The Prospective Lake (Pandora Hearts Modern Day)

Ch 1. Fire and Rain

The light is only so good because there was darkness. But when the light has reigned for 100 years, darkness will rise again. 

The paper on the door read:

Parent Teacher Conference moved to old cafeteria due to the new renovations.

"Aww, man. If they are first going to renovate something shouldn't they first start off with the oldest part of the school?" Oz looked discouraged down at his crutches and thought of the long staircase up to the old cafeteria. His uncle laughed and ruffled his hair.

"Not to worry Oz, I'll help you. It's only one week left after all, and then you can walk just fine without them. Say goodbye to Gil now".

Oz had been feeding his raven small pieces of bread on his shoulder the whole time while talking. It was his favourite pet and about everyone else at this school envied him for it.

"Goodbye Gil". He strokes it carefully one last time over its soft, black feathers before they entered the school and Gil took off.

~~~

Leafs falling. Her feet kicked them across the street as she continued down the asphalt road. She passed the local antique store. It was empty today. All the lights were off and the sign on the door was turned to "closed". And with good reason. She tucked her earplugs into place again and wrapped the coat even further around her. "What a cold autumn we have this year".

As she approached the high school she could still see kids leaving for the day. The rest of the world was blocked through the muffled sound of music. Her ears got their usual sound back as a tall man beside me pulled the plugs out.

"Hey, I was listening to that!" He didn't seem to react to her protests and just sent her a mocking smile as he found out which song was playing. "My, my Sharon. If Adele hasn't become your thing after all". Sharon tried getting it back but he snatched it out of her pocket and swirled around in the schoolyard.

"Cut it out, Break! Give it back!" She said, and jumped up and down, annoyed by the fact that he was always going to be taller than her. In the end, the song must have finished for he dropped the iPod into her hands again. She quickly hid it away in the back-pocket of her jeans.

"We're too early anyway, there are still kids leaving the school". Break turned to look at some students whispering to each other close by. As he caught their attention and grinned, like mice they hurried away. Sharon wasn't surprised. With his more than strange looks, slim figure and white hair, anyone would have been startled to catch Break staring at them for too long. There were even times that he still creeped her out... but we don't talk about that. She knew he had his reasons.

"Come on" he said, grabbing her hand. "I'm not standing around here anymore". He found the way to the school cafeteria and settled in a white plastic chair with cookies and a cup of coffee. A few minutes later a dragon had appeared inside of the cup. He used a toothpick to push the white foam around until it had horns as well. [picture] Sharon found tea behind the counter and boiled some hot water. "So this is where you think he will appear?"

This part of the school was the oldest. This was the original cafeteria, but there wasn't a kid around here after the new one came up. They had to literally break through a seal on the door to get in. The reason why she was so surprised to find tea and a working boiler in the closet still. It had been abandoned for quite some time. But the banner hanging above the entrance door told me it would still have ever been in operation the year we were aiming for.

"Most likely, yes. According to this book I found anyway." Break pulled out a brown book with drained cover and deteriorated corners. The plastic table shook by the weight. Sharon gave it a sceptic look.

"Is it from the shop?" she said, and Break nodded. "This one I've had for quite some time. It tells me date, coordinates and everything". He usually got most of his stuff from that place. The antique shop had been his personal hide-in for so long. Not that he got that many visitors. There were some. And time after all this time Sharon thought it insane how he knew where to find everything. It was a total mess! If she'd had it her way she'd be cleaning out spiders and dust along with at least half of what else you could find in there. But he insisted on keeping everything. Including the spiders. And mice. The first time she remembered seeing the little creature rush off right under her feet she jumped sky-high. 

Sharon swallowed her heart down in her chest again, too proud of herself for not screaming.

"Don't be scared of her. She's not all that bad. Even though her feet are a little big sometimes". Confused she asked Break what he meant by mice having big feet. "Oh, I was talking to Emily, not you".

He held his hand down on the floor and soon after the white mouse came running into his pawn. "You named the mouse?" she asked, shocked.

"Yup. It's my house-pet." After this Sharon had caught him several times sitting in the lap chair his usual place, stroking the mouses head- he even read out loud to it! Whichever book he could find at the moment. Like this, he'd been living for as long as she could remember. Several decades had gone by, but what she was most surprised about is how that mouse was still alive. It was so...it was so typical Break!

"Sharooon..."

Huh?

She lifted her head from the empty teacup. He was standing bowed over her, letting a long lock of her golden hair run through his fingers.

"Earth to Sharon" she got up from the chair.

"Raven!" She said, not having noticed his arrival. The black crow was sitting on the back of the white chair next to Break. When called upon, it turned its head slightly askew and let out a hoarse'craw'. 

"That means it's starting," Sharon said. 

"This has to be it. It's not the only place at school with an elevator, but it's the only elevator that doesn't only go up but also goes down. Down to the Abyss." Break strode across the room.

"Ready?" Wind and smoke were gathering in circles on the floor as Break pulled aside the big, black gate in front of the elevator. It made a cracking and whining sound, not surprisingly- it hadn't been opened for ten years. But in the end, it gave after and the light indicating the floor number of the elevator started glowing red.

They both watched in awe as the floor number started to move. 

It was almost time. 

***

(A/N) Various reasons- there is now a second chapter UP! And I'm not allergic to votes guys ;)