Alright, so I am going to try and write a fic with one of my own characters involved. Please grade lightly, as she usually gets bad reviews, but I have remade her.
Also, I do not own Kuroshitsuji, or any characters related to the show.
When Sebastian entered the office of Earl Ciel Phantomhive, he could tell that the young master was annoyed by whatever he was reading. As the butler filled a cup with a thick Asian tea, the young boy growled and crumpled the note in his fist.
"The Queen has requested that as of tomorrow, all nobles must take on a child from the streets for one day, and try to teach them about the world of aristocracy." Ciel sighed; pushing his hair out of his face, and watching it slide back down his forehead into place. Sebastian smiled.
"Her Majesty surely wishes to see the upper classes share in the wealth of the country my lord. Perhaps some of the aristocracy has not been giving as generously as the young master?" Sebastian suggested, trying to bring his master out of his funk and see the bright side of the situation.
"I suppose." Ciel said. "When Elisabeth found out about this, though, she was so thrilled that she suggested several upper class children find lower class friends and have a party here at the mansion." Sebastian stopped in his tracks. He felt another one of those all-night struggles to prepare coming up.
"Elisabeth has offered to decorate, and refusing her will only cause problems…." Sebastian smiled as the young master trailed off. What he meant was that refusing Elisabeth was like telling a wall to paint itself.
"Then I shall leave the decorating to the young miss, and I shall prepare an appropriate dinner and appetizer menu befitting of the Phantomhive name." Sebastian boasted, bowing low. Ciel huffed, the best response Sebastian would get on the subject. Before leaving, Sebastian paused at the door and looked over his shoulder.
"Young master, do you have an idea of a child you would like to invite?" The butler asked, worried he would have to go out and find someone for the young master.
"I have an idea." Ciel said which surprised Sebastian.
"Very good sir." Sebastian said, and left the room.
The next day found the inseparable pair in the middle of the upper class market district. Sebastian was a little leery of the plan that his young master was currently executing.
Sebastian asked. Ceil nodded.
"She usually is here around the time that we pass by on our shopping trips." The young boy explained. At first Sebastian was a little skeptical, but then a teenage girl made her way up to the store window. There was nothing extraordinary in her appearance, in fact her dress made Sebastian almost mistake her for a boy. She was a head taller than the young master with soft pale skin. She had a pair of black shorts on that extended past her knee, and were only on her hips because of a slim piece of string. She was also wearing a brown long sleeve shirt with holes in it and a green vest. Her hair was wrapped under a plaid pageboy hat so that the color was hard to discern. She was staring through the window at a white Funtom rabbit that had a black top hat and a black suit jacket complete with coat tails.
Ciel approached cautiously, in case she was a strange monster of some sort. His eyes traveled to the reason he had been drawn to her in the first place. As she watched the rabbit, she placed her hands on the glass, exposing the large seals embedded in her skin. On her left hand was the mark of purification that Ciel carried on his back. On her right hand was a demons mark, similar to the one on Sebastian's; as if she were a demon for hire instead of currently controlling of one.
"So which one are you looking at?" Ciel asked casually. The girl turned one aqua marine eye and one dull red eye at him in surprise.
"E-excuse me?" She asked. Ciel fixed her with a level stare.
"Which toy are you looking at?" Ciel repeated. The girl looked between the glass and the young master several times before stammering out a response.
"T-the one in the coat tails and top hate is really nice. The Funtom Company makes such nice toys, though that I am sure they all are great." She said, unsure what the Earl was trying to ask. Ciel nodded.
"Sebastian, purchase the rabbit." Ciel commanded.
"Yes my Lord." Sebastian said. The butler felt the girl's eyes on him the whole time as he entered the shop and purchased the toy. He could tell she figured that Ciel had asked her simply to rile her, so she was surprised when Sebastian held it out to her. The expression that formed on her face was a mixture of longing and confusion. She flipped her gaze between Ciel and the stuffed animal in Sebastian's hands.
"My butler will not bite you, and this particular toy is not made to attack humans over the age of nine. You can take it, as it is a gift for you after all." Ciel encouraged. The girl's expression went sour.
"At what cost are you being so generous good sir?" She asked skeptically. Ciel sighed.
"The Queen has implemented a new social policy stating that those of the upper classes should share their wealth with those less fortunate. The young master wishes to join in this endeavor, and requests you attend a party for such an occasion at his mansion." Sebastian explained for Ciel. The girl stared at them both for a moment.
