I hold no claim to the characters from this kick-ass Anime. Only Aurora, Melony, Alibaster, and Victor are mine.

Chapter Twelve

Forlorn

"Sebastian!" Ciel cried, staring at the demon that say there in the windowsill before him and the other demon he continued to cling too. He felt, just for that moment, that if he were to let her go… "Take that back," He ordered. "Right now!"

"What do you mean?" The man sitting on the windowsill asked.

"I don't like you taunting me!" Ciel cried, his grip tightening.

Sebastian closed his eyes with a small smile. "Master, earlier you informed me about some business to take care of. This business of yours…did it include endangering yourself and…others?" They all knew who he referred to. "In a misguided attempt to change your past?" He raised a hand as Ciel frowned. "Do you remember what you said at the Frost Fair? About your body? About your ring? What you said was both had been shattered and reborn. That you no longer had the fear of being broken yourself."

"I remember," Ciel growled. "You don't need to remind me." At that moment, Drossel's voice began to sing again and Ciel's grip grew as tight as it could on Aurora's jacket. The door before them burst open and the girl puppets from below filed in. "This means that they defeated Grell and Alibaster!"

"Interesting." Sebastian stood up as Aurora pulled Ciel behind her body, blocking him from the puppets. "It seems that they are being control through that singing." Aurora watched as Sebastian began to sing himself, this time the lyrics being 'Iron and Steel will bend and bow.' Aurora felt a little nervous for Alibaster as Sebastian took care of the enemy, but she had faith that the man was still safe. If worse came to worse, Alibaster would have run away to fight another day.

"Who are you calling a lady?" Ciel growled after Sebastian had bowed at their feet.

"Why, the one beside you of course, my Lord." The butler answered with his cute smile. "Now, my young master, let us go."

"I think not." Aurora stared at Drossel for a moment, reliving the events of when she first saw him all those years ago.

The stone area smelled of blood and dirt that you would find in a prison. Rotten food. Urine. Feces. And it rang with sniffles and cries as blows landed. Fear rebounded off of the walls. Fear and anger.

"Where is she?" Aurora's voice roared. As they turned the final corner, Vincent's eyes widened. There were cages and cages lined up on the walls with multiple children inside them. The ages were from 4-14 and by the looks of their clothes, some of them had been there for a few days and others for a lot longer.

Aurora had the guard by his collar and was shaking him as she demanded to know where Ramona was. The man just smiled at her and stayed silent before she grew tired of it and smashed his head into the wall.

"Melony," Undertaker was already unlocking the cages, a solemn look on his face as he ushered the scared and frightened children out. All of them rushed past Aurora, some in fear of her, and followed Melony up the stairs. Vincent watched as one of the boys though, with light orange hair and amethyst eyes, paused for a moment before throwing his arms around her. Aurora was still for a moment before placing a hand on the top of his head.

"You're…you're here for Ramona, aren't you?" He asked her.

Aurora's head popped up. "Yes. Do you know where they took her? Is she alright?"

The boy nodded his head. "She was scared. They came down this morning and took her upstairs. We…we could hear her screams. All day she begged them to stop, to not…" The boy burst out into tears and Undertaker came over and picked him up before turning and taking him after the others.

To think, after saving him from that, he would just end up right back into their arms. It made Aurora…sad. Sad…and furious.

"Ciel Phantomhive," Drossel began, that music box in his hands again. "You are now the property of my master."

Ciel stepped around Aurora in anger. "Property? Who do you think-"

"The proof is there. You're marked by the very ring you're wearing." Ciel glanced down at the Phantomhive ring on his finger. "I know what it is. That is a Hope Piece, the same gem my master sends as a token to those who are destined to become his dolls."

"What master?" Sebastian demanded.

"It's been decided Ciel Phantomhive is going to become a doll. An exquisite doll made up of silver and gold."

"Silver and gold will be stolen away," Sebastian began to wave a finger as he sang. Drossel pulled a face as Sebastian picked the child up in his arms and out the window they flew.

"He was indeed stolen away," Drossel sighed as he fell to the middle of the floor. "However, I invented to myself, Ciel Phantomhive will return; whether he wants too or not."

"Much like you did, am I right?" Aurora's voice made him look up at the demon that still stood in the room with him.

