hello readers! this is the double chapter i promised you guys to make up for my pathetic last chapter (which was less than 1500 words). thanks for the reviews, I'm glad to hear that you guys are enjoying the inner workings of my nerdy imagination, and, in this particular chapter, the wonderful mind of paxloria (who gave me this chapters plot idea) . i have a loose outline for this whole fanfic, but i left a lot of room and paxloria helped me fill one of my plot holes. i don't own kuroshitsuji. oh, and don't forget that this chapter is an immediate pickup of the last one. ENJOY!-PenNinja

Faline knew that she would have to be stupid to go. the butler wasn't human or shinigami, he was something else, something dangerous, and he was at the beck and call of that self righteous little punk. she didn't know the consequences of not going, but she didn't think that the pair would be so bold as to kidnap or hurt her in any way, then again, she didnt know either of them well enough to say that. after a few more minuets of deep thought she came to the conclusion that there was no way in hell she was going. It was only an invitation after all, no matter how demanding it seemed. she couldn't understand was why these two were so interested in her. true, they knew she was different, but so were they, so what reasoning would there be in gaining her favor? this was Faline's last thought before she finally fell asleep.

her first thought upon waking was that her back and head hurt, BADLY. She sat up and rubbed her back, breathing in deeply the smell of undertakers embalming fluids. She wasnt sure that she would ever get used to sleeping in a coffin. if undertaker was so worried about the comfort of the dead then she didn't see why her coffin couldn't come with a bit more padding. Speaking of the maniac, she had been awake for approximately 45 seconds and hadn't heard a bad joke or creepy giggle yet. She looked around the creepy little hole in the wall she called her temporary home until her eyes found the note attached to the door. oh, this should be good.

house cat, (she was gonna kill him)

ill be gone for the next few days, ive been called for a very special guest, a noblewoman who was murdered, stabbed to death by her husband! wont this be the most wonderful job?! i do so love to make my guests pretty again. Ill be gone for approximately three days, but im not anticipating any guests at the shop. after last nights experience, i would recommend that you don't leave the shop too often.

~heehee

why did he INSIST on calling her that?! not that it mattered, she planned on going home as soon as possible. and how would he know when he was getting "guests"? people don't just die on command! she was going to be alone for the next three days,and normally, this was call for loud music and excessive sugar consumption. at least it would have been, had she been in her own world, but here, her first order of business was to learn the layout of the city. she would have to walk around all day, but she thought she could draw up a map in that time. She might even be able to buy one actually, but first,she needed a bath and a change of clothes . she felt heavy with sleep and filth. Her hair could use a good scrub too, and a brush. it was matted and full of knots from her sleeping on it. she really should get into the habit of braiding it, now that it was long while she slept. Faline walked into the "bathroom" and turned the water on. it wasnt as cold as it normally was, not warm either, but like a swimming pool temperature. thinking that this was as good as it was going to get she started unlacing her dress. it fell around her ankles and she stepped out of it slowly.

Eventually she managed to get out of all the layers of ridiculous clothes she was required to wear. the corset had been hard to get off. she had gotten the ones that unlaced at the front so that she could do it herself, but she had tied it too tight last time. she stood in the water for a while before she finally got the courage to kneel , and it wasnt as bad as previous baths, but it was still unpleasant. the water only came up to her naval while she was kneeling, and she felt a little exposed without a curtain of some kind. she moved her long hair to cover the front of her body and felt a little better, and warmer for that matter. after 15 minuets of scrubbing and about 20 more of struggling into her clothes, Faline was out the door.

* at phantomhive manor

sebastian was preparing his masters afternoon tea, earl gray to be precise, when his mind began to wander back to Undertakers new girl. She had remained hidden the first time they had "met", and while he knew she was there for the entire duration of that particular visit, he chose to remain silent. He could smell the magic on her, which was how he had recognized her again last night when he found her in another form. it was upon returning to the manor that he informed his young master of his newest discovery. Predictably, the boy wanted her for his own uses. As an agent of sorts, who would report any and all underworld activity. The young earls eyes had grown almost excited at the prospect of a new toy, and had demanded that she be invited to the manor. The invitation he had given her had been very last second, but he suspected that he could "convince" her take up his masters most gracious offer. surely she wanted her freedom or else she wouldn't wear that collar on her neck, it stunk of enchantment. His train of thought was abruptly broken when he heard his master calling.

"SEBASTIAN!" little brat. upon entering his lords study, sebastian was treated to a scolding about punctuality, despite having only taken about 45 seconds. most of what the young lord said was his usual impatience, but then his face froze, as if deep in thought.

" Sebastian?"

"yes, my lord.?"

"the girl was given the "invitation" , yes?" he said while leaning back in his chair.

"of course, my masters order is my only thought." (that, and the taste of this boys soul.)

"insure her arrival. now." he slammed his fist on the table.

"yes my lord."

