The Fight Begins

Sebastian wondered what exactly is missing.

He tried everything. He even used dairy products and fruits to add to the flavor after learning how to combine spices to make the right combinations of colors, smell, taste and spiciness. Yet there is still no substance and to think he thought he already hit home. What's more, what the hell is Allen Durless-Barnett? Normally, a human would have DIED from overeating before he could finish a pot of food, yet Allen devoured EVERYTHING down to the last drop and is still alive. What is he and what is his true nature? He definitely felt human but at the same time, there's something foul-smelling with a hint of metal at the same time on him. To him, Allen STINKS. The only reason he put up with the boy is because he was Madam Red's son and a genuinely nice person, even if he can easily turn evil at work.

But he'll take care of that later, for now, he has a current job.

Curry aside, Ciel wants a Chocolat Gateau...

Chocolat...

Wait, what?

An idea hit the butler-from-hell.

xxx

Next day...

'What did you say?! You finally made the Curry of God in just one night?' Soma exclaimed in astonishment at Sebastian's claims.

'Indeed. It's just how I am to the core.' said Sebastian as he presented a dish to Soma. 'Please have a taste.' and so, Soma tasted...and he's in dreamland again.

'Somehow...is it me or he daydreams whenever he tastes good food?' Lau commented remarkingly, noticing Soma's expression.

'Yeah, it happened twice now.' said Allen in amusement. 'So did Sebastian hit home?' they waited until Soma was off la-la land.

'...this is not Agni's curry.' said Soma with a peaceful smile. 'A curry with wonderfully complicated combinations of spices like Indian Curry yet there is a depth of taste only a British flavor has. It's truly delicious, worthy of competing with Agni's curry.' he sighed dreamily before recovering. 'But how did you get to this level in just one night?'

'The answer...is THIS.' Sebastian took out a Funtom Company Chocolate bar from his breast pocket.

'Chocolate?!' everybody exclaimed in disbelief.

'Yes...Cacao in Chocolate is originally used as a spice which provided a special sweet flavor.' Sebastian explained. 'The cacao added with milk, fat, and sugar that turned it into Chocolate is the rich substance that the curry needs.' he smiled. 'Also, the Funtom Company has the best chocolate as it contains a large dose of pure Cacao in its formula, there isn't a better ingredient than this.' he said. 'I noticed this when I was making the Chocolat Gateau the young master requested...' Ciel sweatdropped. He wound up helping him unknowingly. Sebastian lost once from the Jack the Ripper case, so...

'However, to replicate is different from winning. It must be better than that, so I hope you have a plan Sebastian.' said Ciel firmly.

'Of course.' said Sebastian. 'On my name as Butler of the Phantomhive Family...I shall be taking home that Royal Warrant.'

'Goody, can I eat that pot now?' Allen chirped. 'It's really the best curry you made!'

xxx

In Ciel's Office...

'Madam Red, I'd like to ask you one thing...' Ciel twitched as he, Lau, Sebastian and Madam Red were in the office. 'About Allen. What IS he?' he asked, 'He could eat several full Curry pots without dying from overeating and bloating from all that food is an incredulous feat.' Madam Red sighed. She knew this is coming. But she can twist it a little.

'I told you before that he is of poor health...right?' she said with a sad smile as she took out a photo of Allen in his youth...in his old arm. She put the photo on the table and Ciel, Sebastian and Lau STARED at the photo incredulously.

'T-this is...' Ciel croaked as he cringed at the grotesque red arm with gray vein-like things 'digging' into the shoulders.

'Not even I know what that is.' said Madam Red with a sigh. 'All I know is that whenever Allen eats, he must eat a lot because this...thing is a parasitic being that took residence in his arm. With its presence, he must eat a lot. I tried to remove it but it's so deep in his arm I'd have to amputate it...and it's roots are near his heart, it could kill him.' she said gloomily. 'I'll lose my son so I could never deal with it. However, when he starts eating a lot, it slowly turned into this.' another photo of Allen's left arm that turned black with weird patterns. 'After this, it's a sign that he and this thing eats healthy. In turn, it grants him unusual abilities no human can do. Superhuman strength and speed for his age but since he's still young, it's not much. He's training his power at home.'

'Symbiotic relationship, is it?' Sebastian mused. 'And last night, young master could jump down the roof without damaging his legs...so include durability in the list. Had any other human done that, they would severely pull the muscles and snap their knee bones, as well as dislocating the knee caps.'

'I've never heard of such a creature or it could be possession?' Lau remarked.

'We don't know...but at any rate, we're training that arm and depending on Allen's own merits, it doubles or triples.' Madam Red explained. 'And when he's veeeery full after a good meal, he is in full power. It'll take a while for him to get hungry and able to use his power to his max. However, when he spends all his energy, he needs to eat again. Everyday he eats food fit for six bingers per meal to keep this thing happy as in turn, it gives him a weapon by turning his whole body into superman. For now we're keeping it happy because if we don't, it might revert back into this.' she pointed at the first stage photo. 'Allen is particularly sensitive because he wanted a normal life but couldn't, so we're milking the arm's usefulness for all its worth after the grief it caused my son. Symbiosis, after all as Sebastian puts it.'

