The Italics are for Lord Kelvin's story/flashback as not to confuse anyone
Ciel felt as if his legs were going to give out at the scene in front of him, the memories of all those years ago rushing back. The blood, the molestation, the branding. There was no god to him, there was never any god in the first place. How foolish of him to think so. His eyes widened even further when he realized, a small voice was calling for him.
"Mama…" It was so strained, barely above a whisper. But he heard it. Lillian was huddled into a corner, the other kids just weren't responding to her, making her wonder why she was the only one who hadn't been given that strange medicine. "Mama!" Lillian cried and crawled to the cage.
"Lily…" Lily… Lily? Lillian Valentine." Ciel faltered as he began to openly weep, the cane falling to the floor as he tried to wrap his mind around everything. What was happened, she was supposed to be dead, he watched with his very own eyes as they soiled her from the inside out.
Lillian kept calling out to him, but he was too far gone.
"My Lord what seems to be the matter?! Does this cause you such memories? How could it not though? I remember it like it was yesterday, 5 years ago."
"Lord and Lady Kelvin, a pleasure to see you made it!" A blond gentleman approached two more of his guests, both shaking hands quite firmly.
"Lord Burton, what a grand soirée you've put on! I look forward to chatting later about philanthropic efforts."
"As do I." Lord Burton couldn't have agreed more as both shared a hearty chuckle before Burton had continued. "Oh, yes, there's someone I'd like to introduce you to." Looking around the room, Burton spotted his intended target and began to lead the pair over to them.
"The Earl Phantomhive." Lord Kelvin couldn't believe his eyes at the sight before him, stood before him was such a beautiful child. "Allow me to introduce the Baron Kelvin."
"P-Pleased to meet you." He couldn't believe he stuttered so hastily, he scolded himself as The Earl Phantomhive told the small boy to introduce himself.
"Yes, pleased to meet you, Lord Kelvin. I'm Ciel." Lord Kelvin couldn't help the blush as his gaze widened even more, he spotted another child but quickly hid behind his father. The Earl apologized for his other son as he was very shy, especially around new people, only to further begin to explain that his health wasn't the best and how the family couldn't bring him many places.
"Oh! It's uncle Clause!" Ciel happily ran over to his uncle and hopped into his arms. Lord Kelvin could only watch in amazement. They truly were a beautiful family. He couldn't hear much of what Burton was saying at this point, because Kelvin, was truly in love.
"It was after that party, did I decide to devote myself to investigate the Phantomhives. What made them so special? And so, I found out their true nature, that of the "villainous nobles". Because all beautiful roses have thorns, I felt like but a helpless yearning for their, I mean, your sub rosa life."
Lord Kelvin approached the two men who were bantering back and forth about a "little" job they had been discussing. "L- Lord Phantomhive! It's good to see you again." The blush on his cheeks further deepened when he spoke oh so casually to him. The man talking to the earl stood up abruptly and walked past Kelvin.
"We'll only be interrupted here. Let's go somewhere else." Lord Kelvin could only watch as the head Phantomhive began to shift in his seat than stand to follow. "Diederich, you shouldn't be so testy."
"Please excuse me, Lord Kelvin." And with that, the noble had disappeared into the mass of people, following his companion. Kelvin felt as if he was flying high right now. He couldn't believe this beautiful man had remembered him, watching as the of them walked away to continue their conversation. But alas he also thought 'special people are untouchable by those who aren't special.' He was a nobody, in the eyes of a Phantomhive that is.
Later upon that night, he was still wide awake. His children began to worry, but he lashed out. Pushing them away, because he was, indeed by his own words. Too ugly. A man such as himself would never be able to amount to the velvety beautiful world of the night that they ruled over.
"Will he one day be an evil bloom clad in beautiful thorns, too? Will he become the peerlessly cold moon gleaming into the world of night? Whilst his brother, next to him as the stars? Both forever out of reach…"
"I can't change everything at once, but you can be your ideal—just leave it to me." He could see the gleam in the doctor's eyes above him as he held the scalpel, and then everything went dark.
"Like a bisque doll, with porcelain skin, big jewel like eyes, and a youthful body… I would become beautiful. I didn't care that my ugly wife left me.
I had decided, I'll grow more beautiful by leading a beautiful life! I'll be a man worthy of him!"
