After Merianna had pulled away from her friend and wiped her eyes, she looked morosely at the bodies around her. They were scattered among shattered wood and debris, innocent losses from the results of their battle. Beside her, Cuffs picked up a piece of white paper that somehow sustained everything. Peeking over his shoulder, she read it too. It was signed Ciel Phantomhive, but that was all she could see before Cuffs crumpled it in his hands.

"Let's just get outta here." He mumbled dejectedly. "There ain't nuttin' else to do here…"

The look on Merianna' face was a mixture of uncertainty, a quiet disagreement and distress.

"It ain't like we have the time and energy to bury 'em all!" Cuffs snapped, grabbing her hand roughly. "Let's just go. I gots to get you back to that mansion place."

He was practically dragging her down the aisle. Thankfully, she followed without resistance. He knew that if he stopped and glanced down, the image of his dead friends' faces would be burned into his mind forever. It was even worse when he had to step over the bodies of the little children he didn't even know, mixed with the debris on concrete and wood. He hoped the sweat from his hands would smudge the ink from the note. Cuffs was suspicious of how pristine it was. It was a written order for him to return with Merianna to the estate, or else. Cuffs was already a dead man either way, but he didn't want Merianna to be aware of the situation. Now there was the problem of returning to the estate.

The outside air was chilly, and it was near evening. Soon, it would be dark and they would stumble around lost in the forest.

"Hey, Merianna, d'you thinks you can fly us back?" He asked.

She stared at her bare feet, giving a slight shiver from the cold. No answer. He shook her hand, asking again, but he couldn't get to her. He took it as a no. Suddenly, he heard shuffling behind him. Spinning around, there was a creepy man on his hands and knees, sniffing at the ground. He wore a nice suit, but it was getting dirty from the earth he was digging up.

"Cuffs,"

Merianna had apparently woken up from her silence, looking up at him.

"That dog is a devil dog, from the Phantomhive house. Maybe he knows the way back." She suggested.

He took another look at where she was looking at. Perhaps the fight was too much on her and she had gone insane. That was no dog; it was just a strange man. He rubbed his eyes, just to make sure. It was still a man pawing the ground. And now Merianna was calling it over.

The dog-man responded to 'Pluto' and ran to them, wobbly on his two legs. Cuffs gave a surprised jolt when a bark came out of his mouth. He sniffed around their feet as well, and seemed to be okay with Merianna petting his head.

"You know…before…I didn't seem to notice that Pluto could speak."

Cuffs didn't hear anything from the dog-man, and the situation was progressively getting more insane. The dog-man suddenly backed away and let out a loud howl. His clothes ripped apart and he grew larger in size. Fur covered his body and suddenly he was truly a devil dog before his very eyes. Merianna seemed just as surprised as he was. Pluto sat down, which cause a shockwave that knocked them off their balance. Little flames came from his mouth as he panted and wagged his tail.

"You ain't joking 'bout a demon dog!" Cuffs exclaimed excitedly. "Maybe'll let us ride him back!"

The two of them had to totem pole to be able to clamber up to Pluto's back. Apparently the dog knew the concept of being ridden, as he allowed them on and awaited command. Cuffs seated himself near Pluto's neck and held on the fur tightly. He buttoned his coat around Merianna and himself, just in case. Another reason was because he was too embarrassed to ask her to hold onto him directly.

"Go!" Cuffs commanded, bracing himself.

Nothing happened.

"Perhaps you have to say it nicely." Merianna suggested.

"…Go, Pluto!...please…"

Pluto didn't seem to hear them, lazily raising his leg to scratch his ear. Cuffs tried to urge him forward, lightly kicking his heels and patting his side, but nothing seemed to work.

"Kihihihihi~ an angel that doesn't know how to ride a devil dog…what a sight." a voice snickered.

There was another man with long white hair hiding his face and long black robes. He looked strikingly familiar…and creepy…but Cuffs couldn't place a name. He laughed and made twitchy movements. Merianna poked her head out from the large coat to take a look at the stranger.

"Well…I don't usually ride dogs…" she mumbled.

The strange man seemed to find that hilarious, bursting into laughter as he clutched his stomach and fell to the ground, rolling insanely around. Cuffs wondered how many more incomprehensible things he would see today.

"Would you like…to know, young lady?" He offered, getting the last of chuckles out of his system.

Merianna nodded excitedly. Cuffs stayed silent, obviously not being addressed at all.

"Well, why don't you take the head of the reins first?" He suggested.

