The teacup dropped and a bullet hole landed right next to the thirteen-year-olds head. It stained a deep and dark puncture into the wall behind him, and the boy tch'ed in disgust at the smoke spilling out of the wound in the wall, thinking to himself how much the cost would be in the end to clean up the mess.
"What a waste," Ciel muttered in disgust.
"Are you okay, my lord?" Sebastian bowed down to his master.
"Far from it," Ciel darkly muttered, "far from it."
"If you do not mind, there is a letter for you, young master," Sebastian bowed down once more and produced an envelope to his master.
Ciel took it and ripped the elegant envelope and skimmed the contents.
"Tch," he muttered in annoyance.
"What is the matter, young master?" Sebastian smirked, highly amused.
"I think I know who shot the bullet," Ciel waved the envelope, "But we have to attend a masquerade ball in order to find out."
"Who do you think it is?" Sebastian asked in amusement.
"Someone by the name of Kuonji. He refers himself to as the ESP," Ciel shook his hand, "His body is weak from creating too many 'alice stones' and now he has the body of a child."
"Alice stones?"
"Stones that have a certain power encased in them. It takes a lot of energy to make it and a lot of energy and concentration to bring it out and use it. Apparently the size and color and deepness of the color depends to how much power is taken out," Ciel muttered in disgust.
"Why are we supposed to catch him?" Sebastian raised an eyebrow.
"Apparently he is evil."
"How?"
"He has been using the stealing power to take powers away from people with this kind of supernatural power," Ciel tsk'ed in disgust, "And to make it worse, he created clone bodyguards."
"Bodyguards? I can take care of them."
"Not easy to do."
"Why ever not, young master?" Sebastian asked.
"The only way to kill them as stated by the Queen, is to steal the stone in them," Ciel murmured, "Which we do not have the power to do so."
"Now, young master, if we can't kill them doesn't mean we can't harm them, can we?" Sebastian asked.
"Good point," Ciel sighed while sipping another sip of his Earl Gray Tea.
Taking down his eye patch he glowered, "You will hold down the guards while I try to murder the intruder."
"Yes, young master, as you wish."
"No backing out of the plan."
"Who said I wanted to forfeit? This will be a lot of fun," Sebastian smirked as his normally crimson eyes glint a bright pink for a fraction of a section.
Ciel didn't say anything else, but just continued to glare at the letter. His hand on the nearby gun tightened.
"Just you wait, Kuonji…"
"I am going to kill you."
oOo
"Which mask are you going to choose, Young Master? What about Lady Elizabeth?" Sebastian smirked as the young boy looked at the wide array of masks in front of him.
"This is a mission, not a fun party. Nothing is fun anymore," Ciel glared.
"But what about that fiancé?" Sebastian smirked at his master once more.
"She was annoying. I tried to drill it in her head the only way I would love her is family but she would not stop to make the fragile relationship into something as forced as Romeo and Juliet. It was only a matter of time I had to tell her the truth," Ciel sighed, "She is better off."
"Harsh thing of you to do, you know," Sebastian shook his head but his face held no emotions. It was, however, capable of breaking out into a smirk any given moment.
"What are you to order me around?" Ciel glared, "Just choose a goddamned mask. It is a mission, not a party for me."
"Always so serious," Sebastian shook his head once more before choosing a simple black mask with a few sapphires, to represent his master.
oOo
The party was lavish and pretty and beautiful beyond words. It was inexplicably superior to any formal balls Ciel had been to, he had to admit.
He huffed in annoyance before sliding the gun down his coat and putting the mask on, keen on finding a midget who had the brain of an adult. An ironic description, really. This…enemy…is a lot like him.
"Ironic isn't it?"
Ciel snapped his head towards his butler as they went into the ballroom.
"What in the seven hells do you mean by?"
"He is short and small. Just like you. He has the brain of an adult. Just like you. And he isn't to be misinterpreted as completely 'innocent'."
Ciel's heart dropped.
"Just like you," Sebastian smirked before adding, "My lord."
"A-Are you implying something? Are you trying to back out of the mission given to us by the Queen?" Ciel glared at his aloof butler, who merely checked his hands like a graceful lady, sickening him to the core. It seemed like a ladylike gesture to most of the girls in England.
"No, I am just thinking."
"Of what? Because if it has no importance, then we must commerce with the mission."
"No, of no importance."
"Then let's get this over with."
Ciel walked in with his butler, who miraculously remembered his own mask, bothering the thirteen-year-old much less. He didn't have any time for this. Being an order from the queen he had to make sure he had to bring them out, and Sebastian should just be there to aid him in any way he can.
