Step. Splash. The sounds of my pursuers grow distant as I speed away, into a dark alley in the East End. A stray brick trips me and I am sprawled on the muddy, rain soaked, ground, in a sort of starfish-style. Well, at least I'm far away from them, but it would be much better if I hadn't scraped my knee to the point of bleeding. As I make my way around an acquainted alley, I find my little home. Home not-so-sweet home. James, who is still guarding, looks at me questioningly, but makes no sound. Pulling my newly-stolen roll of gauze out of my inside out jacket's pocket, I rip a small piece off and wrap it around my slender knee. Underneath a ragged tarp, I curl up next to our storage area on an old cushion. The storage is just a pile of stolen items underneath a large piece of cloth. I place the roll underneath the rag as the first raindrop hits my face. A big, fat raindrop that came through one of the big holes in our 'roof'. I sit under a patch without a hole and try to stay awake.
Daytime. I must have fallen asleep on my impromptu vigil because my lids flicked open sleepily and I wake to see a familiar freckled face bordered with sandy blond hair smiling down at me. Even though we are both teenagers now, I can still see signs of childhood on his smiling face. While grinning like the Cheshire and staring down on me with his ocean eyes, he says, "Come on now, sleepy cat Volaria Atkins, brush the Afro out of your hair and now it's your shift." Yawning simultaneously, he goes out to get, uh, stuff and I go brush my hair while hiding behind the pile waiting for the first thief.
—Sebastian's POV—
Reciting the list of my tasks in the early morning, I did them as I named them. I came to the young master's bedroom door, pushing his breakfast before me. I opened the door to find Young Master sitting up in bed. "For breakfast there is poached salmon and mint salad. For a side, there is pancakes, a scone, and toast. Which would you like?" I asked, knowing full well that he would pick the scone. Young master scowled at me and said, "The scone." As I poured the tea, he said, "That aroma. . . Is it Earl Grey today?" I nodded and he took a sip from the Royal Doulton teacup. I helped him dress, and he said, "Today's plans?" Tying a bow onto his collar, I grinned and said, "After breakfast, you have dancing lessons. Then, the Queen would like to have tea with you-" I said. I would have continued but the young master cut me off by asking, "What? Is it a new case? Everything seems peaceful right now." I shook my head. "No. I think she just wants her dog to go fetch." I said. I slipped an envelope out of my pocket and handed it to him. Opening it, he read it quickly and sighed. "I don't think this is anything major," he declared.
—Volaria's POV—
By the time a thief decided to venture in, I had combed all the tangles out except one. With my fingers. The thief came in at a convenient moment, when my finger-comb was stuck in a tangle, but he sure was a crappy thief. A little brown-haired kid grabbed a pillow, my pillow, and looked around apprehensively. Quickly untangling my fingers from my hair, I jumped out and gave a mighty 'ROOAWRGHHH!' and the kid ran away in tears, presumably from fright. James came back, holding a loaf of bread that barely stuck out of his jacket. Panting like a dog, he asked, "What – pant – happened - pant -?" I looked at him quizzically and said, "I scared off a thief. That's all." He sighed and said, "I'm tired." Hitting the, uh, cotton, he fell asleep quickly and I smiled. Sleeping right after breakfast. Night owl.
—Sebastian's POV—
Diving a carriage is utterly boring. Especially if you are going to a place you go routinely. Arriving at the palace, I put on my usual smile and opened the door for Young Master. As I walked up the stairs, a young white-haired man holding a rapier glared at me. I could tell that he had a fiery tamper and a short fuse based on the smell of his soul. Unknowingly, I began walking slower than I was before. I was about three quarters up the stairs when the young master, at the top, glared and said, "Hurry up!" Smiling again, I replied, "Yes milord."
The Queen was an aged woman in a dress that would be considered beautiful by many humans, but I regarded it with distaste. Sitting at a small table with two little chairs, she smiled kindly. "Please sit, Ciel," she said. I narrowed my eyes at her, recognizing that her kind tone and smile were slightly forced, and that she had something pressing in her mind. Still with her kind tone, she said, "I have a little task for you." Young Master raised his eyebrows a little bit and sat down. Continuing, "My friend, Carmillia Atkins, died about ten years ago. I recently found out that she had a child, Volaria Atkins, who is currently living on the streets in the East End. I am afraid for her safety, so I would like you to take care of her for me." She finished, and smiled at the young master. He thought for a bit, then said, "Will that be all?" Smiling, she replied, "Yes, that will be all, Ciel."
