A/N: I've been writing so much of this story recently and that might be because I have writer's block on so many of my others, one such being His Butler, With an Exorcist For a Mistress. If you're following that story as well, don't worry I do plan to upload it as soon as I can get past this stump I'm in. Anyway, enjoy :D

Disclaimer: I don't own Kuroshitsuji.

Chapter Fifteen

"Whoa, you brought a really cute kid, huh."

Ciel flinched at the comment. He was already uncomfortable with being here in the first place, adding the new apparel of street clothes for the young earl and he was completely offset. Joker's exclamation upon seeing Ciel just served to make him ever more put out with this whole ordeal.

Ciel hadn't even been thrilled with the aspect of the choice of coming here in the first place. It had been expected of him though, as a earl Ciel would never have wanted to stoop to such a level to join the circus. But Sebastian had made it almost impossible to argue with the logic of the choice.

I smiled slightly at the reminder of the conversation following our departure of the circus last night.

"Your allergies really do get the best of you, Ciel," I chuckled to myself when Ciel sneezed yet again, almost rocking the carriage, though it was likely that the rocking was more from the bumps in the road rather than the young boy's sneeze.

"S-shut up," he snapped, blushing slightly as he turned his face away from me.

I laughed softly when I swore I heard him muttered something about stupid cats under his breath, just as the carriage rolled up to the front of the Phantomhive's London manor. Moments later the carriage door opened and Sebastian reached inside to help Ciel down and then me. As Ciel marched ahead of us, Sebastian gave me a questioning look.

"What have you done to the young master?" He sighed.

I smiled mischievously as I walked past him, "Oh nothing much, just a bit of teasing."

"What were you able to accomplish, Sebastian?" Ciel asked, as we reached him by the door.

Sebastian bowed to his master and opened the door, waving us through as he spoke, "I was only able to accomplish learning about their doctor who makes prosthetics for the circus performers."

Ciel grunted his response, "In other words nothing of importance to our case."

Sebastian gave his classic smirk then, "Oh, but I was able to impress them enough to get them to ask me back for their new recruit trails, as well as two other talented individuals."

His hint took two minutes to sink into both Ciel's and my head. I was the first to react and turned on him in a whirl of skirts and bronze curls, while one second later Ciel emitted a surprised noised. I was surprised as well, while also being slightly miffed at having to do something that I hadn't originally had any intention of doing.

"You mean to say we'll be joining the circus?" I spat, gritting my teeth together.

Ciel whipped his head around to face Sebastian, "Why did it end up going in that direction?"

Sebastian sighed and began to remove his master's coat, "You say 'why' but-."

"I mean-," Ciel began before being cut off by his name being yelled by an all too familiar voice.

"Ciel! You're late," Soma accused. "Are your plans for today over?"

I gave a soft sigh and shrugged off my coat as Sebastian began to help me out of it. Even his usual reserved expression was slightly tense with annoyance at the exotic prince. He did a very good job at masking it though, unlike Ciel who appeared to become more and more agitated by the moment at the overly exuberant prince.

"When did I give you that order?" Ciel snapped, pretending to ignore the prince and continue his conversation with Sebastian as he tried to make for a clean getaway.

Sebastian followed behind him, along with myself, "Is it a problem?"

"In this case," Ciel began, but the rest of his words were quickly drowned out by Soma's loud incessant demands and objections.

It took only moments for Ciel to finally lose control of his anger.

"Shut up," he turned and yelled at Soma. "I'm busy right now, so be quiet!"

I chuckled softly and followed after a still fuming Ciel as Soma remained behind twiddling his thumbs and mumbling inherent sentences. We made our way up into Ciel's bedroom, leaving Sebastian to shut the door behind us as he brought up the rear of our party.

"What I'm saying is," Ciel began, tossing his jacket onto his bed. "Why did it end up that I was signed up for the circus?"

"You were not signed up for the circus," Sebastian informed him, turning away from the door. "You were signed up for the entrance test."

