Salutations!

Kohai reporting in with chapter one of We're All Mad Here. In this chapter we will mostly be focusing on Ciel, Alois, and Ebony. Claude and Sebastian make an appearance as well.


Chapter One

Silver, Gold, and Ebony

"But life inevitably throws us curve balls, unexpected circumstances that remind us to expect the unexpected. I've come to understand these curve balls are the beautiful unfolding of both karma and current."

~ Carre Otis

Rain poured down endlessly, pounding on the rooftops and turning the dirt roads into vast lakes of muddy water. Darks, grey clouds blanketed the sky, not letting a single ray of sun pass through. The atmosphere was heavy and everything was bleak, grey, and dreary. The only thing that would drown out the ominous sounds of the wind rustling the tree leaves was the loud crack of thunder in the distance.

Ebony Rose was just unfortunate enough to get stuck outside on this horrid day. Her usually wavy dark chestnut colored hair was now plastered to her face and had seemed to become fond of obscuring her vision. Her black, knee length dress was drenched and clinging to her small frame. The only thing protecting her feet from the icy cold puddles were her knee high boots.

She kept her head down and wrapped her arms around her body - like that would keep her warm - as she ran along the muddy road. Why had she ignored that lady on the docks who had warned her about a storm? Oh right, she was just trying to avoid the job Ciel had for her. Heh. Hey! Everyone deserved a break every now and then! Besides, she had heard rumors of a manor out here full of things just asking to be taken. If she had heard correctly a boy no older than fourteen lived there alone with his servants. This was going to almost be too easy.

How far out was this place though? She hoped it was worth all this trouble.

There it was! Through the heavy rain she could see a faint light in the distance. She had no doubt that was the place she was looking for. She'd just do a little "shopping" and be on her way back to Ciel, surely he'd understand the reason for her delay. Wasting no time she sped up her pace and headed in the direction of the light.

Upon reaching the manor she was in awe. It was massive! A large fountain and several flowerbeds containing purple and yellow flowers were established at the manors entrance. Given the size of the manor she could only imagine how many rooms it held. Why did a fourteen year old need such a huge house? Actually, she could probably be asking Ciel the same question but he probably wouldn't find it as humorous as she did.

She wondered the best way to go about sneaking into this place. Obviously the front door was a stupid idea. The back door didn't seem that safe either. She quietly approached the manor and crouched down beside one of the windows so that she was out of the rain. She looked down at herself and watched as the water dripped off of her dress and hair. Being sneaky was going to be hard when she was soaked and covered in mud.

With a huff she wiped her boots on the grass and rung her dress dry the best she could. That would at least minimize the trail she left behind her as she walked around the manor... if she could find a way into the blasted place.

In the corner of her eye she saw a window ever so slightly cracked open, perhaps to let some air in. Or perhaps the butler here was incompetent and forgot to shut it all the way. Either way she didn't really care. She slowly raised up and peaked through the window. It was dim inside but there didn't appear to be anyone nearby.

Ever so carefully she opened the window just wide enough that she climb through it. She had been in much tighter spots before so this was a walk in the park for her.

Once inside she again in awe. The ceiling was extremely high and the decorations were extravagant. Gold seemed to be everywhere, making the manor almost appear to sparkle. It was as if the kid here was trying to show off the lavish life they lived. That was their choice she supposed, it just made this easier for her.

She'd start her little shopping spree with those jewels just over there.

~.~.~

"This is shit." growled the young blond boy as he idly played with a rose.

"Would you like a different tea, your highness?" the statue of a butler asked in his usual monotone voice.

"I wasn't talking about the tea! I meant the rain. It's ruining my mood. Claude, make it stop raining this instant!" the boy clapped his hands together.

The butler sighed and pushed up his glasses. Why did he put up with this?

"Perhaps you should take your mind off the rain, your highness." Claude said uninterested.

"I know!" The boy smirked and stood up, setting the rose down on the table. "Dance with me, Claude!" He extended a hand towards his butler.

Deep down the boy knew his butler cared little for him but he still clung to him. He couldn't be alone. He refused to be alone and until he had someone else to cling to he would cling to the spider.

Claude looked down at his master. He would rather have his eyes plucked out by crows than to dance with this brat. Honestly, he was starting to question his reasoning for staying. He opened his mouth to speak but stopped when he heard a knock on the door.

"It would seem someone was here, your highness." Claude said, relieved that he would not have to dance with the boy.

The boy's icy blue eyes lit up. "Well let's go see who it is!"

Claude rolled his eyes as he followed his master to the entrance. Really, you'd think that the boy would have learned to not be so excited when strangers came the manor after what had happened last time.

