I am back my faithful "Kuroshitsuji" fans. I have finally finished that pain-staking long chapter of my other fic "Ruby Claims The Sapphire". I know many of you are looking forward to what happens next to our main protagonist, Ciel Phantomhive. I have plotted down every aspect of this story and will hope it catches the reader's attention. I also hope to raise awareness about Anorexia and the damage it does to people both young and old. I know many of you are tired of hearing this; but people anorexia is a real problem. It rings true for aspiring models as well. It makes me so mad to hear about modeling agencies prod young teens to be anorexic all for the sake of maintaining an image. You think with all the deaths from the deadly disorder, they would know better. But no.
The characters for this story will be made up as a I write. If you noticed last chapter there was a guy named Dennis Reveni. If you write his name backwards it spells as: "I never sinned". Isn't it ironic that his name doesn't at all match with his persona?
Yippee! For the 2012 London Summer Olympics!XD. So excited!
I have no team in particular I want to root for. Cool introduction they had on television. I thought it was so creative what they did. You really got to hand it to those people for putting all that effort into making those sorts of displays.
Now without further adieu, I present thee the long awaited next chapter.
Warnings: language, mentions of death (not our protagonist), and disturbing content.
Disclaimer: Kuroshitsuji and its plots elements do not belong to me. That is the role of the author and Funimation.
Chapter 11: Old Habits Die Hard
Recovery Part 3
Characters that will appear in this story:
Ciel Phantomhive: Protagonist of the story. He was forced into a rehabilitation clinic against his will because of Anorexia/Bulimia Nervosa.
Appearance: We all know what he looks like.
Fiona/Fifi: young girl who was indoctrinated to believe she was a dog. She is quite friendly and energetic which often gets her into trouble with other inmates. Looks up to Marcus as an older brother as he protects her from less friendly clinic occuptants.
Appearance: young girl; age 11; heart-shaped face, long sleek black hair that goes mid-back, doe eyes, often seen wearing white hospital frock.
Samuel: One of the rehab clinics main older occupants; late 20's. He has severe anger management issues (will be explained in later chapters). He shows contempt toward the other occupants and comes off as a bit of a bully. Has a slight rivalry with Marcus and has an intense fear of being put into solitary.
Appearance: Shaggy tangerine hair, green eyes, freckles, seen wearing matching frock and pants.
Marcus Arborough: one of the older occupants; age 20. He is a rather friendly and sympathetic person to everyone at the clinic. However this masks a borderline dark secret he keeps only to himself via he was sent here because of an addiction (will be revealed in time). Is like an older brother to "Fifi" who he sees as an older sister. Has a bit of a love-hate relationship with Sonya.
Appearance: fair skin, shoulder length wavy brunette hair, blue eyes, and a broad build.
La Dominica's
Sonya: The official leader of the La Dominica's and a tough nut to crack. She is rather sarcastic and will not hesitate to get her point across despite the consequences. Her insomnia originated from a traumatic experience. Has a love-hate relationship with Marcus and hints to having a slight crush on him.
Appearance: late teens, long blonde hair over one eye, blue eyes, peach-colored skin, bags under her eyes. Like most of her group she wears her outfit in a skirt and shirt combo; like a female gangster.
Chelsea: Second-in-command of group. Her mild-mannered and her "look before you leap" is a stark contrast to Sonya's straight shooter persona. Her reason for being at the center is to help "cure" her of a light schizophrenia. But is there more to it than that?
Appearance: late teens, chestnut brown hair (tied up with a widow's peak), hazel eyes, fair skin, hospital frock in similar style.
Rita: Another member. Along with her group, they have bound together to prevent themselves from being singled out by those who would take advantage of them. Rita's however is slightly more frail than the others because of her unwillingness to hold down food and is constantly paranoid she is "fat".
Appearance: tall and gaunt, sleek blonde hair, slate-grey eyes, wears frock with the sleeves ripped off.
Igraine: A tough girl who is distrustful of others around her including her own friends. She is especially suspicious of Dennis (for obvious reasons). She is often shown wearing bandages around her wrist due to attempted suicide. It could be due to the loss of her own brother; the only person she truly trusted. This has also made her pessimistic. She is often mistaken as Rita's twin which she has made no move to deny.
Appearance: wavy blonde hair, olive skin, tall, hospital frock down in combo: shirt is long-sleeved crop top, shirt is knee-length.
Andromeda: a quiet woman she is as mysterious as the place she inhabits. She is Sonya's self-proclaimed "eyes and ears" Intel. She is mostly calm and collected though has a habit of exploding at inopportune times. Years of abuse by parental figures had caused her to develop split personas as a defense mechanism. With the help of friends and counseling she may well be on her road to recovery.
Appearance: light skin, cropped red hair swept to the side, brown eyes, nicely built, hospital frock is short-sleeved with a zip up neckline, and billows like a dress.
Susie: the last and final member. She is relatively normal woman with seemingly nothing wrong about her; save that she is mute. With her mid-length raven hair she is the embodiment of loveliness. Where Andromeda is charged with Intel, she is tasked with seducing the orderly's when the girls need to perform their acts of mischief. Her means of communication is sign language.
Appearance: olive-skin, cat-like black eyes, mid-length black hair with a side braid, hospital frock is short-sleeved, v-neck, thigh length dress.
Others:
Paris Archibald/Dennis Revini: prime villain of the story. He is clean-shaven with ash brown hair, reddish-brown eyes, and a tweed suit.
Clarice: Pretty nurse who tends to the patients. She is compassionate with a stubborn streak. She has bright red hair, freckles, and green eyes in a nurse outfit. She is in her late 20's.
