, her other wandering to the left side of a her chest as if searching for something. Why did those words cause such a reaction to her?
"And to keep an eye on the other families." finished Vincent.
A yelp emitted from Gilbert and this caused not only Vincent to reach forward and wrap his arms around Gilbert's torso but for Reks to shoot out from her hiding place and to grab Gilbert's arm to drag him back and away from the door that had begun to creak open, several metal chains could be seen and large bulbous eyes.
Black feathers drifted down away from the door before it snapped closed loudly, the trio in a heap on the floor. Gilbert was still wide-eyed, his heart racing and his breath coming out in ragged gasps.
"You mustn't be taken in by it's powers." Vincent muses, reaching over and gently picking up a pitch black feather to examine. Behind them the candle was sitting upon the floor where Vincent had placed it upon arrival in the lit chamber.
"Was that... the Raven?" Gilbert ventured curiously.
"Yes, word has it that chains with black wings are able to open a path to the Abyss..." Vincent answers. Gilbert's eyes widened once more at those words, Oz's predicament immediately flashing through his mind. "So if you form a contract with it you may be able to get your friend back, right brother?"
At this suggestion from Vincent Gilbert spun around, smacking both Vincent and Reks' hands away from him wildly. Vincent smiled and Reks huffed in irritation. "Don't worry, you'll be able to get it's powers, brother~ Don't you think so, eavesdropper?"
Vincent turned to smile smugly at Reks who stuck her tongue out and blew a raspberry. That was before she slipped over to Gilbert, who was mentally preparing himself for the day he would contract with Raven. He blinked, brought out of his brooding as Reks threw her arms around his shoulders and sneered at Vincent; "Hey now~ Gilbert's my big brother now, too~" she taunted as Vincent's eyes narrowed at her. She rubbed her cheek against Gilbert's in a mock show of affection. "I was just worried to what little brat-brother wanted to show, big brother~" she lied smoothly.
In truth she had made a deal with Break herself....
Reks glared up at Break, arms crossed over her chest. Sharon was observing the girl she had drawn curiously, Reks' sketch pad held delicately by the Rainsworth woman. Dalton had been excused from the room - though no doubt the man was silently raging about this. He had to make sure nothing befell Reks, after all!
"It seems you're much more valuable for information than I would've thought~" Break trilled, a suspicious look still in his revealed eye. Reks huffed at him.
"Just tell me what you want, idiot-clown."
"Now, that's not a nice way to speak to your elders~"
"Rude chlid! So very rude~" taunted the strange doll upon his shoulders. Reks' glare deepened.
"Fine then, I'll just call you 'old man', old man."
"Such callousness~"
"Break, just why did you react to this drawing?" Sharon finally inquires, glancing up at her servant. Break's expression sobered drastically.
"Let's just say it's tied with what we need to know of the Intention of the Abyss." With those words, Reks' head throbbed slightly. It was as if those words were triggering something that the brain desperately wanted to keep away....
"Who is the Intention of the Abyss?" she interrupted as Sharon had opened her mouth to speak. Sharon huffed at the rudeness of the Nightray child. She let it slide this time, however.
"It is the strange power that governs the Abyss." Sharon answers after mulling over whether or not to for several seconds.
"That doesn't answer anything! If that image is tied to this Intention of Abyss than why do I keep seeing her?"
Break smiled, kneeling down in front of Reks, she watched him warily, eyes narrowed at the man. Break took a few strands of her hair in his hand, tugging lightly as he answered; "Let's strike a deal shall we?
"What deal, old man?"
"Brat! Brat!" called Emily though Break plowed on, ignoring the insult himself.
"If you help to keep an eye on the Nightray rats for me than you may just get us information that can help the both of us find out more of this Intention of the Abyss."
"Deal!" called out Reks without a moments hesitation. This caused Break to blink in surprise. Even Sharon was shocked at this ready answer.
"Are you sure, Miss Reks?" Sharon calls out. "You may one day have to bath your hands in blood to get the information we seek..."
"I said 'deal' didn't I?" she gave a cocky grin, placing her hands on her hips in this spurt arrogance. "I don't ever go back on my word, go it?!"
------------------------------------------------------Omake Chapter-------------------------------------------------------
"Let's play with your Siblings!"
"Hmph! I don't wanna play such a stupid game!" Elliot cries out, stuck in a room with his older adopted siblings. The very ones his blood-related siblings often told him to stay away from.
It had been Dalton's idea, to get at least the youngest Nightray closer to his adopted siblings. Over the several days that had passed since Gilbert's arrival the trio of adopted children were often left alone and Dalton figured it must be lonesome.
So he had proposed a game.
"Yeah, why do we have to play such a baby game?" Reks agreed with the fiery little Elliot.
Dalton merely smiled and picked up his violin. "No arguments please~ Let's just have a good time with musical chairs, shall we?"
"As long as Gil is playing I'll play," Vincent offers.
"I-I suppose it's alright..." Gilbert nods.
"Then we're off! Let's go!"
And so, with groaning from Elliot and Reks the game of musical chairs began, three chairs already situated in a circle and Dalton began to play a tune on his violin. For several minutes this went on, both Elliot and Reks scowling and pouting at being forced to play when they didn't wish to...
And the music stopped and each one scrambled for a chair. Noticeably Reks sat on Gilbert's lap, no chairs left.
"This is cheating!" Gilbert cries out as Vincent chuckles and Elliot pouts.
"Cheater! You're out!" Elliot demands.
"No one ever specified~" Reks trilled. So Dalton had to intervene, restarting the round over again. Each time cheating went on, between Vincent (who was often trying to get Gilbert to win), Reks, and even little Elliot got in on it. Soon only Elliot and Reks were left, with one chair to sit in.
The two glared at one another, the six year old Elliot putting on quite the fierce glare. Reks admired the little boy for his ferocious temper and determination already. Not that she would admit that. The music stopped and Dalton began to shout at the two Nightrays to calm down as, instead of scrambling for the chair they began to push and pull each other away from the single chair to give themselves a better chance of winning.
From the sidelines Vincent chuckled heartily at this show and Gilbert could only begin to worry for their safety. Dalton gripped both Elliot and Reks' arms in his hands, tugging them away from the chair - though not before Reks managed to kick it over.
"There! Now no one wins!" she declared.
"Cheater! Cheater-pants!" Elliot shouts angrily, glaring at Reks.
Dalton sighed in defeat. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all....