Alois practically skipped his way to the entry way and flung the doors open, revealing none other than Ciel Phantomhive himself.

"Ciel!" The blonde boy jumped on Ciel, wrapping his arms around him to bring him into a close embrace. "You must have really missed me!" he smirked, flicking his tongue out towards Ciel's ear.

Ciel scoffed and promptly shoved the blond away. "Get off me, Alois."

"Oh, don't be like that Ciel." Alois pouted. "Are you telling me you came all the way out here just so you could push me? Just admit you find me irresistible."

Ciel glared at the flamboyant boy before him. "Hardly the case. I'm simply searching for a... friend."

Alois' smirked. "Well I have a friend in my pants that would love to meet you."

Ciel gave him a look of disgust. "That's revolting."

Alois seemed quite pleased with himself.

"I don't want to stay in this horrid place any longer than necessary so I'll make this quick. Have you seen a short girl-"

"Ciel, can you really call anyone short?" Alois sneered.

Ciel kept speaking as if Alois had never opened his mouth. "With long brown hair and brown eyes. She wears a jet black dress, about knee length. I believe she wears boots. She has a nasty habit of running off when I nee-" Ciel stopped speaking as he happened to look behind Alois.

Speak of the devil! There she was. She froze like a deer in headlights when she made eye contact with Ciel. Her pockets and boots were clearly stuffed full of various things she had stolen from the manor. She was just about to make her exit and was hoping to go unnoticed by Ciel until she at least made it outside. Desperately, she waved her arms trying to signal for him to not say anything.

Ciel narrowed her eyes at her and shoved past Alois. "There you are!" he growled, marching straight towards her. "I've been looking all over for you!"

Ebony did a face palm. "Ciel! Could this not have waited until I got outside?" She gave him her "you are an idiot" face.

"Tch. I don't care. I have a job for you and you know it, now lets go." Ciel grabbed Ebony's wrist and began to drag her out of the manor.

Just before they could make it out the door the girl had her other wrist snatched and yanked in the opposite direction. She stumbled back a little, bringing Ciel to a halt as well. Ebony turned her head to see that it was the Alois boy who had grabbed her wrist.

"Where do you think you're going?" Alois tugged her hard enough to free her from Ciel's grip and pulled her so she was practically pressed against his chest. His piercing blue eyes stared down into her brown ones, almost daring her to defy him.

Ebony narrowed her eyes at the boy. "Let. Me. Go."

Something seemed to flash in the blonds eyes and he suddenly gave her a twisted smile. Without hesitating he lifted his hand up and smacked her hard across the face, leaving a bright red hand print on her face.

"Maggot! You don't get to tell me what to do!" Alois yelled.

"Honestly." Ciel sighed. "Let's just go," he said rather annoyed.

Ebony appeared to be ignoring Ciel at the moment. "Mutt! You aren't the boss of me!" She lifted her foot and kicked Alois right in the stomach, leaving a foot print made of water and mud on his nice clothes.

She spun around and faced Ciel. "Alright, let's go." She walked back towards the door only to be yanked back by her hair.

"Bitch. Where do you think you're going with my stuff!" Alois growled as held a handful of her hair in his hand.

Ebony yelped as she was pulled back by her hair. She dug her elbow into his ribs hard enough to leave a bruise and he let out a grunt in return. "I don't know what you're talking about. Now let me go of me! I don't want your filthy hands touching me."

Alois snarled and threw Ebony to the ground by her hair. She let out a small whimper of pain as her body smacked into floor.

"You're the only one that's filthy." Have you looked in a mirror lately? Now give me back my stuff, you maggot."

Ciel spoke up before Ebony could respond. "Clearly she has no idea what you mean." He went over and helped Ebony up and pulled her close to him. "Now we'll be leaving."

"Claude!" Alois snapped. "Get my stuff back. Now!"

Claude sighed and pushed up his glasses. He had heard the girl enter earlier but honestly didn't care enough to do anything about it. Perhaps he should have so that he could have avoided all this drama.

"Yes, your highness." Claude said, slightly exasperated.

Claude went over to the small girl and pulled her away from Ciel. In the next moment he was dangling her upside down with one hand and using his other hand to keep her dress from falling up. Ebony's still wet hair was dripping onto the floor.

"Hey! Let me go! I didn't take anything!" Ebony screeched.

"This is ridiculous. Sebastian! Get over here now." Ciel demanded.

Claude looked up at the door way to see Sebastian had appeared, holding an umbrella and looking rather smug.

"Bocchan, I thought you didn't require my assistance in retrieving our little helper." Sebastian chuckled.