Drossel tilted his head to the side. "Indeed, it seems…"

Aurora closed her eyes before kneeling on the floor in front of the man and placing a calm hand on his head. She had been right. Drossel was no longer human. He was a puppet himself, and being controlled. She could feel it…and it was familiar, somehow. She had come across this power before, but how? Who was it? She couldn't place it…

"I am so sorry, Drossel Keinz." Aurora told him. "Perhaps, if I had known, I could have kept you from going through…this." She opened her eyes and locked with the amethyst ones staring at her in silence. "I cannot change you back, but I can set your free of this torment, if you wish. And revenge, you shall have."

As the silence ticked on, a small smile seemed to fight to stretch out across his face as his head tilted to the side. "Just…a little longer…"

~There is no color to our meeting

It blows through in monochrome.

I go where your cool fingers beckon me~

Alibaster was furious! Pluto's constant howling's and barking's were annoying him as they stood outside of the large tower. Grell didn't seem too pleased about it either as he tried to contain the animal still in his human form as he tried to run for the tower doors.

"Hey now!" The redhead cried. "Calm down! What's wrong with you, puppy?"

"He apparently smells Elizabeth," Alibaster answered him. "Or something else that he likes."

"Well this is a surprise," Ciel's voice made them turn to find Sebastian and the child coming up behind him. "You're still alive."

Grell took this moment to jump on Sebastian just to be beaten to him by Pluto. Alibaster took another look over the duo and then frowned.

"Where is Aurora?" Ciel opened his mouth to answer before glancing back at the manor behind them. Alibaster gave the child a furious look. "You lft her there by herself!?"

"The lady can surely take care of herself," Sebastian told the man as Pluto continued to hang onto him. "Saying anything but will surely hurt her feelings."

"I don't care about her feelings, dammit!" Alibaster took a step forward. "I care about her being safe."

"And though I do appreciate the thought, I can take care of myself." They turned at the voice to find Aurora standing at the door of the tower. "Now, are we going in or not?"

Alibaster gave a sigh of relief and hurried to her, Pluto right behind him, as Ciel wore a confused look. ~Has she taken care of that man?~ The child asked himself.

"This door has been sealed with unusual power," Aurora announced, rubbing a hand over Pluto's head.

"It seems only a demon hound can open it." Sebastian added.

"And it's just by luck that we happen to have one with us?" Alibaster gave a frown. "Total bullshit."

Aurora gave Pluto a nudge forward with her foot and he gave a few steps forward until his collar began to glow blue; the door did the same. Aurora gave Alibaster a shove backwards as Pluto changed into his larger form and gave a huge howl.

"It's so big!" Grell gave a howl of his own.

The door slid open and in Pluto ran; Aurora move right behind him, followed by the others. Up the large stairs of the tower they ran until they reached a door that seemed to be at the very top. The room turned out to be a workroom where the puppets were all made. And there, against the back wall between a desk and a large bookcase of supplies, sat a young girl in a pink dress with long, blonde hair.

"Lizzie!" Ciel ran to her but it seemed that they were too late. She was already a puppet, though she could still talk.

"How sad," Alibaster closed his eyes, turning from the sight. Aurora could tell that his tone was mocking Ciel but stayed silent as she continued to glance around the room. It seemed that Grell was bored as well.

"She didn't have too…" Ciel sighed.

"Then why did she?" Drossel's voice dragged their attention to the young girl as she was yanked into the air and a weapon brought to her hands. "Now her body is moving without her control, will she hurt the one she claims to love mosti n the world?"

"What's happening to her?!" Ciel demanded.

"Isn't it obvious?" Alibaster replied as the girl began to scream as she attacked Ciel and Sebastian over and over again. "She's being forced to attack you, little man, so you might want to do something quick. Grell, why don't you help them?"

"Oh, I would hate to bend one of my blades," Grell sighed as the three of them just stood there as Sebastian and Ciel continued on with Lizzie.

"I thought we had a deal here," Alibaster sighed. "The pictures for you help? If you don't help here, then the deal is off. Period."

"Oh, you're so cruel!" Grell reached over and trailed a finger down his face. "Oh, if only you weren't human…" He sighed and turned back to the scene before them. "I cannot let a little girl like you to wield a better blade than I do," He jumped into action. "Unforgivable."

Alibaster gave a shudder as he wiped the side of his face clean. "Please tell me that he did not just truly do that to me."

"Do you want me to lie?" Aurora gave him a small smile.