Nathaniel Zephyr: Head of The Great Britain Rehabilitaion Clinic. He is shrewd yet good-natured. He is very mindful of the attendants needs and does what he can to improve their condition. He had a habit of being rather annoying and always in people's business.
There will be more but you must read to find out.
The light of the full moon shone brightly on the the facility. The surrounding countryside was quiet; not a sound out there. An ordinary person would be appreciative of the quiet. Unfortunately, the word "happy" did not describe the young boy lying down. Sleep did not come to Ciel Phantomhive. After the frustration with having no accessible mirrors, he headed off to bed. The only times he got up was to relieve himself. As much as he tried, he just could not bring himself to shut his eyes. (A/N: Don't I know the feeling?) "Just bloody fan-fucking-tastic, first I am told about my anorexia, now all I need is someone to say I am an insomniac" he ground out sarcastically.
He crossed his arms and switched his sleeping position. He stayed that way for several seconds before returning to his laying on his side. Months ago, he would have Sebastian prepare a cup of warm milk with mint leaves before bed time. Now he had to settle for letting the night quiet lull him to sleep. Although, he knew it was not the quiet that kept him awake. It was that he had failed. Failed in allowing that red-haired nurse to force him to eat, failed for not following through in the bathroom when he had the chance, failed in getting caught up in this whole mess. All else he failed. It was unspeakable. A Phantomhive never fails. Hot tears stung his eyes. His reflected back to his family and acquaintances in London. There was little doubt that his servants; save for Sebastian and Tanaka, were making quiet a mess trying to maintain the well-being of the mansion. His family was most likely warding off the tabloids and making up countless stories of his whereabouts. He even thought about that tawdry fellow at the school; Collin was it? A smirk came to his lips as he imagined the brown haired lad trying to match-up to him and claim how superior he was to him. He laid his head on the pillow as his mind's eyes summoned up two more familiar faces; Prince Soma and his assistant Agni. They had left shortly after they had settled their business transactions. What were they doing as of right now? He was not too sure but he swore that Soma who was normally fearful of the black butler, had become cross and even uttered a few curses under his breath. Ciel had of course berated the violet-haired prince despite inwardly agreeing with him. His mind danced about as more people came to mind. Fiona or "Fifi" was an interesting young girl. He became morose as he thought to the girls earlier statement.
Hi I'm Fifi. Do you like dogs? I like dogs! I look young but I'm actually quite older see I was taken in by wolves because my human parents left me on the streets but that is alright because I have accepted that I am a dog. I am here because I was captured and placed in this cage where I can be "re-educated" into human society then I will be free to return to my brethren so…
Ciel frowned. It brought a chill to his spine. How anyone could just dump their own flesh and blood on the street and not think anything of her? He had been fortunate to be born unto loving and supportive parents who gave him every luxury and comfort; all out of unconditional love. Is that what the orphans down at the slums had to go through? (1) He recalled that undercover mission at the circus. A girl called Freckles or "Doll" had told him that once upon a time she and the other performers had been orphans in an area known as "the gutter". Badly mistreated and forced to fend for them selves when by a stroke of luck an angel named Baron Kelvin who turned out to be none other than an old pervert. The look of betrayal on her sweet face when he revealed his true self would forever haunt him to this day. Was it possible that karma finally decided to pay him a visit? Give him his just desserts for playing with a young woman's heart? He exhaled loudly. It was justifiable for him to say he was only carrying out the queen's orders. (Read Volume 6 of the manga and you will see what I mean). And speaking of which; was the queen aware of his whereabouts?
"Ugh all these questions are making me dizzy? And there is no reason I should wake up with under-eye circles. Perhaps tomorrow night, I can find the answer to my own questions". Finally his wearied being consented to the lure of sleep.
The English countryside was covered in a brilliant misty haze in the early hours of the morning. (2) It was almost like a dream. Everything was quiet all around except for the occasional wisp of wind blowing through the fields and the chirping of birds and the bustling activities of nearby farm lands. The clinic was also alive with activity. Nurses and Doctors alike reluctantly pulled themselves out of their comfortable beds to take to their regular duties. The lower levels contained doors that held inside the patients to whom they were charged with. One such boy was in the process of rustling himself out of a deep sleep. Finally with much effort he willed both his eyes to open. He sat himself upright by his wobbly arms. He blearily looked out his window to see that it was quite early in the morning (around 8) to be exact.
He groaned for it was nowhere near light outside. The latest he had overslept was half past nine. That was only on his days off and even Sebastian never allowed him to be so idle. When he began his quest to lose weight, he made it a point to get himself prepared for the day's events and dress himself quick before Sebastian saw his ever thinning form. As he became thinner, it became more of a mission to make sure no one else caught on. However, luck wasn't on his side and he was stuck between a rock and a hard place (A/N: Refer to earlier chapters). With that, the short lad trudged sluggishly toward the closet where his "uniform" hung; white hospital shirt and pants with slippers. Generally, he would scoff at dressing in such plain rags but he remembered he was supposed to remain unanimous. Until the doctors deemed him fit; mentally and physically; these would be his clothes. He quickly slipped on the pieces of clothing and sat down on the bed. He suddenly recalled his eye-patch and fastened it over his cursed eye. He waited for whoever came to check on him. Expectedly the click-click-clacking of leather shoes was the very sound Ciel was waiting for. He straightened out his hair with his fingers and sat straight. He breathed in shortly as the brass door knob turned. In place of a giddy red-haired woman in a nurse's outfit, the door opened to reveal a man roughly the age of the clinic head with ash-brown hair in a grey tweed suit. His face slighted mirth yet his eyes produced different. Ciel stiffened. The man smiled.
