I own nothing but my OC.
That Butler, Onstage 2
≤speech in Indian language≥
'thoughts'
"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
—^—^—^— change of perspective/area of action within one specific time frame/location
Previously:
"Milord." Undertaker said, causing Ciel to pause glance back at him, as Chêne handed him his top hat. "A person has but one soul. Take good care of yours."
"?" Chêne said, confused. Why did she feel like there was something a little ominous about the way he said that…?
"I already know that." Ciel said as he place his hat on his head, also feeling a little puzzled by Undertaker's parting advice.
BATAN.
"Hee! Hee! Do you reaaally?" Undertaker asked as the door shut behind them. "Well, the earl should be fine so long as Miss Maid is there…"
"This must be it." Ciel said as the three of them walked up to a colorful entranceway that had been set up on a previously empty lot.
"The sign says 'Noah's Ark' (just like the tickets) so that's a pretty safe bet." Chêne agreed, smiling wryly, as they passed through the entrance. Since her maid uniform would stick out like a sore thumb in this crowd, she had opted to wear one of her pretty winter day dresses. "Uwah~!" She gasped excitedly, lighting up like a kid in a candy store, when she saw all the classic circus/carnival game and food booths they had set up and the awesome costumes of the employees. "Awesome~! Hey, Ciel, Ciel~! Can we play some games while we're here!?" She asked excitedly, eyes sparkling with anticipation.
"We're not here to play!" Ciel chided her, sweat dropping. Which one of them was supposed to be the adult again?
"Eh? But it's been so long since I've been able to play these games! I used to be able to have fun like this every year at my church's parish fair, but now…" Chêne protested, pouting slightly.
"Yes, what a shame. Perhaps we will have time to comeback once we've seen the show." Sebastian suggested, smiling indulgently at her, as he took her hand and led her into the big-top tent. Chêne was rather adorable when she was acting so whimsical. It still amazed him how she could retain such an innocent sense of wonder despite everything she'd been through.
"At any rate, by sight… it seems like an ordinary circus…" Ciel said, getting them back on track as they took their seats in the big-top. If the children were indeed still at the circus, they might be using them in the acts.
"Oh, it's starting…" Chêne said excitedly when the lights dimmed.
FLASH.
The spotlight illuminated one lone, colorfully dressed man in the center of the ring.
"Ladies! And! Gentlemennnn!" He shouted dramatically, greeting the audience. "Boys! And! Giiirls!" Chêne's eyes widened slightly in surprise when she noticed something about the man's right hand… it was skeletal. Lacey definitely would've loved this guy. "On this fine day, we welcome ye to the Noah's Ark Circus." The man continued, giving a small bow as he pulled out some colorful balls and started juggling them skillfully. "I am Joker. If ye'll just take a gander o'er he––D'ow!" He said comically as he let the balls drop and bounce off of his head. The audience laughed at his silly antics. "Ahem! This circus, 'tis packed full of acts to entertain and astound ye!" Joker announced jovially as other members of the troupe came out to join him, striking a pose. "Now, now… with a spectacular blast from our fire-eater… Let the show of the century begiiiin!"
FWOOM!
The audience ooed and ahhed as a tall, muscular man held up a torch and blew, breathing fire as though he were part dragon.
"Next we have a flying trapeze act, with a duo in perfect sync." Joker said, introducing a mischievous pair of a small boy and a small girl. The audience (including Chêne) cheered and clapped excitedly as the small acrobats proceeded to perform of series of death-defying acts while flying through the air.
STAB!
A dagger flew threw the air and pierced the apple that had been placed atop the head of the knife thrower's lovely assistant, like a William Tell act, but with knives.
"And never missing a target… the knife thrower with a perfect record!" Joker exclaimed as the crowd gasped in amazement when the knife thrower continued to throw his daggers, outlining the girl's figure with them.
"There's nothing particularly special about the program…" Ciel said thoughtfully as he calmly watched the amazing feats.
"How can you say that after seeing such amazing stuff?" Chêne asked, sweat dropping. "A lot of these performers are almost as skilled as Sebastian! Do you realize how amazing that is for a normal human?" She chided him. "The fact that they're making it look so easy makes it all the more impressive."
