I own nothing but my OC.
That Butler, Shadowing 2
≤speech in Indian language≥
'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:
"Take me with you as well." Soma said. "I was aware that Agni would sometimes go out after I'd gone to bed. I want to know... what he's up to." Sebastian glanced at Soma out the corner of his eye when he heard that, wearing a rather jaded expression.
'If he knew, then why didn't he confront Agni, or follow him by himself sooner... why wait until now?' Chêne wondered, furrowing her brow slightly in confusion.
"He went into this building." Sebastian said when they all came to a townhouse that was almost as big as Ciel's, but a little less classy.
"!" Chêne said, surprised. "Isn't this is...?" Chêne said, realizing she vaguely remembered something about this place.
"I see. Now I'm starting to get the picture." Ciel said seriously. He knew exactly where they were, and it was all starting to make much more sense if this particular man was involved...
"What do you mean? Whose house is this?" Soma asked anxiously. He didn't like how Serious Ciel looked all of a sudden... Could Agni be in trouble?
"Now, now, your highness. Patience, patience." Lau said, smiling, as he patted Soma on the shoulder. "It will be clear once you've gone inside. And then you will be forced to face the truth, whether you like it or not." Lau said mysteriously. "You... and I both... 'kay?" They all stood there in silence, staring at Lau.
"By the 'and I,' I take it you haven't a clue either?" Ciel deadpanned. He, Sebastian, and Chêne were all wearing identical expressions of disbelief and slight scorn as they stared at the Chinaman.
"Yes~!" Lau said shamelessly, giving them all a brilliant smile. "Who lives here?"
"This residence belongs to Harold West Jeb, who runs an extensive import business. I had the distinct displeasure of meeting him once... He's an unsavory sort who loves all kinds of tittles." Ciel explained.
"Oh, that guy... Now I remember. He's that 'retail snob' from before." Chêne mumbled, chagrined. "Meeting him was such an irritatingly annoying event, that I had managed to completely block it from my memory, until just now..." She said, sweat dropping.
"My, what a convenient memory you possess." Sebastian said, smirking slightly at her. If only he could forget half the annoyances caused by the three stooges...
"Imports, hmm? We're in the same business, then." Lau said, smiling.
"Why would Agni go to an importer's house?" Soma asked, beyond confused.
"I have no idea why Agni would want to talk to that jerk, but he mainly imports spice and tea leaves from India, and... runs 'Harold Trading,' a general store... and the 'Harold West,' a Hindustani coffeehouse." Chêne said.
""Whilst investigating Miss Mina, I happened across Mister West's name in some of the documents I was reviewing." Sebastian said. "Per those papers, Bengal is indeed the main source of his wares... and he has suffered collateral damage from the hanging incidents... but..."
"But...?" Chêne asked curiously. Sebastian smirked.
"... It seems the company representative, Mister West himself, just happened to be away at the time of the incidents and escaped being hung." Sebastian said, putting emphasis on how 'lucky' West had been.
"Heh! There's nothing more suspicious than such extraordinarily good luck in a case like this. If West were behind the incidents, it would be all too easy to pretend to be suddenly called away on business, and arrange to use his workers as sacrificial lambs in order to appear more innocent to the Yard." Chêne said cynically, frowning in disapproval of such low tactics.
"Indeed." Sebastian agreed.
""There's nothing for it... Let's go take a look." Ciel said. If West were involved in the hanging incidents, then this would be killing two birds with one stone.
"As you wish, Sir." Sebastian replied dutifully.
"It's been a while since I've had to hop a fence~!" Chêne said, grinning impishly as she as she backed up a bit, and took off, getting a running start, before jumping on top of the 9ft tall brick wall. "Phew~! I wasn't sure I'd make it for a moment there, but this is about the same height as the cemetery I used to sneak into with Lacey." Chêne said, sighing in relief. Ciel sweat dropped. Chêne was usually such a goody two-shoes, that he still found it odd how she seemed to have no compunction against sneaking into places where she didn't belong... and why were her and Lacey sneaking into a cemetery, of all places!? Ciel decided he'd rather not know, since Lacey was involved... it was bound to be something abnormal.
"!" Ciel said, surprised when Sebastian suddenly grabbed him, and leapt clean over the wall, not even bothering to make a show of 'needing' a running start.
