Author's note:
Some of the words had been typed in like they were crossed out in the original manga, and so I did that when I typed this in Word, but FanFic doesn't seem to like that, so whenever something is supposed to be crossed out, I'll write it like this: ≠crossed out text≠

I own nothing but my OC.


That Butler, On The Hunt 2


'thoughts'

"speech"

"Demonic speech"

{setting/stage directions?}

SOUND EFFECTS

An entire sentence like this, without quotes, is narration for dreams or stuff like written letters.

=†=†=†=†= scene shift/time shift


Previously:

"?" Sebastian said, puzzled by their behavior. "You do not need to hurry so. The Marchioness will be here this afternoon—" He said, smiling a bright shit-eating grin at Sebastian.

"Fool! We're talking about Aunt Francis here!" Ciel yelled anxiously.


{The Phantomhive Inner Courtyard}

Finni was humming cheerfully as he skipped along the garden path, holding the big burlap bag that Chêne had given to him to collect all the weeds in. He had just finished successfully weeding the garden... without destroying it for once. Chêne had decided that after Finni's herbicide sprayer had decimated the garden for a third time, that they should just go 'organic' and not use any chemical weed-killers. It meant Finni had to weed more often, but he didn't mind so much, since he actually got yelled at less now, since the garden wasn't constantly turning into a wasteland.

"Aaah, I'm so glad Mister Sebastian, Miss Chêne, and the young master are back~!" Finni said happily. 'If they hadn't...' Finni thought, shuddering slightly at the memory of when the three of them had suddenly disappeared the on the last two days of October, and he and the other servants had accidentally destroyed the manor... "I wonder what would've happened if they hadn't..." Finni said nervously. If they had been away for any longer, Finni didn't doubt that he and the others would've, at the very least, starved to death or died from being left out in the cold... He and Mei-Rin had clung to Chêne, both relieved and afraid, sobbing and begging for mercy, while Sebastian gave bard a triple-decker ice cream scoop and then some. They could feel murderous intent radiating off of the butler, despite the brilliant smile on his face. "Ah~! The Christmas roses are blooming~!" Fine said cheerfully when he noticed the flowers as he ran past. "Soon it'll be Christmas, huuuh!?" Finni said excitedly as he stopped to smell the roses, drooling slightly at the thought of the feast of yummy foods Sebastian and Chêne would make for them. Since the young master was a little shy (?) about celebrating his birthday, Chêne had started the tradition of baking a Bûche de Noël cake for Ciel instead of a birth—

"AH!" Finni said suddenly in realization. He had almost forgotten something incredibly important!

=†=†=†=†=

{Phantomhive Downstairs, the main kitchen}

"You guys! You guuuuys!! Omigosh!" Finni yelled as he burst into the kitchen.

"Urrgh... What is it, Finny... This early in the morning." Bard groaned as he leaned his head on the kitchen table.

Last night, he made the mistake of making a comment about how women 'couldn't hold their liquor' as well as men while they were tasting wines to see which ones would be best to age longer in the wine cellar, and which ones should be set aside for any guests Ciel might have—and Chêne heard him... So she did what any hot-blooded, post-feminism movement, American woman would do, and she challenged him to a drinking contest...Who knew such a short girl could hold so much wine? Certainly not Bard. He probably should've realized what he was getting himself into when he saw Sebastian (who had volunteered himself as referee to make sure they did not accidentally consume any truly valuable wines in their zealousness) had smirked like a Cheshire cat in amusement. Chêne had drunk Bard clear under the table, and to make his defeat even more crushing, Chêne didn't even have a hangover. She had even gotten up extra earlier so she could make a Bûche de Noël before she had to get started making their breakfast. Bard decided that he never wanted to cross Chêne again—she might look sweet, and she might be more forgiving that Sebastian, but... that was just plain scary.

"Quiet dowwwwn, wouldja?" Bard groaned as Finni's babbling aggravated his massive hangover induced migraine. No amount of coffee in the world would be enough to fix this...

"What happened, hmmm?" Mei-Rin asked, concerned, as she munched on the creole 'shrimp 'n grits' Chêne had made them for breakfast while Mister Tanaka sipped his tea.

"Sheesh, have all of you forgotten? Today's a special day!!" Finni said anxiously, furrowing his brow slightly in disappointment at them.

"Hrn?" Bard, Mei-Rin, and Mister Tanaka said as they glanced at the calendar hanging on the kitchen wall behind Tanaka. It was December 12th. "Special—?"

=†=†=†=†=

"Good morning, Marchioness, Lady Elizabeth. I hope your ride over was pleasant?" Chêne said, smiling politely as she curtsied and helped Ciel's Aunt Francis out of their carriage. She had just barely made it in time to receive them.