Faline was walking down the same street where undertaker had brought her to when the crowds of people started to thin and the streets began to sleep. She had been searching all afternoon and now twilight was peeking around the corner. one would think that there would be some place to find a map in this desolate slum, but she hadn't seen so much as a globe all day. did these people even have globes yet?! being out and about she had actually learned more than she had anticipated about the culture. she was in a world almost identical to her own, but she was back much farther in time. She had also learned that the only women who ran around at night alone here were hookers and drunks. not quite the crowd she needed to be associated with right now, but then again, she was associated with undertaker. she wondered which would be worse, to be the town whore or the town nut case? She shook her head at the thought and turned back to the direction she had come from, heading back to the shop to lock up for the night.

* only a little later

it had gotten dark before she could make it back to the shop, but she was more than halfway there. still, the lonely click of her shoes on the cobble stone echoing in the empty streets seemed eerie, and far too loud. it was just too quiet overall. Her new hearing should have allowed her to hear anything at all, even a rat scrabbling in the trash that littered the back roads and alleys, but she heard nothing. it was like the world had died, as if all life had left the area. a suddenly a chill ran up her spine, the kind that induced adrenaline, and she stopped in her tracks. had she been in her other form, her hackles would have been up. she knew that something was wrong, but every other bodily sense was telling her there was nothing, and the ominous shadows made by the barley lit street didn't help. this new sense must be an animal thing too. trying to ignore it, she continued walking, but this time at a faster pace. every step she took only seemed to get louder,and the noise ate away at her nerves until finally she couldn't take it any more. she sprinted away faster than she had ever run before, her head spinning and her heart pounding in her ears.

She was almost to the shop, and could see final turn she had to make. This calmed her a little bit, and then she realized that she could hear things again, like a cat killing a rat, a stray dog, the people in the building next to her,so she slowed her pace and walked the final few steps. opening the door, she noticed that she had failed to blow out the candles before she left, leaving the shop still lit. She hoped nobody had come in and thought that it was open. She stepped through the door and locked it behind her. Faline knew the second that she had stepped into the shop that someone was there, she could smell them. among the embalming fluids and perfumes, their scent was obvious, a kind of sour smell, like vinegar and blood. She tried to be quiet as she slid under the table Undertaker shoved her under yesterday (last night) and waited for the trespasser. she would have hidden herself in her other form, but she had nobody to put the collar back on her if she were to take it off. she had waited for about two minuets, her suspension growing, and when she was about to crawl out she heard footsteps. The light clicking on the hard floor grew closer and closer. Faline reached carefully up behind her and grabbed one of undertakers autopsy knifes, fearing the worst. she may not be big enough to hurt them with her body, but she would fucking cut someone up if she had to. she sat absolutely still as she saw the shadow of a pair of legs on the table cloth in front of her. she was mentally preparing for a fight when a hand came up under the table-cloth, lifting it.

"that will hardly be necessary, miss Faline."

"are you fucking kidding me? why didn't you just come out and say something if you knew where i was?!" she was angry. This guy was fucking with her. She KNEW he knew.

"my apologies, i expected you a here and was searching for you", Sebastian said, "but i feel i must inform you that it is most unbecoming of a woman to hide under tables and utilize such language here." his tone was polite yet condescending.

ignoring everything the evil penguin just said, Faline asked; "so what are you doing here and why were you looking for me and not Undertaker?"

"i simply wanted to know if you had excepted my masters invitation to attend the ball tomorrow evening, as he has gone to great lengths to prepare it." he gave her a closed eyed smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. crawling out from under the table, Faline replied;

"i don't think i will be, you see, I've been left in charge of the shop while Undertaker is away, and how "unbecoming" of me would it be to repay his kindness by blowing off my responsibilities." she replied with an equally fake smile. losing his patience, Sebastian dropped his facade and grabbed her by the jaw, pulling her face close to his.

"i dont have time for these games girl,you will attend,and you will do so willingly." thought his voice was angry, his face was neutral, only his eyes showed any emotion. They were a bright red, and slit, much like hers. But she could be frightening too.

"and why the fuck would i do that?" she spat. Faline could feel her jaw bruising, and tried to pull away, but he only tightened his grip. This was getting out of control. She grabbed his arm and, realizing that she still had the autopsy knife, stabbed him between the ribs, and when he still didnt let go, impaled his wrist with it. the blood sprayed all over the floor, but he didn't seem to care. This time he let go. backing away, he pulled the knife out of his wrist and threw it to land in the wall behind her. He smiled, genuinly this time, and said;

"oh dear, it would seem my clothes are ruined." he looked at her, "if you ever want to go home, i strongly suggest you attend." He turned and left the shop.

Faline slid to the floor, breathing hard and shaking.

"oh shit"

*
wow, sorry guys. i know this is late, but we were at my aunts house in Pennsylvania and her wi-fi didn't work, so i couldn't ge the chapter up. i just kept adding to it though, resulting in the longest chapter ive ever written (2,410 words). im actually in the car as i finish this chapter and im going to put it up when i get home. i have about five hours to write another chapter so you guys can expect another update tomorrow. thanks again paxloria, i think this came out pretty well. hope i didnt disappoint anyone too much with my lateness. -PenNinja