Hello, hello!
I don't know why you say goodbye, I say hello?
...And that's the reference!
If you can tell me what song that's from, then you've got the reference!
Anyway, while you try to figure it out, ONWARDS!
The next day was a lot more sunny than normal, making the morning look a bit too fake to be real. Granted, it was a Monday, and it doesn't matter who you are or where you live.
NO ONE likes Mondays.
Erin gasped, trying to catch her breath, as she stood outside of the Phantomhive manor, before knocking, "Hey, I'm here!" She shouted, throwing her torso against the door at this point.
She was't stupid, she knew butler boy was waiting on the other side of the door. A tiny bit of her wished she had the strength to ram her shoulder into door and force it to fall over on him.
Reeling herself back, she was ready to throw herself against the door again, only to yelp when it suddenly opened, her nose ending up in the carpet.
"Ah, there you are. You're late, once again." Sebastian tsked, making no move to help her up, "Even if this isn't the first time, I don't think that begging on your knees is a good look for you."
"I'll show you begging on your knees." Erin scowled, pulling herself up, only to stop, "Okay, won't lie, thought that sounded more badass in my head."
"If you'll follow me, please." Sebastian went on, ignoring whatever Erin was muttering to herself, "Here we are. Now, go get changed."
"I'll show you changed." Erin said before thinking, thankful that she had murmured it under her breath, before closing the door. She pulled the maid costume on, a sense of disgust blanketing her, before she shouted, "Do I have to wear the apron?"
"Personally, I believe that it pulls the whole look together."
"PerSoNALly I BelieVE ThAT iT puLLs ThE WhOLE LoOK ToGeTHeR."Erin mocked, pulling the damned piece of cloth on, before huffing, "I look ridiculous."
"I'm sure you look fantastic on you."
"Speaking as someone who's fluent in sarcasm," Erin said, pushing the door open as she walked out, "You're compliment has truly made my day. You are the reason that today is a gift, which is why it's called the present."
Sebastian would have mistook that as a genuine compliment, had her voice not been deadpanned and dull, "Come now, the young lord is waiting for us."
"Uhuh, sure." Erin grumbled, having had already mentally checked out, eyes dull.
The two walked in relative silence, the birds whistling and wind blowing from outside the only thing attempting to break it. Finally, clearing his throat, Sebastian asked, "Have you by chance heard about the wedding wrecker story?"
"Huh? What?" Erin muttered, still a bit dazed, "No, what about it?"
"It's been the top story as of this week," Sebastian said, eyes watching her reaction closely, "Coincidentally, it would appear as if someone had staged an elaborate plan of attack."
"...Is that so?" Erin muttered, trying her hardest not to snicker. Yep, it was all planned out. Every single second. No hint of improv.
"Yes. The paper is claiming that this person must have been some sort of mastermind," Sebastian went on, " able to not only divert the attention of everyone in the cathedral for a long duration of time, but also able to steal the bride."
"Oh? What happened to her?" Erin asked, feinting interest.
"That's the interesting part," Sebastian continued, looking Erin dead in the eyes, almost searching for something, "you'd assume that this person would have wanted to kidnap the bride, or kill her I suppose."
"I suppose."
"But the cathedral workers found her tied up in a closet," Erin couldn't help but snicker, happy that her work had been found, "Her kneecaps had been shot at, both of them broken. Apparently they found her unconscious, the main assumption being that she passed out from the pain."
"Wow, what a gruesome display." Erin gasped, "Have they found the perpetrator?"
"No, the hunt is still on." Sebastian murmured, "but if you ask me, I believe that this is a lot closer than we all think."
Oh, how true you are, Sebastian.
"It's assumed to be a gang-related incident," Sebastian brought up, "I don't suppose that you, a gang lord in your own right, know anything in that regard?"
"I do my best not to dabble in the sections that aren't mine." Erin shrugged, "The cathedral is all Gage's, so you'd have more luck asking him."
Sure it was a bit dirty, but she wasn't about to pass up a good opportunity to thrown Gage under the bus.
