In the last century or so, Ciel Phantomhive had been proud of his ability to feign politeness, hospitality and innocence to the ever-so-naive humans. He had charmed his way into twenty different countries, 100 different schools and into seemingly infinite social groups. He had smooth-talked his way out of sticky situations with his disguises and aliases. Met thousands of people across the continents. But none were quite like the woman in front of him, tall and weedy and completely unfazed by his attempts to flatter her while the pair awaited a certain butler.
"I'm a busy woman, boy. So instead of waiting for your guardian, let's get started. He only needs to sign the papers, not fill them out for you." She said, taking her seat behind a near by computer and gesturing for him to follow her.
Ciel took this time to study the receptionist. She was deathly pale, paler than Ciel himself, which made her almost sheet-white. Her platinum blond hair had been pulled back tightly into a neat bun, but to the extent where Ciel wondered if it was a self torture method and not a hair style at all. The demon boy cringed at the thought of her make up; thickly applied mascara and caked on eyeshadow, not to mention the blood red lipstick. At least her eyes were pretty, he reasoned. A lovely golden green ... Too bad her bitter personality nullified that.
"Name?" She questioned, eyes never leaving the screen in front of her. Ciel snapped out of his observation. It took him a little bit to gather up his thoughts.
"Ciel Phantomhive-Michaelis," he answered. It was years after his "death" that he could finally use his own name (if not with a slight alteration). After 123 years of aliases and foreign countries, it was nice to have his own name and be in his home country. Not to mention speak his own language. He didn't realize how much he had missed it.
The woman typed in the response with the speed that only a experienced receptionist could possess. Or Sebastian. Speaking of the demon, where was he? He was meant to be meeting the principal, but that had been an hour ago. He mentally shrugged and turned his attention back onto the woman.
"Age?" The receptionist asked, glancing over at the boy. It was not only Ciel that could quickly take in information. The receptionist had taken in everything with a three second glance. From his black converse to his snug jeans and blue blazer, open and revealing the black and white image from a t-shirt underneath. She pondered the silken eye patch, but did not comment on it. Teenaged fashion these days...
"Fifteen." He replied boredly before mentally adding, 'Sebastian, this is an order. Come here.'
Ciel didn't wait for a response, knowing that his demon would come.
"I need your Mother's full name."
"Rachelle-Ann Michaelis, with an 'L' and an "E' on the end of Rachelle. She is deceased"
It wasn't perfect, but it was as close as he could get to the truth. He had taken his mother's name and adapted it, so that anyone who traced his family tree back far enough wouldn't see a connection.
"And your father's full name?" The woman asked.
"My name is Sebastian Phantomhive-Michaelis. It's a pleasure to meet the woman that keeps this school so well organized." Sebastian said, walking into the room. He smiled warmly at the receptionist and stood behind Ciel, hands placed gently on his shoulders.
"I hope that Ciel has not been too much trouble for you, Miss." The elder demon continued. Sebastian tried not to flinch away from her suddenly glazed eyes that watched him hungrily.
He could see her taking in his appearance. His hairstyle, forever unchanging, falling over his face. His diagonally black and white striped top that was hidden beneath his grey blazer. His black jeans and polished shoes. The cross that dangled from a long chain around his neck.
"Ms Nelson, I would like you to meet the newest addition to our faculty, Professor Michaelis. Isn't he just charming? He's got me hot and bothered myself, if you don't mind me saying." Another arrival giggled. He was a short man, hair line thinning, and bold black glasses perched on top of his nose. He dressed in a typical black suit, neatly buttoned up shirt and a bright pink tie hanging loosely around his neck. Just who was this man that openly said such things about the butler, Ciel wondered.
"Mr. Philison!" Ms. Nelson gasped, more likely out of surprise than any thing else.
"Another faculty? My, what a pleasure to be working side by side with you Mr. Michaelis. Which department will you be working in?" She blushed. 'Well look whose attitude just changed. She wasn't so welcoming when I was talking with her. If you could call that talking.' Ciel inwardly muttered.
"I will be teaching classical, in the music department." The eldest demon said, trademark smile plastered on his face. "It is a shame that I won't be working alongside such a fine woman in administration." Ciel inwardly rolled his eyes at that. 'Cut the shit Sebastian. We are here for a reason, and that is not to be flirting with the staff,' He grumbled. It was repulsive what he saw Sebastian do sometimes. Utterly repulsive.
A quiet "Yes, my lord" sounding in the back of his head and Ciel sighed at his guardian demon.
"And you must be Ciel. I am the headmaster of this fabulous school. My name is Bruce Philison, but you may call me just Bruce if you'd like." He grinned, offering his hand to the boy that quietly shook it.
