Chapter 24 – A blast from the past
Hello there everybody! It's been such a long time hasn't it? You see, it's hard writing a fanfic that is following the original manga storyline, especially when you're up to date. You have to wait for the updates to be able to write what happens next without getting it wrong, and since Black Butler rarely updates, it'll take a while to write chapters, so please bear with me.
Alice: well, well, well…Look who came back after abandoning us for what? Like a good year?
Me: Tehe, I've been busy.
Alice: Yes, busy forgetting us and writing your other stories.
Me: Well, I'm back and that's all that matters.
I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING FROM BLACK BUTLER.
Alice glanced over to Sebastian with a wary and confused look. Very rarely did she see Ciel with such a bothered expression on his face. It was twisted with both nervousness and fear. Before she could utter a single word, Sebastian placed his fingers over his lips as Ciel ordered them to get to the carriage. In Sebastian's arms was an unconscious Soma, his clothes a bloody mess and his hand was wrapped in Alice's handkerchief which was also drenched in blood. The carriage ride seemed to last forever. Alice was too nervous to speak up especially when Ciel looked like he was ready to kill someone. Nevertheless, Sebastian seemed inhumanely calm, a ghost of a smirk shimmered on his face.
He caught her staring and tilted his head slightly to the right with his signature mocking smirk. At this point, she was so used to it that she didn't blush. More like she couldn't blush in this situation. They had just lost Agni; one of Alice's closest friends and an older brother figure. Alice was already beginning to miss the calm and gentle smile and the refreshing smell of Indian spices that wafted into the air whenever Agni was present. An ice cold tear rolled down her cheek, glistening orange from the oil lamps outside.
The carriage stopped outside Sieglinde and Wolfram's house whilst the rain continued to pour from the dark grey skies. Alice helped Ciel down while Sebastian followed with Soma still in his arms. She gently knocked on the door several times before she heard the loud stomping approach from inside. The door burst open and we were greeted by the ever scowling Wolfram.
"HUH!? It's you!"
Sebastian handed Soma over to Wolfram who stared with a horrified expression on his face.
"What happened? These wounds are terrible!"
"What's with all the fuss Wolfram?"
Sieglinde walked down the stairs to see the trio. However, the usual uplifting atmosphere that they usually brought with them was gone and replaced by a tense and depressing air. Sieglinde especially noticed that Alice's eyes were red and puffy before Alice looked away into the rain. To her and Wolfram's surprise, Ciel looked at them with such cold and barren eyes while he gave them an order.
"Sullivan. Until I give further notice, do not open the door for anyone, no matter the consequences. Not even for me."
"What? Wait!"
Before she could ask why, Ciel turned around and walked out the door with Sebastian following behind. Alice bowed her head before walking behind them. Sieglinde and Wolfram watched the three walked away in the rain.
The three got onto the street, not bothering to call for a carriage. Alice could feel the tension that was rising around Ciel as they travelled to the main estate. She quietly walked in front of Sebastian who was partially shading her from the rain.
"Ciel, are we heading home?"
"Yes, there is something I need to confirm. Let's hurry."
"Yes, My Lord."
The sloshing of boots against the puddles of rain on the cold concrete and the pounding of the raindrops against the roof echoed in Alice's ears as she picked up the pace to walk beside Ciel.
"Ciel, you seem very tense. What's wrong?"
"…..that's what I want to find out. Come on, we have to hurry."
It wasn't the answer that Alice was looking for, but it was an answer and she felt that it wouldn't be a good idea to press on. The sky flashed with bolts of blue streaks and roared with thunder as the rainfall became heavier, further drenching the trio as they finally reached the familiar grounds of the Phantomhive manor. Up the spiraling steps they went before reaching the large ornate door. Sebastian hesitated before opening the door. He glanced back to see that Ciel had closed his eye and let out a quiet sigh before opening them again and nodding at Sebastian.
Whatever was going on between the two, Alice had a bad feeling that they were going to get a nasty surprise. The door opened and bright lights flooded out causing Alice to lift her hand over her eyes to shield them from the glare. Ciel took one step in before Mey-Rin and the other servants rushed out to greet them.
"Young Master! What happened? Why are you all drenched like that?!"
Snake ran off to grab a few towels while the expression on Ciel's face showed that he was shocked. Bard raised an eyebrow and scratched his chin in a very confused way which made Alice wonder, why?
"What happened? What made you go back out into the rain again?"
Mey-Rin hurried beside Ciel who was making his way towards the steps, insisting to draw up the bath so Ciel wouldn't catch a cold. Before Ciel reached the steps, he came to a sudden stop causing Alice to bump into Sebastian who had also stopped.