"Nevertheless, it's a bit of a specific happening, isn't it? I mean, taking away her ability to walk for the rest of her life?Whoever could ever think of doing something like that to someone else?" Erin asked, voice too sweet, before shrugging, "I guess we'll never know."
"Personally, I have a working theory."
"Oh?" Erin asked, intrigued. This ought to be good, "You've peaked my curiosity."
"The papers seem to ignore that it could have been a sort of revenge, retaliation if you would."
"What makes you think that?" Erin pressed, eyebrows narrowing, just a bit. She didn't like the look in Sebastian's eyes. She'd seen it before, when Zig would evaluate those around her and act from there.
It was like he knew more than he should have, but Erin didn't know how.
"This is just a possibility, of course, but maybe the whole reason that the bride was targeted was because of some personal vendetta," Sebastian proposed, "Maybe she had done something heinous to our perpetrator in the past, and this was just exacted revenge?"
"That's oddly specific though, don't you think?" Erin couldn't help but scoff, "I mean, maybe it was meant to look like that. But, assume that your theory is right. There's nothing to disprove a third party."
"Third party?" Sebastian asked, walking a bit faster. At this rate, they'd be late to the young lord's office. Even if this conversation was becoming interesting, he couldn't allow himself to show up late.
"Yeah," Erin muttered, walking behind him, eyes watching him closely. Her senses were going off like crazy, warning her of something. He was hiding something, and it bothered her that she had no idea what it could be, "Say that this bride hurt someone, and talked to our perp about it. That would make the person you're envisioning the third party."
"Interesting theory," Sebastian murmured, walking on. He seemed oblivious to Erin's hand slowly reaching for her gun, "But that seems like a bit of a far fetched idea, don't you think?"
"And yours isn't?" Erin countered, hand holding her gun behind her back. She didn't want to resort of killing this guy, but if it came down to it…
"I guess you could argue that point." Sebastian muttered, before coming to a stop, Erin nearly walking right into him, "But for a second, consider this."
"Yeah?" Erin asked, pulling the hammer of her gun back, "I'm listening."
"It could have been some petty plan of revenge, carried out by some simple-minded child assuming that this would right a wrong."
Erin's blood went cold, hands shaking. She didn't need to see his expression to know what he thought. Shivers ran down her spine, her anger, for once, being overpowered by something else.
Fear.
Eirn barely had time to hide her gun before Sebastian turned around, a friendly smile on his face, "Of course, this is all just speculation."
"Speculation, of course." Erin managed to push out, gun held tightly behind her back.
"Now then, if you'd please." Sebastian said, knocking on the door, before opening it for her.
"What a gentleman." Erin said, forcing her nerves back down. No need to panic, no need to explode, just calm down.
She forced a smile onto her face, taking her usual seat on Ciel's desk, "Whatcha need today, Seal?"
"I...Umm…" Ciel said, stopping when he looked up from his paper, eyes narrowed, "Are you alright?"
"Peachy."
"What?"
"Don't worry about it."
"Ah, yes, whatever," Ciel scowled, shooing her off of his desk, "I'll be requiring your assistance today."
"That's kinda my job." Erin deadpanned.
"...Let me rephrase. I need to go out and you'll be coming along." Ciel said slowly, enunciating his words as well as drawing them out, "Do you understand?"
"Yeah, I get it," Erin scoffed, "I'm not a kid."
"Could have fooled me." Ciel snickered.
"Shut up," Erin hissed, before taking a look out the window, "Where you heading?"
"Why does it matter to you?"
"Cause if it's somewhere I don't want to go, I'd like to know now so I can have a head start." Erin said, as if it were the most obvious reason in the world, before gesturing to Sebastian, "I'd rather he didn't drag me around everywhere like a dead carcass."
"Interesting choice of words."
"I don't recall asking for your opinion, Sebs." Erin shot right back, before leaning onto Ciel's desk, "Still haven't answered my question."
"We'll be visiting the Undertaker today," Ciel said, missing how Erin's eyes seemed to spark up just a bit, "I have a few things I'd like to ask him about."
