Note: err… excuse me if the timeline isn't correct…? It's all sort of at random. I apologize~! _"
"So… Jack…" the name seemed to roll smoothly off her tongue, almost like it belonged with her, was made just for her to say, "What is it that you need help with, Jack?"
Jack grinned at her, a smiley sort of boy, and turned to face out the window.
"It's nothing major. Not on my part, anyways. I just want to help you achieve your ultimate goal." His voice was thoughtful, and didn't hold the sparkle it did when they first started speaking.
"My… ultimate goal? Well, that is about ME, isn't it? Why would you, a ghost, want to help me with MY goal? What do you gain from that?" she demanded, acting almost childish as she got up to stamp her feet on the carpeted floor.
"I can't tell you yet, my lady, but there are no tricks that I am up to, I promise. All I want is it aid you on your journey." The shimmery looking ghost materialized some, and stepped forward to wrap his arms around her, no longer ghostly. "I just want your happiness."
Mabel pulled away, not being used to being hugged by a stranger, much less, a ghostly stranger.
"Whatever," she said finally, stepping out the door, "I don't really care right now. There is something that we should be getting to, so I oughtn't stay in my room like so. Can you stay human? You can come with us."
Jack smiled at her, and followed behind closely.
"Whatever pleases you most, ojou-sama."
walking up to the carriage was almost terrifying. Sylvia was standing there, and if looks could kill, Mabel would have died five million times in that one minute.
"What took you so long?" Sylvia shrieked as soon as Mabel got close enough to be in hearing range, "Was it that boy? Jack! How dare you keep the young mistress from starting her journey on time? Do you think this day has endless hours? Look how high the sun's risen! Miss Mabel, please get in the carriage immediately! Don't you want to arrive when you said you would arrive? And Jack! Make yourself useful and drive the carriage!"
the two sprang into action, with Mabel clambering into the carriage while Jack too the position in front of it, and Sylvia bustled in afterwards, and with a quick neigh from the horses, they were hurrying off down the dirt road.
Once they had travelled perhaps ten or fifteen minutes in utter silence, Mabel finally said, quietly, "Sylvia… how do you know that his name is Jack?"
There was an old grandfather clock that once stood proudly in the hallway of the Phantomhive manor, not long ago. In fact, it was only recently removed – destroyed – by the servants of the house.
Ciel could almost hear the steady tick-tick-tick of the clock, and almost imagined the big minute hand moving, before he realized that it was no longer there.
He glanced out the window into the glaring light at the path that led up to the manor, and wrinkled his brow.
"She said she'd be here by four this afternoon," he said irritably to his ever faithful butler, Sebastian, who merely gave him a faint smile, "I don't care for people that can't bothered to be punctual."
"Surely she will be here soon, bocchan," Sebastian said, gently setting a tea cup down on Ciel's desk, "Children don't care to be on time."
Nearly an hour had passed before he heard the steady approach of a carriage, and glanced out the window see one coming along, before coming to a stop in front of the manor.
"Finally," he groaned, getting to his feet.
He had never wanted to host a little girl in his home in the first place, but at the girl's insistence, he decided to let her after all.
After having Sebastian go and invite the girl and her household in, Ciel sat by the window with the tea held in his hand, watching.
The carriage door opened, and the first one out was a brown-haired girl dressed in a pale blue dress and black overcoat, and she turned to grasp the thin hand of a young child that appeared next, who stepped down delicately, and raised her silver eyes up to the window where Ciel stood.
The girl lifted her hand and gave a few quick waves, her eyes sparkling and her blood ruby lips curved in a smile, but when Ciel gave no response, not even a wave nor a small smile, the girl lowered her hands and clasped it in front of her, turning to say something to the maid.
The driver of the carriage hopped down after the two girls, pulling along several large pieces of luggage, and they were approached by Sebastian, who led them into the house.
"Hello," he said as soon as the trio and Sebastian set foot into his studying room, "I am Ciel Phantomhive, your host. Pardon me for rudely asking, but why would you want to invite yourself to my manor?"
the little girl spoke up first.
"Well, nice to meet you too…" she said sarcastically, before removing the expression from her face and holding out her hand. "I am Mabel Rose Veseille. I just wanted to see what you looked like, and since you're a relative, wouldn't you be happy to see me?"
"No." was the quiet reply, "So many dark things happen in this manor. You're better off going back to where you came from."