"Again?"
The question in Ciel's voice was now filled with absolute fear as Ciel began to tremble. Alice felt a chill creep up her spine in a way that she had never felt before. Like a foreboding feeling that something bad was going to happen. Alice reached out to see if he was alright when an authoritative and power filled voice rang out down the stairs. A voice that sounded far too familiar and sent ripples of chills down Alice's spine.
"Oho, I see now. I thought it was getting a little noisy down there…Now, now…you should know better than to prance around in drenched clothing in this cold weather. You're just asking for another rough bout of coughing you know?"
Alice felt Ciel tense up and looked up to see what could make Ciel tremble with fear like that. Her eyes followed the pearly white steps up to see a pair of thin and pale legs and a small figure. Then she followed it up and almost fell to the floor in shock as she stared into a pair of brilliant blue eyes, the same blue eyes as the boy standing next to her.
The other servants blanched as they watched an unfamiliar yet familiar figure stroll down the stairs. Their minds raced with thoughts to try and explain the current situation.
Even Sebastian was now in a state of shock. It wasn't possible that his young master was standing both in front of him and on top of the stairs. His eyes darted to the drenched boy to see that Ciel was frozen, his eye was filled with impeccable fear and disbelief and so was his beloved Alice.
"But not to worry, everything's going to be alright now. For I will never leave your side ever again. I'm finally home."
A gasp escaped from Alice's lips.
"No way, why is there two Ciels? This has got to be a dream."
The unfamiliar boy glanced over and his eyes met with Alice's. She remembered this look, it was the same as the man in the painting, the previous Earl. He gave her a knowing smile that turned her blood into ice.
"A dream? I assure you that it isn't."
Finny pointed up at the other Ciel with both anger and conviction,
"I knew something was off about him when he arrived. That person is not Young Master Ciel! He's an imposter!"
The smile that was on the other Ciel's face had faded away and he stared at Finny with some form of disgust or displeasure, like he was unimpressed that Finny had called him an imposter. However, after a few brief moments, his lips curled up into a smirk.
"An imposter?"
Alice glanced back and forth between the Ciel she had become so familiar with and the other one and saw that her Ciel had transformed into a trembling and fearful child while the one on the staircase was calm but somewhat more terrifying. He placed his hand over his heart and smiled down at the servants.
"What a funny thing to say. The head of the Phantomhive household is none other than me, Ciel Phantomhive."
Bard couldn't take it anymore. He was confused beyond belief and the expressions on his co workers' faces indicated that they were just as confused and horrified as he was.
"Oi, oi! Sebastian, what the hell is going on?"
"Sebastian?"
The other Ciel's attention turned to Sebastian who was now staring up at him with a calm and composed expression while subtly glancing over to his Young Master who had bent over in fear. Pathetic. I hate to say it but I am rather perplexed at this sudden change of events.
"I see, so you are that Sebastian. I suppose this is out first time meeting. Thanks for what you did to me on that day."
"Yes, it is my first time meeting someone like you."
Alice continued to look between the three people and felt frustrated that despite what they were saying, she couldn't come to any conclusions about their relationship or about the situation. Finny rushed over and grasped onto Sebastian's sleeve, begging to get an explanation of the situation.
"He's lying through his teeth isn't he? After all, our Young Master is-"
Ciel's reluctant and forced words stopped Finny before he could continue, refusing to look up and meet the gaze of his past.
"It's true. He is the true Earl."
Alice looked over to Ciel who was hunched over as if he couldn't look up to meet the eyes of anyone else in the room, as if he was ashamed of himself. Alice stepped closer to the steps and pointed to other Ciel and her Ciel,
"Wait a minute. I think I get it now…don't tell me, you two are…twins?"
"That is correct Miss Alice."
Tanaka had returned back to his proper form and in his hand was a plate of tea and cakes.
"Gramps? You knew about this? From the beginning?"
"Indeed Miss Alice. I had planned to take this secret to my grave but it seems that it is no longer an option. The previous Earl Phantomhive had married Lady Rachel around 15 years ago and that following year, she became pregnant. On the day that Lady Rachel gave birth, we heard not one cry but the cries of two infants. As it turned out, she had given birth to a pair of twin boys. It wasn't surprising that no one realized after all, they were like reflections of a mirror."
The other Ciel tsked and slyly looked over to his weak twin.
"You see…You've gotten the servants all terribly confused because you pretended to be me. Gramps told me everything about how you burned down the manor and hid the fact that we were twins. I was quite taken to hear that you were deceiving everyone this entire time. What a naughty boy. Why did you go to such lengths to tell your lies? Go on, tell me. I won't get mad."