"Yes. It was, Miss LeBeau. I trust you have been keeping up with your fencing?" Francis asked smoothly. After being stabbed by Madam Red, Chêne had decided to ask the best, aka Francis, for help in learning a little self-defense. Francis had readily agreed, and had trained Chêne within an inch of her life. She actually reminded Chêne a little bit of Petty Officer 'Satan,' her drill instructor from the 'mini boot camp' her father had sent her to before... Chêne sweat dropped, smiling wryly.

"Of course, Marchioness. It would be a pity to let the skills you taught me go to waste." Chêne said as she turned back to the carriage and helped Lizzie down.

"Good morning, Chêne~! Where are Ciel and Sebastian?" Lizzie said cheerfully, smiling, as she looked around excitedly for her fiancé. Chêne smiled at Lizzie. It was so cute how much she adored Ciel.

"The young master and Sebastian will be here shortly to greet you themselves." Chêne informed her, smiling brightly. "Ah, here they come now." She said as Ciel approached them, followed by Sebastian. Chêne sweat dropped and smiled wryly when she saw him. It was obvious that Ciel had been in a rush. His necktie was a little crooked, and his hair was messy, like he had forgotten to comb it. Ciel looked rather unkempt for a young earl.

"It has been a while since I saw you last, Marchioness of Midford. You have arrived earlier than expected today as well..." Ciel greeted his aunt, chagrined, as he sweated nervously, hoping she was in a forgiving mood today. Sebastian sweat dropped and smiled wryly behind him. No wonder Ciel and Chêne had been in such a rush. He had been off running an errand for Ciel the last time Francis had decided to come 'a little early.'

"Spare me the formalities. You look as if you've just risen, Earl Phantomhive." Francis said coolly.

'Uh oh...' Chêne thought.

"No, I—" Ciel said quickly, trying to come up with an excuse, but before he could say any more, Lizzie suddenly latched onto him.

"Gosssh~! Ciel's cute even when he has just woken up~!" Lizzie gushed happily as she squeezed Ciel in tight hug.

"Gueh!" Ciel grunted in pain, turning slightly blue. "You're choking me..." Ciel gasped as he struggled to breathe.

"Elizabeth!!" Francis said sternly, causing her daughter to flinch. "Do not behave so rudely before you've even greeted him. I have always told you that a lady must observe the proprieties even when she's at her mother's family home..." Francis said sternly, steaming, as a vein mark throbbed on her head.

"I... I'm sorry, Mother!!" Lizzie said nervously, paling slightly, as she clung to Ciel.

"..." Ciel said as a little blood ran down from the corner of his mouth. He was extremely pale, and Chêne flinched in shock when she thought she saw a winged halo fly out from Ciel's head.

'Was that his soul I just saw!?' Chêne thought, turning blue with shock. "Ci—Young Master, are you all right...?" Chêne asked as she took out a handkerchief and wiped the blood off of his face before Lizzie noticed. While Chêne was making sure Ciel was still conscious after having the life squeezed out of him, Francis turned to face Sebastian.

"It has been a while since I saw you last. Welcome, Marchioness and Lady Elizabeth." Sebastian said smoothly. "You have traveled a great distance today—"

STAAARE...

"?" Sebastian said, wondering why Francis was staring so severely at him and frowning slightly.

STAAAAAAAAARE...

"Ah... Erm..." Sebastian said, sweat dropping, as Francis leaned closer, staring even harder at him. Even Sebastian was starting to feel slightly unnerved. It felt like when he had been staring down Chêne's father, but... as far as he knew, the Marchioness had no reason to be so hostile towards him. "Might there be something on my fa—"

"You look... lecherous! Per usual." Francis said, stunning the demon butler.

"Pfft!" Ciel and Chêne said, struggling to hold in their laughter. Francis had just told him the same thing Laurie had, and the look on his face was priceless!

"I am afraid I was born this way—" Sebastian said, sweat dropping, as he smiled wryly. This nonsense again? Really?

"Moreover!" Francis said as she suddenly reached out and grabbed Sebastian's bangs in her fist, causing the demon, Ciel, and Chêne to flinch and turn slightly blue with shock.

'Shut the front door! She's actually got Sebastian, a demon, breaking out in a nervous sweat!?' Chêne thought, impressed. Forget 'Petty Officer Satan,' Francis was 'Commanding Officer Satan'!

"Both you and your master are sporting long bangs, though you're both male. How unseemly! You need to learn a thing or two from Tanaka there!" Francis scolded him sternly.

