Chapter 2: Bloody Roses

Alice POV

"Meat!" I savored the smell of grilling beef and lamb wafting from the stalls.

"We're on a mission, you know." Gilbert growled and dragged her roughly by the collar away from the grill.

"Buy me some, seaweed head!" Alice demanded. "As if!" Gilbert snapped. "Stop acting like a child! You're attracting too much attention.

Alice pouted but let Gilbert drag her behind him. These wonderful smells were irresistible.

"Hey, look at these flowers!"

"Flowers?" Alice perked up and scanned the ground. She spotted a group of girls surrounding a flower cart. They were about her age, dressed neatly in long flowing dresses with bonnets on their heads.

"They're pretty!" One girl beamed, examining a tiger lily in her hand.

"They smell nice." Another girl sniffed a bouquet.

"What's wrong?" Gilbert noticed that Alice had stopped in her tracks. He followed her gaze.

"I envy those people." Alice mumbled. She wasn't sure if Gilbert had heard, but his cold face seemed to soften slightly. "Let's go." He said.

Alice nodded and ripped her gaze away from the girls.

"Why can't I be them?" Alice held her head low. The smells of food didn't seem as appealing.

There were many times Alice just wanted to be a normal girl. Go to school. Go out with friends. Worry about studying and what dress to wear and the size of her blouse. Not the possible destruction of the entire world.

Alice shook her head. "No, no. This is stupid. I-"

"KYAAAAAAHHHH!"

A loud, high-pitched shriek pierced the air. The townspeople paused in their festivities and looked around in panic.

Alice met eyes with Gilbert who nodded. Together, they dashed off towards the sound. They found a woman in her mid-thirties crumpled to the ground, shaking hard with wide, fearful eyes.

"Are you alright?" Gilbert knelt down besides the woman. Her face was pale white.

"B-B-B..." The woman stammered. "Please calm down, ma'am. What is it?"

"B-B-Rabbit..." The woman scuttled backwards. "B-Rabbit is back!"

"B-Rabbit?!" Alice exclaimed. She ran into the dark alley in front of them, ignoring Gilbert's shouts.

She halted to a stop in the middle of the alley. It was almost as if it were night. The shadows weren't letting a single ray of sunshine through. Alice suddenly realized she was shivering. She wrapped her arms tightly around her body.

"This atmosphere...it's so scary."

Alice looked around. For some reason, she felt frightened.

She took a few steps forward before she heard something wet squish beneath her feet. She looked down and squinted under the dark light. A puddle of liquid surrounded her feet.

She examined it closer and realized it was red.

"Blood?!" She slowly followed the trail of blood to the back of the alley.

Blood was splattered all over the walls. First, she found a limp hand. Then she found a handless arm that led to a cold, lifeless body drenched in blood and cut into pieces.

Alice gasped and staggered back. Her stomach churned. She glanced at the side and found some writing in blood dripping down the walls.

B-Rabbit.

Gilbert POV

"That damn girl, running off like that." After calming the woman down, Gilbert followed Alice into the alley.

"Oi, you stupid hog! Why-" He froze. Alice was shaking, eyes wide, gloved hands tight. Blood splattered the walls, and a messed up body leaned limply against the back wall.

"This is..." He followed Alice's gaze. On the side, the words "B-Rabbit" were written in blood.

"B-Rabbit?!" Gilbert ran towards the letters. The blood was still fresh and dripped down to the floor in small puddles.

"Hey!"

A group of policemen were running towards them.

"What do you two think you're doing?" One of the men demanded.

"Shit."

"Oh, um, we were just…" Gilbert began. "Did you do this?" The officers held up their weapons. "What? No, we…"

"We just heard that lady back there and rushed over here." Alice stepped up. "We still need to question you further." The officer informed them. "You-"

"Th-They didn't do it." The woman stumbled slowly towards the scene. "I found the body earlier. They heard me scream and came here. They're telling the truth."

In the end, Gilbert and Alice were still interrogated by the police along with the lady.

"Have you heard? B-Rabbit struck again."

"A young woman was cut to pieces.."

"This is the fifth victim, isn't it? What are the police doing about this?"

"How many times do I have to say it?!"

Gilbert looked up from his conversation with a policeman. A young man dressed in priest's robes with a spectacle on one eye and a cross necklace on his neck slammed his fist against the wall.

"The criminal is not an ordinary man! It's a Chain!"

"What?!" Gilbert stood up abruptly. Did this man know about Chains?

"He sort of looks like Reim."

"Chain? What's that?" One of the police officers asked. "Ah…" The chief tried to stop him.

"A Chain is a denizen of a dark world called the Abyss, drawn into this world by contracts with humans!" The priest explained. The chief just sighed. "Listen priest, I don't care if you want to carry out your own investigation, but please stop wasting our time with these ridiculous stories. Where did you hear that, anyway?"

"Well, actually, it was revealed to me!" The priest made a flourishing gesture with his hand. "By the voice of god!"

The chief stared at the sparkling priest, then kicked him to the ground "Go home."

"WHY?!" The priest exclaimed from the ground.

"He he he. He looks like Reim but definitely doesn't act like him."

"It's true I tell you!" The priest cried out as the chief continued beating him. "Shut up!

"How foolish." Alice spat. "This is a murder scene, ya know." "Y-yeah…" Gilbert sweatdropped. He scanned the growing crowd. One boy caught his eye. He had blonde hair and emerald green eyes. He wore a white dress shirt with a gray vest and red tie. He had on green shorts and a pair of boots. He was staring intently at the Father on the ground.

"What's a little boy doing at a murder scene?"

The Father eventually left. Gilbert noticed the boy following him.

"What does he want?"