But Ciel couldn't reply. His voice had gotten stuck in his throat as the servants all looked to their Young Master who they had lived so happily with for so long. No one said anything and just watched as the terrified look on Ciel's face grew with each second.
"I-I-I…"
Ciel began to tear up, unable to utter a single word as he glanced up in fear of his brother who smiled down at him with a smug grin. The latter burst into fits of laughter at Ciel's horrified stare. It was strange to see him laugh so freely and genuinely, especially since Alice's wasn't used to seeing her Ciel laugh.
"You don't have to get al teary eyed like that. It's okay, I have no intention of reprimanding you for your lie."
The younger brother flinched and stared in confusion at his brother's words.
"If there was anyone attempting to hurt you for your lies, I would stand firmly against them. I actually want to commend you for doing this. It must have been hard to hold out for three long years all by yourself. But it's alright now, I am back so you don't have to lie anymore."
Alice couldn't bear to see the boy she had gotten to know tremble like a new born fawn discovering its legs for the first time. She hated seeing him so helpless and weak. She didn't even know what to believe anymore. If the Ciel she knew was not Ciel, then who was he?
"Th-That's impossible. I-I-I saw it! With my own eyes! You-you-were…"
Sebastian finally spoke up. He had been quiet this whole time as had Alice and the other servants. This was a lot to take in and no one knew what to say.
"Lord Ciel Phantomhive, I am absolutely certain that you lost your life that night…otherwise, I would not be here right now."
Alice and the other servants had no idea what was going on but they trusted Sebastian and the younger twin. A cackling resonated down the staircase followed by an all too familiar voice.
"A sharp observation. Indeed it is as you say ."
The sound of footsteps brought Alice's attention up to the top of the stairs where a human anatomy mannequin peeked out from behind the wall. Alice instantly frowned, any humour that she had was gone and replaced by utter confusion. Then a masculine hand with long black fingernails crept out from behind the mannequin and a certain silver haired reaper made his appearance. Alice couldn't help but call out in shock.
"Undertaker!?"
"Hi little maid~ Long time no see! How have you been?"
Before she could answer, the younger twin, called out to the silver haired grim reaper.
"EH?! Undertaker! Were you the one…did you bring Ciel back!?"
His attention turned from the pinkette to the younger twin, a grin plastered on his face as he lifted his finger to his mouth.
"Uh uh... You might want to wait a moment, if you'd like information, it will require an appropriate fee in advance – is what I would say, but when you came up with the 'Phantom 5' for the music hall showdown, that was easily worth 3 whole years of laughter. So, for your efforts, I will tell you. Indeed, I was the one who took the Young Earl out from the fire."
"But why?"
Undertaker cocked his head to the side, as if confused that not-Ciel would even ask him that. Alice caught a glimpse of his beautiful and mystical green eyes from behind his stunning silver hair. With a grin, his eyes darted from the younger boy to her then back to the boy, as if directing his smile to her, hoping that perhaps she knew the answer. Alas, Alice was just as confused as everyone else. What kind of messed up family drama is this?
"It isn't possible to restore them back to normal if they've burnt to ashes, just like your father was. It's been a rough road getting here with so many obstacles in my way."
Sebastian glared at the grim reaper.
"Why did you go through all this trouble in order to revive him?"
Undertaker shrugged, a somewhat terrifying tone in his voice,
"You wouldn't understand Mr. Butler."
Alice felt a slight chill in the air as Undertaker walked over to the real Ciel Phantomhive and placed a hand on his shoulder, in a somewhat protective manner and stared down at Sebastian, as if daring Sebastian to try anything. After the events on the Campania, Alice knew very well how well Undertaker could fight and how easily he could take her and the other servants out. She looked over to the Ciel she had known and saw how shocked and terrified he was. The last time she saw him like this was back in the werewolf forest, when he had that psychological attack.
She turned to face Undertaker who had lost his usual cheerful demeaner and had replaced it with an almost sad and melancholic one. His true feelings pouring out for them to see.
"I just…couldn't take it."
He looked directly at the trembling twin below him, directing his message to the young boy.
"I don't want to lose anymore Phantomhives."
Alice looked over to Ciel with a confused look. Since when had Undertaker been this close to the Phantomhive family? And why was he so attached to them?
"I see now. So that's what you mean."
Sebastian said, frowning as things were starting to come together. Alice was rather surprised that Sebastian could grasp the situation already, but he was a demon who was there when the true Ciel died.
"Why are you so attached to the Phantomhive family Undertaker?"
The true Ciel looked down at the group, his expression serious yet calm and somewhat terrifying. It was much more different from the Ciel that I was used to and chills ran up my spine.
