The pain of a long awaited journey coming to an end swelled in his chest, Gilbert’s eyes unable to hold back the joy and emotion which had remained locked away for so long. What had been saved for just such an occasion finally came to fruition. Long since buried feelings erupted to the surface, the words “Welcome Home” still ringing in his mind. He was beyond happy. The wait was finally over. His earnest smile held no secrets.
A hand came to rest against his head, his hair shuffling against the slight motion. Their silence broken, Gil heard the voice of his master once more after a hundred years.
“...Who are you?”
Gil felt his entire being halted, even his mind and thoughts frozen in shock. Eyes wide, he remained petrified holding Oz and Alice. Breathlessly, his lips trembled as he pulled slowly away from them and looked them both in the eyes, unsure of what-
“Pfft, wow Glen you look mortified! I just wondered if you would remember the first thing I said to you after escaping the Abyss with-”
Oz promptly received a quick bash on the head, delivered by Gil’s gloved hand. With his vision dazed and the wind knocked out of him, Alice took her moment to meet Gil once more, though he had not finished giving his former master a piece of his mind.
“Really? After all these years that's how you want to greet me??” Gil growled midst clenched teeth.
Nursing the bump on his head, Oz muttered gently. “I told you I’d be seeing you later… Geez, valets aren’t supposed to hit their masters...”
“They do when they must admonish their misactions!” Gil fired back, finding his anger quickly suppressed by Alice’s hold of his arm, clenching it firmly.
“... We missed you too, Seaweedhead.” Alice’s almost somber but grateful tone quickly extinguished Gil’s irritation, his expression softening as a result. In gratitude, Gil delivered unto Alice something he knew she would have looked forward to upon remembering him. And sure enough, her eyes twinkled as his hand rested upon her head, petting her. Her smile began to beam as it did once so long ago, and Gil found himself embraced by Oz and Alice. Their warmth and presence was irradiating, all of them smiling and sharing in their newfound peace of finally reuniting after all this time. Beaming smiles and shimmering tears dripped along everyone’s faces, everything was as it was promised.
Not as promised to all, however. Far beyond the realm upon which resided Oz, Alice and Gil, laid a dimension surreal and inconsistent. Beyond means of measure and timeless, eternal and vacant. An indescribable void, far beyond even the realm of the abyss...laid the Juries. All had come to witness the end of the Tale, and reach their consensus upon its end. A cacophony of distorted voices echoed in the void, emerging from polymorphous shapes and figures, sitting along the darkened ghost of a court. They all screeched their opinions, their minds concluded upon their deluded self important opinions…
The Tale reaches its end.
Yes, it ends.
We have seen it end.
There lies no more to be seen.
An end. Yes The End.
We are satisfied with this end.
We are satisfied.
Satisfied!
Satisfied!
Satisfied!
Satisfied!
The howls of the Juries reached their shrieking crescendo, all professing their satisfaction. A consensus shared by all. All, but one. As the Juries scattered, dissipating into the void from whence their forms had mustered, one remained upon their seat. Their voices were silent, they had not joined the consensus of the juries. They were stoic, unmoved for the moment. Their silence would end, with irritated disgust.
...We are not satisfied. We do not share the voice of the Juries. We do not share the mind of the Juries. We...I… I do not feel satisfied with this end!
The shadow rose from the balconies, drifting towards the window upon which the Juries had watched the Tale draw to a close. It reached out, a silhouette marring the clear image of Oz, Alice and Gilbert smiling triumphantly at their reunification.
This one vexes us. I do not see how this Tale has ended. The Juries are not to be trifled, they are not to be defied. This… Glen remains unpunished for his transgressions. This Tale holds more, yet they fear interference. I must know more. I will know more!
The form slammed its fist against the viewing window, a dull and reverberating hum echoing into nothing.
I...will see them punished. I will see it through. I will see this Tale ended, the way we were expecting. The way we dictate. The Juries will not be silenced!
With Vincent’s garb now folded and resting in Gil’s arm, a note of melancholy rife within his younger brother’s clothes, Gil found himself stared down by Alice who seemed incredibly intent on waiting for something from him. Gil felt his cheeks flush and brimming with blush through his light complexion. Oz took notice and sheepishly chuckled.
“R-Right, I had forgotten but… Vincent had mentioned how much we loved your cooking, and Alice was the first to remember about how it tasted. Ever since, she’s been anxious to have it again.”
Gil looked at his empty coat sleeve, a soft and sad smile stretched on his lips.
“I have had… time to get used to cooking, though it still proves a bit tedious.”
Taking Gil’s hand into her own, Alice excitedly chirped up and laid Gil’s fears to bed.
“Don’t worry, Seaweedhead! Oz and I will have that covered, as long as you have the meat set!” Oz couldn’t help but laugh a bit at Alice’s unbridled enthusiasm and nodded his head in accordance.
“We promised we would help you cook, Gil. We definitely remember that much.” Gil’s expression lightened up, as he looked longingly at Oz’s beaming expression.
It’s been so long… yet it really does feel like we are just seeing each other later. I’m glad…”
Hand in hand, the trio began to walk out from Lacie’s empty grave into the darkened hallway, Alice now singing that infamous song. Yet now, it felt different. It no longer felt melancholic or sad… but beautiful and resplendent. Oz took one last look back at the grave, watching the shimmering sunlight dance across the stone cross, as if balls of light swirled around merrily. With a smile, he wished the sight goodbye and for a good rest, as they had all earned that much after everything. The spot where it all began, and where it was finally put to rest.
I’m glad… my heart feels light, unchained and...at peace.
YOU ARE READING
Pandora Hearts: Encore
Fanfiction(This is a Pandora Hearts Fanfiction set during the last few panels of the manga and onwards) Gil, Oz and Alice have finally been reunited after the century long cycle of rebirth. they embrace happily, overjoyed to find themselves back together agai...