"Why are you getting so worked up? I simply meant there did not appear to be anything suspicious about the acts." Ciel replied, slightly chagrined.
"Just so. It does not seem as though the missing children are being made to perform either." Sebastian agreed.
"Oh, well… that's okay, then." Chêne said, smiling wryly as she rubbed the back of her neck bashfully. "Sorry, I've just always admired the circus… it's what inspired Lacey and me to take up gymnastics."
'No wonder she was so excited to come…' Ciel and Sebastian thought. And if their goal was to be circus performers, it also explained why Lacey had been skilled enough to scale the LeBeau family's house to find the key that Chêne's father had hidden in the gutter, before.
"For the next act––the princess of our circus undertakes her death-defying tightrope walk!" Joker declared as a beautiful, doll-faced girl, dressed all in white and roses, elegantly walked across a taught rope suspended between two platforms that were nearly as tall as the enormous tent itself. A single mistake would've meant death for the fair maiden.
"Well, if the goal wasn't to put the children on display… then perhaps the traveling route of the circus coinciding with the missing children is simply a coincidence?" Ciel said thoughtfully as they continued to watch. The show must be nearly over by now, and they had yet to catch sight of any of the missing children.
"Actually, unless the children ran away to join the circus of their own accord, I doubt they'll be allowed to appear before the audience…" Chêne said. "It'd be like admitting they're the ones behind it." Ciel glanced at her. So she really was taking this seriously, then… good.
"Now we have an extremely rare creature, half-man, half-snake. A magnificent dance by the snakeman!" Joker announced as a very pale young man with white hair and scaly skin came into the ring, doing an exotic dance with snakes (rather like Brittney Spears, only with more snakes and much more impressive).
"And last, but certainly not least! The star of our circus makes her entrance! Feast your eyes on our animal tamer!" Joker declared proudly as very sexy and scantily clad dark-haired beauty led a majestic Bengal tiger into the ring. There were hushed murmurs in the audience and a few surprised shrieks when they saw the tiger roaming freely in the ring.
"It appears you are right, Chêne. There are no children involved in the last act either." Ciel said boredly.
"I would dearly love to have ye, the audience, participate in this act…" Joker continued, smiling up at them all.
"It looks as if coming to the circus was rather a waste of time." Ciel stated disappointedly as Sebastian and Chêne both suddenly stood up. "?" Ciel said, wondering if they'd seen something he hadn't. "What is it? Did you find some––"
"Oh! Good Sir in the tailcoat and the pretty Miss in the rose-colored dress beside him, I see the two of ye are most eager!" Joker exclaimed, smiling as he pointed at the couple. "Hie ye to the stage then!" He said encouragingly.
"Wha––!?" Ciel gasped, appalled. What the hell did they think they were doing!? They knew they were here on case, so they had been trying to be as inconspicuous as possible, but now… Chêne getting carried away was one thing, but Sebastian too!? Chêne's eyes sparkled with excitement, while Sebastian simply stared down at the ring stoically.
"Right this way, my good people!" Joker told them, motioning for them to come down and join him and the beast tamer in the ring.
"Yes, sir!" Chêne said, smiling brightly as she saluted Joker and hurried down to the stage. She paused, however, when she realized Sebastian wasn't following. Was he waiting for Ciel's permission or something…? "Come on, Sebastian! You don't get a chance like this everyday, you know?" She chided him playfully, taking his hand.
"!!" Ciel gasped in realization, as the rest of the other spectators clapped for them. '…Oh, I see! This is an opportunity to get close to that lot.' He thought. "Go on, then." Ciel whispered to Sebastian.
"Yes, sir." Sebastian replied seriously before finally allowing Chêne to lead him to the stage.
'A mysterious case of children disappearing, one after another… and this circus is the only place where we can hope to find clues." Ciel thought as he watched Sebastian help Chêne climb into the ring. 'Though you've managed to get close to them… with all these people watching… how exactly are you going to investigate? Hm, Sebastian?' After all, it was obvious Chêne was having far too much fun living out her childhood fantasy of being part of a circus act to plot any subterfuge at the moment.