"So I attend this party and act civil and you will give me this rabbit?" She interpreted.
"As well as a hot meal and a chance for a bath." Ciel said. Sebastian looked at his master surprised that the boy would risk rudeness at such a critical point in the negotiations. By the time Sebastian turned his head back the rabbit was out of his hands, and the girl was squeezing it tightly. Then she held out her right hand to the young master.
"I think that is something I can manage. You have a deal good sir." She said. Ciel looked at her hand, and then shook it.
"I am Earl Ciel Phantomhive, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance miss….?" He stated as they released their grip on each other.
"Artemis. Artemis, or if you prefer Arty. I appreciate the kindness of the Phantomhive house."She said bowing low and then straitening. Ciel nodded and then began to walk away.
"Then let us return to the mansion, as there is still much to be done." He said. Sebastian allowed the lady to walk ahead, bringing up the rear. Once they were in the carriage, Artemis was examining the rabbit when she said "Onii." The word caught Sebastian off guard, especially with how familiar it sounded.
"Excuse me?" Ciel asked. The girl smiled at her new toy, squeezing it tight to her chest.
"Back home we call big brothers onii-san or onii-chan. This rabbit reminds me of big brother. He left a little while before I came here, but I don't know where he is right now. I think I'm going to name this rabbit Onii." She closed her eyes and let the soft smile envelope her face. By the way she held the stuffed animal; Sebastian figured she had loved her brother very much.
"Oh…"Ciel said, unsure how to respond to such a comment.
When they all finally reached the mansion, Artemis was in awe of the garden and the size of the building in front of them.
"Do you really live here?" She asked. Ciel nodded. Then she looked at Sebastian. "And do you really clean all this and keep it nice?" Sebastian gave her a sly smile.
"Well we do have a maid and a gardener, but yes, I am in charge of keeping things in order." Sebastian relished in the fact that someone was impressed with his hard work. Arty nodded slowly.
"You should teach onii-san to clean. He is so lazy. He hates cleaning and dishes, and all that stuff. I used to have to beg him to help me with chores. At mom's house my brothers were always doing everything for me because they thought I couldn't do it right." Ciel and Sebastian were taken by surprise by the girls comfort level. That she would share some of her past with them showed how trusting she was.
"Your mother's house? Were your parents devoiced?" Sebastian asked. The young master looked mildly intrigued, but Sebastian knew he would get bored quickly. Arty hugged her new rabbit tighter as the carriage came to stop.
"No. I am….. I am not a traditional child. I really have no place in the world…." She trailed off, and Sebastian was amazed when he realized that he felt sorry for the poor girl. His eyes scanned back over the backs of her hands, and the marks on them. 'There is more than meets the eye with this girl.' He thought.
"Ciel! Look how cute I made everyone and everything!" Elisabeth cheered from the second floor landing. Ciel turned a shade of green at the sight of his mansion looking the way it did. He turned another shade darker after his caught a glimpse of his servants.
Baldroy was trying to act like he had not just been de-masculinized by a twelve year old girl. He was wearing a blonde wig with long flowing pigtails that stretched a good length down his back. He had been shoved into a nun's habit, although he was missing the shroud for his head. Sebastian could barely see the four inch heels the man had been forced into under the skirt that touched the floor.
Finny had been dressed in a bunny outfit, complete with a large green bow around his neck, and a pair of whiskers attached to his face. Also accompanying the look was a green skirt around the middle of the costume. Mr. Tanaka was dressed in a pink 17th century ball gown, and it looked a little like he was wearing a corset. He also had a wig of red hair that was neatly done up in a tight bun.
Mey-Rin was dressed in a white summer dress with lace around the sleeves collar and hem. The collar was low cut, starting just at the top of her shoulders and v-ing in to the middle of her breast plate. Mey-Rin's hair was undone, and was flowing around her waist. By far, Sebastian considered the maid the best off, as she was the only servant who looked like the gender she was.
"Elisabeth are you sure that this is the proper way for my servants to be dressed?" Ciel asked, trying to broach the topic gently.
"It is if they are coming to the party too!" Lizzie said smiling. "Oh Ciel is this girl the one you are bringing to participate in the party?" She asked, examining Artemis with curious eyes. Besides hugging her bunny a little tighter, and hiding her face behind its top hat, Arty stayed relatively still. "Yay, another person to make cute!" Lizzie exclaimed. She then grabbed hold of the elder girls arm, and began to drag her away. Arty did not protest, she merely followed obediently. Ciel sighed deeply before turning to Sebastian.