"I didn't ask for your critique of what I said. Grab Ebony so we can leave." Ciel said, rather irritated.

Sebastian gave his signature smile and nodded. "Of course, bocchan."

Claude looked back at Ebony and started to shake her, causing everything she had taken to fall out of her pockets and boots.

"Hey! Stop that!" Ebony yelled as she desperately tried to catch the items falling to the ground.

Claude simply ignored her protests and kept shaking until every item she had taken had fallen to the ground below her. "There. You may have your human back."

Without any warning Claude flung Ebony at the wall. She closed her eyes and waited for the impact only to feel a pair of long arms wrap around her. She slowly opened her eyes and saw Sebastian had caught her.

"Thanks, Sebastian." She gave him a grateful smile and giggled as Sebastian set her down on her feet.

"But of course." he laughed softly.

Ciel marched over to Ebony and grabbed her wrist once more, pulling her closer to him. "Now that this nonsense is over we will be going."

Alois looked over at Ciel and Ebony and smirked a little as he walked closer. "Oh no, I don't think so." He looked down at Ebony as if he was sizing her up. Something about her... he couldn't quite explain it. He wasn't sure if he wanted to gut her or have her as his own.

Ebony glared at him. "Again, you aren't my boss!"

Alois' smirk grew. "Not yet. But I can be." He put a finger under her chin, forcing her to look at him.

Ciel quickly yanked her away from Alois. "You're disgusting, Trancy."

"Oh boohoo. Phantombitch is jealous." Alois laughed.

Ebony seemed to have a look of naive confusion her face as if she didn't quite understand what they were talking about now. "Why would Ciel be jealous?"

This only caused Alois to laugh more.

"I'm not jealous. Trampy here is just stupid," Ciel replied, a faint blush.

Ebony glanced between the two while they bickered. Slowly, as to not draw attention to herself, she moved away from them and towards the pile of goodies on the ground that Claude had made her drop. The pair didn't seem to notice until she started picking up the items.

"Hey! Stop taking my things!" Alois yelled.

Ebony ignored him and just kept the items back in her pockets.

"Don't ignore me, bitch!" Alois stomped over to her and kicked her in the ribs, causing her to yelp out in pain as she fell over. "You sound like a dog. I think I'll make you my pet," he said smugly. "My very own little bitchy."

Ebony glared daggers at the blond. If looks could kill he would be dead ten times over. "Don't. Call. Me. That."

Alois' eyes flashed. "I'll call you whatever I please, bitchy. You're my pet."

Ebony grit her teeth. "That's not my name!" she yelled as she stood back up. Without wasting another moment she smacked him as hard as she could across the face. Her nails scratched him, peeling off some skin from his cheek.

"You break into my home, steal my things, and then attack me? It looks like I'm going to have to punish you." Alois sighed, licking some of the blood that dripped down from his scratch.

"I'm done wasting my time here. Sebastian lets go." Ciel hastily grabbed Ebony's wrist as he marched out the door.

"Claude stop them!" Alois demanded.

"Yes, your highness." Claude sighed and looked over Sebastian. "There is some catnip tequila in the basement."

Sebastian perked up suddenly. "Bocchan, the weather is rather bad at the moment. We should wait until the storm passes. I'm glad you understand." He didn't wait for Ciel to respond to him as he quickly vanished.

"S-Sebastian!" Ciel called.

"Oh dear. It would seem you're stuck here now." Alois grinned.

Ciel turned and looked at Ebony. "You. If you hadn't been trying to avoid the job I have for you we wouldn't be stuck in this awful place."

"Tch. This isn't my fault. You should have just stayed quite until I was out of the manor. it's not my fault you blew my cover!" Ebony retorted.

Ciel grit his teeth and took a deep breath and tried to calm himself. "Whatever. If we're going to be stuck here I'm going to find us a room."

"Oh I already have a room picked out for the thief." Alois sneered, yanking the girl back towards him.

"Could you keep your hands off her?" Ciel snapped.

Alois ignored him and started walking off with Ebony, Ciel following behind them. "I wasn't lying. I'm going to punish you like the bad dog you are."

"I'm not your dog!" Ebony snapped, trying to pull away from him.

"Are you Ciel's dog then?" Alois smirked as he saw Ciel face growing redder from the corner of his eye.

"I'm not a dog at all!" she growled, stopping hard on his foot. "Now let me go you stupid, mutt."

There was a visible flash of anger in Alois' eyes. "How dare you call me that, peasant!" He slammed her to the ground and brought his foot down on her stomach, earning him a cry of pain.