"Silence servant. Do not speak without your master's permission. It's a cacophony to my ears."
Alice glared up at him. She didn't let little brats who didn't know her, order her around like a dog. Sebastian sensed that Alice was going to rebel but now was not a good time to do so and he placed an arm in front of her, blocking her from proceeding with her plan.
The older twin smiled knowingly at his younger brother, a complete switch from his previous attitude towards the servants.
"It's true that I died that day…leaving you all alone. Poor thing. But I'm here now! I get to meet you again, the only family member I have left in the world. I'm so happy to see you."
There was a look of pure innocence on his face in contrast to the younger brother's shocked and nervous expression. Sebastian decided to take initiative and discuss with Undertaker his motives for bringing back Ciel.
"That treasure of yours that Alice picked up from the Campania, there was a lock of hair from the young master's grandmother which we had suspected. However, it doesn't explain their importance to you, since you seem to have a far more deeper connection to the Phantomhive's than we'd expected. Seeing as you are a grim reaper, what exactly is your relationship to the House of Phantomhive?"
"I'll leave that up to your imagination."
Alice gritted her teeth as Undertaker replied with a cocky smile. She felt a bit angry that Undertaker had answered Sebastian's question when he didn't answer hers. She huffed and crossed her arms in an annoyed manner.
"You brought the dead back to life….That's insane!"
Undertaker seemed shocked that the younger twin was not happy that he had reunited the two twins together by accomplishing the impossible. He didn't understand why the younger boy was not overjoyed like his brother was.
"Aren't you happy though? You finally get to see your big brother after all this time. You see, he was perfectly complete with materials and 'episodes' but at that time, my resurrection technique couldn't keep up with the advancement, so it took a little longer to bring him to this condition."
Undertaker grasped the twin and danced him around, almost as if he was showing off his most prized work. Alice felt slightly sick that Undertaker had taken such pride into doing this, especially after witnessing and experiencing the horror on the Campania.
"Wait?! So the creepy doll guys that were on the Campania and the ones at the school…were they previous experiments gone wrong while trying to perfect bringing 'him' back to life?"
"Oh no Little Maid~ My experiments started long before that. The dolls you saw were the ones that were able to walk and move on their own. Movement was a recent development. The night I brought the young earl back with me, I immediately placed him within a specially made coffin and tended to him with the utmost care. And then little by little, I adjusted and fixed things until…taadaa!"
"Ever since you took him that night? Where in the world did you keep him all this time?"
The older Ciel giggled and smiled at his brother who seemed so adorable when he was curious.
"Curious? Why, I've been by your side this whole time!"
"B-By – my side?"
"Yes, when you came to uncover the truth about Aunt Anne and her sins, I was there. That very coffin that you sat on was where I was resting."
Alice gagged. She had sat on that coffin too. She had unknowingly sat on him while he was fermenting or whatever.
"I think I'm going to be sick."
Sebastian saw Alice's face go 10 shades paler. However, she was ignored by the older twin he seemed rather annoyed that she had interrupted him.
"When you were on the ship, I was there. And even through your brief yet rigid school life, I was there too. I've been with you the entire time, every single moment of it."
The younger twin's face went just as pale as Alice's as they, and Sebastian, came to realise that he had been there, watching them, for a very long time. And no one had suspected or sensed a thing. Alice was about to ask a questions when a sharp yet masculine voice called out from above and the sound of shattering glass caught their attention.
"Let's cut this boring chit chat~"
A flash of crimson red and the roaring of a motor appeared in the now broken window as Grell came smashing through.
"What an entrance…"
At this point, Alice had stopped becoming surprised at Grell's sudden and flashy appearances, especially since he did it to impress Sebastian.
"Hi there~ I've missed you Bassy!"
The sound of a door opening behind them caused everyone to turn around as a familiar face popped out from behind the wooden door.
"Oh goodness Grell, you know there's a door here."
"OH SHUT IT, OTHELLO! YOU'VE GOT TO MAKE AN ENTRANCE TO SUIT THE ATMOSPHERE! HOW DULL!"
"Alrighty, now that we've met him…let's get right into it, shall we? Naughty boys like you need to be scolded!"
It seemed that they weren't here for Sebastian or the younger twin, since their attention was not directed towards the group on the ground. The sadistic smiles and piercing green gazes fell on the silver haired grim reaper at the top of the stairs and the undead boy beside him. Well, this couldn't get any worse now…could it?
End of chapter.
Thank you so much for reading and for being so patient. You guys are absolute legends! I love my readers so much because you give me tons of support and I feel very happy to see people reading because it means that there's someone out there who enjoys my stories. LOTS OF LOVE TO YOU ALL!