"You idi—!" Ciel yelled, alarmed, turning slightly blue with shock. At least Chêne had tried to make it look like she was somewhat normal with her running start—this was just ridiculous!
TMP.
"It is faster this way.' Sebastian said calmly as he landed gracefully on the ground and set Ciel down.
"Hmph! You just didn't want me to beat you to the other side of the fence." Chêne huffed as she dropped down next to them, landing lightly on her hands and the tips of her toes in a squatting position.
"My, one can tell you truly were raised by a cat, Chêne. You even land like one, on all fours." Sebastian said, smiling a brilliant shit-eating grin as he pet her on the head, much to Chêne's chagrin.
"Don't pet me, dammit!" Chêne whisper yelled indignantly, blushing, not wanting to take the chance of attracting attention to the fact that they were inside the fence now.
"Are you all right~?" Lau asked Soma, smiling and slightly amused, as he squatted down on top of the brick wall, next to the exhausted Soma, who had struggled to climb to the top. He was obviously new to this whole 'breaking and entering' thing.
RUSTLE.
Sebastian and Chêne glanced up as the bushes rustled nearby and three rather vicious looking Doberman Pinschers came out, growling menacingly at them.
"!!" Everyone but Sebastian said, alarmed.
"Ciel!!" Soma cried in alarm and concern for his new friend.
"There just had to be guard dogs, didn't there...?" Chêne said nervously as she slowly backed away from the approaching canines. It seemed like they had picked her as their first target. "Why do dogs have such issues with me?" She asked, sweat dropping. Puppies never really had a problem with her, but for some reason, dogs over a certain age all acted like she had stepped on their tails or stolen their bones from them in another life... "Do I look like a mailman to you!?" Chêne hissed at the dogs, sweat dropping. As if in answer to her question, the dogs snapped their jaws and leaped at her. "—!" Chêne cried in alarm as she grabbed a nearby branch to defend herself with... However, that turned out to be totally unnecessary, because all three dogs suddenly froze in fear.
KSSHH...
Sebastian had released a small amount of his demonic aura, and the fierce dogs trembled in horror as stared at them with glowing crimson eyes. The demon butler's pupils had became slitted as he narrowed his eyes dangerously at the animals, silently warning them to back off. They didn't need to be told twice. The dogs immediately began backing away from them with their tails between their legs, whining pitifully.
"Oh? The hounds are falling back...?" Soma said, relieved, but slightly puzzled over their sudden change in demeanor.
"Heh. What cowardly guard dogs Mister West keeps." Sebastian said sardonically, smirking.
"..." Chêne and Ciel said, sweat dropping. Unlike Soma and Lau, they had been close enough to feel Sebastian's dark and evil energy. Even Chuck Norris would've backed off... Speaking of Lau, where did he go...? The Chinaman had disappeared on them again.
"Hohhh there, Earlll~!" Lau called out to them. "Over here, over here!" There he was, standing there casually and smiling, as he held a long needle and twirled a key ring that held the keys to the mansion on it. Behind him were two unconscious men, lying on the ground. Both of them had a long needle, like the one Lau had in his hand, stuck in their necks, right at the base of their necks.
"..." Ciel, Chêne, and Soma said as they stared at him. Those men looked awfully... still...
"Eeep!" Soma yelped, blue with shock, and trembling in fear.
"You..." Ciel said, also looking a little pale as he sweat dropped and furrowed his brow in disapproval.
"You've really done it now, Lau..." Chêne said gravely, hoping the men weren't really as dead as they looked. Sebastian just stared at the Chinese man. What had been the point of sparring the dogs, if Lau was just going to kill two humans? Having to dispose of a couple of bodies was going to slow them down considerably...
"Nooo, what do you take me for? I didn't kill them. I simply put them to sleep~!" Lau said, smiling as he waved his finger at them in disapproval, like a teacher scolding a naughty child. "I think it's a four thousand-year-old method from ancient China?"
"You think—!?" Chêne asked incredulously, flinching in shock. "Don't stab a needle in someone's neck just because you think it'll be all right!! The wrong amount of pressure on that particular pressure point will not only cause pain and paralysis, but it can cause internal bleeding!!" She scolded Lau as she snatched the needle out of his hand. "I'm confiscating this until you learn the meaning of 'responsibility'!"