Cuffs felt stupid; of course it should have been Merianna at the head. After struggling to switch places, he found himself having to teeter between the sides of the large dog. The strange man tossed a parcel at Merianna. She caught and unravelled it to receive several bone-like biscuits; no doubt they were dog treats.

"Ah yes, and as a small consolation for my hasty mistake at your mother's funeral…all those years ago…" He said.

Both of their ears perked up when he said this, although none of them knew what he was talking about. He took off his hat and bowed before them.

"I've heard that it will be an acceptable way for the dead to be burned…crementation, they call it. I'm sure that if you will, this devil dog will produce the sparks you need."

In an instant, he disappeared.

"What was that?" Merianna mumbled. "Is he telling us to burn the dead?"

A faint wind blew around them as Merianna considered her choices.

"It would be…better than just leavin' em there…" Cuffs inputted.

"Pluto, burn the church, please." She said, leaning over to his ear.

Obediently, he turned around and sucked in the air.

"Haaah! He's really going to do it!" Merianna exclaimed.

A jet of flame erupted from his mouth and towards the church. It quickly caught on fire, smoke rising and glass shattering. Cuffs didn't object, because he felt it was the right thing to do too. He still wondered about the strange man's words. How would he know about her mother?

"Merianna, ain't that sir the man who helped bury your mother those years ago?" He realized.

She didn't answer, only gripping onto Pluto's fur tighter as he watched the fire blaze and carry away everything there. Cuffs slowly wrapped his arms around Merianna's waist, as support and to brace himself.

Ciel Phantomhive waited impatiently, beating Finny for the thirty-seventh time in chess. Finny didn't seem to want to sacrifice his pawns, even when it was to his advantage. Meirin and Bardroy were even worse, keeping their pieces as far away from him as possible. Finally, Ciel called for Sebastian, asking if Merianna and 'Hawkins' had returned yet. It was already very late, and there was still the possibility of him running away at the last minute.

"Sebastian! I've had enough!" He cried, standing up and pacing around the room. "Get me the police!"

Sebastian narrowed his eyes. "No need, Young Master."

As if on cue, a howl grew louder and louder in the distance and the ground shook slightly.

"Plu?" Finny mumbled.

The three servants excused themselves and left the room hurriedly. They followed the noises until they stood outside, searching for their dog in the night. Sure enough, the devil dog walked calmly to meet them. It stopped and sat down, wagging its tail. Merianna and Cuffs slid down his back and back onto the ground.

"M-Meri!" Meirin cried.

"And you!" Bardroy barked.

"W-Why'd you come back?" Finny asked, almost bursting into tears.

"Because she was ordered to bring Mr. Hawkins back."

Ciel, arms crossed and a frown on his face, stayed on top of the stairs, looking down on them. Merianna tilted her head, confused.

"I don't…know…?"

She turned to Cuffs, but he looked away. She didn't recall meeting or speaking to Ciel prior to returning now.

"It'll save me the trouble of sending my own butler to hang you." He said, addressing Cuffs.

"H-Hang?!" Merianna asked, clenching her fists. "What's the meaning of this?"

"Don't question your master like that, Merianna."

"But you aren't my master anymore! You ah…I was…mis à la porte!" She protested. "You though I stole the ring!"

"Now I know that you didn't." He replied. "Thanks to the confession of this man here."

"I'm sorry…I wanted…to make things right again…" Cuffs said. "I didn't tell you this…"

He took a glance at her, and she held his eyes, begging for his denial of the situation, but he couldn't reply. She turned back to Ciel.

"Y-You can't take him… What are you going to do?"

"I'm doing what the law dictates me to do, Merianna. I'm sending him to the police to be tried…if he manages a hearing…"

"He's…He will be hanged!"

Cuffs flinched at the words; it sparked bad memories for both of them.

"If you are defying me, then I'll have you arrested as well!"

"FINEEEEEEE!" She screamed, the loudest she had ever been the whole story.

The others looked at her with surprise too. Her face was red with fury and bitterness filled her voice. She was yelling empty threats and child-like insults. Ciel grumbled and massaged his forehead.

"Sebastian, I will deal with this tomorrow. Give them a room, but do not let them escape."

"If I had shoes right now, I would throw them at you, Ciel Phantomhive!"

"Also, please calm her down."

"I will steal all your doorknobs an-"

She didn't finish her sentence before Sebastian gave her a sharp hit on the stomach, knocking her out. Cuffs yelled out in surprise, but not before he too was knocked out.

Merianna had woken up in one of the guestrooms, some leftover food and a warm set of clothes greeted her tenderly. The fire was lit, but a protective grate stood in front of it. On the mantle sat some books on display, no doubt for her to entertain herself with. Merianna tried the door, but it was locked. She also tried the window, but it was also locked with no way of picking it open. Perhaps the only thing being locked out of the Phantomhive mansion was being locked inside when she didn't want to be.