'I see...' "That explains the stink around Allen." Sebastian thought thoughtfully. There's only one scent that stinks badly to a demon...the stink of sacred and holy objects.

Allen's arm is a holy...thing, no matter how freaky it looked. The thing is, why did it possess him and since when?

xxx

The day before the Curry Contest...

'Hey.' Allen approached Soma in the gardens, hugging his knees around the hedgerows. 'You're looking a bit pale. Is something wrong?'

'I-it's just that how will I confront Meena tomorrow, that's all.' said Soma. 'The 'true Meena' Agni hid from me to protect me.' he said gloomily. 'And for how long did he know?'

'Maybe the day Meena eloped with West, he may have happened to encounter them both after an errand from you or something.' Allen theorized. 'And he saw it all. And he decided to play double-agent for you and this case will end depending on your, and Meena's actions. One of you will end this case.'

'...oh...'

'Only you can decide what to do...because you truly loved that kind of woman as family. None of us can help you now.'

'Un...thanks, Allen.' Soma smiled weakly. 'Hey...'

'Hm?'

'Can you tell me about that thing you had Sebastian set up at the mansion? What's that?' he asked, referring to the tin can phone. 'It was really cool and useful...' Allen got caught off-guard by that. Oh well, a child is still a child. Allen noted to tell Agni to educate Soma into becoming a man because as he is now, marriage prospects are very, very grim.

xxx

Contest Day...

'Here we are...Curry Contest Day.' Madam Red smiled as they were the last to come...because women needed a lot of time to get ready and Allen didn't want her to go here alone. The men went on ahead since they have little fuss in getting ready. By the time they came, the chefs were already finished cooking and time for Judgment.

'We're here just in time for judgment!' Allen cried. 'Let's go up front!' he and Madam Red muscled their way through to be at front.

'You're late!' Ciel scolded.

'Haha, sorry, sorry!' Madam Red chirped, not really sorry at all. Multiple crosshairs appeared on the young Earl's head in annoyance.

'At least we're here for the judging...the formalities are so boring and in the end, all that matters is the results, no?' Allen winked.

'Bah. It's time.'

'TIMES UP!' the show host cried. 'It's now time for the invited judges to taste the curry! First up is Persian Tabb Company's Beef Curry!' and when tasting time came...

'The beef is cooked well and it goes down nicely.' said the Palace Chef, Chef Higharm. But soon, he looked displeased. 'But the flavor is plain and ordinary with no fragrance. You used Curry Powder! A chef using Curry Powder in curry? It's unheard of and ridiculous!'

'Dahlia Company's spices are nicely mixed by the chef,' said Viscount Druitt. 'However, the spiciness is overpowering and all other flavors have been drowned out. Nice attempt though.'

'Next is Harold West's Company Chef Agni!'

Agni served Homard Bleu with seven types of curry...he called it an Imperial Feast. This impressed Chef Higharm because Homard Bleu is a VERY RARE delicacy of a shellfish. And the taste? All three judges are wowed and marveled by his cooking. Even better, all seven curries went well with the lobster that was used as a side dish.

Sebastian greatly BAFFLED the judges though, because he presented a deep-fried doughnut, until Viscount Druitt cut it apart to see that the Curry was INSIDE. And the taste combined with texture, smell and spiciness blew them away. Now it was time for public taste-testing.

'Oho...I'm looking forward to this.' Madam Red chirped as she took out ladles for everyone to use. She and Allen has one, and handed the rest to Ciel, Lau and his girl as well as Bard, Finnian and Maylene. 'Ara? Where's Prince Soma?'

'Looking for his missing gold digger, is all.' said Lau nonchalantly. They sampled the Imperial Feast Agni has and they were blown away.

'No wonder Prince Soma spoke so highly of Agni...this is truly marvelous!' Madam Red gasped with a blush.

'Indeed. No wonder Sebastian had a hard time.' Allen agreed. 'But he may have turned the tables yet.'

'What do you mean?' Ciel asked his cousin curiously.

'Look around you...particularly the children who tried out Agni and Sebastian's curry as they were highly praised by the judges.' Allen instructed as they did so. 'The children will decide this for us if SHE came and saw this.' Ciel looked around to see that the children have messy hands while others have clean hands and can still enjoy curry.

'Hummm...I see...' "So Sebastian got this idea after seeing Finny that day..." he thought. He saw Finny making a mess of himself after trying to copy how Soma ate curry.

'NOW FOR THE VERDICT!' the host cried, cue drum-rolls. 'The Winner is Harold West's Company AND Funtom Company, A TIE!' this was rather unexpected as this shocked the crowd. However, the trophy was snatched from the host by a masked person in white. Cue a white horse stomping on his head ridden by an old lady...revealed to be Queen Victoria HERSELF, after Ciel practically shouted out her identity.

'This is it...her word will supercede that of the judges...and who better to judge than HER?' Allen muttered gleefully.

'So her word will end everything once and for all, hmmm...so she has that kinda power. What a scary granny.' Lau commented with a chuckle.