"My dear lad, I pray you do not mind me intruding on you this quiet morning. I am Dr. Paris Archibald, one of the top physicians in charge at the clinic. It is an honor to make your acquaintance, Ciel Phantomhive". Ciel's eyes widened. His body went frigid. The man could tell the boy was uncomfortable and assured him. "Now now, there is no need for fear. I am well informed of your background by a Mr. Nathaniel Zephyr and the state of your condition. And as such I am willing to help you in any way I can. Until you no longer serve any use to me", he added to himself. Ciel was apprehensive. He looked rather familiar but where had he seen him before? He shook his head.
"You are probably thinking what am I doing here when I could be somewhere else? Well as I told you before, I am one of the top physicians working at this here clinic. I was hand-picked by Dr. Zephyr with various other doctors and nurses to tend to the health and well-being of all the patients as well as getting to the bottom of the causes of said problems and how they can be dealt with in a positive manner" he explained to the hesitant lad.
"Positive, you say? How is keeping us locked up in a loony bin, making us do stuff we don't want to do, and forcing us to relay our problems to strangers in white suits…positive?" Ciel retorted crossing his arms. Paris scrunched his brow. You tell me. Paris quickly returned back to a smile. "Young sir, this place is a beacon of hope for many who have nowhere to go and no one else to turn to for help. If not for us, the only alternative would be a mental hospital and god knows "no one" wants to go there. Imagine the shame it bring upon your family if that were to happen" Paris stated sympathetically. Ciel unfurled his knees in shock. He stared straight at the stoic man. This person had the audacity to mention his family just to prod him into being a "good boy". The man was slowly starting to remind Ciel of his eldest cousin, Edward. Paris seeing the teens reaction cursed himself. "Ahh but listen to me rattle on. I am meant to help you and not hinder you. And I can do just that. I can make it so you can stay a constant weight and not get fat" he said to him. Ciel's head perked up. "R-r-r-eally? How?" he asked the doc eagerly. Paris grinned. He reached inside his pocket and pulled out a golden watch with an attachable chain. His eyes bugged out.
"I will tell you later, mi boy. But Great Scotts look at the time. I have places to be and I am not allowed to socialize with the patients unless granted permission or during and before visiting hours. Cheerio and try not to exasperate the nurses!" he greeted before rushing out the door. The door closed loudly. Ciel curled his knees up to his chest. However he was happy. The guy seemed shady enough but he did say he could help him. On the surface the, Ciel was nervous. On the inside however he was giddy and thrilled. What wonders did Paris Archibald have in store for him? Walking down the assorted corridors, Paris Archibald quickened his pace. He smirked at the knowledge that he had gained the boys confidence and could now go on to step 2 of his plan/s. He approached a steel door with a singular slot. Looking around both ways to see that no one had followed him, he banged on it. Footsteps were heard on the other side. The slot opened to reveal blood-shot eyes. The slot closed and the door opened. A burly man in a white lab-coat with messed up hair and a burly expression scrutinized Paris. This same guy was one of the men who accosted Ciel and his servants when they first reached the clinic.
"About bloody time you got here, Paris. We were thinking you were never going to show up. Do you know that Dr. Zephyr has been on our ass about holding up our duties and not "roughing" up the patients here, as he puts it? There was another guy sitting down at a wooden table smoking a cob-pipe.
"Keep your pants on, Douglas" he addressed one guy briskly "I told you I had things to do before our meeting, now didn't I? he asked belittlingly. Douglas pulled himself back a little. He may have been built big but Paris was a well adept fighter. Paris wasted no time in shoving past the man and into the room. "Travis, I don't particularly mind you smoking in the premise but I can't quite say the same if the boss were to catch you". Travis in question grumbled at being forced away from his favorite relaxation time. He continued bitching under his breath and took his legs off the table and down on the floor. Paris ignored it and turned his attention toward the wall with his hands behind his back (A/N: My dad used to do the same thing whenever we would bug him about smoking).
"Are you referring to the new kid? I knew you were an extortionist bastard but a pedophile as well? You are blood hell fucked up in the head" Travis piped up. Paris rolled his eyes scooting back to his previous position. "Perish the thought, my friends. I am only doing what I can before I completely reel the brat in" he said making a pinky gesture. The two thugs smiled deviously to one another and listened to whatever "Paris" had to say.
Ciel was a bit surprised with himself. He was actually enjoying Clarice's visit. She was witty and charming in personality and in style. Her uniform was that of a standard white nurse's outfit (A/N: not the slutty kind) with long white sleeves and a red cross and the chest pockets with a bonnet on top. (3) Her red hair was not the coffee red Mey-Rin but had a slight sunset-orange tinge to it. They talked about various things while of course eating breakfast; a croissant with cream-cheese, a glass of milk, and a bowl of blue-berries. Of course he had no way of disposing of them or hiding them thanks to the watchful eye of the nurse before him. In Ciel's mind these "healthy" endives added to a total of about maybe 200 calories, too many in his opinion.
"Now young man, I will not have you spitting on all my hard work because of a little thing called "calories". You need the extra nourishment otherwise", Clarice grinned causing Ciel to shiver "I will notify Dr. Zephyr and he will have you put through probation. That means you will not eat, sleep, wash, or even use the bathroom without someone someone's jurisdiction. Yes Mr. Phantomhive, I am the mean-old-nurse who is out to make you eat until you're healthy" she dawled. Ciel glared at her.
"Stop that" he deadpanned. The woman giggled as she took a blueberry and plopped it into her mouth. Ciel was worse than a five year old who wouldn't eat his/her vegetables. The boy was a strange one she concurred. Especially with that mysterious eye-patch he always wore. She shook it off thinking nothing of it. These kids and their crazy fashions.