By the time we got home, the three servants had wreaked havoc more than I thought was possible. Bardroy had blown up the kitchen, along with a big section of the hallway near the kitchen door. Mey-rin had broken plenty of plates, along with flooding the laundry room and another hallway with bubbles. Finnian had killed the garden and destroyed a few dead tree trunks. Young Master sighed and shook his head and said, "After lunch, clean up the three's mistakes and look for Miss Atkins." I smiled my only true smile, a sadistic one, and replied, "Yes, my lord."
After serving lunch, it was almost one o'clock. I cleaned up their mistakes in about half an hour. I checked my watch. 1:45 PM. Walking up to the dining room, I noticed that Young Master was finished. I cleaned up after him and cleaned up the kitchen. It took me about five minutes. 1:50 PM. I went upstairs to the young master's study. Knocking on the door, I waited. He said, "Come in." I walked in and he looked at me strangely. "Aren't you going to look for Volaria Atkins?" I smiled. "How would I find someone based on their name and gender? I would like to know about Carmillia Atkins. I would make my search much faster." He scowled and said, "Fine. She was very proper woman. She was also obedient, marrying the person her father told her to marry. After her child was old enough to talk, she constantly complained about her daughter being very naughty and sassy. Is that enough information?" I smiled. "Of course, my lord. This makes it much easier to find her soul." He scowled at me and said, "Go find Volaria Atkins."
I walked out of the study. I checked my watch again. 2:45 PM "Oh dear. It seems I took too much time thinking about her soul. I will be looking until dinner." I walked to the three servants. "Keep out of trouble", I said, smiling sadistically. I walked out of the door.
I traveled to the East End. 2:50 PM. I scanned the whole area from a rooftop. 3:20 PM. I jumped down and found a boy, approximately sixteen years of age. He carried the scent of a spirited young woman of about the same age on his soul. He has probably lived with her for a while, so they treat each other as brother and sister.
I jumped down. Hearing a slight noise, he turned around. Seeing me behind him when he was sure he was alone, he gasped. "Wh-who are you?" I smiled. I said, "I am looking for Volaria Atkins. Do you know where she is?" He backed away and asked, "What do you want with Volaria?" Still smiling, I said, "So you do know where she is. Where is she?" He stepped back, scared, and said, "N-no. I'm not telling you." I smiled. Impaling him with my hand, I set up a trap to finish my task.
—Volaria's POV—
Nighttime. Jeez, that guy has issues. Why hasn't he come back yet? It is freaking night, and I have been doing overtime for, like, fifty billion years. Well, not really, more like two hours, but still! That's really long for someone like him. Going out to find him, I found footmarks. Strange ones. They were made by dress shoes, and no one, I repeat no one here wears dress shoes. It would be as likely as hedgehogs sprouting wings and flying onto the top of the city hall. As I walked down the alley, not looking where I was going, I crashed into something wet. And warm. I stepped back, smelling a familiar metallic scent. I looked up to find James, hanging in midair. My mouth opened in a silent scream. I pulled him down and saw that he was impaled by something. It seemed to be wrapped with, uh, cloth? I found a tiny bit of cloth in his wound. Fine cloth, like it was from aristocratic clothing. A deep voice sounded behind me. "Oh dear. I seems that I have gotten my gloves dirty." I spun around on my heels and saw someone behind me. A creepy someone. He was wearing a normal butler's attire, but his gloves were bloody. He had long-ish black hair that would have been fun to pull, but he had really creepy red eyes. Besides, he was too tall. Not waiting for anymore words, I released James, ducked underneath him and ran off into the night. I know that is, like, really overused, but that's all I can think of. I'm not trying to brag, but I am a pretty fast runner. So that's why I screamed 'monster' at the top of my lungs when I nearly crashed into him, running full speed ahead. The night seemed so long, but I returned home running as quickly as I could. I could hear him walking in front of my shelter. "My, my. What a naughty girl," said he, as in Mr. Freaky Non-human Thing. A gloved hand wrapped around my nose and mouth, and I fell asleep.