"As much drawing skill as Alois?" Please explain Ariaprincess…I haven't seen the second season. And Singular Poisonous Ashes, why haven't you logged in as yourself in a while? You've been "Guest" for the past few rounds, I don't understand iiiit…This is also my last post of 2015. So much has happened the past year. I got my first job and that's really all I can remember. I'm sure some important stuff happened on Fanfiction too. But I honestly can't remember anything. I haven't been in school for like a week and the lack of structure, order, and discipline is slowly melting my brain cells into a puddled mass of icky grey goo. Hey look, a butterfly.
December 31, 2015
Arya's POV:
I grunted as I grabbed Soma's arm and helped him scrabble the rest of the way over the edge of the wall, before we both jumped down next to Ciel and Sebastian.
"Hohhh there, Earl!" Lau called from the front door, and Soma and Ciel shivered as they saw the two men sprawled across the doorstep with elongated needles jabbed into their necks. Lau was smiling cheerfully as he twirled a ring of keys around yet another long needle. "Over here, over here!" he said happily, and Soma "eep"ed.
Ciel stared at the Chinaman blankly. "You…" he began in disgust, and Lau grinned as he waved a finger at the earl.
"Nooo, what do you take me for? I didn't kill them. I simply put them to sleep! I think it's a four-thousand-year-old method from Ancient China." he admitted, and Ciel sighed.
"Nevermind. Let's stop dallying and find him already." he said impatiently, and I nudged one of the guards with my toe as we passed by. He didn't move.
"Dude, can you teach me that?" I asked Lau softly, and he beamed with the innocence of a mildly murderous child.
"Not unless you know acupuncture."
Damnit.
"There do not seem to be any guards inside." Sebastian murmured as we entered the foyer, looking towards the stairs. "I can hear voices coming from the second floor. What say we go upstairs and have a look?" he asked, and Ciel nodded.
We all snuck up the large, elegant staircase, with Sebastian taking point and Ciel and Lau walking behind him, Soma and myself bringing up the rear. Every candle and lamp in the house was unlit, which made the rectangular square of light beaming from a largely appointed doorway all the more obvious. We all crowded around that half-opened doorway, listening in.
"You've done a splendid job. Don't look so tormented, old chap." a smarmy voice said from inside. "Why not have a cigar and relax?"
We all peered inside, seeing a man with dirty blonde hair combed and gelled back over his head and dressed in a snappy suit –Harold West– offer a cigar to Agni, who was sitting stiffly on the couch across from him.
"This is a first-class Havana cigar I bought from James Fox, the Royal Warrant holder." he said proudly, but Agni remained silent. West withdrew the cigar and smirked. "Well, in any case, the plan has been executed to perfection so far. Everything will be resolved in a week's time." he continued, grabbing Agni's wrist and revealing his bandaged right hand. I subconsciously smoothed my fingers over the thin cotton wrappings on my own fingers. "As long as I have this "Right Hand of God", my scheme will be realized!"
We all ducked behind the edge of the door as West's eyes traveled the room. "Three long years I've waited. I'll see myself victorious in this, no matter what!" he declared, and we peeked back around the corner as Agni shifted uncomfortably on the couch.
"If I can carry out my mission as promised, Mina wi-" he began, and I belatedly remembered what happened in this scene and tried to grab the Indian prince, but I was too late.
"MINA!" Soma yelled as he burst into the room, making Agni and West start.
"You bloody f–!" Ciel started, his voice suddenly muffled by Sebastian clapping a hand over his mouth.
"He knows the young master and I. Let us see how things proceed before rushing in." the butler murmured, and I winced as Soma grabbed Agni by the shoulders and hauled him to his feet. Soma might've been a bit of an idiot throughout the series, but at least he was a well-meaning idiot.
"M-my prince-!" Agni stuttered, but Soma was in no mood to be pacified.