Erin's fake grin was dropped for a real one as she stood straight up quickly, dashing for the doorway, "Well why didn't you say so!? I'll see you both outside!" And with that she was gone, having disappeared down the hallway.
Ciel blinked, his mind not really understanding what had just happened, "...What kind of girl is happy to be taking a trip to see the Undertaker!"
"Erin, my lord." Sebastian stated, as if there were nothing more obvious.
'This girl is giving me a headache," Ciel groaned, "It's hard enough to understand what she means, but this...This is going to be the end of me."
"My lord, if I didn't know any better, I'd mistake this obsession with Erin as something more," Sebastian teased, "Infatuation, perhaps?"
"I don't want to hear your half-baked theories." Ciel grumbled, holding his face in his hands, "No one does."
"On the contrary, Erin seemed to enjoy my rambles." Sebastian muttered, moving forth to clean up Ciel's desk. Honestly, how he got work done in this mess, Sebastian had no idea.
"I don't have time for your childish nonsense," Ciel grumbled, before getting up from his desk, "I get enough of it from Erin."
"If you insist, my lord."
"Go and get a coach ready for us to depart," Ciel muttered, before standing in front of his bookshelf, "Have Erin ready as well. Also, don't forget all the bags, I'll need those dropped off before he return."
"Right away, my lord."
Erin stood outside by herself, waiting. She was honestly happy to be going with them (for once), but she was a bit more thankful for being given an out.
"Someone seemed happy and ready to leave."
Of course it wouldn't last. Why would Erin even think that it would last.
She turned to face Sebastian, ready to say something smart, only to have the comment stop dead in her throat.
Above his head, with one hand, he was holding what looked to be at least thirteen different briefcase-like bags. Each one was stacked up upon the others, forcing a perfect tower.
"What...the actual fuck…"
"Not much of a greeting, if you ask me." Sebastian seemed to grumble, before setting the bags down next to her, "you could at least attempt to be a bit more of a lady."
"Yeah, no thanks, think I'll pass." Erin muttered, pointedly ignoring him.
Of course, that ended the moment she felt something being removed from the back of her dress, "Must you always travel around with this?"
"Hey! Give that back!" Erin shouted, making a reach for her gun. Sebastian dangled it above her, a shit eating smirk on his face, "You can't just go around and take people's stuff!"
"Are you sure you're in such a position to say that?" Sebastian chided, before taking a good look at her gun, "Besides, it's much too heavy and dangerous for a little girl to carry."
"...Sorry?" Erin asked, eyebrow twitching. He did NOT just call her a-
"Little. Girl."
"Call me that one more time." Erin dared him, eyes blazing as her rage built, "I dare you."
Sebastian met her gaze, not daring to back down. Erin could see it, a challenge in his eyes. He wanted to see how far he could push her.
He WANTED her to explode.
And God knew that the realization only proved to make her angrier.
Before she could start anything, however, Sebastian held the gun out for her to take, "You're very easy to read, you know."
"Shut up," Erin grumbled, pushing her gun back into the pocket of her dress, "Don't you have something better to do right now? Like, I don't know, butler-ing?"
"...Butler-ing?"
"Did I stutter?" Erin shot back, reflexively rolling her wrists.
"I don't know what's more intriguing," Sebastian muttered, watching as Erin pointedly didn't meet his eyes, instead looking down the road, keeping an eye out for the ordered coach, "Your lack of impulse control, or how you manage to turn it into quick wittedness."
"Word of the wise, don't think about it too hard," Erin muttered, "you'll get a headache before you even realize it."
"On the contrary, it's interesting." Sebastian said, "Why, I can almost see the contradiction in your eyes."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Erin huffed, only to jump when something gently gripped her chin, turning her to come face to face with the butler, his own face just a bit too close.
"Ah, yes, there it is." He murmured, "It looks like...You're fighting yourself constantly, aren't you? You're constantly trying to be someone you're not, and it's slowly destroying you."