"May we have ye lie down over here, sir? And then, Miss, please––" Joker started to direct them, when Sebastian suddenly zipped right past him. "Huh?" Joker said, blinking in confusion.
Sebastian came to a stop once he had reached the bewitching beauty, whom had caught his eye from above, and knelt before her. He slowly raised his hands and gently cradled her soft face in his hands.
"Oh my… what round eyes you have…" The demon butler cooed softly to the majestic tiger as he stared into her amber orbs, positively spellbound.
"…" Chêne said as she face-palmed, shaking her head. She should have seen that one coming… Joker and the beast tamer were both staring at the demon butler, dumbfounded, like they just couldn't bring themselves to believe what had just happened.
"!!" Ciel gasped, appalled, as an idiot hair popped out on his head, and he and the rest of the audience turned blue with shock. 'Damn! Tigers are part of the cat family!!!' He shouted internally. Sebastian was useless whenever a cat was around!
"Vivid stripes the likes of which I have never seen… and such soft ears…" Sebastian said wistfully as gazed down softly at the dangerous predator, as if it were no more threatening to him than Jasper II was to Chêne. "You take my breath away."
'Wait, don't tell me this is his first time actually seeing a tiger…?' Chêne thought, furrowing her brow slightly in confusion. Being able to see tigers in the Audubon Zoo from ever since she could remember, she had forgotten that zoos with exotic animals were a relatively new concept to people of this era, and therefore, most people had, in fact, only ever seen animals like tigers in picture books… It was no small wonder really that such an extreme feline lover, like Sebastian, was so excited to see the big cat in person. Chêne glanced around when she realized how quiet it had gotten. She sweat dropped. Joker, the animal tamer, and the audience were still so shocked by Sebastian's reckless behavior, that they had been stunned into silence. Nearly every person there had their jaws dropped… except Ciel, who was hiding his face in his hands out of embarrassment.
'Do something about your husband, Chênnne!!' Ciel silently pleaded, embarrassed to have been seen with the feline fanatic.
"Oh? Your claws have gotten a touch long." Sebastian observed as he continued to invade the tiger's personal space. "You must not let your grooming go amiss now…" He scolded the great cat gently.
"Uh, no… they're supposed to be that way…" Chêne whisper-yelled at her husband. Even if she wasn't a mind reader, she could tell that Ciel and the tiger both seemed to have reached their limits. "You know, 'the better to shred you to ribbons with, my dear'…" Did Sebastian not know that tigers were supposed to be predators?
"Come see, Chêne. Her paw pads are plump and also most enchanting." Sebastian said happily, smiling brightly as he held the tiger's paw. Chêne paled. Unlike Jasper II, most normal cats didn't really appreciate you playing with their paws, so a tiger…
"Sebastian, don't––!" Chêne warned anxiously as she reached out to her husband.
CHOMP.
"Ah." Sebastian said simply when the tiger bit down on his head. Chêne's warning had come too late.
"Sebastian!" Chêne cried, concerned. She knew that Sebastian (being Sebastian and all) would probably be all right in the end, but the sight of her husband's head disappearing almost completely inside of a pissed off tiger's mouth, as it's fangs pressed into his skull, was really disconcerting, to say the least. She wasn't the only upset by the gruesome sight either––the rest of the spectators screamed and cried out in shock and horror. They were starting to panic.
"Betty!!" The tamer yelled anxiously, looking a little pale herself. "Let go of him!!" She ordered as she cracked her whip and swung it at the raging tiger.
"Wait, you'll––" Chêne shouted, trying to help, but Joker pulled her off to the side, trying to get her to a safer distance from the wild animal.
"Come away, Miss!" He urged her. "It's too dangerous for ye here!"
"But he's––!" Chêne started to protest.
SNATCH!
Sebastian's hand instantly flew out to catch the whip before it could hit Betty. Chêne shook off Joker and ran to check on him.
"Spit him out!" She commanded Betty sternly, staring down the tiger fearlessly. She meant business. Surprisingly enough, the tiger listened and removed its jaws from around Sebastian's head.