"I understand why the hospital staff has to keep an eye on me but why must you do it. Don't you have other attendees to work with like say other anorexia patients?" he asked her. Clarice nodded. "I do but Dr. Zephyr insisted that I be the one to give you your meals and be sure you do nothing foolish" she insisted. Ciel resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Clarice would most like swat him for that. A thought crossed his mind.
"Say Clarice I hope you do not find me impertinent for saying this but, I think I could benefit more under someone else's watch like perhaps Dr. Paris Archibald. He might have some…"
"ABSOLUTELY NOT!" The woman screamed suddenly. Ciel jumped backwards onto his bed at the nurses 180-degree personality change. Clarice was shaking, her eyes were glazed, her face was slightly red and breath was ragged. In all his twelve years did he ever think he would experience something so frightening since the time his aunt tried to kill him. "P-P-Please for me. Do not seek advice from Paris Archibald. He is a terrible, awful, despicable being and a disgrace of a doctor. The guy is only bad luck! Why he is the reason so many of the patients here are in the state that they are! Clarice grabbed Ciel's shoulders roughly and shook him. "Just promise me you will not take anything that man gives you. Or you may end up the same! PROMISE ME!
Ciel nodded demurely. Clarice's features softened. She hung her head. Her voice returned to its soft nature. "I'm sorry Ciel. I just don't want to lose you or anyone else to that man's….manipulation". Ciel sighed. Dr. Archibald was a troubling subject for her obviously. He decided to humor the woman.
"You know Clarice, I am getting kind of bored staying in my room all morning and since my breakfast is finished, I would like to meet up with my…er…friends…yes friends. I was lucky to run into Fiona and Marcus. They were so nice to show me the place and help me get acquainted with everyone else. So can I leave?" he pleaded with her. Clarice stared at him unsure. Her woman's tuition told her the lad's speech sounded glib. However, she didn't wish to keep the boy any longer than needed.
"Alright, go on your way then. And be careful", she whispered the last part to herself. She could not let another child's life be destroyed for that man's sick pleasure.
Flashback:
It had been two weeks since Clarice had begun working at the Great Britain Rehabilitation Clinic. A pretty young woman of 23, compassionate and stubborn to boot, it had been her dream since she was a little girl to help those who could not help themselves (A/N: Awww aint that sweet. Eyes go big). Her first tasks assigned by Dr. Nathaniel Zephyr to look after the well-being of a young girl who suffered an ever growing problem among young girls: not just in the poor or richer districts; anorexia. The girl's name was Annabelle. She was your typical blond-hair blue eyed girl barely reaching the tender age of 14. The girl was quiet sweet and shy. Looking at her you could find nothing wrong with her save for one; she refused to recover and gain weight.
At first, Clarice related it with stubbornness. Then one night….
It was late. Clarice was tending to her duties. She was rolling dinner to Annabelle's room. She was so happy with the progress she was making with Annabelle. She stopped when she heard rushed voices coming from down the corridor. The nurse quirked a brow and quietly rolled the cart slowly down the hall so to not wake the other patients. She had reached the door where the girl resided. It was open just a crack allowing light to shine through. Clarice pushed the cart toward the wall and left it to investigate.
Clarice crept up to the crack and looked inside. It was some shady guy talking with Annabelle. Her thoughts were ceased when she heard him speak.
"My dearest, Annabelle. Look at you today. You are as stout as a one month old-pig" he declared to her. Clarice gritted her teeth. What did he say?
"You're wrong. Clarice says its normal to be at least (4) 48 kilos. For me to be a real woman, I must be healthy not skinny, you lugubrious dolt" she defended. The ashen-haired man laughed at the "silly" girl.
"It's alright…if you want to be compared to a baby hippo". Annabelle gasped. She put her hands to her ever growing "paunch". Her voice was ragged. A…hi-hip-hippo. Me? Unshed tears filled her eyes. The sadistic man grinned at the poor child's expense. "Yes, Yes. Indeed. You want to show those biddies back home whose prettier don't you? You son of a bitch. Annabelle forced a demented smile.
"I am sure I can benefit from the advice of a corrupt man consumed by greed" she laughed sarcastically. The man's face contorted into a sneer and reared his hand back as if to strike her. Clarice then decided enough was enough. The door slammed open. Eyes darted to the figure standing at the frame.
"Begging your pardon, sir but it is time for the girls nightly meal. So it's prudent that you must leave and let me do my work. You should do the same Dr….she wavered her words not knowing the man's.
"Archibald….Dr. Paris Archibald" the man announced straightening his petticoat. He stood up from the bed and took the nurse's hand in his and kissed it (Everyone say…ewwwwwwww DX). Clarice grimaced. She ushered the good man out and sent him on his way. Then she remembered her cart.
Weeks passed….
She should have seen it. And now she was too late. She had continued seeing Annabelle and checking up on her "progress". It was all an effort to stop any seeds that Archibald tried to plant inside her head. But no matter what she tried, he was three steps ahead. It became all to real on that day in 1895 (remember the anime itself is set in 1899 or so forth). She had gone off to see the girl once again only to find her room empty. The bed was neatly made but there was no sign of the girl. Strange. Maybe she went off into the recreation room?