"What is the meaning of this, Agni!? Have you known where Mina is all along?!" he yelled, shaking his vassal as hard as he could. Given as he wasn't a particularly strong person, it wasn't very hard, but the anger was certainly there. West's slimy smile twitched slightly.
"Ahh, so that's your master, Agni?" he asked in amusement, and Soma whirled around.
"You…you're the swine that took Mina away!" he said angrily, then pointed to the businessman. "Agni! Knock him down!" he commanded as West leaned arrogantly against the couch.
Soma hesitated, turning around, as Agni merely stood and shook in place, his eyes fixed on the ground. "Agni! What are you doing?!" Soma demanded, and West snorted contemptuously.
"Agni. Throw His annoying Highness out of here." he said as he snapped his fingers at Soma, who reeled backwards as if physically struck.
"Wha-?!" he stammered, as Agni shook harder.
"It seems a quarrel has ensued." Sebastian commented as he peered around the doorframe, and Lau cradled his face in his hands, humming quietly but cheerfully.
"Though there's no mistaking West's involvement with the hangings based on their little chat…they no longer seem to be Incidents of the Underworld." Ciel sighed to himself, and Lau leaned closer to Ciel, putting his hand by his mouth to help his whisper carry further.
"And that means this is all outside the earl's jurisdiction. As it has to do with polite society and all." he whispered back, and Ciel scowled.
"Indeed…" he agreed, and Lau pouted.
"But informing the Yard is a pain, so what do you say we beat them silly and go home?" he asked cheerfully, and Ciel clicked his tongue.
"That doesn't sound half bad, but I have another idea. Let's leave West at large for a while longer. Tonight, we'll be leaving here with that thick-headed prince." he said firmly.
Lau cocked his head. "But West knows what you two look like, right?" he whispered, and Ciel scowled to himself.
"That he does." he admitted, then looked at me grudgingly. "You're a magician; do you have anything that might help?" he asked reluctantly, and I pulled my journal out from my pocket and opened it from the back, starting to page through the section I had written my magic formulas in.
"I can cast a transparent but human-impenetrable wall, transport inanimate items from one spot to another, and lift very small objects for about three seconds." I whispered sheepishly, and Ciel frowned.
"That's not helpful." he hissed back, and I shrugged helplessly. I'd written down what I'd written down –it wasn't my fault most of what England taught me was theory and mechanics.
Sebastian waved us both down with a subtle smile. "Please let me handle it." he said confidently, and I watched as he walked over to the mounted deer's head on the wall.
Rolling my eyes, I peeked back around the doorframe as the argument in the drawing room began to reach its climax. Agni raised his bandaged hand to smack Soma, and I jumped as I felt something whoosh past me and Ciel.
Sebastian blocked Agni's blow, Soma staggering away from the masked butler. Sebastian turned, revealing the deer's head he had used as a mask.
"Wh-wh-who the hell is thiiiiiis?!" West shouted in surprise, and Sebastian turned to face him as he "eep"ed and jumped away.
"I, naught but a humble deer, have come for this prince." Sebastian said with a deep bow, and I smacked my forehead as Lau looked up at the place where the deer's head had formerly been nailed.
"Putting on that mounted deer's head and going in was a stroke of brilliance, Master Butler!" he said happily, and Ciel sweatdropped.
"He did hide his face, but…are we talking about the same idea here?" he said in exasperation, and I shushed him as West pointed a trembling finger at Sebastian.
"Fo-forget the prince, this might be one of the enemy's spies! Agni!" he shouted.
"Nothing of the sort. I am merely a humble deer-" Sebastian tried, but West cut him off.
"Kill him!" he ordered, and Agni whipped around.
"Kill–! I cannot do such a-" he said in shock, but West shouted over him.
"Shut up! Do you want me to renege on that promise! I'm ordering you! DO IT!" he roared, and Agni stared helplessly at him as his fists began to shake.