If Sebastian can't help him, then the contract is useless, as Sebastian will be devouring his soul in the end, right?
Ciel went in the ballroom and felt someone's lingering gaze on him. When he looked up, he saw his ex-fiancé looking at him through a huge white mask with pink feathers and semi-precious pink stones. Elizabeth hadn't gotten over their engagement break-up from a month ago and it seems she is feeling stubborn about letting go, because her eyes were teary.
He sighed and glared back. She wouldn't understand that he would never love her romantically. He knew he would never live to the marriage day but he felt her possessiveness overwhelming.
When she looked away and cried in the arms of another rich girl she must have befriended because the girl was wealthy, Ciel scowled and went towards the nearest refreshment table. He wasn't there to make amends with the silly girl. He was here to murder someone.
"You seem awfully uptight today."
Ciel turned around to see a man, at a child's height. The 'boy' wore a black mask and a suit. Not even having his picture was necessary. The voice, the features, and body frame was of a child's. But the mind, the words spoken and the tone seemed malicious, like an evil adult.
"Are you Kuonji?" Ciel asked, putting his refreshment down.
"So you heard a lot about me, didn't you?" the 'boy' chuckled.
You have no idea.
"I just heard some excited rumors you were going to attend to tonight's ball," Ciel lied, "I thought someone so well-praised is someone who I should meet."
The man seemed flattered by the lie, at least. When Kuonji smirked he said, "Don't play dumb with me. I know you have secondary reasons for being so…what should I call this word…enthusiastic? No that is too cheerful. Let's say…desperate."
Ciel scowled, "I am far from desperate."
"Oh, what is that? A letter from the Queen? Are you one of her watchdogs that she has a collar on?" Kuonji smirked behind his mask.
"What the hell do you mean about a f*cking collar?" Ciel drawled in a dark tone.
"Language, boy, language," Kuonji smirked.
"Yeah, well aren't you a hypocrite? You are shorter than me," Ciel glared, "In my view you look like a ten year old."
Kuonji glared back and said, "You definitely got some word about me, didn't you? Give me that letter."
"No."
"I want it now!"
"Sebastian! Burn this letter!"
Sebastian came from behind Ciel and said, "Yes, my lord."
Sebastian promptly plucked the letter and burnt it right in front of Kuonji's eyes.
"I guess I am found out," Kuonji glared, and then snickered.
Ciel narrowed his eyes and said, "What's so funny, son of a b*tch?"
"Catch me if you can," Kuonji smirked and said, "Azumi Yuka was such a powerful pawn, pity she is dead. But I am stronger now because of her."
Ciel's eyes widened at the unknown name. Azumi Yuka? Did she have powers too? But by the time he could process all of that, Kuonji and his bodyguards had magically disappeared in front of his eyes, a power he officially named 'Teleportation' in his mind, mentally.
"Look, my lord," Sebastian pointed at the ground, making Ciel scoff. Was the ground scorched?
But when he did exactly as his butler asked, his eyes widened when a paper note lay once where Kuonji and his bodyguards were.
He stooped down and opened the paper note, and read, eyes widening at the note.
Dear midget,
Catch me if you can. I will be somewhere near the palace of the Queen.
From,
Kuonji, AKA: ESP
"What the hell is ESP?" Ciel's eyebrows furrowed together as he scanned the note for possible clues.
"Elementary School Principal," Sebastian answered smoothly, his face blank, "But I do not decipher the significance of the abbreviation as an addition."
"It makes sense," Ciel's eyes widened.
"How?"
"When you are a school principal you have direct access to the school's students. Which means he can easily take advantage of them, and cause more havoc," Ciel slapped his forehead and started to hurry out the door.
"Where are you going? The masquerade ball is not over yet," Sebastian followed his master nonetheless.
"We didn't come for the party," Ciel scowled, "We came to get a mission done."
"Yes, my lord," Sebastian smirked once more, irking the navy haired teen once more.
"You really should wipe that smirk off your face," Ciel grumbled.
oOo
The two searched the outside premises of the palace, since they knew that the guards would immediately kick Kuonji out if he teleported in one of the rooms of the palace.
They searched the grounds before they heard voices yelling. The butler and the master looked at each other with an affirmed nod, they jumped in the bushes.
"Hey, come on! That watchdog might get us if we don't leave!" a guy with a mask on his face yelled at some distant point.
Ciel's eyes narrowed as he whispered, "Why does he have a mask on his face? This doesn't look like a masquerade mask."