"Hoh! Hoh! Hoh!" Tanaka laughed softly.

'When did he get here...?' Chêne wondered, sweat dropping. She flinched slightly when Francis glanced at her.

"Chêne, you are doing just fine." Francis stated. She had taken a liking to Chêne after training her. Chêne might seem weak and naïve, but she was a hard worker, and Chêne had suffered through her tutelage without complaint, despite how difficult it had been. Chêne sighed in relief. At least she was safe... However, it didn't look that way for Ciel and Sebastian... There was no mercy in the Marchioness's eyes as she loomed over them ominously.

"A—! Aunt Francis!?" Ciel said nervously as he tried to back away.

"Please just wai—" Sebastian tried to say politely, sweating nervously. Francis still had a death grip on his bangs.

"Hang on—Aaaaaaah!?" Ciel yelled as his aunt proceeded to make the two of them 'more presentable'.

=†=†=†=†=

"I apologize for troubling you... Aunt Francis..." Ciel said, trembling slightly as a vein mark throbbed on his forehead. This was humiliating. Francis had very forcefully not only straightened up Ciel's necktie, but... She had used a comb to part Ciel's hair on the side, and then she slicked back both his and Sebastian's hair so that they looked like 'proper gentlemen.' Sebastian smiled wryly and sweat dropped, deciding to just take it like a man.

"Hmph! Indeed." Francis said. There was a serious gleam in her eye as she held the comb in her hand.

"They don't look too cute..." Lizzie said, sweat dropping. Chêne was shaking slightly, trying not to laugh at how shiny their exposed foreheads looked. She had to give Sebastian credit though... even with a nerdy hairstyle, he still looked handsome... not that she was going to admit that out loud... it would be too embarrassing, and Sebastian would have way too much fun teasing her about it. Sebastian sweat dropped when he noticed Chêne's humorous smile. Sebastian decided he would get her back later for somehow managing to escape the Marchioness's clutches by herself. Honestly, he should have expected something like this, though. Lady Francis, the younger sister of the former Earl Phantomhive, is a strict disciplinarian, and detests the forces of habit and desire. She values strength and purity. The rumor goes that at the queen's fencing tourney... Lady Francis defeated the head of the order of knights—the Marquess of Midford—≠with superhuman strength≠, which led to their marriage (since he fell in love with her at first sight). Though now married, she still trains daily... and has maintained her youthful strength and beauty. She is quite the ≠outrageous≠ noblewoman.

"I drop in on you, and you're still a lay-about. Not to mention your butler looks ever the degenerate!" Francis scolded Ciel.

'Degenerate...' Sebastian thought as an idiot hair popped out on his head, stunned.

"You are to marry my daughter." Francis told Ciel sternly, causing him to flinch slightly and furrow his brow. Here it comes... Francis was about to really let him have it. "On this day of days, your reformation begins! Nothing will escape my notice, is that clear!?" She declared sternly, pointing at him.

"!!" Ciel said, paling slightly as he flinched.

"We'll start with the manor! A disorderly home reflects a distracted mind!!" Francis said.

"Then I shall guide you." Sebastian said, smiling, as he stepped forward.

"H-Hey...!" Ciel whispered nervously, tugging on his sleeve. He knew that neither they, nor Chêne had actually had any time to do anything other than to rush out and great Francis.

"Shh—" Sebastian whispered, holding a finger to his lips. "Leave it to me. Chêne and I made certain everything was perfect yesterday." He said, smirking slightly as he winked at Ciel and Chêne. Chêne sweat dropped.

'Yeah, but that was yesterday...' Chêne thought, sweat dropping. She hadn't seen any of the other servants since breakfast, so she had no idea what they were up to now...

"I will first show you the inner courtyard. This year, the winter roses we ordered from Germany are quite lovel—" Sebastian said as he started to open the doors leading to the inner courtyard. He froze. Finni was out there... and he was in the process of decapitating every last Christmas rose in the garden with gardening shears, while humming merrily to himself.

SHUT.

"My mistake." Sebastian said, smiling a blindingly bright shit-eating grin as he quickly shut the door, and turned back around to face them.

'Something was wrong...' Ciel and Chêne thought, sweat dropping. Ciel was looking rather gloomy, like he was doomed. Lizzie watched the exchange between her mother and Sebastian curiously as she held onto one of Ciel's arms.

"I-I'll go see what it was..." Chêne whispered to Ciel as she slipped off to check on the courtyard through another route. Maybe she could fix whatever had happened...

"Why? Now that we're here, we can begin with the inner courtyard—" Francis said, furrowing her brow slightly.

