Summary: Ciel Phantomhive has been released from Rutledge asylum. Currently under the care of his psychiatrist, Dr. Claude Faustus, the traumatic childhood memories of the deaths of his father, mother and fiancée continue to haunt Ciel. He returns to Wonderland in hopes of security and comfort, but unfortunately, it has become warped by his growing insanity.
Warnings: Adult themes, Dark topics/gruesome stuff, Pedophilia (Claude Faustus's fault) and some other stuff that I can't think of currently...
Xxxxxxx
The insufferable ticking of Dr. Faustus's pocket watch swinging in front of his face eventually does its job as Ciel slumps backwards into the plush of the office's couch.
The ticking continues even as Dr. Faustus's voice of velvet invades the confides of Ciel's mind, seemingly shuffling for something in particular. Ciel's never liked velvet. He decides in that moment between consciousness and unconsciousness that satin is in fact superior.
Ciel jerks momentarily as a blurred image comes into his sight.
"Come Ciel, it's only a dream." Dr. Faustus coos authoritatively, his voice cloaking the ticking briefly.
Ciel feels his insides churn at what he thinks is Dr. Faustus's breath on his ear, but he waves it off as what he is experiencing behind his eyelids currently.
"It's not a dream, I'm certain it's a memory." Ciel denies strongly. His nose crunched in disgust. "And it's sickening."
He was of course referring to the memory, and within the memory, to the scarred man sitting across from him on the opposite end of the table, raising his hand and making a half decaying corpse shuffle towards him, a tea pot in hand. Ciel's figure accepts the tea graciously in a cup that's missing half of its self. When the tea spills onto Ciel's vest the scarred man covers his mouth, his long finger nails inching over his lips as his green eyes shine. He laughs at Ciel then, silver hair shaking beneath his overly large top hat, reaching three heads high, the pattern resembling a mix-matched checkerboard.
Suddenly the ticking and Dr. Faust's voice return.
"Focus, you're floating again, weightless, a cipher, relax..." He whispered as Ciel swore that the sound of clanking metal was so loud that certainly his psychiatrist heard it too? The macabre tea party changed quickly to a battle field, red and white chess pieces fighting with an almost intricate design as they fall to their deaths just beyond the burning throne room of a queen shrouded in red, her lips sadistic.
"Forget it!" Dr. Faustus commanded as fingers rested on Ciel's forehead, checking his temperature. Seemingly satisfied the fingers removed themselves as Dr. Faustus continued. "Abandon that memory, it is unproductive. Go, to Wonderland."
Ciel forced his eyes shut into a tight line as he subtly shook his head. "I-I can't." He seemed to plead. "I'm trapped in my past." He whispered as he saw himself once again staring at the burning house he called home, his parents trapped inside. Citizens and policeman of the like stood about him, fretting, however he paid them no heed as he stared wide eyed at the raging fire.
The faces of the people around him however morph into something strange, as the heads of cows pop out of necks, and the caw of birds come from mouths. What's more the house has crumpled and the ashes have been replaced with a black river. Tree's a plenty lining the contaminated shores.
"Discard that delusion Ciel, forget it. Go to Wonderland." Dr. Faustus insisted further. Ciel felt his hair being swept out of his face. Ciel's mouth curled in discomfort.
"My wonderland is shattered. It is dead to me." Ciel said slightly disappointed.
Unbeknownst to Ciel, Dr. Faustus's golden eyes twitched in annoyance.
"Your preference doesn't signify boy. Now, where are you?" He asked, not giving any further room for debate. Ciel sighed outwardly as he saw himself sailing on a makeshift raft, a tea set and assorted snacks laced on the wood in front of him. And on the other side of the raft sat a girl. Her smile brilliant as her golden haired curls and eyes lashes fluttered at him playfully. Her green eyes sparkled adoringly at him.
"I'm sailing...and having tea with...ah...my fiancée. But it's different somehow." Ciel whispered the last part to himself, but still Dr. Faustus heard it. "Things have changed."
"Ah, but change is good, change is the first link in the chain of forgetting." Dr. Faustus commented appraisingly. However, Ciel wasn't paying attention as he was to focused on his fiancée's currently bulging eye. Seeming ready to pop from its socket.
"Are you mad?" Ciel asked gently as he unconscious lifted his arm from the cushion of the couch a few inches.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Claude Faustus watched from his chair as his little Ciel went into his hypnotic trance. Unconsciously the psychiatrist licked his lips, god what a seller he would be.
As Ciel's arm raised, Claude reached out and pinned it down gently, leaning slightly over the young boy, who paid no mind.
"Are you mad?" Ciel whispered, unaware of Claudes presence. Claudes eyebrows furrowed.
"I'm not mad." Claude said slightly puzzled by the outburst. However Ciel's arm attempted to raise higher as he whispered.
"Lizzy..."
Claude released the boy's wrist as he leaned back into his chair. "That's not right...what's she doing there?"
"Is something wrong?" Ciel continued. The boy flinched however as both of his hands raised to cover his face. "Oh...No, no, no!" He cried, "Not that!"
Claude leaned forward, his interest sincerely peaked.
"Don't struggle Ciel, let the new wonderland emerge."
Xxxxxxxxxx
After Ciel's initial horror at watching his fiancée turn into a raining fountain of blood, he was hardly surprised when the black river churned violently, spewing forth monsters of blackness that wrapped themselves about each other, pristine doll and human limbs sticking forth, empty face staring back. The architecture of Wonderland itself changed drastically as well, what had once been bright colors of joyous greens and yellows turned to a moldy display of black and puss.
His hands shook in front of his eyes.
"Corruption...it's killing me! It's destroyed, my mind is in ruins!" Ciel cried out as claws reached from the black depths and pulled at his skin, tearing it.
"Forget it Ciel, lock away that dream of yours. Wake at the sound." Dr. Faustus instructed as the loud sound of his fingers snapping together shot Ciel up into a sitting position.
"My head's exploded and there's a steam hammer in my chest." Ciel growled angrily as he rubbed his temples forcefully. Dr. Faustus sighed, "Yes well, the cost of forgetting is high. Now if you're so disgusted by your memories, then simply remember other things. I will set you free Ciel," Here Dr. Faustus leaned forward in his chair, his hair falling down the side of his face as his glasses glinted in the light. "As I've said memory is a curse more often than a blessing."
Ciel turned to the side as a slight pink grew on his lips due to the older man's intense eyes. Ciel coughed, releasing some tension that he felt in his throat.
"Now...before our next session I want you to collect your pills from a high street chemist." Dr. Faustus instructed as he put his shoulders on his knees and rested his head on the steeple of his hands. Ciel nodded before getting up and leaving, but not before looking back at Dr. Faustus's next patient. A child who couldn't have been older than 8.
Xxxxxxxxxx
Ciel tripped over his loose shoe lace and let out a string of curses as he felt a warm sticky substance slid down his shin. Rubbing the cloth of his dirty and tattered pant leg into the wound he easily stopped the bleeding. Looking up he found his face inches away from a very skinny looking cat. The cat looked at him curiously, before meowing and sauntering off towards an alley, it's black fur glistening in the sun.
Against his better judgment Ciel followed the cat.