Oh if only that had been true. She toured the corridors looking all over. Finally she found her sitting down on a plastic chair. Clarice went up to greet her when the unthinkable happened. Annabelle clutched her chest painfully and crashed onto the floor before black liquid spewed out of her. She gagged and wheezed. She turned to Clarice and held out her hand. She gasped out
"Hel-Help me" she begged. HELP! SOMEONE! ANYBODY! There is a girl who needs help! Clarice screamed out. Out of nowhere a white flurry of physicians hoisted the girl onto a stroller and into the operating center of the clinic to try and save the poor girl. It seemed like years to the distraught red head who sat impatiently outside the operating room. As a young girl, she remembered her mother telling her that in times such as these it was imperative to pray for the best. She could only hope her mother was right. She clasped her hands tightly. Her mind willed for the girl in there to make it out alright. At this point, Nathaniel Zephyr came out of his office to see how the patient was faring. He sat down next to the nurse.
"Clarice. You shouldn't blame yourself for what happened to Annabelle. You are a good nurse and could not possibly foresee this" he consoled her. Clarice blew her nose into her tissue and stared at Zephyr with tear-stained eyes.
"But, but, but, she will be okay, wont she?" The doctor opened his mouth to answer her but changed at the last second. His face became somber. "I…cannot..say". Clarice's faith fell.
The doors finally opened. The two physicians stood up. Their faces were stark white with worry. Finally the first doctor approached the two. He spoke.
"We did all we could, Dr. Zephyr. We attempted to pump fluids into her system and resuscitate her through a breathing tube and get her heartbeat under control. But it wasn't enough. We attempted an intravenous injection condensed. Unfortunately, her body was already so fragile that it rejected the medication. I…am…sorry…to…say...as of 11:36 p.m. this night, that Annabelle Sitter did not survive".
With that, the dam burst open.
The funeral was a very sad and lonely event for Clarice. It was not totally extravagant since Annabelle came from a not so wealthy family. Nathaniel Zephyr spoke not a word to anyone. The failure of saving the young girl's life lied heavy on his broken heart. She was a sweet young girl who had her whole life ahead of her. Now it was cruelly cut off because he was too blind to stop it. Clarice was no different. The poor woman was beside herself. She had been with the girl for a few weeks and had already established a sort of mother-daughter-sister bond that few could put into words. The family of the girl had been quick to point fingers. They even went far as to sue the hospital and its workers. (5) Not surprisingly the clinic head took full responsibility and ensured the family death benefits. The one figure who showed no remorse was none other than that guy.
The sadness succumbing Clarice quickly changed to anger. It was days afterward, she reported her blame toward the true culprit…Paris Archibald. She had told Zephyr of the conversation that went on weeks previous. Needless to say he was furious. He summoned up Paris Archibald up to his office. Much to Clarice's chagrin, the bastard got off with eight months probation and required to have someone with him when he went to see patients. A slap on the wrist if you asked her. She had begged Mr. Zephyr time and again to fire him but to no avail. He said there was no substantial evidence Paris had anything to do with the girl's death. Clarice vowed vengeance.
"Heed my words Paris Archibald. You will pay for what you did to Annabelle!"
Flashback Ends
Ciel's looked like a zombie. He had somehow been roped into playing a nauseating (in his opinion) game of go-fish with Roger and Nixon and a few others. It was so laughable the way these people held their cards and fumbled terribly to keep them hidden. Anymore of this, and he would bust. Marcus was sitting at one of the tables laughing at his expense. Ciel not surprisingly gave him the bird. He sat there trying to conjure up a plan to excuse himself without hurting his "playmates" feelings. He thought of an excuse.
"I hate to cut our little session short gentlemen, but I really need to stretch my legs. And plus…Dr. Zephyr has requested I see him A.S.A.P." he lied before stretching himself dramatically. He opened one eye to see if anyone caught his bluff. No one gave any indication they did so the young earl took that time to get up from the table. Roger and Nixon looked a bit disappointed but smiled understandingly. Marcus didn't look all pleased with the boy's actions but said nothing. His focus was on keeping tabs on Fiona who was busy rolling a ball between her "paws". Ciel shook his head. If it wasn't for her human appearance, she could almost be Pluto's sister. The cobalt-eyed child made off in the opposite direction of the room. It didn't take him long to reach the hallways. He never got to fully explore the building since he was still getting settled was "forced" into meeting people he would never imagine being in the same room with. He traveled down the flight of stairs.
Then out of the corner of his eye he spotted a figure flash past him toward another hall. Curious he followed the person. He crept round a corner to see who the person was. Lo and behold, it was same foul-mouthed girl he was reluctantly introduced to along with the rest of her posse. She appeared to be alone. She walked inside her-room? Ciel cocked his head. What could that girl be up to? He went up to her door and arched his feet to try to look inside. He never got the chance for he was suddenly grabbed by the back of his shirt into the wall (A/N: Ouch!) He clenched his eyes shut in pain.
"What do you think you are doing, Pervert?!" a voice snarled. Ciel cracked open an eye to glimpse at a young woman with wavy blonde hair glare hatefully at him. She was with the same group that the other blonde was with.
"Well? Have nothing to say. I suggest you go back the way you came and go bother some other defenseless girl you little creep!" Ciel shuddered. He knew women could be fearsome when they wanted to but this woman looked like she could do him a world of hurt.
"Igraine, what is going on out there" an exasperated voice called out from beyond the hall. The two people flipped their head to the source of the voice. A teen with chestnut brown hair in a ribbon appeared. She had her hands on her full hips. Before Ciel could reply, the girl holding him spoke. "This cretin here thought he could catch an eye-full of our leader and get away with it" she accused. The brunette woman looked at Ciel. She shook her head. "I think you are jumping to conclusions Igraine. Why does he not look familiar to you?" she asked. Igraine leered at Ciel. She studied him. Then it occurred to her.