"I…I…" he gasped, tears leaking from the corners of his eyes. I shivered as I saw the tears turn to blood, and Agni collapsed to his knees. "My God…my master…is but one and no other…and for he alone would I use my right hand…so I had vowed." he whispered, and I gulped as I saw him grit his teeth. "Now I shall commit a sin by betraying that god…"
"Agni, no!" Soma shouted from beside Sebastian.
"PLEASE FORGIVE ME!" Agni roared, ripping the bandages apart on his hand. Sebastian quickly slung Soma over his shoulder and dodged Agni's wild blow as it smashed some kind of table in half. I grinned as West shrieked.
"Gyaah! Not the chest I bought at General Tradiiiing!" he squealed in dismay, and Sebastian dashed around the room at a speed too fast to follow and Agni followed right behind, the other items in the room being steadily demolished by missed or errant blows.
"STOOOOOP! THAT'S A ONE-OF-A-KIND GALLE LAMP FROM THOMAS GOODE! My Royal Worchester tableware! My Lock & Co. hat! My limited edition Meissen cup! My special-ordered-!"
My somewhat sadistic listening to West's cries of horror was interrupted as Lau picked Ciel up off the ground. "This is all starting to look a mite dangerous. We should take our leave now, Earl." he said as Ciel let out a yelp of surprise, then squirmed around to yell to Sebastian as we set off down the hall.
"Hey! People will start taking note of this commotion! Once you've grabbed the prince, you'd better make a run for it too."
I followed Lau as we ran through the house, avoiding several maids and manservants who tried to stop us. They almost caught up to us at one point, but I quickly chanted under my breath as a glowing yellow wall sprung into existence behind us, and grinned as I heard several cries of shock. Lau looked over his shoulder as Ciel's remaining eye grew huge.
"I say, isn't it handy to have a magician around when you're escaping from somewhere." Lau said appreciatively, and Ciel's eye narrowed.
"Take that down. We don't want to tip our hand to West." he snapped irritably, and I squeezed my eyes shut for a few seconds, feeling my fingertips tingle as the glowing wall faded out at the edge of my senses.
"There. Happy?" I asked as Lau booted the door open and we ran out into the open street.
"Blissfully." Ciel muttered, punching Lau in the back to make him drop the earl as we skidded around a corner and saw Sebastian and Soma.
***Time Skip***
"Amazing, wasn't he? That fellow from before." Lau commented, and I yawned hugely, sipping at the tea Sebastian had made. It was at least three or four in the morning, and I'd been awake since eight in the morning yesterday. "It was beyond anything that could be defined as human."
I nudged Soma, who was sulkily sitting in one of the other armchairs, offering him some of the tea as he shook his head and declined.
"He was in the state of Samadhi. No one can lay a hand on him when he gets like that." Soma said, looking depressed, and Ciel paused, lowering his teacup.
"Samadhi?" he asked, and Sebastian, standing behind his master, tucked the tea tray under his shoulder.
"It is to do with religion, yes? A kind of trance state. Human beings are rare creatures that can produce tremendous power derived from intense belief that gives way to a kind of blind faith." he explained. "The Norse Vikings of yore became Berserkers in the name of their war god, Odin. The paladins of the Crusades fought in the name of God by invading foreign lands time and time again. He too numbers among them. Because of his absolute devotion to his "god" and "master" Prince Soma, he can invoke a power that is beyond human. " Sebastian continued, placing a hand on his chest.
Kinda like Alexander Anderson, from Hellsing. I thought in surprise, taking another long sip of the tea.
"It is a power that our like cannot boast…that which is born of belief in and love for another…a power known as faith." the demonic butler finished, and I rolled the tea around in my mouth before swallowing, feeling the warm, sweetened liquid slip down my throat.
"Then why…did he betray me?" Soma mumbled, then abruptly stood and swept all of the fine china off the table with a crash. "WHY DID HE WILLFULLY ABANDON ME?!"
Ciel, Lau, and I jerked away from the table as the boiling hot tea splattered all over the carpet.