Erin blinked, her mind suddenly very foggy, before she pushed the butler back, "NEVER do that again." She growled, attempting to sound threatening.
"Of course, that's all just speculation." Sebastian said with a wink, before taking a glance around her, "Ah, there's our coach. Now, help me get these on the coach, would you? The young lord is not one to be kept waiting."
In the coach, Erin and Ciel sat in an awkward silence, Sebastian driving from outside.
Well, it was awkward for Erin; who was spending her time looking outside, humming her own little tune.
Ciel couldn't help but look at Erin in confusion, still trying to decipher who, or what, she was. No way in the world could one person be this happy and chirpy 24/7.
He glared at the small smile on her face, before scowling. From what he knew, she was at least a year older than he was. How was it that, even in her older age, that she was still able to smile so much more than he ever could?
He couldn't help but feel like he was missing something important about her. It just seemed like there was something missing to her. He felt as if she was an unsolved puzzle. It didn't matter how happy she seemed to be.
Something was missing.
"…Seal? Hey, are you ignoring me?"
Ciel jumped slightly, snapped out of his thoughts, "I apologize; I was deep in thought. Do you need something from me?"
Erin shook her head, "Nah, nothing important. I was just wondering what your favorite color was."
Ciel's eyes widened with shock, confused. This just made him MORE confused with her! Finally, he sighed, "…Navy blue."
"Huh?"
Ciel scowled, "Navy blue is my favorite color, or do you not understand simple english?"
"You know, if you keep doing that to your face, it might just end up stuck like that." Erin said, before shrugging, "But hey, I do it a lot, so I'm not really one to talk."
"What the hell are you talking about?"
"Do you not look in the mirror? I'm talking about the constant scowl on your face!" Erin said, before hooking her index fingers into her own cheeks, pulling them outwards to form a smile, "Do you not know how to smile?"
"I know how to smile," Ciel muttered, "I just don't often."
"Oh…" Erin said softly, pulling her fingers out of her mouth, before an evil grin spread across her face, "Need help?"
Ciel scoffed, giving Erin a bland look, "What is that supposed to-WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?" ciel screamed, backing up into his chair as Erin got up, fingers flexing menacingly, "GET AWAY FROM ME WITH THOSE!"
"Aww, don't be like that!" Erin laughed, "I'm just gonna help you smile, honest."
"THOSE FINGERS WERE IN YOUR MOUTH TWO SECONDS AGO, AND I KNOW YOU DIDN'T WASH THEM!" Ciel shrieked, nearly kicking Erin in the face, said girl laughing almost maniacally, "YOU DARE TO APPROACH ME IN SUCH A MANNER!?"
Erin laughed, both hands raised up, "Dude, chill out, I'm just playing!"
Ciel huffed, pouting slightly, which only made Erin laugh more, "You look like such a child when you're pouting like that."
"I am not pouting!"
"Oh, please. Your face is red, your cheeks are puffed out; you look like a kid."
"Am not!"
"Ciel, you're such a kid!"
Ciel groaned, before leaning back, "...I've had enough of this foolish nonsense…" He murmured, before looking outside, "Finally, we've arrived."
Erin nodded, rolling her shoulders, before watching Sebastian open the coach door. He helped Ciel out of the coach, before waiting for Erin to come on out.
Erin jumped out, breathing in the stale air of Fero's part of town, before Sebastian closed the coach door, behind them, "Wow, nice place." She muttered, looking over the broken-down building.
"Erin, be warned. The Undertaker is a very…interesting person." Ciel cautioned, dusting off his attire before Sebastian handed him his cane.
Erin nodded, a smug grin on her face, "I'm sure that I can handle it."
Sebastian shook his head, "no, you must understand that-."
"Oh, is that my little poppet out there?"
Erin smiled, pushing past Sebastian, before being hugged to death by a man with long grey hair and a black cloak, "How's it going, Undie?"
"…Undie?" Ciel asked himself, only to watch as Sebastian shrugged.
