Every detail was exact.

From the pristine white marble columns and the stone benches that surrounded the center of the room to the metal sacrificial table to the three iron cages that held about half a dozen children.

For Ciel and Melody, they saw something different.

Crimson blood dripping down the table from the most recently murdered child. Men and women who wore masks to cover their faces and cloaks to hide their bodies, laughing at them. The wicked shine of the knife before it claimed its next victim. They heard the screams of the dying children, pleading for someone . . . .anyone . . . .to save them.

"You know, I remember the day I met the two of you." Baron Kelvin said with a smile, then turning back to look at the two traumatized teens. "Yes, it all started on that day eight years ago!"

Flashback

"Lord and Lady Kelvin!" Earl Barton greeted. "I'm delighted you came!" "Earl Barton, what a magnificent party you've thrown." I complemented. "I look forward to talking to you about philanthropic activities." "So do I" Earl Barton said. "Oh, and there's some people I would like to introduce you too. Let's see . . ah, Earl Phantomhive! Lady Trancy!" I looked to see a man and woman talking by the window with two small children. Earl Phantomhive was a tall young man with dark blue hair and copper brown eyes. Lady Trancy was a short young woman with long strawberry blonde hair, emerald-green eyes, and porcelain skin like a bisque doll. The boy, Earl Phantomhive's son, was no more than six years old. He had his father's dark blue hair but had large sapphire-blue eyes. The girl, Lady Trancy's daughter, was about the same age. She had her mother's emerald-green eyes and pale skin but her hair was black as a raven's feather.

Their beauty was breathtaking.

"Lady Trancy, might I ask where your husband ran off to?" Earl Barton asked, interrupting my train of thought. "He's probably drinking his weight in alcohol as we speak." Lady Trancy replied with a voice like silk."Allow me to introduce the Baron Kelvin." Earl Barton said. "P-Pleased to meet you." I stuttered, holding my hand out to them. "Pleased to meet you too." Earl Phantomhive said, shaking my hand. Lady Trancy would do the same, giving me a small, heart-warming smile. Earl Phantomhive put a hand on his son's head "Go on. Introduce yourself." "It's nice to meet you Baron Kelvin, I'm Ciel." his son said. "Introduce yourself too, my little songbird." Lady Trancy said to her daughter, gesturing for her to come forward."It's very nice to meet you, Baron Kelvin. I'm Melody." she said, before hiding behind her mother's skirt. Lady Trancy gave out a small laugh "I'm sorry, she's a bit shy around strangers." "She's lovely child, she would be a wonderful match for Ciel." Lord Phantomhive said. "Perhaps," Lady Trancy replied "But I'm afraid there much too young to know if they will."

I couldn't take my eyes off of them. I understood at that moment that these people were special people.

Since then, I desperately researched the Phantomhive and the Trancy families. I wanted to know exactly why they were so special. And so I found out there true nature, that of the villainous nobles. Underneath the beautiful flowers, there are thorns. I couldn't help falling in love with what was under the rose.But then, I realized only special people can be touched by other special people.

I was too ugly to even think about touching them! My wish to be wrapped in that velvety world of darkness would never be granted. They would be wrapped up in beautiful thorns and become evil flowers . . . .won't they? In that world of darkness, they would become the only great cold moon? Completely out of reach . . . .

No!

I want to touch them . . . I want to be . . .someone special. Like a bisque doll . . .white porcelain skin, big jewel-like eyes, a youthful body, I will become something else! It doesn't matter if my ugly wife leaves me. I will grow more beautiful by leading a beautiful life! I will be a man worthy of them!

But then my cold moon disappeared without warning. First it was Melody, disappearing without a trace a few weeks after that party. Then, it was Ciel, dying in a mansion fire four years later. What was it all for? My life had no meaning . . my days were ashes and dust. And then one day . .

"What?!" I shouted. "Is it True!?" "Father, you're shouting." Joker said. "Yes it is," said the man. "The genuine Phantomhive boy. Our buyer just found him recently, along with the youngest Trancy girl who went missing a few years back. A chance to make the Phantomhive heir and the Trancy heir to be used as sacrificial lambs . . Everyone is having fits!" My hands clenched the blanket. "I'm going too!" I shouted. My lost moon had come back to me . . and to a place within my reach! "But, you mustn't!" Joker pleaded. "You only just had surgery! The doctor prescribed a month of bed rest!" "Please take me with you!" I begged. "Please! I'm begging you!"

