That Butler, Laid to Rest
I own nothing but my OC.
≤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:
A much older Arthur gasped, startled back to his senses by the sound of a door opening. Many years had passed since those incidents.
[There certainly exists 'something' out there that goes beyond anything we can possibly imagine.]
The culprit behind the door opening was a little girl. She came into the room with a book that she wanted him to read to her. He smiled at her.
[But I shall conceal that 'fact' in the depths of my fireplace for as long as I live.]
Arthur got up from his desk and put the story he had been working on into the fire to burn. He walked away and left the room with the little girl.
[Just as do the secrets of that stormy night.]
{Phantomhive Manor, Conservatory…}
"Well, now that the professor has gone home… I shall see to luncheon—" Sebastian started to say.
"Wait," said Ciel. "I kept silent because it seemed like you purposely didn't want to bring it up in front of him, but…"
"You haven't explained yet how Phelps's murder happened," Chêne finished.
"Ohh! Quite right!" Sebastian said, hitting his hand against his palm. "Actually, we had another visitor in the manor in addition to our invited guests."
"!?" Ciel and Chêne gasped.
"What!?" Ciel said.
"I see… I thought Phelps's death was strange," Chêne said, holding her chin. "Even if the attack was meant for Ciel, why suddenly change M.O.?"
"Indeed," Sebastian agreed, squatting down to pull a large crate that had been chained shut out from under the table. "As I was not expecting him, I showed him to these special accommodations here."
"Wha—!?" Ciel exclaimed, shocked to learn such a thing had been there all the time. "The killer is in here…!?"
"Yes," Sebastian replied calmly.
"There aren't any air holes," Chêne observed, sweat-dropping. She hoped there wasn't a corpse in there.
"… Let me see what's inside," Ciel said.
"Are you sure?" Sebastian asked.
"Don't put on airs. Open it!" Ciel ordered.
"Very well," Sebastian said. The chains jangled as he unwrapped them. As soon as Sebastian lifted the lid, two snakes shot out of it like rockets in Ciel and Chêne's direction.
"!!" they gasped. But Sebastian had already caught the snakes by the time they flinched, stopping them just inches away from Ciel's face. Ciel fell backwards and hit the floor with a thud. Chêne blinked and straightened up.
"You okay?" she asked Ciel.
"Wh—Wha—!?" Ciel exclaimed with his brow furrowed, sweating nervously.
"Heh! They seem to bear you plenty of ill will, Young Master," Sebastian said, smiling wryly. He switched to holding both snakes in one hand and helped Ciel up with the other. "Which is why I asked… 'Are you sure?'"
"—!" Ciel didn't know what to say to that, but a vein throbbed on his head.
"Oh, it's you!" Chêne said, making Ciel look back at the crate.
"!!" Ciel gasped. "Y-You're—!" He stared at the tied up and gagged young man with white hair and scaly skin who had snakes slithering all over him. "Snake!" Snake glared up at them.
"Mister Phelps's murderer… the thirteenth person really did exist," Sebastian said.
««« Rewind «««
Sebastian was preparing the food for the next few days after having been murdered. He perked up upon hearing a sound that was out of place in the manor. The sound of something sliding and slithering through the air ducts.
"It seems we have an uninvited guest," he observed.
=†=†=†=†=†=
Sebastian calmly popped open his pocket watch to check the time.
"UAAAAH…!" Phelps screamed in agony with tears streaming down his face, which was contorted with pain, foaming at the mouth. "HELP MEEE…!!" He was crawling across the floor to get to Sebastian, desperate for help. "AAH…! Oh! Ugh..." Sebastian was busy staring at the snake that was already making its way back up the bell pull's cord to retreat through the vent. "Hel..." Phelps tried to call out weakly, but Sebastian dashed from the room, following the sound of the snake traveling through the vent.
It led him to the conservatory. Sebastian approached the room from the outside, even though the rain was pouring down. The door opened with a small creak. Suddenly it was raining snakes down on him. They lunged at him, wrapping their bodies around him and biting him with their fangs. A particularly large boa constrictor wrapped itself around his torso, pinning his arms to his sides.
"Well, well… It has been a while..." Sebastian said with a smirk as their handler stepped out of the shadows. "… Mister Snake." Snake held his arm out in front of him. One of his snakes was coiled around his arm.
"I was born on Queimada island and my poison can kill any human in thirty seconds. So why aren't you dead yet? —says Webster," Snake asked.
"I am a butler of the Phantomhive family. It goes without saying that I can withstand a poison of this potency," Sebastian retorted.