Ciel finally snapped out of it to see Lillian crying for him, calling out to him, but he couldn't bring himself to go. Because his reality knew, she was dead. "I've never been able to forget that pain. I, who gave up everything to meet you, was the only one who couldn't.
Why is fate so bend on keeping us apart? I wondered constantly, and then one day, they were all gone. It was you who killed them, wasn't it my lord? How I envied them. A beautiful end, with the cold icy mood at their deathbeds… Please, make me one of them." Joker's eyes widened at what his father was saying, was he a mad man. This was going too far… no. It has always been going too far, and he just never saw it until now. But this was the man that gave them a home. Practically gave them a job when nobody else wanted them. "Look! I've prepared everything just as it was then! The ritual chamber… and the lambs… And finally, my lord—you!"
Lily screamed as the sound of the gun went off, covering her eyes. Her crying filled the atrium as Joker screamed in pain of his arm being cut off. Ciel wiped his tears as he panted heavily. "Stay out of my master's way, please." Sebastian tossed the useless limb aside as he watched the ginger crying in pain over his now dying care giver.
"It hurts, my lord… It's agony, but… I am grateful, but please…" Kelvin clasped onto Ciel's leg begging for the young earl to give him the death the others had had before him.
"The death they had?" Ciel stomped his foot onto Kelvin's head, digging his heel into the skull. "The death they had, eh? Then you'd best prostrate yourself like the worm you are and beg a demon."
"Mama! Please… please!" Lillian wailed all but helplessly, she knew it was for her sake, but it had to stop.
"Please, don't kill him!" The cries of Lily and Joker ringing in his ears, finger steady on the trigger as he waited for Joker to talk. "Whatever else he may be! He is our savior, when our parents, and the state gave up on us. When nobody wanted to help a bunch of homeless street rats, he saved us!
There are others back at the orphanage, without him, they'll die!" Joker pleaded, and upon hearing Ciel snort, his eyes widened as the Earl turned to look at him.
"So that's why you kidnapped all the children? To save your own skins, you obeyed him and sacrificed others. You sacrificed that little girl in the cage over there!" He yelled out pointing to Lillian who was bawling. "Sebastian, please get her."
"Yes, my lord." Acting quickly, Sebastian retrieved Lillian, but put her to sleep on his own accord. For now, he knew what his young master's plans were.
"We knew what we were doing was wrong, yet we still did it." Joker supported himself on his one arm looked to the earl.
"No, you're not wrong. You fought to protect your world. What's wrong with that? In the end, "justice" is just an official line taken by those in power to serve their own ends.
"No one's looking out for others. If you're careless, you'll be robbed. There are only two kinds of people in this world. Those who steal, and those who are stolen from. And today, I steal your futures. That's all this is." Joker fell back laughing as he looked at the Earl in amusement.
"Yeah that's right! But, you two will lose something precious tonight, too. The troupe is on its way to your mansion! How do you think we captured all those kids without getting caught? All the witnesses disappear."
"Who knew a brat would live in such a big place as this?" Peter commented as they looked upon the manor with big eyes.
"It's enough we'll have just a job trying to find the target's bedroom." Beast spoke up followed by Jumbo.
"Let's split up."
"We'll go in from above, then." Peter and Wendy took before anything else was said followed by Beast and Dagger.
Beast held onto Joker's scarf he had given her before he left to go speak with their father and closed her eyes, she didn't want to do this anymore. It was wrong, all she wanted to do was live in peace. Run to the hills and far away, upkeep the circus with Joker and everyone.
Jumbo, by himself kept a straight line for the manner thinking to himself about how big this place really was and how they were going to have to leave by sunrise, until a voice from the distance spoke up. "Eh? What's this, isn't it a bit late to have visitors at this hour? I apologize, my orders are not to let strangers in when the master is away."
Finnian said sleepily as he wiped his eyes, boy was it too late for this. "Could you come visit another time?"
"We're pros. If anyone crosses our paths on the job for any reason, we eliminate them. You're the target—I wonder how many will be killed while they are searching for you?" Ciel raised his brow inquisitively as he looked at the man bleeding out before him.
"Killed?" Joker chuckled once more as he lay there dying.
"Yes. Everyone, even the servants."
"My servants." Joker looked over to Sebastian who had Lillian cradled in one arm while trying to stifle his laughter.