All the while, her imagination repeated her memories of the horrible hanging in her mind, only this time it was with Cuffs' body swinging alongside Spades and Shots. When she gave up trying to find a means to escape and fell into the chair, a knock sounded at the door. Meirin, Finny and Bard poked their heads inside. They approached her and crowded around the chair she sat in, burying her face in her hands. She stood around quietly.

"D-Did you want to be…left alone…?" Meirin asked.

She took a deep breath and raised her head a little, not wanting to hide from the moment of truth.

"I want…to know what happened…is he…gone now?" Merianna questioned with a shaky voice.

"Not until tomorrow, Snowy…not until tomorrow."

"Why?"

The group shifted uncomfortably, like parents trying to explain a difficult concept to a child.

"Well, Meri…he did some bad things…stealing the noble lady's ring…" Meirin explained. "He has to go to jail for that."

"B-But…only bad people go to jail." She reasoned.

"What kind of people are 'bad people' then?" Bardroy asked.

She frowned, noticing the flaw in her logic. She was about to say 'people who killed', but perhaps everyone in that room already suffered that, her included. 'People who are mean' couldn't apply to everyone either. Bardroy took out a toothpick and chewed on it, clasping his hands and leaning forward.

"This isn't a death sentence, Snowy. He'll have a chance to be heard and the jury'll decide what is gonna happen. Judging by his age, they'll probably let him off with just a few weeks in jail."

Merianna shook her head. "He's going to die. For sure…I know…"

"You wouldn't know that until…well…until…"

"I heard it…from one of my friends…" she insisted. "Dris-Vit knows everything under the moon…because she is The Moon. All knowledge and things unknown are found on the moon…she told me…that the townspeople won't be generous 'cause they knows he's a thief. And because he ain't in the records they'll be suspicious and…and..and…"

She had to stop and calm her fraying nerves. Meirin excused herself, telling Merianna that she would fetch calming tea.

"Maybe you're over thinking this, Meri." Finny said. "I mean… why do you care so much?"

She stared at him, asking for an elaboration on his part. He looked away, but continued.

"I think…maybe it's best to let your past go Meri, and maybe he doesn't have to be…hanged but…I don't think Young Master will let him come back here…we could just…go on as we have before…"

Bardroy made a cutting motion to his neck, directing it at Finnian. He mouthed 'jealous' before Meirin walked back, a tea set wobbling and teetering on the cart. Bardroy pulled the nightstand close so that Meirin could put them down. She poured a cup and offered it to Merianna.

"Thank you." She said, accepting the warm drink.

She drank it slowly.

"H-How does it taste?" Meirin asked cheerfully.

"Good, sweet. Reminds me of home." She replied.

Meirin stifled giggled, although the rest of them looked at her with a questioning glance. Merianna finished it, suddenly swishing something in her cup. She drew out a bent piece of wire, a loop in the middle.

"Oh, how terribly sorry. That must have…errrr…fallen in…" Meirin said, enunciating several of her words. "It would be…surprising if someone was hidden in the bottom cabinet of this cart…but then again…many people would fit inside…"

Clearly she was hinting at something, so Merianna followed her vague instructions and opened up the small doors.

"Hi." Cuffs greeted, stuffed uncomfortably inside the small space.

Merianna laughed and poked her trapped friend, only relenting when he surrendered and asked for help. Unlike Merianna, he was still in his shoddy wear, not being given any clothes to change into.

"He can't stay here very long; I know Sebastian will be checking in on him soon." Meirin warned, pushing up her glasses and looking proud.

"I'll be quick." He replied, squeezing out.

Cuffs took the silvery white container out of the inside of his coat.

"Your mother gave me this before she…passed away. I can't open it; even that butler couldn't so it's jammed pretty tight." He started.

He demonstrated the container, trying to pry to it open. It remained stubbornly shut.

"Your mother warned me not to opens it. She said it has your…err…halo in it…and if I were to opens it and gives the thing back t'you…you'd go away forever…"

"Go away? W-Where?" Merianna asked.

"I…don't know…but maybe you should keeps it. I dons't…know if…" He trailed off, not able to finish his sentence.

His hand lingered a bit longer before letting go of the small container into her hands. She examined it a little more closely, although she too was unable to open it.

"Well how is she supposed to use it when she can't even open it?" Finny grumbled.

Merianna puzzled a bit more over the halo-box before nodding and tucking it in the pocket of her nightdress.