"Let us prepare for the party as well." The master told his demon. Sebastian bowed low.
"Yes my Lord."
Just before the first guests arrived, Elizabeth returned to the hall with Artemis and another child in toe. The boy was dressed in a green tuxedo with a couple of dark green accents. He fidgeted endlessly in the cloths, and tried to play with his hair. Elisabeth claimed she had had no time to allow the children baths, so Ciel gave Sebastian an order to bathe Artemis later that night. Artemis looked rather at home in the outfit she wore. Ciel was a little appalled that Elizabeth had found the dress he had used to frame the viscount for the Jack the ripper murders. Elizabeth, who had completely forgotten that she had chased Ciel around a ball in that dress, had forced Artemis into the outfit. Elizabeth had untangled the girls jet black locks, and they now flowed down her back like an ink stain. Elizabeth had found knee high boots to compensate for the absence of length in the skirt of the dress. Arty even wore the long black gloves that Ciel had, though they did look a little tight on the girl.
"Artemis looks so cute in her outfit!" Elizabeth commented. "And Henry looks cute too." Henry scowled at Lizzie with distaste, but said nothing. Artemis looked herself over once, but seemed no more enthusiastic about her situation than Henry. She shot Ciel a look like he had better repay her with more than a stuffed animal for this kind of torture, and Ciel figured he would have to.
"Well then let's get started with the party!" Elizabeth cheered. When all the guests finally arrived, the main hall was crowded. Ciel spent most of his time in the corner, although he did get into a heated conversation with another boy about Lizzie's looks. Artemis also hovered just outside the sphere of social integration, speaking when spoken to but not much else. Sebastian approached her carrying a tray of lemonades that had, thankfully, not been made by Tanaka.
"Care for a drink, my lady?" Sebastian asked. Artemis acknowledged him, but shook her head. "The young miss does know that at parties it is customary to talk to others, yes?" Sebastian prompted. Arty sighed and nodded.
"I have never been one with much to say. I see everything from both sides of the argument, and I am usually influenced by other people's opinions. I cannot break the habit of agreeing with them, so I find it hard to engage in conversation. That does not mean that I am antisocial, it simply means that I have trouble with conversing." She defended. Suddenly the orchestra arrived, and began to play. Plenty of the boys in the room were dragged onto the dance floor and forced to dance. Artemis hung back a little, afraid of making a fool of her-self. Sebastian debated a thought in his head for a couple of minutes, and then decided it would be a good idea.
"My lady, it may be presumptuous of me, but do you know how to dance?" He asked. Artemis blushed a deep red color.
"No. I used to watch the Viennese waltzes with my brother when we would sneak into the castle, but I was never good at picking up on things just by watching. That was onii-san's talent." Artemis looked at her shoes, as if something about them had suddenly become interesting.
"Would you like to learn how, my lady?" He asked her. Artemis brought her gaze up to meet Sebastian, and for a second he almost had the feeling of déjà vie.
"Would that really be proper, Mr. S-Sebastian?" She asked. He found it cute in a childish way that she had stumbled over his name.
"Well seeming as the room is currently occupied mostly by young children; I doubt they will question the gap in social status." Sebastian grinned. 'Anything to get this girl off the wall and earning her keep'he thought. The young girl's eyes returned to the floor.
"I must warn you Mr. Sebastian that I am not a very good dancer." She admitted sheepishly. Sebastian restrained himself from revealing that the young master was no better.
"We can always give it a try." He said instead. Arty nodded, and then straitened her spine. Sebastian set the tray of lemonades down on a nearby table and then gripped her left hand in his. A spark similar to static electricity hit them both and made them let go for a second, before returning to position. Sebastian began to feel her aura as they moved around the dance floor through the throng of young children. She was a trusting soul and very naive at times. She had been broken many times, beaten and bullied and repeatedly demeaned. She had a strong and gentle heart, and Sebastian could see that she would make a great mother some day.
"Die Romantiker, by Joseph Lanner." Artemis commented as they circled the floor. Sebastian was a little surprised.
"You know of such composers, young miss?" He asked. Blushing deeply, Arty focused her gaze on Sebastian's tie knot so as not to look him in the face.