»»» Fast Forward »»
"Why are you here…!?" Ciel asked Snake while Sebastian removed the gag.
'I think I know why...' Chêne thought, glancing sideways at Ciel.
"The day after Black, Cat, and Smile snuck into the tents of Joker and the other first-stringers they all went missing. It must have been your doing! —says Wilde," Snake said accusingly. Ciel flinched a little, frowning. "So I followed the scent of Smile's costume and went after him… —says Oscar."
««« Rewind «««
Snake stood outside Ciel's townhouse in London.
"Smile's smell is strong here. —says Oscar," Snake said.
"Hey!" someone shouted, making him flinch. It was Soma, and Agni was right behind him with a bag of groceries. "What business do you have at this townhouse?"
"Is there a small lad and a man in all black and a short girl here? —says Bronte," Snake asked.
"Small… Aah, you mean Lord Ciel and Mister Sebastian, and Missus Chêne, yes?" Agni said. "Begging your pardon, but may I ask your name—?"
"What's this? A guest of Ciel's, are you?" Soma said, jumping to the wrong conclusion. "Ciel's no longer here. He's gone back to his principal residence. But not to worry! I, Prince Soma, the viceroy who oversees this town house, shall deliver you to Ciel in the finest carriage available!! And so he did. Soma made sure Snake was seated comfortably in a carriage and even gave him a bag of curry buns as a souvenir. "Say hello to Ciel for me now!!" Soma told Snake with a sunny smile as he saw him off. "Come and play with us agaiiin!! Goodbyeee!!"
=†=†=†=†=†=
After a quiet carriage ride, Snake arrived at the manor. Instead of approaching through the front door, he hid in some bushes nearby and observed Ciel's guests arriving.
"There may be a party or something this evening. This is most convenient. —says Keats," Snake said. "Let us bide our time somewhere until night falls. —says Keats."
—^—^—^—
Snake looked around for a better hiding spot and found the conservatory. The outside door wasn't locked, so he let himself in.
"It's so warm here. It's like a paradise, don'tcha think? —says Wilde," Snake said, feeling cozy while he munched on the curry buns.
»»» Fast Forward »»»
"…..." Ciel, Sebastian, and Chêne said. Ciel's brow was furrowed, face cast partial in shadow, and Sebastian's smile was a little angry. Chêne didn't know whether to laugh or throw her hands up in exasperation. It might have been funny if no one had actually died.
"Those fools…!" Ciel whisper-yelled angrily with a vein throbbing on his forehead, gritting his teeth as he turned aside to vent. "Who in blazes sends an assassin to someone as a guest!!?"
"I'd say it was karma, but..." Chêne whispered, sweat-dropping.
"All the same, there is nothing we can do to rectify that now," Sebastian whispered, a little chagrined. They all looked back at Snake.
"Ahem! Uhh… so?" Ciel said, clearing his throat. "You're saying they vanished because of us?"
"Yes! The minute you three joined our troupe, they all started acting strange!! —says Wordsworth," Snake said. "I knew somehow that Joker and the others were hiding something from me. … But! They called me their comrade and their friend… even though I looked like this. They said we were family. You stole them from me!! I'll never forgive you for that!! —says Wilde." Ciel stared down at him. Snake's face reminded him of Doll's when she tried to kill him for revenge. Angry, full of pain and sorrow. Desperate. He closed his eyes.
"Your circus troupe was kidnapping children one after another from each stop on its tour," Ciel said. "We joined up with you to seize any evidence of those crimes." Snake was shocked.
"Joker and the others were kidnappers…!? L-Lies! You're trying to trick me with your nonsense!! —says Wilde," he yelled.
"Nonsense? Perhaps," Ciel said calmly. "Before I could gather the necessary proof, my identity was discovered… and they disappeared. In that sense, I may have indeed stolen your peace away. But I also wanted to rescue the children who were suffering because of your friends." Sebastian and Chêne glanced sideways at him. Chêne wondered what Ciel intended to do with him. The queen seemed to be keeping a lid on the horrible truth of that incident, but if it were to come out that Snake was Phelps's killer, awkward questions would be asked. Snake only killed Phelps because he was trying to take revenge on Ciel."Naturally, I would like to rescue you as well," Ciel said, surprising her and Snake.
"Eh..?" Snake said, staring up at him with wide eyes. Ciel carefully reached out and untied the ropes around him. Chêne tensed. One wrong move, and Ciel would join Phelps. "…!?" Snake was understandably confused. "What do you think you're doing!!? —says Wilde," Snake demanded.