"Why you-!" Ciel hissed, but Soma was too caught up in his tantrum.
"WHY?! WHY DOES EVERYONE LEAVE MY SIDE!? WHY?! HOW COME!?" he wailed, then spun and ran out of the room. Sebastian looked at the rest of us.
"Are you three all right?" he asked, and Lau nodded as I looked mournfully at the wet splotch on the floor, the only remnants of the tea.
"We ducked, so we're fine." he said cheerfully, and Sebastian looked at the shattered china all over the floor with a slight frown.
"Oh dear…there goes the Haviland tea set I sent away for because I thought it would be perfect for the young master…" he said quietly. "I do believe the unruly prince needs to be retaught his manners a touch."
He walked out of the room as I sent my mental apologies to Soma for not stopping the butler. But sometimes you needed to be cruel to be kind, and I liked the "somewhat naïve but nice" version of the prince over the "naïve and spoiled" character he started out as. Soma needed a little bit of harsh truth to snap some sense into him, no matter how much it might sting at first.
I sighed and took another sip of the tea as Ciel copied the movement and Lau, who hadn't picked his cup up in time, merely sat there and smiled.
"I say, that butler is taking quite a long time. I wonder what's keeping him?" the Chinaman said after about ten minutes, and Ciel sighed, putting down his teacup and getting to his feet.
"You two stay here." he commanded, walking out of the room. I yawned and took another sip of the tea, trying to psyche myself up to stay awake.
"So, since you are a magician, can I hire you?"
I choked on my mouthful of tea and quickly swallowed, whipping my head around to stare at Lau. He was wearing a semi-innocent smile, and I swallowed for quite a different reason as his ominous air resurfaced. "Um…Hire me for what?" I asked cautiously, and Lau's smile widened.
"For things. I've never seen a real magician before: you seem to be a very useful person to have around." he said evasively, resting his chin on his hand, and I stared at him for a few seconds.
No matter how oblivious the guy acts, Lau is the head of an Asian crime syndicate. I remembered as I anxiously licked my lips. Not to mention an opium den.
"Um, I'll stick with Lord Phantomhive." I said after a few seconds, and Lau's innocent smile widened.
"Aww, that's too bad." he said cheerfully, and I let out a slow sigh of relief. "So, how old are you, anyway?" he asked conversationally as he stole my teacup and took a sip, and I glared at him.
"Seventeen." I growled, and heard a gasp from the doorway.
"You are the same age as me!" Soma said, and I blinked twice.
"What, really?" I asked in shock, and he nodded several times, his surprise turning to acceptance.
"You seem much older." Soma commented as he sat down in the armchair across from me, and Ciel sat down at his place as well. Lau smiled as Sebastian set out some new teacups for us, and I rubbed the bruise-colored circles I knew were developing under my eyes as I took mine.
"Now then. Let us continue our little chat from before His Highness's interruption." Lau said as he picked up the fresh cup, and Ciel nodded.
"First, West must have put Agni up to the aforementioned hanging incidents. With his physical abilities, it would be easy for him to do everything alone. West mentioned a "three year plan", that 'the successful execution of that plan will take place in one week' and that 'Agni's right hand is absolutely necessary'. That was all. The most important factor here is the "one week later" deadline." Ciel said as he picked up his cup, and I snickered as Soma flinched away from Sebastian when butler set the cup and saucer down in front of him.
"If West is using Agni's "Right Hand of God", perhaps they plan to raid a major event?" Lau suggested. "Well, with it being winter now, the large-scale functions have all but ended. And the Queen's Golden Jubilee was held just last year." he added as he took a sip of the tea, and Ciel looked at his butler.
"Sebastian. What events will be held in London one week from now?" he asked, and Sebastian put a hand to his chin.
"One week from now? The young master has received invitations to a coir concert sponsored by Saint Sophia Academy at Westminster Abby, Wagner at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, an exhibition of Indian Culture and its prosperity within the Empire at the Crystal Palace, an exhibition of world currencies at the British Museum-"
"India?" Ciel interrupted in surprise, and Sebastian gave him a look.