I laughed softly and sat myself at the end of Ciel's bed, just as he took a seat on the right edge. Leaning back to rest my weight on my left arm, I sighed, "He has a point you know. We aren't actually guaranteed a placement into the circus."

Ciel let out a dismissive noise and tugged at the ribbon around his neck, "Just you two infiltrating it is enough, isn't it? Living in a tent, what a joke."

"So is that your only issue with this entire thing," I chuckled under my breath, so low that the only other pair of ears that heard were Sebastian's and all I got was an amused smirk from him.

"Would it really be alright?" Sebastian inquired. "Me living according to my own free will, rather than by your orders?"

"Tch'... I guess you're right," Ciel mumbled.

I watched as Sebastian made his way around the large bed to kneel before Ciel and began to untie the boy's boots. The ties quickly fell loose under Sebastian's hands and the boots soon found themselves on the floor.

"But you need to preform in the circus, right?" Ciel asked. "I can't do that sort of thing."

I snickered, gaining myself a glare from Ciel.

"How true," Sebastian cut in before that glare could escalate. "Well, as much as you can, do your best on the entrance test. As your butler, I will be rooting for you from the bottom of my heart."

"And of course you'll only succeed," I smirked.

Ciel eyed the two of us for a moment before, turning around and sighing, "It can't be helped, I'll do it."

"Are you a boy?" Joker asked innocently enough, cutting through my thoughts like a knife through butter.

Ciel struggled to keep a blank, almost shy look on his face, "Yes. I was a pageboy at the manor. Um... My name is Finnian."

"What a grand name," Joker mumbled, leaning over Ciel to observe him closer. "If you join, we'll give you a stage name."

I cleared my throat, effectively gaining all the attention from Ciel. Joker's eyes widened upon seeing more for the first time as well as a few of the other members of the crowd that had gather to see Sebastian and the other new trainees. I offered a hand to the stunned Joker and gave him a small smile.

"I'm Tess," I laughed. "I was the parlor maid at the manner, but such a life doesn't really suit someone like me so when Sebastian told me about this place I had to convince him to let me come along."

Joker recovered himself and grinned as he took my hand to shake it, "Welcome then."

He turned then and cleared his throat, "You both are pretty on the eye, but cuteness enough isn't enough to join the circus. If you can't preform, that is."

Joker turned his eyes to Ciel, "Boy, what's your strong point?"

Ciel faltered for a moment, "...Darts?"

"In that case, let's do knife-throwing," Joker exclaimed. "Dagger, lend him a knife."

The knife thrower from last night came forward with a handful of daggers. I observed him closely for the first time. He had light colored hair for the most part with an exception of three or four large dark streaks on his bangs. He seemed even younger than he had last night and certainly a lot more lively.

"Here ya go," he told Ciel in a sing-song voice as he dropped the daggers into Ciel's hands. "Hit that target from over here."

As he said it Joker pointed towards the human shaped target painted onto a wooden board about five or six yards from us. Even the target from the night before had been closer than that, but I assume that it was done so in the intent to truly test the strength of the individuals trying out for placement in the circus.

"He'll never make that," I mumbled to Sebastian who stood stoney faced besides me.

Sebastian lifted a finger to his lips, a small smirk on his face, "What kind of butler would I be if I didn't assist him in accomplishing such a simple task?"

I shook my head, smirking, "What kind of butler, indeed."

I looked over to Ciel who took aim carefully and threw the dagger forward. The blade cut through the air at a sharp arc before beginning it's downward curve. Only problem was the dagger was falling directly dead center of the target and him. The crowd gathered around Ciel began to chuckle, believing that the blade was never going to reach its target, but they didn't see the subtle pinch Sebastian gave to a small round pebble in his hand that caused it to speed forward and hit the dagger dead on. Two seconds later the blade was sticking out of the target's head and everyone besides Sebastian, Ciel, and myself were astonished.