"Now that you mention it Chelsea, isn't he the new kid we heard the doc talking about?" she addressed her. She nodded. "Now if you would please put him down" she pleaded. Igraine shot Ciel a dirty look before reluctantly dropping him. He landed with an "OOF" and rubbed his behind. At that second three more girls followed after Chelsea. Ciel already knew who they were: Andromeda, Susie, and Rita. His cousin Elizabeth was by no means plain, but these women were drop-dead gorgeous despite their odd pattern of speech and their uncouth body language. "Hey Chels, what go on up in this joint? And why is Igraine manhandling some kid?" Andromeda asked. Chelsea turned to her group member. "It's only a young boy who I guess was trying to find his way through the place and had the misfortune of stepping in the path of Hurricane Igraine" she joked. The blonde snorted at the comment at her and laid her back against the wall near the door. Rita noticed the boy standing adjacent to her. "Yo, who's the kid?" Rita asked. The girls all turned their eyes on him. Susie, the black haired woman stepped over to assist him from the floor. Ciel politely grasped the offered hand. "Hey some of us are trying to sleep here" a voice droned. All eyes turned to the direction of the voice. It was Sonya sluggishly making her way out of the room. Her hair was a little messed up as she was lying on a pillow just now. She still had the apparent under-eye circles. Yet, they did nothing for her complexion. Ciel stood up trying to make himself invisible. If Igraine told her about his "stunt", he was more than sure he would escape with more than a few bruises. Now Chelsea he had no problem with, the other members were a different matter.
"Well? Anyone going to answer me or am I going to have to crack a few skulls?" she barked out. The members of the La Dominicas stayed silent until someone finally answered. As Ciel feared it was Igraine. "Well, leader I was just taking my usual rounds and inspecting suspicious behavior when…she pointed to Ciel…I "caught" this impudent rat here attempting to peep on you. I thought I could teach him a lesson before Chelsea here stopped me. I apologize for disrupting your rest, leader but I felt it was best to teach him a lesson. And with that creep Paris lurking about, all the women around here are on edge. And its not just him" she answered cryptically.
"Enough, Igraine. You did the right thing" she assured him. She leered at Ciel. The boy looked like a deer caught in the headlights. She smirked at him and wagered a finger at him. "Hey kid come on over here". Ciel stiffened. Now what? Would he get beaten up? His ribs were barely healed up properly. But he knew if he didn't it would be worse. He trotted over to her. Sonya gazed at him like he was a piece of meat. "You look new around here. Werent you with Marcus the other day?" she inquired him. Ciel only gulped and nodded meekly. God, his relatives would berate him for allowing himself to be so intimidated. "Well, now that is settled. I am sure that Marcus already gave you a brief intro so there is no need to tell you who we are. On the other hand, you are the new kid so its only important you know who we are". The blonde female placed an arm around Ciel's shoulders as she introduced each member of the La Dominicas.
(If you want to know who they are you will have to go to the very beginning to get a detailed explanation)
The La Dominicas led Ciel toward a door back of the clinic. When it opened, he was nearly rendered blind by the sudden brightness coming from the outside. He lifted a hand to cover his visible eye. He stepped outside to find himself on a grassy plain. His mouth opened up in surprise. The area was completely gorgeous. It could easily be mistaken for (6) Kensington Garden except it was a tad smaller. The exterior of the clinic was fenced in; barbed wire and all. There were rectangular tables outside with white chairs where people could play board games or just discuss anything in general. Next to the chairs was a tiny garden filled up with the most gorgeous array of trees and flowers, a running fountain, a stone pathway heading into bushes surrounding the fence, and a basketball court (A/N: I am sure they played some variation of it). The Earl had never seen anything like it. Even his home's gardens didn't compete. A hand landed on his shoulder causing him to jump a bit. He spun around to berate the person only to find a thin blonde woman staring crookedly at him.
"Sorry…giggles…Ciel, I just couldn't help myself" she giggled once again clutching her sides. She laughed so hard, a "crack" was heard causing her to nearly crumble. Ciel flinched at the sickening sound.
"RITA!
Igraine was the first to rush over and assist her. Rita gripped her arms. "Its fine Rita" she assured the concerned blonde. The other girls shook their heads unconvinced. Andromeda was the next to speak "You got to be more careful Rita, the last time you stretched yourself too far, the doctors had to strap you to a gurney for three weeks. Susie here was devastated thinking she lost you". She pointed to Susie who decided the grass was more interesting. Unsure as to why the girl wasn't speaking to her friends defense, quickly changed the subject.
"So um…this is a nice..er…place you got here. Didn't know the clinic even had a backyard" he uttered. Sonya nodded. "Yeah, we call it The Back Alley. This is a recent addition so the recovering patients can have a place outside of their bedrooms to relax and meditate outside of their bedrooms. And possibly find the underlying cause of their conditions…at least that is what Dr. Zephyr meant it to be. But in every which way, the place is a still a prison no matter how you look at it". Sonya shook her head. Chelsea rolled her eyes. "Yeah, patients can only have access to the Back Alley, if they exhibit signs of good behavior" she replied mockingly mimicking the jurors' orders". Ciel snickered behind his hands. Sonya noticed and decided to egg the child on. She winked to her teammates. Rita winked at Ciel. "But most important thing to know is to not get caught". The group grinned mischievously. They continued.
