Contracts

Ciel looked over the the deck of the small ocean liner, one bought for the Funtom company's use. It was bound for America, with the young Earl on board. He was going to New York on business, that was to start a new branch of the Funtom company. Ciel's uncovered blue eye widened as he watched his servants load their belongings on broad. He sighed softly, looking around for his butler, Sebastian. Upon not seeing him Ciel made a face.

"Sebastian, come here" He said softly, knowing Sebastian would hear him.

"Yes, My Lord?" came Sebastian's silky voice from behind. Ciel turned and faced him, with a look of annoyance.

"Is my cabin ready?" Ciel demanded, as he watched the man bow.

"Yes, if you would follow me" Sebastian told him as he walked towards the cabins. He paused in front of a painted blue door. Ciel didn't seem too pleased, as Sebastian opened it to the small room. The room was tiny by Ciel's standards, with a pair of bunks built into one of the walls, the far wall held a even tinier closet, which held a few of his best clothes, and the other wall had a table and chairs built into it.

"Sebastian, don't joke with me" Ciel hissed in annoyance, he looked at his butler with a fierce expression, one that showed how grown up the child Earl was. Sebastian smiled as if in on an inside joke.

"Young master this is your cabin, remember we're not on a posh cruse ship, we're on a working vessel, and by that standard it wasn't made to carry passengers" Sebastian replied, in a slightly chastising voice. Ciel made a 'humph' noise and stepped over the threshold, Sebastian followed.

"Why are both bunks made up?" Ciel asked harshly, he turned to look at Sebastian.

"Well, to ensure a decent working crew I'll be sharing the cabin with you" Ciel's eye widened

"Share? With you" he sounded annoyed. Sebastian merely shrugged and walked toward the far wall. He didn't seem at all upset with Ciel.

"Well if you rather one of the others to share the room with you?" Sebastian replied as he prepared a cup of warm tea. Ciel huffed, he stared at Sebastian waiting for the older male to say he was joking, but he didn't.

"I'll take the bottom bunk" Ciel said suddenly, he sat a the table and watched Sebastian "Don't even think about disturbing me during the night." Sebastian nodded and smiled. He handed Ciel the teacup.

"It's a refreshing imperial jasmine tea," Sebastian told Ciel "and I wouldn't dream of disturbing your precious sleep" Ciel blinked and sipped his tea savoring the flavor as he thought a bit.

"When will we leave?" Sebastian paused and looked at Ciel.

"Shortly, once the ship is loaded" he smirked "it'll be two weeks till we arrive in America" Ciel sighed loudly, he was frustrated with the large amount of time he would be away from his quiet manor, he wasn't pleased he'd be gone for at lest a month.

"I can't wait for this to be over." Ciel sighed, he was looked at the teacup and smiled a bit "at lest we won't be so disturbed by the usual problems"

"So, what does the Queen want you to do now?" Sebastian's ruby eyes looked at Ciel. The young Earl looked up at him.

"It seems a British ship, carrying precious treasure, arrived in New York, without a living crew." Ciel paused and took another sip of tea. Sebastian looked at him a brow raised.

"Why does that concern us?" Sebastian asked softly.

"They say the crew was mummified, and a Monster rampaged on board" Ciel paused and looked at Sebastian's blank face "And that the monster was taken out by a teenaged girl"

"A teenaged girl?" Ciel nodded.

"That's what I said" Ciel confirmed "Then I found this" He took a photograph out of an inside pocket of his jacket and showed it to Sebastian. It was of a young girl, not much older than Ciel, wearing a Nun's habit with a gun in each hand, she was unbridled danger, Sebastian could tell that, but it was the boy next to her that held his attention, he stood shorted than the girl, with a meek smile, long dark hair, off looking eyes, and pointed ears. Sebastian blinked, the boy was clearly not human, he took another look at the girl, a large watch like object hung around her neck, eerily reminding the demon of a contract seal.

"Who are they?" Sebastian asked looking back at Ciel.

"Rosette Christopher, and her assistant Chrno" Ciel replied flatly.

"He's not human" Sebastian said quickly "Not human at all"