Question is the nineth chapter of Jun Mochizuki's Pandora Hearts.
This article contains plot and/or ending details for Pandora Hearts.
Read at your own risk.
Synopsis[]
Oz wakes up on a couch wondering who was talking to him. Gilbert standing nearby smoking, asks him whether he's alright. Oz replies that he's fine, but looking around, he questions whether they were in Alice's memory. Gil tells him that they are at his house, much to Oz's shock, and says that he moved them while they were asleep. Opening a window, he says that they are in the capital city, Reveil, though his house is in the lower-class area of the city. Gil, shaking his head, then proceeds to tell Oz about how Break and Sharon used them to lure out the enemy.
In a flashback, Break arrives via a carriage to congratulate Gil, who was carrying his two unconscious companions, on a job well done, saying that because of him, they managed to confirm many theories. He cheerfully states that they should wait at Gil's house and leave everything else to them. Angry, Gil demands what would Break have done if the Baskervilles had actually harmed Oz. At this, Sharon, stepping out of the carriage, tells him that his concerns are for naught as they would've intervened had anything happened. She explains that they were watching everything from Gil's shadow, and gives an example, reiterating Gil's previous pledge to Oz, much to his horror. At this Break said that he knew Sharon would point that out, and the two happily discuss their previous bet, while Gil, having dropped Alice and Oz, watches them in utter disbelief.
Break appears under Alice's bed.
The flashback ends and Gil, remembering all of that, goes into a state of shock. He however, quickly changes the subject, flicking Oz's head and asking him whether he was actually okay, as he had been acting strange when they met with The Intention of the Abyss. Oz again replies that he's fine but admits that the white rabbit had scared him. At that same moment, Alice wakes up only to see Break's smiling figure on the floor. Needless to say it soon got very loud and in her repeated attempts to destroy him, she obliterates the room, much to Gil's dismay. As things simmer down, Break says that he came by to talk to Oz, and motions for Gil make tea. Gil initially refuses, but after some "persuasion", he unwillingly makes some coffee.
Sitting on the couch, Break offers Oz a seat and shaking a box of candy, states that he must be wondering why he and Sharon have not aged at all. Chuckling at how predictable children were, he tells Oz that they were Contractors, but unlike Oz, they aren't Illegal Contractors, and don't have an Incuse, as they use a method devised by Pandora. Offering a piece of candy, he explains that occasionally, as a side effect, some like them stop aging due to this method. At Oz's question, Break laughingly states that they weren't immortal as their bodies will eventually wear out. Although he admits he can't speak for Sharon, Break acknowledges that he may not have another year to live, surprising Oz. At this, Alice sneeringly states that she had just heard something good, but Break cheerfully replies that he won't die that fast, saying that there is still something he needed to do. Oz guesses that this concerns obtaining the Intention, referring to what Gil had told him previously.
Pandora's understanding of the Abyss.
Break pauses for a second then asks Oz how the Abyss seemed to him - "like the fabled prison in fairy tales or like a broken toybox?" He states that Pandora believes the Abyss is like a womb for creating weapons, ie. Chains, and thus they want to obtain the Intention, as she is the entity who rules the dimension. He then states that Oz's existance was without a doubt essential to this, stunning him. Alice remarks that the Baskerville they had encountered had said something along the same lines. Break then explains that the situation is like this - that the Intention, a device of immense power that controls the Abyss, is malfunctiong and causing problems. However, Oz may be just the thing they need to fix it.
Break asks Oz.
Break then declares that Oz has the power to seize all of the Abyss and he figures that this has possibly something to do with his "sin". Shocked, Oz thinks about how everything that had happened must have been because of this "power" he had. Gil goes over to see if he is okay, but Oz surprises him by smiling happily. Cordially, Oz says that it's all alright and he will simply continue looking for Alice's memories as he previously did. He states that even if the Baskervilles strike again, as long as Alice and Gil are with him everything will be fine. Break, no longer smiling, calls him a creepy brat and after a long pause, goes up to Oz, wondering what it was that warped him so, though he reasons that Oz probably hasn't noticed this yet. Tilting Oz's head, Break asks Oz, "where in the world" he is and says that his "clouded eyes don't reflect you(Oz) at all."
Alice says Oz is right there.
At this, Alice suddenly burst out laughing. Branding Break as blind and grabbing Oz in a headlock, she haughtily states that Oz is right here. Break just smiles, claiming they will leave it at that as he goes into a cupboard and bids farewell to them. He closes the cupboard and when Gil and Alice open it, he is gone, much to their astonishment. As they muse over this, Oz walks away and staring out a window, he thinks about what Break had said. He then feels a sharp pain and falls to the floor, clutching his chest in agony. Looking up, he sees a girl standing over him, but passes out before he can ask who she is.
Break standing on top of a roof notes that the countdown has begun. He wonders whose time will end first: his or Oz's, as the boy recovers and opens his shirt to find that his Incuse has moved forward. Feeling the seal, a brief flashback of the Intention saying that he will regret picking B-Rabbit over her is shown.
Characters[]
- The Intention of the Abyss*
- Oz Vessalius
- Gilbert Nightray
- Alice
- Xerxes Break
- Emily
- Sharon Rainsworth*
- Zwei*
- Echo (First Appearance)
(*) - Denotes that the character did not appear physically, but as a part of another character's memories.
Terms[]
Trivia[]
- This chapter's alternate title was freely translated, since there is no official translation available in English.
- The alternate title, Inquiry of the Recluse, is the exact same as the alternate title for Retrace LXXXVIII: Answer
[]
| v - e - t | Pandora Hearts Chapters |
|---|---|
| Coming-of-Age Ceremony Arc | 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 |
| Working for Pandora Arc | 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 |
| Cheshire Cat's Lair Arc | 14 • 15 • 16 • 17 • 18 • 19 • 20 • 21 • 22 • 23 |
| Lutwidge Academy Arc | 24 • 25 • 26 • 27 • 28 |
| Break's Past Arc | 29 • 30 • 31 • 32 |
| Sablier Arc | 33 • 34 • 35 • 36 • 37 • 38 • 39 • 40 • 41 • 42 |
| The Feast Arc | 43 • 44 • 45 • 46 • 47 • 48 • 49 • 50 • 51 • 52 • 53 • 54 • 55 • 56 • 57 • 58 • 59 • 60 • 61 |
| Jack's Intention Arc | 62 • 63 • 64 • 65 • 66 • 67 • 68 • 69 • 70 • 71 • 72 • 73 • 74 • 75 • 76 • 77 • 78 • 79 • 80 • 81 • 82 |
| Swan Song Arc | 83 • 84 • 85 • 86 • 87 • 88 • 89 • 90 • 91 • 92 • 93 • 94 • 95 • 96 • 97 • 98 • 99 • 100 • 101 • 102 • 103 • 104 |
| Extra Episodes | 80.5 • 85.5 • 91.5 |
| Volumes | 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 • 16 • 17 • 18 • 19 • 20 • 21 • 22 • 23 • 24 |
| Omake | Maidora Hearts • Bumbling Sleuth Break • Magical Girl Ill-Omened❤Lacie • Pandora Academy |
| Other | One-Shot • DVD Bonus Story • Pandora Hearchu • Mochizuki's Musings |