End Flashback

Ciel's POV

"Even now, I can't forget the pain I felt back then." Kelvin said at the end of his rant. "Only I, who gave up everything to meet you two, couldn't. Why is fate so bent on keeping us apart, I wonder." "And then, on that day, they were all gone." Kelvin said, turning to us. "You killed them, didn't you? How I envy them. A beautiful end, with the cold moon at their deathbeds. . . .Please, make me one of them!" "Look, I have prepared everything just as it was then! This ritual chamber. . The lambs. .and finally, you two!" I pulled the trigger on my gun, the bullet plunging itself straight into the center of Baron Kelvin's chest.

"Father!" Joker cried, removing his prosthetic hand to reveal a dagger. Before Joker could stab me, Sebastian cut off Joker's other hand. "Stay out of my master's way" Sebastian said, as Joker let out a cry of pain. "It hurts, my lord! It's agony!" Kelvin said, groveling at my feet. "If you're going to kill me, please give me the death they had!" "The death they had?" I said. I stomped my foot on Kelvin's head and aimed my gun at him. "Then kneel like a worm and beg the demon to do it." "Please, don't kill him!' Joker pleaded, inching toward us. "Despite what he is, he still saved us! We were abandoned by our parents and our country. He saved us from the fear of starvation." 'Many brothers and sisters are still at the workhouse! If he dies, we can't live on! That's why. ."

"That's why you kidnapped those children?" Melody asked. "You obeyed this man in order to survive, by sacrificing others?" "Yeah, that's right." Joker admitted. "England was a living hell for people born like us. We had nothing, no money for food and no power to protect our friends. But Father saved us from that pile of rubbish. He gave us hands and legs, allowing us to protect what is most precious to us." "That's why we decided to live. Even if another hell was waiting for us." Joker said, bowing his head. "I knew from the start it was wrong but . . ." "You weren't wrong." I said.

"Huh?" Joker said, looking up at me and Melody. "You fought to protect your world, isn't that enough? After all, justice in this world is just a bunch of principles made by those with power to suit themselves." I said. "You will lose everything if you can't keep up. That's all." Joker started laughing, falling on to his back. "What's so funny?" Melody asked. "You will also have some important things stolen from you tonight." Joker said. "The troupe is on its way to your manor right now. How do you think we captured all those kids without getting caught? All the witnesses disappear." "We're professionals! We eliminate anyone who crosses our path while on a mission, no matter who or what." Joker said. "I wonder how many people will be killed while the search the manor for you, Earl?" "Killed, huh?" I asked. "Yeah, even your servants won't be spared." Joker replied.

"My servants?" I said. "Just who do you think you are dealing with? They are servants of Phantomhive!" "The Phantomhive House is a phantom that exists solely to dispel the Queen's distresses." I told Joker. "If you step into that den, you can never return to the light." "Those guys are pros, don't think you can" Joker began to say. "You are free to believe it or not," Sebastian interrupted. "However, don't forget these are capable people were hand-selected by me."

Joker was quiet for several minutes, until silent tears began to flow down his cheeks. That's when I heard the squeaking of another wheelchair, and Doc's voice. "Sorry, I'm late! I brought more!" Doc said, wheeling into the ritual room with a cage of children. "Black? Smile? Angel? What are you doing here?" he asked. "St-stay away Doc!" Joker strained to say. "They're the guard dog and the spider!" "Hm? Oh, so you're the ones?" Doc asked. "Run! Please!" Joker pleaded. "What? Why?" Doc asked, standing up from his wheelchair and walked toward us. "I have no reason to run." "Doc? Your legs. ." joker said. Doc laughed. "Oh, there's nothing wrong with my legs! Kids like you wouldn't get all jumpy if I just sat down. Lord Kelvin!" Doc said, now noticing the dead body of Baron Kelvin. "How awful. And I had just met a patron who understood my ideals." "Ideals?" Melody asked. "Yes. For a very long time, I searched for the perfect artificial limb and wanted to continue its development." Doc explained. "After all my research, I was able to make the finest materials possible!"

"It was lighter and sturdier than wood, and more beautiful than the mineral characteristics of ceramics. I have made something no one else had ever made before." Doc explained. "However, gathering the materials was a difficult task." "Indeed, your handmade, artificial limbs have an enchanting feel to them." Sebastian commented. "Like Chinese –made bone porcelain tableware." "Ah, Black you understand its beauty." Doc said. "But could you not put it in the same league as bone porcelain made from cattle bones?" "That's right; you said they are made from special materials?" Sebastian said. "Yes, I can't get them anywhere else but here." Doc proceeded to go to one of the cages that held the children as he continued to talk. "This way, I don't have to put any effort into throwing them away somewhere. Don't you think it's the best recycling ever?"