"So what we mean by good behavior means…
"No breaking stuff", "No sneaking off after dark", "No heckling the orderlies", and "No Sex"
…
"0.0"
Ciel was absolutely mortified. Forget what he said earlier. These girls were absolutely-GAH! Ciel took off screaming not bothering to say good-bye. The girls all laughed their heads off save for Susie who could only chortle quietly. Igraine wiped a tear from her eye. "Man that was too good. Although, I think we may have scarred him a bit" she stated thoughfully. Said woman turned to her cohort. "Look on the bright side, it should make him think twice before peeping on innocent young women while they sleep" she suggested. They nodded before Andromeda grinned. "Who here is innocent?" she asked. All the girls looked at one another before laughing once again. The laughing session ended briefly as the leader gathered the group around for planning another round of mischief. Sonya then dismissed them. Then they went to their respective rooms. A conflict was brewing in two young maidens. Rita and Susie seemed to be the only ones who actually noticed the young man that graced their prescence in the alley. Ciel was a tad too thin for a boy his age; even thinner than she. His hospital smock hung off his body. Rita could relate all together. Opposed to her, his face retained some color. Most likely explanation could be all the food the damn hospital was forcing him to eat. The first few weeks of her stay here, she found a discreet way to purge herself of that abominable garbage and mask it from the physicians. She was pleased to know she was not alone in this. And if things turned out right in her favor, she could have him realize that too. She would have to wait for later on.
Ciel continued screaming as he ran toward the sanctity of his bedroom. Never in his life had he ever met such annoying, perverse, brutish females to have ever existed. Not including his aunt. His limited stamina caught up with him so he slowed down his speed. He sucked in and out to calm his breathing. He did not have his inhaler with him so it would be bad if were to have an attack. His breathing eventually calmed down so the earl was free to walk again. He would have to make for the Recreation Room to where Marcus was or he hoped he was. The one person he desperately hoped to never see was that red haired Neanderthal called Samuel. After yesterday, he dreaded the thought of getting spotted by him and face his wrath. The man was nothing more than an animal. Ciel maintained his musings when a dark shape sped past him. The lad turned around to face the object but found nothing.
"(7) Strange? The lights are still on, so there is no possible way that anyone could cast a shadow. Plus there are no staff present so I would someone rushing past me or giving me leave to move. Plus this place is relatively normal if you do not mention the whack-jobs living there. He turned his head to the right to face with a door that was jointly opened a tad. He could not find any labels on the door so he was not sure what he would find beyond the metal contraption. He opened it wider and saw….himself? In actuality "himself" was actually a reflection in a large mirror. He flipped the light switch on. The whole room was filled with old rusty mirrors and cracked ones as well. He stepped further into the room and looked about. Above him was a rectangular window. Ciel remembered seeing a blank spot above his sink where a mirror should have been. In the far back he saw a really large mirror. It was not one of those trick mirrors (like in theme parks that make you look distorted) and was able to see his whole appearance since before his admittance into the hospital.
He saw himself for how he truly looked and not how the nurse saw him. Some would see a too scrawny child. But Ciel saw something more atrocious. His chin had doubled, his stomach protruded out of his smock, his legs were thick tree-trunks and his hands were dainty stubs. Ciel could feel tears coming to his eyes. He shook his head vigorously.
"No. No No no no no no no" he cried out over and over again. Tears came from his eyes. He knew that stuff was poison. Poison that didn't kill you but still made you look ugly. NO! He smashed the mirror cracking it into thousands of pieces. He ran far away from the room not bothering to shut the door behind him. He ran far far away from the offending object and away from his shame. He raced all the way back to his room not paying heed to the people he bumped into. He did not come out of his room for the rest of the day.
(8) It was a few hours later back at the room Ciel had unintentionally discovered. The hallway was quiet as was the "mirror room" as one so justifiably name it. Nothing out of the ordinary took place. There were no people roaming either. The moon shined brightly through the windows giving the place a sort of eerie glow. A mysterious shadow manifested itself outside of the door. It sifted through without having to turn the knob. Once inside, the shape formed itself into a faceless black mass and searched the area. It stopped when something-or should I say a pile of broken shiny shards gathered its attention. The mass lingered over the pieces for several seconds A low growl reverberated from it. Someone had disturbed his "home". The culprit would not go unpunished. For now, he needed to rebuild his portal. It stretched out his hand over the scattered shards. Like magic, the shards were sucked into a tornado until it faded. Where glass pieces layed scattered formed a now clear-as-day large mirror. Satisfied with its work, the shape gently set the object against the wall then in a shot forward into it like an arrow. The mirror shined a bright blue then dimmed down. Two snake-like eyes leered out of it then disappeared.
Clarice had visited once again. But Ciel wasn't in the mood for talking. His encounter in that room was heavy on his mind. However, ever the persistent one she prodded.
"Ciel, are you alright. Marcus told me you left but never came back. Is everything alright?" she asked sympathetically. She reached out a hand to touch him but was halted by Ciel who slapped it away. The red hair caressed the hand that had been so viciously assaulted. If only she knew the reason. Ciel stared at her emotionlessly. The nurse said nothing; to his delight. Clarice hoisted herself.
"Its okay if you don't want to talk now…but still it is never a good thing to hold back your feelings. Believe me on this" she suggested gently. Ciel would confide in her when he was ready. She hoped it had nothing to do with that place or man. She dismissed Ciel a good night setting down a bowl of tomato soup with dried toast and a glass of milk. The emaciated noblemen scoffed. Patronizing happy-go-lucky wench. Though she does make a g- what, she had a good point? No way. The only one I can depend upon is me and me alone. No one tells me otherwise. He continued sitting there convincing himself his life was his own. A sigh passed his lips. He was about to turn in when a knock interrupted him.