"That is because the man is Kuonji's bodyguard. One of the workers of his clones," Sebastian whispered smoothly.
"I thought the clones were his bodyguards," Ciel whispered.
"They are. But think of that man as the bodyguard of his bodyguard. Infamously known as the Fuukitai," Sebastian said.
"What the hell?" Ciel rolled his eyes and fingered the gun in his coat.
"Student police. In a school in Japan, they are to make sure the students don't rebel for some reason," Sebastian informed.
"How did you know that?" Ciel asked in surprise.
"I have my sources. Look. That is one of his main clones, Zero. Or infamously known as Z," Sebastian pointed to an older man with slightly longer black hair, tall and slender in nothing but T-shirt, pants and high boots.
"What kind of apparel are they wearing? Disgraceful," Ciel blanched.
"Indeed," Sebastian nodded.
Kuonji gave a wide grin, and hugged the man for a quick time, startling Ciel greatly.
"Welcome, Z, my other self," Kuonji released the tall man from his hug.
"What the seven hells…" Ciel was too startled to process the information.
"Z is one of the descendants of Kuonji's original clone. Z and Kuonji will only work together for one thing: power. Attaining the goal means they must get along with each other. But when the time comes, they will definitely plot against each other. Think of it as a huge mafia situation," Sebastian's lips formed a thin line.
"Well? Have you found her?" Kuonji expectantly asked Z.
"No. I think she has developed in her disguise well."
"Damn that Yukihira."
"Yukihira?" Ciel asked Sebastian.
"Yuka's daughter. After her for some reason. That is her surname," Sebastian coldly looked at the scene.
"The hell with all these surnames and such," Ciel muttered.
"It all plays a role. Be patient," Sebastian chided his master.
"Urgh, if she isn't here, where could she be? You told me two days ago she would be attending the ball today!" Kuonji grabbed his hair, and his sudden change of character startled Ciel. To think that Kuonji was a calm and collected person who smirks and sneers rather than smiles is just repulsive.
"I couldn't recognize her. Should we leave?" Z asked.
"We should," Kuonji said, a finality in his voice.
Ciel knew he had to step in here, or else god knows where Kuonji could go.
"This is your chance, young master. Go," Sebastian had his red eyes trained on the shorty, "I will follow right after you."
Ciel nodded and stepped out.
"Freeze."
Clink!
A gun got a nice spot on the side of Kuonji's head. Kuonji smirked.
"Ah, this is the end for me, isn't it?" Kuonji simpered, flaring Ciel's patience.
"You shut up. You have committed enough crimes. Queen's orders, actually," Ciel glared.
"Ah so I was right, wasn't I? You really are on a leash. And here you are, having an internal debate whether you should just pull the trigger or not. You're too weak," Kuonji simpered, "You can't do it."
Ciel lost his patience.
"SHUT UP!" he screamed, and his fingers accidentally pulled the trigger and the bullet tore past the lips of the gun and lodged right into his head.
Bang!
Kuonji fell, smirking all the way. The fact that the short person smirked to his death irked Ciel inside. Had he been shot in the head, he would probably curse until his last breath. Even the thought of joining his mother and father wouldn't surface to his mind. The only bitter thought of not being able to carry out the Queen's orders would surface.
Resent and hatred would just lace in his mind until he breathed his last.
But not Kuonji.
"You…stupid…fool…" Kuonji breathed out.
"What the hell did you say?" Ciel glared.
"I said you are stupid," Kuonji glared, "I was perfect for you to capture, you hare-brain."
Out of his corner, he saw Z and the rest of the bodyguards with AAO on their armbands run to the carriages and drive off.
Color drained out of his face. Oh no…
"Exactly. You screwed it up. It is true that I am the original creator of clones. But," Kuonji smirked.
Ciel didn't want to hear it.
"Shut up."
"You could have gotten the information out of me, stupid Earl," Kuonji smirked.
"Shut up."
"And this is all your fault."
"Shut up!"
"And because of your foolishness and pulling the trigger, now my organization can continue. My clones can reproduce and now I am invincible," Kuonji smirked as he faded away, all essence of his life seeping out.
"SHUT THE HELL UP!"
"Young master!"
Ciel uncovered his eyes, and saw he was on his knees, bawling his eyes out, through his mask.
It started raining and Sebastian started yelling about he might catch a cold, but Ciel didn't listen. His eyes, or rather, eye, was fixed onto the droplets raining down.
Was it his imagination, or was it raining blood?
Ciel smirked. It was the start of insanity.
And darkness.