"Eeehh~?" Lau said sadly, pouting slightly, like a child being scolded by his mother. Soma stared at Chêne in amazement. She really was like Durga! To think she would be able to stand up to such a shady character like that, when she was just a girl...
"Ahem!" Ciel said, sweat dropping as he cleared his throat. "Nevermind. Let's stop dallying and find him already." Ciel said, furrowing his brow slightly. Really, these people...
=†=†=†=†=
{Inside West's home...}
There do not seem to be any guards inside." Sebastian whispered to the others as he and Chêne led their little group through the townhouse. It was dark in there, so naturally, the two of them who had night vision were leading the way, and Sebastian was the best fighter out of all of them, so having him go first would be best in case they ran into another guard.
"West's home security is just like him. Flashy on the outside, but empty on the inside." Chêne deadpanned.
"I can hear voices coming from the second floor. What say we go upstairs and have a look?" Sebastian suggested.
"You really dislike this Mister West, don't you?" Lau asked Chêne as they climbed the stairs, intrigued. Chêne rarely held a grudge against someone to this extent.
"Of course I do! He grabbed my ass!" Chêne whisper-yelled indignantly, vein mark throbbing on her forehead. Sebastian froze, causing Chêne to bump into him. "What is it? Is something wrong?" Chêne asked, worried that maybe she had been too loud and attracted unwanted attention.
"He touched you?" Sebastian asked, more like demanded, in an eerily calm tone of voice, while smiling a strained smile that did nothing to hide the murderous intent that was leaking off of him. "When did this happen?"
"The last time we met with him, while you and Ciel weren't paying attention. But I gave him 'the glare,' and he realized he messed with someone he shouldn't have, so it's been taken care of." Chêne said, shrugging nonchalantly. Ciel sweat dropped. He had seen Chêne give someone 'the glare' before when a thug tried to mug them before, and Sebastian wasn't around... the thug had been reduced to a screaming little girl, and had run off with his tail between his legs. Ciel had no idea if her glare was a new power or not, but he hoped it was never directed at him... Sebastian didn't know what Chêne was talking about, but he was suddenly feeling much more enthusiastic about being able to possibly cause West some grief if he was truly behind the hangings or Mina's disappearance.
"Say something sooner next time. I won't have people thinking they can take advantage of my servants." Ciel scolded her. Chêne smiled at him like he was the most adorable thing she had ever seen.
"Aw, Ciel... that was so sweet of you~!" Chêne said, hugging him.
"—!" Ciel said, blushing out of embarrassment. "What are you—" He started to whisper-yell indignantly, when they heard another voice speak up from down the second floor's hallway. There was a door that just happened to be open a crack, and there was light pouring out from the room and into the hallway, letting them know it was indeed occupied.
"You've done a splendid job." The voice said as they all tiptoed closer, and peeked stealthily into the room. "Don't look so tormented, old chap. Why not have a cigar and relax?" West asked as he opened a cigar box and removed one for himself. Agni was sitting rigidly on the sofa, with his hands on his knees. It was obvious from the look on his face that Agni would rather be just about anywhere but in that room. "This is a first-class Havana cigar I brought back from James Fox, the Royal Warrant holder." West boasted, smirking, as he turned back around to face Agni, holding the cigar in one hand and the newspaper in the other.
"..." Agni said, furrowing his brow. Chêne narrowed her eyes in annoyance at West.
'There he goes, bragging... again.' Chêne thought. Personally, she felt that he should've been arrested a long time ago... by the fashion police. West's hairstyle reminded her of a duck's tail, and he wore some pretty large and gaudy looking rings on his finger for a man in the Victorian era, and only one of them actually had a functional use, which was the ring containing the seal for his crest. And to top it all off, he was wearing grey snakeskin boots... a totally awesome accessory when not paired with a brown tweed suit—I mean, was he freaking colorblind, too!?
"Well, in any case... the plan has been executed to perfection so far. Everything will be resolved in a week's time." West said as he set down his cigar and took a step towards Agni, grabbing his right hand. "And as long as I have this 'right hand of God,' my scheme will be realized!" That got the attention of everyone around out in the hall. "Three long years I've waited. I'll see myself victorious in this, no matter what!" West said determinedly.
"If I can carry out my mission as promised... Mina wi—" Agni said nervously.