"W-well I... I did mention that my onii-san and I had seen the Viennese Waltzes preformed before. I was interested in music long before I came to England." She said.
"Which parent lives here in England?" Sebastian asked, trying to dig deeper into this girl in order to understand why she was marked so.
"Well, mother lives here, but after four months father moved here too. However father cannot take care of me because he is in prison. Also mother is barely raising four children on her own, so she really does not need a fifth..." Artemis seemed to realize she was babbling on, because she fell silent.
"So you live on the streets by choice?" Sebastian questioned. Artemis caught the skepticism in his voice.
"I learned at a very young age how to take care of myself. Onii-san was always teaching me things that I would need to survive, and he prepared me. I can survive fine on my own." She defended.
"This fantastic Onii-san you speak of. He has not offered to take you in?" Sebastian challenged. Artemis turned her gaze to their clasped hands.
"As I mentioned earlier, I have no idea where Onii-san is. Besides he is working for an important Englishman, and I am sure he has no time to be bothered with me again." Artemis said. Sebastian raised an eyebrow in curiosity.
"Your brother is a demon, yes?" Sebastian questioned. The girls gaze snapped back to him so fast starring right into the depts. of his crimson eyes with suspicion.
"How would you know of such things?" She growled. Sebastian flashed her one of his award winning smiles, but ignored her question.
"May I see that sign on your hand once more when we finish?" He asked politely. Artemis released his hand and turned away from him, heading back to her corner once more. Sebastian followed her, expecting her to dismiss him without answering his request. Just as they were passing by the last of the guests shying from the dance floor, Artemis turned on her heel and faced the butler, forcing him to stop mid stride. Unlike most humans, however, Sebastian kept his balance and was able to keep from running in to her easily.
"If I am to show you this symbol then you must show me yours." Arty demanded. Sebastian pretended to think about it for a minute. He was supposed to hide that he was a demon after all, but once he had begun questioning her he was sure she had guessed as to what type of being he was. There were few beings outside of demons that truly understood the properties of a demon contract, especially humans.
"Very well." He said. Artemis kept her eyes on the demon the entire time while she removed the glove covering her right hand. She held her hand out in the air as a lady of high society might if she was insinuating that someone should kiss the back of her hand. Sebastian supported her fingers gently, raising her arm a little higher to examine the markings on her skin. He ran his thumb lightly across the mark to make sure it was not a fake seal, and it lit for a couple of seconds with a faint purple light. Sebastian pressed his lips to her knuckles before releasing her hand and allowing her to cover her it once more. Then he retrieved the tray he had set down and began to walk away.
"Wait, you said you would show me yours!" She reminded. Sebastian bowed slightly at the waist.
"Unfortunately, young miss, you did not specify when I had to show you the symbol I have, and I have realized that I have been neglecting my duties. I must return to work for now. Maybe when my work is over..." Sebastian replied. He then walked off; feeling the daggers the little half demon was glaring into the back of his head.
The party was in full swing, when the loud sound of glass being broken shattered the peace. Through the windows, four men in all black entered the mansion, guns drawn. Immediately they began yelling and screaming at the children to get down on the floor. All the kids obeyed the raging adult's orders, frightened nearly to death. Only Ciel, Artemis, and Sebastian remained standing. From the stairs, Sebastian could hear Baldroy instructing the others to head for their battle positions to check for other intruders.
"Nobody move, and no one will get hurt. We are only here for the Phantomhive brat." One of the men growled. He was obviously the leader, because none of the other intruders were speaking, except for the occasional "shut up."
"Hey you two there. Hand the kid over, and we won't make you into Swiss cheese." The leader threatened.
"Three thugs and one boss." Arty counted, looking around her at the kids on the floor. "If they didn't have guns..." She trailed off. Suddenly a shot rang out, and the nearest thug screamed in pain as his gun toppled to the floor. Everyone looked to the second floor landing, where Baldroy was already cocking his rifle for another shot. The three remaining intruders all turned to face the chef, guns raised, when Arty whistled. Several children dove at the leader, dragging him to the floor and wrestling the gun from his hand. In the confusion Baldroy was able to take out another thug, and Sebastian disarmed the last thug with a deft strike to a pressure point in the shoulder.*
"My apologies but it is very rude to intrude on a party that one was not invited to." Sebastian commented. All the kids marveled at the servants as they tied all four thugs up. Artemis approached the several boys who had attacked the leader.