"No way," Dagger cried, gaping at the target where the knife was now embedded into the wood.

Ciel just gave a smug smirk and threw the next one, the same process repeating. The pattern continued on until the last dagger met it's mark yet again and Ciel stepped towards the board with a smug smile. Dramatically he turned and held a hand out smugly as he gestured to the target.

"Is this alright?" He asked.

Dagger just stepped towards the target and stared at it in awe. His expression read his questions and shock quiet clearly, much to my amusement. Apparently his own skills had been shown up, but from seeing the show last night it wouldn't have taken much to have done so anyway.

Joker nodded, "Seems like you've got control over it."

"May I have a go?" I asked, giving him an innocent girly smile.

Ciel gave me a glance, but Joker nodded slowly though he looked skeptically at me. His gaze looked me up and down, looking over the slender body that was barely concealed under the loose white blouse and black breeches. The look read every doubt I ever needed to know.

"I guess it wouldn't hurt," Joker managed, handing me a single dagger. "But perhaps because you're a woman-."

Before he had time to finish his sentence I had taken aim, turned my back to the target board, and tossed the blade backwards even knowing that a certain someone had still been standing in the way. A yelp resounded in my ears as everyone cried out in shock and then let out an audible gasps. Slowly I turned and smiled, dusting my hands off on my pant legs.

"Not bad for a woman, huh?" I stated a bit smugly, looking over my work.

In the direct center dot of the painted head of the target, pinned beneath the sharp blade of the dagger, was Dagger's hat. Said owner of the hat held his hands to his head in shock as he stared at his hat with wide eyes.

I could see the silent look of question is Joker's shocked expression, but he quickly nodded and waved towards the main tent, "All right, next!"

We followed after him as he lead us through the maze of smaller tents to the large tent in which the circus show had been held last night. He lifted the flap and waved for us to enter. I walked in slowly and glanced around. The place was less stuffy now that it lacked all those people from the night before and much more silent. I could very well imagine what the next test was as my eyes scanned over the tight rope hanging high above our heads.

"Tight rope walking," Joker exclaimed, as he waved up above our heads. "And you're the first to go."

Joker pointed his skeletal hand at Ciel, who swallowed hard and looked up at the rope queasily. I smirked as I watched him turn slightly green.

The girl who walked the tightrope from the night before came forward and grabbed Ciel by the hand, dragging him up the ladder and to the platform where one end of the tight rope was tied.

"Doll, tie the lifeline tightly," Joker called up to the girl with Ciel. "It's dangerous if a beginner falls."

I shook my head, grinning to myself. Even if Ciel did manage to fall there was no way Sebastian would let him master get even the slightest scratch on him. A near death experience like that would be next to impossible for Ciel with his demon standing at the bottom and even if on the slightest chance that Sebastian was to miss I was standing back up.

"Can't I do some sort of music test instead?" Ciel called down, a single drop of sweat trailing down his forehead.

"Hmm? D'you wanna retire already, boy?" Joker laughed.

"N-no! But if there's something else...," Ciel continued.

"If you're serious, don't dawdle and do it fast."

I could almost see Ciel grind his teeth together as he made up his mind and took his first step onto the taunt rope. His face read his concentration as he took another step and another. For someone who had never walked a tightrope before he was doing fairly well. It was only at the fifth step that he began to lose balance and would've fallen if it hadn't been for another projectile pebble hitting his side and righting him again. I smirked to Sebastian who smirked back.

"Oh, he recovered," Joker stated softly, as he watched Ciel magically right himself again.

Ciel made it through the rest of the length of the tightrope with seemingly little slip ups, but to the sharp eye of a demon the multiple pebbles pelting into his back, legs, rear, and sides were never missed. I could only imagine the welts that would cover Ciel's body later as it didn't appear Sebastian went easy.

"That's great! I didn't really think that you'd be able to do it," Joker laughed, clapping his hands together.