"Doing well, Eris!" Undertaker said, ruffling Erin's hair, while Ciel watched from inside the shop, mouth open wide with shock.
"Eris!?"
Erin laughed, before turning to the two confused people, "…What's wrong with you two?"
"HOW LONG HAVE YOU TWO KNOW EACH OTHER!?" Ciel shouted.
"Well, lemme think…" Erin said, before shrugging, laughing to herself, "I have no clue!"
"For a while now, but I can't say exactly how long." Undertaker said, only to look at Ciel, giving the young earl that signature smirk, "But, I know that you're not here so that I could see little Eris for a while. What do you want from me?"
Ciel cleared his throat, "Well, I need some information." Ciel said, "Recently, the queen has issued a request of me. Children, boys to be exact, have been taken from home, missing all over London. Have any bodies come up?"
Undertaker looked like he was about to say something, only to give Erin a grin, "Normally, I'd expect my normally payment. But, since you've got little Eris with you…I don't see why I can't allow one to go free of charge."
Erin laughed, punching Undertaker's arm playfully, "Thanks, Undie!"
Undertaker nodded, before taking his seat behind a grey desk in the back of the room, "As a matter of fact, young earl, there have been a few bodies that have turned up." Undertaker then went into his desk drawer, pulling out two files, "There have been three bodies found matching your description. Erik Twat, Mark Magahine and Ewan Frederick."
Ciel took the files, before looking it all over, "Where were these bodies found?"
"Erik was found on this side of town," Undertaker said, before slipping Erin a lollipop, giving her a wink, "As was Mark. Ewan was the only noblemen child."
Ciel nodded, "And so I've heard. The Frederick's will be holding the funeral tomorrow, correct?"
"Yes, young earl." Undertaker said, laughing to himself lightly, before pointing out a picture, "But, each boy was found with a different note."
Erin looked over Ciel's shoulder and at the file's pictures, seeing what he meant. Each boy had been killed in a clean manner, to the point where it must have been poisoned. Each boy had a note taped on there clothing, only Mark having a message engraved into his chest.
Ciel nodded, looking it over, before reading Erik's note out loud, "The Phoenix will no longer be reborn."
At that note, Erin's heart nearly stopped. She didn't like where this was going. But, she forced herself to calm down. She still had an entire week, and Gold wouldn't dare to break a deal.
Right?
Ciel read the one on Mark in his head, before saying aloud, "You can't hide. I will find you."
"…Well that's unsettling." Sebastian murmured, the messages only serving to cause shivers to run down her back.
"…Eris, are you alright?" Undertaker asked, concerned, "You look pale."
"I don't know if you've noticed yet," Erin murmured, "But I am a very pale person."
Undertaker shrugged, before Ciel went on to the last message, "A message to you, my love. Do you know why the caged raven sings?"
With that final note, it all clicked into place.
Erin knew who it was.
And she didn't like it.
"What do you think of this, Sebastian?" Ciel asked, only to have the butler shrug.
"I cannot say, my lord. These notes seem to be a kind of taunting messages." Sebastian finally said, before looking at Erin, "What do you think?"
Erin breathed in deeply, before shaking her head, "No clue. It's enough to make me freak out, I'll admit, but I don't know."
Ciel nodded, before walking out, "I hope you don't mind, Undertaker, but I'll need this for further reference."
Undertaker giggled, "Of course, young lord Phantomhive."
"Erin," Ciel said, "You're excused. Go home and rest, you look like you need it."
Erin smiled, before doing a little mock bow, "Roger roger…Seal."
Ciel sighed, but didn't bother to point it out. He simply sighed, before walking out. Sebastian gave Erin a small nod, before closing the door behind the both of them.
After a few seconds, Undertaker patted Erin's back, "You know what this means, don't you, poppet?"
Erin sighed, before nodding, "Unfortunately, yes."
"Are you alright?" Undertaker asked, "You're shaking. Here, have a seat."
"No," She murmured, "I can't. I've got to get back and warn the others. I've got to…I've got to…I need some water, damn…"
"Poppet, stay here for a bit." Undertaker murmured, "You look like you're about to drop."