'Well, with her, the small fries are done for...but as they say, if they try something once, they'll try again given the chance. A small mouse will grow into quite the rodent...' Allen shook his head.

'That's why I keep a Cat.' Lau grinned with his eyes partially open. 'I'm not as kind as the Earl when it comes to hunting.' after the show, Madam Red and Allen decided to go home.

However, two days later...Allen was specifically called to the challenge as Ciel and Sebastian visited Madam Red's house.

'Oh, another job for Earl-y dear?' Allen beamed as he was being too close for comfort.

'Yes. A job I need you AND Sebastian to do because it's a job not even I can take part in.' Ciel grumbled as he took out a newspaper containing Noah's Ark Circus for front page.

'A Circus?' Allen gasped in astonishment as his own past came to him.

'Yes. However, this company has its own dirty laundry.' Ciel told him. 'Every place they have been to, children disappear. The Royal Family recognized a pattern at once upon seeing news from all over England's territories.' he explained. 'You and Sebastian will investigate the Circus, find the truth AND the children...whoever is still alive, that is.' he said. 'In the meantime, I'll stay at your house and I'll be waiting for reports every two days. You will infiltrate the Circus. With your background as a Circus Performer before Madam Red adopted you, you will blend in just fine. Just don't show up dressed like a noble.'

'Aye aye!' Allen smirked with a playful salute.

'Sebastian, in your infiltration mission, you are to obey Allen's orders in my place.' Ciel instructed. 'Mission start now.'

xxx

'Er why do we have to look like THIS?!' Sebastian asked in dismay as he and Allen looked like street rats. Dirt on bodies included.

'I was originally a street kid before I worked for the circus as a child.' said Allen. 'Many poor folks with acrobatic savvy will come to Circuses in hopes of work and I haven't forgotten how street kids talk. You know how to talk like street folk?'

'I do somehow...'

'Good. Our perfect manners will blow our cover so be a typical street man. Crass language, boorish manners, you name it! Then we'll fit right in!' Allen grinned. 'We HAVE to get in and then we do our thing in investigation. Every night, at midnight, we'll meet outside the Circus. Can you find me then?'

'Of course.' Sebastian bowed. He can easily find Allen by how he smells.

'So this is your disguise?' Madam red moaned dishearteningly as the two were filthy street rats to the core. 'Why'd it have to be like this?!'

'We have to go like this mother. Because I know best how a Circus works.' said Allen softly. 'I'll scrub like silly after job done, don't worry!' he reassured quickly. Madam Red put her hands on her hips before kissing his head.

'Take care...because we really don't know about the true face of the Circus after all...'

xxx

'So you guys wanna join the Circus eh?' said Joker, the Ringmaster of the Circus.

'Well yeah, this is easy work innit?' Sebastian grinned. 'I'm particularly good with knives my good man!' he said as he casually wrapped an arm around Joker who laughed cheerfully. 'I dunno about the kid though, I just bumped into him on da way.'

"Damn, Sebastian's a good actor." Allen sweatdropped. He then did his best to look really cute.

'U-uhm...I'm looking for work...' he said shyly complete with fidgeting. 'So um, I'll try everything, OK?' he said with his cutest smile that sent the performers into going 'D'aaaaawwww~!'

'W-well right...but you gotta have skill because you can't be only cute ya know!' Joker stammered out with a blush before coughing. 'Dagger! Lend these guys some knives, we'll start with Target Practice! Let's go first with the dude...er...what's yer name?'

'My name's Sebastian my good man and here's my super-duper killer shot!' Sebastian cried fiercely complete with quite the rape-face as with four knives between his fingers in both hands, he flung the knives with quick waves of his hands, landing straight in the middle in perfect vertical lines.

'OOOOOHHHH!'

'Next, the cutie!' Joker called out. 'What's yer name?' he asked as Dagger retrieved his knives before giving them to Allen.

'I'm Allen!' Allen chimed as upon getting the knives, he threw like a kid would. Clumsily but with precise aim...aiming all for the heart mark on the practice board.

'You aim for the heart...ya seriously tryin' to kill the girl on the roulette wheel?' Joker cackled in amusement. 'Next test: Tightrope Walking!'

xxx

'Tie the tightropes re~al tight, Doll!' Joker called out. 'We can't have an injured beginner!'

'Why is it always ropes? I'm better at walking on pipes...' Allen mock-sniffled before walking on the rope...rather, he RAN on it, causing eye bulges. Sebastian whistled, impressed.

"He's actually this good?"

'He seriously RAN on the tightrope?!' down below...

'Ey Allen! You alright dere?' Joker called out as Allen got down on the ladder. 'Allen?' Allen looked up with big, wide, kicked-puppy-looking-teary eyes that made them-minus Sebastian do a double-take.

'Waaah! I had to think I'm walking on da road, not a rope or I might fall!' Allen wailed as he glomped Joker with comical tears. 'I was sooo scared!'

'Dere dere, your trick worked at least!' Joker reassured the 'frightened boy'. 'Ye didn't walk, more like, ye ran on the rope...' he sweatdropped.

Sebastian had sweatdrops and comical flyaway hairs. "I know we're acting but...this is ridiculous..."

And so, Sebastian and Allen are in.