"!?" Betty's tamer gasped in surprise. Just who were these people!?
"She is not to blame." Sebastian stated calmly. "In the face of such loveliness, I simply could not stop myself from being thoughtlessly rude… Furthermore…" He added, stroking the whip with his thumb. "… One cannot train animals… by just blindly swinging one's whip." Sebastian said seductively as he touched the whip to his smirking lips, as though to kiss it.
"!" The tamer said, blushing, as she reared back in surprise, anger, and embarrassment.
"Oi." Chêne said, chagrined. Was he seriously going to flirt with another woman right in front of her? He really had a lot of guts… come to think of it, he's always done stuff like this before in the past… was this a demon thing? Did he even realize he was doing it? Betty glanced between the disgruntled Chêne and naughty Sebastian.
CHOMP!
Betty suddenly pounced on Sebastian again, sinking her fangs into his hard head for a second time. Her tamer and Chêne flinched in shock. Not again!
"Betty!! Spit him out!! Now!!" Her tamer shouted anxiously as the audience started screaming again.
"My, My, what a tomboy you are. I do believe you're as spirited as my Chêne~" Sebastian told Betty affectionately, not at all discouraged.
"You're incorrigible… I don't think you bit him hard enough, Betty." Chêne deadpanned, chagrined. Maybe that first bite gave him brain damage…
=†=†=†=†=
"Who told you to go that far?" Ciel demanded darkly, vein mark throbbing on his head, once the situation had been rectified, and they were free to go.
"Forgive me. I have been alive for a long time, but cats are so whimsical, I can never quite read them…" Sebastian said humbly, smiling blissfully as he blushed a little at the memory of the lovely Betty. Despite being attacked twice, the demon butler looked perfectly fine, and was, in fact, radiating happiness. There were even little flowers in hovering about the demon butler's background.
"So you say, but I think everyone saw at least that first bite coming…" Chêne said bluntly, sweat dropping.
"…" Ciel agreed darkly as multiple vein marks throbbed on his head, so irritated with Sebastian's foolishness that he was tempted to use a few choice words that should not be mentioned in mixed company. In addition to the cat thing, he even flirted with that other woman right in front of Chêne! It was a wonder she hadn't said anything to him about it yet… "First of all, what were you hoping to gain by standing out so mu––Ah–choo!!" Ciel suddenly sneezed violently when Sebastian got too close.
"Whoa. That was some sneeze… you okay, Ciel?" Chêne asked, concerned, as she handed him a handkerchief.
"You know I'm allergic to cats! Stay away from me!" Ciel scolded Sebastian angrily as he accepted her hanky and wiped his nose. At least Chêne had managed to remember to keep enough distance not to pick up the tiger's smell.
"Yes, sir." Sebastian replied dutifully, not sounding the least bit apologetic. Ciel walked off in a huff, taking Chêne with him.
"Since we've already drawn too much attention to ourselves to be able to investigate inconspicuously here, I suppose you can play now, Chêne." Ciel said reluctantly.
"Yes! You rock, Ciel~!" Chêne praised him gratefully, pumping her fist in the air victoriously as she started searching for the game booth she wanted to start with first.
"Ah! There! There he is! Ye there, sir…" Joker shouted, getting Sebastian's attention. "Ye in the tailcoat!!" He yelled as he ran over to him. "We really are so sorry about what 'appened back there." He apologized to Sebastian earnestly.
"Not at all. Please forgive my untoward behavior." Sebastian replied politely.
"Shocked me clean out of my skin, ye did! Suddenly getting all close to the tiger like that. Where ye got bit, are ye sure it's all right?" Joker asked, concerned.
"!" Chêne said, surprised when Ciel suddenly yanked her back, making her duck behind another tent to hide, when he realized what was happening back with Sebastian. It seemed things weren't completely hopeless after all…
"Anyway, it might be a good idea to get our troupe doctor to take a look at ye. Come 'round back, if ye would." Joker suggested helpfully.
Author's note:
I added a link for a pic of Chêne in her outfit for this chap to my profile, as well as a belated pic of Mei-Rin in her bridesmaid dress.