"No . . ." Melody said, the color draining from her face. "As long as they don't know the truth, everyone is always praising me about how wonderful they are." Doc said, removing a little girl from the cage. "But the Baron was different. Searching for beauty was his highest motivation. He sponsored me with an abundance of materials and money, the best thinkable patron." Doc dragged the girl from the cage to the sacrificial table. "Don't you think it's normal to need the best materials to make the best products? As far as society's idiots are concerned, there's no such thing as success without sacrifice." Doc told us, laying the girl's body on the table. "Cow bones are fine, but a human's aren't? Who decided on that?" Doc said, raising his dagger to kill the girl. Before he could make another sound, a gun was fired.

The bullet went straight through Doc's chest, causing him to fall to the ground in agony. I looked to see Melody, her gun drawn, her expression beyond angry. She walked over to Doc, who was begging her for mercy. "Please Angel!" Doc pleaded, groveling at her feet. "D-don't kill me! Please! I'm begging you!" Melody gave him a sadistic smile. "Oh, I'm an angel alright," Melody said, bringing her face close to his."An Angel of Hell." Her eyes turned to their demonic nature, causing Doc's eyes to widen in shock."M-m-monster." he stuttered out. "Pathetic piece of shit!" She yelled through clenched teeth, stomping on Doc's head with her heel until he no longer moved. After taking a moment to calm herself down, her eyes changed back to their normal green color. Melody walked calmly over to one of the cages. We were silent for a few minutes before Melody spoke up.

"Their minds are gone." She muttered.

"Pardon?" Sebastian asked. "They can't be saved." Melody said."As much as I would hate to say it but, they can't come back from this." She then turned to me "You've seen this look before, on the others. . . ." I knew exactly what she was talking about. The other children, the ones from the cult. . .

"Burn it. Burn everything to ashes." I ordered Sebastian. "Yes, My Lord." Sebastian said, removing one of his gloves. He walked over to three of the candles, and somehow caused the flame to spread into the room around us.

Melody's POV

The manor was engulfed with flames by the time we got outside. I felt some guilt that we were not able to save the children, but I knew that in the state they were in, they wouldn't be living.

A hollow shell, that's no kind of life.

I saw a person on horse-back coming toward the burning manor. As they got closer and I saw their face, my heart dropped. Doll.

"What the hell is this?" she asked."Joker!" She got off the horse and was about to run inside when she saw us leaving the manor. "Black? Smile? Angel? What are you doing here?" she asked. "What happened?! Where's Joker?!" I bit my lip, I didn't want to tell her what we had just done. "He passed away, I'm afraid." Sebastian said, obviously feeling no guilt. "What are you saying Black?" Doll asked, then grabbed my shoulders. "Angel, talk to me!"

Ciel's POV

"I'm sorry, Doll." Melody said. Doll's eyes went wide, then quickly filled with tears. She fell to her knees, letting out a cry of pain. Melody kneeled and held Doll in her embrace. The action surprised me a bit, but not much knowing Melody's caring nature. They were quiet for several minutes, except for Doll's sobbing. "Doll, I need you to listen to me for a moment." Melody said in a soft tone. Doll looked up, her eye red and puffy from tears.

"I need you to run."

"W-what?" Doll asked. "Run, as far away and as fast as you can. Leave this life behind and start a new one." Melody said in a serious tone. "B-but the others. . the ones at the workhouse. . ." Doll muttered. "They'll be safe, don't you worry." Melody reassured. Doll nodded slowly and hugged Melody tightly. "Thank you, Angel."

After their embrace, Sebastian tampered with Doll's memory. She won't remember that the others died while trying to get us. She would think that it was a carriage accident that killed them, leaving her the only survivor.

Not exactly the best cover story, but it would do.

But she would still remember what Melody had told her, about starting a new life far away from here. Sebastian placed Doll's unconscious body back on to her horse and sent the animal off. "Was it wise to spare her?" Sebastian asked after they disappeared from our sight."Yes," Melody said. "Doll tries to be good. I can't say that Joker or the others tried but I know she did" Melody was quiet for a moment, then shook her head "Let's go back to the main house." "Yes, my Lady." Sebastian said, before picking her up. The three of us then dashed off into the darkened forest, melting into the shadows.


On a far away hill, two men dressed in white watched the manor burn. "Oh dear, what now?" said the shorter of the two men. "We simply report what we saw." said the taller. "They may have a punishment coming, poor things." The shorter said. "That's not for us to decide." The taller said. "It's up to Her Majesty."