"Young master, a gentleman must read all correspondence addressed to him, no matter what the contents." he said righteously, and Ciel slouched irritably in his chair.
"Shut up and just give me the details." he growled, and Sebastian sighed.
"'The exhibition of Indian Culture and its prosperity within the Empire' will be held at the Crystal Palace next week. The main exhibits will feature Great Britain's achievements and industry in India. A curry fair will be held as part of the program. The young master had received an invitation to be a special judge at that fair. The fair will have several companies competing with their curries. Rumor has it that Her Majesty, who is known for her love of curry, will come visit the fair. Should I see which individuals are hosting their own parties as well?" Sebastian asked, and Ciel scowled to himself.
"India...curry…that's quite enough." he growled, obviously fed up, and Lau chuckled.
"It seems you've caught on, my lord." he said in amusement, and Ciel winced.
"Yes. Three years. A fair. And as West covets brands and titles, he would only think of one thing. I can't believe how silly this case has turned out to be. I'm so unnerved, I don't know what to say…" he muttered as Soma looked at me cluelessly and I shrugged with equal confusion.
"Hey, wait! I don't understand what's going on. Explain it to me!" Soma yelled at Ciel and Lau, who looked at us.
"Quiet down, Your Highness. You will receive your explanation in due time…from Lord Earl!" Lau said happily, and Ciel grew a tick mark.
"Once again, you were only pretending to know!" he barked, then sighed. "The main dish served at West's Hindustani coffeehouse is curry. In other words, West is attempting to obtain a "Royal Warrant" with his curry." he explained as a little lightbulb popped up above Lau's head.
"Ah, now I understand!" he said, and Soma blinked at them both.
"A royal warrant? What is that?" he asked, still confused, and Lau snapped his fingers.
"Ah, right! Your Highness wouldn't know of it."
"England has a curious system." Ciel explained with a sigh. "Members of the royal family can grant a seal of "approval" to merchants and artisans of whom they are fond. That seal is known as the "Royal Warrant". Stores that hold the Royal Warrant can display that seal on their signs: a Royal Warrant is equivalent to a quality assurance. When a brand receives a warrant, its sales are guaranteed to increase. We were considering applying for a Royal Warrant for our confectionery and toy brand. Some stores have tripled their sales, as Queen Victoria sets the trends for everything from fashion to food." Ciel sighed in exasperation. "The rage for curry has slowed down, so West must want the title, whatever the cost."
Soma frowned in confusion. "I understand that West wants the so-called "Royal Warrant". But what does that have to do with the hanging incidents?" he asked, and Sebastian cleared his throat.
"There are two conditions for obtaining a Royal Warrant. The first is to 'have the products quality recognized at a fair'. And the second is 'gratuitous service to the royal family for three years'. For three years, West has been servicing the royal family with his imports for free. He then caused those incidents to destroy his rivals who were participating in the fair next week. " he explained, and Ciel nodded.
"Military personnel were attacked as well, so it looked as if the culprits were Indians who held a grudge against England. West is probably using Mina to force Agni to participate in this silly plan…and Agni is doing it for the sake of his own god."
Soma started as Sebastian handed Ciel a piece of paper. "The letters left behind at the crime scene held another important clue besides camouflage. Right here." Ciel said, pointing to the drawn-out tongue at the bottom of the note. "Lord Randall was ranting that the mark was an insult against England, but its real meaning is something else entirely."
He turned in his chair and pointed. "You pray to that, no?" he said as Soma gasped softly, and I turned to look at the statue of Kali that had for some reason been left in the drawing room. "Your god is the goddess Kali, with her tongue lolling out. Agni drew this. And who is Agni's 'god'?" Ciel asked. "He did it all for you. So both his prayers and his apology were drawn into this mark." he added as he handed the paper to Soma, who clutched it tearfully.