"Ciel!" Chêne said with her brow furrowed, concerned.
"Young Master!" Sebastian said. Ciel raised a hand to signal for them to back off. Ciel took a step closer to Snake and held his hand out to him.
"Come to my manor," Ciel said. Snake stared up at him, surprised. He wasn't the only one. Sebastian and Chêne's eyes widened.
"Wha—!? What are you saying!?" Snake said, taken aback. "—says Keats."
"Didn't you hear me? I said I would like to rescue you," Ciel said, walking towards Snake as he tried to back away. "Even now, you're still on the hunt for Joker and company. Of course, I ask for the sake of solving the case, but… don't you think that staying here would be the shortest route to seeing them again?" Ciel asked gently. "Having lived with them in the circus, I know they're not evil. They were nice to everyone they met and cheerful to boot. That's why I want them to atone for their sins… and obtain true happiness. All of them, including you." Snake's eyes widened in surprise.
"Including me..." Snake said, looking down as he thought of his missing friends and family. He looked up at Ciel with determination in his eyes. Chêne and Sebastian watched him take Ciel's hand.
—^—^—^—
"I never imagined you would install him in the manor," Sebastian said as he, Chêne, and Ciel walked away from the conservatory.
"It's better than having him make attempt after attempt on my life. His ability to manipulate snakes seems like it might come in handy as well," Ciel said. "Besides..." He looked over his shoulder at them and smirked. "… I've been wanting a pet."
"People aren't pets, Ciel," Chêne scolded him with a frown.
"You even told such lies..." Sebastian said, sighing.
"Can you guess why, Chêne?" Ciel asked.
"Because if he learns the truth and becomes a problem, you'll have to silence him, right?" Chêne replied.
"I'm glad you understand," Ciel said. "No matter how guilty your conscience, don't tell him the truth," he ordered sternly. It would hurt her all the more if he was killed because of something she said.
"I won't. I intend to lie like his life depends on it," she said grimly. Because it did.
"If I continue the 'lie' it will eventually become the 'truth'," Ciel said. "It's just a matter of you swallowing it all up in the end."
"??" Chêne said.
"… Yes, quite," Sebastian agreed, glancing at his wife out the corner of his eye.
"Oh, by the way, Sebastian?" Chêne said, fluttering her eyelashes and motioning for him to lean a little lower. "There's something I've been wanting to give you..."
"Oh?" Sebastian said, smirking slightly as he leaned down, expecting something pleasant, like a kiss perhaps.
SMACK!
Sebastian stared at his wife in wide-eyed shock. She had literally slapped the smirk off his face.
"There," she said, smiling at him. "Now we're even!"
"I suppose it is a small price to pay..." Sebastian said with a sigh, smiling wryly. He should consider himself lucky if she let it go at that.
"More importantly, how do you plan to explain yourself to the other servants?" Ciel asked him.
"Surely you had that planned?" Chêne said, raising an eyebrow. 'Don't tell me, after that elaborate scheme, they're winging this!?'
"Hmm..." Sebastian said.
=†=†=†=†=†=
CLAAANG~ CLAAANG~
The church bells were ringing as Sebastian lay in his coffin, surrounded by white lilies. The cover was placed over him, and Bard, Finni, Agni, and Tanaka acted as his pallbearers.
CLAAANG~ CLAAANG~
The bell continued to ring as they carried him to his grave. Undertaker walked off to the side, a little bit ahead of them, while Chêne, Mei-Rin, Elizabeth, Ciel, and Soma followed behind. They stopped in front of his tombstone, which had a bell attached to the side of it.
In memory of
Sebastian Michaelis
Died March 1889
"May ye be in heaven
an hour before the Devil
knows you're dead."
Chêne hid her face in her handkerchief while Sebastian was buried. Everyone else was crying too. She looked up again when the deed was done.
"..." Chêne and Ciel stared down at the grave together. It was silent apart from everyone's sniffling and sobbing.
"—!" Lizzie couldn't bear to watch Ciel any longer. "Ciel!!" she cried, throwing her arms around him.
"Wah!?" Ciel exclaimed.
"Sebastian is such a liar!" Lizzie sobbed. "He vowed he would never leave your side. How could he do this…!?" Soma turned it into a group hug.
"Don't cry, Ciel!! 'Cos we'll always be together, okay!?" Soma sobbed.
"Forever and ever!" Lizzie added.