Ciel grumbled a thank you as he rubbed his rear, causing me to chuckle softly.

"Don't demote this cute lil'kid, boss," Dagger chuckled, patting Ciel's head.

"Not yet," Joker interrupted. "The boy hasn't done something real important."

Ciel gave him a confused look, that also showed his unease about having to be forced to do another death defying stunt.

"A bit o'smile," Joker grinned. "C'mon smile!"

Ciel gritted his teeth and clenched his hands as Sebastian turned away and tried to muffle his laughter. I also tried to hide my amusement at seeing Ciel trying to cope with the fact that he'd have to do what he swore never to do ever again, that he claimed he'd forgotten how to do. He never smiled, unless it was one of cruel amusement.

Swallowing what must have been the last of his pride, Ciel angled his head to the side and gave a large forced smile. It surprised me that he even could pull it off, let alone one that actually brightened up his face and made him look completely cute and childlike.

Pleased the Joker turned his attention from Ciel to me.

"Now how about you," Joker mused. "What is your strong point?"

I smiled mischievously, "I have many, but there's one that I think you'll find particularly...interesting."

The way my eyes glinted or the way I said my words must have caught Joker's attention because he looked at me with renewed interest. Sebastian meanwhile gave me a half puzzled look as if trying to figure out what I was planning. I could almost see the gears in his head turning as he tried to guess at what sort of thing I was going to attempt.

"Show us then," Joker finally spoke, gesturing towards the area out around us.

I placed a hand on my chin and looked around me, there certainly was enough room for moving about but I would need some things to accomplish this. This certain trick I wanted to achieve was apart of a performance long forgotten by performers these days. It was an act of the past that used to impress even the most hardy kings and queens.

"I'll need a few things," I mumbled, turning to Joker. "If I'm to even attempt this I'm going to need some cloth soaked in fuel, two of those curved swords I saw by the tent flap, and a match."

Dagger looked at Joker for confirmation and slowly he nodded, "Alright. Dagger, Doll."

The two nodded and went off quickly to go find the things that I had requested. I had to wonder if it was their curiosity that pushed them to go fetch the things I'd asked for. It wasn't as if I had given them much of a hint to what I was going to do, so they merely had their imagination to go off of.

A few moments passed before the two came back with the things I'd requested.

"Here ya go," Joker handed them to me. "But I don't see how-."

I waved for him to stop and quickly wrapped the curved blades in the drenched cloth. Seeing them reminded me of the desert, of that time I used to spend preparing for the shows by wrapping four or six swords in fuel drench cloth. This time there were only two and the task was much easier.

I tightened the last knot and held out my hand for the match. When the small stick was placed into my hand, I quickly struck it against the heel of my boot and held the small flame up to the cloth. The material caught fire instantly and I lit the next one before snuffing out the match and lifting both swords into my hand.

The sound of the crackling material as it burned filled my ears as I sighed and closed my eyes. That sound alone transported me back to my past. Behind my closed lids I was no longer standing in the circus tent, I was standing in the open night with a semi-circle crowd of people standing around me and a stone building behind me. My course cotton clothing was replaced with midnight black silk skirts and a wrap top, leaving my stomach bare for the night air to caress the smooth skin. From somewhere out of sight the sound of a wooden flute picked up a haunting tune, slowly followed by the intoxicating sound of the drums.

And with the music my body began to move.

I twisted and twirled, moving my body rhythmically as I spun the fiery blades around myself in a blazing duet. Arcing my right arm upwards as I extended my left arm towards the ground and lifted one leg up in a graceful kick. Holding the consumed blades at my sides as I spun in a circle on the toes of one of my feet. As my short performance drew to its close, I tossed first one blade up and than the other before flipped over backwards and catching them in my hands. I gave a bow and opened my eyes to dispel the image I built behind my eyes to see the two flames dying out and the gaping looks.

Only Sebastian remained unaffected by the performance, having seen it already.

I smiled and stood up, "How was that?"