"Is everyone okay?" She asked. They all nodded, and gave her thumbs up in reply. "Well that is one way to end a party." She observed, turning to Sebastian.
"That was a great party!" Elisabeth commented for the hundredth time over dinner. All the other children had returned home with their orphaned accomplices, afraid of any other unexpected attacks. Artemis sat opposite of the blonde child, trying to eat slowly so that it did not appear that she was starving.
"Do not be afraid to ask for more." Sebastian informed her. "There is plenty left over, as I was planning for the entire party to stay." Finny had already eaten several bowls himself, sitting next to Artemis at the table along with the other servants, who had all returned to their normal attire.
"So you control a small group of kids on the streets?" Ciel asked Artemis. The girl nodded.
"I decided that the children needed someone to look after them. Who better than other kids. One is safer in groups, yes." Arty reasoned. "Therefore I gathered some of the older kids together, and set them up on the street corners to keep an eye out for bad guys. They each have a scout runner, someone younger who is a fast runner, so that they can communicate if they need help. It has also solved a problem with violence, as the kids are a little afraid of my squad, so they don't steal or vandalize like they used to. It works out nicely for everyone." Artemis had finished her bowl of soup with just a little left in it.
"Was it not good enough?" Sebastian asked, pretending to be hurt.
"No. It was good. Just not as good as Onii-san's." Arty said, trying to rile the butler. He ignored the comment, reaching for the bowl, when she knocked it over right over his hand. The thick soup covered his glove, soaking into the fabric. Sebastian caught the bowl, but had to allow the soup to spill in order to remain in secret. However, Arty's intention was clear. With his gloves ruined, Sebastian would have to take his gloves off.
"I'm so sorry!" Artemis apologized, a slight sneer on her face. Sebastian smiled brightly at her.
"It is alright miss. I will just have to use my cooking gloves." He said, returning to the cart and quickly exchanging gloves before serving desert. Artemis glared at the demon butler as he walked around the table serving cookies.
"Sebastian makes the best desserts!" Lizzie sang. Ciel nodded in agreement as he picked up his cookie. Artemis stared at her plate for a couple minutes before breaking the cookie up and taking a small bite. She then tried to slide the rest of the cookie under the table.
"Are you trying to sneak a piece to onii up in your room?" Sebastian whispered in her ear, making her squeak and nearly drop it on the floor too. "You are quite clumsy, young miss." He teased. Arty growled in reply and looked like she wanted to clobber him.
"No. That's not what I was doing at all. Stuffed animals don't eat cookies." She informed him. Sebastian tilted his head to the side.
"Then who were you going to sneak the cookie to?" He asked. Artemis dropped her eyes to the plate in front of her.
"I-I... um..." She stumbled. Sebastian shook his head.
"If you wish to share the cookies then I can pack the extras in a box for you tomorrow morning and you can share them with your friends." Sebastian suggested. "We will have extras anyway, and it would be a shame to let them go to waste." Artemis looked up at him hopefully for a second before she became suspicious.
"At what cost?" She asked. For someone so trusting with information, she really did not trust any sort of charity.
"Well I was going to give them to the young miss for free, however if you wish to pay a price for them then I am sure there is something I can find for you to do around this house." Sebastian suggested. Artemis backtracked quickly.
"No, no, no. I did not mean to question your charity Mr. Sebastian. I just don't...trust gifts." Artemis looked a little uncomfortable. "I have had bad experiences with them." Ciel suddenly pushed himself from the table.
"I have had enough socializing. Sebastian accompany me to my room." Ciel turned to Artemis. "Sebastian will help me get ready for bed, and then be in to assist you."
"I appreciate your concern, however Earl Phantomhive, I think I can manage on my own." Artemis was interrupted by Ciel raising his hand in a stop signal.
"Nonsense. Without hospitality the Phantomhive name would be diminished. If I let an orphaned charge out of my care without providing the proper amenities then I would be dishonoring the Queen. Sebastian will be down soon. Until then Mr. Tanaka will guide you to your room, and Mey-Rin will help you remove that dress." With that Ciel turned on his heel and left the room, giving Arty no chance to argue.
"Does the young master really plan to be so generous to all of the charges he takes on?" Sebastian questioned. Ciel tisked.
"Idiot. Having you help her will give you a chance to examine her and test her authenticity." Ciel reasoned.