"Waaahn!" Finni cried as he and Mei-Rin threw their arms around Chêne, while Agni sobbed and Bard stood silently beside them.
"Don't worry, Chêne," Bard said. "We'll make sure you're taken care of." Chêne buried her face in her handkerchief again.
"He, Chêne, and I are truly fortunate to have people who care for us so much," Ciel said gently. "Come, let's return to the house." They all pulled themselves together enough for the walk back and turned to leave.
RIIRIIING~!
Finni stopped.
"!?" he said.
"What was that?" Chêne asked, also stopping.
"The bell on the headstone is ringing…?" Finni said. "But there's not even a breeze..."
"The bell on the headstone…!?" Chêne gasped.
"Oh, dear, oh, dear," Undertaker said. "Is this really any time to be cooling your heels?" He grinned. "That bell ringing, why… it means he's still alive!"
"!!?" Everyone gasped.
"Dig it up!!" Chêne and Bard shouted. Bard immediately grabbed a shovel and joined Undertaker in digging. Finni kneeled down and started using his hands to shift the dirt. Agni also grabbed a shovel.
—^—^—^—
"Goodness," Sebastian said, sitting up in his unearthed and opened coffin. "I finally managed to get out of that. Everyo—Eh?" he said when he saw that Finni, Mei-Rin, Bard and Lizzie were all flying towards him. "!? Wai..."
WHAM!
"!!"
"I! IIII!" Finni bawled.
"Bisder zabazjan, I am zo glaaad do zee you!" Mei-Rin sobbed.
"Waaaaahn!" Lizzie cried.
"You goose, I thought I'd lost another comrade again..." Bard said. They were all crying their eyes out, sobbing uncontrollably. Mister Tanaka and Soma smiled. Soma wiped his nose. That was something Sebastian thought the others could stand to do. They were dripping all over him.
"Everyone, please calm yourselves..." Sebastian said, rubbing his sore head where Finni's hard head had collided with it.
"UWAAAAAAAAHN!"
"Chêne! Where is Chêne?" Sebastian asked, which made the others back off slightly as they also looked around for her. Chêne was standing at the foot of the coffin, crying with a smile on her face. Her voice broke a little when she laughed.
"Welcome back!!" she greeted him with eyes full of love. Somehow that seemed to make everyone cry more, and they pulled her into the coffin with them.
"This is a miracle!" Agni cried, shedding tears of joy.
"Glad we went with the safety coffin!" Undertaker told Ciel. "This is the first time I've ever seen it ring, though!"
"Yeah, tell me about it!" Ciel agreed calmly.
"O gods!! I thank you!" Agni prayed loudly.
"Uwaaaaahn!"
—^—^—^—
"—Whew," Sebastian said once he was out of the coffin and everyone had stopped crying on him. Undertaker was calling for them to 'come by again to have another lie-down' and cackling madly. "What a relief to have fooled them with that level of shock tactic. I am drenched in tears and nasal secretions..."
"Although their being so easily fooled gives one pause. Ugh, hurry up and wipe that off," Ciel said, moving to hand him his handkerchief, when Chêne beat him to it with her spare.
"Let me wipe that off for you," she said, and Sebastian leaned down to make it easier for her. "At least you know how loved you are."
"Indeed," he said with a smile, looking into her eyes. Ciel was tempted to tell them to get a room. She and Sebastian were acting lovey-dovey again, despite her annoyance with them for letting her think he really died. Ciel supposed the shock of finding him 'dead' made her rethink her priorities.
"Sebastian," Tanaka said, interrupting the tender moment. "I return this to you." He re-pinned the head butler's pin to Sebastian's coat for him. "This is proof that you are the butler of the Earl of Phantomhive. And right now, it belongs on your chest alone." Tanaka smiled as he walked away. "The butler of the Phantomhive Family is not permitted to pass away before his master does. Remember that!"
"And so, Sebastian," Ciel said, with a smile, readjusting his top hat. "From this day forth, you are my butler once more." Chêne watched as Sebastian kneeled before him.
"Yes, My Lord—I shall devote myself wholly to serving you… until the day when lies become truth comes to pass—" Sebastian said. The demon and his master smirked at each other.
"?" Chêne had the strange feeling they were sharing some kind of inside joke.
"Oh, yes," Sebastian said, standing up. "Lady Elizabeth. Excuse me for my impertinence, but please allow me to correct you on one small matter—"
"? Did I say something?" she asked.
"I… never tell lies," Sebastian said with a wink, holding a finger to his lips.