"The living room, I insist." Sebastian said, smiling brightly as he led them away. "I made a simple mistake, really!! The 'party dress' Christmas rose and the winter roses we ordered from Germany are at their best now, but we would like you to see them around noon when they all bloom, so please come to the living room... We will be able to show you the beautiful inner courtyard later..." Sebastian rambled as he led them to the living room, hoping to distract Francis and Lizzie long enough to keep them from asking any more questions until they reached their next destination. He hoped Chêne could find a solution for Finni's... blunder.

=†=†=†=†=

"~La, Laa~! There's lots of pretty flowers~!" Finni sang happily as he reached out to cut another Christmas rose. "Gyah!" He yelped, flinching in surprise when someone suddenly grabbed his wrist.

"Oh, sorry." Chêne said, sweat dropping. "I didn't mean to scare you Finni, but would you mind telling me why you're cutting all of the flowers? We wanted to show them to the Marchioness." She said patiently.

"Eh!? I'm sorry!" Finni apologized. "It's just that today is the twelfth, so..." He hoped Mister Sebastian wasn't too angry with him. Chêne's eyes widened slightly in surprise, but then she smiled softly at Finni.

"I see. In that case, I can't really be mad at you, but... please don't cut any more. Help me straighten this mess up, and then I'll let you go, okay?" Chêne said, smiling wryly. Sebastian probably wouldn't be too happy with her for letting him off so easily, but today was a special day.

"Okay~!" Finni said, smiling brightly, happy that Chêne wasn't angry. "Oh! Chêne, do you think you could help the others too? Mei-Rin and Bard are getting the other things ready~!" He said innocently. Chêne paled slightly. This would not end well.

=†=†=†=†=

"The living room was just revamped the other day." Sebastian explained once they had reached the doors of the living room. The demon butler began to open them as he continued to speak. "We ordered a most handsomely patterned wallpaper from France—" Sebastian froze. Mei-Rin was in there, and she was in the process of shattering yet another china set...

SHUT.

"My mistake." Sebastian said, giving them another brilliant shit-eating grin. Ciel turned blue with dread and sweated nervously. Something was wrong again... "Why do you not take tea in the conservatory?" Sebastian suggested as he began to lead them away from the disaster zone that had once been the living room.

"Why? We came to look at the living room." Francis said, furrowing her brow.

"Tea, I insist." Sebastian said, smiling brightly as he led them away. "You ladies must be exhausted from riding in a cramped carriage for those long hours. I apologize for not realizing sooner. I cannot believe my audacity... There is space for you to relax in the conservatory, so please enjoy your tea while snacking on something light..."

=†=†=†=†=

"... Are you all right, Mei-Rin?" Chêne asked, sweat dropping when she saw the catastrophe that awaited her in the living room.

"M-Miss Ch-Chêne! This is... I..." Mei-Rin stuttered, trying to explain.

"It's alright, Mei-Rin... I already heard from Finni." Chêne said, sighing. I'll help you clean this up and get another china set out, so please... just calm down and be more careful, all right?"

=†=†=†=†=

"We just had the most exquisite oranges delivered from Spain, so perhaps a Shalimar tea from Dimbula—" Sebastian said, smiling as he led them past the kitchen.

KABOOM!

"Uwaaah!" Sebastian heard bard yell as the basket of now charred and smashed oranges flew into the air.

"..." Sebastian said, smiling yet another brilliant shit-eating grin.

"Yet another mistake, was it?" Francis asked bluntly. Ciel sweated nervously. "You just CANNOT make up your mind, can you!?" Francis demanded, irked with Sebastian for dragging them around all willy-nilly.

"I beg your forgiveness." Sebastian said, giving her a very deep bow of apology. "One such as I—" He suddenly had a brilliant idea. There was still one place he could show them... "I had forgotten that there was something else I wanted the Marchioness to see."

"?" Francis said, wondering what it could be.

"Though it is no place to be guiding a lady... let us visit the stables." Sebastian suggested calmly.

=†=†=†=†=

"..." Chêne said as she stared at the extra-crispy fried kitchen and Bard. She sighed wearily. What a disaster. "You and I are going to have a serious talk later, but for now..." Chêne said as she knelt down beside him and examined his broken arm.

CRUNCH!

"Urrgyaaah!?" Bard screamed bloody murder as Chêne suddenly reset his broken arm, and started bandaging it in a temporary splint for until after Francis left, and they could take him to the hospital to get a proper cast for it.

"Take some aspirin while I clean this up, and then you can go back to making whatever you like—As long as it doesn't involve being heated by ANYTHING." Chêne said strictly as she stood up and started cleaning. At least the food cabinet she had stored her cake in was untouched...