"Mister Agni worships and lives for you even after he has left your side. You have been blessed with a wonderful butler." Sebastian said with as much approval as I had ever heard from him, and Soma whimpered under his breath.
"Agni…"
"Then all's well that ends well, eh? What a heartwarming story." Lau said happily, clapping his hands. "Well, let's wash our hands of this affair. How about we have the Yard handle the rest?" he asked with equal cheer, and Soma bolted upright.
"Wait! Then what will become of Agni…and Mina!?" he yelped, and Lau shrugged.
"Who knows?" he said, and Ciel yawned.
"We now know that this incident doesn't concern our side, the underworld. And we're not running a charity." he said heartlessly, and Soma gritted his teeth, clenching his hand around the paper.
"I understand…this is indeed my problem. I will think about what I can do to solve it on my own." he said with determination, and Ciel smirked and cracked his knuckles.
"Good attitude. Then I'll get on with my work." he said evilly. "I was summoned to London on this worthless errand. Don't I deserve some reward for my troubles? A Royal Warrant is granted after three years of gratuitous service and one's showing at a fair. The fair will be held in one week. And fortunately for us, the top competition will be unable to participate. Therefore, if our Funtom cooperation participates and wins against West, the Royal Warrant will be ours."
Soma stared wordlessly at Ciel as I did the same, marveling at his sheer audacity. "I was considering moving into the food business after we'd obtained a warrant for our confectionary and toys. If we were to get a warrant at the curry fair, it would be the talk of the town." Ciel continued proudly, and Lau hmmed.
"Indeed. It'll be quite the trophy to mark the beginning of Funtom's culinary line." he said in amusement, and Soma finally cut in.
"But you only have one week to set up a culinary department. Will you be able to prepare specialists in curry, cooking equipment, stores, and such in time?" he asked worriedly, and Ciel took a sip of his tea.
"We won't be needing any of that. Right, Sebastian?" he chuckled, and the demon smiled and put a hand over the place where his heart would be.
"As butler to the Phantomhive family, it goes without saying that I can manage something like this. The Royal Warrant will b-"
"Impossible!"
"Nn?" Sebastian blinked as we all stared at Soma.
"There is no way you can win against West in a curry match!" Soma declared, and Ciel frowned.
"Why not?" he asked skeptically, and Soma fidgeted.
"He has Agni, who in turn has the Right Hand of God." he said, and Ciel snorted.
"The destructive power of the "Right Hand of God" is indeed extraordinary, but we're not competing in a combat sport. This is a curry competition." he said dismissively, and Soma slammed his hand down on the table.
"That's it right there! It isn't a combat sport like fencing. It's a curry match!" he repeated, and Sebastian blinked, slowly.
"Pardon me…I do not quite follow." he said after a few seconds, and Soma's eyes narrowed.
"You don't know Agni's true power. You do not know real curry." he said firmly. "The quality of real curry is determined by the spices in it. One must choose from hundreds of spices. The amount of each spice one uses determines the curry's taste, heat, and fragrance…the spices affect everything. One has an infinite array of choices. Making the best curry is like finding one truth out of all the truths of the universe. But Agni's right hand can do that. With only his fingertips, he selects the best spices from an innumerable selection and mixes in the optimal amounts…to create curry that is nothing short of a miracle. His power to imagine and create a world from nothing is indeed within the realm of godliness. That is why Agni, with his "Right Hand of God", is called Kali's Right Hand! I've never had curry that was better than Agni's. That's why I told him to offer me his right hand forever."
"So the "Right Hand of God"…" Ciel began as Lau finished for him.
"-refers not to godly strength, but to godly curry-making skills?" the Chinaman asked skeptically, and Ciel frowned.
"There you have it. Sebastian?" he asked, and the butler smiled grimly.
"Well, well…I seem to have found myself up against a formidable adversary."
8.34 PM, USA Central Time