"What now?" he sighed. He opened his door to greet his late night visitor. Rita stood at his door frame. Ciel scampered back in alarm. "Rita what are you doing here? If people catch you here, we would both be in a mass of trouble, you silly girl" he stated. His darted outside his frame checking to see the coast was clear. Without blinking, he pulled the skinny blond in before closing the door. Rita coughed to get his attention. "How are you doing, kid? I hope Sonya didn't scare you too much. Sorry about that. But really she is a nice girl once you get to know her. All of us in the La Dominicas are like that but we don't mean any harm by it" she explained. Ciel thought back to earlier in the Back Alley. He cringed but quickly brushed it off. He was not quite in the mood for any mischief or half-hearted humor right now. Before he could stop himself, his mouth seemed to run off with his head.
"Look Rita, I know you did not come here for a friendly visit or to make light of your friends antics. Say what it is you want then say your piece and get out" he commanded briskly. Rita's normally passive face morphed into a glare. Then without warning…
SMACK!
Rita had back-handed him?! Ciel's head was jerked in the direction Rita had slapped him. He stared wide-eyed at the woman. Damn, for someone so frail-looking she sure had a mean right-hook. Other hand grabbed the front of his shirt up an inch away from her face.
"Look here brat" she snarled "I do not know what sort of pampered, snot nosed, spoiled environment you came from or what damned up-bringing raised you to think you could disrespect others but it don't work like that here. This is not your mansion. I am aware you have issues in your life but guess what? SO DOES EVERYONE ELSE! I am not your enemy Ciel. Now sit down on that bed and let me talk!"
Ciel scurried out of the angry woman's arms and onto the bed in an Indian-styled pose. He did not move for fear or arousing her anger once more. Rita became morose. "Sorry for that Ciel, I just tend to let my emotions get the best of me at times. But aye me. I am supposed to do something here". Ciel raised a brow. Was this woman bipolar? She noticed the woman reach inside her shirt for something. Right then, a rattle of sorts was thrown his way. He caught it. His eyes widened. "Rita..are these…what I think they are" he breathed out. Rita slowly nodded not glancing at the boy.
"Believe it or not, you and I are the same. We both were forced here against our will because our so-called companions thought we had a problem" she forced out bitterly. Ciel raised his arm to deny but Rita continued. "Don't try to deny it, plus all that food on the table speaks for itself. You are afraid of getting fat again. And that is why I am here. These fixer-uppers are a fail safe solution. You mix these into any food and liquid and the enzymes prevent any calories from setting in. It's all fool proof" she cried out happily. She zipped over and gave him a hug. She let him go and raced over to the door to give one last word of advice.
"If I were you, I would put that in a safe place. I forgot to tell you; the doctors and nurses like to give surprise inspections ever so often. If they find that, Dr. Zephyr will place you under probation and you might find your sentence here to be longer than you wish it to be. And we all don't want that to happen".
"_"
Rita waved the lad good-bye and left him to his thoughts. Ciel was left alone in that room. He glanced at the white bottle that lied comfortably on his lap like a newborn baby. Time stood still, it was just him and those pills. He gingerly held them at an arms length. Sweat gathered on his brow. Should I do it? No, I promised my family I would attempt to get better. But, I don't want to go back to that time…back when I was fat. Sebastian told me I was. And he is usually right about everything. Hell even that dratted Edward said I was "gaining pounds" not in my account but in my person. Still, its not wise to bite the hand that feeds you. Ciel stared at the pills for a few more seconds. The mirror entered his thoughts. He placed the pills under his pillow. He would take them tomorrow. After all what the nurse didn't know, wouldn't hurt her? Right?
The story is finally complete. This chapter took longer than I would have expected. Things back home have been just so hectic, I had to cope. Rest assure my fans, I will do what I can to bring your favorite characters to discussion and keep you posted on how they are doing in this story. I will continue writing but also note once again I will be attending school in the fall so it will be difficult.
As you read this, you will start to delve deeper into the darker aspects of being at a rehabilitation clinic. Contrary to popular belief, rehab is far different from an asylum. Asylum merely refers as a facility that can be used for a variety of means. For the most part, an asylum served as a last resort for those who could not function properly in normal society. Sadly, in the latter parts of the last four centuries, these souls were subjected to the most despicable acts of torture and abuse; sometimes even sexual. People with disorders such as epilepsy, autism (I refuse to use the "r" word), Downs Syndrome, deafness. It wasn't until the late 1800's that doctors became more aware of said disorders and thought up ways to treat them. Unfortunately, certain individuals still refer to those people in an unkind ways. Whoever says otherwise, I feel sorry for you.
You think I was being unfair when I had Rita slap Ciel? Too bad. I stand by when I said Ciel may have had a lot of hard things going on but that does not excuse him for behaving like a spoiled little brat. If he were my son or nephew, I wouldn't let him get away with such behavior. Will Ciel use the diet pills? You will have to just wait and see next chapter.
Footnotes:
(1) Kuroshitsuji manga Volume 6 Chapter 24. He and Sebastian go undercover at a circus.
(2) I just absolutely love the fog. When you walk or drive through it, its like you are inside of a dream. Very romantic.
(3) I changed her name to Mey-Rin and not Mey-Lin simply because I cant stand the English dub for some reason. Am I betraying my own dialect?
(4) About 106 lb.
(5) I suppose in the event of patients death, most hospitals are required to pay for death benefits as respect to the family.
(6) Possibly the largest and most beautiful garden in all of England. My sister went there last year. It might be owned by the royal family.
(7) Notice how in hospitals that the lights are so bright that you barely cast a shadow?
(8) This is relevant to what happened to my brother in law long ago. His family bought a mirror that was revealed to be haunted. They got rid of it.
Next Chapter: The mirror reveals its secret to Ciel. Paris may not be the only villain present. Ciel is tempted to turn to diet pills for comfort.