"She really is divided between the two houses. She is part angel and part devil. A perfect division of light and dark." Sebastian assured. Ciel flashed his butler a look.
"How can you be so sure?" Ciel asked. He believed Sebastian; the demon never lied to him. What he wanted to know was how Sebastian had come to that conclusion.
"I am sure." Sebastian reassured. Ciel tisked again.
"Very well. Still I gave my word, and must keep it. Do not defile the Phantomehive name." Ciel ordered.
"Yes my Lord."
By the time Sebastian made it down to Arty's room, Mey-Rin had helped the half demon out of her party attire and into a robe, and they were washing the makeup off her face. Sebastian knocked while walking in, and then nodded to the ladies before heading to the bathroom to start the water. When the water was at the right temperature, her returned to the main room. Artemis was sitting on the bed conversing with Mey-Rin about him. He softly heard his name whispered before he interrupted.
"The water is ready." The butler announced. Mey-Rin almost fell off the bed in surprise, and Arty laughed playfully.
"Seriously Sebastian you do not have to help me." Artemis said, but Sebastian stopped her.
"My master gave me an order." He said. Artemis sighed, but nodded. She understood the binds of a demon contract. As she walked toward the bathroom Mey-Rin began to leave when Sebastian stopped her.
"If you could stay please, Mey-Rin. I will need some help." Sebastian said. Mey-Rin gave the butler a quizzical look, but agreed. Artemis was already in the bathtub, and was washing her body. Sebastian gripped the shampoo bottle and began to tackle her long black hair. Mey-Rin stood at the ready in the corner. About twenty minutes later the water was turning cold and they were just finishing. Mey-Rin handed the younger girl a towel, and once she was dry the maid handed her the robe.
"Mey-Rin could you please brush her hair while I prepare something?" Both ladies gave him a questioning look as they returned to the bedroom. When Sebastian was finished, Mey-Rin was absorbed in another conversation with Artemis about how she should brush her hair 100 times a day in order to make it soft. The half demon did not seem to be paying attention, her eyes closed and her head nodding softly down to her chest.
"Young miss, would you please stay awake a little longer? We are not quite finished yet." Sebastian said placing a hand on her shoulder. Arty snapped out of her trance and fixed Sebastian with a questioning look. Then she looked back at Mey-Rin and returned her gaze to the butler. Sebastian also looked at the maid across from him.
"Mey-Rin there is something I wish for you to keep a secret, if you can." Sebastian said. He could tell the maids mind was floating down the drain to the gutter by the way her eyes widened. "Miss Artemis, if you would please." Artemis watched Sebastian; unsure as she sat down on the chair, leaning forward on the edge. Then with a slight exhale of breath, two large wings sprouted from her back. They were odd in their appearance, beside the fact that the left one was white and the right one was black. Upon closer examination the wings looked tattered and dirty, as if a bird had been caught in a fire pit fluke for a couple of hours. Sebastian tisked.
"Seriously Artemis, your wings are a representation of your health. If you wish to stay healthy, proper wing maintenance is vital." Sebastian scolded. Artemis grumbled something under her breath, but Sebastian ignored it. Mey-Rin took another moment before she finally found her voice.
"Are you an angel?" the maid asked. A tired smile passed over Arty's features as she sat back in the chair.
"If only it were that simple." She sighed.
"Mey-Rin if you could clean the one wing, we could finish this a little faster." Sebastian pointed out. Mey-Rin nodded, but did not move immediately. She was still marveling at the sight in front of her. "Mey-Rin, please." Sebastian reminded the maid of her duties. Then he showed her how to wash the wings so that she would not damage them. It took the maid a couple of tries to get it right, but soon she was hard at work straitening the feathers that had been bent out of shape.
"Mr. Sebastian?" Mey-Rin questioned mid way through the process. "How did you know that Artemis was an angel?" Artemis rolled her eyes once before covering for him.
"I am not an angel. I am a half breed. I belong to no race. And Mr. Sebastian knew because I asked him to help me earlier." Artemis covered well. Sebastian was a little perturbed though that she had answered for him. Ever so gently he found a particular place on the wing he was cleaning and with a simple movement of his wrist caused the girl to gasp and then bite her lower lip. Mey-Rin looked at Sebastian questioningly.