Everyone in the hall tensed. This is what they were here for! Now they just had to wait and listen, and West would probably indirectly tell them everything they needed to know without even realizing—
BANG!
"Mina!?" Soma yelled desperately as he threw the door open, and burst into the room.
"!?" West and Agni said in alarm, both looking equally shocked by the prince's appearance. Chêne face-palmed. Soma really sucked at this whole spy thing.
"You bloody f—!" Ciel started to yell, turning slightly blue with shock over Soma's stupidity for giving himself away like that, but a hand clamped over his mouth as Sebastian pulled him and Chêne back, holding them close. "Mmph!" Ciel said, his voice muffled by Sebastian's hand.
"Why was I grabbed too?" Chêne asked, raising an eyebrow at Sebastian, as she sweat dropped. Not that she really minded being so close...
"He knows the young master and us. Let us see how things proceed before rushing in." Sebastian said calmly, loosening his grip on Ciel slightly, but he kept a hold on Chêne. She was the most likely to do something impulsive if things took a turn for the worse, after all.
"M-My prince—" Agni said nervously. Soma grabbed the front of Agni's tunic.
"What is the meaning of this, Agni!? Have you known where Mina is all along!?" Soma demanded, clearly distressed. He couldn't believe Agni was hiding something from him...!
"Aah... So that's your master, hm... Agni?" West asked, smirking. Soma twitched. He grit his teeth and glared at West. He hadn't been able to get a very good look from out in the hallway, but now he could see West's face clearly.
"You... are the swine who took Mina away." Soma growled. "Agni! Knock him down!" Soma ordered, pointing at West. West just stood there calmly, unimpressed.
"...!" Agni said, gritting his teeth in frustration, sweating as he strained to remain standing where he was instead of following Soma's order.
"Agni! What are you doing!?" Soma asked, distraught, wondering why Agni was hesitating when they finally had the man who took Mina.
"Hmph!" West said, smirking cynically in dark amusement. His face was cast partially in shadow. Chêne narrowed her eyes at that. This would not end well. "Agni. Throw his annoying highness out of here." West ordered Agni smugly.
"Wha—!?" Soma yelled incredulously, paling slightly. Agni's eyes were cast in shadow, and he had broken out into a cold sweat. He looked like he was going to be physically ill.
"Can't you hear what I'm saying?" West jeered at Agni as he leered at Soma.
"... It would seem a quarrel has ensued." Sebastian stated calmly, looking rather bored. Lau was listening to the argument, holding his face propped up in his hands as he sat in the hall with them, not looking very amused at the moment.
"I really want to punch that smirk off of that jerk's face. Can I, Ciel?" Chêne asked seriously with a gleam in her eye. Ciel heaved a deep, weary sigh, already fed up with the entire situation. Soma had made a fine mess of things, in his opinion.
"..." Ciel said, sweat dropping. For a moment, he considered sicking Chêne on West, but thought better of it. "Though there's no mistaking West's involvement with the hangings based on their little Chat... They no longer seem to be 'incidents of the underworld'." Ciel said.
"And that means this is all outside of the Earl's jurisdiction. As it has to do with polite society and all." Lau whispered, smiling wryly.
"Tch." Chêne said, pouting slightly as she clicked her tongue in disappointment.
"... Indeed." Ciel said, sweat dropping as he agreed with both Lau and Chêne's sentiments. He didn't much care for West either, and he had gone to all this trouble for something that had turned out to be so idiotic too...
"But informing the Yard is a pain, so what do you say we beat them silly and go home?" Lau suggested.
"Ooh, I like that plan~!" Chêne said, grinning. Sebastian felt that he wouldn't mind going along with that either after hearing what West had done to Chêne earlier. "We can let Soma and Agni work out their differences together later." She added.
"That doesn't sound half-bad, but I have another idea. Let's leave West at large for a while longer." Ciel said. "Tonight, we'll be leaving here with that thick headed prince."
"But West knows what you three look like, right?" Lau pointed out.
"That he does." Ciel said, furrowing his brow slightly as he sweat dropped. That could complicate things a bit...
"What if I knocked him out really fast from behind...?" Chêne suggested thoughtfully, as she tried to think of a way she could possibly pull that off without being seen.
"Please let me handle it." Sebastian said, smirking slightly. "I have a good idea." Chêne raised an eyebrow at the demon butler.
This ought to be good...