The man shuddered again before giving a sigh. "what do you plan on doing here, Aurora?"

She was silent for a moment before closing her eyes. "Getting revenge for a little boy."

Grell had cut Lizzie's puppet string and released her from her control just moments before Drossel tossed even more puppet strings down on the men in the room, leaving Aurora free.

"Hey! How come you aren't in on this?!" Grell demanded as he struggled. Sebastian was busy having a conversation with Drossel.

Aurora gave a soft smile as Pluto rubbed his head on her leg, finally joining them in the room. "Because. I made a promise."

"What are you doing, Aurora!?" Ciel demanded. "Help us!" Aurora stared at the boy for a moment before leaning down to check on Lizzie.

"Aurora!" Alibaster's voice caught her and she lifted her head just in time to see that Sebastian had knocked Drossel from the rafters above them, a large hole in his head. She gave a frown and caught him, instead of moving out of the way.

"Get away from hi-" Ciel's voice was cut off by the glare in the woman's eyes.

Sebastian landed beside her as Grell went off into another of his rants. "So, he was a puppet after all."

"His name was Drossel Keinz," Grell told them. "His soul was collected five years ago but we still detected signs of his existence."

"What is left of him is being controlled," Aurora told him. "He has been reanimated with a temporary soul and used as a…" She closed her eyes, anger still flaring in her. Alibaster moved forward and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Ciel…" Lizzie's voice grabbed their attention again.

"You're awake. Let's got you home." Ciel told her.

"I want to give you…a real birthday party. Can I?"

Ciel looked afraid at first, but finally succumbed. "Ok. We can have a party." She closed her eyes again. "You can rest easy now, Lizzie. It's all over."

"It appears that it's not." Sebastian frowned as Drossel began to move in Aurora's arms, trying to push himself back to his feet.

"You don't have to move anymore, Drossel," The woman told him, holding him tighter. "It's all over now."

"No it's not," The puppet shook his head, the wheat falling. "Just a little bit longer…mon sauveur."

~My savior?~ Alibaster pulled a surprised face. ~Why would he call her that?~

Aurora gave a sigh and said something else in a language that neither of them, but Sebastian and Drossel it seemed, could understand. The puppet gave a nod before her hands let go of him and he stood to his feet.

"And I thought to myself…to my myself...I still have a task…" He began to leave the room, moving slowly. "I must report to…my master." As he continued to walk, more wheat fell from the hole in his head.

"What's wrong with this loon?" Grell asked. "He's all beaten up and he still wants to serve his master?"

"Perhaps I judged him too hastily," Sebastian sighed. "He may be…one hell of a butler."

Alibaster glared at the demon as the puppet opened a large set of doors. "Would you stop saying that? It's starting to be annoying to me."

"Master…it's me…" Drossel called out. He then fell forward into the dark room leaving the others to peer inside.

"Go ahead and go inside," Aurora told them all as she grabbed Drossel's body. "I don't need to…" She paused, watching as the doors shut behind them. "Besides…I already know what waits behind the doors, don't I, Duke Mandalay?"

Duke Mandalay was the brother of Dolsen…the bastard that was the cause of all of this. Or rather…the one being used by the true person pulling the strings.

~I am like troublesome ice after the melt

You gently scoop me up to you mouth

And play with my upper lip~

Ciel let Lizzie throw him his birthday party. He might not like to show it, but the party brought forth a smile on the boy's face. He truly did care for that girl, no matter how much of an asshole he was. Alibaster smiled, watching the younger boy. After everything that he had been through, it was no wonder he was so horrid. Alibaster found himself wondering, as the servants and Lizzie sang the birthday song, just how different Ciel would be if nothing had happened to him those years ago on his birthday. How different would he be?

"What is this?" Ciel had pulled a ring out of his mouth.

Sebastian wore a smile on his face. "Well, the season is almost upon us. It is a tradition Christmas pudding. Whose ever has the ring in it is guaranteed happiness throughout the New Year. It seems you have found the ring, master."

That set Elizabeth off into one of her rants. "Did you hear that? You can finally be happy!"

Aurora smiled at them for a moment before backing away from the door again, Pluto at her heels once more. She gave another soft smile as she rubbed a hand on his head. "How about the two of us be happy too, eh Pluto?"

The demon-dog gave a happy bark has he continued down the hall after her.

I hope you guys like it. Review! :)