"Bruce," Ciel smiled, "it is a pleasure to meet you."
"How about we take this to my office? I have a few things to go over with you and your father and it may take some time, so we might as well be comfortable." The headmaster smiled down at him.
Ciel sat down in one of the leather seats opposite the headmaster's desk. He wasn't surprised by the large amount of space on the room that overlooked the academy's grounds or by the clutter that seemed to be part of the desk in front of him. Sebastian didn't look too impressed by it either. But they didn't comment on it.
"Now, Ciel. Your father tells me that you are very talented. A prodigy, correct?" the small man asked, taking a seat in the elevated seat behind his desk.
"It depends on what you call prodigious, Mr Philison." Ciel said innocently. "I wouldn't call myself a prodigy."
Bruce laughed at that and leaned across the table, making is hands steeple in front of him.
"From what I have read of your reports, you are an extremely talented student. Your teachers were half delighted, half annoyed that you continued to out smart them in their professions. Would you like me to read some of the comments from the teachers at Saint James' academy?" Bruce asked, tapping a piece of paper infront of him.
Ciel nodded, not really caring. "If you think it is worthy of being shared," He coughed.
"Some of them are quite humourous, like this one from your former geography teacher; "Ciel is a brilliant student, but needs to stay focussed in exams and not comment on how 'irrelevant and incompetant' my teachings are". Your mathematic teacher said "I was forced to give Ciel 20 extra marks on his test as a result of making corrects on the paper. The boy received 100%, not including the extra marks.'"
Ciel nodded in remembrance. "What is the point in all of this, Mr. Philison, if you don't mind my asking. It is one thing to ask a student how well they did in their former school, but another to extract teachers' comments from my old report." The young demon said, crossing his legs and folding his hands in his lap.
"Well, being the wonderous student you are, your father and I have discussed putting you into the "Special Elite" program. Are you aware of what this is?" Bruce asked. He leaned forward over the desk and peered at the boy.
Ciel shook his head in a negative.
"The Special Elite or S.E, as it is most commonly refered to, is a collection of our finest students, the prodigy students that gather here at Milford. Milford Academy only takes talented students, as you know, but the S.E is a different league. We have provided them with their own building in the eastern wing of the campus, but they are still asked to share the music department, gymnasium, and school hall with the mainstream students." Bruce said, pushing his thickly rimmed glasses further up his nose. The Headmaster opened a drawer in his desk and gathered some forms. He handed them to Sebastian, who, until this point, was not really being included into this conversation.
"Ciel," Sebastian murmured, "I think it would be a good idea. You well be among others of your ability. People that might interest you." 'You need to solve the murder cases revolving around this school... The SE may become your new pawns, if you can utilize them properly.'
The servant mentally added.
"You would be a great asset for the school, if you joined." Bruce coaxed.
Ciel considered, though his mind was already made up.
"I will join... on one condition."
Bruce eagerly nodded. He waited for the boy to continue with baited breathe.
"I hear there is a bunch of disturbances in this area. A child will go missing near this school, and turn up dead a few days later in another part of the city. I want to know why, how and who." Ciel said coolly, his blue eye shining.
"I'm afraid I can't give you those answers, Ciel."
"I'm not asking for them, at least not yet. I am asking for your permission to investigate, in return I will serve the school as a 'Special Elite' or whatever you call them."
"I can give you that, but I can't promise you'll find anything." Bruce smiled slightly.
"You are welcome to try. Any help from you is help towards clearing this school's name and help towards the police." Bruce stood, shaking both demons' hands. "I look forward to seeing you in the future, Ciel, Professor Michaelis."
"And we, you, Mr Philison." Sebastian said as he closed the door behind him, flashing one of his trademark smiles.
Albeit, a fake one.
"Oh my," Bruce blushed. "That man is so handsome!"
Little did he know, Ciel and Sebastian overheard this little confession, and the smaller demon began to feign raised an eyebrow questioningly. Ciel straightned up and let out a small cough that sounded suspiciously like "bromance".
"You are an odd little lord indeed."
Meanwhile a man sat parked in a white Skoda a few blocks away from Milford Academy. He watched the little blonde girl he had been scoping out exit the icecream palour across the street. She came here every friday afternoon from school, bought a strawberry cream double scoop icecream and walked home. He had known. He'd been watching her for three weeks, as per his bosses' instructions. It would be time to act now.
He waited alittle longer before starting up his piece of junk car and pulling up by the petshop, where Claire, the little girl with the strawberry icecream, would stand fawning over the puppies in the shop window. It was here that he would herd her into the car and take her away.
Tomorrow, she would appear in the 'missing persons' section of the paper.
By monday, she would be dead.