"What's so funny? He asked, obviously offended that they dare laugh at them. They truly were pros at what they do, unless…
"Who do you take them for? Those are Phantomhive servants."
Jumbo looked down at the body of the boy he had just taken care of and muttered an apology. There was no time to stop, they were on a mission. Beginning to walk away, Jumbo turned around when he felt the boy grab onto his ankle and begin to pull himself up.
"You can't do that. I'll get in trouble! The young master ordered me, and I have strict instructions from Sebastian… not to let anyone in." The look in his eyes was gone, now replaced with something Jumbo couldn't his hands on. But he knew, he had to get out of here, and immediately.
"Oh, dear, has it already started? I didn't expect you to be so impatient. I'm on my way, my Sebas-Chan!" Grell chanted happily, bounding through the trees with even more vigor than he already was. Ronald watched from afar as he tried to keep up with the rogue shinigami and just shook his head
"I really wonder what Senior Spears do with him?"
"Aw, look at all this blood! That was so mean. I hate being hurt you know." Finny commented as he wiped the blood away from his head, looking at the giant man in front of him, he could see he was conscious but barely. He knew it was time to finish off the job once and for all, and where there was him. There were bound to be others.
"Peter, Wendy, run! This mansion isn't normal!" The acrobatics heard Jumbo calling for them as they hopped through the trees wondering what was going on. Peter and Wendy stopped in pure shock as they say a giant gaping hole in the base of the wall where Jumbo lay.
"Don't tell me, he got Jumbo…" Peter was in disbelief as he looked at the sight in front of him, he couldn't believe it.
"Please don't shout at night. You'll wake Lady Elizabe—" Finnian turned around when he felt that his hat was snatched from the back of his neck.
"Damnit, you'll pay! How dare you kill Jumbo!" Finnian dodged each grapple was the was being aimed at him, how dare they take his hat. The young master had given it to him as a gift. He couldn't hide it anymore. The code on the back of his neck he worked so hard to keep hidden.
"The young master never keeps me locked up! He never made me fight death matches with my friends. I love this place!" Finnian watched as they tried to get away once more, the holes in the wall doing nothing against his fists. "So, I made up my mind to protect it."
Finnian's eyes widened when he saw that the pair was coming towards him with the thin wire, he knew it was his job to protect the manor, even if that meant until his last breath. Prepared to swing his last punch, he fell back to the ground at the resounding shot that rang through the air.
Peter fell when he had realized what happened. "Wendy!" Trying to run to his sister, he dodged the next bullet that was stopping him from getting to her. But it was too late, as he knew it. She was already dead. Followed by a series of bullets Peter began to dodge each one until he got to what he assumed was a safe place. "From the roof to the west? Bloody hell, how big an army does he have?!" I'm sorry, Wendy, but that brat'll have to wait." Shooting a wire to the next off roof, Peter scaled the building to asses the damage. The blond trapeze artist was surprised to see that thee were multiple guns, but no scopes. Not even multiple men. The blond quickly ducked down when he saw something shimmer from the other side of the manor and swore. He really was in trouble, what was he going to tell the others.
"Always follow the young master's instructions. Welcome the master everyday with a nice, clean mansion… This is a maid's job. When there's filth here… I get rid of it!"
Elizabeth whimpered when she heard something shatter through the hall and grabbed onto her stuffed bunny. "What was that noise?" Slipping out of bed, Lizzy began to make her way to the door, but it was opened before she could even get to it.
Tanaka stood in the door way, candles held high as he watched the young girl who was confused. "Lady Elizabeth, what's the matter?"
"Tanaka, did you hear a loud noise just now?" She watched the old man give his usual soft but warm laugh as he hid the body that lay behind the door.
"I'm sure you dreamed it, my lady." Tanaka reassured the young girl as he watched her clutch the rabbit and shift from foot to foot.
"Really? I was half-asleep after all…" Turning around she followed the butler's orders and climbed back into bed, for the night. It was a bit chilly after all, and the last thing Ciel needed was a sickly fiancée on his hands. She needed to be fit as a fiddle when he came back. If he came back.
"Goodnight, Tanaka-San." Cuddling her rabbit closer, Lizzy let herself drift off into sleep once more upon hearing the door close, and the footsteps fade away.
Twice in a week. I really am on a roll hahaha! Please comment everyone I greatly appreciate feedback, and I will try to start on the next chapter soon! With lots of love, XOXO tata~~