Harris POV

Father Harris sighed. He rubbed is head and gloomily leaned against a wall "They didn't even listen to me…I wonder why…"

"I finally found you!"

Harris turned around in shock A young blonde boy grabbed his arm tightly. He had on a strained, desperate expression. "You're Father Harris Watson, aren't you?"

"Y-You are…?" Harris uttered.

"My name is Oz, and I was looking for you, Father!" The boy exclaimed. "For me?" Harris echoed. "There's something I need to tell you…about B-Rabbit!"

"Wh-" Harris stammered. "…I understand, but we can't stay here. My church is close by, we can go there-"

"Wait a minute, you two."

Harris jumped back a good five feet. A young girl with long dark hair and purple eyes had appeared before him. She had her hands on her hips and scanned him with disdain. Next to her was a mellow man dressed in black.

"You." The girl pointed her finger at Harris' face. "You know about Chains?" "Huh? Um, yes…" Harris replied hastily. "Who are these people? What's going on? And they believe me about Chains?"

"And you." The girl swung her finger towards Oz. "H-Hai?" Oz lifted his hands up instinctively. "You know something about B-Rabbit?"

"Um, yeah…" Oz trailed off uncomfortably.

"Ok." The girl sighed. "You said your church is near, right, priest? Let's go."

"Huh? W-wait!" Harris snapped out of his daze. "What is with these people?"

"Um, excuse me." The dark man tipped his hat. "Um, you see, we are from Pandora. We research about Chains and stop illegal contractors. We came here after hearing some rumors about B-Rabbit. Could you share what you know with us?"

"Um, sure…"

"What the hell is going on?!"

Harris led the group of strangers to his church. It wasn't that big, but people visited frequently. He served them tea in the cramped kitchen in the back of the church.

"Oh, I'm Alice." The girl suddenly seemed to remember they were complete strangers. "And this seaweed head is Raven." The seaweed head didn't seem too happy. "Ok, let's start with you. How are you related to B-Rabbit?" Alice turned to Oz.

"Oh, um, you see…"

"THE YOUNGER BROTHER OF ONE OF THE VICTIMS?!" Harris exclaimed after hearing Oz's explanation.

"Yes." Oz meekly stared at his tea cup. "The girl killed three days ago was my older sister. We lost both our parents when we were young. My sister…she sold her body for money. That day, when it had gotten late and she still hadn't come back…I was worried something might happen to her…I went looking for her. And that's when I saw him. A short man dressed in priest robes coming out of a dark alley!"

"Priest robes?! Really?!" Harris demanded. "Oz nodded. "And the next morning, my sister's body was discovered in that alley…"

"No way…" Harris found himself shaking uncontrollably in his seat.

"Of course, my sister may have been stupid and good-for-nothing, but..." Oz balled his fists tight over his thighs. His voice began to shake, and tears began to plop onto his hands. "But she was everything to me. She was the only family I had!"

With a sniff, he wiped away his tears and stood up. "I…will never forgive her murderer! That man…he killed my sister! So, please, Father…" Oz slammed his hands on the table, making father Harrris jump. "Let me help you with your investigation!"

Harris was speechless. Oz's eyes shone with sadness and determination. It was just too sad.

"Fool."

All attention turned to Alice. She had her legs crossed and glared at Oz. "You're just a boy. What can you do? Do you know anything about B-Rabbit?"

"But…!" Oz faced Alice. "You guys are looking for B-Rabbit, right?! Please let me help you!"

For a while, there was silence. Alice said nothing. Slowly, she began to shake. At first, Harris thought she was laughing, but then he realized she was containing her laughter. Soon, she was bursting out laughing, clutching her stomach as if what Oz had just said was the funniest thing she had ever heard.

"Wha-" Oz staggered back.

"You…help us?" Alice said between deep breaths. She stood and leaned forwards until her nose was only inches from Oz's. "It's so pathetic it's hilarious. You're just thinking you can somehow avenge your sister's death, but this is B-Rabbit. B-Rabbit-" She leaned even closer until Oz was bending backwards. "isn't something to mess around with."

Oz grimaced. "I know. B-Rabbit is the most powerful Chain, isn't it? But…even so…" He glared back at Alice. "I have to kill B-Rabbit! At all costs! I don't care how powerful of a Chain it is!"

Alice seemed slightly taken aback. So did Raven.

"This boy's amazing. He must've really loved his sister. Well, I guess I can understand…"

His thoughts were interrupted by Alice's laughter.

"Y-You're laughing again?' Oz stuttered in frustration. "I can't help it." Alice wiped away tears from her eyes. "You're a strange boy, ya know that?" "Um…" Oz blinked. "Thanks…?"

"Not bad." Alice crossed her arms. "You have guts, wanting to actually face the B-Rabbit head on like that. It's strange, but I like it."

She smiled mischievously at Oz. "Ok. I guess I'll take in one more manservant."

"Man…servant?" Oz cocked his head. "Stop calling people that. It's not right." Raven growled bluntly. "I have the right to." Alice snapped at him. Then she faced Oz again. "But don't you dare slow us down, ya hear? Don't get in the way or I'll grind your face under my boots."

Oz's face slowly broke into a smile. He nodded. "Hai!"

"Of course, you'll be cooperating with us as well." Alice glanced at Harris. "Eh? M-Me?" Harris almost fell out of his chair. Alice nodded.

"B-But…" Harris sighed.

"What have I gotten into?"

"I've finally found…my lead…"

Hey, why do Chains exist?"

"I want to know…the truth."

"The sky always looks so cheerful no matter what happens beneath it."

"The crimson red that drenches this dark world is so pretty, don't you think?"

"Go die…you monster!"

"I won't let anyone take anything away from me anymore!"

Next Chapter:

Under the Sunny Blue Sky