"Uh…two more things." He said. "Y-You dons't have to…attend the…whatever happens…"

He took off his signature coat and placed it on her shoulders.

"And dons't…Dons't forget me…" he mumbled, looking dejectedly.

She took something and held it out to him in return. It was a tarot card, The Wheel of Fortune.

"This card brought me luck once." She sniffled. "Perhaps it will, you."

Meirin took a tissue too and dabbed at her eyes, as if she were watching a tragedy play. Cuffs looked at Merianna before looking uncomfortably at the rest of their friends. Obviously he didn't feel their presence necessary there.

"I uhh…I …errrr…uhmmm...I..." He stuttered, trying to put his locomotive mode of transportation of thoughts into comprehensible words…but it's never that easy.

The others could probably have deduced the sentence, but Merianna was not one of 'the others'. He was even making strange hand motions in an effort to convey his message. Merianna tilted her head and tried to guess along, but the hints, however obviously crimson they were to the servants, were too vague for her to understand.

He sighed and mumbled a 'never mind', clambering back into the small cabinet. Finny and Bard also felt the need to leave Merianna alone. Meirin closed the small doors and proceeded to push the heavy cart out the doors again, locking it behind her. After they all left, Merianna fell to her knees and wrapped the large coat around herself. She didn't want to cry in front of him. No matter in whatever situation, her red-face was the biggest insult to herself and gave her pain, suffering and weakness away.

Only Finnian stayed outside the doors to the room, listening to her sobbing quietly.

Meirin and Bardroy also heard the sound of sadness from inside the cart. They stayed quiet, but felt pity for the boy.

"It ain't right to kiss an angel, ain't it?...I cans't even…" came his small voice. "It ain't right for a normal human to love one either, ain't it?"

Merianna wasn't sure when she fell asleep, only that she was crying for a very long time. For a moment, she was confused at how heavy the covers were, but then remembered that she was in the guestroom now. She rose up in a hurry upon retrieving her memories, only to look at the sun and feel the sadness she had buried in sleep yesterday creep up into her heart again. She hurriedly dressed, angrily wiping the tears from her cheeks and took the pack (minus one) of tarot cards, the one piece of wire and buttoned the coat loosely like a cape. She grabbed and yanked at the door handles. They came willingly, no longer locked.

She made her way down the hall, only to find that everywhere she went, it was empty. It was very late in the day…where was everyone? She pushed away the thought that they were in the town, seeing the execution… She clambered down the stairs and outside to the front, where Finny was sitting there.

"Ah! Good morning, Merianna!" He greeted.

She nodded to him before brushing past him. Suddenly, he took hold of her wrist.

"I can't let you go." He said in a dangerous tone. "Young Master told me not to let you pass."

She looked back at him. He held a serious face, eyes that struck dangerous threats at her and a grip that was unrelenting. In his other hand, which she didn't notice before, he held a pair of garden shears that glinted in the sun. The wind whipped at them, Merianna didn't move at all, analyzing his face.

"This is a game to him…isn't it?" Merianna whispered. "Chess…from the eyes of the Earl of Phantomhive."

"If you insist on going, I might have to fight you." Finny said, letting go of her wrist.

"King…Queen…Bishop…Knight…Rook."

Merianna felt a strong passion ignite inside her, a love of fighting. She never wondered she would want to fight someone, especially not her friends. But this wasn't a fight, her mind reasoned, it was a challenge. After all, pieces in chess are not killed, but rather, captured.

"I will fight you then, Finny."

"I won't go easy on you, Meri!" He replied, a small grin on his face.

She returned the smile.

"Risado sirscunus…"

Do you understand me, Merianna?

Finny cracked his knuckles, acknowledging her answer.

"Even without words, Rian." She whispered.

He brandished the shears and opened them before charging at Merianna.

Do you want to strike, Merianna?

"Even without dodging, Rian."

The Fool drew itself from the multitude of other cards and released itself to Merianna. It guaranteed her a hit or miss on her opponent. When it hit, it dealt the damage of multiple people, and when it missed, it slowed down her reaction time and she was open to any attack. It was simply an all out-offense with no regard at all for defense, 'as fools would fight'. For now, she had to fight using her fists, but The Fool relished in the memory of having a battle using a pipe.

The last act of gratitude was Finny pointing at a pile of gardener tools to the side.

Finnian had the first hit, finding one tip of the shear cutting into the middle of Merianna's arm. She didn't seem to react in pain at all. He was suddenly surprised when she moved deeper into the blade and swung a fist that collided to the side of his head before moving back. The blood flowed down her arm, but she didn't seem concerned with it. Finny cracked his neck, surprised at how much it hurt.