"I have heard that there are specific places on bird's wings that can stimulate the nerves in a bird's brain. I wonder if they work on beings such as this." He said slyly. With another movement he traced down a particular line on the spine of the wing, and Arty nearly moaned again, her body twitching. The girl growled, and her right hand shot out to hit Sebastian, but he simply slid his finger between two feathers and the feeling that shot up her spine broke all her concentration. Sebastian smiled gleefully at driving the half demon nuts. Artemis tried to control her breathing as she glared at the man kneeling next to her. Then in a quick movement she wacked him in the head with the elbow of her wing. Not that it hurt the demon any, he barely felt it. Sebastian rose to his feet, walking around behind her. Artemis tried to follow him, but stopped before whacking Mey-Rin in the face.
"So you like it rough?" Sebastian questioned as he ran a slender finger along the joint where her wing met her shoulder blades. This time Arty did let out a moan, shutting her eyes tight and curling in on herself. Sebastian smiled as he watched the girl struggle under the emotions that assaulted her body. Without warning Sebastian stopped, coming back around and picking up the bucket he had been using to wash her feathers with.
"When you are done Mey-Rin, let me know and I shall empty your pail as well." He said. Artemis growled at the man as he walked out of the room. Then very softly he heard her speak.
"Baka no onii-san." She whispered.
As Sebastian was just getting ready to lay on his bed and fake sleep, he noticed Arty's rabbit sitting on his bed. Immediately he became suspicious. 'How did that get here?' He asked himself. Gently he picked the rabbit up to examine, when a thin pair of arms enveloped his neck from behind. They did not surprise Sebastian in the slightest.
"Jerk. Why didn't you tell me it was you?" Artemis asked. Sebastian smirked.
"Where is the fun in that imoto-san?" He questioned. Artemis let go and slid to the floor. Sebastian turned around to face his little half sister. "Are you here because you are going to have trouble sleeping?"Artemis did not reply, and tried to become interested in the floor. Sebastian shook his head, but kept his smile. He then handed the stuffed animal to his imoto-san. "Come on." He said, sitting down at the head of the bed. Arty sat down in front of him and lay back on his chest. Sebastian situated himself so that he would be comfortable, and then Artemis curled up in his lap. Within minutes she was asleep, tightly clutching her new toy. Sebastian gently stroked her head and relaxed into his meditative state, extending his senses out into the mansion to keep an eye on things.
The next morning Artemis awoke alone in her brother's room. The sun was drifting into the room from the one window on the side wall. Arty could feel the kink in her neck that she had grown up with from all those nights sleeping in her brothers arms, trusting him to protect her from all the bad things. Now she had grown up a little, but it still felt good to be able to trust her brother to keep her safe. Artemis wandered back to her room, where she found her street cloths washed and pressed. She smiled. This boy must have been really lazy and useless if he had made such a busy bee out of her onii-san. After she was dressed Arty found her way down to the kitchen. Sebastian was there with Baldroy cooking breakfast. Arty slipped in and stood next to the stove, watching her brother stir eggs in a large pan.
"Good morning, Artemis." Sebastian said. Artemis grunted. No words were needed. Arty just was not a morning person. "I have made a little extra if you wish to wait." Her brother explained. "Also the bag next to the door is the extra bag of cookies for the other children." Arty grunted again. She waited patiently until he had finished cooking the eggs and had them on a plate before rapping her arms around his waist.
"Thank you onii-san." She said simply. Then she headed for the door.
"Artemis you really should eat breakfast. It is the most important meal of the day." Sebastian reminded her. Artemis did not even stop as she picked up the bag of cookies on the counter.
"I will." She replied over her shoulder. Sebastian sighed.
"That is not breakfast." Sebastian said in a leveled tone. Artemis turned around to flash him a large grin.
"So?" she asked. "Bye onii-san." She waved, and disappeared out the door.
"Bye imoto-san." Sebastian said after her.
Okay, so yeah that's been floating in my head for a while and I wanted to get it on paper. If you don't like it please no flames, but I will take a little constructive criticism. And to address this before I get like nine million letters on this: yes I know Artemis is in my user name. I didn't know that my user name would be what everyone see's instead of my pen name. If I had known that I would use my pen name instead. And yes I have had trouble with Arty being called a Mary sue. That might be true. I was really trying, but hell if she still is then I guess I just failed this time. I'll try harder next time. Anyway hope you enjoyed.
*(the brachial plexus origin for those of you who know this kind of stuff.)