That Butler, the Strongest
Ciel and a group of his associates were playing pool in the game room while Bard, Finny, Meirin and Kagome were trying to catch mice. Kagome was the only successful one of the lot. She had killed every one in the East wing, leaving them in a pile for Meirin to clean up later. Now she was in the west wing, helping the three servants catch more mice - they were failing. It seemed more like a carnival than a chore, with Finny throwing statues around and dressing up as a mouse.
Idiots, Kagome shook her head. With a single leap, she broke the necks of both mice and threw them inside the net with a swipe of her paw. She turned her nose up at the awed servants as if to say, Useless. You can't even catch two rodents?
She left them to go to Ciel's room - so much running around had tired her out. Plus, his bed was so fluffy, she had decided to use it as her personal relaxing space. Heaven.
Catching sight of the Master of the House, Kagome leapt into his jacket and let loose a feline greeting. Ciel brought up his hand to scratch her between the ears, mostly as a reward for clearing the mansion of mice, but also because she was the only cat to date that he did not sneeze around.
"Are you here to escape the noise too?" he asked. Kagome purred in answer.
Suddenly, a drugged cloth covered his nose and mouth. Despite his best attempts, Ciel could not break free. And, by chance, Kagome also caught a whiff of the chloroform, inducing unconsciousness. Damn, she thought. That's like the tenth time I've been kidnapped.
Some time later, she woke up to a hand flying towards Ciel's cheek. Acting fast, and shaking off the last of the sleepiness, the nekomata leapt out of his collar and bit the offending appendage. She clawed her way up his sleeve. Twice, Azuro's hands almost batted her off, but each time she clung on with her claws. Making her way to his jugular, she ripped it out of his throat with her teeth. Blood flew everywhere.
Instantly, bullets were fired from behind a nearby painting. Phrases like, "Die, damn cat!" and "You're gonna pay for killing boss!" were also heard.
Kagome managed to evade every bullet except one, which hit her in the side - the exact place from which the Jewel was ripped out. Deja vu much. She ignored the blinding pain to stagger to her Young Master's side. She switched to her battle form so she bled to death slower, and positioned herself so that the bullets would have to go through her considerable body before hitting Ciel. Now the only thing to do was wait for Sebastian to arrive.
Ciel rubbed his head against Kagome's fur. "Idiot," he muttered quietly. "You didn't have to do that. I could have taken some pain."
Sebastian was in the dining hall when he heard Kagome's yowl of pain, and he swore his non-existent heart stopped for a moment. Less than a week as part of the Phantomhive household, and already she had everyone's affections. He would never forgive himself if she died less than a mile from him. She wasn't even a meal.
He raced over to Azuro's room, foregoing all the calmness he was known for. The demon butler threw open the doors, lashing out at the four remaining gunmen; all were killed within a fraction of a second of each other. Then, Sebastian took a deep breath. He knelt at Ciel's side.
"You weren't treated very well, were you, Young Master?"
Ciel glared. "What are you doing? Save her!"
"Of course."
Sebastian pressed down on the wound with one hand, and took his glove off his other. Using very fine control of his powers, he sharpened the nails of his right hand, so that they were like tweezers. He inserted two fingers into Kagome's flesh and extracted a single bullet.
"My, modern guns really are an inconvenience," he said, taking off his coat. "Kagome, please turn back. You are quite heavy in this form." Without a sound, the shadows melted and reformed her body, leaving a kitten behind. The butler wrapped his coat around her as a makeshift bandage and used the excess as a sort of blanket. "Well, Young Master, if you would hold her, we shall return to the manor."
It was sunset when they arrived at the estate. Finny and Meirin came out to greet them, which was a pleasant surprise. Sebastian was still thinking of just where did he put the bandages. Wasn't it in that dusty cupboard in the basement...?
"Young Master," Sebastian said, "If I may get the medical equipment now."
"Eh?" Meirin said. Ciel wasn't injured enough to warrant surgery, was he?
"Ah! Kagome!" Finny exclaimed. "Young Master, what happened to her?"
Ciel looked away. If they didn't know better, they would think he was ashamed. "She was shot. Protecting me..." he whispered the last part.
Shot?! Both servants rushed off into the manor. "I'll get the bandages!" Meirin shouted.
"I'll tell Bard!" Finny shouted. Kagome opened a tired eye at all the noise.
"I'll heal within a few hours. It wasn't your fault, Young Master." Only Sebastian heard her words. He patted her back.
"You're going to be fine, Kagome."
"Heh... Didn't know you cared."
"... I do care."