Ebony grabbed his foot and pulled him to the ground. He landed on top of her and his forehead hit hers - hard. Both of them let out a loud cry of pain and held onto their heads. The girl quickly shoved Alois off of her and stood.

"Ow You freak that hurt!" Ebony hissed.

"Well maybe if your head wasn't so hard you piece of trash!" Alois snapped as he sat up, rubbing his forehead.

Ebony spit at him. "Freak."

Alois growled. "Are you so illiterate that you only have two insults?" he sneered.

Ebony opened her mouth but was cut off by Ciel. "Alois, that's enough. Shut up."

Alois glared at Ciel but then quickly smiled, his mood seeming to change in almost an instant. "Right, let me show you to the room you can stay in." he said, looking at Ebony. "What's your name?"

"I don't have to answer your questions." the girl said with a huff.

Alois stood and grabbed Ebony's wrist.

"Stop touching her!" Ciel moved to grab Ebony but Alois was pulling her along before Ciel could grab her.

Ebony was pulling against Alois as much as she could but it didn't seem to bother him - in fact he appeared to be rather content. When he reached the door to the basement he opened it up and smirked.

"Have fun, bitchy." Alois laughed as he shoved her into the basement, locking the door behind him.

Ebony shrieked and began banging on the door. "Let me out of here right now!"

Alois giggled as he listened to her pleas. Ciel sighed and shook his head as he watched the ordeal. He could help Ebony he supposed but she was more than capable of helping herself and she did try to avoid him when she knew he had a job for. No... she didn't need his help.

"Not going to help your girlfriend?" Alois smirked at Ciel.

"She's not my girlfriend." Ciel huffed.

"Oh good then you won't mind me keeping her!" the blond said cheerfully.

Ciel glared. "You aren't 'keeping' her. She doesn't belong to you."

"Not yet..."

"Not ever."

Alois laughed. "She's my pet now. I even have her locked up and you can't do anything about it now can you Ciel?"

"Tch. I could but quite frankly if she wants out she'll get out herself."

Ebony let out a loud, high pitch scream. "I will burn this door down if I have to!" She couldn't actually hear what the two boys were saying and she didn't really care what they were talking about anyways. She just wanted out.

Both boys continued to ignore her as she screamed.

"It's ridiculous that I have to stay in such a filthy manor." Ciel grumbled. "Do you have any cake? I'm quite hungry."

Alois laughed. "Are you sure cake will solve that hunger of yours? Don't de-"

Ciel cut him off. "Shut it, Tranny."

"Phantombitch."

"Spider food."

"Crow food."

"Let me out!" she screeched louder.

"Tch. Shut up, maggot!" Alois yelled at the door.

Ebony started pounding on the door as if she thought it would open if she hit it hard enough.

Ciel rolled his eyes. "I'm going to get some cake." he grumbled as he walked off to the kitchen.

"Have fun in there, bitchy." Alois laughed as he left.

Ebony let out a frustrated scream. She really didn't feel like using her powers because it just seemed like a waste at the moment so she decided picking the lock sounded like a better idea. She waited until it had gone silent for a while and then took off her boot and slid her sock off. She would never go anywhere without having a lock pick on her. Shook her sock a little and out fell the lock pick. She quickly slid the sock and shoe back on and moved to the door. Within seconds she had the door opened. Quietly she sneaked out of the basement and shut the door behind her.

She was still filthy. The water had mostly dried down but her dress and hair were still caked in dirt. She really wished she had some clean clothes. Hm... surely that Alois boy had some clothes he could spare somewhere.

Ebony wandered around for a while, trying to find the bedrooms. It took a bit of searching as the manor was huge but she eventually found a room with a rather large bed and closet. It appeared to be empty so she went inside and headed to the closet.

Why are there so many booty shorts here? Tch. Ebony shook her head and grabbed an one of the white shirts. She took of her dirty dress and boots and slid the white button up shirt on. The sleeves were much longer than her arms but she didn't mind. She did however find it odd how nice it smelled. She glanced over at the bed. She wasn't sure the last time she had slept on the bed was and this one looked extremely comfortable. It wouldn't hurt anything if she just took a little nap would it?

She went over to the large bed and slid under the blankets. She was so small that you couldn't even really tell she was under them. Just as she fell asleep Alois came into the room and laid down on the other side of the bed, his back facing Ebony. Not once did he actually notice Ebony as she was curled up near the edge of the other side of the bed.

Perhaps he would notice her when he realized Ebony could be quite cuddly when she was asleep.


Salutations!

This concludes chapter one of We're All Mad Here. Feel free to let me know what you thought~ Kohai reporting out.