She ran to the stockpile of tools, looking down to analyze them. A rake, a hoe (GARDENING ONE, okay?), a couple hammers, a plow, various spades and shovels. She grabbed a sledgehammer, although with her petit strength, she had to drag it, its head still bumping on the ground.

"Meri! You can barely even lift that! It's much too heavy for you to swing around!" Finnian cried. "Don't choose that one if you want to be smart!"

It was perfect for The Fool then. She waited for him to come at her. Sure enough, Finny shrugged and came at her again with the hedge shears. How many hits would she get? How many chances? She tensed her muscles.

Merianna felt the heavy tool suddenly swing forward, success on her side this time. It connected to Finny's hips, knocking the wind out and cracking some ribs. Another success managed to collide with part of his shoulder, and a sickening crack was heard. The hedge clippers fell from his hands and Merianna brought the hammer down, mutilating it beyond use. However, she felt the 50% of the 'lose' factor activate, and felt a heavy hit on her stomach, sending her flying back several feet. She clenched her teeth to keep her screams inside before she collided into one of the trees on the property.

She looked around for any weapons, but she had let go of the heavy sledgehammer when she was hit. Finny landed in front of her out from the sky, just as she had the idea of grabbing several rocks, filling the front of her apron with them.

"You had a pretty good hit there, Meri…but now rocks? We aren't playing around, you know?"

She threw one, but it missed, flying several feet from him. She raised the second one and threw it. She didn't even need to gauge her power or aim. There was only the 50/50 chance she could rely on. Suddenly, one of her rocky projectiles hit Finny's knee, and he fell to the ground, screaming in pain.

"W-What?! How could that have…hurt so much?!"

Merianna took the chance to run up to him with the multitude of rocks in her apron and stood over him. Finnian's eyes lit up with understanding when she was standing over him. Unceremoniously, she let go of her apron as they started to fall on him. All of them were guaranteed hits. They fell at a speed that broke the laws of physics and they fell on him like a torrent of boulders, some crushing his bones and some causing craters where they bounced off. Finny yelled in pain as they crushed him, and was soon unable to move.

Merianna dismissed The Fool, regaining her ability to speak and of course, to feel pain.

"F-Finny!" She exclaimed. "I…I didn't hurt you…too much…have I?"

"Go, Merianna." He replied, lying in a pool of blood. "But everyone else is going to be harder than I was. I will live, I just can't move because…well…my bones aren't as strong as my muscles are…I think Meirin's waiting if you keep going down that road…"

Merianna used her sleeve to wipe some of the blood around Finny's eyes for him.

"D-Do I…have to…keep fighting?" she asked anxiously. "I…I don't like this…if people get killed…"

The pleading look for disapproval in her eyes almost broke his heart. He didn't know what to say to her, but she knew the answer already. Instead, he changed the topic of their conversation.

"Before you go…how did you do that…? I knew…something was strange about you…but what…how…?"

She hesitated, as if unsure if she should betray her secrets.

"I used to have friends…friends that no one else could see." She explained. "I thought them imaginary as I grew up, only they weren't. It was the tarot cards who were my company and they spoke to me. Only now we can work together because…because …I…"

She didn't continue, but Finny had understood enough. He nodded, which was a painful twitch more than a smooth gesture, and Merianna stood up to leave. She didn't take her eyes off of him for a while until he assured her that he would heal after a small break and return to the house.

Ciel Phantomhive waited near the gardens, all the way at the back of the house. His servants would lead Merianna on a merry goose-hunt around the house before her final opponent would await her. He took a sip of his tea before returning to the interesting novel he was reading. Sebastian, of course, served his raspberry pancakes with the usual introduction.

"Is she coming?" He asked

Sebastian nodded. "Yes, Young Master. She is hesitantly advancing. From Grell's reports, it looks like one of the cards has put her to sleep…healing her body and sleepwalking at the same time…"

"Make sure that Grell doesn't make himself seen."

"Yes, my lord."

"Children like to play games, and by this we can see the extent of her tarot cards. I wonder how she'd fare against you though…" Ciel murmured.

Sebastian sniffed. "You realize that she is not doing this because of him, right?"

He jerked his head towards Cuffs, who had his arms and legs bound by a metal pipe contoured around him and gagged with a handkerchief in his mouth. He returned the menacing glare.

"I don't think she realizes the severity of this…like a child playing a game, worrying that she will break her toys." He said quietly. "Exactly who is the child here, Young Master? You, who has the power and money to buy new 'toys' whenever he wants, or her, an angel who does not understand the fragility of the humans she plays with?"