Erin shook her head, smiling, before moving towards the door, "Thank you, but I've really got to go."
Undertaker only sighed, before nodding, "Sure thing, Eris; sure thing." He murmured, giving her a long-nailed thumbs up, before walking behind the coffins, into the back of his shop.
Erin sighed, walking out of the shop. It was only then that she noticed her figure shivering. Had the thought of…of HIM…coming back for her…knowing that she was still alive…
Erin groaned, before taking off on a mad dash back for the base.
Zig needed to hear this.
Back at the base, Erin laid there, body spread out on the floor like a corpse. Her face was planted right into the carpet in her room, looking close to dead. The door was thrown open by Zig, who gave Fang a look, the poor tiger looming over Erin, "Did you finally bite her?"
Fang growled, before nudging Erin's arm. Erin groaned, before locking eyes with Zig, "Is there a good reason to why Hank pushed me up here, or are you just having another emo episode?" Zig asked, voice stone cold.
Erin shook her head, before pulling herself up. In this state, she looked so close to death. Her pale skin was sweaty, eyes casting long shadows, and cheeks look hollow and sunken.
At the very sight, all of Zig's teasing died in her throat.
Something was very wrong.
"…Erin? What's wrong?"
Erin sighed, before looking up at Zig. Her eyes had lost their happy cheerful glow, now replaced with a much darker shade of periwinkle, "They found us."
Zig's eyebrow rose, only to have her eyes widen, "…N-no…They couldn't have-."
"But they did." Erin insisted, "Undertaker had three bodies, each with a message for me. No doubt, they're from him."
Zig held her face, looking like she was going to panic, an expression that did not fit the seventeen year old, "But…The base is hidden!"
"London is not," She murmured, before cursing, "There is a large chance that they don't know where the base is, but they're closing in on us. Never thought that something more pressing that the Ash heads and Gold would arise, but it looks like the universe just LOVES proving me wrong."
Zig nodded, before her eyebrow rose is suspicion, "With Gold's deadline drawing near…Do you think-?"
"It's possible that the two are connected," Erin nodded, before rolling over, "I'm hoping that they're aren't but, it would make perfect sense."
"I still don't understand why and how'd they find you in this circumstance." Zig muttered, mind deep in thought, "I mean, didn't you say that they assumed you dead?"
"That's what I thought, then it hit me." Erin murmured, eyes looking hazy, "What if someone ratted? What if, somehow, information was leaked?"
"…What do you mean by that?" Zig asked, fearing the answer to come.
Erin's grave expression only increased her own fear, "Zig; there is a chance that there is a spy in the base, slowly leading them to us."
Zig pulled lightly at her hair, freaking out, "Then what do we do!?" Zig wasn't one to show a freakout, but right now seemed to be an exception.
Erin sighed, "First, you calm the fuck down. It's my job to act on impulse and go crazy, not yours. Second, take a look at our options."
Zig thought about it, before snapping her fingers, "We could run. Take Oliver and Hank and jus-."
"Running isn't an option, remember?" Erin said, before numbering them off, "We never run, we don't fear, and we do not turn our backs on one another."
"But sometimes those others are out to stab you in the back, apparently." Zig sighed, "Sometimes I can't tell if you mean it, or if you're just playing hero."
"There is a difference between caring for people and playing hero." Erin murmured, before yawning, "But, I'd advise we continue this at another time. We both have enough to worry about."
Zig nodded, before heading over to her bed, quickly jumping under the covers, "…Say, Erin?"
"Hmm?"
"What do we do if the base is found?"
"…We'll cross that bridge when we get there."
"So, in other words, you've got no flipping clue."
"None whatsoever."
"…Idiot."
Love it?
Hate it?
Got the reference?
I'll give you a hint, it was on Glee, and it was a song.
Oh yeah, that's not the only reference. See if you can get all of them!
Anyway, hope you guys enjoyed it, don't forget to leave a review, and I'll see you guys next time!
Cya guys next time!